We have the gospel of life, the world needs to to hear it. It won’t unless we persist in prayer and in sharing the truth with family, friends and neighbors.
One of the consequences of living a godly life is persecution. Jesus warned his followers they would face persecution but to be of good cheer because He had overcome the world,John 16:33. Mention of persecution was not a one off. You will find this idea repeated in Matthew 5:10-12, Matthew 10:23, Matthew 24:9, Mark 10:30, and John 15:20
In the current economic crisis people are struggling for something or someone to believe in. Their wealth has let them down. With the current economic situation, many are finding the future does not look as secure as they once thought. They are feeling desperate, looking for answers, for something certain to hold onto in an uncertain world. We have the gospel of life. Our world needs to hear it.
But what about those within the church we profess to know Jesus but do not live accordingly. Paul’s injunction is to not associate with such a person. That sounds harsh but sometimes, in the church as in parenting; tough love is exactly what’s required. Discipline is a part of love.
Too often in the name of tolerance we let people in the church get away with things that directly contravene God’s Word, instead of correcting them as we should. When we practice tough love, which may mean disassociating from them if they will not change their ways, we are not doing it to hurt them but to help them.
The idea is not simply to cut the person off without any hope but to do so only till he or she realized the error of their ways and repents of the sin. If this occurs they are then to be welcomed back into the fellowship of believers. See Galatians 6:1 and 2 Thessalonians 3:6. Maybe if we looked at and applied some of these guidelines more our churches would be healthier places and more effective witnesses in the world.
Bible verses from New American Standard Version
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