Rebuking in Love – Day 2

I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? - 1 Corinthians 5: 9-12


How many times have we heard the phrase, “But who am I to judge someone else?” While this is great advice for those outside the church, Paul reminds the Corinthians that if someone claims to be a believer and then lives a lifestyle that’s obviously contrary to the Scripture, then we have an obligation to help bring that person back to a right perspective. It’s not an option; it’s a command. It’s obviously difficult to do this and much easier to ignore the situation. But ignoring it only makes things worse and leaves a Christian brother or sister in bondage of sin. If we love one another, then we must learn to help each other remain faithful – even if that means confronting each other in love when necessary.

What are some reasons we don’t confront other believers in love?

Are they valid reasons?

Pray about any situations in which God might have you confront someone in love. And ask for God’s wisdom regarding what to say.

Rebuking in Love – Day 1

When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? "We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

"If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" - Galatians 2:11-21


How’s this for a tense moment? What do you do when Peter and Paul – two of the most famous church leader of all time – have a disagreement? Paul knew Peter was tempted to drift back into his old ways, but those old way jeopardized the gospel. It would have taught people to live by works instead of grace. To Paul, the gospel was worth defending, even though it meant rebuking Peter in public. And in Peter’s letters we see no hostility whenever he mentions Paul. So we know this event didn’t ultimately divide them. The real question for you is this: Would you confront a friend in order to defend the gospel?

Is the gospel worth jeopardizing a friendship over? Why or why not?

Ask God to show you how to balance patience, love, and confrontation.

Week 22 - Rebuking in Love

Paul's Disagreement with Peter

Week 22 Memory Verse:

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

Introduction:

"Rebuke in love." Somehow those words don't seem to go together. Kind of like some other oxymorons, such as "jumbo shrimp" or "civil war". How can you rebuke someone and love them at the same time? But this is what God asks us to do when we face problems with other believers.

As Christians we're all still wrestling with our sin nature even though we've been set free from sin. That being the case, there will be times when have to confront Christian friends-when they gossip to us about others, when they make dating decisions that are scripturally wrong, when act out of anger instead of love or forgiveness. But do have to confront them? And if we do, then how do we confront them? Can't we just pray for them? Actually, no.

Paul illustrates this point well, since he personally dealt with this issue on many occasions. On a return trip to Jerusalem, Peter began backing off from his convictions about Gentiles being allowed equal access in the church. So Paul boldly confronted him about it and the matter was resolved. Paul then wrote to the Galatians about the incident-not to gloat, but because they were committing the same sin.

Two things are certain: There will be conflict, and we have to be involved in resolving it. We do have a choice, though, in how we handle these situations. This week we're going to look how to handle conflicts among friends.

A growing church - Day 5

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 (New International Version)

⁹I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

The Corinthians misinterpreted Paul's advice, so he had to set them straight. Apparently they had lots of fellowship with other Christians, but no meaningful contact with non-Christians. (Sounds like churches today.) We must keep each other accountable in our churches; but sometimes churches become so self-focused that non-Christians won't go near them. God wants us among other people so they can see the difference God makes in our lives. And if we're going to be effective then this interaction needs to be up close and personal. but don't try to do this alone. All believers need to act as one to interact with a lost and dying world. Otherwise, all our salt will end up back in the saltshaker on Sundays and have no real impact on the world on a day-to-day basis.

Do you have any contact with nonbelievers? Who?

Ask God to show you how to build positive and meaningful relationships with the non-Christians in your world.

A growing church - Day 4

Acts 13:1-5 (New International Version)

Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

¹In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. ²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." ³So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

On Cyprus

⁴The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. ⁵When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.


Over the course of his ministry, Paul went on three missionary journeys and covered thousands of miles sharing the gospel. He wanted the message of salvation to reach as many people as possible, and he didn't mind making a long trip to accomplish that goal. How about you? God may call you to go on a short-term mission trip or even to spend a summer away from home so you can share the gospel with others who don't know Christ. There's lots of work to be done at home, but God's call to all of us is to take the good news to the ends of the earth. If believers don't go, then that goal won't be accomplished.

Pray about whether God wants to use you in mission work in the near future.

Pray for those who are serving as Paul did and taking the gospel to new places.

A growing church - Day 3

Matthew 5:13-16 (New International Version)

Salt and Light

¹³"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

No matter what our spiritual gifts are, all of us are called to share Christ with others. Some of us may be better at it than others, but each Christian has this responsibility. Are you willing to do your part? Unless we make witnessing a core value of our lives, we'll probably be distracted and never get around to witnessing to people. it's easy enough to let other people share their faith, but God wants all of us to be committed to bringing people to Christ. If the Church grows, then it will be because all of us are sharing our faith.

Spend some time thinking about why it's so important to share your faith.

Then think about some ways you can begin reaching out to the people for whom you have a burden. Write some ideas for doing so in your journal.

If you don't have this burden, then ask God to give it to you.

A growing church - Day 2

John 4:21-26 (New International Version)

²¹Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²²You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

²⁵The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

²⁶Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

Jews and Samaritans didn't get along. Although the Samaritans were descendants of Jews, they'd intermarried with pagan people and were considered not true Jews. But in today's Scripture passage, Jews showed how the gospel overcomes such barriers. Jesus was ready to share the good news with people with whom other Jews would not associate. And back in Week 13, we saw Philip go to this region to share about Jesus' resurrection (Acts 8).

If we're going to spread the gospel, then we have to tear down boundaries that seperate us from others. Factors such as race, social and economic status, and different religious beliefs sometimes keep us isolated. But as believers, we have to be willing to cross those barriers for the sake of the gospel.

What's the hardest barrier for you to overcome in sharing you faith.

Ask Jesus to help you overcome these barriers for the sake of the gospel.