This is part of why I send out warnings. Paul
Proctor has it right on this one.
Text of forwarded message follows:
>HONEST SINNERS AND PHONY CHRISTIANS
>
>By Paul Proctor
>December 20, 2006
>
>http://www.newswithviews.com/PaulProctor/proctor108.htm
>
>I don't know about you but I'd rather be around
>an honest sinner than a phony Christian any day.
>I don't like faux anything. I have almost no
>tolerance for liars in general and even less for
>lying Christians. And much to the chagrin of my
>critics, I unashamedly accept the fact that my
>writings echo that, week in and week out. Lies
>are not compassionate - they are cowardly,
>crooked and void of any confidence in God and
>have been at the heart of every wicked act since
>Eve took of the forbidden fruit.
>
>A couple of weeks ago I received an email from a
>lady in Australia who, after thanking me for my
>latest article on Rick Warren - a piece in which
>I pointed out his "penchant for duplicity and
>doubletalk" - she chided me for my "condemning words:"
>
>"Paul, don't you see that your 'tongue' has an
>unchristian sting? I can accept that you want to
>have your opinion to be heard on top of the
>truthful warnings you express in your letters.
>But why, oh why, do you use condemning words
>such as 'escapades, infatuated flock, wily ways,
>wink and wiggle tactics, calamitous, fake
>humility, egocentric nature, penchant for
>duplicity and doubletalk, shameless and
>self-absorbed behavior'…I do like your letters
>and they are important but I want to share them
>with others also. Some of my friends, though
>interested in your reports of dangers, are put
>off by your throwing of condemning words."
>
>Well, I responded with the following:
>
>"Did Jesus' words have an 'unchristian sting,' as well?
>'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
>hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited
>sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful
>outward, but are within full of dead men's
>bones, and of all uncleanness.' - Matthew 23:27
>'Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can
>ye escape the damnation of hell?' - Matthew 23:33
>'O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to
>flee from the wrath to come?' - Matthew 3:7b
>'O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil,
>speak good things? for out of the abundance of
>the heart the mouth speaketh.' - Matthew 12:34
>And how about Stephen's words in Acts before they stoned him to death?
>'Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and
>ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as
>your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the
>prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and
>they have slain them which shewed before of the
>coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now
>the betrayers and murderers: Who have received
>the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.' - Acts 7:51-53
>
>The point is this: Jesus had zero tolerance for
>liars and phonies Himself - and His language
>reflected that. In fact, His harshest words were
>always directed toward the devoutly disingenuous
>- religious rogues and professional pretenders
>who empowered and esteemed themselves by
>misleading the masses and keeping them in the
>dark and out of the Kingdom of God for the
>bounty and benefits of an earthy kingdom over
>which they, in some degree, reigned.
>
>"Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully…" - Jeremiah 48:10
>
>If I've learned anything over the years about
>our fallen nature, it's that truth is almost
>always considered harsh to the unrepentant,
>regardless of the words that are used to convey
>it. I dare say the impenitent are more afraid of
>truth than anything in this life; and more often
>than not, will accuse their accuser as a
>diversionary tactic by charging them with being
>"unloving" and "unchristian," when in reality, they mean intolerant.
>
>You see, after the dialectic church successfully
>redefined "love" as "tolerance," it became evil
>to criticize any brother or sister in Christ for
>their sinful behavior - especially an errant
>pastor, preacher or church leader - which is
>precisely why the church is in the sorry state
>it's in. But as I've said many times before,
>telling someone the truth is the most loving
>thing you can do for them, even when they end up
>scolding you, shunning you, slandering you and
>turning others against you for doing so. That's
>why sinners nailed Jesus to a cross, stoned
>Stephen to death and beheaded John the Baptist - for telling the truth.
>
>Sadly, few Christians today would dare risk
>their ministry, career, finances, family or
>friendships, much less their lives, to tell the
>truth. In fact, I would go so far as to say
>pastors and preachers are among the worst. Of
>course many will talk among themselves about
>another errant clergy member, but typically in
>private and always off the record. It's like
>they were required to swear a secret oath back
>in Seminary to never challenge or criticize a
>fellow minister publicly for his erroneous
>teachings or shameful conduct. Instead of making
>our pulpits profound places of proclamation and
>poignancy, pastors hide behind them now in a
>perceived piety that makes the word "Christian" appear synonymous with coward.
>
>"Speaking the truth in love," from Ephesians
>4:15, means your remarks are fair and accurate
>with a dedicated desire to not only warn the
>unwary of danger and deception but also to see
>repentance and righteousness from its
>perpetrators. In spite of the disgraceful
>example being set by many of those pastoring
>churches today, love does not answer evil with
>false flattery and flowery fluff in hopes of
>being rewarded later with cooperation and
>camaraderie. (Results & Relationship)
>
>"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the
>kisses of an enemy are deceitful."- Proverbs 27:6
>
>Unfortunately, the church has been beguiled into
>believing that withholding the truth is "love,"
>which is why the vast majority of faith-based
>news agencies, magazines, articles and
>editorials, both in print and online, are much
>like today's seeker sermons - little more than
>cotton candy commentary designed to keep
>Christians congenially compliant to the corrupt
>collective by unseen hands that steer society's
>religious rudder toward a one world religion of
>peace and unity. (Results & Relationships)
>
>Oh, they delight in chiding the non-compliant
>for their brazen behavior from the safety of the
>high-minded herd, especially when it garners
>them praise and profits from followers; but
>rarely will today's laodicean leaders or laymen
>risk anything dear to them by stepping out of
>the "Christian" crowd to rebuke one of their own
>for blatant and unrepentant sin, because peace
>and unity always trumps truth in the business of
>ministry. You see, it's not about purity anymore
>- it's about progress and personalities. (Results & Relationships)
>
>And so I conclude another year and another
>column citing the same quotes I ended my
>response to the lady from Australia with, in
>hopes that all of us - sinners on both sides of
>God's grace - will be more honest in the coming
>year about ourselves and others and less phony
>about our faith in Jesus Christ:
>
>"One cannot be the 'salt of the earth' without
>occasionally stinging the open sores of sin."
>
>"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt
>have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be
>salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but
>to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." - Matthew 5:13
>
>Related Articles:
>
>1.
><http://www.newswithviews.com/PaulProctor/proctor106.htm>What Rick Warren Wants
>2.
><http://www.newswithviews.com/PaulProctor/proctor9.htm>The
>Travesty of Tolerance
>
>© 2006 Paul Proctor - All Rights Reserved
>
>
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End of forwarded message text:
John
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