When you find that someone is not behaving as they should and doing things that create a stumbling block for weaker Christians what should be done about it?
This is an excellent question, Melanie. And since I will admit to both making the statement, and, on many occasions, falling short myself - I will try to put forth some explanation.
And I will start by one further admission: Both DaPastor Randy and Dr. Ray have made efforts to (presumably
) chasten me gently for a reaction which could be characterized as either "zeal", or anger. There is a very narrow path there, which I do not claim to walk perfectly.
There are several answers to your question. They depend in part on our own roles -- which may be multiple. For example, I can and am both husband and head of my own house in one role, with certain very specific responsibilities and authorities. (These have been written of before - from Numbers 30 to Deuteronomy to the prophets, to Revelation.) We communicate with fellow believers in fellowship, as "iron sharpens iron", and may take on the role of both teacher and student, from time to time. This is the essential function of the ancient practice of "midrash", where teachers may well ask more questions than students. Finally, there are more formalized settings for both teaching and pastorship, and greater specific responsibilities which attend to each there.
Start with Matthew 18, and especially v. 15-17, for a specific procedure.
But the issue of true God-given 'authority' is key. Note that David, son of Jesse, did NOT harm King Saul when he had the chance - EVEN though he knew that God had promised him the kingdom. He was VERY careful to "touch not", and waited on Him, careful not to usurp even authority that he knew would eventually be his, before God's appointed time. (See Psalm 105:15, I Chr. 16:22, and the story in Samuel.)
Finally, the authority of a man over his own house (wives, children, livestock, home or "castle", etc) should be sacrosanct. This literally traces to Genesis 1 (see Tom Shipley's excellent book,
Man and Woman in Biblical Law , referenced recently in a related thread, for a superb treatment of this truth. (See Gen. 2:22 ("isha"), 3:7, 3:16, etc, for the specifics.)
After the Torah, there is Joshua 24:15 ("
as for me and my house, we will serve YHVH.")
I have never known a truly anointed teacher or pastor to violate that authority over another man's house (and, yes, I acknowledge the circularity of that statement, by definition.
)
I now explicitly note that we must be VERY careful not to USURP authority which is NOT given to us! A study of Yeshua's casting out of demons is extremely informative in this regard, I contend (and admittedly this single post can only be an introduction). The story of the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-17, and also Luke 7) makes a graphic statement, while the warnings of Matthew 12:43 (and Luke 11:24) offer the counterpoint (i.e., what can happen in the ABSENCE of continued proper covering). Likewise, our Savior gave us Authority,
in Him, to "tread on serpents and scorpions" and "cast out demons in His Name" - but subject to the very limits of Authority that He taught! (We accept His sacrifice voluntarily, by a free act of our own will -- just as we enter into the marriage Covenant, itself a shadow of our relationships to Him.)
Finally, there are several stories of those who either had NO authority OR knowledge from Him to cast out demons, and suffered for it, or who (like the apostles) failed because they lacked knowledge or experience. "Even the demons" recognized His Authority when confronted. They knew the rules, too - often better than those who falsely claim to be acting "in His Name".
And note that it is the voluntary nature of that association and covenant which, I contend, establishes the essential basis of the "work", be it casting out demons or marital authority. Just "casting out demons" does not constitute proof of acting in His Authority, as Matthew 7:22-23 so dramatically makes clear!
There is much more that can be said, obviously, but this is already long.
I will add what I often do -- that in the presence of a clear usurpation of false authority, we must sometimes do what men who honor Him have done throughout history --
separate ourselves from the evil, put it out of our camp when we have such authority, touch not the unclean thing, or even "declare the causes which impel them to the separation" as Jefferson and the signers of the Declaration did to a King who violated the Supreme Law of "nature and of nature's God".
If we, and our house, truly belong to God and not to Caesar, there may come a time when we must "Come out of her, My people," whether it is a "church" or a state that, by the evidence of its fruit, clearly serves another master.
Blessings in Him,
Mark
