Paula

I have been thinking about our responsibilities as a watchman when no one wants to listen to our warning. How far are we to push someone who refuses to listen? I have just been through that and so it is heavy on my mind right now. I think I will do a post on it to address my concerns.

I think you broadcast your message, try to reach out, and then reluctantly “hand them over to Satan”. We are not to pursue the rebellious forever.

I’ve been in a lot of boards where people just are completely unwilling to concede that others can have a different view on non-essentials. They create blogs just to bash “fundies” who stupidly cling to the Bible as if it were the very words of God (!?!). They are very condescending and think whoever doesn’t agree is hostile and ignorant, and with mock concern say they’ll pray for our eyes to be opened. Eventually you just have to hand them over and walk away.

The longest I ever stayed in a hostile place was three years, but I didn’t go until I felt released by God. I literally felt as though I were living in a mosquito-infested swamp all that time. Much New Age, paganism, atheism, and even Nazis! One pathetic atheist even started a blog just to mock me. Even a year after I had been out of that board, I stumbled upon his blog and saw that the poor soul was still posting rage against something I had written 18 months before!

But when God tells you to go, it’s not wise to look back. The pull can be strong, because we genuinely want to see people right with God. We never want to give up. But for the sake of those “handed over”, we must leave them.