HEADSHIP, DISCIPLESHIP, DIVINE ORDER & SUBMISSION
Or THE THEOCRACY
Wow! What a subject to talk about! But we feel that it ties in with this business of rightly relating to each other in the body of Christ, and there has been so much confusion about it lately.
What form of Church government is correct? The Baptists, God love 'em, have a democratic approach where the majority rules. The Presbyterians, God bless them, have elders or presbyters who vote on what's the proper course. The Episcopalians or Catholics have the ascending spiral of authority going higher and higher in the hierarchy, so that when the Pope speaks "from the throne", why that's the last word on it and lo and behold he's "infallible"! So which one's right? The answer is that God is right! The fact is that much of the time the decisions made by all of the aforementioned ways of governing a church can be and have been wrong! (I used to belong to a church where I finally decided that if I flipped a coin, that I would be right a greater percentage of the time than the church leadership. But there is only one government that is correct and always right--and that is the THEOCRACY!!!
THE THEOCRACY
The Theocracy is always right. But let us define Theocracy. Theocracy = the government of God; The Rulership of God; the Lordship of Jesus Christ; where God is in control. The Kingdom of God is whatever God is the King of!! The Bible says that, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." (Psalm 24: I) So it all belongs to Him. Yet Jesus Christ says, "Not every one that saith unto Me, 'Lord', 'Lord', shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that DOETH the will of My Father which is in heaven." Thus we see that the Theocracy, or the Kingdom of God is what ever God is the King over.
This means then that there is no one who is right or correct, except Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, or God the Father, (and those who agree with Him!) God has a right to be right! And we have the right to agree with Him!!! Anyone who disagrees with Him is a Kingdom anarchist, insurrectionist and traitor.
WHAT AND WHEN AND WHERE IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
After years of prayer, reading, study, revelation, and experience, we have concluded that THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WHAT GOD IS THE KING OF. The Kingdom of God is whatever God is the King over. The Kingdom of God is, the Lordship of Christ is, whatever God or Christ is the boss over.
In other words, if a person invites Christ and God to be the Lord, Chief, Boss, Saviour, Master, Commander, King over his or her life, and lives according to the King's desires, and does what the King wants, then to that extent, that life will be an expression of the Kingdom of God on the earth today.
KINGDOM FAMILY
To the extent that a person (or family) makes God the King over their family, and King over what that wife, husband and children say and do by saying, "God is the King over this family. We shall function under His Lordship, living by His rules and His love, and relate to one another as King Jesus wishes", then to that extent, that family becomes a literal, visible expression of the Kingdom of God! If a person says and does the same thing with his property, possessions, and business, insisting that it be run EXACTLY by the leading of the Holy Spirit (this, of course, necessitates knowing God's voice), then that person's property, possessions, and business becomes a literal, visible demonstration of the Kingdom of God in the right now! This will be a Kingdom family.
A KINGDOM CHURCH
The same principle applies to a church body. If a church decides, REALLY decides to do according to the will of God and the Word of God and the teaching
of the Spirit of God, no matter what; worshiping as Christ wants; working, warring as God wants; giving as God wants; being organized as Christ wants;
insisting that the ministries and members function and relate to each other and love each other as He wants; then to that same degree and extent that God is King of that congregation, that church will be a living demonstration, in the right now, of the Kingdom of God. This will be a Kingdom Church!
Christ said, "But if I, with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you" Luke 11 :20 (KJ). And in another place, "The Kingdom of God is within you."
KINGDOM OF GOD
Selected Verses from the New Testament
"But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:33. (KJ)
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall NOT inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the Kingdom of God." I Cor. 6:9,10.
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God" Gal. 5:19-21 (KJ).
"So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own Kingdom and glory. And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the Word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe" I Th. 2:12,13.
"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen" I Tim. 1:17 (KJ).
"And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, AS I also have received authority from My Father" Rev. 2:26,27.
"The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" Rev. 11:15 (KJ).
"And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron..." Rev.12:5.
"....great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways Thou King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy Name? For Thou alone art holy; for all the nations will come and worship before Thee, for Thy righteous acts have been revealed" Rev.
15:3,4.
THE MIGHTY RIGHT NOW GOD!!
Some folks say the Kingdom will be future, or that the Kingdom was past, but some folks like to live in the future or the past. Yahweh means 'The Mighty, RIGHT NOW God.' The Kingdom of God is past or future only to the extent that He was or will be King over something past or future. (And, absolutely He will be King over everything in the future Everything-EVERY - THING.) Every church, every country, every people, every bank, every political party, every evangelistic association, every denomination, every mission board, every individual shall come under His Kingship or be destroyed. They will come under His rule willingly or unwillingly. "Every knee [shall] bow and every tongue [shall] confess that Christ Jesus is LORD, to the glory of God the Father" Phil. 2:10,11. "[All] the kingdoms of this world are become the [Kingdom] of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" Rev. 11:15 (KJ). This includes every financial kingdom, every religious, every business, every group, every individual kingdom - your kingdom too!
Rom. 14: 17 says that the "Kingdom of God is....
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Do you like that word righteousness? Be honest. Righteousness means rightness-nitty gritty rightness-a right relationship with the King and the citizens of His Kingdom. But, more of this later.
I Cor. 4:20 says that the Kingdom of God consists of power. You'll see what kind of power. You'll either be a channel of it or a victim of it. You'll see just what is the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven. Why, it's whatever God is the King of. If you and yours belong completely to the King and live the way He wants, then it's the Kingdom of God. But, if it's not, it's not.
Question: If you are going down the street and the Holy Spirit says, "Turn right", and you keep going straight, is Jesus being your Lord?
Question: If you have a wrong relationship to the King or the citizens of His Kingdom, are you a part of His Kingdom?
The Kingdom of God is what God is King of. Jesus says, "Not everyone that says to Me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, BUT HE THAT DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER Who is in Heaven" Matt.7:21. Are you one of those who call Him Lord, but do not DO what He says???
Please pray with me, repeating these words with me if you will:
Lord Jesus, I make You King, Lord, and Master of ALL I am and have or ever will have or be. I choose You to be Lord over my possessions, business, family, future, money, my whole life. I give You everything, Everything, EVERYTHING!!! I give You all I am and all that I have and all that I shall ever have or be - IN EXCHANGE FOR all You have and are. From now on Lord God, I want what You want, Your perfect will no matter what the cost!!! In Jesus' Name, Amen.
HOW DO I JOIN THE KINGDOM OF GOD?
To become a member of the Kingdom of God is extremely simple or difficult, depending on one's
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perspective. It's easy if a person really wants to walk with God, difficult to the extent one does not. For example, Jesus said, "My yoke is easy, My burden is light." But "The way of the transgressor is hard", and "It is a difficult thing to kick against the ox goad." I've often told folks that if I were to swap all my theology for a totally selfish one, I wouldn't change a thing. Look at these promises from the Bible to a person that is in the will of God:
1- "Joy unspeakable and full of glory" I Pet. 1 :8b(KJ).
2- "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; and at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" Ps. 16:11 (KJ).
3- "Life..... abundantly" John 10:10 (KJ).
4- "My joy....in you and your joy.....full" John 15: 11.
5- "[The overcomers] shall rule over the nations with a rod of iron" Rev. 2:26,27 (KJ).
6- "God giveth us richly all things to enjoy" I Tim.6:17 (KJ).
7 - "God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing" Eph. 1:3.
.....and infinitely more. Tell me, would you trade any of this for an eternity in hell? But it will cost you. Let's look again to see if the price is worth paying. Jesus Christ asked the question, "What will a man give in exchange for his own soul?" and "What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" (Matt. 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25)
Look at the positive side. You want to walk with God. Here's how: First, be born again. In John 3:3,5,7, Jesus promises that unless you are born again, you cannot see, or enter into, the Kingdom of God. Do you remember that religious painting where Jesus is standing outside the door of the cottage, knocking on the door? You'll see there's no latch on the outside. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, "Look, I'm standing at the door of your life and I'm knocking. If any of you will open the door of your life and invite Me to come as your Saviour and Lord, I will come in and we'll have fantastic fellowship together" (JB). You PRAY THIS PRAYER:
"Lord Jesus Christ, I invite You to come in to my life and be all that Your are, in me. I give You my whole life. I admit that I have displeased You many times and have sinned. I receive Your whole Life in exchange for mine and receive You as my Salvation, my Lord, my Life, my Righteousness, etc. I ask You, Heavenly Father, to fill me with Your Holy Spirit of love Always. Thank you, Father for sending Thy Son, Jesus Christ to take the penalty of my sins for me by dying my death on the cross. I choose to obey You from now on, and to walk close to You, read Your Word, obey You and talk to You often. In Jesus' Name, Amen."
Feel better? You're on your way. John 1:12 is interesting. "But as many as received Him [Christ Jesus], to them [you] gave He the power to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His Name." So the potential to make it big in God is yours. Now, let's see how to make it happen.
HOW TO STAY IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD?!!! OR WHAT IS A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD?!!
The word of God uses some of the following words to describe a Kingdom citizen: disciples, sons, friends, brothers of Christ, mothers & sisters of Christ. One must pay to become and remain a disciple or member or citizen of God's Kingdom. The cost is: EVERYTHING YOU ARE AND HAVE IN EXCHANGE FOR EVERYTHING GOD HAS AND IS. The only thing that's really required is that one become and DO the will of the Lord. That's the Kingdom of God, simply doing and being what the King wants-the Lordship of Christ.
"As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God." Rom. 8:14 (KJ). "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out devils? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works?' And then I will profess unto them, 'I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity'" Matt. 7:21-23 (KJ). Jesus asked, "Why call ye me 'Lord', 'Lord', and do not the things which I say?" Luke 6:46 (KJ). Dear one, IT'S NOT ENOUGH to claim to be saved or born again or spirit filled or a church member or anything, if you claim Christ Jesus as your Lord but do not do what he wants or says.
A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS ONE WHO (is born again, but who also) DOES WHAT THE KING OF KINGS, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WANTS. Let's look at three verses in Luke 14 regarding those who CANNOT be a Kingdom citizen: Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said: "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters-yes, and even his own life-he CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE" Luke 14:26-27. What this means simply is that THE WILL OF GOD MUST COME FIRST - ahead of the will, wishes, desires, threats, opinions, commands, or intimidations of your parents, children, spouse, friends, enemies, church members, and those whose opinions you respect the most. MOST OF ALL, the will and desire of God must be surely more important to you than your own will or desire. You MUST carry your cross! But remember Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light" Matt. 11 :30(kj). Which do you choose - your yoke or Satan's yoke, your burden, your friend's burden, or Christ's easy yoke, His light burden? Luke. 14:33, "So therefore, NO ONE OF YOU CAN BE MY DISCIPLE WHO DOES NOT GIVE UP ALL HIS OWN POSSESSIONS"!!! If you want to be His disciple, then you must give up ownership and legal title to EVERYTHING you own-give it to the King of the Kingdom, Jesus Christ and the Father, so that He retains title and ownership to ALL that you have and are! your life! your will! your time! your worship! your children!
your spouse! your money! your future! your possessions! your opinions! your plans! your reputation! your career! your sins! your ideas! your religious ruts! your stubbornness! YOURSELF! Unless you are willing to forsake ALL of these things you CANNOT be His disciple!!! It's impossible for you to call Christ Jesus your Lord and do not DO what He wants!!! The Kingdom of God is what God is King of. And if God is not allowed to be your Absolute Master or your King in some area of your life, then it's not the Kingdom of God and you are NOT His brother or disciple or Kingdom citizen or friend. "Ye are my friends IF ye do whatsoever I command you" John 15:14,and, "Why call ye Me, 'Lord', 'Lord', and do not the things which I say?"! Luke 6:46 (kj).
Jesus said, "NOT everyone that saith unto Me, 'Lord', 'Lord', shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that DOETH the will of My Father which is in heaven" Matt. 7:21 (see above). Perhaps you are thinking, "This is impossible." Do you remember Matthew 19:23-26? "Jesus said to His disciples, 'Truly I say to you', [or 'I tell you the truth'], 'it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.' (It still is) 'Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.' [Think about that!] And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, 'Then who can be saved?' Jesus [looked at them and] said, 'With men this is impossible, but WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.' " What about it, amigo? Do you want to change the Scriptures to mean, "With God SOME things are possible?", "My God will supply SOME of my needs?", "I can do SOME things through Christ?" But we here are only fulfilling the Great Commission when we are teaching you to OBEY "ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I (Jesus) have commanded you" Matt. 28:20 (KJ).
Please repeat this prayer with me:
Lord, I repent of my unbelief I choose to believe in You. I not only seek Your Kingdom first, but also I seek Your righteous - ness. Teach me, Lord Jesus, what seeking first Your righteous - ness is. In Jesus' Name Amen. And by the way Lord, I now hereby give you Everything I have and am: my life, my will my time, my worship, my children, my spouse, my money, my future, my possessions, my opinions, my plans, my reputation, my career, my sins, my ideas, my religious ruts, my stubbornness, my self and everything I ever will have or be - NOW!for all time -I give it all to You, forever. In Jesus name, Amen!!
HEADSHIP and INTIMIDATION
The Kingdom Principle is this: WE MUST ALWAYS BE SUBMISSIVE TO THE CHRIST, THROUGH WHOMEVER HE SPEAKS, AND WHERE EVER HE IS FOUND, EVEN IF HE IS SPEAKING THROUGH A WOMAN, A MAN, A CHILD, OR A DONKEY! (Remember Balaam's donkey.) BUT, WE MUST NEVER BE SUBMISSIVE TO THE OPINION OF MAN, (WHEN THAT OPINION DIFFERS FROM THE OPINION OF GOD,) OR TO THE INFLUENCE OF satan, REGARDLESS OF THROUGH WHOM THAT OPINION OR INFLUENCE COMES, EVEN IF IT IS COMING THROUGH THE MIGHTEST APOSTLE! (Remember when Jesus spoke to St Peter and said, "Get thee behind Me, satan !!!)
But there are those within the body of Christ who have other points of view and who in some cases want to "mess with" the Lordship of Jesus Christ as God over people's lives; who want to change the Bible to read: "There are at least TWO mediators, (or 'go betweens') between God and man, the man Christ Jesus PLUS MACHO MAN ME!!!!", instead of the One God, not four or more, and the One Mediator, Jesus Christ, spoken of in 1 Timothy 2. The Book of Revelation describes these types as those who want to "possess men's souls".
Those of us who teach about "headship" need to get our heads straight and teach that Jesus Christ is the Head over all. Well, let's look at it. In Ephesians 5, the Lord says:
"For the husband is head of the wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church...", but most people that teach about divine order forget that the passage about husbands and wives opens up with the COMMAND, commanding "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."! and "Husbands, love your wives, even as, (or in the same way that) Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it"!!! And how did Christ love the Church??? He washed her feet!!!!!
He laid down His life for her! He earnestly intercedes for her before the throne of God! And so ought we to love the woman God gave to us!!! Remember, intimidation and love cannot co-exist. Neither, in the Theocracy of God, (nor in a marriage, or any authority-subordinate relationship), is there room for intimidation, or oppression, or tyranny, or arrogance, or subjugation, or domination, or masochism, or sadism, or torment, or any such thing!!!
SPIRITUAL SADO-MASOCHISM
Let me address just two of these. There are actually those in the body of Christ who seem to have the attitude, "Beat me, humiliate me, punish me, browbeat me, scold me, berate me, belittle me!" They think that good preaching is when they get severely scolded. And there is also another crowd in religious leadership only too willing to oblige!!! We think that this kind of thinking in the world is "sick". And so it is. But it is even sicker in the Church of Jesus Christ! As my friend Wells has pointed out, that in our preaching and ministry there is no room for even a whip made of velvet! I heard one highly respected preacher say to the people, "If you don't stand up and sing, I'm gonna come back there and jerk you out of your seat and make you sing!" (Most of the people laughed.) Much of his preaching has been with the same browbeating and condescending attitude.) So, I wrote him a love letter asking him if he also treated his wife that way in his belligerent intimidation, and gently reminded him that we have no right to intimidate one another in the body of Christ. I wish I could have gotten a thank you letter back from him. Instead, I received severe rejection and railing criticism. Obviously he was not a wise man, for as the Scripture says, "Rebuke, a wise man, and he will love thee." I'm still trying to believe, and to get others to believe the Scripture that says, "He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue." and the one that says, "Open rebuke is better than secret love." (Proverbs, chapters 28 & 27). Will you believe with me? I am really a very gentle person. And, I promise to be teachable if you want to rebuke me!
We will continue to examine our proper relating to each other and to look at authority/subordinate relationships in the next chapter also.
Lord God of the Universe, we ask and believe that You will enable us to always correctly relate to everyone, especially our brothers and sisters in Your Body. In the Mighty Name of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ our Righteousness. Amen.
CHAPTER 8 - REVIEW
1. What form of Church government is correct?
2. Define the word "Theocracy".
3. What is the Kingdom of God? (Briefly)
4. Is the Kingdom of God past, present or future?
5. Even though Jesus told Pilate at the crucifixion, "My Kingdom is not of this world.", Where do the following Scriptures indicate that God's Kingdom is? Psalm 47; Jer. 10:7; Rev.2:26,27;Rev.I2:5; Zech. 14:9; Rev. 1 1:15; Rev.l5:3,4 .
6. What percentage would you say that God is King over:
a.Your life?
b.Your family
c.Your job
d.Your possessions
e.Your church?
7. Would you say that you know the Voice of the Lord? How well do you obey?
8. According to Gal. 5, Eph. 5 and I Cor. 6, make a list of at least 15 kinds of people, or things that people do that will cause them to be excluded from the Kingdom of God.
9. According to Rev. 2:26,27, who will have authority over the nations and who will rule them with a rod of iron?
10. List specifically some of the kinds of kingdoms that will either become the Kingdom of our Lord or be destroyed.
11. Make a guess (no answer will be provided by the teacher at this time) as to who the man child is in Rev.l2:5.
12. What is the meaning of the word YAHWEH?
13. What four things does Rom. 14:17 and I Cor.4:20 say the Kingdom of God consists of?
14. Is Jesus being your Lord if you turn left when the Holy Spirit says "Go straight" or "Turn right"?
15. Is Jesus being your King if you have a wrong relationship to His subjects?
16. If you call Jesus your Lord, but don't do what the Father wants - will you inherit the Kingdom of God? (Matt. 7:21).
17. Have you given or will you give yourself to Jesus Christ now 100%?
18. Along with all that you own?;
a.Or will ever own?;
b.Or all that you are;
c.Or will ever be?
19. Explain what it means by being "born again"? (John 3:3,5,7)
20. How long have you been born again?
21. Who was instrumental in your new birth?
22. Why no latch on the outside of the door where Jesus is knocking?
23. If we open the door to our heart and invite Christ to come in, what will happen?
24. When Christ comes in, does He come in as Guest, Roomer, or Total Lord and Master of all the house?
25. How much does it cost to join the Kingdom of God?
26. List at least 12 things that we get in exchange.
27. Can we know that we are saved?
28. Who is our Salvation? (Not what, but Who?)
29. Is salvation a crisis or a process?
30. Does "Works" have anything to do with our salvation? Eph.2:8-10.
31. How many productive years do you think you have left before you stand before the judgment seat of Christ?
32. What is the first thing necessary to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God?
33. Give at least 4 synonyms the Lord gives for a Kingdom citizen.
34. What one single characteristic marks or identifies a born again citizen of the Kingdom of God?
35. How much does it cost to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God?
36. Is it possible to claim Jesus as Lord and still not inherit the Kingdom of God? (Read Rom.8:14;
Matt.7:21-23; Lk.6:46 and write them down.) 37. What two groups of people did Jesus say cannot be His disciples? (Lk.14:26-27)
38. Lk.l4:33 says who else cannot be Christ's disciple?
39. What generally & specifically must we give up?
(Make a list of at least 12 things)
40. What general & specific things are you willing to give to Him now 1O0%? (List at least 30 things)
41. What generally & specifically are you willing to do for the Lord Jesus Christ? (List at least 30 things)
42. What generally & specifically are you willing to be for the Lord Jesus Christ? (List at least 12 things)
43. If you are not Christ's disciple - then whose disciple are you?
44. Will it be harder or more difficult to be Christ's disciple or the devil's. (Guess) Rom. 8:18, Provo 13:15, Matt. 11:28-29.
45. What of ours did Christ take with Him to the cross? (Name at least 3 of the most important things.)
46. Is it necessary for us to "feel" saved before we are?
47. What verse proceeds the verse, "For the husband is head of the wife..." from Epesians 5?
48. Complete the statement, "Intimidation and love cannot "
49. Define "spiritual masochism".
Some Selected Scriptures
"After you have removed the beam that is in your own eye, then go and remove the speck that is in your brother's eye." Jesus. Lk.6.
"If your brother offends you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him." (Forgive him any way) Jesus, from Luke 17:3.
"Rebuke not an elder but GO TO HIM, AND PLEAD WITH HIM AS A SON TO A FATHER" I Tim.5: 1.
"If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sin." I John 1:7
Proverbs 27:5 & 6, "Open rebuke is better than secret love (or a deceitful friendship)" "Better are the wounds of a friend, than the kisses of an enemy."
Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so the countenance of a man his friend."
Proverbs 28:23, "He who rebukes a man shall find more favor afterwards than he who flatters with his tongue."
"If you are in the process of giving your gift at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift at the altar (ungiven) and go to your neighbor, make it right, and then come and present your gift." Jesus, Mat. 5:23-24.