Reflections on Controversies; Winter 2022

1. The Ten Virgins Interpretation: Works and Salvation

1. Ten virgins are in the story, to walk through the night---the evil time of the present---and they are going to meet their groom, Jesus.
2. The five wise and five foolish correspond to wise and foolish Christians. I do not believe the number has a significance, other than poetic effect. It is a literary technique, and I had been tempted to draw some sort of meaning from the number, but such is a baseless reading of scripture. Trying to find meaning in numerology is a form of bad method for reading the Bible. It can only bring contemptuous interpretations.
3. As a young man, I used to forget my homework. I could have even done the homework assignment, but I might have left it at home and thereby not received the grade for it. It ought to be evident that I was a foolish man in youth, and the literal meaning of this is to outline foolishness. A very practical observation of foolishness, which is forgetfulness.
4. The wise, again, take their oil. They do not forget. Likely, the forgotten element which the wise virgins do not forget is the Moral Teaching of Christ. Christ likens the teachings he gives in Matthew 5 - 7 as a rock, on which to build your foundation. The wise virgins practice obedience to these commandments, thus their lamps are filled. The foolish, not practicing the moral commandments of scripture, their lamps run empty.
5. The Bridegroom tarries. This is the time of life, the span between birth and death. Jesus tarries between life and death, so that we suffer much, until we slumber. The sleep is a forgetful state. Maybe a loll in the rhythm of a Christian's life. The virgins are tired, they fall asleep waiting outside the door of the church to be married---what this sleep means is a mystery. It cannot be a disobedience, but it may actually mean our worldly lives and the comforts of life, which loll us into a sleep, of sort.
6 - 9. The day of death is upon us, or the tribulation. The Bridegroom is coming to take the virgins to heaven. The virgins are to go out and meet him. But, the foolish virgins have not the law of God within them, so they then ask the wise virgins for their oil. Of course, a man cannot borrow righteousness from another man, so the wise virgins remain vigilant, and tell the foolish virgins to go out into the world and buy their oil. By this, it must mean there is no longer any time to repent. The oil of the world will never suffice---or the oil of the world's wisdom. They must trim their lamps with the world's wisdom, rather than Christ's moral law.
10. While the foolish virgins were out, trying to buy their oil---while they were trying to accumulate the knowledge of salvation from the world---the wise virgins, who retained the law and moral teachings of Christ were at the door, ready to be taken home.
11 - 13. The virgins who were foolish then come to the door, after the door has shut behind the Groom and his Bride, and they cry out, "Let us in!" But, it is too late, the wedding has begun. Christ then says, "Watch, therefore, for you know neither the time nor the hour which Christ returns!"

Notes: The issue here, I see, is with modern evangelical Christians who believe that "Works" are apart from God's teachings. The entire teaching of modern evangelicals discounts the clear teaching of Jesus, that we are to add works to our faith. Grace means that a person who has committed sin, like myself, can be saved. Freely, all of my sin is forgiven, past, present and future. But, clearly, the foolish virgins are the ones who take this as an excuse to do what they please, and they forget the clear precepts of Christ who taught plainly that works were a part of our faith. As, faith without works is dead.

2. Abortion

At first, I. like a Rabbi, saw her fruit depart
And I thought to myself, "The fruit has departed,"
And thus, "Abortion is a statutory offense."
Then, I read a sinner's article, where she clearly
Tried to refute what I had not known,
"The fruit can survive being expelled from the womb?"
She callously quoth I the Rabbi
"See, it is a statutory offense!";
Yet the fruit's survival changed everything. 
Thus, life for life,
Wound for wound, burn for burn
Applied to the woman's fruit; not the woman.
It made more sense to me,
Thus, it is to be said,
"Call no one Rabbi beside Christ."

3. Homosexuality is Sin

The chapter that best deals with it
Is Romans Chapter 1.
I believe, Christ while teaching His apostles
Verbatim taught Paul's words.
I imagine Him sitting, and preaching,
And little Jude rebelling because he had not yet sinned.
Saying, "That is the opposite of what you teach!"
Yet, how later on those teachings would be the sweetest.

Homosexuality, in Romans 1,
Is addressed in plain terms.

"26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

"27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet."

There can be no equivocation that Homosexuality is a sin.
As, any rendering of the sense of this passage reveals
It can only be talking about Homosexuality.

To Christians, I'd rather you not be Christian
Than teach sin. There is more hope for you in total rebellion
Than there is being lukewarm. Because at least in rebellion
You can find the truth, and it will shut your mouth
And then you will have something wise to teach.

The modern Protestant's confession is as weak as Elon Musk's.
He never said he was a Christian. He affirmed Christ's teachings.
Even a fool will affirm Christ's teachings.
Rather, it is the forgiveness of our sins,
That is why we need Christ.
So we are enabled to follow His teachings.
That is why we need Christ.
And teaching Homosexuality is not a sin
Is counter the example set at the cross
Which is the forsaking of ALL sin
For the purpose of the heavenly kingdom.
That which kills a man is his sin
And Christ's yoke is light because it will unburden us
From our sin, so we no longer are compelled into it.

Therefore, unburden the homosexual
By saying, "Christ can cleanse you of this shame and abomination."
For, that is what they truly want.
Not an excise into committing more lethal shame.

4. At Bethesda

I had listened to a sermon
Where it was said that the man at Bethesda had sinned.
And that was why he was a cripple.
And Jesus, asking him, "Do you want to be healed,"
Was really Jesus asking the man whether he wanted
The responsibilities associated with being healed;
As if being a paralytic it could be acceptable
That he lay on his cot all day;
Now he will be expected to work.
It was also taught out of a Bible
Where a verse was removed,
Where it details the angel stirring the water
So the men could be healed.
Hypocrite.

I will give the actual rendering.
Jesus asked, as I will often ask,
"Do you want this good thing?"
Not as a rebuke, not as an underhanded
Jab reminding him of his humble condition,
But because it is perfunctory kindness.
The man, being crippled, wanted in the water
Yet, he could not because men had to compete
To obtain their healing. In this was the Old Judaic Code
And Christ came to redeem man from that code.
Thus, Christ healed the man, and not the Angel
Who would heal a man through strife and trouble.
Finally, Jesus approached the man when he was healed
And the man told the Pharisees that it was Jesus
Who healed him. Jesus, before that, told the man to sin no more.
How many of you, being thrilled to death about something
Will speak of it? To anyone, no matter whom?
Ought this man be damned for his excitement?
Ought he be damned because he was joyful of heart?
Yes? He told the Pharisees this thing maliciously?
What have you to judge this man, like you know his heart or intent?
Or, like so many men, in weakness, did he wish to tell of his victory?
The man did not sin in telling the Pharisees.
Rather, we do not have God's omniscience,
Thus we cannot know God's thoughts.
Cease from this idle teaching, for it produces
A sort of doubt most insidious.
For it is a doubt of the Characteristic of God's mercy toward His elect.
There was a man I encountered who was pushed in a wheelchair
With full ability to walk. Yet he would not.
Ought we liken the man at Bethesda
To a man who feigns his illness?---
Even there I was not to judge, but had mercy.---
Yet, thereby, make Christ less than a miracle worker?---
Had I told this man to get up and walk, would it have then been a miracle?
If you can believe this about Christ, then you have no understanding of Who He is.
"The meek shall inherit the Earth," whomever that meek one is.
And being told, "Sin no more," every one of us are told this
After being healed from our transgressions, for what else can be said?
To sin more?