The Danger of Nitpicky Christianity

[David1701]

On 10/30/2021 at 3:04 PM, 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

 

I have to say that, while there is a lot of good in this article, I have not found this to be the main problem on WCF.

Especially when I first joined, I found the main problem to be a "couldn't care less" attitude towards false teaching.  There were many who were willing to have nice, friendly conversations, with people who were spreading wicked falsehoods.  Those who contended earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints were condemned and derided, as if they, and not the false teachers, were the problem.

This has died down somewhat, thankfully; but, I do not discern that it's due to more godly attitudes; rather, it seems that some of the culprits are no longer posting so much (or at all).

[Hopefully]

2 minutes ago, David1701 said:

I have to say that, while there is a lot of good in this article, I have not found this to be the main problem on WCF.

I see it a lot that’s why I wanted to post this. I’ve only been here since December. 

[Riverwalker]

One person's nit picky is another person's attention to detail 

 

[Hopefully]

12 minutes ago, Riverwalker said:

One person's nit picky is another person's attention to detail 

So what should we take from the article I posted?  If anything I mean is this a useless post?

Edited November 4, 2021 by Hopefully

[Sower]

53 minutes ago, Sold Out Disciples said:

mmm, I'll take Well Done, and Well Said, Both!  Well SAID does have a purpose. They are WORDS, and when they are well written, it's Pleasant:

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." -- Prov. 25:11

I agree, Disciples. 

"Well said, is very important. This is how we sow the seeds of the Gospel, through the word of Jesus Christ, who is the word.

When I say Well done, I am referring to applying the word that we receive, and be doers of the word.

" but be doers of the word, and not hearers only deceiving yourselves. Or if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in the mirror, for he observes himself and goes away and at once forget what he was like.

Your quote, Disciples, 

"A word fitly spoken.....

When addressing others, if what we have said is fitly spoken, that deserves a well said.

Appropriately said, as in to edify another...

Thanks for your reply, Disciples.

 

[Sower]

32 minutes ago, Hopefully said:

So what should we take from the article I posted?  If anything I mean is this a useless post?

I think most of us really enjoyed it, and probably learned a lot, looking at our own selves also.

For myself, it was great timing , and I needed it.

A lot of times it's not what we say, it's more how we say it....

[Hopefully]

1 minute ago, Sower said:

A lot of times it's not what we say, it's more how we say it....

Amen. I just know I’m not the only one who expects attacks when I post all over nitpicking. I want to feel welcomed here to share my thoughts and worship God in doing so.

God saves us not people nitpicking the worship of others. We mostly all mean well here. We should edify each other. Most of the nitpicking I see is even mostly on matters of non salvation.

I think it is dangerous to learn about God from strangers on the internet, but if we learn from people we know and trust we can worship with strangers who believe as we do. 
 

God knows we will not all agree but he says

“People who refuse to argue deserve respect. Any fool can start an argument.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20:3‬ ‭
 

“If someone who is wise tries to settle a problem with a fool, the fool will argue and say stupid things, and they will never agree.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29:9‬ ‭
 

But who is wise online? 

“As a servant of the Lord, you must not argue. You must be kind to everyone. You must be a good teacher, and you must be patient.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:24‬ ‭
 

I figured one way to argue less is not to nitpick.

To be honest this post is not for people who nitpick. It is for people who don’t know they are being nit picked. So you see it coming and don’t fall into the trap. So you keep confident in doing your worship here.  

 

[Hopefully]

It’s good to have problems come up if we are doing good. It’s supposed to happen. We can remain peaceful and not go off track. That’s what love does you have to see past small issues. Love is not easily angered. 

[Hopefully]

3 minutes ago, Patrick21 said:

Many people let their pride get in the way of being humble.

Do you think it was necessary to pull that post from another thread? Do you think if a person believes Dogs will or will not be in heaven affects their salvation? People will argue online forever because nobody is more credible than the other so we should learn in person and find likemindedness in strangers.

[Hopefully]

Just now, Patrick21 said:

Do you believe statements of fact should be supported by scripture?  

Is there anything in the article that you do agree with?