Willard has a section in one of his bookis (Renovation of the Heart?) subtitled “Rightously Mean Christians” in which he describes exactly the phenomenon you describe. He makes the point that we can’t ‘defend the Bible’ in ways that are inconsistent with that very Bible that we claim to defend. (he gave an anecdote of someone berating him for his choice in scripture translation…)
Spot on, Helen!
Wonderful article.
I especially loved the part where the “heretic” accepted your apology letter and responded with a picture of her family.
…made me smile.
I thought I left a comment yesterday, Helen, but I must not have posted it.
Spot on!
Great article. I especially liked the part where the woman accepted your apology and sent you a picture of her family.
Good stuff.
It also prompted some brief thoughts on my own website.
I think Helen has a long way to go before reaching anything resembling ‘mean’
Let us look at words allegedly dictated by the Son of God in Revelation 2 :-
I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Now that is what I call mean!
Doctrinal purity was very important to early Christians….
Comment by: Keith
1Thanks for the article, Helen.
Comment by: kay
2That is a great article Helen. Thank you for sharing it.
:)
Comment by: Steve S.
3Willard has a section in one of his bookis (Renovation of the Heart?) subtitled “Rightously Mean Christians” in which he describes exactly the phenomenon you describe. He makes the point that we can’t ‘defend the Bible’ in ways that are inconsistent with that very Bible that we claim to defend. (he gave an anecdote of someone berating him for his choice in scripture translation…)
Comment by: Helen
4Thanks, Keith and Kay.
Steve, if that’s in Renovation of the Heart, I guess I didn’t get that far. Anyway it sounds like Dallas Willard and I do agree on some things!
Comment by: Nathanael
5Spot on, Helen!
Wonderful article.
I especially loved the part where the “heretic” accepted your apology letter and responded with a picture of her family.
…made me smile.
Shalom
Comment by: Nathanael
6I thought I left a comment yesterday, Helen, but I must not have posted it.
Spot on!
Great article. I especially liked the part where the woman accepted your apology and sent you a picture of her family.
Good stuff.
It also prompted some brief thoughts on my own website.
Thanks for sharing your heart.
Comment by: Steven Carr
7I think Helen has a long way to go before reaching anything resembling ‘mean’
Let us look at words allegedly dictated by the Son of God in Revelation 2 :-
I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Now that is what I call mean!
Doctrinal purity was very important to early Christians….
Comment by: Helen
8Thanks for your comments, Nathanael and Steven.