When you love someone you…
watch them walk out in front of a car?
let them go sky diving without a parachute?
watch them walk into a burning building?
No! You would grab their arm and pull them out of the way of the car. You would warn them that the parachute was never installed. You would stop them from going into the building, reminding them that fire is death.
What about when it comes to something more serious and important than this life? What about when it comes to eternal life?
In this case, the worldly “Christians” say that if you love someone you love them where they are. The world says that you don’t hurt their feelings but you make them feel good.
This is like saying “I didn’t want to hurt your wrist so I let you walk out in front of that car!” It is like saying “I didn’t want to scare you with the truth, so I let you jump out of the plane without your parachute!” It is like you said “The fire is not that bad” so I let you walk into the building.
Why do we approach eternal life and salvation with less seriousness than the world approaches situations that only affect the body?
Matthew 10:28 KJVER
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
While the world tells us that we should not judge others within the claimed body of Christ and that grace covers all of our willful sin, God’s Word tells us that if we love the brethren or saints we tell them the truth. We remind the body of the consequences of sin. The Bible tells us to rebuke when doctrinal error or other sin becomes apparent with the hope that correction is heeded and repentance is made. God’s Word tells us to judge among the brethren and here is one teaching directly from Paul in a letter to the Corinthians and ALL who call upon the name of Christ:
1 Corinthians 5:11-6:3
But now I have written to you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them that are outside? Do not you judge them that are inside? But them that are outside God judges. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know you not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?
God’s Word is clear that judgment and rebuke according to the Word is required by a loving brother.
God’s word tells us that sin does not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Sinners do not even see the kingdom or have Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, not adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkard, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 John 3:6
Whosoever abides in Him sins not: whosoever sins has not seen Him neither know Him.
There is a reason that unrepentant sinful people do not see Christ:
1 John 3:8
He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
If we do not share the truth with those we love and those who claim Christ, are we really loving them? If we tell someone that their sin is “okay” or that it is “not that bad” then we lie and forfeit both their salvation and ours. We become workers of the devil and partakers of their sin.
2 John 9-11
Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God. He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son. If there come any to you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
For those who do not repent or receive rebuke we are commanded to separate from them, regardless of who it is as God is not a respecter of persons, in hopes that they see the shame of their sin.
Romans 2:11
For there is no respect of persons with God.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
When you love someone, you risk hurting their feelings and offending them with the truth in order that their soul might be saved. When you love God, you keep His commandments and choose Him above even those you love. Even when it rips your heart to shreds.
Matthew 10:34-37
Think not that I am come to send peace of earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a mans foes shall be they of his own household. He that loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Note 1: This rebuke and teaching is for those who claim Christ as Lord and Savior only. We are told to go into the world and proclaim the Gospel of repentance through the blood of Christ and the commands of separation are different and for a different post.
Note 2: Below are a selection of scriptures on rebuke within the body of Christ.
Rebuke
Proverbs 27:5
“Open rebuke is better than secret love.”
Revelation 3:19
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
1 Timothy 5:20
“Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”
Proverbs 13:1
“A wise son hears his father’s instruction: but a scorner hears not rebuke.”
Proverbs 9:8-9
“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate you: rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”
Proverbs 13:8
“The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor hears not rebuke.”
Luke 17:3
“Take heed to yourselves: If your brother trespass against you, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”
Titus 2:15
“These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise you.”
2 Timothy 4:2
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
Proverbs 3:11-12
“My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction: For whom the Lord loves He corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights.”
Proverbs 24:24-25
“He that says to the wicked, you are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.”
Ecclesiastes 7:5
“It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear to song of fools.”
Hebrews 12:5-8 KJV
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
What is Charity(we call it love)?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
I come to you in charity, the hope that you turn from worldly man-made ways, into the simplicity of the true gospel of Christ becoming a true child of God. Please test this teaching and any on this site to the scriptures. If I am wrong show me, rebuke me, and I will repent and correct it.
With Love,
Tim
Contact: AFamilyServingTheKing@gmail.com
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