Have you ever been grieved by the large numbers of people you have known who had once professed the Christian faith, and are now apostate? People seem to blow in the door of the church only to blow back out after a while. Many are perhaps rotating through different churches, but not a few fall away from the faith.
Can anyone identify this famous apostate?
How about this one?
I apologize for having missed a post last week. I have been furiously working on some home renovations that are needed before my son can return home. Add in pressures in the M. Education program, and time in schools, and I have more than I can easily handle. However, I have been better about posting than you have been faithful to participate in our discussion forum. We will work at these tasks together!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYes, our discussion was a lively one . . . and I'm not sure we came up with a definitive answer for what exhortation looks like. It could be because there are so many different scenarios and there is no easy, cut and dry answer.
ReplyDeleteBut, this passage in Hebrews is addressing an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. We are to take care ourselves, and encourage one another, that we don't become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin and fall away. That doesn't sound to me like pointing out petty offenses, weaknesses and shortcomings. But, it seems to be a warning that we take heed to those things that can cause us to grow cold, to become embittered - and that we should encourage each other not to give up in our battle against the flesh, to not give in to the lures of the world, to not be deceived by the lies of the enemy. The fact that we are supposed to encourage one another day after day implies a relationship, not a one-time confrontation.
(As for sin issues, there are plenty of other passages that teach us to bear with each other and overlook offenses, teach us how to deal with an offended brother, or how to exercise church discipline in case of scandalous sin or apostasy.)
We noted in class that there is a need for balance - some churches don't practice exhortation at all, they fail to talk about sin, even from the pulpit, so people have no concern for sin in their lives. On the other hand are churches who go to the opposite extreme and people use every opportunity to nitpick something they don't like about someone. It promotes gossip, legalism and hypocrisy. Many have been hurt and abused in these churches where there is no grace, no mercy, no bearing with one another.
So, how do we put this commandment into practice? First of all, we need to know God's Word so that we can recognize the lies of the enemy. We can not help ourselves, or anyone else, with what we do not know. Next, we need to have wisdom from the Holy Spirit to speak the right words in our conversations, to discern what is helpful and needful. Then, it must be practiced with humility, in a caring and loving environment, where people feel safe to give exhortation and to receive it. Quite honestly, not everyone who walks through our doors will want this kind of accountability in their lives, some are not even regenerate. But, I do believe that our church is becoming a safe place to exhort one another (I can not speak for what happened in the past).
First of all, scripture is held in high esteem and is taught in a forthright manner - the Word of God is powerful to convict people in areas that need to be addressed. I have also witnessed on many occasions (women's Bible study and Sunday evening prayer) a transparency as people have been honest about God's working in their lives and their own personal struggles. I have also experienced (and also witnessed it in others' lives) the deeper, more personal kind of encouragement that was mentioned. At times it has called for challenging someone about their thinking, at times it has been encouraging someone in their struggle against sin, at other times it has been weeping and praying with someone who is hurting and suffering.
So, I find the statement "We have developed a church culture that has deemed personal spiritual walks to be off-limits" to be an unfair statement.
Yes, we have room to grow. I can think of a man who used to be very active at church, and is now not even regular on Sunday mornings. How many men have called him, asked him out for coffee to see how he's doing? This seems to be a very real example of what this passage in Hebrews is talking about. I hope that we take it to heart. It is not just for leaders, it is for everyone. We will not have the same degree of familiarity with everyone in the church, but we need to function as a body - connected, looking after, and caring for each other.
Both of the above comments are thought-provoking. I think there is a lot more to say - and to learn - on this subject.
ReplyDeleteLois,
ReplyDeleteI apologize for my unfairness to Clarkson. I should have phrased it as a question and not a statement. I have struggled with this for months and this is the kind of exhortation I wanted and needed to see. Thank you.