It's easy to find ourselves looking for faults in others. Whether it be manifested in the form of complaining about something that someone has said, or by putting up a thread to challenge certain people on matters that should have been dealt with in private, so many try to rake others over the coals, as if to suggest that they really don't have the other person's best interest at heart, but would soon bask in the opportunity to destroy that person's character, or reputation.
What good comes out of this?
Does it truly serve to bring others closer to Christ, or to merely bring them under close scrutiny to suffice the need to silence one's carnal curiosity?
We are free to do whatever we will, but not without consequence. Therefore, whatever we do we should do it to the glory of God. And what this simply means is that we ought to speak to others in a way that merits God's favor. That is, our works should bear the stamp of God's approval.
There will be times when God moves us to speak to others more directly about their sins; but we must be able to recognize the difference between a message that is borne of the Holy Spirit, as opposed to one that is self-centered.
Many assume that they are speaking for God when in fact they are merely attempting to appease personal guilt. In other words, they try to lessen the severity of their sins by pointing them out in others. Of course, they don't realize that they are doing this, but that is only because they don't spend much time in prayer before speaking.
Words that are of the Spirit however, will move a person to speak in order to awaken the conscience of one for whom such words have been appointed, to bring it back into connection to the mind of Christ, so that the life that it gives rise to will go on to bear much fruit in the name of Jesus Christ. Such words are filled with grace and truth.
Either we are for Christ, or we are servants of the Evil One. If we are for Christ we will seek to walk even as He walked, not merely as one who looks for opportunities to tear things down, but as one who also seeks to build things back up again. As for the work of the Evil One, he merely seeks to tear things down, and produce things that will aid him in accomplishing his work with greater rapidity.
Let's not allow ourselves to be the means whereby Satan is able to accomplish his work with greater force, but to become vessels through which God is able to channel His righteousness for the purpose of building up those things that Satan would soon seek to destroy.
"For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."(2Co 10:3-6)
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom 12:21)
What good comes out of this?
Does it truly serve to bring others closer to Christ, or to merely bring them under close scrutiny to suffice the need to silence one's carnal curiosity?
We are free to do whatever we will, but not without consequence. Therefore, whatever we do we should do it to the glory of God. And what this simply means is that we ought to speak to others in a way that merits God's favor. That is, our works should bear the stamp of God's approval.
There will be times when God moves us to speak to others more directly about their sins; but we must be able to recognize the difference between a message that is borne of the Holy Spirit, as opposed to one that is self-centered.
Many assume that they are speaking for God when in fact they are merely attempting to appease personal guilt. In other words, they try to lessen the severity of their sins by pointing them out in others. Of course, they don't realize that they are doing this, but that is only because they don't spend much time in prayer before speaking.
Words that are of the Spirit however, will move a person to speak in order to awaken the conscience of one for whom such words have been appointed, to bring it back into connection to the mind of Christ, so that the life that it gives rise to will go on to bear much fruit in the name of Jesus Christ. Such words are filled with grace and truth.
Either we are for Christ, or we are servants of the Evil One. If we are for Christ we will seek to walk even as He walked, not merely as one who looks for opportunities to tear things down, but as one who also seeks to build things back up again. As for the work of the Evil One, he merely seeks to tear things down, and produce things that will aid him in accomplishing his work with greater rapidity.
Let's not allow ourselves to be the means whereby Satan is able to accomplish his work with greater force, but to become vessels through which God is able to channel His righteousness for the purpose of building up those things that Satan would soon seek to destroy.
"For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."(2Co 10:3-6)
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Rom 12:21)
