The Evil Stratagems of Problem Passages.

“Illegitimate systematics is done by the kind of people who put together jigsaw puzzles with a pair of scissors and mallet handy. The solution is not to abandon systematics, which is not possible anyway. Everybody in this discussion has a system because everybody wants to understand what the Bible as a whole teaches. Our task is nevertheless to guard ourselves against Procrustean interpretations, and we do this best by acknowledging frankly that every school of thought will have such temptations. This happens when we get certain passages ‘down’ and then feel impelled to protect that understanding against the evil stratagems of problem passages” (Wilson, Against the Church, p. 54).

Shhh . . . the church is here now.

Now the point here is not to be superstitious about word usage, and if someone offers to meet you “at the church,” your response ought not to be to rebuke them as a vile transgressor. But we do have to remember that the altar sanctifies the gold and not the other way around. When the saints start to come in for the service, the building should say, “Shhh . . . the church is here now.” The saints should not say, “Shhh . . . you’re in church now.” The building is not God’s mausoleum (from Working on a Building II).