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| What an apt observation! |
The astute observation in the meme happens again and again.
It was also true of me but the Lord has subdued my blinding prejudice.
Let me illustrate with a very common example.
When the Scriptures declares, "... whoever believes has eternal life" so many who are afflicted by the soundbyitis disease would take this as Christ's well-meant offer to those without eternal life (i.e. still dead in trespasses and sins), calling them to believe in order to have eternal life.
It is so difficult for them to see that "... whoever believes has eternal life" is a most simple declaration about the believing ones, i.e. such HAVE, POSSESS eternal life.
Even if I make it simpler still, like illustrating with this statement, "whoever eats has life" they still WILL not understand. "Whoever eats has life" is a declaration of fact about the eating ones, i.e. such HAVE, POSSESS life.
No one is stew-pig [i.e. lacking common sense] enough to take the words "whoever eats has life" as an offer to those without life (that is, DEAD, as dead as a piece of stone!) to eat in order to get the life. No one believes such fable.
And yet, seemingly intelligent men with D.D and Th.D. behind their name cocksurely believe that Christ's words "whosoever believes have eternal life" is Christ well-meaningly offering eternal life to the spiritually dead on the condition that they believe.
What do you think of a man who offers a life-giving concoction to a dead man, saying, "if you will drink this, you will surely receive life." You will think of such a man as evil and wicked and despicable for taunting a dead man like that!
And yet, seemingly intelligent men with D.D and Th.D. behind their name cocksurely believe that Christ's words "whosoever believes have eternal life" is Christ well-meaningly offering eternal life to the spiritually dead on the condition that they believe.
What do you think of a man who offers a life-giving concoction to a dead man, saying, "if you will drink this, you will surely receive life." You will think of such a man as evil and wicked and despicable for taunting a dead man like that!
2Tim 4
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.
A declaration of fact about the believing ones is not the same as a statement of an offer to the believing ones.
A common sense distinction is the essence of sound theology.
But common sense is a rare commodity now!
But common sense is a rare commodity now!
