Thursday, October 23, 2008
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Don't Take It Personally, But You're WRONG
by mrs violet 
Last night at home group, we were working our way through Galatians 2, where we looked at the interaction between Paul and Peter. We were quite fascinated figuring out if this particular passage below has any relevance for our lives today.
When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But whenthey arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from theGentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.WhenI saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, Isaid to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? - Galatians 2:11-14
Way back in Acts chapter 10 when Cornelius sent for Peter because of a dream, Peter had his own revelation regarding the Mosaic food laws about what was clean and unclean. Yet here in Galatians 2 we find Peter going back to his old ways and we hear about Paul's direct opposition to the teaching that Peter was beginning to re-advocate.
By today's standards this is a pretty bold move. Not only is it politically incorrect in our day and age to say that another person is clearly in the wrong, but it is also considered somewhat rude within the Christian community as well.
Peter, whom Jesus called the rock upon which the church would be built (Matthew 16:18), was being accused by Paul of being lead astray by false teaching.
I would have to say I came away last night quite challenged in my worldview. I don't really like making those kinds of judgments upon people, or their ministries. I would find it very difficult to say that somebody is clearly in the wrong. It is something that I really struggle with, yet Paul clearly did it. Paul went straight to Peter and got to the source of what he saw was a problem, a deviation from the gospel of Christ Jesus.How do you suggest we should act when we believe another Christian is not only being lead astray, but is leading others astray by not acting in line with the truth of the gospel?
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Comments (36)
I think the best way is to just be very subtle. Or maybe you can make suggestions or tell stories that can show that person the correct way. It can be offensive to just call someone out.
Being subtle rarely works because people just don't think you could possibly be talking about them! The problem today is that everyone is afraid of offending someone. If you are afraid of that you might as well never say another word because SOMEONE is going to be offended. If another believer is clearly in the wrong and you don't say anything you are a part of the problem. And you are also responsible for what happens because you didn't call the person on it. Paul did the right thing. And I bet Peter thanked him for it somewhere down the road.
I think we are called as Christians to say something to our brothers and sisters but it's all in how we tell them. At camp we would say "you need to say it with Jesus in your voice." That's a subtle way to remind you that you can't just lash out at them for something they don't necessarily see as wrong but it also keeps you in check. It makes you realize that you need to remember that it's a delicate situation that easily could go south and be taken the wrong way.
i'd rather somebody offend me by telling me that i am wrong as opposed to letting me continue to be wrong and whispering behind my back. they are only bringing my actions to my attention. now, telling me what they think i should be doing is a completely different scenario.
It depends on the situation. But I believe we should always follow Biblical example.
We are called to love our neighbor, we but we are called to love God first! The situation between Paul and Peter is a perfect example of what we should do! If it wasn't wrong to tell someone they were wrong then, it's not wrong now. God never changes - and when you think about it - He never uses flattery or avoidance of hurting our feelings to give us His truth. I find more comfort in His complete truth than the beating around the bush of wishy washy people (including wishy washy Christians) who don't have the gumption to say - HEY! YOU'RE WRONG!
Granted, if we tell someone they're wrong - we better have scripture to back it up. It doesn't matter if we disagree - it matters if God does! And if we care about the soul of another Christian, we will tell them they are headed for danger.
By the way - that reference in Matthew about Peter being the rock. I don't believe Peter was the rock. I believe the truth of what Peter said about Jesus being the Christ is what Jesus built His church on. My faith and church are built on Jesus being the true Son of God - not on Peter!! If Jesus built His church on a person, it would be on the wrong foundation. Since Jesus is God and therefore perfect, and we read about Jesus being the foundation...well there ya go! :)
I've never read this passage from Galatians I guess....It's pretty heavy. Thanks for bringing it up!
The Biblical example is always the best way.
The direct approach means that both parties know where the other stands, and there is no room for trying to second-guess what the other party means.
Ultimately, it will only help improve the health of the Church, for after all we are all fallen and in need of help, support and loving correction where the case may be.
As true Christians, we should be open to this and not close our minds and continue going down paths other than the one, true, narrow path.
dogs aren't carnivores?
The degree of rudeness is a matter-of-opinion.
i definitely believe there are circumstances where calling someone out is not only appropriate but necessary. how are people supposed to know right from wrong if everyone is so afraid of judging another? sometimes the only way to teach right from wrong is to tell someone (lovingly, of course) that they are, flat out, wrong.
If the Spirit is present, you can never be too bold. In this situation, what Paul did was necessary. But I believe it was done more in a spirit of love than of condemnation. That's the way it should be done. Correction should be given in a spirit of love, offering hope and solutions to become what the Father wants us to become. That's the way the Savior did it. Should we not do the same?
funny thing about confrontation... we've allowed Victorian niceness to replace truth... for the sake of another's feelings... we simmered the saltiness of our speech to the point of uselessness for the sake of not wanting to offend anyone in the name of politically correct appropriateness...
In the same book... Paul used some pretty harsh wording concerning people who are maligning the gospel message... Paul contended against the Judiazers in Galatians... i refer you to chapter 5:11... if you don't know what the Judaizers were... they basically said Jesus+circumcsion=justification... u need to be circumcsized as well as have Christ to go to heaven... it's a "reducteo adapsurdium" a logical arguement where Paul is basically telling these guys, "So cutting a little skin off your thingy makes you holy well, then, go all the way..."
but we can't do that today because we dont' wanna spank anyone's inner child...
which sickens me more so than anything....
the call is to feed the sheep
rebuke the swine... sheep not living like sheep but like pigs
shoot the wolves... false teachers, false doctrine, heretics
bark at the dogs... basically mock, laugh AT, make fun of religious folk: homeschoolers, KJV only folk, dating pharisees, religious pharisees, moral pharisees, spiritual pharisees, advice pharisees, recycling pharisees etc
@sugartomyhoney@xanga - yes...I agree whole-heartedly. I know from personal experience that if a fellow christian is being led astray and you don't tell them, they may not realize it until they're neck-deep in the problem. then it's very difficult to help them get back on the right track.
But always, always, the person will need your prayers more than anything.
i think we need more ppl like paul doing that, but loving yet stern.
seeing as religion is meant to be entirely personal, i would never "call someone out" for doing whatever they like in that area. as long as it's not affecting me, or illegal, it's none of my business.
having taken several religion classes, i understand the importance of a community meal in Jewish society. considering that, at that point, Christianity did not exist as a separate religion, i see no problem with Peter wanting to eat with only those of his own society.
Yes act, and Jesus was not saying that "Upon this rock" had anything to do with peter but only his confession that Jesus Is The Son Of GOD. This has nothing to do with peter but what came out of his mouth.
@leadworshipper82 - homeschoolers? That's a little below the belt wouldn't you say? Your generalizations are dangerous. I'd caution you to be careful with your words. Being offensive is fine as long as its the Gospel that does the offending not our own wayward tongues.
In regards to the post, I believe excommunication has become a lost discipline of the Church and should be something that is embraced once again with humility and truth. Believers in the Body must know the lines we draw in the sand (core doctrine) and when they step over them there must be discipline, confrontation, rebuke, not only for their good but for the good of the Church as a whole. Galatians 6 is a wonderful passage on confronting a brother/sister in sin.
Our priority of Christ followers is the Truth not the feelings of others. In humility and I stress HUMILITY we have to confront all sin, shining light into the darkness so that the devil cannot have a foothold, so that no root of sin can take its claim. Because when one brother or sister is struggling we are all struggling. How, you may ask? Well, it is because we are all connected, being the Body of Christ and we must take seriously our command to be unified. We must be careful though, in how we treat non-Christians in regards to rebuking. We cannot and should not expect them to conform them to Truth when they are not walking the light. I could go on and on about this issue, a hot spot for me, but I won't.
Or...
Paul was saying "There are the strong who eat flesh, and the weak who eat herbs; neither is better than the other, just that they both exist." Everyone who is strong in his faith does not construct artifical walls for himself; everyone who is weak does, and needs them. Neither should be condemned for it.
Walls protect the weak; the Strong rely more fully on God, but are just as prone as the walled-in to make poor choices from time to time. So, then, Paul's view is that we should not act against our consciences, to do so would be a sin.
@desperate4mySavior@xanga - oh goodness... honestly... dood... we're all pharisees... i'm a public school pharisee so relax bro... if you can't laugh at that... then really dood... seriously... get off the religiosity...
the idea is all men everywhere should repent... which means the KJV only guy who's bent on having everyone stock their shelves with the 1611 (or whatever year) version should repent just the same as the porn addict...
take it from a guy who went to public school... we aren't all that great... as like Martin Luther says in his 95 theses statement... "A Christian's life is about repentance..." and with whatever our condition is whether we are instilling our own version of righteosness apart from the propitation of Jesus and communicating that message of the Cross or whatever form of religion we talk about...
we need to repent of it and just communicate pure Jesus... doesn't matter if you are a homeschool grad or a public school dropout... whether you wore a denim-jumper or jeans that hung low... repentance is the life of a Christian...
Paul completely tore against the Judaizers to get them to see their own frailty and repent... so should we....
@desperate4mySavior@xanga - Excellent comments. The combination of Truth + humility.
And I like your making the distinction between believers and unbelievers. We can't expect the same behavior of believers since they've not been born again, they do not have the capacity to understand or the power to live as Christians. I think that's the problem a lot of Christians have gotten into. They expect the world to live out the life of the sermon on the mount but the only way that can be done is as Christ lives in us.
I'd also add Galatians 1:10:
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
and James 5:19-20, Jude and I Corinthians 13 for Scriptures to consider.
@leadworshipper82 - I still don't really get where you're coming from.
@leadworshipper82 - Apparently I missed something, I apologize. In reference to your comment about us all being Pharisees I must disagree, though I used to wholeheartedly side with that statement. I can't say that I'm a Pharisee. Why? Because I follow Jesus, not religious bull. Now don't get me wrong, I steer off the path sometimes but its not who I am. Now I know you probably are getting pissed at me for my technicalities but I must insist on their importance. And we can disagree on that, its ok. Nothing personal my friend. I wasn't a homeschooled kid either....just in case you were wondering.
@naphtali_deer@xanga - I don't get it either, but at any rate. There is so much Scripture calling out for us to obey in reference to Church discipline, so that we can live lives that shine and live lives that bleed John 13:34-35.
@desperate4mySavior@xanga - in such important technicalties... we can both agree that religion is indeed bull... a steaming pile... but in some instances and in the case of my seemingly off color comment... which did in fact steer ppl wrong which kinda was my home considering Homeschoolers are cool kids... it's just... Jesus + anything ruins everything...
the big idea i was trying to present is that confrontation is a needed thing when the Gospel is being maligned... and sometimes depending on the person... one must use any means necessary to protect the Gospel and use whatever means necessary to do so... verbally...
the idea is feed the sheep (verbally), rebuke the swine (which I'm presuming is the case of this post), shoot the wolves (false teachers), bark at the dogs (anyone who thinks they are alright apart from Jesus... religious ppl who think they are good by what they do or don't do) and in such was what I was aiming at...
Peters vision was not about mosaic food laws. it was about gentiles.
It even states taht petere was confused about the vison, illuding to the fact that it had nothing to do with food... then it gives clear definition that it was about the inclusion of Gentiles in israel.
God does not change or go against his word. When he stated that unclean animals are not to be food for us in leviticus 11, he didn't change that. he didn't reatract that word.
Sadly, the Christian Church as a whole has allowed some of the most unbiblical teachings and teachers to creep in, sometimes without saying a peep to suggest that these beliefs/teachers may not be orthodox. I've really seen in the past few years the damage that these cause: people being wounded and blaming "Christianity" for something that Christianity never really taught or endorsed. Sometimes even the deacons (or those in similar positions) and the pastors in some of our modern churches are more concerned about keeping up attendance and cash-flow rather than correcting erring members.
I'm a rather quiet person and I hate conflict, and often I've been conciliatory when perhaps I should have taken a stronger stand for the Faith. I have a hard time telling people that their actions are wrong. To me, it's easiest (and less threatening) when I can back up my position with a clear teaching of scripture. Then it's not holier-than-thou "ME" being a judge of someone else's actions or beliefs, but scripture itself. Then the person has the option to search the Scriptures for himself. In a gray area, we can present general scriptural principals and the opinions of great theologians, while realizing that Paul taught that Christians are free to disagree in some areas.
I think that Jesus gave us good examples of how to approach people: with the self-righteous, forward Pharisees He was quite bold and didn't pull any punches, while with the penitent and easily hurt He was tender, humble and gentle. A lot of times people know that their actions are sinful, and they feel bad but don't know how to stop.
You might look at John MacArthur's The Truth War, which is about the modern movement toward rejecting the idea of any kind of knowable spiritual "truth", and also Walter Martin's classic Kingdom of the Cults.