Letters About the Unrest
Thanks for saying here what isn’t being said elsewhere. But one point that I want to address is this growing trend of anti-cop, anti-government anger that is distancing itself from an honest biblical position. I see an element of reformed Christians embracing Libertarian ideology that will only damage the problem it attempts to solve. I bring this up here because of your reference to militarization of local police departments. There is a common error of associating federal overreach with city/county police departments. While it is true that there has been an intrusion by the DOJ into local departments, this has occurred primarily because of a lack of local community support. Litigation and liability create a weakness in local departments which opens the door to adopting federal policies and guidelines that further alienate the police from the communities they serve. The problem isn’t SWAT teams and snipers, the problem is the lack of understanding about what real police work requires and the harsh realities of evil that are excused or ignored. Showing gratitude for those who willingly confront evil will do more to limit police militarization than any protest. Honoring and supporting local LE is the most effective means to keep the community strong and immune to federal intrusion. Please be aware of the distinction that does still exist and support those who can keep it so.
Brian
Brian, I agree, as far as this goes. But other reforms really are necessary as well. We have had direct negative experience with cops that has nothing to do with lack of appreciation from the general public. We have to address a number of things, and you are right that gratitude for the protection we receive is an essential part of it.
Re Minneapolis burning Well said as always, Mr Wilson. I so wish I could share this with my (Christian!) coworkers but I’m afraid their faces would melt Indiana Jones-style at the concept of black privilege after telling me all week my perception of sin and human nature is invalid because tied inherently to my whiteness. Meanwhile there’s actual ethnic cleansing around the globe we the Church should be responding to . . .
Anonymous
Anonymous, take heart. The club that is being used to cudgel you into silence is actually the club of whiteness. This whole PC thing is the whitest thing that white people have ever come up with. You may share this irony secretly to yourself. Don’t tell anyone.
Thank you so much for “Minneapolis Burning” and your gospel-centered discussion of the current situation. This is especially relevant as as of last Sunday, this type of thinking you are writing against is creeping into my church in a way that I did not anticipate. Due to “recent events in the news,” the elders had people from an inner-city church join our Sunday evening Zoom (stay at home order in effect here) to discuss racism. Although much of it was all well and good, there was definitely a woke under-current to the whole discussion. The problem is is that you really have to be paying attention in order to see it, which makes raising the issue with the elders more difficult than if it was more pronounced. How do I and other concerned members begin in approaching this?
Sam
Sam, I would begin by asking questions. Instead of asserting that this discussion was a problem, ask the elders what plan they have in place when it comes time to draw the line. If they have one, great. If they don’t have one, then that should be the thing you discuss.
In light of recent events involving the actions of our American communards in Minnesota and elsewhere, this might be a good week to revisit the old “Les-Miserables-as-false-worldview” stuff.
Sincerely,
PS Be sure to throw a bomb on behalf of Chesterton concerning the anarchists.
Nate
Nate, thanks. The best I can do right now is just link to it.
A Couple on Trump
“Trump’s Nebuchadnezzar Moment”
I have been reflecting on this for some time now. I have been recalling to mind regularly your Plodcast on February 26th, 2020 titled “How We Should Be Praying for Trump.” In that you stated “one thing that thinking Christians should be bracing for is Trump’s Nebuchadnezzar moment.” As I look at the political landscape as it is during this COVID-19 crisis I sincerely wonder if this is Trump’s Nebuchadnezzar moment. The economy is in shambles, Republicans look poised to lose more seats in the Senate, and Trump is on a tirade that makes Junior from the movie “Problem Child” look like ice cream. His attitude toward Jeff Sessions is probably the biggest indicator that he has lost control of the wheel and the compass he’s using is a cheap dime-store ball soaked in silicone.
He bragged and bragged about what he had built, like the Babylon king, and look where we are now economically. One could argue that this is no fault of Trump’s. That’s fair. Full disclosure, I have been a supporter of the President his entire presidency, so I am not one of his regular interlocutors. But the timing of your Plodcast is too coincidental. This was merely weeks or even days before our shutdown. We must all continue to be thinking Christians. I think your words were more prophetic than one might realize.
Kind Regards,
Seth
Seth, yes, I think it is quite possible. I do think we should be braced for it, and I believe it is going to happen at some point. But right now, I looking at this as the Left’s Nebuchadnezzar moment. More on this as we get closer to the election.
From a conservative standpoint, whether Trump is a good president or a bad president depends entirely on which of two agendas you consider more important. If your primary concern is stopping liberals, then he’s done pretty well. However, if you have long term concerns about the constitutional order of things, including the Tenth Amendment, then he’s been a catastrophe.
In addition to him not understanding federalism — and most likely not caring about it even if he did understand it, as evidenced by his saying he would override the governors on reopening churches — the checks and balances that one branch is supposed to provide to the other is basically in tatters by virtue of him simply refusing to cooperate with Congressional investigations. Yes, I know, Congressional Democrats have been acting abominably, but a precedent is now set that the executive can ignore the legislative, and don’t think the next Democrat in the White House — which could happen as early as next January — won’t take advantage. His abuse of the Justice Department for partisan purposes goes far beyond what Nixon was run out of town for; again, don’t think the next Democrat in the White House won’t see that as a precedent.
I get it. His other option was to play by the rules and let the Democrats steamroll him. However, as with Chesterton’s fences, if you’re going to tear down the rules, you should understand why those rules existed in the first place, and what you’re likely to end up in its place. Forgive me, but I am really nervous about a Democratic president using the Trump precedent to ignore congressional subpoenas and use the Justice Department for partisan ends.
Mike
Mike, yes, I take your point. But it would actually be the Obama precedent, wouldn’t it?
A Couple on Masks
Thoughts on churches that start to reopen but require face masks? Would I be out of line to wait until they allow members to attend while showing their faces (without the masks)?
On one hand, wearing a mask to be reunited with the body seems a small price to pay after such a long time apart. On the other, is not the Sabbath to be a reminder of Life and rejecting fear of Death (and fear of man)? I’m not saying precautions shouldn’t be taken based on the wisdom of the elders in local situations. But I’ve been finding it difficult to submit to church leaders who have been cashing in on the blank-check of Romans 13 to submit to local authorities when our governor is an openly bisexual woman who has legalized taxpayer abortions. But hey, she knows best right cuz Romans 13 . . . I’m sure she knows what’s right for our church.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
JH
JH, this is a tough one. I would be inclined to wait until you could come to worship without a mask, but I wouldn’t do anything without talking with your elders about it first. The main thing to get from your elders is a timeline. What is their plan for getting back to normal? I wouldn’t spend the bulk of your time trying to persuade them of your position, but rather ask them, given their position, how long is this going to be?
RE: Flying the Fear Flag
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Our family has been grappling with why so many are so fearful, and this post allowed us to put a name to what was formerly formless. I’ve decided to stop trying to explain my resistance using terms like herd immunity, infection curves, etc, and just cut straight to the root of the issue: the lie of the serpent still whispers to us today. I am so grateful for Adam done right! (as N.D. said so well . . . and, yes, we have subscribed to The Silent Bells!) I live in Virginia, and our feckless Governor has decided to jump on the mask bandwagon. This has made me desire to engage in Civil Disobedience, but I am getting the normal “Romans 13” push back. My response thus far is “Nuts!”, but I am probably supposed to have better rationale than that.
Here are my initial options:
1) Refuse to wear a mask, and just incur the misdemeanor charge. (I live in Charlottesville, and we are a city of Karens, both female and male.)
2) Wear a “mask” in the loosest way possible (maybe a crochet mask!)
3) Wear the mask as a form of protest, writing on it statements like “Land of the free?” or the blunter “Northam is a tyrant” (Virginia’s motto is “Sic Semper Tyrannis”).
Any suggestions on which option, or perhaps another that I have not thought of would be greatly appreciated.
It gladdens my soul to be your brother in Christ,
Daniel
Daniel, given your circumstances, all three options would appear to be options. You could also get a Lone Ranger mask for your eyes.
Free Speech A
I just watched The Free Speech Apocalypse. Thank you for giving me another perspective. Over the years I got caught up this new wave of liberal thinking. But now I’m realizing how much of that has really cut off our liberties. It’s also just hurting innocent people. Thank you for being brave and giving a voice to the conservatives. I want you to know that it does change minds.
Anon
Anon, thank you for paying attention, and God bless.
Link
Rope
Rope, embedded below.
The Silent Bells
I got your weekly email Friday and immediately went to subscribe to The Silent Bells per the link, just to find that the subscription is closed. Nooooo! But I hear you know people. Can it be opened for just another little bit for those of us teased by this potentially false advertisement? Pretty please, with cream and sugar and a cherry on top? Do it for the children. Thanks,
Jenni
Jenni, sorry, the subscription window really did have to be closed. But that just affects having them delivered to your door. Try contacting Canon Press, and asking if they have extras.
Another Country Heard From
“She was now flirting, and she knew it. But so was he, and it was all still quite impossible, and she was furiously unhappy with her very happy self.”
You are GLORIFYING PERVERSION. Not surprising, since you are a GODLESS PERVERT yourself. You are a DISGUSTING, DESPICABLE human being.
Marc
Marc, thanks for sharing what’s on your heart this morning.
I wanted to approach you with a question because I fear my request won’t be taken seriously at my church, because It has proven to be hard to get in tough with professors at Westminster, and because of people who can answer I bet yours will be the best with the least amount of ink.
I’m not sure I buy the reformed Ordo Salutis.
When I want answers to more technical theological questions I normally start with Reformed Forum and the following is a quote from one of their posts: “One of the regular questions asked of candidates regards the ordo salutis or order of salvation. It refers to specific salvific benefits and how they relate to one another. Oddly enough, here people stray from the precise language of the standards opting for something of a pro forma golden chain description. Candidates often say the ordo salutis is election, effectually calling, conversion (which is faith and repentance), justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification.” The post further quotes, among others article 13.1 from the confession.
You probably already know where this is going but I don’t understand how regeneration can be lumped into effective calling. Skipping a few exegetical steps for brevity, Ezekiel 36 seems to indicate that newness of life is promised to the new covenant believers through the indwelling of the Spirit and renewal of their hearts. Then we get John 3, Romans 6:4, Romans 8:29, Colossians 2:12 that, to me, to indicate that 1 Peter 1:23-25 is talking about a specific step in salvation.
Now (cracks knuckles) was King David regenerate? I think the fruit of his life would indicate that he most certainly didn’t have the same supernatural change of life the new covenant believers supernaturally receive. I mean, If I were to murder a friend and show up at church sporting his wife on my arm I think church discipline would need to be the minimum disciplinary action taken (not advocating the New Testament teaches or expects a sinless life for Christians). Also, though potentially not prescriptive, it would seem Apollos wandered around in a believing purgatory of sorts between effective calling regeneration.
The question is leading and so let me state why I care — I’m in a ‘baptistic’ church and I have been arguing off and on about baptism for about 4 years now while, in my head, having an Ordo salutis of Effectual Calling, Faith, Faithful Obedience, Regeneration, Sanctification, Glorification. When I found out that reformed theologians historically and confessionally believe that regeneration happens when God calls I had to say to myself “Well then wait, how can they possibly argue with believers baptism?” Since, regeneration happens at calling, it seems pretty obvious there is no sacrament since the work of the Spirit has been performed in the past tense. They became a part of the visible church when their visible body walked its believing tail into the physical church in the sight of other believers and sat down in a pew. It seems then that the Baptist view is more consistent for the Reformed believer. Conversely, the entirety of Acts seems to point to the regeneration happening after the water baptism with the exception of two situations at Pentecost and Gentile Pentecost (10:47), both of which were God unilaterally declaring the New Covenant in effect. Rather is seems, textually, that God is pleased, in normal circumstances, to wait until the water baptism to baptize with the Spirit.
If I am wrong I think this is a belief that needs to be corrected. Honestly though, if I am wrong, the sacraments seem silly to me; spray um in the face with a squirt gun as they pass through doors and get on with life — they are nothing more than hollow rites we do out of simple obedience.
David
David, I am not quite sure I get what you are asking about, but let me say a few things that may (or may not) help. Absolutely David was regenerate, sin and all.
As far as the ordo goes, remember that this is a logical order, and even where the chronological order maps onto it, it is not necessarily the kind of thing you can time with a stopwatch.
Regeneration is the gift of a new heart. So everything you are asking about boils down to this. Can a man repent and believe with his old heart? If he can, then why does he even need a new heart? If he cannot, then regeneration must precede repentance and faith. The moment of the effectual call is monergistic. God calls, and the man is born again. He has a new heart. The first thing that new heart does is turn away from sin (repentance) and turn toward Christ (faith). If he could perform those motions without the new birth, then he is in the enviable position of not needing the new birth. This is because all that God requires of a man (repentance and faith), he can perform on his own, without the Spirit calling him effectually.
” But other reforms really are necessary as well. We have had direct negative experience with cops that has nothing to do with lack of appreciation from the general public.” Quite likely an omission for the sake of space, but this doesn’t by itself support reforms. As I’ve had to point out recently on Facebook, there are 686,665 full time police officers in the United States. To reach a point where no bad cops exist and do bad things requires a rate of corruption in the hundredths of thousandths of a percent. To use “Never again” as your slogan you… Read more »
Blue states are destroying themselves in a desperate attempt to get more federal money to fix problems of their own making, yet it’s Trump who doesn’t understand federalism?
It won’t.
But that’s not the point.
Why not both?
It’s curious that more than one person recognizes an ‘anti-cop’ and ‘anti-government’ sentiment growing among young people. You’d think that if government run schools could teach one thing… Yet, I think it is exactly what our schools our teaching. Without expectations and hard conversations about things like grades, personal standards of dress and speech, and support/respect for the rule of law and its enforcers – society is getting what it paid for. We’ll see what happens to the two teenagers arrested for attempting to encourage a riot in Jerome, ID – and how it might be an object lesson for… Read more »
David, I think I can tell what you’re asking. You detect the inherent schizophrenia in the TR view of the sacraments as they try to walk a fine line between the emptiness of the Baptist “ordinances” and the scary effectiveness of the sacraments in the Roman church. Federal Vision theology reconciles these, but unfortunately is an “unstable isotope” as my husband says, and once you start reading Acts you’re on your way to the ancient church. Try some of Brant Pitre’s YouTube videos, particularly Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, but Doug’s To A Thousand Generations is good… Read more »
“…they are nothing more than hollow rites we do out of simple obedience.” One disagreement I would have with David, and anyone else who thinks of it that way, is that whether or not it is a matter of simple obedience, simple obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ is never hollow. You know Amanda, where you refer to the emptiness of the Baptist “ordinances”, I’m reminded of a quote attributed to Flannery O’Conner that if baptism is only a memorial, the hell with it. Something to that effect. Its seems to me that some people have a *need* for sacraments… Read more »
“But one point that I want to address is this growing trend of anti-cop, anti-government anger that is distancing itself from an honest biblical position. I see an element of reformed Christians embracing Libertarian ideology that will only damage the problem it attempts to solve.” I appreciate that letter because I’ve observed the same trend, and have thought it needs to be addressed. Now one thing I wonder is whether that element of reformed Christianity is adopting the ideology or generating the ideology. Either way, it is driving into a ditch. Or risks doing that anyway. The funny thing is,… Read more »
It has nothing to do with free-market libertarian ideology, though. It’s more like we can have anarchy on the local level with a big socialist government running things top down….so we can have universal income, “free” health care/education and reparations, of course.
I just wonder where these poor inner city people will get groceries or staple items after this. No one in their right mind will re-open businesses…at least for a long time.
The most shocking thing to me are the dozens of videos of horrific violence against police, store owners, reporters, cars/trucks who drove through the “wrong” area, non-participating/non-Antifa whites, etc…. and yet the “Christian” SJW crowd won’t fully denounce it. There’s always a “but” and “systemic racism, man” and “no one listened when they were peaceful so they had to turn angry,” etc. It’s horrifying. Critical race theory, identity politics and modern “social justice” are antithetical to Christian ethics. While I’m not God and don’t know where they’ll end up, from my vantage point they aren’t Christians if they won’t acknowledge… Read more »
Earlier I spoke of adopting ideology. The religious left is an example of what happens. The thing that puzzles me is, I don’t know why they still bother with the religious part. It does not impress the secular left whose side they have chosen.
You are conflating looters and hooligans (many of them white) with peaceful protesters (many of them white, too). Either because you are choosing obfuscation or your are willfully ignorant. Either way, the end result of your conflation is the same – you are attempting to shift blame to the peaceful, legitimate protesters. That makes you a part of the problem and not a part of the solution.
The looters and hooligans are being denounced by those you claim aren’t. You’re just to hearing it from Rush, Sean, Alex and whatever other alt-right opinion sources you frequent.
No, you are conflating the two. JP Stewart didn’t say anything ABOUT peaceful protestors, he was specifically speaking of looters and hooligans and those who enable them. Not being able to acknowledge that hooliganism is unequivocally bad because there are some peaceful protestors who are not looters and hooligans, is the conflation.
William, what conflates looters and hooligans with peaceful protesters are the actual circumstances. Once the rock throwing, vandalism, and looting start what you have is no longer a protest at all but a mob; a violent, criminal mob. If you are there you are part of the mob; part of the problem, no matter your personal actions. Once the mob forms your intentions are moot. And these protests have almost invariably transformed into mobs fairly quickly. It isn’t the police or conservatives who prevent you from holding a peaceful protest. Their’s are the the deaf ears on which your pleas… Read more »
Meant to say ” Their’s are *not* the deaf ears on which your pleas for peace fall.” In case anyone who cares missed the point.
“You are conflating looters and hooligans (many of them white) with peaceful protesters (many of them white, too)”
I’m not conflating anything. You totally read that into my comment and are lying. As for the race issue, there have been good and bad examples of each. But there are numerous videos of vicious black-on-white attacks that would be charged as hate crimes in any fair world.
I haven’t listened to Rush since this started. The fact you make so many assumptions and repeat stale narratives tells me you’re under the spell of
MSM/Hollywood/academia brainwashing and can’t think straight.
JP, funny how once everything started burning, Romans 13 went out the window. Just last week, Mike said this in his letter: People’s rights aren’t being taken away, period. They are being given back — just not as fast as people want. And they have to deal with it by submitting to the government and not making their governor’s work a headache (Romans 13…) You think Mike and his ilk will come back here and instruct the “mostly peaceful protesters” on the importance of Romans 13 and submitting to the government? Yeah, me neither. Now that lawless insurrection is here,… Read more »
Yep. And don’t forget some of Bernie’s guys said they’d burn down Milwaukee awhile back if “their” guy wasn’t elected.
Re masks, self-righteous bullies are sometimes to be obeyed: the scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’s seat, so do what they tell you…apply as you see fit. For David, if John the Baptist was ‘born again’ before he was born–I don’t insist, but a literal reading of Luke might say this–then maybe infant baptism is believers’ baptism, and infant communion believers’ communion. As with adults professing faith, they may backslide and show they were never really converted (or however you take apostasy). Bit more on infant capacity if you search “feed God’s babies Lohr.” If the Holy Ghost could work… Read more »
Doug. Would love to see your thoughts on this intriguing new attempt at applied theology, hopefully you have a way of seeing this on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8oZFJlxoC/?igshid=p1yb3dn3zjo3
The bare bones is a recontextualizing of Jesus meeting the Rich Young Ruler. The lynch pin is a equivocation of the man’s wealth and the modern concept of privilege. It’s shaky there’s no doubt but I’m struggling to put my finger on exactly why. I’ll continue working on this and if you get a chance I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Ugh. DW can answer but talking about reading bad 21st Century theology into the text.
Like I said, there’s the stench of a dead body in here, just haven’t found it in this dark yet, let alone lugged it up the stairs….. If there’s anything this moment is teaching me, it’s there’s more than enough naive, well-meaning brothers and sisters who will (and are) being led astray by sweet sounding deceptions like this. Deceptions that need less puffed up eye-rolling and more revelation of the gospel for these to be exposed for the dangerous acid they are. We can go on belittling those who are weak and easily swayed, or we can defend them from… Read more »
Fair enough. The hard part is people like this usually rely on Big Eva celebrity pastors who won’t help here. It will have to be “dangerous” guys like DW or friends like you and me. But it’s admirable you want to help and we all need to do the same.
I got the same heebie jeebies reading the Instagram post.
The main component missing is “Follow Me!” Privileged or no – without the faith commanded and implied in following Christ, the story is a works righteousness story. Do this / get that. There’s no Jesus in the post.