Matthew 7:1-6 Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Here is a passage that the modern day fundamentalist does nor care for. As God continues to take away the layers of motes from our eyes it enables us to see clearly and in love and compassion want to help those trapped in modern day fundamentalism. It is not an aurora of superiority and arrogance that permeates us, but that of humility and hurt for those trapped in a deceitfully well crafted man-made religious system. But if you notice at the end of this passage he says "neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." which seems to be their response.
How long should we actively engage them? I think as long as the Holy Spirit burdens us. But when the wheels come off the wagon (and we know they will) in their man-made system. Then by God's grace we will be there to help pick up the pieces. We will not rejoice in the calamity or that we now have a new sermon illustration (as the modern day fundamentalist would) but we know that our patient, long suffering God is working in the life of his saints and helping them change. Just like He continues to work in our lives and helps us to change by dying to self.
Here is a passage that the modern day fundamentalist does nor care for. As God continues to take away the layers of motes from our eyes it enables us to see clearly and in love and compassion want to help those trapped in modern day fundamentalism. It is not an aurora of superiority and arrogance that permeates us, but that of humility and hurt for those trapped in a deceitfully well crafted man-made religious system. But if you notice at the end of this passage he says "neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." which seems to be their response.
How long should we actively engage them? I think as long as the Holy Spirit burdens us. But when the wheels come off the wagon (and we know they will) in their man-made system. Then by God's grace we will be there to help pick up the pieces. We will not rejoice in the calamity or that we now have a new sermon illustration (as the modern day fundamentalist would) but we know that our patient, long suffering God is working in the life of his saints and helping them change. Just like He continues to work in our lives and helps us to change by dying to self.
I remember during our fundamentalist 90’s, we looked with ire at all of the “community” or “bible” churches that we knew of that actually used to be hard line BAPTIST churches during an earlier time. We even monitored the slow progression into that direction of a great many others, both local and further out, with the same level of disdain. We were pretty sure at that time, that we knew exactly why, but now that we’re going through the same changes, we have a different understanding. We understand now that you don’t have to spend your entire life in a bible college mindset. You don’t have to approach every facet of your life (i.e., marriage, parenting, budget, career, in-laws, family holidays, vacations) like a bible college student. Look at how the fundamentalist marriages have the same failure rate as all others. Look at how many academy kids from back then (and Sunday school kids, for that matter) are now adults that, if you met for the first time, you’d never guess they had “fundamentalist” exposure and training during their childhood. Seems like an awful waist of energy and money, which is not to say that the NIV “community” churches are making any difference either. There is a balance that must be struck.
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