Intimidation, mocking, and raging at someone does not change their heart. Most of the time it doesn't even change their behavior.
Stating the truth calmly with a loving intent of the heart may cause a change, or it may not, but at the least, it leaves us with a good conscience that we acted lovingly and wisely perhaps even leaving the hearer with something to think about. There is time for stern talk as led by the Holy Spirit but most of the time we can act calmly and resolutely without demeaning anyone.
We are not called to intimidate, mock, demean or demand people into compliance, we are called to speak the truth and leave the decision up to the one to whom we are speaking.
When we love someone we never rage at them, nor do we demean or mock them. We may show frustration and anger that they are harming themselves but that frustration and anger does not bring us to a superior attitude, it causes us to see the need for change for the person to whom we are speaking. We love them and want them to see the truth, but it is up to the Holy Spirit to convict their heart, not ours responsibility to force change in them.
It is not wrong to show our feelings as long as we are not sinning. It is sin to rage at someone to control them or to feel superior to them. Love should always be our purpose, not self-defense or superiority.
When we see every unsaved human being as someone we used to be, we will not treat them harshly, but with compassion. We were once sinners on our way to hell, it was Christ that saved us not others who intimidated us into submission to them.
John 16:7-9 "…7But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin because they do not believe in Me;…"
The Holy Spirit works through us as long as we are led by Him. If we try to do it in the flesh without His guidance we are sinning.
I recall Christ wielding a whip in the temple in defense of His Father. He never did it to defend Himself. He called the Pharisees white-washed tombs, I believe to inform them not as a mocking or demeaning method to intimidate. I wonder sometimes how many of those Pharisees became born again later because of His warning about their character, after all they were raised that they were doing right by being self-righteous.
When we explain to non-believers that they have sin that will lead them to hell we are doing the most loving thing for them we could do, that is to warn them of what awaits them if they do not trust Christ.
This is much like a man walking the town, ankle-deep through flooded streets to warn the people the waters are rising they must escape what is coming.
Does this man in the ankle-deep water scream in their faces and mock or demean them, NO, he simply speaks to warn and moves on to others.
We know that non-believers are drowning in their sin thinking they will not be carried away in the flood of debauchery. They do not know they are on their way to hell and that Christ is the only way to safety.
Some are stubborn and need a stronger rebuke but we must always speak and act with dignity, never out of control, and never to act superior.
Also, we are never justified in showing disrespect to any human being. Even if they are not respectful we can warn them about their sin but remain respectful in doing so.
Matthew 7:12
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
Romans 12:10
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."
Titus 2:7
"Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,"
Philippians 2:3
"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."
These scriptures do not mean that we must be mousy and timid, they simply mean that we can act well in spite of what we are dealing with, that is in the power of the Holy Spirit. It may mean we are harsh with some people but loving, and easier on others who are not acting in stubborn ways. It is up to the Holy Spirit to decide how we will act, trust Him.
John 14:26
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Romans 8:26
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
Galatians 5:22-23
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
1 Corinthians 6:19
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,"
Acts 1:8
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The Power of the Holy Spirit is in all born-again believers, we can read His Word, follow it and depend on the Holy Spirit to guide us for each situation. What a blessing to know we do not have to depend on ourselves for answers or our delivery to others.
Hallelujah!!!!
