I Was THAT Close                                                                    09-19-14

Galatians 5:15 (NASB) ¹⁵  But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

Galatians 5:26 (NASB) ²⁶  Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

The title to my message is taken from Little Stevie Van Zandt's retelling of  Al Pacino's lament in the Godfather.(I watch way too many gangster movies) Michael Corleone, reflecting on his life as a gangster said that he was "that close" to getting out of the life of crime but at the last minute they "reeled him back in." Let me share an anecdote from this week past that spawned this message. I watched a short video this week, a hip hop(?) video I suppose. I don't know if it was Christian or not
but I enjoyed it. It was entitled "The world is coming to an end" The artist was grieving over the state of our world and one of the lyrics went like this.

 "Race is an issue and so is religion. Your God doesn't exist, my God does and He is all loving.And if you disagree with me....I'll kill you. Or even worse.....ARGUE YOU TO DEATH."(Caps mine)

 With that background allow me to move on. I was tempted this week. I was THAT close to joining in a discussion this week on Facebook. You know don't you? You hit the comment link and put in your two cents worth. You with me? I've never done it before, but this time after viewing some comments, I was chomping at the bit. I was going to jump in to what had now devolved into a vicious and even ravenous argument about certain people and doctrines. Why I didn't, I don't know. But, I delayed my invasion, got called away by something that Memaw needed and never got into the pitch of battle. A couple hours later, I sat down again in front of my now black computer screen, and for some reason I opened my Bible and began reading in Galatians. As I came across the 5th chapter, the Holy Spirit highlighted the above two verses; especially that phrase ..."challenging one another..."  Hmmm.. challenging one another. That described my motive to a tee. I wanted to challenge someone on Facebook and prove I was right and they were wrong. Ya feelin' me here?

We, many times under a banner of love, publicly shred some ministry or worse, some human being because of something they said or did that we don't agree with. I witnessed this, this past week, and was very nearly a party to it on Facebook. Maybe that person did say something not quite right. Or maybe they espoused a doctrine or belief that isn't quite according to Hoyle or more to the point, according to us. Maybe so. But, if we aren't very careful, we can be caught up in it and argue each other to death. I was that close this week, but got reeled back in.  

Let me throw something in here. The Apostle Paul's public confrontations were usually with Judaizers,not believers. (see Acts 15:1 for an example) It normally was with those who were negating the sufficiency of God's grace through Jesus' shed blood by adding to the message of the Gospel, most often by requiring some form of work, namely circumcision or the observance of ritual feasts and days. That being said, my point is simply this. Rarely, if ever, did Paul correct or criticize believers in public. He kept it "in house" rather than splattering their supposed misdeed all over the social and print media. Paul's rebuke was face to face, as with Peter, or in the form of letters, as with the New Testament churches that he planted. Look at this:

Galatians 6:1 (NASB) ¹  Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

That 'anyone' in the original Greek means.......anyone. New convert, pew sitter, tithe payer, deacon, preacher, ministry leader, ANYONE. "Restore........ in a spirit of gentleness....."  


 As I mused over this, this week, I thought of all the times that I have let my rear end override my mouth. Of all the times that I was right and they were wrong. At least in my own mind! Oh yeah, I got my two cents worth ...and it didn't change a thing. It only resulted in feelings of regret on my part and created a wall between me and the unwitting victim of my verbal assault. It happens to all of us at one time or another. But, we will save ourselves a lot of grief, not to mention a possible chastising from the Lord, if we just keep our mouths shut,pray about it, and let God deal with it. Amen?

Psalm 133:1 (NASB) ¹

 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!




God Bless