Paul is an amazingly insightful guy. Besides being led of the Spirit to write the General Epistles, he also allows his own human compassion and understanding to flow through. Not only that, but he also restrains the other harsher side of himself. He has to, it is how the Spirit uses him. It is the only way the Spirit can use him. He surrenders to God so God can temper his strengths and use his weaknesses. So it is with us. I want God to use me however He can through my strengths and weaknesses. This is why so many times in this Word the term servant is used. Accountability in the church is not a strength in the 21st century Body of Christ. First of all, commitment to the Body of Christ is not very strong. Even a few decades ago, people were aligned, signed up and committed to a local church on a way different level than they are today. Today, it seems like we are all "Christians at-large", meaning that we don't value highly any loyalty or belongingness to a particular church. Mega churches thrive on this reality and they also try to deal with it focusing on small group ministries and bible studies.
I remember at summer camps and at conferences and interdenominational events, we were proud to be from The First Baptist Church of San Fernando. Those days are gone and these days, though some are extremely committed, supportive members, for the most part we decide week to week or month to month where we might go to church. Kinda like restaurants. In the early church there was a church or two in each city, very closely aligned and the accountability was real. If you messed up, the leaders dealt with you and hopefully got you turned around and back on course. The purpose of church discipline was a peacemaking effort. Nowadays, if somebody gets their nose ever so slightly out of place or if they get offended or unappreciated or slighted in any way shape or form, they just go stick their nose somewhere else. Of course in a culture of hyper-tolerance and political correctness and peace at any cost, this comes natural.
We need a place again for brotherly warnings. A way for sisters to confront one another in love and hold each other accountable. Like this verse says, not to treat each other like enemies, but to warn one another like brothers and sisters should. Good grief!!!.... at least when appropriate we could try to say, "Hey, here comes a train!" Too many people's lives are train wrecks. Sometimes because of a lack of warning. Warnings are messy. People can't take much counsel, much less any correction. When is the last time you were grateful for a healthy spiritual admonishment? Of course this accountability needs to be done with compassion and understanding and with firmness and conviction too. I obviously feel strongly about this and I confess that I too often "sugar coat" and "play down" conflicts, attitudes and SIN. I think to try to turn the ship around completely on this matter would be devastating. The church has not been open, kind and forgiving enough to even suggest much. So, as when sailing, we should 'tack' with tact. Tacking is that maneuver that slightly changes course when heading into the wind. So if we keep tactfully tacking over time we change our course. Be tactful when warning. It should never be done in anger or with coarseness. But, at least tactfully we should admonish, warn and hold one another more accountable than we do. If not the Body of Christ will continue to shop churches and the general commitment to Christ will continue to falter. May the Lord please teach us through this illustration today. Forgive us Lord for both our harshness and our lack of warning so that we may help each other mature in you.
With His Love and Mine,
Pastor Fred
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