Focus: 1 Timothy 5:20 - KJV
20. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
In the old-time religion, there was no place for evil doers to hide. Indeed, Moses had recommended that by the testimony of any two or three witnesses, an evildoer should be stoned to death, in public, to create fear and serve as deterrence to others. Even though such a position should not be encouraged particularly in this day where truth is absolutely lacking and many witnesses are suborned to bear false witness against perceived enemies. Nonetheless, the failure to call out, rebuke and reproof evildoers has made the gathering of God’s people a mixed multitude, over time. Chastisement is God’s way of raising His children. And it is only the child the father loves He chastens. Even the Lord Jesus Christ was said to have learned obedience through suffering. It is possible for us to assume that this refers to going to the cross. Well, it is not out of place to suggest that the Lord would have been rascally if not properly nurtured. Recall the episode of His straying away during Passover at age twelve? Everyone that still meddles with sin is a child and ought to be taught obedience through suffering, for them to comply with the will of God.
Today, shepherds are not given to rebuking straying sheep from the fold, all in the name of not wanting them to go away. The absence of rebuke has made many bold in evildoing such that professing Christianity has no meaning again in the face of the world. It is a shame on us all for those whom we fellowship to be called out by the world as being fraudulent, immoral or engaged in ritual matters. But how did that begin without us noticing? Who precisely are the acquaintances of such “Christians” that did not notice these tendencies when they started to form? Point is, we are no longer our brothers’ keepers and in fact, when we see them start to misbehave, we prefer to adopt the posture of ‘see no evil, hear no evil’. This has brought so much decay to the body to the extent that it is safe to say that over seventy percent of the bunch have fallen into filth and the entire bunch is now looked upon as being filthy. How sad! What account shall we then give to the Master when He returns? How shall we say we have fed His sheep? A refusal to rebuke and do so openly is counter-productive to the body. Whosoever is chastised and becomes unwieldy, let him be. When the devil handles him for a season he would learn to obey and stay on the side of God. If you are hugging sin in anyway at all, and you are yet to be called out or rebuked, please do not assume it is because you are loved. Rather, note that they that refuse to rebuke you do not so love you as their action is only capable of spelling doom in the end.
Father, forgive all your shepherds that have been pampering and overdoing it with your flock rather than training them right through required chastening. Please forgive us all in Jesus’ name. Do help us to arrest the decay our inactions had caused in society in Jesus’ name. From today, help us O Lord, never to fail you in shepherding again, in Jesus’ name. Like Solomon prayed, please give us the wisdom to lead according to your will so that in the end our societies shall only be filled with righteousness flowing from your church, in Jesus’ mighty name.
SOLUTION: Please stop sparing the rod as you will end up spoiling the child. Chastisement is a tool of correction in love and not destruction. When you chastise, you help not only the chastised but other witnesses also, to follow the right path. Stop pampering the flock when there is need for chastening.
If you are blessed by this post, kindly share with your contacts, as well as others, that they may be blessed also. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly as you do so, in Jesus’ name.
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