Godsloveandlaw's Blog

One of the toughest aspects of our spiritual walk, is to be a concerned reprover of sin. Those who reprove sins in their midst are many times looked at as judgemental, holier than thou, or even downright mean. But let us now look at this most serious matter from God’s point of view, and not our own carnal view.

It is no secret that most of the prophets were stern, unwavering, rebuking types who catered not to the whims and wishes of man , but answered to a higher calling. They did that which pleased God, they showed their brethren their wrong doing. Many  prophets so displeased the masses that their own lives we called for. Is it safe to say that the prophets were so in tune with God that they saw sin in it’s rightful place- a horrible thing?

I often say that, we know we are right with God when we see sin as terrible and something that hurts our Lord and us. This is the place where we arrive to in our walk, our sanctification progression to being Christ like. Once we arrive there, we really can’t help from helping others and warning them, for in so doing we show the ultimate love and caring for their souls.

The apostle Paul equates us being “full of goodness” when we admonish our loved ones when the case arises.  “..you also are full of goodness, filled with knowledge, able also to admonish one another” (Romans 15:14).

In (Isaiah 58:1) we find a  serious order ” Cry aloud, spare not;Lift up your voice like a trumpet: Show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.”

Our Lord really wants that a soul who is sinning in front of us–saved! Kinda like we are out at sea and we see someone drowning, it really is the same with those sinning in our midst, they may indeed be helped if we can show them a spiritual “bump in the road”.

Who among us, after being invited to a lunch from a fellow church member in their home, sits close to them and they light up a smoke in front of us, and we don’t warn them  that is really not right for them or us! Most likely we’d share this in a kind way , due to our health. How much more important is a soul! We’ll warn them about their health but we don’t dare warn them about their soul(?)

 The big problem comes when some look at our help as though we have a wrong motive. How we react to their reach out warnings, tells volumes of how our walk is going with the Lord. Let me give you a recent example. A few Sabbaths ago, I was sitting in the sanctuary with a dear SDA friend of mine. It was a few minutes before service and I leaned over and asked her a question, that really wasn’t important and had to do with worldly affairs. She looked at me in a caring way and just nodded. Taken alittle back, I asked “Is there something wrong?”  She said “I’ll tell you later”.

After service she explained that she had been inspired by the Lord recently to keep her conduct and conversation in holy reverence to the Lord, while in the sanctuary. I was stopped dead in my tracks!  She was right!  I was so pumped up in being corrected, that I later got down on my knees and thanked our Lord for being shown a most holy thing–keeping our conduct respectful and in holy reverence while in the sanctuary.  My carelessness (irreverent speaking) had been exposed.

Now let’s look at it as if I had taken that correction from a “personal” view. I would have  thought–who’s she with this  holier than thou attitude? It’s no big deal to speak what I want in the sanctuary.This gal is going overboard with this, etc. etc.  Who do you think God is looking at as doing their first duty — “Fear God, and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man”(Ecc. 12:13) ?  Her, with her careful holy reverence (holy fear) or me  with my “who cares” attitude? The answer is obvious.

A while back a brother, who runs the site www.keepnotsilent.com got a petition going, to warn the SDA people that a certain Sunday preacher was invited to speak before a large assembly of SDA. Kinda like inviting the wolf into the hen house. “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (pure gospel including Commandment keeping) receive him not into your house, nor bid him God speed.” (2 John 1:10)

Uh oh, wait a minute John , you’ll be judgemental and holier than thou if you don’t show hospitality at least, right ?  Definitely not. The word says–get them out! It is God whom we wish to obey- not man or woman. But we must always give our warning in love, and not hate or condemnation because if we do it in this way, we are indeed “judging” them. Kind of  saying “You better do this or you’ll go to hell” or some such words.

The aforementioned brother has the perfect Scripture on that site, it reads ” I have set watchman upon thy walls . O Jerusalem, they shall never hold their peace day or night, you who make mention of the LORD, keep not silent.” (Isa. 62:6)

Some may wonder, why are warnings even needed? Let’s look at our beloved Prophetess’ words from our Lord ” As a people, we are looked upon as peculiar. Our position and faith distinguish us from every other denomination. If we are in life and character no better than worldlings, they will point the fingers of scorn at us and say –these are “Seventh Day Adventists”. (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5 , p. 138) How much more are those with the brightest light-Davidian SDA , to show a good clean wholesome life in front of the world?

In (2 Cor:7-10) Paul explains after he had sent a letter of reproach to some in the church “For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it.For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a Godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing, for Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation….in all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”

Here we see that Paul sent a warning letter, that they were doing unrighteous things before God. Then our Lord, through Paul’s actions, reached these erring ones and Paul rejoiced because they “cleared” the matter. The warnings had been heeded and Godly repentance occured.

I would be remiss, if I did not address God’s last messenger, Victor Houteff, on what he was inspired to say about warnings and reproof. As we did in the Christmas post awhile  back, we must search carefully to understand BOTH of our last two prophets for the combined light. God does not send a prophet after a prophet to teach completely contrary to  His message prior. If this was the case, the truth scroll would not be unfolding, rather it would be ripped out and replaced. God forbid.

In (Timely Greetings, Vol. 1, No. 22, paragraph 28) we read ” We are not to mount the judgement seat and encroach upon another’s conscience, not to judge another in matters that lay between the soul and God. All we are called to do, is to teach and practice the Truth for today, to let the people make up their minds for or against it. We are not to force them into anything.”

Here we see that “judging” a person is not our responsibility. If we give a warning out, in God’s love, we are not to judge them if they should make up their minds against our warning. Our infringement  comes when we cross a line where we try to force our opinions upon someone. Kind of ” You better do this or that, if not you’ll…”  As the prophet said, it’s a matter that is between them and God.

I learned this lesson first hand earlier in my Christian walk. I have a dear brother who happens to believe that Sabbath keeping is not a Law of the Lord to be obeyed. He’s a zealous street preacher. I emailed him several times over several months, getting into debates about how wrong he was, and I wouldn’t let up. Finally by the grace of God, I got wise, and rightfully gave this matter over to the Holy Spirit to do what was needed. This is what our prophet is saying.

Let us close with Sister White’s words “While others try to throw a cloak over the existing evil, and excuse the great wickedness everywhere prevalent, those who have a zeal for God’s honor and love for souls will not hold their peace to obtain the favor of any” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p.210)

“I have been shown that the greatest reason why the people of God are now found in this state of spiritual blindness is that they will not receive correction. Many have despised the reproofs and warnings given them. ” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p.255)

“All who name the name of Christ must put on the full armour  and entreat, warn, and seek souls to win” (Test. for the Church, Vol. 5, p.495)

“In vision I have been pointed to many instances where the displeasure of God has been incurred by an neglect on the part of His servants to deal with the wrongs and sins existing among them.” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p. 266)

So let us remember that those who really love us, are often the ones who look out for us. Their concern is that they be with us in the kingdom.

In Christ, who loves us beyond measure –Your servant, Rob

This entry was posted on April 14, 2012 at 5:05 am and is filed under Warning our brethren. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.