If you want to put the recent ratification of Amendment 10A by the PCUSA into perspective, pull out your copy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. Chapter 31 "The Saints" is a near-perfect study on the holiness of God and the calling of the saints to "walk worthy of their calling and of the gospel in every sphere of life," (Eph. 4:1, Phil. 127; Col. 1:10; I Thess. 2:12 by living daily in the remembrance that we are washed, sanctified and justified" (I Cor. 6:11.) He writes of Christian chastity and self-control of our "wild physical passions" which are "daily done to death" in communion with the body of Christ. There is also a long footnote about the congregational exercise of discipline as a "ministry of charity" - but a severe penalty awaits the teacher of a false doctrine that corrupts the life of the Church at its source. In other words, the teaching of a false doctrine is morally worse than the commission of the sin the doctrine promotes. Pray hard before you preach.
The wonderful Presbyterian poet Ann Weems has a poem entitled, "It's Still About Jesus," that suits our present crisis:
“No matter how we dilute the word of God, it’s about Jesus. No matter how we cover the dangerous Truth of the gospel, it’s about Jesus. No matter how we pretty up the story, it’s about Jesus. No matter how many times we go to our national assemblies and vote, it’s still about Jesus. No matter how many times we distract ourselves with meetings and church work…it’s still about Jesus, the Lamb of God…the Light of the World…the Bread of Life…the Prince of Peace…the One chosen to bring good news to the poor…the One sent to proclaim liberty to the captives and to set free the oppressed. Jesus is my shepherd…I shall not want."
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