John Piper - Which grieves you more: bad theology or division in the church?

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[Gordonboy2]

I like what one author said, "would you rather fly without the right wing of the plane or the left?"

God help us to strive for proper understanding of biblical truth AND seek peace with ALL men!!!!

[InSlaveryToChrist]

"I'm always amazed by the people who, despite God's clear and emphatic commands through the Apostle Paul, say things like, "Ah, we need to forget about the differences in our doctrines, and we just need to love one another." as though those two are consistent goals. Surely they haven't come to realize that the only way we can love right is to live right, and the only way we can live right is to believe right." -Mark Kielar

[CoachFogg]

Boy, thats a stupid question........Would you rather be punched in the face on the right check or the left. JP shows tremendous humility and patience in answer this question. What an inspiration he is! Praise God.

[InSlaveryToChrist]

@poine7 Brother/Sister in Christ, you seem to miss the whole point of Mark Kielar's statement. The reason we need doctrine is to set a standard for us to live by. How can you love right, if you don't know how to live right, that is, pleasingly before God? Our love is to be in deed and not in word only. And for that we must know how to live right. Hence, "the only way we can love right is to live right." And unless we believe right, that is, sound doctrine, we are being led astray in our living.

[poine7]

@InSlaveryToChrist I disagree. The only way we can live right is to love right. Loving God is the greatest commandmand. Not living right. Only when we love God can we live right. Only when we love God rightly, can we believe right. Just saying...the greatest commandment is to love, not live or believe.

[LLThenu]

John Piper is endorsing Rick Warren; a pragmatist pastor who is leading people astray with false doctrine and accepting and promoting erronous bible 'translations' like The Message. In the Lord's Prayer in the message is the phrase: as a bove so below, which is a well known occult phrase and basically comes down to pantheism.

this is antithetical to what Jesus said about himself:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me

[Brightstar27]

@InSlaveryToChrist Then AMEN to that principal, sir! :)

[InSlaveryToChrist]

@Brightstar27 I totally agree with you - yes, we must rebuke in love. But my point was that rebuke, even if offensive, is BETTER THAN "secret love", that is, we say we love one another, but when we see our Brother/Sister sin, we withdraw from rebuking and keep silent about it. To love means to sacrifice one's own life for another. The common, wrong understanding of this is we should THROW our lives away. No, it means we should use them to rebuke one another even at the cost of our relationships.

[Brightstar27]

@InSlaveryToChrist My allusion to tolerance, patience, kindness and respect comes from Romans 4 directly. There are times to rebuke, but they must be done biblically.

[InSlaveryToChrist]

@Brightstar27 "Open rebuke is better than secret love." (Prov. 27:5)

[Brightstar27]

@InSlaveryToChrist It is true that we are to keep good doctinre, but when it is getting to the point where brothers and sisters in the faith are being put down, hurt and/or divided, then obviouslt the way certain persons are trying to "enlighten" their fellow church laymen is the incorrect way. We must teach and learn but with toleranvce, pateince, kindness a nd respect.

[nedmorlef]

they're the same difference. Bad theology leads to divisions. 86% of Americans believe in God but, only 3% believe the Word of God. I talk to ppl claiming Christ daily that play buffet christianity. i believe this & this but,not that. How many Christians support homosexuals,ordain homos & heretics, promote PCness in the church? Amerika will fall.there's barely 50 righteous.