I need everyone who is either enjoying the controversy over Pastor Chan's video or trying to make more controversy here to pay attention for a second. Read the next paragraph of this post carefully, and at least twice.
Anyone who construes this open discussion as a method or means to take a shot at either Steve Camp or me ought to immediately stop blogging or commenting on blogs for at least a week in order to review his personal motives for what he's doing.
Last night I was watching the Passion 07 video of Chan talking about whether we really want to receive what God has to say in His word -- the Bible, btw -- or not, and what that says about whether we're actually in love with Him or not. Listen: the Bible says that if we love Jesus, if we are keeping His commands and not putting ourselves above them, we are not going to bad-mouth a fellow believer. If you think that you have finally got the goods on either me or Campi, my suggestion is that you re-read the book of James.
One of us is making a mistake here -- maybe both of us. Let's not make it three of us.
8 comments:
I just finished listening to an edifying, sanctifying & comforting sermon from Ian Murry titled,"Jesus' Prayer For Unity", taken from John 17.
Incredible how this man of the Lord expounded upon this most holy portion of Scripture.
And brought forth the heart of our Lord's prayer, which was love & unity.
A missionary-friend in Nepal sent me the Murry sermon.
He acquired it off line somewhere. I wish I could give the link, but I don't know how.
I have been convicted/encouraged on both sides from the discussion on this video. If I ever offend, please bring a swift rebuke.
"If God so loved us, we ought to love one another".
interesting post, so would you say that you or Steve are in the wrong? Or just sharpening?
I don't believe you guys are in the wrong but sharpening through the blogosphere and I know, from your post, that people that aren't discerning must be having a "hay-day" over this. Loving to see disagreement between you two...
sad...
Seth:
If you're asking, I think Steve is wrong. That doesn't make him Satan or an angel of darkness -- it makes him wrong. But it is possible we are both wrong.
My post, for those keeping score, was really pointed at those who want to take a shot at Steve because they see this as a moment of disunity or contention (in a bad way) in the so-called "truly reformed" blogosphere (you know: before we found out that I wasn't actually reformed). I have seen some side shots already at my blog, and I want that junk to take a long walk off a short pier.
This is an important question, and a very volatile question, and I don't think less of Steve for being serious about his view. I am serious about my view. But when people take an opportunity like this and try to make it into a "cent opened up Campi's lunch box and now I'm going to spit in it" event, I feel like they have missed the point of this discussion as much as the other side who want to make any plea to take action based on the benefit to you personally a violation of God's attributes.
This is about the love of God. If you have it, if it is in you, take it out for a drive. Sorry that some people make you angry: sinners make God angry, and what did He do about it? He loved His enemies.
The people who did what I am talking about here know who they are and what they did, and I don't even care if they apologize. They didn't injure me: they proved my point. I just want them to use that as a moment of personal trial so that they can go ahead and be perfected by it. Faith under trial produces steadfastness.
Frank.
Understood...
Frank, I has enjoyed your post and Steve's posts. Yes, I agree with one of you more than the other, but both of you make good points. You all (how else to show a plural you in English) also show that you respect each other as fellow believers. My prayer is that through these discussions the rough edges of where each of you may be wrong will be worn off, and that all of us can be edified.
I agree - Steve made some excellent points. I respect all of you very much. Keep up the good work, Frank, Dan and Steve!
If someone says group hug I am gonna laugh out loud
Group hug.
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