Hopefully making theology simpler to understand! (2 Corinthians 1:12)

I would not have worded it this way, for two reasons:
1) Quite frankly, I am not a dad, yet.
2) I have a tendency to be more … diplomatic than Anthony at times. (You could call it politically correct, but that would be wrong.) Therefore, a few words would be different or reworded.
That being said, I whole-heartedly agree with what he put in here. Read it. Agree or disagree, you might learn something.

Daniel

Just read it.

Daniel

I was going merely to write a comment, but then I decided to reblog Anthony’s post with further comment.

I have been reading Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas. (Finally. I have had the book for quite a while, only getting through the first couple of chapters. This past month I started over!) In chapter 19 (pp. 292-293) is this incredibly apropos quote from a letter Bonhoeffer wrote in the spring of 1937:

“Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matt. 7:6). The promise of grace is not to be squandered; it needs to be protected from the godless. There are those who are not worthy of the sanctuary. The proclamation of grace has its limits. Grace may not be proclaimed to anyone who does not recognize or distinguish or desire it. Not only does that pollute the sanctuary itself, not only must those who sin still be guilty against the Most Holy, but in addition, the misuse of the Holy must turn against the community itself. The world upon whom grace is thrust as a bargain will grow tired of it, and it will not only trample upon the Holy, but also will tear apart those who force it on them. For its own sake, for the sake of the sinner, and for the sake of the community, the Holy is to be protected from cheap surrender. The Gospel is protected by the preaching of repentance which calls sin sin and declares the sinner guilty. The key to loose is protected by the key to bind. The preaching of grace can only be protected by the preaching of repentance.

In other words, we must preach repentance for grace to be received. We should do it holding to peace, but the message will offend. We must not be rude, but we must not shove it down their throats either, lest they hate the Gospel because of the messengers. And if there is no repentance with grace, grace becomes meaningless to those who need it. (Everyone)

It is not only street preachers who can be guilty of committing both of these sins. It is also pastors with their congregations, Christians with each other, and Christians who wish to compromise with the world to keep a friend. (And I have been all of these.)

May we keep a watchful eye on our world, on each other as Christians, and – especially – on ourselves, through washing by the Word and the changing of our minds (Eph. 5:26, Rom. 12:1-2), which is true repentance.

Daniel