Mark, thank you for reminder of the importance of biblical discipline for the church. I am also married to an avid gardener, and the pruning analogy is appropriate. But I would make one improvement to that picture. I spend time with surgeons at our local hospital. At a recent ethics committee discussion of the Hippocratic Oath, "do no harm", a surgeon reflected that she feels that tension every time she picks up a scalpel. For we operate not on trees but on bodies, and the cost of not addressing sickness in a body is so much heavier. As for the 1555 kind of peace, I would love to have been able to make a second July trip to Iowa (I officiated at a nephew's wedding in Boone earlier in July) to be a part of the "how did we get here?" discussion. As you suggest, it's critical we don't make the same mistakes again. My concern is that there may be more drama still to come. In 2024, the Libertines have the support of the authorities and media. And a personal thank you for your kind support in that interesting Reformed Journal discussion.
Thanks for listening and for the feedback, Doug! I had that surgery illustration in my notes, because that's how John Chrysostom described self-discipline and church discipline all the way back in the 3rd century. Surgery without care causes permanent damage, but no surgery leaves us unhealthy and even in danger of dying. I chopped it because the talk was already long enough! Thanks again!
Mark, thank you for reminder of the importance of biblical discipline for the church. I am also married to an avid gardener, and the pruning analogy is appropriate. But I would make one improvement to that picture. I spend time with surgeons at our local hospital. At a recent ethics committee discussion of the Hippocratic Oath, "do no harm", a surgeon reflected that she feels that tension every time she picks up a scalpel. For we operate not on trees but on bodies, and the cost of not addressing sickness in a body is so much heavier. As for the 1555 kind of peace, I would love to have been able to make a second July trip to Iowa (I officiated at a nephew's wedding in Boone earlier in July) to be a part of the "how did we get here?" discussion. As you suggest, it's critical we don't make the same mistakes again. My concern is that there may be more drama still to come. In 2024, the Libertines have the support of the authorities and media.
And a personal thank you for your kind support in that interesting Reformed Journal discussion.
Thanks for listening and for the feedback, Doug!
I had that surgery illustration in my notes, because that's how John Chrysostom described self-discipline and church discipline all the way back in the 3rd century. Surgery without care causes permanent damage, but no surgery leaves us unhealthy and even in danger of dying. I chopped it because the talk was already long enough!
Thanks again!