Love

We think we don't need warnings, but we do. Just like the Christians pastored by the Apostle Paul in the decadent Roman Empire, we need our pastors warning us house to house, day and night, with tears.

But we have no patience for it. Transfer us to Ephesus under the pastoral care of the Apostle Paul and listen to us whine. "Why does he want to meet with me? I don't need to meet with him. If he has something to say, he can text me. Has my wife been talking to his wife? Why can't she keep her big mouth shut?"

We want a reputation for authentic spirituality and deep theological insight, so we update and tweet spiritual-sounding quotes that make it seem as if...

This post was a private e-mail sent to me by a friend who thinks Joe Sobran went sour as his age advanced. My friend was responding to a couple recent posts (first and second) and comments made under those posts. I thought the e-mail worth posting on the blog given the movement of many young Reformed into libertarianism of a toxic sort (although I myself believe libertarianism is intrinsically toxic)

It's true that Joe's libertarianism went toxic, tending towards anarchism. A friend who serves as a civil magistrate remonstrated with Joe about this, personally, but seemingly to no avail. Joe remains our hero, but listen to these good warnings from a wise young man.

* * * 

I'll take this opportunity to identify myself as the "young man" with whom Tim corresponded. I agree with about 90% of what he's written about Joe Sobran—maybe more. Joe Sobran’s essays in defense of the faith were rare gems. "Is Darwin Holy?", one he wrote toward the end, is another one that stands out in my mind.

I started reading Sobran on the recommendation of a high school teacher when I was about 16. Reading him disabused me of the notion that a young man could make a good living writing truth. It's one of the reasons I decided to become an engineer, instead. Call me cynical if you wish, but I wanted to be able to support a wife and children...

Here's the first sentence of the article running at the top of the Google News page just now:

The killing of a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo in order to save a child who fell in its enclosure has sparked nationwide outrage.

Worship of the creation rather than the Creator is on constant display in our world. No wonder men are lying with men, rather than women, and our women are lying with one another. Refusing to give thanks to God, He has given us over to utter degradation. And sadly, most Christians will read the above sentence from CBS News and feel neither revulsion nor fear of God. Similarly, when our cats scratch visitors' legs with their claws and our dogs bite visitor's legs with their teeth, we parade our shame by cooing over them. We make it clear to all that we love our pet—not our neighbor—as we love ourselves.

It sickens me how many Christians are nicer to their animals than they are to...

(NOTE: “Johnny” is a diminutive of “John.” After titling this piece, it occurred to me that using the title “Johnny get your gun” would be seen as disrespectful, so I’ve changed it to “John, get your gun.” I respect John Piper and apologize for a title that didn’t show proper respect for him.)

The Reformed church has been all atwitter over John Piper’s response to Jerry Falwell encouraging the students of his Baptist college to get a gun and help protect the campus against armed attack. John tells his readers that he talked with Jerry before writing him up. Then, he frames his response to Jerry this way: 

The issue is about the whole tenor and focus and demeanor and heart-attitude of the Christian life. Does it accord with the New Testament to encourage the attitude that says, “I have the power to kill you in my pocket, so don’t mess with me”? My answer is, No.

Of course, this is an uncharitable summary of President Falwell’s position since no one carrying a gun on Liberty’s campus is primarily concerned about himself. Christians don’t carry guns because they don’t want to be killed themselves, but because they want to be faithful to defend others—particularly women and children. This is our calling as Christian men. We defend the innocent and defenseless. It would have been more kind for John to phrase it this way: “I have the power to defend my sisters in Christ here in my holster, so don’t mess with them!”

(Henry Holsters are the superb work of a member of our church, Andrew Henry. Buy one.)

I haven’t read any of the responses to John’s anti-gun piece except Doug Wilson’s. Doug makes a good point when he begins his defense of John this way...

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. - Matthew 7:6

Google's news page just now had two headlines on top of each other. The first announced "IS militants abduct dozens of Christians in Syria." The article says the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates the number of Syrian Christians captured at ninety. IS itself announced that it had captured "tens of Crusaders," so the total isn't yet clear. Those captured include women and children. May God rescue them from these evil men intent on capturing victims to be offered up in worship of their bloodthirsty Molech.

Then, just under the headline about the abduction of Christians is this headline: "Rescuers free nineteen manatees stuck in drain in Satellite Beach (w/video)." Undoubtedly the story was filled with hope and transcendence. Like ASPCA commercials, it must have been a spiritual story about the meaning of life. Not in Florida alone, but across these United States.

Newly married, I was the custodian of our church and one Saturday night as I was cleaning for Sunday worship I began browsing through our pastor's books. One volume was a collection of writings of early church fathers on disparate subjects and one of the essays was a denunciation of Christians who poured money into their dogs while infants lay on the hillsides crying piteously as they died...

Yesterday during a long drive, I listened to several hours of Boswell's Life of Johnson, including this section:

I have often thought, that as longevity is generally desired, and I believe, generally expected, it would be wise to be continually adding to the number of our friends, that the loss of some may be supplied by others. Friendship, "the wine of life," should like a well-stocked cellar, be thus continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom add what will equal the generous first-growths of our youth, yet friendship becomes insensibly old in much less time than is commonly imagined, and not many years are required to make it very mellow and pleasant. Warmth will, no doubt, make a considerable difference. Men of affectionate temper and bright fancy will coalesce a great deal sooner than those who are cold and dull.

The proposition which I have now endeavoured to illustrate was, at a subsequent period of his life, the opinion of Johnson himself. He said to Sir Joshua Reynolds, "If a man does not make new acquaintance as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, Sir, should keep his friendship in constant repair."

May others find us to be men of warmth with affectionate tempers, not men who are cold and dull.

Wondering why Christians adopt so many children? Watch this video and give thanks to God for the lovingkindness and tender mercies He pours out on this world through His people. Set up a baby box in your own town and see what little blessings He sends your way.

"Great beer commercial" has always been oxymoronic...

Until now.

Thanks, Kamilla.