Neglect to Hear
This blog is the result of a comment from a reader of my last blog on Matthews 18:17. This is referencing to the place where Jesus commented, “And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” (Mat 18:17 KJV) In his comment he asked, “where is the balance of the scripture in Matthew’s gospel chapter 18:17.
NLT Matthew 18:17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. (Mat 18:17 NLT)
Believe it or not, there are several places in Scriptures where God has turned people over to their arrogant and rebellious ways. But, this is not without God’s relentless attempt in trying to restore His people to right standings with Himself. Nonetheless, some people refused restoration. Whenever this happened, other negative and deeper emotions evolved. The New Testament recorded the behavior in the book of Romans where people had no regard for the knowledge of God. They went about their ways, doing their own things.
NLT Romans 1:28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. (Rom 1:28 NLT)
27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
(Rom 1:27-28 NIV)
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator– who is forever praised. Amen. (Rom 1:24-25 NIV)
Unfortunately, everybody does not have an ear to hear the truth in God’s word. For the same reason, many believers may find themselves believing in a faith that is different from the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we hear teaching that tells us that God is rarely absorbed with how people conduct their lives; this type of teaching leads to doctrinal error.
The reader wants to know where the balance lies. This is a good question because God is full of grace and mercy. Furthermore, God seeks to restore us before He condemns us. The examples in the prior verses are about individuals who have no respect for God or His will for their lives.
With that being said, there are also times when God becomes the pursuer. In such cases, the rebellious might be those people who God had covenant relations with their ancestors. Nevertheless, this may not be the case in every act of rebellion. Sometimes, people who have been hurt by the Church find themselves in a place where they feel unloved. For this group, God is always faithful and He will seek after that soul.
However, if a person feels that God is okay with their sins, they should know that a new life comes with power that renovates the man of the flesh. The Scriptures plainly tells us about the transforming power of God
.
2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. (Rom 8:2-7 NLT)
Interesting, some Christians depend on the passage in Romans eight and 35 through 38 as a relief from the requirements of Romans 1 through 7. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? The truth is no one can separate us from the love of Christ. The truth is, the love of God is unconditional, long-suffering, and for mercy. However the Lord says, if you love me keep my commandments.
9 “Just as my Father has loved me, I too have loved you; so stay in my love.
10 If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love- just as I have kept my Father’s commands and stay in his love. (Joh 15:9-10 CJB)
Therefore, my response to the blogger’s question, “where’s the balance of Matthew 18:17” God has invited all mankind into a covenant of love and mercy. But, just as surprising as that statement is in Matthew 18:17; the pattern of the Scriptures reveals that although God is merciful; He has requirements. We should read the Bible very carefully to find both sides of God. We have learned by studying the Bible that Jesus was one of the hardest prophets of all the prophets of Israel. He was especially stern with the religious leaders. It seems as if any man whose heart was really repentant, we see that person genuinely sorry about his sins. God was just and faithful to forgive him. On the other hand, when a person’s arrogance and rebellion would not allow him to hear the truth nor obey God’s word, we see that person has put himself in a place of jeopardy.
The word of God is not double minded. When we boast of Romans 8: 35-38, those Scriptures are talking about God’s love toward us. However, when we put the Scriptures in context by reading the beginning of the chapter; we see that it also speaks of our love toward Him. In other words, if we love God we should have no problem walking in integrity.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)
37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow– not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. (Rom 8:35-38 NLT)
What does it mean when the Scripture says, “who belong to Christ Jesus?” Unfortunately, some believers do not continue reading the second verse. The power of the Holy Spirit gives us the life of God.
NLT Romans 8:1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power (??????) of sin that leads to death. (Rom 8:1-2 NLT)’s
?????? pneuma {pnyoo’-mah} Power
“the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels and equal to God, the divine nature of Christ 4) of God 4a) God’s power and agency distinguishable in thought from his essence in itself considered” (Strong’s Concordance, word number 4151).
So then, let us never neglect to hear what God’s Word says. Jesus said to the man who would not be reconciled, “let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” Because we are no longer under the power of sin; we now with our hearts and our minds have the ability to walk with God. Even though no one is perfect, we are all being transformed by the Word of God.