The Problem with the ESV

Actually there is a problem with Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM). And I found an article called Unpacking the Web of the Sovereign Grace Ministries Scandal. It looks like a pretty good, if rather involve, article.

But skimming, I found these comparisons between the ESV (English Standard Version) and the NIV (New International Version). Well, just let me quote the author of the article.

"Keller, Carson, Dever and Mohler (as well as other leaders I’ve listed above) are readily published through Crossway books. These men have been influential in popularizing the ESV Bible (English Standard Version) to usurp the popular NIV to become THE evangelical translation of choice.

But, it’s just a translation! you might say.

The best way I know to show the problem of ESV is to compare two passages that reveals a masculine bias NOT in the Hebrew, but present in the ESV (bold mine).

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them. (NIV)

So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.(ESV)

Do you see the key difference? Consider how the subtle word “man” without “kind” sounds in the ears of modern men and women today.

The Gospel Coalition is also the loudest “evangelical” voice advocating for men’s spiritual priority over women, softly called “complementarianism” (Christians for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is housed by STBS, Mohler’s school). See both the ESV bias and Crossway publications pointing in the complementarian direction.

Here’s how the ESV makes females universally silent in the church (bold mine, 1 Cor 14:33-34):

33) For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
34) Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. (NIV)

33) For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
34) As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. (ESV)

Notice how the NIV (and KJV) make orderliness the universal call.  The ESV sneaks that phrase over to verse 34 (I underlined it) to make women’s silence, not peace, the universal. Then, note the reemphasizing by capitalizing the word “Law.” (There is no such Law in Torah and scholars believe it was a cultural law in view… hence the lowercase.)

Having studied complementarianism extensively, the push for ESV appears to be a sly manipulation of Scripture to fit a powerful organization’s agenda. The Hebrew and Greek allow room for the way the NIV interprets these passages.

It saddens me that men will manipulate scripture like this in order to promote their agenda, one that includes oppressing women.

Jeremiah 8:8 says, "How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes Has made it into a lie."

 It was true back in Jeremiah's day. Now we see that it is also true today.

Patriarchy: a false Gospel

Yes, Patriarchy being promoted as "God's Design" or "God's Intention" is a perverted form of the Gospel and far removed from the actual words of Jesus recorded in the books of the Gospels.

I've said this for a long time. I get tired of saying.

But I don't get tired of seeing others say it. So here is a link to TWW's

Patriarchy and Abuse: Twisted Scriptures

Jock Strap Religion, Part 2

I have a lot to say but not much time to say it.

I love the title of my friend, Hannah's, blog post concerning the SGM debacle and T4G and TGC's response to it. The title is "Together for Mahaney at the Southern Baptist Convention". And she goes into analysis of how these good ol' boys have each other's backs (and privates!).

I've just recently linked to two other blogs that also demonstrate what I call Jock Strap Religion (JSR). The one linked on Friday illustrates how the Pearls hold women responsible for everything, including the sins of men. The other one linked on Tuesday shows how oldest daughters are the ones exposed to abuse and mistreatment in order to protect the abusive system of patriarchy (the ultimate JSR).

Needless to say, seeing all this protection of 'holy' and 'superior' manhood and their sins at the expense of women and children, making women and children vulnerable and the ones taking the blows and bearing the abuse (rather than the men who should bear the consequences of their own sins) has just increased my distaste of man-made JSR. This is the kingdom that Mahaney, T4G, TGC, the Pearls, CBMW, and many others are building. A Jock Strap Kingdom where men, manhood, and manlike sins are protected and covered and where women and children are thrown under the bus to protect this kingdom and the 'privates' of men.

Jesus did the opposite of this. He held men accountable for their own sins and released women from bearing that burden:

Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

He also called all into account for hurting His little, defenseless lambs.

Matthew 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Jesus didn't come to earth to promote a JSR or build a Jock Strap Kingdom. This is the work of men who want to cover their own hinneys and fronties while walking all over the vulnerable. Jesus is the champion of the vulnerable. He does not wink at the sins of men. Just because Jesus walked the earth as a man doesn't mean He 'understands' the sins of men, makes allowances for those sins, and/or looks the other way.

John 8:3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]

For those who don't know. The above passage was not about Jesus 'going soft' on sin. It was Jesus confronting the unjust culture that stoned women for adultery while letting the men go free. Cause really, if she was caught in the very act... where was the guy? Oh, that's right, the other men covered and hid that man and his sin from Jesus. They were practicing JSR where they protect men and condemn women. JSR is a Pharisee concoction. It has no part in the Kingdom of God that Jesus was setting up.

This is the reason why I loved the title to Hannah's post. It gets to the heart of the matter. Together for the Gospel and The Gospel Coalition, and whoever else that is coming to Mahaney's defense... They are NOT together for the Gospel. At least NOT the one that Jesus preached. They are together to protect men and their sins. They are together to protect Mahaney, the pastors, and all the pedophiles hiding in SGM. They are together against the women and children who have been trampled on by these men, including Mahaney. They are together for their beloved and worshiped Jock Strap Religion.

In case you missed part 1 of the Jock Strap Religion, unofficial series.

SGM Update

I haven't got time to follow closely.

But I appreciate those who are.

Here is a link to the latest on SGM posted on TWW:

Boz Tchividjian and Janet Mefferd Take on T4G and TGC

And here is some good analysis from Hannah

Together for Mahaney

Wordgazer's Words on the SGM Issue

Wordgazer is one of my favorite, most respected bloggers.

I've been aware of Kristen for many years and respected her insight before she started blogging.
Then she started blogging.

SGM and Abuse

(dare i repeat myself. You Go Girl!)

Link to T4G's Cowardly Statement

It needs to be on record and the info must be passed on.

Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, and Al Mohler put this statement up on facebook in support of CJ Mahaney. Then the negative comments came rolling in. First they tried to delete comments. Then when they were overwhelmed with the flood they deleted the statement.

Fortunately a certain Bill Kinnon took a screen shot of it before it disappeared.

So, for those who haven't seen it yet, here is a link to the screen shot.

T4G Statement in defense of Mahaney

Be of good cheer. The outcry against T4G and TGC and their misguided support of CJ Mahaney is getting louder and louder.

(Edited to add that T4G has put their statement up on their own site but have disallowed comments... cowards... They won't be able to hide behind the lies they believe forever. The flood of truth will overtake them eventually.)

ThatMom Question's SGM/TGC Prophet, Priest, King Thing

This must be link Friday.

I should have put them all in one post. But I found them slowly, throughout the day so you are getting it in separate posts.

Thatmom is another Complementarian that is going to be added to my blog list right after I publish this post.
I've been aware of her for a long time. She has stood up against the patriocentric heresy from the early days. In fact, she's the one who coined the term 'patriocentric'.

She has a good one today:

How's That Prophet, Priest, King Thing Working Out for Ya?

You go, girl! Let them have it. They deserve it.

When Women Lead and Men Hide

It is not my favorite thing to talk about. I really don't have it out for men. Anyone who has been with me for very long knows that I appreciate strong men and weak men make me nervous. But there is a difference of opinion on what makes a strong man between me and the Neo Reform leaders.
The leaders of the Neo Reform movement call strong weak and weak strong. When faced with very severe sin in the camp, they run and hide, circle the wagons, and say, "Move along. There is nothing to see here." This is not strength. It is weakness and displays flawed character.

I guess I'm still grateful for the women of the Neo Reformed movement who are not hiding but rather rising up, being strong, and leading the way where their men have failed.

Sallie over at "A woman's Freedom in Christ" is also grateful for women like Wendy who are leading the way where their men are failing... badly...

Sallie's Post: When women Lead the Way

Thanks Sallie! (I've added you to my blog list. I should have done it long ago. Better late than never, though, right?)

Response to Josh Harris...

From a former SGM member who can see through the spin.

Evie, who comments over at The Wartburg Watch gave an eloquent and knowlegable response to Josh (I Kissed Dating Goodbye) Harris.

Evie's Response

Thanks Evie for putting it out there.

How Many Strikes Does Piper Get?

I left this comment over at TWW. I'll link it at the bottom if you want to join the discussion over there and find out why I spelled bitter the way I did. But here it is if you are in a hurry.

You have heard of “3 strikes, you’re out”?

I think Piper is working on strike number, wait, I’ve lost count.

1. He loves Mark Driscoll’s theology. (this is a pretty big strike. in fact, “1 strike your out” kind of applies when it’s this big.

2. He doesn’t allow women to read scripture out loud in the assembly.

3. His contributions as editor and writer of that horrible piece of tripe “RECOVERING BIBLICAL MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD.”

4. The stupid things he says concerning God’s sovereignty during times of disaster.

5. His abuse and over-use of flowery adjectives to make the b!tter pill of his b!tter gospel more swallowable to poor, unsuspecting souls. (hope it’s okay to use the word b!tter here.)

6. And now, to prove that he isn’t getting soft in his retirement years, he’s going to speak at SGM in support of CJ.

Gee, how many strikes are the referees gonna let him have before he’s out. He should have been out long ago. How can he even still be relevant in the minds of so many.

Day 100 and GRACE Helps the Sheep