Canons of Dordt:: Article 2: The Manifestation of God's Love

But this is how God showed his love: he sent his only begotten Son into the world, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Canons of Dordt: Article 1: God's Right to Condemn All People

Since all people have sinned in Adam and have come under the sentence of the curse and eternal death, God would have done no one an injustice if it had been his will to leave the entire human race in sin and under the curse, and to condemn them on account of their sin. As the apostle says: The whole world is liable to the condemnation of God (Rom. 3:19), All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23), and The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).

Name Calling is an Argumentation Tactic for the Weak

Today, I read an excellent blog article called "Playing the Pharisee Card". This article describes one of the tactics that are used by liberal "Christians" when they are in an argument with "fundamentalist" Christians. Instead of debating why doctrines are not important based upon sound logic, the liberal "Christian" will resort to "name-calling" by calling the Christian who is arguing for the importance of Biblical doctrine a "Pharisee". As we all know, the Pharisees were enemies of Jesus Christ, and therefore no Christian would want to be called a "Pharisee".

This article reminded me of a similar tactic I like to call the "You're being judgmental." tactic. This tactic is typically used when a person wants to avoid disagreement on important doctrinal matters. Previously on this blog, I wrote about why being "discerning" (i.e. "judgmental") is not wrong but is instead an important skill that all Christians need to employ.

Although, I only remember being called a Pharisee (or Pharisaical) one time, I have called "rigid" like the Pharisees, "too literal" regarding the Bible doctrines, "hyperbolic", and a "hyper schoolgirl". Although, this "name calling" did bother me at the time, I have come to realize, just like the author of this article, that these are just tactics employed by those who don't have a good counter argument. Essentially, they know they have no ground to stand on. However, rather than re-thinking their position, they resort to regressive, name-calling tactics reminiscent of the grade-school playground (e.g. "Oh yeah? Well, well.....you're a poopy-head!").

Moral of the story: Don't be a name-calling poopy-head. Instead, to use a phase from my friends at the White Horse Inn: "Know what you believe and why you believe it." and be always "...prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15).