Thursday 2 May 2013

Read: Romans 14:13-21, Galatians 6:1-5

Imagine that a friend of yours takes you out to coffee under the pretense of needing to talk to you about "something". The conversation begins something like this: "I asked you out to coffee today because I think you are a dirty, rotten sinner and I need to talk to you about it. Why can't you be more holy like me?" How do you think that conversation will go? I imagine that things would get very heated very quickly. Would you respond well to that kind of approach? Do you think that you will be encouraged to be more holy as a result?

 

We have seen that God commands us to confront one-another about sin but thankfully He has also given us guidelines about how this should look.

 

Firstly, notice the foundational motivation for these sorts of conversations in Romans 14. In context, Paul is referring to debates over disputable matters in the church. These are things like what food is okay to eat or what day God's people should meet. The most important principal behind dealing with these matters is that of loving one another. Notice especially vs 19, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." The principal also applies to confronting one another about sin. We should always be careful to only confront one another out of love and do so in a way which leads to peace and to mutual edification.

 

Paul backs up this approach in today's reading from Galatians. When someone is caught in sin we should approach them gently with the aim of carrying their burdens and building them up. This should guide the way we conduct these types of conversations, not by attacking our brother or sister but by seeking to build them up in Christ.

 

Think about the way that you have approached others about sin in the past. Have you done so out of love and a desire to build others up? Spend some time today thinking about what it would look like to confront another believer in a loving, encouraging manner.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray for youth group as they gather together tomorrow night to study God's word and to encourage one another. Pray that they would be encouraged in their walk with Christ and would be passionate about living their lives for Him.

¥ Pray for the Presbyterian church at Bell. Pray that God would raise up more active elders who would be seeking to minister to the congregation and encourage them in their faith. Pray that God would raise up men to lead the church as their student minister has to move on.

 

My Additional Prayer Points.

1/.

 

2/.

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What things could you do to cultivate an attitude of humility and love in your own life?

2. How can you practically help and encourage one another to cultivate an attitude of humility and love? Put some of those things into practice this week!