When you love EVERYONE, you are accused of being lukewarm and advocating sin. Let’s get something straight, you do not have to advocate sin to love others.
It goes both ways; if you don't advocate sin, then you are accused of not loving others.
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man?
If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.
I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as confirmed by my conscience in the Holy Spirit.
For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.
Verses Link: Seeking the approval of God and not man
TRUE spirit-filled Christians are not represented well. Jesus Christ is not represented well.
We have failed sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The simplicity that is in Christ. We have allowed radicals to have the microphone and misrepresent Christians that aren’t bound by any man-made religion. I am misrepresented; so, here is what I believe using Scripture.
(I know that sounds like an oxymoron to some people; but religion has hi-jacked the faith.)
Hate-filled Christians are not to be pointing the finger if they have any willful sin in their lives (that covers many many folks; that is addressed a few lines down).
Some of the only Scripture people are getting is junk from shows like the Handmaid’s Tale. Mercy. Friends and family, we need to be reminded of The Greatest Commandment in Matthew 22.
The wrath of God comes on a nation because of the sins of His people. When will we, the church of Jesus Christ, take responsibility and repent? If you truly care about where someone’s soul spends eternity, share the Gospel. Once a person becomes a believer, hash it out among yourselves as that is when it’s acceptable and Scripture supports that.
Re-read the Scripture on the adulterer. Jesus simply told her ‘go and sin no more’. He did not give her a lashing like the Pharisees did.
Let’s look at the Scripture to see where pointing the finger at non-believers gets us and how to judge righteously. The Greatest Commandment Matthew 22:34-40 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Judging Others Matthew 7:1-4 7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
^^ What's Jesus saying here? Get yourself in a state where people can't find major fault with you; you're walking in a Godly manner...then you're in a place to judge your brother. "Don't be a hypocrite."
God’s Righteous Judgment
Romans 2:1-7 2 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
^^ What's Jesus saying here? Continue reading through verse 7. Don't be a hypocrite. Same as what was pointed out in Matthew 7. Don't test the Lord by saying "sin is sin, the Lord will judge me."
2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
John 8:3-11 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
^^ What's being said here? Keep reading to verse 11. Jesus didn't condemn her. He simply told her, "God and sin no more."
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
1 Cor 5:9-13
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
1 Cor 11:31-32 - Hold one another accountable. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Luke 17:3-4 3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 1 Tim 5:19-20 19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 2 Tim 4:1-4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. Titus 1:9-11 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Judgement and correction is necessary within the body of Christ. However, those outside the body of Christ, do not shame people for individual sins. Yes, let them know they are sinners, as we all are, and share the Gospel; if the person you are witnessing to comes into the fold of Christ, then yes, we are to rebuke each other in love. Stop pointing fingers and look in the mirror and examine yourself. None of us are good; only through Christ are we righteous. Accepting Christ is not a free ticket to sin, by any means. We do have to repent and turn away from our sin. That is a whole other study, though.
If we are abusing His grace, we seriously need to have a heart to heart with the Father. His grace is not permission to behave however we want.
How do you rebuke or correct a fellow believer?
If you are the one being corrected, be thankful someone in your life cares enough to correct you. I am humbly open to correction. I’m not sure if I come across that way, but I am. I like to learn and grow….especially if it’s growing in the wisdom and knowledge of God. The Truth!
I will test you and all spirits, though. Just because someone is a brother or sister in Christ presenting a differing viewpoint, doesn't make them correct and you incorrect or "unteachable". We test all things against the word of God.
Stand strong if you have convictions. Not everyone (very few, actually) will understand you.
𝐁𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭-𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡.
God will lead you if you are truly seeking His face and desiring for Him to get all honor and glory.
Ephesians 1:17: "asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God."
Proverbs 9:8
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Titus 1:6-9 6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Have the fruits of the spirit! Don't be a hypocrite. Look at the heart of the matter! Are you straining at gnats?
Matthew 23:23-24 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Be very careful judging others! If you're a hypocrite and judging others, you will fall under the discipline of the Lord. Make sure you're above reproach. Matt 7
We do need to rebuke and correct each other! There are times we have to rebuke and correct in the presence of all. We just have to remember all of the scripture.
Don't be a hypocrite.
Yes, we warn. Yes, we share scripture. Yes, we apply it to ourselves, too.
But judging others has biblical instruction so we are not hypocritical or stumbling blocks to others from gaining entry to the family of God.
Our mission is to share the Gospel and the truth in Jesus Christ’s commandments. If you share truth, share it in love as not to be clanging brass. Sharing ALL truth is truly very important.
The sad truth is, not everyone will accept the truth of the Gospel. If they don’t accept it, dust your feet off and move ON. Do not dispute over doubtful things.
If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. Matt 10:14
Some of the above notes taken were from this message:
Disclaimer for all videos, teachers, or messages shared on my website:
I am not saying to go follow THESE PEOPLE for all things.
There is no need to become a "follower" of them unless you test them yourself against the Word of God. This is my disclaimer for ALL things you read/listen to.
This is important for those new to the faith or faith curious.
There is NO one teacher (past and present) that has everything right. Test all things and spirits against the Word of God and with the help of the Holy Spirit.
There is only one Man that walked this earth and never sinned or got His theology wrong and that man was Jesus who was God in the flesh.
Test all things and hold tight to what is good.
More in the comment section below.