For years I've been lamenting to anyone who would listen that our sheep are horribly ignorant of the Scriptures and that our churches are letting too many people join who don't qualify to be members in good standing.
Am I saying we should force people to become bible scholars? No! Am I saying people who don't meet my ideal of acceptable should not be allowed to attend? No again! So what am I saying?
First, the murder of Bobbie Joe Stinnett, a church goer, by Lisa Montgomery, another church goer, must tell us that something is wrong in at least one church. Anyone who is not insane and believes that it is not inconsistent with Christian teachings to kill an expectant mother and surgically remove the child from its dead mother's womb is either (a.) not receiving the teaching she is under, or not receiving the right kind of teaching , or perhaps not receiving any teaching at all.
Fortunately, the church is a place to receive grace, mercy, compassion, support, and forgiveness; everyone involved in this fiasco will need all they can get of these spiritual gifts.
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Unfortunately... when these kind of remarks are brought up, more often then not, people shoot it down by saying "Well, you can't judge others." But isn't it part of God's intent for us to hold ourselves and our brothers accountable to Him? How are we supposed to do this if we can't tell someone they're wrong? It's very difficult... just a very tough situation, and one that saddens the heart.
ReplyDeleteYou bet it is ... in fact those verses which require us to hold each other accountable are some of the most untraveled terra firma in the Bible.
ReplyDeleteBut herein is the challenge: to withhold it until you've taken it to the Lord in prayer, to withhold it until the Spirit moves you, to withhold it until you've taken the railroad tie out of your own eye, to withhold it until the time is right (for them and you), and to withhold it until your mood is one of pure compassion and encouragement ... when the brother or sister is most receptive is when we are the most light hearted about a serious issue.
Raising Christians is like raising children in many ways; the worst thing in the world a parent can do for a child is withhold discipline.
After all, parents are trying to raise good adults, not immature parasites of the backside of Lady Liberty ... likewise with Christians and the backside of the Body of Christ.