Dealing with Shame?

What really does admonish mean?   Is there a purpose and place for admonishment with the life of a disciple?  If so, why do we shy away from admonishing one another?  (Reference Romans 15:14, Col. 1:28, 3:16, 1 Thess. 5:14, 2 Thess. 3:15.)

Why do we resist admonishment when it comes to us?  To do either is to MISS THE MARK entirely.
Admonishment is part of becoming healthy in body, mind and ruach!  It’s human nature to FLEE admonishment.  It’s common to resist what is good for us.  It’s all too common in our fellowships to LEAVE a group of disciples rather than to work out what’s been worked into us (that is, what’s common/worldly).  Accountability.  There is NO discipleship without it.  

There is no discipleship apart from THE UNBINDING we’re each called to ACCOMPLISH (asah) within our group.  Indeed, it’s part of ‘becoming one’ with ADONAI and one with each other (John 17/Psalm 133).  This UNBINDING is part of ‘growing in faith and increasing in love’.

ADONAI’s prescription for us – that narrow, difficult path to LIFE is this:

“Come together, then stay together” (Psalm 133).

Ephesians 4:3 ‘being QUICK to carefully tend and guard the YACHAD (unity) OF THE RUACH HA KODESH in the binding power of shalom’

Admonishment RECEIVED is a heart/mind/soul RELIEVED!

The adversary of your soul does not want you to KNOW that the purpose of admonition is to SET YOU FREE.  If you ‘feel’ (key word!) shame when someone who loves you is attempting to admonish you, that is YOU giving in to the adversary’s temptation emotionally to KEEP WHAT IS HIDDEN IN THE DARK.  “Run, Forest, run!  You don’t need to deal with that!",  he whispers…to which you quickly agree.

Bosh  בּוֹשׁ - SHAME (pr. boosh) to become dry and wither away from what was once lush and verdant – producing a stench (as in what the rotting of the wildlife produces that once received life from the water); shame is associated with UNEXPOSED SECRETS.

Bosh (shame) continues to unnecessarily exist within the parched heart of one who refuses LIVING WATER.   Don’t resist the Water that brings Life.

You understand that BEFORE Chavah and Adam introduced sin and chaos and darkness into their relationship with ADONAI,

‘they were both naked, Adam and his ishshah, and they were lo-bush (not ashamed) ~ Genesis 2:25

At this point, they were ONE with ADONAI…they were PURE, they were FULLY EXPOSED – everything about themselves...and they were NOT ASHAMED.  How do we get back to that point in the Garden of Delight and re-establish ONENESS with the Father...ONENESS with each other?

We do so with the help of a good shepherd who walks with us (Galatians 6:1).  We valiantly DRAG what’s currently hidden INTO THE LIGHT that it may be EXPOSED.  We deal with it accordingly with right judgment.

It’s the FATHER’s will (delight!) that each of us LIVE NAKED AND UNASHAMED.  That’s FREEDOM.

Shame is only shame when it remains hidden.  The Ruach wants TO SET YOU FREE FROM SHAME.  Why?  “Because shame is the devil’s game.”  Shame is a feeling…it’s a common/profane/unholy emotion.  That's all it is.

Bring your entire self into His LIGHT and you’ll KNOW what it means to BE FREE from both the SIN and the SHAME!

We know the condition of the church at Corinth.   Even Rabbi Sha’ul (Paul) had to tell the called-out-ones (ekklesia) he loved in Corinth the following:

1 Corinthians 4:14 - "I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children." 

Even Ya’akov (James, brother of Yeshua) reveals the PURPOSE of admonishment:

 16 Therefore, openly acknowledge your sins to one another, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Eliyahu was only a human being like us; yet he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and no rain fell on the Land for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the Land produced its crops.19 My brothers, if one of you wanders from the truth, and someone causes him to return, 20 you should know that whoever turns a sinner from his wandering path will save him from death and cover many sins.

Gk. Nouthetes: from nous – the power of considering and judging soberly, calmly and impartially + tithemi – to set, fix and establish

(and it's Hebrew equivalent...)

Hb – Yasar – to discipline, correct, instruct, chastise, reprove

Remember ‘the accidental fool’ from last week's Mereas fellowship?

Musar!  That comes the root word ‘yasar’.  We cannot afford to be an unexposed fool.

In conclusion, yasar/musar/nouthetes is the means ADONAI uses to UNBIND the captive, unexposed soul that he may BE FREE to fulfill His purpose which is to be conformed us to the Image of our Mashiach Yeshua (Rom. 8:29).

The Hebrew word ‘commandment’ is mitzvah and it comes from the root word tsavah which means to GIVE AN ORDER.  ADONAI gives an order that HE may bring ORDER into our lives.  

Just as HE separated the Light from the darkness and brought Order out of chaos in Genesis 1, so HE continues that same work in us.  Have you heard about the ‘Gospel of Genesis’?

Beautiful, life-giving ADMONISHMENT from one who loves us and is filled with His Ruach (Galatians 6:1) guides her Merea back to the narrow path that LEADS TO LIFE!  

We are our Sisters’ Keepers.  Yes.  Stay close, don’t be foolish.  Live Naked and Unashamed.

Admonishment RECEIVED is a heart/mind/soul RELIEVED.