Ed Walsh
Puritan Board Senior
Greetings,
This is an email I sent this morning to a faithful employee of over 20 years. We have discussed the Gospel on numerous occasions without any perceived results. He pretty much asked me to cease and desist. At that time I promised him one final paragraph. This is what I sent this morning.
Rich, (please read this. It's not all that long.)
I'm going to get to your promised "last paragraph" in a few minutes. But I wanted to mention something I have noticed in our interactions over the years. I mean the more serious ones. I think we had a couple of those, haven't we?
I know you're smart. Probably a lot smarter than I. And you seem relatively at peace in this world which is often filled with trouble and tears. The Puritans called this life the "Vale of Tears."
You also seem to possess some wisdom, at least in the ways of this world, doing the best you can with the "hand that's been dealt." (even though you're pretty dense when it comes to eternal matters)
But I have noticed something that seems less than profitable in our brief discussions. I've seen that, at least in politics, you pretty much shoot-from-the-hip without, apparently, caring to listen to the opinions of those with whom you differ. This brought a Proverb to mind that you might consider. Yeah, I know it's from the Bible. What are you going to do? It's me talking.
I didn't forget the promised "last paragraph," but I've had difficulty deciding what it should be. I was planning on quoting the Apostle Paul's prayer to the Ephesian believers. It could take you to places where you've never been but are familiar territory to true Christians. So here's the reference in case you want to look it up in the Bible yourself. Ephesians 1:15-23. (the Rich I know won't bother)
But here's what I've decided on. In the Apostle Paul's Book of Romans, chapters 1 and 2, Paul explains how the Gentiles and the Jews are under the power of sin. Then in chapter 3, Paul gives an overview which contains many Old Testament quotes of the nature of all men. I hope you'll consider it and, eventually, have an experience like Bunyan's Christian in Pilgrim's Progress. When he saw that he lived in the City of Destruction, he finally got the courage to escape. With his dear wife and children crying after him to return, "Christian put his fingers in his ears and cried out, life, life, eternal life." And he never looked back but continued through many dangers, toils, and snares on his trek towards the Celestial City.
Ed
This is an email I sent this morning to a faithful employee of over 20 years. We have discussed the Gospel on numerous occasions without any perceived results. He pretty much asked me to cease and desist. At that time I promised him one final paragraph. This is what I sent this morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rich, (please read this. It's not all that long.)
I'm going to get to your promised "last paragraph" in a few minutes. But I wanted to mention something I have noticed in our interactions over the years. I mean the more serious ones. I think we had a couple of those, haven't we?
I know you're smart. Probably a lot smarter than I. And you seem relatively at peace in this world which is often filled with trouble and tears. The Puritans called this life the "Vale of Tears."
You also seem to possess some wisdom, at least in the ways of this world, doing the best you can with the "hand that's been dealt." (even though you're pretty dense when it comes to eternal matters)
But I have noticed something that seems less than profitable in our brief discussions. I've seen that, at least in politics, you pretty much shoot-from-the-hip without, apparently, caring to listen to the opinions of those with whom you differ. This brought a Proverb to mind that you might consider. Yeah, I know it's from the Bible. What are you going to do? It's me talking.
"He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, It is folly and shame unto him." (Proverbs 18:13)
I didn't forget the promised "last paragraph," but I've had difficulty deciding what it should be. I was planning on quoting the Apostle Paul's prayer to the Ephesian believers. It could take you to places where you've never been but are familiar territory to true Christians. So here's the reference in case you want to look it up in the Bible yourself. Ephesians 1:15-23. (the Rich I know won't bother)
But here's what I've decided on. In the Apostle Paul's Book of Romans, chapters 1 and 2, Paul explains how the Gentiles and the Jews are under the power of sin. Then in chapter 3, Paul gives an overview which contains many Old Testament quotes of the nature of all men. I hope you'll consider it and, eventually, have an experience like Bunyan's Christian in Pilgrim's Progress. When he saw that he lived in the City of Destruction, he finally got the courage to escape. With his dear wife and children crying after him to return, "Christian put his fingers in his ears and cried out, life, life, eternal life." And he never looked back but continued through many dangers, toils, and snares on his trek towards the Celestial City.
Romans 3:9-20
What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips." "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
Ed
