Some years ago we came into contact with a young man who seemingly felt that his call to ministry involved the "gift of condemnation." To the degree that conditions within the community of faith, locally or at large, were perceived as less than ideal, his typical response was to address the matter in hard, vituperative tones.
Not that such approach is all that unknown in some circles. Far from it. In all likelihood the gentleman's mindset reflected the type ministery under which he had been converted and/or reared - or, God forbid, expression of his natural disposition. In this instance we were able to share (hopefully, to some benefit) with him concerning a more biblical approach.
What we have sometimes failed to recognize is that one can be right in doctrine but wrong in spirit. As such, biblical orthodoxy can itself be made to serve the interests of a spiritually "carnal" attitude. This is observable, for instance, in the fact that Paul could identify with the Pharisees on certain doctrinal points (Acts 23:6), while otherwise finding them "unpleasing to God and hostile to all men" (I Thess. 2:15).
Again, in addressing the problems of the Corinthian church, Paul not only dealt with the issue of sectarian divisiveness based on identity with various religious leaders (himself included) but, given their commitment to the same contentious, self-serving spirit, similarly censured those stressing identity with Christ (I Cor. 1:10-13 3:1-6). Within contexts of this nature, "the wrath of man" (as with other expressions of unregenerate impulse - even when pursuing 'spiritually correct' ends) "worketh not the righteousness of God" (James 1:20; note Jesus' rebuke of the Twelve concerning their quality of spirit, Luke 9:55).
That there are issues to which appropriate measures become necessary is not at question here. Within the local church, spiritual lapse is first to be addressed "in a spirit of gentleness" by "you who are spiritual" (Gal. 6:1; the chapter division at this point is unfortunate in that the verse is in continuation of Paul's defining of "spirituality" as the presence and outworking of inspired "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, etc." - hence, "fruit of the Spirit," Gal. 5:22-26).
When, as with the Corinthian church, it became necessary to deal with matters in a disciplinary fashion, the apostle did so "with many tears" (II Cor. 2:4). Again, in fulfilling his mission of pronouncing coming judgment, Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet, so wept for the people that he became known as "the weeping prophet." And, most importantly, in addressing the coming fate of Jerusalem, Jesus "beheld the city and wept over it, saying 'if only you had known...'" (Luke 19:41).
Years ago, we heard the story of a preacher noted for "skinning the sheep." One night he had a dream in which, standing outside the church, he became aware of its walls being covered with his parishioner's hides. At this point, the Lord appeared and asked, "What do you plan to do with them now?"
Burl Ratzsch
