Practical Heretic

Practical Heretic [Jonah 4] – It is worthless to agree with a theology that we cannot embrace.  We must fight against the tendency to withhold from others the same grace that benefited us.

Main Points

  1. A practical heretic is someone who mentally affirms correct theology yet practically denies it.
  2. Don’t refuse to give the grace that you have been given.
  3. You will experience great peace when you remove yourself from the center of your universe.
  4. Jonah’s problem with the conclusion of this story is that he would have written it a different way.
  5. You cannot make reservations on God’s promises.
  6. Grace becomes entitlement when we make judgment calls on who should receive it.
  7. When we desire God’s grace for everyone but our enemies, we forget that we once were God’s enemies.
  8. Failing to submit to God’s plan will reduce us to pouting protesters.
  9. You may try to get away from the sin around you but you can’t get away from the sin within you.
  10. Don’t have more concern for your temporal comfort than others’ eternal security.
  11. Jonah’s ending is uncertain.  Ours doesn’t have to be.