An academic and theologically grounded intellectual should not need to resort to language easily confused with gratuitously sexual innuendo.
I can see the points he was making but language allows many ways to be colorful without it being distasteful, tricky to navigate but not impossible.
I tend to agree the writings are at least not in the best form of a spiritual message.
Not sure it is an edifying way to present the word, but willing to acknowledge some my glean something from the writings.
I complained to the minister of a church I had attended that had allowed two divorced men to be included on the ballot for eldership.
The Bible clearly states they need to be a man “of but one wife.”
https://biblehub.com/titus/1-6.htm
They had somehow failed to read and understand Titus.
Brenda Weltner has pretty much figured out what is going on during these end times. This one is particularly applicable to what is going on in the organized church today. https://youtu.be/iFeyFvIqGGs
I respectfully disagree. The primacy of Scripture is what allows the regular folks in the church to hold a standard to the leaders. (See my tagline.) When the leaders push false teachings (lately it's been a lot of hedonism), the primacy of Scripture allows the regular church goers (some churches call them "lay people", but I hate that term) recognize the fault of the leaders and begin the process of demanding repentance.
That's what's been happening in the Baptist convention. Sometimes the leaders choose not to repent and the regular church goers can leave either as an entire congregation (such as been happening with Methodist churches) or as families and individuals (as been happening in many Democrat cult leaning "mainline" churches including the now globalist leaning RCC).
It has been a while since I studied this but as I recall a “bride” of Christ in only mentioned twice in the NT and both times it refers to the New Jerusalem.
Perhaps this is an excerpt, but it assumes a familiarity with this to do that most won’t have.
A few thoughts:
God destroyed the Temple, got rid of the old sacrificial system, got rid of the priestly system and tore the curtain from top to bottom.
We continue to rebuild the old system, the old covenant. This is an example of the problems with the old covenant.
God clearly defines the New Covenant in the OT and NT. I will let the reader do their own research.
The Pastor appeared to try a little too much natural to discuss the spiritual.
Or the natural folks couldn’t get past focusing on the natural to get the spiritual.
It’s a fine line..
Male and Female are gender to us, but there are spiritual nonsexual roles that Male and Female play, that are at work in His Patriarchy system.
If one accepts the premise that today’s Church is the female role of the Bride, where’s the offspring that get to live forever without taking their last breath? (Promised Spiritual Land is eternal life, not some natural property)
For about 2,000 years, the ‘Bride’ then, has had to die with this Pastor’s premise.
That’s the Male Role.
The Body of Christ goes to the cross and sleeps, so a Bride can come forth.
That’s the pattern we see.
With Adam and Christ.
Why not the Spiritual Body of Christ too?
A hidden Bride, so to speak?
Two choices on that premise? Maybe 3.
Is today’s Church a Bride?
Is today’s Church the Male Body of Christ?
Will there be an end times Bride that comes forth after these 2,000 years of the Body of Christ following Christ to the cross and sleep?
And she never has to taste death.
And she’ll never be beguiled by Satan.
She’ll be a perfect Helpmate.
She’ll bring forth children/offspring.
Maybe the Pastor’s premise is flawed.
Any Bride today isn’t a Bride yet because the wedding hasn’t occurred. She’s preparing for her Bridegroom.
She’d be called a Whore today, sleeping around on Her Bridegroom..
Now try to have the Pastor preach that
:)
Too many Christian pervert authors. Can’t keep his theology out of his pants.
Feminist malarkey
It is Sodomy versus non-Sodomy.
I have long believed that I will never “understand as deeply” the meaning of “the bride of Christ” as most teen girls who spend hours practicing/pretending/preparing to be a bride. Knowledge v Experience!
If he got thrown out of his congregation he is in good company. Jonathan Edwards got thrown out of the little church he led also. Turns out that too many non-believers had become members and he got voted out.
Think of that! Woke-ism has been around since before 1776.
This author fails to point out why the critics are “hysterical” and is simply sweeping this under the rug. The critics are tired of the new age pastors like Mark Driscoll and his ilk who worship at the alter of the penis and turning Christian into cult similar to Islam. The church needs to be cleaned out. Porn addicted pastors need to be kicked out. Sexual abuse of minors need to be reported and the men who commit them need to be kicked out of the church. It’s truly sick how corrupt the church has become and how people are easily lead by narcissistic leaders.
Frankly, people are not reading their Bibles.
If people read their Bibles there wouldn’t be such bad theology or false doctrines. There are minor differences here and there, but the garbage preached from too many pulpits would not be allowed and shut down immediately if people simply read their Bibles.
To get the full story, read who this author refers to as the “critic”, Sheila Gregoire. One of her sticking points that she argues is that older married men don’t have sex with teens, they rape them. Minors can not give consent and yet so many christian authors, pastors and churches cover this up and blame girls for their rapes and abuse.