Whenever I call him up, he jokingly asks "what's up, heretic, lol"
Whenever he calls me up, I right off rib him with "Calvin, how are your errors, these days, lol"
We've been there for one another, on one thing or another, despite our obviously vastly different understandings...
The "grace" in "the grace that is in Christ Jesus" allowed to reign.
Lol - recently, when I went to see him about some thing or another; I forget what...
I found him in the backyard of his assembly painting the porch while another friend of his: a rabid 7th Day Adventist; was reading him the riot act about his Reformed views, lol.
Lol - he sees me, a mischievous gleem comes over his face, and he says "hey heretic, here; meet a friend of mine"
The person turns to me, and without even a hello, just went into their spiel, lol
I said nothing; though tempted I was to "rightly divide them..."
As my Reformed Pastor friend and I have both obviously concluded "is bickering all there is to "life in Christ Jesus?"
It gets old. Really old, bro.
That, and the fool notion that "Christian" debate is about looking down at another; and about slights and or perceived slights, and payback.
So yeah, I concur, bro - at times I myself end up preferring the company of non- MADs, over that of some of my so called "own."
People like my Pastor friend and others like them (MADs or not) have a "grace" attitude or lightheartedness, when it comes to pointing a thing out and or when a thing is pointed out to them.
Or as the Lord put it through the pen of the Apostle Paul - "charity" 1 Cor. 13.
This is what I have meant when I have at times posted to you that you can address the issues you believe you are addressing, but without having to allow yourself the duplicity of those opposed, in return.
It is ever tempting; as such ever seem to live for that kind of thing.
But again, as the Lord had also put it through the pen of the Apostle Paul...
Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.