In order to avoid conflict in our world today we must avoid telling the truth.
If we are born again believer who love the Lord we must tell the truth. If someone is avoiding telling the truth in order to maintain peace then they are not understanding the life of Christianity or peace.
Peace keepers are those who attempt to make everyone happy, willing to lie to accomplish it. The peace maker is one who tells the truth to fix a problem permanently so that when peace comes it is not superficial peace that fades easily, but rather it is peace that had changed a heart and lasts into eternity.
Peacekeeping only throws the dirt under the rug when things go wrong. Peacemaking cleans up the dirt that will never come back.
Mark 13:12-13 "…12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. "
One of the key evidence of someone born again is that they tell the truth and are willing to take the brunt of responses that will come. Their motive in telling truth is to honor God and help those who need a little extra something to realize there is need for a change.
Those who say what they think people will want to hear are not being honest, or loving, they are placing the desires of ungodly people above God. If we love the unsaved or the sinning believer we will tell the truth for their own sake and for the glory of God.
Luke 12:52-53 "…52 From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
If we love people and God as we should our life ought to be dominated by truth.
Speaking that truth in gentleness and without hypocrisy is important as we ware led by the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is more for the unbeleiver who does not understand and a harsh rebuke if for the stubborn born again believer who refuses to listen.
When there is deep sin in ones own life there is no right to be rebuking anyone else. Those who hold themselves as above others, those who are self righteous do not have the privilege of rebuking others for things they are doing themselves. Perhaps they are not involved in the same sin as those they rebuke but they come with arrogance and superiority that is just as sinful as the one they are rebuking.
Titus 3:2
"To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people."
Proverbs 15:1
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
Titus 1:12-14 "…12 As one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth."
Matthew 7:5
"You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
Matthew 6:1
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 15:7-9
"You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
As born again believers we must be checking our own life to make sure we are not rebuking someone else for something we are also still doing.
It is common in our day for the narcissist to accuse others of the very thing the narcissist is doing and the others are not. These self righteous ones tend to judge sin where there is none based on how they wish to view a person.
Often their judgments are foolish and damaging to relationships but as long as they feel superior that's alright with them. These self appointed judgers will see a small matter and blow it so far out of proportion that there is no truth left in their testimony.
When the narcissist is told they have wrongly judged and are damaging the relationship their response is to rage harder and move on to gossip with others to gain supporters to their side.
We are living in a world in which truth is demeaned, righteousness is resisted and mocked. When we see this in our world we are experiencing the end times spoken of in the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 describes perfectly these arrogant self righteous ones who love their self promotion, they are not only rampant among the unsaved, sadly they are also in the church.
2 Timothy "3:1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."
Why do I speak of narcissism and the end times so frequently? The answer is simple, the world would have us believe monstrous things that defy God. It would punish us for believing God while working to undermine our relationships with Christ.
When we know what we are dealing with and it has little to do with us but more to do with the tricks and plots of the devil we can more easily resist being manipulated by all of it.
The joy does not have to leave the born again believer because of the times we live in, the joy is enhanced as we grow stronger and as the time grows closer for the rapture, our home going.
So, in all this mess do not lose heart, do not become sheepish and frightened, rather become stronger, more resolute and more joyful as you watch the end times play out just as God said it would.
Taking what is happening personally is tantamount to not believing God. This mess is not about us at all, its the evil ones lame and futile attempt at destroying the faith of believers. The devil cannot take away our salvation but if we let him he can discourage us making us weak and beggarly but only if we let him by focusing on the responses of others instead of Christ.
When we have our gaze squarely fixed on Christ the responses of others will not matter one bit.
Keep going brothers and sisters, its almost over and we must grow in holiness and spiritual maturity in spite of the attacks of the evil one.
1 Peter 5:7-9 "…7 Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.…"
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