Paul's Passing Thoughts

Tim Challies is a popular blogger among Protestants and a Bagdad Bob like publicist for the church. Here at TANC Ministries, we are not sure if he is comically delusional like most Protestants or deliberately lying. Though he has a Mr. Rogers like demeanor, the audacity of his  propaganda is closer to that of Joseph Goebbels. That’s the dilemma; if you know anything about church history and the doctrine of justification, Challies is both amusing and dark at the same time. Should we merely shake our head and chuckle like we did while watching Bagdad Bob on TV during the first gulf war, or should Challies’ overt misinformation make us angry?

In his latest blog series, Challies shares why he is not…(fill in the blank). We can actually combine why he is not an Arminian and why he is not a Catholic into one response. The hallmark of all deception is making what you are the enemy in the eyes of those you are deceiving. Protestants are both Arminian and Catholic. That’s a fact.

First, if you stop listening to a Protestant pastor/tyrant long enough to think and study for yourself, you will find that Martin Luther and John Calvin never left the Catholic Church. Luther’s conclusion of the 97 Theses (not to be confused with the 95 Theses), a founding document of the Protestant Reformation, makes this absolutely clear. The same can be said for Calvin’s 4th book of his Institutes. Furthermore, Protestant scholars claim St. Augustine as their undisputed Doctor of Grace…a Catholic.

Moreover, having the same Doctor of Grace, while disavowing the identity, results in the same gospel as one would suspect to be the case. Both churches, which are the same church, possess a progressive justification—salvation by church gospel. The only sticking point is the philosophical basis. The Protestant Reformation was really sparked by differences of agreement concerning something that medieval theologians considered to be a higher authority than Scripture: world philosophy; specifically, Plato versus Aristotle. The following is what sparked the Protestant Reformation: the Catholic Church moved away from its Augustinian Platonist roots; nothing more, nothing less, and there are documents galore that back that up. So, you thought the Protestant Reformation was actually ignited by scriptural disagreements about the gospel? Well, you are just adorable.

Secondly, forget about all of the Protestant window dressing concerning “election.” In Protestantism, you choose God’s election. Pretty cool, eh? Supposedly, those pesky Arminians are different because they choose God directly rather than choosing God’s election. There are several ways you choose God’s election for yourself, but we will focus on John Calvin’s “Power of the Keys.” Like the Catholic Church which is also the Protestant church but estranged until they get their Plato/Ari differences sorted out, the gospel at hand could be called “The Gospel of Authority.” In both cases, the church is an institution ordained by God that has sole authority over salvation on earth by proxy. Let me boil it down to simple form: if the elders like you, and they say you are in—you are in, period, end of discussion. Whatever the church binds on earth will be bound in heaven, and if you refuse to “submit to gawdly men,” whatever they loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. It’s damn good work if you can get it.

These are a few reasons why I am not Protestant, but another would be church history. As stated in “The Church Lie and the Biblical Alternative,”

However, though true regarding general publicity of the 19th and 20th century, that is, a more virtuous Protestantism, the big picture of history does not reinforce that perception. Whether Catholic or Protestant, from the abuse and molestation of orphans to the deprivation of liberties on an international scale, the church has never left any vestige of virtue undisturbed.

Challies is a foremost proponent and defender of orthodoxy in the face of overt evil in the church dominating the news headlines in our day. Christ put this in simple terms: “A tree is known by its fruit.”

True believers are not given over again to a spirit of fear; the church’s claims of authority over salvation should indeed make us laugh, while also making us angry.

paul

Christians are the best at throwing around words they don’t understand. When churchgoers are engaged in spiritual-speak, I would estimate that they don’t understand 80% of the words used; they are just repeating pulpit soundbites. By the way, that is the consummate definition of someone who is brainwashed.

Perhaps the word thrown around most that Christians don’t understand is the word, “love.” Nor do Christians have an understanding of other prominently used words and terms like “law” and “new birth.” We often hear the term, “the law” this and “the law” that, but for the most part, Christians are clueless in regard to what the term means. Also, cluelessness regarding the term “new birth” is central to the church false gospel of progressive justification.

In reality, law and love are two different state of beings. If you are alive upon the earth, you are either under law or under grace. “Grace” is another word Christians throw around almost as much as “love” with no understanding of its meaning. “Grace” is love in action and can include a myriad of different actions. As Christians, we still receive God’s grace, but that’s not the grace of salvation which is a finished work. Primarily, what makes Churchianity a false religion is the idea that God’s grace of salvation is not a finished work. The word “grace” is therefore a really handy tool for snakes of the pastor breed to imply a progressive salvation without saying it outright.

Tension in most relationships involves the law mindset. Law has to do with condemnation. This brings us to another basic word Christians don’t understand, “sin.” Sin is also a state of being. In fact, biblically, law and sin are synonyms. In Romans we find “the law of sin” and “the law of sin and death” used synonymously. We also find that the law empowers sin through condemnation. Please note what the Bible states about sin:

Sin is an entity that seeks to control people through the condemnation of the law leading to death.

This is the specific dynamic. Though God’s law is good, sin is able to use the law to provoke people to sin leading to the bondage of guilt. Sin enslaves people through the law’s condemnation, and people also try to enslave each other through condemnation. In general, people are control freaks and use condemnation to gain control of others.

Regarding my career, I believe I have seen this dynamic in action. I once worked for a health network that heavily emphasizes teamwork and positive affirmation of others. Among all of the facilities I have ever worked for, that facility is the most hostile, backstabbing environment that I have ever worked in. A strong emphasis on teamwork and positive affirmation of others actually provokes the opposite action. That’s how law works among those who are under it.

And among those under law, all have their own personal laws and penalties for violating those laws. Also, condemnation is used to control others through guilt. So-called “judgmental” and hyper-critical people are simply trying to control others through condemnation. Obviously, people with no self-esteem are easy to control. People who lack confidence are easy to control. Hence, criticism, more than not, is implemented to destroy self-confidence and self-esteem; making people easy to control. This is what the religious doctrine of Total Depravity is all about; it is totally motivated by sin for the express purpose of controlling others.

Even those who understand the new birth will have to work hard at overcoming the under law mindset. Christ died to end the law which strips sin of its power via condemnation. The power of sin is the law’s condemnation; the Bible makes this absolutely clear. Even those under grace will have to work hard to overcome under law thinking. We must understand that when we become frustrated with people, especially those we live with, they are often violating our laws.

This is where patience comes in. The paramount act of love didn’t cover sin, it ended sin, which is the only way we could ever be free from the power of sin, but love in sanctification (the Christian life) does cover a multitude of sin (which is defined as a failure to love in sanctification).

let’s look at a dynamic example in family life. Your wife has a law that you have broken and the penalty for breaking that law is nagging. As a result, you obey her law to avoid the penalty. But what a minute, that’s not love. You are not doing something for her, or not doing something, out of love, but rather to prevent the consequences of nagging which the Bible describes as a tortuous hearing of a constant dripping of water.

In the same way in our family relationship God, any possible consequences of condemnation are removed and our only motivation is love. If the condemnation of the law still exists, our motives for obeying God could only be subjective at best. In the same way, true Christians must learn to live by the law of love and not the law of condemnation. Same law, different states of being and uses of that law.

This is where patience comes in. Patience rectifies law and love. Often, a spouse seems to absolutely refuse to repent of some annoying offense. This is because your law will only provoke the continued breaking of the law. While neither you or your wife is under law, you are functioning like you are under law. Sin is able to use the same dynamic even though it is no longer the salve master in the relationship.

Those enslaved to righteousness can function like they are still enslaved to sin if their understanding of law and sin are unbiblical. Indeed, we all have much, much more to learn about this dynamic and how to apply it where we live.

paul

Meet Marvin. Not his real name. He is a resident in a Dementia/behavioral unit somewhere in the United States. The following is what Marvin’s life looks like. He awakes early and begins his daily routine. As he wheels down to breakfast he enjoys observing the various activities of the nursing unit and expressing his opinions about them. These opinions create much needed moments of humor for the nurses and aides as Marvin’s unfiltered opinions lack the kind of honesty that is better veiled to some degree if it could get you fired otherwise. They can’t fire Marvin.

Marvin enjoys eating and expresses his opinion about the quality of the dinning room meals. The reviews are usually very positive. Marvin is a big hit with the kitchen employees. Marvin is dearly loved. Marvin is usually taken to physical therapy after breakfast. His ability to walk long distances with a walker gives him a great sense of accomplishment. This is known because he makes it known verbally.

“Nobody in this place can walk as well as I can, isn’t that right?”

The physical therapists smile and agree. Marvin makes everyone smile. We could all use a little of Marvin’s confidence as well. Next, Marvin goes to work. It’s a hobby, but he considers it his job. Marvin builds and paints model kits. Not his real hobby, the details here are also modified to protect his privacy. By any standard, the articulation and skill of the construction is very impressive. Marvin then offers the completed models as gifts. Though accepted, they never leave the facility and are on display everywhere. Laws prohibit nurses and aides from accepting any kind of gifts from residents.  However, all of them would love to display one of Marvin’s completed models in their homes as a reminder of how much they love caring for him.

Marvin eventually leaves work and retires to his room, and will often apologize for being snippy with an aide because he had a “rough day at work” while adding that he “got a lot done.” Marvin takes much pride in his work and reminds the aides of the just recognition accordingly; and of course, they are in full agreement. Marvin’s work speaks for itself.

Here, I must ask a question: what makes our life better then Marvin’s life? You may not like psychology, but Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a commonsense thing when rating happiness and wellbeing. If your physiological needs are met; you have safety; you belong; you are loved; you have self-esteem; and self-actualization; you are happy. If you have all of those things; well, Marvin has them too, only in a different world.

In Marvin’s world, he is totally convinced that he is safe, but in our world we know Marvin is in grave danger from those promising a different kind of hierarchy of needs.  They would say the Marvin(s) of the world deserve free healthcare. All those who care for Marvin might even think that would be wonderful for Marvin, but the devil is in the details. While socialists pontificate from the rooftops loudly about their penchant for supplying free goods for all, they talk little about the paramount qualifier: all those able to support the state; Marvin can’t support the state. Marvin is a drain on the state. In Socialism, one’s value depends on what they contribute to others. It sounds virtuous; after all, we are talking about selflessness. Just remember that “others” always means, “state.” Because, after all, the “others” need the state to survive.

Healthcare as we see it today in America is the child of Americanism. The American idea is a government by the people and for the people; that includes Marvin. It guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In other words, as aides and nurses, we suit up everyday to deliver those rights to the Marvin(s) of the world. We do it because it’s Marvin’s right. We do it because it also gives us joy. And if you think those we care for can be unthankful at times, try devoting the sum and substance of your life to the state; you then plunge the depths of unthankfulness. And in regard to things that make you smile, trust me, the state cannot even hold a candle for Marvin.

Yes, I deliberately put “American Salvation” in the title to get the attention of people who do church. It’s fun, because I know it invokes whining about “eclipsing Jesus.” This goes hand in glove with the socialist wave consuming secular America and the American church. Hence, in both venues, “nationalism” has become a dirty word. But with all merchants of death, they vie in the skill of word exchange. Americanism is exchanged for “nationalism,” but we aren’t talking about just any nation, we are talking about America. How sad that especially among Millennials, America is thought of as just another nation among many. Here is a fact: America stands alone in world history as the only defender of the individual, and the individual’s right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, even if their world might be different from ours.

Ironically, and I wish there was a stronger word, many nurses and nurse aides will vote for Bernie Sanders et al in the next election. Even if some of the candidates are confused socialists, their math doesn’t add up and care will be rationed according to “priority.” Trust me, in Socialism, Marvin isn’t a priority. This is already happening in Canada and the UK. In fact, these systems are such an abject failure that those able to contribute to the state aren’t even being cared for, which is the real goal of socialized medicine. The goal of socialized medicine is a lean, mean, state-supporting machine. In all cases, like Venezuela, socialized medicine even fails to do that; the math just doesn’t add up. And even if it did, the core value is survival of the fittest according to determinism.

And by the way, the Bible makes it pretty clear that the Marvin(s) of the world are near and dear to God’s heart. God demands that societies take up the cause of the weak and helpless. America does that better than any other nation ever has for one reason and one reason only: its core value of individualism. In a recent conversation with a typical churchgoer, he shared an attitude with me becoming more and more common among evangelicals: he doesn’t bother voting anymore because America is under judgement for rejecting church rule and moralism in general. Indeed, among those of the secular venue and church venue alike, there seems to be an ever-increasing desire for well-behaved, dignified socialists who have always been the primary landlords of mass graves. This man is indicative of stunning ignorance.

If he ever becomes like Marvin, I will proclaim him healed and the purveyor of a much better world.

paul