PRÉCIS ON SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO A BROTHER: COMPLAINING VS. CONFRONTING

SCRIPTURE. “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you [yourselves] may not be judged. Look! The Judge is [already] standing at the very door.” – JAMES 5:9, AMPC

KEY TERM: “COMPLAIN.” ‘Stenazó’ []: “To place in straits; by imp., to sigh or murmur (against); with grief, moan or sigh.” NOTE: “Strong’s Greek 4727 pictures a deep, almost wordless response to pressure—an audible or inaudible sigh birthed from compassion, suffering, or intense longing. Each New Testament use joins human emotion to Divine Purpose: Christ shares the sorrows of a broken world, the Church bears present affliction while awaiting glory. And leaders or congregations reveal spiritual health by whether their service is marked by joy or groaning.”

QUOTATION. “The truly patient man neither complains of his hard lot nor desires to be pitied by others. He speaks of his sufferings in a natural, true, and sincere way, without murmuring, complaining, or exaggerating them.” ― ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, Introduction to the Devout Life, 1609; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘Grudge not one against another, brethren.’ – “On account of any happiness, temporal or spiritual, which another enjoys. Do not inwardly repine at it; or secretly sigh and groan in ‘an envious manner’ at it, though nothing may be said, as the word used signifies; much less complain of, accuse, and condemn one another, or meditate and seek revenge [for what you do not have].

‘Lest ye be condemned.’ Hereafter, at the Bar of Christ, by the Judge of the whole Earth, who is privy to the secret murmurings and grumblings, and the envious sighs and groans of men; see Matthew 7:1.

‘Behold the Judge standeth before the door.’ There is Another that judgeth, Who is the Lord, and He is at hand; He is just at the door; a little while and He will Come, and not tarry; which may refer not to Christ’s Coming to destroy Jerusalem, but to his Second Coming to Judgment, which will be quickly! For the Gospel Times are the Last Times; there will be no other age. ‘At the End of this, Christ will Come!’” – JOHN GILL, Exposition of the Old and New Testament, 9 vols., 1746-1763; edited

DK’S TAKE. More often than not, we have been taught by our leaders in the Church that this passage essentially means: “Never say a bad word about a brother.” Thus for generations we are led about by a False Ring in our noses that we can never say anything about anyone:

‘Even if is the Truth!’

Part and parcel of the insidiously False Confession Doctrines that grew out of the even darker regions of the Faith-Prosperity Movement, we now see an American Church of Spiritual Eunuchs, unable to confront even the slightest injury inside the House of God.

JUDGEMENT VS. EXPOSURE. While it is clear that Jesus commanded us to avoid doing what only He can do – ‘Render a Final Judgment’ – toward another (Matthew 7:1 again). He also taught, through Paul: “It is not for me to judge those outside the church. You are to judge those who belong to the church. ¹³ God will judge those outside the church. So you must put that sinful person out of your church.” – 1 CORINTHIANS 5:12, NLV

So it is that in this time of devastating Deception all around us, and most especially inside our own primarily White houses of worship, that the only loving thing we can do, the obedient thing, is to EXPOSE THE DARKNESS!

“Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character]; for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret.” – EPHESIANS 5:11, AMP

This clarion Call to righteousness, integrity and holiness has been virtually eliminated from almost all American White Churches today. Indeed, they have exchanged their Witness for Christ for a cheap and tawdry Witness for Antichrist. That is the Truth, beloved, so help me God!

CODA. Just one last thought. Here the Lord is cautioning us to Abstain from Complaints of TWO TYPES.

• COMPLAINTS OF ENVY. We are too often led by flesh and dark things to murmur against the brother who ‘has more,’ or ‘suffers little,’ by our estimation. This without knowing just why God has given ‘the more’ and has not consigned that person to great suffering. At least by our estimation. This is not the confrontation over evildoing that Paul requires, but rather a personal jealousy that is anathema to true fellowship.

• COMPLAINTS OF LIFE. Joined at the hip to the first type, this is the Endless Lamentation that life (i.e., God!) has been grotesquely unfair. Consequently, that all this person ever does is ‘Utter Woes.’ Over dinner, in the car, at church, in everyday conversation, whenever someone is victimized to listen to it. There is no gratitude in such a person, and that places him or her at the disposal of our Enemy, constantly.

Beloved, the King is Returning ever so soon now, and He is giving us last opportunities to ‘clean house,’ as it were. Individually, and yes, corporately, so that none should perish in the Fiery Judgments about to fall upon the whole Earth.

OBEDIENCE has always been and shall ever be, better than sacrifices and the fat of burnt offerings. Selah.