2343AFC102723 – Look, Taste, See, Learn. Lotsa words here.
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1 Thessalonians 1:8-b, 10 – … the news about your faith in God has gone everywhere. There is nothing, then, that we need to say. (GNT[1])
10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath* that is coming.
*orgé (or-gay’) – (“settled anger”) proceeds from an internal disposition which steadfastly opposes someone or something based on extended personal exposure.
The above passages are related to this week’s readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The emphasis on all of the readings and prayers for this Sunday is caring for “the underdog” in the same way that God cares for us. This is an important message and I sincerely urge all of us to reflect on the Sunday Readings (↔ Click Link) in advance so that our ears and hearts will be open to the Word. If we Look, Taste, See, Learn, we will be moved by the Holy Spirit to apply The Word of the Lord in our daily lives in ways we might not have known before. There Is, however, another passage that kept nudging around the back of my head back there where That Little Old Guy lives – you know, the one who keeps telling us what to do until we do it.
It turns out that this week I’m not going to write about the Sunday readings. I’m going to write about the events of the three days that follow. It will be hard to write, and for some of you it will be hard to read because it will be very conservative and also strongly Catholic. There’s plenty of Greek included (with explanations). For those among the MBN membership who are non-Catholic, I ask for your forbearance in the spirit of ecumenism. I will also try to be fair and point out what non-Catholics say about this passage as well, so if you’re a Catholic, you listen with the spirit of ecumenism, too, please. For those of you who are thinking, “This is going to be way too preachy,” now is the time to bail; but I’d appreciate it if you’d stick around anyway or at least come back later. With that out of the way, here is the passage:
1 Timothy 4:1-2 – 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.
Tuesday is October 31. Some of you out there may be expecting something about kids and celebrating Hallowe’en. Not this time. I just want to look more closely at this passage – “verse by verse, phrase by phrase, precept by precept” as is often said.
“The Spirit clearly says …”
The Greek words used here – ῥητῶς rētōs – means “expressly,” explicitly, deliberately, and unambiguously. “Rētōs” is a pretty strong word! The Apostle Paul wants Timothy and his church to have no doubt whatsoever about the authority behind what he is telling them. The early Church was already dealing with multiple heresies – in fact that seemed to be the way of it from the day after the Pentecostal visit of the Holy Spirit, and it continued with many variations throughout the churches The Apostle Paul had helped start. This letter to Timothy contains warnings about a false type of asceticism – self-denial and austere abstinence – that forbade, among other things, marriage and certain kinds of foods. The Apostle Paul is telling Timothy and his church, “Nonsense! These things are gifts from God, created and instituted by God, and are for the glory of God.” The Apostle Paul the people claiming to have these “clearer understanding” of Jesus’ message are liars. Not only are they liars, but they are liars without consciences. Their ability to discern right from wrong, their conscience, has been seared – scorched to death with no chance of revival.
“… in later times …” Some commentaries say this perhaps does not apply only to “the latter times” in the eschatological sense of “the end of the world times,” but in the nearer times as well. Paul could see that the heresies and those who promoted them would increase, “in times to come.” In other words, “this ain’t over yet!”
“… some will abandon the faith…” ἀφίστημι aphistemi {af-is’-tay-mee} The idea here is that people will revolt, flee, fall away, even contradict the faith-teachings The Apostle Paul and Timothy share. Their teaching is through the authority of Paul’s apostleship, while the heretics are basically pulling it out of the air. Their falling away has a cause that Paul warns Timothy about in very clear terms. The folks pretend to be religious, and they pretend well, but what they preach is self-serving and not of the Spirit because their consciences are dead.
“… and follow deceiving spirits …” Some English translations use the word “seducing” and others say “deceitful.” The word Paul chose was πλάνος planos {plan’-os}. It is a word that means “of uncertain affinity (kinship, attraction, origin).” These are spirits – evil spirits – that are like spiritual tramps. They don’t have any allegiance to the person they are guiding. Their whole purpose is to misguide. They are imposters, and deceivers, corrupters of the truth, especially the Truth of the Gospel. They take the Good News and make it the Bad News. They turn the Joy of Faith into the Sorrow of Fear. They are apostates – renegades who denounce Truth.
” … and things taught by demons …” Rather than listen to and obey the Spirit of God, these false teachers are peddling doctrines inspired by, influenced by, or actually taught by demonic beings – yes, real demons. Your KJV Bible will say “doctrines of devils.” The source of the false teachers’ information is the exact opposite of Divine Revelation; it is Demonic Deception. And The Apostle Paul is telling Timothy, “These are people who started out as believers, who had accepted the Truth, the Word, and the Way. Now they have not only turned their backs on us, but they also have taken up positions opposite what we have preached.” This is called “apostasy.” It is the renunciation of belief and a refusal to accept anything connected with those beliefs. If you’d like to know more about apostasy from the Bible, start with these passages: 2 Peter 2:20-22, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 ← IMPORTANT, John 6:64-66, Luke 8:13,(from the Parable of the Seeds) and Hebrews 4:7-11 (regarding the Sabbath Rest). There are many others and you will find them by following cross-references in your Bible.
“… Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” We’ve covered what Paul meant by liars and what motivated these heresies. Paul was warning Timothy – and everyone else (including you and me) – that it’s easy to believe these deceptions because they sound reasonable whereas these deceivers deride the Word as “too mysterious.” Take a look at how Jesus described these folks in Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22. In fact, one of the best ways for these demonically-inspired teachers is to lull us into thinking they really aren’t so bad after all because their deceptions sound so reasonable. Now that is where this lesson is going.
Satan has literally flooded our lives with entertaining little examples of what a great guy he is. Through movies, mediums, astrologers, cartoon characters, gurus with meditation tricks, and even right-in-your-face fantasy worlds inhabited and ruled by demons. Demonic possession is made to appear cool. Sin is downplayed as personal choice and it is politically incorrect to even mention sin. Satan has the World telling us religion is poison. (Hence Karl Marx wrote: “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.” (↔ Click Link) Everywhere the faithful can face contradictions to The Truth. Even among Christians there are doctrinal divisions so starkly in contrast that an outsider might wonder if Christianity is really any different from Marx concept of all religions.
As a Catholic, I often see or hear things that make me wonder how Christian Christians are. Some Catholics don’t understand their faith at all. Many Christian Evangelicals don’t understand that Catholics really are Christians. Growing up I can remember being warned against “those idolaters,” and being asked “Are you Catholic or Christian?” The fact that those divisions and contentions still exist is not as important as the source of those positions! Christianity has had some spectacularly bad moments – years, decades, even perhaps centuries – and yet it endures, it spreads, it grows in knowledge and wisdom, and it sustains Life by proclaiming Truth. In this era of Mankind – which many are beginning to believe are indeed “the latter times” – the advancing tide of evil claims billions of innocent lives through abortion, euthanasia, war, genocide, and – sadly – just rampant indifference or anarchic violence.
Satan wants us to believe it’s hopeless, wants us to believe he’s an OK guy, wants us to believe nothing else matters but our own comfort; and then he works as hard as he can on making us uncomfortable with everything that is Truth. The work of ha-Satan is insidious, sinister, treacherous, crafty, sneaky, devious, underhanded, falsely assuring, subtle, menacing, unremitting, and unrelenting. Q: Who in the World would really want that? A: Whoever places loyalty to the World above loyalty to God. Jesus himself told us in John 10:27-30 – 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one. Again I ask, “Why would anyone what anything less?”
Think about that over the weekend and then continue to think about it October 31 through November 2. We have Hallowe’en, All Saints, All Souls, and Dia da Los Muertos (↔ Click Link) celebrations during that period. Some have ties to pagan celebrations, and those influences are used by Satan to help us welcome him into our homes, even our hearts and minds. Now that you know where the invitation originated and why it was sent, I hope you will turn him down flat when he knocks on your door. When that happens, just say, “Jesus, could you get that for me, please?”
This just in: Matthew 24:10-14 – 10 Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.
If we are really, really intent on turning our backs on the Lord and spending eternity in Hell; and if we adamantly insist upon having it our way by departing from the faith and desiring instead the iniquity of the World, I believe God will allow us to make that choice and to live – and die – by it FOREVER. YOLO-F!
Pray for our pastors, priests, elders, deacons, missionaries, and all clergy, religious, and laity who spread the Gospel. They will be victorious despite Satan’s plans for them. As is the case with many of you, I have deep concerns about the Synod on Synodality. Synodality is a combination of two Greek words – σύν (syn – together) and ὁδός (odos – way or road, or journey); therefore, “traveling together.” This is expressed in the Synod’s motto “Communion, Participation, and Mission.”
My concern is that it seems to me that this opens the door (See Genesis 4:7 again) for an overemphasis on inclusivity. That term is such an opening for a Gordian knot of claims that will lead to admission to the sacraments in ways that are contrary to Scripture, Tradition, and the Deposit of Faith. It is a hard thing to say to someone, “Your life is a testimony against God, and therefore – unless you repent and testify to the Gospel – you cannot become a member of The Body of Christ which is the Church.” That indeed seems harsh, nonetheless it is necessary! “No one comes through the Father except through ME.” (John 16:6) Now this is where the anti-Worldly part comes in, the part that raises the screeching voice of protest.
Jesus calls everyone who is a sinner to the Kingdom of God and to join in the Wedding Feast. All are invited. Not all are admitted. You will (hopefully) remember the Parable of the Wedding Feast in 2341AFC101323 – Come and get it! The lesson there was that we are invited, allowed to show up, but we must enter compliantly. If we want to enter into the Feast we must wear the Wedding Garment – sincere contrition and effective repentance. Therefore, I must agree that it is deliberately deceptive (Satan’s work) and blasphemous (Satan’s character) for any person – ordained or not – to carry out any form of blessing over someone whose intentional and unrepented actions are contrary to God’s will. We must indeed be more welcoming, more inclusive, more “pastoral” for persons who have been marginalized within, or excluded from, the Church – HOWEVER – this must never be done by circumventing the sacred mission of the Church – to call all earthlings to repentance, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and accepting their conformance to the Gospel. Sinners may enter in, but they must be willing to assimilate. Period.
“Oh! That is so unreasonable, so unkind, so unfair! The universe cries out for justice!” Fie! The universe is mute! We must recall Ezekiel 18:25-29 – 25 Yet you say, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26 When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 27 Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28 Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the Lord is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
Once again we say, we also know that God commands that HIS rules for the universe are what we are to follow, the moral criteria for living a Blesséd Life, and not the amoral or contra-moral laws implemented by political vermiforms such as these which we quote again as reminders:
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – 9 Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, 10 thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And this is what some of you used to be. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
I’ll put my soapbox away (until next week perhaps), and again urge you to dust off that Bible and use it, learn your catechism (if your denomination doesn’t have one, I can recommend several for you), and close your ears to the specious arguments of sinners who want to have their sins excused without the constraint of repentance. Go back and click on that link from John 6 (Here, I’ll give it again: John 6:64-66) If anyone still thinks that is unfair, if anyone still thinks that is not inclusive enough, then there is certainly much about which we must all be concerned. If anyone sincerely believes the Church is in error by not allowing women to be ordained, not allowing same-sex blessings, not allowing absolution without repentance or confession, not adhering to the Magisterium – then what’s going on in Rome these days is right up their alley. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and his Church on Earth. Amen. So be it.
Look for the Truth
See the Light
Taste the Victory
Learn the Way.
Our synodality is the Way of the Christ, the Old Way, the True Way, the ONLY Way. It is the way of agape and adelphos. In True Love there is True Community – Kononia. Whoever walks with God inherits the Kingdom of Life. Whoever walks without God inherits the Second Death. There is the fact that the news about your faith in God has gone everywhere. There is nothing, then, that we need to say. Except that God asks us to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath* that is coming. Asap, please.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
[1] Passages marked GNT are from Good News Translation (GNT) Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible. Used by permission.
