1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1Th 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you;
1Th 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
Rom 14:15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men.
Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another.
Joe,
I had these exact scriptures ready to post on a thread yesterday and changed my mind. Some of the threads caused me to think of different situations in my life. One thread brought up thoughts of my daughter. I walk very carefully with her. She is seeking truth and fumbling through it. I have to be very careful not to choke her with meat. The minute I throw too much truth at her she has to cut me off. I sit and listen to her sort through it. I watch her cry when someone in the church does something that hurts her. I spoon feed her when she can hear truth and watch God work truth in her through her experiences which he designs. I never compromise the truth, but there are many times I need to stay silent and let her learn through her own relationship with God.
There are other times when I see someone teaching lies and putting a heavy yoke on a new believer. I feel the need to jump in then and speak the truth and expose the person who is teaching lies.
I've had to repent many times when I've "choked" someone with the truth. Sometimes I feel like beating others with scripture. Especially those who tell me I'm wrong. Other times I hold back when I should be bold because I am more worried about what men think than God. I am still in training and God is still teaching me to discern and find balance. I'm not going to get it right every time.
This hit me really hard.
Whenever we pretend to be Christ-like but it’s all a charade, we too are guilty of giving Christ a Judas kiss of death.I tried hard to be like this when I was in church. It was expected. Thank God I was a complete failure. I still want to keep this statement close to my heart. I can feel the temptation when I am around people who seek justification through the law instead of faith in Christ. It reminds me of Galatians 2
Galatians 2
11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.