Instead of pushing to privatize confrontation, we should strive to bring everything out into the open that the whole Body may learn to judge what is said and done (I Corinthians 14:29). Nowhere does God delegate the judging of these matters to a denominational headquarters, a board, a committee, or a panel of experts: the saints in toto are to judge even the smallest matters that pertain to the kingdom of God, and the least believer should be capable of rendering discernment (I Corinthians 6:2-5). Sadly, the elitist, private approach to church discipline has left most saints ignorant and lacking in discernment, having delegated away their common sense to elected church officials whose whole purpose seems to be to keep everyone else in the dark and protect their own power base.
A MINISTRY OF LOVE
Part of the work of establishing the genuine thing is to confront and reveal the false thing, especially the false thing that is presenting itself as a genuine thing and the carnal thing that is presenting itself as a spiritual thing. This is why it's so necessary that we get clear on this matter of rebuking and confronting. We cannot be so stupid as to allow others to run roughshod over the Body of Christ unrestrained and unaccountable. I repeat: silence is consent. Believe it or not, rebuking is a ministry of love. We are most Christ-like when we confront the wayward, whether they are saint or sinner, pastor, teacher, evangelist, prophet or apostle, and call them back to their first love - Christ.
Now THAT'S where the love of JESUS is in all this! Don't you want to love people the way He does?
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent (Revelation 3:19)."
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