Arkansas Supreme Court, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Arkansas Supreme Court Rejects Political Correctness, Upholds Biological Truth of Parentage -- "The honest “biological nexus of the biological mother and the biological father of the child … is to be truthfully recorded on the child’s birth certificate. [T]ruthful information is required in the application for an initial or amended birth certificate...”"
• California Pastor Arrested for Praying Outside Planned Parenthood -- "An Anglican pastor, Father James Linton, was simply offering prayer to women and men walking into the San Bernardino Planned Parenthood when he was arrested last month."
• Car damages America’s first Baptist church -- "A car descending a steep hill behind First Baptist Church in Providence, R.I., overshot a turn before crashing into the stairs and a railing leading to one of the entrances of the original building completed in 1775."
• Judge Napolitano: Election Fraud in Detroit Looks 'Organized, and Government Involved' -- "Jill Stein's recount efforts in Michigan have uncovered what looks like systemic election fraud in Detroit..."
• Macy’s stops funding Planned Parenthood -- "It is a miracle on 34th Street, perhaps." [While Snopes claims that there is no evidence that Macy's donated to or pulled funding from Planned Parenthood, 2ndVote, a "conservative watchdog [which] exposes the corporations and organizations funding liberal advocacy," has been convinced enough to remove Macy's from their list of supporters of Planned Parenthood. It will be interesting to hear what Macy's has to say.]
• Mysterious Stone Structure Discovered Beneath Sea of Galilee -- "Rising nearly 32 feet (10 meters) high, it has a diameter of about 230 feet (70 meters)."
• Predictably Unpredictable -- "The author reviews a year-end issue of Scientific American from 10 years ago...to see how accurate the magazine’s predictions turned out to be 10 years later."
• The Value of the Valley -- "Disappointment gives us the opportunity to know ourselves much better than success does."
• Three aspects of Prayer -- "I must admit that I really don't understand prayer. I pray because He tells me to and I know it works."
• Top NYT Editor Confesses: We Don’t Understand Religion At All -- "In an interview with WNYC’s “Fresh Air” The New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet admits his newspaper knows nothing about religion or the role it plays in people’s lives."
• 1500-Year-Old Pastoral Wisdom from John Chrysostom -- "I enjoy reading the works of Christians who studied Scripture thoroughly yet lived in different time frames and contexts than I."

Go to Him

“Go to Him” by Baptist preacher R. N. Davis was printed in The Baptist Progress, February 15, 1951, and appears here as later printed in The Baptist Waymark.

“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Matthew 18:15.

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matthew 5:23, 24.

The Scriptures quoted above are plain enough that there should be no misunderstanding about what should be done when a brother does a brother wrong. The one wronged is to go to the other alone and tell him his fault. That is clear.

In the second place, the one who does the wrong is to go to the other. This is also clear – no room for any one to misunderstand what to do when wrong has been done by brethren.

IF brethren would do as the Lord says, the one doing the wrong and the one wronged would meet in the way, each going to the other for reconciliation.

The purpose of going on the part of each is made clear. The one wronged is to go to the other and talk to him alone with a prayer and hope that he can gain his brother. In the other case, the one who did the wrong is to be reconciled to his brother. The desire upon the part of each is to win the other. A very important thing to consider is the spirit - the manner - in which brethren are to approach one another. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Gal. 6:1. There is no question about this. Brethren should approach one another in the spirit of kindness, courtesy, respect and humility - this with the purpose of settling the difference between them.

There are some things we should observe that the Scriptures referred to do not say.

They do not say, “Write a letter to thy brother.” They do not say, “Send him word by another.”  They do not say, “Go to some other and talk to him about the matter.” The Scripture is plain, “Go to the brother himself and talk to him.” Too often brethren talk to everyone except the one concerned. Brethren whisper in the ears of others and pledge them to secrecy, when they should be talking to the brother involved.

The one question is, will we do as our Lord said and reap happy results, or will we do it our way, the way of the human will, and stir up strife, heighten the ill feeling among brethren? Better go according to the Scriptures and do right.

Some brethren act as if they never owe anyone an apology when they do them wrong. They seem to have the idea that their wrongs are different somehow. Some act as if the right way is to “just let it pass.” My brother, when we do a brother wrong, we owe him sincerely offered. It is Christ-like, Christian, and we the part of a Christian unless we do it.

Doubling down on inerrancy

It brings a smile to my face to once again read in the Daily Sentinel the Good Doctor Blackburn (with his so-called sword of truth) ferociously filet Christian Fundamentalism -- with a good dose of his own brand of secular fundamentalism. He has convinced himself that “the version of the end times in Daniel does not match the version of the end times in the Book of Revelation” and expects us all to fall in line with his conclusion. Now he has discovered the word “inerrancy” is not in the Bible. We are not surprised. In fact, did you know that the word “Bible” is not in the Bible? Following Mr. Blackburn’s logic we must believe not only inerrancy does not exist, neither does the Bible!

Legendary

After being created by the Borden's Company, 

Elsie the Cow and Elmer the Bull soon became "legend dairy".

Six Things about Prayer

1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

1. Prayer is directed (to God); Psalm 5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Cf. Psalm 69:13)
2. Prayer is effective; James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (Cf. Philemon 1:22)
3. Prayer is cooperative (with others); Romans 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me (Cf. Acts 12:5; Revelation 8:3)
4. Prayer is continued; Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers (Cf. Ephesians 1:16)
5. Prayer is active; Nehemiah 4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. (Cf. Colossians 4:2; Philemon 1:22)
6. Prayer is heard; Psalm 65:2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. (Cf. Psalm 66:19; Isaiah 1:15)

A Godliness which feeds on form,
And lip devotion, barren cheer,
Will satisfy an earthly worm,
Who learns to think and call it prayer;
Contented with the husky part,
A moving lip and silent heart.

O Lord, thy Spirit’s aid impart,
And fill me with devotion’s fire;
Create anew my waiting heart,
And heavenly breathings there inspire;
Bid heart and flesh cry out for thee,
And thou my joyful portion be!

Let incense smoking from my breast,
In praise and prayer ascend thy hill;
And where I rove, or where I rest,
Do thou, O God, surround me still;
My heavenly intercourse increase,
Till as a river flows my peace.

- From A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship, William Gadsby, #901

Traveling Texas - The Dead End Road

The Unquiet Grave...

...a hauntingly beautiful song.

The Unquiet Grave

Cold blows the wind to my true love and gently drops the rain;
I only had but one true love and in Greenwood she lies slain.
I'll do as much for my true love as any young girl may:
I'll sit and mourn upon her grave for a twelvemonth and a day.

When the twelve months and one day had passed her ghost began to speak,
"Why sittest thou here on my grave and will not let me sleep?"
"There is one thing that I want sweetheart, there is one thing that I crave;
"And that is a kiss from your lily white lips, then I'll go from your grave."

"My lips they are as cold as clay, my breath smells earthy strong;
"And if you kiss my cold clay lips, your days they won't be long.
"Go fetch me water from the desert and blood from out of stone;
"Go fetch me milk from a fair maid's breast that a young man never has known."

"'Twas down in Cupid's garden where you and I would walk,
"The finest flower that ever I saw is withered to a stalk.
"The stalk is withered and dry sweetheart, the flower will never return;
"And since I lost my one true love, what can I do but mourn."

"When shall we meet again, sweetheart, when shall me meet again?
"When the old dead leaves that fall from the trees are green and spring up again.
"When shall we meet again, sweetheart, when shall me meet again?
"When the old dead leaves that fall from the trees are green and spring up again."

Another song, for good measure: Jealous Of The Angels

The pious proud, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify if possible.)

"We often allow the pious proud to minister without censure, while we crush the humble broken." -- Kevin Labby

"The sweet things and the sorrowful things -- all things -- work together for good." -- Adrian Rogers

"I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken." -- Oliver Cromwell

"During the day I'm under a great deal of stress, but at night I sleep like a baby. That is, I sleep for a few hours, wake up and cry some, sleep a few more hours, then wake up and cry some..." -- George Gulten, Jr.

"Gospel fruit must grow upon a gospel tree, and thus the fruits of a holy and godly life must spring out of those divine operations of the Holy Ghost upon the heart." -- J. C. Philpot

"The evidence that a man’s preaching is approved of God is that he stands by the Scriptures, and proves what he says by the Scriptures, that his testimony accords with the written word, and with the experience of the subjects of grace." -- H. H. Lefferts

"Any fisherman knows that you do not catch fish by sitting in a boat discussing fishing or by arguing incessantly about the nature of fishing." -- Paige Patterson

"The eternal God is thy refuge." Deuteronomy 33:27 "All through eternity, in the rolling circle of its never-ending ages, the soul will still want a refuge; For could it not even in eternity exist for a moment out of Christ." -- J.C. Philpot

"Material abundance without character is the path of destruction." -- Attributed to Thomas Jefferson, but does not appear in any major print sources of Jefferson's works

"You can't have what God gives, without receiving who He is." -- Adrian Rogers

"He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God." -- Aeschylus

"We believe in a free gospel and free access to it." -- George W. Orser

Suffer not to suffer

Consider the word “suffer” in the King James Bible. Many people assert that it has “changed meaning.” In the Bible we find examples “suffer” (permit, allow) and “suffer” (endure pain). The meaning of some words in the KJV may not be the first meaning some contemporary English speakers think of when they hear these words. That does not mean the meaning has changed. My Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary supports the so-called “changed” meaning as current. Suffer means “to allow” (# 4) – substantially the same definition that some claim has “changed” and does not mean this anymore. Additionally, it is not hard to search for the word “suffer” in the KJV and find there it can mean both/either “allow” and “to endure pain.” Look the word up on Dictionary.com and see definition 2.3 is “to tolerate or allow” (the same meaning some claim no longer exists!). Maybe these people mean to say that we seldom use it that way anymore. If so, say that. That is not the same as saying it no longer carries that meaning in its semantic range.

A quick survey of the word “suffer” in the Bible shows it did not “change meanings.” It meant BOTH permit/allow and endure (hurt, bad things) in 1611. For example, compare Matthew 3:15 (permit, “Suffer it to be so now”) and 1 Peter 3:14 (endure, “if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake”). Notice its different usage within a few verses in the Gospel of Mark.

• Mark 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered (allowed) him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
• Mark 5:26 and had suffered (endured) many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

According to Etymology.com, suffer is from mid-13c., sufferen, “allow to occur or continue, refrain from hindering, fail to prevent or suppress,” also “be made to undergo, endure, be subjected to” (pain, death, punishment, grief, injury, humiliation); from Anglo-French suffrir, Old French sofrir “bear, endure, resist; permit, tolerate, allow…” According to the site, the “use and sense development [of suffer] in English are entwined with the story of Christ’s Passion and martyrs’ tales.” There is a common element of both meanings of “suffering” in submitting to endure pain or persecution.

Multi-site or Multi-campus “Churches”

“Sometimes called a "satellite" or "franchise" model, going multisite is seen by advocates as one of the leading innovations of the 21st century and by critics as a sign that the church has sold out to consumerism…” – Bob Smietana

Definition: What is a Multi-site Church?

A multi-site or multi-campus church is one “church” in multiple locations. These locations are often called “campuses” or sometimes “satellites.”[i] Leadership Network defines it as “one church meeting in two or more locations under one overall leadership and budget.” The book Multi-site Church Revolution, says this, “A multi-site church is one church meeting in multiple locations—different rooms on the same campus, different locations in the same region, or in some instances, different cities, states, or nations. A multi-site church shares a common vision, budget, leadership, and board.” (Multi-site Church Revolution, Zondervan, 2006, p. 18)

The approach may range from transmitting a sermon by a single (or senior/lead) pastor to multiple locations, to distinct worship services at multiple times and sites than remain under one administrative leadership and budget. One of the newer features of multi-site churches is the Internet Campus. It enhances live streaming video with interactive elements via the Internet – including chatting and submitting prayer requests. Multi-site churches share the common model of “one church meeting in two or more locations under one overall leadership and budget,” while ranging widely on how they accomplish their specific goals. For examples,

• ·        A satellite church campus may use video technology to connect satellites to the church’s main location, including worship and sermon.
• ·        A satellite church campus may assign “campus pastors” who serve at the various locations, while administering from a central location.

The pastor in one place and the so-called congregation is in many other places destroys the gathered congregational relationship and defies Baptist views of the church, but seems also to reveal a certain degree of ministerial arrogance. I believe the Bible teaches both church governance and how we should “do” church. If you don’t agree with that you probably won’t follow my conclusions.

Defense of the Multi-site “Church”

For the most part it is fair to say that multi-site advocates approach their methodology from expedience rather than biblical fidelity. For example, in Why Your Church Should be Thinking Multisite, Thom S. Rainer of LifeWay Christian Resources gives “6 reasons churches need to consider multisite,” all of which are expedient rather than biblical reasons.[ii]

• ·        Millennials moving away from large worship gatherings
• ·        Governmental restrictions on building and land
• ·        Difficulty in finding large plots of land
• ·        Acquisition of churches
• ·        Can take advantage of existing facilities (can be cheaper)
• ·        Reach people main campus would never reach

Nevertheless, there are some who attempt a biblical justification of their methodology. In Why The Summit Church Is Multi-site, J. D. Greear asserts that the method can be biblically sound, practically wise, and pastorally helpful. The latter two arguments are simply a multiplication of the expediency argument, but in the first he attempts reconciling the multi-site church with the biblical data. In doing so he mostly resorts to negative argument – the church is not defined by assembly and there are no specific details on how to organize a church. The third curiously argues that “The Apostles used the technology available to them to preach in absentia.” Curious, I say, since the apostles had “the care of all churches” and, I suppose, Greear doesn’t believe there are any such offices today. At least one of the apostles (of whom Greear asserts “used the technology available to [him] to preach in absentia”) was not satisfied with in absentia ministry and ordained elders in every church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). Greear writes, “It is clear in Acts 2 to 8 that all eight thousand (some historians estimate that the actual size at the end of Acts 3 would have been about ten thousand) were not gathering weekly in one place to hear one teaching pastor give a message.”

A number of multi-site advocates cite the Jerusalem church, as Greear above, as well as house churches found in the Scriptures. They may contend that “house churches came together to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as one citywide church.” It is inconsistent that those advocates would use this argument for support. They do not apply it to their own terminology and practice. They do not view the various bodies as churches, but rather as “campuses” or “satellites” of one church. This is in contrast to their stated view of the church, as well as the biblical recognition of these bodies (i.e., house churches) as churches (Cf. Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15). Jonathan Leeman’s statement is telling: “Before technology enabled the multi-site church phenomenon, no one ever, so far as I know, read these verses this way.”

Considerations

Baptists believe that a church is a local assembly or congregation of baptized believers, united in covenant relationship in the fellowship of the gospel, bearing Christ’s authority to exercise the keys of binding and loosing, and observing the ordinances. Further most Baptists have held and still hold that each church is an independent, self-governing body, over which no other ecclesiastical body may exercise authority. Assuming many of my interested readers are Baptists who hold a view similar to this (though they might word it a little differently), I will not spend time here fleshing it out. Suffice it to say that under the multi-site model the definition is stretched to its limit. A “campus” or “satellite” assembles together and looks like a church, but does not have its own separate existence or authority under Christ. Multi-site churches divide the body and distribute its parts in various locations.

Some have noticed that multi-site congregations or campuses in essence are a network of churches under an episcopal type of church government. That may suit those who approve of episcopal church governance, but what a debacle when Baptists adopt it!

Following this consideration, we reflect that there is no clear example of a multi-site church in the New Testament. Paul established churches and asked that they follow his example. Multi-site advocates ditch the examples of the apostles and create their own. Churches in the New Testament not only covenanted together, but assembled together and covenanted to not forsake that assembling (Hebrews 10:25). Assembly is an essential part of the church relationship.

Biblical arguments such as those made by J. D. Greear often depend on the assumption that large churches – such as the one at Jerusalem – could not gather in one place. He claims “Historians tell us there was no space in Jerusalem available to the disciples in which three thousand or more people could have met on a weekly basis.” In contrast to the historians, we find that the church at Jerusalem (even though they met from house to house) did also meet in one place. Acts 2:44-47 indicates they met in one place (and the people were essentially in one place when they heard the gospel message on Pentecost). Acts 4:4 implies they were all together, while Acts 5:12 plainly proclaims “they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.”[iii] Acts 6:2 also indicates assembly, stating “the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them.” The Acts 15 council meeting indicates a gathering of the whole church at Jerusalem (Acts 15:4, 22).The Antioch church gathered in one place (Acts 14:27), and Paul spoke of the church at Corinth gathered together in one place (1 Corinthians 5:4; 1 Corinthians 11:18, 20). Suggestions of the inability of the church to gather because of size do not meet the biblical criteria of proof.

The biblical concept and meaning of a gathered church and the practice of the early churches of the New Testament favor the “local church model” and discountenance the “multi-site church”.

Further reading

• 8 Statistics Every Multisite Church Leader Should Know
• A Pastor Defends His Multi-Site Church
• Assembly is Essential Too: A Response to J. D. Greear
• High-Tech Circuit Riders
• Multisite Churches are Here, and Here, and Here to Stay
• Nine Reasons I Don’t Like Multi-site Churches
• Now More Than 8,000 Multisite Churches
• Theological Critique of Multi-Site: What Exactly Is a “Church”?
• Twenty-Two Problems with Multi-site Churches

---

[i] A satellite or campus is a branch that is physically at a distance from the original church location.

[ii] This does not mean Rainer thinks it is unbiblical, but probably that he thinks it is a matter of indifference.

[iii] Not just a spiritual accord, but also in one physical location.

Trump Is Religion-Friendly, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Astronaut and US Senator John Glenn has died, according to Ohio State University -- "Glenn is primarily famous for his 1962 ride in the Friendship 7 space capsule that circled the earth, making him the first American to do so."
• Bill English will be New Zealand's next prime minister -- "English has been Key's trusted deputy prime minister for the past eight years and has been praised for his handling of the economy in his role as finance minister."
• Canadian Law Erasing Moms And Dads From State Documents Reduces Children To Chattel -- "Nobody has a mother or a father, according to a certain Bill 28 recently passed in the legislature of Ontario, Canada...Laws such as Bill 28 put children and their biological parents on notice that they have no legal right to exist in a family without special permission from the state."
• Ohio lawmakers pass 'heartbeat' abortion legislation -- "Ohio lawmakers approved a bill that bans abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected..."
• Patrick of Ireland -- "He felt that 'poverty and failure suited him better than wealth and delight'."
• Reconstructed face of Robert the Bruce to be unveiled -- "Using the skull cast, we could accurately establish the muscle formation from the positions of the skull bones to determine the shape and structure of the face."
• Samsung scores unanimous Supreme Court win over Apple -- "The nation's highest court said in a unanimous opinion that damages for design patent infringement can be based only on the part of the device that infringed the patents, not necessarily on the entire product."
• The BGCT and Local Church Autonomy -- "Griff Martin and George Mason are wrong about Christian sexuality and they are wrong about local church autonomy, but they are 100% right that something is wrong with the way that the BGCT relates to its affiliated churches, especially as compared to the way that they relate to their supported institutions."
• Trump Is Religion-Friendly -- "There are certain advantages to being religion-lite and religion-friendly at the same time."

The 1890 Census Fire

Have you heard that the 1890 census was destroyed by fire? Yep, that's right, but it may not be what you think. Follow the links and read the full story.

• The Fate of the 1890 Population Census, Part 1 -- "Even after the outcry in 1921, thirteen years later the Census Bureau destroyed the remaining 1890 schedules."
• The Fate of the 1890 Population Census, Part 2 -- "The tragedy of the 1890 census remains a constant reminder of the necessity for a vigorous National Archives and unrelenting vigilance about the historical record."
• The Fate of the 1890 Population Census, Part 3 (Notes) -- "There were four general schedules relating to the population, agriculture, manufactures, and mortality; eight supplemental schedules, for the defective, dependent, and delinquent classes; and a special schedule enumerating the survivors of the War of the Rebellion."

December 7...

“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

The following link includes audio and transcript of President Franklin Roosevelt's address to Congress after the Pearl Harbor bombing, in which he asked for a declaration of war.

At 103 Jim Downing is believed to be the oldest living Pearl Harbor survivor.

Evangelicals for Trump, Atheists for Clinton

Notional Christians: The Big Election Story in 2016 -- "Religion played a significant role in the election, from the activity of dozens of national religious leaders, to the importance of various faith-related issues, to the high level of turnout among key segments of faith-driven voters."

On November 15th, I referred to an article that painted with a big brush -- the lesser educated supported Trump. Well, one might paint with an equally big brush to suggest the atheists supported Clinton (that’s sort of true, but generalizations can be misleading). To be more specific in our understanding, consider reading the above linked article.

Evangelicals emerged as one of Donald Trump’s most ardent bases of support. Nearly four out of five (79%) voted for Trump, compared to 18 percent siding with Hillary Clinton, providing the Republican candidate with better than a four-to-one margin. Non-evangelical born again Christians also gave the President-elect a comfortable margin, 56 percent to 35 percent. The remaining Christian-leaning segment, the notional Christians, essentially split their vote, providing Trump with a scant two-point preference (49% to 47%).
Among the non-Christian groups, Clinton was the clear preference. When it comes to the voters who associated with a non-Christian faith, 71 percent selected her while only 20 percent backed Trump. Skeptics also preferred Clinton but by a smaller margin (60% to 27%).

Neither Do I Condemn Thee

“Neither shalt thou commit adultery.” (Deuteronomy 5:18) “If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. (Deuteronomy 22:22; cf. v. 24 “...ye shall stone them with stones that they die.”)

Many Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem loved the law and hated Jesus. They sought to underscore their perspective that his teachings were contrary to the law they loved. John 8:3-11 describes an incident of a woman taken in adultery. She sinned. She broke the law. The scribes and Pharisees brought her to Jesus in order to hear what He would say and see what He would do. They condemned the woman, but by their actions condemned themselves as well. When we consider this woman and her situation, we perceive:

• Her sin was apparent – “this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.”
• Her judgment was certain – “Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”
• Her accusers were aloof – “This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.”
• Her judge was just – “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
• Her accusers were confounded – “they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience…”
• Her judge was compassionate – “Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?”
• Her sin was forgiven – “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

The record is forthright that the woman was guilty of the sin of adultery. It is unquestionable that the law prescribed death for this crime. The text also masterfully unmasks the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. They doted on the law, but disregarded its application. If “this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act,” then there was a man who should have been brought as well. He escaped the shame and was excused from judgment. The law required “they shall both of them die.” But the correct application of the law was not their primary intent. They were detached from the woman and her case, and focused on what Jesus would do. They tempted him. If they could catch him in an error regarding the law, they could accuse him of wrongdoing. That’s what this was about, first and foremost.

The “judge and jury” responded in a way the scribes and Pharisees could not have guessed. His words and actions vindicate the law, condemn the false actions of the religious leaders, and grace to the adulterous woman – all in a way that leaves no loose end for the scribes and Pharisees to unravel. Jesus did not contradict the just claims of the law. His initial lack of response and final answer, rather, left the woman without accusers. Rather than casting stones they – convicted by their consciences – walked away from the proceedings, leaving the woman alone with Jesus. “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.” Deuteronomy 17:6 (Cf. also Deuteronomy 19:15)

Under the Law there must be agreement between two or three witnesses. Now there are no witnesses! When Jesus asked the woman whether there were any accusers, she answered, “No man, Lord.” Whom the men would not accuse, neither did the Lord. He came not to condemn. We are already condemned. We need no help with that. He came to save. That we cannot do ourselves. (Cf. John 3:17-18) O what gracious words are these! -- “Neither do I condemn thee.”

Christ did not find fault with the law. He did not ignore the woman’s guilt. While the woman’s sin was covered with grace and forgiven, it was not excused. She was to “go, and sin no more.” This statement acknowledges the sin and reproves and calls for repentance. No, Christ did not find fault with the law. He did not ignore the woman’s guilt. But in Christ law and grace are fully embraced and fulfilled. Through the propitiation provided by his blood, God “might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Cf. Romans 3:23-26)

It is appointed that men must die. The wages of sin is death. But, like the adulterous woman, by the grace of God – and only by grace – we walk away from death, our sins forgiven.

“Neither do I condemn thee,”–
O words of wondrous grace;
Thy sins were borne upon the cross,
Believe, and go in peace.

“Neither do I condemn thee,”–
I came not to condemn;
I came from God to save thee,
And turn thee from thy sin.”

Chorus:
“Neither do I condemn thee,”
O sing it o’er and o’er;
“Neither do I condemn thee,
Go and sin no more.”
(James McGranahan, 1885)

Blue Ridge Quartet - (a different) Neither Do I Condemn Thee song

Hero Pit Bull, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• #DumpKelloggs: Breakfast Brand Blacklists Breitbart -- "Kellogg’s has shown its contempt for Breitbart’s 45 million readers and for the main street American values that they hold dear."
• As Breitbart wages "war" on Kellogg’s, advertisers flee -- "...Breitbart’s campaign against Kellogg’s is unusual on a number of fronts..."
• Calvin on Wicked Rulers and God’s Judgment -- "...they who rule unjustly and incompetently have been raised up by him to punish the wickedness of the people."
• Christians Don't 'Have to Follow Laws That Violate The Word of God' -- "But we are not called to obey the government when the government willfully, intentionally violates the laws of the land."
• Hero Pit Bull Puppy Saves Teen from Attempted Rape -- "...an unfamiliar man...started...pushing her to the ground and tearing at her pants...the teen was saved by her protective pup companion. Apollo raced to the scene and latched on to the attacker’s leg."
• The Essential truth of Landmarkism preserves the gospel -- "...the essential truth of Landmarkism demands a distinction between salvation and the church so that they are not confused with each other and thus preserves the truth of the gospel from being perverted into Romanism church salvation."
• What Does Saint Thomas Say About Immigration? -- "Immigration is a modern problem and so some might think that the medieval Saint Thomas would have no opinion about the problem."
• What happens to a vote-switching Elector on December 19? -- "...29 states and the District of Columbia have laws on the books that punish Electoral College members who don’t vote for their pledged candidates."
• Yahoo secretly scanned customer emails for U.S. intelligence -- "Yahoo Inc last year secretly built a custom software program to search all of its customers' incoming emails..."

Speaking God's Grace

Excerpts from “Christians Speak of God’s Grace, Not of Their Works” by Daniel E. Parks, October 30, 2016

Paul the apostle exhorts Christians “Let your speech always be with grace …” (Colossians  4:6)...some professing Christians speak otherwise, as though saying “My speech will be of my works.” 

• Some say “I found the Lord.”  Others say “I was lost, but the Lord found me” (Luke 15:3-6; Luke 19:10).
• Some say “I accepted Christ.”  Others say “Christ accepted me, and then drew me to Himself” (Ephesians 1:6; Jeremiah 31:3).
• Some say “I let Jesus come into my heart.”  Others say “God removed my old stony heart, and replaced it with a new and living heart, and then occupied it as its ruler” (Ezekiel 36:26ff).
• Some say “I was saved because I chose the Lord.”  Others say “I was saved because the Lord chose me” (2 Thessalonians 2:13f).
• Some say “I made Jesus my personal Savior.”  Others say “God made Jesus to be the Savior of His people, and Jesus gave to them repentance and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).
• Some say “Let me tell you what I have done for God.”  Others say “Behold what Jesus has done for me!” (Luke 8:39; Mark 5:19ff).
• Many at the Final Judgment will say “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” – but Jesus will reply “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” (Matthew 7:22f).  Others say “I hope to hear Jesus say to me at that day, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:34).

Should women wear dresses to worship?

Should women wear dresses or skirts to worship (as opposed to pants)? This may not interest many of you, but it was discussed on a blog I read. I thought I'd bring the question to my blog and see if any reader would comment.

Should women wear dresses to church? Is it wrong for women to wear pants to church? How much of this is tradition and how much is scripture?

• Is women wearing pants a "wearing what pertains to a man" issue? (Deuteronomy 22:5 - The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.) Are pants designed for women man's clothing? Are pants inherently man's clothing? If this is a "cross-dressing" issue, isn't it wrong all the time and not just at church services? (Are Scotsmen who wear kilts violating Deuteronomy 22:5? Thought I'd throw that in for good measure.)
• Is women wearing pants possibly a modesty issue? (i.e., are dresses inherently more modest than pants?)
• Is women wearing pants possibly an issue of casual versus formal dress (i.e., are dresses inherently more formal than pants)? If so, is wearing "casual" clothes to worship a scriptural issue?

What scriptures guide us in this matter? Most agree that there is a scriptural principle for dressing modestly, while often disagreeing on the exact application of how to obtain that. If pants "drawing attention to the crotch" is a modesty issue (as some say), is it also so for men? Do dresses draw attention in other ways? Are pants for either men or women mentioned as attire in the Bible?

Does the law being done away have any effect on its use in discussing this issue? Is Deuteronomy 22:5 a ceremonial law or moral law or possibly both?

What does the Bible say about specific clothing? What is the first mention? With many things we find an important principle when first mentioned in the Bible. The first mention of clothing or attire is in Genesis chapter 3. Obviously the fig leaves were not acceptable, but what about what God clothed them with? Genesis 3:21: "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." One thing I notice is that the same word is used for that with which God clothed both Adam and Eve. Did He violate His own principle? Have we created new rules that He did not?

What are your thoughts? Thanks.

"Post-Truth"

Writes Amy B. Wang in the Washington Post, “It’s official: Truth is dead. Facts are passe.” Oxford Dictionaries has selected “post-truth” as 2016's international word of the year.

“The dictionary defines ‘post-truth’ as ‘relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief’.” But, according to author Amy Wang, “In this case, the ‘post-’ prefix doesn't mean ‘after’ so much as it implies an atmosphere in which a notion is irrelevant...”

According to Wang and Oxford, the Brexit referendum in England and Clinton-Trump presidential election in the U.S. caused “usage of the adjective to skyrocket.”

In our complex society that often rejects the idea of objective truth, it is commendable to think that some folks regret we have arrived ‘post-truth’. The rejection of objective truth has led us to this state of affairs. Yet, all do not agree on a solution. Where there is much ‘post-truth’ and ‘false-news’ a number of folks arrive at the solution of censorship. The government or the elite should decide what is ‘truth’ and limit expressions outside of their truth.

Is this the solution? No. The better solution is more speech -- free speech -- which allows the truth the opportunity to win out in the conflict of ideas. What we need is not censorship, but for people to be taught to think and become responsible for their acts and the consequences thereof.

For us who are Christians, may we be reminded that we should “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).” “...believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God (1 John 4:1).” We should search the Scriptures, whether what we think is in them and to know whether those things are so. This usage of “strong meat” exercises our senses “to discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:14)

Ultimately, truth is found in the person of Jesus Christ. (John 1:17; John 5:39; John 14:6; Ephesians 4:21)

Traveling through Texas - Ambiguous Appellations

Whacky Texas county and place names

When you arrive in Burleson, you won’t be in Burleson County. You’ll have to go to Caldwell to be there. But if you want to be in Caldwell County, you’ll need to go to Lockhart! Texas is a big place, and we have our “normal” names, where city and county names match -- like Goliad in Goliad County, Nacogdoches in Nacogdoches County and Refugio in Refugio County, or Brownwood in Brown County, Floydada in Floyd County and Jacksboro in Jack County. On the other hand, we failed many times to get the right city in the right county! For examples:

• Athens is a city in Henderson County, Texas, while Henderson is in Rusk County, and Rusk is in Cherokee County.
• Beaumont is in Jefferson County, while Jefferson is in Marion County, and Marion is in Guadalupe County.
• Bellville is in Austin County, while Austin in Travis County, and Travis is in Falls County.
• Brownsville is in Cameron County, while Cameron is in Milam County, and Milam is in Sabine County.
• Lockhart is in Caldwell County, while Caldwell is in Burleson County, and Burleson is in Johnson County.
• Ozona is in Crockett County, while Crockett is in Houston County, and Houston is in Harris County.
• Plains is in Yoakum County, while Yoakum is in Lavaca County, and Lavaca (now Port Lavaca) is in Calhoun County.
• Sonora is in Sutton County, while Sutton is in Robertson County, and Robertson is in Jasper County.
• Woodville is in Tyler County, while Tyler in Smith County, and Smith is in Wood County.