Skepticism

Skepticism

Purpose

On the occasion of the Papal skepticism over Church union:

http://myocn.net/pope-francis-skeptical-unity-will-reached/

Pensées et Soliloquies

I am skeptical too.  Even so, I deny that it is impossible.  Daniel, chapter 2, decrees that it is not impossible and that it must not continue.[1]  The perplexing philosophical problem of The Gordian Knot is resolved with the stroke of the sword.  We are divided by centuries of theological accretions.  These must be put to the knife.  Are they really so very important that they are more important than listening to the voice of God? Protestants must not be excluded either.

The reason I am not welcome in your Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant churches is not that you are unfriendly and unwelcoming.  All of you are very friendly and welcoming to a fault.  The reason I am not welcome in your churches is these centuries of theological accretions, which either add to, or detract from, sound doctrine.  Worse yet, some have turned away to the hatred of God, and outright denial of His authority over all: these are no longer churches at all, and are in desperate need of repentance.

I do not speak for myself; I ponder John’s meaning in Revelation, “Behold, I stand at the door knocking.”[2]  I wonder! Is Jesus really welcome in our midst? Or has that terrible curse come upon us that we are, “neither hot nor cold,” but have become so lukewarm that we have forgotten how to open the door.[3]  Now is the day to rekindle the fire in the belly, and make ice for the lips.  Fire and ice!  That is the order of the day.

Yes, with men, that has always been impossible.  Then again, we have never been dependent on mere men, have we?  It is time for a sword; a sharp, swift two-edged sword[4] of fire and ice.  Cut the knot and find again the ends of the rope that connect to the “anchor of the soul.”[5]  “Jesus Christ is the same, today, yesterday, and forever.”[6]  He has not changed, we have.  It’s called sin.

Perhaps, in the final analysis, Daniel’s figure of the stone is the better image: better than the sword.  “The stone which the builders rejected,”[7] must not be applied to us.

^“Μὴ γένοιτο!”[8]

[9]

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[1] Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45

[2] Revelation 3:20

[3] Revelation 3:16

[4] Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16

[5] Hebrews 6:19

[6] Hebrews 13:8

[7] Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11

[8] Chiefly Paul, repeatedly in Romans, 3:4, 6, 31; 6:2, 15; 7:7, 13; 9:14; 11:1, 11.  But also Luke 20:16, 1 Corinthians 6:15; and Galatians 2:17; 3:21; 6:14.

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