Matthew 7:6: "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces"
There is a very damaging idea floating around for the past 50 years, that we must remain with rebellious people just in case they will one day listen to truth and want Jesus. This is lack of faith in Christ because it is His Holy Spirit Who reaches hearts, we are just the messengers, if they will not listen to us they will not listen to Him.
Luke 9:5
"If anyone does not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that town, as a testimony against them.”
Christ never ran after or remained in company with those who rejected Him or His truth. He moved on and left them to themselves.
To remain with unbelievers who have rejected truth is to think we have the power to change people. We do not have any power to change anyone's heart. We speak truth and leave it to the Holy Spirit to use whatever is necessary to reach those with a stubborn heart.
Proverbs 9:7-8
"He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself. / Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you."
Mockers and rebellious people will fight bitterly to dominate over those who speak the truth. They think they are right and will not listen no matter how many times we tell them. God must be the One to reach these people His way in His timing.
Proverbs 23:9
"Do not speak to a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words."
In order to obey this scripture we must be able to discern who is a fool.
If you have ever tried to reason with someone who is self-righteous and convinced they know everything you realize what a foolish endeavor it is to attempt to convince them of truth. They only fight to win over others, they do not care about truth.
Acts 13:45-46
"But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying. / Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles."
Acts 18:5-6
"And when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself fully to the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. / But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Acts 28:25-28
"They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: / ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’"
Jesus Christ and the apostles never remained with those who reject the Word of God or spurned and rejected them. We cannot be an influence on people who refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit.
We can pray for those who have a stubborn heart, but they cannot be our close friends. They bring with them anger and disrespect with an attitude of causing trouble in the hearts of those who love God.
1 Corinthians 2:14
"The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."
When we see that someone refuses to believe the Word of God we know they cannot understand what God says so to continue to speak it to them is an exercise in folly, a waste of our time and even damaging to our own souls.
"1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”"
Proverbs 13:20
"He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed."
Proverbs 22:24-25
"Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, / or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare."
Psalm 1:1
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers."
Proverbs 4:14-15
"Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. / Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by."
In order to obey these scriptures we must be able to discern the heart of someone as the Holy Spirit guides us.
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