Quote:
Originally Posted by Dora
Does my pastor have "rule" over me, or is he my shepherd? Does he stand over me with a whip or does he provide guidance and care for my soul? Does he "lord" his authority over me or does he shine a light on the path to try to prevent me from stumbling?
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Who said anything about a whip or lording over you like he is some task master and you are a slave? Where in the world did you ever get those ideas from?
Does a Pastor have a God-given right to rebuke, reprove, and correct. Yes he does. Can it hurt and be grievous? Let's see what the bible says...
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Can he do it in public in front of everyone?
1Ti 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Pro 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Isn't it interesting that the world today has almost altogether done away with spanking, yet the church knows better. But for some its seems like an attitude is trying to creep into the church that the Pastor should not use the rod and correct if it is needed. We need to get that attitude of the world OUT of the church.
God's people had gotten to the place in the OT where they were like this...
Isa 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
They only wanted to hear smooth things. Makes me think of the following scripture...
2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
They wanted to get teachers that will tell them things that THEY wanted to hear - not what they NEEDED to hear.
Pro 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Rebuke a wise man and he will what? Love thee.
Pro 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.
Psa 141:5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
Because the man of God loves you, he will correct you because he sees that if you continue the way that you are going, it will end up bad for you. He doesn't do it to flex his power and authority muscles. He does it for YOUR SAKE because he loves you.
Pro 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him quickly.
Pro 28:23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue.
Psa 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. The rod is for correction and gives one comfort in that if they wander off the path or away from the flock where the wolves are, we can take comfort that the Shepherd may give us a swat with the rod.
God bless.