I have seen many brothers and sisters of all denominations with attitudes that sometimes cause me strangeness. I am not one of those believers who are scandalized by anything. Being a young man, I have a very broad vision of the freedom that God gives us. However, I believe that certain things should be taken with more consideration by all. For the love of others and in respect of the faith of the people around us.
“Only God can judge me”
In fact, no one has the task of judging anyone, for whatever reason. But is everything really judgment?
At every moment I see Christians who avoid exhorting others for fear of being seen as judges. This turns difficult the lives of leaders and the expansion of the Kingdom. Since many errors are left untreated and hidden. And ends as seen as “normal” things by many people.
This is the case of Christians who do not think that Christian decency and morality are so valuable in the society we are living today. Then we see men and women who claim to be patrimony of the Lord attending parties full of songs of low slang. Speaking a lot of profanity. Getting drunk. Posting photos loaded with sensuality among other expendable things.
As I said, I am not judging. But my intention with this text is to clarify how much our actions can have negative effects on the faith of other people.
Keep your conscience clean
The Bible quotes in several passages about the importance of being with a clear conscience. The only way, in this case, is through Jesus Christ. After all, even one who does not know the laws of God, by the Holy Spirit, can purify his conscience.
Heb 10:22 “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
Rom 2:15 “…the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.”
The biggest problem, however, is when, for lack of exhortation, the mind of the person who is acting in a manner inconsistent with a Christian morality ends up being cauterized in a way that he is no longer able to distinguish good and evil easily . Until it denies any further rebuke.
Anyway, we must remember that our attitudes can cause someone of weaker consciousness to stumble, and this is extremely serious!
1Co 8:9 “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. (11) So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. (12) When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ“.
Exhortation is important
Gal 6:1 “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. (2) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”.
Jd 22 “Be merciful to those who doubt; (23) save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
It is obvious, it is no use for a brother to correct another when he does not have the authority to do so. And the authority I want to say is about being someone who does not have problems on the same issue you are trying to correct in the other. At that time we must remember the speck in the eye of the neighbor and in the wooden beam that is on ours (Mt 7:3).
But the main thing is to help each other so that there is always a correction in the way a brother conducts his life with Christ. After all, we are not perfect and we all need exhortation!
Do everything with love
First, pray to God for discernment and wisdom to deal meekly with a brother who is committing grave faults.
Then try to understand what is wrong and the things that induce that person to make mistakes. It is much more effective to treat a problem at its root!
In the end, remember that love is the most important thing (1Cor 13:13). Then, on no occasion should one expose the error of the person he is trying to assist. Treat all the brothers in the same way you would like to be treated, with care, care and affection.
Thus, we will increasingly have a church strengthened and living according to what is God’s will.
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