Burying the Hatchet


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Of course (and this applies to everyone), it is useless to bury the hatchet unless one buries the handle, and without marking the place.

Frankly, How can one know that they have repented? Well, they just don't do those things anymore, because ... they just don't like doing them anymore.


Sending Grace is my effort to impart thoughts and insights to others that would be a gift of grace in their lives.

I hope you enjoy and benefit from them. Please feel free to comment on my posts. Thanks for visiting. Come back soon.


About Me

Gary Merillat

I was a pastor for 18 years from 1969-1987. I also have been a teacher in Christian schools for the past 22 years with the two ministries overlapping for two years. Currently I am employed as a communications representative. I am married with four children and seven grandchildren. I am involved in my church and also operate a home business.

In life there are always disagreements and conflicts. In haste we say or do things that we wish we could undo later. Sometimes when we resolve the conflict or at least agree to set it aside we say, "Let's bury the hatchet. Let's just forget about this confrontation." However, many times we don't really mean what we say and we leave the hatchet handle sticking out so that we can easily retrieve it later.

Thankfully, God doesn't work that way. When God says that he forgets our sins we can rest assured that He will never bring them up again and He will not hold them against us. Our enemy may bring them to mind in order to hold us in a prison of guilt, but as far as God is concerned the hatchet, handle and all, has been buried.

We would do well to pattern our forgiveness of others after God's forgiveness of us. As Matthew 5:7 says, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." While we can't erase something totally from our memory, we can choose to set it aside. I can remember several situations and the people involved in them that offended me, but I have chosen to fully bury the hatchet as far as my relationship with those people is concerned. It is God's grace and mercy flowing from me to the other person that enables me to let go of the hatchet. Ask God to help you in this area. You will find that God's peace will be the result.

http://sendinggrace.blogspot.com/2008/04/bury-hatchet.html




Flying Off the Handle


^{Eliezer Segal}

• First Publication:
  • The Jewish Free Press, Calgary, June 10, 2004, pp. 10-11.
• For further reading:
  • Friedman, Shamma. The Talmudic Proverb in Its Cultural Setting. Jewish Studies, an Internet Journal 2 (2003): 25-82.
  • Jacobs, J. The Fables of Aesop. New York, 1966.
  • Noy, Dov. Ha-Sippur ^'Al Beri'at Ha-Barzel. Mahanayim 84 (1964): 124-6.

On the third day of the world's existence, the Torah tells us (Genesis 1:12) that the plant world was created, producing a brilliant variety flowers, grasses and trees.

In pondering the significance of this event, a legend in the Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 5:9) describes how the initial tranquility of the trees was eventually brought to an end with the discovery of iron.

Those hitherto invulnerable trees now shuddered at the prospect of being felled by metal axe-blades. Upon hearing their laments, the iron retorted unsympathetically: "Why are you trembling? As long as you don't provide the wood for the axes' handles, you will remain immune from harm."

I am sure that many readers will recognize that this midrashic fable is substantially identical to one that appears in the numerous ancient collections of "Aesop's Fables."
(Esau's fables? * my own gloss)

Some editions of the story introduce a human character, a wily woodsman who dupes the guileless trees into offering him a small branch. Too late do they come to the realization that they have foolishly sealed their own doom.

A slightly different spin on the story has the trees knowingly consent to give up an inconsequential young ash tree to be used as the handle for the woodsman's axe. After watching the instrument wreak its havoc on the loftiest and noblest trees of the forest, a wise old oak sums up the powerful moral lesson of their situation: Abandoning the rights of the weak is the first step on the path to universal tyranny.

Some versions of the story have the trees complaining to Zeus about their defenselessness against axe-wielding humans. However, the king of Olympus dismisses them, reminding them that they themselves are to blame for their fate, because wood is so useful, and because they chose to contribute the handles for the axes.

Underlying all the disparities in their literary formulations are some unmistakable, though infuriating, lessons: We must often bear the responsibility for contributing to our own ruin. And how ludicrous it when people give their enemies the means of destroying them!

Evidently, Aesop was not the earliest author to make use of the parable of the axe and the trees. A similar message is included among the "Proverbs of Ahikar," an Assyrian anthology of wisdom teachings that enjoyed immense popularity in the ancient world, and which has survived in several translated versions. Copies of Ahikar's book were found in the fifth-century B.C.E. archive of the Jewish military garrison in Elephantine, Egypt; and he is mentioned in the Jewish book of Tobit that is included among the non-canonical Apocrypha. It is likely that Aesop derived several of his famous fables from the Ahikar collections.

Ahikar's version of the axe-handle proverb reads as follows: "My son, you seem to me like a tree who said to the wood-choppers: 'If you did not hold something from me in your hand, you would be unable to fell me.'"



The ancient rabbis appear to have been quite familiar with the Aesop literature, and more than a dozen of his fables are cited or alluded to in the pages of the Talmud and Midrash. However, the Jewish sages often used the fables or proverbs in novel and unexpected ways.


The Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin. 39b) employed the story of the axe-handle in order to illustrate a Jewish tradition that the biblical prophet Obadiah, whose brief book contains oracles about the impending fall of Edom, was identical with Obadiah the Edomite, a convert to Judaism who is mentioned elsewhere in the Bible as the supervisor of King Ahab's household.

Ephraim Maksha'ah, a disciple of Rabbi Meir, noted the irony of this situation, of a former Edomite being instrumental in the destruction of his former nation. To exemplify his point, he cited a popular maxim: "As the saying goes: From the forest itself comes the axe."

In his commentary to the passage, Rashi astutely explained that Ephraim's proverb was referring to the wood that is fashioned into the axe-handle.

The same proverb was invoked in a similar context by Rabbi Yohanan, citing Rabbi Shimeon ben Yohai. He utilized it to illustrate the peculiar position of King David, a descendant of the Moabite convert Ruth, who went on to wage a victorious campaign against the Moabites.

(Another sage Rav Dimi, chose a different, cruder analogy to illustrate the same point: The putrification of a joint of meat begins from within.)

Going beyond the ironic and cautionary insights that were suggested by previous commentators, the Maharal of Prague gave a down-to-earth psychological explanation of the fable's meaning.

He observed that people are by nature more likely to take an active interest in matters to which they have a strong personal connection. Accordingly, even after Obadiah's conversion to Judaism, his Edomite origins led him to place an exceptional emphasis on the affairs of his former homeland. This led him to channel his prophetic messages towards condemnations of Edom and forecasts of its ultimate fall.

The same principle, says the Maharal, can be adduced to explain Rabbi Yohanan's usage of the proverb: "From the forest itself comes the axe." He was observing that David's commitment to waging a military campaign against Moab was intensified by the circumstances of his own Moabite ancestry; whereas a native-born Israelite would not have felt a comparable urgency about the matter.

There are undoubtedly many valuable lessons to be derived from our simple allegory of the wooden axe-handle.

When applied to the experiences of individuals, the parable reminds us that much of the suffering that we undergo in our lives is, at least in part, of our own making.

Viewed from the perspective of politics or communal interaction, the fable can instruct us about the influence of personal agendas on national policies; or about the need for vigilance in preventing internal weaknesses that could be exploited by our enemies.

In particular, it reminds us that divisions and injustices in a community will ultimately render us more vulnerable to external threats.

It would seem therefore that the most effective way of preserving these assorted metaphoric forests--and the literal ones too, for that matter--is by striving to bury the hatchet.

(and - the handle * my gloss)

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel...0_AesopAxe.html





The Problem

Romans 7

14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 7:14-25




The Only Solution

Romans 8

1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8: 1-39

Graceful Christians should not be quick to condemn

(but Christians should work for eternal rewards)

I have written about much error in the Church for what I believe are good reasons and I have also written about the dark side of Christianity that talks about legalism in the church and those who condemn other confessing Christians for too many petty reasons. I feel I need to speak further on this issue and give my views about confessing Christians that are condemning other confessing Christians to hell over nonessential salvation doctrines of the faith.



In our personal walk in the flesh, we all make errors. The theology of the best theologians in the history of the world contains errors. If we condemn those who make errors in what is not essential doctrines of the Christian faith for salvation, or if we judge deeds of Christians and say because they do not meet our personal moral standard they are not in the body of Christ, we bring judgment on ourselves. By the same measure with which we judge other Christians we ourselves must be judged. When we set up our own criteria to define who is and who is not a true Christian (apart from the absolute truth of how one receives salvation) we very well might find ourselves falling short of our own standard. If we had walked a mile in our brother's shoes and played the hand he was dealt in life, I am sure their would be far less condemnation of Christians by Christians.



As readers of my website should know, I get very upset about the amillennial, post millennial and preterist theology that is plaguing Christianity today. I also get very upset with movements that are inclusive of denominations whose doctrines deny the only true path to salvation. I have even said that some huge Christian organizations have gone off track in this area and for this reason, I can no longer support them. I said this because some of them are sending people back to the same denominations where they never heard the gospel to start with.


All this is true and my anger continues but it is one thing for me to say the leaders of these organizations are wrong and in error and it is quite another for me or anyone else to condemn these leaders and their followers and accuse them of being allied with the forces of Hell. I am hearing confessing Christians condemning confessing Christians to Hell even though those they condemn teach the essential doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

This is not right and those taking part in this condemnation are more in danger of condemnation than are those they condemn.



The main reason some Christian leaders teach the things they do is that they lack proper understanding of the scriptures. They often just embrace incorrect theology taught to them in seminary. I need to reemphasize that knowing all correct theology on non-essentials of the faith is not required for salvation or none of us would be saved.

I am not saying that correct doctrine is not important - it is very important.

What I am saying is that neither you nor I have all correct doctrine. If you really believe you do, you are only self deceived.


The fact remains, even if they have what I feel is wrong theology, many of these leaders do lead people to Christ and if they are doing this work of the Spirit, they simply cannot be in league with Satan. We must have unity in the essentials of the faith and grace in the non-essentials or we will all condemn each other.


This does not mean that I cannot criticize a person, organization or doctrine when I believe there is error.

It does mean I should not judge their motivation as if I know they are willfully in league with Satan because I cannot possibly know that. Nor should I question their salvation when at the same time they confess and lead others to our Lord.

This grace I should give toward other Christians also does not mean that I should accept as Christians those whose doctrine or actions are clearly demonic and destructive to the Body of Christ (e.g. those cults which do not accept the essentials of the Christian faith outlined in the apostle's creed and whose doctrine truly leads people to a "Jesus" that is not found in the inspired scriptures).



Some have even condemned people like Billy Graham because he is more ecumenical than they like.

Many have linked him to the occult and accused him of being in league with the Antichrist because they read some lie about him being a Mason somewhere on the Internet.

I hope in my life that with God's help I will accomplish even one percent of what God used Billy Graham to do to reach souls for Christ. He did present the gospel of salvation very clearly and he was very effective.

As he aged he seems to have modified his views so that some of what he says does not line up with clear teaching in scripture. So lets challenge those views and not his salvation.


Yes, there are those who will criticize and say that confessing belief in Jesus is not enough and that you must display your belief by works.

However, nobody has ever come up with a good litmus test to classify what displayed work makes a confessing believer a true believer.

Besides, the deeds a confessing believer does at one point in his life may have nothing to do with what he does at another point in his life. Does that mean that he is not saved during all periods? Some denominations and Christians would say yes but these lack understanding about what it means to be born from above into a new creation.


Most if not all Christians have unproductive periods in their lives. Does that mean that during these unproductive or even destructive times they are no longer saved? Of course not!

Christians are taking a journey in life with the help of the Holy Spirit. On that journey sometimes we descend into valleys because it is not possible to take a long journey only on mountain tops. Anyone who takes a long journey will have to go up hills and down into valleys.

Who but God can judge the hearts of those who are now in the valleys?

When we are on the mountains and we are looking down, all seem to fall short of where we are. However, when we ourselves are in the valleys and we are looking up at those on the mountains we might wonder how our light can be seen at all and why God would even bother with us.



When we are on the mountains, would it not be better to give grace and to aid those in the valleys and to offer them help so they can get to the place we are at?

Instead, many of us like to jump to the conclusion that all those in the valleys are in the valley of the damned. That is, until we ourselves lose our bearings and find ourselves in the valley. Then we cry for grace from those on the hilltops to help us find the way out but few help and some hinder by throwing rocks at us. Nevertheless, we should know that God has grace enough to hear the cries of even wayward sons lost in the valleys and He Himself will lead us out.


In our Christian walk the important thing is not that we have climbed a mountain or descended into a valley for this is only temporal.

What is most important is why are we are making this journey of hope at all? Are we by faith trusting in Jesus to direct our paths to a city whose builder and maker is God?

With that in mind, the focus should always be on our hope and not on our present circumstances because circumstances will change daily. Our hope and our desire should be the salvation of our souls, to obtain entrance into the city of gold, and to hear our Lord say to us "Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord" and to receive eternal rewards. This is where our hearts should be focused in all the circumstances of our temporal walk.



Those who tell me that Christians should not desire rewards from the Lord but should do everything out of love, have never really thought through why we love the Lord. We love the Lord because He first loved us and saved us from our sins. The love comes because He promises those of us who trust Him the reward of salvation of our souls.


The just rewards that accompany that salvation is according to what we did by the Spirit while we occupied the body of flesh. Scripture makes it clear that we are to run the race for eternal rewards, so please do not tell me that to do deeds for Christ expecting eternal rewards is a selfish motivation. It is no more selfish then expecting salvation as a reward because you have trusted in Him.


Since I have heard this said so often, I might take away my grace for a moment from those who say this and say that I believe that those who say such things are saying them to sound wise and humble in the eyes of the group they said it to. To me they just display that they lack understanding. Children do expect gifts from their father and Christians are no exception. We were created so the Father could show His love for us by giving us good gifts. The first and foremost gift was Jesus who saved us so we could enter the door to receive many other eternal rewards.


There certainly is a promise of eternal rewards for the deeds done in the body in the scriptures. God tells us to desire spiritual gifts. The result of us using those gifts for the cause of the kingdom of heaven is eternal rewards. In any case, a Christian would have to be a fool not to desire eternal rewards from God.


Some say, "just give me salvation and the presence of the Lord". They think if you work for rewards it is selfish and wrong - this is false humility. Tell Paul not to run for the prize! He said he ran the race and fought the good fight for rewards. Tell those in in hall of faith in Hebrews that what they did was not for the hope of rewards.


Many who say such things do not understand that when we get to the Holy City we are not all going to be all sitting around strumming on harps in Heaven saying Holy Holy Holy for eternity.

This is not going to be some kind of emotional trip for eternity like some seem to think. Do not confuse the wedding ceremony and the coronation of the King displayed in Revelation with normal every day life in the eternal Kingdom.



We are going to have real tasks and responsibilities in God's new creation and those with responsibility are those who have proven by their works that they can be trusted (e.g. the servant given leadership over ten cities). These get their rewards for eternity by doing good works during their sojourn on earth.


Eternity is forever and it will be a little late for us to work for eternal rewards after the rewards have already been handed out, so let us all get busy and work while it is still day. We all should believe that rewards are a rightful expectation for those doing the will of God. If one wants, one can believe he has few or no rewards because he thinks working for rewards is a selfish motivation. I however, will not and I do not accept that presumption. I know Enoch, by faith, walked with God for 300 years and this pleased God so much that Enoch never saw death. What was Enoch doing during the 300-year walk? Was he into a continual mystical experience saying Holy, Holy, Holy all the time or was he working everyday doing God's will because he understood that God rewards those who diligently seek Him?


What is faith anyway but the substance of things hoped for? Faith is the hope that we will receive eternal rewards from God for trusting and obeying Jesus. Unbelievers cannot see the evidence of the things we hope for but we can.



Now that I am done chasing that pet peeve of a rabbit, let me get back on topic and say God will judge who is a true believer and who is not.

This is really an issue between God and that person. I am convinced that no true believer will ever be lost. Some of the criticism I am hearing against all in Christian leadership is nothing but rebellion. This certainly is not from God when these critics are judging the souls of confessing Christians and implying that their motivation (not just their doctrine) comes from Satan. The criticism seems to be across the board against almost all Christian leaders and anything they teach. Again I say, none of this is coming from God.



Many Christian leaders are being attacked as being apostate and even Antichrist while they publicly confess Jesus Christ as Lord to the world! For example: how many times have I heard that Rick Warren is the Antichrist because he seems to embrace the belief that the Church will Christianize the world?! I do not find his assumption in scripture until after the return of the King, I also disagree with his form of replacement theology and I will continue to teach against it. Nevertheless, the Bible says the world will be Christianized in the millennium. There is no reason to think that Rick Warren is not a brother in Christ just because of his view on the millennium and on his view of eschatology.


Rick Warren, and many like him, may not see that the conversion of the world is after the return of King because of their replacement theology that the Church is Israel.

So because I believe this theology is in error, do I now jump to the conclusion that those who believe the spiritual body of Christ establishes the kingdom on earth are antichrist, or in Warren's case "the Antichrist"?! These claims are simply loony. They are not at all logical! As far as I know, Rick Warren and people like him confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior of the world! Warren is not "the Antichrist" and he is not even anti Christ. All who are saying such things that claim to be Christian should check out where their own motivation for saying such things comes from.



In our zeal to have pure doctrine, let us have the grace not to condemn those who are doing the best they can with the theology or light that they have. Instead, let us turn on a brighter light so that they can see the truth more clearly.

We should correct Warren and others that do not teach sound doctrine.

We should let him and others know that we do not believe the Bible supports their positions.

We should not condemn them.


We also should let them know we will not accept the watering down of the gospel just to make it more appealing to the world.

In no uncertain terms we should say that we will not compromise the gospel to be popular to an unbelieving world.

If the approach to win the lost is not of God it will certainly fail to achieve that. Therefore, let true Christians give Warren reasons from scripture why this worldly, market driven, pop psychology approach will fail.

However, let us have the grace not to put our own confessing brethren in the same camp as the Devil or call him the Antichrist.



In almost all churches - amillennial, premillennial, preterist, dispensational and in those who take no position on these issues at all - there is a healthy small core group of very dedicated believers who love the Lord and seek to do His will. Because we think we are more enlightened about end time events and Bible prophecy, do we now make all these other Christians second class citizens in the body of Christ or even say they are not part of it?


Many in these core groups might be doing more for the cause of Christ than many of their critics.

To believe that someone is less Christian than ourselves because their non-essential theology is different from ours, is a grave error.

It is an error as bad as the Pentecostals saying that Evangelicals have not reached the same spiritual level as they have because they do not accept their doctrine that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from conversion and evidenced by speaking in tongues. The works produced over the centuries In Evangelical churches by people led by the Holy Spirit prove that this doctrine is a lie. (It also should be changed because it is unwarranted and divisive.)



These grave errors - and all grave errors where we do not properly discern the body of Christ - divide the true body of Christ and we should have no part in it.

As Paul said, "This is why there are many sick in the Church and why many have died". He said it was because they did not properly discern the body of Christ. Paul was not talking about being in a state of reverence toward a wafer or a cracker or us having sin in our lives when we take it because we all have sin in our lives when we take it, rather, he was talking about specific sin against the Body - the Church.


Thus, In the full context and understanding of the passage I believe he was saying that those in the body who have no regard for the poorer or weaker members in the Church in their love feasts (or in other areas) are not treating the body of Christ as they ought. Paul was saying the Lord will not hold those in His Body as represented by the loaf of bread unaccountable. Those who have no regard for those in the Body are working against the unity of the Body.


Yes, we should work out our own salvation in fear and trembling because the Lord rightfully judges the motives of His people.

We died with Christ at the cross and only by grace do we live in the flesh to do good works for the cause of the Kingdom.

When we are no longer productive and are destructive to the Body we should fear the Lord because He just might decide for the good of the Body that we need to be removed. Thus, the warning from Paul about why some are corrected and others are no longer with us.



That does not mean that Christians are not to correct bad doctrine when they can give a reasonable argument from scripture that the teacher is wrong.


Steel sharpens steel and disagreement on doctrine cause us to learn from each other. Nevertheless, because we believe someone is wrong, let us not pridefully say that a confessing family member has defected to Satan. Jesus said ,"He who is not against us is for us".



As a good example: Many are against Promise Keepers and have many hard things to say about the movement and about their leaders. Much of what is said has some merit but if you have been in as many different Evangelical Churches as I have you will know that the men who really love the Lord in the various denominations for the most part are the same group of men that go to these Promise Keeper functions.


If we find a problem with some of the teachings that comes from some of their leadership (as I do) then let us try to correct the problems as much as possible from within by dialogue and correction. If we find after expressing our grievances to them and to our local church leadership that they will not stay on solid biblical ground, then we should indeed separate from their activities. At least we will have expressed to them and the godly men in our individual churches why we will not join with this group.


Those that say that this group or the leadership of this group is knowingly or even unknowingly leading Christians into a world religion are frankly dead wrong.

There is little doubt that the remnant of ecumenical groups like Promise Keepers will join with world religion after the rapture. However, what these critics are not telling you is that all other religious groups that have been left behind after the rapture will also be joining with the world religion. So why act as if this movement is somehow the one bringing in the Antichrist?


The Antichrist cannot come, I repeat, he cannot come until the true Church together with the restrainer within the Church (the Holy Spirit) is taken out of his way.



Those who have taken a harsh stand against this movement for men and against other similar movements for woman often find themselves fighting against pastors and elders who are only trying to lead the men and women of their flock into a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Believe me, the men of some Baptist churches as well as some other denominations need to go to Promise Keepers if for no other reason that they will have to get out of their frozen chosen pew and relate to other Christian men of other denominations in the body of Christ. They might also learn something from the way other Christians worship the Lord, pray and fellowship.


I would much rather be associated with men who are on an emotional high for Jesus that might fade than to be with cold pew sitters who do the once a week Sunday ritual and claimed they have been saved because they were once baptized and now have membership in some Christian denomination.

If we actually find we can no longer support Promise Keepers because of grave differences with their leadership then what alternative can we Christians institute in our churches so that our men develop leadership skills and grow spiritually?



In conclusion, in the non-essentials of the faith let us give grace.

After all, the Savior gave us grace while we were still dead in our sins. Let the spiritual and proven among the Church serve meat from the word.

Too much milk sucked through straws handed out by theologians with their own narrow agendas continue to soil the diapers of those who should long ago be eating meat.

Let the spiritual feast together on the meat of the Word. Only the Word will bring Christians to any real unity in the faith because that unity must be based on sound biblical doctrine.

Those well trained in tasting the meat of the Word will recognize what is real, what is an imitation, and what is a garnish that is not essential for the nourishment of the Body.


Because we have few meat eaters in the churches today, flavored milk is usually given out in many churches because that is all the spiritual infants sitting in their crib pews will stomach. Rather than dividing the church over whether to serve chocolate or white milk let the spiritual in the Church wean the infants by teaching them how to chew and to taste for themselves that the meat of the Word is good and when swallowed and digested brings strength to the Body.


This is called discipleship and it is best done in small groups or one on one. Let us also give grace to all that confess Jesus as Lord without compromising sound doctrine as we should all know that this is the Lord's will.



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