Some believers have allowed their anger and disgust to become a condemning voice within the Church. They are using their undisciplined emotions to employ the same tactics and labels used by arrogant news media sources and biased social media commentators.
In the process, they isolate themselves from fellow believers, thinking they see the whole picture on a particular issue. They make their condemnation sound educated, insightful, and wise, but they are missing the heart of God joining with the sounds of a discordant culture.
The Lord is calling nations to repent of their evil. That same calling applies to us individually. He begins by judging their sin so that people will have an opportunity to see what they need to repent. Neglecting that calling has a consequence.
“The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all godless nations! As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads” (Obadiah 1:15).
While we know we live in a different covenant from the time Obadiah when wrote his prophecy, that does not mean God will not challenge our speech and actions in this covenant. What we do and say to fellow believers with whom we disagree will be done to us. It will fall back on us as a consequence of our actions.
We can too easily get caught up in an emotional season of life and toss away one of the fruits of the Spirit – self-control. A lack of self-control will cause us to do and say things that do not honor the Lord or His people just to make our point.
Today, we need to recalibrate the response of our emotions so that we become a redeeming voice in a very confused world. The consequence of not doing so carries with it sad and tragic consequences. Let your voice sound like someone who is speaking under the influence of a renewed mind. Those are the voices the Lord will use to rescue individuals and failed nations.
I love this. I have been guilty of this at times, in my early living for Christ. I’m thankful for a repented life with more mature living.