Ya reap what ya sow…

I want to apologize to any of my readers and friends who had to witness the fiasco last week that took place primarily in the comment section of this blog. Sometime back I had posted a sincere prayer of my own, that I thought might also have some devotional benefit. A bit after I had posted this prayer a person visited my blog and proceeded to make light of it.

First, allusion was made to my usage of Thees and Thous, etc.–as if that were somehow wrong. Next, the commenter intimated that I was still living under the Law and not enough in the Holy Spirit. All this kept going until the commenter finally just dropped the P-bomb and called me a Pharisee. It is at such a point I should have simply stopped the dialogue. But I didn’t. Instead, I took the bait and allowed said commenter to keep drawing me back in. Thus, followed the aforementioned fiasco that polluted my blog with me casting pearls before swine, and my commenter responding with incoherent logic and accusations.

So, I apologize to you, my readers, for playing the part of the fool. I do not apologize for loving God’s Law. I do not apologize for asserting that His Ten Commandments are still binding even now. The Law is not a boogey man. But I do apologize for wasting my time (and yours) with all the previous back and forth. The original commenter has repeatedly returned to my blog and spread various comments accusing me of hating him, being a Pharisee, so on so forth. Unless he wants to comment and respond to my thoughts about God’s Law, theology, etc. with calmness, coherency, and Biblical exposition, I will delete his comments.

Thus far, the extent of his interaction has been merely assertions of him being right, and me being wrong…but all without any demonstration of how my understanding of various subjects is erroneous.

Note to David:

David,

I sincerely regret that you visited my blog and got the impression you did from what you read. I am sorrowful that you see a devotion to God’s Moral Law as something that is inherently evil, thus feeling the need to insult those who would post about such things on their personal blogs. Your previous charges that I “hate” you, or that I am “investigating” you are nothing but fiction. Unfortunately it calls into question both my reputation and integrity. Therefore, I cannot allow such unwarranted accusations to take up space here.

I am not angry with you. I don’t hate you. However, I will no longer have any interaction with you here, unless you decide to comment and approach things with a charitable attitude and substantiated assertions.

Well as may be noticed, my accuser, David has inundated my comments section today with more of his unsubstantiated tripe. He has not recanted, nor has he proven his accusations (i.e. that I’m a Pharisee, that I live under the Law, and that I don’t live enough in the Holy Spirit)-not that I really expected him to do so or to take my challenge seriously. David has a website here, and links to a church here.

As it turns out, though, this is conveniently NOT his home church, if he even has one. David is the perfect example of a man who hides behind the mask of the internet, with no accountability. Why would he link to his church? Because then people would know who his pastor is, and under whose authority he sits. Then, he might actually be held accountable in a tangible way for his speech and behavior. Not so with David.

It’s a funny thing, though. I did make a connection and now know how David knows me. He was formerly a member of the Puritan Board with the screen name of just_grace. His name is David Michael Harris. He was banned for spouting-you guessed it-Antinomian rhetoric that is out of accord with the major Reformed Confessions (LBC, WCF). Not only was he previously banned from the Puritan Board, but he deceptively reapplied for PB membership this morning.

I should have recognized the childish petulance when he visited my blog some weeks back. Nevertheless, the whole PuritanBoard thing was a few years ago, so I didn’t pick up on his identity immediately. As a man without accountability David proceeded to make unsubstantiated false accusations, impugn my character by casting doubts on the condition of my eternal state, and defile my blog space, even my personal prayers (that were not out of accord with Scripture), with his unproven charges.

As of here on out, I reserve the right to delete any comments he sends, but will leave in tact the comments he has already made to exemplify the extent to which some men will go to show their disdain for God’s Holy, Perfect, Good, and Just Law. David, I pray that you will repent of your lies and public misrepresentations of me; but more importantly, I pray that God would stir your heart to repentance for being so flippant about His Law.

So if he comes around leaving comments that I can’t get immediately to, just consider his integrity and credibility as evidenced by his interaction here thus far.

I read the following excerpt from Charles Haddon Spurgeon in a blog entry by my good friend, Jessica. This quote can also be found in Spurgeon’s Autobioraphy, Vol. I, Ch. 29. As I read through it, several things came to my mind. Firstly, I’m reminded of my own selfishness and how it takes much effort and thoughtfulness to truly love a person with whom I will spend all my life. Next, I was very touched by the imagery and words Spurgeon used in his desriptives of a “model marriage.” While reading it aloud to a friend one day, it was all I could do to restrain myself from choking up…which is not very characteristic of me.

Quite honestly, what strikes the most conviction when considering this lovely passage from Spurgeon is the correlation of the intimacy between Husband and Wife to that of Christ and the Church. As I read through it again, I was (and am) more humbled and convicted to truly give myself to Christ, in submission and with utmost devotion, just as a wife should to her husband. I encourage to take a look and while you read, consider the sobering parallels and applications we should make toward our own commitment to Christ, as His Bride.

Sometimes we have seen a model marriage, founded on pure love, and cemented in mutual esteem. Therein, the husband acts as a tender head; and the wife, as a true spouse, realizes the model marriage-relation, and sets forth what our oneness with the Lord ought to be. She delights in her husband, in his person, his character, his affection; to her, he is not only the chief and foremost of mankind, but in her eyes he is all-in-all; her heart’s love belongs to him, and to him only. She finds sweetest content and solace in his company, his fellowship, his fondness; he is her little world, her Paradise, her choice treasure. At any time, she would gladly lay aside her own pleasure to find it doubled in gratifying him. She is glad to sink her individuality in his. She seeks no renown for herself; his honor is reflected upon her, and she rejoices in it. She would defend his name with her dying breath; safe enough is he where she can speak for him. The domestic circle is her kingdom; that she may there create happiness and comfort, is her lifework; and his smiling gratitude is all the reward she seeks. Even in her dress, she thinks of him; without constraint she consults his taste and considers nothing beautiful which is distasteful to him.

A tear from his eye, because of any unkindness on her part, would grievously torment her. She asks not how her behavior may please a stranger, or how another’s judgment may approve her conduct; let her beloved be content, and she is glad. He has many objects in life, some of which she does not quite understand; but she believes in them all, and anything she can do to promote them, she delights to perform. He lavishes love on her, and, in return, she lavishes love on him. Their object in life is common. There are points where their affections so intimately unite that none could tell which is first and which is second. To watch their children growing up in health and strength, to see them holding posts of usefulness and honor, is their mutual concern; in this and other matters, they are fully one. Their wishes blend, their hearts are indivisible. By degrees, they come to think very much the same thoughts. Intimate association creates conformity; I have known this to become so complete that, at the same moment, the same utterance has leaped to both their lips.

May we, Christ’s Church, delight in our Lord, His Person, Character, and Affection. May He be our All in All. Let us consider these great things this Lord’s Day. Blessings to each of you as we enjoy His goodness to us and His provision in our lives. Grace, Peace, and Godspeed.

Lamentations 3:

19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

Amen. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.