Security Analysis of the Kingdom of Heaven - Classified Celestial Secret

The following is a Bible Tract, utilizing the invented classification "Celestial Secret" meant to emphasize the danger reflected far above and beyond "Top Secret"; no nation uses this classification, and this report does not reveal any classified material or matériel regarding any earthly power. This report is a true brief of the capabilities of the chief adversary against the rulers, authorities, and powers over this present darkness, and all who value the security of their everlasting soul and are truly seeking the best for their respective nation(s) ought to heed it.

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24 October, 6026 CE

MEMORADUM FOR  THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS (KOD)

From: (U) Office of the Chief Intelligence Analyst, KOD

Subject: (U) Security Scrutiny of the Kingdom of Heaven (KOH)

1. (U) Introduction

(U) This memorandum examines the security capabilities of the KOH which has been at war with the KOD since the initial hostilities and skirmish in the Garden of Eden on or about 0000 CE. Capabilities will be presented, options explored, and recommendations made for future engagements.

(CS//REL KOD-I) This memorandum is classified CELESTIAL SECRET//RELATIVE TO THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS-INTERNATIONAL based on the analysis that disclosure would represent ETERNALLY GRAVE DANGER to the KOD.

(U) The reigning king of the KOH is Jesus of Nazareth; the KOH does not recognize elections and there is no indication that the king has any intention of abdicating his throne. One intercepted report, dated 14 September AD 1741 (5745 CE), claims, “And he shall reign forever and ever.”

(U) The capital city of the KOH is alternately called New Jerusalem, the Celestial City (Perhaps a play on the name of the KOD capital, the City of Destruction), Paradise, and the Promised Land, etc.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The precise location of the capital city of the KOH is unknown and citizens of the KOH often insinuate that their territory is encroaching on internationally established KOD borders, and KOH members regularly claim citizens of the KOH live in locales where the KOD has forbidden such citizenship.

(U) This memorandum will assess the means of intelligence gathering, counter-intelligence efforts, infiltration into KOD business, air forces and tactics, earth-based weapons, weapons of mass destruction, non-tangible weapons, ineffective combat techniques, effective combat techniques, and will provide recommendations as to future actions.

2. (U) Source Documents

(U) The primary document for intelligence gathering from the KOH is a docket of 66 historical documents commonly referred to as the Biblia Sacra, Holy Bible, Book of Life, Word of Christ, Word of God, Scriptures, etc. and will be referred to in this memorandum to as “the Bible”.

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(U) The Bible is publicly released by the KOH and considered Open-Source with actionable intelligence contained there-in. Citizens of the KOH are expected to have intimate knowledge of their source documents. Citizens of the KOH are authorized to paraphrase and create new derivative documents, songs, and briefs provided they are in alignment with the original classification authority, code named “Pneuma”, “Paraclete”, “Holy Spirit”, etc. The king alone is the authorization authority for renunciations, recantations, revisions, updates, or additions to the source documents; under no circumstances may this authority be delegated.

(CS//REL KOD-I) Efforts to criminalize the public release of the Bible have yielded various effectiveness; the Bible is often used as a weapon to undermine the KOD, recruit converts to the KOH, and encourage renunciation of citizenship to the KOD. The Bible does not encourage adherents to renounce citizenship of the various physical provinces or peoples of the KOD, but to act as embedded citizens of the KOH in the locales in which they reside, regardless of the reigning government.

3. (U) Intelligence Gathering

(U) The KOH claims to have unprecedented intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, not just knowing facts but discerning the thoughts, intents, and plans of the kings, princes, rulers, governors, generals, field officers, senior non-commissioned officers, and ensigns of the KOD. The KOH claims their king and chief assistant to the king have omniscience over the universe.

(U) The KOH reports ISR collection is accomplished via 4 means: (1) Geospatially, (2) tomographically, (3) embedded sensors, and by (4) Human Intelligence (HUMINT). (See source documents: (1) Genesis 6:5, Psalm 102:19, (2) Ezekiel 8:7-12, (3) Jeremiah 17:9-10, (4) John 2:25)

(CS//REL KOD-I) KOD operatives ought to be aware that their very thoughts could be used against them and they ought to exercise extreme Operations Security (OPSEC) to keep KOD plans outside of KOH hands.

4. (U) Counter-Intelligence

(U) KOD prince, Ben-Hadad, was notoriously ambushed by KOH ground forces led by KOH spies Elisha and Gehazi who were able to know the strength, location, and plans of the Syrian offensive.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH claims to know the location, alliances, strength, and outcome of future battles. The legitimacy of this claim is yet to be seen, the king of the KOD does not believe this claim and decries it as propaganda.

(CS//REL KOD-I) We strongly suspect the KOH is utilizing Psychological Warfare (PSYOPS) to demoralize the KOD into surrender and/or defection through the release of source documents and derivative documents; we have no reason to suspect that the KOH has misrepresented its capabilities, though the king of the KOD claims that the king of the KOH has no claim to any authority nor ability to defend neither the KOH nor its citizens.

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5. (U) Infiltration

(U) The KOH operative, Paul of Tarsus, claims that members of the provincial ruling house in 1st century Judea were acting with the KOH. Their names were Manaen and Herodian; further, it is common knowledge that Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus of the Sanhedrin, KOD prince Manasseh, KOD prince Nebuchadnezzar of the KOD-Babylon province, and General Na’aman of the KOD-Assyrian Army, among others, were known traitors and infiltrators.

(CS//REL KOD-I) We have reason to believe that KOH operatives are circulating through most regions and most provinces of the KOD. KOD citizens should be vigilant that the king of the KOH claims to be capable of turning any individual – regardless of allegiance, longevity, or rank – to his kingdom.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The tragic deaths of renowned KOD prince and princess, Ahab ben Omri and Jezebel baht Ethbaal, prove that even faithful KOD operatives can be used to infiltrate and sabotage otherwise unassailable KOD plans. It is still under investigation how these dedicated KOD agents were utilized to such detrimental effects.

6. (U) Air Forces

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH has kept their air forces largely concealed and unutilized thus far. Evidence exists of city destroying winged weapons identified by the KOH as “angels”. Though sparsely utilized, the power and fury of these weapons will prove formidable obstacles as the KOD seeks world domination.

(CS//REL KOD-I) Counterair efforts are strongly expected to be ineffective against the KOH air forces, however at least one of these angels was effectively seized in our province of Persia for a period of 21 days and would remain there still if a ranking member of the KOH air forces had not executed a rescue operation.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH air forces are overseen by chief of staff, Archangel Michael, however it seems the king himself is the primary pilot-in-command of these forces and leads his airborne forces from the front in what may be best described as a Trail-, or possibly a V-, formation. It is strongly predicted that should the KOD be able to strike the king, the kingdom and resistance efforts would fall apart; however, the king seems to be highly resilient against KOD efforts.

7. (U) Earth Based Weapons

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH has developed and utilized weapons of mass destruction with devastating global and local results. The KOH capabilities far exceed anything the KOD has been able to produce.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOD was nearly annihilated when the KOH unleashed a world-wide flood. For morale purposes the KOD must deny the event of this world-wide flood and suppress all reminders, despite the overwhelming world-wide evidence of the KOD’s near extinction.

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(CS//REL KOD-I) The Ararat Convention (~1656 CE), which the king of the KOH has ratified, restricts the KOH from utilizing water again to destroy the earth.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH has made future threats of utilizing fire and melting agents to decimate not only the earth, but the solar system, galaxy, and universe as well. The KOD is called upon to ardently oppose the KOH in this and all aspects, as this earth and universe were once in the control of the KOD and must be regained.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH has utilized earth-based weapons with devastating accuracy to swallow entire divisions of KOD soldiers. The KOH occasionally utilizes trained attack serpents with appalling results. We suspect other animals may be thus trained and utilized in the future.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH has utilized localized earth-based weapons (such-as-but-not-limited to: earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, and extreme temperatures) non-discriminately affecting both KOD and KOH citizens. After-action-reports have determined that KOH citizens were found to report, “Here we have no lasting city, we seek the city which is to come.” and, “Store up your treasure in Heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.” These KOH citizens have proved especially dangerous in recruiting their KOD neighbors to “build their house on the solid rock”, which we believe is a title of the king of the KOH.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH claims to have a weapon of mass destruction potentially called the “Sword of the Spirit” or “Double Edged Sword” which may be lighting, meteorites, or fire from heaven. The KOD lists 102 men missing in action (MIA) who we suspect this weapon may have been utilized to their demise. A further 51 soldiers have gone Absent Without Leave (AWOL) because of rumors of this weapon. The king of the KOH claims that this weapon is effective against the king of the KOD; how effective remains to be seen, and the king of the KOD vehemently opposes this claim.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH claims that all men are created from the earth, and the king of the KOH has utilized his earth-based weapons to slay men where they stand, affecting their hearts, minds, bowels, and other organs to their demise; in some sense a self-destruct option is ingrained in all men. Proper exercise and healthy diet seem to mitigate this threat, but the king of the KOH has utilized this tactic multiple times to cripple the KOD forces, including the assassinations of prince Herod the Great and Nabal the Calebite.

(U) Individual citizens of the KOH are equipped with armor that appears rudimentary on the outset, but with proper training has proved effective against KOD forces. Individual soldiers are equipped with one offensive weapon: the Sword of the Spirit, but use it almost exclusively without drawing blood or killing KOD soldiers.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The "Sword of the Spirit" is a dangerous weapon when utilized; training may enhance this weapon, but it is to be noted that unlearned and untrained citizens of the KOH have employed it with devastating effects, including, but not limited to, the slave of General Na'aman's wife, an unnamed soldier who regained his sight through meeting the king of the KOH and instantly defected to the enemy's camp, and the double agents, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who rejected their impeccable indoctrination and privilege to fall back into KOH brainwashing.

7. (U) Intangible Weapons

(CS//REL KOD-I) The Bible speaks incessantly about a weapon called “love”. Despite our best attempts at replication, this weapon is beyond our scope to even understand, let alone utilize for our purposes. The nearest weapons available to the KOD are lust, manipulation, pleasure, and exploit, but they seem woefully lacking the power and capabilities of love.

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(CS//REL KOD-I) Forgiveness has disarmed an innumerable number of KOD efforts. Bitterness and resentment have thwarted this weapon in some cases, but it remains formidable in the KOH’s arsenal.

(CS//REL KOD-I) Atonement is an insurmountable weapon utilized by the KOH. The king of the KOH bankrupted his entire wealth to attain this weapon, but it seems that he now has a boundless/inexhaustible supply. The most effective countermeasure against atonement is self-righteousness. Consider the KOD stronghold of Sardis for the power of self-righteousness.

8. (U) Ineffective Tactics

(CS//REL KOD-I) KOD tacticians throughout history have sought to intimidate KOH soldiers through fire. The traitor-prince Nebuchadnezzar famously threw 3 KOH infidels into the oven but reported that they survived his efforts, and were joined by the king of the KOH himself. The words of Nebuchadnezzar, however, cannot be counted as KOD canon since he has apostatized. Fire has proved again and again to bolster the enemy’s spirit and resolve and utilizing it to oppose the KOH should be abandoned.

(CS//REL KOD-I) Death was once a formidable weapon in the KOD’s armory and could be counted on to strike terror into those who oppose our king. However, in the spring of the year AD 33 (4037 CE) the enemy has developed a countermeasure for death called, “Resurrection.” Evidence suggests the KOH perhaps had this countermeasure from the beginning, but that their king has since perfected it and disseminated it widely. KOH soldiers have been reported as laughing and singing in the face of death.

(CS//REL KOD-I) The KOH has long been suspect for their lack of lust towards material things and have continually developed a tolerance for suffering. Physical torture, emotional abuse, and monetary damages—powerful weapons for keeping our KOD soldiers in line—have become less and less effective against the KOH. Reports also indicate many defections from the KOD were in direct exposure to KOH citizens persevering and turning our own weapons into what their tacticians call “long-suffering” and “prayerfulness”.

9. (U) Effective Tactics

(CS/REL KOD-I) The ancient and effective hero of the KOD, Balaam son of Beor, discovered that the citizens of the KOH are easily swayed and influenced by accepting sexually attractive females into their ranks. These females of the KOD need not be well trained, so long as they are willing to seduce the KOH with promises of inexpensive pleasure gained in secret.

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(CS/REL KOD-I) A prominent general officer of the KOH was temporarily held by the KOD and nearly eliminated with the tactic of presenting an attractive female clandestine KOD agent to decipher the source of his strength. Many KOH citizens have been effectively eliminated through the use of sexual infiltration (both targeted and general). The abundant use of sexuality remains one of the most effective warfare techniques of the KOD against the KOH; beware however lessening the dosage of this temptation, as in the case of Samson and our operative, Delilah, we faced a devastating blow for our lack of diligence.

(CS/REL KOD-I) The greatest exploitation against the KOH is a self-destructive weapon embedded in each citizen for exploitation by the KOD: Pride. Members of the KOH who are convinced of their own achievements and character often surrender future battles without struggle. KOH citizens should be relentlessly bombarded with flattery, comfort, monetary compensation for sub-par performance, promise of temporal safety, and assuredness that their king is satisfied with mediocrity. While these members may not join the ranks of the KOD, they are effectively removed from the fight, and oft hold back entire regiments of their fellows.

(CS/REL KOD-I) Pride—as well as other weapons at the KOD’s disposal—is most effectively utilized as a weapon when members are deprived of their source documents. Covert operators of the KOD should make every effort to ensure young soldiers of both the KOD and KOH are taught that reading is antiquated, tedious, and unnecessary for all members of society. Substitute entertainment in copious amounts to keep members from musing and deliberation. Beware that openly removing access to the Bible oft results in renewed vigor towards knowing the standing KOH-OPORD.

(CS//REL KOD-I) Isolating members of the KOH armed forces from their squadrons/platoons is often effective in demoralizing and weakening their resolve, leading to the opportunity to employ them as double agents who serve the KOH with their lips, but the KOD with their actions.

10. (U) Recommendation

(CS//REL KOD-I) Recommend the KOD does not rely on false peace. Despite the king of the KOD planning to produce a world-wide peace the KOH has released propaganda that this peace will be short-lived and ineffective. Instead of declaring, “Peace, Peace!” when there clearly is no peace, recommend complete warfare or complete surrender. Peace exists neither within the KOD nor between the KOD and KOH. A false peace will surely end with dire consequences to the defeated foe of this war, which inevitably will be the KOD.

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(U) Sue for peace! The king of the KOH openly approached members of the KOD with the intention of making peace. Our records boast of a temporary victory when KOD members assassinated the king of the KOH. Our records are far less complete regarding how it is that the king who was dead is now alive. Evidence irrefutably implies that this offer is only for men; demons of the KOD should brace for war and expect complete eradication, followed by trial for their war crimes against the king of glory, resulting in banishment to the lake of fire, which the king has prepared for the king of the KOD (aka the devil) and his angels (aka demons). KOH ministers have offered peace to all who will receive it, because their king has purchased peace by the blood of his cross.

(U) STRONGLY RECOMMEND all KOD members who are able immediately make haste to fly to the king of peace, for there is no hope outside of his peace-offer.

                                                                                            SIGNATURE REDACTED
                                                                                            Chief Intelligence Analyst, KOD
                                                                                            Ambassador to the King, KOH

 

Classified By: REDACTED, Chief Intelligence Analyst, KOD

Derived From: Screwtape Letters, 1942

Declassify On: The Fall of the KOH Immediately! Today is the Day of Salvation!

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Gentle and Lowly: False Hope for Itching Ears (A Review)

Introduction

As a Biblical Counselor I was shocked to find Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund at the top of the 2020 Association of Certified Biblical Counseling (ACBC) list. I’ve lost Facebook friends and been banned from a popular—albeit less helpful than it used to be—group of biblical counselors merely for questioning whether anyone agreed with Dane Ortlund’s treatment of Hebrews 5 and stating that I saw merit in the Grace to You (GTY) article which raised red flags concerning the book's helpfulness. Originally I began to write a review in mid-2020, but deemed the GTY article sufficient enough of a warning, and I did not intend to finish this article, but since the GTY article has been inexplicably removed, I felt it necessary to declare a warning against this book: This book is unhelpful and heretical and should not be used in counseling, Bible study, counseling classes, or church.

There is strange affinity towards this book from people who otherwise could be considered solid; my expectation is that this affinity is to remain on good terms with Crossway and the Gospel Coalition (TGC), or more likely because the community as a whole has been seared to biblical discernment by decades of drivel coming from celebrity pastors. My initial cursory reading of this book led me to completely reject it on biblical grounds. In order to write this review I’ve accomplished an in-depth read-through, knowing that I may lose more friends and/or never be published by Crossway and/or never be invited to write or preach for TGC (which looks like it’s closed down anyways), it seems prudent to compile and post my warnings.

There are plenty of cautions out there concerning the author's father, Ray Ortund, but there is a great warning in this quote regarding the nepotism that perhaps has made this book so popular, “If you disparage one of my sons’ books, I might mute you. You are sincere, I’m sure. But I need solidly uplifting voices in my life.” Not biblical, but uplifting; not uplifting Jesus, but uplifting Ortlund. It’s no surprise then that Dane Ortlund would follow such error, “[My father] taught my siblings and me sound doctrine as we were growing up…” (p100) For all reading this, but especially for Ray Ortlund, I implore you to read Psalm 2:12 and consider which son you should be defending, if their opinions differ. Consider also Proverbs 5:12 and it's context.

My editing is far from complete, and this is not meant to be a comprehensive rebuke and warning of the entire book, but to give the main points of contention and support them with quotes from the book. After working for far too long to produce a piece full of paragraphs and transitions, I finally decided that the facts are here, and while it’s not the most readable thing I’ve written, I trust it will sufficiently warn the flock and the under-shepherds of this wolf in Shepherd’s clothing.

I’ve grouped my concerns into five categories. First, I want to look at the foundation of the book, Puritanism versus biblical exegesis, second is the gnostic (think secret/mysterious/code reading of the Bible) language it is written in, third is how Ortlund pits the Bible against itself, fourth is a rejection of responsibility for sin by emphasizing victimhood of sin, and fifth and finally is a nearly complete lack of the biblical gospel.

Not all that is Puritan is Gold

Halfway through the book I had the thought, “No one could ever come up with this book by reading their Bible,” and Ortlund agrees, pointing out that the book was birthed from Puritan writings (p14). Granted, there are many great Puritans, but the title of Puritan carries far more weight than the actual writings of the Puritans. I once said in a class on the Puritans, “John Owen takes forever to say nothing.” Puritanism is as wide and varied as 1600’s Christianity; the modern equivalents might be Southern Baptists where an overview would give you Albert Mohler and Adrian Rogers on one side and Ed Young Jr. and Steven Furtick on the other; in four hundred years I wouldn’t be surprised to see Charles Spurgeon and John MacArthur lumped into Southern Baptist quotes, though neither hold that affiliation. In Puritanism you have undeniable heretics like Richard Baxter, controversial figures like Isaac Watts, and you have solid ministers like John Bunyan. Just because someone lived during the time of the Puritans doesn’t make them a solid Bible teacher; and they shouldn’t be quoted on par with scripture (Ortlund addresses this on page 14, but the rest of the book brings serious doubt to the authority of scripture in his life). Now I’m not saying that John Owen and Thomas Goodwin are the equivalent of Steven Furtick or Richard Baxter, but they’re certainly not on par with John Bunyan or Alistair Begg.

But Ortlund doesn’t even rightly represent the Puritan’s correctly, for example Jonathan Edwards said, “There is no love so great and so wonderful as that which is in the heart of Christ.” But Ortlund gives this commentary, which Edwards certainly would have thrown out, “The first thing out of Jonathan Edwards’s mouth, in exhorting the kids in his church to love Jesus more than everything else this world can offer, is the heart of Christ.” (p96) Do you see it? Edwards was focused on the person and work of Christ but Ortlund twists this quote to press his agenda.

And even when he rightly represents the Puritans, he quotes them when they’ve misrepresented scripture; for example Goodwin holds to the heresy that God hates the sin but loves the sinner (consider Revelation 21:8, among others), which Ortlund latches onto, “Yes, God has hatred, Goodwin says—toward sin.” (p168)

In our age, there is a strange magnetism towards the Puritans, and while we can certainly learn from the writings of godly men, not all Puritans are godly or correct. Richard Sibbes, who I have gleaned from in the past, makes this error, “Christ is nothing but pure grace clothed with our nature,” (quoted p177) when Christ is much more than grace, he is truth and righteousness and Saviour and Judge and an entire Bible full of attributes…compound that to the language of Sibbes is far from clear on what our nature is.

So beloved, reject Gentle and Lowly on its authority alone; anything that elevates the teachings of men over the teaching of God should be rejected immediately. Even if this misattributed authority were orthodox (consider Revelation 19:10)—which Gentle and Lowly is far from Orthodox—the reader should be exhorted by scripture and the man of God to worship God and listen to the testimony of Jesus! But Gentle and Lowly is not orthodox, instead it teaches an unconcealed Gnosticism.

Gnostic Leanings

Gnosticism is the idea and teaching that there are secret things in the Bible that should receive special attention, require special revelation, or specific prophets to see. Dane Ortlund unapologetically makes this error by using Matthew 11:29 as his hermeneutical key to the entire Bible. The problem with using one verse to interpret the entire Bible is that this verse wasn’t around for the writing of the majority of the Bible. Scripture should interpret scripture, but from the clear to the unclear; A great question to ask on every passage you study is, “What would be lost if this verse weren’t in the Bible?” This is a serious question to ask of thousands of years of believers who trusted God for salvation before Matthew penned what we now call Matthew 11:29. If this verse is truly the key to knowing Christ like Ortlund proposes over and over, then why wasn’t it recorded closer to Genesis 1:1? Rather, the gospel does not stand or fall on a single verse, compare from the beginning (cf. Genesis 3:15, Deuteronomy 18:18, 1 Samuel 2:25, Psalm 34:6, Isaiah 53:3-12, Zechariah 13:1, and thousands more) that God is not hiding the need for a Messiah or the salvific nature of the Son of God and Son of Man to be the propitiation for sin and the righteousness which are both required for reconciliation with God.

Instead of falling on scriptural promises or the exhortations of two-millennia of church history since Matthew penned his gospel, Ortlund takes a deep dive down the rabbit hole of a hidden, secret, deep magic of one verse (that I (and Jesus) would say doesn’t even say what he says it says.) The context of the keynote verse of the book is Matthew 11:29, which is in response to rejecting the Son of God. As I reread Ortlund’s book, I said incredulously and made a vocal outburst in a café, “No one who likes this book knows the context of Jesus’s statement.”

Consider this gnostic language from quotes from the book. I disagree with all of Ortlund’s conclusions; I’ve included some commentary:

“As we zero in on the affectionate heart of Christ, how do we ensure that we are growing in a healthy understanding…?” (p28, emphasis mine)

“…who God actually is.” (p14, emphasis mine)

“Do you know his deepest heart for you?” (p16 emphasis mine)

“There’s only one place where Jesus tells us about his own heart.” (p17, A very large and very real reason Jesus came is expressed in John 1:18, “the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” That Jesus is showing exactly who he is—and who is Father is—through his actions, not through one verse misapplied)

“In the one place in the Bible where the Son of God pulls back the vail and lets us peer way down into the core of who he is…” (p18, emphasis mine, compare again: John 1:18, 17:17, Heb 12:1-2)

“Only as we drink down the kindness of the heart of Christ…” (p22, emphasis mine)

“What he is, he does.” (p25, Consider elsewhere that what he does is flip tables, cleanse the temple, curse a fig tree, berate Pharisees, and hide the truth in parables… amongst many other things, and what he is, he surely does, cf. esp. Revelation 19:11)

“The leper was asking about Jesus’s deepest desire. And Jesus revealed his deepest desire by healing him.” (p25, emphasis mine, Jesus deepest desire is to glorify the Father, not every desire is his deepest, cf. Matthew 6:33)

“Simply seeing the helplessness of the throngs, pity ignites.” (p26, Jesus was driven by completing his mission, not by an internal instinct or whim)

“The Jesus given to us in the Gospels is not simply one who loves, but one who is love; merciful affections stream from his innermost heart as rays from the sun.” (p27, Jesus came to seek and save the lost)

“Deep into the heart of Christ” (p46, emphasis mine)

“He cannot bear to hold himself at a distance…His heart is too bound up with yours.” (p50, Jesus is not blown about by his emotions)

“Nothing can chain his affections to heaven; his heart is too swollen with endearing love.” (p55, Jesus is not at the mercy of his emotions)

“As we go down into pain and anguish, we are descending ever deeper into Christ’s very heart, not away from it.” (p57, emphasis mine, While I agree completely that God is redeeming pain and anguish for his glory (cf: Romans 8:28-29) my question for Ortlund would be should we seek out suffering for the benefit of knowing Christ better?)

“IT IS PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE to conceive of the horror of hell…that will sweep over those found on the last day to be out of Christ.” (p67, EMPHASIS ORIGINAL, Further, what is “out of Christ”?, it sounds like something someone who has heard about the Bible would say, not someone who has read it (cf. esp. Ephesians 1-2), see also page 68, 143)

“When we come to Christ, we are startled by the beauty of his welcoming heart. The surprise is itself what draws us in.” (p98)

“…he approaches us on our own terms and befriends us for both his and our mutual delight.” (p119, He does not need anything, if he were hungry or lonely or needing delight, he would not tell you.)

“If you catch God off guard, what leaps out most freely is blessing.” (p140-141, So many problems with providence and sovereignty, but especially that God is going to exude blessing in a startled state…consider the only two verses I know of that remotely hint that God may be caught unawares speak of the terror of his wrath and his rebuke: Psalm 73:20 & Mark 4:38-41)

Pitting Bible against Bible

Because Ortlund derives so much of his hermeneutic not from the scriptures, but from his own interpretation of one verse, it is no surprise that he finds contradictions throughout the scripture.

“But in only one place. . .do we hear Jesus himself open up to us his very heart.” (p18, many other authors have noted that the incarnate Jesus’ first and last command are, “Repent” (Mark 1:15, Revelation 3:19), as well as reiterated throughout the gospels and New Testament; if Matthew 11:29 is so important for understanding the rest of the Bible and who Jesus is, then it is extremely odd that John, Mark, Luke, Paul, Peter, and the Holy Spirit chose to omit)

“The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger but open arms.” (p19, compare Matt 23, and find a place in scripture where Christ was able to welcome someone with open arms. If we want to play some sort of middle-knowledge game and assume men could humble themselves and seek Jesus apart from his cleansing and intercession them, then perhaps men could be welcomed, but then we run into the problem of Jesus never coming to earth if men could save themselves (Cf. Galatians 2:21)…so his most natural (to use this heretical language) posture is that of Suffering Saviour)

“If we are asked to say only one thing about who Jesus is, we would be honoring Jesus’s own teaching if our answer is, gentle and lowly.” (p21, emphasis original, again, scripture is clear that this is not his only attribute)

“He can’t un-gentle himself toward his own…” (p21, Jesus is in the posture of wounding and binding (Isaiah 30:26, Hosea 6:1, et al); so what about discipline? We know that the reproof of the Lord is not pleasant at the moment, but it does produce a fruit of righteousness and peace that are not to be repented of, my prayer is that Jesus would not be gentle, but that he would be efficient, measured, purposeful, and skilled, and he is! We’ll talk about “his own” more as we consider the gospel-lite nature of the book.)

“It is what gets him out of bed in the morning.” (p23, emphasis mine, God doesn’t sleep, his purpose is his glory.)

“This is the one whose deepest heart is, more than anything else, gentle and lowly.” (p24, emphasis original, compare Isaiah 63 and those who will face Christ scorned and receive his wrath for eternity.)

“We are apt to think that he, being so holy, is therefore of a severe and sour disposition against sinners, and not able to bear them. ‘No,’ says he; ‘I am meek; gentleness is my nature and temper.’” (p23, This same Jesus also said, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the Wrath to Come” (Matthew 3:7))

“Twice in the Gospels we are told that Jesus broke down and wept.” (p26, emphasis mine, Never in the gospels are we told that Jesus broke down)

“It is impossible for the affectionate heart of Christ to be overcelebrated, made too much of, exaggerated.” (P29, emphasis original, Jeremiah disagrees and despises those who declare “Peace, Peace!” when there is no peace, not on earth, not between man and nature, not between man and man, not between nation and nation, and certainly not between God and man)

On page 52, Ortlund is so desperate to find a proof text that he quotes Hebrews 5:1-4 as about Jesus, when it is not, it only begins to be about Jesus in verse 5.

“Jesus Christ was sinlessly weak (cf. 2 Cor. 13:5).” (p57, see 2 Cor 13:3, Jesus Christ is not weak, meek does not mean weak, it is a faithful saying that in order to be meek you have to have real power to maim, kill, destroy, coerce, and rule, otherwise you are not meek, you are weak)

“It’s the only way he knows how to be.” (p57, compare Revelation 1-3 and the entirety of the Bible)

“a rare glimpse” (p73, unless you’re reading your Bible)

“Should we envision the Son as gentle and lowly but the Father as something else?” (p127, This eisegesis of forcing one verse to drown out 31,101 other verses is troubling and dangerous, if the Father is gentle and lowly only then we have no need to read verses like Proverbs 1:7: The Fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom)

“But at the theological bull’s-eye of the whole book, we are told that God does not bring such pain ‘from his heart.’” (p138, then where does pain come from, and is there supposedly joy to come out of being afflicted some other way?)

“God is rich in mercy. He doesn’t withhold mercy from some kinds of sinners while extending it to others…his heart gushes forth mercy to sinners one and all.” (p177, What about those it doesn’t? Are all saved? Are all victims of some historical sin that they themselves are not a part of? Or is God just in holding sins against sinners?)

Victimhood Versus Sin

The most dangerous, if I could pinpoint the most dangerous part of the book, is that it rejects that sinners—in their very nature—are not deserving of gentleness or restraint, but are deserving of the full, undiluted, infinite and eternal wrath of God.

If we aren’t in immanent danger because Jesus loves us so much and is doing everything possible to save us, then of course a jesus who just wants to give us a hug makes sense, but the truth is: we aren’t victims, we’re perpetrators, we’re not witnesses to the crucifixion, we’re orchestrators.

Consider some quotes that would make Charles Finney wince for their heresy.

“Open yourself up to him. It is all he needs.” (p20, why the cross? Poor little Pelagian Jesus who has done his best and now needs you to do the rest)

“Jesus Christ’s desire that you find rest, that you come in out of the storm, outstrips even your own.” (p21, The question then, of course, is why so many are lost and why Jesus has a small, difficult path that leads to Heaven and a broad well-paved well-marked highway leading to Hell?)

“Your very burden is what qualifies you to come.” (p20, This is bordering on Works Righteousness, and a painful misunderstanding a very astute Jonathan Edwards quote)

“But for the penitent, his heart of gentleness is never out-matched…” (p21, Cf. two verses earlier: Matt 11:27, “whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Penitence doesn’t open eyes or hearts, and it is not how you participate in the propitiated gentleness of the Father and the Son)

“He never tires of sweeping us into his tender embrace.” (p23, Cf. Jeremiah 3 and the divorce of Israel)

“We cannot avoid the conclusion that it is the very fallenness which he came to undo that is most irresistibly attractive to him.” (p30, If we can’t avoid that conclusion, then why would we avoid the conclusion that he could have stopped the fall but didn’t?! But the conclusion is false, because what is most attractive to Jesus is the joy and glory in being both Righteous and Saviour (cf. Isaiah 45:21-22))

“The same one who reached out and touched lepers puts his arm around us today when we feel misunderstood and sidelined.” (p32)

“He wants us to draw on his grace and mercy because it is who he is.” (p36, he is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) and a jealous God (Deut 4:24))

“Jesus Christ is comforted when you draw from the riches of his atoning work, because his own body is getting healed.” (41, Jesus isn’t broken, compare Acts 7 and Stephen)

On page 63-64, concerning the fictitious exchange between Christ and a generalized seeker, every reader should be screaming: ‘Where is the cross?!’; While the cross does appear sporadically throughout the book, it is clear that Orlund does not understand its power, and here describes a sinner saved by a sympathetic jesus who is willing to take a sinner just as he is without any atonement or righteousness or propitiation or blood-shed.

“To those who do belong to him, sins evoke [in God] holy longing, holy love, holy tenderness.” (p70, [Clarification Added], A cursory reading of Revelation 2-3 would say otherwise, him seeking not to coddle the sinning believer, but to sanctify him)

“We all tend to have some small pocket of our life where we have difficulty believing the forgiveness of God reaches.” (p83, Ortlund’s hermeneutic can only promise half a gospel, that God forgives, but not to the uttermost)

“The only qualification needed is desire.” (p89, If this is true then Jesus spoke very deficiently when he said things like, “Repent and Believe the Gospel.” This quote of Ortlund's is similar to, but so much less powerful than, Joseph Hart's Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy, “But to feel your need of him”, because Ortlund is so mired in victimhood that he ignores that Christ is the source not only of forgiveness, but of righteousness and fellowship as well)

“embraces the penitent with more openness that we are able to feel.” (p99, because your greatest need in Ortlund’s universe is a divine hug)

“…Romance the heart of Jesus…Allow yourself to be allured.” (p99, emphasis original, As I read this section, I thought about the fruit of this book; this sort of language will NOT produce glorious older saints who seek the will of God from the scriptures and exhort with all authority those they encounter, but who lean (if they lean on Jesus at all) on platitudes and “Jesus-is-my-girlfriend” language gleaned from secular Christian radio rather than the heart of God)

“Jesus wants to come in to you—wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, naked you---and enjoy meals together. Spend time with you. Deepen the acquaintance.” (p116, Except Jesus is actively rejecting this church quoted from Revelation 3:14-22)

“Christ not only heals our feelings of rejection…” (p118, Here is my sarcasm: because feelings of rejection are our greatest need and what was in the cup that Christ pleaded with his Father to remove if there was any way? You’re not a victim of sin, you’re a sinner rejected by the Living Christ)

“It looks like a Middle Eastern carpenter restoring men’s and women’s dignity and humanity and health and conscience through healings and exorcisms and teaching and hugging and forgiving.” (p169, this jesus is spelled with lower-case because he does not exist, cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, and is certainly not the Carpenter described in the Bible)

“It means the things about you that make you cringe most, make him hug hardest.” (p179…not sanctify or reprove or justify or glorify…hug)

“Maybe you have been deeply mistreated. Misunderstood. Betrayed by the one person you should have been able to trust. Abandoned. Taken advantage of. Perhaps you carry a pain that will never heal till you are dead.” (p179)

“Paul’s deepest burden is our present security…” (p193, Paul’s deepest burden is the glory of God)

“His heart was gentle and lowly toward us when we were lost.” (p194, Alistair Begg has a wonderful quote stating without a read anger, a real wrath, the cross is robbed of it’s meaning.” Was Jesus gentle and lowly towards us when we were “children of wrath”? See Ephesians 2:1-10)

“Only a soul in Christ would be troubled at offending him.” (p194, what about 2 Corinthians 7:10, what about millions who think their good deeds are keeping them in God’s good graces?)

Lack of the Gospel

It could probably go without saying that a book so antithetical to scripture would not provide a way to enter into Heaven or the good graces God, but if you’ve read this far, let me prove it to you. Are these coming from the heart of Christ revealed in the scriptures, or the heart of Dane Ortlund?

“You might know that Christ died and rose again on your behalf to rinse you clean of all your sin…” (p15-16 emphasis mine)

“generally avoiding deep fellowship with him, out of a muted understanding of his heart.” (p22, emphasis mine, did Jesus die for misunderstood people even while they were muted (Compare Romans 5:8))

“This book is written. . .for those of us who know God loves us but suspect we have deeply disappointed him.” (p13, this person doesn’t exist, despite some saying that this book has a niche readership, this person does not exist in the scriptures, as the problem is that a person who knows God loves them will be transformed by the love (Cf. 1 John 4:18 where this is a test of salvation))

“He was reversing the Jewish system.” (p31, missed the cross entirely)

“Christ as our heavenly mediator-that is, the one who clears away any reason for us to be unable to enjoy friendship with God…” (p37, while there is some truth in this statement, this is NOT what a mediator does)

“What keeps him from growing cold? The answer is, his heart.” (p66, The answer is the cross!)

“No such thing as grace” (p69, Gentle and Lowly is a weird Pelagian, oft Roman Catholic (RCC), book that claims that there is no such thing as grace because that’s RCC stuff? Grace abounds, and while it may be intangible, there certainly is such thing as grace and it’s amazing, and I hope someday Ortlund is able to taste it, feel it, and be saved by it!)

“What does it mean that Christ is a friend to sinners? At the very least, it means that he enjoys spending time with them…What he is really doing, at bottom, is pulling them into his heart.” (p114-115, except that they all left him.)

Chapter 12, titled “A Tender Friend” doesn’t even consider that a friend will die for another friend. If there is an easier place to tie the gospel together than Jesus, the Friend of Sinners, and his accolades of a man who lays down his life for his friends, I haven’t found it; but Ortlund didn’t see fit to include it. My written note on the last page of that chapter reads in bold red pen, “How dare he not touch on John 15:13!”

There is an assumed Christianity throughout the book, especially on page 167 that if you think you’re in Christ, you definitely get all of his blessings, there is no clarion call for repentance and faith or making your calling and election sure. “You’re that safe.” (p178, and you are that safe if you’re in Christ, but if you trust in the promises rather than the Saviour, you won’t meet a gentle and lowly jesus on the final day and you’ll be outside of his safe graces (cf Matthew 7:21-23))

“Do you know what Jesus does with those who squander his mercy? He pours out more mercy.” (p179, potentially, but should we then sin all the more? Or not trample his blood underfoot?)

“Repent and let him love you.” (p170, is this a quote from Pelagius, Arminius, Finney, Osteen, or Ortlund?)

“It means that our sins do not cause his love to take a hit. Our sins cause his love to surge forward all the more.” (p180, Our sins cause a separation between us and God; run to the cross, go reconcile with your brother)

“rinse muddy sinners clean and hug them into his own heart” (p191, You could reject the whole book on this one sentence alone…I think it was my second most angry moment reading this book; the first being the quote in the conclusion below)

“Open yourself up to him. Let him love you…Go to Jesus” (p216, a biblical invitation may have been in order here?)

“Whenever you feel stuck…most defeated…” (p216, because Jesus came to seek and save the victims?)

Conclusion

I’ll let Dane Ortlund close us with the most ridiculous sentence in the entire book: “This is a book about the heart of Christ and of God. What are we to do with this? The main answer is, nothing.” (p215)

Beloved, from Matthew 11:29 the answer is: “Yoke Yourself to Jesus!” Trust Christ! Know Christ! Enjoy Christ! Link your eternity with his!

What should you do with Gentle and Lowly? Toss it, read your Bible!