PG4Him
Senior Member
Essay Moderator
Posts: 3,570
|
Post by PG4Him on May 13, 2018 15:46:32 GMT -5
As Christians, it is our duty to liberate the oppressed, bring healing to the sick, and correct bad ideas people have about God. Make no mistake: if you are part of God's kingdom, you are on assignment. This is our duty. Jesus Christ is the only one who can set people free. We have to help. If you are not endeavoring to help on this assignment, you are missing a huge part of the Christian walk.
Sometimes this will also mean we must confront destructive people. Rebuking is part of the work. If you're afraid to rebuke a spiritual bully, you won't get far in your walk.
However... please allow me to offer some thoughts on rebuke.
1) Thus is a huge responsibility Jesus gives us to protect other sheep and His own bride. We should treat it with the weight it deserves. Tread very softly.
2) Rebuke should be a last resort when friendly advice/rational dialog/logical argument has failed. Christians who go around looking for a fight will not be used by God for much.
3) Discernment isn't the same as a witch hunt. If you always assume that all the other Christians are wrong about everything, then you are not spiritual, you are a criticizer. If you think every preacher is out for your money, then you are not elect, you are just paranoid.
4) The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:20). If you feel the urge to "rebuke" someone because they hurt your feelings or they dismissed your personal doctrines, that's not a rebuke, it's an argument. God doesn't like being used as a weapon in human arguments. When you call something a rebuke, you better be double-dog sure it really is.
5) Don't rebuke what you're not equipped to teach. Not everyone is called to confront false teaching in every arena. Sure, you can make a big stink and tell someone they're wrong, but then you can't convincingly lead them to the truth. What good have you done? Why should they believe you?
6) Count the cost of a burned bridge. People who are hurting will often shut us out when we constantly make them feel stupid. Ask yourself if anything good will come of you bringing it up right now. If you know it will damage an opportunity to minister, it might be best to bite your tongue.
7) Don't rebuke what you don't understand. You don't have to personally go through something to make it true. It is a very dangerous thing to tell people their own life experience is false. Always stick to the Bible as your guide, not just whatever you grew up seeing in church.
8) Always approach other people with the respect that they are not idiots. This may come as a shock, but other people do read the Bible. Insulting their intelligence won't win you any favors.
9) Rebuke because you really, truly, honestly care for them. People can tell when your pious little comments are lip service. Paul rebuked with tears running down his face. He said he wished he could forfeit his own salvation to save his family. If you are not willing to take a bullet for that person, you are probably not qualified to rebuke them.
10) Always show a person love before you show them rebuke. If they don't admire you, they will not listen. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.
Let us love each other, not just in word, but also in deed, and let us esteem each other above ourselves.
|
|
|
|
Post by frienduff on May 13, 2018 18:37:52 GMT -5
Sister , I will simply sum it up like this . Learn the pattern the apostels taught the church.
and worry not what to say , THE SPIRIT gives us words . Rebuke sharply paul told timothy . that others may fear he told timothy.
God always gives the right answer to those who wait upon Him . Some we save with fear hating even the garment spotted by the flesh
others too with compassion . JUST Do as THE HOLY SPIRIT BIDS . I have learned , if we wait upon the SPIRIT , OH it gives the words and demeanor
in all situations .
|
|
|
|
Post by tlsitd on May 14, 2018 4:46:46 GMT -5
As Christians, it is our duty to liberate the oppressed, bring healing to the sick, and correct bad ideas people have about God. Make no mistake: if you are part of God's kingdom, you are on assignment. This is our duty. Jesus Christ is the only one who can set people free. We have to help. If you are not endeavoring to help on this assignment, you are missing a huge part of the Christian walk. Sometimes this will also mean we must confront destructive people. Rebuking is part of the work. If you're afraid to rebuke a spiritual bully, you won't get far in your walk. However... please allow me to offer some thoughts on rebuke. 1) Thus is a huge responsibility Jesus gives us to protect other sheep and His own bride. We should treat it with the weight it deserves. Tread very softly. 2) Rebuke should be a last resort when friendly advice/rational dialog/logical argument has failed. Christians who go around looking for a fight will not be used by God for much. 3) Discernment isn't the same as a witch hunt. If you always assume that all the other Christians are wrong about everything, then you are not spiritual, you are a criticizer. If you think every preacher is out for your money, then you are not elect, you are just paranoid. 4) The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God (James 1:20). If you feel the urge to "rebuke" someone because they hurt your feelings or they dismissed your personal doctrines, that's not a rebuke, it's an argument. God doesn't like being used as a weapon in human arguments. When you call something a rebuke, you better be double-dog sure it really is. 5) Don't rebuke what you're not equipped to teach. Not everyone is called to confront false teaching in every arena. Sure, you can make a big stink and tell someone they're wrong, but then you can't convincingly lead them to the truth. What good have you done? Why should they believe you? 6) Count the cost of a burned bridge. People who are hurting will often shut us out when we constantly make them feel stupid. Ask yourself if anything good will come of you bringing it up right now. If you know it will damage an opportunity to minister, it might be best to bite your tongue. 7) Don't rebuke what you don't understand. You don't have to personally go through something to make it true. It is a very dangerous thing to tell people their own life experience is false. Always stick to the Bible as your guide, not just whatever you grew up seeing in church. 8) Always approach other people with the respect that they are not idiots. This may come as a shock, but other people do read the Bible. Insulting their intelligence won't win you any favors. 9) Rebuke because you really, truly, honestly care for them. People can tell when your pious little comments are lip service. Paul rebuked with tears running down his face. He said he wished he could forfeit his own salvation to save his family. If you are not willing to take a bullet for that person, you are probably not qualified to rebuke them. 10) Always show a person love before you show them rebuke. If they don't admire you, they will not listen. A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. Let us love each other, not just in word, but also in deed, and let us esteem each other above ourselves. Some good advice and a good reminder to walk in love, sister. We should be led by the Holy Spirit and following the teachings of God's written word in how we interact with other Christians and with the unsaved. Sometimes we might think we are being led by the Spirit to do something when it's really our own desire and emotions leading us to do it. We should have pleasing the Lord and the best interest of the other person in mind in our interactions with others, not ourselves, whatever the interaction may be. And if we are truly being led by the Spirit in what we do (and He won't lead us to do something contrary to the instructions and teachings of His written word), we will have the peace of God to do it, and whatever it is that we do in whatever way will be the right thing to do for that person and that situation. The wise in heart will know the proper time and procedure for doing a thing, and Jesus Christ is our wisdom. We should be mindful and careful to follow His lead, just as Jesus Himself followed the Father's lead in what He said and did in His earthly ministry, and the apostle Paul followed Christ's. Paul was sometimes gentle, sometimes severe, but both as he was led by the Spirit, according to the faith he had. Our Lord Himself likewise. God knows exactly what people need to hear and how He wants us to say it, and what is the best thing to do in a given interaction or situation, according to His will. And He also knows the motives of our hearts, so we should be careful that they are pure in the sight of our Judge. |
|
|
|
Post by John on May 14, 2018 5:53:19 GMT -5
I think that advise works well in most instances, if we have time to plan it out. Jesus had to rebuke Peter on the spot, but most of the time, that is not necessary, and tact can be used. Sometimes, there is just a misunderstanding. We should be careful how we rebuke people.
|
|
|
|
Post by frienduff on May 14, 2018 13:11:48 GMT -5
I think that advise works well in most instances, if we have time to plan it out. Jesus had to rebuke Peter on the spot, but most of the time, that is not necessary, and tact can be used. Sometimes, there is just a misunderstanding. We should be careful how we rebuke people. speaking about rebuke , by some of the responses I am seeing on worthy , I think the time is fast coming when some will just shake the dust off their feet, AGAINST us , as though we do the evil . Too many have found their comforts in the mind jumblings of men who twisted both the approach and scripture unto their own destruction and all who follow them. When I first appeared on the scene all I did was preach sound doctrine . It was only after constant attackes by Those who believe we cannot fall away , that topics like OSAS were brought up . You see, by grace I had the unction that , that mindset does lead to the most non correcting mindset . I Mean why take sin so serious , IF WE CANT FALL AWAY , maybe just lose a few rewards . I never saw such an approach towards correct of error IN THE PATTERN SET BY the APOSTELS , BY CHRIST , by the prophets , by GOD himself to the seven churches . BUT a lot has changed since OSAS began years and years ago. It just led to a generation that if you warn them , YOU have no faith , no trust in GOD, a works earner and so on . WHEN the door to correction gets closed , WHAT RUSHES IN , EVIL , INQUITY . SO no marvel the dark one did this . He created an image OF GOD that is not compatible to GOD. Not a God who both loves and warns very serious . Just a god that has a false love and you cant fall away. Rather odd , GOD himself uses the term YOU have fallen . AND tells them REPENT or else . Just saying .
|
|
PG4Him
Senior Member
Essay Moderator
Posts: 3,570
|
Post by PG4Him on May 14, 2018 13:44:19 GMT -5
People wrapped up in bad doctrine will rebuke you quicker than you can say boo. They will pull out that rebuke card at the drop of a hat to tell other Christians to shut up. They refuse to be told anything they don’t want to hear. They treat the Bible like a box of bullets to shoot at people they don’t like. They will defend themselves and their sin at any cost, often with totally irrelevant Bible verses tossed around with a flippant attitude. Rebuke is all fun and games to them. Judgment and discernment are all fun and games. They will question your salvation, call you unspiritual, imply that you have never read the Bible, and make all sorts of accusations to shut you up. It is extremely dangerous to attack people under the disguise of bibliical rebuke. God does not appreciate being used.
Worthy is the Christian version of kindergarten. Constantly rehashing the same baby concepts. People with very carnal, dysfunctional lifestyles, who are unteachable, who never seem to grow, but yet are all too willing to “correct” you with their doctrinal opinions. Then there is the clique of Keyboard Calvinists always on duty to control the theological narrative.
|
|
|
|
Post by tlsitd on May 14, 2018 16:05:42 GMT -5
People wrapped up in bad doctrine will rebuke you quicker than you can say boo. They will pull out that rebuke card at the drop of a hat to tell other Christians to shut up. They refuse to be told anything they don’t want to hear. They treat the Bible like a box of bullets to shoot at people they don’t like. They will defend themselves and their sin at any cost, often with totally irrelevant Bible verses tossed around with a flippant attitude. Rebuke is all fun and games to them. Judgment and discernment are all fun and games. They will question your salvation, call you unspiritual, imply that you have never read the Bible, and make all sorts of accusations to shut you up. It is extremely dangerous to attack people under the disguise of bibliical rebuke. God does not appreciate being used. Worthy is the Christian version of kindergarten. Constantly rehashing the same baby concepts. People with very carnal, dysfunctional lifestyles, who are unteachable, who never seem to grow, but yet are all too willing to “correct” you with their doctrinal opinions. Then there is the clique of Keyboard Calvinists always on duty to control the theological narrative. Yes, Mr. Calvin seems to be quite popular on every Christian forum I have participated in. I hate to see people defend what they were taught in church or seminary as though it is the Bible truth when it actually isn't---defending the teachings of a man whose doctrine was flawed as though it is indisputable Christian doctrine. If a thing gets taught long enough by enough prominent people, it becomes accepted as truth, even when it isn't. People just get things into their heads, from hearing them over and over again from so many pastors and other Christians, that they can't (or refuse) to hear otherwise. And they simply interpret the Scriptures that would correct them through the warped lenses of incorrect doctrine, so that no matter what you point them to, they can't see the truth. ( God can show them, but it's wise to know when to leave it to Him and walk away from the subject, as it will do no good to keep trying to show a person something the Holy Spirit has not yet explained to them.) When I think of John Calvin, and other men who are considered to have been great teachers, I think of what it says in James about not many brothers presuming to become teachers, because those who teach doctrine will be more strictly judged. It doesn't matter how revered they are or were; what matters is whether what they taught was correct or not. I personally would hate to be in John Calvin's place on the Day of Judgment. Jesus is going to have some words for him. |
|
|
|
Post by justinadams on May 15, 2018 4:15:11 GMT -5
Mr C. was one sick puppy. Why so many follow is heartrendingly sad. Ugh. That doctrine makes me sick... REALLY SICK.
|
|
|
|
Post by John on May 16, 2018 7:50:32 GMT -5
Predestination and election are Bible based teachings, but I don't follow Calvin. Most of his teachings are wrong. Sanctification is a Biblical doctrine, but I don't follow Wesley, as he teaches some error too. Justification is a Biblical doctrine, but Luther is a false teacher in many areas. You shouldn't follow anyone blindly. Everyone will have some degree of error in what they say.
|
|
