Anyway, I'm going to do a sorta cop-out and link to someone else's blog, but it's a good link, you two, I swear! I don't know why I'm trying to be funny. I feel a little like Rodney Dangerfield pulling at my tie, hoping a few more people will walk into the club and listen to the bad jokes for awhile. Have another G&T, willya? I get no respect.
So, back to the link, Mike (maybe later this week since he's at Aborigine camp-whatsit) and... let's see, who else will read this? Oh, dad. Hi, dad! How are ya? Did church go all right today?
I'm really focusing now, I swear. Tom Ascol's stuff over at Founders Blog consistently exemplifies both strength of conviction and grace; where other bloggers feel they have the "right" to express their opinions with sarcasm or mean-spiritedness, Tom has never stooped to name-calling or caricatures. Take a look at this, his introduction to an extended quote from John Newton:
Too often zeal for truth is used as a license to be harsh, condescending or downright mean. [...] Anyone who uses commitment to his Lord's doctrines as an excuse to violate his Lord's commandments reveals that he holds neither gospel nor law as fervently as he thinks.
The same Master who teaches us the [doctrines of grace] also commands us to love the brethren ("A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another," John 13:34) and even our enemies ("But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," Matthew 5:44). And Paul explains that love is "patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude ... it is not irritable or resentful" (1 Corinthians 13:4-6).
What kind of devotion is it that excuses sin in the name of truth? Uninformed and immature at best and blind and deluded at worst.
You see what I mean? Head over to the Founders Blog, if for no other reason than to absorb a lesson in gentleness without weakness.
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7 comments:
Make that three people who read your blog, Laura! I've been lurking... er... reading your blog for a while, but at work, the comments are blocked. Weird. It's like they want me to do my job instead of making clever remarks about your clever remarks. The nerve!
Church went fine, Laura. Thanks for asking. I preached on realizing imputed righteousness via faith as defined by notitia, assentia and fiducia. Totally puritan.
I'm really enjoying The Valley of Vision. Really. A lot. Everyone -- all three of us -- should get it and read it. A lot.
Glad you're back! Oh, and by the way, did you read my last article about "the doctrine of snow"? I think you have more readers than I do.
I guess that makes me #4.
gad
Laura, I am honored to be one of the few, the proud, the faithful readers. I check your blog a couple of times a week...glad you're back at it.
I was checking your blog a couple of times a month - but I'll up that to once a week now! ;) Everyone's allowed a break over the New Year :)
I read your blog all the time, but I'm not smart enough to comment. If you wrote something about sports or humor or unemployment or commonfolk stuff, I'd be commenting all the time! I'm not good at using my brain...
Thanks, everybody!
Doug, man, it's seriously good to hear (uh, read) from you! Tell your wife I said hey!
Daniel EMS!? How come all my pastors read my blog and I don't know about it? And speaking of people who are incognito, Sarah Cosper, you usually come out of the woodwork when I do a post like this...
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