Reports that a God hunt is under way by Police Scotland after a lampstand went missing this week are being briefed against by senior members of the Church during the General Assembly. “It is simply not true that our lampstand was taken.” A Spokesreverend whispered to our reporter in hushed tones while heresy was being preached from the floor of the Assembly. “As you can see, we still have a lampstand here, standing at the heart of the General Assembly.” Our reporter noted the lampstand on display looked suspiciously similar to a Simrishamn, though few at the Assembly appeared to notice when our reporter questioned them.
The latest heresy being preached by the Church of Scotland is quite typical of heresy taught since the very first days of the Church: “Transgender people are made in the image of God, worthy of our respect and love and part of the Church of Scotland. #GA2024“
People are made in the image of God. What is the heresy here? It is subtle, like all whispers of the devil. Yet God made people male and female, not males trapped inside a female body or vice versa. And what does “Transgender” mean anyway? The term is used without definition. Does it include a male who is erotically aroused at the thought of dressing up as a female? Does it include someone who believes they must receive surgery to transform their body? Does it include someone who failed as a male athlete and sees a chance to win against females in unsporting competition? By leaving a term undefined and open to interpretation, it can mean whatever a person wants it to mean, no matter whether it is beneficial to themselves or others or not.
No one is worthy of respect unless they have earned it, with very few exceptions. Mothers and fathers, the elderly, and of course – the Son of God, who did more than anyone before or since to earn our respect.
Love doesn’t love because someone is worthy – that’s the whole point of God’s grace! We love because he first loved us.
Should those who identify as trans be welcomed into the Church of Scotland? Absolutely. And every part of Christ’s church. Just as every sinner is welcomed and urged to believe in Jesus Christ, to become transformed, not in their body, but in their heart and mind.
The Church of Scotland, as probably every part of the Church that has been around long enough, has a history of entertaining and flirting with heresy. Kenneth D. Macleod writes of C. H. Spurgeon’s concerns with the Kirk back in 1890: “The case is one for great sorrow and deep humiliation, and it is fairly stated in the sentences: ‘From the decision it might almost appear that professors and ministers may be as heretical as they please, provided only that they cover their heresy with a gilding of orthodoxy”
Leslie Maxwell and Alistair McIntyre write of an incident in Helensburgh in 1830: “Campbell was accused of preaching erroneous doctrines, in relation to universal atonement, pardon and assurance of faith. This did not sit well with the Calvinist view which then prevailed, that only the elect would be saved.”
And David Robertson, who goes by the alias TheWeeFlea, wrote as recently as 2014: “I sit stunned. I can’t believe it. Really. The Church of Scotland has just voted 2:1 directly to refuse the teaching of the Bible and to deliberately and self-consciously go against it. How is that possible? How do intelligent men and women believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding them to go against His own Word?”
Perhaps if the Ikea lampstand was plugged in, it might shine a light on the General Assembly proceedings allowing intelligent men and women to see what was going on, though the reporter suspects that without the piercing light given off by the now replaced lampstand, the deeds of darkness will remain unexposed.
Police Scotland advise that anyone encountering the Son of God should not approach him except on bended knee, in repentance of their sin, conscious of the Holiness of God, and fearful of the second death.