Every May, the “Church” of Scotland holds its General Assembly, which sometimes seems to have as its main purpose to generate reprehensible statements in the name of Christ.  They’ve only just started this year, and it will likely get worse, but a former moderator is already behaving immoderately, telling people who take Scripture seriously to “get out.”

Those who hold to Scripture are always called intolerant.  We’re the ones who just are “not nice,” people will tell you.  The hypocrisy of this is sometimes astounding, and the nastiness of those who don’t hold to Scripture was on blatant display yesterday.  The “Very Reverend” David Lacy, former moderator of the Kirk, called people “grumbling grunters” and said they practice “antiquated gangsterism.”  They are “oddballs” who need to “put their toe to the Church of Scotland’s line,” or “get out.”

What is the crime?  They believe these Scriptures:

I Timothy 2:12

But I suffer (permit) not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

I Timothy 3:2

A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife….

I Timothy 3:4

One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

Titus 1:5-6

5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

That’s correct.  There are still people in the nation’s “church” who actually believe that the Bible says pastors / elders are to be men, men of integrity, the husband of one wife, who rule their children well.  These people actually believe that the Bible should be obeyed when it says these things.  They have the audacity to believe what Christians have believed and obeyed for 2000 years.

What happened?  The outgoing moderator of the Kirk was a woman, and when she visited Skye she was told she wouldn’t be welcome to preach in some parishes.

Well, Mr Lacy wants us to know this is “blatant disobedience” and “a slap in the face to the court.”  He said, “Those ministers and elders who break the law of the Church should be taken to task by the local presbytery and if they don’t obey their presbytery it should come to the Assembly.”  Mrs Hood, the outgoing moderator (she’s also “Very Reverend” according to the Kirk), said there are still 20 to 30 (out of 1400) parishes that have no woman elders — and “that’s too many.”  The “glass ceiling” of church leadership has been broken right at the top, but that isn’t good enough for these people — there are still tiny pockets of obedience to Scripture in the Kirk.

So women elders and ministers will be imposed on these stubborn parishes that still read their Bibles, apparently.  But one has to ask, who is “grumbling and grunting” here?  Mr Lacy and Mrs Hood sound like the ones grumbling and complaining, don’t they?

And if we are going to talk about “blatant disobedience,” what about disobedience to the Lord and His revealed Word?  Instead of “putting their toe to the Church of Scotland’s line,” shouldn’t a spiritual leader want people to “put their toe to the Lord’s line?”  Maybe instead of worrying about a “slap in the face” to a court controlled by religious political power-grabbers, one should think about the “slap in the face” to centuries of believers.  They sacrificed and died to hold to the Word of God and deliver it to those who came after,  and now those who allegedly follow in their footsteps toss it on the scrap heap.  What about the “antiquated gangsterism” of threatening to use the General Assembly to force people to abandon the Bible?

Mr Lacy is actually partly right about one thing, though.  “I think they have to decide are they in the Church of Scotland or are they not in. If they are in the Church of Scotland, they should put their toe to the Church of Scotland’s line, and if they don’t they should get out. It’s as simple and honest as that.”

The “Church” of Scotland has decided to draw line after line that is contrary to Scripture.  If you are going to “put your toe to the Church of Scotland’s line,” it won’t be in line with Scripture.  If you care about Scripture, you have to get out.  It is way past time to get out.

Thousands have already left in the last year — the latest news is that 250 people have left Stornoway High Church to move to the Free Church.  The last full-time minister in the Uist and Harris presbytery is resigning both his ministry and his church membership.

Today it is women ministers and elders.  In five to ten years, we will be hearing that there aren’t enough parishes that have homosexual ministers/elders.  Before long, those who don’t want to accept them will be told to get out.

In other news, from the very same article in which Mr Lacy’s “get out” diatribe was reported, the Queen’s message to the Kirk praised it for “holding the people of Scotland together.”  The reporter didn’t even seem to notice the irony.

II Corinthians 6:14-18

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Ephesians 5:11

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.