Posted on 03/21/2017 3:42:19 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Greg Koukl, founder of str.org, puts it this way: “Christians should go on the offensive without being offensive”. He gives examples here:
http://www.str.org/publications/take-a-tip-from-lt.-columbo#.WNHJfyRT79s
and his “Columbo” technique is well known in apologetics circles. Just search Youtube for “Koukl Columbo” for his presentation of how to do it.
New Law: the Lord’s group that requires people to make a commitment to the sacraments to become good members.
And neither law saves.
No law that man established and put in place of the old law can save any more than the old law could save.
Salvation isn't about becoming a member of a group by jumping through the right hoops.
Law doesn't save. Sacraments don't save.
Jesus saves and commitment to Him is the only way that happens.
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
The Beauty of Intolerance, a Book Review
https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/The-Beauty-of-Intolerance-a-Book-Review
The ‘religious’ community of that time were the biggest opponents to Christ. Bunch of Scripture lawyers, nothing new under the sun, as it is Written.
Niceness has replaced Charity: the ruthless Love that someone like C. S. Lewis well understood.
Niceness is a Gateway Heresy to any and all other heresies.
Niceness is why I am no longer in ministry:
I was told by a long-time (now former) friend and minister that I was “judgmental and self-righteous” - and why was that?
It was because I demanded that my fellow staff, in the church where I served in a subordinate position, do something about an abusive husband in the congregation specifically, and about sexual immorality in the congregation generally, and risk losing parishioners, or even a civil lawsuit, in order to hold true to our First Love.
They refused. I acted. I lost my place there, but at least one abused woman was partially succored.
Niceness is shallow. Niceness is selfish. Niceness is carnal.
Turning the other cheek is actually a form of defiance - of firmly standing one’s ground in the face of opposition.
It is not and never was a directive to behave like a passive masochist.
This is one more reason of what seems like a million.
Satan, through the world, attacks on a million fronts, but with the same method, worldliness.
Here’s another of the million reasons: the church and Christianity are caught up in being businesses in our part of the world. Businesses are like machinery, money-making machinery, often providing upper middle class jobs and success today while churning out Christian “products.”
And we come under the pressure of being ever less independent, and more and more “interdependent” and even dependent, most especially on those with worldly power, for jobs, or financial opportunities.
Attacked on a million fronts, we’re all more tempted and differently, and coming up with very much true unity is more and more difficult. Any application of Scripture is going to offend some people. On the other hand, because our worldly society is so individualistic and spiritually dark, and Christians are affected by it, we’re all at very different points in our understanding of God. Satan through the devices of this world is doing everything he can to widen the gap between the people of this time and place and God, and he seems to be succeeding in that more and more all the time.
Satan has made significant inroads on just about every of those million fronts in his war against those who have faith in Christ. Like the church has disappeared elsewhere in the world in different times, it could just about disappear here. Satan through the world has provided a million distractions, too, to take up people’s time and resources, to scatter the church in all directions after all sorts of worldly pursuits and concerns, to scatter us not only physically but also in heart, soul and mind, so Christians don’t come together to help each other fight Satan on those million fronts. There are many Christians at each of them, but without helping each other, believers get overrun. Satan is at war with us, but we aren’t on war footing. We start to think the war Satan is waging is to deprive us of worldly success, happiness, and our lives here, when it’s still to weaken and destroy our faith, and deprive people of eternal life.
God’s Word tells us we are to be ambassadors for Him, as we come from a different country not of this world, but when the world is defeating the church so much, and assimilating the church so much, including so many Christians, then it is time it seems to turn to God for correction on how we are to be ambassadors.
Who’s a wimp?
Them’s fightin’ words!
Samson comes to mind; but that way let's ya fight only ONE battle!
But they ALWAYS attack the messenger; for they cannot defend against the MESSAGE!
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