When Is it Appropriate to Rebuke Someone?

What is it appropriate to rebuke someone that's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity why this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. We would love to hear from you. Our phone lines are open right now and will be taking calls for the next 25 minutes or so. Here's the phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

We also have a YouTube channel and you can watch a drill live in the studio right now on YouTube go to core Christianity's YouTube channel and you can message him your question that way and will see that also. You can email us anytime at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Reddick who's calling in from Kansas City, Missouri Reddick, what your question for pastor atrial Michael yeah my question on the topic of community into a number of different churches for communion either. Every Sunday on special patient and sometimes not at all what church I visited and I'm sure no you know what your position is on communion.

Also, I will mentor church were there been multiple cups and then 1 cup whereby drink out of the same cup so I'm good again, bringing in a what is what's wrong both times the thinking certainly like to get your view already. Thank you for that question. Communion is the Lord's supper is one of the elements of worship, the preaching of the word of God. Prayer singing to the Lord, the offering and these are things we find in Scripture and certainly the Lord's supper partaking of the bread and the wine. This is something that Jesus gave to his disciples so it's an element of worship but there are some some parts of our observance of communion that are more circumstantial. You know I'm thinking of you will what kind of of wind we use. Do you support do we use a Cabernet.

Many churches use Welch's grape juice.

I have feelings about that but that there are some circumstantial pieces here as well and so I would say you know whether or not were doing a common cup where there's just one copper chalice and everybody drink side of that where there are multiple little cups which is what we use it at my church that would be more more circumstantial. The focus needs to be on the fact that were gathering together for what is what the apostle Paul says in first Corinthians chapter 10 verse 16. The cup of blessing that we bless is it not a participation in the blood of Christ, the bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ that is due this sign this bread and wine, by the grace of the Holy Spirit. We have a special unique communion with the very body and blood of Jesus Christ by faith.

That's where we need to focus and because that's the case, it's my view that we should frequently observe the Lord's supper. I think it's good when we take communion on a weekly basis. Many people think the boy doesn't just get old. Can't we just go through the motions and the sort of roadway and then that's always a danger that's always a danger when it comes to hearing the preached word as well. We need to prepare our hearts to come before the Lord to receive the gospel. The word preached to receive the sacraments of grace, the Lord's supper and so's a week we got to be, you know cautious about this, but the fact of the matter is, is here around the table that God is extending to us his gifts. These these visible signs of his grace for his people.

These means of grace as we receive them with joy, with faith, with thanksgiving being encouraged and built up in our faith. So that's my that's my viewing something that's good for churches to do frequently. We need to recover. I think a high view of the things that Jesus left to his church and a lot of times it was a will. Those are empty symbols empty signs things like baptism, things like communion, it's it's really more about that sort of personal experience. What we don't need to. We don't need to pick those two things against each other. Jesus left us these things for a reason. And so we should honor him, worship him and and cling to worship as he's delivered it to his church. Reddick May the Lord bless you as you seek to honor him and as you seek to faithfully serve him in your own life. Thanks for the question your listing to core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez would love to hear from you. If you have a question about the Bible Christian life. Maybe you church ordinances like eat it, or perhaps you got some doubts about the Christian faith. Maybe you consider yourself to be an agnostic or an atheist rebuke practice a different religion and you got some questions about Christianity. Feel free to give us a call.

Our phone lines will be open for the next 20 minutes or so 833. The core is the number that's 1-833-843-2673 Brian from St. Louis, Missouri Brian what your question for pastor atrial barrel ready the secular world, but also the Christian world that the subject of adultery and a lot of churches, shy away from that don't like talking about it but I don't. People that were Christian couples house and she did all his life. They tried to reconcile and repair their marriage, but he went ahead and remarry about a woman now. I read the Bible correctly. Adultery only the woman he married is also living adultery but that also catalyzes the woman that was his original wife Mary, no Jon, I think that that the woman who sinned against. Hear me, she was cheated on by her husband, and there's been this breach in the marriage covenant then maybe she wanted to restore the marriage but coming up. Bobby said based on the example you gave this this man went off with somebody else is. She then still bound. Can she not go and remarry in the Lord.

No, I don't think so. I think that she is free to remarry only as the apostle Paul says in the Lord and so and I think that's clear from Jesus teaching in Matthew 19 related to divorce. I mean it is. It is absolutely heartbreaking.

We have situations like this. And of course in in situations where there is adultery doesn't mean that the couple has to get a divorce. I've seen it. Where were couples continue to pursue each other in the Lord and there's there's forgiveness there's reconciliation through a lot of help and so that's something that that God can work but but you know that's not always the case. Also, and so in in a situation like that.

I think the woman who sinned against would be free to remarry. God bless. Thanks, thanks, Brian. This is core Christianity with pastor atrial Sanchez we are really excited about a new resource that we are offering you today and this is something that we think will answer a lot of tough questions for you. Yeah, Bill. It's called tough questions answered.

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Feel free to pick up your phone right now and call us. Our phone lines will be open for the next 15 minutes or so at 833. The core we do receive voicemails as well and you can leave a voicemail anytime 24 hours a day. Here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Steve and is we have in the Scriptures. A spectrum of interaction as we see things that could be improved in our brothers live so we have encourage, exhort and admonish prove rebuke on them were instructed to do all of these things from one another. But how can we discern what is an appropriate kind of intensity on that spectrum which side of the spectrum should be on when dealing with different relationships in our lives. For example, a wife or close Christian brother may be just another churchgoer that we see face-to-face and then like the last kind of category would be something like somebody online just in in a comment section on their form or whatever the above do not answer that well wisdom. I think the online comment sections can be pretty rough, and so you will you want to be careful there, but this is an excellent question. The first passage that comes to mind is what the apostle Paul said in second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be completely equipped for every good work that you do have these repeated expectations in the New Testament that call us to speak the truth in love with gentleness there there and then up one concern I have is a lot of times you people today are just they they sort of say well you know you think about Jesus flipping over tables and and the other strong rebukes that John the Baptist or Jesus gave to the religious leaders. The Pharisees and that they almost use that as as a sort of baseline for right how we talk about the truth.

There are times I think where we do need to use very strong language and been one. One indicator would be is the gospel being compromised Paul's strongest rebuke of a letter I think is the book of Galatians and why does he have such strong rebukes in that letter. But because the gospel of Jesus Christ was being compromised. You had Christians were being deceived led astray by agitators by false teachers away from the true gospel and so it's almost like you grabbing them and shaking them in and giving them these pretty strong rebukes because he cares for their soul and the strongest rebukes are against the agitators that is those teachers in the church, or at least people who claim to be teachers who lead people astray and so I think that there is there is wanted tenderness that we need to show to each other within the body of Christ, gentleness, especially for the church when people are struggling with things when they're struggling to understand when they're struggling with sin that that's not the time to come in.

You know with a hammer and and just, you know, bring bring that down with with the harshness with the lack of care with the lack of gentleness that that's not what you see that's not what the apostles did oftentimes to the people they ministered to. But when you have so-called Christian leaders.

When this was. This was maybe think about Jesus a strong rebukes or per John the Baptist strong rebukes to the Pharisees. People who should know better. And yet are hypocrites. Leading people astray will yeah that calls for the woes that Jesus pronounced woe to you brood of vipers right woe to you hypocrites and so there are instances but but we have to differentiate between is a somebody struggling who just needs compassion and care and gentleness in and somebody to come alongside of them. And again, those typically them that's that's how we need to act with each other within our families, especially with our spouses within the church, brothers and sisters were seeking to honor the Lord and walk with him that's that's where we want to where we want to go but in those situations where somebody is being led astray or deceived with the gospel is being compromised or people are just not clear on the gospel than there.

I think we we we sound the alarm and we need to we need to sometimes use more forceful language, especially against hypocrites and false teachers, wolves, as Jesus calls them, and so the question is are we talking to sheep here or are we talking to wolves and that takes discernment that takes wisdom and we want to be very careful that were not when I can be. We we don't want to be gentle to a wolf and harsh to one of Christ, little lambs that's dishonoring to the Lord. We need to be firm against the wolves who were compromising the truth and leading people astray and gentle and merciful towards Christ, little lambs, the sheep who may be struggling to understand are struggling with sin but were coming alongside of them with the truth of God's word and care in gentleness. So thank you for that question. Just a follow-up question for you a drill.

You mentioned the social media at the beginning of that answer. How should a Christian respond when let's say's.

They have a strong difference was someone on a political issue, it seems to me that I'm seeing a lot of rebuking that she should be more of a gentle response. What you may say something I think right now there are a lot of people who feel like a good culture is just going in such a bad direction. We really need to make a stand. We really need to be firm and stick it to stick it to the people that are just, just, you know, causing havoc in in society and then you know that typically love the people who disagree with us on any number of things, at least in our own in our own minds.

We have to be careful though, that the ways of the world and how the world interacts does not creep into our hearts and into the church so that we begin to fight against the good quote unquote evils of the world in the same way that that non-Christians you know who were mocking and and arrogantly just sort of you know pushing back against culture whatever we want to be careful, we want to exhibit the charity of Christ and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in all of our interaction. That doesn't mean that we don't have strong stances against certain things.

But let's not let the world and the way the world speaks creep into the church. That's one way I think that many Christians today are compromising, and they're doing it because I just think well billion of these kinds of desperate times call for desperate measures well know if were using the weapons of the world if you will to try to bring about positive change. We've already failed. We've already failed it only comes through the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the lives of others, and so we depend not on flesh and blood in the end and the weapons of the world that's that's not what we rest upon. We rest upon Christ's holy gospel and the faithful preaching of that gospel and the charity that we can exhibit to each other in in in the world and in the church and I think that that is far more productive than than the sort of arguing and fighting and rebuking that goes on in social media great counsel.

Thanks for that. I drill this is core Christianity with pastor Pedro Sanchez. We still have time for a few calls. If you have a question for a drill about the Bible or the Christian life doctrine theology number is 833-843-2673. That's 833. The core let's go to John in St. Louis, Missouri. John what your question for atrial and Isaiah wanted the devil are double so that you will about the stars on them to the Lord God installed what what it pertaining to rumors.

He will try to replace God with his dying know that God assigned them to an art thing is off. Also I think about data talk about people wanting to install seeking wisdom and or knowledge levers thinking the truth is is that the time living and I would love all technology and all the rapid changes that are occurring in people just being deluded by know what link your door almost giving them rather than what Christ you know God loves a us.

Thanks, John will blow Paul does tell Timothy Linnell the latter days and people are going to be always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This is a serious issue will reject the truth. The other is this blindness that comes upon us. I think in Isaiah's context when when Isaiah speaks about this is talking about a particular judgment on the people there at that time but but does have implications for us today, and then with regard to the text, referring to its Isaiah chapter 14 what we read in verse 12 how you are fallen from heaven O'Day*son of Don, how you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven above the stars of God.

I will set my throne on high.

I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the North. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the most high, but you are brought down to shale to the far reaches of the pit this and in its context is about the haughty king of Babylon, but by extension, there's also the picture here a picture here of the fall of Satan.

Jesus alludes to this text in Luke chapter 10 verse 18. Speaking of Satan's fall, and so we see here in the US and what is this referring to. What is this pertaining to what is the sin. Beneath the surface. Well, it's pride and that's clear because the apostle Paul says in first Timothy chapter 3 verse six that that was the sin of Satan it was, it was pride. It was this desire to be like God to be greater than God and of course Satan is a creature.

He's not the creator. We are creatures and so there is this difference between God who made all things, the creator and us this substantial difference is there's no way we can ever be God like God is, so you just think about the deep pride in the that the haughtiness the sin that leads a person to say well I'm I'm better than got him to be better than God. That's satanic and it is really highlight something for us why pride is such a destructive sin why it needs to be mortified why it needs to be put to death why it's displeasing to the Lord God resists the proud, were told, but gives grace to the humble.

And so may God in his mercy help us to be a people who are characterized his church characterized by humility in the world today. That's again something we don't see a lot out there and so this is one of the ways that we as Christians can shine as lights in the world.

God help us to be marked by humility, the humility that your son Jesus exhibited God the eternal son when he came to earth, assumed the form of a servant for us and for our redemption. Let that shape us Lord and how we interact with each other. That is so countercultural drill as you said every voice in our culture is screaming out to us. You gotta get ahead, you gotta be on top you gotta climb the ladder push the other guy down and it's all about putting yourself up. And yet, what does Jesus call us to just the opposite.

As we saw even with his rebuke to his disciples right, absolutely. I mean, you think about that beautiful hymn in Philippians chapter 2 many, many scholars think it's it's a him about the humiliation of Jesus Christ equal with God, but taking the form of a servant. And if God the eternal God loved us like that exhibited his love for us in caring for us, washing us anything about Jesus in John 13 washing the feet of his disciples than boy and then what you say to them. There have I've given you an example that you should do this as well. Lord help us to wash each other's feet having the think the metaphorically speaking, thanks but help us to serve each other and to care for each other into and to have that humility that Jesus had a man this is core Christianity, we have time for one more call. Linda is on the line from Missouri. Linda what's your question for pastor atrial note, my relative who have a boyfriend move and they feel the want and they're going to marry and my I have spoken and told her that we feel is not God word for them to live together until they get married and she is chosen to say well we ventured of our and we don't want to we want to make sure Anna and we love God has chosen you to be together and living apart and then getting married, God will work it out and I think it you know what is right to do and don't do it is my hundred and I have taken the Corinthian one 511 not to be involved with them going over to their house or having them come over to our house until they get married and I just would like your opinion.

It's a family matter and difficult, but I know we need and not God's word very difficult in father, please give Linda grace the filling of your spirit and wisdom that she interacts with this family member give the family member, Lord professes faith in your name. Conviction, conviction of sin. Trust in you Lord not feeling like like they have to figure this out to make things work, but trusting in you and seeking to honor you and all that they do.

Amen Linda you're right first printing chapter 5, beginning in verse nine does talk about not having fellowship with believers. Those who who're professing faith in Christ, but are living ways that are contrary to God's word and and especially to the challenge here is that this is within the family and so you're you're connected in a very real sense, in a very tangible sense, but there is this breach because of your faith in Christ and in what you want to call your your family member to and so I think it's it's good that you had the boldness to me and hopefully in charity and love you were able to speak to her and it sounds like that was the case he had the boldness to say hey this is not honoring to the Lord. This is not okay, and it sounds like there there was a disagreement there minute and think what would Jesus says, you know, even within family following Jesus sometimes leads to division in family, but I pray that there can be reconciliation and that ultimately this family member recognizes and sees the most important thing for us and for our marriage. Hopefully if you get started is honoring the Lord and so may the Lord work in that situation and give you grace and love for her, but also fullness. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us.

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