A quick response to a few observations I've made:
“Oh! I would that some Christians would pay a little attention to their legs, instead of paying it all to their heads. When children’s heads grow too fast it is a sign of disease... So, there are some very sound brethren, who seem to me to have got some kind of disease, and when they try to walk, they straightway make a tumble of it, because they have paid so much attention to perplexing doctrinal views, instead of looking, as they ought to have done, to the practical part of Christianity. By all means let us have doctrine, but by all means let us have precept too… true Christians can say, with the apostle Paul, “We walk.” Oh that we may ever be able to say it too! Here then is the activity of the Christian life.” – C.H. Spurgeon, 1000 devotional thoughts of C.H. Spurgeon No. 4
Therefore, what matters more, knowing doctrine or walking with God? The hope is you never have to make that decision. Doctrine’s purpose is to define God and our relationship to him, not substitute that relationship. Go ahead and debate doctrinal differences. The real question is not are you Calvinist, but do you love God and do you truly follow him? If an unbiased source viewed your life, who/what would he say you love? If you love God, debates of doctrine would not become yelling brawls where, for personal pride you spew forth your view. They would rather be a time where you assertively present truth for His name sake, not for personal dominance or pride, rather for the mutual understanding of all present. Yelling and brow beating will not and never have accomplished anything.
I feel Like more could be said, however I'm not about to comment on how exactly correction and doctrinal debates should play out. I just know that I have rarely seen self-control exhibited in such an argument as Absolute Predestination vs Absolute Free Will. Often times I have seen people with an eroding spiritual life fighting the most ardently; I think that is who Spurgeon is talking to. Doctrine matters, don't get me wrong. However, couldn't the same time be spent finding out how you need to be living your life for Christ rather than trying to convince someone of a doctrinal issue that you yourself don't understand?
13 years ago
