Letters in the Ides of March

What principles can we put into practice when it comes to Sabbath rest? Specifically when it comes to recreation. It seems obvious that a calm walk around the neighborhood seems fine, but how can we examine the gray areas, say, playing golf, or basketball?
Thanks,

Logan

I was wondering what your view is on preemptive strikes since you labor to keep to a biblical understanding of things and I’ve heard you talk about Augustine and just war theory. Specifically, I am thinking about the Iran situation and nuclear weapons. My understanding is that Iran reported that they had about 460kg of 60% enriched uranium which if further enriched to 90% would be enough to make 10 nuclear bombs or so. And if they were really only interested in having uranium for nuclear power you only need uranium enriched to 3-5%. Well, that is what chatGPT says. What do I know . . . ? Anyways, did Augustine ever say anything about preemptive strikes? what do you think about that?
Thank you for all you do sir,

Joshua

Coming from someone who identifies as a classical Arminian but Calvinist friendly: a clarifying question after listening to your recent conversation with ‘DadSavesAmerica’
First you mention that God foreknows every word before we even say it, granted of course, He is all knowing.
When Shakespeare writes Hamlet, while the characters speech is indeed 100% Shakespeare and 100% Hamlet, the former is still determining and dictating* what the latter will both say and think. While Hamlet will speak the next word, he does not choose his next word, Shakespeare does. Which does in a sense make Hamlet a puppet, no?
I think I’m either misunderstanding you, or misunderstanding exactly how you differ from hyper-Calvinists. Thanks

L

This isn’t addressing a specific post of yours, more a comment about many of the recent conversations you’ve found yourself a part of.
The new right likes to write and talk glowingly of their heritage from days of yore, praising their forefathers whom they never met. We’re told we should respect them by being like them.
At the same time, we’re told our literal fathers deserve none of the same. Those boomers can all take a hike.
Proves yet again that it’s much harder to love the family you deal with every day than those you only see once a year.

Justin

Great article about a Protestant republic! Too bad that none of your critics are going to read, really read, the whole thing.

Jennifer

In regards to “Insurrection Barbie and the Plains of Megiddo” (esp. Third Temple Challenges): I ran your article past my dad and thought I’d pass on his comments/explanation for the dilemma you laid out.
Basically, the embarrassment for dispensationalists (like my dad) is avoided because the Third Temple isn’t built until after the Rapture. Meaning, the Age of Grace will be over, history enters an overtime period, and the Jews take the anti-Christ’s bait and rebuild.
Regardless of whether the temple comes before or after the Rapture though, he agreed that the sacrifices would not be acceptable to God and Christians who are keen for the temple to be rebuilt are getting out over their skis. (Voddie Baucham also gave similar warnings).
Despite that fact that it would be built under the auspices of the anti-Christ, he describes that early period of the Tribulation as a ‘practice round’ for temple activity in the Millennium.
I know you would disagree with his assessment but I was curious if you were aware of this rejoinder. Assuming it were true . . . does it solve your dilemma?
P.S. I was glad to see that you also recently mentioned the video that surfaced of Hegseth talking about the Third Temple. I’ve seen the video and him seemed…eager for it. I figured that since he was in a CREC church he’d be covenantal in his theology. I don’t suppose you know where he actually stands on the issue?
Much thanks,

Jonathan

Dispensational click bait. I like it! And I would give you a passing score on treating us courteously. There were a couple of moments where I thought you didn’t quite see what the dispenationalists are saying, starting with our understanding of the book of Hebrews. I tend to think Hebrews presents a very strongly dispensational view of the Old and New Covenants. There will be no need to reconcile the book of Hebrews with a rebuilt temple in the latter days. Jews will rebuild it, not Christians, because observant Jews continue think it’s necessary. And that’s where the future antichrist will proclaim himself to be God, setting off the last acts of the last days.
Yours in Christ,
P.S. You’re going to be slapped around and called ugly names for this article. You know that, right? But thanks. Overall, nicely done, thumbs up, and all that.

Bro. Steve

It’s providential that a congregant of your DC church plant is commanding forces in the latest battle on the plains of Megiddo. Hopefully he is receiving correction and discipline on the biblical doctrines related to just war.

Josh

I’ve listened to you several times on YouTube, and I’m increasingly persuaded by your basic argument about Christian nationalism: nations are moral actors, so the nation ought to act in a Christian way. I’m unclear on the limits of this position. Do you distinguish between a Christian nation and a Christian theocracy? If so, what is the difference? If not, what is the limit of theocracy? Is there any inherent reason that a country today (or every country today) could not be in the same position as Old Testament Israel? Are laws analogous to those of OT Israel appropriate for a country today, such as laws against calling for a worship of other gods (Deuteronomy 13)? Mormonism, for example, is a false religion that presents false gods, but I’m not sure that I would trust a government official or a government committee to reliably distinguish that sort of falsehood from the truth. Would laws requiring positive religious duty, such as church attendance, be appropriate?

Gary

“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”
G.K. Chesterton
Good grief man, you’re quoting Chesterton on the NSA website, one of the early 20th century greats of Catholicism. Read some more of him, and listen to him.

Tim

I hope you’re doing well. I’m curious, in this video, you mentioned prospective writers ought to read books on writing dialogue. What books do you recommend? I’ve read/listened to many of the books on writing on Canon+, and I’m looking for other ones as well.

ON

I wanted to start off and say the Lord is faithful in my life every time I’ve needed wisdom and discernment. He’s also given me a spirit to not be afraid of asking questions so here goes.
I’ll start with the question. Is this normal? What should I make of this?
I’m in the same age bracket Jesus was during his earthly ministry. Some nights (like this one is going to be I can tell) I stay up late thinking about how I may be wasting this season of life.
There’s this nagging feeling that I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be. I feel this call, but I haven’t got the slightest clue what it is for or what I’m supposed to be doing.
Sometimes I think it’s pride talking. That if called to do some unknown great deed I’d jump to it, but I’m treating living out the Great Commission in my daily life like washing in the Jordan seven times.
I’ve prayed about it for years, but I’ve yet to be given an answer.
What’s to be made of these sleepless thoughts?

SR

I am not addressing any particular post.
Good evening over here. I once heard your son, Nate, make a comment that you are the most fearless person he knows on a ReformCon 2016 recorded show.
I wanted to know which scriptures in particular you have reinforced yourself with over the years given his comment and the backlash you frequently receive as a Christian Nationalist.

YDL

I was wondering if you could read this brief paragraph I wrote, paralleling the consecration of the Levitical Priesthood with that of the Believer-Priesthood of the New Covenant. Is my typology consistent, or am I “reading too much into” the text of Exodus 40?
“Like the Levitical Priests of the Old Testament were typological of all believers under the New Covenant, so too was their consecration typological of all believers’ sanctification under the New Covenant. They put on their “holy garments” (Exodus 40:13); a type of Christians “putting on Christ” after the Cross (Gal. 3:27). They were “anointed” (Exodus 40:13), which was a picture of the Spirit’s anointing of believers in the New Covenant (1 John 2:20). And finally, they were “sanctified” (Exodus 40:13), which is now fulfilled in the office of the believer-priest by the grace of the Holy Spirit living within them (1 Cor. 6:11), and by the good works they have been called to do (Eph. 2:10).”

Ben

How can a mother help prevent the consequences of father hunger in her children beyond loving and praying for their father? He is around and generally stable, but emotionally absent and uninterested in them.

KH

I’m a pastor of a “very large” church . . . I am trying to work through all these issues that you are teaching on publicly.
Concerning Christian nationalism, I agree that all legislation is an imposition of morality, and the liberal virtue of affirming things that make God mad is foolishness. I’m also an Ed Freidman fan.
However, I have two questions:
Could a Liberal order be founded upon the general public religion of the founding or the Tao of Lewis’ Abolition of Man, in which the Golden Rule’s law of moral non-hypocrisy could be a shared basis for law? This would take in the vast majority of people into the franchise while allowing full inclusion of Christian faith in the competition of culture in society. I think this is the “alternative” some of us hope for, fearing that Christian nationalism will become an illiberal medicine to illiberal problems. I have been laboring for 16 years to grow the godliness in my people that they could lead a people justly, but I could not predict their success in leading an illiberal regime with constancy given all of it’s perverse incentives. I’m not at all certain I could do it myself.
Thus, my question is: Given the human condition, can a virtuous society (and thus a lasting just society) only be created in an illiberal sphere, like a family or a classroom or a Geneva? This seems to be the assumption of the law, and of the NT use of church discipline. The church is a place of liberty in Christ, but is illiberal in its responsibility to expel bad actors and false teachers lest they “spread like gangrene.” Yet if we promote illiberal governance—we support the structure of the 20 years of terror in India that will keep me out and use its power to further crush the believers in that nation. With AI and tightening borders, I’m concerned about mission access in a world of growing expulsion powers.
Do you think there is a kind of “confederated nationalism” in which smaller confederated states that have their own moral spheres is more workable than moving a nation of 360+ million people? Can we have both Spain and Catalonian independence? Spain when we have to fight Germany, but Catalonia at all other times? Then some states could attempt to be a city on a hill. So less Christian Nationalism, but more Christian States/Confederated localism in a truly neutral nation?
Thanks for the work you do and the temperance by which you do it.
Blessings,

Nic

I always find your thoughts on Jews and Israel to be helpful and edifying. I still consider American Milk and Honey to be about the best thing I’ve read in the last few years. So, thanks!
Here is a question regarding a third temple. I had the privilege of touring Israel with a Christian group a few years prior to these present troubles. Our guide was a local Jewish Christian. He had a few hot takes that made me go “hmm . . .” One of which is that the third temple would be built, but that Jesus alone would be worshiped there, and the old ways (sacrifices, Sanhedrin, etc . . .) would not be resumed. I’m just curious if you could envision that possibility.
As a related aside, since Meggido is in the article title, I’m wondering if you’ve read Michael Heiser’s take on the location of Christ’s return in his book “The Unseen Realm” (Ch41). It’s been a while, so I’ll let Grok summarize his argument below:
Heiser argues “Armageddon” (Greek Har-Magedon in Rev 16:16) is not a reference to the city/plain of Megiddo. Instead, it is a transliteration of the Hebrew har moʿed (“Mount of Assembly”), drawn from Isaiah 14:13. Heiser ties this to the cosmic geography of the Bible: the “Mount of Assembly” is Zion/Jerusalem—the divine council seat and cosmic mountain—where the final eschatological battle occurs (see also Zechariah 12). This places the conflict at/around the Temple Mount, not northern Israel.
Having seen both Meggido and the Temple Mount with my very own eyes, I couldn’t help but see a bit of divine storytelling that the spot where Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac, the same spot where the Holy of Holies was, the same spot where the Dome of the Rock presently sits, is where Christ will be returning in glory. Maybe that’s the moment when “the third temple” is “rebuilt.”

JPH

Interacting with Man Rampant with Tucker Carlson and material you’ve written on relationships between generations . . .
In the Man Rampant interview you did with Tucker Carlson, he thought that one of the big problems in the US was the war between the sexes, and that young men and women are suspicious of each other and don’t know how to relate to one another. I’ve also read you somewhere talking about how generations are suspicious and accusatory towards one another, and even blaming one another for the ills that we are in. It’s just a whole lot of blaming going around.
If there is a place or a people that should rise above this, it is the church. But the church can be really bad with this blaming stuff. How might you encourage the elders of a church where there is a lot of this blame stuff and suspicion going around?
Peace,

Charles

I’ve been reading a bit recently on the phenomenon of “reenchantment” and the discussion that seems to be happening mainly in Eastern Orthodox circles. I’ve read a few authors on Substack and then branched out into their books, namely Paul Kingsnorth’s “Against the Machine” and Rod Dreher’s “Living in Wonder.”
I’m new to Kingsnorth and a bit cautious. However I’ve enjoyed Dreher for a while. But both these books are rather unnerving. I’m almost finished with Dreher’s book, and while there’s a lot I need to think, pray, and study about, overall I think it’s potentially very spiritually dangerous. He encourages people to open themselves up to the numinous in ways that I think sound like inviting demon possession, or at the very least leave one vulnerable to such interactions. And the stories in his closing chapters about “enchanting” experiences and figures in Christianity are frankly alarming.
In short, I don’t think enough consideration is given to the wiliness of our Enemy and his capacity to appear as an angel of light in order to deceive and destroy souls. While Dreher et al. may have identified a blind spot in Protestantism/Evangelicalism, I strongly suspect this swings the pendulum too far the other way.
But I’m not sure.
I’d greatly appreciate any insights you might have into this growing segment of the discussion, or a point in the right direction if you already have. Might I suggest a chapter by chapter blog series through Dreher’s book?
Many thanks and God bless.

SB