What Happened to "Love Thy Enemy"?
I admit frustration and confusing at posts and comments like these: Even though we probably agree theologically on the big issues, I often wonder if we're reading the same Bible. To say that we have a life-giving message, but we are no longer going to share it with those on the "sinking ship" is scandalous. I wonder what Christ thinks of those on the "sinking ship". I guess that is my difficulty with limited atonement: On the surface it reinforces God's sovereignty, but it ends up just being used in arguments like this one to justify disconnection. "We are not required to work and worship with them any longer", one might easily say, "since they are not of the elect." Certainly that attitude prevails, and it is grievous. Where would we be if our Lord adopted that stance?
posted by The Parson | 1:51 PM
2 Comments:
Dear Parson:
You write, "To say that we have a life-giving message, but we are no longer going to share it with those on the 'sinking ship' is scandalous." I read the news from Kirk of the Hills. I'm not sure your characterization of their decision is entirely fair.
I think the message Kirk is trying to send is more like "We have a life-giving message, and we are no longer going to give monetary and instutional support to an organizational structure that denies that message." I'm pretty sure the Kirk folk will be sharing their life-giving message with anybody who'll listen -- even if they're on that 'sinking ship.'
When I was younger, my father often took me sailing. I learned how to bail out the water that leaked into the ship. You don't scuttle the ship at the first leak. But there does come a time when a good sailor will stop bailing and either get in the life boats or start swimming. Only a foolishly irresponsible sailor would deny that time can happen and fail to make proper preparations -- and then use those preparations when necessary.
Paul
There is a distinction, Paul, between scuttling the ship on the one hand, and abandoning the souls upon it on the other. I don't care about the ship; I do care about the souls. And if sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those persons means going down with the ship, isn't that what the Cross is all about. . . ?!
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