Ladies and gentlemens… here’s a little more evidence as to the high-minded nature of our modern entertainment outlets.

I know we have a few people who see black helicopters in this Tavern, but Gore Vidal really goes beyond the fence in his recent ravings about the president. Check out this excerpt from an article here:

“Vidal’s highly controversial 7000 word polemic titled ‘The Enemy Within’ – published in the print edition of The Observer today – argues that what he calls a ‘Bush junta’ used the terrorist attacks as a pretext to enact a pre-existing agenda to invade Afghanistan and crack down on civil liberties at home.
Vidal writes: ‘We still don’t know by whom we were struck that infamous Tuesday, or for what true purpose. But it is fairly plain to many civil libertarians that 9/11 put paid not only to much of our fragile Bill of Rights but also to our once-envied system of government which had taken a mortal blow the previous year when the Supreme Court did a little dance in 5/4 time and replaced a popularly elected President with the oil and gas Bush-Cheney junta.’
Vidal argues that the real motive for the Afghanistan war was to control the gateway to Eurasia and Central Asia’s energy riches. He quotes extensively from a 1997 analysis of the region by Zgibniew Brzezinski, formerly national security adviser to President Carter, in support of this theory. But, Vidal argues, US administrations, both Democrat and Republican, were aware that the American public would resist any war in Afghanistan without a truly massive and widely perceived external threat.
“Osama was chosen on aesthetic grounds to be the frightening logo for our long-contemplated invasion and conquest of Afghanistan … [because] the administration is convinced that Americans are so simple-minded that they can deal with no scenario more complex than the venerable, lone, crazed killer (this time with zombie helpers) who does evil just for the fun of it ‘cause he hates us because we’re rich ‘n free ‘n he’s not.’ Vidal also attacks the American media’s failure to discuss 11 September and its consequences: ‘Apparently, “conspiracy stuff” is now shorthand for unspeakable truth.’”

W.G.: Good comments and welcome. In my Bible survey classes I have to read the text of Genesis so much that I have some pretty stubborn opinions about what I think the text is trying to convey in a literary sense. To me, when you let Genesis 1-19 loose with an average reader, they would conclude that the narrative is leading you to see the homosexual gang rape as the final peice of disgusting evidence of how far human beings have come from the sexual harmony of Genesis 2. Then Romans 1 selects the same theme as the primary line of evidence in Paul’s recounting of the same trip. I wouldn’t argue that it is a unique abomination, but I do believe, with Jack Hayford, that Sexual Sins are, in some ways, worse than others.

1. They stain the deepest part of a person’s identity.
2. They exploit the deepest aspects of our emotionality.
3. They pollute the fountainhead of our highest creativity.
4. They produce guilt that cripples our confidence in God’s forgiveness.
5. They expose us to the risk of begetting and conceiving an unsupported child.
6. They compromise the foundation of life’s deepest human relationship.
7. They increase the probability of multiplying the speed of disease.
8. They give place to appetites that can only beget further unnatural behavior.
9. They break trust with the whole body of Christ.
10. They assault the pure lordship of Jesus in our lives.
“Why Sex Sins are Worse that Others” by Jack Hayford. Charisma & Christian Life. October 1989, pages 68-75.

I didn’t know Angus was computer-friendly. I LOOOOOOVE it when you guys talk about things I do not understand!

RonH: The Making of the New Testament, Patzia, IVP. Intro to the NT, Raymond Brown, ABR (Excellent), Oxford Companion to the Bible, Metzger, editor. The Canon of the NT, Metzger.

Gregory: To me, Romans 1 is so inescapable in its use of homosexuality as the prima facia evidence for idolatry, depracity, etc that I am not afraid to talk about it. I have a “Walk through the Bible” type presentation on the subject I use with students. It is always clear that this is a sin no different from any other, but I have to point out that as evidence of the human condition, it is quite another matter.

OOPS! I’m sorry. I’m not blinky the cursor head UNIX developer. I enjoy a graphical interface while I work in a .NET shop building web applications that smoke. It seems that Jim the omniscient has taken upon himself to bring up the nasty little rumor (insert whisper here) that he uses the computer to do things of an immense magnitude. Far beyond the realm of the average, everyday, business user.(stop whispering and start yelling) FOR HE IS LINUS, protector of all who are graphically challenged and sidekick to APPLEMAN (Millionaire Steve Jobs, cre-a-tor of the most perfect OS ever devised, APPLE).

In todays episode, Appleman and linus will go against the evil forces of Emperor Gates – Ruler of the desktop computing world.

Appleman: Linus, we must find away to get our superior OS into the hands of the general public.
Linus: That’s right! the public needs to be able to more than running Shockwave animations of the Flinstones trying to sell me vitamins, surfing porn sites, or even researching sermon illustrations.

Appleman: I know, lets give a buttload of our computers to schools for free. Then, once they get hooked on using all for this free stuff, we’ll own the market AND put them in a position to have to use our software (or that officially licensed to our OS platform).

Linus: Brilliant!

Meanwhile, somewhere in Redmond:

Emporer Gates: Darth Baumer, it is time that we secretly proliferate our OS throughout the universe. Please let it be known that any software company that wishes to develop for our platform may do so for free.
Dart Baumer: Brilliant!

How will this saga end? who will be the victor? are the school children ever going to get their apples? Tune in next week at the same apple time, on the same apple channel, for the next exciting episode of ….APPLEMAN- da-na-na-na-na- NA NA!

Does anyone else find this a little contradictory?
The frustrated Clinton – who dorms in nearby University College – wants to get an off-campus lovenest with her boy, but Bill Clinton and his security advisers have put the kibosh on the idea, reports the London Mirror.

Nice to see that my home state has a chance to be seen
And I mean seen.

Finally, it look like there’s some strange things happenin’ with our neighbors to the north…
“Wearing a sparkling mask and shimmering Halloween wig, Reyes said she practises yoga religiously and often enjoys stretching in the nude.”
“”There are a lot of things done in Vancouver that seem natural that would seem unnatural elsewhere,” said Wilson.”

RE: Streaker @ football game: Here’s a streaker who slipped, knocked himself unconcious, and had to be carried off on a stretcher, in full view of thousands of fans.

Speaking of strange sights at sports events. What’s the deal with all the uniformed todlers in the Giants dugout and on the field of play. Surely there are rules!? (in the event of a bench-clearing brawl whose knees do the kids go for?)

Ok, hang on. I’m not blaming Microsoft, nor am I trying to start OS wars; I know better than to bring up religion at BHT. I’ll agree that it’s wrong to place the blame on Microsoft, since most Windows emails tools let users do the same thing.I’ll agree with Gregory that a lot of the problem comes from people following bad practices, but as Einstein once said, “everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Reading your mail should be simple, but if reading your mail involves accepting software onto your computer that will make secret arbitrary connections to remote computers, download pornographic images, send your private information across the wire to some third party, and potentially harrass all of your aquaintances, then maybe you shouldn’t read your mail – or maybe you need an email platform that prevents you from doing stuff like that. The one I use lets me even block image loading in HTML mail. As far as Bart’s question about what 99% of the people should use, gee, I don’t know. I use computers in ways that have nothing to do with running Shockwave animations of the Flinstones trying to sell me vitamins, surfing porn sites, or even researching sermon illustrations. In my work, I rarely use a computer that costs less than $25k; at home, each of our 4 computers was put together and installed by me from component parts. I’ll fully admit to being out-of-touch with what Joe Average does when he sits down to use a computer. I find it odd that nobody ever even questions why email programs need to do all this crap, but maybe that’s because I’m one of those condesending UNIX users .

There was a streaker at the Arkansas/OleMissus game on Saturday. Actually, he wasn’t a REAL streaker because he wasn’t totally naked. He had a plastic hog helmet on his melon and a red thong with a Col. Reb doll (the olemissus mascot) on the front. Hilarious. Here’s all the AP pics. They’re safe as long as a cheek doesn’t bother you. He ran into the Ark. huddle, congratulated the qb on a good game, darted for the sidelines and was tackled by a couple of state troopers.

Jim: While the outlook mailbox was compromised by the Cytron “virus”, the only additional damage done here was propogating the virus to other users. A user with Pegasus, et al, could still be personally infected. I find the blaming of Outlook to be misplaced responsibility. If Microsoft were not the most popular email client, it is very likely Cytron would have found a way to hijack another email programs lists.

I use Outlook and Outlook Express, and have yet to have been infected by a virus. There are a couple of reasons. First, I do not click on “here is a picture of me naked” attachments with an extension of .vbs. Second, if I click to a site that wants to install software, I check the name of the software. On new builds, I have installed Shockwave or Flash from a site, but I am very wary of apps called PornDialer … even Cytron. While the tactics are deplorable, users should be educated to be a bit more careful when clicking yes on popups.

The unfortunate thing is the software companies can only put so much protection on their products and still have them work. While you seem to think Microsoft is the king of pain here, if they lose market share, you will still see infections. It will just be a different product.

I found this on the net…it’s a weird weird world.

Michael: Did you read the defense argument for the viri like method Cytron uses? He claims there are many other publicly traded companies doing far worse. So, the next defense in our criminal courts is, “yes, I killed him, but there are serial killers out there.”

I like the 2 Timothy 4:16-18 reference. It is much like the salvation experience. A person hits rock bottom, at least in some area of his life, and God is there to lift him up. As for your charismatic friend, God reaches different people in different ways. As long as a church is scripturally bound, the nature of worship is window dressing. If we all were the same, we would all be driving around in model Ts (which would be pretty cool to see, but that’s another story).

Be careful on the abomination argument against homosexuality (Lev 18:22, 20:13), as there are plenty of abominations that you can be hit back with. Much of the food we eat is an abomination before God (Lev 11). As touching the dead carcass of these animals is an abomination, and swine is included, you could make an argument that football (pigskin) is an abomination. I am not stating that you are speaking the truth, but that it is a potentially rocky road with the over-educated, under-spiritually fed scholar.

On the master of cats. I think an apt punishment is to put him in a cell with a bobcat and let him try to have sex with it. I don’t think the cat would be amused with its master. ;->

Richard: I do not try to hit homosexuals with the bible, unless they try to warp it to fit their agenda. Whether rape or homosexuality, both deal with the concept of sex outside of marriage, which is quite easy to build an argument up against. The homosexual answer is allow them to marry, which may be why they will not compromise with a union that is legally equivalent of marriage, but does not have the same title.

JIM:
What would you suggest that 90% of today’s business workforce switch to?

MichaelS, it boggles the mind that people still use Outlook and Outlook express. I propose that those who do be forced to wear “infect me with p0rn spam” t-shirts for the next 3 years.

So would he be a tiger then, or a lepord, or a panther? I wonder if he also proclaims to be a master baker as well?

My son and I have been laughing at “Master of Cats” all weekend. Very appropriate for Halloween.

This is about as low as you can go.

“While in jail, he would sleep under his cot, paint cat-like stripes on his body and make drawings referring to himself as “master of cats.” “

PETA must be thrilled.

Looks like MatthewJ will be heading for the Great White North. Bring us back a rubbing for the BHT.

Today—- what a day. Intro to Job at 8 a.m. Revelation 4-5 at 10. I Corinthians 9 at 11. (First time I ever preached on camera. I hated it. Absolutely hated it. Very distracting.) Lunch at 12:45. Admissions interviews 1:30-4:30. 30 minutes of prep time. Nap 5- 5:45. Back to school to lead music AND preach on II Tim 4 at 7. Now back home to prepare for another sermon tomorrow morning. My morning prep time is taken up because they want me to go through several student computers in the morning. Normally that time is sacred for study, but this is necessary, so here we go with a late night. Worst thing, I can’t hang out in a bar when I live like this! Anybody want to come do my job for a couple of weeks.

Am I wrong to be slightly annoyed that famous preachers preach the same sermon 10,000 times and I have to come up with 3-5 new ones a week?

You know what’s cool? This: 2 Timothy 4:16-18 16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. When God takes away everyone, he stands by us. I challenged the students to become the kind of people that when everyone drops out, dies or leaves on their own paths, you can stand alone and say Jesus is enough. He always stands by us in those times. In fact, sometimes he takes away what we think we have to have to show us that he is enough (Job.)

Tonight’s game involves reading the following article about a man who has sex with a chicken, and finding the following three phrases: 1) “sex with a Rottweiller,” 2) “molesting the geese” and 2) “master of cats.” Have a good time.

Re: The So-Called “Expert” Witness who claims the Bible played little role in the development of US Law: Moron.

Such a claim is analogous to stating that the Wright Brothers played little role in the development of the Boeing Corporation.

Welcome to W.G. (I assume that is what he wants to go by.) I would say the new guy is buying, but he’s an associate minister and having done that, I can be fairly certain he won’t be able to afford it.

I had a most discouraging talk yesterday with a co-worker (charismatic, but very solid, well taught) who was saying they wouldn’t be returning to our church after visiting. They said I am a great teacher (right), but the liturgy was too much. In our service we have: a responsive Psalm, often as the call to worship. A general confession (where we admit we are sinners), The Lord’s Prayer and the Apostle’s Creed. That is the extent of congregation’s verbal involvment in the liturgy. Then we have prayers, and two scripture lessons, two hymns, 2-4 choruses, Gloria Patri and Doxology. This person said if the service was more charismatic contemporary it would be better, because saying the LP and the AC every week was a real negative for them.

I pointed our 1) The service is self consciously Bible centered. Loads of Bible. Minimum of preacher yacking. 2) Every church has a predictable liturgy, even people who bark and fall over. Certainly most evangelical charismatic worship services follow a predictable pattern. 3) The LP and the AC aren’t said to get points for repetition. They are two anchors. After all OUR prayers, we say the LORD’S prayer so we at least get something right. After I’ve said my bit in the sermon, we say the AC so we all respond and confess, and at least something orthodox is said. (BTW- the Sunday the person was there we actually skipped the AC, but they saw it in the order of service. 4) We have opened the Bible, found what the Bible says should happen in worship and done that, and nothing else. No invitation. No performance music. It is a self consciously intentionally Biblically regulated service, because I read Leviticus 10:1-3 ESV Leviticus 10:1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized(1 fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD has said, ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’”And Aaron held his peace. It’d like to avoid this if possible.

A sad moment that good, God loving people won’t worship in my church. But this is the price I am paying to go against the grain. I always joke with our people that if you are at our church, you can be sure you want to be. I made it clear that if their family- who are excellent CCM musicians- were in our church, that would have some affect on how we worship, because our worship is a collective reflection of the congregation that worships as well as the Bible we read. But worship is regulated by our understanding of what the Bible says worship is. It made me doubly grateful for another family, similar in almost every way, that has chosen our church BECAUSE OF the Word and its centrality. “A music centered service…...” Good grief.

“Putin has only one choice. (U.S. President George W.) Bush showed the world what to do with these bastards after September 11. It’s Putin’s turn to liquidate them in Russia.” – An ordinary Russian’s comment after the end of the Moscow Hostage drama. Obviously not related the Michael Moore.

Richard: Interesting passages and issues. I think Genesis 19 is following on the general themes of Genesis. Human beings deserve the full wrath of God’s judgement. In Genesis there are only two examples of this, and both of them are tempered with God’s covenant mercy. The flood account- tempered with mercy to Noah and family, and the destruction of the cities of the plain- with mercy to Lot and family. In both instances, God gave clear indication of how he felt: In Genesis 6:5-13 there is the best overall description anywhere in the Bible of why God should vaporize the world every morning before breakfast. In Genesis 13:13, and 18:20-21, Yahweh states that these cities are very wicked, but he is checking them out personally. A cool verse: Genesis 18:21 21 I will go down to see whether they have done altogether (i.e. really deserve ) according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” The homosexual gang rape attempted in Genesis 19 is the proof of that these cities deserve and will receive judgment. That’s how we know that the place is rotten. For the rest of the OT, particularly in the prophets, S&G become a shorthand way to point out the localized judgment in God in history on particularly deserving targets. Homosexuality isn’t directly mentioned again. In fact, in one verse other things are mentioned: Ezekiel 16:49-50 49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it. But again, what is the peak of their depravity? An ABOMINATION done before me. So Mr. Perry could cross reference Leviticus 18:22 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. That word is not used of inhospitality or greed. To know why, read Romans 1 and learn why homosxual behavior is the primary and final evidence of the idolatrous depravity of the human race in turning away from their creator. Not worse, just more evidentiary ;-)

I do not see how anyone can get past this. S&G were depraved violent cities deserving judgment, no doubt for many reasons. Homosexual gang rape is the most obvious proof. It’s a Biblical slam dunk and Perry must torture the Bible to avoid it. Homosexuality isn’t held up as worse than my sins, but in the case of S&G it is the most obviously shocking evidence of depravity. (IMO Lot shows he is just as bad, offering his daughters to the mob.)

I wonder if this guy’s hand ever gets tired.

Re: MCC approved bible. It’s interesting to note that what makes this bible particularly palatable to the MCC is not the actual text but rather the notes that come with the text (what will they do? Preach from the notes?) It’s amazing what you can make the Bible say when you print your own stuff right on the page! Of course we good evangelicals would never do this… Would we? (And why does the clerk at the Christian bookstore look at me funny when I request a plain Bible rather than the Anointed 12-Steps Mountain-Climber’s Study Bible?)

On a related topic: It has always seemed to me that Genesis 19 (the Sodom and Gomorrah story) is not a good proof-text to use in any debate about homosexuality.

That the men of Sodom were intending to have homosexual relations with Lot’s guests is clear. What is not so clear is wether the Lord judged and punished what they intended to do because of their homosexuality or because what they intended was rape. After all, is homosexual gang rape really more worthy of judgement than heterosexual gang rape? Would their actions have been any less blameworthy if they had taken ‘advantage’ of Lot’s insane offer that they rape his daughters instead? Surely not! For this reason I do not think that the story of Sodom is a particularly conclusive text regarding God’s attitude to homosexuality. It is much more useful as an indication of God’s attitude to rape, which is wicked in both it’s homo and heterosexual versions.

“Just imagine the uproar had it turned out that Muhammad and Malvo were members of the Michigan Militia!”- New York Post

An excellent piece on the duty of Mainstream Islam to denounce the radicals. This needs to be said over and over, for the benefit of Muslims and non-Muslims.

Here is a Law Professor that says U.S. Legal tradition owes little to the Bible. JACK: What do you think?

Good piece at the CT weblog on the Sniper’s weird religous clues. Muslim New Age Pagan Catholic? JACKH: Look down the page for a ton of stuff on the Ten Commandments.

Hershel Shanks (editor of BAR) on that plain stone box. Excellent.

I largely agree with this assessment of Mercer and Curry. A lot of zeal, but not much method.

A great review in NRO of my current favorite rockers, Lifehouse. Hight recommended.

Looks like we pretty much killed the place off with yesterdays mega-debate. Well, I don’t blame you. I’m sick of reading my own posts! This gives someone the oportunity to sweep up all the non-alcoholic beer bottles thrown in here yesterday. (BTW- IS THERE a decent non-alcoholic beer?)

A shame about Paul Wellstone and family. The guy was a fighting liberal, not a meally mouthed one. No embarassment about being a near-socialist. This will probably sew up a Democrat win in Minnesota. Of course, Jesse the Body could appoint himself!

A prideful Daddy submits these image for your approval…



He’s the one in the middle.



His is the small helmet in the midst of the rest of the white ones. I’m the guy all the way to the left (that’s not something you will ever hear Angus say twice!).

Things get pretty quite around here when Blogger gets hacked.

I guess the lesson we should learn from the sniper case is once a conclusion is jumped to, it is hard to stop the false assumption from growing. You have a gentleman who shot through holes in the trunk of a vehicle, but they were looking for a white van. Once the white van story was out, it was hard to change the momentum, which may be why more are dead.

Michael: When the Internet was still a pup in the late 80s (not really, as ARPANET started in 1969 … but there was no WWW), debate on boards was expected to be civil, and those who were uncivil or without a point were quickly flamed. Most gave up and went away. I find the same attitude amongst the many whether you are debating God, or why pop tarts with frosting cost the same as pop tarts without. The norm in a group is something like this:

1. Inane attacking post
   
2. Well thought out answer
   
3. “Taht’s becuse u r an @$$hole!!!”—can also substitute racist, homophobe, et al
   

Sometimes there are posts in between, but the modern media has taught us that using political correct epithets elevates our argument. If Jesse has a problem with a white guy, he is automatically a racist. If you disagree with a homosexual, you are a homophobe. Clinton exacerbated this with his lack of ability to conjugate and define “to be”. Since then, words have the meaning we apply to them, and if you disagree (state that words have well defined meanings in a book called Websters, for example), you are labeled.

The rhetoric from many is absolutely deplorable. How one can state that electing a president is equivalent to a terrorist attack on the world trade center or that a tax break for all Americans is a shifting of tax from the poor (most of whom DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT Mz. Streisand) to the rich (who actually paid an increased percent of the taxes under the Reagan plan which dropped the top rate) is astonishing. And, yet, the press eats it up. If Babs stated that going to war with Afghanistan would cause the moon to fly into earth, killing all of mankind, no one would even question the fact that she has no business speaking about astronomy, they would instead spin off onto something a skosh more plausible to demonize the president. Take Cynthia McKenney. While the masses distanced themselves from her, quietly they were backslapping her idea and waiting from a time they could respin it in other words. Fortunately, it fell flat. The question, however, should be why it ever gained credibility at all.

I guess the point is it is common for people of a certain belief system to demonize the opposite belief system. If we truly follow ours (Christianity), we have to be far more respectful (even of those not deserving it). The opposition (or at least a large percentage of the opposition) does not play by the rules of respect, even when they are shown respect. And, when they feel they are in the majority, they turn around waiting for a high five when they publish an unsubstantiated attack or a string of epithets. Walter (the poster) was actually kind, in comparison to many who post in groups these days, so I guess I should consider myself lucky.

I will remember the “why is your language meaningful” point. In this thread, I doubt it will be seen as anything other than attack. At least it is not an evolution group, where you can shut down any debate over how a sliver of bone can be proven to be a missing link in the evolutionary chain with a “Of course you won’t believe it, you are a Christian.” followed by dozens of Christians are unwilling to accept the truth posts. The general consensus being that it is a debate as long as only the choir show up to pat each other on the back.

Gregory: Perhaps your poster might explain why you should take HIS language as meaningful. Perhaps HIS language is metaphorical. Perhaps the definitions of HIS words in the dictionaries are just subjective meaningless judgments. Why do skeptical post-moderns want to debate anyone about anything, since they will finally say the subject and the discussion are meaningless exercises in mumbling?

JimN: I agree with you…and with what I wrote ;) Of course, Luther is saying that sin is always no matter what the act- in essence an outrage before a Holy God. It is intrinisic to this world and so much a part of me that I could never inventory it sufficiently as separate acts to even begin the process of repentance on my own. It saturates my acts and my motives and my religion and even my attempts at righteousness. I do beleive, however, that Luther’s choice of examples is hyperpolic in the sense of being calculated to grab my attention. Grace isn’t outweighed by a thousand murders or fornications. What I am saying is that Luther’s choice of that illustration sounds antinomian on purpose. The Reformers did a great job with justification, but sometimes the other aspects of salvation that surround the grace of God in justification were neglected. There is the grace of justification, and the grace of repentance, and the grace of sanctification and the grace of perseverance- all of which are part of what comes to me in the Grace of salvation. Luther’s comment, meant to emphasize grace in justification, seems to say that a person may be still a fornicator and a murderer and still justified. In a description of justification, that is true. In a description of how grace actually works, there is more to it than that, hence the following verse:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous(1 )will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,(2) 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Note that he puts regeneration, sanctification and justification together. Of course, here he is not trying for a magnificient illustration of grace, as in the quote cited.

MichaelS, re Luther’s No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day. , to which you commented “... but the choice of that hyperbolic statement obscures the truth of repentance and perseverance as continuing parts of that grace.” I don’t think Luther’s point is not hyperbolic at all. Rather, he’s trying to bring “Who can separate us from the love of God?” together with Matthew 5. What Luther is saying is this: even though sin is intrinsic to this world, grace is sufficient. The point is not that we should be free to commit various sins, but that we in fact do commit them a multitude of times each day, “in our hearts.” And I think you’ll also agree, won’t you, that it’s not specific acts of repentance and perseverance, but rather the attitude and commitment to such that’s important? I’m just asking to clarify.That sin is intrinsic to everything on earth, and not a matter of simple bad behavior has been a constant theme in my spiritual walk.