Saturday after Pentecost: Avoiding opposition

Opening Sentence

Thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, "I dwell in the high and holy place and also with the one who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite." Isaiah 57:15

Gloria



Commemoration: Bede

Heavenly Father, who called your servant Bede, while still a child, to devote his life to your service in the disciplines of religion and scholarship: Grant that as he labored in the Spirit to bring the riches of your truth to his generation, so we, in our various vocations, may strive to make you known in all the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalter: Psalm 20, 21

Lessons: Deuteronomy 1:1-8, 1 Timothy 6:6-21, Luke 14:12-24

You see how again he commands Timothy not even to meet them. "Avoiding opposition." There are therefore oppositions to which we ought not to vouchsafe an answer, because they turn men from faith, and do not suffer one to be firmly established or fixed in it. Let us not then pursue this science, but adhere to faith, that unshaken rock. For neither floods nor winds assailing will be able to harm us, since we stand on the rock immovable. Thus even in this life, if we choose Him, Who is truly the foundation, we stand, and no harm assails us. For what can hurt him who hath chosen the riches, the honor, the glory, the pleasure of the life to come? They are all firm, in them there is no variableness; all things here subject to reverse, and are for ever changing. For what wouldest thou have? glory? The Psalmist says, "His glory shall not descend after him." (Ps. xlix. 17.) And often it abides not with him whilst he lives. But it is not so with virtue, all things which pertain to her are permanent. Here, he who obtains glory from his office, upon another succeeding to his office, becomes a private man and inglorious. The rich man is reduced to poverty by the attack of robbers, or the snares of sycophants and knaves. It is not so with Christians. The temperate man, if he take heed to himself, will not be robbed of his virtue. He who rules himself, cannot become a common man and a subject.

And that this rule is superior to any other, will appear upon examination. For of what advantage, tell me, is it to reign over nations of our fellow-men, and to be the slaves of our own passions? Or what are we the worse for having no one under our rule, if we are superior to the tyranny of the passions? That indeed is Freedom, that is Rule, that is Royalty and Sovereignty. The contrary is slavery, though a man be invested with countless diadems. For when a multitude of masters sway him from within, the love of money, the love of pleasure, and anger, and other passions, what avails his diadem? The tyranny of those passions is more severe, when not even his crown has power to deliver him from their subjection. As if one who had been a king should be reduced to slavery by barbarians, and they wishing to show their power the more absolutely, should not strip him of his purple robe and his diadem, but oblige him to work in them, and to perform all menial offices, to draw water, and to cook their food, that his disgrace and their honor might be the more apparent: so do our passions domineer over us more barbarously than any barbarians. For he that despises them can despise the barbarians too; but he that submits to them, will suffer more severely than from barbarians. The barbarian, when his power prevails, may afflict the body, but these passions torture the soul, and lacerate it all over. When the barbarian has prevailed, he delivers one to temporal death, but these to that which is to come. So that he alone is the free man, who has his freedom in himself; and he who submits to these unreasonable passions, is the slave.

No master, however inhuman, imposes such severe and inhuman commands. They say to him, in effect, "Disgrace thy soul without end or object,-offend thy God,-be deaf to the claims of nature; though it be thy father or thy mother, be not ashamed to set thyself against them." Such are the commands of avarice. "Sacrifice to me, she says, not calves, but men." The prophet indeed says, "Sacrifice men, for the calves have failed." (Hosea xiii. 2, Sept.) But avarice says, "Sacrifice men, though there are yet calves. Sacrifice those who have never injured thee, yea slay them, though they have been thy benefactors." Or again, "Be at war, and go about as the common enemy of all, of nature herself, and of God. Heap up gold, not that thou mayest enjoy it, but that thou mayest keep it, and work greater torture to thyself." For it is not possible that the lover of money should be able to enjoy it, since he fears lest his gold should be diminished, lest his hoards should fail. "Be watchful," it says, "be suspicious of every one, even domestics and friends. Have an eye to the goods of other men. Though you see the poor man perishing with hunger, give him nothing; but strip him, if it be possible, even of his skin. Break thine oaths, lie, swear. Be an accuser, a false informer. Refuse not, if it be necessary, to rush into fire, to submit to a thousand deaths, to perish with hunger, to struggle with disease." Does not avarice impose these laws? "Be offensive and impudent, shameless and bold, villainous and wicked, ungrateful, unfeeling, unfriendly, faithless, devoid of affection, a parricide, a beast rather than a man. Surpass the serpent in bitterness, the wolf in rapacity. Exceed in brutality even the beast, nay should it be necessary to proceed even to the malignity of the devil, refuse not. Be a stranger to thy benefactor."

Does not avarice say all this, and is it not listened to? God on the contrary says, Be a friend to all, be gentle, beloved by all, give offense causelessly to no one. "Honor thy father and thy mother." Win an honorable reputation. Be not a man, but an angel. Utter nothing immodest, nothing false, nor even think of it. Relieve the poor. Bring not trouble on thyself, by ravaging others. Be not bold nor insolent. God says this, but no one hearkens. Is not hell then justly threatened, and the fire, and the worm that dieth not? How long are we thus to thrust ourselves down the precipice? How long are we to walk upon thorns, and pierce ourselves with nails, and be grateful for it? We subject ourselves to cruel tyrants, and refuse the gentle Master, who imposes nothing grievous, nor barbarous, nor burdensome, nor unprofitable, but all things such as are useful, and valuable, and beneficial. Let us then arouse ourselves, and be self-collected, and gather our forces. Let us love God as we ought, that we may obtain the blessings promised to those that love Him, through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom, to the Father, etc.

John Chrysostom

Homily XVIII on 1 Timothy

A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing

C.S. Lewis is sounding eerily prophetic

From The Abolition of Man, this quote from C.S. Lewis sounds eerily prophetic.

And all the time — such is the tragi-comedy of our situation — we continue to clamor for those very qualities we are rendering impossible. You can hardly open a periodical without coming across the statement that what our civilization needs is more “drive”, or dynamism, or self-sacrifice, or “creativity”. In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.

Richard Fernandez elaborates:

A British soldier was decapitated a few hundred yards from a UK Army base by two men with large knives saying: “We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you.” The men were shot when police responded 20 minutes later. The photo above shows a scene:

This is the dramatic moment a woman appears to remonstrate with a man carrying a knife following a brutal attack in Woolwich. 

The two alleged attackers are thought to have waited around for 20 minutes until Metropolitan Police officers arrived and then tried to attack them — but were swiftly shot by armed policemen, including a woman.

“Remonstrate.” Now there’s a word to conjure with. The Telegraph describes the behavior of the onlookers — the attackers asked the crowd to take their photo, which they apparently did:

“There was only a few people at first then traffic began to build up because people were getting out of their cars to shout at them they were taking no notice, they were standing there, I think they were proud of what they were doing. 

“When they dumped the body in the road, these two black guys had the opportunity to hurt other people if they wanted to because there were brave women with the dead guy on the floor, they were shielding and covering him. The attackers with the knives were standing over these women. 

“The guy with the gun, the tall guy with the beanie cap on, even a bus had pulled up — he was going over to the bus and asking people to take his photo.”

Then the killers allowed only women to come forward to succor the dead or dying man:

He said: “My friend and her mum were walking up the hill and the mum came straight to the victim. 

She asked the black guys can I help him? And one of them said he was already dead but she could go. 

Then one of them said ‘No man is coming near this body, only women’.” 

“She was so brave, she didn’t care what happened to her — she knelt down by his side and comforted him. 

She held his hand and put her other hand on his chest. I think she might have been praying. 

My friend (the woman’s daughter) was crying her eyes out. The victim was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt.” 

Mr. Tallant said the two men were walking up to people with cameras so they could be seen and filmed. 

He said: “They wanted people to know who they were.”

The women came forward. Children in nearby schools were locked down by their teachers.

This incident illustrates, if nothing else, the endpoint of the social engineering of the West. It has been remarkably effective.

From a certain point of view, the British crowd behaved perfectly and this is the way “they” all want us to behave. The populace sheltered in place, didn’t do anything rash, talked to the perpetrators as people. They waited for the police to come and the hospital helicopter to take the corpse away. Some will doubtless get counseling to overcome their shattering experience.

And then they will congratulate themselves on how tough British society is; resilience and all that. The more caring will leave some flowers by a railing and hold a few candle vigils for healing and peace, until these wither and blow away and the news cycle washes up a new object of attention.

The attackers knew they were actors in a drama — as keenly watched in their communities as on the BBC. And in that other audience they were asking: “How will the locals behave?” We know now. And that other audience may derive an entirely different lesson from this tableau: “See? Only their women act like men. They follow orders. They are nothing anymore — these Westerners. They are a civilization whose core has been destroyed.”

Friday after Pentecost: I felt my heart strangely warmed

Opening Sentence

The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. John 4:23

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing



Commemoration: Jackson Kemper

Lord God, in whose providence Jackson Kemper was chosen first missionary bishop in this land, and by his arduous labor and travel established congregations in scattered settlements of the West: Grant that the Church may always be faithful to its mission, and have the vision, courage, and perseverance to make known to all peoples the Good News of Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalter: Psalm 16, 17

Lessons: Ruth 4:1-17, 1 Timothy 5:17-25, Luke 14:1-11

In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

I began to pray with all my might for those who had in a more especial manner despitefully used me and persecuted me. I then testified openly to all there what I now first felt in my heart. But it was not long before the enemy suggested, “This cannot be faith; for where is thy joy?” Then was I taught that peace and victory over sin are essential to faith in the Captain of our salvation; but that, as to the transports of joy that usually attend the beginning of it, especially in those who have mourned deeply, God sometimes giveth, sometimes withholdeth, them according to the counsels of His own will.

After my return home, I was much buffeted with temptations, but I cried out, and they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He “sent me help from his holy place.” And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now, I was always conqueror.

John Wesley

Journal, 24 May 1738

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Homosexuality, idolatry, and the "Unbelievable!" cluelessness of Rob Bell

In the course of his disastrous performance on the radio program Unbelievable! recently, Rob Bell attempted to justify homosexual relationships by claiming the Apostle Paul, as a product of his ancient culture, had no frame of reference for understanding such relationships outside of his conception of idolatry.

I think Paul had his answer to that question tied up in worship of all sorts of other deities--I think it was all one giant hairball in Paul's day, and that, for him, there was the temple, and there was the temple of other gods who were opposed to the God of Israel, and that went on in there. So I think when Paul was talking about this issue, for him it's tied up in all sorts of idolatry, it's all sorts of rejection of God, so I would wanna like--pull the various issues apart, and I don't think they had a cultural conception.

The biblical, historical, and spiritual cluelessness expressed in such a statement is, literally, unbelievable! In a lengthy piece for The Christian Post today, Lutheran pastor Dan Delzell explains why there can be no separation of homosexuality from idolatry. The former is a natural consequence of the latter.

In the first chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul describes the sequence of events which brought about the same-sex revolution. Notice the progression. First, God revealed His "eternal power" and "divine nature" to man through Creation. Next, man chose not to glorify or give thanks to God. Instead, he "exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." (Romans 1:23) As a result of this idol worship, "God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual immorality." (Romans 1:24) Man began to burn with this particular passion and desire only after he "exchanged the truth of God a lie." (Romans 1:25)

Did you catch that? Due to their rebellion and idol worship, God allowed their souls to enter an unprotected area. In that spiritual realm, the demons caused them to start burning with homosexual lust. The devil will always pervert God's design with a counterfeit approach. 

Since they chose to worship a counterfeit god, the Lord "gave them over" to the counterfeit desires of same-sex lust. They became inflamed with these passions only after they persisted in deliberately disobeying God and engaging in idol worship. That worship of false gods is what spawned the same-sex revolution, and people have suffered greatly from it ever since.

Remember that God had given man the honor of being created in God's image. So how did man show his thanks to God? By crafting false gods made in man's image. No wonder this caused the Lord to burn with anger. And so God let them experience what life is like when Satan has control of your sexual appetite. "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural desires for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another." (Romans 1:26,27)

A particular Greek word is used three times by St. Paul in Romans 1:24-28 to describe how God "handed them over" to homosexual desires. Interestingly, it is the same Greek word which St. Matthew uses in his Gospel to describe what Pilate did with Christ. Pilate "handed him over to be crucified." (Matthew 27:26)

What a contrast! Jesus, the innocent One, was "handed over" by man to be executed. Whereas sinful man, after creating images of men and animals to worship, was "handed over" by God to even greater depravity. Since they chose to reject God, He allowed them to be overtaken by the demons that entered their life through their idol worship.

As for the current fascination with same sex relationships, the same idolatrous rebellion lies at its core.

What about today? Why do a significant number of people today, including teenagers, experience same-sex attraction? That "spirit" and those desires have been with us ever since the idol worship from centuries ago opened a "pandora's box" of sexual immorality upon the world. Once out of the box, sexual counterfeits tend to take on a life all their own. And there have always been plenty of people lining up to try out the latest sexual experiment, even if it's just out of a spirit of rebellion. Like many drugs, a sexual experiment will easily become an addiction.

If you are someone who experiences same-sex attraction, you can thank in part the "founders" of your orientation who decided to worship false gods many centuries ago. They of course had no idea at the time how their demons would "birth a movement" so to speak and instill this spirit in our world. There is a strong spiritual dynamic connected to sexual immorality. There is no getting around it. In fact, demons instantly begin oppressing anyone who engages in sexual immorality, be it fornication, adultery, homosexual behavior, etc.

Demons were certainly involved when male temple prostitutes and the false worship of gods like Baal and Molech provided a lethal injection of demonic possession. The demons were given a tremendous foothold through this wicked behavior, and it launched a global attack upon God's design for marriage. Since that time, the evil spirits have stirred up same-sex lust from one generation to the next, and the demonic attachments have continued to enslave those who choose to give their bodies over to these carnal lusts and affections.

By the way, evil angels are always heavily involved whenever a false religion is being introduced, or a counterfeit form of sexuality is being launched. How do you think these profane beliefs and unclean behaviors get planted so firmly in our world? These are a couple of Satan's biggest weapons against humanity in his losing battle against the truth.

Many Christians today are unsure how to speak about these issues in a culture where God's plan for sexuality is often mocked by those enslaved to false ideas. You are not being judgmental by believing that the sexual alternatives listed above are just as sinful today as they have always been. On the other hand, you are being judgmental if you look down on someone because of his or her lifestyle. Remember that we are all sinners. And we all need God's grace in Christ

There is a very simple reason why the first commandment is, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Every other transgression of the law follows from the first.

Thursday after Pentecost: No prophet shall perish outside of Jerusalem

Opening Sentence

The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:20

Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart



Commemoration: Copernicus

Almighty God, who have made the heavens to tell your glory and the firmament to proclaim your handiwork: we bless you for placing us in a rational universe, and for giving us rational minds suited for understanding it; and today we praise you especially for the gifts of intellect that you have given to your servants Nicolas Copernicus and others, by which our understanding of the nature of your creation has been much advanced, to our good and your glory, who live and reign, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Psalter: Psalm 18:1-20

Lessons: Ruth 3, 1 Timothy 4, Luke 13:31-35

It was prophetic that Moses had given the Israelites the order to offer the lamb in sacrifice and there to accomplish an image of the redemption. Herod did not kill the Lord with the infants of Bethlehem, nor did the Nazarenes when they hurled him down from the mountain, since it was not possible for him to die outside of Jerusalem. For it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. Take note that although it was Jerusalem that killed him, nevertheless Herod and Nazareth were united with regard to his death, and vengeance will be required of both for his death. Learn also from this that not only will vengeance for his blood be required of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but also everyone who saw and denied him will be convicted for having killed him. In saying "between the sanctuary and the altar," he has indeed shown their perversity, in that they did not respect even the place of atonement.

Ephrem the Syrian

Arise My Soul, Arise

Wednesday after Pentecost (Evening Prayer): In all labour, there is profit

Opening Sentence

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. Psalm 96:9

Glory to Thee, My God, This Night



Collect for Protection

Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Psalter: Psalm 12, 13, 14

Lessons: Ruth 2:14-23, 1 Timothy 3, Luke 13:18-30

The pious and kind language between Boaz and his reapers shows that there were godly persons in Israel. Such language as this is seldom heard in our field; too often, on the contrary, what is immoral and corrupt. A stranger would form a very different opinion of our land, from that which Ruth would form of Israel from the converse and conduct of Boaz and his reapers. But true religion will teach a man to behave aright in all states and conditions; it will form kind masters and faithful servants, and cause harmony in families. True religion will cause mutual love and kindness among persons of different ranks. It had these effects on Boaz and his men. When he came to them he prayed for them. They did not, as soon as he was out of hearing curse him, as some ill-natured servants that hate their master's eye, but they returned his courtesy. Things are likely to go on well where there is such good-will as this between masters and servants. They expressed their kindness to each other by praying one for another. Boaz inquired concerning the stranger he saw, and ordered her to be well treated. Masters must take care, not only that they do no hurt themselves, but that they suffer not their servants and those under them to do wrong. Ruth humbly owned herself unworthy of favours, seeing she was born and brought up a heathen. It well becomes us all to think humbly of ourselves, esteeming others better than ourselves. And let us, in the kindness of Boaz to Ruth, note the kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ to poor sinners.

It encourages industry, that in all labour, even that of gleaning, there is profit. Ruth was pleased with what she gained by her own industry, and was careful to secure it. Let us thus take care that we lose not those things which we have wrought, which we have gained for our souls' good, 2 John 1:8. Parents should examine their children, as Naomi did, not to frighten or discourage them, so as to make them hate home, or tempt them to tell a lie; but to commend them if they have done well, and with mildness to reprove and caution them if they have done otherwise. It is a good question for us to ask ourselves every night, Where have I gleaned to-day? What improvement have I made in knowledge and grace? What have I done that will turn to a good account? When the Lord deals bountifully with us, let us not be found in any other field, nor seeking for happiness and satisfaction in the creature. We lose Divine favours, if we slight them. Ruth dutifully observed her mother's directions. And when the harvest was ended, she kept her aged mother company at home. Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land; her vanity ended in disgrace, Genesis 34. Ruth kept at home, and helped to maintain her mother, and went out on no other errand than to get provision for her; her humility and industry ended in preferment.

Matthew Henry

Be Still for the Presence of the Lord

The "new" NIV: Bad for women, bad for the church

Gender-neutral or "inclusive" language, as I have said before, is ugly, loathsome, and sterile. It has wreaked havoc on nearly all aspects of the church's worship, most notably its liturgy and hymnody. It has also wielded a destructive influence in the field of biblical translation. Now, its prevalence in the nefariously revised edition of the New International Version (NIV) has effectively rendered that once lauded translation useless.

Like all deceptions, the "inclusive" language troll came disguised as an angel of light, a herald of linguistic liberation for women long oppressed by the evil of gender specificity. In reality, however, it was a one-way ticket back to Egypt for the church in general and women in particular. Mary Kassian, writing for Girls Gone Wise, offers a tenfold elaboration.

The new gender-inclusive NIV was published earlier this year. It contains thousands of changes to the Bible’s male-gendered language. Having a gender-inclusive Bible appears to be the latest trend amongst cutting-edge, cappuccino-slurping Christian hipsters. Don’t get me wrong. I like to be hip. And I enjoy cappuccino as much as the next person. But my biggest beef with gender-inclusive Bibles is that they lack doctrinal precision. If you mess with the words, you mess with the meaning. Respected Bible scholars have explained why inclusive translations such as the New International Version (NIV), New Revised Standard (NRSV), and Common English Bible (CEB) are deeply flawed. If you haven’t yet considered their arguments, you might want to check out these Gender Neutral Bible Articles.

Notwithstanding the doctrinal imprecision and blatant politically-correct translating agenda, there are additional reasons why I dislike gender inclusive Bibles. Undoubtedly the publishers had good intentions, and genuinely wanted to help women, but in my mind, a gender-inclusive Bible is BAD for women. Really, really bad for women! I react to people reading from the new, gender-inclusive NIV the way I react to nails scratching down a chalk board. Here are ten reasons why:

1. It obscures the profound symbolism of gender:

Gender has a profound, cosmic meaning. God created manhood, womanhood, marriage and sex to put the love story of Christ and the Church on display. When we mess with the Bible’s gender language, we obscure gender’s symbolism. We make truths about God and the gospel more difficult to understand

2. It exalts gender above that to which it points:

Changing the Bible’s gender language implies that the Bible’s gender language is about us. It’s not. The Bible is ultimately not about male and female—it’s about Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God. The Bible does not use predominantly male gendered language to exalt men; it uses it to exalt THE Man who paid the ultimate price to redeem His Bride.

3. It diminishes the unique beauty of womanhood:

Blurring the Bible’s gender language contributes to the blurring of gender distinctions. It diminishes and devalues the unique role and beauty of womanhood.

4. It is less inclusive of women:

Gender inclusive Bibles cast women as “other” rather than part of the collective whole. God collectively named male and female “man” (Hebrew: ‘adam. See Gen. 5:2) to indicate that male and female would share a common condition for which He would provide a common answer. Because both male and female are ‘adam, both are equally represented by the first man, Adam. Both are fallen and in need of a Savior. The good news of the gospel is that both are also equally represented by the Second Man—the Last Adam—Jesus Christ. When God named male and female ‘adam, he had the Last Adam in mind. So when, in order to appease modern sensibilities, we change “man” to something we think is more inclusive,” we diminish the theological meaning and exclude woman. If woman is not specifically identified as “man” then how can she be represented by the first man, Adam? What’s more, how can she be represented by the Second Man, the Last Adam, Jesus Christ? Gender inclusive Bibles are supposed to be more inclusive of women, but pardoxically, the language theologically does the exact opposite. It excludes women from the collective whole.

5. It demeans women:

Gender inclusive Bibles imply that women are too stupid to figure out that in the Bible, the words “man” and “brothers” are inclusive terms. The male translators have to fix the words for us, since we’re not theologically astute enough or bright enough to get it on our own. Quite frankly, I feel like gender-inclusive Bibles insult a woman’s intelligence.

6. It patronizes women:

Poor little girls. The translators need to change the words of the Bible so our feelings don’t get hurt. Boo hoo. Women are so easily offended. Sorry, . . . but changing the words of the Bible because you think some women might be offended by its language is downright patronizing.

7. It calls God’s attitude toward women into question:

Making changes to gender language is based on the premise that God ought to have given gals and guys equal air time. Trying to minimize the discrepancy suggests that God didn’t care enough about women to take our feelings into account. The natural conclusion is that He obviously loves his boys more than He loves his girls. The conclusion is wrong. And the premise is wrong.

8. It calls God’s wisdom into question:

Poor God. His bad. He needs our help. He wasn’t smart enough to get the words right. He obviously isn’t as enlightened as people living in the new millennium. We have to step in and update His image, to make the Bible more palatable to woman’s modern sensibilities.

9. It encourages further changes to Scripture:

I know of at least one Muslim that is aghast that Christians would have the audacity to tamper with the wording of our Holy Book. And since we’re audacious enough to tamper with gender wording for humans, it won’t be long till we’re audacious enough to tamper with gender wording for God. Translators will undoubtedly feel the need to update God’s names so that HE becomes more gender inclusive. Terms like “Mother-Father God,” “Jesus, child of woman and man,” “Great Source of Being in the Sky” and our “God-Goddess” communicate the concept of a gender-inclusive deity much better than the male-gendered language of the Bible. Don’t be naive. I’ve studied feminist theology long enough to know that naming self leads to naming the world leads to naming god. It’s audacious indeed!

10. It leads women away from truth:

I care about women. Deeply. I long to see them experience healing and wholeness in Christ Jesus. I do them a disservice when I apologize for the Bible, fail to embrace its unvarnished beauty and power, and shrink back from sharing the Words that are perceived by some as foolishness and a stumbling block, yet are actually the power and wisdom of God for righteousness and sanctification and redemption. I fail women when I try to make God or His Word more palatable. I empty the cross of its power (1 Cor. 1:17-30).

Gender and gender language is important. It touches on the essence of a woman’s identity, the essence of the character of God, and on the essence of the gospel. We get things so very wrong when we think we can improve on the Bible’s teaching on gender or the gender language it uses. The big picture informs us that from the very beginning, God’s plan for gender has very little to do with us and very much to do with Him. And we need to trust that even if we don’t fully understand them, the words, images and means He has chosen to display His glory are not only right, they are also good. Very good! And also very good for women!

A Battle Worth Fighting

I understand that language changes over time, and that translation is not always an easy task. But I am saddened that Christians seem so eager to jump on the cultural bandwagon to update God’s Holy Book with inclusive language. I don’t think they realize what is at stake. I have had students struggle with understanding concepts about God because their native language did not lend itself to translating/expressing the gendered concepts that exist in the original languages of the Bible. We will lose something very critical and essential if we lose the linguistic concepts afforded us by the gendered nature of English. Retaining gender distinctiveness in our language is a battle worth fighting. There is a great deal at stake.

So ladies, please don’t jump on the gender-inclusive Bible bandwagon. Be hip. Be courageous. Be politically incorrect. Insist on a Bible that accurately translates gender language– like the ESV, Holman Christian Standard, or New America Standard. Because in the end, inclusive language, and inclusive language Bibles, are bad for women.

Tuesday after Pentecost: Rest from evil deeds, not good works

Opening Sentence

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in you sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Morning Has Broken



Commemoration: John Eliot

Almighty and everlasting God, we thank you for your servant John Eliot, whom you called to preach the Gospel to the native peoples of North America. Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

For the People of Oklahoma

O merciful Father, who taught us in your holy Word that you do not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men: Look with pity upon the sorrows of those for whom our prayers are offered. Remember them O Lord, in mercy, nourish their souls with your presence, comfort them with a sense of your goodness, lift up your countenance upon them, and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalter: Psalm 5, 6

Lessons: Ruth 1:19-2:13, 1 Timothy 1:18-2:8, Luke 13:10-17

Not understanding this, the ruler of the synagogue commanded that no one should be healed on the sabbath since the sabbath is an image of a future day of rest, days of rest from evil deeds, not from good works. It is commanded that, neither bearing the burden of offenses nor being devoid of good works, we shall celebrate future sabbaths after death. The Lord then is seen to reply spiritually when he says, "You hypocrites, does not every one of you on the sabbath day untie his ox or his donkey and lead them to water?" Why did Jesus mention another creature? He showed the future to his opponents, the rulers of the synagogue. The Jewish and the Gentile peoples would lay aside the thirst of the body and the world's heat through the abundance of the Lord's fountain. "The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's feeding trough." The people who were fed the food of common hay, which before it is plucked up is withered away, received the Bread that came down from heaven.

Ambrose

Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones

Monday after Pentecost: What is God up to?

Opening Sentence

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." Psalm 122:1

Come, Gracious Spirit



Commemoration: Alcuin

Almighty God, who in a rude and barbarous age raised up your deacon Alcuin to rekindle the light of learning: Illumine our minds, we pray, that amid the uncertainties and confusions of our own time we may show forth your eternal truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalter: Psalm 1, 2, 3

Lessons: Ruth 1:1-18, 1 Timothy 1:1-17, Luke 13:1-9

There are two ways of taking the story [of the fig tree in the vineyard], both of which give a satisfactory meaning and arrive at the same point. Jesus himself could be seen as the vineyard-owner. He has been coming to the Lord's garden, seeking the fruit of repentance, throughout his ministry. (We might take the 'three years' of 13.7 as an indication that Jesus' ministry had lasted that long, but it's more likely it is simply part of the logic of the story.) So far, apart from a very few followers, who are themselves still quite muddled, he has found none; no repentance, not even in the cities, where most of his mighty deeds had been done (10.13-15). He is prepared, then, to give Israel, and particularly Jerusalem, the Temple, and the ruling priests one more chance. If they still refuse, their doom will be sealed.

Or maybe it is God who has been coming to Israel these many years, seeking fruit. Maybe Jesus is the gardener, the servant who is now trying, as the owner's patience wears thin, to dig around and put on manure, to inject some life and health into the old plant before sentence is passed. Either way the end result is the same: 'If not, you can cut it down.' Luke's arrangement of the material from chapter 10 onwards leaves us in no doubt as to how he saw the matter: when Jerusalem fell in AD 70, it was a direct result of refusing to follow the way of peace which Jesus had urged throughout his ministry.

The passage therefore bristles with a double tension. Will Jerusalem repent and be rescued? And if, as he has been saying, Jesus expects to die himself when he goes there, how do his fate and that of the city relate to one another? What is God up to? And, if we can begin to think about those questions, there are others for us to face ourselves. What is God up to in our world today? In our own lives? Are we bearing fruit for God's kingdom?

N.T. Wright

Luke for Everyone

Softly and Tenderly

Come Down O Love Divine