Are your postings and arguements reaching the lost? Yes.

I saw this posted on a Facebook page this morning...

There's a feeding frenzy going on at SermonIndex.net, a vicious argument over Rick Warren. "If you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another," (Galatians 5:15).

Fairness Disclosure: I was banned from the site, but not for rancor and name-calling. I calmly and politely disc...ussed homosexuality from a Scriptural position, but one that differed from theirs.

Though we may know who this poster is, this was on a Facebook profile that is shared with 1500+ possible LOST souls that are friends of the posters. How do you think they responded to our arguements, regardless if they have merit or not?

Do you ever wonder if you postings or arguements are reaching the lost? The answer to that question is YES. Now what are you going to do to make sure that they see the love of Christ, and not the love of self interest...

I would surely rather see this
site be known as a place where
the saints build up one another,
encourage one other, inspire and
lift one another in prayer!!

snuf. You are ALWAYS called to be a light. SI is not an "out of season" place. All that we do, we are to do for the glory of the Lord. Regardless if you wish only to be talking to the saved, the unsaved see what is happening as well.

Does this mean that we stop healthy debate and not have disagreements? Not at all. But, we should be doing so in love. When we start calling fellow believers "heritics" or say statements like "Lord have mercy on you", etc... because of a disagreement, we need to realize that the lost ARE seeing these postings.

Edification of the believers is great, but there is a lost and dieing world out there that NEEDS to hear the Gosple. We can sit here and feel comfortable in our "holy huddle", or we can be living examples of Christ's love and bring this love to the lost.

Remember, there is no idle words that are written on SI. All will be judged by fire. They are broadcast to the world, a world that is waiting to consume you and has a hatred for Christ.

I believe there is a common misconception that Christians are to be perfect and lovely all the time or at least that is our claim. I wouldn't be quick to claim this description of myself because if it were true I would hardly have any use for a Saviour and Lord. Like myself there are many immature on SI just like there are many immature people in the world when the world sees a simply picture shot of us we generally don't look that great because you can make anyone look terrible if you focused solely on one action or thread of a person or group, it requires more than this. I do hope the one who posted this also post things of the wonderfully encouraging threads to give the lost a better concept of people here that would only be fair in my opinion :) But this doesn't mean we should be unmindful of those that hear about and/or visit here and see the silly threads that devour popular Christian Leaders, this devouring is a Pharisee Spirit to the CORE.

This is a good reminder.

This site is viewed by thousands, and we should keep this in mind every time we feel driven to post here. Just like they teach us in defensive driving, we need to look defensively at the "whole picture" before getting on the highway, for the benefit of our safety and the safety of others.

For example, when we post defammatory, critical comments or indulge in vain conversations, we drive recklessly and endanger our lives just as much as the lives of other drivers. God can and will vindicate others whom we shoot at with our accusations; but He will ultimately hold us culpable who aim and pull the trigger. Every man will give an account for every idle word fired out of his mouth. This means "we" who do the all speaking and posting will be put on trial, and not those about whom we speak or post (they will be judged on their own accord, but not according to our words).

The truth is that we don't really believe these things, or else we who put so much labor into "being right" and publishing lengthy critiques of other ministers would tread very carefully and choose our words very judiciously. We would find that it would be best to not post at all in most cases, the potential liability on our part being far too risky and dangerous, outweighing the prideful need to be right and win the argument. In other words, we would keep our guns in their holsters and let others defend the decoy. This is why the wisest brothers and sisters here will totally eschew accusational thread topics and flammable discourses. They will be found to post only edifyingly, their words uplifting Christ and nourishing the Body and engendering peace among the brethren. Their words will be few and precious. As wise and prudent investors, they deposit each word into the eternal bank with the utmost caution and humble frugality, knowing one day they shall be called to an audit.

I think that if we really believed these things, and regarded these principles as those of eternal consequence, our activity within these forum walls would be severely altered and edited. Yes, thousands read these postings, but even more importantly, One Person here also reads all things. Let us henceforth contribute with His Divine Perspective ever in mind. In doing this, we'll perserve ourselves and others who read our words.

Sincerely in Christ Jesus,

Brother Paul

If any think they are religious,
and do not bridle their tongues,
but deceive their hearts; their
religion is useless.

JAMES 1 vs 26

NUFF SAID!! MORE DEEDS DONE IN
LOVE AND IN TRUTH !!

Good word Paul. I am learning this slowly... but I am learning.

It is good for us to examine ourselves, even more than we examine others. Namely, how much grace and love do we have in our hearts, flowing from Christ? This will be revealed by our words and deeds.

By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:10)

This last verse has often convicted me. I remember thinking some time ago, "If I continue along this path, then I have no assurance that Christ is indeed in me." I have always had much zeal for the Lord, which has led me down some ugly paths... It is true that lies and errors do not honor God, but it is equally true that an unloving and ungracious attitude does not honor Him either.

Oh, may God have mercy on me. In His love, may He discipline me. May He keep us from hatred, self-righteous anger (which we usually justify by calling it righteous anger), backbiting, slander, and arrogance. May He keep us humbled, recognizing our own need of His grace and mercy, knowing that presumption is both iniquity and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23).

This is why the wisest brothers and sisters here will totally eschew accusational thread topics and flammable discourses. They will be found to post only edifyingly, their words uplifting Christ and nourishing the Body and engendering peace among the brethren. Their words will be few and precious. As wise and prudent investors, they deposit each word into the eternal bank with the utmost caution and humble frugality, knowing one day they shall be called to an audit.

yea Lord, make us like this.

Good words.

Miccah,

I find this post from FB disturbing...it seems to me he is doing what he is accusing others of doing...

We should never be intimidated by liberals who will come on site to push their agenda to undermine the authority of the WORD, even when they think they are speaking Biblically.

I well remember this thread [of homosexuality]. This poster was kind, but there is that BUT! Apostasy is apostasy regardless who promotes it and regardless of methods used to do so. The most destructive ones are those who are so sweet and kind because it lends credibility to their argument. If they rile up anyone it will serve to prove their point - or so they think. And never mind that Jesus got angry and cleansed the temple from those that bought and sold within its walls!

Jesus says we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16. And how does one accomplish this? This is the thorny question...

Oh, to be faithful regardless of who says what!

ginnyrose

The more i am on this site the more i find out that i know less than i should of the Word.

Agreed ginnyrose. We should not be pursuaded by liberals. This post wasn't about the homosexual post at all, but that the LOST in the world are watching what we believers are doing... and spreading that to other non-believers.

If someone wants to stand up and call a false teacher a false teacher, I am all for it. But should we attack each other about disagreeing that someone is a wolf? No.

If you would see the conversations that take place on the posters FB page, you will see that I am fighting a lone battle against MANY who are perishing, yet Christ is with me, so I am in the majority :-)

What keeps me going is that I know that lost need to hear the Truth. So before I get lumped into the "soft" group, know that I am fighting the battle set before me with who is before me. Not caring about self, but that only some may be saved.

The Lord bless you Miccah,
My prayers are with you.