Shirker

Ephesians 5:23 ESV

“For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.”

C.S. Lewis has written many books but there is one that continues to call to me. It regularly tantalizes me, and calls to memory the depth of truth that presses me to read it again. Maybe you have a book like that. One that you are aware is not included among the “best” of that author’s works, but still for some reason it calls to you and you must read it again such is The Horse and His Boy. The portion that has brought this yearning once again to my mind is the final moments of the book when the Heir to the throne realizes he will not be king, another has been found who must inherit, and he bursts forth in jubilant voice “Hurrah! Hurrah!... I shan’t have to be king.”

A contemporary Author of Lewis was the Catholic professor J.R.R. Tolkien. In his epic Trilogy he introduces us to Elrond. Not to swing too much into fantasy but this person is one of the greatest elves in the land who through wisdom and skill has been given one of the three Elvish rings of power and rules over elves to their blessing and flourishing. In this work of fiction Tolkien creates in Elves a people who can not die from age. They can be killed but short of murder they simply continue to age with no diminishing of physical or mental abilities, but only continued growth, they are “immortal” for the most part. I come to this because in Elrond has a twin brother, Elros. They were half-elves and half-men. Due to their prowess and exploits in they were given a choice to choose to be fully men or fully elves. Elros chose to become man, aging and dying as mortal man, rather than being immortal with his brother, why? Their father was a King of men and as such the eldest son was heir to the kingdom of men. It was his duty, the prince could do as he wished, but the heir choose his duty to the men he would rule.

In 1936 a man chose to follow his heart. King Edward the VIII abdicated his responsibility to his people to marry the twice divorce American, Wallis Simpson. At the precipice of the century, with Nazi Germany gaining momentum, and War looming on the horizon, a man chose to shirk his responsibility and thrust it on his younger brother. King George VI would guide the United Kingdom through the harrowing events of World War II and shortly after. King George would die early at the age of 56. His wife would always blame her brother-in-law Edward, now Duke of Windsor, for her husband’s early death because of the stress of being King. Edward would out live his younger brother by twenty years.

To stretch from the King of England to the King of the Box office, once again Spider-Man has broken records. His alter ego, Peter Parker, has multiple trilogies all of which have topped the box office and he appears to be bank able to almost any generation. I bring up this work of American fiction because of the great struggle that this character wrestles. Yes, it would be fun to swing around and concern yourself only with your own wants and desires, but “with great power comes great responsibility.” This presses and pushes him into many things he does not wish for or desire, but he was given great power and even when he may wish to walk away he cannot. Should such a person apologize for being stronger and more agile than others? Does the position he finds himself in require him to pretend he is not stronger and given more than others? He resolutely says no and persists in trying to use all of his many and ample gifts to serve.

Coming to this verse of headship, it must be noted that the bible does not base the rule of men on their strength or on their intellect, but on their position as created first (1 Timothy 2:13). The headship of men is also seen in the curse of Genesis 3, God speaks to the woman the least of the three persons present. By word Count he Judged the man most culpable, the snake second, and the woman third. Because the man was given rule/dominion and “with great power comes great responsibility.” A man’s duty can not be escaped. Two men of the Victorian age, and one of the “Greatest generation” speak in their writing that one’s duty is above one’s pleasure. God speaks that he has gifted everyone both with abilities and with position. We are not to apologize for, abdicate, or usurp them from others. They are, and they are to be rejoiced in and used to their fullest for God’s glory, and our good, not our pleasure or amusement.

The Call of Duty is not a game to be played but a service to be done. Men are called and women are called, youths and elders, rich and poor, black and white, high IQs and incorrigibles. In God’s providence he has given you what you have and when you have it. Let us not abdicate and join the cowards, but walk in the particular hand we have been dealt, because “every hands a winner.”

This is the day that the Lord has made,

we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

Coram Deo

“And that’s truer than thy brother knows, Cor, ” said King Lune.  “For this is what it means to be a king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there’s hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land.” – C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

Necessary

Matthew 18:7 ESV

Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes.

“Because I said so.” Seems to have gone out of style. It harkens to authority and the admission that you don’t have it and someone else does. It might be parents, boss, or elders in the church, but in the end when it is used it holds to the reality that someone has authority over someone else. And so, parents are told they need to explain all their reasons to their children. Employers are encouraged to make a friendly work environment by giving reasons to everything. What do we do then if we have never been trained to understand that we, like the centurion, are under authority? We fight with parents, employers and God himself.

My daily reading this morning brought this to the fore when Jesus tells us that “it is necessary that temptations come.” Jesus does not seek to explain why the snake was in the garden. He does not explain why David was allowed into Saul’s camp but not supposed to kill him. He does not walk through the reasons God sits on his throne and we do not. He simply says “it is necessary”. Later in Matthew Jesus outlines that someone had to betray the Christ, he says “as it is written of him, but woe to that man…it would have been better if he had not been born.” It was necessary that they fall to temptations but woe to him.

Temptations come to us from every direction. Yet, God tells us to beware not to be the means of someone’s temptation. The snake was responsible for allowing himself to be the means of man’s destruction, and suffered the curse for it. The Amalekite would allow himself to be the means of Saul’s death, would suffer the penalty for his disregard (It should be noted the armor-bearer refused to be the means of Saul’s destruction).  Judah was responsible for falling to temptation and becoming the means of Christ’s betrayal. We understand that the temptation to choose self over God is necessary in our lives. For God’s glory we must always have the opportunity to choose our way instead of his, until we are called home, but woe to those that present that opportunity.

Men will always have the opportunity to choose God’s design for intimacy (heterosexual monogamous marriage) or our own desires (any and all deviation). Men will be tempted to put our hope, happiness, and security into guns, politics, courts, spouse, bank accounts, or any number of things rather than God. Temptation will be present in your life, it is necessary that temptations come, that you might better glorify God. Just as it was necessary that David be brought before the sleeping Saul spear by his head to kill and take the kingdom, that David might glorify God by choosing not to. Waiting for GOD to accomplish what he had ordained for “the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.” (1 Sam 26:10)

The temptations you face today are necessary for you, but will you choose to be David or choose to be the Amalekite. Will you reach out your hand with Eve and take what God has nor ordained or wait for God to hand it to you as he wipes the tears from your eyes? Will you show your love for God by trusting him or show your love for yourself by choosing your own timing?

Coram Deo

Despised

Job 31:24 ESV

If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence,

If I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much.

Genesis 25:34b ESV

Thus Esau despised his birthright.

“What would man give in exchange for his soul?” The story of Faust is one that has caught the fancy of many, even including the venerable Charlie Daniels in his song “Devil went down to Georgia” where his character risks his soul for a golden fiddle. It would seem that men have always despised eternity at the feet of the here and now. Few though have so despised it as Esau. The birthright he was entitled to was such that he would gain mention and honor in the line of the eternal king and from him all the world would be blessed. He heard of Abraham’s covenant with God, not from the mouth of some Sunday school teacher but rather from a hundred-seventy-five-year-old man on his death bed when he was roughly fifteen. (Genesis 25:7, 25:26) This father’s favorite had no use for such nursery stories, far more interested in sport and hunting and so he held his soul lightly. Jacob though greatly longed to be a part of such things. Valuing rightly all that his grandfather spoke and so taking advantage of his brothers disdain he purchased his way into the line of kings with a simple bowl of soup.

We give the title hero to those men who sacrifice all for a cause of true worth. That give themselves to the point of death that they might achieve the desired end. Along the way they are met with many things to tempt them to sell their goal short. The hero lives for that which is “worth it”. They disdain the hold cheap the creature comforts, the mammon of this life, as they look to greater things. Christ “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…”  

Matthew 13:22 ESV

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Looking to our country at the moment I fear that the weeds are the greatest threat to it at the moment. Having watched and heard as so many initially accept and rejoice in the news they are given but as social standing and lively hood become endangered, disdain the inheritance they are promised and sell it for a bowl of soup. The cares of this life strangle the hope that we had at the first sign of life in them. As Satan plays his marching tune of ease and comfort, weakening a noble people, used to sacrificing for future generations, now indulging that future generations may sacrifice for them.

It is the spirit of the church that walks with joy to its passion. It is the spirit of praise that we have been accounted worthy to suffer that would cause a church gathered in prison to pray for the birth of a child, that its mother might be martyred with them, and all would rejoice that God would grant the request. (Martyrdom of Saints Perpetual and Felicitas). Let us not despise our rights as heirs with Christ, but despise the shame of a people set against God and embrace the call of saints.

Coram Deo

Replacement

Genesis 8:17 ESV

“… and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.”

What a joyful command. One of my favorite movies has Robin Hood, played by Errol Flynn, respond to his king “may I obey all your commands with equal pleasure sire”. The joy of making them, holding them, watching them become adults, worshiping with them, is truly a command that is great and fun to obey, to bring forth those made in the image of God and be pressed by them into growing in my faith, “be fruitful and multiply”. Adam was also commanded to do so, yet for him it was sorrow as he would raise a murderer along side of one that would call upon the lord. He would watch as his sin played out for over 900 years on the earth and his descendants. His sin would multiply and fill the earth until God was forced to destroy it.

Two point three is the magical number. Two point three is what is called the replacement rate. As long as the average number of live births for women in a society is above 2.3 the society will continue to grow. When it falls under that rate it is in decline and should it continue under that rate it will decline to the point of death. That is the brutal reality that we in the west will have to grapple with, if socialism and tyrannical government don’t destroy us first. The United States fertility rate fell to 1.64 and has been on a steady decline since 2014. Some are arguing that it isn’t any issue with the longer life expectancies and technological advancement such a situation will simply be overcome. Since they have no hope of the trend changing, and they don’t want to be chicken little, they find hope in the only alternative that doesn’t involve them sacrificing their latte to have more children.

Looking back to Adam’s plight, I want to point out that having children wasn’t Adam’s problem. He had three named sons and we are told many other sons and daughters. The Earth was filling, but it was filled with men and women devoted to evil. The issue wasn’t the replacement rate of the flesh but a replacement rate of the righteous that caused the destruction of the earth. This is the issue that the church must address. How can we quantify a replacement rate for THE church? As with the replacement rate for humanity, certain activities must happen to provide an environment for people to thrive, so also with the spiritual growth of a church.

Evangelism being the act itself, but that does not always lead to life, how then do we increase our odds of being used by God in the new life of a believer. The rate I want to postulate is also 2.3. The rate that provides the church the greatest opportunity to thrive and grow has to be greater than one for one, as life happens, jobs move, children go off to college. What I am saying is that a church service once a week is going to see a sustained decline in the growth of the Gospel in a community, both IN the church, and in evangelism outside. A minimum of two services and a little more is required, to foster healthy growth in the life of the church, old and new converts alike. The adage twice on Sunday and once in the middle of the week is a wise rule of thumb, but it is just that, both wise and a rule of thumb. The church exploded in the first century not because they were the holiest men and women around, a simple look at the bibles description of the issues in the early churches should convince you of that, but because it was “day by day attending the temple together and breaking bread in homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God” therefore “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47) The biblical example of fellowship is much greater than the 2.3 and it yielded much greater results than I am proposing, but we have to start somewhere. Is it any wonder that the decline in general morality has coincided with the decline of the number of church services?

Cruce, Dum Spiro, Fido

Conversion

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Why did someone share the Gospel with you? Why do you read the bible? Why is the Bible read every Lord’s Day? Is not change part of that equation? The desire that in sharing the Gospel the hearer might repent of their sin and turn to Christ, undergirds all of what we do as a church. The recognition that it isn’t only the unchurched and unsaved that need to be constantly confronted with their sin, its heinous visage, staining their soul , but the saved as well. Seeing the hurt and pain sin causes, leads us to share hope. Knowing that beneath the fake smiles and foolish grins, is a foundation waiting to collapse wreaking havoc upon this person and all who are nearby. Longing to help avert the coming crisis the Gospel is shared that sin might be driven from darkness and wither in the light.

Knowing sin is a thing that is not safely in someone else's life and not also in our own. We read and let the word of God convert us again and again. Turning us from our sin and pressing us into the image of our elder brother, Jesus the Christ. This is the pattern of sanctification. The word of God reaches in and converts the sinner over and over. Starting with the first time the beloved message touched your ears that you had been made right with God by the blood of Christ and you were overwhelmed by the reality, such that, you turned from the sin you were aware of. It didn’t stop there, as every day more of your sin was shown to you as the text helped you see. To see how vile you were and you over and over, you came grateful and overwhelmed to the cross, again and again. At first you thought the chasm between you and God was great but the longer you see your heart for what it is and was, you see more clearly it was not simply massive it was insurmountable except; Christ did conquer it. Over and over, we come to see more precisely how great our conversion was, as the word of God converts us again and again.

We consent to God’s word being read that we might enjoy changing what was true and embrace what God desires for us. The simple reading of his word does this over and over. This act is about to be rendered illegal in western democracies. On January 7 of 2022 it will become illegal in Canada to: “practice, treatment, or service designed to (a) change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual (b) change a person gender identity to cisgender (c) change a person’s gender expression so that it conforms to the sex assigned at birth (d) repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behavior (e) repress a person’s non-cisgender identity; (f) repress or reduce a person’s gender expression that does not conform to the sex assigned to the person at birth.” (320.101 of the Criminal Code) It goes further and says that the person's consent for the action does not matter. Because a person would dare to read scripture in the hope that a person would be converted from their wicked way he or she becomes “guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years” that goes for all that would advertise or promote a church service since the service is intended to bring about the conversion of all who come, and it does not matter according to this law that they consent to hear it read.

The 49^th Parallel is a nice line on a map but it will not hold back the tide. The favorable coverage of this law and the similar in Britain must alarm us to the point we pray. Pray for our brothers in the North who on Friday will begin functioning illegally simply waiting for someone to complain. Pray for our leaders and subsequent elections that God might hold back the tide and not judge us so severely as to turn us over to his wrath, but raise up men of ability, strength and skill, once again to help the faithful here in our blessed land. Pray God would raise up a church here, should he give our government over to his wrath, that courageously speaks truth, and wisely finds new ways to function in the face of government oppression.

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO