I read your anecdote a couple of times just to make sure I understand your point. You aren't a martyr, you're just acting like a jerk. Your own description of your actions and internal motivations demonstrate judgement and self righteousness. Nothing more. I hope this couple that (rightly) rejected you and your church have a long and happy marriage.
You write about this one issue. But I hear nothing about Care for the poor, the widow and the foreigner. I don't hear anything about loving your neighbor. The silence is deafening
If I may push back a moment. You said "I don't hear anything about loving your neighbor." I wonder if you read all the way to the end? Mark's last words were: "love for your neighbors". A few paragraphs above that ending quote we find Mark saying "I am a forgiven sinner and am called to love God and my neighbor". In between we find Mark speaking positively of the CRC "engaging the world with love" and encouraging the reader through different quotes to have "a loving response to the world’s rejection" and to demonstrate the "Spirit of Christ, who breathes love". It all sounds quite loving to my listening ear.
I wonder if I might also demonstrate the absurdity of expecting every article or offering to say everything, lest someone be credibly accused of not caring. In your comment I hear nothing about care for the unborn, the elderly, those experiencing abuse and violence, or any number of other pressing and painful challenges and sufferings. Is it helpful for me to say "the silence is deafening", as if to say that you must not care about these things because you made no mention of them? I don't think that would be fair to you, and I don't think it is fair to insinuate that Mark does not care for the poor, the widow, or the foreigner based on his article that deals with an entirely different topic. As a matter of personal testimony, I know Mark a bit and can assure you that he has a gentle and loving disposition, and he cares deeply about the plight of those struggling in various physical ways in this world. But even more to his credit he has great concern for the spiritual wellbeing of his neighbors, as he demonstrates in the article above. His pastoral example was an example of love in action.
"The silence is deafening???" Please, that is silly! Just because one sermon is preached on one text, does not mean that the pastor does not believe the rest of Scripture. The Abide Project was formed to address the topic of human sexuality, as our culture and many in the church no longer understands Biblical standards. But, to say that those who engage with this platform, for the purpose of promoting the 7th Commandment, thus don't care about the 6th (or any other ) Commandment is a juvenile and altogether dishonest charge to make.
I read your anecdote a couple of times just to make sure I understand your point. You aren't a martyr, you're just acting like a jerk. Your own description of your actions and internal motivations demonstrate judgement and self righteousness. Nothing more. I hope this couple that (rightly) rejected you and your church have a long and happy marriage.
You write about this one issue. But I hear nothing about Care for the poor, the widow and the foreigner. I don't hear anything about loving your neighbor. The silence is deafening
Hi Karl,
If I may push back a moment. You said "I don't hear anything about loving your neighbor." I wonder if you read all the way to the end? Mark's last words were: "love for your neighbors". A few paragraphs above that ending quote we find Mark saying "I am a forgiven sinner and am called to love God and my neighbor". In between we find Mark speaking positively of the CRC "engaging the world with love" and encouraging the reader through different quotes to have "a loving response to the world’s rejection" and to demonstrate the "Spirit of Christ, who breathes love". It all sounds quite loving to my listening ear.
I wonder if I might also demonstrate the absurdity of expecting every article or offering to say everything, lest someone be credibly accused of not caring. In your comment I hear nothing about care for the unborn, the elderly, those experiencing abuse and violence, or any number of other pressing and painful challenges and sufferings. Is it helpful for me to say "the silence is deafening", as if to say that you must not care about these things because you made no mention of them? I don't think that would be fair to you, and I don't think it is fair to insinuate that Mark does not care for the poor, the widow, or the foreigner based on his article that deals with an entirely different topic. As a matter of personal testimony, I know Mark a bit and can assure you that he has a gentle and loving disposition, and he cares deeply about the plight of those struggling in various physical ways in this world. But even more to his credit he has great concern for the spiritual wellbeing of his neighbors, as he demonstrates in the article above. His pastoral example was an example of love in action.
May God bless you and keep you.
"The silence is deafening???" Please, that is silly! Just because one sermon is preached on one text, does not mean that the pastor does not believe the rest of Scripture. The Abide Project was formed to address the topic of human sexuality, as our culture and many in the church no longer understands Biblical standards. But, to say that those who engage with this platform, for the purpose of promoting the 7th Commandment, thus don't care about the 6th (or any other ) Commandment is a juvenile and altogether dishonest charge to make.