Don't Leave Out Some of the Scripture, Read ALL of It

Why do people say if you love someone you should forgive but rarely say if you love someone you will confess your offense against them? It seems the one who should receive an apology is the one who is chastised to let off the hook the one who did the offense. This is backward to what God says in His Word.

The popular belief is that we go to someone privately always and only, but God says we are to go public with the offense if the private visit does not produce repentance in the offender.

Matthew 18:15-17

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

The modern church forbids public rebuke for false doctrine. Then to add insult to injury the church demands that you go privately when the sin was public. They forget the passages that say, "rebuke in the presence of all, that all may fear when someone is bringing false doctrine.

1 Timothy 5:19-21 "…19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 20 But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone so that the others will stand in fear of sin. 21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality."

The modern church discourages believers from obeying God's word by making rules against His principles.

I am confused why so many times half of the scripture principle is left off to bring good feelings but often does not resolve anything. God's way is sometimes difficult but it is the best way that resolves Problems.

People do this too with other scriptures about judging. They say "don't judge" and leave out the part that says we are not to judge others for doing what we are doing too. However, they neglect all the other passages that tell us to judge righteously.

We are to judge those in the church according to their conduct. If we did not then no one would be accountable and sin would run rampant.

We are a family and responsible to one another to help our family members continue in obedience to Christ.

Many people refuse to judge sin but will judge others over things God never said to judge them, such as judging someone as legalistic for judging by God's standards. There are those who judge according to the cultural standard and not according to God's Word, this is wrong and against God's Word.

In our culture today there is a propensity to ignore the part of God's Word which instructs us to do the hard things. The difficult commands are the ones that resolve problems and yet weak believers want only to be praised rather than growing in holiness through instruction, correction, and rebuke.

2 Timothy 4:1-3 "1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears, they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires."

We are living in that time now, the time of resistance to the principles of God and believers adhering more to the standards of the culture than they do to the Word of God.

Keep looking up and keep obeying no matter what anyone else is doing and no matter how many friends you lose for obeying Christ. We will never regret doing what is right in the eyes of God.