What sinners are REALLY welcome in your church? In your life

[Fez]

Thats a really good point and it brings about a good question. When does "a duty to uncover" turn into "a license to judge"? Again, I am not saying that it is being done in this room by any Christian. Many of you seem like mature, scripture reading Christians, who understand the line.

I have a friend. Lets call him Bob (cause its easy to type). Six months ago Bob lost his job. He lives in a tourist complex his mother and father in law own, and his wife helps run. He runs a home group and is a regular everyday Christian, the type most of you know.

For six months Bob has been sitting on his butt, fishing, churching, and not much else. When I asked him about finding work (in our small community this is hard, and most jobs might be behind a shop counter, as a waiter, that sort of thing), Bob tells me that this is beneath him and he wants more. He has put out two CV's for two jobs in the last six months, and relies on his wife and family to survive.

Before I spoke to him, he kept saying, I am waiting for the Lord to direct me as to what I should do.

Rubbish.

A week or so back, after a prayer meeting at my home I called him aside and told him that waiting on the Lord could be looked at as being a cop out, and that any honest work was pleasing to God. He resorted to I am waiting for the Lord to direct me. My answer was that the Lord already has.

Gen 17.1 - Although the Lord was talking to Abraham about something else, still applies. "I am the Lord your God, walk before me and be righteous and I will multiply you greatly"

I told him, get off your butt and walk, then pray. Don't sit on your butt and pray you may one day be able to walk. You can already walk.

Use what you have now, and trust in the Lord to help you.

That is faith.

This was not a rebuke, and he never took it as such. It was advice based on scripture.

His wife has retreated from people altogether, and is questioning her walk (not her belief, that is strong). We were praying for her and I got the picture of a wall of bricks, with our prayers bouncing off them (not off Jesus, off her). When we were finished praying I told her that I saw this wall she had built to keep people out. She agreed with me and said that is exactly what she had done.

This was not a rebuke, it was a message through me, from the Spirit, to her.

Pray first, practice discernment, understand the situation fully, then talk.

This from James on the subject...

Jas 3:4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.

Jas 3:5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Jas 3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,

Jas 3:8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Jas 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Tame the tongue, and use it for blessings, and it is the most awesome weapon we have against satan. Use it for his devices, and it is the most destructive weapon we have for satan.

[wyguy]

What sinners are REALLY welcome in your church?

I just want to say that my church is full of sinners - me included.

[luke22ministries]

"Pray first, practice discernment, understand the situation fully, then talk."

I think this is the key. In each of your situations, the people you were talking too saw your concern as words from the lord and not "the lawgiver". There are times when the lord has very abrupt things to say to us. They need to be said. However, scripture tells us that we are always to check our heart, our motives and make sure we say these things in love.

Thats a really good point and it brings about a good question. When does "a duty to uncover" turn into "a license to judge"? Again, I am not saying that it is being done in this room by any Christian. Many of you seem like mature, scripture reading Christians, who understand the line.

I have a friend. Lets call him Bob (cause its easy to type). Six months ago Bob lost his job. He lives in a tourist complex his mother and father in law own, and his wife helps run. He runs a home group and is a regular everyday Christian, the type most of you know.

For six months Bob has been sitting on his butt, fishing, churching, and not much else. When I asked him about finding work (in our small community this is hard, and most jobs might be behind a shop counter, as a waiter, that sort of thing), Bob tells me that this is beneath him and he wants more. He has put out two CV's for two jobs in the last six months, and relies on his wife and family to survive.

Before I spoke to him, he kept saying, I am waiting for the Lord to direct me as to what I should do.

Rubbish.

A week or so back, after a prayer meeting at my home I called him aside and told him that waiting on the Lord could be looked at as being a cop out, and that any honest work was pleasing to God. He resorted to I am waiting for the Lord to direct me. My answer was that the Lord already has.

Gen 17.1 - Although the Lord was talking to Abraham about something else, still applies. "I am the Lord your God, walk before me and be righteous and I will multiply you greatly"

I told him, get off your butt and walk, then pray. Don't sit on your butt and pray you may one day be able to walk. You can already walk.

Use what you have now, and trust in the Lord to help you.

That is faith.

This was not a rebuke, and he never took it as such. It was advice based on scripture.

His wife has retreated from people altogether, and is questioning her walk (not her belief, that is strong). We were praying for her and I got the picture of a wall of bricks, with our prayers bouncing off them (not off Jesus, off her). When we were finished praying I told her that I saw this wall she had built to keep people out. She agreed with me and said that is exactly what she had done.

This was not a rebuke, it was a message through me, from the Spirit, to her.

Pray first, practice discernment, understand the situation fully, then talk.

This from James on the subject...

Jas 3:4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.

Jas 3:5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Jas 3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,

Jas 3:8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Jas 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Tame the tongue, and use it for blessings, and it is the most awesome weapon we have against satan. Use it for his devices, and it is the most destructive weapon we have for satan.

[foreverandever]

Hi I am new here.

I think before you can rebuke you need to know the situation and not lead to assumptions.

In my situation I have a baby out of wedlock and I almost left the church cause of it. What people assume is usually totally wrong. I got raped by an ex boyfriend. I avoid certain Christians. At present I am healing but it is hard. What I learnt is grace is kinder. Not everyone needs to know what happened but grace allows me to keep this confidential.

I think there is a scripture " There is no condemnation in Christ

[Fez]

Hi I am new here.

I think before you can rebuke you need to know the situation and not lead to assumptions.

In my situation I have a baby out of wedlock and I almost left the church cause of it. What people assume is usually totally wrong. I got raped by an ex boyfriend. I avoid certain Christians. At present I am healing but it is hard. What I learnt is grace is kinder. Not everyone needs to know what happened but grace allows me to keep this confidential.

I think there is a scripture " There is no condemnation in Christ

Well spoken And yes, there is no condemnation in Christ. If only every Christian would pay attention to that!

Blessings

[luke22ministries]

Wow! What a lesson to the rest of us on casting judgment!

Hi I am new here.

I think before you can rebuke you need to know the situation and not lead to assumptions.

In my situation I have a baby out of wedlock and I almost left the church cause of it. What people assume is usually totally wrong. I got raped by an ex boyfriend. I avoid certain Christians. At present I am healing but it is hard. What I learnt is grace is kinder. Not everyone needs to know what happened but grace allows me to keep this confidential.

I think there is a scripture " There is no condemnation in Christ

Well spoken And yes, there is no condemnation in Christ. If only every Christian would pay attention to that!

Blessings

[luke22ministries]

If you havent had the chance to read the article this post is founded on, I think you might find it worth consideration. Here is the link. Again, all my articles are free and have Christian content. I'd love you to post your views

http://www.examiner.com/christianity-in-west-palm-beach/dear-judge-being-the-lawgiver-verses-rebuking-love

[nebula]

My situation I have a baby out of wedlock and I almost left the church cause of it. What people assume is usually totally wrong. I got raped by an ex boyfriend.

[glennagail]

Just as the instructions from the Holy Spirit can come by such a slight word or movement, rebukes can also come by means of a soft, loving word. When most think of rebuking, they think of confrontation, but this is not always the case. Most times when I realize that I have rebuked someone,such a rebuke has been through loving advice, spoken softly with much care. What are our words to others if not seeds? These seeds which we plant and water only grow by the love of God in one's heart, changing them from the inside. It is not us who does the changing, but His Spirit which convicts the world of sin, both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Proverbs 15:1

A soft answer turns away wrath,But a harsh word stirs up anger.

I s agree with you. It is really not my job to change someone. How do I know the hurts or sins of another. What if the sin I see is caused by a sin I can't see? What if it is not the sin God wants to deal with first? The closest I have come to reburking someone is to offer them a word of concern,making sure that I am spending extra time with someone who I think may need some extra guidance. Even the oldest and strongest of us have things that we struggle with. I believe God understands and is ok with baby steps. He alone can change a heart. Our love and compassion can go a long way in helping him love others

[~candice~]

I'd like to hear the experience of those who have had to rebuke their believing parent/s?