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 Did
you ever know a fellow who was so sweet it was a bit sickening?
Who smiles pleasantly when rebuffed, pats you on the back when
you point out an error, and tells you how much he loves you —
over and over again — as you try to seriously discuss his
divisive teaching and practice? Some can get syrup all over you
via a telephone conversation — long distance.
Jesus
tells us to love our enemies and I take it that He loved the
Jews whom He called “Hypocrites!” (Matt. 23:25) He died for
enemies like that; instead of trying to choke them to death on
sugar. And Mark 3:5 records that Jesus looked with anger upon
some, “being grieved for the hardness of their hearts.” Paul’s
spirit was stirred by the idolatry of Athens; he had “no small
dissension and disputation” with Judaising teachers; and he
withstood Peter “to the face,” when he felt Peter was to be
blamed. (Acts 17:16; 15:2; Gal. 2:11-f.) Frankly, I get just a
little bit suspicious when someone appears to out-Jesus Jesus,
or out-Paul Paul.
Cled
Wallace once wrote something about how a good man could be
judged by the enemies he made rather than by his friends. Jesus
said, “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for
so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Lu. 6:26)
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Maybe
that is why I get an uneasy feeling when a fellow pours a lot of praise my way.
Am I really that good?? Well, just as I’m beginning to enjoy
it, a genuine friend and brother tells me I am not. The “overmuch
righteous” man (Eccl. 7:16) is just too good to be true —
and that is the problem exactly. SPECIAL NOTICE FROM PLAIN
TALK
Plain
Talk has passed the 5,000 per month mark, and continues to
prompt many interesting letters. We sincerely appreciate your
questions, comments and suggestions. A very high percentage of
our readers have made a personal request for the paper; and that
is the only way we encourage our growth. (You may send in other
names if you have reason to believe that they want the paper.)
In keeping with this policy, we do not forward papers to
those who move without sending a forwarding address. We are
seeking to remove from our list all those who do not want to
receive this paper.
Vivian
and I are in St. Louis, Mo. with the “Spring and Blame”
church. We go from here to St. James, Mo., thence to Mulvane,
Kansas. Then, after a short “break” enroute, we go to San
Diego, Garden Grove, and Gardena, Calif., and Glendale, Arizona,
to conclude this year’s work.
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