Results 1 - 5 of 5
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How do we discipline church members? | 1 Cor 5:12 | newoldstock | 93405 | ||
This question is concerning a true event that was recently related to me and is not hypothetical. A woman told her husband, a church deacon, that she could not longer stand being married to him. She moved out and within two weeks moved in with another man. She continued to attend the church with the new boy friend. The pastor spoke to her about the unappropriateness of her continuing to attend church under the circumstances. She replied that she loved the church and the congregants and had no intention of leaving their fellowship. The minister next visited her with several other deacons to discuss the situation, but she still continued to attend services with her new man. Finally, the minister brought the situation up in a church service attended by the woman and the man, and she ran out the door in tears and never returned. These are the only details that I know. Was this the correct way to handle this? How would your congregation have handled it? | ||||||
2 | How do we discipline church members? | 1 Cor 5:12 | Makarios | 93406 | ||
Greetings Newoldstock.. I agree with the method of how the pastor handled the situation with the adulterous woman in the situation that you have specified. Perhaps, by "shaming" this woman, she would eventually be brought back to repentance. It is better to shame a fellow Christian than to let such a sin go unpunished, unchallenged and undeterred in view of the entire community and congregation. Perhaps the pastor was not strict enough in the way that he dealt with the situation. Perhaps the pastor and the elders should have barred her from the church completely, without shaming her publicly.. But, since she left on her own accord (never to return), then I remain convinced that the pastor unswervingly did his duty by shaming her deeds in full view of the congregation. Perhaps her shame would lead to repentance. Blessings to you, Makarios |
||||||
3 | Effect on a "Seekers" service? | 1 Cor 5:12 | newoldstock | 93429 | ||
Makarios,perhaps you are aware that Bill Hybles and the Willowcreek Church have what is called a "Seeker" service and have a "Followers" service on Wed. evenings. Might not many of the "Seekers" still be "living in sin"? My guess is that several of the "seekers" in this church are living together and not married. What effect would this scene have on them? Would it drive "Seekers" away from the Church, before they become born again "Followers"? I am not disagreeing with you. These questions have been asked of me concerning this situation. |
||||||
4 | Effect on a "Seekers" service? | 1 Cor 5:12 | Makarios | 93444 | ||
Newoldstock, It would help to gain a better understanding of what a "seeker" is.. Are these newborn Christians or claim to be Christians? If so, then we need to examine what sin is, and then examine their lifestyle.. What is sin? "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." [James 4:17, NIV] Does God know about sin? "For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves." [Job 34:21-22, NASB (Luke 12:2-3)] What does sin do to us? "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." [Isaiah 59:1-2, NKJV] Sin separates us from God. What is marriage? "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." [Gen. 2:24, KJV, also compare 1 Cor. 6:16] Is a marriage "binding", as in a contract? Yes! And I base this answer on Proverbs 19:14, Amos 3:3, Matthew 5:31-33, Matthew 19:3-9. Therefore, if there are any Christians (man and woman) who are living together and having consentual sex with each other, but who have not been married or are bound to each other by the vows specified in marriage, then yes, they are living in sin. And if they are Christians (or claim to be), then the fact that they are living in sin needs to be made clear to them, so they can repent. But, if they decide rather to live in their sin then to repent, (and never come back) then they are still in darkness, and need to be saved. "And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God." [John 3:19-21, ESV] In conclusion, if those "seekers" are indeed seeking the Gospel message, then they will repent of their sins. Marriage (or having a mate) is something that is inferior to our duty to God (Deut. 13:6-10; Matt. 19:29; Luke 14:26). So, if they reject the Gospel message on account that it doesn't sit favorably with their lifestyle, then they are willingly choosing to live in darkness rather than turning to the One who has the Power to cleanse them of every sin and save their souls. I gaurantee that you will weed out those "seekers" who are really serious about following the Lord, and those who are comfortable in their sin by revealing to them the fact of the matter: that they are, in fact, living in sin, if they are living with someone (and having consentual sexual relations) outside of the bounds of marriage. And whether or not they come back and/or become members should hinge upon how they respond to this revelation and repent of it, if they are indeed guilty of it. Blessings to you, Makarios |
||||||
5 | Effect on a "Seekers" service? | 1 Cor 5:12 | newoldstock | 93473 | ||
Seekers are both new baby Christians and those that are being drawn by the Holy Spirit toward Christ. The latter are interested and curious, but may not have truly accepted the Lord in their heart as Saviour and Lord yet. The objective is to evangelize and gently bring them to salvation. | ||||||