Having spent some time around Amish and Mennonites, I know they are pretty much the only groups that still practice shunning. Most are probably afraid of lawsuits, spitting the church or have a slightly off view of grace/love. We speak truth in love and some times we need to practice tough love and shun unsaved and saved alike. It is a biblical teaching.
2 Tim 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
Too many times we forget these verses as we speak for the Lord and even politics on social media.
We also forget
Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
Long arguments with those in error only set you up for anger and frustration. If a person is not convinced or convicted after two corrections they will not be after two hundred. It is time to turn them over to God and walk away.
2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
When the cults come to your door, do not engage in long conversations. Do not let them in your house and do not offer any kind of blessing to them as you then become a part of their evil. You can say. "May God free you from your bonds and error" or "I will pray for your salvation" but even Goodbye is short for God be with you.
Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
If the doctrine is not right keep them out of your sight. Avoid them is clear. Note, you mark them or point them out for yourself and Paul called names so that others could avoid them and be aware of their errors. It is OK to call out heretics. It is part of the duty as a pastor who is called to protect the sheep from wolves in sheep's clothing. As a member of the family, we all have a responsibility to protect the family.
Just make sure they are a heretic either in doctrine or in some way dividing the Body of Christ. That could be by gossip, conspiracy or splitting a church for something other than doctrinal error or leadership failure. Leadership failure does not mean he preached against your pet sin or you disagreed with him. If you cannot prove it is error then you need to study and if necessary do Matthew 18's process for settling grievances.
What if a brother is walking in public sin or sin we can see?
1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
This seems obvious, but I was offered a chance to preach in view of call at a church where the head deacon showed up at meetings drunk and if he did not like what he heard he went back across the street to fetch his shot gun. I declined. That is one of the problems with making people a deacon for life as it is hard to remove and defrock them. He should have done that one time only and been removed from his position.
2 Cor 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Too many times we forget these verses as we speak for the Lord and even politics on social media.
When I was in college many of my peers complimented me on my academic prowess, the ability to find sermon material in the Old Testament and even my interpretation skills. Often though I went from that kind of praise to being called an idiot when I made application of the doctrine to our day and time. As a relatively new Christian. I did not have years of tradition/ritual, folk theology or other things to cloud my thinking. Because of that I was often called a Maverick, Legalistic, and depending on the person and issue, even Liberal. At that point, I figured I might be on target because Jesus ticked off everyone when He challenged their status quo and long held traditions.
All that to say, here is where I might lose some affirming nods and Amens. Because I am going to look at applying this to a Christian whose politics are against Scriptural doctrine.
Several times over the years I have heard of Catholic leaders threatening to excommunicate members who supported abortion. Even politicians were threatened, but it was never followed through. Indeed, as I told some Catholics at a polling place in the 80’s you cannot be a good Democrat and be a good Catholic over that issue. The Republican Catholics standing nearby cheered while the Democrats leered at me and if looks could have killed I would not have been here to write this.
Unlike the Catholics, I do not believe that Church can erase someone’s name from the Lamb’s Book of Life, but should remove them from the membership rolls. After all, Paul was ordained to tell us how we should conduct ourselves in the Church and it is verbal-plenary inspired writings that teach us to do it.
1Co 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
The amazement in this sin is that it is one the Gentiles did not practice. They practiced every other type of sexual sin imaginable. From the “average” sins, to them” of fornication/adultery there was group sex, requiring a woman to prostitute herself at least once in her life, requiring a woman to either lose her virginity to a priest of the temple or cut her hair to make her look like a prostitute to demanding a woman to get pregnant even if it took several men to make it happen. Yet, they did not practice maternal incest. Some might practice sibling incest and even paternal incest but not maternal. Indeed, to truly insult someone today you call them a maternal fornicator.
Some scholars debate whether this was his mother or step-mother. Many an old man might marry a woman the same age as his children or one younger. The concept of a son falling in love with such a young woman is not inconceivable as there is no blood tie. Still, in the Greek and Hebrew culture that was the ultimate taboo.
What did Paul say to do this is couple. Shun them and allow the devil to kill them unless they repent. Side note, their souls would be saved if they did not repent of the sin. They were true Christians who somehow justified this, which makes the case for a step-mother pretty strong as any sane person would definitely not marry their mother. We have instances of that today, but the people are twisted who do it.
He says “if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.” We can apply this to women as well since many women fit this description as well. In these days, railers are often women more so than men, but both genders have their share. We should not eat with this people. As we see in our age, food and fellowship go together.
No fellowship with known active sin. Two reasons, one it is not good for the sinner because it lulls him/her into a false security that it isn’t all that bad. Secondly, if it is known publicly that the person is in a sin and is a member of your church it makes the church look like they are condoning the sin.
A member of the French Court said to the court chaplain, "Sire, your sermons terrify me, but your life reassures me."—Macartney, Preaching Without Notes, p..113.
If you preach sound doctrine, but do not also practice church discipline you undermine your preaching and your reputation and the impact of your church on the local culture. With Social Media, it may even be a nation and worldwide detriment to your ministry.
In an effort to keep this shorter, I will now move to the political realm. We have two parties that have the only real chance of leading and having power in this country. There are numerous “third” parties with no real chance of winning any major election and at best split the Conservative vote allowing Liberals to win. Some have some great ideas, but will never see them realized unless they merge with one of the larger parties. They might win a few local elections, but for all intents and purposes we are a two party system.
That said, a Christian has to look at the platforms of the two parties as well as the record of if they follow those platforms. Also, each candidate needs to be evaluated as well as some identify with one party, but often violate their platform and go against the party as well as the desires of the ones who voted for them.
There is no such thing as secular and sacred. Everyone has a worldview from which all of their actions and interactions in life are based. It may be theistic or atheistic/humanistic with many variations of views within those parameters. I do not expect those who hold a non-theistic worldview to legislate from a theistic perspective though a person who believes in Intelligent Design might hold some similar views as a theist though ID is not a theistic ideology. There are some very diverse theistic groups and I would not expect a non-Christian theist to legislate from a Christian worldview though they may also share some similar beliefs. I would absolutely expect someone with an Orthodox Christian worldview to legislate from that perspective.
That said, I fully expect an Orthodox Christian to have an Orthodox Christian worldview and vote using that perspective. Let me clarify that by using Orthodox I am not referring to the Russian or Eastern Orthodox Church or variants of those groups. I am referring to those who beliefs are based upon the Word alone. The word Fundamental has taken a bad connotation in the past few decades, but then “Reading Is Fundamental” or basic. An orthodox Christian worldview is based upon the faith once delivered to the saints who believes in the verbal-plenary inspiration of Scriptures using a historical-grammatical interpretation of those Scriptures to formulate their theology. More than one group can be orthodox according to that short definition.
So, if you believe that every word in the fullness of its meaning was inspired by God (verbal-plenary) then the Bible says what God says and God means what He says. Thus, it behooves us to interpret it properly because our opinion means nothing since it is His Word and His universe.
Again, for brevity, which I am a bit past brief and on my way to a treatise, I will only deal with one political issue. Indeed, I believe it to be the prime issue to judge a party by though there are a myriad of issues. That prime issue is abortion.
As you see, I am a KJV man for reasons we will not go into here, but you will need a copy to follow me. There are many free copies online since it is in the public domain except for some annotated or study versions.
There are nineteen verses and twenty uses of the phrase innocent blood. God is not keen about innocent blood being shed. Indeed, Cain shed innocent blood as the first sibling sin. In those verse God promises judgment on the people who shed innocent blood as well as those who do nothing about it. It is one of the seven things God calls an abomination in one passage. You can look these it. It is easy.
Innocent means just that. There is no blood more innocent than that of an infant in the womb. He has done no evil and knows no commandments to break so though he/she has the sin nature they are innocent. There is no getting around it. Only a heartless, evil heart can see this any other way. God did not call a clump of cells when He called Jeremiah. He called him to ministry before he was even conceived because God knew life began at conception because He created it that way. Indeed, Adam’s body was formed first and then the breath of life was breathed into him. At conception the body is created by biology and a soul is given it at that time. Everything after that is just growth.
Exodus 21:22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Notice God does not give any weeks where it doesn’t matter. The woman is obviously pregnant. Two men are fighting and somehow the woman gets hurt whatever happens to the child happens to the person that caused the issue. If she delivers early and all is well he is severely punished and pays a fine. If the child dies, he dies and so on. God takes innocent blood or life very seriously. Ripping one out of the womb in pieces He does not take lightly and unless the mother or someone forcing the abortion and the abortionist repent and are saved that child will stand up at the Great White Throne and accuse them of his/her murder.
Question: What Is the Crime of Aiding and Abetting?
“The charge of aiding and abetting can be brought against anyone who directly helps someone else in the commission of a crime, even if they do not participate in the actual crime itself. Specifically, a person is guilty of aiding and abetting if he willfully "aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures" the commission of a crime.
Unlike the crime of accessory, in which someone aids another person who commits a criminal act, the crime of aiding abetting also includes anyone who willfully gets someone else to commit a crime on their behalf.
Whereas an accessory to a crime usually faces lesser punishment than the person who actually committed the crime, someone charged with aiding and abetting is punished as a principal in the crime, just as if they performed it. If anyone "puts into motion" the plan to commit a crime, they can be charged with that crime even if they intentionally refrained from participating in the actual criminal act itself.” from https://www.thoughtco.com
When a person votes for a person or party that is for shedding innocent blood and they support the process it is much like aiding and abetting. If a person votes for a person or party that sheds innocent blood because they seek some benefit or for some other reason then it is at best being an accessory or at worst aiding and abetting even if they say they do not condone the taking of innocent life.
I know you are going to say that it is not a crime according to human law. Well, slavery was legal in many countries for centuries and is still legal in some. Killing Jews, invalids, mental health patients as well as doing horrible experiments was legal in Nazi Germany. Some countries have been said to use prisoners to harvest organs for sale worldwide as well as other human rights violations they deem legal.
It is legal because the worldview that legalized it was not theistic. Christians and other theistic faith find it immoral and illegal from God’s perspective. That is how we should see it and vote against those who call it legal no matter what benefit we might lose. When we vote for what God calls an abomination, we are fighting against Him. We are actively sinning against Him. It is no different than being a maternal or other fornicator, adulterer or idolater. We have entered into an unequal yoke. We are aiding and abetting or being an accessory to something we say we are against if we truly believe the Word.
Now, where does that leave the pastor and church with members openly aligning themselves with those who support the shedding of innocent blood? We are called to practice the process of reconciliation in Matthew 18. They may be ignorant of what they are doing or just not realizing the import of it and the impact on themselves, the Body and the culture. If the first two steps do not lead the person to repentance then it should be taken to the Church and let the Body shun them.
We already quoted the passage that says we are to judge them within. We do this in humility and love per Galatians because we are also frail and fall in temptations.
2Th 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Yes, shame that we pray leads to repentance, but in America that may be a long shot as when confronted with an issue we tend to just get mad and go to another church or start one. The goal is repentance and reconciliation.
While some will not repent, some will not welcome the repentant sinner back into the fold.
2Co 2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
We are always to be welcoming a person home after they get right with God because we must ask forgiveness daily. Having come from a background that created many harsh dictatorial pastors and judgmental members I have seen the wrong end of things. Yet, just as we do not want to be too harsh, we are not called to be lax. God is balanced. He balanced Law and Grace at the Cross. So we must also seek balance in dealing with sin. We do not want people to be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, but we have erred on the other side and glossed over effects of sin. No one is more thankful than I for 1 John 1:9, but that does not erase the teaching of shunning. If we believe the Word than we need to exercise that faith in all areas of life bringing every thought into captivity and brought into obedience to Christ. When that is happening we will also bring our politics and ballots int obedience voting against evil. Sadly, in our culture we are often voting against the greatest evil as there are no perfectly righteous leaders. Then again, none of our leaders from the beginning have been perfect. Nothing has changed except the evil is clearer now than it has ever been making it unnecessary to be a highly trained theologian to discern it.
As pastor-teachers, we must teach our people the full Gospel in many ways. It is not just for salvation and Heaven or Sundays. It is for 24/7 in all facets of life, If we fail to teach that we are as guilty as those who reject the teaching. We are in tough times and they are going to get tougher. Persecution will come from within the Body as well as from without and the within may be more fierce than that from without at times. If we are faithful to our calling it just goes with the turf. May we do what we need to do and God wrap us in His arms when the storm comes. Maranatha!
