Christian Morals and "Church Sanctions" what gives??
Posted : 5 Jul, 2013 10:00 AM
I'm my country, When a Christian girl/woman has premarital sex and gets pregnant, she is sanctioned by church where she is made to stand in front the congregation either on a Sunday service or mid week service. Her "SINS" are listed out like "...our dear sister had sex before marriage and has a child or is expecting a child, she admits sinning and has asked that the church deals with with her accordingly (according to what the Bible says). S/he has humbly submitted herself to the church's disciplinary committee and is willing to be assisted to get back to her feet while she is suspended from all church's lead roles etc"
Now, I'm pretty sure if you have been in the faith for long you can attest to some scenario of such. What gives??
My beef is "why the heck does the man/woman who beats his/her spouse, the adulterer, the man/woman who embezzled money at workplace, the rapist, the pathological LIAR, ETC sinner gets to go away without public reproach? No sanctioning? No suspension? no reading out sin for all to hear???"
Yet for an innocent baby, such shameful reproach is meted out in advance.
I say there's something wrong with some of our leadership. What happened to "Ye who is without sin cast the 1st stone??"
Seriously, CHRIST-ian, is this how our friend and savior would have handled it?
Christian Morals and "Church Sanctions" what gives??
Posted : 6 Jul, 2013 05:28 AM
Beloved,
You are right in this. Church leadership in many ways do not understand what leadership is about. First and formost it is about showing love and teaching other how to love as well. Is love not the greatest command?
Love covers a multitude of sin and perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. This phenomonom is all through out the world according to the reports I hear in this site.
What church leadership fail to do is practically teach in understanding our motives and others motives. What motivates a young woman to have sex out of marriage? What motivates a man to become abusive? What motivates individuals to lie?
It is more than just sin that motivates us or being sinners. Yes, we are sinners but what motivates our sin? When we discover the answer to this then we can truly repent and be healed from our motives.
Individuals try to appear good and holy but what motivates that as well? Sin is deeplyl ingrained within us and our motives. We are truly helpless to our own selves but God through His spirit renews and restores what is lost and broken..
He will do this to you also and free you from shame caused by others. You are precious and loved.
Christian Morals and "Church Sanctions" what gives??
Posted : 12 Jul, 2013 04:49 AM
I also haven't heard that but its very sad for this to happen in church where we proclaim to be followers of Christ.
Our Christ is compassionate,loving.
This doesn't show love at all.I think this leads to people living in fear,not of God but of human beings.I wish those ministers could teach believers how to fear God in all that they do, not just to fear being pregnant,but to fear fornication etc.
Christian Morals and "Church Sanctions" what gives??
Posted : 20 Sep, 2013 04:01 PM
Do the leadership publicly confess their own sins too? You know, not just sinful actions, but speech and thoughts too? Thought not...:rolleyes:
We're called to build up one another in Christ, to strengthen and encourage each other in the faith, and yes, to turn brothers and sisters away from sin, but we've no license to impose sanctions for sins (except to excommunicate those who will not repent) as that belongs to other authorities and ultimately God Himself.
Most sins should be discussed privately between leadership and the offender and should not be brought up publicly except to silence gossip and speculation and to remind everyone that we all fall short of the glory of God.
Christian Morals and "Church Sanctions" what gives??
Posted : 1 Oct, 2013 04:58 PM
I call it keeping score. It is legalism at the height of its ugliness. It's true that Jesus gave clear direction to us in regards to how to deal with a person who sinned repeatedly but shaming them is not part or His protocol. I would leave a church like that very quietly and without letting anyone know when I was leaving or where I would be going.
This is also a great example of how people who have not been properly trained or taught what the Bible really says and teaches can give Christianity such a bad reputation. As a religion, it is one of the most violent in history and is also one of the most judgmental and critical. As long as it is made possible by the errant teaching of nonspiritual leaders it will always be that way.
Christian Morals and "Church Sanctions" what gives??
Posted : 14 Oct, 2013 04:01 PM
In my understanding, only God can judge the actions of His children. That said, I don't believe ANYONE, regardless of what they have done, should be made to stand in front of the congregation and have their sins displayed.
