RE: [RR] Discipleship I mentoring

[Bob Triphahn]

Mark,   You are correct in that if the level of trust is not built up between you and your Paul (mentor) or you and your Silas/Barnabas (accountability partner) then opening up to one another will not work.   The purpose is not the confession of sins (since Jesus bore all our sins already) but to be built up by those we trust and can be open with. Would I tell the negative times of my life to just anyone. No way!   If we were not to mentor and be mentored to, then Jesus would not have used that technique with the twelve disciples. And furthermore, He would not have told them to go out and do likewise.   Point One: I have re-read the material (always a good thing for me :-) and I cannot find where it says to confess our sins to another. What it does say is that in building a relationship based on trust there needs to be openness, a willingness to be evaluated, a willingness to work on our weaknesses and a willingness to submit to another. On the last point, if we cannot be willing to submit to another, how can we expect to submit to Jesus and the Holy Spirit.   Point two: Confession of sins to others is Biblical. Please read James 5:16 "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Does this mean that I run through my church shouting out my shortcomings and sins or sit in a little box and ask another for forgiveness of my sins. No, forgiveness only comes from the blood of Jesus. But, Jesus has placed spiritual brothers and sisters around us to help us be accountable to Christ. If we can find those we can trust and share our weaknesses with them, they can help us grow.   Point Three: Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." and verse 19 "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." God is showing us that he has placed others in our life to prune and sharpen us spiritually. If we use spiritual discernment, God will place those in our life that can help us be a better Christian. Do they replace Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. By no means, they are only there to help.   You are most correct when saying that if we share with others and not with God (invoke His power) then we are setting ourselves up for a fall. We can learn from others and they can help us through the difficult times. It may be by a Word from God to that individual for us. It may be from a personal experience they had in the past. What ever it is, I believe we can help to build each other up.   This was not meant as a rebuke in any shape or form. I bring it the love of Jesus Christ. I love you brother and I'm here for you (just as I pray you are there for me).   God bless and let's keep the discussion going....   Bob Triphahn -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Mark Jones Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 8:37 AM To: rangernet@ebible.org Subject: [RR] Discipleship I mentoring The question was asked about where I found the confessing your sins section in the Discipleship I section.  pages 9 - 13 in the mentoring section.  Do a search for mentor in the pdf file.   The point I am trying to bring up to the front is this.  Do we believe God for  his prescribed method of living a sanctified life or do we follow man's methods.  In this LTA Discipleship I  section it says we believe God as he is the ultimate councilor but we want to add some to that and say find you a "paul" and confess to him what you have been thinking doing...etc.    My wife and I discussed this point for some time.  The catholics do this at a confessional.  AA does this in group meetings.   I have a whole bunch of faces in my mind that trusted man with their inner most secrets. They got burnt very badly by spirit filled dedicated christain folk.    As a Jehovah's Witness I witnessed "public reproof", disfellowshiping, all old testement law.  Biblical but not new covenant.   I have first hand experience with modern day christian councilors.  I have experienced first hand Headquarters firing a Godly man from the notes collected from in church in house counciling.  In this case a million dollar law suit was filed and won against this church and headquarters tried to cover it up.    My point is do you really want to by pass sharing your faults with God asking him to help you and trust in what Jesus has done for us.  This is how things are fixed anyway.      Every time you share what you have thought, done with someone other than the God who can fix it you are leaving yourself open to a imperfect sinful man who uses modern day man made pyscoloigy instead of faith in Jesus.      God won't let you down.  Man will almost every time.   Mark Jones