Take note please - these are the views of an unregenerate Gentile.
POTS/OSAS means 'Perseverance Of The Saints'/'Once Saved Always Saved.'
I am not keen on the term 'Stepchildren' - I feel it implies inferiority to the 'Magisterial Reformers.' In denying themselves, taking up their cross and following Messiah Jesus, the Anabaptists (among others) were simply measuring up to His yardstick (Luke 14:25-35). ('A Tale Of Two WINESKINS - i.e. Catholicism and TULIP Theology - And The Terrible Fruits Of Distorted Soteriology' might have been a better title.)
FLeonard's book is a rich crop of nutritious information. In order to reap the full benefit, read it through the first time at a BRISK pace, in order to break up the soil; in order to aquaint yourself with his keywords/terms/phrases (e.g. 'sacralist'). Read it through a second or even third time at a SLOWER pace, in order to harvest all the information.
Consider these quotes in regard to COERCION:
They [the leaders of the 'Magisterial Reformation' - the men behind POTS/OSAS/TULIP Theology] constantly urged the magistrate to draw the blood of the opposition' (Chapter 1).
Zwingli's successor, Henry Bullinger,said this: 'It is wrong, say they [OPPONENTS of the Magisterial Reformation], to compel anyone by force or coercion to embrace the faith, or, to put anyone to death because of erring faith.' (Chapter 2).
If Leonard has his facts straight, and if a spade is still a spade, what is to be OBJECTIVELY made of that fruit information? Many POTS/OSAS-adherents are unaware of the coercive methods used to establish that teaching (and those who taught it). This book tells the story.
Consider this quote in regard to CONDUCTUAL-AVERAGISM:
'To Schwenkfeld...Luther acknowledged that "among us there is no betterment of life."' (Chapter 3)
That is a comment of great significance; it shows (I believe) there is something very SERIOUSLY LACKING in TULIP Theology.
Is Messiah Jesus likely to build His Body by the very means for which His Father brought the flood?! (Genesis 6:11-14 - see also Proverbs 6:16-17, Psalm 11:4-5, Zechariah 4:6.) In the light of Matthew 12:33-37, would it not be a step in the right direction for admirers of the 'Magisterial Reformers' to humbly and objectively consider the horrendous means by which 'Augustinianism'/TULIP Theology got established in the first place? Given the very HEART of the narrow Way is AGAPE (Matthew 22:34-40, 1 John 4:16), why would any authentic disciple of Messiah Jesus want to sit at the feet of men of violence???
I thought the narrow Way was about the whole truth, not just the half that suits our flesh; I thought that Jesus's words were the HEAD and that He was THE Teacher, not the 'Magisterial Reformers.' I thought that the narrow Way was about Messiah's interests, not ours; death to self, not to others; poorness of spirit and humility, not pride; possibly being persecuted BY the world, not persecuting others in PARTNERSHIP and BY MEANS OF the world; facing ostracization if need be, and seeking the approval of God, not the approval of denominations/wineskins and men; loving one's enemies, not eliminating them in order to establish one's teaching and position?
Three rhetorical questions for TULIP-advocates:
1) AGAPE (for God, neighbor, brethren, family and one's enemies) is a FOUNDATIONAL and ELEMENTARY aspect of the narrow Way; AGAPE is of the HOLY Spirit. PERSISTENT VIOLENCE and TRUE FUNDAMENTAL SOUNDNESS are as OIL and WATER. The Father of Messiah Jesus is the LIVING God (who is AGAPE); who, by contrast, is the father of UNREPENTANT men of persistent VIOLENCE?
2) In teaching a distorted theological system as well as persecuting genuine disciples of Messiah Jesus, what have the 'Magisterial Reformers' left for unseen enemies to do?
3) Can you see anything wrong with calling Messiah Jesus 'Lord' (He who said 'love your enemies' and 'the tree is known by its fruit'), WHILE sitting at the feet of men of violence?
The discussion of coercion and conductual-averagism is very important reading indeed. Leonard's book is strongly recommended in itself, but complemented by another two:
Our Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People by Michael L Brown, and
LOST HERITAGE: The Heroic Story of Radical Christianity by Kim Tan.
A well-rounded, WEIGHTY (outside the box/wineskin) understanding of the narrow Way comes from OBJECTIVE personal study of Holy Scripture; outside of those INSPIRED words, some books (like bricks) collectively serve to build a fallible but robust defence against some of the (sincere or insincere) SUBJECTIVE misconceptions that have arisen over the last 1900 years. Everything written in that collection (indeed in any book about the narrow Way) must be tested by Holy Scripture, by God's TRUTH - not men's (well-intentioned, but) UNINSPIRED wineskins; above all, by the words of the One Teacher - Messiah Jesus (Matthew 23:8). One side of the INSPIRED Bible coin (so to speak) can lead to legalism or license - it takes BOTH sides of the TRUTH to properly nourish and equip a Second Covenant soldier of Messiah Jesus. This book on COERCION and CONDUCTUAL-AVERAGISM,is one of the collection.
(The Bible coin: Matthew 4:5-6/Matthew 4:7; Galatians 3:15-18/Hebrews 8:8; John 3:17/Acts 10:42; John 3:16/Luke 13:3; Mark 8:12/Hebrews 2:4; John 6:37/Luke 14:26; Matthew 11: 30/Luke 14:25-35; Acts 2:38/Acts 19:2; 1 Corinthians 14:18,26-33/1 Corinthians 14:19,40; Titus 3:5/Ephesians 2:10; John 1:17/Matthew 28:20; Matthew 7:1-5/1 Corinthians 5:9-13; John 10:11/John 12:24; John 10:10/1 Corinthians 5:14-15; Matthew 25:31-46/Revelation 20:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10/Revelation 6:9-11; 1 John 1:6-9/Hebrews 10:26-31; Romans 8:11/John 15:6; Romans 8:30/Romans 11:11,19-22; 1 John 4:18/1 Peter 1:17 - and so on.)
Take note please - these are the views of an unregenerate Gentile.
