The Archangel
Well-Known Member
Makes a fellow wonder if it's only on the internet he acts this way, or if he does this at his church and work also.
Indeed it does.
The Archangel
Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
Makes a fellow wonder if it's only on the internet he acts this way, or if he does this at his church and work also.
Have you ever read 1 John?
The Archangel
Yes. You mean the book that says-
19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
These are not sweet words.
This same John also said:
7For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
And according to the dictates of Jesus John wrote:
6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
and...
19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
So there are things going on in the churches we should hate, the Lord is against us when we do not hate these things, John said that the world hating us should not be a surprise to us, etc...
Now, I know most of this has to do with how we approach heresy not how we approach Arminianism. Just for the record I do not attack Arminianism like I attack KJVO, etc...
But the point I think is clear from these scattered passages is that when the Scripture says that we should speak the truth in "love" it CANNOT mean that we should never be extremely cutting.
And if your point is that we should love the brethren, one of the dominant themes of I John, I agree.
So I don't know what your point to me is.
It makes no difference at all how you look at it. The FACT remains that the skin of a zebra is black. Only some of the stripes are white.This is truly rich DiamondLady.
C versus A debate.
Is a Zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
Depends on how you look at it.
HankD
I hate to do it but in this case I will have to side with Luke. With his position not his demeanor.Interesting,
What do you mean by attack Luke? Why is it a good practice?
Do you teach like this at your church? What is the reaction?
Don't mistake what I and others do as "pragmatism." Do we try to be winsome? Sure. Do we always succeed? No. Is there a time to be forceful and abrasive? Sure. The opponents of Arianism and Pelagianism were rightly abrasive and forceful. But it seems to me, and others, that your are intentionally abrasive and forceful against Arminianism. To believe like a disciple of Arius was to be a non-Christian. To be a disciple of Pelagius was to be a non-Christian (or as close to being one as possible without actually being one). Being an Arminian doesn't make one a non-Christian.
Luther stood up against Rome because the Gospel itself was at stake. MacArthur stands up against the "Charismatic Chaos" because the Gospel itself is at stake.
Friend, you are no Luther and you are no MacArthur and the situation you are "fighting" is not the same as Luther and MacArthur fought.
The Gospel is salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. On this, for the most part, Calvinists and Arminians agree. Therefore, Arminians, though we find their theology wanting, are to be addressed as brothers and sisters in Christ.
If we approach this with a "come let us reason together" attitude, we will do much better and we will honor the name of Christ.
I, for one, have learned much from the approach of John Piper and Mark Dever. They are theologically sound, but their approach doesn't get in the way of the Gospel. The Gospel is offensive enough; Calvinism is offensive enough. Don't add to the offense.
The Archangel
Your sampling pool is too small.
I could give numerous examples to the contrary.
I will give just a couple.
Read Luther's Bondage of the Will.
I read it recently.
ATTACK is a very soft word for what he does to Erasmus' Pelagian-like view of free will.
No thinking person could accuse Luther of accomplishing nothing.
You find this to be a common factor among those who really DID accomplish great things in history.
People who do not attack ideas are the ones who tend to live and die never accomplishing anything- but avoiding being controversial.
I want to accomplish more in my life than spending my life avoiding criticism and being liked.
Secondly- it is what you find THROUGHOUT the Bible.
The prophets, the Apostles, Christ himself were CONSTANTLY attacking ideas that dimmed the glory of God.
Not only is it wrong for you to condemn this practice. It is wrong for you not to practice it yourself.
It makes no difference at all how you look at it. The FACT remains that the skin of a zebra is black. Only some of the stripes are white.
And the same holds true of the gospel. It is not about us and what we do. It is about Christ and what He did for us.
I've not seen a cal call into question anothers salvation. The putrid semantic corpses don't exist.
To be honest, some of the other drivel does exist, but the calling into question others salvation? Nope.
However, I have seen plenty of posts by non-cals of late calling and aligning cals as JW's and Mormons. I wonder what the implication of such is?
As far as Luther was concerned, Erasmus was a Christian. Yet Luther OBLITERATED Erasmus' thinking in Bondage of the Will.
As for MacArthur, his assault against Charasmatics in Charasmatic Chaos was not directly a Gospel issue.
There are charasmatics here on baptistboard. Would you say that they do not believe the GOSPEL? Of course not.
As for Piper- you ought to watch this clip. I too have great respect for Piper.
Here he attacks the prosperity Gospel. He says, "Do you want to know how I feel about the prosperity Gospel? One word- HATRED."
Then he goes on to call it CRAP.
The prosperity gospel is held by many thousands of people who call themselves Christians.
Well, frankly that's the way I feel about backwards, legalistic, arrogant, ignorant pseudo-fundamentalism preached to hundreds of thousands of people in this world every week.
I don't have a major problem with Arminianism so I DON'T condemn it like I condemn pseudo-fundamentalism. But in these Arminian/Calvinism debates stuff like openness pops up and the character of God is called into question. And I abominate these things- as should all Christians.
You have no case here.
I dont understand you here Archangel......
"The Gospel is offensive enough; Calvinism is offensive enough."
How is both the Gospel & Calvinism offensive?
Then your ability to perceive is seriously flawed. You look but you don't see. Your own picture proves that. Look at the bare skin that has no hair such as the muzzle, eyelids and inside the ear.I disagree about the zebra comment, anyone can see that these are white zebras with black stripes.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/zebra/
HankD
Yes, I do have a case. Re-read what I posed in post #65:
And then there's this:
[4:1] I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, [2] with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, [3] eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV)
Luke, are you "walking in gentleness?"
If you are not--and it is clear by your own testimony that you do not concern yourself with these things--then you are not walking in a manner worthy of your calling.
You seem not to care about "maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." You seek to maintain "unity" through brutality. There is no peace in your writings.
You don't seem to care about bearing with anyone in love.
Your writings seem to suggest that you think of your opponents as dogs, not brothers or sisters in Christ.
Paul stands against you.
The Word of God stands against you. I urge you to repent.
I disagree about the zebra comment, anyone can see that these are white zebras with black stripes.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/zebra/
HankD