The Danger of Nitpicky Christianity

[Buddy D. Mouse]

We must keep our thomahawks sharp as we take heretic-scalps - this board at Worthy is a very solid cite - there are some cites that are real "Heresy Hotels"...

I don't think irony is lost here

[Hopefully]

5 hours ago, Buddy D. Mouse said:

We must keep our thomahawks sharp as we take heretic-scalps - this board at Worthy is a very solid cite - there are some cites that are real "Heresy Hotels"...

I don't think irony is lost here

I try to make posts not only relevant to what I see in the world but relevant to what I see on this site also.
 

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by Hopefully

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, Hopefully said:

I try to make posts not only relevant to what I see in the world but relevant to what I see on this site also.
 

 

You do well with that. . .

Theological nonsense is tiresome so it's always refreshing to discover edifying dialogue. 

 

[Ray12614]

I believe that this is by far the best post (even if it was not originally yours) that I have seen on Worthy in a very long time!

Thank you for sharing  . . . too bad the scoffers and cynics (and there are some on Worthy) will let this go by without taking it to heart.

Appreciate you . . . Ray . . .  

[Hands On]

I believe Paul sums this issue up pretty well for us.I believe we must decide whether we are problem makers or problem solvers within the context of "6  So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; 
7  if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; 
8  if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully."(Romans 12:6-8)

Now in the context of this discussion , if I am not "encouraging" someone by always looking for little "fleas" and mistakes or downplaying their well intended use of their gifts to the Glory of God,then they can only be problem makers driven by either jealousy or never satisfied with the gifts they have been blessed with.Possibly  even an insatiable greed for "all the gifts", therefore over overly opinionated.

[Hopefully]

Thank you.

[Starise]

Christians should definitely have standards to uphold that reflect Christ. We are saved, yet we are also working through our salvation or working out our salvation. Any process tempts us to look at how well we think it's going because it gives us something to measure. Something to compare. Christianity is clearly a process after the initial decision to follow Christ. The process where God is working on us and in us.

Many of us hold strict expectations for ourselves, but then our eyes sometimes wander to strict expectations for others, this is when problems arise because we can't be perfect judges making perfect rules. Even if we could it isn't our place to do so.

We nitpick ourselves and we often nitpick others, sometimes to their faces. Sometimes behind their backs to others. This all arises from a feeling of discontent. The old judgmental sin nature. We build these moral evaluation/spiritual evaluation rulers and then build our personal expectations around them.

Where should we draw the line between what is expected of us as Christians by the Lord Himself and what we think looks acts and smells like a Christian?

The area of the soul is a specialty no one but God is qualified to work on. Sure He can use us. He can work through us. HE decides if that is supposed to happen or not and through who or how it will happen. This level of control is out of our hands completely.

People will do things that naturally grate on us. Our response to those things probably shows what level of maturity we are at spiritually. 

Just when I think I have that one mastered I am painfully reminded I'm not there yet. One answer is to simply stay away from people. Become an introvert, Even then, eventually someone is going to rain on your parade.

The real answer is love because love accepts, love understands, love makes allowances, love overlooks imperfection. A fair view of humanity is a balanced view that has decided to live one day at a time in Christ. One hardship at a time, hour by hour, minute by minute. This is all meaningless talk unless God is the one directing and illuminating the world for us to see. If we allow ourselves to be illuminated, God will shine to the world through us. There is great power in thinking through every response to our brothers and sisters with God's direction in mind.

[Sower]

On 10/30/2021 at 9:04 AM, Hopefully said:

You magnify self

There is something incredibly satisfying about smacking a heretic across the face with Scripture. In fact, it’s addicting. Before you know it, you take up refuting false teaching as a hobby. You want people to know you for your sound theological arguments and air-tight Scriptural logic. You inwardly scoff at the theological illiteracy of others, and then proceed to pin them to the wall with Truth.

You do all this, not out of love for Christ or others, but out of love for self. It makes you feel good about yourself. It is driven by arrogance. This is not the expression of godly wisdom, but is an expression of “selfish ambition,” described by James as “earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (Ja 3:16).

You become cynical

If you try hard enough, you can find heresy under every rock. Every sermon you hear and every book you read is opportunity to expose theological error. You dissect phrases and vocabulary, intently searching for the slightest deviance from Scriptural truth. You go to church listening for what heresies the pastor might bring up rather than listening to what God might have you to learn. You become a cynic.

Discernment is vitally important in the Christian life. We must not embrace every sermon and book we come across. God commands us to “test the Spirits to see if they are from God” (1 Jn 4:1). So how do you know when you have crossed the line from discernment to cynicism?

A cynic is someone who assumes that theological error is present, even when it isn’t. A cynic rarely seeks clarification. He waits for that one misspoken word, clings onto it, and uses it to condemn the speaker instead of asking him to clarify. A cynic is not a joyful person. He finds more satisfaction in pointing out the error of others than he does in his own salvation. A cynic lacks compassion for others. His says, “You should know better” instead of saying, “Let me help you.”

You become your own worst enemy

False teachers are described in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 as having “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrel about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction…”

Wow...that sounds like a Facebook theology debate.

You know that you have gone too far when your attempts to defend the gospel of Jesus Christ morph into “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrel about words” --the same craving that fuels the false teachers you claim to oppose. Yes, I must confront false teaching, but there is a difference between guarding your beloved Gospel when it is attacked and trying to pick a fight because you crave theological controversy.

If you’re not careful, you’ll become your own worst enemy, producing the same result as the false teachers: “envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction.”

The Cure

So what is the cure? Jesus tells us in Revelation 2:1-7 when he speaks to the Church of Ephesus:

“I know your works….how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false….But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do works that you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans which I also hate”

Jesus commends their stance against false teachers, but he rebukes their heart condition. They were hating the right things, but they weren’t loving the right things. We must fight for the Truth out of a heart of love for our Savior.

Don’t crave the fight; crave the Cause of Christ. Fall in love with his grace and mercy. Rejoice in his undeserved favor. Thank him for rescuing you from sin. When we return to our “First Love,” we will take any risk necessary to “guard the good deposit entrusted” to us (2 Tim 1:14). Confrontations will arise. Some of them will be ugly. But we are not to crave these confrontations.

If we return to our First Love, we will confront boldly, but “with gentleness” (2 Tim 2:25).
We will confront for the purpose of restoring others, not humiliating them.
We will confront to preserve unity, not destroy it.

A little “nit-pickiness” is necessary to expose false teaching, but we must be aware of the dangers. If we grow in our love for our merciful Savior, even our “nit-pickiness” will be marked by grace.

http://www.pursuingthepursuer.org/blog/the-dangers-of-nitpicky-christianity

 

    very nice Hopefully..

I often cannot understand theological terminology used at University level. And I have to research various words in order to try and understand. Plain language just doesn't work with them. Extremely frustrating. Then I feel like I've been dismissed from the conversation/ debate after a good dressing down. So I just pray for them, really pray for them, that they can see what's really happening. It really puts me on the edge of saying something  that I will totally regret. I just stop trying to reply to them, and give it to God.

Well done

is better than

well said"

[Hopefully]

2 hours ago, Sower said:

Well done

is better than

well said"

Amen 

[grumix8]

Everyone is so judgemental some people promblem also is that they think they are G-d almighty and say thier judgement is the same as G-d. There is a sickness in tidious judgement in everything be the witness G-d wants and be loving.