Transcending the Moment

Controversial personalities are usually temporary in their fame. Ten years from now it is unlikely anybody will be talking about Andrew Tate, and the “controversy” over a Jason Aldean song will be long past. Even within the realm of culture, aim for those things that are long lasting, those things that show permanence. If people are still listening to J.S. Bach after hundreds of years, then you should probably be listening to J.S. Bach from time to time. It is those things that change people for good generation after generation that are the most worth pursuing.

Matthew 28:18-20

 Mt. 28:18-20

A.) Ἐδόθη μοι πᾶσα ἐξουσία ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· 

B.) πορευθέντες οὖν μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, 

C.) βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, 

B’.) διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν· 

A’.)καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ’ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος.

A.) All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 

B.) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, 

C.) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

B’.) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; 

A’.) and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

You have a command (B-C-B’) standing in the middle of a statement, one that ends in a promise. Notice that baptism stands at the center of Jesus’ statement. Baptism is not just “in” the name of the Holy Trinity, but “into” the name. It is baptism into union with the Triune God, which is baptism into His Church. It is a transition from a former state of being into a new state of being, and into a new set of relationships.

Jesus issues a threefold command, reflective of the triune God to which all true believers are united and which stands at the center of the command and of the chiasm.

The evidence for the chiasm exists not only in Jesus’ threefold command, but in the fact that the two verbs often translated “disciple” (μαθητεύσατε) and “teach” (διδάσκοντες) have essentially the same semantic range. The two phrases mirror one another. In addition, Jesus’ promise to forever be with His disciples points back to His first statement and to His authority everywhere and over all that exists. His disciples need not fear anything, because there is no place they can go where He is not King and in complete control.

The disciples are to “go” (πορευθέντες), and where they are to go is in the preceding word, the “world” or “earth” (γῆς). They are to leave Israel, to leave the Jewish people, and go to “πάντα τὰ ἔθνη”. Often translated “all the nations”, it simply means “all who aren’t Jews”, or “all the Gentiles”. The word for “nations” or “Gentiles” here has no implications for any particular structure of government. It does not support a modern nationalistic conception of country or government in any way. The passage is clear in its teaching, however, of Theocracy. Jesus is king over all people, all places, and of all things. And it is the duty of all creatures to submit to him.

But to pull vs. 19 out of context, force a meaning on the translated  word “nations”, and begin to argue for, or even assume, a certain structure of government or country beyond this is bad scholarship. And given the modern usage of the word “nationalism”, the use of the word in relation to this passage is obfuscatory and unhelpful.

Mary, Mary

 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And when he did, lo, there didst from the crowd fly a single stone, and behold, the stone didst graze the woman caught in adultery upon her brow, sending her to the ground. And Jesus didst look, and behold, it was his mother Mary who didst hurl the stone. “Awww, mom!” he did exclaim as he arose. But he did not rebuke her, for lo, she was conceived without Original Sin.

  -- John 8, Revised Roman Catholic Version 

The Inevitable Failure of Nationalism

 The current push for nationalism belies a distrust in God’s ordained means of grace - the Word, prayer, and the sacraments. We grasp for power in the wake of our failure as a Church, only still failing to understand where our true strength comes from.

Nationalistic centralism failed in Europe, and it has failed here. A large national state will always be the Leviathan seeking to swallow up everything it can. It will always be a safe haven for those with a lust for power without real accountability.

Nationalism will forever be a a bane to local and traditional culture. And the idea that Christian Nationalists argue in the same breath for tradition is ironic. Once nationalism is created and let loose, in the end the only tradition you have left is a Statist one.

In nationalism, corporatism finds its greatest ally. The younger ones among us can’t remember a time when blatant advertising wasn’t emblazoned across every piece of clothing we wore. They don’t know a time when people didn’t define themselves by their devotion to a product or corporation. We buy products. But more than that, we have become the product. A centralized national government will always gladly sell us to the highest bidder. 

In nationalism, fascism is inevitable.

Nationalism will always tend toward atheism.

When Machen protested against a federal board of education, it was for good reason.

Heretic Hunting, Christian Nationalism, and Biblical Dominion

 Related to the ongoing “Christian Nationalism“ push and matters of Biblical Dominion:

“Those who work diligently at their God-ordained tasks will overcome those who grasp for power by force and deception. 

Notice, that throughout Scripture, implements of work are continually shown to destroy implements of war and intrigue.

Shamgar prevailed over an army of 600 Philistine warriors

with only an oxgoad (Judges 3:31).

Jael defeated the commander of the Canaanite army with a

tent peg (Judges 4:17-22).

Gideon led his tiny band of faithful men to victory against the

Midianite army with nothing more than empty pitchers, torches,

and trumpets (Judges 7:13-23).

Wicked Abimelech defeated every army he marched against,

but he was helpless against the millstone hurled upon his head by the woman of Thebez (Judges 9:50-54).

Samson destroyed 1,000 Philistines with nothing but the jawbone

of an ass (Judges 15:14-16).

The swordless, spearless, and spiritless brigade of Saul was

able to deliver Israel from the mighty Philistine army with only a

small, two-man diversion (1 Samuel 13:19-14:23).

And the young David overwhelmed the giant warrior Goliath

without armor, without a sword, and without shield or spear; he

had only his shepherd's staff and sling, along with five smooth

stones from a brook (1 Samuel 17:40-50).

Even Christ used ordinary tools, implements of work, when

He made a spectacle of the powers and the principalities: He nailed them to the cross (Colossians 2:13-15)!

Dominion comes through service. But it comes by work. Work is

the hand that plucks the golden fruit of God's very great and precious promises. Work will ultimately, inevitably overcome force and deception. The plowshare and the pruning hook will overcome the sword and the spear.“ -- George Grant, "In the Shadow of Plenty", pp. 50-51

I would add my own question: how many people promoting Christian Nationalism online or trying to correct the latest person deemed a heretic have visited a shut-in individual or a person in a nursing home in the past year? Internet debates give the illusion of glory; real loving sacrifice, that which follows the path of Christ all the way to the Cross, is often hidden from view, disdained by the World, and taken for granted by the Church.

Groovy Theology

 “Men go after novel and false doctrines because they do not really know the truth; for if the truth had gotten into them and filled them, they would not have room for these day-dreams” ~ C.H. Spurgeon. 

Not only does this apply to heresies and the doctrines of the cults, but it also applies to things like Dispensationalism and a lot of end times related nonsense. Remember the Gospel in the stars idea that even had D. James Kennedy enthralled? The Emergent Church? The Mayan Prophecy and 2012? The supposed hidden Bible codes? We get caught up things that use Scripture to promote falsehood because we do not understand and focus on what Scripture actually says, and we do not love and trust God.

A Dispensationalist Easter

Consistent Dispensationalism has historically taught that Jesus’s mission was to bring Israel back into faithfulness to Yahweh. But Israel, using her free will, rejected Him and crucified Him. Jesus now sits in heaven, not as a King on His throne, but defeated and rejected by His true people Israel. Israel will have one last chance during the Tribulation, though. The Church somehow was God’s plan b, His second choice.

So it’s always a bit odd when Dispies celebrate Easter.

Revelation 22:11 - Hebrew Parallelism

 Revelation 22:11 - Hebrew Parallelism

A: He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; 

      B: he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; 

A’: he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; 

      B’: he who is holy, let him be holy still.

The movement is from Fall to Redemption, Eden to the New Jerusalem, sin to salvation, the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, Israel and her failure to the Church and her success in Christ. It is furthered by the following verses:

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

The Narcissist Leader, pt. 2

Some theologians - as well as some pastors and other leaders - have an air about them of sternness, rectitude, and distance.  To be in their presence may be an honor and would surely be edifying, but it would make a person nervous, leery of making a mistake or saying something wrong.  That would not be the case with Luther, who - however ferocious he could be in print - was jovial, self-deprecating, and fun to be around in person.

Some leaders are so taken with their sense of authority, their lofty status, and their pride that they lift themselves up over those they are leading, coming across as cold, superior, and unpleasant.  Emperor Charles V, who opposed Luther at Worms and Augsburg, was said to have a dour personality and a sour disposition.  Someone with great power, of course, can lead that way, intimidating his followers and using force and rewards to keep them in line.  But for people to follow voluntarily - of their own free will - and to develop personal bonds of loyalty, they almost always need to like the person they are following, to have affection for the person as well as the cause. -- Gene Edward Veith

The Narcissist Leader

 The urge to save humanity is almost always a false face for the urge to rule it. -- H.L. Mencken

Whether at the level of politics or one on one personal relationships, the person who thinks you absolutely need them to survive is the person you need to run from. Narcissism is deadly and evil.

J.C. Ryle, On Parenting In Love

 Train up your child with all tenderness, affection, and patience. I do not mean that you are to spoil him, but I do mean that you should let him see that you love him. Love should be the silver thread that runs through all your conduct. Kindness, gentleness, long-suffering, forbearance, patience, sympathy, a willingness to enter into childish troubles, a readiness to take part in childish joys, —these are the cords by which a child may be led most easily, —these are the clues you must follow if you would find the way to his heart. Few are to be found, even among grown-up people, who are not more easy to draw than to drive. There is that in all our minds which rises in arms against compulsion; we set up our backs and stiffen our necks at the very idea of a forced obedience. We are like young horses in the hand of a breaker: handle them kindly, and make much of them, and by and by you may guide them with thread; use them roughly and violently, and it will be many a month before you get the mastery of them at all. Now children’s minds are cast in much the same mould as our own. Sternness and severity of manner chill them and throw them back. It shuts up their hearts, and you will weary yourself to find the door. But let them only see that you have an affectionate feeling towards them, —that you are really desirous to make them happy, and do them good, —that if you punish them, it is intended for their profit, and that, like the pelican, you would give your heart’s blood to nourish their souls; let them see this, I say, and they will soon be all your own. But they must be wooed with kindness, if their attention is ever to be won. And surely reason itself might teach us this lesson. Children are weak and tender creatures, and, as such, they need patient and considerate treatment. We must handle them delicately, like frail machines, lest by rough fingering we do more harm than good. They are like young plants, and need gentle watering, —often, but little at a time. We must not expect all things at once. We must remember what children are, and teach them as they are able to bear. Their minds are like a lump of metal— not to be forged and made useful at once, but only by a succession of little blows. Their understandings are like narrow-necked vessels: we must pour in the wine of knowledge gradually, or much of it will be spilled and lost. “Line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little,” must be our rule. The whetstone does its work slowly, but frequent rubbing will bring the scythe to a fine edge. Truly there is need of patience in training a child, but without it nothing can be done. Nothing will compensate for the absence of this tenderness and love. A minister may speak the truth as it is in Jesus, clearly, forcibly, unanswerably; but if he does not speak it in love, few souls will be won. Just so you must set before your children their duty, —command, threaten, punish, reason, —but if affection be wanting in your treatment, your labour will be all in vain. Love is one grand secret of successful training. Anger and harshness may frighten, but they will not persuade the child that you are right; and if he sees you often out of temper, you will soon cease to have his respect. A father who speaks to his son as Saul did to Jonathan, {1Sa 20:30} need not expect to retain his influence over that son’s mind. Try hard to keep up a hold on your child’s affections. It is a dangerous thing to make your children afraid of you. Anything is almost better than reserve and constraint between your child and yourself; and this will come in with fear. Fear puts an end to openness of manner; —fear leads to concealment; —fear sows the seed of much hypocrisy, and leads to many a lie. There is a mine of truth in the Apostle’s words to the Colossians: “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged”. {Col 3:21} Let not the advice it contains be overlooked.

We Were Made For You

 Worship precedes service. This basic Biblical principle was one I was taught early on in life. But the priority of worship goes even further. Our worship of God, both corporate and individual, must precede: 

Culture

Relationships

Politics

The news

Theological precision

Your job

Entertainment

Online debate

And I could go on. Your communion with, and adoration of, the one true God has to come before everything else. And when it doesn’t, your life inevitably becomes disordered. Not only does your view of God become warped, so does your view of and treatment of your neighbor, Christian or otherwise.

This, in fact, is the testimony of Romans 1: “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (vs. 21).

Cur Deus Homo?

 Because Jesus was and even now is fully man, you can carry your problems to Him and He can and will understand and sympathize with you. And because He is fully God, He can take on your problems and do something about them.

Theology matters. A right Christology matters.

The Mother of God

 The Church historically has affirmed that Mary is rightly referred to as “the mother of God”. By this is not meant that there was a time when God was not, and that He came into being sometime in history. It also does not mean that Mary created or helped to create God, whether in His whole being or just as the a second Person of the Trinity. Rather, the matter in question was this: was Jesus, the baby that Mary conceived and gave birth to, at His conception fully God, fully the Son of God, fully the Second Person of the Trinity? And that, the Church - Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant - has always affirmed wholeheartedly as a doctrine essential to the Christian faith. In that sense, Mary was the Mother of God, and as such, it is a term of reference to her the Church gladly uses.

Schmemann on Liturgical Beauty

The joyful character of the eucharistic gathering must be stressed.  For the medieval emphasis on the cross, while not a wrong one, is certainly one-sided.  The liturgy is, before everything else, the joyous gathering of those who are to meet the risen Lord and to enter with him into the bridal chamber.  And it is this joy of expectation and this expectation of joy that are expressed in singing and ritual, in vestments and in censing, in that whole "beauty" of the liturgy which has so often been denounced as unnecessary and even sinful.

Unnecessary it is indeed, for we are beyond the categories of the "necessary."  Beauty is never "necessary," "functional" or "useful."  And when, expecting someone who we love, we put a beautiful tablecloth on the table and decorate it with candles and flowers, we do all this not out of necessity, but out of love.  And the Church is love, expectation and joy.  It is heaven on earth, according to our Orthodox tradition; it is the joy of recovered childhood, that free, unconditioned and disinterested joy which alone is capable of transforming the world.  In our adult, serious piety we ask for definitions and justifications, and they are rooted in fear - fear of corruption, deviation, "pagan influences," whatnot.  But "he that feareth is not made perfect in love" (1 Jn. 4:18).  As long as Christians will love the Kingdom of God, and not only discuss it, they will "represent" it and signify it, in art and beauty.  And the celebrant of the sacrament of joy will appear in a beautiful chasuble, because he is vested in the glory of the Kingdom, because even in the form of man God appears in glory.  In the Eucharist we are standing in the presence of Christ, and like Moses before God, we are to be covered with his glory.  Christ himself wore an unsewn garment which the soldiers at the cross did not divide; it had not been bought in the market, but in all likelihood it had been fashioned by someone's loving hands.  Yes, the beauty of our preparation for the Eucharist has no practical use. ~ Alexander Schmemann, "For the Life of the World", pp. 29-30

Superstition Ain’t the Way

 I find it increasingly bizarre the kinds of things fellow professing Christians believe. So here’s a post addressing one of those things.

Superstitions and Christianity do not mix. If you are so inclined, you can break all the mirrors you want, walk under all the ladders you want, and have 1000 black cats cross your path, and it will mean absolutely nothing. Bad luck, so called, will in no way result from those things. There is, in fact, no such thing as good luck or bad luck. Luck does not exist. Everything that exists in the universe is under the control of a sovereign God, and nothing is outside of His control. Everything that happens is as a result of His divine decree and comes about by His providence. That does not mean that there are not consequences to our obedience or disobedience of His law. It also does not mean that people do not make mistakes. We’re fallible creatures, and things are going to go wrong in this fallen world. But superstitions posit the idea that there are some spiritual forces in the universe operating outside of God’s control, and that they for some reason will “get us” if we do the weirdest of things, like breaking a mirror. But this is a lie from the devil, and it is intended to keep us bound up in fear and distracted from knowing God and serving Him. 

There’s a reason why superstitions always seem to overlap with the occult. Both begin with refusing to trust in God. Then, finding ourselves in the fear of our unbelief, we are left scrambling for ways to control the world around us, a world we know in our hearts we can’t control. Superstitions and the occult are both ways men try in their futility to control the world. But they both only end in sorrow and pain.

Trust God and reject superstition. Seek to know Him through His Word. This, and this alone, is the path to peace, as we live our lives in this seemingly chaotic, sin-damaged universe.

A Quick Word on “Kinism”

 Where I stand…The term “kinism” is being thrown around too loosely these days. In the past it has meant the idea that the white ”race” is superior to all other races, to the point of suggesting that all other races are sub-human - things Scripture condemns. Scripture is also pretty hard on those who would condemn interracial marriage. I’m a conservative, because slow integration reflects Biblical wisdom. But Scripture also celebrates the coming together of all peoples in Christ. That in no way negates the fact that multiculturalism has been foisted upon us by the world elites in a foolish and harmful way.

Those who are insistent on a perpetual separation of what they call “races” need to spend this Advent season digging deep into the Book of Isaiah, and then take some time to study how God has spent the whole scope of Scriptural history from Abram on undoing the separation of peoples that occurred in the first eleven chapters of Genesis. Abram’s journey itself began the reunification of nations, a reunification process that God through the work of Christ is continuing to this day.

Going Out Like Elijah

 In 2 Kings 2, when Elijah is about to ascend to Heaven, he illustrates through his path the way Israel took in entering the land under Joshua. After Israel crossed the Jordan, Jericho, Bethel, and Gilgal all featured prominently in their conquering the land. Elijah is following their movement in reverse. He is leaving the land.

But beyond this, Elijah’s movement is that of the high priest leaving the Most Holy Place, passing out of the Tabernacle/Temple, going by or through the area of the Laver (the Jordan), and ascending to Heaven in the fire of the Bronze Altar. It symbolized his life of sacrifice to God ending, and that of a priest leaving the Tabernacle or Temple, having completed his work.

The Armor of the Unbeliever

 Frequent profanity is a veneer of bravado intended to hide deep insecurity. The goal is to get the approval of others in order to achieve a sense of security about oneself. But since the fear of man in the place of the fear of God never goes beneath the surface to the heart, the person has to keep up the facade, continuing under the self-deception that it will one day be enough.

Untangling Tulsi

 Tulsi Gabbard is still Hindu, and was sworn into office on the Bhagavad Gita instead of the Bible. She will speak of God, as if she believed in the Christian God generally worshiped in the West, or as if we all worship the same God. But she knows she’s being deceptive. She has also been wishy-washy on abortion and LGBT issues. The fact of the matter is that she to some degree supports leftist causes with regard to both. In short, while I like some of her positions, she isn’t really somebody that can be trusted. Her invitation to other Democrats to join her in leaving the Democratic Party seems nothing more than a political game to gain her attention.