#206: Saints Peter and Bob

This morning I had a momentary questioning period of my own theology...can you believe that?!! Well, I found the text that pretty much confirmed what I've been saying for years, written by a first century redneck fisherman named Peter. Fortunately, I can in good conscience say that this is not a pretext looking for a text out of context, as often happens in some of the exhorting I do.

My belief, a Bob-ism (officially #24 as of this moment) that has slipped through the cracks somehow up to now, is that self-inflicted wounds do not merit a Purple Heart. Too many Christians are whining and complaining about their difficulties when, in fact, they themselves are the root cause of the problem. Now, I'm willing to help folks as somewhat of a Cynical Samaritan, but I won't pat them on the head and let them fall into the "I'm a victim...eeeuuuuwww" syndrome once they hit my counseling realm if I spot that the problem is their own sin, past and/or present. I actually thought I was being a bit hard hearted (even in light of my knowledge of the whole book of James), but then good old Peter bailed me out with his similar admonition in 1 Peter 4:14-17, a passage specifically designed to comfort and admonish the saints, "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"

It's interesting to me that Pete lumps "troublesome meddler" in with "murderer, thief, and evildoer" much as Paul lumps "disobedient to parents" in with all the other sinners of "major" magnitude in Romans 1: 28-30. Well, where's the encouragement to be found in these lists of bad guys on the loose? Remember that we Saints are merely Aints with the "S" of Christ's Salvation imparted to us and we don't have to shoot ourselves OR whine about it to others, seeing how our will has been freed in Him! OOORAH, OOORAH!!
Got hand claps?