This is a followup to yesterdays post. You may want to read it first.

2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season [and] out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. (NASB1995)

People are in our lives for a reason. There are no coincidences in Christ Jesus.

A couple of days ago, I received a rebuke from one of our really good friends. It came through my wife, and was about the darkness of my posts. So I am trying to tell the truth with more love where I can.

So as you can see sometimes God will use us to rebuke a brother, and sometimes we need rebuking. Paul says to Timothy right after this charge why this is necessary: 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but [wanting] to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, (NASB1995)

If we really consider these verses from Paul in just these two Chapters; then we will come to understand that falling away from the faith is a progression and it begins with straying from truth. This may become intense, so buckle up. I’ll try to keep it as light as I can. Each of us are susceptible to this tactic of the enemy. Why else is Paul making this warning?

Jesus says that His sheep hear (know) His voice and follow Him. The truth is that our desire must be firmly set upon His will, not on our own, and certainly not on a message coming from a

Humanist perspective or from the world’s point of view. But how can you know the source of that perspective?

Remember rebukes will come at us from the enemy as well as from true brethren, who are coming to us from a faith, and a truth perspective. We hear those from BLM and the Gay community regurgitated by ministers. They can often even use scripture to challenge our thinking.

So our focus must always contain God’s biblical truth about our relationships to others and toward the sin in question itself.

BLM and Gay American’s emphasis concerning sin is most often not biblical truth. There are exceptions. And notice I said emphasis. The emphasis from BLM’s leadership is race, and the downing of all whites as a race. This is no different nor is it any better; than the bigotry of whites who claimed to be Christian during the civil rights days, yet, who hated Blacks. And yes there were those, but no all. God emphasizes the love for all men. Jesus died for all, but in the end it is just for those who would believe.

The Gay’s emphasis is on his or her sexuality. They want the acceptance of their acts as though they are normal occurrences of nature, and then they want the inclusion of these acts to be taught within the acceptable sexual experience for your children in public schools. God says that these practices are an abomination to Him. These things have some Christian’s struggling internally. I do not know why? They need to be rebuked. If not they may lose their soul. Yes it can lead down that very path. Paul says:

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; (NASB1995)

If Paul’s words are true; then you need to understand the seriousness of this his teaching:

1 Timothy 4:16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (NASB1995)

Jesus told us that the truth shall set us free. If we think back to what Paul says and to what James has supported him over; then we can have no argument over what God desires of us.

James 5:19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (NET)

Rebuking a brother can be about the very life of that one’s soul. We rebuke one another, because we love.