Mcarthur-0, Pagitt-0, Wormwood-1
Do you ever feel sometimes like you wish CS Lewis was still writing the Screw Tape Letters. Lewis would have a field day with all the factions in the media discrediting each other.
“My Dear Wormwood,
In your last letter to me you expressed how excited you have been by all the public attention many enemy pastors have been getting recently. I would have to wholeheartedly agree. Yet, I must remind you that out of all the things which our commander most fears, it is the unity of the enemy forces. Fortunately for us, in the last 60 years we have seen much of that unity fall to the way side. Instead they have picked up what some of the enemy calls ’secondary issues’. Wormwood, our tools might have changed in the past years, the pen has been replaced by the pixel, but do not forget your mission to divide, discourage and destroy as much of the enemy forces that you possibly can.
You affectionate uncle,
Scewtape.”
The other day while I was reading a post on the Emergent and Evangelical debate I saw a link to a youtube video that consisted of two Men that both profess Christ. One was John Mcarthur, and the other was Doug Pagitt. Both men went onto a national news network, that has no connection to the church, I would see this as similar to Paul’s interview at the Areopagus. To their credit these men both tried to communicate the essence of Christianity, as best as they understood.
But here is what bothered me: we are told not to take out brother into a earthly court to settle matters of disagreement, and what do i see but two pastors having a debate on CNN.
Paul says in 1Cor 6:4-6:
“So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?”
Right or wrong on the issues that divide them, both were wrong in going before the court of public opinion for an answer that should be settled in house.