In keeping with the journalistic tradition of looking back at the recent past, we present the top 50 stories of the year that were read on The Aquila Report site based on the number of hits. We will present the 50 stories in groups of 10 to run on five lists on consecutive days.  Here are numbers 21-30.

In 2022 The Aquila Report (TAR) posted over 3,000 stories. At the end of each year we feature the top 50 stories that were read.
TAR posts 8 new stories each day, on a variety of subjects – all of which we trust are of interest to our readers. As a web magazine TAR is an aggregator of news and information that we believe will provide articles that will inform the church of current trends and movements within the church and culture.
In keeping with the journalistic tradition of looking back at the recent past, we present the top 50 stories of the year that were read on The Aquila Report site based on the number of hits. We will present the 50 stories in groups of 10 to run on five lists on consecutive days. Here are numbers 21-30:

The State of the PCA

It is very easy to conclude that a spiritual cancer has been in the body too long and that there does not appear to be anything that those who are committed to God’s Word can do.  We have tried and we have failed.  Certainly, God can do something to heal the cancer, if He chooses.  But the future of the denomination outside a miraculous intervention is bleak.

Christian Writers, Preachers, and Organizations That Promoted Francis Collins Should Break Their Silence

Many of these men and organizations regularly call the church to repentance. This would be a proper time to perhaps lead by example.

Dining Out on the Lord’s Day

Now for a blind spot to something no less obvious: Most elders in the Reformed tradition take exception to the Reformed view of Christian Sabbath recreation as taught in the Westminster standards. As unfortunate as that is, many among that number go even further by supporting going to restaurants and ordering out food on Sundays, which pertains not merely to the question of rest vs. recreation but to unlawful work on the Lord’s Day. Ironically, most elders would say they affirm the Confession’s Christian Sabbath position with respect to work; yet their views on transacting business with restaurants on the Lord’s Day end up contradicting their own theology and professed scruples.

The Standing Judicial Commission Just Violated the PCA Constitution and Standards—Again

The Bible I read gives a strong impression that the King and Head of the Church  looks none too kindly on this kind of brazen rebellion—especially when perpetrated by those who claim to be His shepherds.  “It belongs to His Majesty,” reads the BCO Preface, “from His throne of glory to rule and teach the Church…” 

“Presbyleaks” From a Business Analysis Perspective

From a BA perspective, if the NP asked about how to go forward, I would advise it to publish a purpose and mission statement compatible with PCA officer vows, accept all such within the PCA who desire to participate in order to grow in their understanding of PCA polity and practices, and do away with confidentiality as its functional methodology.  All of this would be workable, however, only after a public apology and due repentance for the way the group has conducted itself essentially as a denomination within the denomination over the past several years.

Exploring Overture 15 from the PCA General Assembly

This issue has caused disunity, confusion, and chaos in the PCA for far too long. If we desire that this particular sword should depart our house, then we will acknowledge that Overture 29 needs Overture 15 to be effective and pass both through our presbyteries. The two overtures go hand-in-hand. The one works through the other.

Overture from Hills and Plains Presbytery Asks the 49th PCA GA to Amend BCO 16 By Adding a New Paragraph

Hills and Plains Presbytery approved an overture at a March 5, 2022 Called Meeting, asking the 49th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America to “amend BCO 16 by adding a new paragraph using wording from the Report of the Ad Interim Committee on Human Sexuality.”

Tim Keller & Myxomatosis Christians

I don’t know a lot about Tim Keller, except by reputation. He seems to be a very fine man, and devout Christian. I couldn’t imagine saying a bad thing about him, but some of you Evangelicals who follow him more closely than I do might disagree. All I can say is that Winsome World Christians are failing to prepare themselves, their families, and (if pastors) their flocks for the world that exists today, and the world that is fast coming into being. Again, I am thinking of the pastor I argued with who believed that he didn’t need to speak about gender ideology to his parish (“I don’t want politics in my congregation”) because, as he explained, if he just keeps winsomely teaching Biblical principles, all will be well.

Response to Letter from Memorial PCA Member

In the church the right of the denomination to legislate or enforce qualifications for office has been met with the notion that individuals who feel called to ministry have a de facto right to it and that the church may not deny them that without unjustly depriving them; office is regarded as the property of the person who wants or holds it, not the property of the church that invests it with authority.

Lady Preachers in PCA Pulpits?

Being authentically presbyterian when an egalitarian culture is so decidedly against the truths of God’s word and his design for his church is hard. And though it is hard and unpleasant work, faithful churchmen must call to account those who would deviate from God’s blueprint for His church and her worship. 
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Those who believe confess that Jesus is the Son of God. This is more than just saying one believes it. This is actually believing and confessing it, which is a product of abiding in Christ through the supernatural work of the living faith given to us at salvation.

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit from itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. John 15:4-10 (LSB)
For the first 20 or so years of my Christian pilgrimage I was in a very immature spiritual state. I was utterly convinced during that time that my worth as a disciple depended upon my performance, my learning, my obedience…my righteousness. With that mind-set it was a very horrible experience at times since I was on a roller coaster ride of obedience and backsliding. What amazed me during that period was that I was looked at as one of the more mature believers at our church. I knew better. That all changed in 2004 and 2005 as God drew me into the light and drastically changed that ‘mind-set.’ It was as I learned and held to the truth that our salvation is all according to God’s will not ours that I began to have peace and freedom. He chose us according to the good pleasure of His will, not according to our abilities or any other inherent attribute we may have and that we are righteous in His eyes because He has imputed Christ’s righteousness to us. With this remaking of my mind-set came the beginning of the end of that cycle of obedience and backsliding. It was as if it had been put to death or that it had lost traction.
During that wounded period of my Christian walk I thought that I was abiding in Christ while I was obedient, but not abiding while I was backsliding. That was a misconception on my part for those who abide in Christ are those who remain in Him.  All genuine believers abide. The Greek word translated as “abide” in John 15 and 1 John 4 is μένω (menõ). It means “to remain” or “to dwell.” In John 15 the command to abide in Christ is in aorist tense, imperative mood, and active voice, however, the description of our abiding such as in v5 (I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.) is a present active participle. This means it is describing continual repeated action. However, present participles are used to signify action that is contemporaneous with the leading verb in the phrase. What is the leading verb in this passage?  There is only one verb in this passage and it is translated as “bears” in the LSB. The KJV translates this verb as “bringeth forth.” This Greek word is φέρω (pherō). It means “to bear” or “to bring” or “to sustain” or “to uphold.”
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One purpose of the present language [on Article VI, Clause 3 on no religious tests] is to avoid a national church like the Church of England. All the states are opposed to a national church but not to a public recognition that this is a Christian nation. No denomination of the Christian Faith must rule over others, but our common Trinitarian Christianity must be publicly proclaimed throughout all the world. In the name of the true God, we must seek his blessings by professing in our official documents his claim over us.

Honorable fathers and brethren of this august body, I thank you for the privilege of speaking to you here today on this hot July afternoon in Philadelphia. Let me state my point immediately at the very beginning. This union of states you are seeking to create as a nation must be recognized in this Constitution as a Christian nation.  I submit this speech in order to prevent you from choosing any other option, and in order to save this nation from self-destruction in years to come, long after each of you are gone.
I plead with this body to delete the portion of the words in Article VI, Clause 3, which says that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” The majority of the states do already require a religious test for officeholders to the Trinitarian God of the Bible. The new Constitution should replicate the standards reflected in the state constitutions.  Thus, please realize that this new article is contrary to the practice of the states.
And yes, one purpose of the present language is to avoid a national church like the Church of England. All the states are opposed to a national church but not to a public recognition that this is a Christian nation. No denomination of the Christian Faith must rule over others, but our common Trinitarian Christianity must be publicly proclaimed throughout all the world. In the name of the true God, we must seek his blessings by professing in our official documents his claim over us.
Article VI.3 will be interpreted as a clause to ensure neutrality, which we all should know is impossible. Protestant pluralism has worked well for us among the states thus far, but it must be codified in our national document.  This is a Christian nation as is evident in the individual states and as documented in their constitutions. This is further proved to be true by the multitude of churches that cover the landscape of our nation. Being Christian men, or those who have the highest regard for the Bible, the Word of God, I urge you to adopt a religious test that declares every officer in the United States government must take an oath of allegiance to the Trinitarian God of the Bible before he takes office.

If you follow any other pathway, you will guarantee the self-destruction of this nation in years to come. This nation will become a collaboration of religions of which all of them are considered equal.  Every religion has its own law system and every religion wishes to see its laws instituted in society as a whole. This can only lead to civil strife and chaos. Even those who claim no religion profess a religion.  They are not neutral.  Jesus said that we are either for him or against him. Such people may be the greatest threat of all to the Christian Faith in this country.
This concept is based upon the paradigm of the national government in Old Testament Israel. In the Old Testament, Israel worshiped the one true God and him alone.  This pleased God.  Foreigners and aliens (legally admitted) were welcome to live in Israel and to participate in its wealth, but they could not build public houses of worship to their false gods.  Likewise, only Christian churches should cover the landscape of this county.
Both foreigners and aliens in Israel had the privilege of being protected in both their persons and property by the Law of God, just as any citizen of Israel. They were to be treated with kindness and love, since Israel itself was once an alien in a foreign land.  Even atheists would be allowed to enjoy the blessings of this new nation.  However, temples to false idols were not allowed under the Old Covenant.
Likewise, America should welcome others to enjoy the blessings that God may give to this land, but, like Israel of old, these men of other religions must not participate in the legislation or administration of the law of this Christian nation. With many gods publicly worshiped in the land, it will become a polytheistic nation which will not long endure. It will eventually become nothing but religious and political tribes fighting against each other for power to rule according to its respective religious beliefs.
This restriction would apply to Islam, Judaism, and all eastern religions. Consider how the United States, if blessed by the Triune God, will become a magnet to draw others from all other religions to see us as “shining city upon a hill” and how these unbelievers will be attracted to the God who has blessed us so much.  It will be a great means of evangelism.  Even jealousy can be a motive for conversion of unbelievers to Christ.  The Apostle Paul was passionate about this in regard to the Israelites in Romans 14:11 where he says “that I may move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them.”
I fear the day when God’s law does not reign in the land. It is either God’s law or chaos.  If the Ten Commandments are not a standard for society as well as the church, then this land will turn into something equal to Sodom and Gomorrah, where sexual perversion will be sanctioned—everything from sodomite marriage, men trying to become women, and even adults seeking to change the sex of their own children.  Abortion will be legalized as the right of a mother to kill her own child.
I know this is difficult to believe, and I am no prophet, but any Christian man with the knowledge of the nature of man can only conclude that the sins I have listed will become normalized and often legalized in this nation.
I realize that ink on paper does not guarantee the blessing of the Lord. I might say that neither does the ink on the Bible itself guarantee the blessing of God.  All Christians know that without the power of the Holy Spirit there will be no blessing on any nation.  However, neither does this fact deny the necessity of recognizing publicly that we will serve the only true and living God.  Yes, unless the church remains the salt of the earth, then God will not give us his gracious promises.  Let us pray that the men of God called to preach in our churches will fulfill their duty by calling the people of this new nation to holiness, and that the civil magistrate will respect and honor the law of God revealed in the Holy Scriptures as a guide for justice in the land.

Rev. Larry E. BallLancaster County, VirginiaJuly 4, 1787
Larry E. Ball is a retired minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and is now a CPA. He lives in Kingsport, Tenn.
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