Letters With a Touch of Citrus

Referring to the Iran situation I recall James Jordan saying that as the Church is now the new Israel of God and the USA is the foremost Christian ally of present geographical Israel we, the west, have kept this area secure for Jews. We covenantally are the true owners of Israel.
That being said, are we not covenantally committed to keeping Israel?

Dom

I observe single sisters in the church, who when they hit their 30’s, put up an emotional wall towards marriage. They start gravitating to these ‘girlboss’ or ‘singleness is normal’ identities. It’s obvious these girls want to be married, but they must put up a front as a self-preservation tactic to not come off as constantly needy (which is the other side of the ditch for single females. I have sympathy, because extended singleness really is a burden. How should an older female counsel women in these situations? To lose the hard exterior but don’t become a needy person.

Roger

RE: Wealth as a platform for wisdom.
Well said, sir! Unfortunately I do not see that advice handed down to children. Many parents I know push their kids to pursue the perceived high-earning vocations (doctors, lawyers, etc), regardless of the child’s giftedness. The child may excel in creative endeavors (painting, sculpture, music, writing, etc.), but their parents say ‘How will you make a living???’ Tragic on many levels, including the results. Many of these kids are now adults, and being pushed down a ‘wealth’ path for their vocation has left many empty and unhappy, often with tangible negative impact to those around them.

Jeff

Who is going to be the long-term pastor of the DC church?

Zeph

This is in response to How Do I Tell My Wife? (In-Laws Follow up), a video.
I really appreciated this video, as it describes almost exactly the situation I find myself in with my wife’s parents. They are “family time” types, and demand more and more time with us and our toddler, regardless of convenience or sense. Our situation is complicated in two additional ways, however: my wife’s relationship with her parents is not a positive one for a variety of reasons, most of which (although biased) I think are squarely due to their behavior. As just one example, her parents are Christians, but nevertheless curse constantly and take the Lord’s name in vain around our little one, who is just learning to repeat words.
As an additional complication, my wife has attempted to talk to her parents about these tendencies before, even going so far as to write a letter laying out her concerns with a biblical foundation. The reaction was to simper a bit and apologize (“we had no idea!”) and then to return to the same habits almost immediately. They went so far as accusing my wife (just a few days postpartum) of being hurtful and unloving when she asked that they only visit once to see our newborn at the time (rather than staying nearby to “visit” constantly for a month). This left her in tears, and with some deep emotional scars around the whole subject.
I’d really appreciate some advice on what my role is here. Through your ministry, I’ve become more convicted that it is my job as a husband to confront this, rather than shoving my wife out into the maelstrom with a shout of “good luck!” What does it look like for me to confront my in-laws about these behaviors, or is confrontation even the best road? I’m looking for some sort of plan of action, as we just found out we’re having another baby, due around Christmastime. I can predict, if things don’t change, some more or less tearful blowup around that if things continue on their current course, and I want to do whatever I can to protect my wife.
Thank you for your ministry,

XYZ

I thought I had asked you all the questions I could have on the head covering issue, but I regrettably have one more. As I was reading though this passage again, as part for my cover-to-cover reading, I thought about your observation that woman is the glory of the glory when I passed along verse 7, but I stumbled when I read verse 15. That verse points out that her long hair is her glory. So her long hair is the glory of the glory of the glory . . . This again gives me pause with regard to long hair being a sufficient covering during prayer and prophesy. A woman should cover the glory of man with her glory? How is that better? It would seem like an artificial covering would cover both the glory of man and her glory leaving the glory of God as the sole glory presented during prayer and prophesy.
Thank you for wrestling me through this!

Stephen

Difficult cases of Sabbath
How does one define ‘works of charity and necessity’ on the Sabbath? In particular:
On charity: Is it lawful, due to simple lack of time during the week, to do renovation/maintenance work on a church building on Sunday (e.g. painting)? This is pure unpaid charity.
On necessity: I work a job that requires sporadic trips offshore on a vessel installing various subsea structures. These vessels do crew changes every 2 weeks (Wednesday to Wednesday), so once you are on you likely will be on for 2 weeks, and miss Sunday worship. Also, given the cost to run these vessels (could be from $30k/day for a smaller vessel to $500k/day for drillship) they do not hang about idly on standby on Sunday without doing anything, hence crew are required to continue working operations. For the Christian, this means working on the Sabbath. Does this class as a ‘necessity’? Some random factoids that might be of relevance to consider:
The Apostle Paul taking a long boat trip that would/may require him to travel on the sabbath. He would therefore be employing sailors to keep the ship going on Sunday.
I recall John Frame once discussed the case of something along the lines of some power plants where it is not feasible to shut them down every Sunday, and so could be classed a work of necessity.
On the other hand, I understand that back in the day Scottish fishermen would work on a weekly cycle that ensured they were back on the Sabbath.

Henry

What do you think about the applicability of tithing in the following circumstances (and are there any resources you could recommend that deal with this kind of thing):
Son inherits family farm. To tithe 10% would require selling up to pay the tithe and downsizing to a smaller farm. If not, why not?
Son inherits family house from mother. To tithe 10% would require selling up the house to pay the tithe.
Son inherits a large sum of cash from mother, so no selling up required to pay the tithe. Is this different than case 2? Does it depend on if the mother ever tithed on her assets? What if it is unknown if/how much she tithed?
Son inherits family farm from unbelieving father, who never tithed. His grandfather previously owned the farm and he never tithed either. Should the son sell-up so that he can pay the tithe?
Children receive pocket money from parents who have already tithed on the amount. Should they tithe? Or should parents pay pocket money pre-tithe so that the children can give their part of the family tithe?
Church member receives financial assistance from deacons out of money that has come from church members’ tithes. Should they tithe on this tithe?

H

How would your view of the efficacy of baptism differ from what Leithart proposes in The Baptized Body?
Thanks,

Noah

I’ve watched videos from Doug Wilson, Blog & Mablog, and Canon Press for a while now. I have a question. I saw Doug Wilson recently talk about “Masculine Worship Services.” I completely agree that this is an issue that needs to be addressed. The question is: How do we do this? What does a masculine service look like? Pirate hymns? Scandinavian war music with Christian lyrics? What does it look like? Is it specific songs? Is it the “way” you worship? Help me.
Blessings,

Robert

In your estimation, what is the godly response to the news of a new Pope from a Reformed Christian?

Anon

Great exposition of Just War Theory.
One question though: I’m having difficulty distinguishing between the morality/justice of stopping the Houthis from their depredations in the Red Sea and stopping the Iranians from their (likely) depredations in the Middle East and elsewhere. As VPOTUS pointed out, very little of our shipping goes through Suez. Does the morality of our action there depend 100% on that small amount of American shipping, such that if all American freighters simply went around the Horn of Africa we would have no right to bomb the Houthis?
Put another way, how is stopping the current and future depredations of an Arabian terror state any different from stopping the current and future depredations of the Iranian terror state, particularly when we know they fund terrorism within the US and elsewhere?
I’m guessing the difference is the fact that the Houthis are actively targeting ships right now, whereas Iran isn’t, and that they’re targeting American ships. In other words, we’re not Making the Red Sea Safe for the World, but for America.
Thank you.

Samuel

Our family grew up PCA (not lesby-terian) yet I came away with a thoroughly Arminian understanding of soteriology. Whoops. Those same family members were surprised to learn I now attend a Nazarene church, which I chose based on its lack of response in 2020. Those relatives said: “Oh, so, not Reformed.”
I’ve been studying the Doctrines of Grace, and based on that I must conclude that I am not saved. I find grace quite resistible, so I don’t have the effectual type. My faith is my own, so I don’t have the true, salvific kind from God. The “they” of 1 Peter 2:8? I seem to fit right in. The real kicker is there’s nothing for me to do, it’s entirely up to God through His Spirit. “The wind blows where it will,” which means those of us who experience aerial calm are lost.
Went through some parts of “Easy Chairs, Hard Words” yet haven’t found exact answers to what I’m talking about here.
I’ve heard for so long that “there’s nothing you can do.” Now I begin to believe it, only to have the same people say, “No, no, not like that.” But what can I do when I can’t?
Thanks,

AR

While I believe that I’m very likely a theological NEMESIS to you, based on your soteriological conjecture, it is a testament to the very strange times we live in that I find myself your brother-in-arms when it comes to election fraud. Your piece on the manifest fraud in the 2020 Election is my go-to link whenever I want to explain to someone that the indicia of fraud are overwhelming, and manifold in nature. From statistical analysis to unanswered questions about the “missing ballot boxes” to the “broken water mains” in Atlanta . . . it is a CRIME that the media not only hasn’t investigated this, they’ve served to intimidate or ridicule anyone who suggests that it should be.
Anyway, strange bedfellows. Godspeed

Peter

TVO is an opinion-shaping program in Canada which passes itself as unbiased to the merely curious and to sophisticates alike. Recently, the topic appeared: “Why Do Authoritarians Hate Experts.” Might you respond in the spirit “Why Do Authoritarians Disguise Themselves as Experts”? Link.

A

I want to thank you for the resources you put out. I tell my wife that I wish I knew about your resources long before we were married and had children. But God is good and helps us.
I have been listening and reading your books and sermons on being a godly husband and loving father.
I wanted to ask your thoughts on taking my daughters out on dates, ages 3 and 5 and having, what I call, man time with my 7-year-old son.
My wife and I have dates and we spend time together with our children. When I go to work my wife stays at home with the children since we homeschool our children. I work outside of the home and she works in the home. I help at home and also help with homeschooling.
I recall you mentioning in a sermon and in your written work that boys will leave one day and girls are trained in the home to be given away someday.
Given that I take my daughters out and my son and I have time doing different activities I have noticed my wife say that she would also like to take my son out on dates.
I see two things here: one, she wants to take him out because I take out the girls or my son out whether to the store, a walk, coffee, on errands, etc. Two, I take them out because they spend time with mom at home or when they go to the store, etc.
Is there a problem with this desire of my wife to do the same thing as I am doing?
My goal is to spend time with them together and individually to get to know them and prepare them for life. My wife is already doing this in the home. Because I am working outside I use opportunities in and out of the home to spend time with them.
So my question is this,”Is it wrong for her to want to take my son out on a date just because I take out the girls out on dates?”
Is that in a sense egalitarian? Meaning that if I do something then she feels the need to be able to do the same thing even though she is spending time with them in a different context.
I wonder if I am overthinking this.
I want to make sure I am thinking this correctly

Carlos

“If [an adult son] is living an active homosexual lifestyle, then his parents should not be putting him through college, for example. No financial support. And this would obviously have implications with regard to inheritance.” What exactly is the principle behind this? Is it required specifically and only by the church discipline? If not, how do we know what lifestyles are bad enough to merit this?

MB

I’m incredibly grateful for your ministry in my own personal life over the years. It has been incalculable.
I am preparing to launch a petition called “Liberate the Word” that may be of interest to you. If you do find the draft worthy of some of your attention, we would be honored to receive any constructive criticism you might offer (comments can be made directly to the Google doc or simply in an email). And when it launches we’d highly value your support in signing it.
Thank you for considering this. And may God bless your ministry abundantly!

Andrew

I’ve not only enjoyed but have been encouraged by your ministry from way over here on the east coast. I’ll keep this brief—as I’m no subject matter expert—but I’d love to hear your thoughts on a current issue (and apparently not a new one) being brought to the forefront of the Connecticut legislative session.
Several months ago, a tragic story broke about a local young man who was held captive by his family in deplorable conditions for decades. He learned how to start a fire in his confinement in order to escape via a fire department rescue.
This should’ve been the end of the story, however it has suspiciously started the conversation about the lack of regulation on homeschooling, sneaking in right before the end of the legislative session. Many details can be found here.

JP

One comment on NFP concerning your post “Fertility & Dominion”
In our marriage we “practiced” NFP for a few years . . . a significant drawback is that when husband and wife feel most inclined to one another they need to abstain for the practice to work.
Now we have 8 wonderful children.
But it did work quite well when we were trying to graduate university and finish up our education. Anyone considering NFP should also keep in mind that abstaining when neither party feels inclined to abstain can actually cause marital strain.
Also, what is with dudes and talking about their vasectomies to me?

Jordan

The scripture doesn’t allow birth control, except for abstinence. Either for a season with agreement, or the commanded abstinence in the case of during the menstrual cycle, or as per Leviticus 12 after the birth of a child , 40 days for a boy, 80 days for a girl. While the sacrifices were covered by Christ, the abstinence in that case was never abrogated.
When Christians try to avoid children because of finances, they’re just saying that God’s promise to take care of them doesn’t apply if they have more children. Somehow it’s an unspoken assumption.
It truly goes against the dominion covenant to try to avoid the responsibility of raising children, and is why Protestants are so weak on abortion, since they devalue children to at least an inconvenient blessing. Ultimately, God is in charge of when the babies are born, he is the God of all timing.

Lance

I noticed in your blog’s Scripture index that you’ve never referenced something from 3 John. In light of this scandal, is there anything you’d like to put on the record?

Will

Have you engaged any with the Rethinking Hell ministry or their main proponent, Chris Date?
They are evangelicals who hold to the doctrine of conditional immortality (of which annihilationism is a main tenet).
I think their approach carries a lot of weight and makes much more sense biblically than eternal conscious torment. They also make some pretty hefty theological arguments.
Date even did a debate with Al Mohler on the “Unbelievable” show a few years back on the subject. These are not the people who are trying to “air condition hell,” but rather those who are taking the Bible seriously and are willing to be always reforming, if you will.
I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

Caleb

Have the rules of Christian courtship, or dating in general fundamentally changed?
I am a Gen-Z Christian man, happily married with 1 son and another on the way. My courtship experience was a fairly good one, and by God’s grace I have seemed to dodge the angst and bitterness shared by many of my male peers in trying to find, court, and marry a godly spouse. (In my context, there are no lack of local godly young ladies for my friends to pursue—this of course confuses me)
Michael Foster summarizes the male paralysis in courtship he has observed in this X post.
My friends have decried that Foster (and I) have a blind spot, citing this X post response. “It’s not our fault we can’t find spouses.”
I personally think the above post, like many others, acts as a painkiller or excuse to justify a general lack of initiative, but it appears my friends have a few more potholes to navigate than I did not even 3 years ago.
How can I best support and counsel my friends? Is the dating sphere, Christian and otherwise, as broken as my friends think?
Your advice is much appreciated. God bless Pastor!

Sean, Psmith’s 3rd great grand cousin 4 times removed