Love vs. Purity

[james73]

Originally Posted by bearbear

We should encourage each other to do so in a non-judgmental way via love and not criticism.

If a brother, especially one in a position of responsibility, grows in wickedness and does not turn from his sin when asked to repent, he is probably not a brother.

This is tricky ground… "He is probably not a brother" is the birthplace of dogma and division, since the whole concept of wickedness is subjective. The Jews thought Jesus wicked; they even backed it up biblically. Their "purity" killed Jesus. You might say they were wrong, but Jesus certainly didn't fight the charges, nor did he repent. Instead, he forgave those who killed him. He worked on his own heart rather than worrying about the "salvation" of others or the purity of the church. He died practicing love, not preaching hell.