tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041509706154090534.post4678883490212553206..comments2023-10-10T09:31:36.354-05:00Comments on By Grace Alone: What the World Sees in UsScotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620657390402998257noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041509706154090534.post-46177343383563578892011-01-22T13:09:44.777-06:002011-01-22T13:09:44.777-06:00Paul,
As to heresy...in its simplest terms, heres...Paul, <br />As to heresy...in its simplest terms, heresy is simply a deviation from established truth/belief. They may have a lot of things right, but if the deviation in one area is strong enough, it qualifies as heresy. For example, (getting myself in deep here) the Catholic Church does get many things right. But what they get wrong make them, I think, heretical. Same for Phelps. I don't know their belief statement, but from their outward actions, their hatred and cruelty, it's obvious that their belief system is highly flawed and deviates from the norm of Christianity, thus making them heretical. <br />Someone once said that if you get Christ wrong, it doesn't matter what you get right. Their lack of love and grace in presenting the gospel show them to have Christ definitely wrong. In my humble opinion.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17620657390402998257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041509706154090534.post-38112278420215061372011-01-21T12:30:32.844-06:002011-01-21T12:30:32.844-06:00Wow, what a great analogy from the poor representa...Wow, what a great analogy from the poor representation the Phelps are to Christendom to what a poor representation true believers so often are to our good Shepherd, Christ. I am so often that poor representation.<br /><br />What do you think about all the talk radio show hosts who got the Phelps to sign a contract for airtime in exchange for not boycotting the Tucson shooting funerals? I thought it was actually good, in the interest of protecting the innocent, they offered a distraction for the Phelps family.<br /><br />I wouldn't go so far as to call the Phelps heretics as, if you actually listen to their doctrine, they are basically Calvinistic, but it's the fact that they chop the gospel off after "The wages of sin is death..." and their method of presenting Christ is all judgment, no grace. OK, so maybe those approaches do make them heretical. I always associate the term heretic with wrong doctrine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041509706154090534.post-81901528079558846102011-01-21T08:11:51.164-06:002011-01-21T08:11:51.164-06:00Scott, I really appreciate and agree with what yo...Scott, I really appreciate and agree with what you said. It is a shame that people such as Phelps and that "church?" wear the name Christian, and then behave as they do.<br />You are correct about us all needing to be aware of our own actions, and pray we do not shame the name of Christ.<br />Thanks for the post.<br />T.A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041509706154090534.post-89571173835836141482011-01-20T09:55:15.341-06:002011-01-20T09:55:15.341-06:00I heard about all of this here at school, and we w...I heard about all of this here at school, and we were praying about it. Glad to hear it all worked out ok in the long run.<br />Amen to all the above and especially that last bit on the comment above.Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18075027004616936761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2041509706154090534.post-76792117555501310982011-01-17T16:08:54.194-06:002011-01-17T16:08:54.194-06:00I actual thank God for them. First, I don't th...I actual thank God for them. First, I don't think they are even believers. I think they are apart of the easy believism, decisional regeneration, Finney-type Arminians who have prayed a prayer but God does not seem to have ever transformed them.<br /><br />But, lest you fall over and injure yourself, rendering yourself unable to preach Sunday, necessitating me to fly out there this coming Sunday, let say why I thank God for them. I think for two reasons:<br /><br />1) Paul told the Corinthian believers that there had to be heresies among the Corinthian church so that those who are approved in the church would be made known or manifest. Heretics like these demonstrate the true men of God.<br /><br />2) They open the door for sincere, Christlike ministry. The opportunity to give comfort and explanation is opened by these heretical fools. We can give an explanation we might not have been able to give earlier.<br /><br />God can squash Phelps like a bug when He wants to, God just keeps Him around to use Him as a means of revealing His true character and nature.<br /><br />At the same time I would like to put him in a locked room with a half dozen or so of the Father's of some of these soldiers for 10 minutes.Gregg Metcalfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16413691313803396844noreply@blogger.com