Give me YOUR best EXPLAINATION of how to ...

[firestormx]

6 hours ago, George said:

Shalom everyone,

I'm curious ... what do you BELIEVE is the BEST way to RECOVER someone who you believe is in ERROR?  I'm doing a forum test ... to see who really understands how to reach someone ... whom you believe is WRONG!

Do I have any takers?

God bless,

George

I was going to post to this as well but OneLight said almost word for word what I was going to say, so I will just quote him.

6 hours ago, OneLight said:

I'll bite!

After praying and seeking the Lord on the matter, if led to, I would ask to speak to them in private and discuss the issue in love.  This may take more than one time, as with love, it is enduring and not a one time shot.  If, after time, the sinner refuses to turn away from their sin, then bring in one or two other loving believers to try again.  The very last step would be to bring it in front of the body of Christ as humiliation usually builds walls, not break them down.

 

[JustPassingThru]

I used to be a bull in a china shop kinda guy, get in their face with, "this is what the Word says," however, after hearing my pastor teach on this very thing through his own personal experience with a good friend, it changed my outlook and method of loving confrontation.

He said there was an elder in the church that left his wife and family and moved in with his young secretary, he wanted to go and talk with him, but he didn't feel the Lord leading him to go, then, after much prayer he felt the Lord was telling him to go and talk with him, but he procrastinated, ...not knowing what to say, until finally one Saturday he drove over to where they were living. They were living in an apartment over a garage, ...he remembered the lovely house the man had left behind, he knocked on the door, his friend answered and invited him in, he said it was very awkward, he sat down and the young girl went to bring him something to drink, while he was waiting, looking around the dump they were living in, second hand thrift store furniture, holes in the carpet, ...he started to weep, weeping uncontrollably, he said he felt so embarrassed, he got up, excused himself and went outside and left.

He didn't go home immediately, he drove around for awhile, angry at himself for not controlling his emotions, but all he could think about was the wife, children and loving home his friend had traded for his sin and while doing so he would start to weep all over again, finally he went home, told his wife what a failure he had been as a pastor, ...about 30 minutes after he was home the telephone rang, it was his friend, ...informing him he had left the young girl and moved back home, apologized to his wife and children, asked them to forgive him and give him a second chance, ...he also thanked his pastor for coming over to visit him.

So as it has already been said, we pray and wait for the Lord's timing, He will give us what to say (or do) at the exact moment that He knows will penetrate the sinners heart, that way it's not us, but in all things, as usual, ...it's the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord bless

[bropro]

7 hours ago, George said:

Shalom everyone,

I'm curious ... what do you BELIEVE is the BEST way to RECOVER someone who you believe is in ERROR?  I'm doing a forum test ... to see who really understands how to reach someone ... whom you believe is WRONG!

Do I have any takers?

God bless,

George

The first thing I would do is prepare my heart before going to this person (Prov. 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord). The next thing I would do is to make sure that I have all the information that pertains to this person’s error. I would hear this person’s side of the story as well as any others that may have witnessed the error. Prov. 18:13 says, “He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.” I take this to mean that if we don’t hear all sides to the matter, then we really haven’t heard it. After I have gathered all the information, I would reason with this person in a spirit of meekness, lest I also be tempted, in an endeavor to shine light on this erroneous act. The scriptures of course, would be the standard that I would use to reason with this person to turn from the error and make things right with God, and to any person that may have been offended by this act. The thing I would most keep in mind is that the restoration of this person is the main objective.

 

Gary

[GandalfTheWise]

I first try to discern two things: 1) does God want me to do something? 2) what is the real core issue that God wants me to focus on?   My observation has been that many of the things we see as errors and sins are really just symptoms of deeper problems that need to be addressed.   Some of these things will just resolve themselves on their own once the root issues are addressed.  

Restoration is really about the Holy Spirit communicating to and touching the person's heart to want to change.  It's a process.  A few minutes of our words or a few actions might be what it takes.  Several months of patient actions and words from many different people might be what it takes.  It's ultimately that we are just one means God is using to reach out to their heart.

One important thing is that we don't let our words, tone, opinions, and actions become a stumbling block to that person's restoration with God. I try to keep my own negative emotions and reactions out of play.  Often the person is already dealing with struggles of some type. I need to be an ally who is there to help them grow spiritually.  If I turn things into an argument or fight, it's unlikely I'll be able to communicate much.  I tend to ask questions and to share various testimonies (both my own or from others) as led by God.  Depending on the amount of credibility I have with a person and the existing relationship, I may be able to draw on existing goodwill and trust as a means of saying things I maybe couldn't with someone I don't know well.

[Co - heir in Christ]

   One of the most important things,I'd say, is to lead by your own example. The best and truest words possible will often actually drive a person further from God if the person delivering them isn't living for God themselves.

   Connected to that, is not looking down on the person you're trying to help. If we attempt to help someone w/ the spirit of condescension and arrogance, then we're opening ourselves up for an embarrassing fall as well (God resists the proud, but He has respect for the humble).

   Besides, w/out God in a person's life, anyone is susceptible to any sin. God really showed me the extent of spiritual forces in our lives. He taught me not to hate, hurt, or judge others (although I can't accept/condone sin [including my own] either). Only God is fit to judge a person; Only He knows their heart and where they've been. God showed me that if I had another's demons (and especially if I had had their experiences) I'd do anything they do, or worse. And God hates ALL sin (although He loves all PEOPLE), not just some of them (and there's really not as much difference as people think, as one sin [unless the person truly repents and asks God for forgiveness] will lead to another, bigger one).

   About a year and a half before I came to know God (in 6/'17) I was so low, spiritually, that I'd firmly decided to kill as many prison staff as I could, and then myself; I was just waiting for the best opportunity. I thought love didn't exist, and that hate was the path of growth. Guards, police officers, politicians, most psychiatrists, and employees at pharmaceutical companies I didn't even see as human. That's how much I hated them. As I said, I came to know God in 6/'17, and w/in weeks of God revealing His Holy Spirit to me, I learned to see EVERYONE as a brother or sister; a precious creation of the One True Living God. He taught me to understand the tests and trials that the ones I was ignorantly and unfairly looking down on were going through. And He showed me that on our own (i.e., w/out Yeshua/Jesus in our lives), we're all hideous and disgusting.

   God also showed me that even negative thoughts about a person send demons their way, and if that makes me sound nuts, even physicists are starting to validate it. Actual scientists've come out saying that our thoughts are actually a very subtle form of energy. And, It's been confirmed that sub- atomic particles actually behave differently based on whether or not a person's observing them (they have to come up w/ elaborate setups for experiments in order to circumvent the peculiar phenomenon, and not 'directly' observe the processes under scrutiny).

   So, when trying to correct someone we believe to be in error, we have to do it in a Spirit of love and compassion, w/out trying to tear them down, even if they sort of annoy us (God loves everyone, and He's got a plan for each of us; every person has worth). God keeps drilling it in to me that He wants people to really have a passion to build others up in love, and especially w/ other believers. He wants us to see each other as we truly are, and as His Holy Word says, different members of one body, in Him; if one hurts, all of us should feel the pain.

   We have to be patient and forgiving towards them, as we'd all be dead in our sins still if it weren't for God's awesome saving grace.

   The other major thing would be to pray on the matter, and really seek the Lord's guidance on how to proceed. We should also pray for verification (if it's a complicated matter) that we are not the ones in the wrong. And, while we're talking to the person, we should really allow and trust the Holy Spirit to say the right words, as He knows a lot better than us the words a person needs to hear.

   I try to meditate on what God is trying to get through to me, and what He wants me to say/do for awhile before I open my mouth, as much as possible.

   I often find it helpful to find ways in which I can relate to the person (even if it's from a completely different sector of life), and/or incorporate my own shortcomings and mistakes - and how God helped me to correct them - into our conversation, so they know I'm not looking at them like they're from space, or like they've just crawled from the deepest cess - pit.

   If we find that we're in over our heads, we can seek the help of one or more other born again believers who are strong in the Holy Spirit.

   And, of course, we should keep them in our prayers, plead the Perfect, Powerful and Precious Blood of Yeshua/Jesus around them, and ask God to protect them w/ His Angels and minister to them in a way they'll understand (and that the person be attentive to God's correction).

   Another very important thing is that we have faith that God can and will answer our prayers (to ask for His help and not believe this [especially if the person is born again] is actually pretty insulting towards God), and that there will be results in the life of the person we're helping, even if it isn't always in accordance w/ our own schedules, or if it doesn't happen in front of our eyes.

   

Edited May 7, 2019 by Co - heir in Christ
Forgot to include something.

[Marilyn C]

8 hours ago, George said:

Shalom everyone,

I'm curious ... what do you BELIEVE is the BEST way to RECOVER someone who you believe is in ERROR?  I'm doing a forum test ... to see who really understands how to reach someone ... whom you believe is WRONG!

Do I have any takers?

God bless,

George

Hi George,

There are some very good answers here. Now I am just going to limit my thoughts to how I answer error on the forum. If I see someone has said something in error, I discern by the Holy Spirit whether this is for me to address &/or is it needful at this time.

I like to find something that the person has said that is good and encourage them there, and then go on to gently speak regarding the error I see. I will post scriptures to help the person receive from God`s word. Finally I know that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, so after prayer I leave the outcome to the Lord.

regards, Marilyn.

[Co - heir in Christ]

5 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi George,

There are some very good answers here. Now I am just going to limit my thoughts to how I answer error on the forum. If I see someone has said something in error, I discern by the Holy Spirit whether this is for me to address &/or is it needful at this time.

I like to find something that the person has said that is good and encourage them there, and then go on to gently speak regarding the error I see. I will post scriptures to help the person receive from God`s word. Finally I know that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, so after prayer I leave the outcome to the Lord.

regards, Marilyn.

   Very good answer! Everyone is blessed w/ good qualities, and it really helps when correcting someone to let them know you see the good things about them too.

   And, the Word is incredibly powerful; it helps in every situation.

   I wish more people went about correcting others as you do.

[Marilyn C]

1 hour ago, Co - heir in Christ said:

   Very good answer! Everyone is blessed w/ good qualities, and it really helps when correcting someone to let them know you see the good things about them too.

   And, the Word is incredibly powerful; it helps in every situation.

   I wish more people went about correcting others as you do.

Hi Co - heir in Christ,

How encouraging there bro. Much appreciated.

Marilyn.

[walla299]

11 hours ago, George said:

Shalom everyone,

I'm curious ... what do you BELIEVE is the BEST way to RECOVER someone who you believe is in ERROR?  I'm doing a forum test ... to see who really understands how to reach someone ... whom you believe is WRONG!

Do I have any takers?

God bless,

George

I actually stumbled into this method as a younger believer when a couple of friends were getting into some false teaching.

1. Pray for them, that the Lord would open their eyes to His truth in scripture.

2. Show 'em the scripture. In context (I have a well developed hatred of "proof texting!")

3. Pray for 'em some more, claiming God's promise that His word will not return to Him void but will accomplish his purposes.

4. Leave 'em alone about the issue and give the Spirit time to work!

 

"God's word is a lion. Let it out of the cage!" -- Spurgeon (or not. I don't remember.)

 

[The_Patriot21]

Speak softly and carry a big stick...oh sorry, that ones been taken...how about speak softly and carry a big Bible (to thump people with)