Believer...yes, YOU who claim to know Jesus... get this...get it good...practice it...especially all of US preacher boys and smart Christian folk with big degrees and smarty pants plans...US Sunday School teachers and Bible study teachers...US! Get what I'm about to drop in front of US. Understand it. Marvel in it. Rest in it. Practice it.
Are you ready?
Make sure you are ready?
This is going to be tough! Get ready.
"Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;" (Romans 14:10 ESV)
"He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14 ESV)
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV)
Of course, I could easily add about 10 more passages, but you get the idea, right?
IF you must talk about something, talk about GOOD DOCTRINE and teach believers how to recognize BAD DOCTRINE. But, be careful with naming, blaming, disclaiming and defaming people.
Let me repeat that: Be careful with naming, blaming, disclaiming and defaming people!
WE ALL WILL STAND BEFORE GOD!
Let me say it one more time: Be careful with naming, blaming, disclaiming and defaming people!
I'm not telling US LEADERS to never name a heretic who a blatant heretic or to never name a person who is promoting or living in blatant, harmful, society-killing, soul-killing wickedness. Hear me; I'm saying be careful. If David would not strike King Saul WHEN SAUL WAS TRYING TO KILL HIM, then that right there alone ought to be a caution against our quick-to-kill-with-words other people. (ref. 1 Samuel 24) David had sense enough to know that God would not be pleased with him against Saul EVEN THOUGH Saul was trying to find and kill David! Later, David said to Saul, "May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you." (1 Samuel 24:12 ESV)
NOBODY needs our sarcasm. NOBODY needs our sly comments that mask hate in smooth intellectualism. NOBODY needs anyone else beating them to death with more words piled on top of more words.
Grandma used to say, "If you've got nothing good to say, then just hush." Grandma was wise. Maybe my version, with all due respect to Grandma, would be, "If you've got nothing wise to say, just hush."
Helping believers identify and reject bad doctrine is biblical kindness. It's right. We should do that. BUT, we should also teach people that without humility, we are in opposition to God. We should also remember the debt we've been forgiven before going out to choke the person we think owes us something (ref. Matthew 18:21-35). IF we teach people to reject bad doctrine, perhaps they can do that and preserve good relationship. PERHAPS they can still act in compassion and love toward the person they are recognizing bad doctrine or bad behavior in! Reject the falsehood, but TRY to love the person who's caught in it.
Let me say it one more time: Be careful in naming, blaming, disclaiming and defaming people!
Repent. Stop it. I love you.
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