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 I Was Wrong

Saints,

I have had it in my heart for about 4 days to write this short devotional thought and in light of the current discussion I thought it would be good to share with brothers and sisters here on the forums.

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I Was Wrong

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. - 1 Corinthians 13:12

How many times do we hear the humble words from our lips: "I was wrong." Humility is not just seeking to be meek but also to admit failure and even a departure from the right way. Putting it abit closer to home when was the last time you heard a famous bible teacher admit that something he was teaching for years was not really true and that he was wrong? Don Currin says, "The ultimate test of spiritual maturity is when you have dogmatically taught something for years, and then see that you've been wrong, and are willing to change." Teachers will be judged more harshly the Scripture says (James 3:1). Yet God will have much more mercy on a leader who will confess that now that he sees much more clearly, Bible truth, in a certain area. It has been refreshing in my life to see and hear men of God who have humbled themselves and admitted that they had a very narrow view of God and now see more clearly on certain levels. Paul the Apostle in the chapter on love (1 Corinthians 13) in the Bible says the same thing to us today, that everyone just sees very dimly and we all know just in part! It is a great danger for a very gifted teacher, prophet, or men of God to allow their gifting to over-shadow love and humility. As Paul said such a person is really "nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:2).

I have seen clearly in my own Christian life many statements I have made that I cringe now to hear or re-read. One of the safe things over the years that I made a practice of was to simply internalize issues I saw in the Scriptures or Church situations that I simply did not understand. Putting these things away in my heart and asking, 'Lord please make these things clear to me in your timing as I cannot fathom or understand it all right now.' Such prayers saved me from extreme teachings and choices that I could have made just to try and solve the question marks in my mind. As a leader in the body of Christ many times I have made wrong decisions, treated believers badly, mis-judged, gave wrong counsel and the list goes on. One area I have been wrong in of late is over-emphasizing the lack of need for Church buildings as I reasoned the early Church met primarily in homes for the first 300 years. Yet as I am honest with myself in my research I did run across pictures of house churches that looked quite religious with fresco biblical scenes and even built in baptismal fonts! But of course when I saw these my mind quickly tried to dismiss it and I built an argument for house Church only. The danger that I fell into was trying to strip away from the Church almost everything and I ended up almost throwing the entire Church out in the process, as we have heard the statement used, "Don't throw out the baby with the bath water." I cannot tell you why God allows imperfect men to lead His Church and not angels, why Church history is full of great disasters in the Name of Christ. But this I do know that we should all admit that we just see in part, that we see dimly as in a mirror and that we should still follow God, meet with His people and not repudiate the Church as it has appeared throughout history. So perhaps you can try it also, admit to others and chiefly to God that you were wrong! The Lord will meet you where you are and encourage you to lift your eyes to Him and you will start to see more clearly.

https://www.facebook.com/gregjgordon/posts/10210423783763737


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2016/12/7 17:19Profile
leyoung
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Joined: 2016/11/15
Posts: 282


 Re: I Was Wrong

Thank you for your honesty and humility that the Holy Spirit wrought.
God is dealing with my heart also Greg.
I've been judging my brothers and sisters in Christ who are in
church buildings, too.
And in me it boiled down to a bitterness that rose up to defile many. It happened Sunday when my sister asked me to go to hear a speaker at her church. It became apparent that my attitude was unloving and judgmental. I heard myself saying ugly things. The speaker spoke truth and the Holy Spirit moved on hearts in spite of me and my disapproval.

So your post confirmed what the Lord is saying to me and I confess:
I was wrong.
May the Lord bring unity in his people as the walls come down, as we confess sin and seek to love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
I ask God's forgiveness and yours and others here for any divisive attitude.
Sis L


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Leslie

 2016/12/7 22:32Profile
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 Re:

Quote:
God is dealing with my heart also Greg.
I've been judging my brothers and sisters in Christ who are in
church buildings, too.



Amen sister, thank you for your honesty.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2016/12/8 16:17Profile
jstrang
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Joined: 2011/10/21
Posts: 154
Owasso, OK

 Re: I Was Wrong

Very well said my brother! I see too that many are caught up in many kinds of legalisms. From wearing only certain attire to only reading a certain Bible version to only gathering in specific ways. I always try to keep before me James 4:17, for in this legalism is broken down and Christianity is made so very specific and real to me personally.

I did post on my website as well: https://eyeonchrist.com/2016/12/10/i-was-wrong/

Peace and blessings,
Jeremy


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Jeremy B Strang

 2016/12/9 21:47Profile
ginnyrose
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Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

Well said, Greg.

I am not a leader but a parent. And so are you. The time is coming when your children will remind you of the weakness in your character, theology, ethics that need fixing.

Welcome to the club of Humility.

And...the devil has an excellent memory to remind you of your failures... Welcome to the club of Humility and Grief.

But God can even take these things and teach us if we are willing to learn...then how can one repair the mistakes? This is a prayer I have been praying as of late.

God bless you, Greg.

Sandra


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Sandra Miller

 2016/12/14 8:57Profile
dolfan
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Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

My firm convictions:

1. A time is coming sooner rather than later --- don't ask me to put a numbered time frame on it because I can't and this is just my conviction and no one else needs to share it and I'm not holding anyone to account if you don't!! :) -- when small gatherings will be necessary and larger ones will be illegal or socially improvident.

2. A time already has arrived when small, NT gatherings in homes provide a kind of life in the ekklesia that is true to the Word of God and is all but impossible to have in the Sunday brick and mortar churches.

My heart is two-fold: prepare for the first but man, oh, man do the second now because it matters. It matters and it means so much to you in ways that you may not appreciate until you do it. Pray about it.

This judges no one.


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Tim

 2016/12/14 12:45Profile





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