Question: Should youth be prohibited from performing dramas on the altar, because of known struggle with sin?
Answer: First, it would be helpful to know what sin we are talking about because all of us struggle with sin. That is why we have 1 John 1:9 in the Bible. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9,10)
Now if we are talking about known sin that is open for all to see, then yes, they should be prohibited from serving anywhere in the church. That is until they have gotten right with God. This, of course, is true of any service we render to the church; if we are living in known sin we should not be allowed to serve. The ideal would be if that person would admit their sin and not work in the church until it is confessed and forsaken.
Here are some verses along that line: “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
Before a person takes the Communion they need to look for sin in their life: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
“29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)
“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6)
“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:15-17)
As I said, if we are just speaking about problems that all of us have that is one thing, but if it is known sin, it needs to be confessed and gotten right before someone is allowed to work in the church. Here are some more verses on this subject:
“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
“11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner- not even to eat with such a person.
“12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ‘ put away from yourselves the evil person.'” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
Now if we are speaking of a sin on the above list, yes, they should be prohibited from doing dramas for the church. However, if it is not on this list, we probably just need to pray for that individual realizing all of us are just sinners, saved by grace. Someone has said, “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.”
I hope this helps,
Gary T. Panell
For more information email me.
Question: Should youth be prohibited from performing dramas on the altar, because of known struggle with sin?
Answer: First, it would be helpful to know what sin we are talking about because all of us struggle with sin. That is why we have 1 John 1:9 in the Bible. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:9,10)
Now if we are talking about known sin that is open for all to see, then yes, they should be prohibited from serving anywhere in the church. That is until they have gotten right with God. This, of course, is true of any service we render to the church; if we are living in known sin we should not be allowed to serve. The ideal would be if that person would admit their sin and not work in the church until it is confessed and forsaken.
Here are some verses along that line: “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
Before a person takes the Communion they need to look for sin in their life: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
“29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-32)
“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6)
“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:15-17)
As I said, if we are just speaking about problems that all of us have that is one thing, but if it is known sin, it needs to be confessed and gotten right before someone is allowed to work in the church. Here are some more verses on this subject:
“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.
“11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner- not even to eat with such a person.
“12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore ‘ put away from yourselves the evil person.'” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
Now if we are speaking of a sin on the above list, yes, they should be prohibited from doing dramas for the church. However, if it is not on this list, we probably just need to pray for that individual realizing all of us are just sinners, saved by grace. Someone has said, “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.”
I hope this helps,
Gary T. Panell
For more information email me.
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