Because we love them
Submitted by Forgiven on November 10 2000 14:02:19
In reply to I read...see 1Corinthians 5:12 &Galations 5:11 submitted by Once a Boy on November 09 2000 19:50:56
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we will not allow them to deceive themselves that the path that they are following will lead anywhere except destruction. If they claim to be Christians, that means that their fellowship should exclude them from full membership, probably in a public way, until their life shows that they are trying to go God's way. That is the practice of the New Testament; if we fail to do that, we are failing in our duty to love, in the way that God has called us to do. It has been the nature of recent years not to take sin seriously - especially sexual sin, but in practice a lot of other things. Do we believe it when Paul warns so eloquently that those who practice that list of sins in I Cor 6 v10 WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD - or don't we? If we do, we must be clear in our proclaimation of that truth to the world and in our discipline of those who would claim to be Christians but are living, unashamedly, that sort of life style. Please note - we're not talking about the people who know it's wrong, but slip back into something - but the people who claim that it is OK to do this and still be a Christian. Because I care about that person, I won't let them continue unchallenged in that lifestyle. Ultimately it comes down to how we treat God - do we take him seriously, or do we really think that he will let us off whatever we do. I wish that was true - but he is not the God of the bible, or the God of Jesus - see Lk 13. |
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