Dear Sovereign Redeemer and other friends,

I have been posting a few quotes from Paul Washer’s “Gospel Assurance & Warnings,” and here is a very hard-hitting one:

“…we live in the midst of a twisted romanticism where piety has been redefined as an open-mindedness to everything, and tolerance is the supreme manifestation of love. Thus, any form of rebuke is considered the greatest act of immorality. Because of this, much of the terminology of Christianity has been either redefined or removed entirely. To say ‘I am wrong’ is self-destructive; to say ‘You are wrong’ is criminal. Thus, prophets are exiled and spiritual life coaches are raised up in their place; biblical teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness are exchanged for motivational principles leading to self-realization; iron sharpening iron becomes an exercise in mutual affirmation; and church discipline is denounced as a monstrosity equal to the Salem witch trials. It seems that our love has become so refined and elevated that we can no longer stomach the primitive commands of Christ.” (Chapter 12, “Practicing Righteousness,” pg 119)

A great question for all of us: “To what extent I have been exiling the prophets and raising up smooth-talking spiritual life coaches in their place?”