HOW CAN I CONFRONT A BELIEVER WHO HAS FALLEN SPIRITUALLY? (EZEK. 16:12)

     GOD GAVE EZEKIEL A TREMENDOUS AND OMINOUS CALLING TO CONFRONT HIS PEOPLE ABOUT THERE SIN.''SON OF MAN ,''HE TOLD THE PROPHET, ''CAUSE JERUSALEM TO KNOW HER ABOMINATIONS '' (EZEK. 16:2, 20:4, 22:2; 23:36).  A TOUGH CALLING! EVEN SO,AT TIMES HE WILL CALL US TO DO THE SAME THING. SO HOW CAN WE MANAGE  IT EFFECTIVELY .
    
    FIRST, WE MUST WATCH THE SPIRIT IN WHICH WE CONFRONT THE FALLEN ONE. WE MUST BE FIRM BUT GENTLE. WE ARE TO  CONFRONT THEM ''IN A SPIRIT OF GENTLENESS"                    (GAL. 6:1). AFTER HURTING PEOPLE CAN BE FRAGILE AS GLASS; THAT DON'T NEED OUR CONDEMNATION. WE DON'T GO TO THEM IN  ANGER OR TO VENT OUR HURT. WE GO GENTLY, REMAINING SENSITIVE TO THEIR AGONY. WE SHOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY THEIR INABILITY TO EXPRESS GRIEF AS LACK OF REMORSE OR REPENTANCE. THEY MAY SUFFER SO GREATLY THAT THEY CAN'T GET CLOSE TO THE PHYSICAL TEARS  FOR WHICH THERE SOULS WEEP. WE MUST REMAIN FIRM IN OUR EFFORTS TO BRING THE SIN INTO THE OPEN , BUT WE NEED TO DO SO WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT.

    SECOND , WE ARE TO CONFRONT IN THE SPIRIT OF HUMILITY :''FOR IF ANYONE THINKS HIMSELF TO BE SOMETHING ,WHEN HE IS NOTHING ,HE DECEIVES HIMSELF'' (GAL. 6:3). WE CAN'T GO WITH A HAUGHTY ATTITUDE, AS IF WE COULD NEVER  FALL INTO SUCH SIN.  THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE DEEPLY OFFENDS GOD. WE HAVE REMEBER THAT WE ARE ALL VULNERABLE TO SIN. IF WE GO TO HURTING PEOPLE WITH THE ATTITUDE THAT WE ARE WAY ABOVE THEM, THEY CERTAINLY WON'T RESPOND TO OUR EFFORTS. IN FACT, WE ONLY BUILD A WALL THAT WILL OBSTRUCT THE RESTORATION PROCESS, WHICH IS THE OBJECT OF OUR  CONFRONTATION. "CONSIDERING YOURSELF LEST YOU ALSO BE TEMPTED" (GAL. 6:1) . MEANS TO EXAMINE THEMSELVES WITH A SHARP EYE.

THIRD, WE ARE TO GO IN LOVE. GALATIANS  6:2 USES A WORD THAT MEANS "HEAVY BURDEN."  WE NEED TO UNDER THE HEAVY BURDEN AND HELP THE OFFENDERS CARRY IT.  WE NEED TO VICARIOUSLY FEEL WHAT THEY ARE FEELING. WE MUST GO WITH THE RIGHT SPIRIT, OR WE  MAY AS WELL NOT GO AT ALL.

THOSE WHO WALK WITH THE FATHER ARE TO GENTLY, HUMBLY, AND LOVINGLY CONFRONT THE STRAYING PERSON, AND THEN GET UNDER THE LOAD WITH THE SAINT WHO HAS SINNED. CONFRONTATION IS NEVER EASY, BUT IT IS OFTEN A PREREQUISITE TO RESTORATION, THE REAL GOAL.