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I am unable to trace any passage in the Acts of the Apostles which supports the line that the work of the Evangelist involves claiming that one is saved oneself and that unless others ‘get saved’ they are damned.  Indeed, the method adopted by the Apostles appears to have been one of mutual support and encouragement. I can find, in Acts, no record of individuals operating on the basis Bosco operates. Christians are members of a community, and they work together to help each other, each using their different gifts for the common good.

I am not involved in active mission work, neither am I a priest, but when I find two people here who are saying the same thing, and when I find them coming from different parts of the Christian spectrum, I am aware of an authentic Christian voice.

Fr Aidan Kimmel, a man whose life and work command respect, wrote to Jess in the comments section thus:

[Bosco] Your words speak for themselves and they reveal the spirit animating your soul. I will pray for you this afternoon.

My question for Jessica: Bosco is not just advancing a different theology, about which Christians may argue. He is engaging in a kind of rhetoric that is destructive to souls and the mission of the gospel. Is this appropriate for this blog? What are the limits? What of those inquirers who stumble upon your blog and discover Bosco’s “prophetic” rantings? Will they be led to Christ? I for one do not find Bosco’s postings amusing or acceptable–and I’m a pretty tolerant fellow.

Our own Rob, an active Evangelist all his life has also commented directly to Bosco:

Bosco wrote: “I’m the only one in here telling people to seek Christ while he may be found. Ban me if you will.”

That is not true Bosco

And again: “The servant is not above his master. If they hate him, they will hate me.”

I certainly do not hate you and I do not think any on this site do.

Your error is that you think you can perfectly discern the hearts of everyone here and determine who is and who is not saved or born again. You determination is that none others are but yourself.

You consider if anyone holds beliefs or exhibits actions which you know are wrong or evil (or think you know) then they cannot be born again. You think the same of any others here who do not practice the things you abhor but who claim or suggest that those who do are nevertheless ‘born again’.

It is clear we do not agree on this site and given the extent of our disagreement then logically some are definitely in error and possibly all of us are in error to some extent.

You set yourself up as God defining the limits of His grace and mercy as others have told you this is beyond your pay grade or competence and meddling outside your remit can damage those unstable in their faith – please consider.

I know that Jessica was distressed at the effect which Bosco’s rhetoric had on one of our newer and younger posters, for reasons which Fr Aidan and Rob both put powerfully. This is not, they are saying, how Christians behave to each other. Other Christians are not Amalekites to be smitten hip and thigh. It is a tribute to the posters here that they have not turned on Bosco in the way he does on others. That is because, however cross they are, they are animated by the love of Christ. However much in error on points of doctrine and dogma some of us are bound to be, we are united in the love of Christ and love for our fellow Christians.

I hope Bosco will read this. I see he has not commented much on Jessica’s moving post yesterday. He might like to consider what spirit animated that, and what spirit animated Jessica’s exchanges in the comments section with our new commentator. He might, if he can divine it, with profit to his soul and to that of others, seek to imitate it.