Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
By Nell:
Don’t hate your brother. Rebuke anyone who sins; don’t let him get away with it, or you will be equally guilty.
Leviticus 19:17 (NIV)
I said there were many and here's another one: I will not stone anybody nor will I go around rebuking others. Again, if by not rebuking I'm guilty, let the smiting begin.
I'm with Jesus on this too. He did not rebuke the unclean. He ate and drank with them. And the Pharisees followed Leviticus and rebuked him for it.
Think of the woman at the well. I think Nell and Dancing would have rebuked her, with something like "go away you whore."
And would have picked up the first stone for the adulterous woman.
So y'all like the rebuking verse in Leviticus, what about all the other old covenant laws in Leviticus? Cherry pickin' anyone?
This desire to rebuke, to the point of digging up a verse to support it, is exacting what I'm talking about when I question the fruits of old covenant Law, or the New Testament as Law, for that matter.
I'm very glad I no longer live with a rebuker, like when growing up. My mother would rebuke my uncles and throw them out of her house for having a beer before coming over, and would continue to rebuke them as they went out the door. It was hateful, and completely void of the forgiveness of Christ.
Instead of going around rebuking others, why not go around forgiving others? Like Jesus.
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Hummm...I'm feeling a bit rebuked about now. How 'bout you
Dancing? Tell me
awareness, are you cherry pickin' or am I?
Jesus forgave those who were clean. Forgiveness follows confession, and repentance.
As we walk with Jesus, talk with Him, pray, love the brothers, obey His voice, obey his commandments, He will direct our paths. Rebuking a sinning brother is not a bad thing. It's scriptural and purposeful. If the Lord tells you to speak such a word, you need to obey Him. It's hard, though, to say such a word if you haven't dealt with your own heart, forgiven the sinning brother. It's never easy, and you will likely be misunderstood. People may turn on you and blame you. People may embrace the sinning brother and condemn you for speaking the truth...condemn you for obeying the Lord. You still have to obey.
Here are some more powerful verses about speaking the truth in love and its purpose or goal:
1 Corinthians 5:5 ...deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan,
that they may learn not to blaspheme.
So,
awareness, I guess you forgave your Mom?
Nell