7/25/2017
Matthew 18:15-17, John 7:24, 1 Corinthians 8, 1 Corinthians 12, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Galatians 6:1.
Restoring a brother
There are wrinkles in my body, blotches and blemishes that must be erased. Each and every one of you has issues that affect your spiritual growth. No one is perfect, none is without weakness. However, as you mature in me I have noticed that many of you seem to forget from whence you came. You have become extremely callous with the weak brethren because you are puffed up in pride. Remember you were in the same weak position not too long ago and it was my grace that got you through. Therefore do not forget to show the same grace to your weak brethren. Does that mean that you agree with sin within my body? Absolutely not! When you see sin you must deal with it but only in love and without pride or prejudice. Rebuke using the word in love, correct using the word in love and restore your weak brother in love. There are some experiences that you have gone through that were similar to your brother’s situation and you got through them by grace. Encourage your brother by sharing what you can to show them that if you could make it out they too can do the same. There is too much finger pointing and not enough godly correction, too much unrighteous judgment and not enough effort to restore one who has fallen away. Yes you are growing from grace to grace. There are some sins you no longer commit because you have matured as a Christian but you are not perfect, you are human and therefore subject to failure. Therefore when dealing with your brother who has sinned or failed in some way remember you are both human and subject to falling. Reach out your hand, extend a helping hand to your fallen brother, lift him up and restore him to your side so that you are both standing shoulder to shoulder on equal ground. It is not your place to stand over your brother in condemnation instead help him up; restore him to the right path. Yes, rebuke him, do not let him stay comfortable in sin, let him know what my word says about his sin, pray for him and show him my love. In love you will extend a helping hand, in love you will lift him up, in love you will rebuke him, in love you will restore him so that he is on equal ground with you. Words spoken in love bring conviction to one who has sinned but words spoken in condemnation bring shame and can even trigger further rebellion. You my children are family. Think about it, when your brother or sister in your family does something wrong do you just banish them? No, you try to restore them to the right path because you love them; you afford them forgiveness and lead them to repentance and restoration. If they decide to walk deeper into rebellion it is a choice that they commonly make knowing that forgiveness and an opportunity to repent was offered in love and it is them who refused to be restored. The blame therefore falls entirely on their shoulders. My children you are my church yes absolutely yes rebuke sin but do so with the backing of my word and in love and remember as you rebuke on the one hand on the other you offer a hand of help to restore the one who has fallen back to his feet. When you rebuke in love even though your accusers may still accuse you of judging them unfairly you are without fault, in my sight you are blameless and the one who refused restoration is entirely to blame. However when you judge with unrighteous judgment that is out of love and apart from my word then I will hold you responsible for further alienating your already vulnerable brother. It is time that my children learned to walk in my love to all men; you cannot pick and choose whom to love for I have commanded you to love all men. This does not mean that you have to live with rebellion and riotous living in your house. No! If your brother continues in rebellion part ways in peace and in love and pray for him.
Amen.
