"Nothing is so cruel as the tenderness that consigns another to his sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe rebuke that calls a brother back from the path of sin."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
If we saw our friend teetering on the edge of a bridge, ready to jump because they were just tired of life and wanted desperately to find a way out, what would we do?
Would we stand from a distance and say, "well, whatever makes you happy." Or would we rush over to them to snatch them from the railing while at the same time attempting to reason with them to reconsider their decision that could ruin them?
As believers, when we deeply care about another believer, we evaluate their actions in light of God's heart. We may ask them the question, "what could the consequences be if you disobey the Words of the Lord." God is a patient God but not indefinitely. He gives us every chance to hear Him so that we can be snatched from our own foolishness. He desires that we make our own decision to repent and trust His ways to glorify Him. When we refuse to be reasoned with and obey Him, then He allows the natural consequences of our actions.
When we refuse to warn a friend of the consequences of their actions against God, we are ultimately responsible before God for not loving them. When our concern is more about the feelings for the moment, it is only ourselves that we are protecting. We don't want to be disliked by our friend or others who are watching, so we watch our friend slide into the abyss without our protest and then we later become disgusted with them for their choices, even though we remained silent before they made their final choice.
Our American style love is not love at all. The only way to discover God's Love, is to read His Word, ask for His discernment and then actually obey what He has told us. Then we will know true love, the love that Christ had for us, when He was mocked and scourged for bringing the truth. Are we willing to be mocked and scourged on the chance that we may help snatch someone from the fire and bring them the vehicle that will save them. Christ is the answer and His principles are contained in the Bible, for every situation.
When we refuse to pray, search His Word or confess his sin, then we know that God will bring consequences in order to catch our attention. He wants a broken and contrite heart. Until there is brokenness over sin, there can be no growth, but we can be sure that there will be continued backsliding.
Let's seek Him now, while there is still time!
