For those of you who haven't been following the thread on the e-mail list, this might be confusing to read. Ray asked that the discussion be moved here to the forum, so I am also posting my response to what was written there, here.
Ray,
I had wanted to respond to certain things on the Jack Barr thread yesterday, but it wasn't the time. It was this morning as I walked to work that things settled and the Lord helped me with what I should write. It's not necessarily about Jack Barr specifically, but about certain ideas and sentiments that were expressed by members of the list. I was impressed to send this as soon as I got to work. I see that you've asked responses to be sent to Jack himself, but I find that these things aren't for Jack, but for others. If you'd rather not send this out to the list, I can understand that. I will also post it to the forum, and hopefully if this leads to further discussion, it can be brought there.
to Judy, Trinity, and Anne,
Judy, you said that when one cannot learn from a brother or sister seeker of truth, that is the danger. You know that the Lord has told us in his word that we are to be accountable for every careless word that we speak? So when someone makes a statement like you have made, I have to compare that with what the Lord has revealed in his word, and what the Lord has revealed by his Holy Spirit. I have to go before the Lord and ask Him for the truth. So what do I do when a statement doesn't line up, and it turns out that the seeker of truth hasn't found any truth after all, not enough to feed themselves, and the others around them? Worse, what if they are feeding on garbage, and offering that to others to eat? The scriptures are very clear that we are to live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord, that it is given to sustain us and nourish us. That is the place truth is to be found, and it is life to those who are willing to make it a part of themselves. If a sentiment, opinion, thought, dream, or vision, has no part in His word, then what good is it to me?
What is there to learn from a seeker of truth, when the Holy Spirit is present to lead us into all truth?
It is not as though all roads lead to the everlasting Kingdom. It is not as though one can go this way, and another that way, fumbling along in the dark, not sure of the footing, and we all wind up at the same place. The road to life is a narrow one, and the gate is small. Turn to the right and you'll miss it, turn to the left and suddenly you aren't standing on the narrow road anymore. It is not open to sentiment, opinion, or perception, and you can't follow it by accident.
We have been given a Shepherd to lead us, one of whom we should be able to hear, who directs our steps, and whose light is a lamp so that we can see where He is and where He is calling us.
Trinity, you said that all of us are a part of the body, but is that the case? I wish that it were true, but it is not true. Not everyone that calls Jesus, Lord, has a part in Him. Being His disciple, and a part of His body, calls for more than just naming oneself a part of it.
Who is my brother, sister, and mother? Only those who are doing the will of my Father, and those who are obedient to His Son. The rest are dead to me, save for one thing, that they too might turn and live.
But the potential to be a part of His Body, and being a part of His Body are not the same thing.
Is that rude to say? Is it mean-spirited?
The Lord has told us that the carnal nature is at enmity with the Holy Spirit. If I choose the Lord over this world, if I choose to be one of His people, then I must choose against my own nature, and become it's enemy, delivering it to the Holy Spirit to be put to death day by day, moment by moment as a living sacrifice.
If my own nature is my enemy, then what can be said of your nature? Or Judy's, or Anne's, or even Jack's or Ray's?
Anyone that walks in the flesh is continuing as an enemy of Christ, and any enemy of Christ is an enemy of mine.
Why?
Because the flesh leads to death, and I would not have any be led there.
So I will resist your flesh, even for your own sakes. I will stand against it. Even if it doesn't feel good, even if you don't like it, even if it would rather be left alone to do whatever is right in it's own eyes. Even though your flesh is my enemy, you yourselves, are not, and I am jealous for the Lord who is jealous for you.
I'm not sure if this sort of thing has been explained to you before. It just seems that every so often people become surprised that I, or someone else on the list, aren't willing to respect someone else's "point of view" when it exalts itself against the knowledge God and the person of Jesus Christ.
I will say straight out that there is only one point of view we should be concerned with, one person we are to please, and it is not each other.
You can expect everything here to be tested.
Anne, is interesting to me that you can defend 1emet's right to post his feelings about Jack Barr, but then be upset at the five others who also had something to say. If it is merely a matter of it filling up your inbox, I can understand that, and it can be frustrating.
If you would like, I can send you an invitation for a free gmail account, google's version of hotmail. It comes with a good amount of space, and grows the longer you use it. I've been using mine a a good while and found it impossible to fill up. If you are interested in one, just let me know.
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Noah Kinderknecht
