Is it better to save feelings, or save souls?

[Arrabon]

15 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

We have been given the honor of loving our neighbor as ourselves.  

@Marathoner

"ABSOLUTELY!!!

THANK YOU!!!

[Selah7]

Matthew 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

The key, I think, is to study and to have patience.  We light a candle to give light; that is the purpose of the candle from the beginning.  And when we study God's Word and the Lord teaches us something and we gain knowledge that would help someone else, we want to share it—enthusiastically, with the warmth of Christ’s love and seasoned with His words.  We are to plant the seeds of the Word wherever we are, watering that seed we have planted with lots of prayer; but then there comes a time when we let the Father take over and He will make it grow.

Matthew 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Which is in heaven.

[Marathoner]

Yes, @johnthebaptist is wise in the counsel he offers. This is in keeping with the exhortation for us to not be wise in our own estimation. I have couched this poetically in the following manner:

Emptying ourselves so we might be filled by the Lord;
Because the blessings of our Father in heaven are not to be coveted nor buried and kept for ourselves (refer to the parable of the talents),
We pour ourselves out, just as His only begotten Son poured Himself out for our sake when we were dead in our trespasses. 

We are new wineskins by the power of Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is better to approach our neighbor and say, "Let me carry that burden for you!" than it is to recite a sales pitch in ignorance. We love at all times because love and mercy are always in season. 

The Lord indeed moves in this way. We don't seek glory for ourselves because love is neither covetous nor selfish; we humble ourselves and associate with the lowly. What did the Lord Himself say?

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

Edited July 20, 2021 by Marathoner

[johnthebaptist]

1 hour ago, Marathoner said:

Yes, @johnthebaptist is wise in the counsel he offers. This is in keeping with the exhortation for us to not be wise in our own estimation. I have couched this poetically in the following manner:

Emptying ourselves so we might be filled by the Lord;
Because the blessings of our Father in heaven are not to be coveted nor buried and kept for ourselves (refer to the parable of the talents),
We pour ourselves out, just as His only begotten Son poured Himself out for our sake when we were dead in our trespasses. 

We are new wineskins by the power of Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is better to approach our neighbor and say, "Let me carry that burden for you!" than it is to recite a sales pitch in ignorance. We love at all times because love and mercy are always in season. 

The Lord indeed moves in this way. We don't seek glory for ourselves because love is neither covetous nor selfish; we humble ourselves and associate with the lowly. What did the Lord Himself say?

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

Thank you.

[steve morrow]

HUNGER  AND  THIRST 

should anyone be in a hurry to teach what they don"t know given  THE  LORD  hates a false witness

 

2 TIMOTHY 2:15  study to show thyself ---approved unto  GOD--- a workman that needeth not to be ashamed ---rightly dividing the word of --truth---

PROVERBS 12:17 he that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness --- but a false witness deceit 

 

MATTHEW 5:6  blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled 

 

PROVERBS 12:12  the wicked desireth the net of evil men  but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit 

PSALM 140:8 grant not  O LORD  the desires of the wicked further not his devices lest they exalt themselves   selah 

PSALM 37:4  delight thyself also in  THE  LORD  and  HE  shall give thee the desires of thine heart 

PSALM 145:18  THE  LORD  is nigh unto all them that call upon  HIM  --- to all that call upon  HIM  in truth

--145:19-- HE  will fill  --the desire-- of them that fear  HIM  HE  also will hear their cry and will save them 

 

1 CORINTHIANS 12:31  but covet earnestly the best gifts and yet show I unto you a more excellent way 

1 CORINTHIANS 13:11  when I was a child ---I spake as a child---I understood as a child---I thought as a child--- but when I became a man I put away  childish things 

 

2 TIMOTHY 4:1  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

*******4:2-- preach the word be instant ---in season out of season --reprove--rebuke--exhort with all suffering and doctrine******* 

--4:3-- for the time will come when they will not --endure sound doctrine--but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears

--4:4-- and they shall turn away their ears --from the truth-- and shall be turned unto fables 

 

LUKE 8:12  those by the wayside are they that hear then cometh the devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts ---lest they should believe and be saved ---

 

2 peter 3:18  but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our  LORD  AND  SAVIOUR  JESUS  CHRIST  to  HIM  be glory both now and --forever--

 

1 CORINTHIANS 5:12  for what have I to do to judge them also that are without ---do not you judge them that are within 

--5:13-- but them that are without  GOD  judgeth ---therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person 

PSALM 149:9  to execute upon them the judgement written --this honor-- have all the saints    praise you  THE  LORD

 

1 CORINTHIANS 2:15  but he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man 

JOHN 7:24  judge not according to the appearance --but judge righteous judgment--

 

LOVING  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST 

[David1701]

17 hours ago, debrakay said:

I'm surprised @Sower did not put this up:

Matthew 13:3-9 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

I have always considered myself a sower of the seed.  There is a young woman who came into my life briefly 20 years ago.  Fast-forward to 2018 when the Holy Spirit inspired me to start a ladies bible group in my home and she was one of the first to say "Yes! I would love to come." The first part of June she was baptized and is now leading several of her family and friends to the Lord.  The seed was sown 20 years ago but the ground was not fertile until the time was right.  

Jesus preached in parables and in love.  Only some had ears to hear then and it is the same now.  We have to trust the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us.

Here's an interesting truth about parables and why Jesus used them.

Matt. 13:10-16 (EMTV)

10 And the disciples approached and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11 He answered and said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says: 'Hearing you shall hear and by no means understand, and seeing you shall see and by no means perceive.
15 For the heart of this people has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn back, that I should heal them.'
16 "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.

---Jesus says that he used parables, so that most would NOT understand, because the gift to know the mysteries of God was only given to the chosen ones.

[David1701]

14 hours ago, Marathoner said:

Yes, @johnthebaptist is wise in the counsel he offers. This is in keeping with the exhortation for us to not be wise in our own estimation. I have couched this poetically in the following manner:

Emptying ourselves so we might be filled by the Lord;
Because the blessings of our Father in heaven are not to be coveted nor buried and kept for ourselves (refer to the parable of the talents),
We pour ourselves out, just as His only begotten Son poured Himself out for our sake when we were dead in our trespasses. 

We are new wineskins by the power of Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is better to approach our neighbor and say, "Let me carry that burden for you!" than it is to recite a sales pitch in ignorance. We love at all times because love and mercy are always in season. 

The Lord indeed moves in this way. We don't seek glory for ourselves because love is neither covetous nor selfish; we humble ourselves and associate with the lowly. What did the Lord Himself say?

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

Regarding spreading the gospel, which is the more important, our godly living, or preaching the word, in season and out of season?  (N.B. both are important; but, regarding the spread of the gospel, one is far more important than the other.)

The only biblical answer is that preaching the word is the more important.

Phil. 1:14-18 (KJV)

14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

---Regarding this Scripture that you quoted (a very good one): who are those who labour and are heavy laden, to whom the Lord gives rest?

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

---They are those who labour and are heavy laden, under a burden of sin.  They are those convicted of their sin, whose wickedness is a heavy burden to them.  With these ones, the Lord is very gentle, when they come to him, by his grace, in repentance and faith.  He gives them rest from their sin and puts them into a new yoke, with him, because he has made them new creatures, who will pull in the same direction as Jesus, in this new, light yoke.

---How do we know when we are loving our brothers in Christ?  When we obey God's commandments, being led by the Holy Spirit.

Gal. 5:22-26 (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 

Gal. 6:1-5 (KJV)

1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 
and to bear one another's burden 
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

---But, what commandments do we have, regarding "Christians", who are living in habitual sin?

1 Cor. 5:9-13 (KJV)

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 idolater, 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. 

[Arrabon]

22 minutes ago, David1701 said:

Regarding spreading the gospel, which is the more important, our godly living, or preaching the word, in season and out of season?  (N.B. both are important; but, regarding the spread of the gospel, one is far more important than the other.)

The only biblical answer is that preaching the word is the more important.

@David1701

Well David, here's what God has to say in 1st Corinthians 13;

The Excellence of Love

1 "If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails;" 13 But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Godly living is far and above GREATER than words alone without the proof of those words in our godly lifestyle of love and kindness.

There is an old saying, now I'm repeating myself , that "Action speaks louder than words". Just as true today, as when first spoken years ago.

True preaching begins with the example we set by our living out Gods truth in kindness and love each day. The words can come later, if our lifestyle is authentic to the hearer.

Edited July 20, 2021 by Arrabon

[David1701]

30 minutes ago, Arrabon said:

@David1701

Well David, here's what God has to say in 1st Corinthians 13;

The Excellence of Love

1 "If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails;" 13 But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Godly living is far and above GREATER than words alone without the proof of those words in our godly lifestyle of love and kindness.

There is an old saying, now I'm repeating myself , that "Action speaks louder than words". Just as true today, as when first spoken years ago.

True preaching begins with the example we set by our living out Gods truth in kindness and love each day. The words can come later, if our lifestyle is authentic to the hearer.

Well, Arrabon, we are talking about saving souls, not about the character of a person.  1 Cor. 13 is not about saving souls...

Your worldly aphorism, "Action speaks louder than words.", is untrue regarding the gospel, because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, for everyone who believes.

As the apostle Paul said, inspired by the Holy Spirit:

Phil. 1:14-18 (KJV)

14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

Please try to stick to the topic, thanks.

[Arrabon]

4 minutes ago, David1701 said:

Well, Arrabon, we are talking about saving souls, not about the character of a person.  1 Cor. 13 is not about saving souls...

Actually, my brother @david1701, God in His COMPLETE WORD, speaks of both as a unifying way to reach the lost.

Again, not one way or the other, but both, together, character and the words of Christ, combined, to get a truthful response from someone's heart.

Even though these 2 Godly ideals are mentioned separately in scripture, the unity and harmony of scripture brings them together, to work together, not separately as you suggest.