October 22, 2000 Humble Messenger

Humble Messenger
Volume 8, Week 43 October 22, 2000

Questions About Withdrawing (continued - see last week's bulletin. More to come.)

4) How can you withdraw from someone who has already withdrawn himself from you?

a) First let us realize that we may refuse fellowship with a person in one area, while continuing to associate with them in another. For example, you might have no spiritual fellowship with a man in the world, yet associate with him in social activities. Compare 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1; 1 Cor. 5:11. Likewise with the impenitent brother . . .
b) Certainly, if a man has withdrawn himself completely (spiritually and socially), there remains no relationship to sever. However, what sometimes happens is that the sinner withdraws himself spiritually (not attend assemblies, etc.), but continues to have social association with the members of the church (eating together, bowling together, etc.). This latter association can and should be severed for the "withdrawal" to be complete.
c) Even when total severance of relationship has taken place, admonishing is still in order, 2 Th. 3:15.

5) WHEN do you withdraw from a man?

a) First, guilt must be established.
) In Mt. 18:16, the Lord directed that two or three witnesses be secured in order that "every fact may be confirmed." Compare Dt. 17:2-7 (Note that thorough inquiry may be necessary.); 19:15-21; Jn. 8:17.

i) In some cases, the guilt is obvious to all, or to a number of people. 1 Co. 5:1. Compare Lev. 24:10-16; Num. 15:32-36; 25:1-9.
ii) One is not to be disciplined on the basis of "gossip" or assumption. Note 1 Tim. 5:19-20.

b) Second, impenitence should be evident.

i) In Mt. 18, the man to be disciplined had "refused to listen" to his brother, the witnesses, and finally, the church. In Thessalonica, the non-workers to be withdrawn from were those who would "not obey our instruction in this letter," 2 Th. 3:14. The factious man Titus was to "reject" refused two "warnings" and "is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned, 3:11.
ii) Note the present tense verbs:

(1) "has his father's wife" 1 Co. 5:1
(2) "be an immoral person" 1 Co. 5:11
(3) "leads an unruly life" 2 Th 3:6 ("walketh disorderly" KJV)
(4) "leading an undisciplined life" ("walk...disorderly" KJV) 2 Th. 3:11
(5) "is sinning, being self-condemned" Tit. 3:11
(6) "Continued action, or a state of incompletion, is denoted by the present tense,--this kind of action is called durative or linear. The action of the verb is shown in progress, as going on." William Hersey Davis, Beginner's Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Harper & Brothers Pub., New York, 1923), p. 25.
(7) Compare Heb. 10:26, "For if we go on sinning willfully . . . " "The use of the present participle . . . shows that the sin is not one of error or inadvertence; not a sin of momentary excitement . . . ; but rather that it is a sin of habit; a sin that is willingly and deliberately persisted in; a sin that is committed with a high hand and in open violation and contempt of God's law . . . " R. Milligan, Epistle to the Hebrews (Gospel Light Pub. Co., Delight, AR)

iii) "is perverted" - Tit 3:11 = perfect tense

"The tense in Greek called perfect is really a present perfect. The perfect presents the action of the verb in a completed state or condition. When the action was completed the perfect tense does not tell. It is still complete at the time of the use of the tense by the speaker or writer. The perfect expresses the continuance of completed action. It is then a combination of punctiliar action and durative action." Davis, op. cit., p. 152. [bold mine, srf]

iv) "holding (present participle) to a form of godliness, although they have denied (middle perfect participle) its power"

c) Note that the man subject to discipline in Mt. 18 was to be admonished three times, the people in Thessalonica were admonished twice (1 Th. 4:1-12; 5:14 . . . 2 Th. 3:14), and the factious man in Crete was to be warned twice (Tit. 3:10-11). "Time to repent" is proper (Rev. 2:21), but failure to do so will be evident by continuance in evil deeds. Rev. 9:20,21; 16:9; Mt. 3:8-10. Even the Lord's "time" had an end, Rev. 2:21-23. If too much time elapses,

i) The soul may grow so cold nothing will touch them (Heb. 6:4-6).
ii) The impenitent may have lost all desire for association with Christians, and the withdrawing be ineffective (2 Th. 3:14).
iii) Irreparable damage may have occurred to other souls (1 Co. 5:6).

d) Each case will have to be considered individually, all the facts weighed, and reasonable judgment made by spiritual men (1 Co. 5:12; 6:5). srf

NEWS
Glenn Bogs' fall during his trip to New York last weekend left him with torn ligaments, and severely strained muscles and tendons. . . .
Toni Heuhnerfuss' outpatient surgery last Monday went well . . .
Deanna Porterfield's grandmother, Rachel Needham, passed away last Thursday. Deanna and Jim went to Austin for the funeral. The funeral is at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, at the Wilke/Clay/Fish Funeral Home, 2620 S. Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78704 . . .
Carole Knudsen's brother, Sam Banker, underwent successful bypass surgery last Thursday . . .
Leon Cathey is in town visiting and will preach this morning . . .
Copies of the charts used in last week's two sermons on withdrawing are available in the foyer. They can also be downloaded to your computer from the church's web site . . .
Gospel Meeting: Oct. 22-27, White Park, Anahuac, Harold Turner preaching . . .
If you are scheduled to provide transportation for Zelma Bobbitt but for some reason cannot do so, please call Jim Crain (281/540-1367). Zelma goes down to the office early to wait for her ride. If you need to contact her and she is not available in her room, try the office, (281/449-6118) . . .
Gospel Meeting: Oct. 26-29, Thursday-Sunday, Greenwood Village, John West preaching . . .
New Reports: Ross Triplett; Wayne Chamberlain . . .
Our meeting with Wayne Chamberlain is less than 20 days away! It begins on a Friday, November 10. We will have a singing on Sunday afternoon, November 12, from 4:00-4:45 p.m.. . .
Kris Emerson is preaching in Rockdale, Texas, this morning . . .
An updated version of the "Authority" class is being put on the web site. Also added will be the teaching outlines for "Authority."

Oct. 25 - David Dickey
Nov. 1 - Kris Emerson
Nov. 8 - Bill Faulkner
Nov. 15 - Fred Ferguson


Transportation for Zelma Bobbitt

SCHEDULED TO SERVE