On May 16, 2021

NOTES ON WHAT GOD WANTS: PROVOCATION TO DIVINE PLEASURE OR TO DIVINE WRATH: part iii

SCRIPTURE: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?” – MICAH 6:8, AMPC

PART I: What is ‘Good’?

PART II: What is ‘Justice’?

PART III: WHAT IS ‘MERCY’?

PART IV: What is ‘Humility’?

PART V: What Does God Want?

QUOTATIONS

TRUE MERCY. “‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.‘ These men without possessions or power, these strangers on Earth, these sinners, these followers of Jesus, have in their life with him Renounced their own dignity, for they are merciful. As if their own needs and their own distress were not enough, they take upon themselves the distress and humiliation of others. They have an irresistible love for the down-trodden, the sick, the wretched, the wronged, the outcast and all who are tortured with anxiety.” – DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, ‘The Cost of Discipleship,’ 1937; edited

COSTLY GRACE. “Cheap Grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap Grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the Cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Costly Grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the Call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.” – DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, ‘The Cost of Discipleship,’ 1937; edited

THE REVELATOR PRINCIPLE. God honors ONLY THE CONTRITE with True Mercy and Costly Grace. “But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)—[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death.” – REVELATION 21:8, AMPC

Just so that we are crystal clear, beloved. Selah.

FIRST THOUGHTS

Inarguably, the most magnificent, mind and history-bending Miracle in the annals of all mankind is that Almighty God has made a sure Path for sinful, evil men to find their way Home to Him. This, no matter the severity or frequency of that sin. It is called DIVINE MERCY, the very Grace of God toward ‘almost’ all sinners.

Almost? Yes. It this Covenant between God and Man is predicated upon one universally overshadowing Prerequisite: One must REPENT of their sins – Sincerely, Specifically, and for most leaders, Publicly.

THE AMERICAN GOSPEL. But as we have stated on numerous occasions before, the Postmodern Church has turned this Central Doctrine on its head, to argue, horrendously, that all sins are covered from the moment one Confesses Christ, until forever and ever and ever – ‘Sine hoste sublatus pœnitentiam!’ – Without sustained contrition!

To say it another way: That once the prayer is uttered, we are ‘Covered by the Blood,’ and therefore you are ‘Good to go’ from then on, regardless of conduct, according to America’s Contemporary Church Jargon.

JARGON. “Mid-14 c.: ‘Unintelligible talk, gibberish; chattering, jabbering,’ from Old French jargon ‘a chattering’ (of birds), also ‘language, speech,’ especially ‘idle talk of thieves’ (Latin 12 c.). From 1640s as ‘mixed speech, ‘pigin;’ 1650s as ‘phraseology peculiar to a sect or profession,’ hence ‘mode of speech full of unfamiliar terms.’ Middle English also had it as a verb, ‘Jargounen,’ ‘to chatter’ (late 14 c.), from French.” – EDITORS, ‘Online Etymology,’ ret. May 5, 2021; edited

COMMENTARY. The formerly Canonical DR. MICHAEL BROWN once professed this incisive Renunciation of such Bible-Babble as recently as 2014: “Simply stated, there is not a single verse anywhere in the Bible that pronounces us already forgiven for our future sins (meaning, sins we have not yet committed). Not one verse. Nowhere. Not even a hint of such a concept.” – M. BROWN, ‘Hyper Grace,’ 2014; edited

But like Dr. Brown, nearly the entire Church has undergone a ‘Mega-Shift,’ to use a favorite buzz word among Charismatics, we must first grasp the massively destructive impact that the theologically repugnant DONALD TRUMP has had on Christian Doctrine in just four short years.

Commentary much more about an Impotent American Church than about a corrupt political leader.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO DONALD

The equally brilliant but considerably more Orthodox theologian, MICHAEL HORTON, J. Gresham Machen Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, dispatches this historic Heresy with steely cool Logic and proper Doctrinal alignment with The Text.

Taken from a superb analysis entitled: “The Theology of Donald Trump: FOUR WORDS that Reveal What His Followers Really Believe,” ‘Christianity Today,’ March 16, 2016; edited

CREATION. “Trump reveals that many Evangelicals have come to embrace a New Doctrine of Creation, according to which the State accords basic rights instead of recognizing their dignity as fellow image-bearers of God. Hence, the support of the torture of human beings (and perhaps their relatives) as legitimate ‘State Policy’; this is entirely justified to some by the circumstances of an Unlimited War on Terror. Never mind the Christian Just-War Tradition that has undergirded centuries of Western reflection. And given the apparent failure of even his most recent ambiguous statements about the KKK to diminish support among his base, Trump reveals that America’s unfinished task of wrestling honestly with Racism is just as clearly mirrored in some parts of Evangelicalism.”

SIN. “Trump reveals that many Evangelicals have come to embrace a different idea of sin than Evangelicals have in the past. First, sin is now seen less a condition that renders us all ‘miserable offenders’ before a holy God than ‘Mistakes’ good people make that fail to contribute to ‘our best life now.’ Card-carrying Evangelicals should have gotten it when Trump announced that he has never asked God for forgiveness because he doesn’t really do anything that would require it. This is problematic from a Christian perspective on several levels.”

CHRIST. “Jesus has become a brand and cultural-political ‘Mascot’ [i.e., a good luck token]. The term ‘Evangelical’ used to mean that the global community of those ‘from every tribe, tongue, and nation’ (Rev. 5:9) were united by “One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism’ (Eph. 4:5) through Faith in ‘Christ alone’ as the all-sufficient Savior from the condemnation and death that our sins deserve. Our ultimate demographic is ‘in Christ.’ This trumps (no pun intended) our Identity as Americans, or as Democrats and Republicans. But Trump reminds us that many who call themselves Evangelicals today find their ultimate loyalty in preserving or regaining a lost socio-political and cultural, perhaps even racial, Hegemony [i.e., Dominance] in an increasingly diverse society. By His Gospel, Christ speaks to our deepest need to be united to Him and to each other in His body.”

LEADERSHIP. “Trump reveals that ‘godly leadership’ is apparently for some Evangelicals the celebration of narcissism, greed, and deceitfulness in the ‘Pursuit of Power’. They like Trump’s ‘strong leadership’ and ability to ‘get things done.’ They seem to value Pragmatism over anything else [defined as an approach that assesses the truth of meaning of theories or beliefs in terms of the ‘Success’ of their practical application].”

IN SUM. This Postmodern American Apostasy from the Canonical Gospel of Jesus Christ has not only radically transformed and redirected the entire Nation away from Truth toward the Lie, but also much of the entire World. This is no longer the America of our Forebears, nor even our moms and dads. No, beloved, it is now become:

Trump’s America and Trump’s Church.

To our point today, so divorced from True Mercy, brutally severed from the Canon, now drenched in the sewage of raw, pragmatic and often violent exercise of Power.

Selah, beloved, long and hard. Pastors! You all the more.

THE TEACHING

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?” – MICAH 6:8, AMPC

As we reflect on these sobering thoughts, it becomes clear how the American Church has moved from being God’s anointed emissary of Biblically defined Compassion toward the hurting, toward servile Submission to a Despot, a Brute, even, according to a growing number of believing scholars and observers, a Beast, who operates incessantly toward the Destruction of all opponents.

IN SHORT: Donald Trump is the consummate Anti-Merciful among us all.

This, beloved, is what 80% of the American Church has Chosen over Jesus Christ, who most sternly warns each of them: “You cannot drink [both] the Lord’s cup and the cup of demons. You cannot share in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons [thereby becoming partners with them].” – 1 CORINTHIANS 10:21, AMP

So far, however, we are not listening to Him or the Apostles. We apparently prefer the Politician and his Party and his Power to that of God’s Truth and Mercy and, dare I say, Judgments.

Selah. Selah.

WHAT IS MERCY? Thus, we run to the Text for proper and accurate rendering of what God requires of His true followers (as drastically opposed to Trump’s followers) regarding what I shall call, ‘Canonical Mercy.’

‘CHECED’ [חֵסֵד]. The Hebrew term meaning: “To show oneself kind or favoured; closely related to the concepts of love and forgiveness; benevolence, good will, grace or beauty; lovely in appearance and manner; in redemption from enemies and troubles; in keeping with the Covenants; associated with or reflective of Divine attributes; what the Jews refer to as ‘The Mitzvah of Gemilut Chassadim’ [The giving of lovingkindness].”

COMMENTARY. ‘To love mercy’ – Not only to show mercy to miserable objects, to persons in distress; to relieve the poor and indigent; to clothe the naked, and feed the hungry; but to delight in such exercises; and which a King especially should do, whose throne is established by mercy, and who is able, and should be munificent; and some Heathen princes, by their liberality, have gained the name of benefactors, ‘Euergetes’ [Beneficial], as one of the Ptolemies did; see Luke 22:25; such advice Daniel gave to Nebuchadnezzar, a Heathen prince, as agreeable to the light of nature’ [and as with ‘Cyrus the Merciful’]. – cf. Ezra 1:1-11; Daniel 4:27.” – JOHN GILL, ‘An Exposition of the Old and New Testaments,’ 9 vols., 1746-1763; edited

PAUL’S CLARIFICATION ON MERCY. “But actually, I have written to you NOT to associate with any so-called [Christian] brother if he is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater [devoted to anything that takes the place of God], or is a reviler [who insults or slanders or otherwise verbally abuses others], or is a drunkard or a swindler—you must not so much as eat with such a person.” – 1 CORINTHIANS 5:11, AMP; emphasis my own

DK’S TAKE. Let me be unmistakably clear: We are NOT to offer Mercy to just anyone, willy-nilly, as the American Church has wrongly taught for generations. No! Jesus taught, in graphic terms: “Do not give that which is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (MATTHEW 7:6, AMP). Those who call themselves believers, yet continue in serious sin without repentance by their Alliance with Evil, receive not Mercy from either God nor from us. That is The Canon, and shall not be violated for any reason, except for Sincere Contrition. JOHN PIPER rightly calls this, “Holy Ostracism.”

BONHOEFFER SPEAKS. Now to the crucial point of history, regarding whether or not we should ‘Love and show mercy’ to the likes of Donald Trump. I argue from the Sacred Text, absolutely not, so long as he ‘Plays the Beast.’ While we don’t ever take our own vengeance, we do ‘leave room’ for it toward such a venomous Charlatan.

As Paul instructs: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God’s wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written [in Scripture], ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” – ROMANS 12:19, AMP

Thus did Dietrich Bonhoeffer offer this strong counsel against Adolf Hitler’s proposed, ‘Führer Principle,’ the Heretical Policy whereby the Church would cede all Doctrinal authority to the Nazi State.

The Bonhoeffer quotation that follows is from PADRE STEVE in his essay, “Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Martyrs of Flossenburg: A Lesson for Christians in the Age of Trump,” ‘The Inglorious Padre Steve’s World,’ April 17, 2018; edited

BONHOEFFER’S COURAGE. “The fearful danger of the present time is that above the ‘Cry for Authority,’ be it of a Leader or of an Office, we forget that man stands alone before the Ultimate Authority and that anyone who lays violent hands on man here is infringing Eternal Laws and taking upon himself superhuman authority which will eventually crush him. The Eternal Law that the individual stands alone before God takes Fearful Vengeance where it is attacked and distorted. Thus, the Leader points to the Office, but Leader and Office together point to the Final Authority itself, before which Reich or State are penultimate authorities. Leaders or Offices which set themselves up as ‘gods’ [idols’ mock God and the individual who stands alone before Him, and must perish.”

GRAHAM’S COWARDICE. “Shame, shame on the Ten Republicans who joined with @SpeakerPelosi & the House Democrats in impeaching President Trump yesterday. After all that he has done for our country, you would turn your back & betray him so quickly? What was done yesterday only further divides our Nation … We have never had a president like him in my lifetime [sic]. He gave us lower taxes, a strong economy, and low unemployment. He made NATO take notice and pay their own way. He had the guts to take on North Korea and meet with their leader personally. He didn’t let China walk all over us. Just his Mideast peace initiatives [Abraham Accords] in the last couple of months deserve a Nobel Peace Prize. He has defended religious liberty like no president before him, and that matters to all people of Faith. He has worked to bring prison reform and secured our southern border. He defeated the ISIS caliphate in Syria, and he strengthened our military. He was also the most pro-life president we have ever had.” – FRANKLIN GRAHAM, ‘Twitter,’ January 14, 2021, unedited

GRACE RUN AMOK. What Franklin Graham’s shameless ‘Paean to Power’ here and the vast majority of the American Church have embraced is what can only be called, is the HYPER-GRACE HERESY. This according to a large number of Bible scholars since Dr. Brown’s epic collapse, includes DENNIS POLLOCK, writing for the ‘Spirit of Grace’ online journal in their Spring 2021 issue.

“The Hyper-Grace Doctrine that is popular today may often be identified by the catch-phrase: ‘God forgave all of your sins when you came to Christ: Past, present, and future.’ Some may feel that this statement is accurate enough. After all, are we not justified through Christ, and regardless of any sins we may commit, do we not still remain children of God? And if so, does that not imply that even our future sins are forgiven? …

This Doctrine is so saturated with absurdity and the refutation of everything the apostles, the prophets, and the great reformers and revivalists of the Church have always believed and preached, it would take a huge volume to cover it all. That there are Preachers who have strayed from the Truth is not all that surprising. There have always been strange and bizarre doctrines that surfaced in the Church in every generation. The thing that is especially troublesome concerning this Doctrine and ‘our generation’ is the fact that so many Christians seem to be swallowing it, no questions asked or suspicions raised. How is it that this un-Biblical and Illogical teaching is not being blasted from every Pulpit in the land? How is it that millions can follow these teachers and believe every word that comes from their deluded hearts and deceitful mouths?

The only possible answer is that many Christians today are not Bible readers.” Selah.

THE CORE OF THE CRISIS

Though we tread some old ground here explored in earlier Commentaries, we must once more beg the Lord for an answer to this Question: What has led a generally ‘Christian Nation’ to this point of what can only be called, ‘Mass Sacrilege’? What is missing from our Churches and households today?

Just one thing, I propose: A proper ‘FEAR OF GOD.’

To put it more bluntly in everyday parlance: We no longer take God seriously at all. Having Redefined Him into a ‘Tamed Servant’, we have completely jettisoned His True Nature as:

VERY GOD OF VERY GOD. In fierce Renunciation of thus Postmodern Arian Heresy, this is Who we serve: The Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Our Dread Champion. King of the Universe. Master and Lord. Yeshua ben David. The Last Adam. Light of the World. The All-Consuming Fire. Judge of the Nations. Alpha and Omega. The Most High. The Very God of Very God, Sole Sovereign over all things in the Cosmos.

As I listen to sermon after sermon filled with so much fluff and soft mush and ‘safe’ whispers with smiley faces, I want to either weep or rage or vomit. Therefore, let’s remind of some Basic Lessons on Fear of the Lord, before applying them to the Current American Church’s desperately weakened condition.

TOZER’S BIBLICAL CHURCH. “When the Psalmist saw the transgression of the wicked, his heart told him how it could be. ‘There is no fear of God before his eyes,’ he explained, and in so saying revealed to us the Psychology of Sin. When men no longer fear God, they transgress His Laws without hesitation. The fear of consequences is no deterrent when the fear of God is gone.

In Olden Days men of Faith were said to ‘walk in the fear of God’ and to ‘serve the Lord with fear.’ However intimate their communion with God, however bold their prayers, at the base of their religious life was the conception of ‘God as Awesome and Dreadful.’ This idea of God Transcendent runs through the whole Bible and gives color and tone to the character of the saints. This Fear of God was more than a natural apprehension of danger; it was a nonrational dread, an acute feeling of personal insufficiency in the presence of God the Almighty.

Wherever God appeared to men in Bible times, the results were the same—an overwhelming sense of terror and dismay, a wrenching sensation of sinfulness and guilt. When God spoke, Abram stretched himself upon the ground to listen. When Moses saw the Lord in the burning bush, he bid his face in fear to look upon God. Isaiah’s vision of God wrung from him the cry, ‘Woe is me!’ and the confession, ‘I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.’” – A.W. TOZER, “The Fear of God,” ‘The Alliance Tozer Devotional,’ March 17, 2023 (< that was the date posted).

T.A. MCMAHON. “The vast majority of those who attend ‘Seeker-Friendly’ fellowships profess to be believers. Yet most were drawn to those churches by the same worldly allurements that were meant to entice the Unchurched, and they continue to attend, being fed the same biblically anemic diet created for the wooing of unbelievers. At best, they receive the skimmed milk of the Word; at worst, Pablum contaminated with ‘profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called’ (1 Tim:6:20). Certainly a church can grow numerically on that basis, but NOT spiritually. Furthermore, there is no opportunity for believers to mature in the Faith in such an environment. In defense of Seeker-Sensitive churches, some have argued that mid-week services are set apart for discipleship and getting into the meat of Scriptures. If that indeed is the case, it’s a rare exception rather than the rule.” – “The Seeker-Friendly Way of Doing Church,” ‘The Berean Call,’ March 1, 2004; edited

This was written over 15 years ago. Since that time, this Historic Shift away from ‘The Doctrines’ to ‘The Disingenuous,’ defined as, “unfair; not open, frank or candid; meanly artful; illiberal; applied to persons; unbecoming true honor and dignity” has virtually destroyed the American Church. – NOAH WEBSTER, 1828

So have we, wittingly or unwittingly, raised up a Generation of ‘Nice little folks.’ Which by itself I suppose is good and well. But for what lies ahead, beloved? Are these ready to meet Satan and Antichrist and the daemonic nose to nose, mano a mano, to engage the final pitched Battles for Truth with those fellas?

Please.

CONTEXT. Let me make clear, with the help of one of Paul’s no holds barred Letters to his young student, Timothy, the Answer to The Question I just posed.

“But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good,traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.” – 1 TIMOTHY 3:1-2, AMP

Are your Pastors teaching this, beloved of God? Are they readying you for the rapidly approaching Times described by the Law and the Prophets and the Apostles and the Messiah? Are you getting, again, Harry Blamire’s ‘Rich, Red Meat’ of the Gospel Message with which to thwart the Enemy of souls, and lead the many to Righteousness? Are you?

If not, then I close with a few Suggestions.

LAST THOUGHTS

So rather than simply hang our dirty laundry out to dry, for all to see, we must always have A PLAN for dealing with The Crisis. Which consists of belonging to a ‘Seeker Friendly’ house of worship.

Make that read: The Classic Lukewarm Church.

CHRIST’S SOLUTION. I could not think of a better place to go for those Answers than to our King’s Message to the tepid, spoiled and languishing Laodiceans. So shall I quote His Commands for us all, when dealing with such Timid Spiritual Condition.

“Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].” – REVELATION 3:18-19, AMPC

I turn to the venerable ALBERT BARNES, Princeton trained American theologian and fierce abolitionist, for incisive Commentary about the Counsel Jesus gives us as Remedy for The Lukewarm, whose fire has gone considerably dim. – ‘Notes on the Whole Bible,’ 1834; edited

BUY FROM ME GOLD. “‘I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire’ – Pure gold; such as has been subjected to the action of heat to purify it from dross. See the notes on 1 Peter 1:7. Gold here is emblematic of Religion [Sound Doctrine] – as being the most precious of the metals, and the most valued by human beings. They professed to be rich, but were not; and He counsels them to obtain from him what would make them truly rich. ‘That thou mayest be rich’ – In the true and proper sense of the word. With True Religion; with the favor and friendship of the Redeemer, they would have all that they really needed, and would never be in want.”

WHITE CLOTHES. “‘And white raiment’ – The Emblem of purity and salvation. See the notes on Revelation 3:4. This is said in reference to the fact of Revelation 3:17 that they were then Naked. ‘That thou mayest be clothed’ – With the garments of salvation. This refers, also, to True Religion, meaning that what the Redeemer furnishes will answer the same purpose in respect to the soul which clothing does in reference to the body. Of course it cannot be understood literally, nor should the language be pressed too closely, as if there was too strict a resemblance. ‘And that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear’ – We clothe the body as well for decency as for protection against cold, and storm, and heat. The soul is to be clothed that the ‘Shame’ of its sinfulness may not be exhibited, and that it may not be offensive and repellent in the sight.”

EYE SALVE. “‘And anoint thine eyes with eye-salve’ – In allusion to the fact that they were Blind, Revelation 3:17. The word ‘eye-salve’ – κολλούριον ‘Kollourion’ – a coarse bread or cake, and means properly a small cake or cracknel. It is applied to eye-salve as resembling such a cake, and refers to a ‘Medicament’ prepared for sore or weak eyes. It was compounded of various substances supposed to have a healing quality. The reference here is to a ‘Spiritual Healing’ – The idea is, that the Grace of the Gospel enables people who were before blind to see clearly the Character of God, the beauty of the way of Salvation, the loveliness of the Person and work of Christ, etc. See the notes on Ephesians 1:18.

REBUKE AND CHASTENING. “‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten’ – Of course, only on the supposition that they deserve it. The meaning is, that it is a Proof of Love on His part, if His professed friends go astray, to ‘Recall’ them by admonitions and by trials [i.e., by Rebuke and Reprimand]. So a Father calls back his children who are disobedient; and there is no higher proof of His love than when, with great pain to Himself, He administers such chastisement as shall save his child. See the sentiment here expressed fully explained in the notes on Hebrews 12:6. The language is taken from Proverbs 3:12.

REPENT! “‘Be zealous therefore, and repent’ – Be earnest, strenuous, ardent in your purpose to exercise True Repentance, and to turn from the Error of your ways. Lose no time; spare no labor, that you may obtain such a state of mind that it shall not be necessary to bring upon you the severe discipline which always comes on those who continue Lukewarm in Religion. The Truth taught here is, that when the professed followers of Christ have become lukewarm in his service, they should lose no time in Returning to him, and seeking His favor again. As sure as He has any true love for them, if this is not done He will bring upon them some heavy calamity, alike to rebuke them for their errors, and to recover them to himself.”

THE CALL TO PASTORS. In this Context then, I shall close with an unusual approach to the entire Message on ‘Canonical Mercy’, one that has escaped almost all our Pulpits for many years now: The Call to Repent, possibly the most Merciful thing we can ever send to one who is in spiritual peril – depending of course on the motive behind it.

What follows is a LETTER OF APPEAL I just sent (May 10, 2021) to the Executive Pastor of my former church here in Colorado Springs, the largest one in town. I will keep his identify confidential for now, at least until I receive a Response – if I receive one at all. It is hardly a perfect letter, but comes from, to the best of my efforts to ‘listen,’ to the Heart of our King.

“DEAR PASTOR:

I originally composed this letter one year ago in May 2020. I have waited and updated it after listening to your Mother’s Day message yesterday on May 9, 2021.

I know you are hurting, but not because of me or those like me. God is trying to get your attention because He loves you and He loves [XXX XXXX] Church more than you might fully imagine. But thus far you have refused His Prodding. Therefore this, my final letter to fervently encourage you to make some substantial changes in your approach to your messages in order to retain your position there.

And to lead His people in the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth so help you God. This is your primary Covenant before Him …” – TO BE CONTINUED.

CODA. Here’s the thing, beloved: ‘Telling the Truth’ has never been more unfashionable than it is today in our utterly Compromised, Postmodern, Post-Christian, Post-Canonical, Pleasure-driven Church, Nation and World of ours.

You all know it as well as the Law and the Prophets have been shouting about a Time when all of it would become blatant before our very eyes. Thus, the reason I am so adamant about all this is because of its Inexorable Principle:

Truth brings Life – The Lie leads to Death.

Thus, my five years long Polemic against the Trump-Corrupted Church. Thus, my admittedly fiery Commentaries in what I believe is in fervent Defense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And thus, my Letter to this Pastor for his years long resistance to Scriptural remonstrances. Five years, beloved.

Therefore do I close with this from the late KEN SILVA, a firebrand of the first order who theologically called ‘em as he saw ‘em. For this he was roundly hated and eviscerated by the Establishment Church for his scathing reviews of Church heresies and slipshod doctrinal error, especially by from those of the ‘Emergent Church Movement,’ associated with the likes of Rick Warren and Rob Bell.

TRUE SPIRITUALITY. He penned an article on March 30, 2009 entitled – and the phrase for my concluding thought for today: “REAL LOVE TELLS THE TRUTH. I love his fire, and offer his conclusion as my own. – cf. ‘Apprising Ministries;’ edited

“The absolute truth is that the message of Jesus Christ runs counter to what the world, and now sadly much of evangelicalism, expects God to be like. A good analogy is that He calls you out of the world to walk the opposite way the rest of the people are going. Remember now, Romans 12:18 says — If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. As I have pointed out before, just by the way the sentence is written, you know it will not always be possible to avoid offending someone. It goes with the territory of the Christian life; and Jesus has already told us it would!

Now there is A CHOICE that has appeared before us today with crystalline clarity in the Christian community—no matter what flavor you might consider yourself. We can listen to weak-kneed people-pleasers, such as those I mentioned earlier; or, we can listen to our Lord and Master Jesus Christ:

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why it hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: “No servant is greater than his Master” (John 15:18-20).

But know this; you cannot have it both ways.”

Ever your servant, DK

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