The other side doesn't fight fair. You follow all the rules, they punch below the belt, and the ref allows it. They receive fanfare for a great fight. You think, "Were you watching the same fight I was watching." But it doesn't matter.
You can't get away with cheating. If you cheat, you're a cheater. They cheat, followed by either silence or applause.
Could the true side, the right side, the Lord's side get away with or even have the time for a 'stuff evanjellyfish like' or producing fake tweets under fake twitter handles for the sole purpose of mockery? They wouldn't and they shouldn't. Could the true side, when they disagree with someone's position, simply call him a "liar," and then resort to "tin foil hat crowd," "flame-thrower," "legalist," or then make outlandish accusations that are blatantly and clearly not true and never retract them? They wouldn't and they shouldn't. Even if, for instance, fundamentalism has an amazing number of false doctrines and practices, it shouldn't be combated with such carnal weaponry.
The Apostle Paul begins a new theme in 2 Corinthians 10. The majority of the Corinthians had accepted his veracity and apostleship (chapters 1-7), so that he could talk about their collection for the church at Jerusalem (chapters 8-9). Now they could also respect his treatment of the false teachers who were the reason for chapters 1-7.
As Paul starts dealing with the false teachers, he lays down the characteristics of spiritual warfare. The spiritual warrior won't use carnal weapons. It's clear in his language that Paul is contrasting the way he operates with those of the false teachers who were attacking him at Corinth. When you read the first seven chapters, you get some amazing, slanderous accusations that were used against the Apostle Paul in order to hurt his credibility and render him useless. This is the regular feature of false teachers -- they are carnal warriors who use carnal weapons.
People who characteristically use carnal weaponry are false teachers.
2 comments:
Pastor Brandenburg, This is something I have been pondering for quite some time. In 1 Corinthians 13:11 it says, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Are we not to act like mature adults and flee youthful lust (passions)? The mocking that is going on within the Evangelical camp is a sign of immaturity and childishness. Some are 50 and 60 year old men stuck in their youth unwilling to give up the youthful cloths, music and lifestyle. They embrace Christian hedonism. They don't greet each other with a manly handshake but resort to the "dude hug." Where are the godly men who avoid the name calling and stand for righteousness and holiness? Where are the older women who teach the younger women? I'll tell you, they are reliving their youth and having a perpetual midlife crisis. Their image of Christ is of a tattooed Jesus embracing worldliness (JesusTattoo.org) not the holy Son of God.
Anonymous,
You've nailed it. You are absolutely correct. This characterizes evangelicals, including the conservatives. I don't think 1 Cor 13:11 applies per se, but the point stands.
Post a Comment