Condemnation or Accountability?

I am writing this in response to so much that I have witnessed in the recent weeks, both online and in person....

We as the church, the body of Christ are called to be "imitators of God"

Ephesians 5: 1-14 in the Amplified Bible says:

¹THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].

²And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a ^[a]slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

³But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [^[b]of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God's consecrated people).

⁴Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness [to God].

⁵For be sure of this: that no person practicing sexual vice or impurity in thought or in life, or one who is covetous [who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain]--for he [in effect] is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

⁶Let no one delude and deceive you with empty excuses and groundless arguments [for these sins], for through these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of rebellion and disobedience.

⁷So do not associate or be sharers with them.

⁸For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light].

⁹For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or ^[c]the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life.

¹⁰And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him].

¹¹Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] ^[d]expose and reprove and convict them.

¹²For it is a shame even to speak of or mention the things that [such people] practice in secret.

¹³But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light.

¹⁴Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light.

If This is what the Word of God says, then why do so many who consider themselves a part of the body of Christ just settle in the filthiness and vile perversion that has tainted so many around us? Why do we as believers shy away from admonishing one another let alone leadership and label it judgment or condemnation when the scriptures also clearly state in 2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. " or maybe perhaps even more so relevant:

Galatians 6:1 "BRETHREN, IF any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also."

Let us also remember though that all this is to be done by speaking the Truth in love...

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

There is a few verses in the Bible that so many use as an excuse to not have to hold others accountable lets look at two specifically....

Matthew 7:2 "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

-If we are judging by the standards of the Word of God, speaking the Truth of the scriptures, and using the Sword of the Spirit as the measuring stick then we should desire for others to hold us to those same standards...if we don't then the issue lies much deeper then feeling judged or condemned...lets read again and continue on to the next couple verses...

^"2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?"

-Have you or would you be willing to consider that maybe just maybe the point of this passage isn't so much to say not to take the speck out of your brother's eye but perhaps it is instructing us to make sure the plank is out of our own eye so that we can see clearly to be able to precisely and accurately remove the speck from our brother's eye too?? If we were to all judge ourselves with scripture as the measuring stick, we may be able to see clearly and out of love and a desire for the purity of the body of Christ to "correct, rebuke, and encourage- with great patience and careful instruction" as the Word says to do.....

I pray this encourages and challenges, I pray that it is received with as much grace and love as is in my heart for the church even as I write this. There is more to this walk, journey, relationship with God then just the fuzzy feelings and precious moments that abound in Him. We are also instructed to contend for the faith....may you be blessed and wrapped tight in His love and grace!

Heather Evans

Tags: accountability, church, condemnation, in, judgement, love, standards, the, truth

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Permalink Reply by Tammy_LIBAW on December 15, 2011 at 8:18am

Pretty phenomenal to me

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Permalink Reply by Sean Terrell on December 15, 2011 at 3:37pm

The problem is two-fold. On one side you have people who are scared to hurt someone's feelings, don't want people to think they are judging them, and are scared to lose "friends." The do not fear the LORD. If they did, they wouldn't care what other people thought and would go out and preach the truth. I'm just as guilty as anyone else.

On the other side you have people who hate correction and rebuke. Proverbs 1:7 says fools despise wisdom and instruction. So they search for scriptures to try to either justify what they are doing, or to condemn the rebuker. If both parties would fear the LORD then everything would be all good.

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Permalink Reply by PROPHETESS CAROL on December 15, 2011 at 4:25pm

You are right to a certain degree, but it is not given to every one to rebuke a fallen brother/sister or sinner. All do not have the gift of prophecy and all are not Pastors and so forth and so on. The key is in knowing who you are called to rebuke, and it's as simple as that! Many feel led to rebuke others when they don't even possess the good graces to rebuke those of their own household???

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Permalink Reply by Heather_LIBAW on December 15, 2011 at 4:41pm

I agree but I also think that removing the plank from your own eye first covers those issues...most the time if the plank is removed you will know, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, how you are to approach the situation and even the kind of voice you have in someone's life. Sometimes it could be as simple as prayer other times it could be prayer and then admonishing them....then there is always those friends who just tell you like it is and you are open to receive it because you know their heart.

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Permalink Reply by PROPHETESS CAROL on December 15, 2011 at 8:18pm

Joy

Let me put it another way, if you are not spirit led then you shouldn't be doing it. So from this standpoint, there are those who should not be rebuking others. Jesus did not come to strive with any man, but there were those who strove with him. Why would I continue to rebuke someone if they are openly combative? The Bible does not teach this, if you try to correct a brother/sister and they refuse it then consider them as a heathen. It doesn't tell you to keep striving with the individual. Kinda like casting your pearls before swine.

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Permalink Reply by PROPHETESS CAROL on December 15, 2011 at 9:01pm

Joy

I'm sorry that you took it that way because that is not how it was meant. My critical thinking skills are a wee bit better than that, and I would like to think that yours are too. You should have asked for me to clarify what I was trying to say instead of accusing me of things that I have not said. This was not christlike.

Only a fool would say that you should never rebuke anyone because this goes against scripture. As I said before, if you can recall from a previous post, I am clearly talking about those who are not spirit lead and are going about it all wrong. I have being doing this for a minute, and I am not confused about the message that I am trying to convey. Sorry that you were.

Let me make it plain, I am a Christian, so do not put words in mouth. You have not seen me so much as mention anything about priests or clerics. If that is how I believed, I would have no fear of saying it. You are the kind of person that I am talking about which turn Christians and sinners alike away. I am not on trial here, and I won't let you put me on trial. Once again, weigh your motives because your approach is all wrong.

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Permalink Reply by Sean Terrell on December 15, 2011 at 9:35pm

I know Joy can defend herself, but I can't be quiet. I have to say something.

I, like Joy, was confused on your initial post. I will quote said comment "You are right to a certain degree, but it is not given to every one to rebuke a fallen brother/sister or sinner. All do not have the gift of prophecy and all are not Pastors and so forth and so on."

This led me to believe (as well as Joy) that what you were saying is that being able to rebuke is a calling that only those who prophesy and a pastors can possess. I even asked you to clerify this, which you did not. My quote "

I don't think I need the gift of prophecy to rebuke. I don't know if that was the point you were making or not??"

Now we know that the posts are not in order. Mine was bumped down to the bottom so you may not have seen it. Just know that someone did ask you to clarify your statement. We do not all think like you so if we ask you to clarify please don't take it personal. *Update* I see your clarification on the next page. Like I said the posts are all scrambled and mixed up which can cause confusion.*

My .02 cents, I don't see anything wrong with Joy's post. She asked for scriptural clarification of your viewpoint, which also gave you an opportunity to clarify that viewpoint, as well as provide a scriptural foundation. Instead you felt attacked. I think this is a clear example of just what Heather's initial post was. The difference is, Joy wasn't rebuking you, but just asking for some clarification and scriptural references. If that offends you, then prepare to be offended more, and more, and more... The ultimate authority for all believers is God and his word.

This discussion has really turned sour and saddened my heart. It seems we have some ego's that need to be put in check.

And Ma'am. You are on trial. We all are. We will be judged by our actions, and the words that come out of our mouths. That includes the words we type. So re-examine your latest post and ask yourself if that was Christlike? We all need to examine our hearts and motives.

Permalink Reply by PROPHETESS CAROL on December 16, 2011 at 1:16pm

Joy

OMG! Hate that is a strong word. I don't even know you, so how can I hate you? You did accuse me of aligning with priests and clerics. It is not in the title but in the person. There are priests and clerics alike who serve the one true and living God.

Again, you are taking what I say way out of context. I never said that only Pastors and prophets have the right to rebuke others, but I can see why God has only a chosen few to hold this office. If most Christians have a Pastor, I doubt if they need someone else trying to fill that position in their life. This is why I find it so important for people to worry about the affairs of their own home, and not be busy bodies meddling in the affairs of others.

Please do not take what I am saying as being meant for you because it is for all of us. Quoting scripture doesn't make me any more right than a person who doesn't. Especially, if you don't know how to apply it when dealing with others. You can have wisdom and maturity without being a Christian. It is a true saying that the children of darkness are wiser than the children of light because the children of light spend far to much time warring against one another. So from whence cometh wars and fightings among you??

Permalink Reply by Heather_LIBAW on December 15, 2011 at 9:45pm

wow Thine....I just read this comment through, that was defensive, uncalled for, and just plain mean spirited... I took your initial postings the same as Sean and Joy did. I am thankful you clarified that what we thought was not what you were trying to communicate but for someone talking about rebuke needing to be Spirit led I'd say you need to take a dose of that message yourself.

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Permalink Reply by PROPHETESS CAROL on December 16, 2011 at 1:21pm

Heather

Let's get one thing straight right now, do not pretend to know my heart because you don't. Second, I will not get into an altercation with you because I know that you just recently came up out of a serious trial where the enemy wanted your life. So if you took something the wrong way that I said, I am truly sorry, but I am who I am and I can't change that. I could say the same for the rest that are here, but I am not a whiner nor a complainer. Love you much my sister.

Permalink Reply by PROPHETESS CAROL on December 15, 2011 at 8:22pm

Heather

I read what you said concerning this and it registered with me, but because you have brothers and sisters that will tell you like it is, it doesn't make it right. I feel that maturity has a big part to play when it comes down to rebuking as well as receiving rebuke. I am going to look a little further into rebuking elders before elaborating. Good post because I have been tagged. It was me!