Leviticus Scroll Fragments

For those interested in ancient manuscripts and discoveries, look over at Codex, the Biblical Studies blog of Tyler Williams on some Leviticus fragments: Leviticus Scroll Fragments.

Greatness of Greek (NT)

From the time I really began to get NT Greek down (not in the first two years), I have realized the vast benefits of knowing how to read and understand the language, especially when I do a Bible study.

For example, the Home Fellowship group I am a part of is going through Mark. Tonight we will be covering Mk. vi.6b-13. In verse 7 we have "And He called together the twelve and began to send them out two by two; and He gave (εδιδου, edidou) them authority over the unclean spirits." By a plain reading of the English, you may be led to believe that Jesus performed a one time granting of authority to the disciples. We may be tempted to assume the simple past tense of the verb "give" here, forgetting that what we have is a translation from an ancient language that handled their grammar a little differently than we who primarily deal with the English language.

εδιδου is in the imperfect tense. Without going into too much detail, the imperfect tense is talking about an action that occurred in the past, however moreso in an ongoing way. While the aorist tense gives you a snapshot of the past (e.g. this happened, he went or "He began to send them out"), the imperfect gives you an event or activity that was going on. The duration of an action in the imperfect tense is typically longer than one in the aorist tense. The action is on going.

In the case of Christ giving or granting the disciples the authority over the unclean spirits, he did not merely give them this authority, in whatever form it was, and send them away two by two. Mark is communicating that Christ was giving them this authority to do the very same things He had been doing: casting out demons, healing the sick, doing these sorts of miracles (Mk. vi.13). This was an on going action on the part of Christ in giving the twelve the authority to do the work.

Without the Greek, would readers of the English Bible be left to interpret this text to mean Christ gave the disciples authority like a grab-bag of goodies, and sent them on their merry way to fight evil demons wherever they lay? Christ was working with and on His disciples. These twelve still did not understand who Christ was. They struggled to grasp who it was that could heal so many, from so many ailments, could raise a dead child, calm the storming sea, and have so much authority over the leaders of the Jewish population. Who were they to be sent out to preach the message of John the Baptist and their own Master: "Repent?" Who were they to go and cast out demons and heal the sick? Christ needed to be with them and empower them to do His work.

Welcome to Blogging, Dr. Ben

I did not notice Ben Witherington had joined what's known as the blogosphere: Ben Witherington. My apologies. Welcome.

Phil Johnson: More on Church Fads

I noticed Phillip Johnson blogged about the Time article "The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals," however they choose to define that term. He makes a great point, in particular with the example of Bruce Wilkinson who was an immensely popular name just a few years ago, yet he was not on the list. Here's a link to Pyromaniac's blog: PyroManiac: Shall we sell our birthright for a mess of faddage?.

My Soccer Wishlist

Well, I do have a soccer wishlist; thanks for asking.

I decided to post up some of the items I have engraved in the back of my mind to make sure I keep an eye out for. Am I looking for random people who check out my blog to buy and mail me some of this? No way. Although we all must do as the Lord leads us, right? I want to promote the sport as much as I can. Soccer (and I am using soccer instead of football here for less confusion) is wonderful exercise, a great fix for that person who's just itching to compete at something, and the best way to humble someone that you think needs to be a little more like Jesus.

First up is the Adidas F-50+ X-TRX SG. To date this is the greatest boot (soccer shoe) ever created. The style and design is superior to that of Nike, who tend to value look over comfort. Personally, Adidas shoes in general fit me best. In soccer there is no difference. I have some F-10's right now. They are very comfortable, stylish, and it almost feels like I am playing barefoot; not quite, but almost. This will be a great pickup some day; at $160 that day may never come. Either way, when you buy your shoes, after you think about how they fit, the comfort, the price, and the longevity, think about the reaction of your opponent when he sees you put those on. This is part of the mind game.

We now move on to the core of the game: the ball. This item is of course the most important in the sport. Without it, there's not only nothing to kick, but nothing to put in the goal. And if you are going to nutmeg a hotshot midfielder who's been talking all game long, then Maradona or rainbow by a defender who uses both feet to slide tackle your shins in a pickup game, and finish the strike off with a side-step and flick over the oncoming goalie and drop the ball perfectly into the lower right corner of the net, why not do it with some flair.

The Nike T90 250 HI-VIS is much like soccer itself, and in the fanciful, beautiful, dancing style one might only find in Brazilian soccer. Can you just imagine no-looking the ball between the legs of your defender to a teammate making a run? Or doing a step-over, backheeling the ball off the wall and behind your defender as you run around him and speed down the wing? Again, it has to be done with flair. Plus, the game can be that much more fun when your playing with a sweet looking ball, and not just some white ball with occassional black spots. You're playing soccer, not eating Breyer's Cookies and Cream.

The last item is what any striker or offense-minded midfielder loves to see: the goal. Now, sure you can use a garbage can, cones, someone's car, a spot on the fence, whatever's in reach. But there's something extra when you see your ball hit the back of a net, curl up and roll out. Everyone saw it. They cannot deny it. The 6 ft. Pugg goal is perfect for a pickup game. They setup anywhere, collapse easily and compactly, and are used by professional and national teams for practice.

Well, that is my wishlist. I don't need anything fancy like jerseys, shingaurds, training aids, bags and so on. That's one of the great beauties of this game. You simply do not need anything special. But if you are going to play, bring some water and your imagination. The one thing this game will never be is boring.

USA: Gold Cup 2005 Champions

Interesting how the idea that American athletics frowns upon (penalty kicks deciding a championship) was the road taken to bring the US their third CONCACAF Gold Cup title. The States battled with Panama for 120 minutes but both sides failed to place the ball in the back of the net. I will not say this was the prettiest of matches, but the severly outmatched and underskilled Panamanian squad held their own and showed a lot of guts out there, and both goalies made some terrific saves.

The US, now ranked #6 in the world, did not have their best players (expect the World Cup squad to be a tad different). Panama, who jumped up to #83, made a great and surprising effort, put away South Africa (#38) and Colombia (#25) to just reach the finals. They choked in the penalty kick's, blanking on their first two attempts. Of all the kicks taken, Landon Donovan's firm and decisive try, the second goal of the period, epitomized the afternoon: the US was established and Panama was scrapping. The US knocked in 3 of 4 and won the match and title 3:1.

Would you like to win a Soul a Month?

Did you know only $48 will get someone saved? $96 will get a couple. Well, Bailey Smith has the key. Join his Soul-a-Month club and for only $48 one person will be saved each month. Plus, it's tax-deductible.

Oh my word. Do you think I am joking? Check out BaileySmith.org for an explanation of this divine Soul-a-Month club. In fact, this $48 is a discount. According to Mr. Smith, at "some churches it cost[s] $100,000 to $300,000 to see one convert."

Oh, while you are at the site, have a look at the 23 Steps to Having a Crusade.

How does he have any kind of following, and even have people send him money believing that in so doing someone will be saved? Is that what the cost of salvation is, $48? That's the price of the human? That's an expense equal to sharing the message of Christ and truth, which can supplement even the work of the Holy Spirit?

How dare he say such a thing?

How dare people actually listen and send in money?

USA 2:1 Honduras

Well, well. The US pulled off quite the come back victory yesterday afternoon in their semifinal match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The States were down 1:0 until the 86th minute, then pulling out a win in stoppage time off the head of relatively unknown defender Oguchi Onyewu. Exciting stuff; I really am happy for them. They are not my favorite soccer nation (England easily holds that honor, then comes Brazil), but I do hope they can succeed.

I understood a little better how they pulled out the win when I noticed Bruce Arena (the coach for the squad for the last too many years) had been ejected in the 58th minute. I have not been a fan of coach Arena for a long time. His strategies and player selection is sorely lacking, and obviously has not garnered the US any true international prestige. He will not be on the bench on Sunday when the US plays Panama for the Gold Cup Championship.

London Struck Again

This morning, London was hit again. The reports state there were four explosions. Thus far, these attacks are nowhere near the toll taken over a week ago; no fatalities, no serious injuries (that I am aware of so far). Either this was a botched effort (some explosives did not detonate) or this is another set up. This still shows that the terrorists do not just sit back after an attack. They move on and prepare for another, and always try to use the element of surprise.

Please continue to pray for the people of London, especially for the families of those effected. Pray the people of God stand up and show themselves as strong leaders in the community, will help the people in anyway, and stay away from the thoughts and emotional rush for retaliation or retribution. As people of God we must not waiver from doing what He has instructed His people to do.

Jewish Catacombs

An AP article this afternoon (Jewish Catacomb Predates Christian Ones - Yahoo! News) shared some news about the possibility of Christian catacombs being preceded, particularly the idea itself, by Jewish catacombs in Rome. Using carbon dating (a method I do not hold a lot of awe for due to the amount of variables that can effect the outcome, and people tend to rely so heavily on that single method), researchers found that the catacombs of Jewish people in Rome were around anywhere from the first century BC to the first century AD.

Now, here is a portion of an article written in 1908 on the Roman Catacombs and found in the Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent):

The Romans cremated their dead and deposited the ashes in a family tomb (sepulcrum, memoria), or in a vault or common sepulchre (columbarium); but the Jews living in Rome retained their native method of burial, and imitated the rock-graves of Palestine by laying out cemeteries in the stone-like stratum of tufa around Rome. In this manner Jewish catacombs were laid out and developed before Christianity appeared in Rome. Connected with the two chief Jewish colonies, one in the quarter of the city across the Tiber, and the other by the Porta Capena, were two large Jewish catacombs, one on the Via Portuensis and one on the Via Appia, as well as some smaller ones; all are recognizable by the seven-branched candlestick, which repeatedly appears on gravestones and lamps.

Until after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus (A.D. 70) the Christians were regarded as a sect of the Jews; hence those Jews who were converted by the Apostles at Rome were buried in the catacombs of their fellow-countrymen. The question arises as to where those converted from heathenism by the Apostles found their last resting-place. It is a fact to which Tacitus, Suetonius, Dio Cassius, and other pagan historians bear witness, that as early as the days of the Apostles members of the higher and of even of the highest ranks of the nobility had become Christians. These converts of rank from heathenism had their own tombs, and permitted their brethren in the Faith to construct, in connection with these family tombs, places of burial modelled on the Jewish catacombs. This is the origin of the Christian catacombs. The catacombs of the Apostolic Era are: on the Via Ardeatina, the catacomb of Domitilla, niece of the Emperor Domitian and a member of the Flavian family; on the Via Salaria, that of Priscilla, who was probably the wife of the Consul Acilius Glabrio; on the Via Appia, that of Lucina, a member of the Pomponian family; on the Via Ostiensis, that of Commodilla, connected with the grave of St. Paul.

So, is the AP report really anything new? Have the researchers found something we did not already know? Or did we just find evidence giving extra support for what we already understand from history?

Morris Cerullo

Well, I missed this bit of news on 13 July. I am more than familiar with Morris Cerullo, an immensly popular "evangelist" from my very own San Diego area. Cerullo was indicted "on three counts of filing false individual income tax returns, which allegedly underreported his income by $550,000." Click Here for more of the story.

Like much of what goes on in the Word of Faith (WoF) circles, out of which God dragged me, the corruption of the leaders will not stay hidden. What amazes me time and time again is that people wrapped up in the WoF vines, like ivy that slowly grows around the stumps and grabs hold pretty tightly, will defend their "leaders" almost to the death. Do you know how many times Benny Hinn's false teachings, false prophecies, corrupt money handling, and false miracles have been exposed to the world? And yet his people do not hesitate to send him their bank accounts.

If there ever was a word stronger in pure meaning than anger, that would describe me when I see and hear the goings on of the WoF teachers and followers. But, if I am to imitate Christ (nachfolge Christi), then I need to remember that I myself was a follower, trapped or deceived just like them. I need to leave my anger and turn to the grieving (Mark iii). I pray I can still help any out of that world of disorder and pure heresy, if God so desires. He pulled me out, and it was as if I went through fire for the next two years or so as I read and studied the Scriptures, theology, and apologetics. I had so much junk on me and in me, it hurt to go through what I did. But God (the most powerful phrase in all of Scripture) brought me through. His will over mine and here I am today.

Real Football

CAUTION: PASSIONATE SPORTS STATEMENT

Of all the facts and truths that are well known world wide, passed down from generation to generation, from epoch to epoch, a few have managed to change the way the world works. God created man, Jesus is God, salvation is only in Christ, and football is God's game.

Nothing beats taking a ball with a bunch of friends out to a field or street or alleyway or basketball court, breaking into two teams, setting up a garbage can on both sides, and calling the game on. What other sport is there that you can play anytime, anywhere, and the only thing you need is a round object to kick (and being round is really only a preference)?

No other sport will test you physically like real football (aka soccer to Americans) will. No other sport, when played with the skills usually only developed and found in the streets, will toy with your mind and self-esteem like real football. No other sport is capable of uniting the entire world, bringing every eye and ear to one green field of civilized, pacifist-esque battle. No other sport's premier championship, the World Cup, can legitimately stake claim to the title, "The pure alternative to World War III."

That is football: poetry in motion. That is football: passion without fear.

Ronaldo, Beckham, Ronaldinho, Owen, Zidane, Henry, van Nistelrooy, Shevchenko, Adriano, Carlos, Figo, Raul, Khan, Del Piero, Rooney. All of them modern day legends. The name Beckham brings more awe world wide than that of Jordan and Woods combined.

In the United States, we have the still young Major League Soccer (MLS). While not on par talentwise with England's Premiership, Spain's Primera, Germany's Bundesliga or Italy's Serie A, MLS is becoming more exciting as the years progress (especially with last year's addition of the teen phenom Freddy Adu). Football in the US still needs to develop. The fan base is heavily sided toward baseball and American football at the moment. Rumors are stirring that Beckham may come and play in the MLS in near future.

Next year, the World Cup will be held in Germany. My hope is that England finally breaks through their choking habits with their absolutely stacked-with-talent starting 11 and takes the cup. Brazil may yet again be the victors and rightfully keep their place as the single world super power. Either way, next summer will be more exciting than all other sports events combined. On 9 July for about 2 hours, the world will stop.

I Love Soccer

Even when the rules change around as you play, and goals don't really count unless your the opposing team, playing the game is just fun and and an awesome workout.

A bunch of us "youngsters" from my church got together to play some soccer. A group of ten Mexicans came to us and asked if we wanted to play against them. We had the guys, and apparently the guts, and said, "Let's do it." So the ten of us stood on a make shift, grassy football pitch with goals made up of ice chests, trash cans and trash bags (the usual look for a pick up game), with our opponents ahead of us. They wanted to play with their flat ball and rules. We were fine with that.

The rules started with no out-of-bounds, no off-sides, and goals are below the waist (about 3 feet or so) through the "posts." As the match progressed, the rules began to change. No out-of-bounds became "no out-of-bounds unless it's behind the goal"; later, an addendum was made that even if the ball goes behind the goal off of one of their players, it's their ball.

We scored first. A friend of mine received a sweet setup in the middle of field, about 5 yards out, and struck the ball firmly. That ball hit the inside half of the trash bag and went straight over. The unwritten rule of pickup games is you give the benefit of the doubt to the opposing team; they decided it was not a goal. So, still 0:0 (though we know it was 0:1).

They scored next. They had a lot of energy and loved to shoot the ball up as quickly as possible. They always kept 4 men back in defense while our team tended to scramble around. The ball ended up in front of the net, some nice passing ensued, and it squirted by our goalie. Now, 1:0 (or 1:1).

We scored again. Our tendency was to bring the ball up on the wings, and draw some of the midfielders and defensemen. That usually left us two strikers open in the middle, or at least with a two on one advantage. This time, the ball was crossed in to my teammate, who then pushed it to me. My back was to the goal, I got the ball to my left, I did a pivot, spun, and struck the ball square. The ball went through the goal, easily two feet in from the right side, and barely 1 foot off the ground. My team and I were celebrating, going back to our positions, and they said, "No goal." Whatever; we were having fun. So, still 1:0 (sure; 1:2).

They scored again. Much like their first, they got the ball up quickly, had a large scramble in front of our net, moved the ball from left to right by passing, had an open net to the left, and knocked the ball through. 2:0 (or 2:2).

That's when we had to leave. A lot of us stopped playing and started walking off. I already shook hands with a bunch of them and was headed out. They kicked the ball up and knocked in goal number 3. They celebrated a little, and one of them yelled, "Mexico wins" (unlike the real Mexican national team that was upset yesterday in the quarterfinal round of the Gold Cup by the no longer soccer power Columbia). We were just happy to have played and had a great time.

We had great exercise and enjoyed the competition. We all had wonderful attitudes, which is something I appreciated from my teammates.

Is this sport not one of the greatest gifts God has given us humans?

More Dead Sea Scroll Fragmets

Here is some more exciting news for Dead Sea Scroll scholars:

Jerusalem Post | Breaking News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World

Side note on Islam

This week, Michael Medved (some times I listen to him on my drive home from work; very sharp minded individual, and I like his movie reviews) posed the statement that Islam is the most violent and dangerous religion in the world, and asked his listeners to call in and challenge him if they felt he was wrong. A few people called in and tried to make their points that Medved was wrong. One older lady, a convert to Islam, tried to state the Muslim religion was a peace loving religion but that suicide (homicide) bombings were to show people the beauty and truth of Islam. Unfortunately I did not get to enjoy her reasoning behind that belief because she bounced from subject to subject that Medved had to move along. Another young gentleman called, who identified himself as being in Christian ministry work (from the sounds of it, a Youth Pastor most likely), and considered Medved to be espousing hate speech against the Muslims. He decided to add in a massive amount of bad history, another failed attempt to use the Crusades to prove Christianity was a violent religion, and when his faulty arguments were pointed out he bounced to some other argument.

I did not get to hear the rest because that's when I got home and went on with my life. I just find it funny that many people are not able to adequately respond to a statement like that. So many people are quick to cry out, "He's wrong! He's wrong! That's hateful!" But, when asked why, they are unable to give themselves any support. Especially if you are gutsy enough to call into a nationally syndicated radio show and challenge, on air, a very popular personality whose job it is to understand beforehand all the possible arguments that may come his way.

That is a fascinating question, though: is Islam the most violent and dangerous religion in the world? If not, then why have the leaders of the Islamic community or the Islamic nations not publicly condemned bin Laden or all of the suicide (homicide) bombings? In the last few years before he died, Arafat was asked repeatedly to make a statement in Arabic to the effect that he condemns the violent acts of the Muslim extremists, especially against Israel. He flat out declined to do so. All of these Muslim representatives you see and hear on the news, who are experts in their faith; have they ever condemned what has gone on?

One person actually tried to argue that Christianity was the most violent and dangerous religion. It's silly statements like that that you cannot refute directly. All you can do is ask them to prove it. When they can't, then you show them what Christianity is all about.

Islamic Nations Slaughter and Enslave Christians - Tom Barrett

Check out this article by Tom Barrett on national Islamic persecution of Christians:

Islamic Nations Slaughter and Enslave Christians - Tom Barrett

This is a good article; surprisingly not as gung ho with the US patriotism as I thought it would be at the beginning of the piece. I appreciated the last line (and no I do not agree in a just war, just for clarity):

The war against terrorism is a just war, but if in our zeal to punish international terrorists we ally ourselves with religious terrorists, what have we gained?

23 June have any importance?

You know what day we passed right by? 23 June. What is so important about 23 June? That was the birthday of the president and prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gordon B. Hinckley. How old is he now? 95

Soon, there will be a changing of the guard. I hope that people will pray of Mr. Hinckley. If he believes in the doctrines he and his church teach, then he knows not the true Christ. Whether you have the faith the size of a mustard seed or of the statue of Moroni atop the temple steeples, if that faith is placed in a false Christ or not in Christ at all, that faith cannot save you. If your method or formula of salvation is by grace dispensed on a meritorious basis, after all the works you can do trying to achieve salvation, that foundation of works righteousness cannot save you.

When the guard does change, look forward to seeing more changes in LDS doctrine and practice, or really just how those are presented to the non-LDS community. For a good peek into the attitude changes recently in Mormonism, check out James White's (aomin.org) postings on the comparison between the Millet and McConkie book, Sustaining and Defending the Faith, written in 1985 and the recent Millet work, A Different Jesus?, which was able to lure Eerdman's into it's trap.

The people trapped (and yes they are trapped) in the LDS church need our aid as much as Muslims or Hindus or Atheists.

Persecuted Nation: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a small island nation off the coast of India, in the Indian Ocean. The island is dominated (70% of the population) by Buddhists, but the extremist activity is shared by the Buddhists and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who are Hindus for the most part. More and more this nations anti-Christian activity has grown.

See this recent article from Agape Press for a perfect example: VOM Reports Increasing Persecution Against Sri Lankan Christians.

Persecuted Nation: Yemen

Yemen is another Islamic state that does not allow non-Muslims to proselytize or even conversions, and heavily restricts the building of churches. There is some relative freedom with respect to gathering together in your private home, but trouble is met when you step out and live the Christian life. VOM considers this one of the least evangelized countries in the world.

As in Egypt, Shari'ah is the source of legislation. Conversion from Islam is punishable by death, making proselytizing so much harder because you not only contend with the idea that Christianity is a hated religion in and of itself, but also the act of converting from Islam is alienating and an automatic death sentence. More evangelicals are needed there, but I pray they go with the wisdom of Christ and share His gospel with patience, and help bring unity, strength and support to the Church that is there.

Persecuted Nation: Egypt

More people probably recognize Egypt as a nation that persecutes Christians, but it fascinates me to see such things going on knowing the early history of the Christian Church in Egypt. To this day you still have the Coptic Christians, who have survived so many persecutions for so long.

In the early centuries following the Incarnation, Alexandria quickly became the core city of intellectual Christianity. In the tenth century AD the Muslims took over control and altered the practices of the government for the next millenium. In 1980, the constitution was amended to state Shari'ah (islamic law) is considered the source of legislation.

While the Coptic Christian population numbers at approximately 7-10 million (10-13% or so of the total population, the largest in the Middle East, the laws do not allow for any Christian churches to repair or rebuild their buildings. If you want to build a church, one of the conditions you need to meet is acquiring the signature of the President; today that would be Hosni Mubarak. Anyone Muslim converting the Christianity will be persecuted by not only family but also the police. Muslim women are required to divorce a husband who has converted to Christ.

These people need our prayer and also more of an evangelical or "free church" influence (to borrow from my Anabaptist studies). While the Muslim domination is at the forefront of everyone's vision, I personally don't believe the Coptics align themselves completely with the freedom in Christ. Just as in Cyprus, the form of Christianity found is one of tradition and ritual, along with the attitude of works righteousness and the need to do these things.

PyroManiac on the emergent church

I had to interrupt my regular posting for this. If you have not heard of the emergent church movement, this is a great summary. I plan on writing a little about it later on. Really, Phillip Johnson nailed it, and quite eloquently might I add.

PyroManiac on the emergent church: "All week, I was continually asked to give my opinion of the 'emerging church' movement. Here's the short answer: I think it's little more than the twenty-first century equivalent of 'The Church of What's Happenin' Now,' and the movement's true patron saint is Reverend Leroy. You can put whatever pretentious mask you want on it; you can dress it up in a tweed jacket with a pipe and teach it to speak in avuncular tones; or you can put it behind a pasty-white complexion and dress it in Gothic black with a full array of tattoos and body piercings. But at the end of the day, it still owes more to Flip Wilson than to 1 Corinthians 1:21-25."

Persecuted Nation: Cyprus

This will be the start of some postings on nations many folks may not realize have Christian persecution.

Cyprus is a historic island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The southern 2/3 of the island is what most people would consider Cyprus. The area is dominated by the Greek Orthodox Church, but there is a strong contingent of Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon missionaries. Evangelicals amount to about .2-.4%. In the northern 1/3 you find the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. There you have a 99% Muslim population, with the controlling government body being from Turkey, the island's nearby neighbor to the north. There is active limitation there of Christian influence, let alone the Church's existence. I have read around that persecution is quite heavy on Christians who take an active role in missions there.

There is very little evangelical Christian missionary activity (and by "missionary" in this case I would include those who choose to reside there and live out their Christian lives) on the island as a whole.

Response to Islamic Terrorism?

How do we respond to these Islamic terrorists that bombed London this morning? The same was asked in 2001 when the United States was racked by Islamic terrorism. No matter the situation, the response must be the same: do not fight.

I am a pacifist. I detest war; but so do the vast majority of people. But my pacifism was created by Scripture, not my opinions about what is going on in the world. Being a pacifist does not mean you go and hold a sign on the street saying, "Heck no we won't go." Being a pacifist does not mean you go spouting off ignorant statements about the President, the government and the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. A pacifist does not retaliate when he or she is attacked. A pacifist does not repay evil with evil. A Christian pacifist endures persecution and attack knowing that God gives them strength, and will use their testimony for the good of His kingdom.

Please understand this important note: I do not mean to belittle or ridicule the men and women who are in the military, and are even now fighting and unfortunately dying in Iraq, Afghanistan and the many other nations around the world where US military personnel are stationed. We are all humans, created by God, and we all make choices. While I do not agree with a Christian's choice to join the military, that is still their choice and I must respect that. I also must respect the family members and other loved ones involved, no matter whether they agree or disagree. I love my neighbor. Out of this same love, however, I must speak my convictions. I cannot condone that which I find is contrary to the command and teachings of Christ and Scripture. I hope this serves to provoke thought and a better understanding of the teachings of Christ.

War is the prerogative and tool of government. There is no mandate for Christians to be in the military, or to show patriotism by supporting the war efforts of either the country you live in or any other. Christians are citizens of Heaven, not Earth; here we are merely aliens. Our allegiance cannot be to Christ and to man, especially a government controlled by man. If you claim Christ as your Lord, how can you then leave the control of your life to man?

Specifically, how are we supposed to respond to our enemies when they attack? Christ gave us this command: show them love (Mt. v.44). He was very clear, and these words cannot be played with. Love your enemies. No matter how evil, how vile, how cruel: show them love. When did Christ say, "Give them what for. They attacked you; you go attack them because it is now justified. An eye for an eye." Never. In fact, here is what Christ said about the eye for an eye:

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (Mt. v.38-46)

"Do not resist the one who is evil . . . Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Those were the commands Christ gave us, His followers. If you repay evil for evil, do wrong for a wrong done, what does that make you?

A pastor in Clinton, MA said the following in one of his sermons:

When reasonable efforts at peace have failed, war is the most loving thing to do. War is love for one's neighbor.

That is admittedly not based on Scripture, but on a treatise written by Martin Luther in the sixteenth century. War is love? How disgusted Christ must have been when he heard one of His shepherds say that. This pastor went on to speak a little on the Matthew passage I quoted.

Doesn't this contradict Jesus teaching that we should "turn the other cheek" and "not resist the one who is evil" (Mt 5:39)? Not at all. In that passage, as in all of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is speaking to individual Christians. He is telling them that if they themselves have been wronged or are threatened, and only they have suffered harm or injustice, they should be willing to suffer the wrong and not seek vengeance. If, however, their neighbor has been attacked or wronged, love demands that they fight on their neighbor’s behalf to protect and help them – the very thing that a just war does.

I think you will agree with me that this is an example of poor exegesis; in fact this is eisegesis. Do you see the contradicting ideas here? If I am attacked by my enemy, I am not to strike back, but am to suffer the wrong. But if my neighbor is attacked by his enemy, I am supposed to resist them, even slay them with the sword. Even if we have the same enemy (Here's a question: is Islam an enemy of Christianity?), as long as we do not join the fight because of a personal attack we are OK. This can turn into quite the convoluted situation.

On the Fox News website, people have written e-mails to show their support for the people of London. Many of the e-mails I saw are from seemingly Christian people. Here is one that grabbed my attention:

My prayers are with all of you in England. You have been our steadfast friends and allies through many, many adversities. Now is the time for all of the civilized nations to stand together against the terrorist PIGS!! We must never, never waiver in our resolve to defeat them, or they win and life as we know it will no longer exist. GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.

So, indeed, the battle is ours to fight, is it? Unless we resist the enemy, "life as we know it will no longer exist." I understand that people tend to allow their emotions to energize what they want to say; and this is an emotional time. Yet, these words are exemplary of what a majority of Christians believe: the fight is ours, as given to us by God. If we do not fight, who will? People tend to forget that the Lord of all is still Lord over all. The fight is His.

I am reminded yet again of the words of Michael Sattler in his trial:

If the Turks should come, we ought not to resist them; for it is written: Thou shalt not kill. We must not defend ourselves against the Turks and others of our persecutors, but are to beseech God with earnest prayer to repel and resist them. But that I said, that if warring were right, I would rather take the field against the so-called Christians, who persecute, apprehend and kill pious Christians, than against the Turks,was for this reason: The Turk is a true Turk, knows nothing of the Christian faith; and is a Turk after the flesh; but you, who would be Christians, and who make your boast of Christ, persecute the pious witnesses of Christ, and are Turks after the spirit.

Listen here to the clip from the movie The Radicals. I know that I have been referencing that movie and the life and teachings of Michael Sattler a lot lately; but until I can be shown that what is taught or said is contrary to Scripture, then I would ask you to listen and think about what is said.

Click here for the clip: Michael Sattler on trial.

Those who call themselves Christian must listen to and follow the words of Christ, our Lord. We must not resist evil. We must not show hatred towards those who hate, or anger and revenge towards those who let their anger and vile control them. Search the Scriptures for yourself. If I am wrong, then please show me from the Scriptures. Do not allow yourselves to be caught up in the dealings on nations and governments, but in the commission to go and make disciples.

We do pray for those families in London effected by what happened. God can give His people the strength they need. God can also use a situation like this for good. We need to trust in Him, and to seek His will. I was in San Diego, CA when the planes hit the World Trade Center buildings. I watched on T.V. as the buildings fell. I felt the sadness then that I do now for London. But just as back then, God will judge. We must pray.

London bombed

London has been hit by several bombs. There are reports of "many casualties." To keep track of what is going on, head to the BBC.

Lord, be with Your people in London. Be with the families and loved ones of those who have died.

Addendum: Latest news shows that over forty people have died, and 300 have been injured. The sadness keeps growing.

And as always, Soli Deo Gloria!

144 Hits Yesterday

Wow! Reformatus Sum received 144 hits yesterday alone. That is huge for this blog. RS was ranked 297 on the Christian Top 1000 list. That's the highest this site's reached in the month and a half of tracking those numbers. I know, you might think, "Ooooh. So what? Adrian Warnock, Philip Johnson, James White, Dave Armstrong, Hugh Hewitt and so forth probably get over 144 hits per hour on their sites."

I'm not them. I am used to seeing this site get around 25-35 hits per day. And I am not doing a whole lot to promote this site: I don't do banner and exchange ads, or webrings, or that sort of thing. I just placed the site on a few of the larger search engines, and let the Lord pass along the information He wants to pass along as He wills.

So, I say, "Woo Hoo!"

"The blood of Christians is seed."

I am sure that most all believers have heard this phrase: "The blood of Christians is seed." Tertullian penned this phrase (in Latin, not English) to the "rulers of the Roman Empire" in his Apologeticum. Yet how many have read the paragraph or even chapter that profound addage is pulled from? So many people would benefit from a better understanding of why these words were said, and what Tertullian meant exactly. While I will be writing something about this soon, here is chapter fifty (you cannot think of a "chapter" by the early Church Fathers in the same way you think of a chapter in, say, a John Steinback novel):

In that case, you say, why do you complain of our persecutions? You ought rather to be grateful to us for giving you the sufferings you want. Well, it is quite true that it is our desire to suffer, but it is in the way that the soldier longs for war. No one indeed suffers willingly, since suffering necessarily implies fear and danger. Yet the man who objected to the conflict, both fights with all his strength, and when victorious, he rejoices in the battle, because he reaps from it glory and spoil. It is our battle to be summoned to your tribunals that there, under fear of execution, we may battle for the truth. But the day is won when the object of the struggle is gained. This victory of ours gives us the glory of pleasing God, and the spoil of life eternal.

But we are overcome. Yes, when we have obtained our wishes. Therefore we conquer in dying; we go forth victorious at the very time we are subdued. Call us, if you like, Sarmenticii and Semaxii, because, bound to a half-axle stake, we are burned in a circle-heap of fagots. This is the attitude in which we conquer, it is our victory-robe, it is for us a sort of triumphal car. Naturally enough, therefore, we do not please the vanquished; on account of this, indeed, we are counted a desperate, reckless race. But the very desperation and recklessness you object to in us, among yourselves lift high the standard of virtue in the cause of glory and of fame.

Mucius of his own will left his right hand on the altar: what sublimity of mind! Empedocles gave his whole body at Catana to the fires of Aetna: what mental resolution! A certain foundress of Carthage gave herself away in second marriage to the funeral pile: what a noble witness of her chastity! Regulus, not wishing that his one life should count for the lives of many enemies, endured these crosses over all his frame: how brave a man — even in captivity a conqueror! Anaxarchus, when he was being beaten to death by a barley-pounder, cried out, “Beat on, beat on at the case of Anaxarchus; no stroke falls on Anaxarchus himself.” O magnanimity of the philosopher, who even in such an end had jokes upon his lips! I omit all reference to those who with their own sword, or with any other milder form of death, have bargained for glory. Nay, see how even torture contests are crowned by you. The Athenian courtezan, having wearied out the executioner, at last bit off her tongue and spat it in the face of the raging tyrant, that she might at the same time spit away her power of speech, nor be longer able to confess her fellow-conspirators, if even overcome, that might be her inclination. Zeno the Eleatic, when he was asked by Dionysius what good philosophy did, on answering that it gave contempt of death, was all unquailing, given over to the tyrant’s scourge, and sealed his opinion even to the death. We all know how the Spartan lash, applied with the utmost cruelty under the very eyes of friends encouraging, confers on those who bear it honor proportionate to the blood which the young men shed.

O glory legitimate, because it is human, for whose sake it is counted neither reckless foolhardiness, nor desperate obstinacy, to despise death itself and all sorts of savage treatment; for whose sake you may for your native place, for the empire, for friendship, endure all you are forbidden to do for God! And you cast statues in honour of persons such as these, and you put inscriptions upon images, and cut out epitaphs on tombs, that their names may never perish. In so far you can by your monuments, you yourselves afford a son of resurrection to the dead. Yet he who expects the true resurrection from God, is insane, if for God he suffers!

But go zealously on, good presidents, you will stand higher with the people if you sacrifice the Christians at their wish, kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us to dust; your injustice is the proof that we are innocent. Therefore God suffers that we thus suffer; for but very lately, in condemning a Christian woman to the leno rather than to the leo you made confession that a taint on our purity is considered among us something more terrible than any punishment and any death. Nor does your cruelty, however exquisite, avail you; it is rather a temptation to us. The oftener we are mown down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed [semen est sanguis Christianorum]. Many of your writers exhort to the courageous bearing of pain and death, as Cicero in the Tusculans, as Seneca in his Chances, as Diogenes, Pyrrhus, Callinicus; and yet their words do not find so many disciples as Christians do, teachers not by words, but by their deeds. That very obstinacy you rail against is the preceptress. For who that contemplates it, is not excited to inquire what is at the bottom of it? who, after inquiry, does not embrace our doctrines? and when he has embraced them, desires not to suffer that he may become partaker of the fulness of God’s grace, that he may obtain from God complete forgiveness, by giving in exchange his blood? For that secures the remission of all offences. On this account it is that we return thanks on the very spot for your sentences. As the divine and human are ever opposed to each other, when we are condemned by you, we are acquitted by the Highest.

Amen. Soli Deo Gloria!

Schleitheim Confession Commentary Continues

I was able to post the latest commentary on Schleitheim Confession Article III: Communion. Of course these are short commentaries. This has been fascinating, reading through John Yoder's translation of the Confession. The Swiss Brethren were such an exeplary people, it never ceases to amaze me as I go from history to history. I am going through William Estep's The Anabaptist Story, and am presently finishing the section on Conrad Grebel, the original leader of the Swiss Brethren. Grebel seems to have been something of a creation of Ulrich Zwingli, who used the young pupil along with a few others to build up his support for reform, and then lost his grip of control when Grebel believed the teacher was not willing to go far enough. Zwingli tried to be the chessmaster of the Swiss Reformation, but did not count on the radical attitude of Grebel and company, whose desire was to bring the Church back to old ways en toto, not just change one or two aspects at a time. From there you get Zwingli's persecution of the radicals, following the same plan as the Roman Catholic Church he was trying to redesign.

Amazing all the more is the fact that Grebel was only an Anabaptist for twenty months. From January 1525 when he performed the first rebaptism of George Blaurock until the summer of 1526 when the plague claimed his life, he impacted so many believers and non-believers, and helped develope a legacy that Christians today can (and should) look back on. At the core of his devotion: the Holy Scriptures.

For a look at my piece on Article III of the Schleitheim Confession, click on to Nachfolge Christi.

Soli Deo Gloria

Ye Olde Blog

I have not blogged since Thursday, proving yet again that blogging is not like breathing. I have several items in line that I will be writing about, e.g. the Anabaptists, persecution, Ignatius, how some ministries use their income.

Here is a new post on Nachfolge Christi on a subject of mine that simply does not go away: Church and State.