Yes you are correct. I need to work on my patience and understand where people are coming from better. I also need reasonable expectations.
I think most every believer needs to improve in that area. And it seems the more learned someone is, the less patient he is with others. Not always the case, but oftentimes is.
My wife has dismissed Calvinism, but not because she has read the books and looked up the verses defending Reformed theology, but because of its reputation in the IFB movement, and there are few Reformed IFB Churches. People speak poorly of Calvinism whom do not fully understand it, nor are they willing to read the books and look up the verses in its defense. Its sad and not a right thing to do but its reality.
You're right that people dismiss without investigating. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, in and of itself. We have pastors, elders and such who have been given charge over a flock of sheep.
The people are listening to someone they trust, who supposedly understands the issues he's instructing on. In one regard, you have to understand the perception/warning/trust issue.
The pastor might warn against the Jehovah's Witnesses because he perceives their doctrine as an assault on biblical Christianity. We would commend him for that, and would hope his little flock heeds his warning. Some might verify what he's told them by investigating, but we may not chide them for simply trusting their pastor and taking his word for it - especially if they're babes. But that pastor ought to understand the issues, and be informed enough to accurately represent the position he warns against.
It's really the same with both sides of the Cal/Arm debate. Both sides see the other as an assault on biblical Christianity. Those who can fellowship across the divide aren't tossing out anathemas. They might not agree, but they don't see the other view as heresy.
If that pastor warns against Calvinism as false teaching, he ought to properly understand it. And if he sees it as a false teaching, a damnable heresy, he ought to warn against it. Same coming from the other side. If a Calvinist pastor warns against Arminianism as a false teaching, he ought to understand it well enough to accurately represent it. And if he understands it well, and deems it heresy, he ought to warn against it.
Same as with other perceived errors. If he understands Roman Catholicism as error, he ought to warn against it. Or Mormonism, or Adventism, etc
And the sheeple, to a large degree, should be expected to trust their pastor/elders. Most lay people have neither the time, know-how, or drive to understand every error for themselves.
The teachers, elders, pastors will be judged more strictly. They have the greater responsibility to accurately handle the word, and bring their people to maturity.
Yes there may be many reasons why people do not actively witness, however it is a commandment in Mark 16:15 and the other gospels. But with some it may take time to grow as it did with me taking me till the year 2008.
I think different people have been called to take the gospel to others in various settings. I've got a lot of respect for you, having courage to go out in public with Christ.
Though I've done some of that, that is not my calling. I know who I've been called to take Christ to: a sometimes forgotten demographic, one that has been clumsily handled - the churched lost.
And believe me, brother. It is a large demographic.
