The Problem of Watchblog Popes Both Female & Male

It seems like postings on Biblical Thought about John Piper are becoming more "gossip" and less "fair & balanced".

I miss iMonk as he was a voice of reason in an age that appears to favor burning strawman or posting gossip on those others who are not part of our Christian camp.

Adrian Warnock has become more a person I read and find myself in agreement with than the radical young and restless reformed persons who desire to call down fire from heaven on any group or person who doesn't accept their gospel message.  Frankly, I am becoming scared of so-called Christians with Watchblogs.

The danger is that within the reformed movement we can each set ourselves up as our own pope and be submitted to no one. We might feel so confident of our own judgment that we sit in judgment of other believers. How do so many dare to pronounce so readily against the decisions of a godly man like John Piper? What gives any of us the right to determine with absolute confidence who should be in the “in crowd” and who not? Why do we feel the need to have a list of “acceptable” people to listen to and “unacceptable” and then impose it on everyone else?

Surely what is more important is that we understand the biblical truth for ourselves so we can readily identify error. If we have a firm grasp on what we believe, and we are convinced that we believe that because of what the Bible says, why would we be so threatened by someone who believes the vast majority of what we do but might differ on a few minor points of doctrine and matters of style? Do we think that one or two talks are going to unravel years of faithful study and listening to godly preachers?

Online one of the dangers is that we forget we are dealing with people and turn them into faceless enemies for us to hurl abuse at. I think that many in some of these arguments almost seem to forget that Piper and Warren are human beings, and more than that, our brothers in Christ. We should not wage war against them. Warren has tweeted before about his disappointment and bewilderment that the reformed people “hate” him. He also asked “why to those who love grace so much show so little of it?”