Throw the Rock, Hide the Hand

Hey my fam. Wanted to drop another post on everyone before I dash back to my next school session. Might be down for a minute. I will try to make this post as pleasant as possible.

Throw the Rock and Hide the Hand? Aight Sid...where are you at now? This post is in response to a certain anonymous blogger who likes to voice his/her opinion concerning my Church Folk blog and this time homeboy(girl) took it a step further than he/she should have. So, guess what....gotta put it down.

Now, I don't mind kickin' it back and forth, but seems this one likes to throw rocks but hide his/her identity. Throw the Rock - Hide the Hand. Meanwhile, I'm out in the open trying my best to hold it down for what I've learned about the truth of Scripture. The truth about attitudes. The truth about what's happening. Observation. What I talk about on the CF blog isn't some fly by night whim I came up with. Public knowledge is public knowledge. Just talkin bout what I'm talkin bout.

And kudos to all the brothers and sisters holding it down for Christ. I tip my hat off to ALL of you. You inspire me. Much love. I need you out here.

Now, nothing wrong with being anonymous on certain things. Gotzta be careful. Everyone understands that. I sympathize. Who wants every Tom, Dick and Harry to have all the goods? Nobody. But who as a Christian should remain anonymous concerning spiritual things? Particularly, when you are supposedly correcting a brother, like myself. Paul was straight up with Peter (cf. Galatians 2:11). Christ didn't hide from the Pharisees. Apologist, Hank Hanegraaff didn't back down from the Word of Faith teachers in his critically acclaimed book, Christianity in Crisis. Martin Luther didn't back down when he nailed his 95 Theses to the front door of the Catholic Church in Wittenberg. Athanasius, the Bishop of Alexandria, didn't back down when he confronted Arius in defense of the Biblical doctrine of Christ (325-328 A.D.).

And I am not ashamed of Christ and I am not ashamed of the Gospel. And I am sure not ashamed to tell it like it is. Church Folk are dangerous and victims need an outlet. Seems I'm one of the voices for them. Can't tell you how many people have contacted me to thank me for exposing what's going on. They felt lifted in their spirits. So, anyone hatin' on that will just have to keep hatin'

Now, Jesus was always in the open. He never did anything in secret. Truth is, the devil is the one masquerading as an angel of light but hiding his true identity. So, let's talk about what it means to be "anonymous" in some cases. And again...this is not directed at all who choose to remain anonymous, but it is directed at the one who likes to sling on my blog but never show his/her hand.

Throw the Rock, Hide the Hand.

My last post, he/she tried to bait me by mentioning specifics. Two churches. Dead wrong on both his/her assumptions. Everyone knows what happens when we assume, right? Ok good. Here's an individual who knows nothing but spouting everything. Loose with his/her facts. Broad in his/her unprecedented accusations. Has no clue why I posted Edified or Entertained? None. Didn't bother to ask, but assumed I was preparing to leave my church. Assumed I didn't like it there. Assumed the pastor wasn't "covering" me. Assumed something happened at my church. Assumed I was bitter. Please. Anyone who knows me understands you shouldn't confuse "bitterness" with indignation. How do I know these are assumptions? They end in question marks. But these are not questions for information. These are "rhetorical" questions. He/She believes that he/she knows what he/she is talking about. I know why I posted it, but that was none of his/her business. Take that in love, but let the truth be told. But the anonymous blogger MADE it his/her business.

Throw the Rock, Hide the Hand.

But he/she can afford to sling rocks without accountability. No one can call him/her into question. Who knows but him/her and God? Hiding behind the worldwide web and trying to psycho-analyze me, like I have some personality disorder. (i.e. I assure you...I am not on meds). I'm sitting on no one's couch looking at ink-blots and hearing a man asking me about what I see. But stepping up and showing him/her self exposes him/her to public scrutiny. He/she can't have that. Why? Because he/she leaves the door wide open for his/her own dirt. Could it be just a mere church member or a scared Christian? If it's the latter, there's a problem. God hasn't given us (Christians) the spirit of being a coward - because that is what fear means in II Tim. 1:7. If it's just a church member....I understand. Church folk are dangerous. Movin' on.

Throw the Rock, Hide the Hand.

Anonymous....hmmm. Let's see. Who would raise her hand and tell you she stole your lunch out of the break room at work? Why do thugs who knock off liquor stores and 7-11's wear masks most of the time? Growing up in Jersey, what kid threw a snowball, broke a window and waited for the homeowners to come out? This is a sensitive one and with one I'd probably agree with, but who would show his/her face on camera if he/she is a witness to a murder committed by a gang member? I'm sure there's plenty more scenarios, but what is the common denominator here? Repercussions.

Same with this anonymous blogger.

Throw the Rock, Hide the Hand.

Putting a name to the blog would mean repercussions. Especially when this anonymous blogger unfortunately reveals his/her ignorance of Scripture by quoting verses and passages out of context. The blogger accused me of being on milk - like in Hebrews. I answered that in the other post, but I'd like to add to it here. In Hebrews 5:13 it says those on milk are unskillful in the word of righteousness for he is a babe. But in the same blog, the blogger stated he/she knows for a fact that I can exegete (interpret) the Scripture. See the conundrum? If I'm a babe on milk, - like the blogger said - then how can I be a skilled interpreter - like the blogger said?

I'll let that one marinate on yawl for a while.

So, I guess we'll just have to keep answering the posts without any clear understanding of who we are really dealing with. I pray I was somewhat respectful. Keep praying everyone

Blessings

Your bro.
Sid

Edified or Entertained?

Hey everybody. Back again and I gotz to apologize once again. Didn't realize going back to school would drain all your time. But praise God, the Lord let me get an A in my Criminology class. Not sure about my Abnormal Psych grade yet. Going to keep pressing. Keep praying yawl.

Now, the question is...who loves the Word of God? I mean the pure and unadulterated Word of God? Unfortunately, we live in a society - Christendom to be more specific - where the Word is no longer a priority. The Apostle Paul didn't lie when he warned his young protege, Timothy, about the dangers of living in the last days (cf. 1 Tim 4:3-4). Seems many people would rather hear a preacher "hoop" than to hear him break down the Scriptures.

Where is the Biblical theology? Where is the philosophical study? Where is the systematic theology? Where is the study of church history? Where is Christian apologetics? Where is hermeneutics? How about exegesis? What about canonicity? What about the languages of the Bible? What about manuscript transmission, preparation and preservation? What about textual criticism? What about the study of modern English Versions and Translations of the Scripture? What about Old and New Testament Survey? And the study of the Intertestamental Period? What about Biblical archaeology? The study of Doctrine? How about Christian ethics? I can go on and on, but just like society - many people do not feel any of this is necessary.

Could this be the reason the church is weak in this anti-God and anti-Christ culture?

Entertainment in church is so much better - many seem to suggest. How? By their shutting down a true Biblical preacher and listening to the misinformed.

Back to the hoop.

This is not about basketball but it is about closing out a sermon. Now, don't get me wrong. I love to hear a sound biblical preacher tune it up after he has laid down the doctrine. A good example of one preacher is Pastor Dr. R.A. Williams - McCoy Memorial Baptist Church. Check him out on YouTube. His "hoop" is off the chain. But you better believe....before he gets to the "hoop" Dr. Williams will lay down some serious doctrine. So, the hoop isn't the problem? So what is?

Pure entertainment.

That's the hoop without the help. Whole lot of preachers can sing it up, but I need some serious Word when I face demonic forces trying to take me out of this world.

Here are some examples...

How is weak preaching going to help me combat satanic assault? How is weak preaching and teaching - with the aid of the Holy Spirit - going to help me keep my anger in check? How is weak preaching going to build me up to love supervisors and co-workers who keep on "trying" me? How is weak preaching going to keep me from coveting what God doesn't want me to have? How is weak preaching going to inform me about the personhood of Christ and His purpose for my life? How is weak preaching going to confront me when I'm in sin and to challenge me to walk in the way of righteousness? How is weak preaching going to exhort me to live for Christ and not for myself?

Can't speak for anyone else, but I need the Word of God. I need to be EDIFIED, not ENTERTAINED. Not being nasty, but weak preaching really frustrates me, yawl. I cannot live without God's Word and I feel cheated when someone stands up to talk from God's Word and never lines his sermon up with the text of sacred Scripture.

Pastor Teacher John MacArthur put it this way, "This is certainly no time for weak men, weak messages and weak ministries. What is needed is moral strength and courage and uncompromising proclamation of the truth that can set people free," ( Ashamed of the Gospel - Third Edition ).

It is way too unfortunate that many of us leave the church "charged" but never "changed." And that is the difference between edification and entertainment.

Keep praying that God will build up sound biblical preachers to feed His people. And as always, stay prayerful for the strength of the church as a whole.

Blessings

Your brother,
Sid