Accountability is Essential

Notice in the psychological industry there is an attempt to divert mankind from God and create it's own humanistic way of dealing with bad behavior. One way is to refrain from calling it "sin", while assigning it qualities of a wounded spirit rather than an evil one.

Just because we cannot forgive the unrepentant does not mean we hate them. It means that we are holding them accountable for their own good. If they are never held accountable they will never know the blessing... of cleaning up their lives.

I am more concerned about someone learning to repent than I am about what others think of me. When we forgive before repentance we solidify rebellion in the hearts of those who don't think they ever need to be forgiven. One who does not confess will not change or grow, the longer they remain unrepentant while being validated by others through superficial forgiveness the harder their heart becomes.

Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD. "

Notice too that the humanistic method of handling bad behavior, which is opposite of God's way, actually helps the sinner to remain in their sin while solidifying even further their resolve to defend it.

See how clever the devil is? If he can get people to stop requiring confession and repentance for sin, while making Christians feel guilty about expecting repentance, he can manage to keep unrepentant sinners from becoming saved while debilitating the believer in their witness. Not to mention hardening the hearts of many who might be influenced by accountability, not only becoming saved but also enjoying the blessing of cleansed lives.

Fear of Man Reigns These Days

So many parents are afraid to correct or instruct their adult children, they have been intimidated into thinking it is wrong. So they remain silent, go along to be accepted, even when the actions of the children are sin.

Our culture has taught the unbiblical stance that adult children don't have to listen to their parents anymore for advice. They have even mocked and demeaned a parent who chose to share advice.

I have been chastised for offering solutions to things or a better way that was Biblical, when I wasn't asked, but was in conversation.

If adult children don't want the input of their parents, then the parents have no purpose in their lives. All friends share ideas back and forth in conversation as a matter or course, but if the parent of an adult child does it, they have crossed the line and must be severely chastised for their opinion that may not agree with their adult children.

I don't know about all of you, but when I am told my opinion is of no value and to "butt out", then I count myself as devalued and go away. I cannot be a "yes" man for anyone, if someone shares something with me, chances are good I am going to have an opinion and it is always for the purpose of helping. No one has to take my advice, but I think that it would be alright to continue to value the parent even if the advice is not taken.

Exodus 20:12 "“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."

Proverbs 1:8 "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching,"

Does anyone know a Scripture that says, as long as you leave home and on your own you don't have to honor parents anymore?

Our culture is frightened, too frightened to speak it's mind when there might be resistance, too frightened to offer correction and advice that might help, too frightened to say no to an adult child when they request something that is against God's principles.

We are a frightened bunch, cowering every time another adult has a tantrum, as though it is not possible to have the honor and respect necessary in a friendship, unless we do what they want, when they want it, the way they want it. Personally I prefer to be without people who only want "yes" men for their friends. This is not a relationship at all but merely a monkey doing someone else's bidding with the hope that they will be loved for their obedience.

Don't get me wrong, I love to serve, however friendship is a matter of reciprocal loyalty and concern, it is far more than one person getting all they want, while the other is punished for wanting anything. If God places us in a situation where we must serve without being loved, even though we are not treated with love and loyalty, then we must be willing to do this with conviction, but we cannot call it "friendship."

Proverbs 18:24
A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.

John 15:15
"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Proverbs 12:26
The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, But the way of the wicked leads them astray.

Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 22:24-25
Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself.

Proverbs 27:17
Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.

John 15:13
"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

Proverbs 27:5-6
Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

Proverbs 15:22
Without consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed.

James 4:4
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

I think that it is time that we re-evaluate the meaning of friendship, our culture doesn't get it. Friendship is far deeper than happy smiles and pleasantries. Friendship is a depth of concern that shares all our experiences of life with vigor.

Romans 12:14-18 "14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men."

Humanistic Psychology Destroys Faith

Mark 7:7-9 "In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!"

It might be a good idea for all believers to ask God which of our practices are traditions of men and which are principles of God. In our culture today there are many things we do, that are not God's standard or command, but we think they are because they sounded so right and we were raised on them from birth.

We have been raised on many things that are actually the opposite of God's principles thinking they must be in the Bible, but in fact they are not.

The only way to know the truth is to ask the Holy Spirit, while being willing to discard anything He reveals to us is merely human tradition. Most of the time it is human tradition that destroys our walk with Christ, ruins our faith and heaps burdens God never placed on us.

Mark 7:13 " 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so” in many such matters."

So many of the things we hold so tightly to are ideas spawned from humanistic psychology, mythology and paganism. Our culture lays burdens on unsuspecting victims who don't know their Bibles, burdens God never intended. And, to top it all off they don't follow their own humanistic principles.

Matthew 23:3-5 "…3 So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.…"

How often have we heard people use the mantra, "don't judge" then proceed to judge that we are mean for judging?

The "don't judge" mantra cannot be consistent because in order to accuse another person of "judging" we have to judge that they are judging." This circular thinking is convoluted and irrational at best. The judging dilemma is only one of many inconsistencies that have crept into the Christian church and sadly has been swallowed hook, line and sinker.

May believers train themselves to be discerning by knowing God's word while asking Him to show them truth.

Forgive the WAY God Does

It is not true that we have to hang onto anger just because someone is not forgiven. Forgiveness is for the purpose of reconciling a relationships with someone who has confessed. Both are important for the picture of reconciliation to be complete. God does not forgive without confession, but He does forgive freely to those who confess their sin.

"IF you confess your sin He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness."

God also says that we are to forgive they "way" He forgives. To forgive without repentance ensure that no actions will be changed, those who will not confess are refusing to change their heart.

God says to do good to those who persecute us, He does not say that we have to be friends with them. He also says that we are to remove the divisive person from among us. There are many scriptures that say to get away from the one who will not repent. 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

God says to "reject a factious man", we are not to validate one who sins and will not repent, by remaining friends with them or by forgiving when the unrepentant doesn't care about being forgiven.

We have empowered wicked behavior in this culture often by forgiving the offenders who are not sorry while beating up on the righteous when they hold the sinful man accountable.

God will not save a person who refuses to confess their sinfulness. We cannot be reconciled to Him without repentance. Relationships are not restored by one person forgiving while the other one continues their sinful attitudes and actions toward us.

To say "I forgive you" to an unrepentant sinner merely angers them while validating their sinfulness.

Galatians 6:7 "7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. 8 The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.…"

Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD."

Freedom is not What You Think

Does anyone else feel as though all freedom of speech has been trashed in our country? That even though we have a certain amount of freedom right now, many people are systematically being intimidated into silence by those who are in the ruling positions.

Did anyone notice that our politicians running for the presidency didn't clearly speak out against transgender, homosexuality or immoral activity that would leave them a target by the media?

If politicians don't have the strength to speak out against abominations, how can they be expected to lead a nation? Financial responsibility and secure borders are nice but will not gain us God's favor. They are superficial band aide responses to serious moral decay. It is this moral decay that is destroying the finances and the border problem.

Defending "freedom" should not be the goal of any believer. Personal freedom only comes when there is respect and honor for God. Our freedom is not in being able to carry out any abomination we please. True freedom is spiritual freedom from the domination of sin in our hearts.

When Christ changes us into a new creation we are free from the desire to engage in behavior that destroys. Our soul has been transformed, not reformed meaning the old made new, but rather transformed, meaning the old has been done away with completely in our spirit. We do battle with the fallen and dying flesh as our spirit wars against it. A believer will battle the flesh, hating what he knows his fleshly sinful nature is, although becoming victorious over it with the Helper, Christ Jesus Who empowers us to do so.

The unbeliever defends their sinful nature, indulging it, angry when challenged to evaluate themselves, they persist purposefully to defy rules and principles placed within us at creation by God. Ephesians 4:18 "They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."

Notice that last phrase in Ephesians 4:18, "because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." It is a hardened heart that brings ignorance of righteousness, a choice to reject the truth.

Romans 1:18-19 "18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them."

2 Corinthians 5:17 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"

Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

2 Corinthians 3:18 "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Romans 5:1-11 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ..."

Our country used to understand righteousness because of the boldness of believers in it. Now that believers have become powerless in their quest to be accepted by the culture, they have given up all righteous ground. The believers in our country have retreated into themselves to be loved and elevated by secular and ungodly family members.

There is nothing more selfish than keeping the way of salvation a secret, for no other reason except to live a pleasurable life on this planet, which is passing away and very soon. Empathy for the lost should be paramount in our lives, empathy that leads us to plead with them to ask God Who He is and what He has done for us. The love of God is elusive to those who will not listen to the gospel message. The love they seek leads to eternal death, the love Christ offers leads to eternal life. This earthly life is very short in comparison to eternity, there is nothing to be gained by holding onto the things of this life, absolutely nothing of value.

Proverbs 29:24-26 "…24 He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He hears the oath but tells nothing. 25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted. 26 Many seek the ruler's favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD.…"

1 Timothy 6:9-11 "…9 Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 11 But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness."