Observations

"The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word." -A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

I see this becoming a reality every day. My own spending so much time and effort on being right; arguing over (virtually) every minor technical detail. I have seen, and likewise have been guilty of, so much wasted energy correcting everything that we see wrong. Throwing out our sarcastic comments and bullying those with whom we disagree. Many of us -too many of us- are unable to see the forest for the trees.

Certainly truth must be had and defended, but sometimes I wonder if we are coming to a place where we are merely straining gnats and swallowing whole camels. I am greatly troubled by what I have seen over the past few years. I am discouraged by all the noise of we proud men boasting in our rightness; as if we desire more to scream, "in your face," than to know God fully.

It is laughable when we speak so haughtily of how God has rescued we low and humble men, and yet we act neither lowly nor humbly. We are proud and self-assured, and this "self-assuredness" should cause us all a great amount of concern. Certainly, in one form or another, it has caused us a great amount of grief.

Though we strive for what is right, there is a right and wrong way of going about that goal. The ends never justify the means.

"...though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you..." Philemon 1:8-9

"...And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh..." Jude v.22-23

Being a jerk for Jesus is a lot of fun -believe me I know-, but there is a time and a place for it. We have to learn when to turn it off. We have to learn when we need to climb down from our pedestal of theological understanding, and graft our rugged and sharp passion for truth with compassion and mercy and grace. This is not to say that we water down what is true, but that as we strive for truth, we strive for it in a correct and godly manner; seeking always first to see Christ.

We are not all commanders firing cannons at every waterless rain cloud blowing our way high atop the grand ivory tower, many of us are mere grunts on the ground facing hand-to-hand spiritual combat. Ours is not a human war meant for destruction and proud boasting, but one of humble confession and witness to a message of Reconciliation in and through our Savior, Christ Jesus.

We have nothing in which to be self-assured. Our assuredness should be in Christ alone. And it is in His image in which we should be conformed as we come to know Him through His Word, through prayer, through study, and through our fellowship with one another.

Unfortunately, I see too many of us growing proud and boastful in the knowledge we have of Scripture, while growing less interested in knowing God. And truly I see men who "...are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders of His Word."

I feel greatly troubled.