Separated by the truth or united in the lie? (Part 3)
In face of all that we saw, there is no doubt:
• “But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector.” (Mat 18:15-17).
You can argue: but in this verse it is being said “if your brother shall trespass against you”.
Yea. Nonetheless, from the moment that we see someone making something against somebody else, this aggression is against us too (or, at least, it is to be). After all, we are created after the image and likeliness of the Creator (Genesis 1:26) and, as Habakkuk said, He is so pure of eyes that He can’t behold evil, and can not look upon vexation (Habakkuk 1:13).
Thus, as Lot, we can’t stand seeing or hearing about evil deeds:
• “And He delivered righteous Lot, oppressed with the lustful behavior of the lawless. For that righteous one living among them, in seeing and hearing, his righteous soul was tormented from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” (2Pe 2:7,8).
After all:
• “The sinners in Zion are afraid; terror has surprised profane ones. *Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?* He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly; he who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands free from holding bribes, *who stops his ear from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil* ;” (Isaiah 33:14,15).
So, we can’t bear with seeing someone giving a bad witness of the truth:
• “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exo 20:16)
Even if this person is unbeliever, we were arisen by Jesus to manifest His light (Mat 5:14-16; John 8:12; 9:5). By the way: one of the reason for the evil to be successful in this world is the apathy of those who believe in Jesus. As they don’t use the spiritual weapons that Jesus imparted to them (much more powerful than Ha-Satan’s weapons – 2Corinthians 10:3-6), many times Jesus has to use the stones to speak in His favor:
• “And He answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should be silent, the stones would cry out.” (Luk 19:40).
The admonishing is clear:
• “You shall not hate your brother in your heart. *You shall always rebuke your neighbor, and not allow sin on him* .” (Lev 19:17).
We can’t stand seeing our neighbor hurt someone.
Probably you will question: “but, thus, the neighbor will get angry at me”. Certainly! Jesus said this:
• “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be those of his own household.” (Mat 10:34-36).
Therefore:
• “Cursed is he who does the work of Jehovah deceitfully, and *cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood* .” (Jer 48:10).
So, may Jesus give us a day full of boldness and intrepidity so that we didn’t swerve of coping with evildoers with His justice and judgment (and of course, without set aside His love, mercy and grace which are powerful to temper all of this, so that there can be in us place for His wisdom and Word act in an alive and efficacious way – Heb 4:12).
Tomorrow we will keep on.
In face of all that we saw, there is no doubt:
• “But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector.” (Mat 18:15-17).
You can argue: but in this verse it is being said “if your brother shall trespass against you”.
Yea. Nonetheless, from the moment that we see someone making something against somebody else, this aggression is against us too (or, at least, it is to be). After all, we are created after the image and likeliness of the Creator (Genesis 1:26) and, as Habakkuk said, He is so pure of eyes that He can’t behold evil, and can not look upon vexation (Habakkuk 1:13).
Thus, as Lot, we can’t stand seeing or hearing about evil deeds:
• “And He delivered righteous Lot, oppressed with the lustful behavior of the lawless. For that righteous one living among them, in seeing and hearing, his righteous soul was tormented from day to day with their unlawful deeds.” (2Pe 2:7,8).
After all:
• “The sinners in Zion are afraid; terror has surprised profane ones. *Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?* He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly; he who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands free from holding bribes, *who stops his ear from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil* ;” (Isaiah 33:14,15).
So, we can’t bear with seeing someone giving a bad witness of the truth:
• “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exo 20:16)
Even if this person is unbeliever, we were arisen by Jesus to manifest His light (Mat 5:14-16; John 8:12; 9:5). By the way: one of the reason for the evil to be successful in this world is the apathy of those who believe in Jesus. As they don’t use the spiritual weapons that Jesus imparted to them (much more powerful than Ha-Satan’s weapons – 2Corinthians 10:3-6), many times Jesus has to use the stones to speak in His favor:
• “And He answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should be silent, the stones would cry out.” (Luk 19:40).
The admonishing is clear:
• “You shall not hate your brother in your heart. *You shall always rebuke your neighbor, and not allow sin on him* .” (Lev 19:17).
We can’t stand seeing our neighbor hurt someone.
Probably you will question: “but, thus, the neighbor will get angry at me”. Certainly! Jesus said this:
• “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I did not come to send peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be those of his own household.” (Mat 10:34-36).
Therefore:
• “Cursed is he who does the work of Jehovah deceitfully, and *cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood* .” (Jer 48:10).
So, may Jesus give us a day full of boldness and intrepidity so that we didn’t swerve of coping with evildoers with His justice and judgment (and of course, without set aside His love, mercy and grace which are powerful to temper all of this, so that there can be in us place for His wisdom and Word act in an alive and efficacious way – Heb 4:12).
Tomorrow we will keep on.