Response to this thread: Oh No! You're a member of the Puritanboard!
Well, I must say, this is an interesting thread. I have wrestled quite a bit about my involvement with the PB and publicly discussing my faith in general on the Internet, both from my personal walk as well as the potential ramifications in my professional life. I work for a large company and I have opportunities to represent that company in ways that my name is likely to be published and associated with on the Internet, so anyone googleing me (and it has happened) are more likely to see interactions on my faith than my professional activities. The struggle is that I desire to "be not ashamed", so I have decided to not go through the motions of disguising my identity here or elsewhere. Primarily, I pray that I am not dishonoring to my Lord because I have resolved that I am certainly willing to suffer for the sake of His righteousness.
That being said - permit me to digress - recently I had a good opportunity to "part ways" with the Puritanboard and actually had fairly well determined to keep it that way but returned for a couple reasons:
1) the graciousness of my brothers to dig deeper than surface posting to understand the nature of my disgruntlement and offer reconciliation (sometimes it is ok to agree to disagree, particularly when we agree on the essentials)
2) the desire to continue in relationship with believers that dig much deeper than "spiritual milk" (as well as understand what actual "orthodoxy" means) and bounce thoughts and ideas against some of the staunchest defenders of the faith congregated on the Internet. It is my experience that we truly want to edify and be edified.
3) the "preciseness" of some of the members - I think this is the area that causes the term "legalistic" to be cast about so freely. And I must say that while "preciseness" is an admirable quality, I do believe that "preciseness for preciseness sake" is the spirit that sometime comes across and is offensive to folk. Seasoning the fervor with a bit of grace is not a bad thing ...really. I think it would be great to see even more of the same level of "preciseness" displayed in our interactions and disagreements as well as our doctrine. Speak (and defend!) the truth in LOVE. (I am also speaking to myself, brethren.)
Anyway - my 2 cents - blessings!
Well, I must say, this is an interesting thread. I have wrestled quite a bit about my involvement with the PB and publicly discussing my faith in general on the Internet, both from my personal walk as well as the potential ramifications in my professional life. I work for a large company and I have opportunities to represent that company in ways that my name is likely to be published and associated with on the Internet, so anyone googleing me (and it has happened) are more likely to see interactions on my faith than my professional activities. The struggle is that I desire to "be not ashamed", so I have decided to not go through the motions of disguising my identity here or elsewhere. Primarily, I pray that I am not dishonoring to my Lord because I have resolved that I am certainly willing to suffer for the sake of His righteousness.
That being said - permit me to digress - recently I had a good opportunity to "part ways" with the Puritanboard and actually had fairly well determined to keep it that way but returned for a couple reasons:
1) the graciousness of my brothers to dig deeper than surface posting to understand the nature of my disgruntlement and offer reconciliation (sometimes it is ok to agree to disagree, particularly when we agree on the essentials)
2) the desire to continue in relationship with believers that dig much deeper than "spiritual milk" (as well as understand what actual "orthodoxy" means) and bounce thoughts and ideas against some of the staunchest defenders of the faith congregated on the Internet. It is my experience that we truly want to edify and be edified.
3) the "preciseness" of some of the members - I think this is the area that causes the term "legalistic" to be cast about so freely. And I must say that while "preciseness" is an admirable quality, I do believe that "preciseness for preciseness sake" is the spirit that sometime comes across and is offensive to folk. Seasoning the fervor with a bit of grace is not a bad thing ...really. I think it would be great to see even more of the same level of "preciseness" displayed in our interactions and disagreements as well as our doctrine. Speak (and defend!) the truth in LOVE. (I am also speaking to myself, brethren.)
Anyway - my 2 cents - blessings!
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