We've seen it in U.S. presbyterian history. We fought in the liberal northern church and then followed J.G. Machen in a needed separation in 1936. Within a year we split into two fighting camps with finely honed passions and arguments against the liberals as well as against fellow separatists. Then one branch split yet again a few years later, etc. "Split Ps". Machen was a worthy leader. Carl McIntire found enemies at every turn and became a leading anti-communist for good measure.
I found the same tendency with my work in the homeschooling, family-based church, patriarchy movement (I published a magazine called Patriarch for ten years). Men were hungry for the vision, teaching, and new direction for their families and churches. But what I found was that some of the guys relished the training but didn't have the spiritual maturity to accompany the new knowledge.
I think the problem is that it is easier to engage the mind and stimulate the will to action than it is to transform the heart, because the latter is the work of the Holy Spirit while the former can be accomplished in the flesh. The constant temptation of us knowledge-oriented, movement-loving types is that we hijack the work the Spirit wants to do by reducing it to a mind/will thing which feels satisfying and effective, but if it lacks a Christ-like humility and love it can crash and burn. I've seen it in families and in churches.
Reformed people know well that we are justified by faith and not by works. Our temptation is that we come to think that we are, in effect, justified by knowledge and opposition to error. But neither works nor knowledge saves. Christ alone.
Self. It is the clear and present danger in any righteous battle.
There is no letting up in the constant battles for the hearts and minds of people and often I feel ill-equipped. I have benefited greatly Virgil by the JT podcast and your posts to order my thinking, to respond intelligently to lies. I crave knowledge and the right words to bring Christian values to the battles I find myself in. I often feel ill-equipped.
Turning back to myself, to just me and my words and actions-are they kind, am I being humble, am I willing to not have the last word? Am I willing to love those who demean me?
Am I transformed?
Philip I love your post. I equally love Virgil’s and was just pondering his words.
Do I still have joy? Do I still laugh with my family? Is my son confidently building his house of bricks while we fight wolves? Do will still sing bedtime blessings at the end of the day. Can my five year old grandson quote memorized Scripture? Did we feast when we had the opportunity? Did we grieve at funerals? Did we dance at weddings?
To weep for Lazarus. To indict Jerusalem. To expose the pharisees. To make the temple guards fall on their torches. To bear the cross and still quote Psalm 22 to those standing by. My LORD!
Can I still say, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."
Sometimes the best General is the General who is a reluctant General who rises to the occasion and stands in the gap when others have fled. God has made you and Darrell Generals that others willingly follow. Stay strong General Walker. You are needed.
"How can I love you today, Father, Son and Spirit?" helps.
I am amazed (though I shouldn't be) how faith and service to Jesus still rolls on in spite of mankind's ability to gum it up.
Asking daily for God's wisdom is needed, too.
Mostly all of us struggle with humility and wanting the praise of men AND the praise of God.
The war analogy was really helpful--it has a personal aspect and a corporal aspect.
The corporal showing in a church is most seen in unity on the BIG stuff and liberty on the LITTLE stuff. (There's the rub; that's not a well defined line or there'd BE unity).
Satan wants to splinter, to divide and conquer the church. One way is to shift our attention to battles of little consequence but with high casualties.
But for me, a persnickety one from the start, I find that most of my 'fights' have been about wanting things to be done better, rather than about me loving and honoring God better.
Asking God how I can glorify Him keeps my pride in check and at the same time, builds the church.
“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart—and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained.”
Wow! Thank you for sharing your self-awareness and explaining it SO clearly. I get what you mean. We see things as binary. You either win or lose. What if winning really is losing?
Three words, “act like men”; one word in Greek (andrizomai) written by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:13 are simple yet powerful. Deep inside of men is the desire to fight, solve, and conquer. Men have either emasculated themselves in feminized churches or left them to fight on sports fields, video games, and professional sports rather than the gospel. Men need a mission; women want safety and security. There are men from the past who preached with a revolver next to their Bible on the pulpit. The black-robed regiment was real. Too many American churches have no need for a security team because they are no threat to the devil. Too many churches are seeker sensitive instead of being Savior sensitive. The Bible is full of military language. We need pastors in our pulpits that are generals too. We have lost sight of our mission in the fog of war and chosen comfort and safety that left unaddressed will inevitably lead to our demise. I join your other readers in prayer for you as you seek to fulfill the mission God has given you.
We've seen it in U.S. presbyterian history. We fought in the liberal northern church and then followed J.G. Machen in a needed separation in 1936. Within a year we split into two fighting camps with finely honed passions and arguments against the liberals as well as against fellow separatists. Then one branch split yet again a few years later, etc. "Split Ps". Machen was a worthy leader. Carl McIntire found enemies at every turn and became a leading anti-communist for good measure.
I found the same tendency with my work in the homeschooling, family-based church, patriarchy movement (I published a magazine called Patriarch for ten years). Men were hungry for the vision, teaching, and new direction for their families and churches. But what I found was that some of the guys relished the training but didn't have the spiritual maturity to accompany the new knowledge.
I think the problem is that it is easier to engage the mind and stimulate the will to action than it is to transform the heart, because the latter is the work of the Holy Spirit while the former can be accomplished in the flesh. The constant temptation of us knowledge-oriented, movement-loving types is that we hijack the work the Spirit wants to do by reducing it to a mind/will thing which feels satisfying and effective, but if it lacks a Christ-like humility and love it can crash and burn. I've seen it in families and in churches.
Reformed people know well that we are justified by faith and not by works. Our temptation is that we come to think that we are, in effect, justified by knowledge and opposition to error. But neither works nor knowledge saves. Christ alone.
Self. It is the clear and present danger in any righteous battle.
Fantastic analysis.
There is no letting up in the constant battles for the hearts and minds of people and often I feel ill-equipped. I have benefited greatly Virgil by the JT podcast and your posts to order my thinking, to respond intelligently to lies. I crave knowledge and the right words to bring Christian values to the battles I find myself in. I often feel ill-equipped.
Turning back to myself, to just me and my words and actions-are they kind, am I being humble, am I willing to not have the last word? Am I willing to love those who demean me?
Am I transformed?
Philip I love your post. I equally love Virgil’s and was just pondering his words.
Looking forward Virgil to what you have to say.
Do I still have joy? Do I still laugh with my family? Is my son confidently building his house of bricks while we fight wolves? Do will still sing bedtime blessings at the end of the day. Can my five year old grandson quote memorized Scripture? Did we feast when we had the opportunity? Did we grieve at funerals? Did we dance at weddings?
To weep for Lazarus. To indict Jerusalem. To expose the pharisees. To make the temple guards fall on their torches. To bear the cross and still quote Psalm 22 to those standing by. My LORD!
Can I still say, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ."
- 1 Corinth 11:1
Sometimes the best General is the General who is a reluctant General who rises to the occasion and stands in the gap when others have fled. God has made you and Darrell Generals that others willingly follow. Stay strong General Walker. You are needed.
"How can I love you today, Father, Son and Spirit?" helps.
I am amazed (though I shouldn't be) how faith and service to Jesus still rolls on in spite of mankind's ability to gum it up.
Asking daily for God's wisdom is needed, too.
Mostly all of us struggle with humility and wanting the praise of men AND the praise of God.
The war analogy was really helpful--it has a personal aspect and a corporal aspect.
The corporal showing in a church is most seen in unity on the BIG stuff and liberty on the LITTLE stuff. (There's the rub; that's not a well defined line or there'd BE unity).
Satan wants to splinter, to divide and conquer the church. One way is to shift our attention to battles of little consequence but with high casualties.
But for me, a persnickety one from the start, I find that most of my 'fights' have been about wanting things to be done better, rather than about me loving and honoring God better.
Asking God how I can glorify Him keeps my pride in check and at the same time, builds the church.
We thank you for your service, sir, both in the USAF and to the Church.
“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either—but right through every human heart—and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained.”
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Wow! Thank you for sharing your self-awareness and explaining it SO clearly. I get what you mean. We see things as binary. You either win or lose. What if winning really is losing?
Three words, “act like men”; one word in Greek (andrizomai) written by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:13 are simple yet powerful. Deep inside of men is the desire to fight, solve, and conquer. Men have either emasculated themselves in feminized churches or left them to fight on sports fields, video games, and professional sports rather than the gospel. Men need a mission; women want safety and security. There are men from the past who preached with a revolver next to their Bible on the pulpit. The black-robed regiment was real. Too many American churches have no need for a security team because they are no threat to the devil. Too many churches are seeker sensitive instead of being Savior sensitive. The Bible is full of military language. We need pastors in our pulpits that are generals too. We have lost sight of our mission in the fog of war and chosen comfort and safety that left unaddressed will inevitably lead to our demise. I join your other readers in prayer for you as you seek to fulfill the mission God has given you.
Wow and AMEN, Pastor Virgil!✝️🙏