Will you not heed God's word?

[snowlynx]

My heart has been burdened these past few months as I have read much of the BB.  I understand the great grief experienced.  Yet, over and over again God keeps bringing me to things in His Word which I am compelled to share here now, for God's work sake, even you and I.  In Ephesians Paul is revealing the vision of God's purpose in His Church.  It is the display of the character of the Father and His Son Jesus both in us and among us.  And regarding that Paul instructs the Ephesisans with the following (4:29-32 NAS)

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need at the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

May God not have to bring this verse up to any of us posters on this website at the Judgement Seat, and in the love of Christ I solemnly write this admonition.

Jacques Girod

[snowlynx]

Just a note of addendum:

I think openly discussing things is good and the Bible exhorts us to "speak the truth in love".  It is not the topics God takes issue with but with the words and attitudes we communicate with.

Jacques

[al Hartman]

     i'm on a roll this evening, so i'll seize the opportunity to jump in here BEFORE someone starts haranguing, "DON"T TELL ME WHAT TO SAY!!!"

     Brother Jaques did NOT tell anyone what to say, or what  to do.  What he did is quote to us a passage of scripture, and humbly pray that none of us will need to be negatively judged for having not heeded it.  It is a gentle, but poignant entreaty.

     By the way, if you're looking for Jaques' screen name, it's that little tiny DOT just above his status.  It may indicate that he'll just be here for a short PERIOD.  But i prefer to  think of his stabilizing influence as DOT CALM.

al

[Mark C.]

Dear Jacques.
  Thank you for your contribution.  The verses you share are important one's and need definition to be effective.
  How do you feel those on the BB have not lived up to these directives?  We need to know specifically if we have failed so we can be prepared for the day of judgment that you mentioned.
  You say you understand the grief that those who post here feel, but why do these people grieve?  If you feel their grief is justified, what grief does God have with those that caused the grief, if any?
  I personally want to heed God's Word and would hope that you would specifically correct any things said by me here that you would consider contrary to the verses you shared.               God Bless,  Mark
   

[4Him]

Amen! Jacques,
Warning well taken.  May our words be full of grace!

Br. Al,
Very amusing, Dot Calm, indeed.  

[snowlynx]

Mark,

I looked through many of you posts just now and didn't notice anything glaringly unchristlike in their language or tone, not that I'm the judge; but because you asked me to specifically mention anything of yours I noticed.  

Since the BBs inception I have noticed a general tone of bitterness in speech and unwholesome judgments of others' intents among many of the posts.  I think of Christ on the cross and how He only spoke words of empathy for those who did evil against Him.   I believe it is for God to take the vengance in His time and way.  Each poster needs to decide before the Lord as they post what would be edifying to others, for it is to Christ's body we are speaking.  

God's response to those who have caused grief in His house will not be left undone by Him.  Yes, we are to bring up issues, even excommunicate or leave fellowships but our speeh and actions should always reflect the purity of love which our Savior has.  It is very natural to go with our feelings of frustration, angst, and anger, but we must first look to our Father who gave us His Comforter to sooth our own pain.  Our reproof to others must be done with the utmost carefulness and dependance on His Spirit to be working through us, exemplifying Christ, for we're to be His reflection.

Jacques

[Mark C.]

Dear Jacques,
  Thank you so much for your thoughtful response.  The reason I asked you to be specific is because general exhortations are not very helpful.
   I assume you were, or are still meeting with Assembly folks and as such remember how the ministry used to go.  Inuendo was often employed to bring the erring back into the Leader's control.
  If someone was questioning teaching or practices there would be a word on "Unity", or on "mark them that cause divisions."  The Leadership would use public scripture reading to manipulate the members, vs. a genuine loving private counselling session to address issues.
  Members, after years of this, develop very sensitive consciences where they become very self aware, while the leaders become hard as a rock to entreaty.  This sets up a very unhealthy environment that is not good for the spiritual health of both types of individuals.  The normal Christian life is not a seared conscience, or a broken depressed follower, who has no confidence in their own decisions.
   This is why it is important for those who have been whipped under this system to learn the true nature of submission and to have their own personal revolt from being under the previous reign of terror.  If they don't, they will continue to carry around the fear and anxiety that is not indicative of a life of grace.
   To complain of the "attitude" of those coming to the above discovery could be a means of bringing such individuals back under the control of the previous manipulators.
  In the process of healing there will be anger, and yes, there is a healthy way to deal with this, but after many years sometimes the venting will not be pretty.  To continue to expect such individuals to bottle it up is not a good idea.  
   A better focus is not on the formulation of a perfect attitude in the manner we entreat those who have abused his people, but rather on reaching those who have the hardened consciences.  As many have posted, Jesus used some very strong language with these pharisaical types; with the little one's he was very gentle indeed!
   Wouldn't we be better to follow the balance that Jesus took in his response to individuals?
          God bless the followers of Jesus,  Mark

[jackhutchinson]

Mark,

Amen!  We've been conditioned to think that our emotions are evil and need to be repressed.  We were robbed of our humanity in the Assembly.  True, we don't want to make all of our decisions based on our emotions, but it is ok to feel them and express them.  This mindset is common in many different religions that teach that everything in the natural realm is either an illusion or evil.  They seek to attain a mystical state of mind that is really a disconnect from reality.  Even in the assembly we used to identify that concept as erroneous when applied to OTHER peoples' perspectives, but all along we had our own flavor of the same error.  We called our version of 'nirvana' by a name we found in the Bible.  We called it 'joy'.  That was the only state of mind we were allowed to have.  It was really just a state of mind in which we were content to serve George and his system while being convinced that we were serving God.

Just as I was typing the last paragraph I remembered something that clicked.  When I sold cutlery in 1982 (before I came in contact with the Assembly) I was really bugged by the practice of the sales leaders leading us in cheers such as "Fire up!, Fire up!, Fire up!".  We did the same thing in the Assembly.  We repeated a similar cheer at the end of 'pre-prayer', (leading brother) "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say......"(saints) "REJOICE".  I wonder if George borrowed that pep-rally technique from his sales managers in the insurance company he worked for (when he actually earned a living).

When we repress something that is part of us long enough, it's like a time bomb.  If we don't have some way to vent then it can get a whole lot uglier than a bulletin board.  It's also comforting to know that someone else is going through the same struggles.  I've just finished reading "Churches That Abuse" and it struck me that the issues that ex-members of abusive churches have to work through are sooooooooooooooooooooo similar.  I am glad I'm not alone.

God is good,
Jack