Tertullian on abortion.

Tertullian, A.D. 160-240, who sought to defend Christianity against
charges of immorality had plenty to say about the practice of
abortion:
“In our case, murder being once for all forbidden, we may not destroy
even the foetus in the womb, while as yet the human being derives
blood from other parts of the body for its sustenance. To hinder a
birth is merely a speedier man-killing; nor does it matter whether you
take away a life that is born, or destroy one that is coming to birth.
That is a man which is going to be one; you have the fruit already in
the seed (55).”

This sounds like it also implicates contraception! No doubt if we were to ask Tertullian, he would oppose contraception outright. You should see what a stickler he was on headcoverings (I Cor. 11:1-15)! More on that beloved subject of mine later!

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Check out this “divisive” Christian quote!

“A Chritianity which will bear witness to God’s Word in Jesus will be a speaking, thinking, arguing, debating Christianity, which will not be afraid to engage in intellectual and philosophical contest with the prevailing dogmas of its day.”

–Oliver O’Donovan

I say “divisive” quote, because this is the very thing I’ve tried to do in my old church (a Calvary Chapel). I was simply trying to draw people’s attention to a tragically-ignored and misunderstood passage of Scripture (I Corinthians 11:1-15), and see if people wanted to take an honest look at it. But our pastor at that church said that would be “divisive” (without even explaining the meaning of the passage to me). Rather than them even looking at the passage itself, they just looked at “that rag” (their words, not mine) on my head said I was “in Romans 14.” What our pastor meant by this is that I was the “weaker brother” of Romans 14–the brother who hypothetically thinks it’s a sin to eat meat, and therefore in love we should not eat meat in front of him, so as to not offend his oversensitive conscience.

Since that’s how they responded at my old church when I tried to bring up this Scripture, I’ve been VERY HESITANT to bring up neglected Scriptures in our new church. I feel so concerned that I’ll be misunderstood again. Right now everybody there loves me just as I am, which is a great improvement on the last church, and I’m afraid to ruin that. At our church (a URC), I’ve been told I’m “adding to the Scriptures.” That was when I was pointing out from the Scriptures why I am against contraception. I consider “adding to the Scriptures” a grave sin. How do you handle it when you’re just presenting the neglected Scripture verses as they are, and reason from them to their plain and logical conclusions . . . and then hear that you’re “adding to the Scriptures?” Plus, I’ve been wondering if those Bible verses that warn us not to be “contentious” might apply here. So this quote reallly seems to be encouraging me to not shy away from asking Bible questions about difficult passages. . . Yay. I think I’m gaining courage here.

Interestingly, this is printed on a bookmark I picked up for free in our church bookstore (our present church).

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Looking for Christian Consistency . . .

I have always found the Bible to be totally internally consistent, as well as totally consistent with what I observed happening in the outside world and in myself. No consistency problem there. But I observed inconsistency in my church. I observed inconsistency in what my church leaders taught. Even in the “most orthodox” Bible-believing churches I sought out to attend over the course of my 17 years of being a church-attending Christian.

I did not go looking for a “new school of thought” when I came to find theonomy. I was looking for someone who would teach me how to apply Titus 2:3-5, I Timothy 2:11-15, Ephesians 5, and other passages that clearly teach a mandate for womanly purpose and womanly behavior that is VERY different from what I grew up with all around me . . . different from what I saw in the church, too! I’d see one thing about women in the Bible, and a different thing about women in church teaching and practice. I’m serious. I’m not exaggerating. So in my desire to “build myself up in the most holy faith,” and not finding help with conforming my womanhood to biblical imperitives, I had to look outside my local church leaders and church body. Even my present local church. The Titus 2:3-5 “older women” are simply very few and far between. I suspect they’re “focused on their career,” or else they’re timid. But they’re VERY needed by new moms like myself who have suckled at the breast of Feminism. Very lonely endeavor. Sad but true.

The same was true with certain parts of the Law. Especially the 4th Commandment. I have wondered about proper application of the 4th Commandment for years. I thought coming to our Reformed church from Calvary Chapel would provide teaching that would answer that for me. What I mean is, I thought I’d find sound teaching on the 4th Commandment that was as consistent with “the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 5:17) as I found in my husband’s Puritan books. What I found at our church was closer, but still not consistent. I also thought I’d find someone else who covered her head in obedience to I Corinthians 11. No such luck. Didn’t even find anyone who felt it should be considered or discussed. But at least no one treated me like a misfit for covering my head like they did at Calvary Chapel. That’s why my husband and I felt comfortable staying where we are. Nevertheless, I’ve always been disappointed that my headcovering is such a taboo topic for discussion among the Christians at our church, when it is so obviously a peculiarity about me. I’m the only woman in church who covers her head. I stick out like a sore thumb, but I’m now way past that inner struggle where sticking out in that way makes me uncomfortable. I do it for the Lord, not to be seen by man.

I truly wish people would ask me about it. I love to share what God has taught me from I Corinthians 11. But since no one asks, I don’t go and bring it up. I wonder if I should. No doubt I’d be perceived as “pushy” and “divisive” if I did. Ironic. Bringing up certain Bible passages is considered “divisive” to certain Christians just as bringing up the exclusive claims of Christ (” . . . no one comes to the Father but by me”) is among most non-Christians. Do I see inconsistency here? You bet. Do I see hypocrisy here? You bet. Do I see a problem with the authority of God’s Word here among Bible-believing Christians? You bet. But I can’t blame them. I used to not cover my head. I used to work outside the home to the neglect of loving my husband and managing my home. I used to use contraception with my husband. I used to bristle with revulsion at “that submission bit.” But now I’m seeking to conform consistently to God’s Word in these areas. Why should it be considered “divisive” that I want to ask the church to confront these inconsistencies we have all excused?

I’ve begun to notice a few things. I’m finding the most consistency in theonomy. I’m finding a surprising opposition to it in my own Reformed Church, though! My husband and I started going to our URC church four years ago, moving there from a Calvary Chapel. Our church leadership uses the term “theonomy” as a pejorative. One time I asked our pastor to tell me what he could about Reconstructionism and R. J. Rushdoony. Our pastor chose not to answer by refuting its founder with biblical analysis, exegesis, or reasoning from the Scripture–he just calls him “Rushloony” and leaves it at that. Great. Caricature, then write him off. It was eerie. With that, he shut down all opportunity for discourse. I never expected that sort of thing from our pastor, because from the very beginning of us going there, he always made it clear that this was a church where all questions were welcome (as opposed to Calvary Chapel, where that is not the case). I didn’t want to ask him anything else then, for fear I’d be the next victim of his name-calling ridicule. So I just acted like that reply was satisfying, when it actually produced more questions in my mind. That makes me suspicious about our pastor’s confidence in analyzing the points theonomists are making.

It really makes me wonder. Meanwhile, I’m being much more “built up in the faith” (Jude 20) by the theonomy reading than I have been from any other source in a long, long time.

Don’t get me wrong. I love our church and I’ve been learning so much in the faith there. I’m still attending our church and learning a lot and enjoying fellowship there. I’m not bringing up points of contention with them, although I’ve been seriously wanting to. But I think that for me as a woman to do so would be in direct contradiction to the Biblical teaching on womanly silence. (I know I just shocked just about all of the 2 or so people reading this. But I am 100 % serious.) We’re not even allowed to ask questions in church–just of our husbands. I mean, our church has no problem with women asking questions in church–they’d scoff at the prospect of women not asking questions (another inconsistency). But if you read I Timothy 2:12 and I Cor. 14:34-35, that’s clear from Scripture. It doesn’t get more clear than that. So I have to wait for God to move my husband to bring these things up with church leadership. Even if I have to wait a long time.

Much more to come on this. Especially with regard to Biblical Womanhood, especially with regard to headship and submission.

Jenny

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On God’s Law, Sarah Palin and Proposition 8

I’ve been doing a lot of reading recently on the “Mommy Wars” set off when John McCain nominated Sarah Palin for his VP. I pretty much agree with the stance taken on this by those at Ladies Against Feminism and Vision Forum. From these sources, I have really been learning a lot about having more of a Christian worldview in all areas of life. The Bible requires manhood as the first primary qualification of any civil magistrate. 

 

But I’ve been thinking a lot more recently about the importance of Proposition 8 passing here in California. I’ve been doing more reading and studying and listening to an R. C. Sproul CD series of messages on the Church and the State. I am now convinced that, if Proposition 8 fails in California, that represents the failure of Christianity in California. Period. “Homosexual marriage” is a contradiction in terms. Imagine the absurd conversations that would happen soon if homosexual marriage gained ground and became accepted in society. Upon seeing the wedding ring on the finger of someone you just met, you would have to ask the person: “Are you married to a man or a woman?” If that’s a logical question, then why not ask: “Are you a man or a woman?” Because, after all, don’t homosexual men say they’re a woman in a man’s body (and vice versa)? It would be like living in Alice In Wonderland. Once we depart from God’s definitions anything at all, things get strange very quickly.  The homosexual imposters who think they are now married (such as my next door neighbors–I’m not joking–my lesbian next door neighbors had their “wedding” last month and their “honeymoon” in Aruba) are in reality trying for abolition of God’s law throughout the land. To accept this and not to fight it is to deny the faith! Why do I say this? Because, a few tyrannical judges in the judicial  branch of the State have made decided to redefine marriage. Clearly, they have exalted themselves as lords above God. Accepting this would require us to accept the State as god and deny the Lordship of Christ. That puts Christians back where they were in Caesar’s day, when Caesar exalted himself as god.  In the Great Commision,  Jesus taught us to teach all peoples to obey all of His commandments. Not just the politically correct commandments. How can we let go of God-ordained marriage without a fight to the death????

I walked precincts last Saturday for the http://www.ProtectMarriage.com campaign, and I was the only Christian in the group from my zip code. The rest were all Mormons from the same Stake. Where are the believers?? Why aren’t they acting? Why aren’t they fired up against those tyrants who want to abolish godly marriage? Make no mistake–that’s just what will happen, in effect, if Prop 8 fails. Look, in European countries that have legalized homosexual marriage, heterosexual people don’t even bother to get married anymore. But of course. To change the definition of marriage like this is to dilute it. If you dilute it, you kill it. Not to mention the unmentionable state-sanctioned abuse of children that would also result from homosexual “marriage!” Christians of California, stand up for God’s ways, and fight the godless paganism that has swept our land!!  Do it for the sake of the children!

 

It seems to me that Christians have self-silenced based on the prevailing doctrine of the land: the absolute truth of political correctness. I know I’m guilty of so doing. I often wonder why I and other Christians, when we hear someone say, “gay people didn’t choose to be gay, so they should be accepted and we should respect them as long as they’re in committed, monogomous relationships,” we Christians inwardly rebuke the statement, but outwardly give tacit approval by not immediately denouncing it as totally immoral, based on God’s Law. This silence gives tacit approval to their deception. And with Christians out of the way (simply because we’ve allowed ourselves to be intimidated into silence) the homosexual activists have managed to turn public opinion in their favor in a much shorter time than one would have expected! I’ve decided enough is enough. It’s almost like we Christians are submitting to the same mindset that the Jews in the Polish ghettos passively accepted–silencing ourselves for fear of repercussions. And thus, making ourselves powerless as they make us more and more marginalized, moving us more and more to the outskirts of society. No. It’s time for God’s people to “come out of the closet!” God alone is Sovereign over all that is in the earth, and His Law on sexuality has never been repealed. Sexual immorality of all kinds, including homosexuality, is breaking God’s Law. Marriage was created by God alone, not by man, not by government, and certainly not by a few tyrannical judges in San Francisco! God is the Creator of all things, therefore He gets to define His creation, its boundaries, and its purposes. The laws man makes must be within His terms. Otherwise, we’re making ourselves out to be gods. That is what the state is doing now. I think Christians have to stand up, like our ancient Brethren did in the days of Caesar, and say, “Christ is Lord,” not the State!  If we are persecuted for so doing, then we are in the company of the brave. Christ was crucified because of lawlessness, and those involved in it must repent and receive Christ’s unmatchable love and forgiveness, or else be judged for eternity in Hell. That is God’s truth. That is what we need to speak loudly and not fear the repercussions!

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