Quote:
Originally Posted by stephenroehm
I agree that the point of any prophecy is to glorify God. The LORD used prophets in the OT and NT to glorify Him, to warn, to exhort, to stir up, to tell forth, to for tell, etc., and all for His glory.
Are you implying with this statement that prophets should not inspire shame in a person? Both rebuking sinners in the church openly (embarrassment) and inspiring conviction in the hearer inwardly (Godly sorrow worketh repentance, shame) are examples that were given in the OT and NT. There is no scriptural evidence to infer that He publicly embarrassed her by running and telling her sin, but it was obvious that she was taken aback and ashamed by Him calling out the sin that she had tried to hide in her heart. It's that shame that leads a person to repentance.
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You worded that carefully. I would agree that conviction brings shame before it brings hope, and that shame is a normal human emotion.
However, this idea of rebuking sinners in the church openly to embarrass them is disgusting and not at all in the flow or stream of the teachings of Jesus.
Shame doesn't lead us to repentance. Grace does. Shame humiliates us, grace shows us a way out.
In the New Testament, Paul's writing on the subject of spiritual gifts, tongues and prophecy sandwich
1 Corinthians 13 (chapters 12 and 14). All spiritual gifts and leadership are bathed in this kind of love.
Jesus did come to make bad people good, but to make dead people live. If the Holy Spirit wishes to reveal the sin in a person's heart, the Spirit is doing so in love, not humiliation. The Spirit knows how to humble us without humiliating us. Often times these public shows of "calling out" are nothing more than stroking the ego of the so-called prophet. It's disgusting religiosity.
The only time someone was "called out" in the New Testament in front of the entire community was when the man had already called himself out, was involved in incest and continually boasted about this sexual relationship to the congregation. This was a unique situation. I'm troubled when people go to this situation as normalcy for Church Leadership. We don't find the heart of a matter on exceptional issues.
The woman was more taken aback because she perceived him to be a prophet. The miracle vindicated His claim to be the I AM. This is why she was excited. Her excitement did not come from humiliation. It came from the promise of eternal life and hope.