I have to agree with a friend who wrote me and said, "My biggest concern besides deception is the attitude of the heart in
light the different doctrines of the tribulation."
(pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib, post-mill, etc.) There is only "One" correct teaching!
A mother or father is concerned over one of their
children if and when they go astray. They can't rest while one of
theirs has wandered off and got lost. There is natural affection for
their child. They are concerned "because" they LOVE them, not because
they hate them, by taking appropriate action "for the child's welfare"
as they see fit! So, when they find the child, they are glad beyond
tears...but that doesn't mean the "appropriate action" won't be a good
licking when they get him home. (Out of "Love and Concern" over them
of course, that they learn their lesson by it.) :-)
Likewise, if any Christian Loves God they cannot Hate His children!
It is impossible! Everything we do we do with our brother's and
sister's welfare and best Christian interests in mind and at heart.
Instead of a "good licking", a "good rebuking" with the word of God
might be a more appropriate description of "punishment", of which
"none of us" are immune from if we should "stray away" from the
truth!
The "older" the child (the longer one is a "Christian") the greater
the rebuke. The "younger" the child (thus not as "mature" in the
faith as the older, having fewer "excuses") the lesser the rebuke.
(As you know, in an "open forum as this is" it is rather hard to
rebuke the older (who should know better) without the younger feeling
it was all being done in unjustified anger, and therefore
unnecessary.)
Nevertheless, if we see you in the bed of error and sleeping naked
with deception, we must take appropriate action, and tell you for your
own good that we don't approve of who you're sleeping with or what
you're doing, and let you hear what the voice of authority (God's
word) has to say about all of it in very clear, no-nonsense terms, for
"your" sake. (The same goes for me as well.)
For if we know the truth and yet say "nothing" to those in error then
we could justifiably be accused of actually "hating" our brother. (And
we know we will have to stand and give an exact account of "why" we
didn't say anything when we stand before God at the judgement seat of
Christ! That is one reason why Paul and the others did not fear men
and what they could do, but feared God alone and what He could do.
How can any one of us say that we love God, whom none of us have yet
to see in Person, yet hate our brother who we see every day?
Therefore we speak out "because" we LOVE our brothers, and because we
do (depending on how deeply they are entrenched into false teaching)
we spare no words for their sake, but speak the absolute truth - not
because we "hate" them, but because we "Love" them, every God's son
and daughter one of them, saving as many as we can from out of the
fire without our being burned as well!
It is their "Attitude" towards the truth and hearing the truth and
receiving the love of the truth that has me "greatly" concerned. I am
in prayer over them, in a spiritual sweat, twisting my knuckles that I
may get them to "SEE" what God alone has to say about such things, and
upon their seeing, to agree and return to the fold (the word of God!).
Over and over I have given "clear and unadalterated Scripture" to them
to examine against their pre trib doctrine. As "a Christian who
claims to love the truth", is it wrong for me to "expect" other
Christians who also claim to love and want only the "same" truth, to
see "and agree" with the word of God? Am I asking too much?
I KNOW that when I was first saved, I had a deep and gnawing hunger
for THE TRUTH, and I still do! I just couldn't get enough! I wanted
to know the truth! "All of it!" I wanted more of Jesus! "All of
Him!" I wanted nothing hidden! I wanted no surprises! I wanted the
Lord to explain it all to me so that even a baby could not only
understand it but be completely responsible for it as well. He did
and does just that! With knowledge comes responsibility! I have
been "blessed" with an understanding, bringing with it a
responsibility and accountability that goes beyond a babies. (and none
of us would want it any other way!)
So I, more than most, have even less of an excuse for beating
(bashing) on the others while my Lord is still tarrying. "I know
better!" I know He is a man of His word! He will do everything
exactly as He says He will! I've been there (getting bashed) myself!
If it were left up to me, I could easily run away from my
responsibilities, hide, throw away the key and never be heard from
again. (Please, no one say anything!) :-)
But the Lord knows I don't want it left up to me, not when it comes to
the body of Christ and their welfare, for whom the Lord gave His
precious life. THAT ALONE makes it all "worth it"! Worth the thanks,
the curses, the cries of foul, the misunderstandings.
I know that I am zealous for the truth but I am zealous for you as
well! I've seen the deception of Satan. I've been down that road as
a once pre-tribber myself. How then can I condemn or call anyone
stupid who is as I once was (a pre-tribber) myself, if I was once just
as stupid myself? (Perhaps "stupid" isn't the right word for you.
Forgive me.) What was my excuse? I don't ask anyone to believe "me",
but to believe "God" if what I write is from Him. "Check it out with
the Scriptures - All of them", is my cry! That's all.
"Dear Lord, you and I both know how "precious" it is having a right
"heart attitude" in light of your Word! You have pulled me out of
deceptions and lies because of the truth and the love of the truth you
have put in my heart. I pray for some "Noble" Berean Christians to
examine my doctrine (knowing they will "think on these things"), not
through the slant of their preconceived, pre-trib notions) but in the
pure and revealed light of Your word. That's all I ask! For their
sake and Your Kingdom I pray, in Jesus' glorious name."
One final word: To me I cannot in any way, shape or form fathom a
Christian, "any Christian", born of, by and for The Truth; Truth they
claim to love above all, who has allowed themselves to be so caught up
in holding together "their" doctrine (that other brothers are warning
them is false) that they are "unable and unwilling" to examine these
things without being biased, with the pure light of God's word. I
fear for them!
God, by His word, speaks for Himself without our help! Notice that
"The Gift of Interpreting God's word" is NOT a gift of the
Spirit! Therefore, it is NOT an option. His word, all of it,
stands alone and apart from any and all of "mans" interpretations.
There's no need for us to spiritualize it, allegorize it, semiticize
it (make it apply to the Jews), slant it, or perform any other kind of
surgery on it in order to "conform it" to fit the image of "our"
doctrine, and then bow down and worship it as if "IT" were the
Truth!!!
Whether we believe it, as is, or not, is up to each one of us, as
wholly determined by the true attitude of our heart for the
truth...the whole truth...and nothing but the truth forever and
ever...so help us, God, Amen!
John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not
greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also
persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Love,
(Do you "see" the implications of what I am saying here?)
All of this "manipulation" takes "our work"! God's word "IS DOCTRINE"! "THE DOCTRINE!"
"God's work" of interpretation is finished! All that remains is for us
to "agree" and line up with what He has said, bowing to His words
alone! Anything else stems from "Unbelief"!
Biff