Well said Joe!
After having spent 25 years doing the very thing that you speak against here, I am now confronted IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY THAT I USED TO CONFRONT...and guess what
...I HATE IT!!!
(Pay back is a terrible thing
)....I now have those who want to corner ME and who really do not want to change themselves since they are totally COMFORTABLE with where they are spiritually; as you said, they just want to persuade me of their way of thinking. As I had stated in an earlier thread, 'it is best to just lead them to this site than to sit endlessly and try to answer all of their endless questions...' thus, I had to do this (leave him alone and not preach or teach; I just sent him to BT's site to test his intentions for wanting to know what I know) a couple of weeks ago to a guy (in a very highly paid position in a church) that just wanted to pick my brain; I have not heard back from him since then
! Not to toot my own horn or anything, but, I truly believe that this guy was so embarrassed that he saw fruits in my life that came shining through in a very natural way in my life verses having to 'have a bible study' to show onesself approved', and that I was more knowledgeable than he...that he just couldn't take that so he had to make himself look 'just as smart' as I he saw me.!) He soon learned that I was NOT IMPRESSED with anything that he wanted to offer me or confront or corner me on....I mean, why do I have to tell him all of the answers that are here at BT, when he can go here himself and THEN he can tell me if he agrees or not; if he does not agree, then we have no common unity of the spirit in which to further speak about the scriptures together. As in my case, IF you are leery of their intentions, then it is a good way to test their sincerity (to send them here) before we invest too much time and energy 'discipling' them just to find out that they are not seeking the whole truth afterall! SO, IT ALSO TAKES WISDOM TO KNOW WHEN TO SAY, 'NO, I WILL NOT STUDY, DEBATE, ARGUE, OR DISCUSS SCRIPTURES WITH YOU RIGHT NOW, TILL I SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT JUST ALL ABOUT GAINING HEAD KNOWLDGE ONLY"...(they will either love you for this response, or they will hate you for it
!)...as I stated, before learning the Truth, I would have jumped on ALL opportunities to STUDY/DESCIPLE someone, anyone; but, not anymore! Not without the promping of the Spirit!
I hope that wasn't too wordy to understand...
Onto tending to my Chili in the crockpot