I praise God for His mercy and grace! It is a wonderful thing that God works in our hearts and changes us for His glory to be more like Jesus Christ. I rejoice that he has issued an apology and stated what he firmly believes! Glory be to God!!
I'm sorry that you put this post up. I'm not sure what you are trying to achieve, I suppose it makes Osteen look stupid if nothing else, however I'm sure that you being as clear about what the Bible says you are aware that 1 Cor 13 says 'love does not delight in the failing of others.' This post would seem to have the opposite spirit - so I'm sad that a man who wants to show the love of Christ would do this to a fellow pastor. Surely you have known the pain of false accusation and misunderstanding and yet you have made the same error as the unforgiving servant.
Osteen may have made some ambiguous statements about issues that are dear to the hearts of many evangelical Christians, but I wonder how you would fair in the same arena. I have done much TV, radio and press and it is difficult, they are trying to get us to say the wrong things. The best response the Christian community could do is to pray for those in this arena not throw stones.
Reading the transcript this man's heart is 'mercy not judgement’; sadly I don’t think you have handled him in the same way.
I wish I could leave my name on this blog, but fear the same unloving treatment would be applied to me, suffice to say if you wish to delete this comment because you feel it's been left by some ‘LIBERAL waste of time’ then feel free to do so. I pray that the Lord will fill you with the same spirit of grace that filled Jesus and that you will learn the ways of Christ not just the words.
BTW I am a Pastor of a large congregation in the UK, Bible believing lovers of Jesus and that's why your post hurts me even more.
Please examine your heart, I'm not asking you to change your theology just your methods, you may well be fighting the right battles in the wrong way and in doing so, doing more harm to the gospel.
Dear Anonymous, I think you left this same post in two places, but I will respond only here. First off, what I was "trying to achieve" in posting Pastor Osteen's apology was the glory of God in one man's repentance. Why would linking to Osteen's website where this apology is posted make him look stupid? I think it gives evidence of a wonderful work of grace in his heart - and I praise the Lord for it! Second, I would be a disaster on Larry King Live. Between the pressure of being on live television as well as having to come up with "sound bite" answers in miliseconds - I would fail miserably! I am not at all gifted in that area. That being said, there are some "fundamentals of the faith" that I think even my children could answer crisply and coherently on live television. "Who goes to heaven?" is one of those fundamental questions. As Osteen said on his website apology: "Jesus declared in John 14; I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. I believe that Jesus Christ alone is the only way to salvation." He did not make that clear in the interview after repeated questioning by King which would lead one to believe from that interview that either he did not know the answer or worse - he was avoiding it. That would have made Osteen a questionable evangelical indeed (and for proof of this I would urge you to read 1 John). My posting his apology was an act of love for the man - to not leave people who read this blog thinking that his King interview was his last word on the subject. I posted it the minute I found it. Third, I think your fear to leave your name on this blog since you are the pastor of a large UK church is quite unfounded. I am not so sure what you are afraid of? Fourth, the trouble with blogs (and emails and letters) is that it is very difficult to communicate emotion properly. I assure you that I am not the least bit angry or sullen or on some kind of warpath. I also do not have a great deal of time to write these posts - so if brevity and pointedness communicate anger and a judgmental spirit, then I would have to ask your forgiveness. It is completely unintended and I will work on it!
Your said I also do not have a great deal of time to write these posts
This gives me even more cause for concern, you write words which could possibly damage many people and for this reason you should be far more careful with your tongue. James is clear on how easily our word can damage others.
I do hope and pray you never find yourself in need of understanding and mercy and in that situation others show you far more grace and love.
Hmmm. Did you read the rest of the sentence... paragraph... post? I guess if you feel so strongly you could just stop reading my blog. No offence intended or taken.
I would encourage you to stand behind what you have to say. Jesus declared everything controversial that he had to say out in the open (Mark 14:49). Paul? Same thing. He was willing to take whatever came as a result. And the people opposing him could stone him! What could anyone like us do to you? Not posting your name simply makes me think that you are (1) not really who you claim to be, and / or (2) that you have some hidden agenda in stirring up controversy by misreading a godly man's posts.
I hope you do not apply the same level of hermeneutic to your studies of Scripture that you did to these posts. I'm assuming you would though, since, as you chided pastor Martin, your words on this blog are as serious as words anywhere else.
BTW, where is that quote that you gave, found precisely in 1 Cor. 13 (since you were quick to make accusations against pastor Martin not "knowing" his Bible well)?
Paul, This is Tom Shuck emailing from India. I saw you mentioned on Phil's site and thought I would say hi and ask how is it going in Canada? Tom Shuck Maybe you don't remmeber me.
I praise God for His mercy and grace! It is a wonderful thing that God works in our hearts and changes us for His glory to be more like Jesus Christ. I rejoice that he has issued an apology and stated what he firmly believes! Glory be to God!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you put this post up. I'm not sure what you are trying to achieve, I suppose it makes Osteen look stupid if nothing else, however I'm sure that you being as clear about what the Bible says you are aware that 1 Cor 13 says 'love does not delight in the failing of others.' This post would seem to have the opposite spirit - so I'm sad that a man who wants to show the love of Christ would do this to a fellow pastor. Surely you have known the pain of false accusation and misunderstanding and yet you have made the same error as the unforgiving servant.
ReplyDeleteOsteen may have made some ambiguous statements about issues that are dear to the hearts of many evangelical Christians, but I wonder how you would fair in the same arena. I have done much TV, radio and press and it is difficult, they are trying to get us to say the wrong things. The best response the Christian community could do is to pray for those in this arena not throw stones.
Reading the transcript this man's heart is 'mercy not judgement’; sadly I don’t think you have handled him in the same way.
I wish I could leave my name on this blog, but fear the same unloving treatment would be applied to me, suffice to say if you wish to delete this comment because you feel it's been left by some ‘LIBERAL waste of time’ then feel free to do so. I pray that the Lord will fill you with the same spirit of grace that filled Jesus and that you will learn the ways of Christ not just the words.
BTW I am a Pastor of a large congregation in the UK, Bible believing lovers of Jesus and that's why your post hurts me even more.
Please examine your heart, I'm not asking you to change your theology just your methods, you may well be fighting the right battles in the wrong way and in doing so, doing more harm to the gospel.
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI think you left this same post in two places, but I will respond only here.
First off, what I was "trying to achieve" in posting Pastor Osteen's apology was the glory of God in one man's repentance. Why would linking to Osteen's website where this apology is posted make him look stupid? I think it gives evidence of a wonderful work of grace in his heart - and I praise the Lord for it!
Second, I would be a disaster on Larry King Live. Between the pressure of being on live television as well as having to come up with "sound bite" answers in miliseconds - I would fail miserably! I am not at all gifted in that area. That being said, there are some "fundamentals of the faith" that I think even my children could answer crisply and coherently on live television. "Who goes to heaven?" is one of those fundamental questions. As Osteen said on his website apology: "Jesus declared in John 14; I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. I believe that Jesus Christ alone is the only way to salvation." He did not make that clear in the interview after repeated questioning by King which would lead one to believe from that interview that either he did not know the answer or worse - he was avoiding it. That would have made Osteen a questionable evangelical indeed (and for proof of this I would urge you to read 1 John). My posting his apology was an act of love for the man - to not leave people who read this blog thinking that his King interview was his last word on the subject. I posted it the minute I found it.
Third, I think your fear to leave your name on this blog since you are the pastor of a large UK church is quite unfounded. I am not so sure what you are afraid of?
Fourth, the trouble with blogs (and emails and letters) is that it is very difficult to communicate emotion properly. I assure you that I am not the least bit angry or sullen or on some kind of warpath. I also do not have a great deal of time to write these posts - so if brevity and pointedness communicate anger and a judgmental spirit, then I would have to ask your forgiveness. It is completely unintended and I will work on it!
Your said I also do not have a great deal of time to write these posts
ReplyDeleteThis gives me even more cause for concern, you write words which could possibly damage many people and for this reason you should be far more careful with your tongue. James is clear on how easily our word can damage others.
I do hope and pray you never find yourself in need of understanding and mercy and in that situation others show you far more grace and love.
Hmmm. Did you read the rest of the sentence... paragraph... post?
ReplyDeleteI guess if you feel so strongly you could just stop reading my blog. No offence intended or taken.
"Anonymous":
ReplyDeleteI would encourage you to stand behind what you have to say. Jesus declared everything controversial that he had to say out in the open (Mark 14:49). Paul? Same thing. He was willing to take whatever came as a result. And the people opposing him could stone him! What could anyone like us do to you? Not posting your name simply makes me think that you are (1) not really who you claim to be, and / or (2) that you have some hidden agenda in stirring up controversy by misreading a godly man's posts.
I hope you do not apply the same level of hermeneutic to your studies of Scripture that you did to these posts. I'm assuming you would though, since, as you chided pastor Martin, your words on this blog are as serious as words anywhere else.
BTW, where is that quote that you gave, found precisely in 1 Cor. 13 (since you were quick to make accusations against pastor Martin not "knowing" his Bible well)?
Paul,
ReplyDeleteThis is Tom Shuck emailing from India. I saw you mentioned on Phil's site and thought I would say hi and ask how is it going in Canada?
Tom Shuck
Maybe you don't remmeber me.
Tom!
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget you?!
Your post here has made my day!
Can you send me a quick email at info@gfcto.com? I will email you back.
PWM