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@livethrujesus
So I'm Your Friend Now That You Need Something?
Have you ever had a friend who does not call unless they need something? You may not hear from them for months, then they call just to ask for a favor. They do not pursue any kind of real relationship with you. They probably have no idea what’s going on in your life, and you know they are much more concerned with themselves at the moment. But because they think you have something to offer, all of…
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God Shepherds His People: David, Jesus, and the Church
We all seem to do better when we have a leader. But God sent His people more than just someone to guide and teach. Throughout history, He sent men to shepherd His people. Shepherds not only guide, but they also provide, care for, protect, comfort, and keep us.
David was a shepherd to his father’s sheep until God called him to shepherd His flock. David became Israel’s second king and shepherded God’s people.
He chose David His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds. From following the ewes that had young, He brought him to shepherd Jacob, His people and Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands. Psalm 78:70-72
So, God called David to shepherd His people, while David looked to the Lord as His shepherd.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. The Lord restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies and anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23
The Lord was His example. He provided for David and led him in the right ways. He protected and comforted him. David felt His goodness and His mercy, knowing God was with Him no matter what.
Sheep Without a Shepherd
After David died, his son Solomon became the third king of Israel. But after he died, the kingdom split and had two rulers, one in the north and one in the south. Eventually, each kingdom strayed so far from the Lord that He allowed other nations to take them captive. Their leaders had been insufficient and failed to shepherd His flock well. So, God rebuked them and said He would shepherd the people Himself.
Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with wool. You slaughter fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed the sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost. But with force and cruelty you have ruled them. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. They became food for all the beast of the field when they were scattered... My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth and no one was seeking or searching for them. Therefore, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and I will bring them into their own land... I will feed My flock and I will make them lie down. The Lord will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick. But I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgement. Ezekiel 34:2-16
Jesus Sought the Lost Sheep
Because their human leaders could never be sufficient kings or shepherds to His people, God sent Jesus to shepherd Israel. He traveled from city to city, teaching, preaching, and healing the people, having compassion for them because they were weary and scattered like sheep without a shepherd. After Jesus called the twelve disciples, He told them not to go to the other nations yet but to preach directly to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, telling them that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. The people of Israel had lost their way, and the Lord was still calling them to repent and turn back to Him, just as He had done each time before.
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!" I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7
So, Jesus focused on the lost sheep of Israel. He called them all to Himself so He could guide, teach, provide, comfort, and care for them. But He also knew that as their shepherd, He would ultimately have to give His life to save them.
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Jesus Laid Down His Life for the Sheep
When Goliath threatened the Israelites and mocked their God, David arose to fight Him. But even the soldiers were scared of the giant Philistine, and King Saul couldn’t understand how a young shepherd could defeat him. So, David explained that when a lion or bear took a lamb, he had to chase after them and rescue it. He had killed lions and bears for the sake of his father’s sheep, and he could kill the Philistine for the sake of the sheep who belonged to his Father in heaven.
A good shepherd not only provides, guides, and cares for the sheep, but he’s their protector. He must be willing to give his life for them. David willingly risked his life by running after the predator to save the sheep. Jesus was our Good Shepherd.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. The wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and I am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. Other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring. They will hear My voice and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore, My Father loves Me because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. John 10:11-18
Peter Shepherded the Churches
So, Jesus died for us. But, then, He rose again and walked with them briefly. Though, He would soon ascend to heaven and the people would again feel lost without Him. So, He called Peter to shepherd His sheep. Then, just before Jesus ascended, He told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Through His power, they would be His witnesses. So, on the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the gospel to the people of Israel, and saved 3,000 of the Father's lost sheep that day.
He and the disciples continued preaching to the lost sheep of Israel until God came to Him in a vision and told Him to offer salvation to the other nations in addition to the people of Israel. So, we all have been offered salvation by the Shepherd who gave His life for us. But that is not all! He is now in heaven as the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
Elders of the Church Shepherd Us
Like the Israelites, we have God’s law, and we also have our Shepherd, Jesus. But sometimes, it’s still hard to follow on our own. So, the Lord gave us the church. Jesus called Peter the rock and said He would build the foundation of the church on him.
So, while he was alive, Peter served as a shepherd to the church. He, and the other apostles set up its foundations so we would still have people to shepherd us when they were gone. Peter told the elders to willingly shepherd the flock, with Jesus as their example.
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly, nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples of the flock. 1 Peter 5:2-3
Like the shepherd of the sheep and like Jesus, the elders are to be willing to give their lives for God's flock. They will be held accountable just as the Old Testament shepherds. It is their job to feed us His Word and care for the body, which is the church. They are responsible for keeping each of us in the faith and seeking after us when we go astray. It is our job to be good sheep and not make their job difficult.
Obey those who rule over you and be submissive. For they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief. For that would be unprofitable for you. Hebrews 13:17
Follow the law, look to the Good Shepherd, and let the shepherds of the church lead you.
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This is an excerpt from “Without a Leader It's Easy to Stray” as taught on YouTube, Podcast, and written on Substack. Read the beginning of the lesson for free. Or read it in its entirety, along with previous lessons over Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges for $6/month or $60/year. Once subscribed, you’ll receive one lesson each week thereafter by email. Cancel anytime.
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Yada, Yada, Yada: How Well Do You Know God?
Yada - the Hebrew word for knowing by seeing, observation, experience, perceiving
There are various responses we could give when asked if we know someone. We might say, "I know of them, but I don't really know them." Or maybe they are an acquaintance, but that's about all. Then you have people that you know from work or school. You are around them every day, but you don't hang out with them outside of your designated place to see each other. Or this person could be your friend. But, even with friends, there are different degrees of closeness.
So, if someone were to ask you if you know God, what would you say? Is He someone you just know about? Or maybe He is just an acquaintance, someone you've been around often but you still don't really know? Hopefully He is your friend? But if so, then how close are you? Do you see each other only when you're out with a group, or do just the two of you hang out together? How often do you talk? Are your conversations purely surface-level, or do you tell Him personal things? Do you feel comfortable enough to ask Him questions or to do things for you? Do you trust Him?
Choosing Him
The first generation of Israelites to leave Egypt never really learned to trust God. They had lived most of their lives under another master and never completely submitted to the Lord. The Pharaoh forced them into obedience, yet God gave them a choice. Faced with a new way of making decisions, they never seemed to make the right ones. Ultimately, they turned down their inheritance out of fear and distrust. Because of their lack of faith, they were sentenced to a lifetime of wandering in the wilderness without any real place to call their own.
Their children were very different. They had known God most, if not all, of their lives. They watched while their fathers' distrust cost them everything. But through that, they learned to rely on God for everything, even their daily bread. Since they lived in a desert, God provided sweet bread for them every morning when the dew lifted, and He led them to water. The Lord preserved their lives and met their every need.
After their fathers died, they were determined to follow God and not let fear rob them of their inheritance. So, God led them into the land and fought for them, giving them each their own piece. This generation followed God faithfully their whole lives. But their children turned from Him. Why?
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Experiences With God
The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baal. They forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods. Judges 2:7, 10-12
Joshua’s generation served God faithfully because they'd seen everything God had done for them. These men knew His power because they’d experienced it. They had personal knowledge of the Lord because He’d been leading, teaching, protecting, and working for them their whole lives. They saw it all firsthand.
Their children logically knew the work God had done for Israel. Their fathers had told them. But they had no firsthand knowledge of Him. Their food hadn't come from God, but from the ground. They didn't have to fight for their inheritance. Everything had been handed to them. God had done all these things for their fathers, not for them. They hadn't seen His power with their own eyes. They didn't have any real experiences with the Lord. Their knowledge was superficial and intellectual, and it didn’t compel them to follow Him wholeheartedly.
They were easily led astray, because they weren't fully devoted to Him. They hadn't committed their lives to Him, so they weren't faithful. Therefore, God let them eat the fruit of their ways, knowing it would produce hard times for them. If life got difficult for them, maybe they'd follow Him then.
Tough Times, Easy Times
Tough times create strong men, and strong men create easy times. Easy times create weak men, and weak men create tough times.
The Joshua generation lived during tough times, and it made them strong in spirit and faith. But they created an easy life for their kids, never teaching them to rely on God. So, the next generation was weak, and they fell into temptation. Their superficial, intellectual knowledge of God was not enough to keep them faithful, and it won't be for us either. The only way to be strong in the Lord is to know Him. So, God taught their generation war, like their fathers, so they would come to know Him, too.
To truly know God, we need to have personal experiences with Him. We cannot only know what our parents or our church tell us. We have to get to know Him for ourselves. When we examine what we have been taught, our beliefs become our own. When we look for His power in our lives, we often find that He has been working on our behalf all along the way. Soon, we will see coincidences as God's handiwork and we will start looking for Him in everything.
Getting to Know God
So, how do you know God better? The only way to get to know anyone is to spend time with them, talk to them, and talk to other people who know them. So, talk to him in prayer. Don't just ask Him for things. Tell Him your thoughts, your fears, your joy, and your pain. Then, let Him talk back to you. Listen to what His Spirit is saying to you, and read the Bible. This is God's Word to us. Go to church. This is where you hang out with Him in a group. Let other believers tell you what they know about Him. As you all hang out together, you will experience His presence.
Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20
Once you begin having experiences with Him yourself, your knowledge of Him will grow and become more personal. This will make you want to follow Him. Instead of just obeying an arbitrary set of rules given to you by the church or your parents, you'll begin to understand His heart behind them, and you’ll want to follow them.
Then, just like anyone you spend time with, you will start to adopt His ways as your own. You will begin to think like Him, talk like Him, and act like Him. You have been created in His image. So, you have all His characteristics. His genes flow through your veins, and spending time with Him will bring them out. Then, you will just naturally begin to produce His fruit instead of what you can produce yourself.
Know, Love, Serve
The vision and prayer of AWANA is that all children and youth throughout the world will come to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
You will not be faithful to Him until you truly love Him, and you can’t love someone you don’t really know. The AWANA organization teaches children the Scriptures because that is how they will get to know who God is, what He does, and what He says. They believe that once these children truly know the Lord, they will love Him. Then, if they love Him, they will want to serve Him.
That is my desire for you as well. Superficial knowledge will not make you strong enough to resist temptation. You will fall away if you don't develop a deep and personal relationship with Him. So, seek experiential knowledge, and not just intellect. There is no room for passivity in Christianity. If you want to know God, then you must seek Him.
You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
Links
This is an excerpt from “Knowing God Personally” as taught on YouTube or Podcast or as written on Substack. Read the beginning of the lesson for free, or in its entirety, along with over 35 previous lessons for $6/month or $60/year. Once subscribed, you’ll receive one lesson each week thereafter. Cancel anytime.
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“I take you to have and to hold from this day forward. For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”
These words aren't just part of a ceremony where we get dressed up and have a big party with our friends. We are proclaiming before God and other witnesses to be faithful to this person forever, no matter what. It's the outward profession of our love. We make this promise in front of everyone we care about because it holds more weight than just privately saying we love each other and we want to be together forever. Then we sign papers to bind it and register them with the state.
These witnesses are supposed to hold us accountable when things aren't going well, when we no longer feel love towards them, when we don't want to cherish them, when we think someone else might make us happier, or we are discontent in any other way. They should say, "I was at that church, and I heard you promise before God that you would love and cherish each other until death. You must find a way." But if your witnesses fail, then the state is supposed to step in and hold you to the promise. That's why they are involved in the first place.
You don't have a choice anymore. Love is no longer just a feeling. You promised to love them, so you must remind yourself why you do. It's no longer an option to be with someone else because you promised to be with only them. If you cherish them, as you promised, you could never do that anyway. You made your choice when you made your promise. So, honor it!
Choose Whom You Will Serve
Before Joshua died, he reminded the Israelites of everything God had done for them. He called Abraham to a foreign land and promised to give it to his descendants if he would only follow Him. The Lord rescued them from slavery and protected, preserved, and provided for them in the desert. Then, He defeated all their enemies and gave them the abundant land He had promised Abraham.
I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them. You eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant. Joshua 24:13
Then Joshua said that because God had done all this for them, they should serve Him sincerely, truthfully, and faithfully. But...
if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
First, Joshua told them why they should serve the Lord. After that, He made it clear that He was fully committed to Him. Then, he told them to make a choice. Immediately, they declared that they, too, would serve the Lord.
Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods. The Lord our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went and among all the people through whom we passed. The Lord drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. We also will server the Lord. He is our God. Joshua 24:16-18
The Consequences of Their Choices
But Joshua was about to die, and he needed them to understand the consequences of their choices. So, he told them that God is holy and jealous. If they betray Him with other gods, He will be hurt and angry, just like the partner of an unfaithful spouse. So, if they pledged themselves to Him, they should remain faithful.
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He wouldn't stop them if they changed their minds and turned to other gods. If they chose to betray Him, He would let them. They had a choice. But each choice had its own set of consequences. If they were faithful, they would live in the land and enjoy it. But if they were unfaithful, they could no longer stay in the land God had given them. If they wanted to serve other gods, they could go live in their lands and see what those gods could do for them.
They all vowed to serve the Lord again. So, he told them to hold each other accountable. They had each heard their fellow citizens make a lifelong commitment to serve the Lord. After they agreed, Joshua told them to put away any foreign god and set their hearts on God forever. Then, he made a monument as an additional witness of their lifelong commitment to Him.
Joshua asked them to commit themselves before God and man, as a preacher does with a husband and wife. Then, he added the monument as another witness, like we do when we register our marriage with the state. These stood as witnesses against anyone who dared not to follow through on their commitment.
Don't Just Take the Benefits
A woman should not be allowed to stay in the house with her husband if she is cheating on him. She shouldn't benefit from his money and possessions or the joy of being a family. If she wants the other man, she should go and see what he can give her. But she will lose what she has with her husband. She must make a choice. She can't receive the benefits from both men while being responsible and faithful to neither.
Likewise, the husband shouldn't get to have a mistress, and the benefit of a wife who cooks, cleans, and cares for him and the kids. She may seem better because she doesn't nag or fight, and because she gives him everything the wife doesn't. But she also gives him none of the things his wife does, and she's only free from negativity because she doesn't live or share responsibilities with him.
Sometimes, we want God's benefits but not His rules. We want His salvation, blessings, provision, and protection, but we don't want to live according to His ways. When we need something, we call on Him and want Him to answer our prayers, but we never talk to Him or spend time with Him otherwise. We want to live with Him in heaven but disregard Him on earth. We may not even think about His will unless we want something for ourselves.
But this isn't Christianity. We cannot just make Him our Savior. We must also make Him our Lord.
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. It is with your heart you believe and are justified. It is with your mouth you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10
Choose Him and Remain Faithful
It's your choice. But, if you choose God, be faithful. He loves you. Love Him in return. Do not take His benefits while flirting with the things of this world.
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?" James 4:4-5
He will let you turn to them. But if you do, you will reap what they hold instead of what your Heavenly Father offers you.
Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:7-8
Either commit yourself to Him or don’t. But you can't have it both ways, and you can't remain neutral.
Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33
So, will you commit to Him fully and publicly today? Will you listen when people try to hold you to your promise? Likewise, will you be a witness for others to ensure they keep their commitment, too?
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2-3
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This is an excerpt from “Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve” as taught on YouTube or Podcast or as written on Substack. Read the beginning of the lesson for free, or in its entirety, along with over 35 previous lessons. Once subscribed, you’ll receive one lesson each week thereafter for $6/month or $60/year.
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Should We Confront People's Sin? When and How to Do It
The short answer to this question is yes. There are times that we need to confront other people’s sins. But we cannot and should not, address every single sin of every single person. So, how do we determine when to say something and when to mind our own business? Then, if it is determined that we should say something, how do we go about it?
The first thing we need to do is determine whether this person is a believer or not. If they are not, then then they have not claimed Him to be their Lord and they are not yet bound by His laws. They also do not bear His name, so they can do no damage to it by acting contrary to Him. So, the only reason to talk to an unbeliever about their sin, is to point them to Jesus. It is not to reprimand them, but to explain that because God is our Creator, He makes the rules. But because we are human, we all break them.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
This is why we all need someone to pay the price for our sins and set us right with God.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Because He died for us, it is only fitting that we live for Him.
He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Unbelievers: How
But when we talk to unbelievers, we must do it as fellow sinners, not as self-righteous Christians. It must be out of love and not condemnation. They need to know that sin carries are far heavier burden than obeying God does. It makes us feel guilty and it can be really hard to escape its clutches. But they can find freedom from its hold and its consequences. There is a better way. Then, we can explain the power of the Holy Spirit to help us walk in His ways.
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. These are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things you wish. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Those who are Christ’s, have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 16-17, 22-25
So, yes, we must confront the sin of unbelievers, but only in the light of their Savior. Otherwise, how will they ever know Him, His saving grace, and the eventually find rest with Him in heaven?
Fellow Christians: Why
On the other hand, Christians do know God and His laws and by calling themselves Christ-followers, they bear His name. They have a responsibility to bear it rightly. We are His representatives, and we must represent Him well. Otherwise, they give an incorrect view of Him to the world and they hurt the body of Christ in the process. How many of you have heard that someone doesn’t want to go to church because everyone there is self-righteous, judgmental, or hypocritical?
If the only Christians they know make them feel bad about themselves, act like they are above everyone else, or do things that are obviously wrong to the outside world, then they will think that every Christian is like that and they won’t have anything to do with any of us. But more importantly, they may also want nothing to do with God.
People outside of the church know that we are supposed to look different than the rest of the world. If we don’t, then what’s the point. But sometimes as Christians, we forget this. We use the excuse of being “only human,” when God Himself says that we should be holy as He is holy. That word does not mean perfect. It actually just means set apart. We should be set apart from the world and if we’re not, then something is wrong. We cannot be His witness if we don’t look like Him, and especially if we look like everyone else.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Fellow Christians: When It Hurts Them
So, because it is important for all Christians to represent God well, when do we talk to someone about their sin and when do we keep our mouths shut? A good rule of thumb is if it hurts their relationship with God, His name or body (church), or someone else, then you should probably say something. Also, if it is a perpetual, habitual sin, something that is becoming part of their lifestyle or identity, then it should be addressed.
If the person seems unaware that they are going against God, we want to go to them out of love and concern. If you were sinning and did not know it, wouldn’t you want it brought to your attention? Someone who is young in the faith, may not have any idea that what they are doing is wrong. Also, sometimes, they know God’s Word but they have convinced themselves that what they are doing is okay. In that case, they need someone who loves them, and the Lord, to tell the truth, even if they do not want to hear it.
Then there are times when they know they are doing something wrong but they think they are hiding it, and it isn’t hurting anyone. But if you know then it is very possible there are other people that know too. Although, even if it is a well kept secret and it really isn’t hurting anyone else, God knows and it hurts their relationship with them. If we care about our fellow Christians, we don’t want to see them do something that will damage their relationship with God. Whether their sin is unknown to them or others or whether it is just rationalized, it is harmful to them.
When it Hurts God’s Name or the Church
If their sin is very public or they are in a position of leadership in the church or community, they could lead others astray or push people away, and damage God’s name or the reputation of the church or believers as a whole.
Let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
Also, if their sin hurts someone else, especially someone who can’t defend themselves, we should step in. Love and justice demand that we not stand idly by while someone is being hurt.
Wash yourselves. Make yourselves clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Rebuke the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.
Everyone sins, but the practice of sin is a problem. Anyone who practices a particular sin is at risk of it becoming a lifestyle, and that’s dangerous.
The works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Sinful lifestyles and identities threaten to hurt that person’s relationship with God, His name, His church, and others all at once.
Correct Yourself First
Once we have decided that we should confront someone in their sin, before we go to them, we must first examine ourselves. We may not be damaging God’s name or His church in the same way as them, but if we are damaging His name or our witness in any way, we must first correct ourselves.
Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
Suppose we confront someone about their sin, but we are actually doing something equally wrong or even more egregious. In that case, we look self-righteous, and less zealous for God than we are concerned with virtue signaling and human appearances.
Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
How to Approach Their Sin
Once we have examined ourselves and removed any appearance of sin in our own lives, we must approach our fellow Christians in love and understanding. We want to encourage and restore and not condemn. They must see that we are not trying to put them down or bring ourselves up. We are only talking to them about this because we care about them and about God.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Lastly, this should be done on the smallest scale to be effective. The goal is for realization and repentance, not condemnation or public humiliation.
If your brother sins against you, tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ If he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
So, first, we go to them alone in love. If they do not listen, we bring it to the attention of another person who loves and cares about them and the Lord, and we confront them together. As a last resort, someone living in repetitive, unrepentant rebellion against God should be brought before the elders of the church. If they still refuse to listen, and choose to continue living in sin, then maybe they never belonged to God in the first place.
To Stir Up Love and Good Works
So, the only reason to consider someone else’s sin, is because you love them and the Lord and you want to encourage them and defend God’s name and His people.
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another.
Then we should always approach them in humility, remembering our own sin, and having a desire towards righteousness and reconciliation.
God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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