Tolerance, Charity, Compassion, Forbearance Part 2

IV. Christ’s perfect model of brotherly relating before a pure and holy God helps us in ministry and in Christian life. A. Although Paul would not compromise truth and its implications, he modeled his ministry after Christ’s dealings with His fellows. 2CO 10:1; 1TH 2:4-8. B. As brethren, Christ’s model regulates our tempers and sense of justice in consideration of the foibles of human frailty. ROM 12:10; EPH 4:2, 32; COL 3:12; GAL 6:1. V. It behooves us as members of the body to judge not only between the polarity of things but also to judge righteous judgment in dealing with one another. JOH 7:24 c/w 2CO 10:7. A. Judging not according to outward appearance stands against: 1. partiality in judgment. 1TI 5:20-21; JAM 2:1-5. 2. the vain form of godliness. 2TI 3:4-5. 3. superficial or premature conclusions without proper investigation and consideration. DEU 13:12-14; PRO 18:13; ISA 11:3-4 c/w JOH 7:51. a. Caution is needed to guard against prejudicial assumptions or evil surmisings. 1TI 6:4. b. God has the advantage in that He knows and judges what is in the hearts of men. 1SAM 16:7; HEB 4:12-13. c. We cannot fully see the heart of a man but sometimes the thoughts of the heart are revealed by reaction or behavior and this helps our assessments of character. LUK 2:35 c/w MAT 12:34. d. “The Lord knows those that are his by name, but we must know them by their character.” (Matthew Henry) B. One of the first things Christ taught was to first judge ourselves to better hone our own lives and thus have credibility in judging others. MAT 7:1-5. Tolerance, Charity, Compassion, Forbearance 4-23-23 Page 2  C. God’s laws and God’s wisdom teach us the importance of tolerance, charity, and forbearance in relating to others, especially to brethren. COL 3:12-14; GAL 6:10. 1. We can opt to not take umbrage over a fault against us. PRO 19:11; 1CO 6:7. 2. Charity is not high-handed nor high-minded and not easily provoked. 1CO 13:4-7. 3. We do well to not strain over every contrary word. ECC 7:21-22 ct/w ISA 29:21. 4. We should seek to cover another’s faults when possible rather than unduly exposing him. PRO 17:9; 10:12; MAT 18:15; 1PE 4:8; JAM 5:19-20. 5. We dare not assume to be more righteous than God, devising extra-biblical expectations of men or not duly considering the frailty of human nature. ECC 7:16 c/w 1TI 4:1-4; PSA 103:8-14. 6. Biblical Christianity is neither ridiculously permissive nor ridgidly harsh. It neither tramples the law underfoot as if the law didn’t really mean what it said, nor does it trample mercy underfoot. MAT 23:23-24 c/w JAM 2:13. 7. Where possible, it is better to live at peace with all men (ROM 12:18), not at war: seeking to first save by soft words or rebukes (PRO 15:1; 27:5), by forbearance when offended, by covering another’s faults by personal dealings rather than public exposure when possible. a. Hasting to judgment to destroy when some patience and mercy might be afforded is a questionable spirit. LUK 9:51-56. b. Publicly known sin which God forbids in His kingdom is a different matter. 1CO 5:1-5. 8. Compassion, mercy and forbearance towards an offender have limitations. a. The man of knowledge is more accountable than the ignorant. LUK 12:47-48. b. Some are implacable (cannot be reconciled or appeased): no amount of soft reasonings or intreaties moves them. This trait is sin. ROM 1:31. c. Some are stubborn (dogged in refusing compliance or obedience) which is the idolizing of the individual’s will (1SAM 15:23). Hence, Paul says of persistent sinners, “...they which DO such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (GAL 5:21). Where persistence in sin overrules repentance, judgment is in order. REV 2:20-23. d. Some are unreasonable (irrational): you cannot reason with them because they are determined to justify themselves. 2TH 3:1-2 c/w PRO 26:16. e. Protracted leniency can embolden sinners. ECC 8:11. f. If the form of compassion that you show someone emboldens or subsidizes his error, you have done him no favors. Remember the basic rule of human governance: do not reward bad or destructive behavior. 1PE 2:14 c/w PRO 1:32; 1KI 1:5-6. Tolerance, Charity, Compassion, Forbearance 4-23-23 Page 3