For it is written, “He is the One Who catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, “the Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” (1 Corinthians 3:19b-20)
Could it be that "myth" is the right category for the kind of stories we find in the ancient world, whether from the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, or even the Hebrews?
- Jack Collins, Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary
One liberal reviews another liberal's book and tells us the second liberal is going to get in trouble with his constituency when they figure out what he's selling. Several members of the second liberal's constituency read Baylyblog and write in to dismiss the first liberal's comments as sour grapes, and they tell the Baylys that they only need read Jack to see what a gift he is to the Church.
So why does the first liberal say the second liberal is too liberal for his constituents?
Well, you see, the first liberal's constituency group already wised up to him and fired him so he's blowing the whistle on the second liberal because misery loves company.
Then comes the cloying argument...
Consider that the second liberal is "a really, really nice guy. We've taken classes from him and we know his wife and children. He's likeable and funny and he worked with Wayne Grudem and Vern Poythress tweaking the Revised Standard Version into the English Standard Version."
Which is to say, "Bayly, what's wrong with you? Don't you know trademarks when you see them? Can't you recognize geese that lay golden eggs? You're off the reservation. When you have read Professor C. John (Jack) Collins's much-ballyhooed book, you'll understand what he's trying to do (and maybe even be thankful for his hard work in Eve and Adam's behalf). But until you've read him, shut up."
Look, men, the stuff Jack is selling is wicked. It's the same old long-in-the-tooth liberalism, only marketed to neophytes ready to pay money for it because they know Jack and he's likeable and he edits books with Wayne Grudem and got paid to work on the English Standard Version. In other words, he's one of us.
Uh...
No he's not. After reading him, I can say without fear of contradiction that Biblical believers who honor the Word of God will not hear Jack's voice; and further, that shepherds who guard those believers from the wolves who arise among us, from our own number, will thrash Jack with their rods and staffs until he runs off.
The stuff Jack is selling is wicked because it is devious and slick and mincing and twists the meaning of words so that his consumers (those who pay for his words by buying his books) will think they are getting historic Christian faith when Jack's sleight of hand hides his destruction of historic Christian faith.
They'll think they're being shown a new way of honoring the Word of God when they're being shown a very old way of dishonoring the Word of God.
Only guild members could be fooled by the crud Jack writes. It requires a degree past the high school diploma to render a man stupid enough to think Jack's doubletalk is profound and its author is erudite.
For the rest of us, we may rest easy remembering that in His great kindness God has innoculated the simple of this world against such "wisdom."
* * *
By the way, if you think I enjoy writing such posts, I don't. Just reading Jack's words makes me nauseous, and writing about them only more so. Then there's the related fact that many of our readers only visit us under cover of darkness.
On the other hand, who said guarding the good deposit would bring the world's baubles? My brother and I write to encourage and strengthen God's sheep and His faithful shepherds. We're not working for drinks in the club house or nominations for club membership.
And at the end of the day, we're so grateful to God that he's provided us churches and fellow pastors and elders who spur us on and love us for this very work.
Have a blessed Lord's Day.
