The Holy Spirit

I can't stand when people use the Holy Spirit as an excuse for sitting back and doing nothing. Well, the Holy Spirit will do his work, we can't do it for him. Well, I find that a load of crap. I believe that yes, the Holy Spirit moves, but I believe he moves through other people. Yes, I think the Holy Spirit whispers to people, but only those who are listening and have their hearts open to it. Now what are we to do about those who may be closed off for one reason or another? It is our job as Christians to speak to those people. And if there is a brother or sister in Christ who is living in sin... then it is definitely our job to confront them and pull them out of their sin. If they aren't willing... then they are to be "treated as an unbeliever". Here are some verses that I looked up on this particular subject:

Matthew 18:15-20

If your brother sins go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as Gentile and a tax collector.

Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

 Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

           We are commanded to hold each other accountable and make each other stronger. God has given us   a brilliant plan for this that keeps all close by his side.

Because we are fallen and sinful, we will have conflicts. God has given us a model for working out those conflicts, whether they are big or small. We are to confront sin but work toward overlooking personal offenses.

 

Now I know some of you will probably respond with the whole "board in your own eye" thing... and yes that is true. But that is not the issue here. The issue is the fact that Christians are too afraid to confront a brother or sister because they don't want to offend them or push them away... or the whole fact that they believe they need to leave it up to the Holy Spirit. Have you not thought that you may be the very thing the Holy Spirit uses to bring them back? And if you do confront them and they push away and resist... then you are to let them go... let them make their choice and live in sin. Yes, we are to love and forgive... but even love has it moments of being tough... that's why they call it "tough love". So what if it is difficult on you to confront them... or even have to let them go... so what! God has called us to do many things that are difficult. Just standing by is doing more damage then if you actually did what God commands you to do. We are to hold each other accountable to what God commands us. Not flake out when the job may get too difficult and just hand it over to the Holy Spirit to take care of. Not that I am saying the Holy Spirit can't do it... he can... but the fact of the matter is that WE are TOLD to do it. I may be wrong in what I am saying but... I have seen results of both ways... and let me tell you. The way that has worked 95% of the time... is the way we are commanded to do it. Those who are left to live in sin without anyone pushing them... continues to live in sin until it destroys everything. Those who have been may resist for a while... but they eventually come back... and before they completely destroy their lives. It doesn't work every time... sin is just too appealing to people... the freedom they think they have. It is our duty to make sure they realize that they are not free... that they choices and sins come with major consequences.