Please do not try to be religious first when thinking about this question. Just assume that you were a teacher and you were working in the secular world. Will you rebuke the students who refuse to study? If you were a leader of your country, will you rebuke those who refuse to work? If you were the boss of a company, can you rebuke and fire the lazy workers? But if you will just want to think of grace for the lazy people, you are not a good boss. If you are Mr. Nice to all the lazy people, you show the rest of the people that you are weak and confused in your principles.
God can rebuke the lazy people too
Now, you can think of the question in your religious belief or doctrine. Do you think that God cannot rebuke the lazy people too? If you are preaching a God who can never rebuke them, you show us that your God is weak and confused in His laws and principles too. But true God knows good principles and laws. True God knows what commandments to give to His people:
- 2Th 3:6-15 KJV Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. (7) For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; (8) Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: (9) Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. (10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. (11) For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. (12) Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. (13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. (14) And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. (15) Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Certainly, yes ! God can rebuke anyone, any believer, or any church in the world
How can we say that God can only say gracious words to the believers, that He would never give any commandment to the believers, or that He will never rebuke or reprove any believers or churches?
- Joh 16:8 KJV And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
- 1Th 4:9-12 KJV But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. (10) And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; (11) And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; (12) That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
- Rev 3:14-19 KJV And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
- Mat 5:13-19 KJV Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (14) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (18) For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (19) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Please imagine, If we were the teachers, and the lazy students argued that we were wrong to rebuke them for not doing their home work, something was wrong. If we were the bosses or CEO, and the lazy workers complained that we were wrong to rebuke them for not doing their works, something was very wrong too.
Similarly, if the sinners or lazy 'brethren' in the churches complained that God is not a good God because He rebuked them, something is terribly wrong in the churches too. Please imagine, What would God think, If the lazy 'brethren' or believers (like the church of Laodiceans in Rev 3:14-19) would argue and tell Jesus, "No, you cannot rebuke us or reprove us because we believe in a 'God' or 'Holy Spirit' who can only have good opinion of us. Hence, you must have good opinion of us because we have good opinion of you too; otherwise, you are not our God .. " ???
God's words will still judge and rebuke because Jesus is still The Word who came in the flesh and He will come again and judge, as The Word of God (Rev 19:13)
Many will just want to argue, "But the bible is not a bunch of laws, moral principles, and doctrine. It is not just words after words or commands after commands for us to do many things or to think of right believing. Let me define it correctly, The Bible is all about Jesus Christ only. It is God's will for us to have stronger relationship with Jesus Christ only, to feel righteous, and to prosper more in the world."
I will tell them, If you think that the Bible has no moral principles to teach us, please do not quote from the Bible when you conduct marriage seminar or give advice to the married couples in your church. Otherwise, you would be very hypocritical if you condemn those who teach God's laws and commandments, while secretly conduct marriage seminar to teach moral principles of good marriage and God's commandment against adultery. I will tell them, Yes, the Bible is about Jesus Christ, but the Bible is also about God's words, God's will, and God's command to us too. How can we put asunder or divide what God is in the Bible? John said, The Word is God. The Word has come in the flesh. And the Word will teach because the Word is the principle and teaching of Christ for us to know how to live; not just to prosper, but to love and to do good to others too :
- Joh 1:1-14 KJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. .. (14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
- Heb 5:12 KJV For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. ... 6:1-3 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (2) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (3) And this will we do, if God permit.
- 2Ti 3:16-17 KJV All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
- 1Jn 4:2-3 KJV Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
- 2Jn 1:6-11 KJV And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. (7) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (8) Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. (9) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. (10) If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: (11) For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
- Rev 19:13-16 KJV And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
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