Certainly we are not to walk around declaring who's sins are forgiven, or telling people NOT to tell who Jesus is...are we?
The things he did as God are not possible to emulate. But we are obligated to emulate what he did as a human. Only God can forgive sins.
So, NO, we do not go around forgiving sins.
We do go around confronting arrogance with a fierceness like Christ did because he did that as a MAN.
I'm saying Jesus, because he was God, had the final authority in certain situations to make decisions that we may not possess the final authority to make.
I don't see how this is applicable. He spoke harshley to invincibly arrogant men AS A MAN.
So should we.
Context for 2 Tim. 3-4-- Paul is warning Timothy about a time when people will no listen to sound doctrine, but rather turn aside to myths (would you describe the people you are trying to convince in this way?) ...His instruction to Timothy in this precise situation: Preach the word, rebuke...with complete patience.
Yes, but Paul also speaks of rebuking people before all and nhe speaks of rebuking them sharply, etc... (Titus 1:13)
I think you are cherry picking passages that suit a more "hippy" type of Christianity.
The Bible does not contradict itself. But we have to reconcile passages that speak of our speech being seasoned with grace with passages that speak of cutting people to the bone. We don't get to pick the verses we like and act like the other side does not exist.
That is what I think you are doing.
Also, I suppose I am giving MORE weight to the commands of the NT than the EXAMPLES.
This is a good hermeneutic. But as I have shown we see commands to speak with cutting language ALONGSIDE innumerable passages the teach that this is par for the course in Christianity as far as God is concerned.
This is just my opinion, but you seem to be confusing firmness, even occasional justified harshness, with what I would call flippant rudeness.
Telling your debate opponent to "shut up" does not, in my opinion, carry the weight and gravity of rebuking an important matter that a preacher carries when preaching strongly and firmly against some sin because he believes deep in his soul that the people with whom he is speaking must turn away from their sin or suffer great harm...
You are wrong. The New Testament even speaks of the fact that such people's "mouths must be STOPPED... therefore rebuke them SHARPLY..."
Jesus called many of his opponenets MORONS.
This is BIBLICAL Christianity.
It is not HIPPY Christianity.
Christians can say things like "And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?"
And they should be saying such things WAY more than they do.
And Christians who have embraced this wussified Christianity that I think insults Jesus Christ ought to wise up and buck up very fast.
...rather, it seems to inject into the debate a flippancy, dismissiveness, and juvinile-ness that conveys, whether intentional or not: "I don't really care whether you actually read church history, or understand logic so you can better understand your Bible, whatever, just shut up!"
No it doesn't. It simply does not yield itself to that interpretation. It says, "If you don't study church history and if you don't embrace logic concerning your theology then you ought to shut your arrogant and vile mouth because you are an enemy of the faith and most of your posts do harm to the Kingdom of God."
In effect, such snide insertions actually lessen the percieved seriousness of any rebuke, because the person reading your comments simply thinks you're a rude person, not someone who genuinely wants to pursuade them of something that is for their good, even though that may be your goal.
The mistake you make here is assuming that persuading the opponent should always be the goal. No, it should not. Many times the goal is to fiercely condemn arrogant men and sharply rebuke them before all that others might give a second thought before following them.
Once again, I think we have biblical Christianity here pitted against pop Christianity.