In the wisdom of our assailants, the way to make us trust them is to speak falsehood and claim it to be truth, to be needlessly abrasive and claim it to be needful suavity.
They seek to draw us into their kingdom of unreason and sado-masochistic evangelism by driving us away. They try to attract us by being repellent, to strengthen us by constant attack, to delight us by smashing things of beauty, to bless us with curses.
Then they congratulate themselves on their piety.
Priceless. Thanks
A brilliant post. Perfectly stated!
Outstanding post!
I’ve been
slapped hard . . . and sometimes in some excruciatingly tender places . . .
by foes and “friends/brothers” alike.
Some meant it for cruelty.
Some meant it for redemptive goals.
I tried . . . and eventually managed—by God’s Grace—in each case . . .
to REALIZE
IT WAS ALL
GOD’S !MERCY!
And not “just” because He works all things to good to those who Love Him,
I think God sometimes uses such things to get at some things in us which—in some respects—for some purposes—can’t get dealt with any other way.
Thanks for illustrating who ratchets up the rhetoric around here.
our assailants...speak falsehood...needlessly abrasive
"Assailants?"
The term "drama queens" springs to mind.
their kingdom of unreason and sado-masochistic evangelism...being repellent...constant attack...smashing things of beauty...with curses.
"Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" -- Galatians 4:16
Then they congratulate themselves on their piety.
Ah, no, that back-slapping belongs to Roman Catholic apologists who think their own good works merit salvation. But Christians know what Paul said about that kind of boasting...
Not of works, lest any man should boast." -- Ephesians 2:8-9"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Apparently RCs not only love their own good works, they also love their victimhood. Probably something about feeling more pious.
"...vile offerings..."
You may want to visit with Deo volente about the mocking and abuse. The good Dr., however, presented only the graphic and errant problem with Rome. She was highlighting the damage done by Rome's abandonment of the clear statements of Scripture, their wrongful usurptation of authority, their shameful replacement of grace with ceremony, tradition and human works. If you cannot see this, then perhaps the scales still exist at your level also.