No, I do not intend to abandon blogging. (Sorry that everything has been so quiet around here. Some things came up I had to take care of.) But I feel that now is a good time to provide some clear goals for my blog, with the New Year and all. (By the way, Happy New Year!)
First, and foremost, I desire this blog to exist for the glory of God. “So…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31 ESV)
As such, I aim to please God with my blog. His glory and His honor are the ultimate audience I must keep in view. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Col. 3:23 ESV)
Further, this means that my blog must bleed Jesus. That is, in every post, behind every motive, and even every discussion, I pray that Jesus is seen and magnified and exulted in. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:17 ESV)
To aid this ultimate goal, I intend to post more on thoughts from the Word, as well as more generally helpful, edifying posts which will direct all of our hearts and minds to our glorious Savior.
Second, I desire that a spirit of love would permeate my blog. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV) So when I seek to point out errant thinking and what I deem to be flaws in fundamentalism, I will make every effort to do so out of a heart of love. “…Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” (Eph. 4:15 ESV) God forbid that I would boast over other’s errors, but rather that I would “not rejoice at wrongdoing, but (rejoice) with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6 ESV).
Thus, thirdly, I want this blog to further the cause of genuine Christian unity. “I [Jesus] do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21 ESV) My goal is to aid the cause of unity by furthering growth in regards to true Biblical doctrine. Doctrinal maturity aids the cause of unity as Eph. 4:13-16 teaches (cf. the previous 12 verses also). But often a pursuit of doctrine can tend to ignore or downplay other factors essential to unity: humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, love, desire to maintain unity, peace (see Eph. 4:1-6). So I will aim to be as humble and loving as I am firm and clear in my discussions and posts.
Finally, I desire that my blog will edify and equip believers to be strong in truth while fervent in devotion to Christ. So I will seek to “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. (not repaying) anyone evil for evil, but always (seeking) to do good to one another and to everyone.” (1 Thess. 5:14-15 ESV) And I will strive to “stir up one another in love and good works” (Heb. 10:24 ESV). In doing so, I hope to obey the exhortation: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” (Heb. 3:12-14 ESV)
So I hope to prayerfully pursue these aims in 2006. For my identity as a Christian goes beyond blogging. And so blogging must serve my Christian growth and that of my fellow believers.
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For an excellent exhortation to unity, see this post by Nathan Pitchford. For more encouragements to keep Christ in mind when blogging see this for links to a great series on blogging as a believer by Bob Kauflin.
∼striving for the unity of the faith for the glory of God∼ Eph. 4:3,13 “¢ Rom. 15:5-7