Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are live from the Pathway

Studios. Are And you're listening to, live from the Path coming from the Pathway Studios here in Johnson And Proper. It's, it's delightful to be with you today. Here's the thing. If you're not on

if you're not on the YouTube, you're missing out on this shirt that I have on. It's beautiful. I I didn't say a thing even. I did I'm proud of myself. I was surprised. I was walking up the stairs going, oh, I better talk about the insurance. This is fantastic. Okay. Here's two things to know. So one, I've I used to have, I mean, a wicked case of poison ivy on my arm, and I did not manage it. I didn't go scorched earth at the beginning. I looked at him like, oh, looks like a small rash. And then I just I ignored it as I do. And then about three days later, this thing is blown up. And it's like and I keep I think I keep spreading it so that now it's coming in waves. Like, the first batch of it does not itch anymore, but, like, how wherever I spread it to is now starting to itch. Anyway,

I finally had to go I I I worked all day. Luckily, I work from home and I didn't turn the camera on, but I was wearing a I was wearing a guns shirt. I had because I had to try to keep my sleeves off this thing so it's itching all day, but I can't go out in public like that. So I'm wearing this this pink I don't know if this was a good compromise. This looks good. I got a lot of You look like Biff Tannen. That's hey. I love Biff Tannen. I aspire. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's the nemesis in all of them. What are you looking at, butthead? See, I did it.

Okay. No joke. My wife made a they put the they put the AI in the text message threads on the on the Android phones. And so, like, anytime someone sends you a picture, you can just, like, pick it and then say, hey. Alter this picture and repost it. And she had done some biblical art and stuff to put him up in our dining room. And no joke. Two hours ago, Mike, I she she sent this, hey. Look. I got the art done. And then I told the AI to say, hey. I want you to swap this painting she made into a picture of Biff Tannen with some calligraphy letters that say, what are you looking at, bud? And whiz bang didn't do it. It looks so good. That's beautiful. Anyway, you're missing out on this sweet shirt I got on, which I actually the more I wear it, the more I enjoy it. And I almost got a pack of Morley's to roll up in the sleeves. Up for debate. It feels like it's the way to do it. Alright. Here we go. Here's what got going on, Life From The Path this evening. Something

I don't I don't remember. It's been a few shows ago. You were supposed to send something to Complaint Line, and you didn't. Oh, wait. We did get someone send said something to the Complaint Line now that I think about. I'll read it after we have our first first conversation. Okay. Okay. So this week, we're we're gonna give it to you pretty simple.

I there's one question, and then we got some that dear life from the or the stuff from complaint line, and then we got some advice, and we'll cut you loose. We were talking before the show, and the question is about church unity.

And and from a broader perspective, it it looks at Paul, like even holistically across his letters, he seems to care one, that your identity is on Christ and Christ alone, and that there's not like a Jesus plus. He's pretty worried about that, primarily about people trying to drag folks back into Judaism. Mhmm. But it includes anything else you're trying to tack on. But then secondly, he's super concerned about the unity of the church. And so and to the extent that even Paul's Paul's the guy who's like, once we can agree, for example, that circumcision doesn't matter,

then you can actually do it or not do it. I don't care. Or look, if you feel strongly about not eating meat sacrificed to Zeus, cool. But if you wanna do it, everybody loves meat. And so like, like, and these are things that like would seem wild. Like if someone showed up to the studio today and said, look, I I got some I got some chicken that I otherwise, like, sacrificed in honor of Baal. Do you guys want some? I'd be like, Why why why why anything to do with that? And Paul's like, it's fine. Don't cause trouble. Like, basically, he said some some pretty crazy things in the name of, I don't wanna see us

faction out. Like, let's keep the main thing to main thing. We've obviously failed at this with the number of denominations and stuff around. But it it got to the question that we were having before the show, which is like, okay, well, how do we think about that practically though? Because like what we believe does matter. And so where where does it where are there places where we go, yes, this this makes sense. Like, can unify and everybody can go towards this thing. And where are the places where we go, look, we have to be on our guard? Paul also warns of wolves

and theology entering the like false doctrine is another key concern of his. Actually, that's probably his trifecta there. Yeah. Doctors of demons. Yes. He's very concerned about like people being misled by false doctrine, which is what people are generally trying to protect. And so I just the the the question is is that like how do we think about that? Like your neighbors probably have go to different churches and different denominations, and like, where do we hold hands, and where are the places where we go, nah, I can't do it, and what does that look like kind of in a practical day to day experience? Yeah, that's hard. It's hard sometimes because you get you look at what is essential,

and and the different groups will say different things are essential. Yeah. Yeah. Where do they intersect? Where are they completely opposite? How do you say I can't fellowship with them, or do you say they're not even Christian? Those those are two different levels. Yep. Or do you just say I'm gonna tolerate them as they agree to disagree? They're gonna disagree with me. That's fine. And I struggle with that all the time with with, like, what where's the line? Because I I don't yeah. I don't wanna push anybody out that Jesus hasn't. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Mike, I don't know. Like, you interacted. You could I don't know. Your day to day life just gets you in front of all kinds. Yeah. Like, I I I don't know. Is this is this

is this coming up for you or in the way that the the things especially, like, you're so you have a youth group that is like it's not as we have a house church, but like it's not really that. It's just like a youth group you started in a town, which means you're gonna get all kinds. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like on a generalized basis, like I think, like some of the discussions that you guys have, I wouldn't I'm never involved in. Right? Because the the the laity,

right, like we like, most people don't know the theology. Like, if they say they're Baptist, they don't even know what that means. Right. Yeah. They just like, it's more of a it's more of a a culture thing for them. You know, that, like, I grew up in a Baptist church, therefore, I'm Baptist. Or I grew up in a Methodist church, therefore, I'm Methodist. I'll give you a good example of that, and then I wanna hear your your further thoughts. But, like, someone was talking to me over Easter at a family gathering, and they're like they were real worried about the Muslim mayor of New York and like an upcoming, you know, nine eleven anniversary and and Islam and stuff. And he's like he's just like real worried about about the Muslims. And I said, look, man.

Muslims are like Catholics and are like Baptists and are like Evangelicals. Like most of them don't actually believe the label that they have. And it doesn't mean that like you don't react to that. But like if you think that there's like 2,000,000 Muslims hanging around in some state somewhere and all of them believe the most radical version, whether it's it's fealty to the Koran or not, like they probably don't actually. And so like that's more of a practical distinction on the thing the man was concerned about. But just like, don't I know how I've met all kinds of people who are like, Yeah, I'm

a Christian. I'm like, I you know, do you think of all those surveys we go through every year. We're like, Hey, do you believe this? Now the Holy Spirit's not a thing. And I don't think the Bible's true. I'm like, Okay. And so I'm just saying that people aren't often the thing that they identify as. Go ahead. I I think that's, like, that's just very true. Right? Like Yeah. Of all the people I know, like, except for the pastor types,

right, they're just whatever they grew up as. Right? And and they just know what they know. Right? Like, was like, I I happen to know quite a few Catholic folks, but they don't know none of them read their Bible completely through. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, not even not even most of Right? Now what they're really good at is like I was just talking to them over, like, Easter. Like, they're they know the stages of the cross. Right? And, like, I have no idea what that is. I like and I said that. I'm like, I have zero idea what that even is. Is that in the Bible? And they're like, I I don't know. But, like, the the Catholic church does it all the time. You know? Yeah. Yeah. And so, like, I and and so, like, I I think the the like, the big question is is, like, most people don't even know why they're a denomination or what the denomination they are because they don't know the distinction that that most people are making. And to that point, actually, I don't know most of the distinctions. Right? I know there's like, I get certain vibes from certain denominations where I'm like, yeah, you're I know Pentecostally.

You know what I'm saying? Like, about stuff like that. Right. Or people who are willing to speak in tongues, but then not straighten it out for the rest of the crowd. I'm like, denomination are you? Because I don't know what's going on here. I love Jesus and I have zero clue what's supposed to be happening here. So stuff like that, I can tell when someone is not the way that I grew up, but to know the, like, the distinction between all the denominations, they don't most of them don't know that either. Yeah. Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. That's that's what's interesting is that, like, we we think about blocks of people as if they have a cohesive viewpoint. But, like, I don't know. Even Dan, you're looking out on a Sunday morning. Even people who've been going to your church for years, you're like, these people don't believe all the same thing. No. No. Nope. There's there's differences here and there or or they just discount things or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and the funny part is like they don't even know the things that they're supposed to care about. And if you told them they had to care about it, they'd be like, Why? You know what I'm saying? Like, why is that a big deal? You know, like, we've had discussions on baptism multiple times. Right? If you ask most people, like we are really in the fine tune pin

of whether it is necessary or whether you just do it because Jesus said to do it. That should be enough anyway. And most people are like, Yeah, I will do it. You know what I saying? No one is like, I want the love of Christ, but I refuse that tank. I won't go. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's not coming up. When people, like, meet the risen lord and their life changes completely, they're not like, I'm in for all this. Tank of water? Nope. I can't. Something about me just gives it the You know what I'm saying? Like, it's that discussion that we're having is not coming up between people that have met Jesus. So whether it's a salvation issue or whether it's not a salvation issue, it it's a nonstarter for almost everybody I've ever met because they don't give a crap. They're like, you tell me I gotta get baptized? Great. I'm in. You know what I'm saying? And so, like, I think the the big point is is, like, there's really smart dudes and ladies throughout history who have had some really good theological debates on what the fine tuning of the Bible and the Greek and the whatever. But, like, on the on the on the street level of living, no one care you know I'm saying? We ain't in this. We're way more like Paul down in the down in the hallways and the alleys. Do you know I'm saying? It's only in the upper echelons of high church are people battling it out over weird stuff. And there's a great irony in that because a lot of the the key splits in modern churches and theology is Paul, is Paul himself, right? Like the way

reformed not reformed are primarily Paul questions, a little bit of Jesus and John, but like, for the most part, like these are Paul questions that people are having. Having. And so I suppose so then, I guess the takeaway from some of this then is to go, like,

Paul Jesus is concerned about this, Paul is concerned about this, and I think we tend to pick our flavor. Like, if we said Paul cared about identity, unity, and false teaching, everyone else like, if if you're really in love with the thing that you believed, and I think you should advocate for the things you believe. Like, if it's a right thing, then you should totally talk about that. That's how we refine.

But like, then it becomes like, at what point am I saying, look, this is just a distinction that people have that the Holy Spirit is allowing? Because I think that is actually one of the key questions is is is just take take baptism example without like a huge can of worms. Like, if the question is, is it like, we think, you know, we're gonna say you need to do this, like, do I do I believe in or just whatever people believe that the Holy Spirit has a part to play in how people's beliefs change over time. I've not met anybody where I'm like, you talk to them about here's the good news of Jesus, and then they go, yes, I love it. And then all their theology was good, like right Right.

Yeah. Yeah. Almost never. And so the the holy spirit seems to have a pretty wide tolerance to go, yeah, you're gonna be hell, I was wrong five years ago. I just said hell now. I probably shouldn't have. And so like I noticed. So so like there's a tolerance that that the spirit seems to have with with our that will change over time and things move. And so like where we codify separation

on things that time changes on any side, maybe we should just be less quick to codify the separation. So I think that's the protection side of, hey, don't disunify on things that heal over time, progress through conversation,

or are not actually about the the things that are identity things. You know, maybe you would like think of just even shifts in church over time. Hey, is it okay to do a church service on a Saturday? We got way over that. Like people doing that all over the place. We got accustomed to it. Took about forty years. Now we're like, yeah, sure. Everything's great. You know? There's things like that that are preferences. There's things about again, I I always find the reform thing super interesting because, like, I I can't find a practical consequence as to whether I have control of my life or Jesus completely ordains it. Either way, I don't know tomorrow I'm not gonna do anything differently. Okay. I feel that way about the baptism conversation. Right? Like, they basically would have said, hey, after you've given your life to Jesus Christ, instead of baptism, they said, you need to walk out of the church. You know I'm saying? And people were like, yeah. Okay. Do you know what I'm saying? That's no problem. I was gonna do this anyway. You know what I'm saying? And so, like, some of this stuff, like, it feels like we try to make distinctions on these super fine points that, like, if you were just to tell people, they don't they don't even care. They're you know what I'm saying? If we would have told everybody for the next three days, you gotta wear these these brown rags after you come to know Jesus, people are like, sure. Is that part of the deal? I don't care. Have you Dan, have you ever run into that just from, like, like, the your background

Yeah. And and the focus on baptism? Like, have you run into someone who's like, nah. Ain't doing Absolutely. Yeah, Because there are churches out there that because they're in a different camp, and it's people who've been churched. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And taught, Oh no, don't do it. It's terrible. I was raised in a church that said, Don't do it. Yeah. I I mean, like and anybody who tries to do it is a cult. Right? So I was raised in that. Yeah. So people fought with me for, like, five years before I finally said, oh, like, man, actually, it's in the bible. And I should go ahead and do that. So this is my question, and maybe

it teeters on the holy spirit thing because I I I think more often than not I I guess I don't know that many people that that would say to me, look like I asked him. Because, like, you know what I'm saying? Like Paul Paul's big thing is is like, we should we should all have unity because we all share the same holy spirit. And I think, in fact, I know this. I know I know plenty of people who love Jesus and they would be willing to take their beliefs and lay them in front of the holy spirit and go Refine me in this. I know way more people that would never do that. Do know what I'm saying? It hasn't even crossed their mind to do that. Yeah. They would never think this needs relooked at or this is open to the Holy Spirit. Obviously, the logical thoughts of men and deduction through church history makes this correct. And like there's one thing that can take you out of having a majority,

and it's whatever side the Holy Spirit happens to be sitting on. Right? So if you have 99 men that all agree and the holy spirit and Steve over here agree, you lost. Right? You didn't win by simple logical logic man majority. Not saying that the bible doesn't use logic, not saying that the scriptures can't be trusted. All the things are still true. I mean, it's written by the holy spirit. So, like, you're still talking about the same This is what I'm saying. So, like, the question is is, like, though at the end of the day is if if if, like, something that we've read out of the bible that has caused division in the church, Like, are folks willing to turn around and hand that over to the Holy Spirit for refinement of whatever we decided? Like when Paul says false doctrine, what does he mean exactly? Right? When most people read it, what they see is everybody

that believes something that is not my doctrine. Yeah, the thing they care about. That's exactly what they read into it, And they're not doing it twisting their mustache. That's just what they do, right? But like you would have to know what Paul is actually meaning. And it probably does center around identity and not worshiping laws. You know what I'm saying? Like those are his things. And relying on the Holy Spirit for refinement through scripture and through the presence of the Holy Spirit to know the things, right? And so like I feel like way more people have gone through the logical thought process of their tradition that they came from and of men around them and to their own cognitive best ability, right? Which I'm not sure the Holy Spirit is like, You dummy, you should have seen this, right? Like he's not that. But still at the end of the day, if you're not willing to put it in for refinement to the Holy Spirit on where you came from through the scriptures, then like, you're not gonna have the Holy Spirit is not gonna be able to refine you in that way. Actually, that's why Dan's point was especially salient. These are not conversations of people who are going into the scripture. Like, they just take baptism as an example. Like, you're you're generally fighting against people where it's a church tradition issue. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Someone who's never had experience in a church, if you said, hey. You gotta sit upside down,

chew peanut butter, and do the alphabet backwards, they'd be like, okay. Yes, sure. They'll just do it. They'll figure it out. Yeah. Yeah. You know? These are my people. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Yeah. But if they were in a church that said, no. That's not necessary. Then then they'll fight it and go back and forth and Which to the point, like, again, those are this is where the difficulty comes, is that like, to a certain extent, we

want to believe that whatever we grew up in or have committed our lives to, whatever churches and people and good hearted people who love Jesus, taught us things like that it had to have been right and that you're protecting yourself from false doctrine by hearing things that are counter to that. Mhmm. And again, the Paul trifecta includes the false doctrine. Like in fact, not even Paul like every New Testament writer is concerned about this. Every epistle is talking about John's worried about it. Paul's worried about it. Peter's worried about it. Everyone's worried about false doctrines. To Mike's point,

what are they worried about contextually versus like what are we worried about? And we tend to choose the thing that caused the division to begin with. And very, it almost like very, very few, I was gonna say almost none, think it's probably close, are the things of which Paul or any of those writers would have said, Yes, we shall split on this.

Because it's not identity of Christ, it's like types of things. Now, do I think, are there certainly scales of different, if I look at different denominations of things, there's all kinds of things that I'm like, That's risky. The thing that you're saying actually I think points in some ways can point people away from Jesus or help them, like causes them to potentially misunderstand him, and thus if you don't understand Jesus well, you will misunderstand yourself. And so it's not that there's no risk in any of these things, but like the minute I go, they are not us.

That I think is the place where it does cause a risk. Which means that I think as we sum all this up, that the key place where we split, if we do not agree on Jesus and what it looks like,

like, what it looks like for you to acknowledge King Jesus in repentance and in fealty to him and that identity. Well, okay, well then that's where we split because you split with Jesus. You didn't that's the Us part was not me versus you. It's you said no, I'm out with Jesus' identity. Well, then that's not a Christian anymore. It's some we something else. So yeah. I I was thinking of an example. And it's like so I like parallel these two fellows' lives. Like, I've been reading some books lately. And like one of them, like this guy,

like, he he feels like if you don't if if you don't know if you haven't heard from the holy spirit to do something, then you should just wait. And he's lived his whole life that way. And the man has fruit behind him for days. Right? Thousands of people know Jesus because of him. Call kinds of great stories. Right? Then there's this other dude. He actually does not look at it the same way. Right? He's like, you know, when I go when I go a direction, like, I've I've I've heard the Lord speaking to me. But, like, if I don't really know what's up or I feel like God not answering, like, I I just put a couple thoughts together and then we go and do it. You know what I'm saying? And he's got fruit behind him. A thousands of people who know Jesus. Do you know what I'm saying? And so, like, I look at both of these fellas and I go, I don't like, one of them, you wouldn't look at them and go, one of you is not a Christian. Do you know what I'm saying? You wouldn't look at them that way, but they have two very different ways of following Jesus. Right? And so like, one of them is

very dependent on like, he told a story where he's basically like, he goes, when you go to get something done at your church, right? Like, and you take a vote. You know what I'm saying? It comes out 55, 45. And he goes, what do you think I would do in this situation? He goes, what you think I would do is I would be like, well, that's a no. And he goes, I don't know if it's a no. He goes, but it sounds like a not yet because the holy spirit brings unity. And the other 45% are gonna get in line, and I'm just gonna wait until until the holy spirit does it. And then we will get in line. And then he goes, it's always happened. And I'm like, I've never heard of this. This is an outrageous way to run a church. I can't imagine like you're a liar. Like, I'm about ready to boldface be like, this doesn't happen. You know what I'm saying? And he's like, I know it sounds like just he's basically writing like C. S. Lewis. He's like, I know what you think. This can't happen. And he goes, I promise you, this is exactly how I ran churches for fifty years. And he goes, you trust the holy spirit, you pray into it. He will bring them into unity and you will get like, you're always gonna get one or 2%, right? These people who aren't following Jesus anyway, he goes, but that's not a cause for me to be mad at them. The holy spirit's just highlighted for who I need to walk up beside and figure out what's going on in their life. He also refuses to take people off the membership roles. He's like, the holy spirit sent you to our congregation.

We made a covenant with you. You can go wherever you want. But as far as I'm concerned, we're still gonna pray and find you. So keep that in mind. But like, there's plenty of other people who don't think that way that are producing fruit as well. You know what I'm saying? And so like, it's like, it's it's it's it gets really weird when you start to try to balance lines out and say what is good and what is not as good outside of scripture. You know what I'm saying? But, like, when there's things in scripture that are like, they they're not as black and white to us as maybe they would have been to the audience that took it in. Like hearing it right out of Paul's mouth, if he said false doctrine based on everything else he said in Galatians, then you should be like, oh, yeah. I get this. Two thousand years later, we're like, I don't know. It has to be because of the tithing. You know I'm saying? It's interesting you said that. So like Paul

touches on this a little bit in, I wanna say it's like Colossians two or three, but like he's basically talking about the same Galatians problem, is the Judaizers, except for he's like, hey, people are telling you that you need these spiritual experiences

and that if you're not having them, then you're not a Christian. And he's just as pissed about this. Basically anything that otherwise splits this type of thing, but if you look at the early church fathers, like if you're looking at whatever is it, Irenaeus and Chesterton. He's not early enough. I don't even know if that's a guy. Like people within the first two hundred years or three hundred years, like contextually,

like how are they looking at actually this very question which is like reacting to the Holy Spirit. And throughout those guys, you have actually the evidence of the exact thing that you're talking about. Like there are people who are having experiences where like it it seems like they're having a lot of them and like God is like very specifically working through this type of person and it's consistent. And then you have very large groups of people represented in there where like it's not really happening and these guys are riding into like, okay, well then what do we do? Which is what a lot of epistles in the New Testament are trying to do. And so, but they were, this is what Paul's talking about in Colossians. He's up against the same problem though. It's very easy to go,

hey look man, look at these guys, if God does what that guy is doing, that has to be the thing. That has to be the thing that God wants. Right? I direct all the things and, like, there's always, like, the we don't do the votes and, whatever all those things are. And so how could that not be what God wanted? And so if you're if that's not happening to you, then there is a problem somewhere. As a matter of fact, then then then what it leads to is the question of, like, well, do you even have the spirit homey? You even have the spirit broke? Because, like, otherwise, why is it not happening? Lead to that question. Because, basically, you're right. Like, we're and we gave this example before. Right? Like like, if the holy spirit is in everybody who follows Christ and it creates unity, we have, you know, half the population who prays in a box to a guy who then turns around and hauls the hauls the confessions up to the Lord or something. Right? And then the other 50% of people who follow Jesus are like, I don't understand this box at all. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So, like, is it the right conclusion to go, well, someone's ignoring the holy spirit because either the box is necessary or it ain't. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. And, like, no. It's probably more nuanced than that. I know what side I land on because of where I came from. But, like, I don't know. You know I'm saying? Mhmm. Actually, it's interesting to me to think about, like, where I'm being

as generous as I think Paul is asking me to be. Like there are questions of like in consequence what is happening. Hey, are people supposed to confess sin among one another? Yes. Yeah. Is that what's happening? Did we just make it convenient and put a guy in a place? Yes. Now,

once you there's other doctrine that you start building upon and you're like and that may get to that identity question that we were talking about, right? And so they become peripheral to some of these belief systems and I think it's worth being, again, cautious of because you can take three steps and the first step makes total sense and then you could eventually fall off the cliff. Like Dan was giving an example before the show started around liberalizing groups within a particular denomination

that come in and act like they agree with the doctrine and then slowly kind of take over the thing, shift the doctrine away from something that we believe is biblically right. And then by that time, like you've got control over the mechanisms of the church itself, right? Is that a wolf in sheep's clothing? Yes, Yes. And and do you get there by going, oh, well, can be we can be like, can we believe most of the same things. Is that fine? Like, is that the first step to that kind of thing possibly happening? Yes, it is. But I think the encouragement is to go, you're going to take it anyway. We don't have to pre draw the lines, but when

you have to make the right distinction of false teaching that the New Testament cares about, you're gonna make it very clearly. Like there is no equivocating,

there's no dancing around or like put them on your dance card or whatever. Like we go, that's a no. We don't mess with the identity of Christ. We don't mess with like what that means for us and our reflection of that. That's the no. But like even one step, like if we're not talking about that and you're like, hey, can me and the Methodists and the Catholics all do a thing where like we're gonna go feed the poor? Well, yeah.

Like what do you mean? Like what worried about? And so, anyway, I think that's that's where, like, there is a there's like one or two main main main things that, you just do have there's no apologetics about. Everything else, I just would be cautious even as your ability as a human being to go, not only do I know this for certain, but I understand all the other context in which people have come to that would go, it is it is incumbent upon me to create and codify division here when the New Testament itself seems very, very cautious about it. Alright. You're listening to Life From The Path. Hey. Maybe you have some thoughts about that. I bet you do. And like as Oh, a we're gonna get mail for this. I bet you do.

And like, again, I I this has been something that I have found Paul specifically challenging on

for me. And I'm even bent more of this direction. But like, I actually think, I think in the back of my mind, I thought you gotta be careful. There's gonna be some things of which, like a counter to some of this that's gonna soften it a little bit. And I'm actually finding that as much grief as Paul gets, like he's really, really firm and often like he seems very irritated

about the things which people disunify and about the things of which people change the identity of people. Now, I will affirm for you guys who are like very, very concerned about doctor. Me too. Me too. I actually don't know very many more conservative Bible teachers than the men in this room. But what I'm telling you is that like as a conservative Bible teacher,

I will teach the thing the scriptures are telling me. And I'm telling you Paul feels a bit liberal in some of these things. That's what he's saying. And so you do have to reckon with that. You cannot be more conservative than the biblical teaching of which you are attempting to conserve. And that's where you have to be cautious about how you interpret some of that stuff. Yeah. That's that's like the we we talked about the the confession in a in a box as opposed to confession to your buddy or or something. Yep. And like, okay. Who really cares? But as you keep going back layers there, it when the person in the box has the authority

to forgive, then you go, maybe you're starting to cross some lines. Unless there's certain some distinction. Yes. Yeah. That's the question. Is that like, hey, can you do it in a box? Sure. I don't care. Who cares? Yeah. Right? But there are implications, and the question is, does it get back to something that otherwise perverts the identity of like who Jesus is and like Yeah. I'm the forgiver.

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Pay me this. Do this. Do that. Yes. Yes. I know it's Jesus' blood. You covered that. You you know, that's where we would differ. You know? That's right. And that perverts exactly the thing that Paul would be careful about, like, no, you can't buy buy it. So very clear we we would split ways in this area. Yes. For sure. And that's what I'm saying is like, be for like, you can totally be firm on the thing that we don't we do not equivocate on. This is right. And and you do have to peel back layers. You're gonna have to have to do conversations. Like, I don't do this from the cheap seats. That's the other thing I would tell you is that like, if you've not I think it's easy to pick on the Catholics because we have a whole denomin like, sets of denominations whose only identity marker is to protest another denomination. That's right. Alright? But like, even so, don't I'd be cautious about critiquing from the cheap seats. Get to know what people think. What they actually believe. What they believe. We we know the cliches.

Yes. And then we and then we argue against the cliche, and it's like, is that cliche actually accurate? You know what I'm percent of every denomination that actually knows why they're a denomination. Yeah. Do you know what I'm saying? I would guess most people do not. And frankly, like, I don't know. This feels like a prey on it thing for most people. To be honest with you, like, there's like I don't know. I've met some people who are fit for theological debate, and then I've met other people who just like to argue. You know what saying? Yeah. Yeah. Like, you came from where you came from, and you wanna defend it with all swords. And if you'd spend half the time

that you spend trying to piss off other Christians to actually get down into the streets and meet people and tell them how great Jesus is, you'd get way more done. Do know what I'm saying? But you clog up all your time online fighting with other Christians like a moron. Yeah. That really irritates me. And you again, it goes back to like a timing issue is that like is is again, I think there's a risk of saying, hey, you gotta let the you gotta you gotta give room for the spirit, but you do. I mean, you did not you do not believe most people don't believe the same thing that they believed ten years ago. Their their faith is refined, and they're learning more, and it's putting more context, and it's deepening. All these things are true. And so, like, sometimes we are reacting like if this doesn't settle right now in this moment, and I put this person in their place, then they will believe wrong things forever. And that puts a lot of weight on you and zero weight on movement of the spirit. And it doesn't mean you restrict saying true things. The spirit will guide you in that too. Paul did to the authorities. Right? Mean, that's what happened to Paul. Yeah. He was dead set on doing horrible things, charge charging. Yeah. Right? Then the lord showed up, blinds the man, and then matures him over X number of years before he sends him out. Right? And like Paul didn't have everything right just when he was blind. Yeah. Right? He learned everything when he got his sight back and he's like, Oh, this is who I'm dealing with. And then his whole life matured in a way that like God had train

him to be the man that he was. And so like, it is really unfair. I'm guilty of this. This is why I'm preaching on this. Is like, I'm guilty of this. As soon as you meet Jesus, got this I got standards that I'm not holding you accountable to. And sometimes I don't like to give much room for maturing into them. Right? And that's really hard to do. Yeah. That's right. And I would and maybe the suggestion here is that if you can't if it feels like, ah, you're complicating the situation. There's, like, so a lot of nuance to deal with. Like, if you can't handle that, then you need to shut up. It's not time for you to speak. Like, even Paul there's places where we're, like, hey, I feel like Paul is contending with himself.

That's because, like, these are nuanced conversations. It's not because he believes two distinct things. It's in two separate conversations talking about things. He has said, this is true in this scenario. This is true in this scenario. And like, that's why we have the extent of the new letters we have. It's why the church kept writing to itself for hundreds of years after.

It requires some working through. And if that's not something you can you can hold with fidelity, then you're not made for the conversation. Yeah. Right. Look at Moses' response. Right? Like, you saw the holy fire of the lord split over an ocean, and then and then we followed a a fire cyclone around for days. And then not two weeks later, you're like, I wanna go back home. I like the whips. Yeah. Hit me with the whips again. And you're like, lord, you're have to mature these people. And what did Moses end up doing? He's like, I can't take these folks no more. He's like, you gotta help me set up a government. Have Jethro come in here. Okay. Anyway, if you wanna if you gotta come you gotta use the life of the path of complaint line. (515) 517-0085.

Call or text. I could see it already. Doctrine is so important. I can't believe you guys would make so light of doctrine. It's the whole basic go ahead. Save yourself some time, friend. Yeah. We're not gonna read it. Yeah. Here's what I tell you. I agree with you, sir. That's why we're having the conversation we're having. That's what I'm saying. But you're here's the thing is you're missing the nuance. If that's what your response is to the complaint line, you miss the nuance, and you're just trying to sell your own brand to stink around. Yeah. And I got I'm out of patience for it. You need to start doing work in the streets, buddy. Okay. Here was we did get a text on the complaint line a week or so ago. It says, hello, live from the path. I was listening to a recent podcast with a missionary from Cambodia, and you were talking about how people can help more efficiently sometimes outside of structured charity, which I completely agree with. I would challenge your listeners to set some money aside just for blessing people that God puts in their life. We've done this for several years and have many great memories of crazy situations god used us in simply because we put money to help aside that actively look to see how we could help. One story that comes to mind is that we were camping on a beach in Louisiana this winter, an hour away from which

from much of anything, we were there a day or two, and a family of four showed up. They were camping out of their van. Long story short, they broke down. And over the course of five days, we were able to bring them food and buy many parts to fix their van and ultimately paid a mechanic to come over and get them on the road. We were able to do this because we had been saving small amounts of money each month to bless others with not because we are rich. In fact, I only made $30,000 last year. It broke my heart that over the five days that family was stranded, nobody bothered to stop and ask if they needed help. I would urge your listeners to look to how they can be the helpers wherever god has them. Now get off my lawn. Come on.

I love that story. Nice. Yeah. That's a great story. I actually think that's very true. Yeah. Do know how freeing it is to have the lord's money? Do you know what I'm saying? Because he's generous in a way that you couldn't be in your finances. Yeah. But once you get this stuff out of your bank account and in your Jesus account, people are like, hey. I need this. You're like, oh, yeah. Yeah. We got that covered right now. No problem. You don't need one tire? I got you four tires, because Jesus is generous that way. Yeah. Come on. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, man. Thanks for appreciate you writing in. That's that's a great story. Good reminder. And oh, yeah. Yeah. And this the complaint line is also the place to get ahold of us if you wanna support Vanek from that show. That was from last the last episode of Live From The Path, if you missed that one, which you did. But, yeah, you can get ahold of us, and we can get you connected with him. Alright. Let's give out some advice, Mike.

Dear, Live From The Path, I have a neurological disorder and could no longer keep up with my friends who used to be my friends. I don't explain the problems I have and why I can't do the things I used to do unless they ask. I still drive, but I have trouble walking. I have a wonderful husband who helps me all the time. I'm lucky I can do what I do, but I am very limited. I don't know how to explain it to people who look at me like I'm making it up. Life from the Path, I have polyneuropathy, and I've had seven back surgeries. I have arthritis in all my joints. I live in constant pain, but it doesn't look like I do. How do I explain my disability? I'm tired of being at home and not getting phone calls anymore. How do I tell them there are still things I can do?

Well, I don't it feels like you should be more forthright with your friends. Yeah. Yeah. Just What do you mean you don't tell them? Tell them. Do I tell my friends if my stomach hurts? Yeah. You know saying? Yeah. I don't yeah. Maybe I don't understand that. Like, what do we I I don't know. Maybe I have different types of friends, but, like, I just I don't play my friends. I don't, like, figure out how I'm gonna maneuver around them. Like, I say a thing, and either they go, yeah, or they rebuke it. But, like, I don't have to go, like, how do I convince them to like, you say, hey, I'm actually feeling pretty isolated here, fellas. I I don't get out as much as I used to, and I know it probably feels like I can't do things, but like, here's some things I can still do. Would you guys be up for it? Like Yeah. Have you tried that? Especially if they're friends. Yeah. I mean, you can say that to friends. Sure. And they'd be like, oh, man. We thought you didn't like us. Yeah. Unless you're worried that, like, they're actually not your friends, and you don't wanna say something very candid lest it come out that they actually don't like you. I mean, what are they gonna call you? Like, mister seven back surgeries and, like, laugh at you? I mean, here's the thing, though. That's exactly what my friends would do. Yeah. Maybe you should get another one, you lazy butt. Why don't you get out the house some more? You know I'm saying? And, like, even if I can't get out the house some more, like, that's funny. And that's what my friends would do. And so, like, it's you seem real sensitive about this without actually having been honest with them. I think I think she's just kinda going through a pity party, which she gets to. Yeah. You've gone through that much and in that much pain, you get you get to moments

For sure. Where you're just like, man, this is a bummer. But but get up on your feet and and message your friends. Invite them over for tea. Do whatever it is you can do, and and get out. You can do that. Yeah. So, like, the advice is color within the lines. Right? Like like, yeah, you had some you had some being in constant pain, it's a downer on your life, and it starts to take over your whole decision process. But if you're gonna fight something, fight that. Right? Like, they don't hate you. They're not all sitting around making fun of you unless they're really good friends, and then they might be. But, like, at the end of the day, you should just tell them. They're like, hey, man. I could probably sit through a movie. You know what I'm saying? Before my back starts giving me the fits. You wanna hit a movie? You know what I'm saying? Invite them into something that you that you can preset up and be like, this is organized by me, so it's something that I can do. You know what I'm saying? That way, they don't have to feel like because maybe they're, like, tentative about it. They're not gonna invite you to pickleball or, you know, do something Oh, yeah. Yeah. They probably don't wanna embarrass you. They don't know what you can do, and so they don't wanna offer you a thing that, like Yeah. Get them the benefit of the doubt. Yeah. Because they've obviously noticed. I mean, if you're walking slower and in pain, they they know. They know. Dude, like, here's the thing. It's like I go through this all the time. This is I'm super glad that my wife has the discernment. You know I'm saying? But, like, sometimes people will be going through a real hard thing, And my instant reaction is we should go over there, or we should stay away from them and let them just process their hard thing. Maybe they don't want nobody over at their house. I literally it's a coin toss. I have zero idea what to do. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. My wife always seems to know which side of that coin we should be on at what particular time, and it varies wildly. I couldn't even discern my way through it if I wanted to on what situation's equal, where if we should go or not. Yeah. But, like, it's that kind of thing where if you would just tell somebody, hey. We could really use some company, or we're fighting it hard over here, and we're just we don't have any energy for folks. You know I'm saying? Not even you guys. I love you. Stay at your place. You know what I'm saying? You clear some of that stuff up, people are like, whew. Good. I just wanted to do the best thing, and I didn't know what it was. And so, like, if you would just tell your friends what you would are asking out of them, I I think you'd be surprised how much they still love you. Yeah. Agreed.

Secular says, by not discussing your problem, you have contributed to the isolation you are feeling. Not every disability is obvious. Your I mean, seven back surgeries should've given them a clue. Who are these people? Yeah. That takes a long recovery. Like Every time. Yeah. Every time. Okay. Your friends may think you are avoiding them because you don't wanna be with them. You don't have to make any, quotes, grand announcements, but you should have a frank talk with your closest friends about what your challenges are. Real friends will make an effort to accommodate you if you let them know you need them in your life. Once you start talking, the world will get round. Trust me on that. Yeah. I did I was I'm on board. The the frank talk actually struck me as, like, a weird way to phrase it. Just tell them what's happening. Yeah. Yeah. Fine. Yeah. Even the frank talk has got a lot of drama built into it. You know what I'm saying? Just be like, yeah. Don't have to sit them down and, like, look them in the eyeballs. Just text. I'd like to give you a report. Yeah. Heading to the back surgeries. Rough times, fellas. Yeah. Alright.

Round two. Dear life from the path. My niece married her second husband two months ago. In lieu of gifts, they asked for money to be used towards a future house. Instead of adding to the quotes money tree, I handed her my envelope with cash and a card so she could put it away before the ceremony.

I have not received any acknowledgment for the gift. Always. Our family was together recently to celebrate a birthday, and she still didn't mention the gift. I could overlook the lack of a thank you note with a verbal acknowledgment, a text, or any sort of communication that she appreciated the gift. Should I mention this to her dad, my brother, or another aunt with whom she is close? She has also invited all the members of this side of the family to her home in another city, but has yet to invite my husband and me. I am really disappointed in her actions or lack thereof. Am I being too sensitive? Yep. Yeah. I mean, is there a wedding about you? Yeah. Come celebrate this event of other people getting married, but really you should congratulate Stephanie? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Were you given a gift or were you buying a thank you card?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're bit too sensitive. In fact, you're half a turd. There was there was one like, we gave advice almost on this exact situation years ago. That one was actually even a little bit more credible because I think the question was, like, I need there was some circumstance where, like, did I make sure they got it Yeah. Or something? And you're like, like, I don't wanna be weird, but I just wanna make sure you got it. Oh, that one had to do with the check that that, like, needed cashed or something. You know what saying? They're like, man, did the did the check get lost, or what's happening? Yeah. Which may this, however, like, if you hand it now it does seem a little bit pretentious. It's their wedding day, and you're like, well, before the ceremony, like Yes. Before you open the doors there, Chuck, here's 200 bones from me and your auntie. In your no pocket dress or whatever you're wearing. Like, come on.

Yeah. Yeah. You're being too sensitive, and I'm get you see the world wrong holistically, actually, I think is the problem. Yeah. I don't I don't have no advice from you. You're just straight wrong. Right? You give gifts because you wanna give gifts, not because you want the the thank you card in return. Trust me. They got the cash. You know I'm saying? It's somewhere in their house, or they spent it on something already. Trust it. They got it. If the if the if the worry is theft or malfeasance,

pretty sure it didn't happen. Of course, you'd know this if you'd have put the money on the money tree Right. Where everyone else put the money. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. That's for security there watching it. Yeah. Seriously. Okay. Secular says, you are not being too sensitive. Your niece's lack of manners is hurtful and disappointing. If she couldn't make the time to write you a note, she should have remembered to thank you for your gift when she saw you at the birthday celebration.

The fact that you and your husband have been excluded from her family gathering makes me wonder what else may be going on with her. You. What else may be going on with you? Rather than quotes tattle to her father Wow. I don't think you would be out of line to discuss it discreetly with the aunt you feel she's close to and ask for some insight. Yeah. Just go ahead and start gossiping around the town. Ask a few neighbors too. Holy cow. This is terrible she works to say, hey. I mean, this this is just rough living. You can't be you can't be talking to people like this. Okay. Last one. Ready? Yep. Round three. That one. Dear life from the path,

I was recently at our local recreation center working out. At one point, I was stretching my back and a friend, we'll quote Seth, happened upon me from a distance. Oh oh, my. He thought I looked funny in my pose and took a few pics of me to share with other friends. I don't have an issue with that. The issue is a teenager and his father with whom I'm acquainted were nearby in the line of sight of Seth's photos. The father, whom Seth does not know, accused him of taking pics of his teenager. Seth was offended and angry and denied it, but he didn't feel he could show the pics of me to the father. Now Seth is being accused of something he didn't do. Should I step in and resolve the issue and tell the father what actually happened? I'm sorry. Are you writing for what you need as real time advice

to a newspaper column? Like, we're gonna get back to you too late for sure. I'm assuming this is a woman. Yeah. Yeah. Let's paint the picture. The gal's in there working out. Seth's come trolling, and he's like, she look ridiculous. Takes a takes a picture. The dad of a teenage boy sees this picture being taken and goes, woah there, cowboy. You've been taking pictures of my boy. Yeah. Right? And instead of defending himself by showing him the picture of the woman, he goes, I can't show it. It's inappropriate. I mean, I'm assuming she's fully clothed, doing whatever she was doing in the gym when you Maybe they were close-up of areas. Right? And so, like,

either way, I think I'd bail on this prank immediately and be like, check this out. I was making fun of my friend. May maybe he took a picture of himself in the mirror, and the other two are egomaniacs,

assuming they was taking a picture of them. Well, yeah, I think that's what I think they do definitely are egomaniacs. Okay. I don't know if the teenager is a boy or a girl. It didn't say. It just said teenager. Yeah. Well, reality is is that like the thing that he doesn't wanna show the man and the child

was happening right in front of them. And so like, what are we giving away here? Yeah. They saw it in 360. Yeah. Whatever she was doing was in public already. Anybody who was in the gym could take it in. And so if that's what clears up the situation, I don't know why you wouldn't have just shown it unless you were perving.

Like, you'd zoom to Dan's point, if you'd zoomed in on mountains or or hills or something that you shouldn't have been doing. And and that's embarrassing, but like, I you're probably gonna have to come out with Yeah. Mean because that is inappropriate. Yeah. Stop it. I mean, at the end of the day, the mountains and hills existed anyway. You just took documented evidence that they're there. I think the point is, like, if you really zoomed in. I mean, even if you did. Do you know I'm saying? True. Still existed. They were already there. Yeah. So, like, I think if it's if if the choice is be accused of being a perv

or and and instead of that, the only way to acquit you is to show that you took a ridiculously half pervy picture of your friend. Oh, yeah. You know what I'm saying? You'd be like, this was about this. Oh, yeah. That's true. You let it's you're either a perv at the kid or a perv at the at the woman. Yeah. Gave it out to you. Take perv the and maybe you weren't trying to be a perv. You're just funny. You know what I'm saying? Maybe you and Seth get those kind of jokes. Whatever. Right? At the end of the day, clear your name. Clear your name at behest of this woman. Or even ask her. Be like, hey, Lauren. I took this funny ball picture, but this guy thinks I'm a creep oak. Can I show him the picture as proof? Sure. Yeah. Definitely. Yeah. Just do it. You know what I'm saying? This is weird. Like, how is this a conundrum to you?

Oh, secular's advice is not overly ambitious. Secular says, you certainly should. The question was, should I step in and resolve the issue? Secular says, you certainly should. If you don't, Seth could find himself in serious trouble. Yeah. What are you staying out of for, you you wuss? You know what I'm saying? Like, just be like, hi. It took a terrible picture of me. Look at this comedy. I don't know. It's pretty rough. It's stupid. I mean yeah. That that I mean, it's he would she would feel if he's taking close ups of her. Yeah.

But she but she already knows it happened, though. That's not as bad as taking pictures of a teenager. So so Yeah. Guess yeah. I'm with you guys. Just to show it. Just say, man, yeah, was I was I'm sure. A guy that broke into a house, and then next door to the house, somebody got murdered. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Own up to the burglary. Yeah. You didn't kill anybody. Know what saying? Broke into this house. You're like, not that one. I got proof I wasn't there. I was stealing stuff from this guy. Yeah. Yeah. Either you're completely innocent or you're innocent of a thing that's slightly less worse than the other thing. Either way, you gotta show it to You're innocent by your guilt. Yeah. Admit the crime you've done. It's good. Here's the deal. If you don't do it and they decide that they're you're real pervy, you're gonna have to show it eventually anyway. Yeah. Right. I mean, you weren't sitting there taking pictures of other people in a gym in the first place, you'd be okay. So stop it. Yeah. Alright. You're listening to Life Thanks for hanging out with us. We very much appreciate it. If you got feedback for us, hit us up on the Life For Path complaint line. (515) 517-0085. Call or text.

I think we're gonna head on out. In the meantime, be faithful to the means. God will handle the ends. You've been listening to live from the past.