Thursday, July 10, 2008

July 10, 2008

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

@#$%

Have you read 2 Peter 2?

It, uh, fleshes out Proverbs 26:11.

It's why the subtitle to The Confessions of RRK is Cave Canem.

@#$%

Have you heard about the gay guy who is suing Zondervan and Thomas Nelson Publishers because "their" Bibles refer to homosexuality as sin?

He claims violation of his constitutional rights to, uh, whatever; claiming he has suffered "20 years of emotional duress and mental instability."

Aside from Freudian, Pauline, and the last great and late President of PTS' conclusions about his behavior, I think the guy's really out of it; because he should have sued Tyndale which has a lot more money since those Left Behind books.

@#$%

Now help me on this.

The gay guy is suing publishers who hawk the Bible which was written a long time ago by guys who were on the receiving end of His inspiration.

Shouldn't he being suing, uh, God instead of entrepreneurs who are just trying to make a buck off of God?

@#$%

Have you seen the prices of some of those Bibles; especially the genuine leather editions?

God's Word does not come cheap these days; kinda reminding me of the performer who said before a number, "And now I'd like to sing a song which the Lord gave to me for you; and if you use it without paying royalties to me, I'm gonna sue your _____ off!"

If God is the real author of the Bible and sacred music, how can anyone sue or profit or uh, uh, uh...?

@#$%

I'll bet it won't be too long before somebody tries to revise/rewrite/reinvent/reimagine original sacred literature to conform to cultural fads.

Oops.

Do you know the way to San Jose?

@#$%

It takes a lot of somethin' to say He never meant what He said in Jesus as attested in Holy Scripture.

Now open your Bible to those texts which are mentioned in the first section of this KD.

@#$%

Now that I'm about to start those confessions which are gonna cause one of those leaps to another level of intimacy with Jesus and get me into more trouble with folks who really aren't that concerned about Him anymore in church and government, I may as well say something about gays.

I don't lose sleep over 'em.

Even though some guys like to watch women makin' out, I've never been into watching gays do much of anything; though male gays have always been my favorite waiters in the finest restaurants.

But I don't pick on gays, target 'em for anything other than agape, and really don't think their behavior is any better or worse than a whole lot of other stuff which ticks off anyone familiar with Holy Scripture - uh, not to mention, uh, the, uh, Author.

@#$%

I have lots of experience here.

I better clarify that.

I've counseled lots of gays over the years for many reasons with the preponderance being self-destructive proclivities.

But one instance related to the previous section of this KD was seminal.

The day after being installed as senior pastor of a very big and excessively rich congregation about 26 years ago, two elders came to me and said, "You've got to fire the organist because he's gay."

After asking how they knew he was gay and makin' 'em squirm a bit, I said, "I will fire him for being gay as soon as you call a congregational meeting to fire that associate pastor of ours who doesn't know if he's a Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, or what."

@#$%

How about this?

Let's just kick out all of the sinners!

But don't begin with the gossipers or no one will be left to kick out.

@#$%

I'm so tired of folks wanting to separate rather than reconcile.

Yeah, I believe homosexuality is a sin.

Even Kopper knows the difference.

But as long as gays don't force it down my throat and pretend He didn't say what He said, I take the longer approach: "Love the hell out of 'em!"

@#$%

People who are still trying to revise/rewrite/reinvent/reimagine Holy Scripture are gonna hate that last sentence of the last section just like those folks who assume God is just as obsessed with gays as they are.

@#$%

Let's be clear.

The holier we are, the, uh, wholier we are; and holiness begins with attending to rather than contending with His revelation in Jesus as attested in Holy Scripture and upheld by most mainline denominations' constitutions so far yet so precariously.

@#$%

If you want to be closer to God, get, uh, closer to God as personified in Jesus and prescribed in Holy Scripture.

That means get rid of all unholiness; or as much as you can until called home through His election.

That means stop gossiping, being nasty, doin' the nasty nastily, etc.

@#$%

Nobody gets better until recognizing everybody has room for improvement.

@#$%

Again, I don't lose sleep over gays; but please don't try to tell me that we need "more light" than what's already in the Bible.

That flatters you and insults Him.

Who do you think you are?

As I'm gonna confess, there are lots of things about being His that I don't like; but, uh, He's God and I'm, uh, me and the relationship is vertical not, uh, as horizontal as some fantasize.

The Bible is bigger than our favorite parts.

Our is to comply not to presume to contradict.

@#$%

So I'll never vote to affirm, condone, or participate in a gay or gossiper marriage.

I'll never vote to affirm, condone, or participate in the ordination of a self-avowed, self-affirming, and unrepentant gay or gossiper.

But if they're truly repentant, I may even affirm, condone, and participate in the ordination or marriage of a Red Sox fan.

@#$%

Here's a report from a not gay guy in Texas on the devolution of the PCUSA: "Many deceived Presbyterians will support the actions of this GA for its rejection of Biblical morality and its opening the windows of post-modernity...Too many of our fellow Presbyterians tend to fence-sit...Their convictions are soft and their theology short-rooted. They like to be liked...Many will leave now rather than wait for what may never be reversed...Many will defect-in-place and drop out of participation in their synods and presbyteries...Some will stand for truth, pick up the sword, and fight for right."

We'll, uh, He'll see.

@#$%

Truly, truly, I hear Him saying to you and me, "Cave canem."

@#$%

I love You, Lord.

I know I've not always acted like I love You; and I really relate to the apostle who confessed he didn't always do what he wanted to do when it came to faith and obedience.

I'd like to share the blame with others as if they share responsibility for how I have rejected Your will for my life.

I can't.

I know I am only responsible for what I say and do and how I respond to what others say and do.

I.

It's all about You, Jesus, when it comes to salvation; but I, and I alone, bear culpability for my life's insults to Your holiness.

So I begin these confessions knowing I cannot ask You to consider accomplices or enablers of my sins.

That's their business with You.

My business with You is me.

All I ask is what You've already given to me through faith in Jesus.

I love You, Lord.

That's why I am confessing.

I want You to know I know how much I have broken Your heart in my life.

I want my children to know I know You know their sins and will do for them as You have done for me and anyone who turns to You from the DNA of original sin to the grace of Your eternal intent.

I want everyone to know I know You know there is a dirty dog within each of us that needs continual confession to catalyze the repentance necessary to existential restoration as preface to glory.

My prayer is to return to You rather than the vomit of unholiness.

Lord, You have had mercy on me and not invoked my sins as inhibition to our relationship.

Lord, You will have mercy on me and not invoke my sins as inhibition to our relationship.

Your love exceeds the grasp of my logic.

I want You to know I know You love me.

Lord, I love You; and these confessions amplify my greatest goal, highest ambition, and most fervent prayer of putting it into more than words.

@#$%

Therefore, I urge you and me, cave canem.

Blessings and Love!

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