Thursday, May 31, 2007

Maybe Monday...

Sorry I didn't get the chance today to post on the issue of universalism. It gets busy when you are trying to prepare a sermon.... and hang out with the youth guys now that they are out of school for the summer.... and trying to manage the blog..... and work on my book..... and work on the apologetics site. It's not like I have anything to do.

Ha! Sorry, I'll try and get to that issue on Monday. I think I'll incorporate into that post several things that separate Biblical Christianity from the majority of world religions. For instance, the world religions are often very universalistic, that is to say, most people if not everyone goes to Heaven (Sure there are exceptions like Islam). As well as Biblical Christianity is the lone religion that teaches salvation through faith alone and not by works (I can't think of any other religion that doesn't build some sort of a works system in their somehow.) And then the old standby, monotheism. There are few religions that are strictly monotheistic (again, I know Islam is and obviously Judaism.)

Well, it'll be fun, when I get to it.

-Jacob

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

"It gets busy when you are trying to prepare a sermon.... and hang out with the youth guys now that they are out of school for the summer.... and trying to manage the blog..... and work on my book..... and work on the apologetics site. It's not like I have anything to do."

Mate, I thought you were married and had children? Don't you spend time with them? Perhaps your family doesn't have as much eternal consequence as all of your other ministries. You're children will soon realize what so many ministers children find out. They come second to the ministry. It looks like you're going to get your name up in lights some how, only at your family's expense. Oh ya. God told me to tell you this.

I predict that if you don't change, your family will suffer as did David's. All caught up with his precious kingdom. This I promise you.

-Bundy

risen_soul said...

Perhaps I failed to mention it but the reason it's hard to get all of those things done that I mentioned is because I try and get them all done by 4:30pm so I can go home and hang out with my wife Susan and my son Titus. I am always home at a good time, I pray with my family each night, read the Scripture with them each morning, we do all kinds of things together. For your information I place my family as number one in my ministry efforts.

You obviously don't like me or what I have to say, so why don't you just stop reading? You sir have a serious attitude problem. You know nothing about me so that you would be able to judge me. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but how would you know one way or the other?

Get a life. Move on. Spend time with the ones you love rather than wasting time harrasing me.

Anonymous said...

Mate, It's not that I don't like you, as YOU SIR don't know me either. I'm after you because you are a typical western culture pragmatic who cares not about the person you are blasting. Again, you excuse your attacks using and misusing the Father's word as your excuse. For you "loving you neighbor as yourself" means that you can kick them as hard as you can and then state God "calls" you to do this with 1 Peter 3:15.

You spin my head with your TULIP argument alone. You spend more time aligning youself with Dr. Albert Mohler than with Christ. I would contend that if it weren't for Calvin, Mohler, Sproul and the like, you wouldn't have much of a leg to stand on. It's all about the argument to you.

You state that I am to "get a life". Would you rather be surrounded by yes men to make your life easier? I have much more respect for Papa J than for you. I can see why so many are turning to the Mormon church. They experience respect there. You have little to know respect for those who disagree with you. At the same time, I look at Ravi Zacharias and how he can stand firmly on completely opposite sides of truth with an individual or a complete religious system, and still show unending respect for them. He understands the "gentleness and respect" part.

I chose not to stop "reading" as I'm waiting for the day that all hell breaks loose in your life. If at that time, all abandon you and all seems hopeless, I will be here as any friend you'll let me be, as I have walked that road and know how hot the fire can be and how "friends" and other ministers can abandon you. If someone else is there for you in that time, I will leave silently.

Without any sarcasm: If you showed respect for those of us who differ with you, I for one would heed what you write to a much higher degree.

-Bundy

risen_soul said...

I'll credit you one thing, I do need to work on the "gentlness and respect" part. I admit that I'm a sinner and I don't always respond in the most loving fashion that I could.

However I'm tired of the attitude that "well, you have your truth and I have mine." That's a bunch of junk. Truth is objective and not subjective.

You seem to think you have me all figured out, but you don't. You don't know anything about me. You don't know how much I really do love the Lord. You don't know how much I really am concerned for those who are lost.

At the same time there is a fine line between telling the truth in love to your neighbor and rebuking heretical teaching. I love and am concerned for Papa J, I pray for him. But it's not ok to believe what he does, it will lead him and others who believe it to Hell. I don't see how it does him or anyne else any favors if I don't let them know. (again, I grant you that I could work on the gentleness and respect.)

But who are you to "predict that your family will suffer as David's"? You know nothing of the time I spend with my family, how much I love them, or what our future holds.

Do I want you to be a "yes man"? No. I'm happy for you to state that you disagree with me, state why, and let me share back with you. But from the very first time you said anything on this site, you attacked me.

Don't you remember your opening statements to me on this blog?

"No worries mate. (We) really don't care anyway. It's apparent from the very few comments that you receive that if someone doesn't agree with your hyper-calvinistic belief, you are more than able to "use" scripture to prove them wrong. Ironic as Dr. Os Guinness speaks of how the same methodology that you use was used in the state church of Western Europe, which drove people away from the church. Predictably, your comment to this will entail your standing for truth as defined by the infallible word of God, as if it needs your bombastic attitude to support it. I've read many of your posts, gritting my teeth. Your approach to those who differ with you is indicative of Western culture. You bash the hammer of Christianity on others, with no apparent regard to their beliefs all in the name of Christ. As with the state church, your attitude is what keeps people from Christ. "It's this way or the highway". Symptomatic of a true missionary no doubt. Mahatma Gandhi said "If not for Christians, I would be one".

Now it's your turn. Bash away. You cannot resist this one. Far too many foolish statements to pass up.

Oh, yes, congratulations on your being ordained. Because that means power, and power of course means so much to God.

-Bundy"

Yeah, that sounds like someone who cares about me and wants to be my friend.

Anonymous said...

"However I'm tired of the attitude that "well, you have your truth and I have mine." That's a bunch of junk. Truth is objective and not subjective."

At what point did I state anything that indicates that I believe anything BUT absolute truth? Perhaps this has been written by someone else and you're accrediting it to me? I spoke to congregations extensively about absolute truth long before you even knew that absolute truth existed.

If you are spending said time with your family, then I clearly am wrong in even bringing up that issue to which I apologize.

I never even mentioned whether or not you love the Father. I question the methods of which you "reach out". I recently heard Ravi Zacharias state in a lecture that seminaries are teaching students all about the Bible, but are not teaching students how to reach out to the world. Evangelism has become nothing more than a catch phrase in Christian circles. When those circles are interrupted, Christians become uncomfortable.

I'm not out to attack you. I'm really upset with your attitude. This is what you read in my first post, my gut wrench brought on by how you respond to others regardless of how gentle they are. As the saying: no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Granted, I should not have jested at your becoming ordained. Again, I was wrong.

I look at an organization called Voice of the Martyrs quite frequently. What never ceases to amaze me is the attitude that persecuted followers of Christ have towards those who are against them. Often, their captors become followers of The Way as well. The prisoners aren't out to prove that they have the answer. Instead, they pray for their enemies and entrust the Holy Spirit to witness to individuals who often are plotting how to kill them. I am held in awe at how many are coming to faith in the persecuted church. Meanwhile, the United States is a "free" country where people are leaving the church feeling empty. What paradox.

-Bundy

Mark 1:17 said...

Bundy,

Maybe it is not my place to make a comment in this, but I can't help but see your words to Jacob not match up with the attitude in which they are written.

What you write about, mentioning Ravi Zacharias having the utmost respect for others, you do not offer to even your Brother in Christ. Instead of offering respect yourself, you feel it necesarry to rebuke him harshly, and publicly.

A bit of advise from a mere bystander...read --
Matthew 18:15-20
Granted "if" Jacob has sinned:
1. He didn't sin against you
2. The first thing you should do is go to Him with a gentle spirit in love and truth, as his motive and tell him your thoughts in a gentle mannor.
3. If that cannot be worked out: I don't see how the rest of the steps would follow, but knowing Jacob, I don't think you would have to go past step 1.

From what I have observed, you were just as harsh and disrespect full to Jacob as you believe and perceive him to be of others.

Thought to ponder: Maybe if you lived out what you preach, your message would be better received.

Honestly, from what I have seen here: I see Jacob standing on Firm Ground defending Truth. And someone who claims to be a Brother, rebuking him harshly, telling him to stop, because he is not doing it in love with gentleness and respect.

One question and then I am done: what is more loving: Not telling someone that they will spend eternity in hell apart from God, or Even though it may be harsh, telling them of their need of a Savior so that if they confess His name, they will be saved?

I think you know that my answer and Jacob's will be the second part.

Grace and Peace,

In Christ,

David