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NASB | John 12:32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 12:32 "And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all people to Myself [Gentiles, as well as Jews]." |
Subject: Would a gentle spirit work? |
Bible Note: So you put the onus on the weak one. I fear that many weak ones do not have the courage you seem to have had, to stick around and take the harsh words. They go away. Whatever happened to the one who came on here with all caps? He does not seem to be here anymore. He came on with a zeal without knowledge. How should we have responded? “The bottom line here is someone is usually trying to make you see it their way and if you don’t then you’re not as smart as you think”. Now what does that mean? Please do not try to explain it. Either way, if that is the bottom line on this forum, it is not good. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for people who come onto a Christian forum weak and wrong is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's word, and going about to establish their own ideas as truth, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from this forum for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the desire to please and serve the Lord, but who still carry traits of weakness and ignorance. What if a person from a cult does come here? Surely he would realize that there are enough big guns on this forum that he will not succeed in spreading his doctrine. But is there not opportunity for one of them to come forward in meekness, to instruct those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth? Or is it better to shout at them and drive them off? It seems to me that people who speak of "lifting up the name of Jesus”, and of "lifting Him up", mean well. But they don‘t realize what they are saying. People who speak even in retrospect of having received a false impression “from the Lord” have another false impression. The person who is willing to change “what the Lord has given in (his) spirit” is confused about the way the Lord gives insight. But it is not helpful to approach that person with a spiritual club to smash that view, I think, for in smashing the view, we may also smash the spirit. Better to take a scalpel, I think, and gently repair that view. Suggest that they replace “lift up” with “exalt” (Exodus 15:2;Isaiah 25:1) perhaps, or praise (Isaiah 25:1; Isaiah 42:12) . Let them “boast”, if you will (Psalm 34:2; Psalm 44:8). Let them glory in the name of the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:10;Psalm 105:3) Let them magnify the Lord (Psalm 34:3; Psalm 69:30; Luke 1:46). Help them with their doctrine, if you can. But do no dampen their enthusiasm altogether. Take for an example, Aquila and Priscilla. A certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. The Lord had a way of restraining an impetuous Peter, and of teaching the other weak disciples, even when they doubted. He did not drive them away. You have to be careful of those who come to teach false doctrine and who will not listen. But we should also be careful, if we engage in rooting out the tears, to not damage the wheat. We should be careful not to discourage the weak. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. |