Dogmatic

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  He gives wisdom for the asking, and the reading.  Have you ever been dogmatic about something?   How many things you are dogmatic about?  The opinions that you insist on – because that’s just what you’ve always believed.  Or keep talking yourself into every time that topic comes up?  Do you listen, or do you speak?  We’re not talking about being tossed and turned by every wind of doctrine, we’re just talking about the things of God and His Word – and people’s understanding of it.  Many form their opinions in their mind, but not by the Holy Spirit. They become dogmatic about something they may be in error about.  Is that you?  If so, you probably wouldn’t know it, because you think you’re right.  Dogmatic – Arrogant; overbearing in asserting and maintaining opinions.  It’s easy to become dogmatic.  God warns against it.  The way of a fool is wise in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.  Have you noticed that even Godly counsel can fall on deaf ears – if you’re dogmatic?  Those who are dogmatic – do not listen to counsel.  They don’t even recognize it when they are hearing it, so they don’t receive it.  Proverbs 18:2 - A fool does not delight in understanding, only in airing his own opinions.   Proverbs 21:2 - All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.   Opinionated people are sometimes right and sometimes wrong.  This includes you.  Romans 14:1 gives good counsel.  Welcome those who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about their opinions (what they think is right or wrong).   Notice how we always read ourselves into scripture as the one accepting the weak in faith.  Yeah, that’s me… Not the one who is weak in faith, the one accepting the weak in faith.  But God gives a hint of people weak in faith – not mature in the faith yet… Those who are quick to argue about debatable matters, who like to debate over opinions.  What about you?  Do you avoid disputing over opinions.  If you have matured to that point.  Praise God.  But something else is important as well.  How accurate are your opinions?  What do you believe, and are you right?  It’s not about being right all the time, but are your beliefs – God’s Beliefs?  Do you rightly divide the Word of truth? – or are you in error?   And if you are… How would God reveal it to you?  Do you consider?  Or are you dogmatic?  Do you insist on things that God doesn’t insist on?  Do you excuse things that God says are without excuse?  Most people are dogmatic - but don’t consider themselves to be.  They don’t do certain things that they deem bad or wrong, yet do other things that are virtually the same.  Other people do things that don’t reflect well on God or them - habits that don’t honor God but they’ve always done them.  The friends they choose to hang out with do the same.  They have high standards in one area, and no standards in another.  Most people are those ‘some people’ or ‘other people,’ but don’t recognize it, only in others, not themselves.  They don’t see their own inconsistencies.  Some people won’t go to a theater, but have Showtime and HBO streaming in their house – affecting them and their children.   Some people never miss church on a Sunday, but Sunday night they’ll watch movies full of pride and arrogance, cursing, adultery and fornication.  Some people will never challenge others regarding sin.  “I don’t judge anybody.”  They’re dogmatic about it.   As if that was the highest platitude of Godly behavior…  but James 5:19 – “My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”  If you are dogmatic about never judging someone, you will never be the one – who turns someone from the error of their way.  Because you ‘don’t judge anybody.’ God said faithful are the wounds of a friend.  If you love them, you’ll tell them.  You’re not judging them, but you are making righteous judgments, and inviting them to God’s best.  It’s called love.  Speaking the truth in love.   In our culture, we make excuses for sin, that’s not covering over them, that’s covering up for them.  Jesus condemned the Pharisees, whose rules went beyond what God ever said.  They were merely man-made – outward in appearance, but of no intrinsic value in restraining the old nature... (Colossians 2:23) putting burdens on others that they themselves couldn’t keep. (Matthew 23:4)  Paul recognizes the danger of becoming dogmatic - He said, ‘my conscience is clear, but that doesn’t make me guiltless.  David said – Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts, see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.  Was David on a perpetual guilt-trip?  No, He just loved God so much that He never wanted to displease or disappoint him.  That’s the Fear of the LORD.  Anything not pleasing to God, not according to His standard, not from faith, by grace – hurts you.  It keeps you from God’s blessing, and God’s best.  Praying that you will ask God what you are dogmatic about?  And if you may be not quite or fully correct in some of those opinions.  Praying that you’ll consider those things you always believe – so the Holy Spirit can make sure your beliefs align with God’s Word.  Is there a secret to overcoming the disease of Dogmatic?  Actually there is – it’s called Humility.  Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry.  Don’t debate with people about their opinions, just ask God to make sure that yours – fully align with His.  He’ll reveal, if you will ask.  Praying that you will walk in the humility of Christ – that you will rightly divide the Word of Truth, so you can lovingly lead people to God’s best.  So you can draw them, not debate them.  Not dogmatic, just humble and faithful, turning from sin yourself, so you can turn others to Christ. 
 
Love you all,
dad