Drop the Gavel

I have been wrestling with this blog for a while now and tried to “move on” from writing it but find that Holy Spirit keeps bring it up again and again. Part of my wrestle is that as an occasional blogger I may be accused of being hypocritical but I really hope that my heart is reflected in anything I am writing below.

Have you ever noticed the increase of internet sites that have been created with the “intention” to warn-against or expose a Church Movement, Ministry or Individual by people that profess to be believers?

A vast number of these sites profess to have been given a mandate by God or feel it is their duty to expose the target of their choice and use any material they can find online that may seem to validate their point. They even quote scriptures that may appear to back up their agenda (which can often be quoted out of context).  It would seem that certain styles of worship, church models or even some individuals involved in ministry that they are “not comfortable with” become that target that they label as anything from Demonic to Brain Washing and Manipulative.

What then happens is that other “believers” read the content on these sites and leave comments either in agreement or disagreement which then in turn causes a response. Now discussion and debate can be a positive thing but it would seem that in a lot of instances these comments and responses turn personal and even insulting without the individuals having ever met or spoken in person.

It is with these things in mind that I weigh in with my 2 cents worth as my heart’s desire and fierce passion is to see the Bride of Christ (that is us – the Church) advancing and not be focused of fighting herself. We the church are in the world but not of the world!!!

Now I do understand that there are warnings in scripture and that we need to seek Gods wisdom and discernment but I also have an issue with assuming the “responsibility” to create websites specifically designed to slander others. We are called to be Jesus’ witnesses but not to assume the position of Judge or Advocate.

Acts 1: 7-8 says;

⁷And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. ⁸But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”           _{Acts 1: 7-8    (NKJV)}

So as believers we are called to be witnesses.

A witness is someone who has, who claims to have, or is thought, by someone with authority to compel testimony, to have knowledge relevant to an event or other matter of interest.

 1 John 2:1-2 says that Jesus is our Advocate;

¹ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.                                                                         _{1 John 2:1-2    (NKJV)}

An Advocate or Lawyer defends someone in a law court.

So Jesus is our Advocate, He defends us and we are only called to recount what we have witnessed.

Let’s get this straight once and for all…..  Jesus does not require or need us to defend Him and we are never to assume the position of Advocate but to only be His witnesses, so often we feel the need to cross over from giving our witness or testimony to arguing on Jesus’ behalf.

We are also not to assume the position of Judge, only God has that position.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:1-5 while teaching on the mountain;

“Judge not, that you be not judged. ²For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ³And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  ⁴Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ⁵Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”                                                                                                                                 _{Matthew 7:1-5  (NKJV)}

So I guess the point I am trying to make is that as believers our attention, time and energy should be focused on witnessing for Jesus and reaching the lost and not be spent on thinking that we are somehow assigned to be Heavens FBI agents to expose what and who we consider ungodly and then to shout as loud as we can about it via online platforms that give us a feeling of importance. I believe that often arrogance and pride are the root issues in these websites sites being created and pride is fuelling our need to be right in the discussions and comments left for all to view.

God does not need our help in dealing with things that are not of Him. It is He who convicts, challenges and causes repentance, He raises up and removes, He judges and most importantly it is He who forgives.

We should be focused on building His church and not tearing her down. We should be passionately in love with her and protect her instead of attacking her from within like some internal disease or cancer. Let us trust that God will deal with any issues that are amiss and focus on beautifying His radiant bride.