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Comments on Rev. Andy Webb's Breakdown of the ARP Resolution

  My Comments on Rev. Andy Webb’s Breakdown of the ARP Statement: Rev. Webb’s remarks in full can be found here also, without my commentary: https://x.com/PastorAndyWebb/status/2022046210375500116   Now, my comments are inserted in BOLD FONT below:   “The Mildest Position At the risk of being told I’m writing another dissertation, I’m tired enough of reading the loaded “What is the mildest position this resolution condemns?” question in reference to the ARP’s declaration on theological or political teachings which posit a superiority of race or ethnic identity born of immutable* human characteristics to attempt to write a reply. In doing so, I cannot claim to speak for the entire ARP, and I need to emphasize that these are only my own thoughts, not a statement from my session or presbytery.   Let’s begin by looking at the original statement, and let me start by giving what is in essence a summary of my position – a TL;DR if you will:   "That th...
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Dr. Joseph Pipa on Cultural Superiority and Unity in Christ

With the arguments about race realism, Kinism, natural affection, ordo amoris , etc., Galatians 3:26-29 is surely an important passage. I am going to be preaching on it soon, and reading Dr. Joseph Pipa's commentary on Galatians here is helpful. Depending on how he would further flesh things out, in essence I have much if not total agreement with him, though the rub does come down to the distinctions between race and culture. I will give my commentary on his commentary below, but first, here is what Dr. Pipa says: "...in Christ we are joined together in the family of God in spiritual equality [his italics]: 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' As he is dealing with those who really belong to the people of God, he establishes that baptism, not circumcision, is the sign of membership of His family. Baptism is the great badge of unity....We are diverse members; we ...

Apostle Paul & Matthew Henry on Besetting Sins of Particular Races

 By: Thomas F. Booher  "Cretans" might as well be "Martians" to us today. So the Apostle Paul's words below do not make us queasy: “'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.'” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith." But replace Cretans with any country or race, especially one in your own nation, and perhaps other than applying it to whites, you will immediately begin to object. "Hispanics are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." "Blacks are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." "Indians are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." "Whites are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." My point is not to say that these statements apply to any or all of these particular races in a one-to-one (though I have no problem saying it applies far more to some than others, and today in our wicked age is a generalization we all could wear to on...

Matthew Henry on Ordo Amoris and Family/Nation vs. Church/God's Kingdom

  "Natural affection must give way to divine grace. Our country is dear to us, our kindred dearer, and our father’s house dearest of all; and yet they must all be hated (Lu. 14:26), that is, we must love them less than Christ, hate them in comparison with him, and, whenever any of these come in competition with him, they must be postponed, and the preference given to the will and honour of the Lord Jesus. (2.) Sin, and all the occasions of it, must be forsaken, and particularly bad company; we must abandon all the idols of iniquity which have been set up in our hearts, and get out of the way of temptation, plucking out even a right eye that leads us to sin (Mt. 5:29), willingly parting with that which is dearest to us, when we cannot keep it without hazard of our integrity. Those that resolve to keep the commandments of God must quit the society of evil doers, Ps. 119:115; Acts 2:40. (3.) The world, and all our enjoyments in it, must be looked upon with a holy indifference and con...

Giving Thanks to God for Being a White Person

The ritual shaming of white people is a hatred for how we as white persons have been made in the image of God. When the Apostle Paul had to boast because his authority was being denigrated, he did so, giving the glory to God for his giftings and graces as an Apostle, yet insisting upon His apostolic calling and message as being equal with Peter and all the other Apostles (see the book of Galatians and other places in the New Testament). But Paul even speaks of his being "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews" (Philippians 3) because others were boasting of their pedigree, though Paul exhorts to not boast in the flesh but have confidence rather in God and His saving grace. Yet he notes, if anyone is going to boast in the flesh, he can do so more than all of them. Paul has an extended discourse on these matters in 2 Corinthians 10-12, of boasting in his accomplishments and equality with the chief Apostles when he has to do so, to defend his m...

Matthew Henry on the Christian's Experience in Heaven

  Matthew Henry on the Church/People of God in the state of glory (heaven), from part of his commentary on Revelation 21: "The subject-matter of the vision—the bride, the Lamb’s wife (v. 10); that is, the church of God in her glorious, perfect, triumphant state, under the resemblance of Jerusalem, having the glory of God shining in its lustre, as uxor splendit radiis mariti—the bride comely through the comeliness put on her by her husband; glorious in her relation to Christ, in his image now perfected in her, and in his favour shining upon her. And now we have a large description of the church triumphant under the emblem of a city, far exceeding in riches and splendour all the cities of this world; and this new Jerusalem is here represented to us both in the exterior and the interior part of it. 1. The exterior part of the city—the wall and the gates, the wall for security and the gates for entrance. (1.) The wall for security. Heaven is a safe state; those that are there are encl...