House Church Talk - Phil & his Visualizing

[jim sutton]

Lee Underwood wrote:

>I take offensive to your comment of shedding innocent blood (but I forgive 
>you). Boy, if that is the case, then Jesus and all the disciples did their 
>share of shedding innocent blood. This is not about humanism. This is about 
>the Kingdom of God. 


And so on it goes...

Thank you, Lee, for explaining how you feel, and for forgiving me.  I do not 
need your forgiveness, but I know that you need to forgive.  Just as I need to 
understand how and why we can jump on a tiny thing and build it into a big 
mountain.  And I need to forgive those who did so to my brother.

Lee, try to understand.  I'm not saying that anyone here felt angry or like 
fighting when they posted to Phil.  That?s part of the problem.  I?m sure it 
probably felt good to stomp all over his innocent comments.  And I do 
understand that.

In my mind, I can visualize churches -- both the old buildings and the groups 
of people -- all over America.  So many good fellowships of decades past that 
have dwindled down to nothing, or to almost nothing.  Too many communities 
that once had hundreds of believers are lucky now to have a dozen or two real 
Christians.  And one reason for that shrinking fellowship is that it can feel 
so good to beat up on a brother or a sister -- all in the name of love and 
helping.

We see a problem, or think we see a problem, and we just want to help.  And 
then later, when we tell our other brothers and sisters about it, we just mean 
for them to pray.  We?re not spreading tales.  And when we continue to examine 
our hearts, to see if there was any bad intent, we see none, and so we 
continue to justify ourselves.

By all means stand for godly and correct teaching, doctrine, practice and 
lifestyle.  Anyone who knows me knows that I take that stand.

But don't be bound to a catchword, or a mistaken notion, to the extent that 
you just keep posting, one after another of you, to the same good brother.  If 
someone has already questioned an idea, a practice, or whatever, then wait and 
allow the brother to answer for himself.  Make certain that he really has a 
real problem before all of you jump in to fix it (sorry, I meant to say 
"repair it", I'm from Texas).

Be considerate of the feelings and of the life of every good brother you have. 
 A brother is not an enemy.  Give him some space, and if he really does try to 
actively promote error, then just one or two of you share with him -- not the 
whole list.

Phil is our brother.  Unless we all have Alzheimer's, we should be able to 
recall all the good things he has shared with us.  So why, on a single 
misunderstanding will we suddenly assume the worst.  That is shameful 
behavior.  And that is one reason so many flee the "fellowship" we have to 
offer.  Not just on here on this list, but in too many places.

Not everyone must say everything exactly as we do, or think just as we do, in 
order to know and love our Lord Jesus.  Many believers all around this world 
are going to say things, expressing the same faith we have, but with different 
phrases and terms and words.  They will use different illustrations.  But they 
are one in the Lord with us.

And so on.  

But I've said enough on this topic.  You guys say and do as you will.  I 
believe you do mean well.  But we need to move beyond ?meaning well? in our 
relationships, if we want to honor both the Lord and each other.  Preferring 
others does not mean justifying ourselves.

God bless each of you, no matter how you respond to this.  I know I?m an old 
crank, and old cranks are good at getting things started.  I love each of you 
in the Lord, and I really do mean well.

Jim