"For we must all appear and be revealed as we are before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive [his pay] according to what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [considering what his purpose and motive have been]"
The Amplified New Testament
It's getting a bit wearying arguing over who's sinned -- george only? The "leading brothers" (where did that term ever come from anyway???)? All the saints???
LET'S LET GOD BE THE JUDGE !!!!!
It's God that knows the "thoughts and intents" of our hearts -- why we do what we do. The best example of that I read on the board was that of the widow's mite -- God judged her MOTIVES, her HEART.
In EVERY "lodge" I'm sure there are some doing what they are doing totally out of love and sincerity. And yes, I believe in EVERY "lodge" there are those that are men-pleasers, climbing the ladder, doing things out of concerns for themselves.
And there are those who may for a time have been sucked into that black hole, but backed off at some point in time.
Why did we stay in this work as long as we did? Well -- there's obviously no single answer. Some out of ill motives. Some out of pure motives -- many (most?) out of mixed motives.
It's an issue between each of us and his/her savior. Ask yourself -- have you ever compromised your true convictions to serve the work? Of that repent.
I have -- a clear example that I can recall is telling people they can't partake, though my conviction was very clear that every man should judge himself (I always thought it interesting Christ offered the bread to Judas, KNOWING his heart -- who were we to judge who to pass the bread to
? Scripture CLEARLY said let a man examine himself-- but that's off the topic of this post) Well actually, it fits the post. Not the doctrine over the Lord's supper, but why was I telling people what I was told to tell them, if it went against my convictions?? To maintain my 'status' as a doorkeeper?
It's those things saints, we each need to examine ourselves. Where did we do something we didn't believe was right but were "told" it was right. And why? To preserver our place as a leading brother? To preserve our place as a doorkeeper? To not make waves? Because who am I to question george and the leadership?
Only you know the answers to that for yourself. And God knows.
Yes, I believe we ALL have repenting to do. CERTAINLY we all have self-examination to do. Where Lord did I compromise the truth? And why Lord?
I don't believe we all idolized george. Some did I'm sure. Others were swept into it for a time, but realized the foolishness of it. Some remained in fellowship in the "lodge", with a pure conscience absolutely believing it was God's will for them (and who am I or any of you to say what God's will was for someone else? Funny -- as often as we knew it was God's will for someone to stay -- now we are deciding whether it was God's will for someone to leave or not). Some left the lodge with a clear conscience.
Some I'm sure (it's obvious from those who KNEW of George's sin and kept it secret) -- stayed in the work for the same reasons george started it. PRIDE, Position.
Let's quit telling people WHAT sins they need to repent of. For the first time ever for many of us -- "LET A MAN EXAMINE HIMSELF"
