Psalm 18:18

They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.

I have seen much of late that puts the issues of confrontation to mind. As I searched the scripture I was surprised to find that the word confront was only found in the Old Testament when looking at most of our standard translations. By standard I mean the KJV, ESV, NASB, and NIV.

As we search other more liberal translations we will find the word confront used many more times in both the OT and the NT. Rather than going afoul of my mandate to refrain from politics I will allow you the reader to draw your own conclusions as to why that has happened.

Relying on my trusted KJV and ESV for answers from the Lord, I settled upon Psalm 18:18 as to my answer to confrontation. My Lord is my only trusted support in fighting my battles.

I wasn’t always this way. At one time in my budding Christian life I loved to argue.

I was wrong. Confronting fellow believers on the issues of faith is not a loving way to speak with grace.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. (KJV)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (ESV)

Be wise in your behaviour towards non-Christians, and make the best possible use of your time. Speak pleasantly to them, but never sentimentally, and learn to give a proper answer to every questioner. (J.B. Phillips)

The issue of translations becomes clearer when comparing them side by side. This is but one example of how we should treat all our conversations verses only being careful when speaking to non-Christians.

This goes to the heart of confrontation when we treat any group differently than we do others. We will be called hypocrites for doing so and that does not place our Lord in a favorable light. Are we not born again in Christ? Then we need to sound like it.

Isaiah 63:1

The Lord’s Day of Vengeance

Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”

What are we to do Lord until that day?

If this looks familiar it is because this is where we left off yesterday. Do not allow me to tell you what to do. That is for the Lord to decide. I do however know what He has told me to do.

Matthew 24:14

And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.

Some of us are looking for the Lord to end all this and it is our part to spread the gospel throughout all the world.

I am not saying the righteous thing to do is to stand on the street corner with a sandwich board saying “The End is near.” That would be answered with violence. We hear about those who have nothing but hate in their hearts and they are not being silent.

Neither am I going to say something that will guilt you into doing something I think is the right thing to do. I do have to acknowledge one thing said in Isaiah 63:1 and that is to be a mouthpiece for our Lord. Since we now know that Christ dwells richly in our hearts and He is our righteousness, then let us put ourselves into a mindset to allow Him to use our voice.

I know what that looks like for me. I don’t get to tell others how to do it.

Does this sound familiar?

Preach the gospel everywhere you go and if you have to use words.

Living it speaks volumes.