Barnabas Was Right--or was he?

[Vince]

Acts 15: 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;

Today was the third time I have heard a sermon on "Barnabas was Right."

Acts 14:14 tells us that both Barnabas and Paul were apostles. On a previous journey, John Mark (author of the Gospel of Mark) had deserted them. Now, as they prepare for another journey, Barnabas wants to take Mark with them, and Paul refuses. After all they had been through together, and after all the great works that God had done through them, Paul and Barnabas separate in anger.

The Bible later tells us that Paul and Mark got reconciled, and that Mark also helped the Apostle Peter. Outside the Bible, history tells us that Mark brought Christianity to Alexandria, Egypt. So, is it true that Barnabas was right and Paul was wrong?

We'll be dealing with the painful subject of what to do when a Christian goes into major sin and repents. Forgive him, yes. But can you trust him? Should you trust him?

 

[Joe67]

Acts 15: 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;


The Bible later tells us that Paul and Mark got reconciled, and that Mark also helped the Apostle Peter. Outside the Bible, history tells us that Mark brought Christianity to Alexandria, Egypt. So, is it true that Barnabas was right and Paul was wrong?

We'll be dealing with the painful subject of what to do when a Christian goes into major sin and repents. Forgive him, yes. But can you trust him? Should you trust him?

Vince,

Is the question of the OP concerning Paul, Barnabas and Mark?

Is the question of the OP the last questions?

Joe

 

[Sinthesis]

We'll be dealing with the painful subject of what to do when a Christian goes into major sin and repents. Forgive him, yes. But can you trust him? Should you trust him?

Where is the 'major sin' in this episode?

 

[reba]

Is there a right and wrong? I read this a couple guys having a strong difference of opinion. So they go different directions doing what they could, should, would.

 

[demonXecutor]

Is there a right and wrong? I read this a couple guys having a strong difference of opinion. So they go different directions doing what they could, should, would.

I agree with reba.

 

[Jake]

Acts 15: 37 Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark.
38 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work.
39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;

Today was the third time I have heard a sermon on "Barnabas was Right."

Acts 14:14 tells us that both Barnabas and Paul were apostles. On a previous journey, John Mark (author of the Gospel of Mark) had deserted them. Now, as they prepare for another journey, Barnabas wants to take Mark with them, and Paul refuses. After all they had been through together, and after all the great works that God had done through them, Paul and Barnabas separate in anger.

The Bible later tells us that Paul and Mark got reconciled, and that Mark also helped the Apostle Peter. Outside the Bible, history tells us that Mark brought Christianity to Alexandria, Egypt. So, is it true that Barnabas was right and Paul was wrong?

We'll be dealing with the painful subject of what to do when a Christian goes into major sin and repents. Forgive him, yes. But can you trust him? Should you trust him?

It seems God simply wanted Barnabas and Mark to go to Cyprus together.

 

[Vince]

Folks, I appreciate the intelligent, thoughtful answers. It seems that there are different viewpoints on what actually happened. Looking at the passage in Acts, it seems clear to me that Paul and Barnabas broke apart in anger after years of very successful service together. The Bible tells us that Barnabas went to Cyprus, and history (not the Bible) tells us that he stayed there, having a much smaller ministry than he had previously.

Should Barnabas have restored John Mark? When Moses disobeyed God's command to speak to the Rock, publicly striking the Rock instead, there were consequences: God would not let Moses enter the Promised Land. After David sinned with Bathsheba, God forgave him, but added "From now on, you will have wars." After Peter cursed and denied Jesus three times, he was restored, but Jesus told him that he would someday be crucified.

 

[Vince]

One of the ugliest, least popular passages in the Bible talks about the immoral woman. It tells us in Proverbs 2:

18 For her house leads down to death, And her paths to the dead;
19 None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life ---

A Christian who gets involved in immorality can be forgiven, cleansed, and used by God. But this passage teaches that he will never fully recover. There is nothing in Scripture to suggest that Jon Mark had been involved in immorality, but there is a principle here: certain sins can leave results that repentance does not remove.

 

[reba]

Any and seems all sin has consequences. Gluttony is a easy quick choice… Yes we are forgiven but we can still be fat.
Sex out side of marriage and there is a child.
An affair often leads to divorce..
Tell a lie and how many more to cover? Who have you hurt?
I have not seen a scripture that cleanses us for the consequences of our sins. But praise God we can make amends and we are forgiven. :yes

Folks, I appreciate the intelligent, thoughtful answers. It seems that there are different viewpoints on what actually happened. Looking at the passage in Acts, it seems clear to me that Paul and Barnabas broke apart in anger after years of very successful service together. The Bible tells us that Barnabas went to Cyprus, and history (not the Bible) tells us that he stayed there, having a much smaller ministry than he had previously.

A smaller ministry does not mean he ws out of the will of God. Small ministries i would think are the back bone of THE ministry. Had he and Paul stayed together would they have just doubled up?

 

[Vince]

What I'm really dealing with in this thread is the problem of: What do you do when a professing Christian goes into grievous sin, repents, and then wants to have a ministry? Can you trust him? We have had this problem a few times here in Mexico, and currently we are having it again. Advice and insights are appreciated.

 

[cleanfreak]

What I'm really dealing with in this thread is the problem of: What do you do when a professing Christian goes into grievous sin, repents, and then wants to have a ministry? Can you trust him? We have had this problem a few times here in Mexico, and currently we are having it again. Advice and insights are appreciated.

Yes, You can trust him. Remember, God is in control and nothing takes him by surprise. If he has truly repented, then he is forgiven and you should forgive him likewise....and when I say likewise , I mean cast the sin as far as the east is from the west. ;)

God can use anybody, just take a look at the people he used in the bible. None of them were perfect either....Paul was even a murderer, but he became the greatest missionary known to man. :yes

 

[Joe67]

What I'm really dealing with in this thread is the problem of: What do you do when a professing Christian goes into grievous sin, repents, and then wants to have a ministry? Can you trust him? We have had this problem a few times here in Mexico, and currently we are having it again. Advice and insights are appreciated.

Vince,

The Jewish christians who were aware of Paul's (Saul) persecution of the Jewish believers were never comfortable with Paul's ministry.

The Gentile's did not count that history against Paul.

It was the same with David and the Bathsheba affair. Most could not forget David's sin.

Let us not demand too much forgetting from weak and faulty man. Let us pray that we might be given grace to forget as God forgets.

Joe

 

[Jake]

What I'm really dealing with in this thread is the problem of: What do you do when a professing Christian goes into grievous sin, repents, and then wants to have a ministry? Can you trust him? We have had this problem a few times here in Mexico, and currently we are having it again. Advice and insights are appreciated.

Along with Paul (Saul), what about Moses, he murdered someone and his people knew it, David slept with another man's wife, King Hezekiah repented, was given his life back and THEN sinned again, Peter denied Christ 3 times, Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife......
Seriously, all who have been called into ministry have sinned already! We have all sinned, but it doesn't mean God can not call us into a ministry. Who would He use if that were the case?
We are to be perfect and holy as our Father in heaven, but we don't start out being perfect and holy.

 

[Vince]

I'm getting a lot of good input here. Joe, that was a good point about how the Jewish Christians might have been hostile to Paul because of what he had done before being saved. I'm relieved to report that the person I was concerned about has quit and returned to the US.

I'm going in chronological order now, rather than in order of greatest importance.

I was saved when I was sixteen, and a few months later was watching Billy Graham having "Youth Night" on TV. Graham Said "If you lie, you can go back and tell the truth. If you steal, you can go back and repay. But if you commit immorality, you can never undo it!" He stated repeatedly that he had talked to many young people who told him that they wished they could undo their immorality but couldn't.

That teaching, that certain sins can never be undone, made a valuable impression on me that never wore off.

 

[Pizzaguy]

I was saved when I was sixteen, and a few months later was watching Billy Graham having "Youth Night" on TV. Graham Said "If you lie, you can go back and tell the truth. If you steal, you can go back and repay. But if you commit immorality, you can never undo it!" He stated repeatedly that he had talked to many young people who told him that they wished they could undo their immorality but couldn't.

That teaching, that certain sins can never be undone, made a valuable impression on me that never wore off.

Billy had a way of cutting thru the crap like almost no one else.

 

[Jake]

I'm getting a lot of good input here. Joe, that was a good point about how the Jewish Christians might have been hostile to Paul because of what he had done before being saved. I'm relieved to report that the person I was concerned about has quit and returned to the US.

I'm going in chronological order now, rather than in order of greatest importance.

I was saved when I was sixteen, and a few months later was watching Billy Graham having "Youth Night" on TV. Graham Said "If you lie, you can go back and tell the truth. If you steal, you can go back and repay. But if you commit immorality, you can never undo it!" He stated repeatedly that he had talked to many young people who told him that they wished they could undo their immorality but couldn't.

That teaching, that certain sins can never be undone, made a valuable impression on me that never wore off.

They can not be undone and there are consequences to face, but they are forgiven if we confess our sins. So it brings up more questions, if the Lord forgets, why do people hang on to them? When we repent, it's completely turning away, can we not tell if a person has truly repented? Aren't we continuing to judge that person by not believing in their repentance?

 

[Vince]

My friend Rockie makes two important points:

"...if the Lord forgets, why do people hang on to them?" The problem here is not that we aren't forgiving the person. The problem is that certain sins carry consequences, and we fear the results of those consequences if that person is put into leadership.

"When we repent, it's completely turning away, can we not tell if a person has truly repented?" No, we can't judge another Christian's heart.

 

[Vince]

In 1972, Jack Hyles, pastor of the largest church in the world (at that time) opened a Bible college. One of the first students was a former Baptist pastor who had been fired after being caught in adultery. He had gone to Hyles for advice, and Hyles told him to enroll in the college; if he graduated, they would have to tell what had happened, but Hyles would give him a recommendation.

A few months later, the fellow went to Hyles and confessed that he had been to a prostitute, and Hyles expelled him. Some of the man's friends went to Hyles, asking him to reverse his decision. They pointed out that the man's repentance was genuine.

Hyles told them that he believed that the man's repentance was genuine, but that no one could ever trust him.

Should Hyles have let him continue? Should he even have let him into the college in the first place?

 

[Sam21]

Folks, when someone fails a test they get an F, if someone messes up in Bootcamp they get set back, this is reality for crying out Loud. If we truly repent then God will forgive us for the sin and we are not condemned to hell for it, but to assume that we can go on in the world of humans as if nothing has happened is absurd.
Any christian leader who is found to be in a serious sin should be a leader no longer because those who lead are an example. If the person repents and over a period of time is proven to be faithful and the particular sin a thing of the distant past then leadership could again be considered.
Today we have nutty stuff, leaders caught in serious sin who continue to lead by asserting that God called them and God forgave them so they should be allowed to continue to lead...that is pure nonsense. Question: why would any christian leader who fails as a christian leader believe that God would want them to continue as a leader? The requirement of a leader according to the bible is to be above reproach, if they commit something that is a serious reproach them they no longer qualify. Of course they can be forgiven by God and still serve the Lord...but not as a leader.

 

[cleanfreak]

Folks, when someone fails a test they get an F, if someone messes up in Bootcamp they get set back, this is reality for crying out Loud. If we truly repent then God will forgive us for the sin and we are not condemned to hell for it, but to assume that we can go on in the world of humans as if nothing has happened is absurd.
Any christian leader who is found to be in a serious sin should be a leader no longer because those who lead are an example. If the person repents and over a period of time is proven to be faithful and the particular sin a thing of the distant past then leadership could again be considered.
Today we have nutty stuff, leaders caught in serious sin who continue to lead by asserting that God called them and God forgave them so they should be allowed to continue to lead...that is pure nonsense. Question: why would any christian leader who fails as a christian leader believe that God would want them to continue as a leader? The requirement of a leader according to the bible is to be above reproach, if they commit something that is a serious reproach them they no longer qualify. Of course they can be forgiven by God and still serve the Lord...but not as a leader.

What? Are you saying Jesus' blood is not powerful enough to cover the sin and the person cannot start fresh and new?

The bootcamp and the test you speak of are worldly things and nothing to do with the spiritual.

Perhaps a study on John8:17 is in order.