Skeptical wrote:
Wayne,
You wrote to Sherry, Lyn, and Girl. . "please accept my apologies."
Apologies work when you step on a person's foot, inadvertently, but they are meaningless in restoring fellowship when deliberate and malicious and provocative attacks have been made on one's character or being.
In keeping with what it means to be a Christian - FORGIVEN - a sincere attempt at reconciliation would be to ask forgiveness for offenses given toward these ladies.

I think your point is well taken! I just returned from the fitness center and had actually thought of the same thing you have mentioned. therefore, to Sherry, Lyn, and Girl:

I sincerely ask for FORGIVENESS for having insulted you, saying unkind and un-Christian remarks to you, and for having the wrong and sinful attitude towards all of you.

While I felt strongly about the positions that I was taking, I was wrong to approach all of you in that manner, and for that, I ask for forgiveness. I trust that the Lord will heal any wounds that I may have caused from the tone and usuage of my words. Again, I am very sorry for that!

Sincerely in Christ,

Sherry C. wrote:
Michael, . I understand what you are saying. As for me,.. but for the grace of God go I. God bless you. You are an encourager and edifier for the SA readers.

After praying and sleeping over some things that were in my heart, I felt compelled to offer my sincere apologies to the three of you! While my intent in communicating my convictions and positions on the issues we discussed was to convey a point, my attitude and tone were not in keeping with my Christian values.

For me, that is very important, and therefore I would like to offer my sincere apologies and to offer an olive branch to the three of you!

IT has always been said that discussing "Politics & Religion" can be very contentious at times. However, as Christians, our Lord expects a certain decorum from His people, and I did not follow through with what I know to be His will in this matter.

Please know that my offer of an apology is not predicated on any response as it is not needed, but I wanted all of you to know my heart in this matter!

Sincerely in Christ,

lyn wrote:
Girl, Thank you, that really helped. I too appreciate your 'two bobs' worth!!

I am amazed at you and Sherry. You guys are always quoting Scriptures to make a point that doesn't make the point! You guys pretend to be so spiritually minded and yet, anything I've written you have responded to like bees on honey.

Then you accuse me of wild things. I think all of you should pray and ask the Lord to help you with your insecurities, and with how unsure you guys are of yourselves! Sherry: that is especially your Achilles' Heel. That's my "two bobs" worth!

The truth is I should have ignored the nonsensical statements you guys have made and realize that the vast majority of you are but "Babes" in Christ.

As for McCain being "more moral than Obama", everyone, including the Republicans knows that isn't true! Let's see: A serial adulterer, home destroyer, millionaire wife who makes her living off of the DuI's, DWI's, and Drunking Drivers who kills thousands of people every year!

Girl wrote:
Wayne, you ought to be ashamed of yourself before God for saying such a thing to a repentant believer as Lyn has shown herself to be. I'll wish you a good night and will not post anything more to you as it only encourages you.
Lyn, please ignore wayne, as I think he only throws personal attacks at you because he can't answer you doctrinally. You've blessed me very greatly with your sincere repentence and sound doctrine since I've been on sermonaudio again.

You don't know Lyn personally, so how do you know she is repentant? Can't deal with her doctrinally? That is my laughing moment for this morning. Lyn hasn't said anything that I can't understand.

You women are really amazing...even in Australia aren't you? Since you are a defender of Sherry and Lyn, go back and read their comments to me. If there isn't malice and judging going on then I guess I don't know what those things are. Before you say another word, go back and read their comments and accusations!

Sherry:

After reading this post, it became clear that you and I actually have some things in common: we both have been exposed to false teaching before! I was a member of the Apostolic (United Pentecostal Church--sometimes called U.P.C.).

That church is very legalistic and is actually considered a cult by most Scholars. That is why I went to Bible College and Seminary, so that I would never again be at the mercy of others to teach me; it is simply now The Holy Spirit and my acquired skills. Yes, I am an avid reader of Theology, Doctrine, Philosophy, and other disciplines.

Sherry C. wrote:
Wayne, better are the rebukes of a friend than the kisses of an enemy.

I hope you will remember your words! Are you married by chance? So, you're still determined to say that I am a follower of RW? Even after I've told you I am not, you still want to go there?

That is why I keep saying you're insecure with who you are. If you are married, your husband must be weary from trying to re-assure you of some things. I am clearly a follower of the one who Saved me, not RW, JM or anyone else!

While I do not agree with RW's seeker friendly philosophy, I do not consider him a false prophet as you, lyn, michael and even a young woman name "Girl" seem to do. That would be true of JM as well.

I think all of you sound very insecure! Why? The first thing you guys do is go on the defensive and interestingly, you're the ones who begins to insult and question a person's relationship with Christ as if you could.

The simple truth is none of you have a teachable spirit! If you go back and read your posts, it all has to do with "yourselves" and how mighty and humble you are when in reality you sound puffed up and insecure.

Almost every comment Sherry makes has to do with what I said four or five days ago! When will you get over it? You've insulted me, but I do not continue to quote you on all that you have said. Why? Because I can deal with a person disagreeing with me, you have demonstrated that you cannot. To Girl, these words are not primarily to you as you have just come into this discussion, but if you go back and read Sherry and Lyn's comments, there is nothing but so-called spiritual superiority rantings and rhetoric that means absolutely nothing!

There were both unsaved and saved people in Laodicea as there were in a few of the other churches in Asia Minor. Why are you insecure? I'm really not sure, but you seem to always bring up my comments about being seminary trained, a professional theologian, etc.

For some reason you are the only one that keeps bringing that up. I've moved on. In fact, you guys have insulted me several times, and have made self-righteous comments about my relationship to Christ, but I haven't lost any sleep. You still haven't convinced me that RW is a false prophet either!

Lurker wrote:
Amen, Michael!
These dear sisters are a real blessing to me and I appreciate them sharing their testimonies and offering to God the sacrifice of praise as His workmanship.
. . .
Wayne,
Sorry, good buddy, but you just don't get it (Rev 3:20). Jesus doesn't chasten bas-ards (Heb 12:8).

You really are funny...and very insecure with yourself! First, Christ addresses both the "unsaved" and the "Saved" in the Church at Laodicea. You can see that in verses 20 and 21-22, with verse 20 referring to the unsaved and verse 21 specifically appealing to the saved.

Verse 19 is key to understanding His reference to those who are really His redeemed ones: "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent."

The word "Discipline" is ALWAYS used in reference to "Authentic" believers in the Bible. (Please see Hebrews 12:5-13 for further enlightenment) It is never used in reference to unsaved people; the word "Condemn" is the word for that classification of people.

Don't be insecure and intimidated Sherry as there is no need; whether you believe it or not, you are indeed dealing with a "Brother!"

You guys are really amazing. The Revelation 3:20 verse is really a simple verse to parse. The Lord Jesus is knocking (literally) on the door of a church that had become "Lukewarm" in their devotion to Him.

These people were so far away from Christ in their devotion that they did not notice His absence! That is so typical of backslidden people. Now, the million dollar question for all of you: Are these people saved? Or, are they lost given the context?

I will help you from Jesus words: "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent." Are these words in context to believers or unbelievers? A rule of thumb in hermeneutics is that "Scripture interprets Scripture." I'll be waiting on you guys answer.