Why I do what I do the way I do it

[seekingthetruth]

I think the way Paul begins that chapter may shed some light on a problem that is quite evident: "1 By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!"

It appears that it may be easier to be "bold" with the written word than when one sits down face to face. I suspect if Luke and I had coffee someday we'd get along swimmingly. If not, I'm 6'4, 250lbs and have my CHL, so either way I think I'm covered.... :smilewinkgrin:

John, again

 

[quantumfaith]

Eight pages and counting. Make that nine.

 

[Skandelon]

Start another thread along these lines and I'll be gald to meet you there.

DONE>>>

 

[Luke2427]

I think the way Paul begins that chapter may shed some light on a problem that is quite evident: "1 By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!"

It appears that it may be easier to be "bold" with the written word than when one sits down face to face. I suspect if Luke and I had coffee someday we'd get along swimmingly. If not, I'm 6'4, 250lbs and have my CHL, so either way I think I'm covered.... :smilewinkgrin:

Timid in countenance not communication is in view there.
And the meekness and gentleness of Christ is certainly not anything that ever kept him from bluntly and boldly obliterating the ideals that undermine the knowledge of God of Pharisee and disciple alike.

 

[seekingthetruth]

Luke

I was just wondering. Is your congregation growing or shrinking under your command?

John

 

[quantumfaith]

I was wondering if he talks as uppidy and harsh to his congregation as he does us.

I am 6'3, 280 lbs, and have my ball bat. :smilewinkgrin:

John

Seekingthetruth, everyone understands the passions that can be ignited with such banter, lets not go to the "physical" however innocuous they might be brother.

 

[seekingthetruth]

Timid in countenance not communication is in view there.
And the meekness and gentleness of Christ is certainly not anything that ever kept him from bluntly and boldly obliterating the ideals that undermine the knowledge of God of Pharisee and disciple alike.

But you are not Christ, and never will be

John

 

[Luke2427]

I was wondering if he talks as uppidy and harsh to his congregation as he does us.

I am 6'3, 280 lbs, and have my ball bat. :smilewinkgrin:

John

I am carnal enough to join in with this.

I am 6'3" and over 300 pounds. I bench about four hundred pounds and my arms are about 22 inches, wear a 60 coat and a 46 inch waste (too big but smaller than my chest and shoulders) and grew up fighting. And I have a 44 mag, 45 auto, .357 revolver...

But I know we are just joking here and taking a break from the intensity which this subject requires.:love2:

 

[seekingthetruth]

Seekingthetruth, everyone understands the passions that can be ignited with such banter, lets not go to the "physical" however innocuous they might be brother.

You are quite right, my apologies.

It was just too easy to resist.

John

 

[seekingthetruth]

I am carnal enough to join in with this.

I am 6'3" and over 300 pounds. I bench about four hundred pounds and my arms are about 22 inches, wear a 60 coat and a 46 inch waste (too big but smaller than my chest and shoulders) and grew up fighting. And I have a 44 mag, 45 auto, .357 revolver...

But I know we are just joking here and taking a break from the intensity which this subject requires.:love2:

But I always cheat, and you will never see me :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Luke2427]

But I always cheat, and you will never see me :smilewinkgrin:

fair enough

 

[Martin Marprelate]

I understand Martin that you believe that. And I do count you as an ally.

But part of what I am contending here is that you yourself and all Christians ought to firmly, and bluntly condemn the arrogance, irreverence and ignorance that drives so many people in our culture to care less about proper hermeneutics.

I am contending that it is WRONG for you to handle such arrogance, irreverence and ignorance with kid gloves.

I am not trying to catch bears, Brother. That is not our goal. Our goal is to "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." II Corinthians 10:5

Our goal is to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them.

Well, brother, you have to make your proof texts agree with 2Tim 2:23-25. Yes, you need to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness, but you can still do it winsomely and gently and kindly.

Perhaps I am quite wrong, but I doubt that you have changed anybody's mind on this forum. I have seen no signs of it. What you have done is give some of those on the other side of the argument license to be rude and agressive themselves. And so we have these great long threads with no useful information but loads of mock-grievance:-

"You were beastly to me!"
"Well you were beastly to me first!"
"Well you were beastly to me on another thread!"
"Well you were beastly to me back in 2006!"
etc., etc., etc. ad nauseam. :BangHead:

I've not been here all that long, but I no longer participate in many threads these days because of all the aggression. I just float about, pop the odd post in and back off. And if you say to me, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, well maybe that's the wisest thing to do.

Steve

 

[Luke2427]

Well, brother, you have to make your proof texts agree with 2Tim 2:23-25. Yes, you need to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness, but you can still do it winsomely and gently and kindly.

Perhaps I am quite wrong, but I doubt that you have changed anybody's mind on this forum. I have seen no signs of it. What you have done is give some of those on the other side of the argument license to be rude and agressive themselves. And so we have these great long threads with no useful information but loads of mock-grievance:-

"You were beastly to me!"
"Well you were beastly to me first!"
"Well you were beastly to me on another thread!"
"Well you were beastly to me back in 2006!"
etc., etc., etc. ad nauseam. :BangHead:

I've not been here all that long, but I no longer participate in many threads these days because of all the aggression. I just float about, pop the odd post in and back off. And if you say to me, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, well maybe that's the wisest thing to do.

Steve

I think it is a mistake of pragmatism to make our communication here on this board, in our pulpits and everywhere else all about winning people over to our side. That is not the only goal of Gospel communication.

Sometimes we are simply to reprove and demolish ideas which pitt themselves against the Kingdom.

And I did address your proof texts and how they work with the texts to which I have referred. It's your turn.

I like what Douglas Wison said, "The problem with pragmatism is that it does not work." That's true.

The heroes of the faith who God has used to bring about revivals and reformations did not shoot for winsomeness.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I figured that would be your answer. I'm like you, I don't know Greek/Hebrew.

Just some other thoughts about studying Scriptures.
1. Knowing the context is vital to understanding the meaning of the passage. It's easy to read an isolated verse and think it means something else because of something we may be studying at the time.

2. Original intent of the author is very important as well. If a passage didn't mean "A" to Paul, then it cannot mean "A" to us.

3. Knowing the purpose of the book itself. Matthew and Mark write about similar events, but with a different purpose.

4. Know the historical context. What was going on at the time.

5. Use the English term the same way the author used the original term. If you are like me, I'm do not know Greek. I have to rely on others.

this is just a summary list that I just threw together. When we discuss the Bible, it's important to not just find a passage that sounds like it supports us. We should rather find what the Bible says.

Ha Ha Ha.....Oh! Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!:love2::love2::love2: doing the Snoopy Dance as we speak!!!!!

seriously, thats a good first outline you just cobbled together Brother! :godisgood:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

As a Calvinist I understood the idea of end/means in regard to the need for evangelism within the Calvinistic system, because that was where that concept was typically brought up. But here we are talking about the potential of false teaching affecting the souls of man and eternity. How does that apply in this case?

Are you saying God may ordain the means of me typing an error on this forum to condemn an individual to an eternal hell? I'm a practical theologian as my degree was in 'applied theology,' so forgive me for trying to see how theoretical concepts actually play out in the real world. Please expound. Thanks

Oh....your a Calvinist now are you ....Oh boy! :laugh:

 

[Robert Snow]

Luke

I was just wondering. Is your congregation growing or shrinking under your command?

John

I forgot he pastors his own congregation. [Personal comments snipped]

I could not imagine anything worse than having such an [snipped - see the rules]

 

[preacher4truth]

I forgot he pastors his own congregation. [edited]
I could not imagine anything worse than having such an [edited]

Nothing you've said here is necessary Robert. Not one word.

 

[webdog]

What does this thread have to do with baptist theology and Bible study? Personal rants should be saved for blogs.

 

[Herald]

I'm late to this party, so I hope I'm not covering ground that's already been trod.

There's a difference between a free exchange of ideas, honest questioning, and "Thus sayeth the Lord." When we take on the mantle of teacher we are actually putting ourselves in the position of stating that what is coming our of our mouths (or in this case our fingers) is God's word on the matter. When a pastor preaches on the Lord's Day morning he is proclaiming God's word and emphatically stating, "Thus sayeth the Lord." James' warning needs to be heeded:

James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.

This board serves a useful purpose. We're able to participate by asking questions and gleaning knowledge. However, we must be careful not to place ourselves in the position of saying, "Thus sayeth the Lord" if we're not adequately prepared. I am not intimating that one has to be a seminary graduate in order to understand Scripture. But on the other hand, we should not look down on scholarship and those who have given themselves to dedicated study of the word of God. There should be respect going both ways along with a genuine humility.

 

[matt wade]

Nothing you've said here is necessary Robert. Not one word.

Hey Luke runs around calling people heretics, saying they will be judged by the Lord, and that they are spreading darkness and evil. I think his congregation does need some prayer. [snipped]