How can a Christian deal with a spiritually immature brother/sister?

Sincerely,
Struggling Sibling

Dear Struggling Sibling,

With patience.  The Bible teaches that immature brethren are a normal part of the church because we all start out as babes in Christ (1 Pet 2:2).  As long as there are people being added to the church, there will always be immaturity.  On top of that, none of us mature in Christ as fast as we ought.  In Heb 5:12, Christians were rebuked for not growing and maturing as quickly as was appropriate.  So, spiritual immaturity is not a new problem.

Paul said that he dealt with immature brethren by being as gentle with them as a mother with her children (1 Thess 2:7).  1 Tim 5:1-2 explains that when we deal with other Christians, we should treat them as we would a father, mother, brother, or sister.  1 Thess 5:14 says that as we admonish, encourage, and help those who are lazy, fainting, or weak in the church, we should always be patient.  These are the principles for dealing with your fellow Christians.  Be nice because, after all, you will spend eternity with them.

     I am newly saved and born again, and I am tormented with constant intrusive thoughts, even blasphemous thoughts of the Holy Spirit.  I would never ever believe them, and I hate them, but I was telling my mother-in-law everything I was thinking about, and I am scared I made the unforgivable sin just by relaying the thought I had.  Please, help me.

Sincerely,
Thought Tortured

Dear Thought Tortured,

We often think that we have complete control over what we think, but that isn’t true.  For example, as you read the word “dog”, you can’t help but think of dogs.  The more we tell you not to think of dogs, the more you do!  What thoughts pop into our heads aren’t inherently sinful; they only become sinful when we embrace them (such as lust in our heart – Matt 5:28) or by acting upon them (such as outbursts of anger – Eph 4:26).

It is not a surprise that in your newborn Christian state you are struggling with evil thoughts.  The devil preys on us most when we are weak (1 Pet 5:8), and when we first become Christians, we are babies with a lot of growing to do and still very susceptible to falling away (1 Pet 2:2).  You haven’t committed the unforgivable sin.  It takes more than a few words to do that.  Read “Stop Thinking That!” for more details on what the sin against the Holy Spirit really is.

Hang in there; you are perfectly normal, and there isn’t anything you are doing wrong.  Find a faithful church (we can help you with that if you’d like!), keep plugging away at learning and applying the Scriptures, and you’ll do just fine (Rom 1:16, Jas 1:22).

     Greetings, brother; I am currently in a legal situation.  I would like some Scriptures to help me through this situation.

Sincerely,
Court Date

Dear Court Date,

Since we don’t know the specifics of your situation, we will point you toward the best legal advice the world has ever given and leave it at that.  In Matt 5:25-26, Jesus said that the best way to handle legal disputes is out of court.  This isn’t always possible, but if you can find compromise and agreement with your adversary before you stand before a judge, that is the best option.

     This girl and I have been dating for almost eight months, and we truly believe with all our hearts that we are meant for each other; we've even had dreams about each other with kids, too, but her parents won’t give us permission to be together, and her sister is even telling us we’re wrong, but she stared dating even younger than us.  The thing is, my girl is scared of getting in trouble.  What do we do?

Sincerely,
The Guy

Dear The Guy,

The right thing to do is probably not what you want to hear.  Col 3:20 says that it brings joy to God when children obey their parents… that is what you should do.  As much as it may be painfully difficult for you two to put your dating and family plans on hold, the right thing to do is to respect her parents’ wishes.

Eph 6:1-3 says that God blesses children when they obey their parents.  That means that even if her parents are making the wrong call, you will be blessed by honoring them.  God causes all things to work together for good (Rom 8:28), and when you do the hard thing, it inevitably turns out better in the long run.

It sounds like you are surrounded by people that you disagree with, but these people still care about you and have your best interests at heart.  Parents and children don’t always see eye-to-eye, so it is an act of faith for children to obey their parents even when they disagree.  God will bless you both if you show patience.  After all, “not now” isn’t the same as “not ever”.

     Where, if any place, does it give reference to political answers other than Jesus turning over the tables in the temple?

Sincerely,
Politico

Dear Politico,

Politics have always intermingled with religion because many political issues (such as abortion, homosexuality, etc.) have moral implications, but religion is not the same as politics.  Jesus’ attitude toward the government was that we should pay our taxes (Lk 20:25), obey the laws (Rom 13:1), pray for the rulers, and hope for a quiet life (1 Tim 2:1-2).  Politics are a big deal in this country (especially during such volatile political times), but Christianity transcends such earthly disputes and battles.  Stand by God’s Word in all issues, and you will always be fine.