Thursday, April 2,
2015, 10:51 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Only In Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. This is what the
Lord Jesus placed on my heart this morning:
We get this notion in today’s modern and worldly church
gatherings that we are supposed to ignore one another’s sins, and that it is
unloving to confront a brother or a sister who is caught (trapped) in sin
(regular willful acts of defiance against God’s commands). We are told to “stay
in your own lane” and/or to not insert ourselves in the lives of others, or we
are told that all judgment is wrong, so we should never make any kind of
judgment concerning willful and consistent sinful behavior in a brother or a
sister’s life.
Galatians
6:1-3 says: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are
spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself,
lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives
himself.”
It doesn’t say ignore the sin. It does say we should make
sure our hearts are in the right place first, and that we are not thinking
somehow we are better, and that we should make sure we are not equally as
guilty of holding on to some other sin thinking our sin is somehow less
offensive to God. All sin is sin. But, then we should restore the brother or
sister, meaning we don’t hate the person or talk bad about them or treat them
unkindly, but we help them, if they are willing, to get back on the right path
and to forsake their sins.
God’s grace to us is not a free license to continue in
willful sin against God, free from guilt and remorse, though many teach it that
way. If you read Titus 2:11-14, you will see that God’s grace that brings
salvation to us teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions and
to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for his return.
Matthew
7:1-5 says: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you
pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured
to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not
notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother,
‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see
clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”
This is not saying we should make no judgments at all with
regard to sin in other people’s lives. It is an indictment, though, against hypocritical
judging. Notice that it says that once we have removed the log from our own
eyes, then we can see clearly to take the speck out of our brother’s eyes. This
fits perfectly with Galatians 6:1-3, as well.
James
5:19-20 says: “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and
someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from
his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
This is love. So many people think ignoring sin is love, but
it is selfishness, for we don’t want that other person to not like us, or we
don’t want other people thinking badly about us, and so we avoid telling people
the truth. Lies are not loving, though. They never are! The ones who truly love
others are willing to tell others the truth about their sin, even though they
know they will probably be hated in return. What did Jesus say to his brothers
who did not believe in him?
“The
world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its
works are evil.” ~ Jn. 7:7
Jesus did not die for our sins so that we would continue in
them. He died to set us free from the control of sin over our lives. This is
true grace! This is love! The best way we can love our brothers and sisters in
Christ is to care enough about them to tell them the truth, not in hypocritical
judgment, but in genuine love and concern for their welfare.
ONLY
IN HIM / An Original Work / February 19, 2014
Based
off Isaiah 30
Woe to those who look to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus Christ;
Forming an alliance not in step with God;
Making their own plans, and praying not.
Willing not to listen to truth,
They close their ears to what is right.
Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages that bring cheer.
Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.
Your Lord will be gracious to you.
He cares all about you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of your sin
When you give your life up to Him.
Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be
When you bow to Him on your knees;
Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.
Now you will sing praises to Him.
He delivered you from your sin.
You’ll tell others now of His grace,
So they may see Christ face-to-face.
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