A Dull Farewell

Well, after almost a year of active participation, I have called it quits with Sharper Iron. It was a good year, but I feel my time is up. I have been thinking about leaving for quite some time now, for a variety of reasons. Recent events have just confirmed those feelings and so I decided that the time had come to say goodbye.

First, I will just say a few good things about Sharper Iron. I most definitely learned a lot at Sharper Iron. There are many really awesome people there, who have helped me greatly in my study of God and the Word. The last year has really been a time of growth. Sharper Iron has really helped to expose me to other ideas about God that I had never heard before - some were good, some not so good. I have had chances to interact with much older and wiser people than myself, which has been both humbling and invigorating. I have been challenged in my beliefs and ideas, continually being driven to the Word to find support for my beliefs. Sometimes, what I had previously believed was reaffirmed. Other times, I had to reevaluate what I believed. I have certainly been sharpened by the people at Sharper Iron.

unfortunately, I cannot stop there. Not everything has been so "shining." Lately, there has been a trend of negative threads, directed at other brothers and sisters in Christ. These threads have gone past constructive criticism and loving rebuke, instead becoming judgmental, slanderous and just plain ungodly. I strongly believe that we should speak up about sin - we must! However, many of these threads have gone way past this point, calling into question motives and in some cases, even questioning a brother's salvation. First it was with certain CCM artists. The latest victims of these attacks have been movie makers. Of course, I cannot really just blame Sharper Iron for this. Sharper Iron is just a website. It is some of the members of Sharper Iron that have done this.

However, I do think that some of the blame falls on "Sharper Iron" and the administrators because of their tolerance (and sometimes promotion) of these "dulling" threads. I am not saying that they should have gotten overly strict, censoring anything that was negative, but I think a little more vigilance was needed.

Despite this, by and large, the administrators at Sharper Iron have done a commendable job in moderating discussion (however I thought the 20 page rule was very illogical and unnecessary). They did a good job keeping threads on track and productive. The theology threads have been particularly good (though there have not been many lately, primarily because of the overblown End of the Spear controversy). Though there are many differing opinions, most people are respectful and intelligent in their posts.

Probably the main reason that I have decided to leave Sharper Iron is because I don't really feel that I belong. I have found that my definition of the "fundamentals of the faith" differs from the definition that many of the people at Sharper Iron hold to. In my opinion, too much emphasis is put on human reasoning and teaching (Teetotaling? Doesn't seem like a fundamental issue to me). This sometimes has gone so far that the Word has been completely ignored and/or contradicted. That doesn't seem to bother some people, but it is a big problem for me. Also, their ideas about biblical separation do not line up with mine. I see too much division over "non-essentials." Many times, I wonder how the world will ever know that we are Christ followers. They are supposed to know by seeing how we "love one another" ...but I'm worried.

I also disagree with many people's beliefs about being "in the world and not of it." I look at Jesus and see a man who conversed and ate with the "worst" sinners (as if anyone is "less" of a sinner than anyone else). He lived amongst them! When He looked out on the world, He was filled with pity and compassion, not judgment and condemnation. What a blind and lost world we live in! Then I compare that to the "clean hands" of this "fundamentalism"...

I know that some people will just write all these "faults" off as the immature complaints of a hot headed, young fundamentalist. That may be true - I know that I have much to learn. Please pray that I continue to seek God's guidance and wisdom. I trust that He will freely give me whatever I ask in His name.

Unfortunately, I feel that I am leaving at a low point. I have not seen much sharpening lately - on the contrary it has been rather dulling, and I already have too many dulling things in my life...

That is why I am leaving Sharper Iron. As I said already, it has been a good year. I won't forget it! Thanks!

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It always amazes me that we can study God and talk about Him with others. We have had our eyes opened and been allowed to gaze upon the great "I am"; the Master and Creator of all! We all, who are in Christ, have received such an honor!

However, when I gaze upon the great "I am", I feel so ashamed. I am shocked and appalled by my own sin. I find it everywhere in my life. I am utterly unworthy to gaze upon that great and glorious Face. My sin seems to consume me, creating a immeasurable canyon between me and that Thing that I so long to be united with.

Isa 6:1-7 ESV In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. (2) Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. (3) And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" (4) And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. (5) And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

But then Christ comes to me! How great is the love of Christ!

(6) Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. (7) And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for."

Wow! What a God we serve!!