Critical Mass and The Mark of Life

Some dialogue below with a brother. I had introduced him to another man who is living in compromise. This man mistreated this brother, and rejected Truths in order to preserve some relationships he has locally. To embrace certain Teachings of Jesus, this man would have to deal with affections and loyalties he had deeply entrenched in questionable people and sinful situations here. This brother, in a desire to be “loving and kind,” had just thought it his “duty” to ignore the rebellion that this man has expressed and the insult directed towards him, both to him and behind his back.

The dialogue sheds some light on the necessity to be resilient and forgiving, but NOT overlook the Truths that were at stake and trivialize those, in the name of “forgiveness”—when there has not been any repentance..... The Truths this man considers too costly to obey are the very things he MUST obey and walk in if he EVER wants to enjoy “the Land flowing with milk and honey,” the Glory of the Kingdom within and around him! He is robbing HIMSELF by his disobedience and resistance to Truth. “To find your life, you must LOSE it,” and, “Unless the seed falls to the ground and DIES, it will ABIDE ALONE.”

And so, this brother is coming to grips, below, with the fact that letting Truth “slide away” to preserve a relationship or “open communication” is not doing anyone any favors. It simply allows them to deepen in their deception when we are not clear with them, regardless of the consequences (short term) of telling them the Truth.

“Am I your enemy because I tell you the Truth?”

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend.”

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Hey, Thanks for your perspective on the open issue there regarding Ivan. Been asking and thinking about what you said. Couple of things seem to have surfaced....

First, I can see there’s something to catch here, because if Ivan was to be living either across the street or nearby, I just know we would HAVE to “go there” on a couple of “niggly” things that seem to have been present during that trip. I can see how because he’s not nearby, and I have limited relational opportunity, it’s easier to ignore, forget, or second-guess and doubt those subtle and not so subtle things that keep us from really being one in Him. Though I have not purposely set out to ignore those things, nor set out to give away too much, the clincher is I KNOW things would have to be different if we were living geographically close.

This seems to be a real area of weakness for me. Not necessarily in the “discerning,” but more so in the patient self discipline to be a “craftsman” rather than a “that’ll-do-bang-it-together-quick” builder. I’ve seen this in myself in the past. There were those little checks, but driving hard towards the “perceived goal” led to some disastrous extrications. That has really stuck with me, and I feel like Jesus has helped me be patient and watch in several other encounters since then. Yet with Ivan, I can see some inherent weakness in how I’ve built with him.

I don’t know if it’s because I feel like there’s been a lot “invested” towards him, that I’m not willing to let it be what it is—frustrating and sad. We’ve certainly been moved with compassion for them and their children, and have really felt for the guy knowing how difficult it must be there not knowing the language and without any other brothers around and no likely prospect of getting out, and no likely prospect of me going there...certainly as long as the “niggly” stuff remains. In the correspondence with Ivan, I’ve been hopeful that perhaps he may get it through the “side window,” since the “front door” approach on our visit didn’t seem to work.

love, Maurice

Hey Maurice, this is definitely good for you to chew on. It will matter a lot in years to come, and good growth in discernment on matters like this may save some lives of the “next generation.”

In this case, there are some things you wouldn’t have firsthand knowledge of (my correspondence with him, the long and specific letters to and fro right after his return from seeing you regarding his interactions with you, and with others), although I doubt you have REALLY heard hard evidence from him yourself that would be evidence he has truly changed since you saw him while there. Has he, with clarity, repented of his attitude and perspective while he was with you? If not, the issue is still open, even if his loneliness and neediness now causes him to be more “social” with you. The fact is, if he DOESN’T change, he is destined to more poverty and more poverty, with no hope for “a hundred mothers, brothers, sisters.”

I’ve even sent him recent letters from those nearby where, in their own words, they testify of the poverty there just to prove the point with Ivan. Ivan is a child, however, and those influencing him are “mom” to him, and (similar to biological family idolatry) Ivan finds comfort in being “liked” and “included” and “affirmed” by mom regardless of issues of Truth. Avoiding loneliness and exclusion is more important, thus far, to Ivan than Truth (Jesus). I like Ivan. I feel for him. I treat him kindly and have not further discussed the areas of his rebellion. BUT, until he exhibits a desire to Change and Grow, I cannot allow him to receive much trust or warmth from me (not that I don’t HAVE love for him, but I cannot affirm him in his state without harming him), nor can I send him accolades for his writings, written from a posture of denying Jesus, in part.

A person in great need, physically and Spiritually, who continues to stiffen his chin towards Essential Truths of Jesus for personal reasons, is not to be SO pitied. “In spite of their pains and sores, they refused to repent of what they had done” (Rev.16:11). Obviously, pity is not what such need, but continual pleas for repentance. In Ivan’s case, it’s a “watch and pray” and bring up the open issues when there appears to be an opening of any kind in that area, and stand back half an arm’s length until then. That way of “Building” (care to follow through with known and discerned Issues before freely giving away total trust and fellowship) will save you and your children MUCH grief and numerous casualties from housing pretenders, “masquerading” and eventually plundering your hearts and time and resources and children. Those who have no convictions about terrible child-rearing, and have no conviction or energy to oppose compromise and lukewarmness in the many obvious ways it exists there have

BY DEFINITION rebellion towards God in their hearts (Jer.23:16-30; Eze.3:16-19; 13:3-12; Eze.9:3-11).

Well, hope that makes sense, a bit. I’ll sign off here, but we can talk more. Below is an email referring to the Eze.9 Passage.

Love in the Deliverer from sin and death,

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The “Mark of Life”

In Eze.9, there is verse and Life we all have had to weep over and grow into, since many years ago God showed us this: to love ONLY what God loves. A friend of the world is “an enemy of God.” Ouch!

And further, initially a surprise to all of us: a person who will NOT hate and cry over the sin they see amongst those who call themselves by Jesus’ Name around them, but rather defends or protect it, or ignore it as “not my problem,” and, “God will take care of it, so I can disregard it,” such a person does not know God.

“For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within (any man that is called a brother) ? But them that are without, God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

“If they had stood in My counsel, and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned the people from their evil way and from the evil of their doings” (Jer.23:22).

That is as powerful and personally life-altering as it is True. God was clear: Those who truly Know Him are always very purposeful about defending God’s Honor and “hating even the clothing tainted by evil flesh.” God’s Will has always been that we would “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Those pleasing to Father have always been that way. Remember WHY “Phinehas was credited with Righteousness (Psa.106:30-31; Num.25)? That’s how the Bible reads. Always has.

And yet, THIS Truth in Ezekiel was still more STAGGERING to us, as a People in this city, many years ago now......

And the LORD called to the man dressed in linen who was carrying the writer’s case. He said to him,

“Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all those who weep and sigh because of the sins they see around them.”

Then I heard the LORD say to the other men, “Follow him through the city and kill everyone whose forehead is not marked. Show no mercy; have no pity! Kill them all—old and young, girls and women and little children. But do not touch anyone with the mark. Begin your task right here at the Temple.”

WOW! The “mark of Life” is ONLY for those who WEEP and SIGH over sin. We must CARE, or we are not in His Spirit. “Avoiding sin” wasn’t going to save the lives of those of Ezekiel’s day. The only ones saved were those who CARED DEEPLY about the sins around them, not just themselves. Everyone else died! While most will not even deal with themselves for the Blood of the Lamb, even JUST that (dealing with one’s own sins) is not the end of God’s Heart, obviously. We are called to WEEP and SIGH “because of the sins we see around us,” and then “wrestling to present others complete in Christ.” THAT’S the Mark of Life that Father is looking for! That is Jesus’ Life within those who are Twice-Born. And we’ll decide, each of us, if we will be co-workers with Him and embrace His Spirit, or if we will quench it or oppose it.

THIS is the Spirit that was upon Him, and can be upon us IF we would allow ourselves to pay the price Jesus paid for it!

“And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to proclaim good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

“And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. You shall be named the priests of the LORD, they shall call you the servants of our God.”

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for the sake of God’s People I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.”