The Weblog of Trenton & Nichole Adams

Teaching in Meekness

So often in the body of Christ we see people attack one another. Someone says something that I don't like, or that is against scripture, so I slam them as hard as I can with scripture. I tell them it's heresy, or that they are a heretic, when I don't even have an understanding of what they said. Afterwards, I don't want them to clarify, because that might prove me to have a wrong attitude towards them.

Paul taught us to be gentle, meek, and patient with all men. It's written many times throughout scripture. Even when it comes to heresy, we can teach in gentleness, meekness, and patience.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (KJV) And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

There are some very important principles in 2 Timothy 2, about how to instruct those that are in error.

1. don't strive against them, which is to war, quarrel, dispute, etc
2. be gentle with them
3. be patient with them
4. be meek with them

The whole point of all of this is to instruct those that oppose themselves. In other words, towards people that have wrong doctrines, which may destroy them, we are to exhibit the qualities above. That includes heretics, and heresies. Our purpose should be to pull them out of the snare of the devil, by giving them truth in gentleness, patience, and meekness. If they can't receive it, in the end we must cast them out from among us (for heretics only). But that's not where we start. In writing to the Galatians, Paul addressed them concerning this as well.

Galatians 6:1-2 (KJV) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

An additional point in this scripture is that when we adhere to Galatians 6:1-2 and 2 Timothy 2:24-26, we fulfill the law of Christ. That's pretty awesome, isn't that what we should be working towards? I mean really, that's the essence of 1 Corinthians 13, isn't it?

Galatians 5:22-26 (KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

This is also what Christ taught, in many ways. He gave example after example of this. He was doing it with the woman caught in adultery, he was doing it with the Pharisees when they condemned His disciples for eating grain out of the fields on the sabbath day (Matthew 12:2-8)

Matthew 12:7 (KJV) But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

This is a very important precept that the Lord spoke. It came directly from the OT scriptures, so the Pharisees had no excuse. God desires, above all, mercy with one another.

John 13:34-35 (KJV) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

WOW, is that how they are to know us? That we love one another? Boy, I guess I now understand why the world thinks the church is made up of hypocrites, BECAUSE IT IS. I wish I could always fulfill the law of Christ in this as well. We need to grow a LOT more than where we are.