Speaking Good Of People

A while ago (few weeks, a month or two, chronology has never been my forté) I was reading a blog called Pyromaniacs. Since this is a Calvinist/Cesationist blog fairly frequently they do posts on why the gifts are not for today etc... Which in general I skip, occasionally there are other things I find of interest. However reading one specific comment thread, there was a continualist who basically called Warfield a fool.

That got me thinking. Much as I believe that Warfield was dead wrong in his racism, theistic evolution, calvinism, and cessationism, I would not speak too harshly of him. Here's why: 1. He is dead... nothing I say about him is going to alter his eternal state for better or worse, so it is pointless. 2. Vilifying someone's wrong doctrine does not improve my own doctrine which will stand or fall on its own truthfulness. Actually since it is God who opens our minds to see truth, if He sees us mock others who are benighted, He may very well withhold light from us. 3. If Warfield was as wrong as I believe he was, then he has already had his theology rectified by Christ when he passed away. If there was no reward waiting for him, or his work was found to be unacceptable to God than he is already suffering loss for his error, and I would hate to kick a man while he is down.

Think about it, here is a human life, a man lives a full life, through his share of joys and sorrows that that entails, if his life does not count for eternity, that is certainly too tragic to mock, and out of knowledge of our own frailties and need of mercy if for no other reason we should be careful how we speak of men.

We all have our theological heroes and villains, but we should be careful how we speak of people. Yes, we must fight error, and counter it with truth, but we do not have to vilify those who uphold error. God is their judge and also is ours. It is said of Christ that He judges and makes war in righteousness (Rev. 19:11), and Michael the archangel did not use vilifying words even to the devil (Jude 1:9).

Since we are followers of one who could weep and have pity for those who were killing Him even though He knew many of them would even reject His sacrifice (Luke 23:28), let us imitate Him.