Can anyone tell me what a psalm is? A poem, a song, a hymn. The Psalms are written by a few different people. King David composed many that are included in our Book of Psalms (among other things, David was a very famous Psalm writer). Psalms is a collection of hymns and songs; in this way is not unlike our Songbook. Now I don’t know if everyone here is aware of it or not but there has been discussion in this last year about maybe updating our Salvation Army Songbook. The ancients had done the same sort of thing with the Book of Psalms on at least one occasion. Psalms, in the form that we have now, was probably pulled together from other Psalm-books for use in worship in the Temple in Jerusalem[1] (Zerubbabel’s Temple, Herrod’s Temple and later the synagogues) the same way we traditionally have used songbooks in worship in The Salvation Army. This version of the Psalm-book that we have in our Bibles with us today may even have been compiled as recently as after the destruction of Solomon’s Temple (586 BCE - 400 BCE)[2] and it could have been used in worship in Zerubbabel’s Temple:[3] this is the temple mentioned in the book of Ezra-Nehemiah which we have been studying here on Tuesdays.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/11/psalm-11-2which-one-of-these-things-is.html
Monday, November 08, 2010
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Beelzebub in the Parable of the Haunted House
He is accused of driving out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Luke 11:15, Matthew 12:24, Mark 3:22). We are familiar with the term Beelzebub, right? Milton named one of his characters in ‘Paradise Lost’ Beelzebub. In Milton’s story he was the devil’s henchman but Beelzebub, here in scriptures, isn’t the right hand man of the devil.[8] Beelzebub is the devil himself. Beelzebub is another name for the Satan. We remember that the ancient Israelites – long before the time of Jesus’ birth in the New Testament – were often split between those who worshipped YHWH and those that worshipped the Canaanite god named Baal. One of the titles that Baal-worshippers used to call Baal was Baal-Zebul - which literally means ‘Baal the Prince’ (Cf. 2 Kings 1:6; Matthew 10:25; 12:24,27; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15, 18-19).[9] So the people who didn’t worship Baal gave the Canaanite god a related nickname. They called him Baal-Zebub, which sounds like Baal-Zebul, ‘Baal the Prince’, but in reality can mean Baal, Lord of the flies; Baal the pest; or Baal, Lord of the dung heap.[10] It wasn’t a favourable name, Baal-Zebub. By Jesus time, with Baal-worship finally relegated to the dustbin of history, they couldn’t let this good nickname go to waste; so they applied it to the devil; Satan inherited this nickname. Beelzebub, in the first century CE, was a common derogatory name for Satan.[11] Jesus in our text here is being accused of working for the devil.
In our society today we think nothing of people dressing up like evil characters or using the language of demon-possession and witchcraft: we hear it everyday on TV, radio, in pop culture and in casual colloquial language. I imagine that there will be on TV, tonight alone, dozens of movies and TV shows trivializing or glorifying evil. It is so common in our contemporary Canadian society that many times we don’t even twig when we hear references to sorcery or divination but it was very different in Jesus’ day (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10; 1 Samuel 28:9; 2 Kings 19:22; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Galatians 5:20).Witchcraft is a serious crime. It was a sin punishable by death (1 Samuel 28:9, Galatians 5:20). These religious teachers who are accusing Jesus of being an agent of evil here cannot be left to make these remarks unchallenged. It must be addressed. They are accusing Jesus of divination, of witchcraft, of sorcery, and in those days (unlike today when many of our kids and grandkids or their friends will be watching cartoons shows relating to the occult or dressing up as devils and witches tonight) people won’t stand by and let that evil go unchecked.
Jesus doesn’t stand by and let these accusations stand. Knowing their thoughts Jesus tells them....
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
In our society today we think nothing of people dressing up like evil characters or using the language of demon-possession and witchcraft: we hear it everyday on TV, radio, in pop culture and in casual colloquial language. I imagine that there will be on TV, tonight alone, dozens of movies and TV shows trivializing or glorifying evil. It is so common in our contemporary Canadian society that many times we don’t even twig when we hear references to sorcery or divination but it was very different in Jesus’ day (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10; 1 Samuel 28:9; 2 Kings 19:22; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Galatians 5:20).Witchcraft is a serious crime. It was a sin punishable by death (1 Samuel 28:9, Galatians 5:20). These religious teachers who are accusing Jesus of being an agent of evil here cannot be left to make these remarks unchallenged. It must be addressed. They are accusing Jesus of divination, of witchcraft, of sorcery, and in those days (unlike today when many of our kids and grandkids or their friends will be watching cartoons shows relating to the occult or dressing up as devils and witches tonight) people won’t stand by and let that evil go unchecked.
Jesus doesn’t stand by and let these accusations stand. Knowing their thoughts Jesus tells them....
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
The Parable of the Haunted House (2)
There is in Matthew and Mark’s record of this parable also the important, significant, and controversial statement about the one unforgivable sin, which is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:32, Mark 3:29).[6] This sin is almost certainly not a once-off and in this context here, especially in Mark’s version, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit appears to refer to anyone who gets in the way of the work of the Lord or anyone who consistently attributes the work of God to the devil. Luke speaks about sweeping the house clean and then the spirits returning to haunt to the haunted house once more.[7] This is similar to John’s words about the apostate and those who walk with Christ but later reject him (1 John 2:18-26, 5:13-20, 2 John 1:7-11; cf. Matthew 10:14, 12:31-32; Mark 3:29-30, 6:11; Luke 9:5, 12:10; Acts 13:50-52; 2 Peter 2:17-22). These ‘rejecters’ appear to be the ones who have committed the unforgivable sin (cf. TSA Doctrines 7 and 9).
Each of these interesting points we can all talk about later if you like but today I would prefer to concentrate on something else in this, the Parable of the Haunted House. Recorded in Luke 11:17-18 and Mark 3:24 and Matthew 12:25, “…Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? ...” And Luke 11:23 and Matthew 12:30 each record Jesus’ comment that “He who is not with me is against me” Jesus is drawing the line here. He is being quite clear. Jesus has had a serious accusation levelled against him. He has been accused of exorcising demons by demonic power himself.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
Each of these interesting points we can all talk about later if you like but today I would prefer to concentrate on something else in this, the Parable of the Haunted House. Recorded in Luke 11:17-18 and Mark 3:24 and Matthew 12:25, “…Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? ...” And Luke 11:23 and Matthew 12:30 each record Jesus’ comment that “He who is not with me is against me” Jesus is drawing the line here. He is being quite clear. Jesus has had a serious accusation levelled against him. He has been accused of exorcising demons by demonic power himself.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
The Parable of the Haunted House (1)
The Parable of the Haunted House – especially noticeable in the Lukan account – talks about a demon-possessed man and a demon-possessed house. Luke 11:24-26: “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” The house is haunted by more demons than it was in the first place. This is in the Parable of the Haunted House.There are many important things to come out of this Parable of the Haunted House. We obviously don’t have time today to spend on them all. One of the key things to come out of this parable is that God is more important than anyone in the Christian’s life.[2] This is especially highlighted in the Markan account (Mark 3:20-35).[3] If even one’s own parents are opposed to the life and work of Jesus, Christ goes as far as to model disowning one’s parents when his mother and brothers came to interfere with his work, to take charge of him and/or arrest him Jesus replies, “Who are my mother and brothers?” (Mark 3:31-34; Matthew 12:46-50; Luke 11:27-28, 8:19-21).[4] We are not to be distracted from serving the Lord by anyone (cf. Matthew 10:38-39, 16:24-24; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 9:23-24, 14:26-27, 17:33; John 12:25; 1 Corinthians 15:31; cf. also Gospel of Thomas 55b).[5] This is very important.
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
read more: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
Monday, November 01, 2010
Answers...
1) What historic event happened in Wittenburg on this date in 1517?
(Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church.)
2) True or False: Ghosts are mentioned in the Bible.
(True, especially The Holy Ghost in the Authorized Version)
3) True or False: A king of Israel went to a witch to speak with the spirit of a dead person (True, 1 Samuel 28).
a.Bonus Marks name the King (Saul), the dead person (Samuel), and the witch (the Witch of Endor)
4) How many people can you name who the Bible records God used to raise others from the dead?
a.God used Elijah to raise the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-23),
b.God used Elisha to raise the Shunammite woman's son (2 Kings 4:32-37);
c.There was the man they through into Elisha’s grave (2 Kings 13:21)
d.Jesus raised:
i. the widow's son (Luke 7:12-15),
ii. Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:49-55),
iii. Lazarus (John 11:43,44),
e.God used Peter to raise Dorcas (Acts 9:37-40)
f.God used Paul to raise Eutychus (after he had bored him to death? Acts 20:9-12)
5) The man possessed by so many demons that they called themselves Legion, where did he live? (In the tombs, the graveyard near Gerasenes; Mark 5:1,2, Luke 8:26-27)
6) True or False: Jesus tells a parable about a haunted house? (True, Matthew 12:25-29, Mark 3:23-27, Luke 11:17-22)
read the related sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
Michael
---
Captain Michael Ramsay
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
and the world for Jesus!
Michael's new book - 'Praise The Lord For Covenants: Old Testament wisdom for our world today' is now available from http://www.sheepspeak.com/
(Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church.)
2) True or False: Ghosts are mentioned in the Bible.
(True, especially The Holy Ghost in the Authorized Version)
3) True or False: A king of Israel went to a witch to speak with the spirit of a dead person (True, 1 Samuel 28).
a.Bonus Marks name the King (Saul), the dead person (Samuel), and the witch (the Witch of Endor)
4) How many people can you name who the Bible records God used to raise others from the dead?
a.God used Elijah to raise the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-23),
b.God used Elisha to raise the Shunammite woman's son (2 Kings 4:32-37);
c.There was the man they through into Elisha’s grave (2 Kings 13:21)
d.Jesus raised:
i. the widow's son (Luke 7:12-15),
ii. Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:49-55),
iii. Lazarus (John 11:43,44),
e.God used Peter to raise Dorcas (Acts 9:37-40)
f.God used Paul to raise Eutychus (after he had bored him to death? Acts 20:9-12)
5) The man possessed by so many demons that they called themselves Legion, where did he live? (In the tombs, the graveyard near Gerasenes; Mark 5:1,2, Luke 8:26-27)
6) True or False: Jesus tells a parable about a haunted house? (True, Matthew 12:25-29, Mark 3:23-27, Luke 11:17-22)
read the related sermon: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/10/luke-1114-28-matthew-1225-29-parable-of.html
Michael
---
Captain Michael Ramsay
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
and the world for Jesus!
Michael's new book - 'Praise The Lord For Covenants: Old Testament wisdom for our world today' is now available from http://www.sheepspeak.com/
Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences
by Dr. Martin Luther (October 31, 1517)
Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.
In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.
3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.
4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.
7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.
8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.
9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.
10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
11. This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept.
12. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.
14. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.
15. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
19. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it.
20. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
23. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.
24. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty.
25. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession.
27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and Paschal.
30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission.
31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of pardon.
33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him;
34. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man.
35. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia.
36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.
38. Nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the blessings of the Church] which are granted by the pope are in no way to be despised, for they are, as I have said, the declaration of divine remission.
39. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition.
40. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion [for hating them].
41. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love.
42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.
43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;
44. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty.
45. 45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
46. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons.
47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
48. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring.
49. Christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God.
50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.
51. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.
52. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.
53. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others.
54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.
55. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.
56. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope. grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ.
57. That they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them.
58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.
59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were the Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.
60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by Christ's merit, are that treasure;
61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.
62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.
64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.
66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.
68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.
69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence.
70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the commission of the pope.
71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed!
72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.
75. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God -- this is madness.
76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned.
77. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope.
78. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in I. Corinthians xii.
79. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity.
82. To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."
83. Again: -- "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"
84. Again: -- "What is this new piety of God and the pope, that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God, and do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own need, free it for pure love's sake?"
85. Again: -- "Why are the penitential canons long since in actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were still alive and in force?"
86. Again: -- "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?"
87. Again: -- "What is it that the pope remits, and what participation does he grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?"
88. Again: -- "What greater blessing could come to the Church than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and participations?"
89. "Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?"
90. To repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christians unhappy.
91. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist.
92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!
93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!
94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;
95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.
Out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, the following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg, under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.
In the Name our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
1. Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.
2. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i.e., confession and satisfaction, which is administered by the priests.
3. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.
4. The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
5. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.
7. God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest.
8. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying.
9. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity.
10. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
11. This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept.
12. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
13. The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them.
14. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.
15. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
19. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it.
20. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
23. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.
24. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty.
25. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession.
27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
28. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and Paschal.
30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that he has attained full remission.
31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of pardon.
33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to Him;
34. For these "graces of pardon" concern only the penalties of sacramental satisfaction, and these are appointed by man.
35. They preach no Christian doctrine who teach that contrition is not necessary in those who intend to buy souls out of purgatory or to buy confessionalia.
36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
37. Every true Christian, whether living or dead, has part in all the blessings of Christ and the Church; and this is granted him by God, even without letters of pardon.
38. Nevertheless, the remission and participation [in the blessings of the Church] which are granted by the pope are in no way to be despised, for they are, as I have said, the declaration of divine remission.
39. It is most difficult, even for the very keenest theologians, at one and the same time to commend to the people the abundance of pardons and [the need of] true contrition.
40. True contrition seeks and loves penalties, but liberal pardons only relax penalties and cause them to be hated, or at least, furnish an occasion [for hating them].
41. Apostolic pardons are to be preached with caution, lest the people may falsely think them preferable to other good works of love.
42. Christians are to be taught that the pope does not intend the buying of pardons to be compared in any way to works of mercy.
43. Christians are to be taught that he who gives to the poor or lends to the needy does a better work than buying pardons;
44. Because love grows by works of love, and man becomes better; but by pardons man does not grow better, only more free from penalty.
45. 45. Christians are to be taught that he who sees a man in need, and passes him by, and gives [his money] for pardons, purchases not the indulgences of the pope, but the indignation of God.
46. Christians are to be taught that unless they have more than they need, they are bound to keep back what is necessary for their own families, and by no means to squander it on pardons.
47. Christians are to be taught that the buying of pardons is a matter of free will, and not of commandment.
48. Christians are to be taught that the pope, in granting pardons, needs, and therefore desires, their devout prayer for him more than the money they bring.
49. Christians are to be taught that the pope's pardons are useful, if they do not put their trust in them; but altogether harmful, if through them they lose their fear of God.
50. Christians are to be taught that if the pope knew the exactions of the pardon-preachers, he would rather that St. Peter's church should go to ashes, than that it should be built up with the skin, flesh and bones of his sheep.
51. Christians are to be taught that it would be the pope's wish, as it is his duty, to give of his own money to very many of those from whom certain hawkers of pardons cajole money, even though the church of St. Peter might have to be sold.
52. The assurance of salvation by letters of pardon is vain, even though the commissary, nay, even though the pope himself, were to stake his soul upon it.
53. They are enemies of Christ and of the pope, who bid the Word of God be altogether silent in some Churches, in order that pardons may be preached in others.
54. Injury is done the Word of God when, in the same sermon, an equal or a longer time is spent on pardons than on this Word.
55. It must be the intention of the pope that if pardons, which are a very small thing, are celebrated with one bell, with single processions and ceremonies, then the Gospel, which is the very greatest thing, should be preached with a hundred bells, a hundred processions, a hundred ceremonies.
56. The "treasures of the Church," out of which the pope. grants indulgences, are not sufficiently named or known among the people of Christ.
57. That they are not temporal treasures is certainly evident, for many of the vendors do not pour out such treasures so easily, but only gather them.
58. Nor are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.
59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were the Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in his own time.
60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by Christ's merit, are that treasure;
61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.
62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.
63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last.
64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.
66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now fish for the riches of men.
67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote gain.
68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.
69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of apostolic pardons, with all reverence.
70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own dreams instead of the commission of the pope.
71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him be anathema and accursed!
72. But he who guards against the lust and license of the pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!
73. The pope justly thunders against those who, by any art, contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.
74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth.
75. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God -- this is madness.
76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned.
77. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope.
78. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in I. Corinthians xii.
79. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy.
80. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render.
81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity.
82. To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."
83. Again: -- "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for the redeemed?"
84. Again: -- "What is this new piety of God and the pope, that for money they allow a man who is impious and their enemy to buy out of purgatory the pious soul of a friend of God, and do not rather, because of that pious and beloved soul's own need, free it for pure love's sake?"
85. Again: -- "Why are the penitential canons long since in actual fact and through disuse abrogated and dead, now satisfied by the granting of indulgences, as though they were still alive and in force?"
86. Again: -- "Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?"
87. Again: -- "What is it that the pope remits, and what participation does he grant to those who, by perfect contrition, have a right to full remission and participation?"
88. Again: -- "What greater blessing could come to the Church than if the pope were to do a hundred times a day what he now does once, and bestow on every believer these remissions and participations?"
89. "Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?"
90. To repress these arguments and scruples of the laity by force alone, and not to resolve them by giving reasons, is to expose the Church and the pope to the ridicule of their enemies, and to make Christians unhappy.
91. If, therefore, pardons were preached according to the spirit and mind of the pope, all these doubts would be readily resolved; nay, they would not exist.
92. Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!
93. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Cross, cross," and there is no cross!
94. Christians are to be exhorted that they be diligent in following Christ, their Head, through penalties, deaths, and hell;
95. And thus be confident of entering into heaven rather through many tribulations, than through the assurance of peace.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Quiz about October 31st.
1) What historic event happened in Wittenburg on this date in 1517?
2) True or False: Ghosts are mentioned in the Bible.
3) True or False: A king of Israel went to a witch to speak with the spirit of a dead person.
- - Bonus Marks name the King, the dead person, and the witch
4) Name people who the Bible records God used to raise others from the dead?
5) The man possessed by so many demons that they called themselves Legion, where did he live?
6) True or False: Jesus tells a parable about a haunted house?
Come to the Swift Current Corps Sunday and find the answers to these and more...
Michael
---
Captain Michael Ramsay
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
and the world for Jesus!
Michael's new book - 'Praise The Lord For Covenants: Old Testament wisdom for our world today' is now available from http://www.sheepspeak.com/ and at the Swift Current Thrift Store.
2) True or False: Ghosts are mentioned in the Bible.
3) True or False: A king of Israel went to a witch to speak with the spirit of a dead person.
- - Bonus Marks name the King, the dead person, and the witch
4) Name people who the Bible records God used to raise others from the dead?
5) The man possessed by so many demons that they called themselves Legion, where did he live?
6) True or False: Jesus tells a parable about a haunted house?
Come to the Swift Current Corps Sunday and find the answers to these and more...
Michael
---
Captain Michael Ramsay
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
and the world for Jesus!
Michael's new book - 'Praise The Lord For Covenants: Old Testament wisdom for our world today' is now available from http://www.sheepspeak.com/ and at the Swift Current Thrift Store.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
A Canadian Revolutionary
Some friends of mine, whom I have been honoured an blessed to serve God alongside in the Downtown eastside wrote a book on REVOLUTION. Among other things, It looks at people the LORD has used in revolutionary ways to further HIS Kingdom. Using the criteria set forward in that book, I thought I would highlight a Canadian revolutionary (this rest of this blog is a re-run)...
Kairos. I mean (C)airos?: After previously approaching the nomadic Montagnais and Algonquians, the missionaries noticed the Huron villages on the Georgian Bay. Being settled, there was an opportunity to disciple the faithful once they had committed their lives to the LORD. It was also a gateway to the vast untouched mission fields of the west. Further, they had already been exposed to Christianity through the Recollets when our hero, Father Brebeuf, with Fathers Daniel and Davost, in 1634, "took up again the challenge of the Cross and re-established the Huron mission near the shores of the Georgian Bay."*1
Charisma: The personality and perseverance of Father Brebeuf conquered the smell, dirt and blinding smoke that typified the homes in these villages. These inconveniences were nothing, however, if souls could be won! The main challenge to be faced was the mind of the Huron whose notion of a spirit was entirely different from that of the Christian God. As the LORD raised Brebeuf to this challenge, he was greeted by a powerful adversary: the medicine-man
Conviction: The salvation of Souls, and the Great commission*2 was the motivating factor for the perseverance of this Jesuit Priest: "Don't paddle unless you intend to always paddle"*3 was his motto.
There were people out there who did not know Jesus and he would sacrifice everything to win the continent for Christ starting with Heronia! The adversary knew the role of medicine-man was a key part of Heron society and there was no place for that office in Christendom. This was a challenge that only the LORD and a strong conviction would overcome. Storms, disease and all kinds of mishaps plagued the community and they were attributed to the people holding the office of medicine-man. The unselfishness, devotion, and perseverance of the Jesuit Priest in the face of such adversity began to make an impression on the people's hearts and minds
By 1648, eleven mission posts had been set up among the Heron AND their neighbours! No less than 18 priests and four lay ministers were involved in this ministry.
Then the Iroquois attacked: "When the assault began, the two Jesuits raced among the men, shouting encouragement, urging them to pray, tending the wounded, baptizing the dying. The Iroquois prevailed. Brebeuf, Lalemant and sixty Huron warriors were captured, beaten and herded to St. Ignace. Brebeuf called on the Huron warriors to stay true to Christ to death. Stripped naked, the Jesuits were tied to stakes and tortured with fire. Brebeuf suffered from noon until four p.m. on this day, March 16, 1649. When he would not scream out, but continued to pray for the salvation of his tormentors, the Iroquois heated cauldrons of boiling water and poured it over him in mockery of baptism. They cut and hacked his body, and gouged out his eyes. Before he died, they scalped him and cut out his heart, which they ate. Lalemant died of similar tortures early the next morning."*4
Cadre: The Huron nation was now a memory. Only a remnant survived and they sought refuge on the island of St. Joseph where they were pursued by famine and pestilence. The mission, however, was not a failure: the three hundred survivors then made their way to Quebec City and later the village of Lorette. They rest were scattered (with there Christian message) throughout the nations
Father Joges, who was captured and cruelly tortured deep in Mohawk territory after the 1642 attack, escaped to France only to return four years later to try to save his former captors; he earned a martyr's crown. Eventually, however, many Iroquois souls were saved and today saints and churches are no longer foreign to the Iroquois people.
---
*1 MacArthur, Duncan. History of Canada for High Schools. WJ Gage and Company. Toronto,1927.
*2 (Matthew 28:18-20) 18, NIV -Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
*3 Ferguson, Will. Canadian History for Dummies. CDG Books Canada. Toronto,2000.
*4 http://iroquoisindians.freeweb-hosting.com/index.htm (captured May 25,2005)
-
Captain Michael Ramsay
www.sheepspeak.com
Kairos. I mean (C)airos?: After previously approaching the nomadic Montagnais and Algonquians, the missionaries noticed the Huron villages on the Georgian Bay. Being settled, there was an opportunity to disciple the faithful once they had committed their lives to the LORD. It was also a gateway to the vast untouched mission fields of the west. Further, they had already been exposed to Christianity through the Recollets when our hero, Father Brebeuf, with Fathers Daniel and Davost, in 1634, "took up again the challenge of the Cross and re-established the Huron mission near the shores of the Georgian Bay."*1
Charisma: The personality and perseverance of Father Brebeuf conquered the smell, dirt and blinding smoke that typified the homes in these villages. These inconveniences were nothing, however, if souls could be won! The main challenge to be faced was the mind of the Huron whose notion of a spirit was entirely different from that of the Christian God. As the LORD raised Brebeuf to this challenge, he was greeted by a powerful adversary: the medicine-man
Conviction: The salvation of Souls, and the Great commission*2 was the motivating factor for the perseverance of this Jesuit Priest: "Don't paddle unless you intend to always paddle"*3 was his motto.
There were people out there who did not know Jesus and he would sacrifice everything to win the continent for Christ starting with Heronia! The adversary knew the role of medicine-man was a key part of Heron society and there was no place for that office in Christendom. This was a challenge that only the LORD and a strong conviction would overcome. Storms, disease and all kinds of mishaps plagued the community and they were attributed to the people holding the office of medicine-man. The unselfishness, devotion, and perseverance of the Jesuit Priest in the face of such adversity began to make an impression on the people's hearts and minds
By 1648, eleven mission posts had been set up among the Heron AND their neighbours! No less than 18 priests and four lay ministers were involved in this ministry.
Then the Iroquois attacked: "When the assault began, the two Jesuits raced among the men, shouting encouragement, urging them to pray, tending the wounded, baptizing the dying. The Iroquois prevailed. Brebeuf, Lalemant and sixty Huron warriors were captured, beaten and herded to St. Ignace. Brebeuf called on the Huron warriors to stay true to Christ to death. Stripped naked, the Jesuits were tied to stakes and tortured with fire. Brebeuf suffered from noon until four p.m. on this day, March 16, 1649. When he would not scream out, but continued to pray for the salvation of his tormentors, the Iroquois heated cauldrons of boiling water and poured it over him in mockery of baptism. They cut and hacked his body, and gouged out his eyes. Before he died, they scalped him and cut out his heart, which they ate. Lalemant died of similar tortures early the next morning."*4
Cadre: The Huron nation was now a memory. Only a remnant survived and they sought refuge on the island of St. Joseph where they were pursued by famine and pestilence. The mission, however, was not a failure: the three hundred survivors then made their way to Quebec City and later the village of Lorette. They rest were scattered (with there Christian message) throughout the nations
Father Joges, who was captured and cruelly tortured deep in Mohawk territory after the 1642 attack, escaped to France only to return four years later to try to save his former captors; he earned a martyr's crown. Eventually, however, many Iroquois souls were saved and today saints and churches are no longer foreign to the Iroquois people.
---
*1 MacArthur, Duncan. History of Canada for High Schools. WJ Gage and Company. Toronto,1927.
*2 (Matthew 28:18-20) 18, NIV -Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
*3 Ferguson, Will. Canadian History for Dummies. CDG Books Canada. Toronto,2000.
*4 http://iroquoisindians.freeweb-hosting.com/index.htm (captured May 25,2005)
-
Captain Michael Ramsay
www.sheepspeak.com
Monday, October 25, 2010
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