Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
Telling the truth does not make the teller an enemy, even when the reproof is plain and painful about wrongdoing and a wrong course, displeases those who hear it, and is given as duty. Those who hear it may count the messenger as an enemy and mistake faithful correction for hostility. The truth is God's warning message sent to open blind eyes to what they cannot discern. It warns evildoers of their dangers rather than encouraging evil by saying it shall be well with the evildoer.
The warning is delivered with burden and pain of soul, even rising at midnight and in the small hours to write it, and with trial and keen agony of soul, longing and prayer for those reproved. It is spoken in friendship and duty in the fear of the Lord, out of love and deep interest and love for souls, as by watchers for souls who must give an account. It must be given even when those warned cast reflection and charge faultfinding. It is spoken for the hearers' good, to make them see and realize their need to seek the Lord earnestly and fervently and perseveringly until Christ is formed within them as the hope of glory. A truthful rebuke in this way exposes the need to change.
Its aim is not to discourage but to restore, strengthen, and uphold, because the Lord loves those reproved and longs to see them revealing Him to the world. It seeks to bring them to their right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of Him, leading to liberty in Him and abounding in every good work. It seeks to transform those lacking experience in faith, devotion, and humble religion until ennobled with the disinterested benevolence that characterized the life of Christ. The message is to be heeded as God's message through the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Receiving it requires getting rid of lofty ideas of self and coming down in meekness, feeling nothingness without Christ, and then He will be a very present help in need and make labor effectual so souls are converted from error to truth. Those who hear may become zealous, but not in a right or well-directed way. The barrier is built not by the one who tells the truth, who loves them and remains ready to help, but by those who pursue a wrong course and place themselves where God cannot bless united work. The person's greatest enemy is within in jealousy, prying, and lack of self-control. Cultivating love for one another includes such faithful dealing, and imitating Christ means willingness even to be a servant, for He was the King of Glory yet a servant of fallen humanity.
Telling the truth does not make the teller an enemy, even when the reproof is plain and painful about wrongdoing and a wrong course, displeases those who hear it, and is given as duty. Those who hear it may count the messenger as an enemy and mistake faithful correction for hostility. The truth is God's warning message sent to open blind eyes to what they cannot discern. It warns evildoers of their dangers rather than encouraging evil by saying it shall be well with the evildoer.
The warning is delivered with burden and pain of soul, even rising at midnight and in the small hours to write it, and with trial and keen agony of soul, longing and prayer for those reproved. It is spoken in friendship and duty in the fear of the Lord, out of love and deep interest and love for souls, as by watchers for souls who must give an account. It must be given even when those warned cast reflection and charge faultfinding. It is spoken for the hearers' good, to make them see and realize their need to seek the Lord earnestly and fervently and perseveringly until Christ is formed within them as the hope of glory. A truthful rebuke in this way exposes the need to change.
Its aim is not to discourage but to restore, strengthen, and uphold, because the Lord loves those reproved and longs to see them revealing Him to the world. It seeks to bring them to their right mind sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of Him, leading to liberty in Him and abounding in every good work. It seeks to transform those lacking experience in faith, devotion, and humble religion until ennobled with the disinterested benevolence that characterized the life of Christ. The message is to be heeded as God's message through the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Receiving it requires getting rid of lofty ideas of self and coming down in meekness, feeling nothingness without Christ, and then He will be a very present help in need and make labor effectual so souls are converted from error to truth. Those who hear may become zealous, but not in a right or well-directed way. The barrier is built not by the one who tells the truth, who loves them and remains ready to help, but by those who pursue a wrong course and place themselves where God cannot bless united work. The person's greatest enemy is within in jealousy, prying, and lack of self-control. Cultivating love for one another includes such faithful dealing, and imitating Christ means willingness even to be a servant, for He was the King of Glory yet a servant of fallen humanity.