Updated: You still can’t get there from here

Scripture calls some things abominations. How can we call these things good?

Evangelicals fall over themselves trying to apologize to the LGBTQ+++ moevement for its homophobia, transphobia, and other sins. One question is outstanding (or should be): “What does God say about this whole business? Add to this question, “What does God have to say about the sexual revolution, and it’s handmaid, abortion?” This little article is not for those beholden to the hermeneutical disaster that attempts to separate the God of the Old Testament from Jesus, and Jesus from Paul. Scripture must be understood as a total entity. The Bible is a unity. While it interprets itself through its various genres and historical moments, it is not contradictory, unless one really, really, wants it to be. If you’ve been told that the Bible is unclear on these matters you have been misled. But the inspiration, nature, and authority of Scripture will have to wait for another article.

So what is an abomination anyway?

A quick word search will show that the word occurs much less frequently one might think (118 times in 112 verses). The Hebrew term תּוֹעֵבָה, (toevah) is usually translated “abomination” or “abominable image” (as in idolatry). Specifically, it is used in these ways:

Homosexuality, Idolatry, bestiality, (Leviticus 18:22-26)

Idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25; 27:15; Isaiah 44:18-20; Jeremiah 32:35

Occult practises (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)

Transgenderism (Deuteronomy 22:5)

Cult prostitution (Deuteronomy 23:18)

False divorce (Deuteronomy 24:4)—a form of wife swapping

False measurements meant to deceive (Deuteronomy 25:16)

Practising abominable actions provokes God’s wrath (Deuteronomy 32:16); forgetting God and sacrificing to demons.

Abominations are the cause of God’s judgement: a complete list can be found here.

The Problem for Allies

Here is the problem for those who wish to be more accepting, those who consider themselves allies with the LGBTQ+ movement: it remains an abomination. This has not changed. For the Christian to think otherwise, he must see an abomination as a good thing; that is, an abomination must somehow become good.

The problem is exacerbated because continuing in sexual immorality is disqualifying for salvation (1 Corinthians 5). Even approval of sin is deadly to the soul (Romans 1:32).

But Biblical revelation is progressive. This means that in Scripture God reveals His will and plan through time. Are there any examples of an abomination which are later to accepted as good? Can we show an example where an abomination was later called a positive good? Food laws come to mind. Wasn’t bacon once considered unclean? But note that forbidden foods are called unclean, טָמֵא (pronounced tame), not abominations. There is one place, Deuteronomy 14:3, that forbids the eating of an abomination and then lists unclean foods. Are we to conclude from this single example that, because Jesus made all foods clean (Mark 7:14-23 and Acts 10:9-16), He therefore turned an abomination into a good?

No, because the context (Deuteronomy 14:3) indicates that in this particular instance, eating is connected to pagan mourning rituals. These ceremonies were idolatrous and occult practises. These are abominations, and eating that food was ritually connected to them. Here is not a list of non-kosher foods to be avoided at the supermarket, but a warning against idolatry.

The important difference between unclean foods and abominable actions is that the former is ritual uncleanliness that has passed away in the New Covenant, and the latter is a moral and spiritual category that still stands. An abomination is an affront to the holiness of God. There is no reason from anywhere else in Scripture that might lead us to believe otherwise.

The New Testament confirms the Old Testament view in that abomination (βδελυσσομαι, bdelussomai) both speaks of idolatry and sexual immorality—See Matthew 24:15 and Revelation 17:4-5.

How Can we say, “It is good”?

When we speak of human sexuality, it must be remembered that creation is good, and after man and woman are created God says “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Male and Female are realities rooted in creation. Furthermore, in Genesis 2:18 we read that “it is not good for the man to be alone.” God made a helper for the man, which was a woman; not another man, not an animal, not a plant. This is significant because in God’s eyes man and woman are made for each other, and this excludes homosexuality and lesbianism at the level of creational. Transgenderism denies the established reality of what a man is and what a woman is. It is a creational norm. This fact is evident in the very strong language of abomination. This then is God’s judgement upon against defying His good creation.

In order to say “it is good” with respect to whatever is advance by the sexual revolution and the LGBTQ+ movement, all else God has said about these things must be denied. If these abominations are good we must see that in Scripture. This is clearly not what we find.

Scripture must be the standard of judgement.

16 June, 202116 June, 2021

We Fell So Easily

Why the Church closures are are bigger deal than we want to admit.

Canadians who pay attention are noticing that there is a war against churches that stay open in spite of government mandates. This isn’t going to split the church in Canada, it already has. Many wonder why, when there are no Covid deaths traceable to worship, and maybe less that five Covid cases in all of Canada connected to worship, that the fines number in the millions and pastors are jailed.

I believe the behaviour of the civil government in this pandemic is designed to weaken Bible-believing churches and to pre-emptively rob them of their message.

Civil leaders are throttling up their push toward social change, and Bible-believing churches are a direct threat to that change.

Every major political leader affirms that “hate has no place in Canada.” They are pretty coy about defining hate, but it isn’t hard to parse:

1. If you are anti-abortion, you are sexist.

2. If you are anti sex-selective abortion, you are a racist.

3. If you reject Critical Race Theory, you are a racist.

4. If you doubt the rule of the state over all, you are a rebel.

5. If you are anti same-sex marriage, you are a homophobe.

6. If you are against women pastors, you are a misogynist.

7. If you are against the non-scientific notion that sex can be changed, transphobic.

8. If you teach against teachings of Islam, you are an Islamophobe.

(I used the negatives, “anti” and “against” to trigger all the right people. I hope that isn’t you. If this kind of writing bothers you, you are part of the problem.)

The above describes every church that takes the Bible seriously. If your church, your pastor, is faithful to Scripture, the labels sexist, racist, rebel, homophobe, transphobe, misogynist, and Islamophobe will all be applied.

This is why the government of Ontario and the government of Canada have attacked churches so viciously. Although they have the power to attack churches directly on each of the eight points above, they are far too cowardly to do so. They can speak of “hate” in general terms, but they are very reluctant to attach these monikers to actual churches and pastors. They will attempt, for instance, to try to make it illegal to criticize Islam, but it is far easier to just keep the church shut.

So instead, the churches are attacked over health. Who could argue with that? Well, Bible-believing churches and pastors certainly have disputed the value of lockdowns and closures, and continue to do so. The same Biblical commitment they have doctrinally and morally is demonstrated in the very plain fact that the state is not Lord over the church. We believe that and act upon it.

Churches that have Biblical stances on these points are the ones fighting the fines and imprisonments. I know of no church, pastored by a woman, who is remaining open. I know of no United Church of Canada, or Convention Baptist of Ontario and Quebec that remains open. There may be churches associate with the Gospel Coalition that are open, but the leadership is in full submission to the state.

Churches that question Biblical authority are the most likely ones to remain closed.

When pastors faithfully preach the whole counsel of God, they will preach that the Gospel transforms, converts, and will undermine the state-religion of humanism. They will teach that homosexuals can be converted. They will teach that same-sex marriage is a lie. They will preach that abortion is murder. They will teach that Islam is a false-religion.

But is this not hate, according to our Prime Minister?

None of this will be acceptable in the new Canada, a nation that is being constructed by humans with no reference to the God that created them.

The institutional church in Canada has received a mortal blow. It is soon to be illegal to try to convert a homosexual away from that sin. Then, to name any behaviour as sinful. Today, Christian business people must participate in same-sex marriage. Our taxes pay for abortions, our schools are indoctrination centres for Critical Race Theory and the sexual revolution. We complied when it was demanded that our worship cease. Now do we think we’ll stand when we are told we must not preach a message contrary to that of the State?

We fell so easily.

2 June, 20212 June, 2021

For the Sake of the Children, Keep the Schools Closed

“Chris Selley: Doug Ford has seriously harmed Ontario’s school kids. Now he has to fix it

Premier Doug Ford wants a ‘consensus’ among experts on the question. That’s a bit like asking Canadians to agree on a favourite colour”

This article is correct in calling out the fact of massive sadness and depression among young people, and by placing the blame upon governments and their enablers. This has been a disaster.

Where it misses the point, by far, however is the insistence that children are depressed to the point of suicide because they are not in school. Children have seen every major family gathering cancelled, missed birthdays and holidays, all under threat of arrest.

Kids don’t really know the nuances between criminal behaviour and bylaw infractions. They are told they could be responsible for the sickness or death of loved ones if they hug or even visit. They’ve seen their parents’ stress through job loss, loss of joy in living, loss of future plans.

There is plenty of depression and sadness to go around when schools are in session. This article perpetuates the myth that school provides essential socialization. Children should be much happier to be with family than they are in school, but the family is under state-induced stress to a level that hasn’t been experienced in many years. We are entering a new dark age, and the children know it.

Children see the absurdity of social distancing and mask theatre. They have been fed fear, and submission to the fearful, to a toxic level. Children see that there is something wrong with the hypocrisy of governments that either reward or punish behaviour based upon group identity. They are keenly aware of basic unfairness.

None of this will be solved by reopening the schools, especially if their teachers treat them like germ infested vermin. The teachers’ fears will be clear.

This article also skirts over the matter of toxic ideology in the school system.

Ideologically, the authority over the family assumed by modern educators is merely evil at best. The state-run and separate schools submits the interests of the family to that of the school, the “co-parents” of the child, so that the child is taught that the normal family isn’t the norm, and kids are bullied into accepting the unacceptable: transgenderism and same-sex marriage. But these two examples are but illustrations of the larger problem of a pretended neutral and secular education system. Marxist economics and Critical Race Theory must be added to this list as well.

No Christian child should be made to feel ashamed of their faith, but this is the intent of the curriculum in many cases.

All education indoctrinates—that is normal. But what is wicked is when it is done without any admission on the part of the educators that they are doing so. Modern state-run education operates from an explicitly anti-Christian worldview. In the name of inclusion, diversity, and secularism, state schools claim an objectivity and neutrality that cannot exist. Education is never neutral. So with the authority of the system comes the authority to declare Christ to be dethroned. The modern education system is a meta-narrative that explains all else.

To fight this depression, we must stop (today) doing the things to their world that brings it on. They need to know that they are safe at home, and that schools will not contradict, demean, and defeat the values they are taught at home. Their parents need to know that they can plan for their birthday and holidays. Children need to know that they can drop and see grandma without fear of bringing her death.

It is already assumed that a child as young as 12 can consent to transition from their sex to one that will never be their sex. This is with the school’s encouragement and intervention, and without parental knowledge or consent. How can parents be certain that an injection will not be administered to their child without their permission?

Sending kids back to school right now, given the above, is a ticket to their long-term and certain misery.