Comments on: To My Calvinist Brothers: Tone Down Your Rhetoric http://faithforfaith.org/2009/09/04/to-my-calvinist-brothers-tone-down-your-rhetoric/ Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:16:38 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: D. Matthew Brown http://faithforfaith.org/2009/09/04/to-my-calvinist-brothers-tone-down-your-rhetoric/comment-page-1/#comment-494 D. Matthew Brown Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:06:53 +0000 http://faithforfaith.org/?p=2427#comment-494 That is encouraging to hear, brother. I hope it will be a continuing trend. Thanks for input. That is encouraging to hear, brother. I hope it will be a continuing trend. Thanks for input.

]]> By: Jason Y http://faithforfaith.org/2009/09/04/to-my-calvinist-brothers-tone-down-your-rhetoric/comment-page-1/#comment-492 Jason Y Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:34:03 +0000 http://faithforfaith.org/?p=2427#comment-492 Despite the general reputation of rude, proud Calvinists, I have seen unusual, Christ-like kindness on the Calvinist blogs I have been visiting lately. Posters have shown great patience with me especially. Maybe posts like this one are helping to increase attention to kindness among Calvinists. So thanks for sharing! Despite the general reputation of rude, proud Calvinists, I have seen unusual, Christ-like kindness on the Calvinist blogs I have been visiting lately. Posters have shown great patience with me especially. Maybe posts like this one are helping to increase attention to kindness among Calvinists. So thanks for sharing!

]]> By: D. Matthew Brown http://faithforfaith.org/2009/09/04/to-my-calvinist-brothers-tone-down-your-rhetoric/comment-page-1/#comment-483 D. Matthew Brown Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:59:36 +0000 http://faithforfaith.org/?p=2427#comment-483 Thanks for the comments and input. And I must also confess that I have at times said such things myself unlovingly both because of "anonymity" and "immaturity." I hope by God's grace all his children (including myself, chief of all) can grow in love for him and each other. Thanks again. Grace and peace. Thanks for the comments and input. And I must also confess that I have at times said such things myself unlovingly both because of “anonymity” and “immaturity.” I hope by God’s grace all his children (including myself, chief of all) can grow in love for him and each other. Thanks again. Grace and peace.

]]> By: David http://faithforfaith.org/2009/09/04/to-my-calvinist-brothers-tone-down-your-rhetoric/comment-page-1/#comment-480 David Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:29:30 +0000 http://faithforfaith.org/?p=2427#comment-480 Good post, Matt. This is a good reminder for all Calvinists, as confidence coupled with immaturity often gives rise to the kind of rhetorical brutality that you're describing. And we can all lapse into such immaturity from time to time. "For we claim with our words to be about the glory of God, yet we speak in manner that is disobedient to his command, namely, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”" I like that. A quotable quote that's sure to stick with me. Good post, Matt. This is a good reminder for all Calvinists, as confidence coupled with immaturity often gives rise to the kind of rhetorical brutality that you’re describing. And we can all lapse into such immaturity from time to time.

“For we claim with our words to be about the glory of God, yet we speak in manner that is disobedient to his command, namely, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” I like that. A quotable quote that’s sure to stick with me.

]]> By: al http://faithforfaith.org/2009/09/04/to-my-calvinist-brothers-tone-down-your-rhetoric/comment-page-1/#comment-479 al Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:43:03 +0000 http://faithforfaith.org/?p=2427#comment-479 An issue well raised, Brother. Thank you. The "some odd reason" for this anomaly is, I believe, that cowardice thrives and becomes artificially bold in anonymity. An atmosphere in which one may choose to be known (i.e. unknown) by a name or title of one's own choosing, and perhaps an avatar representative of one's ego, breeds legions of self-supposed bulletproof snipers, able to take endless potshots at enemies real or imagined from a position of seeming utter invulnerability. For this reason it is essential that, prior to posting, we examine ourselves to see whether we are thinking and acting in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do we have the mind of Christ? Are we letting this mind be (dominant) in us which was also in Christ Jesus...? Are we bringing our every thought into obedience to Him? What bloggers and responders must know, sooner or later, is that God is not mocked. Be not deceived. While man reads the comment, God is looking on the heart of the poster. Learning this sooner, rather than discovering it later, is definitely preferable, as we each will reap from our Lord what we have sowed to the least of His brethren, and that which does not edify in love tears down in wrath. An issue well raised, Brother. Thank you.

The “some odd reason” for this anomaly is, I believe, that cowardice thrives and becomes artificially bold in anonymity. An atmosphere in which one may choose to be known (i.e. unknown) by a name or title of one’s own choosing, and perhaps an avatar representative of one’s ego, breeds legions of self-supposed bulletproof snipers, able to take endless potshots at enemies real or imagined from a position of seeming utter invulnerability.

For this reason it is essential that, prior to posting, we examine ourselves to see whether we are thinking and acting in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do we have the mind of Christ? Are we letting this mind be (dominant) in us which was also in Christ Jesus…? Are we bringing our every thought into obedience to Him?

What bloggers and responders must know, sooner or later, is that God is not mocked. Be not deceived. While man reads the comment, God is looking on the heart of the poster. Learning this sooner, rather than discovering it later, is definitely preferable, as we each will reap from our Lord what we have sowed to the least of His brethren, and that which does not edify in love tears down in wrath.

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