I just spent almost 3 hours listening to an SBC Pastor Dr. Flowers, make a terrible showing against Dr. James White. The debate topic was supposed to be two different exegesis of the text of Romans 9. Dr. White started out by giving his exegesis of Romans 9. Then Dr. Flowers came out with a polemic sermon against several doctrines of Calvinism, without exegeting Romans 9. It was ridiculous. Yet there are no doubt, people thinking that Dr. Flowers did well. He kept using analogies, and homespun parables instead of actually interacting with the text. He would also go out of Romans 9 to impose other ideas on the text. He was practicing eisegeses not exegesis. I was very annoyed. I wanted to see someone honestly offer and logically consistent and Biblically consistent alternative exegesis, but instead it was an ambush, a gothca. I expected better from someone with Dr. in front of their name. Here is the debate if you’d like to watch or listen to it.
Effectually, who is, “the world” in John 3:16?
I know many who are opposed to the Doctrines of Grace like to quote John 3:16 at us as a, “gotcha” proof text verse. It usually goes something like this, ” Let’s read John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.) See there, it says, “God so loved the world.” I have one question for our friends, “What do you do with, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” It is pretty obvious that the ones that are being saved are the ones who believe in Him. If not, just look at the next few verses.
Here is a paraphrase of something Jon Owen penned, Jesus either paid for all the sins of all men, or some of the sins of all men, or all of the sins of some men, . If He paid for all of the sins of all men, and only the unbeliever fails to make that justification effectual through the sin of unbelief, then Jesus did not pay for all the sins of all men. If Jesus paid for some of the sins of all men, then men would still have sins that they would have to pay for. We know this is not true as well. The only position that harmonizes with the entirety of scripture is that Jesus paid all of the sins of some men. He paid for the sins of the elect.
We can see in the following verses that the, “all who are being saved” are one in the same with the, “ones who the Father had given Him” and are also the, “ones who behold the Son and believe in Him.”
John 6:35-40 NASB Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. [36] “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. [37] “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. [38] “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. [39] “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. [40] “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
Romans 8:28-30 NASB And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. [29] For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; [30] and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
If just the ones who believe are being saved, that means the ones who aren’t believing are not being saved. So He didn’t save the entire world. He didn’t make salvation available for every person, and then leave it up to them to get saved. They in their unbelief couldn’t and wouldn’t even try to get themselves saved. Salvation is conditional and Christ meets the conditions of it for us. We know that saving grace, faith, and repentance are different than there counterparts that lead to death. Human grace, faith, and repentance are of no avail. So the only, “whoevers” that will believe in a way that leads to eternal life are the elect of God. So the ones who He died for are the elect. They are the, “whoever” that the verse refers to.
The (2015) ESV New Classic Reference Bible in TruTone Synthetic Cover.
Let’s see what the 2015 New Classic Reference looks like, and compare it briefly to the edition it replaces. I think you’ll find that there aren’t very many changes. I ordered this Bible from Amazon. It arrived in generally good shape. It does not have a retail box. Instead, it has a sleeve. I prefer clamshell or two piece style boxes for storage. You tend to see clamshell style with premium Bibles, not value editions.
After tossing the sleeve away, I scrutinized the cover. I like synthetic covers more than bonded leather. If I can afford them, I purchase ones that are edge lined and covered in goatskin leather. This synthetic cover was not bad. It was soft and flexible. I did get a crease in it by folding it over. Once you get the paper liner creased it shows through the cover. I don’t know how durable it will be. I’ll get back to you on that on in a couple of years. There is a good lifetime warranty on these Bibles. I’m not worried about service should anything go wrong.
Here is the old edition in genuine leather
Both Bibles have family records pages and presentation pages in the front
One of the major qualities that I love about Crossway Bibles, is even their value Bibles use better paper than almost all of their competitors. The paper in this thing is as good as some of the paper in the cost prohibitive premium Bibles. It is very opaque and seems pretty heavy. The old edition was printed on 24 pound (36 g.s.m.) Thincoat™. The paper in the new edition is uncoated. It remains the same weight. It is whiter than the earlier edition which in comparison seems a little more off white. It could be that since I’ve had the other Bible for a few years the paper has yellowed a bit, but I doubt it. It is more likely that the coated paper of the earlier edition was responsible for the slight color difference.
Here is a look at the previous edition.
There is a slight tradeoff when using a heavier paper. The Bible, by necessity of finites becomes thicker. That being said, I would much rather a Bible be thicker and very legible than be thinner and barely legible. Ghosting is a real problem on thinner paper and can make daily reading a near impossible task. The New Classic Reference is not too heavy or big. It feels good to hold and read from. The fact that it is a tad bit thicker doesn’t make it uncomfortable to use. I find it to be subjectively, one of the most comfortable Bibles I’ve spent hours reading from.
Both the older edition and the new one, offer good contrast between the paper and the text. The text is a modern setting of Lexicon font in 9 pt size. It is sharp and crisp against the backdrop of the page. This is a red letter edition with the words of Christ printed in red. Some people like this feature and others think it detracts from the entirety of the word being inspired. I don’t have an opinion either way. If it is done well, I like it. The red and black ink is consistent throughout.
Here is the new one
Here is the old one
There are book introductions at the beginning of each book.
This is pretty helpful without adding the bulk that a study Bible would have. The New Classic Reference is laid out in a double column, paragraph format, with center column references.
This is pretty standard, but again due to the paper quality, uniform printing, and smyth-sewn binding this Bible stands out. I am thinking about rebinding it in goatskin leather. It is an excellent candidate for rebind because of the low initial purchase price, paper, print, and the sewn binding. If you couldn’t tell by now, this does have a sewn binding making it flexible and durable.
It has one ribbon marker that matches the color scheme of the Bible. It is a pretty thin ribbon.
The spine has also been rounded.
The older edition has a flatter spine that doesn’t appear rounded.
The older edition was manufactured in the United States, while this one was manufactured in China. As long as Crossway can ensure quality control, this shouldn’t be a problem. Other publishers have not been able to, and have suffered the consequential negative effects to their reputations.
An excellent three column concordance is included in the back with 32, color maps and illustrations.
The overall impression I got was that this is still the same reference Bible that so many people have loved over the years with some small changes. The most important qualities have not changed. It remains very legible, and easy on the eyes for long bouts of reading. It wins, hands down over many other similarly priced Bibles due to the paper, print, and binding. Throw in the formal equivalent English Standard Version (ESV) translation and you have a great reference Bible.
Make sure to check out all the pictures of the New Classic Reference here, and the old one here.
Here are the stats and info from the Crossway product page,
About the ESV New Classic Reference BibleThe ESV New Classic Reference Bible is a new edition of the first ESV Bible edition ever published in 2001—the ESV Classic Reference Bible. This practical and popular format combines the ESV text with a robust concordance and one of the most comprehensive and useful cross-reference systems available today—more than 80,000 references conveniently located in the center column on each page. This edition adds 32 pages of full-color maps of Bible lands and illustrations of historic biblical sites, structures, and objects for ready reference and insight. The ESV New Classic Reference Bible’s balance of helpful reference features and convenient size make it an ideal Bible for everyday use—at home, at church, at school, and on the road.
Specifications
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ISBN-13: 978-1-4335-4557-3
ISBN-13: 9781433545573
Two Types of Repentance.
There are two types of repentance. One that leads to death and one that leads to life. Which one do you have?
There is one repentance that leads to death. That is the ritualistic, self-righteous act of atoning for your own sin. There is another that leads to life. That is the one of truly realizing that it is God who you have sinned against. Having true shame and sorrow over the sin that you have committed against God. A sorrow that leads you to hate the sins that you do. A sorrow that makes you zealous for God’s will and obedience to Him. One comes from a self-centered heart that is dead in sin. The other comes from a heart that is after God’s own will.
2 Corinthians 7:9-11 NASB [9] I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. [10] For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. [11] For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
Acts 13:22-24 NASB “After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.’ [23] “From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, [24] after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Trigger Words, Microaggressions, and Further Idiocy Oh My!
We’ve lost the ability to reason and now feel everything. It is insane!
If you’ve been to a college campus, public school, or work lately, you probably have had to sit through a class on, “Micro-Aggressions and Trigger Words.” For those of you lucky enough to have not been exposed to this, consider yourselves blessed. This is one of the most insidious forms of attack on free speech that I have seen in many years. It is very sneaky and subtle, masquerading as consideration for others feelings, but in reality it is being used to litigate you into keeping your mouth shut all the time. Just like the mind policing in the book, “1984.”
It is all so very subjective as well. I can declare my lil’ ol’ self a victim and become a victim, at the same time transforming you into a vile offender, just by feeling an affront, whether intended or not. The offender is guilty solely based on my subjective, hurt feelers. Look out! Be on the watch! Haven’t you heard? Words come from feelings and thoughts. Feelings and thoughts come from your heart and your head. Watch and control what you think and feel or they might make their way out into dangerous words. Words that cause trauma.
I seem to remember a saying from my childhood, “Sticks and stones, may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This little axiom has served me well over the years, but what do I know? I mean, afterall I live in the real world. I’ve been a Corrections Officer for the last 20 years. I’ve been assaulted. I’ve seen savage assaults. People have died due to these assaults. I’ve defended my family with physical force. I’ve defended nice people in public from being physically assaulted. The people claiming trauma from microaggressions have never truly been exposed to real aggression or experienced real trauma. They sit like tiny wisps of web in a dark corner yearning to come out into the light, only to be blown away by the first slight breeze that comes along. They have no anchor. They have no steadfastness. They are worthless under true strain and toil. They have placed their feelings and themselves on the throne of God to be worshipped by all others. There is no humility in being the perpetual victim. There is no right of, “Not being offended.” There is however a right to be able to say what you want and express your thoughts, however inane you are. We can’t infringe upon this Constitutionally protected right.
Imagine this nonsense playing out in a country where people worry about thugs breaking down their doors and killing them. News flash, the people who use these weapons of unreasonable emotion against us are the thugs. They are taking our right to free speech and expression with their new shiny gotcha guns. “Oh, you hurt my poor wittle feelings wif your microaggressions” Wipe the tears from your eyes nancy-boy and get a job in the real world. Maybe lump loading freight onto pallets so the forklift driver can take them away will help you? Maybe pulling green-chain at a wood mill will toughen you up? Perhaps a job in a meat packing plant or slaughter house will help you? Maybe, working for a living instead of existing off of tax-fed government programs will help you see the light? Who am I kidding? We all know that your type couldn’t survive in the world without help.
That’s why you have to pervert it into some parasitical facade, subsiding off the labor of others is the only way a limp wristed, slack jawed, maggot like you could survive. You’re killing the host that sustains you! Idiots!!!
I can’t put all the blame on you. There is plenty for men like me. We should have tormented you until you died and were born again hard. As soon as we discerned your weakness, we should have planned for your redemption. We should have made it our personal mission to help you grow into a man. We should have realized that we have a vested interest in your development. We failed you, and I am regretful. I apologize for not seeing your great need of a beating, shame, or harsh words, at the opportune time. I apologize for not teaching you the difference between real and imagined suffering. I apologize for letting you get by at work. I apologize for not making everything into a competition, where all involved would learn to excel. Even the loser produces more when honor is important and on the line. I apologize for not saying something to you when your children misbehave in the store. I apologise for not shaming you when you deserved it.
Too many weaklings, too many cowards, not enough men punching idiots in the face. Seriously, if you said something stupid when I was young, you got socked in the jaw. Guess what, you learn a lot from a good beating. I’m not talking the type of gang-land honorless beatings you see doled out by gutless wonders on the street. I’m talking about a good honest, put up your dukes, one on one fight, over an issue worthy of fisticuffs. To all the people who say you can’t solve problems with violence, I say, “You’ve never made a friend by beating him in a fight.” When you know a man will fight for his rights, or what he believes is right, and you know this because he fought you over them, whoever wins can respect the one who lost, because he knows that man is a man of action and character. Now, we lockem’ up and label them violent offenders. We have a society of sissified, self-important, entitled, leeches, bleeding the rest of us dry and vilifying us. When we are all gone, and you delicates are left alone, to watch in horror as your real enemies crawl over the unkept walls of our dead constitution to slit your throats in broad daylight, remember this… it is all your fault.
For those of you who think this is unbecoming of a Christian man, or think that I’m not demonstrating grace, well, you may be right. I am angry. I am frustrated. I don’t like what I’m seeing and hearing. It has sickened me. So this is a knee-jerk, polemic against the overly sensitive. I still think it was necessary and good for people to see. They need to know that we are on to them. Maybe I could have been more diplomatic or considerate, but given the topic, I thought it fitting to be blunt. I might well be sinning by being so open with my thoughts and feelings on the topic, but hey, “that is a microaggression and you’re causing me trauma” goes both ways.
Win a free waterproof Bible + TUFFNotes + pencil from BardinMarsee
Win a free waterproof Bible + TUFFNotes + pencil which can be see at facebook.com/waterproofbible.
Here is the link to view the giveaway and to share the giveaway: http://gvwy.io/yc8gpzp
Be Inspired. Anywhere. & Journal. Anywhere.
“Microaggressions”, “Trigger Warnings”, and the New Meaning of “Trauma”
The language in this is rough in parts. The 4 letter word is used, but we should be aware of what is going on. I’ve seen this at work. We had to go through training for microaggressions. This is the tool the enemy is using to get rid of the 1st amendment.
When I joined the Marines, I met a man who had survived a helicopter crash during a training exercise. The first time I saw him his head and face were covered in burn scars. A balloon filled with saline, that looked like a dinosaur’s crest, was implanted in his scalp to stretch the skin so hair could grow. Something that looked exactly like the checkered buttstock of an M16A2 was imprinted on one side of his head. He greeted me when I checked in to my unit, and totally ignored the shocked expression I must have had when he approached. He shook my hand, asked a few questions, then left with a friendly “See you later, PFC.” His demeanor left me with the absurd thought, Maybe he doesn’t know how strange he looks.
He had been assigned to my reserve unit while undergoing treatment at a nearby military burn unit…
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Job 28 and the Source of Wisdom.
What’s precious to man? Silver, gold, ores, and jewels? We know where they come from. We mine them from the Earth, but where does wisdom, the most precious thing come from? Can we mine it from the Earth? Has God hidden it there? Can we buy it and become wise with a purchase? Where does wisdom come from? Let’s read what Job’s answer was in Job 28.
Job 28:1-28 NASB
[1] “Surely there is a mine for silver And a place where they refine gold.
[2] “Iron is taken from the dust, And copper is smelted from rock.
[3] “Man puts an end to darkness, And to the farthest limit he searches out The rock in gloom and deep shadow.
[4] “He sinks a shaft far from habitation, Forgotten by the foot; They hang and swing to and fro far from men.
[5] “The earth, from it comes food, And underneath it is turned up as fire.
[6] “Its rocks are the source of sapphires, And its dust contains gold.
[7] “The path no bird of prey knows, Nor has the falcon’s eye caught sight of it.
[8] “The proud beasts have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed over it.
[9] “He puts his hand on the flint; He overturns the mountains at the base.
[10] “He hews out channels through the rocks, And his eye sees anything precious.
[11] “He dams up the streams from flowing, And what is hidden he brings out to the light.
[12] “But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
[13] “Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living.
[14] “The deep says, ‘It is not in me’; And the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
[15] “Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, Nor can silver be weighed as its price.
[16] “It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx, or sapphire.
[17] “Gold or glass cannot equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold.
[18] “Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls.
[19] “The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.
[20] “Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding?
[21] “Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of the sky.
[22] “Abaddon and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’
[23] “God understands its way, And He knows its place.
[24] “For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens.
[25] “When He imparted weight to the wind And meted out the waters by measure,
[26] When He set a limit for the rain And a course for the thunderbolt,
[27] Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out.
[28] “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.'”
Gill’s commentary on Chapter 28
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 28
The design of this chapter is either to show the folly of such who are very diligent in their search and pursuit after earthly things, and neglect an inquiry after that which is infinitely more valuable, true wisdom; or rather to observe, that though things the most secret, and which are hidden in the bowels of the earth, may be investigated and discovered by the sagacity and diligence of men, yet wisdom cannot, especially the wisdom of God in his providences, which are past finding out; and particularly in what concerns the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous; the reason of which men should be content to be ignorant of for the present, and be studious to possess that wisdom which is attainable, and be thankful for it, if they have it; which lies in the fear of the Lord, and a departure from evil, with which this chapter concludes. It begins with setting forth the sagacity of men in searching and finding out useful metals, and other things the earth produces; the difficulty, fatigue, and labour, that attend such a search, and the dangers they are exposed unto in it, Job_28:1; then it declares the unsearchableness of wisdom, its superior excellency to things the most valuable, and that it is not to be found by sea or land, or among any of the creatures, Job_28:12; and that God only knows its way and place, who has sought it out, prepared and declared it, Job_28:23; and that which he has thought fit to make known of it, and is most for his glory and the good of men, is, that it is to fear God, and depart from evil, Job_28:28.
A Review of the NKJV Foundation Study Bible, in Hardcover
The Bible was shipped to me free in return for an honest review. It arrived undamaged and in generally good condition except for a bent corner. It is a hardcover with a dustjacket. It is case bound, and smyth-sewn. It is produced in China and does not seem to suffer major quality problems that you might find in other Chinese made Bibles. I have a general dislike of dustjackets and remove them.
The spine is rounded, there are plain jane, white, head and tail bands. There are no ribbon markers.
The paper is sufficiently white and opaque.
This is a value edition in my opinion. It is nothing spectacular. The price is very low and affordable. The font seems smallish at about 8 point. The notes are even smaller. There are book introductions at the start of each book. It is laid out in a double column, verse format, red letter edition with center column references and notes at the bottom of the page. It is a pretty typical layout, so no surprises there. I actually like the layout.
At 8 ¾” by 5 ½” by about 1 ½” this is not a large study Bible. Matter of opinion, I wouldn’t call it a study Bible. I would call it an enhanced reference Bible. The notes are very basic and limited. I understand the intended audience is immature Christians. I believe they would be better served from a true study Bible. This would be good for a person who wants a smaller hardcover reference Bible with a bit more in the way of notes. If you want a study Bible, get a MacArthur Study Bible, or an ESV Study Bible. There is a concordance and some maps in the back of this Bible. The maps are printed on a matte paper and should hold up better than the high gloss ones of yesterday. So to sum up, I would recommend this to someone looking for an inexpensive reference Bible with some extra notes. I wouldn’t recommend this for someone to use as a serious study aid. This would be a good Bible to give away to people.
Take a look at the pictures here on my Flickr page.
ISBN-13: 9780718034320
Prayer and Communication With God.
There seems to be some confusion among Christians as to how God speaks to us. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard Christians claim that God has spoken to them during prayer. Some of them, like “Deleted so as not to upset the applecart”, and “Deleted so as not to upset the applecart”, actually proclaim that, not only did God speak to them, but He told them to write what He said down, and tell everyone what He said. This puts their personal revelation in the same field as the divine revelation of the men used to write God’s word. So do we look to modern day Christians like these, as writing new books of the Bible? If not, why don’t we? After all, they claim to have been divinely inspired by saying that God spoke to them and told them to write it down and proclaim it to people. Does this bother you? Are you upset because you see me challenging a very popular lady who you like? What is it about what I am saying that is bothering you? I challenge you to ask yourself these questions and then compare your thoughts and feelings to God’s authoritative word. I exhort you, bring your thoughts and feelings into submissive subjection to God’s word.
Can you name for me people in the Bible who were spoken to by God directly who weren’t Adam and Eve, Patriarchs, Prophets Major/Minor, Jesus (God 2nd Personage of the Trinity,God incarnate) or the Apostles/Disciples of the foundational Church commissioned by Christ personally in that time? I just want you to think of what the normative and regulative principles are here. Seriously, take a moment and think about it. I’ll wait right here… … … … OK you’re back, great! So, what did you come up with? (leave comments)
The regulative principle would say that here and now we hear from God by reading His word, and His Holy Spirit indwelling us illumines it to our understanding, and we in our new life obey it. We trust His providence and we don’t presume to say, “Thus sayeth the Lord” and then proceed to claim a bunch of things in God’s name. That would be wrong.
The normative principle would imply that because we don’t see a prohibition to teaching that we can, “hear God” in our prayers, means that we can teach people to listen for God speaking to them in their prayers. What this looks like varies from group to group. Most would say that they get a thought in their mind and believe that it is from God. Then, they test it against scripture and see if it really is from God. I’ve seen some charismatic groups that take this to the extreme. They look for any scripture to twist and make fit. Then there are the false prophets of Mormonism, Islam, and Jehovah’s Witnesses that all claim personal extra-biblical revelation from God.
I would rather err on the side of faithfulness than selfishness or man-centeredness. I believe that I have had some of the sweetest times of communion with God while studying His word. I also believe that about times when I’ve prayed to God. There is a difference though. When I think that God has told me something, it is something I read in His word. When He hears from me is when I pray to Him. I know that He knows me and all of my thoughts before they happen. I know He knows me in perfect truth. I know He doesn’t need me to pray to Him for Him to know anything about me. I also know that He has told us to pray. He has told us how to pray. As we pray in obedience and in the Spirit, we align with God’s will and it sanctifies us. We also know that it is efficacious. We know that it accomplishes what God has ordained it to accomplish. We know then it is glorifying to God.
The danger with just considering the regulative principle is that we can become cold and ritualistic in prayer. We might end up just repeating very simple prayers because we believe that God knows it all anyway. This can become ritualized, but so can the other ditch we fall in. I’ve heard some wild charismatic prayers that are composed of Christianese modules strung together that frankly don’t mean much to anyone. This is one of the rituals in err on the other side. Another risk is to read too much into your prayer. I know you will all get bent out of shape for the mention of your favorite false teachers earlier but, the truth is that they have claimed extra-biblical revelation and have not recanted. They are plainly stating that they have personally heard God say to them, “X” and He told them to write it down and tell everyone else. He apparently has also told one of them, that He has given them the proper understanding of His word and everyone (the orthodox) else is wrong. Let’s be better at discerning the truth, by reading the truth, and knowing the truth. That way when these false teachers come along, I won’t have to delete their names so all the Christians on broth won’t get bent and make personal attacks on me for allegedly bashing their favorite flavor of false teachings this month.
Snyder's Soapbox 