I have a few commenters on this blog that I know and who's respect I have deep enough that when they say things I think about it. I reflect on the situation.
One is Ron Mackenzie. The Other is Harold Hein. If they say something it carries double weight for me.
Both recently did. The question was on the level of Rant and indignation I exhibit on this blog. Ron asked, did I think that Jeremiah would rant as I do about things in politics, leadership, the church, antichristian positions, stupid things I see. Did I think he would have been concerned about the false religions like Global Warming and Earth Worship?
Harold wondered if in fact Silence might not be better sometimes.
I have given this a great deal of thought and I think I can answer them with a Biblical perspective. I am a prophet not a pastor. I'm not here to make people happy or comfortable in their sin and error.
My goal as a Prophet is NOT to comfort the people I am targeting by my tirades. I made it clear that I do not always speak directly for God when write, but it's also clear that because the benchmark in my life as a Christian is the word of God I also live and respond to what I see around me with the indignation anyone would have about things out of line with those benchmarks.
I have read carefully the prophets of the Old Testament. And I have read John the Baptists recorded sayings as well as Jesus. I have measured them against my writings.
I don't see much evidence of tolerance or silence being golden when they confronted gross error and false religions.
In fact Ezekiel pretty much woes everyone. So does Naham. Hosea.
Even good Old Isaiah gets pretty rough in Chap 58.
I'm not in their class but I think the Spirit they show many times is parallel to what I show.
My purpose is to be a troubler to the status quo where it's out of line with the Word of God. In that way I'm like Elijah who Ahab (of Jezebel) called, "You troubler of Israel". I'm a troubler of Spiritual Israel, the church. I'm on her case constantly. God's not happy with the way things are and He uses for better or worse people like me to rattle the cage. Who will say what needs to be said if we prophets don't?
I'm a troubler of the culture who hates or ignores the principles of God. I'm a troubler of the False Deities man puts up. I'm a troubler of a false religion and political system like Islam. I'm a troubler of those who think they are OK spiritually when they are on a fast track highway to an eternal hell. I'm a troubler of theologies that soft peddle the goodness of God in a PC world. I'm a troubler of misleaders and so called Christians who mislead for political gain particularly from a political perspective that endorses gay marriage, homosexual and abortion. I'm a troubler of dead religious systems and traditions that no longer have any effect on the culture.
In this response I reviewed every one of the 300 posts I have written since June 1.
Most were about troubling the evil in the world.
Some were personal observations. Some just life as I live it. Some reflections. And a half dozen actual prophetic utterances.
I was clear when I gave them.
I think I most identify with Ezekiel. He was married. He had a temper. He could be short. He was also amazed at God's Glory.
I'm guessing Ezekiel would have had a blog and it would have looked very much like mine if it had been technically possible. Dung cake and all. I've had to eat a few.
So, my good friends, Harold and Ron. I'll not stay silent. I can't. And I will continue to trouble those things I see out of line with the word of God. I will say what God says. I'll not Add nor Subtract. If I ever say anything that doesn't line up with His word you call me on it.
I know you will.
3 comments:
When you reviewed those posts, did you pay attention to how much of each of them stayed the point? Did you notice how much of each of them is straying off the point to spew name calling and labeling? I for one would read and comment more sometimes if there was not so much angry venting. It is good toput the points out there for thought but the vile stuff has no purpose. If you can't stop yourself, maybe you could go back and cut 3/4 of it out or just half at first! Think - what IS the point - and simplify. You would be more effective I think.
There is an old adage which says, "Silence is golden." But is it always so? I recently ran across this statement: "Silence is not always golden --sometimes it is just plain yellow!" That really struck me as worthy of further thought.
Certainly "silence is golden" at times. There are times when silence pays rich dividends. Solomon said: "The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin". (Pro. 13:3). Surely the kind of silence here advised, the control of one's tongue, is "golden" indeed. Peter tells us: "Let him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile." (1Pet. 3:10). Silence is certainly "golden" when compared to speaking evil. How wonderfully "golden" the "silence" would be if all whispering, gossip, backbiting, lying, slander and such like could be forever stopped. Perhaps all of us need to give more attention to our speech.
"Silence is golden" also when one is restrained and careful in her speech. There are times when one can say more by being silent. Too many times we may be guilty of saying too much. The multiplicity of words is much in evidence today. No doubt Solomon had reference to such when he wrote: "He who restrains his words has knowledge... [and] even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is counted prudent." (Prov. 17:27-28). It must be agreed that there are times when "silence is golden".
There are other times, however, when silence is not "golden". It may be just plain "yellow" or cowardly in such instances! To remain silent at times when one should speak up is to be guilty of cowardice and results in a failure to do one's duty. It all depends upon the circumstances.
How many times in nearly every field of endeavor has it been true that silence could be traced to cowardice? Even in the service of the Lord this is too many times true. There are times when it is our obligation to speak up and tell the truth. Many times those who should speak out and warn of danger remain silent because they are afraid or fear that they might hurt someone's feelings. Such silence is far from being golden, "it is just plain yellow," and God will hold accountable those who are guilty.
It is the obligation of every Christian, whether a preacher, elder, or "just a member" to "preach the word ... reprove, rebuke and exhort" those who need teaching and correction. We must teach people the truth and condemn sin and error wherever it may be found. The sinner must be warned about the results and end of his wicked ways. Sometimes this is not a pleasant or easy task. At times it will result in trouble and bring opposition to the faithful teacher. No one can please God who remains silent when duty demands that he speak out! Silence is not "golden" in such cases. When sin is winked at, when error goes unchallenged, when dangerous doctrines and practices are not exposed for what they are, the "silence" of those who should speak out is nothing but cowardice. Yet many saints today are remaining silent when circumstances and conditions demand that they speak up.
Grave issues and problems face the saints of God today and the danger of division and digression is apparent in many quarters. One is ignorant of the facts or self-deceived who will deny this. The saints are in a state of confusion in many places and do not know what to expect in the future. Dangers threaten everywhere. The need of the hour is not for silence relative to these things, but for a faithful and plain declaration of God's will touching all areas of service to the Lord and the unity of the saints. There is no place for "fence straddlers," or the compromisers who "halt between two opinions". The saints need basic and clear teaching on their individual responsibility. Nobody can carry your load nor execute your obligations to the Lord and to His people. Individually we have an obligation to help, build up, and encourage one another. Any saint who fails to deal personally with the problems and issues before us is a coward. Moreover, such a person lends strength to the forces of evil, and by failing to oppose such can be counted with the enemies for all practical purposes. Jesus said: "he who is not with me is against me." We have to make a choice, either we are actively for Him or we are passively against Him.
Obadiah condemned some people in his day because they stood by and watched the enemies destroy some of their brethren. God's prophet accused them of "violence against thy brother Jacob". He told them that "shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever." Obadiah told them when and why they had done that for which they were condemned - "On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth, and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem - you too were as one of them." By failing to help their brethren in their plight, Obadiah says of them that they were even as one of the enemies. In the same way today we can be as "one of the enemies" of God's saints.
Are you concerned for the spiritual well-being of your brothers and sisters in Christ? Are you willing to stand by them, lift them up when they fall, defend them against dangers? Do we really care enough about others to correct, encourage and sustain them in times of trouble and discouragement?
Dear brother and sister, what about your responsibility along this line? "Let him who is on the Lord's side say so" and prove it by his or her actions. Where do you stand? Are you hiding behind the cloak of silence, with the idea that "silence is golden"? No true servant of the Lord can remain silent when God's people are in danger from any quarter. He will, yea, he MUST "cry aloud and spare not" in the exposing of sin and error; and in the plain proclamation of the truth of God. It won't be popular with the masses, but it will help save those who have an honest and good heart; and who have the courage and dedication to faithfully serve the Lord come what may!
Paul, the apostle, could say, "I am pure from the blood of all men," because he was faithful to his trust of teaching people the truth from God and warning them of all error. He was no coward and never sought to please men in his preaching (Gal. I:6-10). He certainly did not think that "silence is golden" when the truth needed to be proclaimed in plain, bold language. He boldly condemned all error wherever and whenever he found it. We must do the same if we want the approval of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that silence is not always golden, many times It is just plain yellow...
Bravo.
The phrase was, "SOMETIMES silence is golden" --- SOMETIMES. James tells us, "everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry". Gene, what you are a 'troubler' about is indeed Biblical! Prophets of old 'troubled' kings who were doing wrong, and people who were 'trampling on the heads of the poor',and profaning God's holy name by 'father and son using the same girl' etc.
Those things that you, Gene, are a "troubler" about are what also mameks my old blood boil too: weak churches and leaders that have abandoned the center of Christianity --- Christ, grace, faith alone in Christ for salvation, and the Scripture alone as the basis for faith and life; also,syncretisim found today in many so-called 'Christian' theologies amounting to direct denial of salvation-truths, the culture of relativistic morality, practice of homosexuality and the acceptance of it, atheistic evolution taught in our schools, adultery, the loss of perception of marriage as a divine institution, the growing disrespect for orthodox Christianity and conservative believers, the 'toleration' of so many practices and philosophies that are contrary to our culture which has a Judeo-Chistian basis, and many other warts and cancers in our 21st century society.
I don't have a blog site to
voice my opposition, but I pray for the church, for our country, the world, and for TRUTH to be expressed and accepted. I am not adept, as some people are, by voice or by writing, in "speaking to the issue", so I perhaps am one of the 'silent ones'....just an old guy that's been around for over 8 decades. Praise God.
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