Silas
Beloved of All
Your commitment to teach obedience to everything Jesus commanded is exactly what He gave as the Great Commission. Going, making disciples, baptizing, and teaching them to observe all that He commanded belong together, and we cannot pick and choose among them. Church discipline as Jesus taught it in Matthew 18 is part of that teaching. When a brother or sister is confronted first privately, then with two or three witnesses, and then before the church, it is not done to condemn but to attempt to bring them to repentance and salvation, to protect the rest of the body from the spread of sin, and so that others will fear and turn from sin. Scripture is clear that holiness is needed in His people because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, and we walk in the light as He is in the light.
You are right to hold fast to speaking the truth whether people listen or not. That is the pattern all through Scripture. God warned Adam and Eve though He knew they would disobey. He told Moses to speak to Pharaoh though He said Pharaoh would not listen. The prophets rose early and spoke thus says the Lord though only a remnant heard. Jesus came to His own and His own did not receive Him, though the world was made through Him. He sent out His disciples knowing some cities would reject them and told them to shake the dust from their feet as a testimony. The apostles preached at Pentecost and only a portion of the many thousands who heard repented and believed. Our calling is not measured by popularity or response. As Jesus said, the word that He spoke will judge on the last day. God looks to our faithfulness to speak His word in love, and He takes care of the results. We are to fear God and not man.
The history of the church should keep us humble. Very early the simple pattern given in Acts was corrupted, and much of what has been done in the name of the church has brought shame and given the world reason to accuse us of hypocrisy. When the church has sought to be accepted by the world and has grown rich and comfortable and said it has need of nothing, it has become poor and blind in spiritual things. When it has sought notoriety for other things than the gospel, its witness has been weakened. The true strength of the church has never been in its wealth, buildings, or foundations, but in faithfulness to the word. Persecution has never destroyed the true church. It has purified it, separated what is real from what is false, bound believers together in love, and caused faith to grow. What God desires is not dead orthodoxy that carries over forms without life, but a living people who are saved by grace through faith and then taught to walk in righteousness. That is why the need for faithful teaching is so great, and for spiritually mature men to oversee and shepherd the flock, not only to preach but to teach so the sheep become strong.
Take courage to remain God centered and not man centered, to speak the truth in love even when it is not popular. Jesus was not seeking the approval of people, and He told His followers that if they persecuted Him they would persecute them also, and if they kept His word they would keep theirs also. We do not speak to win a following but to call all to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Even a little strength is enough when we are faithful to His word and do not deny His name.
Praying that God will strengthen you to continue to repent and believe the gospel, to fear Him and keep His commandments, and to carry out all He has commanded with wisdom and love. Praying that those who hear the word will have soft hearts today and not harden them, that those under correction will hear the warning and turn back, and that your fellowship will be guarded in holiness and truth as you trust Jesus Christ alone for salvation. May His peace guard your heart and mind as you remain faithful to teach all He has commanded.
You are right to hold fast to speaking the truth whether people listen or not. That is the pattern all through Scripture. God warned Adam and Eve though He knew they would disobey. He told Moses to speak to Pharaoh though He said Pharaoh would not listen. The prophets rose early and spoke thus says the Lord though only a remnant heard. Jesus came to His own and His own did not receive Him, though the world was made through Him. He sent out His disciples knowing some cities would reject them and told them to shake the dust from their feet as a testimony. The apostles preached at Pentecost and only a portion of the many thousands who heard repented and believed. Our calling is not measured by popularity or response. As Jesus said, the word that He spoke will judge on the last day. God looks to our faithfulness to speak His word in love, and He takes care of the results. We are to fear God and not man.
The history of the church should keep us humble. Very early the simple pattern given in Acts was corrupted, and much of what has been done in the name of the church has brought shame and given the world reason to accuse us of hypocrisy. When the church has sought to be accepted by the world and has grown rich and comfortable and said it has need of nothing, it has become poor and blind in spiritual things. When it has sought notoriety for other things than the gospel, its witness has been weakened. The true strength of the church has never been in its wealth, buildings, or foundations, but in faithfulness to the word. Persecution has never destroyed the true church. It has purified it, separated what is real from what is false, bound believers together in love, and caused faith to grow. What God desires is not dead orthodoxy that carries over forms without life, but a living people who are saved by grace through faith and then taught to walk in righteousness. That is why the need for faithful teaching is so great, and for spiritually mature men to oversee and shepherd the flock, not only to preach but to teach so the sheep become strong.
Take courage to remain God centered and not man centered, to speak the truth in love even when it is not popular. Jesus was not seeking the approval of people, and He told His followers that if they persecuted Him they would persecute them also, and if they kept His word they would keep theirs also. We do not speak to win a following but to call all to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. Even a little strength is enough when we are faithful to His word and do not deny His name.
Praying that God will strengthen you to continue to repent and believe the gospel, to fear Him and keep His commandments, and to carry out all He has commanded with wisdom and love. Praying that those who hear the word will have soft hearts today and not harden them, that those under correction will hear the warning and turn back, and that your fellowship will be guarded in holiness and truth as you trust Jesus Christ alone for salvation. May His peace guard your heart and mind as you remain faithful to teach all He has commanded.
