Repent - Forgive - Welcome - Part 3
Notes
Transcript
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back,
you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
Reason For Removal
Open Sin
Disobedient To Elders
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you.
I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the office of an overseer, he desires a good work.
An overseer then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, sober, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach;
not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money, but patient, not argumentative, not covetous;
and one who manages his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence.
For if a man does not know how to manage his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?
He must not be newly converted, so that he does not become prideful and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
Moreover he must have a good reputation among those who are outsiders, so that he does not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious.
A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money.
Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life.
He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.
And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.
Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.
Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed.
Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.
Likewise you younger ones, submit yourselves to the elders. Yes, all of you be submissive one to another and clothe yourselves with humility, because “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
Divisiveness
If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them.
For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.
And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.
False Teaching
If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.
Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.