Subject: Is praying to created beings scriptural? |
Bible Note: Dear John Reformed: I, too, find it my lot to disagree with certain points of view that are frequently expressed on this forum and I harbor the notion that there is not a registrant on the forum who does not from time to time find himself in disagreement with certain points of doctrine he reads about. It would be an impossibility, I should think, that one could embrace every doctrine he sees promulgated on this forum ..... We all of us know, for example, that Emmaus is Roman Catholic, that Tim Moran is of the Arminian persuasion, that you are Reformed, that EdB is Pentacostal, and that I am Southern Baptist. We have a basic working knowledge of what the points of differences are and it's been shown quite conclusively that no one is likely to change the other's thinking regarding the basic points of doctrine on which we disagree. Neither can it be truly said that one's salvation or his walk with the Lord pivots on any one of these doctrinal differences. We know, for instance, that you subscribe to the Reformed tradition, have known it from the beginning, and we have known for quite some time what your feelings are concerning the Roman Catholics, the Arminians, and the Baptists. Therefore, may I calmly and quietly ask you why it is that you deem it necessary and desirable to communicate to members of this forum over and over your position that the RCC and Arminians base their theology on false premises, when they have an equal right to say the same thing about yours? To defend by saying something like, "Yes, but they can't prove their position by Scripture" is not accurate, because they can and do. The crux of the matter, it seems to me, is that there are none of us whose views are not tainted to a greater or lesser degree by our own deeply-seated biases and imperfect understanding. It has been my experience that he who shouts loudest that his view is the right one, that his is unbiased, is likely to be the most biased among all the shouters. There can be no viable excuse for turning every issue into a denominationally fuelled open debate. A quiet and reasoned discussion, laced with compassion, tact and gracefulness, is possible and desirable. Injecting "false premise" barbs into the discourse only serves to breed and foster ill will and a contentious debate, which by its very nature produces little more than a verbal duel of wits and wills in which no party in the arena wins, and all, to a certain degree, lose. I do not always agree with everything Emmaus says, but I do always agree with and admire the patience, grace, and restraint that he exhibits under fire. When asked, he states his position in an unoffensive manner, is not abrasive, does not launch an assault against his adversaries, and then moves on. May we all learn a lesson from Emmaus. --Hank |