A Word from Bob
Any of us—myself included, can become “zealous polemicists.” David’s words, which I was recently reminded of by a Twitter/X friend, Dane Hays, ought to be convicting to all of us—myself included.
David Powlison in Cure of Souls on Zealous “Polemicists”
“Often polemicists excuse their loveless rough edges by the demands of truth. But they lose more than they realize. In fact, when love and the growth of positive truth are lost, truth is also lost.
Biblical truth loses its scope, balance, depth, applicability, savor, and growing edge when the second priority seizes center stage. The positive theological task that is the need of our age gets obscured. Caricatures of truth and discernment replace the realities.
Words that are not constructive, timely, and grace giving are rotten and nonnutritive, whatever their formal likeness to Christian content (Eph. 4:29).
To lose charity, tenderheartedness, sympathy, and generosity is always to simultaneously pervert the redemptive nature of biblical revelation.
Narrowed “truth” may bristle enough to defend one city wall, but it is not good enough to conquer the world.
Only when our first priority is first do we Christians have a robust, radiant, and sensible alternative in our hearts and
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
