I look forward to the book coming out someday. I also find it ironic our views and the same layout for both of our pages =)

Blessings!

Read all your posts, comments and responses. As a much older person (just kidding here), I read and reread the posts by Josh and of course your response. I also took a keen look at Mark’s rebuttal to Josh comments.

Unlike either of you two, there were virtually no comments of agreement from Mark as to your position, conviction, or thoughts. On the contrary, I have found you to to agree with Mark, when agreement is warranted and to disagree when you feel he is off base. That leads to my opinions that I wish to share with Mark regarding the two of you.

First of all Mark had no business bringing up the “personal moral struggles that you wrestle with” in his response to Josh. That was nothing more than to discredit Josh and to get readers to focus in on Josh rather than what he had to say. This is known as redirecting the issue or conversation.

Secondly, Joel I am so glad that you brought up the issue of youth and that it really has nothing to do with learning, discussions, or opinions. You are correct when Paul told Timothy to not let anyone discount him for his youth (paraphrase mine). I find that though I am old enough to be your father (perhaps because I am…… ), you have educated me in many things as they relate to scripture, history, and especially the religious and political life of Paul’s time. So, because I am older does not mean I can’t learn from someone younger. Mark’s approach to this is so silly and ill logical that it makes me wonder if he is as intelligent as he purports to be. He espouses a strong academic pedigree, but you know what I have always said; “the world is full of educated idiots” This is not to say that Mark is an idiot, I am certain that he is well trained and has plenty of sheep skins to show his educational training. However, one can be educated in all the wrong things or wrong ways and be fully and grossly mis-educated. I think that perhaps Mark falls into the later.

Third, just as Mark and his EC proponents argue and fight to make their convictions accepted and the right way to think, you two have as much right to counter their arguments as you see fit. Joel, you know this to known as debate. One more thought if I may; I am discovering that the gospel has less and less to do with what we say in words as much as it is in action. I know that may perk Mark’s ears up and lead him to believe he has yet another EC convert, not so. All of you are right in living out our lives in such a way that we seem peculiar to the rest of the world. So peculiar that they may ask what is it in us that causes us to do the things (for the Lord of course) that we do. That is when we have the wonderful opportunity to share the gospel with them. When this happens, it is our action then our words that open the doors. However, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to do the rest; and because I am one to lean towards election, whether a person is mentally ill or not, if he/she is of the elect, they will understand the message.

Finally on that note regarding the mentally ill man; I believe that we possess the same gifts and talents as when the Apostles were alive. I also think that when Jesus healed the mentally ill man, getting through to the Emperor could have been achieved through the work of the Holy Spirit. Joel, you and Josh are both correct in that there is no way one can come to know Christ without first recognizing our need of Him. And unless we are shown to be full of sin and that salvation is unwarranted, how can someone know why they need a savior? There are many so-called believers out there that were baptized thinking they are now saved, who will discover that all that happened was they got wet.

Keep up the good work, fight the good fight, stand firm on the truth of the word of God, and let know one look down upon you for your youth.

Mark Borofsky

Come on legalism, let’s go kill off some legalism!

It’s hard to break out of struggles like those.