I was joined by Todd Bullis, an activist against abortion with Abolish Human Abortion (AHA). In particular, Todd protests churches for their apathy concerning abortion. This has raised not a few concerned voices about the nature of intra-church fighting and caused some to ask just how much should/can we do about this evil? Todd is also the adoptive father of six foster children and speaks first about that vocation. It forces one to ask: how much ought Christians to be doing to truly be salt and light in the world today? Is it enough that we call ourselves Christian? I'll say as a disclaimer that I have ecclesiological and theological disagreements with Todd, but I did want to give him free range to express himself. No doubt, some might have pushed harder against Church Repent. And I do not lay the guilt of abortion - at least not all of the guilt - at the feet of the Church, just as I do not lay the guilt of other sins at the feet of the Church. The Body of Christ needs the gift of patience as the message of repentance is proclaimed...and often ignored. However, the Church does need to be encouraged to do more, and on that point, Todd and I agree.
Why the name “Sin Boldly”? Martin Luther wrote to his friend Philip Melanchthon in 1521: “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong [sin boldly], but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world.” To sin boldly, therefore, is not to seek unholy living, but to follow the course we believe the Bible demands even if the world is against us. And if and when we sin, trust in an even greater savior.
First Lutheran also publishes a daily podcast called The Scarlet Thread (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-scarlet-thread/id1110938468?mt=2). This podcast is a reading of the appointed texts for the Two-Year Daily Lectionary. After two years, listeners will have heard most of the Old Testament once and most of the New Testament twice. If you are liturgically-minded and want a little more Bible in your life, this is a great podcast for you.
