Commentary: If your brother sins against you

by Guy C. LaMar

Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks about going to our brethren of the faith in private if you have a grievous issue with them ──

“’ Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16) But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17) And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. If he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.’” – Matthew 18:15-17.

Now, if that person HAS NOT displayed the fruits of God’s Spirit as their guide of how to live their life, then… are they truly your brother or sister in Christ!?

No! They are a fraud. They are a fake.

God’s living word – the Holy Bible – warns us that Satan the Devil has ministers that appear to be “ministers of righteousness.” But in reality ── they are nothing more that unwitting servants of Satan the Devil. A person with cunning words.

Remember – Satan the Devil is the “father of lies.” He is the great trickster, the great fooler.

Our Lord Jesus says to us, “’ Beware of false prophets [false ministers and teachers of the faith], who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16) You will know them by their fruits. …’” – Matthew 7:15, 16.

So, we must look to the fruits of the Spirit.

And, the fruits of the Spirit are ──

“ … love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23) gentleness, self-control. …” – Galatians 5:22-23.

We should diligently seek out the living words of God! Diligently seek out the character of our Lord Jesus Christ within someone. That is what we are to be looking for on display in a person that is claiming to be a true Christian. The very character of Jesus Christ.

God’s living word tells us over and over ── and over again ── not to be a part of evil. Here are three ──

“Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them; 2) For their heart devises violence, And their lips talk of troublemaking.” – Proverbs 24:1-2.

“But now I have written to you not to keep company with ANYONE named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner──not even to eat with such a person.” – 1 Corinthians 5:11.

“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’” – 1 Corinthians 15:33.

God’s living words tells us that there is a time to be silent and a time to speak concerning evil ──

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. 20) The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. 21) The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.” – Proverbs 10:19-21.

“A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak.” – Ecclesiastes 3:7.

“’ If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter──if he does not tell it, he bears guilt.’” – Leviticus 5:1.

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” – James 1:19.

One should not use “gentle” words when speaking against evil doers!

The Apostle Paul ── under divine inspiration ──

“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and OFFENSES,  contrary to the doctrine which you learned, AND AVOID THEM. 18) For those who are such DO NOT SERVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.” – Romans 16:17-18.

Sadly, many Christians are fooled into thinking that their “brother” or “sister” in Christ is a true Christian ── when in reality, they are not! And they end up getting attacked! In reality that false prophet, false minister and or false teacher is a servant of Satan the Devil.

When you try and help and spiritually lift-up that someone, and that someone turns on you, then sadly you have tried to help an evil spirited-led person.

But narcissism, haughtiness, perversions will keep evildoers in their sin without any recognition to the sin. Because they CAN NOT see past themselves. And, they do not want to see past themselves. They have made THEMSELVES to be as a god in their own eyes.

They are consumed with hypocrisy, lies, and perversions.

This is often a key characteristic of a cult leader. As in a spiritual leader saying ──

“And yet there are people whom I know, who have not sent me one word of congratulations, or appreciation, of literally having my future life saved physically. Not a single word from them! … What the hell is some of these other people doing?”

Recall, a young Jim Jones once threw his Bible on the ground and yelled out, “Too many people are looking at this instead of looking at me!”

This is a mental obsessive disorderly!

Also── here recently, I had an individual ── a rather wild-eyed looking character ── who has an obsession over me! Dogging me rather strongly because I couldn’t give him the attention he desired.

Sadly, these vipers that live behind the computer keyboard do not have a real spiritual social and active life of actually communicating with others that are flesh and blood! It's rather bothersome to me! They are disturbing. Their imagination goes off into places where they presume things about others that are not based in fact. It’s a type of mental obsessive disorderly!

I urge you, brethren── true people of the faith── who actually communicate and have real life fellowship and connection with other living physical brethren that are not behind a computer keyboard STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THESE TYPE OF PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE! Do not seek to communicate with them! Because you will live to regret it!

Silence can be a key of getting away from troubles and troublesome people.

Never should we entertain wickedness or wicked people with words of connection or encouragement. Simply stay silent. Silence can be a powerful tool.

Their imagination can build into an over boiling hatred── but with time it will simmer.

Sadly, narcissistic people will likely never be able to see past THEMSELVES. Make no audience with such evildoers. People of such are truly not of the LORD God. Catering to such people will only bring you sorrow.

The LORD God has gifted us, brethren, with a wonderful life to live, and our life should not revolve around someone who is greedy for attention. I have a real disdain and a dislike for ministers that are out there in this world with a “god complex.”

We are not to be walking with the LORD God── while holding hands with the Devil! We are not to talk to Satan the Devil. We are not to honor Satan the Devil. And, we are to avoid Satan the Devil.

And the same goes for his cunning servants.

Brethren, avoid such people and get on with your own personal salvation with the LORD God! Don’t allow other people to take your crown──meaning the glorious gift of eternal life── with their selfish and sick egos.

Sadly, there are those of every generation that have allowed themselves to be victims of self-obsessing religious cult leaders.

So often people do not want to admit──even if they are awakened to the fact──that they are actually following a man over Christ Jesus. They are instead following a con man. They refuse to step outside of their comfortable box that they have allowed themselves to be placed into.

Brethren, think for yourselves!

Let the LORD God and the living word──the Holy Bible── lead your life! Let no man lead your life!

Having a righteous leader is perfectly alright. But be careful to find leaders that display the proper characteristics that God’s living word speaks about. And be careful to recognize the con artists that are out there! We should avoid people that obsess over controlling others – or obsess over themselves.

Our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 18 says to have nothing to do with these types. They are not our brethren. They are of Satan the Devil. □

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