Rebuke No One?
"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! "Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. Mathew 10:24-27
Gil Howard Browne, a South African evangelist whose brother Rodney taught pastors that it was their duty to ‘fleece the sheep’ stated, “Jesus never commanded us to spread the bad news but the Good News.” Rodney also taught that “no one was to rebuke or expose pastors but God!” Although it sounds wonderful, these statements are lies from the pits of hell because Jesus stated “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.” And Jesus Himself did spread some very bad news about others, including calling them brood of vipers, murderers, hypocrites, dead men, sons of hell, blind guides, and so on. The bible records for our profit and instruction:
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. "For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; "and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. Matthew 10:34-40
"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Matthew 18:15-19
Telling the sin of an unrepentant brother to the church and treating him as a heathen and a tax collector is not a way to bring about peace but war? But rebuking a person is totally scriptural and was part of Jesus’ ministry. Saying ‘Woe to you’ doesn’t mean ‘Something good is going to happen to you?’ It’s a curse not a blessing! The bible records for our profit and instruction:
"Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Luke 17:3
"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:13-15
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:27-28
Yes, Jesus rebuked and cursed the religious hypocrites and said they were sons of those who murdered the prophets, "Serpents, brood of vipers, who would not escape the condemnation of hell! Whether religious hypocrites like it or not rebuking and exposing false ones is part of the Word of God. God’s word tells us:
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' " And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Matthew 7:15-23
Roy Aldrich, a retired school teacher, was robbed of $100,000.00 by Pastor Karl Strader and his son Dan Strader of Carpenter's Home Church Lakeland, Florida. Rodney Howard-Browne, who was a personal friend of Karl Strader and bought him a Lincoln town car, was asked to help the elderly victims who were robbed by the Straders and he refused. But when German Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke’s decided to relocate his ministry to Florida, Rodney Howard-Browne decided he would give Bonnke a house. At first he offered Bonnke his own house in Tampa, but Bonnke had to locate in Orlando to be closer to his operational base. It was then that Howard-Browne decided to build Bonnke a new $250,000 home in Orlando. Rodney then drove a brand new car to Bonnke’s driveway.
How gracious and wonderful of Rodney to be a respecter of persons to the high and mighty and to ignore the real plight of the poor and needy? Yes preachers like Rodney and Karl profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work But God’s word is unchanging:
"Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. "For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. "Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Acts 20:26-35
For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth.
To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. Titus 1:10-16
Yes, we are to beware of false prophets who come to us in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. We are to expose and rebuke them and get rid of them including those who speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. We are to watch for those who covet the silver or gold or apparel of others and do not work with their own hands. This is what apostle Paul instructed us to do including rebuking false ones and stopping their mouths as they subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain:
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:11-17
Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. 1 Timothy 5:20
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Timothy 4:2-4
WALTER KAMBULOW
FACEBOOK:
WALT KAM
Gordon
Williams http://gordwilliams.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment