June 2011

Under another post, a longtime reader named Jay asks a question that seems worth answering on the main page.

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Dear Jay,

Answering a question like this by writing rather than in person is very difficult, pastorally. How can I show you I love you and am very concerned that you know the mercy of God for your particular set of temptations, especially in a time and place when any condemnation of sodomy is seen as at least shrill, and likely smug, insensitive, and grounded in self-righteousness, to boot?

Still, I will work to answer you because you say others are unwilling to do so, and because you are a precious soul belonging to the Lord of us all Who bought us each with His Own Blood and has called us to be holy as He is holy. If you want, I can put you in touch with those struggling with your particular set of temptations who are a part of our church here in Bloomington and you may ask them if what I write here is from love or censoriousness? You may ask whether you’d find our church to be loving of all regardless of their particular besetting sin, or loving only of those with more acceptable besetting sins?

So on to the difficult work others have avoided.

You wrote, “I would not consider myself heterosexual at all. Is being straight a requirement?”

Let’s clarify the question. The opposite of straight is gay, so another way of asking the question would be, “My psychological and emotional identity and inclinations are completely homosexual, so can I be give in to them as long as I don’t go all the way?” Or another way of saying it would be, “May I give myself to gayness rather than straightness in everything but physical intercourse, and will this please God?”

The answer is...

Some noticed my comment under another post, that I do not think men should place their children, wives, or themselves under the care of Lutheran pastors and churches, today. Why not?

Principally because modern Lutherans administer, teach, and write about the Sacraments in a way that leads tender souls to trust in the ritual and the elements rather than Jesus Christ. Here's the opening paragraph from a Concordia Publishing House pamplet distributed at no cost in the foyers of Missiouri Synod Lutheran churches around the country. Titled "What About Holy Baptism," it opens with this paragraph:

Suppose for a moment that there was a doctor who had such incredible talent that he could prevent people from dying, and bring those who had died back to life, never to die again. Just imagine how people would do whatever they could to be treated by this doctor! Now consider that in Holy Baptism, God actually does give us the gift of eternal life! Let's learn more about this marvelous blessing. (The pamplet goes on to make statements about the connection between "the Word" and the water, and once or twice faith is mentioned, but the first paragraph is an accurate representation of the whole.)

This is sacramentalism and it destroys souls. Yet sacramentalism is foundational to much of Christendom today. It permeates Lutheranism, Anglicanism, Episcopalianism, and Roman Catholicism, and it is connived at by many Reformed and Presbyterian denominations and pastors. In fact if we're honest we'll admit that the sacramental error is cheek-by-jowl next to every Biblical practice of infant baptism, bedeviling paedobaptist churches just as the sacramentalism of decisional regeneration bedevils credobaptist churches.

It is never, ever right to lead the souls under our care to believe that Baptism saves us...

ClearNote Church has gotten by without a sign ever since we moved into our new church-house. Why?

Don't ask. But if we were ever to get a sign, I'd like to copy this one. It's about as comissional as can be.

And here at ClearNote Church of Bloomington, it has the added benefit of accurately describing the origin of many cars in our parking lot...

Here's a letter written by father of three, Tom Ball, explaining why he planned to set fire to himself. The letter was received by the New Hampshire Sentinel this past Thursday morning, June 16th--one day after Mr. Ball burned himself to death in front of the Cheshire County Courthouse in Keene, New Hampshire.

Despair is evil and suicide more so, but it's worth reading Mr. Ball's very long letter to understand the policeman/judge/social worker troika feminists have so successfully employed to destroy millions of homes, robbing many more millions of children of their fathers. Likely every last one of us reading this apologia knows at least several fathers who have been arrested or had their children taken from their home without warrant. And Mr. Ball is right--it will only get worse.

Note particularly Mr. Ball's failed efforts to get official stats on domestic violence arrests; but also his stats on the percentage of domestic batteries and murders committed by men and women. Our good readers must be reminded again and again that domestic violence is an equal opportunity employer.

(TB)

Until the late nineties, I read and preached from the New International Version. Since then I've exclusively used the New American Standard Bible Updated (1995) Edition. For many reasons that is the Bible I commend. Some in ClearNote Church of Bloomington use the English Standard Version, the Holman Christian Standard Bible, or the New King James. I have no strong objection to these Bibles, but our standard here at ClearNote Church of Bloomington is the NASB Updated Edition. (Here's a longer explanation of why I prefer the NASB.)

Bible Design Blog is the place I turn for reviews of Bible printings and bindings. The details this blog provides are superb. Here's a review of an NASB printed by R. L. Allen and bound in crimson Highland goatskin.