I will stubbornly believe the best of you! :-)
Intellectually, I understand and give credence to this opinion, of late expressed by Lance and Bill. Emotionally, I am not there. A confession of sorts. I have seen lives and marriages and whole congregations destroyed by the works salvationists. Their rhetoric is often identical to what I see here on TT from some of the participants. Intellectually, I want to get along -- but emotionally, I know that is not to be because of their rules and their insistence on "truth" . It is a struggle for me, right now. My Christ was killed by the legalists of the day. I know, I should say that "He died for the legalists of the day" but that is not my choice of words at this time.
I can stand in the shadows and watch Bill and Debbie and Caroline make peace or try to make peace with those who have no respect for them or what they believe..........and it bothers me. I was born and raised in legalism. I know of it's deceptive attitude and how little it cares for the person and how in love it is with Itself. Law over and above relationships. They (the legalists) pit God's law against (some of) God's own people. They love scriptures that speak of the salvation of the few. They demand that confession lead to holiness and will actually make decisions on your behalf regarding the degree of sincere effort in your struggle to overcome. They teach and believe that exclusion is what God had in mind when He spoke of "sanctification" or the setting apart of the Saints of God. And they will not be stopped. They pry into your lives, read your mail, hunt you down and preach warning after warning against you. You HAVE to think like them because they have the truth ----- and they will not rest until you either concede or move on. Me? I have watched this happen for all of my adult life. Church is a club for these people. And I don't mean "night club:" I mean night-stick !!! And, they seldom change. The only thing they really understand is the phrase "fight fire with fire." And if not careful, those who oppose the legalist are consumed, themselves.
So I watch and listen and wonder if I am really that far off base -- me and my sarcasm, me and my impatience, me and my loyalties for those who I respect/love, me and the memories of past and personal conflicts with the Legalist beast. A lamb led dumb before the slaughter is not the same as a dumb lamb.
Just thinking out loud.
John
