“Whenever any of our words or actions causes anyone to recoil in anger, hatred or fear from the Word of God we take on a shared responsibility for their sin because, as Christians, we know better. I pray that you remember this when declaring your own Salvation.”
Simply speaking the truth of Jesus causes many to react out of anger for their darkness does not like the light. So while your words are wise as far as they go; sometimes the person speaking the truth, no matter how softly and gently he speaks them or as boldly forthright as in the case of Paul, that person is going to be accused of being angry, out of touch, worthy to be a censured and killed enemy. So we must be cautious as Christians in the censuring of one another in the speaking of truth...the world itself will always be offended by us; but Christians must remain in control at least in the offending of one another! Remember scripture:John 13:34“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Forget about Protestant and Catholic “ideas’ about what “church” is...the days are darkening and Christians in all churches everywhere...Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish Messianic are about to have imposed on them what Christ’s idea of what his church should be...persecution may make of all of us very strange bedfellows. Some of the posters on this thread are right...we are all of us going to be very surprised as to what Christ really considers his TRUE church to be! Our minds would be blown away if we could really understand what Christ intends for us; our imaginations could never conceive what is coming!
This is not a doctrinal issue between separated followers of Jesus. Loving one another, "in our thoughts and in our words, in what we do and fail to do" in kindness, respect and beatitude, as yhe Word Incarnate commands defines us as Christians. It must accompany loving God because it is He who commands it. Those are the two Greatest Commandments. If you simply love God, as was preached in the Old Law you fail the mission given by Jesus.
"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." - Matthew 7:21
It is not our words that change anyone's heart, it is the Grace of God through the Holy Spirit that changes people. All we can do is to help prepare the way. Conversion never happens through force, coercion, insult or ridicule. It takes the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Those, on whose lips and in whose actions we do not see evidence of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit are not acting in concert with the Holy Spirit.
"You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - Matthew 5:43-48