Christians are called to a holy life, not one of sexual immorality
Posted Thursday, September 30, 2010
At your request I am attaching a letter I wrote to the Board of Pensions. To date, I have not received a reply:
Robert W. Maggs, Jr.
The Board of Pensions
2000 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-3298
Dear Robert:
I am writing to express my concern regarding the recent action of General Assembly that requested the Board of Pensions to extend eligibility for spousal and dependent benefits to same-gender domestic partners.
While Jesus Christ calls us to show love and compassion to all people, this does not mean that we should abandon the teachings of Scripture in a way that sanctions sinful behavior. Jesus came into the world to forgive our sins, not to bless or condone them. As Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more.” (John 8:11).
As Christians, we are called to a holy life and not one of sexual immorality and license.
Scripture speaks very clearly in condemning homosexual practice. The only sexual relationship ordained and blessed by God throughout the Bible is within marriage between a man and a woman. The Bible offers no alternatives to this relationship. The question is whether we will remain faithful to the Word of God or drift with the tide of culture.
Currently, the Constitution of the PCUSA does not allow for the ordination of avowed, practicing homosexuals, nor does it allow for same-sex marriages which remain illegal in most states. This being the case, for the Board of Pensions to allow benefits to same-sex partners would not only be rash and premature but would violate our Constitution and our form of church government.
I urge you to deny this request from General Assembly. However, if the Board of Pensions decides to comply with this request, then I would ask for relief of conscience that would allow dissenting pastors and congregations to withhold any increase in pension and medical contributions that would cover the cost of benefits to same-sex domestic partners. Speaking for myself, I cannot support any action that goes against the Word of God. It is an issue not only of good stewardship but of faithfulness to Jesus Christ and the Gospel. I am certain that our Session and congregation would agree with me in terms of refusing to pay such an increase.
In closing, I wish to thank you and the Board of Pensions for all you have done in the past to provide excellent benefits to my family and others in our denomination. I am grateful!
In Christ, Peter Larson, senior pastor Lebanon Presbyterian Church Lebanon, Ohio
The PCUSA has been stained beyond reclamation
Posted Thursday, September 30, 2010
I partnered with you all for many years, and my heart is with each of you as I watch the denomination’s demise. If we evangelicals who happen to be of the Reformed tradition are to carry Christ’s banner forward without “baggage,” then it will have to as EPC or PCA members. The PCUSA has been (in my opinion) stained beyond reclamation by the heresies and/or moral relativism of the social justice “left.”
Never thought I would write such a note in a million years! Lewis E. Bock
‘And everyone did whatever he wanted’ is the course PCUSA is traveling
Posted Thursday, September 30, 2010
The Synod of the Pacific PJC majority based their Larges decision on the narrow grounds of the Knox Authoritative Interpretation (AI), which is not a foundational document of the PCUSA. In their approach, the minority correctly understands that the foundation of the denomination is the PCUSA constitution and Scripture. Unlike the majority, they understood that the Knox AI is under the constitution not equal to it or above it and needs to be interpreted and applied in light of what the constitution demands. When there is a conflict, the constitution prevails. This is the basic understanding of all law. Simply, the greater judges the lesser.
The majority treated the Knox AI as if it were superior to the constitution. To believe as the majority does that the lesser controls is to deny the very existence of a Presbyterian denomination and the synod PJC’s reason for existing. This soon degenerates in to “And everyone did whatever he wanted (CSB),” which is the course the PCUSA is on at present. The reason the author of Judges made this observation was a lack of a central overarching authority in Israel and the result was chaos as will always be the result.
This principle is self-evident throughout all of life – parents and children, teachers and students, employer and employee, the list goes on. Indeed, this principle is the basis of civilization. To deny this principle as the majority does is to call for chaos and the destruction of human life itself. As extreme as one may think this is, it is the logical outcome of such behavior if left unchecked. Gratefully, we and the majority do not live in the world their decision depicts.
The minority did an admirable job of explaining this principle. Rev. David A. Medeiros Stoneham, Mass.
Lisa Larges and her quest to be ordained
Posted Thursday, September 30, 2010
I want to thank the four dissenters in the Parnell vs. San Francisco ruling, Donald Baird, Melvin Khachigian, Jean McClean and Kenneth M. Robbins, for standing against the storm to ordain Lisa Larges, a homosexually-identified person. I appreciate that they had the guts to uphold Scripture and the Book of Order. Very few Presbyterians have the courage to speak the truth. I also want to thank them for filing a dissenting opinion. I appreciate their outward stand for Biblical sexuality. May more of us in the PCUSA speak forth the truth with grace and boldness.
Rev. Jeff Winter, FaithMV Church Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
Precise and careful wording are never quite clear enough
Posted Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Again and again we see it: A synod PJC manages to strain out a gnat while swallowing a camel. Though we Presbyterians established clear wording years ago, we find that precise and careful wording are never quite clear enough for some. As though the simpler sense of the text were insufficient, these purblind exegetes have specialized in the identification and enlargement of loopholes. What is perfectly clear to any high school student of Scripture becomes irretrievably muddied once subjected to their collective sophistry. The price, as we are seeing in the Lisa Larges case, could be a terminal shift – from comprehensible faith and reason to utter confusion and addlepation. It’s a screwy perspective – a failed watch – that counts the gnats of presbytery processes while holding the door wide open for an openly-defiant, unrepentant sexual activist.
The Larges case is direct evidence why G.6-0106b is needed now more than ever, and any amendments that do not serve to clarify the appropriate, scripturally-prescribed boundaries (like nFOG) must be seen as more than fair discourse; they are proofs that the PCUSA can no longer govern itself according to the clear word of scripture.
Let’s not let this happen. Noel Anderson, executive pastor First Presbyterian Church, Bakersfield, Calif.
PCUSA is beyond reclamation
Posted Wednesday, September 29, 2010
I partnered with you’all for many years … and my heart is with each of you as I watch the
Denomination’s demise. If we evangelicals who happen to be of the Reformed tradition are
to carry Christ’s banner forward without “baggage,” then it will have to as EPC or PCA members … the PCUSA has been (in my opinion) stained beyond reclamation by the heresies
and/or moral relativism of the social justice “left.”
Never thought I would write such a note in a million years!
God bless, Lewis E. Bock
‘Have nothing to do with them’
Posted Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Re: Peter Nord letter to the editor posted Sept. 28, 2010
The Layman is sure to know that a “manger” is: “a box or trough to hold fodder for horses or cattle to eat or to hold our Savior Jesus Christ after His birth;” and a “manager” is: “one who manages the affairs or expenditures of a household, a business or an institution.” For example an executive presbyter.
The PCUSA may or may not have become pagan, but I am sure that it is apostate, and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” The description fits the PCUSA, and the recommendation is just what all of us who want to follow where Jesus is leading, should think of next.
To GOD be the Glory, Fred Hoaglin, elder, Providence Presbyterian Church Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Praising Creator is the diametric opposite of paganism
Posted Wednesday, September 29, 2010
In his Sept. 28 letter “What will The Layman think of next?” Peter Nord takes The Layman to task for suggesting the PCUSA “has become pagan,” then cites hymns and a Psalm that all give proper credit to the Creator, not to creatures. To tell all creation to praise its Creator is the diametric opposite of paganism!
However, when an individual or a church ceases to recognize that the world is lost in sin and that the only provision for the redemption of the individual, the only “way to the Father,” is the crucified, risen and soon returning Lord Jesus Christ, the question of paganism becomes moot. That individual or church is simply lost and in most desperate need of repentance (turning around) in a visit to the cross.
When the PCUSA begins to once again clearly discharge its primary duty to share the Gospel of redemption from sin, then I suspect any issues of “paganism” will have been resolved as well. Paul Hubert
‘What will The Layman think of next?’
Posted Tuesday, September 28, 2010
So the PCUSA has become pagan – based on the opening worship at GA this summer? I hope that The Layman will now mount a campaign to remove from hymnals “All Creature of our God and King,” “God of the Sparrow” and “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” And make sure that all those manager scenes on our mantelpieces and the live nativities outside our churches are stripped of all animals. And while you are at it you might want to remove Psalm 148 from the Bible. What will The Layman think of next? Peter Nord, executive presbyter The Presbytery of Baltimore, Baltimore, Md.
‘You can love the person without condoning their lifestyle’
Posted Monday, September 27, 2010
Re: PLC’s urgent call to action: Send a message to BOP today
My comment to PLC’s urgent call to action: Send a message to BOP todayI do not agree with subsidizing a lifestyle that the Bible clearly does not agree with. You can love the person without condoning their lifestyle. If more people would stand up for the Biblical beliefs then this would not be coming up to the GA so often. Jeri Derks, elder Rudyard Presbyterian Church, Rudyard Mich.
Liberal tries to discredit believers’ message because of their walk
Posted Monday, September 27, 2010
When Rev. Shawn Coons [letter to the editor, posted Sept. 24, 2010] writes “I would guess that there are a significant number of ministers across the theological spectrum who are refusing to repent of this particular sin. When can we expect you to stand up for this Biblical truth?” concerning the adultery and divorce within our ranks, I suspect he is a liberal taunting believers. I suspect he is trying to show our hypocrisy; to discredit our message because of our walk. Sadly, he is also perfectly correct. I pray God that we do see believers respond to this glaring hole in our integrity which has been shown us, and we do “stand up for this Biblical truth.” I pray it happens soon; we are in desperate need of repentance and healing.
Thanks Shawn; truth is truth, and fair is fair. Pastor Russ Westbrook Covenant Reformed Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Mt. Vernon, Ind.
PCUSA statistics show vice moderator’s church has declining membership, attendance
Posted Monday, September 27, 2010
The Layman reported on Sept. 13th that the Reverend Landon Whitsitt, the new vice moderator of the PCUSA does not believe that Scripture is the Word of God. I have learned from another source that Whitsitt is the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Liberty.
I was curious to see how well his most interesting message is being received back home. I went to the 10-year trends section where I found the 10-year report for the Heartland Presbytery. Table 16 shows that the member ship of the First Presbyterian Church of Liberty has changed from 274 members in 2003 to 171 members in 2009, a decline of 103 members or a decline of 37.5 percent.
Average worship attendance has fared far better and showed a change from 135 in 2003 to 96 in 2009, a decline of only 39 or 28.9 percent.
Even by the most favorable measure, it appears that his pastorship has been disastrous for his congregation.
It will be interesting to see how his leadership at the national level influences the national membership of the PCUSA over the coming year or two. George Hill Port Allen, La.
‘We should be sharing that good news with everyone without exception’
Posted Monday, September 27, 2010
Dan McMillan [letter to the editor, posted Sept. 24, 2010] in response to my letter notes: “Jesus clearly states in Matthew chapter 19 that ‘from the beginning’ the design is for a man and a woman to cleave to one another. I wonder if my friend Earl from Cincinnati can find another way to please God with our sexuality … one that is Biblically sound, that is. I know he can’t. “
Mr. McMillan ignores a very important fact. Jesus did not cleave to a woman and thus did not comply with the so-called design that a man and woman must cleave to one another. In fact Paul even notes the good in being single and not attached even though that is a difficult goal for many humans. And needless to say in our churches there are numerous persons who are not cleaving to others of the opposite sex for various reasons whether they be single, divorced, having spouses who have died, etc.
As far as pleasing God goes, my understanding based on what Christ taught and noted in the Bible is it has nothing to do with sexuality, but how we has humans relate to one another. In other words the most important goal in pleasing God is loving other humans just as God and Christ loves us. There is no other higher goal. And that is as Biblical as one can get. And as a result we should be sharing that good news with everyone without exception. Earl C. Apel Cincinnati, Ohio
‘Churches that cling to Christ will not fail’
Posted Monday, September 27, 2010
The article, “No shows” from The Christian Century reminds us of the foundations for church health.
It has been demonstrated over and over, that (1) a persecuted church is stronger than a completely free church, and (2) that a soundly and strongly Bible-based church is far more attractive than a church that can only offer platitudes about good behavior without addressing sin, redemption, and salvation.
Without the ministering, suffering, dying, resurrected and returning Lord Jesus, no church has anything worth offering to a sinful, corrupt world.
We do not fight corruption in our hearts by striving to become good. We fight corruption by accepting our Lord Jesus’ redemption by giving our hearts and lives, wholly, to Him. We do not merely ‘follow’ Jesus, we become His and His, alone!
We need so desperately to broadcast this message, each of us, to this dying world around us and to the congregations of the churches we attend, one by one if that is the only way.
We do need to suspect any and all messages that neglect Jesus; that hide from sin; that fail to tell of sin and salvation; and that fail to tell believers to “go out and teach” the world of its one and only Savior, Lord and God.
Churches that cling to Christ will not fail. Paul Hubert
Whitsitt comments demonstrate a clear case of heresy
Posted Friday, September 24, 2010
Why have heresy proceedings not begun against this so-called vice moderator of the General Assembly? His statements are counter to everything our Christian faith adheres to and believes. Will someone please tell me why this hasn’t happened and if not, will it happen? I have hoped that the Holston Presbytery would do the same in the case of John Shuck, but this Whitsitt case is about as clear a case of heresy as we have ever seen. Where is our courage? Down through the centuries martyrs have died for their faith. Are we not willing to stand up and defend it as faithfully has they did? If not, shame on us as Christians and Presbyterians. Rev. Patricia Slomanski Benson, N.C.