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A Message to the Stubborn
mharrell08:
Hello All:
I will try to be brief but I feel this needs to be said. I have been reading the bible-truths website for a little over a year and have been a part of the forum for a few months. I don't claim to know everything or any more than anyone else. As you can see, I am still a "newbie". That being said, there is one consistent issue that we all need to calm down on and that is the stubborness.
Every week, someone (usually a newbie or whatever the next step up is) makes a point about whatever issue they feel scripture is stating, a few mods and others will show that they are somewhat off in their analysis (all using multiple scripture by the way) and then that someone refuses to humble themselves and goes on a small tangent about how they are not wrong. This is the furthest thing from loving one another. I am not trying to preach, but it is discouraging for everyone when we all come to read, study, and discuss scripture and someone wants to pound their message into the ground and go tit for tat with one another. If you truly feel you are right, why can't you stay humble and just agree to disagree? Why do you feel you have this all knowing understanding and no one can turn you from? This goes along with Ray's teachings about idols of the heart. We have to let that stubborness and pride go. No one really knows it all.
Again, I'm sorry to be so long-winded but since I have been a part of this forum, every week it happens. If this is preaching, I will understand if this needs to be deleted. I just wanted to bring something to light that goes on entirely too much in my opinion. Thanks
Marques
P.S. This is nothing personal as I am a stubborn one myself sometimes. Just hope it can help us put things in a good perspective.
Samson:
Marques,
I agree and your point is well taken. I can't speak for the rest of the World, but this country seems to encourage excessive or false pride and stubborness, being stubborn for what's clearly right is one thing, being stubborn for ones personal agenda is quite another matter. I belonged to a denomination for twenty years that excels in being stubborn, even when the evidence is explicitly clear they are wrong. I guess stubborness is related to self-pride, haughtiness, self-importance, vanity and the like. Those at this Forum who formally belonged to a extremely legalistic self-righteous Denomination that claimed to " know it all " might have experienced a tremendous humbling upon realizing they didn't " know it all ", this was true in my case. Fortunately for me, I didn't abandon the Scriptures along with that Religion.
Anyway, thankyou for the heads up regarding the undesirable trait of stubborness, I will try to apply this counsel to myself.
Your Brother in Christ, Samson.
Dennis Vogel:
Because it's easy to be rude on the Internet.
Because it's impossible to tell someones tone in a post (they may not have meant it to sound so abrasive).
Because some here are religious hobbyists.
Because too many think they are called to be teachers.
Because some here know their beliefs line up with bible-truths.com but forget they too were once deceived.
Because we are all stubborn and prideful (as noted).
That said, we still need to be aware of the wolves in among the sheep. Every few weeks we get someone pretending to be one of us but whose real purpose is to "set us straight." So we need to be careful. Some here are too zealous and over react, but react we must, just not with malice, please.
Dennis
Matt:
I agree with you Marques, I too come here to "read, study, and discuss scripture" and maybe make a few friends along the way. Life is too short to waste it fretting with each other.
--- Quote ---Anyway, thankyou for the heads up regarding the undesirable trait of stubbornness, I will try to apply this counsel to myself.
--- End quote ---
Good advice for us all Samson!
Well put Dennis :)
Matt
hillsbororiver:
In my almost 3 years participating in this Forum I have seen an undeniable pattern emerge by observing the folks who join this board, the following is a private message I wrote many months ago to a couple members who had concern over what the were witnessing here;
Hi -----,
It is my hope that (insert name here) is merely experiencing the frustration from wanting to know everything at once and forgetting about the study and patience that will eventually lead to wisdom and understanding. I have seen this pattern repeatedly.
1 Skim through a couple articles, get excited about no hell, no tithes.
2 Join the Forum
3 Stop reading and demand answers from the membership
4 Begin teaching things they still embrace from Babylon
5 Get challenged by the membership and the mods
6 Leave the Forum
I have also seen those that do read (for a while) and continue to be positive and active here but then begin to bring in scripturally unsound things that were "revealed" to them, they are dissatisfied with the response and become a little more self defensive and even confrontational as they accuse the Forum of being "followers of Ray" and the moderators as being cops, nazi's or whatever. They conveniently forget the rules, really the outline of what this Forum was founded on, discussion of the articles, not as a soap box for would be or self proclaimed teachers.
Of course these things did not start at BT, Paul speaks of this in his writings, just a couple examples here;
1Ti 1:6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
1Ti 1:7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
More and more I am convinced that we are to learn discernment through these episodes, seeking His wisdom and guidance but especially His will in dealing with every individual issue that presents itself.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe
This is not directed at any one person but shared in the hope we all would show patience and empathy as best we can through His Spirit. Not becoming angry but rather to learn from these experiences that are sure to repeat themselves again and again here and in our personal lives until we are more aligned with His will day by day and moment by moment.
Peace,
Joe
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