They called me a fool, a liar, and a false prophet. Here's what I'm doing with it.
Give it to God. I forgive them.
I've been posting about covenant eschatology and fulfilled prophecy for a few months now. I knew the view was unpopular, and I embraced the "Heretic." I didn't know how it would feel to read the comments from a mainly Christian audience.
"Are you retarded?" "You are blind fools." "The apex of stupidity." "Go ahead teach this crap." "Pure blasphemy." "A satanic lie." "Swill is still just swill." "You should be ashamed." "Lies that infect like gangrene." "Dead, dry religion." "You're welcome to stay behind and die in the Great Tribulation." "God help you." "You're a false prophet."
Every one of those is a real comment, from a professing Christian, on a post about the Bible. I left the names off because the names aren't the point. Two of them were Bible verses. One man quoted "professing themselves wise they became fools" at me. Another told me God had sent me a strong delusion so that I would believe a lie and be damned. Scripture, aimed like a weapon at a brother. More than once I have been told that I am an agent of Satan himself and I serve the devil.
Here's what I'm doing with them. I'm giving them to God. I forgive them. Not because it doesn't sting; it does. Because the One I'm writing about said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34) about men who were doing a lot worse than typing. If He could say it from a cross, I can say it from a keyboard.
I'll also say this, because it's true: I've done it too. On another man's page I questioned his spiritual maturity instead of answering his verses, and I am working daily to be better. You deserve that from me, and I will do everything I can not to fall into the temptation of lashing back with the tongue. That's unnatural for a country boy!
Here's what the Bible says a disagreement between Christians is supposed to look like.
"The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness" (2 Timothy 2:24–25). Paul wrote that to Timothy about people he believed were teaching error. Correct them. With gentleness.
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1).
"Always being prepared to make a defense… yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). All we're doing here is apologetics. We defend the faith, front to back, and go to His Word to do it. Many are rightfully defensive when asked to do so, and it's not comfortable when you're put on the spot.
"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person" (Colossians 4:6).
"If you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another" (Galatians 5:15).
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). Not by our eschatology. By our love. The watching world reads these threads.
I'm not asking anyone to stop disagreeing with me. Disagree hard. Jude says to contend for the faith, and the Bereans were praised for checking Paul against the text (Acts 17:11). Some of the best comments I've gotten were from people who think I'm wrong: "I don't mean to be disrespectful… do I have it wrong?" "Respectful question: how do you interpret 1 Thessalonians 4?" "I appreciate your willingness to question what you've been taught. However, I respectfully disagree." That's iron sharpening iron (Proverbs 27:17). I'll answer those all day.
Here's the difference. "I believe that's heresy, and here's the verse" is an argument. I'll take it, and I'll answer it. "Are you retarded?" isn't an argument. It's a man telling me he has no verse.
To everyone on both sides of this, me included: bring the verse. Leave the insult. Ask the question before you assign the motive. Assume the person across from you opened the same Bible you did and is trying to read it honestly. If they're wrong, show them from the text, the way you'd want to be shown.
I'm giving the rest to God. He's a better judge than I am, and He's already told me what to do with my enemies: pray for them (Matthew 5:44). Consider it done. I love you all.
Bring the verse. Leave the insult.