Before I explain any further let me say I know the Lord Jesus to be the God of reconciliation, redemption, and restoration. He is all those things and so much more. So when He has Biblically commanded you to take a break in a relationship or separate for "a piece" it is always with the assurance He is at work and this is only just a moment in time - not forever!
So where in the world or the Bible rather does God command us to keep a distant from others? Is it lepers? It is a thief? Is it adulteress? Is it predators? Is it murders? Nope, none of them. Jesus had a thief, tax collector, in His possey! Jesus also had a murder or at least Judas murdered himself, but Moses murdered and was still used. I have found the Lord wants us to keep our distance for a time from the hot-tempered man and the idle man. See the scripture below.
Proverbs 22:24-25 "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared."
2 Thes. 3:6-10, 14-15
6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you,8nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
14If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
There really is not much else I can say to this. I think the major thing I have learned from this passage is that God wants us to keep a distance for protection and for all to learn a lesson. With the hot-tempered man one can easily get caught up in the moment and begin to act the same way. If you don't act like that, just being associated when they have an outburst can be detrimental!
And the second verse is a tough love kind of thing. I am not very good at that! I want to bail out and hope that goodness and kindness sets ones back on the road to righteousness! But the Lord is clear - do not associate..............until things are resolved!!!
Lord, thank you for this word!! Help me to not be the idle one! Help me to not be the hot-tempered man! Oh Jesus and when I am one or both - please keep me contained in my closet so that no one else sees me bringing shame to You!! I so don't want to do harm to your great Name! Oh Lord, you know I am so capable!!! Thank you for being the God of restoration, redemption, and reconciliation!! I love you!
2 comments:
And I see one more thing: "...and does not live according to the teaching you received from us."
There is something so powerful about this, I'm glad you wrote it. I was meditating with the Lord this morning about the wheat growing with the tares, and how challenging to our own obedience (as we deny our fleshly desires and submit to the Spirit)are the (unashamedly) disobedient "Christians". It causes much inner turmoil (that working out of our salvation with fear and trembling I suspect) for those walking according to the teaching of the sccriptures.
Example: My son just graduated. He has had great HS experience, great friends, homecoming king, football, etc. His friends have not partied much to this point because of not wanting to compromise athletic involvement. But now that HS is over, he came home early from a bonfire saying, "all they talked about was how they were going to party all summer" and his one friend from youth group is hosting one such party this weekend. My son seemed resentful, and I understood why...it is the battle we fight and the challenge of standing alone. We desire to have others standing with us. He felt let down by the other Christian boy who isn't "living according to the teaching".
We live in challenging times. The "age of Laodecia" the lukewarm, compromising church. This is an important message. Thanks!
Well said and thank you for this. I too am a people pleaser who is trying to find my voice without being mouthy and trying not to be too nice and get walked all over. Boundaries and wisdom is the answer.
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