Let’s Talk About Eve

I spend a lot of time online. I do all of my Bible study and sermon prep online. I blog and update the church website. I also spend time watching YouTube videos and scrolling through Facebook and Twitter. I’ve seen a lot of memes lately, like the one shown here, about giving Eve the stink eye when meeting her in heaven. Sometimes people want to have a long theological discussion or engage in debate in a comment thread. Someone else’s comment thread is not the place for that kind of thing. This is the place for that kind of thing. Without being critical of anyone for having a sense or humor let’s be serious for a moment.

Eve was tempted in the Garden of Eden to take the forbidden fruit. The Temptor questioned God’s motive for telling Adam and Eve to not eat the from the tree of knowledge. He suggested God was jealous and wanted to hold them back, making Eve perhaps the first person ever to have a fear of missing out. She saw that the fruit was good for food and ate. I’ve heard people ask where Adam was and what he was doing while this was going on. I’ve heard preachers say that God spoke to Adam about the tree but Eve heard the warning second hand, from Adam and not from God, so that’s why Satan tempted her. According to Genesis 3:6 she gave some to her husband who was with her. He was not asleep or somewhere else not to be found. They were together and he simply did not say or do anything.

Now take a look at Romans 5 in the New Testament. Adam is compared and contrasted to Jesus as both are first men of different types. Because of Adam’s transgression sin and death entered into the world. One man’s trespass led to death. But another man’s righteousness led to grace, forgiveness and eternal life. Eve is not mentioned in the entire chapter.

When I was looking for an image to use I found several memes that mention Adam and Eve together. They were both to blame. Any person that stands before God to give an account will be guilty of his or her sins, no one else’s and there is no one else to blame. Adam tried to pass plenty of blame around and if you pay attention he does not blame his wife so much as God himself. “This woman who you gave to me…” We are each guilty of our sins. All of us find grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. None of the offense is his but all of the righteousness.

Happy Monday

This is Happy Monday #426.

Satur-deja Vu

Cinco de Mayo – Pictured above are cakes at our local Walmart that look like tacos. Last year we had been locked down for several weeks and restaurants in Georgia were just beginning to open back up at diminished capacity with lots of restrictions. We drove past a couple of Mexican restaurants with people lined up in the parking lot and ended up at Chili’s, where I did at least order tacos. Fast food places remain drive through only but that may have more to do with the lack of workers than Covid 19 protocols. Mexican, barbecue and even Chinese buffets are open with few if any distancing restrictions in their dining rooms. I made turkey tacos at home this year, not because we can’t go out but because we go out too much.

iMonk Radio Podcast #133

Michael Spencer was once interviewed by Frank Pastore for his radio show. Pastore was a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds who later passed away in 2012 following a motorcycle accident at the age of 55.

Some SBC Voices readers disapprove of Alan Creech Rosaries advertising on the Internet Monk sidebar.

Discussion of a Rick Warren article and what Michael likes/does not like about Warren’s ministry, particularly in regards to evangelism. 

Happy Monday

Good Morning. This is Happy Monday #425.

Satur-deja Vu

There’s no one else up at my house to talk to me but sometimes there are whining and/or barking dogs that want things. “Give me food. Give me water. I need to go pee. I peed in the hallway” are all things they might say if they could talk. The old dogs are great. Like me they grumble quietly and know things. That new puppy though. Our daughter spent the night at a friend’s house but guess what she did not take with her.

iMonk Radio Post #132

Michael responds to those surprised to learn he identifies as evangelical after being critical of evangelicals.

Note: You can easily find The Coming Evangelical Collapse, as well as hundreds of other original Internet Monk posts, on the archive website iMonk.blog

Happy Monday

Some days you just need to see a sloth.

This is Happy Monday #424.

Satur-deja Vu

You’ve probably heard the story about how kangaroos were named by early English explorers. First published in 1888, the story goes that Captain James Cook ran aground in 1770 and saw an animal he could not identify. There were over 250 aboriginal languages in Australia and when he asked his interpreter/guide what it was he said something that sounded like kangaroo and meant either I don’t know or I don’t understand. “Ah yes,” the captain acknowledged. “The kangaroo.” It has been known since 1898, although not widely acknowledged, that “gangarru” in the language of the Guugu Yimidhirr people is the origin for the English word kangaroo. Alas, the truth is more boring than fiction. If you don’t believe me, let Ken Jennings explain it.

The English were incredible colonizers and empire builders but terribly unoriginal at naming things. The colony New Netherlands became New York when they took over and New Amsterdam became New York City. You know, up in New England.

iMonk Radio Podcast #131

When I posted episode #130 I mentioned that the national attention The Coming Evangelical Collapse received was a catalyst in Michael’s decision to publish a book. In this podcast episode he will talk about choosing a publishing agent. He also responds to the Top 10 Questions about that three part series of evangelical collapse posts once they were suddenly noticed by more people.