Our culture is into what I call the mantra, "what does it mean TO YOU" illness. Everything is interpreted in terms of what "I like", "I want", "I believe." Things don't have to make sense they just have to be what a person likes.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to reason with anyone any more. Any attempt to bring good sense to a discussion is quickly attacked to prevent any sadness or correction.
As long as someone "wants" to believe in something, it is now off limits as far as reexamination is concerned, what comes to mind is what the people continue with, no matter how much it is proven wrong.
I am appalled at the amount of "pretending" that goes on in our culture today. Everyone is into so much pretense that it is very difficult to tell who is serious, who is living a counterfeit life and who is genuine. One must get to know a person on a much deeper level, asking serious questions, while watching what emerges from them, to be able to see their response to challenges.
Those who refuse to be challenged on nearly any level, will display anger and even rage at the prospect that they may be wrong about something.
Psalm 37:8 "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil."
Ephesians 4:31 "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."
Proverbs 15:18 "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention."
Proverbs 27:5 "“Open rebuke is better than secret love.”
Those who cannot tolerate a rebuke, raging to intimidate the one who challenge them, show great pride and an inability to be taught. These people remain spiritual babies if they have ever been born again.
2 Timothy 4:2 "“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
Titus 1:13 "This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,"
The purpose of a strong rebuke is to expose error, giving the one who is rebuked an opportunity to realize their need and ask God to change their heart. The Holy Spirit will not grow a resistant believer, they remain in their foolishness as long as they resist the correction of other believers.
Those who think they are special without need of correction, are arrogant and foolish ones, who must appear superior to others, while all the time remaining ignorant, lacking good sense and spiritual growth.
Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
"16 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil."
When we resist the Holy Spirit promptings long enough, He stops speaking to us. When God sends others to correct or instruct us and we resist, then God will not keep sending people and He will silence His Holy Spirit, leaving us vulnerable to the devil and the consequences of our own pride.
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