But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we, 2nd Corinthians 11:12.
Recently, a man dear to me was undermined in his church by a man (I use the term lightly) who skimmed through these blog posts and sought to derail his rival by secretly emailing select people in his church for the use of undermining his rival as being guilty of associating with me. I have had many people who differed with me. I have respected every one of them who has contacted me with their objection.
What I will not do is respect any man who uses dark corners and veiled communications to disparage a man far better than himself for associating with me. If I am wrong it won't be the first time. If I am wrong, don't stone my friends, stone me.
The following post is from an email sent to my friend:
The OED on Occult: Not disclosed or divulged, secret; kept secret; communicated only to the initiated. Now rare.
It is interesting that the OED lists this usage as rare when it gives a usage from the 1990s. In medical circles occult blood is blood hidden in the stool of a patient. It is an indication of cancer in the bowels.
Any communication kept secret for purposes of only allowing the "select" or "initiated" to see it is an occult practice. We are not talking here about the need for privacy to keep a confidence in counseling, or to protect women and children from an unseemly matter. We are talking about; For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved, John 3:20.
If a man has information that he believes can protect his church or expose a danger that imperils the church, why wouldn't he reveal that information to everyone tasked with protecting that church? In this case we are talking about every voting member of that same church. He keeps it occult because there is a cancer in the bowels of the church. It is interesting to further the analogy by stating that the occult blood will be found in the dung.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, Philippians 3:8. There are those who count their commentaries, their dead languages and their reputations for conservatism to be a better calling card than the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord.
When men have to whisper in secret because their opponent's only calling card is the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord, and such a calling card pours contempt on all else, the occult is in play. Oh how such men love shadows and darkness! Oh how they squirm when they are exposed!