Bible Question (short): And can we accept this challenge? |
Question (full): Some of us accepted that challenge, and we were humbled and sobered by it. But it seems to me that the greater challenge still remains. The challenge is to help a brother. I hope that one is allowed to ask that when one’s heart goes out to a brother. The brother may not accept that he needs help, but it is my considered opinion that a person does need help when he seems to have become fixated. I hope this is not judged to be ad hominem, or an attack, because it comes out of a desire to help, to help all of us. Quite often a person becomes stuck, or overtaken with a fault, as in Galatians 6:1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. It is my observation that our brother is stuck in a box and apparently unable to think outside of it. Well meaning attempts to get him out may result in his become more firmly stuck; like pulling someone down through a funnel, if you understand what I mean. So the question is: How do you help such a brother? It is probably difficult for any of us to change our minds. There is something called perseverance that we may confuse with obstinacy. It would not be bothersome if someone had some idiosyncrasy, such as saying “Amen” to everything or “Praise the Lord” before everything. We get into habits. And I suppose that the need to capitalize all pronouns that refer to deity is a harmless habit. But when a fascination with capitalization leads one of us to propose that there is a holy spirit to go along with the Holy Spirit, then we may think that the brother needs help. If he does not admit it, he may think that he has a valid point that he needs to hold on to, or even teach. Then we may conclude that he needs help. So the question, and the challenge, must be faced, I think. And this writer has this habit of saying, “I think”, “It seems to me”, and suchlike. It is a habit developed in training; “It is my impression” is better than “I am sure”, etc. But I suppose it should not matter if one’s supposition is based on scripture. And I suppose we should seek to help because of passages such as Galatians 6:1. Then there is Galatians 2 where Paul helped Peter, and Romans 15 where the weak are to help the strong, and Hebrews 12 where we are to make straight paths for our feet lest the lame be turned away, and James 5 where one of us, hypothetically, errs from the truth, and one converts him. and learns that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. We are told that we are to restore such an one. The challenge is to find the way to do it. |