We’re all a little new at this blogging thing and so we’re trying to feel our way. It’s a bit of a challenge and we need all the help we can get. Fellow blogger Joel gives us all good advice when he cites "Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." To help us collect all five, let's break that down: Convince-to bring to a decision concerning the truth or the falsehood of a proposition (ISBE). Rebuke-To reprimand; strongly warn; restrain. (KJD) Exhort-signifies, originally, “a calling near or for” (as an advocate or helper who should appeal on one's behalf), and carries the twofold sense of “exhortation” and “consolation” (ISBE). The American Heritage Dictionary has" "to make an urgent appeal." Longsuffering-The word in the New Testament rendered “longsuffering,” makrothumia (once makrothuméō, “to be longsuffering”), which is the rendering of 'erekh 'appayim in the Septuagint, is literally, “long of mind or soul” (regarded as the seat of the emotions), opposed to shortness of mind or soul, irascibility, impatience, intolerance. It is attributed to God (Rom_2:4; Rom_9:22; 2Pe_3:9), of His bearing long with sinners and slowness to execute judgment on them. It is, therefore, one of “the fruits of the Spirit” in man (Gal_5:22) which Christians are frequently exhorted to cherish and show one toward the other (Eph_4:2; Col_1:11; Col_3:12, etc.); it belongs, Paul says, to the love, without which all else is nothing: “Love suffereth long (makrothumeí), and is kind” (1Co_13:4) (ISBE Teaching-Matthew Henry says this: He must do it rationally, not with passion, but with doctrine, that is, “In order to the reducing of them to good practices, instil into them good principles. Teach them the truth as it is in Jesus, reduce them to a firm belief of it, and this will be a means both to reclaim them from evil and to bring them to good.” Vincent (in Word Studies) sums this all up well: “Longsuffering is to be maintained against the temptations to anger presented by the obstinacy and perverseness of certain hearers; and such are to be met, not merely with rebuke, but also with sound and reasonable instruction in the truth. So Calvin: “Those who are strong only in fervor and sharpness, but are not fortified with solid doctrine, weary themselves in their vigorous efforts, make a great noise, rave,... make no headway because they build without foundation.” Men will not be won to the truth by scolding. “They should understand what they hear, and learn by perceive why they are rebuked” (Bahnsen)" We need to remember how easy it is to shut someone down and chase them from this (or any other) blog or room or church. But if we're to fulfill Paul's charge, we're going to have to slow down and listen. Remember that love implies relationship and relationship takes time. Be prepared to respond and offer your reasons why. Remember Hanlon's Razor ("Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.") and don't be too quick to assume you know just where someone's coming from. And don't be too quick to hit that "submit" button. (Some of my best proofreading happens in that split second between hitting the button and the screen going blank!) Treat one another as brothers and sisters (I Tim 5:1). Show respect. Our calling isn't to as small a thing as scoring points or winning arguments; even on the web we’re supposed to be about making disciples. Bluster is easy, disciplemaking takes time.
God bless you, + Pastor Dan
|