12 Ways to Trap Those Who Are So Called Reformed

I received an article from a Reformed Evangelical Church's mailing list that, I think, really worth sharing. Like the Screwtape Letter version for Reformed people, or at least those who claimed themselves as part of Reformed movement (including me). Enjoy the article and hope we could reflect on it...

During a meeting held by the strong man and his servants, the Strong Man rolled out his plan of attack against the Reformed People.

12 Ways to Trap Those Who Are So Called Reformed
1. Make Them Big in Head but Small in Heart
2. Encourage Them to Criticise but Make Them Unwilling to Act
3. Allow Them To Learn The Sovereignty of God but Make Them Fail to Understand Man's responsibility
4. Encourage Them to Be Theologically Strong but Weak in Love and Deeds
5. Nurture Their Pride in Knowledge, So That They Will Absent In Humility, Gentleness and Meekness
6. Instigate Them to Quarrel over Disputable Matters In The Bible to Weaken Their Church Unity
7. Flame Their Zeal For Traditions but Cold Like Dead Fish in Worship
8. Praise Them For Always Correcting People but Failure to Live out Themselves
9. Let Them Be Zealous in Doctrines but Failure in Doctrine of Love
10. Teach Them about Predestination But Not Let Them Understand The Command of Great Commission
11. Let Them Teach about Grace but Not Showing to Others
12. Poison Them In Self Contentment, Pride in Knowledge and weak in Love and Evangelism is their trademarks.

Go out and trap those "Reformed" in minds but not in hearts and will.
Allow them to think they ARE ALWAYS RIGHT , that they Themselves are LOGOS.
Then we shall succeed, in leading them to fall into our traps.
(Instructions by Strong Man).
plus: don't leak this secrets out for fear they will examine their lives.

The article serves as a reminder for me as a Christian. I used to be a person that was very 'thirsty' in knowledge. "Knowledge is power" was my motto. I love reading. I used to be a very arrogant person, thinking that I was the smartest of all and I knew better than anyone else. I always tried to show my knowledge, talk intellegently with others using jargons, look down on other people that I thought not as intellectual as me. I chose who to be friends with. Most of my friends are the top students in class.

But I came to one point when I felt that knowledge, in the end, did not satisfy me.
It is wisdom. It is love. It is compassion. Those are the things that makes life become a wonderful testimony for others. Show them to others, and we will see lifes changed, we will see hearts changed.

Up until now, I sometimes still struggling with this weakness. I still have to constantly remind myself to love and to be humble. "Constantly remind myself"... It means it doesn't come automatically.

I also have other things to share from Prayer Meeting yesterday that really 'hit' me.
The preacher talked about the masks people use to hide their trueselves:
1. The mask of belongings. e.g. buy branded things to build one's identity *Crocs? G2000? :p*
2. The mask of intellectually. *which is so me!* e.g. gain recognition by collecting books (but not reading it) >.< , collecting degree, scientific reference out of its context.
3. The mask of social. e.g. join groups that perceived to be able to change our status
4. The mask of morality. e.g. donate money or other things to cover failures to live as a true Christian in front of GOD.

I also learnt about "the progressive of sanctification". The building of Christian character. There are three categories:
1. BASIC character. Purpose: to be able to 'survive' in the community. e.g. obedience, gratefulness, attentiveness
2. BEAUTIFUL character. Purpose: To be a good member of a team. e.g. friendly, tolerance, compassion
3. BRILLIANT character. Purpose: To be able to influence or lead others. e.g. initiative, persuasive, wisdom

In my heart I was shouting, "LORD, THOSE are what I'm looking for! I want to grow fully in all those characters!!!"