Titus 2:15 KJV
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
The office of the pastor is one that requires he speak both to exhort (comfort and lift up) and rebuke (tell a fault). The work is a difficult one but it is one that must be done with confidence and passion as well as humility and meekness. We will be despised if either of two things happens:
We fail to fulfill our work in speaking the exhortation and rebuke.
No one respects a man who will not speak when He needs to speak. If it is a rebuke, let it be so. If a man needs a friend, let us be there. But to fail to be that friend when it is called for or to fail to give that word of rebuke when it is necessary; that is a grievous error.
We do our work with either a lack of humility before the Lord or else a lack of confidence that the Lord is with us.Those who follow the preacher want to know he is following the Lord. They want to know that his walk with Christ is solid and real and life giving. They can bear up to his rebuke if they know him to be a man of God. But to be rebuked by a mealy mouthed man who does not walk with Christ or by an arrogant man who acts as if he is Christ; that they will not forgive.
These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
The office of the pastor is one that requires he speak both to exhort (comfort and lift up) and rebuke (tell a fault). The work is a difficult one but it is one that must be done with confidence and passion as well as humility and meekness. We will be despised if either of two things happens:
We fail to fulfill our work in speaking the exhortation and rebuke.
No one respects a man who will not speak when He needs to speak. If it is a rebuke, let it be so. If a man needs a friend, let us be there. But to fail to be that friend when it is called for or to fail to give that word of rebuke when it is necessary; that is a grievous error.
We do our work with either a lack of humility before the Lord or else a lack of confidence that the Lord is with us.Those who follow the preacher want to know he is following the Lord. They want to know that his walk with Christ is solid and real and life giving. They can bear up to his rebuke if they know him to be a man of God. But to be rebuked by a mealy mouthed man who does not walk with Christ or by an arrogant man who acts as if he is Christ; that they will not forgive.
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