Pastor Pantybunch


Now and again, and more often than I'd like, I run across strict doctrinaire Christian teachers who are wholly devoted to belaboring little points of doctrine. There are different fixations people get into. They worry endlessly about justification's relationship to sanctification, the proper mode  of baptism, the mystery of predestination and a raft of other things.

Don't be that guy. Don't be Pastor Pantybunch, whose ministry, and maybe his identity too, are all wrapped up in small matters.

Most often such people's hobbyhorse issues are nothing that makes much practical difference to Christ's followers as they attempt to live good Christian lives. Is it possible to be predestined to be an Arminian? These are not matters that determine whether one ends up in heaven, and they have precious little to do with how good a Christian you are on earth.

It is loveless to belabor matters of little eternal consequence and thereby cause division, or feelings of superiority, groundless self-assurance or exclusivity.

In its worst manifestation, we find people being judgmental, uncharitable and superior over little points that do not merit so much vim, zeal and ardor. There can be a fine line between being a defender of the faith and an accuser of the brethren. Yes, it gets that bad--just check out some of the online disputes about church doctrine.

The whole foulup proceeds from fear, that if one does not have all the details right, God will be angry. But if that were the case, wouldn't God have given us, as revealed truth, clear details on things like predestination, the link between justification and sanctification, the metaphysics behind the communion celebration and all the rest?

I find the openbible.info scripture search tools diverting to play with. I do not necessarily endorse every result the site generates, but some of what it comes up with is very educational. I was playing around with it while thinking about this blog post. Attend:

http://www.openbible.info/topics/arguing

http://www.openbible.info/topics/disputes

http://www.openbible.info/topics/philosophy

http://www.openbible.info/topics/unity

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