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  "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:11 |
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A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. ~Proverbs 18:19 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. ~Matthew 18:6 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. ~Romans 14:21 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ~Romans 15:1 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. ~1 Corinthians 8:12-13 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! ~Luke 17:1 Many offenses have come my way, and I'm certain I have offended many as well. But being offended by the Word, and being offended by actions are two differnt things. Those offended by Jesus and the word are in rebellion against God and Jesus said that would happen. But those offended by the church because of sinful actions, which may be approved by the leadership or come from the hand of a leader, is sin. I'm taking some time off, and am uncertain if I'll do any more writing. However, my plan is to rewrite all the articles I have written, and then put them back up here. But thank you for visiting and reading my articles. The Character of Christ's People A Sermon (No. 78) Delivered on Thursday Evening, November 22, 1855, by the REV. C.H. SPURGEON At New Park Street Chapel, Southwark. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."-- Jhn 17:16;. Allow me to tell a story to you; I told it when I was preaching last Tuesday morning, but it is worth telling again. There is a great evil in many of us being too light and frothy in our conversation. A very solemn thing once happened. A minister had been preaching in a country village, very earnestly and fervently. In the midst of his congregation there was a young man who was deeply impressed with a sense of sin under the sermon; he therefore sought the minister as he went out, in hopes of walking home with him. They walked till they came to a friend's house. On the road the minister had talked about anything except the subject on which he had preached, though he had preached very earnestly, and even with tears in his eyes. The young man thought within himself, "Oh! I wish I could unburden my heart and speak to him; but I cannot. He does not say anything now about what he spoke of in the pulpit." When they were at supper that evening, the conversation was very far from what it should be, and the minister indulged in all kinds of jokes and light sayings. The young man had gone into the house with eyes filled with tears, feeling like a sinner should feel; but as soon as he got outside, after the conversation, he stamped his foot, and said, "It is a lie from beginning to end. That man has preached like an angel; and now he has talked like a devil." Some years after the young man was taken ill, and sent for this same minister. The minister did not know him. "Do you remember preaching at such-and-such a village?" asked the young man. "I do."[replied the minister] "Your text was very deeply laid to my heart." [stated the young man] "Thank God for that," said the minister. "Do not be so quick about thanking God," said the young man. "Do you know what you talked of that evening afterwards, when I went to supper with you. Sir, I shall be damned! And I will charge you before God's throne with being the author of my damnation. On that night I did feel my sin; but you were the means of scattering all my impressions." That is a solemn thought, brother, and teaches us how we should curb our tongues, especially those who are so light hearted, after solemn services and earnest preachings, that we should not betray levity. Oh! let us take heed that we are not of the world, even as Christ was not of the world. (Wisdom from Puritan Pastor John Philpot) A pastor has no right to turn the pulpit into a coward's castle, and from there attack those in the congregation, whom he is afraid to meet face to face privately. It is cruelly unfair to attack an individual who cannot defend himself--to hold him up, as if on the horns of the pulpit, before the congregation, (who generally know pretty well who is meant), and to condemn him without hearing his side, with the pastor being the only judge and jury. http://www.gracegems.org/Philpot/PEARLS.htm |
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