Yep. It’s about unanimous that my immediate family (and a few others) are unsupportive of me. Somehow, I’m expected to be miserable for the rest of my life and must continue to pine over my deceased wife until I too wind up in the grave.
I’ve gone from irritated to just plain done with the lot of them. This characterization is an understatement. If I’m guilty of anything, it is being too forthcoming with people. My conclusion is that folks don’t really care what I’m up to just as long as they can find fault with me. Why I must be put down to lift others up seems perverse to me.
Before going further, you must know that my mom has repeatedly told me that she does not want to hear anything about me and my girlfriend. It is a forbidden subject when I’m at her house; however, she keeps bringing it up, both at her home and via random phone calls. In recent months I’ve gotten two rather weird phone calls from her.
The first call was about how I had no right to make her a grandmother again. That doing so would be unfair to my parents and somehow a burden which they did not want. Folks, if you can explain this behavior then have at it in the comments. Last I heard, bringing children into the world was supposed to be a blessing, well except for them anyway. My folks have repeatedly said that if they had a chance to do life over again, that they would never under any circumstances have any children. Zero is the best number. As the oldest child, that comment clearly says that they were not happy with the way that I turned out and thus, why have the other two after me? Oh, this was said multiple times to us during family lectures.
Then there was the whole thing about the necessity of me needing to divorce my wife because she was a terrible mother and surely, I could do better than her.
The more recent phone call was just as out of left field. She wanted to know about my upcoming trip to see my girl. Since she is on record as not wanting to know, I told her only what day my flight leaves and when I think I will return.
I could bring a few other things into the discussion but what for?
Gary North famously said that you can’t beat something with nothing, but my family thinks nothing is a far superior ambition.
The number of people that don’t think I have a right to make my own decisions and live my own life is apparently legion. Nobody wants to walk a mile in my shoes, they just want to know why I even have any shoes, where I got them, and how much they cost.
Folks, I’m torn between blasting certain facts all over Facebook and just going radio silent. Radio silent seems a better strategy. I will not be around for Thanksgiving, and I just might boycott Christmas with any family as well. I also think future trips to see my girl will be off the record, as well. I’ve just had enough abuse, condescension, and bullshit.
This post is about willful ignorance and my frustration with it.
Folks, over the last year, I have been crystal clear about the intricacies of navigating the legal and ethical dilemmas that I have encountered in my relationship with my special friend. The basic frustration that I have is that Americans tend to think that the whole world works by the same rules, laws, and rights as our own country. This is clearly not the case.
The old adage of my parent’s generation has often been stated as, “My house, my rules.” Somehow though, many people don’t think that this saying is relevant to countries other than our own. Every political entity has its own unique laws, regulations, customs, assumptions, etc. Our country may have common borders with both Mexico and Canada but trust me, both places have different laws, customs, languages, food, etc. than our own.
The common assumptions that undergird our country are things like English Common Law, Protestantism, religious liberty, freedom, and rights proceeding from God, etc. But what happens when you are forced to interact in a country that never based their culture and society on these things? Is it reasonable that they will see the world just as we do? My answer is “NO.”
President George W Bush
Why was George W. Bush’s idea of nation building in Iraq and Afghanistan folly? Establishing democracy in an area that had no concept of individual rights was ridiculous. It had to fail. Folks, at least one lesson here is that imposing our culture and attaching expectations upon someone with no concept or appreciation of our values is stupid and can’t work, yet we continue to do it.
Ronald Reagan talked often about men yearning to be free but if that is true then why are so many in our country yearning to be led and enslaved by socialism and communism? Like Orwell’s 1984, they are screaming that “slavery is freedom.”
The answer to the above is that Reagan presupposes that the society is Christian while the Communist presupposes that humanism, evolution, and atheism are true. Different folks have different worldviews and assumptions that undergird their view of society, culture, and nation.
The problem that I face when talking to people about my situation with my girl is that they have no frame of reference to understand the situation but the one they are living in. Frankly, it’s a lot like talking to someone who is immersed in Premillennial Dispensationalism. You can show them a verse that disproves their worldview, but they can’t see it because they filter it through their presuppositions and can’t read the text on its own merits. As mama used to say, “It’s like talking to the wall.”
When I explain that my girl is eligible to marry me, folks can’t grasp the concept. The church in her country has declared that her marriage is over, she is the innocent party, and she can marry me. This should be the end of the discussion, but it doesn’t compute to people here. “How can the church declare anything about marriage?” they any ask.
The presupposition is that the State is in charge of marriage. My question is, “Where in the Bible do you find such an idea?” It clearly says in the traditional marriage ceremony, “Whom God has joined together, let no man pull asunder.” God makes marriages not governments.
Governments claimed the right to regulate marriage—at least in this country—about 120 years ago as a scheme for generating tax revenue for local governments not because God changed His mind. Yes, if you like then you can go back to the Supreme Court cases about polygamy in the late 1870’s but my point still stands; government claimed the power and churches were silent on the power grab. This silence by churches does not make the government overreach a legitimate act. Later government decided to allow tax benefits based on marital status. Further strengthening their hold on matrimony and thus its dissolution.
If government owns the power to create marriages, then it only makes sense that they remove the church’s power to end such unions as well. Naturally, the power to dissolve marriages also fell to the government and their brethren in the legal profession.
I think most folks will agree with my basic thesis about marriage in the United States, but what happens when you interact with a country that knows no such thing as divorce? Their presupposition is that marriage is in fact created by God and divorce is anathema in their society?
This question, boys and girls, is the hinge that takes you to a place that you can’t comprehend. A place with no divorce. The only way out of a marriage is to prove that one partner is defective and incapable of making a forever vow before God. Such a finding must be made, not in civil court, but before a trial judge with a full-blown court proceeding. This place is not a parallel dimension or gateway to the Twilight Zone but another country. Here you need to act in accordance with someone else’s laws, culture, and way of doing business. This ladies and gentlemen is what you encounter once you leave the borders of your home country; the good ole US of A. Welcome to the world of my girlfriend, the Philippines.
In the Philippines, divorce is illegal.
In the Philippines, a husband and wife agreeing to dissolve their marriage is illegal.
In the Philippines, adultery is not grounds to end a marriage.
In the Philippines, abandonment is not grounds to end a marriage. (Technically, the Philippine Supreme Court, via legislating from the bench, added abandonment as grounds for ending a marriage but no one has actually litigated a case on these grounds due to expected pushback by the legislative branch of the government. No lawyer wants to be the first to try such a case.)
In the Philippines, abuse is not grounds to end a marriage.
The Philippines is one of only two countries in the world where divorce is illegal. Vatican City being the other. (FYI the United States did not recognize Vatican City as a country until 1984.) Instead, the legal process to end a marriage in the Philippines is annulment. As stated above, a court trial is mandatory. The process for a simple annulment is six to twenty-four months. A complex annulment—meaning children, properties, and acrimony between parties—can take as long as five years.
Annulments are very expensive. Based on average wages earned per month in that country, we have thus far spent about 28 months’ worth of wages to get where we are in the process. Our next stop should be the trial court. Depending on which Internet search you wish to believe, we are two to five months away from completion of the process. Oh, thus far, we have been at this for a good eleven months.
Due to the cost—financial and in time—most people in the Philippines cannot afford the annulment process. This is why there are only about ten to twelve thousand annulment cases per year out of a population of 80 million or so souls.
Folks the only other routes for ending a marriage in the Philippines are a declaration of annulment by the Roman Catholic Church or divorce via Sharia Law. Both these alternatives cost more than the legally prescribed route for annulment, and neither is available for my girl as she is a Protestant.
If I chose to live there, I could simply marry her in her church and then live together without the expense of an annulment. However, I want to bring her to the United States. Since our government regulates immigration rather stringently, they demand that my girl present either a marriage certificate issued by the Philippine government or proof that she is eligible to remarry.
While I dispute the government’s claim to regulate marriage, I do acknowledge their right to regulate immigration. (Yes, biblically immigration should not work like it does now but that is a topic for another day.) Since the power of the sword is being used to ship people home for violating US law, I must recon with the current rules whether I like them or not. Thus, I am paying for the annulment process to clear the way to initialize the US immigration process.
The situation is this, per the church located in the Philippines, I am allowed to get married. Said marriage will not be recorded with the government but with the church. Said church has acknowledged the innocence of my girl as well as her eligibility for marriage. Once we exchange vows, we may live together, have children, and be members of the church in good standing.
Folks, there are a few different things in play here. First, Protestants only have limited recognition of their beliefs in the Philippines. Second, the Bible is only partially acknowledged as authoritative by the Philippine government. Clearly divorce is biblically allowed in some circumstances even if not allowed by the government. (See Ray Sutton’s Second Chance.) Poor people are more adversely impacted by the annulment laws than rich folks. Since justice cannot be had without money, the people there have found ways to skirt the system.
I’ve previously blogged about income and inaccessibility for women stuck in a bad marriage. If the husband is hell bent on fornicating with every wench at the local watering hole, the reality is that the wife can’t do anything about it but raise her voice and hope he doesn’t raise his fist in retaliation.
So, the bottom line is that I can get married in the Philippines but until government paperwork catches up with reality, I am unable to bring my spouse to the United States.
Folks, I’m to the point now that I am willing to record said marriage with the Philippine government as soon as I can just to get all the self-righteous folks here in the United States off my back about this whole deal. I was hoping to have a legally recorded wedding here just because it is a shorter wait to get a fiancé visa, but now I don’t care. I’m ok to let all the paperwork happen overseas just to get it over with.
Closing remarks
When I visit another country, I am expected to go by their rules. I think that concept should be easy to understand. That being said, my actions should always conform to Scripture. What should our response be as Christians when biblical law is illegal or ignored in a country?
Church and State are separate institutions created by God. Part of the issue being discussed here is what our response should be when the State gets itself involved in the affairs of the Church? Does the Church just roll over like it did for Covid-19 or does it fight to keep charge of what has been entrusted to her by God? Truthfully, the American Church is very willing to abdicate its role; especially in deference to the civil authorities.
Most Christians were wrong about Romans 13 and Covid lockdowns. Sadly, too many folks are in agreement that Caesar is really Lord of everything except your soul, and you ought to consider giving that to Jesus. Somehow the supposed shepherds of our souls like to keep singing “Have thine own way Lord” to the State instead of Christ.
Folks, yes, I’m just one guy, but the issues at play here are macro worldview issues. If you would just quit imposing your American cultural presuppositions onto me then maybe you can see there is more going on here than at first glance. It’s just easier for folks to throw me under the bus than to look at the issues.
It’s simple to me. When I am in the Philippines, I play by their rules, when I’m in the USA, I play by the rules here. Ignorant people want to project their presuppositions onto the whole planet because they are intellectually lazy. The bottom line is that both countries have areas where they fall short of biblical standards. I’m stuck in between them and eventually I will have to satisfy both to get my lady friend here one day.
I promised my former pastor that if he would give me the grace to get through this process that he would be happy with the end result. We parted ways because he didn’t like watching the sausage getting made. It’s his loss and perhaps yours too.
Trigger Warning:the following post discusses mature issues such as body parts, reproduction, family relations, and other stuff. If you are thin skinned, narcissistic, or easily offended then stop reading now. You have been warned.
I will give you a countdown to change to another article.
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Ok, thanks for sticking with me on this one. This post is about my vasectomy reversal. Again, if the topic offends you then turn back now.
First some history.
My wife and I were married in 2003. She spent almost all of the first two years of our marriage pregnant. Yep, three months into our marriage, she was pregnant for the first time. We had just started to tell people in our circle of friends, mostly at church, that she was with child and then she lost the baby.
I remember the drive home from work in the middle of the afternoon. Trying to drive and bawling my eyes out is difficult but I made it to the hospital. My wife was in the emergency room at Kaiser South Sacramento. She was sitting in the emergency room for way too long and nobody was in a hurry to see us. Once I got there, she pulled out her trusty cell phone and called Carolyn. Carolyn was a friend and a doctor on staff at that hospital. She came immediately to the ER to help her friend, my wife. She walked us from the ER to see an OBGYN doctor. No paperwork, no waiting, just service. Ten minutes after calling Carolyn my wife was finally being helped.
A few months later, my wife’s ex, her children from the previous marriage, and her former in-laws all took a trip to Mexico. It was Valentine’s Day week in 2004. It was during this period of no children in the house that my wife became pregnant again. Our son James was born in November of that year.
In the spring of 2005, pregnancy number three happened. Again, just as we were prepared to tell people, she lost the baby.
At this point, my wife took a trip to the OBGYN. After that fateful visit, we had a talk. During her pregnancy, she had gained a lot of weight and never lost it after our son was born. The verdict of the OBGYN was that my wife was too overweight to successfully have any more children. Thus, a proposal was put before me, either I had to have a vasectomy, or she had to have her lady parts “fixed”.
Since it was easier for me to have a vasectomy than for her to get her tubes tied, she pushed me to get the vasectomy. I reluctantly agreed. In exchange for me getting the surgery, she promised me more frequent sexual relations since we wouldn’t need to worry about any more children.
Editor’s Note: never do anything for a women based on a promise of more and better sex in the future. Such promises are hollow and unenforceable.
Reluctantly, I agreed. Folks I never wanted to do this, but it was the only time she played the “if you love me…” card during our marriage. I wanted to please her and who says no to more sex with their wife?
About ten years later, she had her ovaries removed as a preventative, in an effort to avoid getting cancer. Ironically, she later died of cancer, just a different one.
Following her death, I received a small insurance payment. With that money, I had promised to take a trip that we would have enjoyed going on together. That was my trip to Ireland last year.
At the same time, I was booking the Ireland trip, I decided to right a wrong that I still regretted from our marriage. I wanted to be whole again. Thus, I made an appointment to get a vasectomy reversal. I researched the topic and landed on a place in Ogden Utah that specialized in the reversal procedure. I paid for the surgery and got on the waiting list. The surgery was scheduled for September 9, 2025.
FYI As it turned out, Charlie Kirk was assassinated the day following my surgery. Charlie died about two miles from my hotel room on the day I checked out of the hotel.
Folks, by the time I booked the vasectomy reversal, I had been doing enough online dating that I knew that I wanted someone younger than me. I have stated before on this blog that I didn’t want to be dating someone that looks like my grandmother. I had decided that I wanted to find a woman about 40 years old. I knew that women in that age group still desire the possibility of children but a guy that can’t offer that is handicapped when they are sterile.
After booking the surgery, I met my girlfriend, fiancé, wife, or whatever the correct title is. We discussed the issue of children. And, yes, she would like a few kiddos in her world. However, she said if God will give us children, then that will be good, if not, we can try other ways of having a family. Being with me was more important than children but she would like both.
Seven weeks after the vasectomy reversal, I flew out to see her for a month.
The surgery place in Ogden provided me with four test kits. Periodically, I was expected to send in samples for testing. The test prior to my trip was negative. The test after my trip (December) was negative as well. Spending a large sum of money only to be shooting blanks was painful and discouraging.
Following the surgery, I told some friends that knew about me getting a reversal that all my private parts were black, but not bigger. Folks, the amount of bruising was remarkable. It took over six months for the dissolvable sutures to go away. The healing of my scrotum was uneven and slow. The horizontal cut was substantial. I later found out that even though the reversal utilizes microsurgery that the testicle is fully removed from the scrotum so the doctor can do the operation. Oh, the vas tube they attach is almost the diameter of a human hair. In my case, the vas tube had to be directly attached to each testicle. Sorry, I didn’t get a splice job, I got the deluxe reversal surgery.
This brings us to the present.
I am going to see my lady for two months at the end of September. I tentatively plan to return around November 30. On this trip, we will be participating in a “blessing ceremony.” (Something that didn’t happen on the previous trip.) Whether said ceremony is recorded with the government is unknown at present. It is mathematically possible that the annulment will be completed during my stay, which makes recording a possibility.
Anyway, prior to my trip, I wanted to pull out the old test kit and see what the lab in Ogden said. I mailed sample number 3 on Monday of last week. The package was delivered on Thursday. Since I didn’t hear from them on Friday, I was expecting the results on Monday. When the results were zero, they were always followed up by a phone call saying to hang tough, it’s not the end of the road yet, so don’t be discouraged.
Last Sunday night, I got an email from the place in Ogden. Yep, at 8:20 PM on a Sunday night, the test results rolled in.
My first thought was, what the #!@%?
Folks, for the last few weeks, I have been planning when would be the best time to redo the surgery after this report came back with bad news too. Oh, BTW, my answer was January. I even told my girl that redoing the reversal is cheaper than the other alternatives that I’ve seen on the internet. Believe me, I’ve been researching this for a few weeks now. Folks, everyone screams do IVF, but it has some serious ethical issues that I wish to avoid.
Anyway, I got up the nerve to read my reject letter. Most of the first paragraph was even in red letters. This turned out to be boilerplate language about verifying my contact information. As I continued to scroll down, I saw my name and date of birth. Yep, that’s me and that’s my birthday. Then I kept scrolling. Date of analysis was August 28th. Yep, Friday. Then was “Total sperm concentration: 7 million/ml.”
BINGO.
Yep, 7 million is a great number for a vasectomy reversal. I reread it. I was shocked. I texted my girlfriend and then select members of the blog staff to share the news.
This guarantees nothing as far a children goes, but it means I can do my part in the process. The reversal I wanted has happened. Folks, a lot more things have to align on the female side before invoking words like “family” but it’s a start. I wanted to promise the possibility of offspring and now I can do that.
God has answered yet another prayer for us. Boy, am I a happy camper.
Final Thoughts
Folks, I know there are a lot of naysayers out there that think I should crawl under a rock somewhere and wait to die of loneliness or old age. For them the thought of someone my age getting into another relationship is preposterous. To them I say, “Go pound sand.”
God put us on this earth to convert the world and exercise dominion over this planet until every square inch acknowledges Christ as King. This was the message of Charlie Kirk. Biblical faith is the long game. Those people waiting around doing nothing as they wait for the Rapture are the useless people wrecking it for the rest of us. Their disbelief is the biggest problem in our society not Democrats, Islam, or socialism.
Charlie Kirk was right and I’d rather go down like him, instead of sitting on my butt watching Fox News and contributing nothing. Family, faith, and hard work are the way out.
My grandfather lived to be 96. My dad is almost 90 and in great health. If I make it as long as either of them, then starting another family is a no-brainer to me.
My last comment is that there is no such thing in the Bible as retirement. We are to work until God takes us home. I choose faith and family over frivolity.
Kenneth Gentry, and some others that he uses as proxies, have been attacking Gary DeMar publicly (much of it on Facebook) since 2023 about the three questions controversy. Gentry and others have been alleging that DeMar is a closet full preterist. (More on full Preterism later.) In their minds, that makes DeMar a heretic and thus guilty of unorthodox eschatology.
Kenneth Gentry
In response, DeMar has simply pitted one supporter of the three questions against another to show that none of them agree with each other, so why should he respond directly. As a debate tactic, this is brilliant.
Gary DeMar
Furthermore, the original three questions lacked any citation of Scriptures to defend their claims. The originators of the three-question letter controversy base the whole thing on church tradition and not Scripture. This is why they are divided on their understandings. It is this hole in their logic that I would like to comment upon.
As DeMar likes to point out, when it comes to the historic Creeds of Christendom, nobody decided to “show their homework.” The Creeds make claims about the Christian faith but never cite any verses as proof texts; neither do they have any minutes of the meetings to explain the logic of why statements were included. In short, all that is preserved for us are the conclusions and not anything to back them up.
For the purposes of this blog, I am limiting discussion to the Nicene Creed. FYI the Nicene Creed was drafted in 325 AD and updated slightly into its final form in 381 AD.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son,* who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Two comments on the above version. First, this is from a Roman Catholic website and a word or two might be different in another English translation. Second, in the paragraph on the Holy Spirit, “who proceeds from the Father and the Son” is the difference between Eastern and Western Christianity. Yep, “and the Son” highlights the difference in the understanding of the Trinity between Churches; although there is much history behind this division.
Preterism
Preterism, in its simplest form is believing that some parts of the Bible are in the past. If you believe Jesus is the prophesized Messiah and fulfilled related Old Testament prophecies, then you are a preterist. If you believe that some prophecies were fulfilled in the destruction of the Second Temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD, but others are still future to us then you are a partial preterist. If you believe everything in the Bible including the last few chapters of Revelation are fulfilled in some way, then you are a full preterist.
Sadly, the difference between full and partial Preterism is really more nuanced than what I just stated. There are people that are in between full and partial preterists. Some folks believe that some things began in the past, continue to be true today, and will not know complete fulfillment until sometime in the future.
The two sections of the Creed getting the most attention in the controversy are these:
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
I could dissect these parts in much detail but not too many folks would care so I’ll try to keep this simple.
The type of questions being asked are like this:
Where are these statements found in the Bible (Proof texts)?
How did the original audience understand these statements?
Were the statements based on Scripture, future or past when written into the Creed in 325 AD?
When is or will be the resurrection of the dead?
When is or will the Kingdom begin?
What and when is the world to come?
If Jesus is on the Throne now, what is he doing or waiting for?
When is the resurrection of the dead?
Again, we have to reverse engineer the Creed to figure out such questions.
Folks, this sounds simple at first blush but once you start looking at this, it is evident that you are treading into deep theological waters trying to fully grasp the concepts tossed out by the writers of the Creed.
The Creed speaks of a future coming of Jesus, presumably at the end of the world but where is that in the Bible? Most of the coming passages are understood by the signers of the three questions letter as coming in judgment in the First Century, but “The Church” has historically believed in a final and consummating coming at the end of history.
This leaves a theological mess. Were the coming passages fulfilled (full Preterism)? Mostly fulfilled (partial Preterism)? Mostly in the future (Premillennial)? Requiring double fulfillment? Or something else?
Here’s an example from Paul to illustrate the complexity of the issue. He writes that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This verse is often quoted to give comfort to grieving families. It was quoted at my wife’s funeral. But how do you get to be “present with the Lord” without being judged in some fashion so God permits you to enter his presence? This implies that judgment is not at the end of the world but upon death. So, if you are judged at death then why not also be given your resurrected body at the same time? We spend eternity in bodies not as spirits floating around on clouds playing harps.
Gentry and his friends presuppose that the Creeds and Church tradition are correct about much of this being future and then interpret the Bible with these presuppositions trying to discern which bucket that a particular verse belongs in. If you agree with him then he calls you “orthodox” and if you disagree—especially about the timing—then I guess you get a letter calling you “un-orthodox.”
Matthew 24
Generally, Matthew chapters 23-25 are all one dialogue by Jesus frequently called the Olivet Discourse. Chapters 24 & 25 are said in response to questions asked of Jesus by his disciples. Some folks like DeMar believe that chapters 24 and 25 are a single unit speaking of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD. Others split chapter 24—some like Gentry at very odd points—into part being fulfilled in 70 AD and part of the prophecy being future.
J. Marcellus Kik and many others split Matthew 24 between about verse 34 to 36 so that the first part of the chapter is about 70 AD and the rest is the traditional Second Coming.
Kenneth Gentry does this too, plus he pulls Matthew 24: 27 as a stand-alone verse concerning the Second Coming even though it comes in the midst of the part which most think applies to AD 70.
“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
I don’t want to get into the weeds about this except to say that Gentry didn’t always hold this position but has adopted it in more recent times. It makes no sense, but he is hell-bent in accommodating the Creed into his post millennial position. He needs verses to support both AD 70 and the traditional Second Coming. Gentry is a lone gunman on verse 27 but holds this unique position.
If you look at the Olivet discourse, what many such as Kik try to do is book end the statements about “this generation” to fit an AD 70 application (Matthew 23:36 to Matthew 24:34) and then futurize the rest of chapter 24. Gentry randomly cherry picks verse 24:27 that he is compelled to futurize in the midst of the “this generation” passage.
Gentry is obliged to shoehorn verses into the future because of the Creed and Church tradition; not the context.
Were Matthew the only account of what shall be the signs of the end and coming of Jesus, then maybe Kik could have a point, but this bifurcation of Matthew is destroyed by looking at the same account in the other synaptic Gospels.
Conflicting Versions
Once you compare Matthew 24 & 25 with the parallel accounts in Luke 21 and Mark 13, then the structure forced onto the account in Matthew collapses. It is clear that all three accounts in their entirety are about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD. It was a local judgment that could literally be escaped on foot by fleeing to the mountains. As proof that this was so, there are zero historical records of a single Christian being killed in the siege of Jerusalem. Secondly, Christians knew it would happen all the way back to the beginning chapters of Acts. Why was the Church in Jerusalem the only place where property was sold and the proceeds held in common by and for the Church? It was not socialism in the Bible; it was a testimony that the city would be lost within a generation as Jesus prophesized.
The problem that Gentry and other signatories of the three-question letter have is that there is not a single verse in the Bible that all parties signing the three questions letter agree apply to the end of the world. At least some of the signers believe verses should be applied to the AD 70 judgment.
On the one hand they want the traditional view that Jesus returns at the end of everything and at the same time they know that most verses apply better to an AD 70 fulfillment.
Folks the truth is that Jesus doesn’t really tell us how it all ends. Neither does he tell us what heaven will be like. In the end, we will have a body like his. We will not marry nor be given in marriage. We will have jobs of some sort and worship God. There is no more death or sin. Anything beyond this is speculation.
Between now and then, the Gospel will spread across the world. Most people will be believers at some point in the future. So many folks will be saved that when it is all over, it can truly be said that Jesus is the savior of the world. The end, whatever form or time it happens, is thousands of years from now. You are still living in the early church so buckle up and get to work.
The church that I am attending began a book of the month club this summer. This month’s installment is What is the Gospel? By Greg Gilbert.
The book is only 8 chapters. Much of it is very good and I have no complaints but chapters 6 & 7—which are built on each other—are simply cringe worthy. Chapter 7 is what my math teacher used to call, “error carried forward.” Since chapter 6 is wrong then the premise used to introduce chapter 7 is wrongly stated.
Chapter 1 establishes the Bible as God’s authority
Chapter 2 is God the Creator
Chapter 3 is man’s rebellion
Chapter 4 is Jesus as our substitute
Chapter 5 is our response to God’s offer of salvation
Chapter 6 is about God’s Kingdom.
Chapter 7 is focusing on the gospel
Chapter 8 is entitled “The Power of the Gospel”
Chapter 6 starts out with a lot of promise, but it ends up like a line drive hit that curves foul just as you are rising to your feet to cheer the home run.
The author established that the Kingdom of God is a now thing, not just a future reality. This is a direct rebuttal of the Premillennial Dispensationalist position that claims the Kingdom of God is a future thing because the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day rejected the offer, so God had to go to Plan B, the Church. This view is unbiblical but widely held by many, including a number of folks in my congregation. The idea that man’s free will can thwart God’s plan is heresy. (More proof Scofieldism is the cultural sin of the modern American evangelical church.)
However, instead of saying that Jesus should be Lord of every area of our lives because God is Savior of the whole man, reversing the curse of creation, he pivots to “me and God are a majority”. The Kingdom of God is reduced from its rightful place to a claim that the Gospel is only concerned with saving your soul. He pivots to some sort of pietism, Gnostic form of salvation, or some strange version of amillennialism.
In the Book of Daniel, the Kingdom is described as a rock that smashes the world empires and grows into a mountain that fills the whole earth. In another chapter Gilbert even quotes the verse about the knowledge of the Lord covering the earth as the waters cover the sea but in the final analysis, he balks at the truth of the Scripture and goes in a wrong direction.
I must attribute this error to the fact that he nowhere mentions that God rules in terms of covenantal institutions. Scripture has at least four governments established by God that he rules through, self-government, family, church, and the state.
Thus, in chapter 7, Gilbert mocks the idea that the Gospel not only transforms individuals but also cultures. Biblical transformation is bottom-up while evangelicals try top-down political change—which is not the same thing.
To quote a book that I read last week, “the Kingdom of God is Christian civilization.” Jesus commands us in the Great Commission to disciple the nations not just individuals. God demands that every area of our life be subject to his Lordship. This includes your family, your job, your spare time, your church, your city, county, province, state, nation. Plus, education, arts, music, media, entertainment, everything.
Jesus is Lord of all. The Gospel is an all or nothing proposition. No part of your life can be held back from Him. The “fair exchange” is only valid if we die to ourselves in everything, only then can he give us his life.
We don’t just add Jesus to our lives the way some career women add a husband to their lives or buy a new pair of shoes. Jesus isn’t here to make your life complete. Such a view is a lie. Jesus is here to make dead people live. That thinking is very foreign to most Americans, even those sitting next to us in church.
Greg Gilbert checks the boxes for what God did for us in salvation, but he totally muffs it in regard to what salvation is all about. The comprehension of what salvation does to individuals, churches, and communities is dismissed as irrelevant in his book. This reduction of Christianity makes salvation some Gnostic, pietistic, or otherworldly thing that doesn’t transform every part of a Christian’s life.
The old saying to “give your heart to Jesus but your ass belongs to the United States Army” is a lie. Jesus claims lordship over the Army too. And not just ours, but every army in every country belongs to him.
Jesus is ruling from heaven, but he rules all the affairs of men and has for a very long time. Gilbert misses this aspect of the Kingdom and reduces it to some ethereal, spiritual thing with no reality in this present world.
Gilbert’s book will get you to the Cross of Christ but not beyond that point; for that you must look elsewhere.
I paid money to see a local attorney about the pit bull killing my dog. They took a pass on any intervention. Ditto with the local police. The pit bull must either attack a human or kill two more animals—along with people filing police reports—or nothing will happen. I was advised to work things out with the owner of the pit bull or take my chances in small claims court.
Even though the pit bull should be put down, nobody will compel the owner to do so. I was told that if the other dog owner pays the vet bill that I’m getting a deal; after all, we’re still neighbors when this all blows over. At best, the lawyer said, maybe they will give me enough money to get another dog.
Folks, I don’t want another dog. I made up my mind about that years ago. However, I thought my puppy friend would grow old and die of natural causes, not unnatural ones.
This trail, mess, or whatever it’s called, is not going how I imagined that it would. I would like restitution and to know that I did something to prevent this from happening again. Neither look likely without going to court. Whether that battle is worth fighting is unknown. Sadly, my only option at present is to wait and see if the pit bull owner makes me an offer.
Update
Sadly, what I wanted and what I got through this ordeal was very different. Shortly after this blog was posted, the owner of the pit bull, Scott, did give me a check for the vet bill for Bobby’s injuries but he offered zero compensation for my actual loss.
While nothing can replace Bobby, during his lifetime we invested several thousand dollars on keeping Bobby cared for, safe, and loved. Again, he was the last part of my marriage with Sheryl that I had left. He was representative of our happy times together wrapped up in fur and four legs. The last part of Sheryl that I had is gone.
My house is cold and empty without him. Every morning I look out the window and see the grave where he was laid to rest. Bobby, thanks for being my puppy friend. I really hope you are with mommy now.
I can’t begin to tell you how much I miss a small boy singing about corgi dogs ten years ago. I miss them both so much, it hurts.
In his book, The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli famously said that justice cannot be had without money.
The Prince (published ~1532)
The same can be said about Attorney Mario and the legal system that he navigates. Pesos (expended by me) yields progress.
The annulment process for my girlfriend has finally taken a leap forward as measured by every metric that I can find on the subject. Her ex-husband lives outside the country and to check the attempted notification box once and for all, we had to pay for publication of a public notice in a Philippine-based newspaper with an international circulation. This is a statutory requirement under their law. Yes, the law requires an old-school, dead tree variety, newspaper notice. The text and the pricing were provided by the courts.
Contrary to some claims, I’m not made of money. Said money tree in Elk Grove died about 20 years ago. Oh, to be fair, it was really called “the money tree” because it was the smallest tree in the yard (an apricot or peach tree if you need to ask) and our debt at the time was like the largest tree on the property (a lemon tree).
The text that the court wanted published for the public notice was about a 25-page MS Word document saved as a PDF file. The court wanted the notice published twice, once a week, for two weeks. The court provided one bid for the Philippine Star to publish this wonderful document. $2,550. Yep. That’s United States dollars not pesos. I about wet my boxers. I responded “Heck no! That’s way too much.” I asked for other options.
The court then provided two more choices, both for much less money. The next one was about $1,800 and the third was about $1,125. Reluctantly, I paid the money for choice number 3. Western Union put a 4 day hold on the transaction, but it finally went through. Mario was given the money and then for two and a half weeks, nothing but crickets. Early today, Mario responded that the public notice would be run on August 17 and 24th.
I found a thumbnail of the pages of the August 17th newspaper online. The public notice took up one entire page. Yep, we paid for two full page ads to blast out the legalese required by the court.
Once the notice runs the second time, the newspaper provides the court with copies of both ads and an affidavit attesting under penalty of perjury that they ran the ads as instructed.
Then the court has two internal boxes to check and then we finally get a court date.
Per the search engine of my choice, the projected timeline for the rest of this legal process is about 8 weeks or roughly the end of October. It is alleged by Attorney Mario that the judge is a stickler and if everything is in order, that the court process will be brief and swift. That would be a refreshing change of pace, if true.
Lastly, I have an agreement to be reimbursed for the annulment process after it is concluded. Gladly, there is little else that requires payment. The witness fees are part of the court process, but I hope at least a few of the scheduled witnesses can be skipped since this is an undisputed proceeding.
Once the annulment process is concluded, then the U.S. immigration process can begin. Option A is about ten months, and Option B is about 16 months. There are pluses and minuses for each. Of course, the choice with the shorter timeline is about $1,000 more and lots more paperwork.
The fourth quarter of 2026 looks to be very interesting.
Yep. It was Wednesday, August 5th. I got home about 7 PM, grabbed the mailbox key, hooked the leash to my friend, and proceeded to walk to the mailbox. I’ve done this evolution virtually every day for three and a half years.
Bobby with James at Rescue Center
Last night there was nothing in the mailbox, so we headed home. We passed two children with sticks. OK, they were more like small branches, that they were hitting on the asphalt. Bobby, my friend, didn’t like the noise so he avoided the children. Then we passed two ladies talking in the middle of the street. As was my habit, I was video chatting with my girlfriend during the walk.
Bobby with Thomas, James, William, Sheryl, Kendall. This photo was Sheryl’s desktop screen on her laptop up until she died.
My girl had just handed the phone to her three-year-old niece when I saw him. A pit bull passed me on the left side, almost brushing against my leg, and grabbed my dog by the head and neck. He then shifted to biting my dog’s right rear leg. The pit bull lifted my dog, all 16 pounds, right off the ground. I screamed “Let go” and tried to grab the pit bull on the side of the mouth. No way was I putting my hand inside his mouth; not that there was room.
Bobby liked squeaky toys
Someone tried to get the dog to release mine, but it would not. After about four tries, the pit bull released my dog’s leg. As the pit bull let go of my dog I heard someone say, “this is the third time he’s done that.”
I knew the instant that I saw the injury and heard his cries of pain that he wouldn’t make it… but you hope anyway.
Bobby’s first time in snow at Craters of the Moon, Idaho
I needed to get him to a doctor. I carefully picked the dog up, being sure not to put any pressure on his mangled leg. I made the comment that “I am probably going to have to put him down.”
The dog’s owner said, “I probably will have to do that too.”
I noticed that there was blood across Bobby’s stomach from the teeth puncturing his belly. We started walking home. A man that I never turned to look at, offered me a ride home. I declined and kept walking.
As we had left the house earlier, I noticed that my neighbors were in the yard. As we started to pass their property on the way home, I called out as loud as I could “Will.” No response. I went a bit further and called again. No response. As I rounded the corner and headed for the driveway I called again. “Will! I need help.” At that point, he came out of his house. As I got closer to him, I said, “Bobby just got attacked by a pit bull. I need help.”
Will and his wife came out to help. His wife got a towel and they had me sit in the passenger seat of their car. The towel was placed in my lap, and then I lowered Bobby gently onto my lap. I was careful not to put any pressure on his leg. Will got his cell phone and I got mine. We tried desperately to find a veterinarian to help—remember all these places are closed after 5 PM. Both local vets were out of town and too far away to help.
Sheryl, James, and Bobby at Thompson Falls, MT
As this was going on, Will said that there was a green pickup at my house. I told him that it must be the owner of the other dog. Will spoke with him briefly but I don’t know what was said. Will came back to his house, and we continued dialing for help.
After about 20 minutes of futility, Will found a 24-hour emergency pet clinic. The bad news was that it was an hour and a half driver away. With no other alternatives, we headed to the clinic in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
James with Bobby
As he got in the car, Will tried to pet Bobby on the head. Bobby yelped. This was where he was first bitten and it hurt him. There was saliva from the other dog on various parts of his head and neck. As we began our journey, I removed his walking harness. Yes, my dog was on a leash and within two or three feet of me when attacked. We were on the opposite side of the street from where the other dog lived.
One of the few solo photos with Bobby and William
I found a place to scratch him just behind his front leg. Will had made a comment that Bobby was in shock, and I think he was right. About halfway to our destination, Bobby began panting and his respiration changed. It was subtle but noticeable. After a while his panting stopped. Every once in a while, I had to adjust Bobby because of speed changes and some turns cause his weight to shift slightly. The entire trip he never made a sound; not even a whimper.
Bobby on yet another walk
And yes, Bobby was always this quiet. Never once in the ten years that we had him as a pet, did he ever bark at another animal that barked at him first. Only once did he ever respond in a defensive manner to any human. The guy that triggered his ire was a smelly, drug addicted, homeless man that jumped out of the bushes and headed towards my wife and I one day back in Elk Grove. Bobby didn’t like that guy, and we felt that his response was justified. Other than the homeless guy, Bobby only wanted to make friends and get tummy scratches. He knew no fear or to be afraid.
Will finally got us to the vet hospital. It was near the Toyota dealer where I had traded Sheryl’s Jeep last year after nobody could fix the vehicle’s death rattle. He let me off at the front door and then went to get a parking place.
I couldn’t open the door enough to get inside. A lady came from behind the counter and opened the door for me. My first surprise was how busy this place was. The majority of seats in the waiting area were filled with other people and their pets. I told the lady that my dog was attacked by a pit bull.
James and Bobby
A man came out of the back room to get Bobby. He wasn’t paying attention to Bobby’s injury, and I refused to hand the dog to him. I explained, no, you can’t hold him like that because his leg was injured. It took two tries but finally the guy was willing to hold Bobby in such a way that he didn’t touch the injured leg. I was told they would check his vitals and report back. A short time later I heard him yelp.
Then a long period of time lapsed. Finally, I was asked if I would allow them to give Bobby some pain meds and I agreed. A short time later, they also mentioned x-rays and wanted authorization. I was thinking to myself, it’s about time.
I knew when the x-rays were happening. The sickening and very long yelps from Bobby were unmistakable cries of pain and anguish. Three times he cried out. I was heartbroken. Remember, this was after they gave him pain medicine.
I had kept Will with me most of my time there. I wanted him around for support and also as a witness. He had let me know that this was not his first rodeo when it came to the dogs in his care. He had just had to deal with euthanizing one of his dogs about six weeks ago.
James and Bobby at Thompson Falls, MT June, 2020
Another long period elapsed. Finally, the verdict was in. The doctor met Will and I in an examination room. He explained Bobby’s situation like this: his leg was not broken, but the hip joint in the pelvic region was a mess. Unlike humans with a ball and socket joint, the dog’s leg is attached by connective tissues, ligaments, muscles, etc. This joint was destroyed. If he set the leg, it would not be enough. It would be easy to come out again. Bobby would need surgery right away with no guarantee of success. If he had the surgery, he would have limited use of the leg and be in pain for the rest of his days. Walking, going up steps, getting into and out of my bed, which were things that happened many times each day, would all be painful and hazardous for him. In short, Bobby would never be the same again.
Oh, the leg setting would be about $2,000 and the surgery would be as much as $6,000. I imagine that there would be other costs as well, but they weren’t discussed. Folks, injuries like this are a financial rabbit hole that most mortals just can’t afford to go down.
In addition, they never checked Bobby for other injuries, but I suspect they could have found them had they checked.
A few months ago, some people in my church discussed this very subject. They ran up a bill for their pet in excess of $11,000 and the pet died despite the extraordinary treatment. Imagine you did all that for your pet, it dies, and you still get to pay the medical bills. Is that the reminder of your Fluffy that you want? I doubt it.
So, I knew what was coming but not the particulars. That was the thing I noticed about my wife’s death as well. You knew the final outcome but the path to get there was unexpected. Life is not the simple, linear progression that you see in movies and popular novels.
After explaining that Bobby’s quality of life would be crap and that I couldn’t really afford to help him, the decision was obvious. But it was mine to make.
James and Bobby. The watermelon out weighed Bobby
My wife made her own decision to end it all when she quit using oxygen and stopped eating. Either would kill her, but both made it a matter of days until her end. At that point it was just a matter of running out the clock. However, this decision about Bobby was on me.
I spoke with Will and then I asked how it would be done. I was told there were two injections and it was quick. I then asked to be with Bobby when it happened. They asked if I needed time with him? I responded just a minute.
Bobby was given an IV setup and then brought into the examination room. The lady had two syringes with her. I petted him on the neck and nose. I told him that I love him. I thanked him for being my friend. I told him that I would miss him. I prayed that God would somehow let Bobby be with Sheryl. He was a blessing to both of us. I noticed that his eyes were very dilated. I was told it was from the previously administered pain killers.
“Bobby Love” was a song I used to sing about our dog. Sheryl made me a t-shirt on her Cricut machine.
After a quick goodbye, I told the lady that she could give him the injection. Within ten seconds or so, his head went slowly to the table. He went limp. 20 seconds after the injection, Bobby was dead.
She checked him with a stethoscope and confirmed that he was gone. She wrapped Bobby in a clean blanket and brought him to us at the rear entrance to the clinic. It’s not good public relations to see dead animals leaving out the front door of your veterinary clinic, so we couldn’t be seen going that way to get in the car.
I could have had him cremated but I don’t believe in that for people so why do it to my puppy friend? No, I don’t confuse animals with people, but I wanted to honor him for the joy that he brought both of us and especially me after Sheryl died.
Will took Bobby from the lady and carried him to the hatch of his car. Bobby was placed on a soft blanket or something like that. The hatch was closed and we made the hour and one-half trek back to Bonners Ferry. The time was about 11:30 PM.
Bobby walking in Elk Grove
We arrived just after 1 AM. Will had indicated that he wanted to bury Bobby right then. He said don’t worry, the ground is easy to shovel. As he made the hole, I couldn’t help but think of all the old horror movies where one guy did the digging and the other holding a lantern, watched the fog for movement.
Once the hole was dug, I opened the blanket to get Bobby’s collar. It was easy to tell which end was his head. The body was still warm when I touched it. I closed the blanket back up and then lowered him in the hole about 5 feet from the only tree in my yard. It is an old gnarly apple tree. I silently said a few words over him including thanking God for the gift he had given us in this little dog. I took the shovel and covered the body of my friend. Will tidied up the grave and went home to bed.
I went inside and took a shower. I smelled musky like the excretions of Bobby’s anal glands. At 2 AM I got into bed. I woke up at 5 AM. I was up for the day.
I could go on, but this is probably a good stopping point for documenting Bobby’s death.
Epilogue
I cried that night and often since because Bobby was the last part of my wife that I had left in my life.
Sheryl and Bobby
My best friend, my puppy friend, was gone. The last part of my wife was ended. Sheryl is truly and completely gone now. My house is truly empty for the very first time ever. Bobby was the embodiment of all my happy memories with my wife Sheryl stuffed into a loving, furry body with four very short legs. Bobby was my reminder of the happy times in my marriage and also of my son when he was living at home; before he made stupid life choices. Bobby was my companion for the better part of ten years. He went almost everywhere with me except overseas. As the guy behind the camera, there are few, if any, photos of us together.
The vet told me to file a police report about the attack. Being this is rural Idaho; I have no idea if anything results from my complaint but there is a case number logged as a result of the attack. My dad suggested that I contact a lawyer and see if they can get me some compensation for the other guy’s homeowner’s insurance. I don’t know what that is supposed to be, but I did it. I made an appointment yesterday. When you are experiencing the trauma like this and have had only three hours of sleep, you follow what makes sense at the time.
Oh, Will paid the vet bill for me, and I must pay him back. Attorney Mario already picked my pocket this month, so I didn’t have the funds to pay the vet.
Bobby faces fog of the unknown
I think I told my tale accurately. I’m still suffering from a lack of sleep and the trauma of a most unexpected curveball thrown into my life.
Bobby’s beds, carrier, and toys have been washed. I will be donating most of his stuff somewhere or another in the next couple of days.
I really miss my bed buddy. It is really weird to get the whole mattress to myself. His reputation for hogging the blankets is legendary. He earned the name “chastity dog” because he kept my wife and I on opposite sides of the bed for many years.
Bobby was part of our family from his adoption at the rescue shelter on December 31, 2016, until his murder on August 5, 2026. I love you, my little friend. Well done. Thank you for being part of my life, and that of my family.
Yep. The highlight of my day was going to the church’s men’s Bible study last night. One guy that regularly attends is a former member of the LDS Church. He made a comment concerning Jesus binding the strong man and stealing his goods. (We’ll get to the text in a moment.)
The Bible study leader was dumbfounded. He couldn’t get past the wooden literalism that Premillennial Dispensationalists have when reading the Bible. Pre-Mil people don’t have the discernment to know when the Bible is using figures of speech, metaphors, and so forth or is intended to be read as written. Literally means in accordance with the literature but such a concept is outside of their biblical understanding.
The leader was tripped up on the idea that Jesus could possibly steal anything. Why? Because Jesus was honest, and God and a good teacher. Also, binding is a violent act, another obstacle to understanding the text. Biblical Jesus is not the weakling, milquetoast guy that modern people envision him to be. Of course, the context didn’t help. He just got more confused.
Later, I told him that Jesus binding the strong man—the Devil—and stealing his stuff—us—was the unanimous understanding of the passage by the Reformers, but those guys have no credibility with him. Nope, he is nondenominational and proud to have never been a member of any church. He thinks he knows the Bible but like all such people in nondenominational churches, he knows the milk of the Word backwards and forwards but seems to miss that we are commanded to get into the meat of the Word.
Sorry, but the meat of the Word gets messy and difficult; challenging our most deeply held ideas about God and our relationship to him.
We—the ex-Mormon and I—left him last night totally stuck after being confronted with the Truth but unable to comprehend it.
I will now quote the passage and then toss it to Logos software to give you their take. I’m doing this sight unseen (I don’t know what Logos will say but I’m confident I’m right.)
Yep, now you can test both the Scripture and AI in the same exercise. Sounds like fun to me. Here we go.
The Text
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house
Matthew 12:25–29.
Logos AI analysis
Jesus uses the image of binding a strongman to respond to accusations that he casts out demons through Satan’s power—the strongman represents Satan himself[1]. The parable poses a logical challenge: how can anyone plunder a strong man’s possessions without first restraining him (Matt 12:25–29)? The strongman’s house symbolizes the world under Satan’s control, his possessions are the spirits and people enslaved to him, and Jesus’ exorcisms constitute an assault on that domain[2].
Rather than being in league with Satan as the scribes claimed, Jesus came to Satan’s “house” to bind him and liberate the souls held captive there[1]. Satan’s kingdom collapses not through internal division but through the invasion of God’s kingdom in Jesus’ ministry[2]. The binding itself remains theologically complex—while the text doesn’t explicitly clarify the timing, it’s fundamentally connected to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and eventual return as judge[2]. In the immediate context of his earthly ministry, the binding may relate to his baptism and wilderness temptation, or more broadly to the kingdom’s inauguration through his work[2].
The metaphor invites reflection on God’s role as liberator—mirroring the exodus when God bound Pharaoh and freed Israel, Jesus’ ministry inaugurates a new exodus, liberating God’s people[2]. Some modern charismatic movements apply this parable to believers’ spiritual warfare, teaching that Christians must bind strongmen in their cities, though Jesus never instructs his followers to do this[1].
**Biblical passages related to this theme:** The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and through death Christ destroyed him who held the power of death—the devil (Heb 2:14–15). Jesus declares that the judgment of the world has come and the prince of this world will be cast out (John 12:31).
[2] R. Alan Culpepper, Mark, ed. Leslie Andres and R. Alan Culpepper, Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Incorporated, 2007), 115–116.
Yep, like Doug Wilson said, “Jesus binds Satan and steals his stereo.”
Conclusion
Folks, this illustration is exactly why I attend this church. They need the light of the Gospel. God put me here for this and a few other reasons. If we are to break the false doctrine of popular prophecy thinking, somebody has to disrupt the paradigm. Breaking said paradigm is done by exploiting the cracks in the prevailing presuppositions and demonstrating the inability of their template of providing real answers.
Michael Heiser is right in saying the stuff people skip over are the important parts that are there for a reason. Premillennialism skips the parts that don’t fit their system or recast them into something foreign to the text. Forcing them to account for the things they can’t forces them to either adjust their worldview or deny God’s Word.
I hate that modern folks compartmentalize everything because then they can’t see the relationships between things or the way that Idea A and Idea B are contradictory and can’t simultaneously be true. By holding both in isolation, they attempt to affirm both, which is a logical contradiction.
The frustrating thing at this Bible Study is the claim that they are right about everything because the Holy Spirit showed it to them. That’s laughable. The Spirit can only use what you have studied. If you block stuff because it is difficult or potentially doesn’t agree with you then you aren’t grappling with the text. We are told to be ready and always have an answer for the hope that is within us.
Lastly, the pastor has renounced Premillennial Dispensationalism from the pulpit but the folks in the pews haven’t got the message yet. They have ears but don’t hear and eyes that can’t see but they claim to be more enlightened than Christians in previous generations. Such a claim is laughable but was made earlier last night with much affirmation. Sad.
Idaho’s Proposition 1 is a literal gut and amend of all abortion related laws in the state. Idaho voters are being asked to dump their very prolife laws and replace them with the same abortion laws as California implemented under Governor Gavin Newsom.
Folks, I am honestly afraid this damnable piece of evilness may pass. Let me explain.
In Idaho, there is a motto amongst liberals that “May Matters.” This is because Idaho is a one-party State, in this case Republican. The dirty secret is that the Idaho Republican Party is heavily infiltrated with Democrats posing as Republicans. Both Parties compete under the Republican banner. Whoever wins the Republican Party nomination in the May Primary is a shoo-in for election in the November General Election. Plus, this being a non-presidential election in November, the upcoming election is expected to see a very low voter turnout.
For those readers in California, think about the way they try to sneak-in the unpopular school bonds via a low turn-out election.
Folks, the only place I have seen anything about Proposition 1 is on Facebook. In Idaho, there are no voter materials mailed to voters by the Secretary of State or local election officials. No voter information, no sample ballots, no list of candidates. Zero Info is generated and/or distributed by government concerning upcoming elections.
All you get in your mailbox is slate mailers from special interest groups, many of whom claim to be affiliated with the Republican Party but are not.
Thus, most folks are in the dark about Prop 1 unless they are very interested in the abortion issue and are active on Facebook.
I think you are beginning to see why I might be concerned.
Here is what happened yesterday. I mentioned the upcoming vote on Prop 1 to two different couples at my church. Both these families are regular attendees at the church and neither had even heard of Prop 1. This spurred me to mention that fact to the pastor. He had never heard of Prop 1 either. To his credit, he did make on an on-the-fly mention of voting “No” from the pulpit.
This problem, dear readers is the crux of the issue, there is no centralized way to communicate information to people these days. We all get our news (or choose not to know) in different ways. Long gone are the days of Huntly, Brinkley, or Uncle Walter Cronkite telling you, “That’s the way it is.”
This is why I’m worried about the defeat of Prop 1. It is currently sneaking under the radar as it was designed to do. Certain echo chambers are sounding the alarm, but their reach is limited to those wanting to know and not communicating to the unwashed masses.
Folks, I will be out of town on election day, so I have registered for an absentee ballot. BTW said ballots are scheduled to be mailed September 18th. I will definitely be voting “No” on this measure, but it is clear that I need to make a lot more noise about this locally.
Prop 1 makes abortion legal for all 9 months of pregnancy, outlaws parental notification, and allows anyone to perform then not just doctors. like I said, just like California
