July 16 2018 – Click here to listen
The words, “In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit” has often been phrased in movies when Catholic priests are being portrayed. Where did that come from? I cannot speak for Catholics, but Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. In fact, references to the Trinity abound throughout the Bible
Now comes the Episcopal Church that just last week determined to form a committee to “provide a pathway” toward revisions that will include something called gender-neutral language. According to the Episcopal Church website, church leaders are calling for “immediate revisions” to correct the “overwhelming use of masculine language,” arguing that the language is now a hindrance to spiritual inclusion.
“As long as ‘men’ and ‘God’ are in the same category, our work toward equity will not just be incomplete . . . ” Said Wil Gafney, a professor of the Hebrew Bible and strong advocate for the edit. The Episcopal News Service weighed in in favor of it, illuminating concerns from church leaders that the current language has created a “barrier to evangelizing young people.”
Hmmm . . .
How might the words of Jesus be amended to accommodate our progressive society. Well it’s tough. I Googled it and found many lists of genders posted by various groups, but the most comprehensive appeared to be put out by Genderfluid Support which lists over 120 different genders. Dang and here I thought it was just a man or woman. My goodness how can we refer to one without hurting the feelings of those left out? There is an answer to that, it’s called: Adamasgender: a gender which refuses to be categorized.
Good grief!
I’ve seen this gender-neutral movement begin to spring up in churches all over the country. Feminists and the LGBTQ crowd are leading the effort in most cases. I was appalled to see mega preacher Andy Stanley declare last year that not all the Bible should be considered truth. He referred to old men writing the Bible and their bias and customs of the day especially about men versus women liturgy being irrelevant. He proclaimed the same logic that the Episcopal folks stated, concerning it creates a barrier to evangelizing young people. He endured a firestorm of protest but stayed the course. His congregation is the largest in the United States so people apparently like his revisionist philosophy. I’m not one of them.
So, does this mean that in order to attract young people or the politically correct portion of society that we should refer to Jesus as something other than the Son? And God as something other than the Father? Or that marriage need not be between a man and a woman? Or that life is not sacred? If so we should just change the Bible to accommodate the morals of society right?
This is not something that just developed recently. Thomas Jefferson had a Bible that he cut and pasted.
In other words, anything his human logic didn’t approve of he simply changed it to his liking or he omitted it. Basically, he just created his own Bible and made himself a god. Jefferson was devoted to the teachings of Jesus Christ. But he didn’t always agree with how they were interpreted by biblical sources, including the writers of the four Gospels, whom he considered to be untrustworthy correspondents. Thus, he created his own gospel by taking a sharp instrument, perhaps a penknife, to existing copies of the New Testament and pasted up his own account of Christ’s philosophy, distinguishing it from what he called “the corruption of schismatizing followers.” He omitted miracles and the resurrection of Christ among other things. His revisionist Bible is on display in the Smithsonian.
The Bible warns against such behavior. I realize that some think they are actually doing the work of the Lord but others . . . well only God knows, but God warns us to be vigilant against those who would change His Holy Bible. The Mormons have their Book of Mormon and others have bastardized God’s Holy Word beyond recognition and I believe there will be a day of reckoning for them.
Matt. 24:24 warns us that we will face those who would lead us astray, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” Don’t be fooled by them.
Stick to the truth of the Bible memorize this verse Psalm 12:6 – For every Word God speaks is sure and every promise pure. His truth is tested, found to be flawless, and ever faithful.
Peter perhaps stated it best concerning the true authorship of the Bible and “untrustworthy correspondents” 2 Peter 1:20 – Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
In any case it is a dangerous thing to change the Bible. God has something to say about this practice, it can be found in the very last of the book of Revelation.
Rev. 22:18
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.