Don't Judge things Outside the Church

[LearningToLetGo]

I was listening to some rock 'n roll from the sixties and the song lyrics could have been written about today.

[Vine Abider]

38 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

Do you believe these are exceptional times, Vine Abider?

I'm starting to begin to commence to believe they might be . . .  Sure, there's always been evil, but the question is twofold: 1) Are things ripe prophesy-wise?  (sorry, forget what the 2nd thing was, because my wife told me I had to get to making the pizza)

Oh, OK - the other thing is - I believe there must be a full, out in the open, manifestation of evil (corresponding to men's actions) at the end of the age.

[Vine Abider]

27 minutes ago, LearningToLetGo said:

I was listening to some rock 'n roll from the sixties and the song lyrics could have been written about today.

Yes, on one hand there's nothing new, but on the other hand, there I believe there must be a full manifestation at the end of the age.

[Neighbor]

13 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Yes, on one hand there's nothing new, but on the other hand, there I believe there must be a full manifestation at the end of the age.

God is sovereign still. My hope is certain still. For my hope is in Yeshua. 

Een while all around us might be reeling, railing, speculating and nashing their teeth, we can and should  be the contrast,- in our serenity and certainty of our purpose. Yeshua has made provision for those given  to him by His Father. He does not lose a one of us!

God is sovereign. We have our command it is the still the same today - Go into all the world with the Gospel of Yeshua.

 

[Debp]

4 hours ago, AFlameOfFire said:

Yes, he said, do not ye judge them that are within?

That which is "called" a brother

A verse backing the above is:

1Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.   Galatians 6:1

Of course, we do the above humbly.   Some have the gift of discernment, so especially feel led by the Holy Spirit to speak to a fellow Christian overtaken in a fault.   But in a gentle, humble manner.

[AnOrangeCat]

5 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

I don't think that what we're seeing is anything new - perhaps it's just more blatant and in your face.  At least from the perception of myself, and I think others, over the past 50 years.  America is now in a post-Christian decline, where God has less and less room in people's minds and hearts.  Of course there has always been evil and at times it has been quite out there.  I do think that as we get closer to that glorious day, evil must be more manifested and come out in the open, as men's  conscience get darker and they have less and less shame (aka less & less of the Spirit of God) - the fruit of that rotten tree must become fully grown I believe. 

100% agreed on all of this. We're coming out of a time where America and the west were at least nominally and culturally Christian, and that provided a cultural barrier against some things. It's not the first time in history it's happened but it does feel like a very rapid and drastic 180.

[Marathoner]

50 minutes ago, AnOrangeCat said:

100% agreed on all of this. We're coming out of a time where America and the west were at least nominally and culturally Christian, and that provided a cultural barrier against some things. It's not the first time in history it's happened but it does feel like a very rapid and drastic 180.

We'll disagree where cultural Christianity is concerned, for in truth there is no such thing. The history of man is rich with examples of this very thing: those who believe themselves to be upstanding Christians in word and deed while millions have been enslaved and slaughtered by their own hands. Never forget the suffering of countless souls in this country, my friend. I've witnessed it for myself, and it's been going on for longer than I've been alive. 

Indeed, upstanding Christians treated their fellow man as something less than human for a very long time. A Christian family kidnapped my father from his colored mother during the era of Jim Crow, so it grieves me when my brothers and sisters turn a blind eye to the truth that at no time has the U.S. been a "Christian nation." She was colored and poor, so she couldn't afford justice. That's not Christian. That's something else entirely. 

If we belonged to nations of this earth, then the Lord would have told us so. We don't.  

[Guest AFlameOfFire]

3 hours ago, Debp said:

A verse backing the above is:

1Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.   Galatians 6:1

Of course, we do the above humbly.   Some have the gift of discernment, so especially feel led by the Holy Spirit to speak to a fellow Christian overtaken in a fault.   But in a gentle, humble manner.

Vine Abider asked me if it was judging, and its in the very verses I posted to him and this is what I was referring to

Paul rebukes them for not judging him

1 Cr 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

1 Cr 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Gentle has seemed to  go right out the window in a case like this, "put away from yourselves that wicked person". But I suppose since their initial reaction was to be light about it and boast rather then mourn (as they ought to have). They were just as wrong as the guy who was fornicating with his own fathers wife.

He seems to indicate they should apply a little more pressure this time around, and not give the guy a safe space around them to practice his perversion with their approval. Restoration come about in 2 Cr

2 Cr 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many

In  obediently following his instructions. 

Not only that but fornication was one of the very few necessary things the Holy Ghost named as something to abstain from in the early church

Acts 15:28-29  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

And Paul speaks of it as something that should not be named once among them.

In regards to that which I said is "called a brother" I was just speaking of what is in the verse above it, this one

1 Cr 5:11 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.

Edit: I just moved 1 Cr 5:11 into this post deleted the other post below it (that was dumb to create a post for it rather than edit it in).

Edited October 19, 2023 by AFlameOfFire

[AnOrangeCat]

3 hours ago, Marathoner said:

We'll disagree where cultural Christianity is concerned, for in truth there is no such thing. The history of man is rich with examples of this very thing: those who believe themselves to be upstanding Christians in word and deed while millions have been enslaved and slaughtered by their own hands. Never forget the suffering of countless souls in this country, my friend. I've witnessed it for myself, and it's been going on for longer than I've been alive. 

Yeah, we can disagree on it. But I do think it's very much a thing. To elaborate I certainly don't mean cultural Christianity is the real thing, but rather that Christianity has been prominent enough to make people at the very least pay lip service to it. We see it all the time with politicians who proclaim themselves Christian with their words and talk of church attendance, yet the policies they support contradict it. If it weren't a significant force on a cultural level there'd be no need for the lip service. Things like pornography and homosexuality likely would have been out in the open long before they have the kind of acceptance they do today if not for the influence of Christianity.

[SACREDWARRIOR]

Hello Vine & Group!!,

 I Was somewhat of an activist in my early christian days...getting into all sorts of "CHRISTIAN" mischief....but the Lord began to work with me and as My gifts of The Spirit grew and my understanding of GODS WORD did as well...I realized my Mission wasnt to GO INTO THE WORLD AND CAUSE DISRUPTION...But to share the Gospel......and Learning about the parables dealing with society & government....understand that a gentile spirit winns souls....

 THE BATTLE RAGES TIL THE LION ROARS!!

Clarence