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- Apr 25, 2006
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Care Enough to Confront
'Warn... those who are out of line.' 1 Thessalonians 5:14 AMP
'Warn... those who are out of line... encourage the timid... help... the weak.' Sadly, we'd rather stay quiet and be popular than speak difficult truth into the lives of others.
A member of the Blackaby family writes: 'A church isn't a group of individuals who happen to meet in the same place every week; it's a spiritual body... a loving family.
It's far easier to comfort and encourage than to warn or exhort, but both are necessary. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love so that the whole body may grow up in all things. If we don't take the time to exhort, encourage, warn, comfort, uphold and be patient... we [all] suffer in the end.
Your body doesn't function properly when one part is hurting or performing poorly. And the church suffers when one of its members is unruly, fainthearted, weak, or falls into bad doctrine. Letting a body part fester, or not supporting a part that's hurt, can lead to irrecoverable damage... letting serious issues go unaddressed does a grave disservice to the member in question.'
As parents we love our children too much to let bad behaviour go unchecked. Down the road we know it will negatively affect their attitude toward authority, relationships, accountability and personal discipline. We care enough to correct and guide them.
Paul says, 'If a person gets trapped by wrongdoing, those of you who are spiritual should help that person turn away from doing wrong. Do it in a gentle way. At the same time watch yourself so that you also are not tempted.' (Galatians 6:1 GWT) The truth is the only safe ground to stand upon, and your goal should be to speak it in love.
written by Bob Gass
'Warn... those who are out of line.' 1 Thessalonians 5:14 AMP
'Warn... those who are out of line... encourage the timid... help... the weak.' Sadly, we'd rather stay quiet and be popular than speak difficult truth into the lives of others.
A member of the Blackaby family writes: 'A church isn't a group of individuals who happen to meet in the same place every week; it's a spiritual body... a loving family.
It's far easier to comfort and encourage than to warn or exhort, but both are necessary. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love so that the whole body may grow up in all things. If we don't take the time to exhort, encourage, warn, comfort, uphold and be patient... we [all] suffer in the end.
Your body doesn't function properly when one part is hurting or performing poorly. And the church suffers when one of its members is unruly, fainthearted, weak, or falls into bad doctrine. Letting a body part fester, or not supporting a part that's hurt, can lead to irrecoverable damage... letting serious issues go unaddressed does a grave disservice to the member in question.'
As parents we love our children too much to let bad behaviour go unchecked. Down the road we know it will negatively affect their attitude toward authority, relationships, accountability and personal discipline. We care enough to correct and guide them.
Paul says, 'If a person gets trapped by wrongdoing, those of you who are spiritual should help that person turn away from doing wrong. Do it in a gentle way. At the same time watch yourself so that you also are not tempted.' (Galatians 6:1 GWT) The truth is the only safe ground to stand upon, and your goal should be to speak it in love.
written by Bob Gass
