Is Purgatory for Real?

For whatever reason, Protestants keep coming back to debate the doctrine of purgatory. This idea is unique to the Catholic Church. The Orthodox do not ascribe to it either. Ever since Martin Luther made this idea a topic of contention, we keep on accusing Catholics of abusing the concept of temporary punishment, purging, as preparation for entry to Heaven. 

The Catholics explain it as a necessary justice that purges us from the stains of venial sins which we have committed. But what kind of forgiveness is it that keeps a record of wrongs, while we are urged not to do the same against those who wrong us? Of course, we can earn indulgences to secure our early release, but that creates a whole new series of problems. Salvation is not supposed to be something that we earn. Why are we expected to earn our way out of an almost hellish place of punishment even after we have been granted salvation? Is Jesus' sacrifice not quite enough, or is his righteousness imputed to us not yet a suitable garment to gain us entry to the wedding feast? The very concepts of merit and stain are problematic. 

Therefore, I have developed a different idea, drawing from the Scriptures, that takes account of concerns about meeting the requirements for our places in Heaven. By contrast, this is not a place of punishment so much as it is a trial by fire of our humility, which reveals how well we have been listening to the Holy Spirit. Yes, it can be painful, and we are meant to be among the saved going to Heaven, but it doesn't have to be endured for longer than it takes for us to learn a proper attitude of appreciation for grace. Indeed, it seems that the Catholic teachings are more likely to prolong it than to decrease its duration. 

We are saved by grace because of our faith. Our works are no more than a response of loving obedience, and we have no claim to merit of any kind. Indeed, we are little more than worthless servants, for which of us can claim to have done all that our Lord may have asked of us? If we have somehow managed to achieve anything worthwhile, we should count ourselves as blessed.

In my view, purgatory happens when Christians who have been saved are judged for their works done on Earth. Jesus says that we will be rewarded according to our works, good or worthless. This judgment determines our place and role in Heaven. Our good works survive a test of flames, separating gold from dross to become our eternal treasure, but worthless works will all be consumed and lost, discarded as cinders or blown away as ashes. We must not hold on to those worthless deeds and resist correction, or we will remain in the flames until we release them. Just because we have done what the Church prescribed, doesn't mean the Lord asked it of us.

Therefore, let us practice humility here and now, holding on to nothing, but letting all of our deeds be an offering to God for his glory, not our own. Strive for the fruit of good character and obedient holiness with all humility. Spread the Gospel so as to save souls, and serve to build the Kingdom. Love one another as Jesus loved us. These will endure for your eternal reward. With only a minimum of these, performed because of our faith and desire to please God, we may be saved as if passing through a wall of flames to reach safety, but we will have only the shirts on our backs to cover us. Oh, of course, we can do more by following Jesus' example and listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit calling us to employ our talents. Those who do well will receive even more, while those who do little will get little. 

Purgatory is where we let go of the good works WE have done that God did not request from us, but it does not have to be endured for a long time unless we make it difficult. It is not the place where we are purged from our sins, unless you count as "sin" anything that failed to please the Lord. Jesus already died to wash away our evil deeds. They are forgiven. But clinging even to our good deeds with pride can be a severe hindrance, and may even bar our entrance to Heaven. 

There are certain things that we are all expected to do when the opportunity arises, and they are clearly outlined in Scripture. These include obedience to the Ten Commandments, performing the works of corporal mercy, and loving our enemies among others. We are also expected to try to pray without ceasing, and to seek ways to apply our talents toward building the Lord's Kingdom. And, we are given certain gifts for the tasks we are assigned. Those are the things we are expected to accomplish. 

What we are not asked to do are those things which we reach for out of our own ambition. We are not all meant to be great evangelists, like Billy Graham. Nor must we all plant new churches in foreign lands unreached by the Gospel. Not even is every Christian meant to be a pastor or teacher. Few of us have the special gifts needed to succeed in those tasks. We might even achieve some small successes if we try, but God had an even better idea of what we could do for Him if we had only listened. Perhaps we were taking someone else's place, who could not do what we were called to do, and leaving him without a blessed task. We should not always aspire to do great things, but allow ourselves to invest our hearts in the fields where we are planted. If we are to be called out, God will find ways to let us know what He wants. 

By contrast, if we rather to pursue our own goals, however glorious, without seeking his advice for our vocation, whatever we may accomplish will in the end become cinders and ashes. If we come before the Throne and offer Him our good works, we had better hope that we have done at least something that He asked of us. We certainly don't want to hear Him say that He never knew us, and never heard us asking what He wanted us to do to serve the Kingdom.

P.S., This is NOT what the Catholic Church teaches. It mostly comes from Scripture, and then from listening to the Holy Spirit. I do not claim it to be infallible, but merely logical and likely correct. I do not view this as an essential doctrine necessary for our salvation. Let's not argue about it nor condemn Catholics for their own ideas.

The Wildflower Rosary for Protestant Disciples

This Wildflower Rosary is designed for Protestant disciples, with an extended series of mysteries for meditating on the whole mission of Jesus Christ, plus a few of his parables. It is formulated for evangelism and teaching about the life of Jesus to those new to the Gospels. Yet, it is also offered as a engaging way for all devout followers of Jesus to pray without ceasing, or to follow St. Benedict's hours of prayer in a more simple, memorable format. We can meditate on important episodes in our Lord's life and teachings, and reflect on how He has impacted our lives at each step along his courageous journey. Perhaps, it may help the rest of us to become more contemplative, to seek a daily quiet time, and to consciously walk with our best Friend through this world of distractions and challenges. 

It is my secondary hope that this Wildflower Rosary might serve to knit back together the disparate members of the Body of Christ. As Protestants, we tend to think of the Rosary as just for Catholics, full of empty repetitive prayers to Mary. But that is just a dismissive stereotype. The mysteries fill the Rosary with opportunities to connect with Jesus. While it is true that most of the prayers were offered to Mary, that is because the Rosary as we know it originated in the visions of St. Dominic, who was a devotee of Mary. Long before that, Christians had been praying simple prayers on a knotted rope with the intent to pray without ceasing. 

Many Orthodox Christians, today, still continue that tradition, often with prayers quite similar to the Rosary. Using a specially knotted rope, they have an even simpler prayer than the Hail Mary, the Sinner's prayer, which they repeat over and over, endlessly,  throughout the day. As you might imagine, that could become an empty habit, too. We don't want to become too familiar with the prayers, letting them run on too long without having to think about what they mean. As a result, most Protestant sects have given up and ignored our mandate to pray without ceasing, and this has allowed us to drift away from the traditions of the older Church. 

That leaves us with only two options, if we want to follow the example of the early Church and try to pray without ceasing. We can try to memorize the entire Book of Psalms, and then say them all every day, as the desert monks did in the 4th and 5th centuries. Or, we can relearn the Rosary in a slightly more challenging form, and direct our prayers to our Lord Jesus, instead of Mary. Jesus asked us to pray always, persistently, for our friends and our own needs, for the conversion of sinners, then for the peace of Jerusalem, and the coming of the Kingdom of God, according to the Father's will. We can dedicate each day's Rosary for any of those concerns. 

We don't want to completely forget Mother Mary, however, because of her indispensable contribution to the formation of the Rosary. Plus, as Mother of our Lord and the Queen of Heaven, she deserves at least a few of our prayers. Our primary focus must always be on Jesus, even so, while we nod reverently to our Queen, because He is the only source of our salvation. Let Her recommend us as She will, He is our mediator before the Father, and only his acknowledgement of our faith will open the doors of Heaven. 

That is why we need to pray the Rosary, and why I have written out this Wildflower Rosary for our use. As you shall soon see, there has been a little reorganization. I moved some days around and added whole new sets of mysteries, so that the teaching would be more systematic, but I have tried to remain faithful to the intent of the original. Hopefully, the innovations won't be too much of an impediment for those already familiar with the Rosary. I did intend for there to be a degree of flexibility in the choice of prayers, so that any Catholics who want adopt this can continue to say the prayers they prefer. 

Some, who already have the habit of saying the whole Rosary every day, might complain that the extension of three more days, with new sets of mysteries to memorize, adds too much burden for us to keep up with in our busy lives. That was also my concern, so I made it easier and quicker to do each decade by suggesting the Sinner's Prayer instead of the Hail Mary. Doing one day's mysteries should be a little quicker now than it was before. And we can still say the whole series simply by breaking up our schedule to match St. Benedict's canonical hours, but without waking in the middle of the night. However, if you do wake up at 3am, you could say Sister Faustina's chaplet of the Divine Mercy. 

....

So, as we begin, let us carefully examine our conscience, and consider how much we have to repent for. How abundant God's grace is to forgive us and offer us his salvation and eternal life! Then, let us humbly address our devotions to our Lord. We should meditate a few lingering moments on each mystery before concluding with the decade of short prayers. It can be our choice either to read the short Scripture passage corresponding to the mystery, or to visualize the story in a devotional way, imagining how we might feel as a witness. This meditation is what makes the Rosary more than merely repetitive rote prayers. 

Monday: The Joyful Mysteries 

1. Annunciation of Fulfillment 

    Luke 1:26-38 

2. Visitation of Elisabeth 

    Luke 1:41-45

3. Nativity of Jesus 

    Luke 2:4-7 

4. Presentation of the Baby 

    Luke 2:22-35 

5. Adoration by the Magi 

    Matthew 2:1-12 

6. Discovery in the Temple 

    Luke 2:45-49 

Parable: The Importuning Friend at Night 

    Luke 11:5-13 

Tuesday: The Luminous Mysteries 

1. Baptism of Jesus 

    Matthew 3:16-17 

2. Wedding at Cana 

    John 2:5-7 

3. Proclaiming the Kingdom 

    Mark 1:14-15 

4. Casting out Demons 

    Mark 9:17-29, Luke 11:14-23 

5. Transfiguration of his Appearance 

    Matthew 17:1-8 

6. Feeding the Multitudes 

    Luke 9:11-17 

Parable: Finding Great Treasure 

    Matthew 13:44-45

Wednesday: The Believing Mysteries 

1. Healing the Sick 

    Mark 5:21-43, Luke 7:1-10, Matthew 8:1-4 

2. Including the Despised 

    John 4:4-26 

3. Forgiving the Broken 

    Matthew 9:2-8 

4. Relieving our Blindness 

    Mark 10:46-52 

5. Power over Nature 

    Matthew 14:22-34 

6. Promising Resurrection 

    John 11:1-44 

Parable: The Wheat and the Tares 

    Matthew 13:24-40 

Thursday: The Theological Mysteries 

1. Rebirth into the Kingdom 

    John 3:3-8 

2. Foundation of the Church 

    Matthew 16:13-17 

3. Words of Eternal Life 

    John 6:63-69 

4. Revealing his Identity 

    John 10:22-42 

5. Establishing the Eucharist 

    Luke 22:14-20 

6. Abiding with Jesus 

    John 15:1-10 

Parable: The Good Shepherd 

    John 10:1-18 

Friday: The Sorrowful Mysteries 

1. Agony in the Garden 

    Matthew 26:36-45 

2. Scourging at the Pillar 

    Mark 15:15 

3. Crowned with Thorns 

    John 19:2-3 

4. Carrying the Cross 

    John 19:17 

5. Mary is our Mother 

    John 19:25-27 

6. Death by Crucifixion 

    Luke 23:32-34 

Parable: The Vinyard Owner 

    Matthew 21:33-44 

Saturday: The Holiness Mysteries 

1. Greatest Commandments 

    Matthew 22:36-40 

2. Kosher Speech 

    Matthew 15:11,15-20 

3. Corporal Works of Mercy 

    Matthew 25:34-40 

4. Love Your Enemies 

    Matthew 5:43-48 

5. Seek First the Kingdom 

    Matthew 6:19-34 

6. Keep my Commandments 

    John 15:9-17 

Parables: The Good Neighbor 

    Luke 10:25-37 

Sunday: The Glorious Mysteries 

1. Resurrection of Jesus 

    Mark 16:5-7 

2. The Great Commission 

    Matthew 28:16-20 

3. Ascension into Heaven 

    Acts 1:9-11 

4. Descent of the Holy Spirit 

    Acts 2:1-4 

5. Coronation of the Queen 

    Revelations 12:1 

6. The Return of the King 

    Matthew 24:30, Revelations 1:7 

Parable: Light of the World 

    Matthew 5:14-16 

....

These are the prayers I use for saying the Wildflower Rosary: 

Apostle's Creed
Our Father
Hail Mary (3x)
Glory Be

I have included the prayer added by St. Faustina, as it addresses Our Lord directly, and it was given in a vision of Our Lady at Fatima in Portugal in 1917.

"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins! Save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who most need thy mercy." 

Beloved Face of Jesus (on the center medal)
"O Holy Lord, my sweet Jesus, living and eternal expression of Divine Love and Compassion, I weep for the terrible painful martyrdom you suffered for the redemption of mankind. I adore Thee and love Thee, my precious Friend. Today and always, I consecrate to Thee my heart and my whole being, offering Thee my prayers and actions, joys and sufferings of the day, and asking only for thy companionship and the promise of thy mercy. If Thou dost will, make of me a fruitful servant, that I may help others to recognize thy Presence in the world. Grant me the humility to accept simplicity and the clarity to express your love to those you lead across my path. Impress your Beloved Face on my heart, Lord, so that I may see Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, and follow Thee more nearly with each passing day. Amen. 

As you begin the cycle of today's mysteries, name each mystery and say the Our Father, followed by the Disciple's Prayer, which I wrote as a counterpoint for the Hail Mary, as follows:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, my wise and wonderful Shepherd, help me to observe thy ways, and lead me to follow thy path. Lord, teach me thy Way of Truth, and let me share thy Life, now and forever. Amen." 

Then, read the relevant Scripture and/or meditate on the scene described there. After that, on each of the 10 beads, say the Sinner's Prayer.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen." 

At the end of each decade, we say the Glory Be, and Fatima prayers, and after the last mystery, we return to the central medal and end the Wildflower Rosary with one or more prayers to Mary, as follows, and then the Deo Gratia. 

For Transforming Grace (optional)
"O Sweet Mary,
most holy Mother of God,
we seek thy favor.
Pray for us always,
that by the grace of the holy Name,
of your Son, Jesus Christ,
we may find the strength of will,
to follow Him and imitate his example.
Ask that we may be transformed by his life,
saved by his redeeming death,
and raised by the greatest Love
of his infinite Mercy.
Amen." 

Hail, Holy Queen (optional)
"Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope,
to thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy towards us,
and after this, our exile, show unto us
the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement! O loving! O sweet virgin, Mary!
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ.
Amen." 

Sub Tuum Praesidium (optional)        

"Beneath thy merciful compassion we fly for refuge, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our petitions in our times of great need, but deliver us always from all dangers. O pure, O glorious, O Blessed Virgin Mary, recommend us to your Son as we are in distress. Amen."  

Deo Gratia
"O Holy, Compassionate, Merciful God,
It was by the resurrection of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou brought joy to the world, and we are forever grateful. Grant now, we beseech Thee as we meditate upon these mysteries of his courageous mission through this most holy Rosary, that we may imitate his Life, and be transformed by his Love. Allow, Lord, that we may be saved from sin by his redeeming death, and reprieved from judgment by his Infinite Mercy. We adore thy perfect holiness, and love thy grace and compassion. With great longing, we wish to receive what thy Son has promised. Give ear, Merciful Father, to the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and pour out thy grace upon us, that we might be granted eternal life and come joyfully into thy presence.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen." 

Lastly, if you would be entirely consistent, you can say the Disciple's Prayer after every Our Father, including the very first one. That makes for seven times in each day's cycle. Just don't leave out the Hail Marys at the beginning, and be sure to say at least one Marian prayer at the end, to remember her part in the Father's plan of salvation. 

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Who was saved before the Bible?

We say that Heaven is a place for two kinds of people, perfect people and forgiven people. Up to now, Jesus has been the only perfect person, but He isn't the only one in Heaven. You ask, quite astutely, what about the many generations who lived before the Bible, who never heard of Jesus? The answer: Before the Bible was written, the evidence for God was available in creation, via what we call "natural revelation." But getting saved that way required a special grace from God. Those who truly desired to know Truth might be granted the grace to hear his Voice.

In Genesis, Enoch walked with God until God took him straight to Heaven. That happened because he lived so intimately with God, loved Him so much, and obeyed Him, that God accepted him as righteous because of his faith and trust and love. Thus, God made a special plan for him. He decided that he didn't deserve to die like a common man and took him to Heaven. Enoch had the kind of relationship with God that Adam was meant to have, walking with God in the Garden. He wasn't perfect, but because of his faith, he was forgiven. By contrast, most of the rest of humanity was following the promptings of the fallen angels, lying and misleading them to follow their own desires.

Abraham, too, was willing to listen, follow and obey God when he was called out from Mesopotamia. He didn't have a Bible, but he had a heart that desired Truth. Thus, when God called his name, he responded with faith. Abraham left his city, his father, and his work to follow the Voice of God into a new land, and he chose to believe when God offered him a future in Covenant between Himself and his descendants forever. When he was tested, Abraham didn't even withhold his only legal son, who would inherit the birthright. He was willing to offer everything most precious to him as a sacrifice if God wanted it. This was the kind of faith that God wanted from his people, so He counted it as if Abraham was righteous. 

Moses was given up for adoption, and raised as a prince in Egypt, so his heart was filled with compassion for all people. Yet, he was a man of violence and killed a man for abusing a slave. When he fled into the desert, God spoke to him by a miracle, and he listened and humbled himself. God gave him a role in his plans, to save the slaves from bondage and return them to the promised land. Moses believed, and had the faith to follow Him back to Egypt, to oppose Pharaoh and lead his people back to Canaan, and so, God reckoned that faith for him as righteousness. Moses was given the Ten Commandments, and God told him how to build the Ark of the Covenant so that He could dwell among his chosen people. Moses was forgiven his sins, and became the Prophet and Lawgiver for God's people. 

King David, who grew up as a shepherd of sheep, loved the Lord and spent his lonely hours in prayer and song to God. He was brave to defend his sheep, so God chose him to lead and protect his people. When he was called, David believed, and despite all the challenges he would face, he chose to follow his Lord and believe his promises. David became known as "a man after God's own heart," and God recognized his faith as righteousness, even when he made mistakes. David knew how to repent when he sinned, and God accepted his humility. Thus, David was promised that the Messiah would come from among his descendants. 

The prophet Elijah was taken to Heaven in a fiery chariot. He was chosen like Enoch and didn't have to die, because of his faith and intimate relationship with God. He had served God faithfully for a lifetime, and allowed the Holy Spirit to dwell in his heart. He had dared to speak Truth to power, offending the King and Queen, and the priests of Baal. But he believed, and God proved his Word. Thus, God considered him righteous because of his faith, just as He had done for Abraham. Elijah only had the Law of Moses to follow, and parts of the histories of Judah and Israel. But he had faith in the plans and beneficence of God, and he fought to keep his people on the right track. He listened and followed God's Voice, and was one of his greatest prophets. 

All of these men, and I could list more, lived before Jesus, and none was perfect. But they believed in God and put their faith in Him without receiving the written revelation of the Bible. We can still learn from the natural world around us, and from human nature, to see that God exists, and we can seek to know Him intimately. God loves those who seek to know Truth, and He often speaks to those willing to listen. He blessed the ones who followed and humbled themselves in faith and obedience, even before they had received the message of Christ through the Bible. He can teach us what He wants us to know. The trouble, from the beginning up to now, is that almost no one ever did that. It's not that easy. So God made a more obvious Way for us to follow the Truth and find eternal Life. He sent his true Son, Jesus, to be our Messiah. That was his plan from the very beginning. But now, we must have faith in Jesus, and believe that He is the Voice of God, who reveals the Way, the Truth and the Life. Now, we have the Gospels and the Bible. 

No one discovers God in his creation unless they think to ask the big questions, and then they need to discern and accept the answers before them. They have to choose to love God and walk with Him for the rest of their lives. How many have gone to Heaven before the Bible promised that Jesus was coming to save us? Too few. The world is fallen, and full of temptations and distractions, leading us to ignore God's Voice. Then, after the time of Abraham, and once the Torah was written, many more have been saved, but still too few. That's why we need Jesus. 

When Jesus came, He chose to complete God's plan to be merciful to us. He died to forgive and save us. All those who choose to believe and follow him will be saved. It is on us to recognize the Truth given us in special revelation and see the evidence left for us to piece together. Now, the problem of filling Heaven rests with us to believe and carry the Gospel to the whole world. We will have God's help to succeed. Then, only those who refuse to believe and repent, those who refuse to have faith and follow Jesus, will be judged on the Last Day as stubborn and unforgiven. They are the ones going to Hell. 

Jesus let Himself be crucified so that we could avoid that dreadful fate. He died and was buried. While his body was in the grave, He went down into the stillness of Sheol, a dark place of eternal sleep, where those who had died uncertainly awaited their fate. He called to those who had hoped for a Saviour, offering them the chance to follow Him. Those who believed were promised that they would rise on the day of resurrection. Then on the third day, He rose from the dead Himself, to prove He has the power to keep his promises. 

After the Last Judgment, those who have rejected Jesus and refused his mercy will be cast into the pits of Hell, also known as Gehenna, the place of eternal exile, darkness and fiery punishment, a smoky trash heap where the refuse is forever burning. There, the rebel angels suffer torment forever in the Lake of Fire, down at the very bottom. They deserve their punishment for having defied God and defaced his image which He put into humanity. We, too, will have deserved such punishment, if we deny the Truth and refuse God's offer of mercy and grace. It's not God's choice to abandon us to Hell, but ours, if we refuse to have faith and accept his gift of righteousness. 

If you have not yet decided to believe in God and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, let this be the day. You are not perfect, I know, because not one of us is perfect. We have all sinned and fallen far short of God's original hope for us. But God sent his only begotten Son to live a perfect life among us and to sacrifice Himself to pay our penalty for sin. That is how much He loves us, and how far He extends his mercy and grace to save us. Jesus died for you, but God raised Him from the dead, to prove the Truth of his promises. He promised to raise us up, too, and to share his Life with us, if we put our faith in Him. Then, after He told us to spread the Good News around the world, Jesus rose up to Heaven while all of his disciples watched. So on this very day, let your heart be opened to his love. Ask Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour, turn from those sins which your conscience has been convicting you for, and decide to follow the Voice of God. 

Jesus is Lord, the Son of the Living God, the promised Messiah, who came to redeem Humanity from the depravity of sin. Without Him, Satan has a claim on your soul, because you listened to him prompting you to follow your own way. Choose now to repent, turn around, and follow Jesus. Be reconciled to God, and let Him count your faith as Jesus' righteousness. It's his gift to you.

A Conscientious Abortion Law Must Avoid Extremes

You don't have to be "Pro-Choice" to be Pro-Justice and Pro-Health, both of which are essential to be truly "Pro-Life." The following "moderate" position in the debate might be fairly called, "Choose Life."

You're an extremist if you allow for no exceptions. Would you make an incest victim keep her rapist's baby, even if carrying the fetus would slowly kill her, despite the known probability that it would be born defective and impaired? Is that your idea of justice for the unborn? Does that glorify your god? If it does, then your tiny god is immoral, and IT is not the merciful God that I know from the Bible. HE understands compassion. He knows that we live in a fallen world that sometimes demands hurtful compromises. 

Let it also be known, our God wants us to minimize the suffering of others, so let us do what is necessary as early as possible, before the fetus' nervous system is fully developed. We must not destroy what looks like a human being. Delaying your decision is a decision for the child. There has to be a deadline for decisions, and earlier is better. 

By the way, abortion for birth control is a sin, and a sacrifice to the demonic god Moloch. If you have done this, don't be surprised when it's brought up at the Last Judgment. We have plenty of birth control methods that can prevent pregnancy, before fertilization begins a human life. Abstinence included.

We have to have exceptions, however, in order to make any law practical and fair, because human beings are fallen creatures. We sometimes make mistakes. But, we have to make laws that build our society toward justice and righteousness. The "Good" is not whatever we want it to be. It is an objective standard based on God's Word, not merely human philosophy, and He shows us how to discern false prophets.

First, abortion solely for the sake of birth control is, and always will be WRONG. We must make immorality accountable. The child is innocent and deserves to live. You started it, so you keep it. Bring the child to full term. Give it the life it deserves, and then decide whether to give it up for adoption.

Beyond that, we can't make saving the life of a baby a priority over saving its mother. Either way you are choosing who gets to live. That has to be the parents' (both) choice, and this scenario will always be a rare case.

Moreover, we can't legislate a "progeny benefit" for rapists if the victim doesn't want the baby. That includes incest. Forcing a victim to bear the criminal's child would be double victimization. We must err on the side of mercy. The baby may be innocent, but it's an accessory to the crime by association. We can only hope this will be rare.

Last, if there's something wrong with the fetus, such that the child will require extensive medical intervention to survive, it should then remain the parents' (both) decision about whether they can properly provide and care for the child. If the state wants to step in and claim responsibility, let them accept the burden.

#LAW:

NO abortions should be allowed for economic, extra-marital, parental age, or "family planning" (i.e., family limiting) reasons. 

Exceptions: 

1. Rape, or coitus without consent.

2. Incest, or familial abuse.

3. Significant risk to mother's health or life. 

4. Inevitable deformity or disability due to genetic disorders. 

Any procedure must be completed before the 12th week, even in cases of criminal justice or the mother's health. While the remedy of abortion must NEVER be imposed upon an unwilling mother, these exceptions allow for the recovery of normal healthy life in cases of crime or importunate pregnancy. 

#

If this was the National Law of the whole United States of America, the debate would be over. All of the selfish reasons for abortion would be revealed for the sins they really are. The thought that having a child might ruin your libertine lifestyle is not an excuse for killing your baby. 

If you truly feel you can not keep your baby for some reason, there are plenty of families who want to have children but can't. Put it up for adoption. Yes, you have to carry it to term. If you had "planned ahead" before you got pregnant, you wouldn't have the problem. But before you decide, you should ask, "Does God intend this child to be a blessing for my life?" If He does, He will make a way for you to keep it and still succeed. This could be the time for you to learn how to trust. Call on Jesus and pray for wisdom and light.

But, if you have several children with many fathers, the problem is Satan leading you into a miserable life. Examine the way you live, and Repent! Do it before it's too late. We are not guaranteed to have tomorrow. 

If some of you feel that the gift of a child is such a blessing that every pregnancy is worth nurturing, even though the child will be born with such gross defects that it won't be able to function and will die in horrible pain despite every effort you can possibly make, then no argument can ever sway you. I'm not advocating for aborting "defective" babies, but rather allowing parents to decide how to devote themselves to their families in the hope that their children may grow up to have children of their own. The loss of a child can be devastating for any family. We are lucky to live in an age when such losses are the exception, and not the experience of almost every family in our communities. Choosing to keep hoping for a healthy child is itself a choice for life, and a choice for future generations. 

Every family has to decide whether they can lovingly nurture an "unusual" child, and weigh the risks of trying to have their own children. Sometimes, yes. Having an unusual child can be a blessing. A child with "Downs Syndrome" can be the most loving person you may ever meet, even while they may have special needs. But some families would rather forego having any children than risk having the responsibility of caring for a special child. It is not for us to judge how someone else feels about their potential as a parent. We can not imagine how hard it is to decide whether to be childless or to risk the need for an abortion while hoping for a complete family. We do know, however, that not every prayer is answered the way we might wish. When faced with the choice, can we be sure that the easy answer won't fill us with remorse? Only God knows. 

The Sources of Christian Authority

These are the foundational sources for belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ: the Apostles, Scriptures, Fathers, and Creeds, as agreed upon up until the Great Schism in 1054. 

Actually, you can have both, Scripture as the final arbiter of Truth, and the traditions of the Church. The Nicene Creed was developed to explain questions not explicitly answered in the Bible, BUT the debate centered around whether the offered answers were in agreement with the texts of the New Testament, and the Hebrew Scriptures. Thus, already, the Bible was considered to be the final authority, which would determine whether one answer or another was valid. The New Testament Scriptures were at the time considered to be the authoritative compendium of the Apostolic deposit, since the Council was convened 200 years after the last person who knew any Apostles had died. As on record, St. Athenasius of Alexandria possessed and recognized the authority of the complete canon as we know it. Therefore, the Nicene Creed is a reflection of the Scriptures, and does not stand alone or in contra-distinction from them.

There are three reasons why, today, I can't consider the Catholic Church to be sufficient authority for belief. This is their standard argument for trusting the Magisterium: 

1. It's a mystery, so you're not supposed to understand it. 

2. The Bible is not sufficient for an understanding of dogma.

3. The way we pray shapes the way we believe. 

These "caveats" are where the Catholic Church spins off into grievous heresy. Such presumptuous arrogance, to assert that they should tell us what and how to believe, allows them to add accretions at will. Yet, they still want us to submit to the Pope's authority without question.

For example: 

There is NO EVIDENCE in the Bible for the bodily Assumption of Mary into Heaven. There wasn't even any evidence of belief in such a story until after the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. Yes, you could say it's early enough to be included among the ideas held by some Church Fathers, but Arius was also early, and the Monophysites. Arius was a heretic, while the Monophysites caused a schism in the Church. The Assumption is not severe enough to break Church theology, but it is an accretion. There is NO evidence that any of the Apostles taught this. It's not even mentioned by John, who cared for her like his own mother. The story evolved much too late. Plus, it wasn't even required for belief until about 200 years ago. 

The Catholic Church has a habit of condoning popular traditions and making them dogmas later. Just look at "Our Lady of Guadelupe." That's a heresy, on a par with Mormonism, not just an accretion. And then, Pope Francis is trying to appease world opinion with his "ecumenical" statements, trying to fit the Gospel into a rainbow of world religions. This can't be anything but heresy. 

Jesus is uniquely Divine! Confucius, Lao Tsu, and the Buddha did not claim divinity. Nor did Moses or Muhammad. The gods of Hinduism are merely elevations of nature and philosophical conjecture into objects of worship. Meaning no disrespect to the people who practice these religions, but they have been deceived by their teachers. None of them lead to the Christ, the Son of God, who performed real miracles, taught true ethics and worship, sacrificed Himself so that our failures could be forgiven, and then RESURRECTED HIMSELF from the grave! Only the True God who created the Cosmos could actually do that. The amazing part is that He would choose to become a human being, and do that in history for us! All we have to do is repent of our pride and disobedience and believe in Him, and He promises us an everlasting life of joy with Him in Heaven! Do any of your prophets have the power to do that? No, they don't. 

Inevitably, there comes a time when you have to trust your own reason, based on the roots of tradition, and stand on the evidence of how it all began. The Apostles had plenty of evidence for believing in Jesus. They had been his disciples for three years, living daily in his presence. They saw his miracles first hand, and listened to Him explain how his words and works fit into the old tradition. They knew beyond any doubt that He was their God, having seen Him in his glorified resurrection body on many occasions, often in large groups of witnesses. The Epistles and the Gospels were written early enough to be verified. There were witnesses still alive to be asked to corroborate the story. Thus, the Apostolic letters and documented stories must be held as foundational, from the time they were written forward. As Holy Scripture, they are the indisputable arbiters for whether our belief fits with the Truth about who Jesus was and what He taught. 

At this point, we must be willing to admit to being less sure than we want to be, putting our faith and trust in our own meeting with Jesus in our hearts, as guided by the Bible. Any act of faith inevitably demands that we trust enough to stand humbly before the authority of God Himself. Any other claim to Truth must be regarded as tentative at best. 

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Look up! The Signs of the End Times

Ever since Jesus ascended into Heaven and took his place at the Father's right hand, we have been waiting for his return and the inauguration of the Kingdom of God. Truly, we do not know when this will happen, but we were promised that it would be "soon." Now, 2,000 years may seem like a long time, but we have to look at time the way God does. If a thousand years is like a single day in Heaven, then we are only just beginning the third day since Jesus left. God is being patient with us, giving us time to complete the Great Commission of spreading the Gospel across the whole Earth. But also, we can already observe that the countdown to the last days has begun. 

Satan has tried to destroy the Chosen People, and he was thwarted by God's plan. Instead, the Nazi Holocaust elicited the world's sympathy so that the state of Israel was established in 1948. It seems likely to me that this event has begun the generation that will not perish until God's plan for the arrival of his Kingdom is achieved. We know, according to the Bible, that the span of a man's life is 70 years, or 80, depending on his strength. So, will God tarry beyond the lifetimes of those first born as children in the land of Israel? I don't think so. The final events will begin before they are too old to witness the fulfillment of his promises. 

Steps to mark the progress of God's plan:  

1. Aliyah - return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland.

     - Antisemitism seeks extermination 

     - the State of Israel is reborn

     - the Hebrew language renewed 

     - archaeology proves their claim 

2. Alignment - all of Israel's neighbors ally together to push the Jews into the sea. 

     - Arab military attacks 

     - Islam vs. Judaism 

     - International opprobrium 

     - Adonai defends Jerusalem each time 

3. Anticipation - the desire for peace brings forth treaties, but not peace. 

     - Egypt, PLO, Jordan 

     - Saudi economic agreement 

     - ceasefire is not real peace 

4. Gospel - Go unto all nations and tell them the Good News of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. 

     - radio, television, missionaries 

     - walls are coming down 

     - tyrants try to oppose this 

5. Conversion - many around the world shall choose to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. 

     - Israeli Christians & Messianic Jews 

     - China, India & Russia hear the Gospel 

     - resistance & persecution increase 

     - lies and deception spread 

6. Preparation - plans to rebuild the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. 

     - training & tools assembling 

     - breeding for red heifers 

     - selecting a site to build 

     - architecture & blueprints 

     - Treaty allows construction 

7. Antichrist - The Enemy is revealed, as prophesied from the beginning. 

     - Antichrist becomes the world leader 

     - "World Unity" is declared 

     - Mark of the Beast (global economics)

     - kaffirs (all who dissent) are persecuted 

     - Antichrist declares himself Divine.

     - Abomination of Desolation. 

8. Desolation - the continuing of any sacrifices and offerings shall be forbidden. 

     - both Jews & Christians restricted

     - Antichrist (Mahdi) in the Holy place 

     - plagues and tribulations befall Earth 

     - armies converge on Megiddo plain 

9. Jerusalem is surrounded by enemies 

     - threatened with destruction 

     - many casualties suffered 

     - great earthquake splits Mt. Moriah 

     - evacuation of the remnant 

10. Our King Returns! 

     - His return is visible to everyone 

     - all of Jesus' enemies defeated 

     - post-war clean-up requires 7 years 

Let's be vigilant and keep our lamps filled with oil. Jesus may be coming soon, suddenly and without warning. We hope for the Rapture, but the timing is unclear. The wars of Antisemitism continue because the final destruction of the Jews would mean that Allah has defeated the Trinity and invalidated Adonai's promises. The Arab and Muslim nations may not be the only ones to seek to destroy Israel. 

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Apophis was the great Serpent, the god of chaos and darkness. He was the enemy of Ra, the god of the Sun, light, and life. We have always been trying to escape the slavery of Egypt and go up to the Promised Land. Then, when Jesus came to free the captives, He was releasing us from demonic possession. This War of Light versus Darkness clearly has a repeating pattern for those with eyes to see.

     - We call Satan the great "Serpent." 

     - A comet called Apophis threatens us. 

     - Apophis returns on April 13, 2029.

     - Is this the time for Antichrist? 

Satan comes with signs and wonders so as to deceive the unwary. Perhaps he will claim to have averted catastrophe.

Jesus said that no one knows the time of his return, but He did say that there would be signs in Heaven and on the Earth.

     1. Wars & rumors of war 

     2. Jews regathered to the Promised Land

     3. Gospel will reach all the world 

     4. Total eclipse of the Sun 

     5. Comets 

     6. Sun dim with blood & Moon darkened 

     7. Earthquakes 

     8. New star in the sky 

We are not sure of the expected order in which these will occur, but as we see them, they should reassure us that history is proceeding according to plan. 

Why am I still a Protestant?

This article is not intended as a polemic against either the Catholic or the Orthodox Churches. Rather, it is meant to question those in authority who stand in the way to prevent the reunification of the whole Holy Universal Christian Church. We are, and ought to be, the Body of Christ, and we should be able to stand shoulder to shoulder against those who prefer to divide us. Satan is working overtime to create division and apostasy, and we need to sound the call for true believers to close ranks. Indeed, we need to come together, right now, under Jesus, and love one another as He loves us. 

One

When the purveyors of the faith wander away from the truth, even the authority of "apostolic succession" isn't enough to save those who are seeking Jesus. Thus, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness find that they must go back to the ancient records and find what the Apostles taught and learn from the earliest sources. The Church that teaches doctrines that are not founded on Scripture or the Apostolic deposit is not the true Church. Tradition and doctrinal declarations either have that foundation or they are false. Common practice and folk beliefs are not valid sources to be made imperative by the Church's hierarchical authority. For certain, we can never validate henotheism and mix pagan ideas with the Truth, especially when doing so causes us to forget proper behavior. We don't follow just because the Church claims authority, but rather because the Holy Spirit illuminates our understanding of Scripture and the teachings of the Apostles.

The Church is like a 3-legged stool. We need good works of charity, the Gospel of discipleship, and sound theological teaching. Like St. Paul said, "Faith (theology), Hope (discipleship), and Love (charity), these three, but the greatest of these is Love." The Church needs the works of charity because it is the message to the world, but without the other two, it cannot stand. When you have all three, the Church is revealing the Kingdom in all its glory. The Church needs works, but the individual believer relies on faith for his salvation. We do those works because we are responding in love to the desires of God, who conforms us to his likeness by teaching us to emulate his righteousness. Salvation and regeneration are not the same thing. We know we are being reformed as we begin to show the fruits of the Holy Spirit. 

There is too much debate over which Church has the correct doctrine of salvation. Yet, in all actuality, I think that every believer in whichever Church has to find the truth for him/herself. Jesus said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by Me." He didn't say that we come by way of the Church. We need to have a personal relationship with Him, not merely with his body. The Holy Spirit helps us to relate directly to Jesus in the Trinity, so that we can be conformed to his character and nature. Then, when we pray "in his Name," the Father hears the Son speaking in agreement. 

Two

In the Gospel of Luke (22:36-38), Jesus suggested the disciples should "buy a sword." What does this mean? Is it not likely that Jesus was telling the disciples that they were about to be driven out from the cities, where once they had been welcomed, but now no more? They were being kicked out of the synagogues for sharing the Gospel about Jesus. Now, they will need money and the gear to care for themselves, even to the extent that they will need to cut wood for their campfires. "Buy yourself a sword" is like saying, "You're going to be passing through the wilderness, like vagabonds and hobos, so get yourself a good knife." It will serve for bushcraft as well as for self-defense against wolves. Traveling for the sake of the Gospel has always been a risky business. 

The Early Church Fathers were almost universally pacifist in their attitudes toward dealing with other people. Jesus spoke of turning the other cheek, and praying for those who persecute you, even forgiving when we are harmed. We should refrain from seeking to repay others in the manner we have received, but let the matter rest in God's hands. If He decides to let vengeance stand for justice, that is his prerogative. Of course, we can stand in defense of the helpless, but that's another kind of situation which should be handled with restraint, if possible. And, if we can avoid being harmed, or defend ourselves without harming others, that is acceptable. 

Three

Protestants love the Bible above all else (except for God Himself), and demand that serious interpreters show how their view is Biblical. Catholics, however, put their traditions and Magisterium on such a pedestal that they use those to interpret the Bible. That leads to TONS of accretions that skew their views and practices. It is as if they take small grains of truth and build a castle in the air balanced on simple assumptions. Where is the clear Apostolic mandate? 

Orthodox and Catholic believers often use images in the form of statues or icons, and venerate those images as a way of prayer and drawing near to holiness. It is said that such images are symbols of holiness, but I humbly beg to differ. If an icon is a symbol of something divine, then they say, "the honor that goes to it, goes in a certain way to the prototype." No. It doesn't. That would be like "symbolically" putting the holiness in a box, like the idolaters used to do. An idol is an object intended to make the god appear immanent so that humans can focus and relate to it. The Divinity of the Holy Spirit cannot be manipulated, nor should we venerate saints in icons. The logic is the same, and it perverts the idea of spirituality. 

If you want to pray to saints, asking them to pray for you, go ahead. It is the same as asking a living friend. Show respect, but do not venerate them. Their only power is the influence of their prayers. Yet, if we are welcome before the throne of the Almighty, why would we not bring our own prayers directly to God Himself? Jesus will vouch for our admission and stand beside us in supplication. That is all the help we need. 

Four

Is it possible that I believe the doctrine of Predestination? If you can be erased from the Book of Life, it is because your name was never written in the Blood of the Lamb. From the beginning of the world, all people are tentatively written in the Book, in "pencil" which can be erased. God loves all whom He has created, and desires their salvation. Now, the Blood of Jesus is permanent. If you refuse Him, or deny that his works are of the Holy Spirit, your pencil marks can be erased. We are all loved, but we are all rebels. Given the chance, we MUST accept Jesus to get a permanent entry in the Book. Before Jesus was born, God knew which few truly wanted to know, love and serve Him, and their names were kept in the Book. There are many examples in the Old Testament. 

There are many who are in the Church for their own reasons, and they may actually believe to some degree, but their names are still not permanent. They remain until the Last Day, in the hope that they may yet come to know the Lord. We need a personal relationship with Jesus to be saved. If He has never touched your life, it doesn't matter how much you have done for the Church. We are not saved by works, but by trusting in the person of Jesus. Seek his Face and listen for his Voice, desire longingly to feel his Presence, and He will come to you. Spend time with Him in prayer and let Him change your heart. Then you will not need to fear the words, "I never knew you." Jesus will write over your name in his own Blood, and you will be permanently in the Book of Life. If you truly know and love Jesus, you will never blaspheme the Holy Spirit, because you know that God is good. You will not be deceived. 

Five

There still remains one central argument that divides the Church, and has for 1,000 years. Why are we arguing about the generation of the Holy Spirit? I perceive a problem with this, in that it appears like a basic theological misunderstanding. God is a Trinity, 3-in-1. He always was 3-in-1, is now 3-in-1, and always will be 3-in-1. There never was any eternal existence which held any creative God that wasn't "Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three were present together in the beginning, before anything was created. They all work together in concert, and never without the cooperation or consent of each other. 

The Son existed before the Father sent Him down to assume the human body that was begotten by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit existed before He ever spoke through the prophets, even before He hovered over the face of the deep, and the Father existed before there was any idea of creating anything that was created. All three persons of the Trinity are co-eternal, existing together, and they never existed as any person without the other two. They did not generate each other. They are equals in every possible respect. Their appellations are due solely to their relationships with each other. They always act in agreement, and if one is acting, then they are all participating in that action. We may give "credit" for an action according to which person we perceive at the time, but that is because we live in the dimensions of creation and time. 

In every instance in which we refer to the One True God, we are speaking of the Trinity, so if one "comes" or "goes" or "proceeds," it is always moving "from" the other two. There is no Son without the Father and the Holy Spirit. There is no Holy Spirit without the Father and the Son. And there is no Father without the Holy Spirit and the Son. Therefore, it is illogical to imagine that the Holy Spirit can proceed from the Father alone. He is not generated, breathed, emanated, or any other process that begins from previous non-existence. He is not the emotional "deep sigh of love" shared by the Father and the Son. He is his own person. Coming into Being implies change, but God is immutable. When God contemplates Himself, He perceives "I, You and Us," all at the same instance.

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son because that is where He was located, in Heaven, and He was not given the task of dwelling within us, as believers, until Jesus returned, ascending into Heaven. Now, simply, when the Trinity is together, as they always are, any one person of them must proceed from both of the others. 

In the Scriptures, in the Gospel of John, this is clear when Jesus says, "I am in the Father and the Father is in me," and later, "Receive the Holy Spirit," when He breathed on the disciples. When they tried to dissuade Him from leaving, did He not say, "Unless I return to the Father, the Holy Spirit will not descend to you"? There can be no other logical conclusion but that the "Filioque" is correct, and that the Holy Spirit does indeed proceed from both the Father "and the Son." Can we please stop arguing over whether that phrase belongs in the creed? Say it or don't. It is the same either way.

Six

One more thing, Protestants have difficulty in believing that the priest is performing a miracle during the Mass to transform the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood. This is especially so when that priest is unregenerate, but in any case, it sounds too much like he is crucifying Jesus again. And we must assert our faith that the elements are transformed invisibly. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church insists that this is merely re-presenting the sacrifice before God's throne. In the letter to the Hebrews, Jesus' sacrifice was once, for all time, so God doesn't need to be reminded. For us, if you are re-presenting, then why do you have a problem with our representation? It can be the "Body and Blood" if Jesus wants it to be, even if the bread and wine are used as a symbol. If He wants it to be that today, it is. No argument. If the priest's ritual actions make it so, then the parishioners' acceptance is enough to validate their faith. We thus have Miracles all around. The disciples didn't understand what he was saying, and the Gospels don't give a clear explanation, except for the scene at the Last Supper (which John doesn't show). I think Jesus knows who has real faith and wants to do what He asked of us. That's enough. 

Seven

Finally, I would like to add the suggestion that the majority of us have neglected a central part of the Way of the early Church. In the Book of Acts, the believers lived together in community. Just as the disciples had done as they walked with Jesus, they cared for one another and shared with any who were in need. There were some problems, of course, but those can be worked out. That idea needs to be combined with the commitment to eschew the negative influences of worldly society. Just as Elijah and John the Baptist did, the Desert Fathers chose to live apart, in total simplicity, immersing themselves in prayer. Their example was followed by men and women who took monastic vows, enclosing themselves in small communities where they could work and pray, hopefully in peace. They shared the fruits of their labor, ate at common tables, and supported each one's spiritual growth. Thus, they saved the learning of civilization through the dark times of conflict with barbarians and Muslims. 

I am not suggesting that we all need to take vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and stability. Family is a core value of the Church and a pillar of civilization. God wants a great and thriving kingdom, not a dwindling ghost town. But we can experiment with the idea of community, like the Apostles did in the first century. Monasteries thrived for 1,000 years in Europe, and some still do. In America, many faith groups tried to build utopian communities of both men and women. Some succeeded in lasting for generations, like the Shakers. The experiment would eventually fail, however, because they didn't have their own children, or they squabbled over sharing and economics. 

It's hard to look clearly at the practices of your "enemies" to see what works. Simplicity, if not poverty, is a key idea, with ministry to marginalized members of the outside society, and also communal prayer on a daily basis. Protestants stand too far apart from our Catholic and Orthodox brethren. We might do well to find ways to incorporate their ideals of drawing away from the world to pray and live simply in community. Monasticism has played vital roles in the history of the Church. Let us not forget that, nor despise what we could learn from it.

Thank you for listening.

The Kingdom of God: Conditions for Eutopia

The indispensable foundation for any good social organization, whether experiential or imposed, is the educated desire for God in his Heaven as the highest possible good, both individually and collectively. No atheistic or materialistic system constructed by ideologues has any chance of achieving harmony, much less of long-term success. Such attempts invariably devolve into totalitarian regimes and hellishly oppressive conditions wherein the citizens first lose their moral sensibilities, and then suffer and die unnecessarily. Economics alone cannot create a eutopia. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

The following conditions should guide the composing of any constitution for a eutopian society. And yet, we must remember that any society built by men can only be an approximation, a shadow of the true Kingdom over which God presides in Heaven. These ideas are merely earthly guidelines, intended to be a reflection of what Heaven must be like.

1. We assume that this life is not just a dress-rehearsal for Heaven. 

2. All participants voluntarily assent to cooperate for the common good.

3. We allow for each person to pursue their own best self-interest. 

4. We elevate the value of personal retention of moral integrity. 

5. We want to maximize morality for the pursuit of Love, Truth, Wisdom, & Freedom. 

6. We choose to accept short-term sacrifices for the sake of long-term satisfaction. 

7. We find purpose in participation and meaning in service. 

8. We work for an abundance of resources and goods for sustenance and health. 

9. Allow freedom of use over personal property, either for exclusivity or hospitality. 

10. Grant the rights to self-defense with minimum necessary use of force. 

We don't need a majority. We just need an alternative. When the world is revealed as bereft of human decency, any person posessing a heart with moral sense will try to look for a better way, to hopefully reform, or at least to get out of the oppressive system. Toward this end, God offered us the possibility of hope for the eventual arrival of his alternative: a Messiah who would crush the evil that oppresses us.

Then Jesus came among us saying, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life," and "Follow me, and I will make of you fishers of men." He presented us with the revelation of the Kingdom of God. He proclaimed an obviously better moral alternative to a broken society in which the marginalized and despised had no hope, where the poor struggled just to survive, and in which those who chose to compromise were declared outcast. He declared a forgotten Truth, that God had an infallible plan to bring people into a perfectly desirable society in a comfortable yet sustainable world.

The Kingdom of God on Earth begins with two dimensions: personal repentance and continual reformation of our individual character, and a reimagination of social relationships based on filial love and sharing to meet each other's needs. We sacrifice to love each other, working for our collective moral support and mutual service. Each of us contributes from our store of talents, doing whatever we do best, as diligently as we can. In return, we rely on the support and good will of those in our family, our circle of friends, and then outward into the wider community. It is our purpose to serve by contributing to the well-being of others, not measured by the achievement of a quota but by the needs of our beloved friends. When we see a need that is within our capacity, we step forward, because we know that they will do the same for us. 

Yet there remains a wider need in the world, beyond the circle of the community that we call "the Church." Jesus gave us the Great Commission, to go out into the world and proclaim the good news that God has a plan to save all of us from the corruption of conformity and compromise within a broken society. We have lost the moral integrity that we would have valued most if we hadn't been born into a fallen world. Without it, our personal dignity is a sham, as we know how each of us carries the stain of sin. Jesus told us to call others out of the world, offering them the good news of forgiveness and inclusion in the Kingdom, asking only for their repentance and trust in Him. When they respond, we begin to teach them the Way, showing them how we grow in love for one another, and teaching them the Truth of who God is and how He has planned everything for our salvation. Then, when they enter the community of the Church, they become one with us, and the Kingdom expands.

We do not really expect that we shall be the ones who achieve the perfect expression of the Kingdom of God on Earth. That seems most likely to remain elusive until our Lord returns to claim and rescue his chosen friends and family. And yet, we don't wish to disappoint Him by remaining idle and unproductive while waiting for Him. We know that He expects us to be building his Kingdom, in competition against the old World of fallen corruption. If we fail to rise to this challenge, what will He think of us? Of course, we will meet with resistance. The World hated Him, so we expect it to also hate us, and as He suffered, so may we. But when the Messiah returns to fulfill his remaining promises, He will show us how to complete the patterns that we have failed to understand. Jesus promised that He would bring a Kingdom that would last for 1,000 years, until the Father will bring the New Jerusalem and recreate our world to become a New Earth and a New Heaven. Then we will see how well we have served, and be allowed entry into Eternity. 

God willing. Amen. 

Were Adam and Eve historical people?

What makes modern people so sure that we can't express inspired truth by using metaphorical figures of speech? Some things are too difficult to express clearly and succinctly in common declarative language even today. Moreover, we must remember that those ancient peoples had barely begun to develop their historical sense, and had very few records that kept their memories from the previous centuries. Indeed, most of their "history" was legendary and carried in folk stories and ballads. Just look at how their writing systems were still developing. Moses had a very archaic "alephbet," without vowels, to write with. 

When we need a common story for our people to stick together and base our common identity on, the story has to be simple enough for ordinary folk to remember. Strict adherence to facts (especially facts not yet discovered) needs to take a back seat to expressing Truth clearly. Thus, Adam & Eve don't have to be singular historical original people. They are representative figures who exemplify all of our human forebears. God created all of our ancestral progenitors and designed every advance toward modern humans to reflect his image and likeness. The world is fallen as of the moment we began to try to discern what is good from what is evil. We need instead to seek God's advice, not our own opinion. 

The antediluvian stories with their thousand year lifespans are also metaphorical. They are true myths about early culture heroes, some pleasing to God, some less so. The story then devolves into corruption by the idea of improved men, ubermensch or giants above the rest, who worship their own talents and inclinations. Again, the situation soon gets worse with the abuse of technology and idolatry leading people into corruption. God is offended by those who choose corruption, evil, and death. He doesn't want the rich and politically savvy to rule as oppressors and make helpless slaves of the poor. Nor does He want them to teach us to worship materialism, or sensual lusts, or to have selfish disregard for those weaker than ourselves. His plans for civilization are significantly different from ours. Thus, He comes down from Heaven to take a personal interest in us, and He participates in history to lead us to salvation. 

Our endless problem of conflict, rebellion and disobedient selfishness is the same problem of sin that God has always been working on. Yet, He chooses to have intimate personal relationships with us because of his mercy, even to the extent that He is willing to save some of us into Heaven. Perhaps He feels those few are now that close to what He is trying to achieve. Our lives are no longer so "nasty, dirty, brutish and short" as they were at our nadir away from Him. Because Jesus came down to be an example and sacrifice for us, we have been redeemed from our slavery to sin, to overcome selfish evil inclinations with divine spirituality. That is our personal salvation, to be recreated into the final form He desires. For that, we need to have faith, to love Him and trust that He desires our good. 

The Bible and Gospels are true. When Moses uses metaphor, he is recalling the stories of the cultures around him in his milieu, and following God's inspiration to tell them in correct form so that we may understand their real meanings. The stories give us a background and orientation so that we can choose a proper perspective and framework for faith. Before Abram, history is given in a more general sense. That is all we need. After God chooses Abraham, to claim a people for his own, history gets more specific. The later the stories are, the more historical facts are retained. This culminates in the completely factual historical bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, the incarnation of God Himself. In Jesus, God is stepping directly into society to speak his own words to our ears and choose his people from those who respond in faith.

Do not be surprised if all the prophecies in the Bible come true. What God really wants is a people who trust Him and share his moral sensibilities and are willing to follow his plans. We don't have to understand the prophecies clearly to see the plan unfolding around us. We only need to follow, and learn all we can about loving each other and how the Kingdom is supposed to work. 

In the meantime, let us pray as He taught us:

Dear Holy Father, living in Heaven, 

we respect and reverence your Name. 

We anticipate your Kingdom's arrival, and seek to do your will here on Earth, just as it is done in Heaven. 

Give us each day the sustenance we need to live and follow you, and forgive our failures and trespasses as we forgive those who fail and hurt us. 

Lead us surely to avoid temptations, and rescue us from all entrapment and corruption. 

We declare that the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory is yours, Father, now and forever. Amen 

Toward a Conscientious Restoration of the Whole Holy Christian Church

  Toward the end of the middle ages, the Church in western Europe was edging toward a totalitarian stance of controlling how people should think. This was not just apparent in matters of spirituality, but in matters of culture and science as well. We see this in the suppression of Galileo's telescope discoveries, and in Copernicus' wary reticence to have his planetary theory published before his death. Also, the recent history of internal crusades to suppress heresy, and the frequent expulsions of the Jews revealed how unwise it was to disagree with the doctrines of the Church. But unrest ever rises whenever the reigns of authority are tightened too much, and all it requires is a plausible alternative to the abuse of power. Thus, in 1517, Luther's dissatisfaction was a ready tinder for the sparks of protest to grow into flame. 

 Every effective protest requires a handful of good reasons to refrain from ordinary obedience. If a man is going to risk the disapproval of his peers, he needs a sense of conviction. But the heavy-handed reaction of violent suppression inevitably leads to revolt, which then pushes its views and demands further, even beyond the ability of reforms to ameliorate. And in the heat of thus repudiating authority, the expression of our views can overstate and oversimplify our position. Thus we see how in our day we get excessive personalization and an obstinate relativism of faith, which demands a hand-off aversion even to the preaching of the gospel, and especially to any hint of authority to impose right beliefs. 

 But there were good reasons to try and reform the Church, to allow valid expressions of faith, and also a few times when rejection went further than it had to.

  Positive aspects: Reforms 

*1. Sola Fide 

    - Salvation is by faith alone. 

    - Faith counts as righteousness. 

    - Works come after faith. 

    - Salvation is God's gift of grace. 

*2. Sola Scriptura 

    - Scripture is the only infallible Truth

    - Maintain the early simplicity. 

    - Tradition & Councils can be biased 

    - We must reject Papal infallibility. 

*3. Church discipline 

    - "Speak to your brother in love." 

    - Virtue is required for leadership. 

    - Confession & penance is optional. 

    - Repentance invokes forgiveness. 

*4. Priesthood of all believers 

    - God hears all our prayers.

    - Any may act as priest if needed. 

    - We need vernacular scriptures. 

    - All may preach the Gospel. 

*5. Married clergy 

    - Celibacy doesn't confer holiness. 

    - Permission prevents secret abuse.

    - It's an extra hurdle for vocations. 

    - Celibacy wasn't originally required.

 

*6. Rejects the doctrine of purgatory 

    - Restitution & charity, not indulgences. 

    - Purity & righteousness are imputed. 

    - There is no "treasury of merit." 

    - Christ meets us with mercy. 

*7. Seek personal relations with God

    - We can confess to Jesus directly. 

    - We can allow some variety of faith. 

    - Everyone can study Scripture. 

    - Works are a response of love. 

 If you're talking about purgatory, you are asserting that we can be saved, but still attached to old habits of sin. Yet, so long as we hold onto sin, resisting being cleansed, we cannot enter Heaven. In truth, we must question whether we will be given further opportunity to release them, or will we be relegated to walk through eternal flames. The time for us to be concerned for our sanctification, to bear the fruits of faith, is now. We must not presume on grace.

 When we stand before Jesus, on the day of our death, and bow to beg mercy for our souls, we must be willing to leave every sin behind and rise to follow Him without any hesitation. That is the day of our complete regeneration. If, instead, we cling to our old habits, we are choosing to be left behind in self-exile. Sadly, even those who should be saved retain the freedom to choose whether to wander and be lost or to follow the Good Shepherd. That is why we should seek to be sanctified as much as possible in this life. Jesus will not use force and drag us to follow. Rather, He calls us by name, and we know that we must follow his voice if we want the gift of eternal life.

 Our salvation, however, is separate from the evaluation of our heavenly rewards. Our works will be tested with fire, to burn away the chaff and reveal the treasure (I Cor. 3:13-15). But once the chaff of useless works is gone, then we can triumphantly join the saints and Jesus forever. The duration of this time of suffering is not described, however, but is likely to be as short as we allow it to be. We are not the ones who will declare the value of any of our works in Christ's service. Only his mercy will see whether our desires are primarily for Him or merely for the rewards of Heaven. 

 Most, if not all, of these reforms would have been recognized as valid professions by the Fathers of the Early Church.

    Negative aspects: Protests 

-1. Believes in fewer sacraments 

    - Signs of grace, not means. 

    - Baptism & Eucharist recognized. 

    - Others are neglected or devalued.

    - Overlooks call to other ministries.

    - Doesn't recognize holy orders. 

-2. Disbelief in priestly miracles 

    - Doubts literal presence of Body & Blood. 

    - Questions ritual effectiveness. 

    - Miracles are the works of God. 

    - Leads to cessationist ecclesiology 

-3. Forgets the communion of saints 

    - Does not venerate, or pray to Mary 

    - Does not pray to saints for help 

    - Does not intercede for the dead 

    - Ignores angels as mythology 

-4. Disregards monastic tradition 

    - Does not pray for the world 

    - Does not withdraw from culture 

    - Rejects ascetic practices 

    - Disapproves of strenuous piety 

-5. No physical objects of devotion 

    - no veneration of relics or icons 

    - no personal sacramentals 

    - crosses worn as jewelry 

    - infrequent expressions of piety 

-6. Shorter OT canon 

    - abandons Septuagint early canon 

    - chooses Masoretic late canon 

    - limits scriptural pool of teaching 

    - anti-judaism relativizes ethics 

-7. Narrow Focus on Preaching & Worship 

    - neglects confession & penance 

    - preacher fails to act as mediator

    - idiosyncratic symbolic ceremonies 

    - ad hoc prayer services 

 In some ways, the Reformation went too far. It was, however, a necessary reaction to the abuse of authority and tradition to develop and extrapolate Church doctrines. Perhaps, some teachings should have been left to the individual's intellectual freedom. The Church needs only to offer guidance to limit the range of speculation so as to avoid heretical wandering. If Protestant reformers depart from Catholic conventions and yet remain faithful to the creeds, traditions and councils that were authoritative before the Great Schism of 1054, there should be no reason to scorn them. Then, if they do choose to follow some Catholic, or even Orthodox, teachings or practices, there can be no grounds for serious complaints. 

Catholic & Orthodox Sacraments: 

   1. Baptism - rebirth into kingdom 

   2. Confirmation - receive Holy Spirit 

   3. Eucharist - communion 

   4. Penance - reconciliation 

   5. Anointing Sick - healing

   6. Marriage - stability & family 

   7. Holy Orders - ordination & vows 

 As things continue to stand, however, it seems a shame that so many of the sacraments were left to atrophy from disuse, when an infusion of some flexibility might have kept them in currency. Moreover, there are a few other traditions and institutions that suffer summary excision for political reasons, or democratic ignorance. Some of these might be of real value if gently modified and respectfully preserved.

 For example: 

A. Confession and Penance - This could be a relief for souls tormented by guilt when private prayers seem too weak of faith to trust that we are not deceiving ourselves. Some valid conventions for confession should be instituted, as a parallel to the Catholic modes, for the recourse of those who would be sincerely faithful. Thus, we might seek reconciliation and a return to a state of purity and grace, without implying submission to the autocratic authority of the Roman Papacy. We could likewise assert the seal of confidentiality, so that the complete unburdening of conscience would be possible, without the risk of betrayal or forced disclosure. 

B. Communion of Saints - We need some kind of solace when bereft of our beloved relatives, when we might benefit ourselves and them through prayers, for their peaceful ascension and for our aid by their petitions. Moreover, we may gain confidence by our petitions to the saints, and to our Saviour's Mother, when we need extra help in our prayers to God. We may assume the efficacy of the prayers of those blessed in Heaven. Such a return to the visible prayers of saintly communion would allow the pious practices of unceasing prayer, and the Holy Rosary to become popular again, at least among the clergy. And perhaps it would bring the additional benefits of character formation, as well as the graces promised by Our Holy Mother. 

C. Monastic and Eremitical ideals - Not every believer is cut out for the competitive consumer culture of the world. Always, the Church has had a strained relationship with the outside world. We need to stand against the abuses of freedom and/or autocratic authority that drown the fallen world in vice, crime, violence and arbitrary oppression. It was not without good reasons that Christians retreated to the desert, or banded together in community, to attempt to live by the standards of God's Kingdom. Nor was it coincidence that such were more often successful to become saints than those who remained caught up in the values of the secular world. If the world can be transformed by prayer and faithful examples, why should we neglect our strongest practitioners?

D. The Canon of Scripture - The rejection of the long Catholic canon and slightly longer Orthodox canon, in favor of the Jewish Masoretic text, was probably a mistake. After the Roman diaspora, the Pharisaic Jews had reformed and redefined their faith as a reaction to Christianity so as to deny the validity of Jesus' mission and divinity. Why should we accept their limits? On at least one occasion, the Jews chose a corruption of the text to obscure an obvious reference to the Messiah (Psalm 22). Now, with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we can see what they originally said. 

E. Marriage Vows - The purposes of marriage being threefold, it seems our society is ill served by the ease of civil divorce. First, the sanctification of sexuality offers a subordination of our sexual desires into their proper relationship to the love of God. Sexual relations serve to promote the bonding of husband and wife as a family in accord with God's will that we need not live alone. Secondly, it follows that the family is the proper setting for procreation and the raising of children. A child who lacks loving relationships with two parents, who love each other, comes up with an emotional disadvantage, and may find it difficult to establish a right relationship with their own spouse. And third, the relationship between partners is meant for a commitment to aid each other's spiritual growth. The inevitable friction will rub off the rough edges of their personalities, and teach them the value of thinking of the partner's well-being as well as their own.This is learned most easily when both are oriented toward loving and serving God. We often fail to see how we fall short in our daily lives, but our partner has no such lack of clarity, and may feel our faults and shortcomings acutely. It is in the home that we need to practice the command to "speak to one another in love" when we perceive flaws, and to "first take the log out of your own eye, and you will see how to remove the speck from your friend's." We need to remember to rightly value marriage in this light. Then we will see why we should try to avoid quick entry into this covenant, as well as any angry or hasty dissolution by divorce. 

Conclusion: 

A Repudiation of Unnecessary Innovation. 

Convinced by the testimony and example of the Scriptures and by clear reason and humble conscience, I see no other choice than to repudiate the hubris of the Church in its accumulation of pseudo-traditional innovation and its failure of moral example and guidance. If a clear case for doctrine cannot be made from the Scriptures bound together by logic and reason, there can be no justice in compelling belief. Such stands squarely on the demand to submit to the authority of men. We grant too much flexibility when we allow the opinions of uneducated folk to dictate conformity by consensus, followed after the fact by the authorization of the Church to create doctrine, so that to demur on the basis of conscience is viewed as schism. 

If the Apostolic deposit is to be deemed insufficient, how can we be sure that our inspiration comes from the Holy Spirit, and not some foul impostor? We have but one infallible source of true authority and doctrine, and that is Scripture. We must depend on the documents the first century Apostles have left for us, and the wisdom of the Holy Fathers who agreed on the canon, to determine what the Church can declare as valid faith. 

So this is what I mean when I refer to the Whole Holy Christian Church, I believe in all of the credal statements and doctrines that the whole Church agreed upon up until the Great Schism of 1054, and after that time, I believe that the only infallible authority that can guide doctrine has been the Scriptures themselves. If we are to accept any developments of new teachings, they must be supported by the Scriptures and not in contradiction to Reason. We cannot let doctrine be dictated by popular traditions, nor led by private mystical experiences. Moreover, if there is development, we must demand that it stay secondary to Scripture, and not allow more development to stand on its shoulders rather than on the foundation of Scripture itself. 

Scripture and Reason, and then whatever traditions that have been kept from the Early Church Fathers which serve for worship and discipline, those are our foundations for the whole Church. If there have been changes, let them stand for the convenience of teaching, longstanding practice and statements of consensus, and not for the accumulation of doctrines placing unnecessary demands upon belief. 

Make Straight the Way of the Lord!

Prepare ye the Way of the Lord!
Make his path straight in the wilderness!
But how do we do this? First, by proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and then explaining it to those who ask what that means. This is an outline of the project for evangelists.

A. Why we believe in God as good creator.
B. What the concept of Messiah means.
C. God always wanted to be Israel's king.
D. Who is Jesus of Nazareth?
E. Why Israel failed to accept Him.
F. Jesus asks us to be merciful and holy.
G. Jesus died for us and resurrected.
H. He really IS coming back very soon.

We tell them:
1. Listen long enough to Understand.
2. Suspend your Disbelief.
3. Hold back your Skeptical Arguments.
4. Consider the Reasons & Evidence.
5. Observe your own Life Honestly.
6. Open your Heart to Truth.
7. Accept the Lord's Gift.
8. Respond with Gratitude & Obedience.
9. Love One Another.
10. Receive the Holy Spirit.
11. Pray without Ceasing.
12. Trust God to Do All Things Well.
13. Reconcile your Life to the Truth.

Know this, and do not be complacent:
1. This is the Laodicean Age, neither hot nor cold. Get off the fence! Wake up!
2. Satan is real, personal and powerful, and he wants to deceive and destroy you.
3. You must live out the Way, the Truth and the Life. Walk the walk, not just talk.
4. The time is near. Today is like the time of Noah, seeking only wealth and pleasure.
5. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is manifest by zeal for God and reform in your life.

Jesus asks us to be merciful, just as our Father in Heaven is merciful, so we try to perform the corporal works of mercy whenever we see a need. But even so, we still have to depend on the mercy of Jesus. Our own works are nothing. Only his cross can grant us forgiveness and righteousness. What we do "for the Lord" or "in his Name" is only a fraction of our due gratitude for what He has done for us. Without Jesus to speak for us, we still carry our sin. Works are not enough for salvation.

Twelve Corporal Works of Mercy:
(Matthew 25:34-40)
1. Feed the hungry.
2. Give drink to the thirsty.
3. Welcome the stranger.
4. Clothe the naked.
5. Care for the sick.
6. Visit the prisoner.
(Isaiah 58)
7. Pay a fair wage.
8. Hold back your wrath.
9. Shelter the homeless.
10. Ransom the captive.
(Tobit 1)
11. Give alms to the poor.
12. Bury the dead.

When Jesus described the Last Judgment,  He gave us this example: To those who came to Jesus for mercy, He said: "What you have done for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did also for me." But to those who thought they were good enough to list good works, He replied: "What you failed to do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you failed to do to me." It's all or nothing. We only have Jesus.

When the young man who was called asked leave to go first to bury his father and return, why would Jesus have said, "Let the dead bury their dead"? Because he was letting his family stand between him and Jesus, as if that was more important than the Kingdom. It is how we care for our brothers and sisters in Christ that reveals our place in Heaven. Those who put anything else first may as well have rejected Him. They have already excluded themselves.

Meanwhile, as the opportunity to serve the physical needs of others may not often arise, we should not pass up the chance to care for their spiritual needs as well. We begin with preaching the Gospel and recounting the life of Jesus and his deeds. But for some, their need involves spiritual care and healing.

Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy:
1. Counseling the doubtful.
2. Instructing the ignorant.
3. Admonishing the sinner.
4. Comforting the sorrowful.
5. Forgiving injuries.
6. Bearing wrongs patiently.
7. Praying for those in need.

So we know how to apply the works of mercy among each other, but what about holiness? Mercy is only one side of the coin Jesus asks of us. Isn't there more? Indeed, the concept of sin itself is tied to the need to obey the Law handed down by Moses. To obey the commandments is to imitate God's holiness.

It is not very hard to read the Torah and find the Ten Commandments in the Decalogue and the two "Greatest Commandments" in the Shema. Jesus gave us two long sermons about how we should pray and treat others the way we would want to be treated, that we should share with the needy and love our enemies, and how we should give for the sake of charity. He released us from the demands of only eating kosher, but scolded us for using foul language, swearing and curses. And, He said that if we would do this, we need not worry about whether our efforts would be blessed. If we seek first of all the Kingdom of God, we will be given everything we need. Then, at the very end before He returned to the Father, He gave us one more thing we must do because we love Him. He said, "Love one another as I have loved you."

Jesus asked us to be the light of the world, to spread his message far and wide, and to try to resist the corruption that is ruining society. We do that by remembering and obeying the moral commandments and setting the best example we can for others to follow. Of course, we don't always do this, but when we fall short, we can come to Jesus to confess our sins and ask forgiveness and strength to keep trying. We need to resolve to grow in understanding and in obedience, reminding ourselves to remain humble and trusting, like little children, for of such is the Kingdom of God.
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