[peopleoftheway]

Originally Posted by toiwnz

The main point is where is the Love that our entire faith is based on? No matter if you believe in dispensationalism, pre trib, post-trib, mid-trib, lost of salvation, no lost of salvation, the antichrist being Obama, McCain, or some other leader that pops up every ten years. It doesn't matter if you believe we can drink wine moderatly or not at all. Or if you believe KJVO or the other versions are ok. NONE of those things really matter if you don't have love.

Friend, I have not seen any post when any brother on the forum has come out and used the word "hate", the problem with a forum is this, we cannot see each other face to face, and understand by expression and animation so we are focused on how we, ourselves, interpret the delivery of the words.
I have tried to answer posts in grace, tried to explain "The simplicity that is in Christ" and yes it does all center on Love, The Love of Christ. But if any man comes along and preaches another christ, this is when it does matter. Loss of salvation is not the christ I know, The Christ I know is certainly powerful enough to keep my salvation.
Throughout scripture yes we are commanded to love our neighbor but we are also commanded to correct and rebuke those that teach another Gospel that is not the Gospel Of Jesus Christ
Galatians 1:6
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Reading Zechariah last night A certain verse comes to mind to apply to this post.
Zechariah 8:16-17
These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
I would seriously doubt, in fact, I am positive that George, Chette, Luke, Brandon, myself or anyone else that debated with gophgetter had ANY evil intention in their hearts, only to speak the truth. There is a huge difference from correction of the brethren (which is scriptural) "Tough Love" ,to outright evil and hatred. All I have witnessed was that tough Love that Christ himself delivered on several occasions.
"And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables" -John 2:15
Jesus hated the way the temple had become so far removed from truth, if this was done today he would be in Jail, on charges of breaching the peace, public vandalism and assault with a weapon!
Christ spoke harsh words to those that NEEDED TO HEAR THEM!
"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." -Matthew 12:34
This was our LORD calling religious people evil, do you think anything has changed? has Christ changed? there are many evil religious people walking the face of the earth claiming to be Holy, we too are to hate this evil as Christ did.
He rebuked his own disciples! for the greater good!
"But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." -Matthew 16:23
Jesus made someone walk away, downbeat and saddened because he spoke the truth
"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." -Matthew 19:21-22
The bottom line is, If we all just simply Love each other with no correction, and no defence of "sound doctrine" then that is where the danger lies, thats the dangerous ground of ecumenism, and I certainly do not wish to compromise God's Word, nor his commandments as to "appear" more loving. I love the brethren, I love the righteous. The righteous and unrighteous will never co-exist it is not biblical in any sense
"An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked." -Proverb 29:27
Sometimes what someone perceives as "hate" is not really hate but Love, its just that the person on the receiving end interprets it as hate, for example, many times as a child I recall telling my parents I hated them because they corrected me on something I was doing wrong, was this "hate" NO it was my Pride blinding me to the truth that was delivered with "Love"
Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
All I have witnessed is that "truth" delivered in "Love" and interpreted as "hate"
If we don't speak the truth, who will? I am sure the apostle Paul offended many with the truth and I am also sure of the fact that he also, did this, IN LOVE