01/19/17 ONE OF OUR ADVANTAGES...

01/19/17 ONE OF OUR ADVANTAGES...
One of the advantages that comes with being an active part of a local body of believers is the restorative ministry of spiritual leaders.

Galatians 6:1
(1) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Paul is not talking about habitual, continual, premeditated sin. He is talking about the sudden, unexpected moral failures that anyone can fall into. This does not mean that we have to sin, but if we do sin we have spiritual leaders that lovingly and wisely help us to see our error (sin) and they lead us into restoration with God and His church. As John said, "IF anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Christ Jesus, the righteous."

Notice that the restorers are spiritual people; people who are focused on spiritual reality, people who are living in the power and light and love of the Holy Spirit. These spiritual leaders are more concerned about restoring the offender than upbraiding the offender. These spiritual leaders also realize that they are still subject to temptation and can fail God. They minister to others in a state of meekness, not machismo.

Sadly, those who do not choose to be subject to Christ and His body will not be restored from the sudden and unexpected failure. As a result they become deliberate and continuous offenders. They will not be restored until God has implemented severer methods to reach the rebellious person.

God wants to draw us through love and kindness, but if we will not humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways, God will employ harsher tactics to drive us to our knees. God wants to reach us through blessing, but if we will not hear and heed His call, He will seek to reach us through sorrow. BLESSING IS BETTER THAN SORROW. Still, God does not choose for us. God leaves the decision to us.

Interestingly enough, this post is not really addressed to those who believe in the erroneous belief in unilateral, unconditional, double election. This message is for those who know that they are responsible for their own choices, but they have drifted away from their first love and now live in a cloud of deception, thinking that they don't need to be confronted, corrected, convinced and converted.

I see this spiritual haughtiness among those who have been part of holiness churches. It is Satan's way of mocking the work of God and weakening His body. God wants to save us from presumption, and He will keep us from greater failure, if we are an humble part of a loving body of believers.