Is it my fault if a rebellious man decides to sin even more after I told him not to?

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

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I would not think it your fault. If we don’t listen to God, Who has infinitely more power and authority than do we, when He tells us to stop sinning and it is not His fault that we continue to sin, then why would it be your fault as a mere person if someone else doesn’t listen to you?

I don’t know what your approach to telling this person to stop sinning has been, but I have found that if I come across too judgmental or holier-than-thou, even unintentionally, that my message loses much of its effectiveness. I have found (though I fail consistently) that it is better to demonstrate Jesus and His love, then let the Holy Spirit convict the person of their sin...

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

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No, you can't control whats in the heart of man any more than the man can control whats in your heart. Not even God controls the heart of man unless he lets God transform him.

In terms of provoking anything, if you have provoked someone in such a way that diminishes God's glory, ask for forgiveness, repent, and move on. Pray for the person. But know that even then, the man is still responsible for his own soul at the end of the day.

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

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Yes, it can be, because if he is feeling like you are not right then he is also feeling that he is justified to disagree. Sometimes this is what happens when people have such a highly refined knowledge whereas someone they are teaching is extremely ignorant without knowing so, and perceiving it more as a power struggle, they exert their own ignorant opinion above the more valid opinion, that is essentially of pride. This happens too often with any person who is ignorant while in a position with power. I think this is the greatest meaning behind Romans 7:9.. where St. Paul describes that he was alive once (as a child), but when the commandment came, then sin came alive and he died through becoming a sinner - an opposer of Torah (and we know that when someone becomes that way, they are resisting the truth that would convict them - deceived, walking in darkness, demonic, but also thinking that they are doing nothing wrong and blindly believing that the one who has the Torah is not using Torah the right way).

But this is not to say that you are always to blame for having tried to correct a person - this is a duty of ours as Christians James 5:20, Galatians 6:1, Jude 1:23, Matthew 18:15 etc. - but pay close attention to Galatians 6:1 saying that not everyone is spiritually qualified to do the work, and if they are of a judgemental spirit, they actually can fall into the temptation too (perhaps being prideful or wrathful etc - that would cause a person to become hardened and distrusting). Remember that a sinner needs to trust the one who is teaching them otherwise they will be afraid to come to the light for fear of ridicule or consequence etc (John 3:19-21). But perfect love drives that fear away because fear is a thing that comes from a spirit of punishment (wrath not love, because love is full of mercy - 1 John 4:18, James 3:17).

What’s the sin?

We are all accountable for our own actions.

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

Click to expand...

I recall Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs to preach. He told them if they were not welcomed in one town, to shake the soil that belongs to that town off their feet and move on to the next place.

While living in a different community, I preached against smoking and drug use to some neighbors. They developed an intense hatred of me. They refused to forgive me and twisted things I had said to stoke their anger. I do not think I accomplished much. I prayed for a few weeks for a new place to live. I moved. I do not have a bullet hole in the side of this home like I had where I lived before. I live in a law abiding neighborhood.

pastellee said:

I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.




is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

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Nope, you only tried to warn him of the sin that was oozing from him.

A while back my Bible study teaching church treasurer of the church he attended so-called Christian cousin was sinning and I knew it. I told him that he best Repent before it's too late. Yesterday he called me from a jail cell wanting me to do a couple things for him. Looks like he is looking at some real prison time this time.

Wishing to finish the good race we examine ourselves often and there's nothing wrong with letting others know they are sinning as long as we are also keeping an eye on the one we see in the mirror.

M-Bob

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

Click to expand...

Adults have tested your methods on their kids for 1000's of years and don't seem to have consistent results.
Overwhelming love is the key to getting people to change. That much we do know.
And people do not like instruction or correction. That much you now know.
But you are not responsible for the sins of others, unless you intended it to be so.

Mountainmanbob said:

Nope, you only tried to warn him of the sin that was oozing from him.

A while back my Bible study teaching church treasurer of the church he attended so-called Christian cousin was sinning and I knew it. I told him that he best Repent before it's too late. Yesterday he called me from a jail cell wanting me to do a couple things for him. Looks like he is looking at some real prison time this time.

Wishing to finish the good race we examine ourselves often and there's nothing wrong with letting others know they are sinning as long as we are also keeping an eye on the one we see in the mirror.

M-Bob

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Scripture only give us advice on correcting other believers, only those in your church group, and even then, it is usually under the guidance of elders.

SkyWriting said:

And people do not like instruction or correction.

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Some people do though.. They love it and long for it (Proverbs 12:1 noticed that).

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

Click to expand...

Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy." Rev 22:11

In other words, those without the Holy Spirit will continue to live according to the natural spirit or according to the flesh.

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

Click to expand...

It kind of depends on the nature of the sin doesn't it? The prophets were told, I given you this burden, if you refuse to take the message the sin falls on you. If you take the message and they refuse to repent it's on them. I can understand not wanting to make matters worse, but a reaction where you tell someone to stop doing something wrong results in them doing something worse is most likely their own foolish resentment.

pastellee said:

Hello...

I've been having self-condemning thoughts for a while, ever since I realized that a certain man has most likely been rebelling against my instructions for him to stop sinning, by sinning even more.
I'm afraid my corrections may have provoked him to sin even more, and i feel bad if that's so.

is it my fault if my corrections and advice to stop a man from continuing in sin ended up provoking his rebellion to sin even more?

Click to expand...

It's not even in your ability to identify sin in others.
It's all in the motivation for their actions.

SkyWriting said:

It's not even in your ability to identify sin in others.

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Ridiculous, I pointed out his sin (many times) to my cousin and asked him to repent, now the man is calling me from a jail cell.

I have to wonder where that response from you came from???????????

PS -- my wife has often spotted some sin in me. Are you saying that's impossible?? Ask any wife or husband if they are married to someone who never sins. That should take care of it!

M-Bob

pastellee said:

Hello, he believes in being single with kids, even though he also says that he believes in Jesus, that Jesus is God's Son, and that God makes sense to him.

he does not seem to think that there is anything wrong with fornication, and although i was once tempted by it, and thus almost led him to, and was led by him to, do it, we did not in the end, and it was after I came across God's word one day that i realized that fornication was a terrible sin worthy of punishment, and tried to correct him. but it seems like even after i tried to correct him, he, who used to say he believes in Jesus, does not seem to want to change.

all along while seeing me "as a friend" (but i liked him), he was illicitly getting to know another woman who already had a boyfriend. after i found out about it, i confronted him, and tried to correct all of his beliefs that i knew were wrong. but nothing that i've said seems to have had a positive effect on him, since if im not wrong, he has been travelling alone with that woman, even after everything i've said.

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Raising children while single is not a sin, but sexual immorality is sin.

This is not a christian who is having problems overcoming sin. He is purposely rebelling against God.

I would stay away from him. You’ve told him that what he is doing is wrong. He has denied the God and wants to do his own thing. Luke 10 explains that you don’t stick around to talk to a brick wall. You move on.

This is especially true for you since you are tempted by this man. Run away from temptation.

It’s not your fault. He made his decision.

Marty

pastellee said:

Hello Marty, thank you for your reply...

Actually I only corrected him indirectly through posts on facebook, hoping he would read them. I did not have a chance to speak to him directly since he has been avoiding me ever since he found out that i knew about his secret relationship with the already attached woman :/

Do you think that it is necessary to write a direct message to him to tell him that his belief about being single, but with kids (meaning wanting to have kids but not wanting to marry), is wrong?

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A person has to first repent of their sins in order to even have a desire to not want to stop sinning or doing the wrong thing. The only One who can change this person's heart is God. They need Jesus and not some pep talk or clever wise tactic used against them. Jesus is what they need. Preach the Lord Jesus Christ to him and how he can be saved by Jesus Christ. Tell him about how Jesus loved him so much to die on the cross for his sins so that he would not have to be destroyed or thrown in the Lake of Fire to be burned. Jesus died in our place because He loves each and every one of us. He wants to share in His love and give us joy, peace, and so much more.

Side Note:

Is it your fault that a person sins more because you told them not to do so?
No. Every man will have to give an account for his own works, whether they be good or bad.
(See Romans 2:5-12).