The Steward and Young John

Yesterday I leafed through a book by C.S. Lewis titled The Pilgrim's Regress, and it is one of the more clever and thought-provoking allegorical tales he wrote.  Perhaps the most memorable moment for me is when young John is brought to meet the "Steward" (a minister) who spoke concerning the "Landlord" who represents God.  Lewis presents a scene which brilliantly conveys how confusion, hypocrisy and lack of integrity are blights that obscure the Gospel message and the love of God from people.  With supreme focus on behaviour rather than the heart, using fear to control rather than sharing God's love which liberates, it is a masterful presentation of legalistic religion without a relationship with Jesus.  All I can say is, enjoy--and take it to heart so we as Christians do not resemble the Steward to the young Johns in our lives.

"...The Steward lived in a big dark house of stone of the side of the road.  The father and mother went in to talk to the Steward first, and John was left sitting in the hall on a chair so high that his feet did not reach the floor.  There were other chairs in the hall where he could have sat in comfort, but his father had told him that the Steward would be very angry if he did not sit absolutely still and be very good:  and John was beginning to be afraid, so he sat still in the high chair with his feet dangling, and his clothes itching all over him, and his eyes starting out of his head.  After a very long time his parents came back again, looking as if they had been with the doctor, very grave.  Then they said that John must go in and see the Steward too.  And when John came into the room, there was an old man with a red, round face, who was very kind and full of jokes, so that John quite got over his fears, and they had a good talk about fishing tackle and bicycles.  But just when the talk was at its best, the Steward got up and cleared his throat.  He then took down a mask from the wall with a long white beard attached to it and suddenly clapped it on his face, so that his appearance was awful.  And he said, "Now I am going to talk to you about the Landlord.  The Landlord owns all the country, and it is very, very kind of him to allow us to live on it at all--very, very kind.'  He went on repeating 'very kind' in a queer sing-song voice so long that John would have laughed, but that now he was beginning to be frightened again.  The Steward then took down from a peg a big card with small print all over it, and said, 'Here is a list of all the things the Landlord says you must not do.  You'd better look at it.'  So John took the card:  but half the rules seemed to forbid things he had never heard of, and the other half forbade things he was doing every day and count not imagine not doing:  and the number of the rules was so enormous that he felt he could never remember them all.  'I hope,' said the Steward, 'that you have not already broken any of the rules?'  John's heart began to thump, and his eyes bulged more and more, and he was at his wit's end when the Steward took the mask off and looked at John with his real face and said, 'Better tell a lie, old chap, better tell a lie.  Easiest for all concerned,' and popped the mask on his face all in a flash.  John gulped and said quickly, 'Oh, no, sir,'  'That is just as well,' said the Steward through the mask.  "Because, you know, if you did break any of them and the Landlord got to know of it, do you know what he'd do to you?'  'No, sir,' said John:  and the Steward's eyes seemed to be twinkling dreadfully through the holes of the mask.  'He'd take you and shut you up for ever and ever in a black hole full of snakes and scorpions as large as lobsters--for ever and ever.  And besides that, he is such a kind, good man, so very, very kind, that I am sure you would never want to displease him.'  'No, sir,' said John.  'But please, sir...' 'Well, said the Steward.  'Please, sir, supposing I did break one, one little one, just by accident, you know.  Could nothing stop the snakes and lobsters?"  'Ah!...' said the Steward; and then he sat down and talked for a long time, but John could not understand a single syllable.  However, it all ended with pointing out that the Landlord was quite extraordinarily kind and good to his tenants, and would certainly torture most of them to death the moment he had the slightest pretext.  "any you can't blame him,' said the Steward.  'For after all, it is his land, and it is so very good of him to let us live here at all--people like us, you know.'  Then the Steward took off the mask and had a nice, sensible chat with John again, and gave him a cake and brought him out to his father and mother.  But just as they were going he bent down and whispered in John's ear, 'I shouldn't bother about it all too much if I were you.'  At the same time he slipped the card of the rules into John's hand and told him he could keep it for his own use."  (Lewis, C. S. The Pilgrim’s Regress: An Allegorical Apology for Christianity, Reason and Romanticism. 3rd ed., Fount, 1990. pages 29-31)

God or Mammon

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Luke 16:13

"Mammon" is a word I have never heard in everyday conversation, and this is a likely factor why it is not understood.  The most common alternative in Bible translations for mammon is "money" (capitalised in the NIV), but the meaning is greater than dollars and cents.  In his book The Call, Os Guinness goes beyond a definition to provide a useful description that helps us better understand Christ's meaning:

"Jesus' use of Mammon (Aramaic for wealth) is unique--he gave it a strength and precision that the word never had before.  He did not usually personify things, let alone deify them.  And neither the Jews nor the nearby pagans knew a god by this name.  But what Jesus says in speaking of Mammon is that money is a power--and not in a vague sense, as in the "force" of words.  Rather, money is a power in the sense that it is an active agent with decisive spiritual power and is never neutral.  It is a power before we use it, not simply as we use it or whether we use it well or badly.

As such Mammon is a genuine rival to God.  The recurring biblical demand confronts us:  "You shall not worship the work of your hands."  Jesus challenged his hearers to choose one master or another--God or Mammon.  Either we serve God and use money or we serve money and use God.  Ultimately we follow what we have loved most intensely to its natural destination--eternity or death--"for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. pages 134-135)

God is the Creator and giver of all gifts, and good things God has provided can lead to a spiritual mutiny in our souls, and our flesh tends to corruptly serve the gift rather than the giver.  Jesus illustrated the impossibility of serving two masters:  if one master said to kneel and another demands the servant stand, only one of the commands could be followed.  A servant obeys the master he loves, whilst the master he disobeys he plainly loves less.  Loyalty to Jesus Christ can be shown in our Spirit-led stewardship of the wealth He gives us, and if we are ruled by money we are not walking in obedience to God.  Our flesh suggests it is possible to please both masters, as if wealth and gain is a guarantee of God's approval--that wealth and God are the same--bringing down God to the level of money we control.  Jesus struck a contrast between God and mammon so His followers would not fall for this selfish ruse.  What we serve demonstrates who we love most.

In contract negotiations for big money in sport, government or business people will say, "It's not about the money."  It would be naive and deceitful to say money has nothing to do with it, otherwise people would contribute their skills, talents and time without financial renumeration.  Jesus put Himself opposite mammon because our desires, ambitions and needs are God's rivals we naturally side with.  In denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily and following Him, we are called to look to Jesus to guide us in giving when we would rather sock it away or spend it on ourselves.  Our flesh would rather have  the financial security that comes from having money in the bank when God would have us learn to find our present and eternal security in Him alone.  As we regularly give a portion of increase God gives us back to Him (1 Cor. 16:2), the power money once had over us is shattered and we begin to realise the inestimable wealth we have in Jesus.  If money management is a pain point, the LORD may stretch  us on the rack of divided loyalty so we might repent and experience the freedom and joy of giving freely as God does to us.

A Cantankerous Christian?

In the C.S. Lewis book God In the Dock, he was asked if there are any "unmistakable outward signs in a person surrendered to God, and if that person could be cantankerous?  "Cantankerous" is defined as, "bad tempered, tending to argue or complain."  C.S. Lewis made good points in his answer:

"Take the case of a sour old maid, who is a Christian, but cantankerous.  On the other hand, take some pleasant and popular fellow, but who has never been to Church.  Who knows how much more cantankerous the old maid might be if she were not a Christian, and how much more likeable the nice fellow might be if he were a Christian?  You can't judge Christianity simply by comparing the product in those two people:  you would need to know what kind of raw material Christ was working on in both cases.

As an illustration, let us take a case of industrialism.  Let us take two factories: 

    - Factory A with poor and inadequate plant, and

    - Factory B with first-class modern plant. 

You can't judge by the outside.  You must consider the plant and methods by which they are run, and considering the plant at Factory A, it may be a wonder it does anything at all; and considering the new machinery at Factory B, it may be a wonder it doesn't do better." (Lewis, C. S., and Walter Hooper. God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014. page 49)

Judging others based upon appearances is sinful (John 7:24), and measuring ourselves by ourselves is unwise (2 Corinthians 10:12).  Only God knows the hearts of people and the "raw material" found there which requires much miraculous refinement.  Being saved by grace through faith is no excuse to neglect our own sanctification as Christians, for we should live to please God who gave all for us.  This involves us learning to submit to Christ's guidance, instruction and correction.  Reformation and refinement should not be something we look back as occurring primarily at our conversion but things that are taking place today because our fellowship with the holy God reveals our sin; we continue to fall short of God's glorious perfection.  It would be foolish to condemn Jesus Christ because of spiritually immature and sinning Christians, but it doesn't stop people from doing so.  Dear fellow believers, let's not provide easy excuses for people to ascribe folly to Christ our LORD because of our lack of love, grace, Christlikeness or cantankerousness--if that is indeed a word.

Biblical Imitation

Paul wrote to Christian believers in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."  Like Jesus, Paul's exercise of liberty was love of God and others--and they would do well to follow in Christ's footsteps as Paul did.  It is said, "Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery," but this is not what is meant by the imitation Paul spoke of:  flattery has nothing to do with it.  We follow Christ and imitate Him from a heart of love, admiration and worship.  Jesus no longer physically walked the earth when Paul wrote his epistles to the Corinthian church, and as Paul submitted to the life of Jesus lived out through him, following Paul's example by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit was the real thing.

In his book The Call, Os Guinness had valuable insights to share concerning the importance of imitation in the Christian walk:

"Paul's use of the word imitators is important.  Modeling--observing and copying--is vital to discipleship because of the biblical view of the way disciples must learn.  There is always more to knowing that human knowing will ever know.  So the deepest knowledge can never be put into words--or spelled out in sermons, books, lectures, and seminars.  It must be learned from the Master, under his authority, in experience.  When we read in the Gospels that Jesus chose twelve "to be with him," their being with him was not some extra privilege they enjoyed.  It was the heart and soul of their disciples and learning.

The theme of tutoring and imitation, which goes far deeper than current notions of "mentoring" is conspicuous in the teaching of the early church.  We grow through copying deeds, not just listening to words, through example as well as precept, through habit and not just insight and information.  Calling therefore creates an ethic of aspiration, not just of obligation...Clement of Alexandria wrote, "Our tutor Jesus Christ exemplifies the true life and trains the one who is in Christ....He gives commands and embodies the commands that we might be able to accomplish them."

Clement's last sentence is noteworthy.  Some Christians are suspicious of imitation because it sounds like a form of self-help spirituality.  Modeling seems to smack of a foolproof method of growth that is as mechanical as the instructions for assembling a model airplane.  But they misunderstand imitation.  For one thing, genuine "originality" is God's prerogative, not ours.  At our most "creative," we are only imitative.  For another, imitating a life is far from wooden.  Real lives touch us profoundly--they stir challenge, rebuke, shame, amuse, and inspire at levels of which we are hardly aware.  That is why biographies are the literature of calling; few things are less mechanical...

Importantly, imitating Christ is not a form of do-it-yourself change because it is part and parcel of responding to the call--a decisive divine word whose creative power is the deepest secret of the changes.  Think of Ezekiel's vision of the valley of the dry bones or the astounding miracle of Jesus calling the dead Lazarus out of the tomb.  Can anyone listen to that voice, see what it effects, and still say the hearers responded by themselves?  Do dry, brittle bones ever reassemble into a body on their own?  Can a corpse shake off death by itself?

No more do we change by ourselves as we imitate Christ.  The imitation of Christ that is integral to following Him means that, when we calls us, he enables us to do what he calls us to do." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. page 81-82)

The imitation Paul called disciples of Christ to was not be more like Paul, but to be more like Jesus.  We can know this is God's will for Christians as we read in Hebrews 13:20-21:  "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, ²¹ equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (NIV)

Way of Agape

In The Call written by Os Guinness, he provides insight of the contrast between love that is of the world and the love of God.  God's love is truly foreign to this world, and it is revealed by Jesus coming to us sinners for our good though we are unworthy.  We look upon what we love with favour that is fickle and can quickly dissipate when our needs, desires or expectations are unmet, yet God is love.  He has demonstrated His love for us by sending His only begotten Son to die for us while we were sinners.  Consider the contrast between eros and agape explained in The Call:

"One view of love is the way of eros.  It sees the search as "the great ascent" of humans toward their desired goal.  For the Greeks in particular and the ancient world generally, eros was love as desire, yearning, or appetite aroused by the attractive qualities of the object of its desire--whether honor, recognition, truth, justice, beauty, love, or God.  To seek is therefore to long to love and so to direct one's desire and love to an object through which, in possessing it, one expects to be made happy.  From this perspective, seeking is loving that becomes desiring that becomes possessing that becomes happiness.  For experience shows that "we all want to be happy," as Cicero said in Hortensius, and reasonable thought would indicate that the greatest happiness comes in possessing the greatest good.

The rival view of love is the way of agape, which sees the secret of the search as "the great descent."  Love seeks out the seeker--not because the seeker is worthy of love but simply because love's nature is to love regardless of the worthiness or merit of the one loved.  This view agrees with both the Eastern and the Greek views that desire is at the very core of human existence.  But it agrees with the Greek view and differs from the Eastern in believing that desire itself is (or can be) good, not evil.  The legitimacy of the desire depends on the legitimacy of the object desired.  All human beings are alike in seeking happiness.  Where they differ is in the objects from which they seek it and the strength they have to reach the objects they desire.

The way of agape is the way introduced by Jesus.  It parts company with the way of eros at two points:  the goals and the means of the search.  First, the way of agape says, "By all means love, by all means desire, but think carefully about what you love and what you desire."  Those who follow eros are not wrong to desire happiness but wrong to think that happiness is to be found where they seek it.  The very fact that we humans experience desire is proof that we are creatures.  Incomplete in ourselves, we desire whatever we think is beckoning to complete us.

God alone needs nothing outside himself, because he himself is the highest and the only lasting good.  So all objects we desire short of God are as finite and incomplete as we ourselves are and, therefore, disappointing if we make them the objects of ultimate desire.

Our human desire can go wrong in two ways:  we we stop desiring anything outside ourselves and fall for the pathetic illusion that we are sufficient in ourselves, or when we desire such things as fame, riches, beauty, wisdom, and human love that are as finite as we are and thus unworthy of our absolute devotion.

The way of agape insists that, because true satisfaction and real rest can only be found in the highest and most lasting good, all seeking short of the pursuit of God brings only restlessness.  This is what Augustine meant in his famous saying in Book One of Confessions:  "You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you."

Second, the way of agape parts company with the way of eros over the means of the search.  Considering the distance between the creature and the Creator, can any de Vinci-like seeker--however dedicated, brilliant, virtuous, tireless, and however much a genius by human standards--hope to bridge the the chasm?  The answer, realistically, is no.  We cannot find God without God.  We cannot reach God without God.  We cannot satisfy God without God--which is another way of saying that our seeking will always fall short unless God's grace initiates the search and unless God's call draws us to him and completes the search.

If the chasm is to be bridged, God must bridge it.  If we are to desire the highest good, the highest good must come down and draw us so that it may become a reality we desire.  From this perspective there is no merit in either seeking or finding.  All is grace.  The secret of seeking is not in our human ascent to God, but in God's descent to us.  We start our searching, but we end up being discovered.  We think we are looking for something; we realize we are found by Someone.  As in Francis Thompson's famous picture, "the hound of heaven" has tracked us down.  What brings us home is not our discovery of the way home but the call of the Father who has been waiting there for us all along, whose presence there makes home home." (Guinness, Os. The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life. Thomas Nelson, 2003. pages 12-14)

Connection With Christ

The saving faith of a Christian is according to knowledge revealed in God's word, for "...faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)  In a sermon titled "Faith," C.H. Spurgeon made an excellent point, that faith is more than believing something is true but requires assent with it.  This perspective and attitude towards God's word is well illustrated by his quote:  "I love it all; I give my full, free, and hearty assent to every word of it, whether it be the threatening, or the promise, the proverb, the precept, or the blessing.  I believe that, since it is all the Word of God, it is all most assuredly true." (Spurgeon, Charles H. Spurgeon’s Sermons. Baker Books, 1996. pages 369-370)  Here is an illustration involving the Niagara Falls Spurgeon used to show how faith in Christ supplies an indispensable union with God:

Some years ago, two men, a bargeman and a collier, were in a boat, and found themselves unable to manage it, being carried so swiftly down the current that they must both inevitably be borne down and dashed to pieces.  Persons on the shore saw them, but were unable to do much for their rescue.  At last, however, one man was saved by floating a rope out to him, which he grasped.  The same instant that the rope came into his hand, a log floated by the other man.  The thoughtless and confused bargeman, instead of seizing the rope, laid hold on the log.  It was a fatal mistake; they were both in imminent peril, but the one was drawn to shore, because he had a connection with the people on the land; whilst the other, clinging to the log, was borne irresistibly along, and never heard of afterwards.  Do you not see that here is a practical illustration?  Faith is a connection with Christ.  Christ is on the shore, so to speak, holding the rope of faith, and if we lay hold of it with the hand  of our confidence, he pulls us to shore; but our good works, having no connection with Christ, are drifted along down the gulf of fell despair.  Grapple them as tightly as we may, even with hooks of steel, they cannot avail us in the least degree...

Faith, then, is an union with Christ.  Take care you have it; for, if not, cling to your works, and there you go floating down the stream!  Cling to your works, and you go dashing down the gulf!  Lost, because your works have no hold on Christ, and no connection with the blessed Redeemer!  But thou, poor sinner, with all thy sin about thee, if the rope is round thy loins, and Christ has a hold of it, fear not! (Spurgeon, 376-377)

The sermon concluded with Spurgeon's strong pleadings for people to love Christ, believe in Him and turn to Christ from their sins in repentance.  By God's grace, an appeal to reason is powerful when coupled with a conscience softened by the Holy Spirit.

And now, dear hearers, shall I down upon my knees, and entreat you for Christ's sake to answer this question in your own silent chamber:  Have you faith?  O!  answer it, Yes--or No.  Leave off saying, "I do not know, or I do not care."  Ah!  you will care, one day, when the earth is reeling, and the world is tossing to and fro; ye will care, when God shall summon you to judgment, and when he shall condemn the faithless and the unbelieving.  O!  that ye were wise,--that ye would care now; and if any of you feel your need of Christ, let me beg of you, for Christ's sake, now to seek faith in him who is exalted on high to give repentance and remission, and who, if he has given you repentance, will give you remission too.  O sinners, who know your sins!  "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and ye shall be saved."  Cast yourselves upon his love and blood, his doing and his dying, his miseries and his merits; and if you do this you shall never fall, but you shall be saved now, and saved in that great day when not to be saved will be horrible indeed.  "Turn ye, turn ye; why will you die, O house of Israel?  Lay hold on him, touch the hem of his garment, and ye shall be healed.  May God help you so to do; for Christ's sake!  Amen and Amen. (Spurgeon, 382-383)

Avoiding Cultish Tactics

It struck me today during a morning walk that cults remain as popular as ever, and this reveals their tactics can be powerful and effective.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary explains the history of the word "cult" like this:  "Cult, which shares an origin with culture and cultivate, comes from the Latin cultus, a noun with meanings ranging from "tilling, cultivation" to "training or education" to "adoration."...The earliest known uses of the word, recorded in the 17th century, broadly denoted "worship." From here cult came to refer to a specific branch of a religion or the rites and practices of that branch, as in "the cult of Dionysus."... Finally, by the 19th century, the word came to be used of "a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious."  Though cults can be diverse, they employ many of the same tactics because they are effective to help manipulate people and retain control.

One thing I have generally observed among various cults is to place godlike status upon a person or an organisation that is not God.  This person or group is not to be questioned, for their authority puts them above reproach, to be reverenced and honoured.  It is the leader who is revered--not Jesus Christ--and assumes His role as leader, teacher and master.  When a group rallies around this leader who is divinely inspired, claims to be a prophet, and reveals truths that resonate in people, they choose to follow.  Usually some holy text like the Bible is used to reinforce the messages, lifestyle, actions, terminology and discipline that is meted out.  Taken out of context, these unorthodox and heretical doctrines work to cultivate fear in people pressure to give, serve, to conform or face expulsion from a group that has become a lifeline, purpose and their hope for unrealised dreams.

While the church, the Body of Jesus Christ, is not a cult, I have seen churches that employ similar tactics that have been quite popular and successful.  For instance, I skimmed through a discipleship manual recently which bore a resemblance to cultic tactics through major points of emphasis that had nothing to do with Jesus, being born again by faith in Him, being transformed within by a relationship with God, or loving one another.  The message conveyed was disciples are revealed by what they do in the church and for the church--rather than disciples are born again by grace through faith in Jesus, and their good works are evidence of who they are in Christ.  The manual drew heavily from the "shepherding movement" which seems to have maintained popularity among people who prefer to be told what to do and how to live.  Some long for a spiritual mentor because they want to look to a person (other than Christ) who will assist them in some way, hoping to leech wisdom, belonging and security through rules and authoritarian accountability.  Weary people end up being loaded with heavy burdens and grow disillusioned because they do not comprehend they can have a relationship with the living God themselves through faith in Jesus Christ--whose yoke is easy and burden is light.

People want to be part of a group or church they believe does things right, and some present themselves as the only real church.  This claim of being exclusively right can cross the line into cultish tactics.  It is possible for genuine believers to have misplaced loyalty (cultivated in cults), like when Eldad and Medad prophesied in the camp and young Joshua asked for Moses to forbid them.  Moses meekly put a swift end to such nonsense in Numbers 11:29:  "Then Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the LORD'S people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"  Luke 9:49 shows this tendency to control others was in Christ's apostles as well:  "Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us."  While I do not know John's heart, he viewed this man as out of line because he was not in their group--he was a competitor!  Perhaps in John's mind if the man submitted to following Jesus with John and the other apostles, then perhaps permission could be granted.  Jesus corrected John in Luke 9:50:  "But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."  We ought to be careful we are zealous for Jesus Christ more than a particular group or preacher.  Oh, that all God's people put their spiritual gifts to good use to glorify Him, and that we would not view ourselves as in competition with other people or churches!

Discipleship is not another word for a "church member in good standing."  Jesus Himself provided hallmarks of being a disciple we ought to take to heart as those born again by faith in Him.  John 8:31-32 says, "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  Jesus said in John 15:7-9, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. ⁹ "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love."  Jesus told the multitudes there was a personal cost to follow Him in Luke 14:26-27 & 33:  "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple... ³³ So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

True disciples of Christ are not revealed by their role in a church or by serving in some capacity but those who hear Christ's words and heed, abide in His word, pray according to His will, and abide in His love.  Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, washed from sin and empowered to do God's will, we are enabled and equipped by God to do what we could never do in our own strength:  put our love of Christ above the love of family or ourselves, take up our cross to follow Jesus, willing to give up everything for His sake.  Being a disciple is a matter of the heart, and we shouldn't employ cultish tactics to force conformity when spiritual transformation is necessary by the Gospel.

Speaking Divine Truth

I am blessed and encouraged by Christians who are intelligent, gracious apologists who take an unapologetic stand on the truth of God's word.  Exploring perspectives and beliefs personally can be beneficial, and God can use these interactions to draw people to Himself.  As we are led by the Holy Spirit, we are Christ's ambassadors to bring the message of reconciliation of sinners to God through the Gospel.  It is important we emphasise the Gospel is not our opinion or view in a sea of options, but Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to eternal life, the Truth in a world of error.  Spurgeon made this point very well in a sermon titled "Gospel Missions," that the divine revelation aspect of our Christian faith can be neglected:

"...I conceive that a great mistake has been made in not affirming the divinity of our mission, and standing fast by the truth, as being a revelation, not to be proved by men, but to be believed; always holding out this:  "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned."  I am often grieved when I read of our missionaries holding disputes with the Brahmins; and it is somethings said that the missionary has beaten the Brahmin because he kept his temper, and so the gospel had gained great honour by the dispute.  I take it, that the gospel was lowered by the controversy.  I think the missionary should say:  "I am come to tell you something which the one God of heaven and earth hath said, and I tell you, before I announce it, that if you believe it you shall be saved, and if not you shall be damned.  I am come to tell you that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became flesh to die for poor unworthy man, that through his mediation, and death, and suffering the people of God might be delivered.  Now, if you will listen to me, you shall hear the word of God: if you do not, I shake the dust off my feet against you, and go somewhere else.

Look at the history of every imposture; it shows that the claim of authority insures a great degree of progress.  How did Mahommed come to have so strong a religion in his time?  He was all alone, and he went into the market-place and said, "I have received a revelation from heaven."  It was a lie, but he persuaded men to believe it.  He said, "I have a revelation from heaven."  People looked at his face; they saw that he looked upon them earnestly as believing what he said, and some five or six of them joined him.  Did he prove what he said?  Not he.  "You must," he said, "believe what I say, or there is no Paradise for you."  There is a power in that kind of thing; and wherever he went his statement was believed, not on the ground of his reasoning, but on his authority, which he declared to be from Allah; and, in a century after he first proclaimed his imposture, a thousand sabres had flashed from a thousand sheathes, and his word had been proclaimed through Africa, Turkey, Asia, and even in Spain.  The man proclaimed authority,--he claimed divinity; therefore he had power.  Take, again, the increase of Mormonism.  What has been its strength?  Simply this,--the assertion of power from heaven.  That claim is made, and the people believe it, and now they have missionaries in almost every country of the habitable globe, and the book of Mormon is translated into many languages.  Though there never could be a delusion more transparent, or a counterfeit less skilful and more lying upon the very surface, yet this simple pretension to power has been the means of carrying power with it.

Now, my brethren, we have power; we are God's ministers; we preach God's truth; the great judge of heaven and earth has told us the truth, and what have we to do to dispute with worms of the dust?  Why should we tremble and fear them?  Let us stand out and say:  "We are the servants of the living God; we tell unto you what God has told us, and we warn you, if you reject our testimony, it shall be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you."  If the people cast that away, we have done our work.  We have nothing to do with making them believe; ours is to testify of Christ everywhere, to preach and proclaim the gospel to all men." (Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Spurgeon’s Sermons: V. 1-2. Baker Books, 2004. pages 333-335)

Reason and Faith

I am blessed there are countless people in this world that are more intelligent and learned than I am.  My life and perspective has been greatly enriched by their contributions--even when I was not in agreement with those with different biblical interpretations and conclusions.  This has goaded me to dive into the Scripture to ensure I am convinced in my own mind concerning doctrines as well as I can and worked to sharpen my own views with greater precision.  Like a sharp blade requires maintenance to operate at peak performance, so a biblical worldview is improved by sound doctrine put into practice.  Carbon steel knives rust simply by exposure to the air, and unless we are grounded in God's word inhabiting this sin-steeped world tends to dull us.

Recently I read an abridged letter sent by Galileo Galilei (yes, THE Galileo) to the Grand Duchess Christina to defend his position from those who criticised his scientific discoveries as incorrect and heretical when they had little to no knowledge of mathematics or astronomy.  At some points I feel he articulated skillfully what I have felt at times concerning those who dismiss wholesale physically demonstratable evidence because of their own interpretation of a verse or word of the Bible.  Galileo held God and the Bible in very high esteem, yet some in the church branded him a heretic because the hard evidence he presented ran contrary to their assumptions--that he ought to abandon reason and evidence for spurious interpretations of Scripture.  He quoted an "...ecclesiastic of the most eminent degree: "That the intention of the Holy Ghost is to teach us how one goes to heaven, not how heaven goes."  Rather than being hemmed in, Galileo was free to delve into mathematics and all the sciences, giving God the glory for the order and meticulous details he came to comprehend.  He went on to write:

"It is the function of expositors to seek out the true senses of scriptural texts. These will unquestionably accord with the physical conclusions which manifest sense and necessary demonstrations have previously made certain to us. Now the Bible, as has been remarked, admits in many places expositions that are remote from the signification of the words for reasons we have already given. Moreover, we are unable to affirm that all interpreters of the Bible speak by Divine inspiration for if that were so there would exist no differences among them about the sense of a given passage. Hence I should think it would be the part of prudence not to permit anyone to usurp scriptural texts and force them in some way to maintain any physical conclusion to be true, when at some future time the senses and demonstrative or necessary reasons may show the contrary. Who indeed will set bounds to human ingenuity? Who will assert that everything in the universe capable of being perceived is already discovered and known? Let us rather confess quite truly that "Those truths which we know are very few in comparison with those which we do not know."

 We have it from the very mouth of the Holy Ghost that God delivered up the world to disputations, so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. In my opinion no one, in contradiction to that dictum, should close the road to free philosophizing about mundane and physical things, as if everything had already been discovered and revealed with certainty. Nor should it be considered rash not to be satisfied with those opinions which have become common. No one should be scorned in physical disputes for not holding to the opinions which happen to please other people best, especially concerning problems which have been debated among the greatest philosophers for thousands of years. One of these is the stability of the sun mobility of the earth, a doctrine believed by Pythagoras and all his followers, by Heracleides of Pontus (who was one of them), by Philolaus, the teacher of Plato, and by Plato himself according to Aristotle..." (Internet Modern History Sourcebook, Public Domain, © Paul Halsall Aug 1997)

It is evident by this letter Galileo was troubled by coming to a conclusion concerning the physical world based on factual evidence by careful observation (the movement of the earth around the sun), only to have his discoveries dismissed entirely without consideration or rebuttal by other physical evidence contrary to his theories.  As Galileo intonated, mathematics is not a matter of faith:  in a sense he said if his sums were wrong, he would be pleased to humbly receive correction.  Those who castigated him could at least confirm his errors by showing their work with the correct solution.  To dismiss his sound arithmetic with unsound Bible interpretation was problematic--and being accused of heresy for utilising his God-given skill and understanding was repugnant.  God has provided the heavens which declare the glory of God, and the natural sciences do this incredibly well with a God-honouring lens.  Our Creator has also provided the Bible to reveal Himself to us personally, and thus in matters of faith and the observable world the LORD has supplied all the evidence required to know the truth.  Reason and faith are not contrary to one another but pair perfectly in the Christian faith.  Ours is not a blind faith, for we are those whose eyes have been opened and born again into a relationship with God--who sees and knows all.

Look to Jesus!

Jesus had a man run up to Him and ask, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus responded with a question in Mark 10:18:  "So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God."  Jesus did not deny He was good, but if He truly was good (as the man suggested but did not yet believe) He was indeed God.  It is no surprise the Jewish man thought he needed to do something to inherit eternal life, for he had been raised keeping the Law of Moses that gave no certainty of eternal life whatsoever.  Surely something needed to be done, for though he was a son of Abraham the enthusiastic man had no assurance of salvation.  This sounds a bit like the testimony of C.H. Spurgeon who was raised to read the Bible and taught of God, yet needed to wrestle awhile until he submitted his will to God by faith in Christ Jesus.  Spurgeon wrote:

"I can remember the time when my sins first stared me in the face.  I thought myself the most accursed of all men.  I had not committed any very great open transgressions against God; but I recollected that I had been well trained and tutored, and I thought my sins were thus greater than other people's.  I cried to God to have mercy; and I feared that he would not pardon me.  Month after month, I cried to God, and he did not hear me, and I knew not what it was to be saved.  Sometimes I was so weary of the world that I desired to die; but then I recollected that there was a worse world after this, and that it would be an ill matter to rush before my Maker unprepared.  At times I wickedly thought God a most heartless tyrant, because he did not answer my prayer; and then, at others, I thought, "I deserve his displeasure; if he sends me to hell, he will be just."  But I remember the hour when I stepped into a little place of worship, and saw a tall, thin man step into the pulpit:  I have never seen him from that day, and probably never shall, till we meet in heaven.  He opened the Bible and read, with a feeble voice, "Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and beside me there is none else."  Ah! thought I, I am one of the ends of the earth; and then turning round, and fixing his gaze on me, as if he knew me, the minister said, "Look, look, look!  Why, I thought I had a great deal to do, but I found it was only to look.  I thought I had a garment to spin out for myself; but I found that if I looked, Christ would give me a garment.  Look, sinner, that is to be saved.  Look unto him, all ye ends of the earth, and be saved.  That is what the Jews did, when Moses held up the brazen serpent.  He said, "Look!" and they looked.  The serpent might be twisting round them, and they might be nearly dead; but they simply locked, and the moment they looked, the serpent dropped off, and they were healed.  Look to Jesus, sinner.  "None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good." (Spurgeon, C.H. (2004) Spurgeon’s sermons: V. 1-2. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books. pages 318-319)

There is something every sinner must do to inherit eternal life, and it is to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.  A Philippian jailor asked a similar question to Paul and Silas in Acts 16:30-31:  "And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" ³¹ So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."  We cannot do anything to save ourselves; we can do nothing to inherit eternal life.  It is impossible for us to cleanse ourselves of sin.  But Jesus has done everything for sinners to be redeemed--saved from hell and granted entrance into eternal glory--purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ by the Gospel.  God's word that ministered salvation to Spurgeon by God's grace is extended to every sinner today:  look unto Jesus with faith in Him and be saved.  He has fixed His loving gaze on us sinners, not willing any should perish.  Will you look to Him today for salvation?

The Strength of Sin

Blessed be the LORD God who has provided the remedy for our sin by atoning for it with the blood of Jesus.  In a sermon preached concerning the sting of sin and how the strength of it is the law (1 Corinthians 15:56-57), C.H. Spurgeon did well in building a strong case that every person has a deadly problem with sin we cannot shake by anything we do.  Sin goes deeper than our words and actions but our very thoughts teem with sin we have been steeped in from birth.  Justice can do nothing to help us, because the Law makes no allowance for mercy in judgment.  Spurgeon wrote:

"Before thou canst destroy sin thou must in some way satisfy the law.  Sin cannot be removed by thy tears or by thy deeds, for the law is its strength; and until thou has satisfied the vengeance of the law, until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing of its demands, my sting cannot be taken away, for the very strength of sin is in the law."  Now, I must try and explain this doctrine that the strength of sin is the law.  Most men think that sin has no strength at all.  "Oh," say many, "we may have sinned very much, but we will repent, and we will be better for the rest of our lives; no doubt God is merciful, and he will forgive us."  And we hear many divines often speak of sin as if it were a very venial thing.  Inquire of them what is a man to do?  There is no deep repentance required, no real inward workings of divine grace, no casting himself upon the blood of Christ.  They never tell us about a complete atonement having been made.  They have, indeed, some shadowy idea of an atonement, that Christ died just as a matter of form to satisfy justice; but as to any literal taking away of our sins, and suffering the actual penalty for us, they do not consider that God's law requires any such thing.  I suppose they do not, for I never hear them assert the positive satisfaction and substitution of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But without that, how can we take away the strength of sin?"

The strength of sin is in the law, first, in this respect, that the law being spiritual, it is quite impossible for us to live without sin.  If the law were merely carnal, and referred to the flesh; it if simply related to open and overt actions, I question, even then, whether we could live without sin; but when I turn over the ten commandments and read, "Thou shalt not covet," I know it refers even to the wish of my heart.  It is said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery;" but it is said, also, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath already committed that sin.  So that it is not merely the act, it is the thought; it is not the deed simply, it is the very imagination, that is a sin.  Oh now, sinner, how canst thou get rid of sin?  Thy very thoughts, the inward workings of thy mind, these are crimes--this is guilt and desperate wickedness.  Is there not, now, strength in sin?  Hath not the law put a potency in it?  Has it not nerved sin with such a power that all thy strength cannot hope to wipe away the black enormity of thy transgression?"

Then, again, the law puts strength into sin in this respect--that it will not abate one tittle of its stern demands.  It says to every man who breaks it, "I will not forgive you."  You hear persons talk about God's mercy.  Now, if they do not believe in the gospel, they must be under the law; but where in the law do we read of mercy?  If you will read the commandments through, there is a curse after them, but there is not provision made for pardon.  The law itself speaks not of that; it thunders out without the slightest mitigation, "The soul that sinneth it shall die."  If any of you desire to be saved by works, remember one sin will spoil your righteousness; one dust of this earth's dross will spoil the beauty of that perfect righteousness which God requires at your hands.  If ye would be saved by works, men and brethren, ye must be as holy as the angels, ye must be as pure and immaculate as Jesus; for the law requires perfection, and nothing short of it; and God, with unflinching vengeance, will smite every man low who cannot bring him a perfect obedience..." (Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Spurgeon’s Sermons: V. 1-2. Baker Books, 2004. pages 285-287)

Spurgeon masterfully cut off all excuses and exits people utilise to deny culpability before God and demonstrated by additional points mankind's utter powerlessness to purify self from sin.  We do not realise how profoundly deep our malady is, how bent our minds and desires naturally are, and we are incapable of delivering ourselves from sin's corrupting influence.  God's mercy has been revealed in the Gospel, that God has sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to provide atonement for our sin.  When we were sinners and without hope, God sent a Saviour as it is written in Titus 3:4-7, "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  Accepting the sharpness of God's law prepares our hearts to repent and receive God's grace, forgiveness and salvation.

Growth in Grace

After being born again by faith in Jesus, Paul desired to know Jesus, the power of Christ's resurrection, and the fellowship of Christ's sufferings by being conformed to His death.  This was God's will for Paul and all believers, and Paul also acknowledged this sanctifying pursuit remained a work in progress in his life as he wrote in Philippians 3:12:  "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."  As Paul pursued Christ by faith and obedience, the finish line remained ahead of him.  Paul did not speak as someone who had crossed the line and now had advice for fellow disciples:  he continued to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus by grace.

As a Pharisee, Paul had arrived:  he had achieved in obtaining a rare position of honour and influence among the most respected elders in Jewish society.  Legalism can offer this superficial status, yet a relationship with God leads us by His grace.  Grace is what makes Christianity distinct from religions and authoritarian cultures in the world.  I like Philip Yancy's comments concerning Leo Tolstoy in his book What's So Amazing About Grace?:

"Tolstoy drew a contrast between Jesus' approach and that of all other religions:

The test of observance of external religious teachings is whether or not our conduct conforms with their decrees [Observe the Sabbath.  Get circumcised.  Tithe.]  Such conformity is indeed possible.

 The test of observance of Christ's teachings is our consciousness of our failure to attain an ideal perfection.  The degree to which we draw near this perfection cannot be seen; all we can see is the extent of our deviation.

A man who professes an external law is like someone standing in the light of a lantern fixed to a post.  It is light all round him, but there is nowhere further for him to walk.  A man who professes the teaching of Christ is like a man carrying a lantern before him on a long, or not so long, pole:  the light is in front of him, always lighting up fresh ground and always encouraging him to walk further.

In other words, the proof of spiritual maturity is not how "pure" you are but awareness of your impurity.  That very awareness opens the door to grace." (Yancey, Philip. What’s so Amazing about Grace? Zondervan, 1997. pages 197-198)

The Light of the World Jesus Christ, coupled with the illumination of the Holy Spirit and God's word, continually guides us in our pursuit of Jesus in a relationship governed by His love and grace.  Because Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life we receive definite guidance for our lives and personal convictions we should hold to--without setting up an arbitrary standard before which others must submit to be acceptable.  Legalism leads to bondage, self-righteousness and condemnation of others, while Jesus provides a whole new way of living that makes us free indeed.  It is a harder way (because it requires faith in God), but an infinitely better and fulfilling way where genuine spiritual growth is possible by God's grace we all desperately need.

God Said So

There is no book like the Bible, a book read, studied and discussed more than any other.  The profound revelations of God's word provokes deep thoughts, careful consideration and personal introspection.  Over the storied history of thousands of years, I can hardly appreciate the immeasurable, positive impact the Scriptures have had on the lives of people and nations.  Because God's thoughts are not our thoughts nor His ways our ways, there are difficult passages which are hard to understand.  By faith in God who has revealed Himself, when faced with verses beyond our understanding, our thirst for knowledge is satiated by returning to what we can know about God beyond doubt.

In Yancey's What's So Amazing about Grace?, he mentioned a persistent question many people have had over the years and ways people tried to answer it:  how God decided which foods were clean and unclean under Mosaic Law.

"God's brief explanation allows much room for interpretation, and scholars have long debated the reasons behind the reason.  Some have pointed out the health benefits of the Levitical laws.  The ban against pork removed the threat of trichinosis, and a ban against shellfish kept the Israelites safe from the viruses sometimes found in oysters and mussels.  Others note that many of the forbidden animals are scavengers, feeding on carrion.  Still others observe that specific laws seem directed against the customs of the Israelites' pagan neighbors...Anthropologist Mary Douglas goes further, noting that in each case God forbids animals that show an anomaly." (Yancey, Philip. What’s so Amazing about Grace? Zondervan, 1997. page 149)

While these interpretations may have their merits, it is important to acknowledge what other Bible passages have to say on the subject.  Paul, a man raised observing the dietary requirements of the Law of Moses, after coming to Christ in faith said in 1 Timothy 4:4-5:  "For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; ⁵ for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."  Paul says on God's authority every creature of God is good, having been created by Him.  Even food offered to idols did not physically contaminate the eater who ate by thanksgiving to God.  The uncleanness exposed by the Law was not particular animals, but took aim to expose the uncleanness of the human heart, our tendency to lean on our own understanding rather than walking by faith and obedience to God.  God did not provide the reasons He deemed some animals clean and others unclean--which can seem arbitrary to us.

Yet we know God does not do anything arbitrarily; He has purposes and plans in what He chooses to do and not do.  If we as parents are justified to tell our children right from wrong because we say so, shouldn't we allow God this latitude without us questioning Him or making our submission contingent on our agreement with His reasons given for why?  If God wanted to tell us why He certainly could have, and perhaps the distinction of clean and unclean animals was merely His means to reveal the uncleanness in humans who question, doubt and disobey Him rather than simply believing and obeying Him!  The New Testament shows this is the primary purpose of Law, for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.  It was never the pork or shellfish that were the problems in themselves:  the problem God's Law exposed was the unbelief, pride and selfishness in the human heart.

When I consider the Law of Moses and any passage that seems arbitrary, Proverbs 3:5-6 holds forth a principle that was relevant for Jews under Law and relevant for all today who are in Christ by faith:  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  In God's wisdom He did not explain everything or the reasons behind all His commands, and in doing so mankind was given a choice to trust God or lean on our own understanding.  Those who know and trust God are blessed beyond measure, for He is with us and shall direct our paths.

Faith and Feelings

I leafed through an old book yesterday titled Arrows and Anecdotes, a compilation of stories and sayings from the life and ministry of D.L. Moody.  I came upon one anecdote I especially liked titled "Faith and Feelings," and hopefully it will be useful for all who read it.

"One night, when preaching in Philadelphia, right down by the side of the pulpit there was a young lady, whose eyes were riveted on me, as if she were drinking in every word.  It is precious to preach to people like that; they generally get good, even if the sermon be poor.  I got interested in her, and after I had done talking I went and spoke to her.  "Are you a Christian?"  "No; I wish I was; I have been seeking Jesus for three years."  I said, "There must be some mistake."  She looked strangely at me, and said, "Don't you believe me?"  "Well, no doubt you thought you were seeking Jesus; but it don't take an anxious sinner three years to meet a willing Saviour."  "What am I to do, then?"  "The matter is, you are trying to do something; you must just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."  "Oh, I am sick and tired of the word 'Believe, believe, believe!'  I don't know what it is."  "Well," I said, "we'll change the word; take 'trust.'"  "If I say, 'I'll trust him,' will he save me?"  "No; I don't say that; you may say a thousand things, but he will if you do trust him."  "Well," she said, "I do trust him; but," she added in the same breath, "I don't feel any better."  "Ah, I've got it now!  You've been looking for feelings for three years instead of for Jesus.  Faith is up above, not down here."  People are always looking for feelings.  They are getting up a new translation of the Bible here, and if the men who are translating it would only put in feelings, instead of faith, what a rush there would be for that Bible.  But if you look from Genesis to Revelation you cannot find feelings attached to salvation.  We must rise above feelings.  So I said to this lady, "You cannot control your feelings; if you could what a time you'd have!  I know I would never have the toothache or the headache." (Lobb, John, and D. L. Moody. Arrows and Anecdotes. Henry Gurley, 1877. pages 149-150)

From my observations, as this seeker was frustrated for seeking an arbitrary feeling, Christians can seek particular experiences--especially ones other Christians have spoken about.  I cannot tell you how many believers have been sidetracked and cast down over the lack of an experience.  Such can be like a diner in a restaurant who is overwhelmed by the menu and sees a plate of food set down before a fellow diner and exclaims, "I want what they are having."  We can also be like people who make their menu choice based on a picture, and when the food is plated and served it looks nothing like the picture and we lament not going with our usual order.  If we make the spiritual experiences of others or the satisfaction of our expectations our pursuit, God is gracious to prevent us from the satisfaction only possible by faith in Jesus and submission to Him.  This profound joy and rest is more than a feeling or experience--though our relationship with Christ involves both on the basis of God's word.  Let us be those who trust Christ and exercise faith by obedience in Him, and He will help sort out our feelings as well.

Sovereign God's Will

I started reading through a book recently titled Christ and Human Suffering by E. Stanley Jones, and there was an interesting chapter that compared various worldviews along with Christianity on the view of suffering.  I was particularly intrigued when the views described concerning other religions converged with the outlook of some Christians I have observed.  It is possible, despite our understanding or best efforts, for genuine believers to lean towards secular, humanistic or religious approaches to suffering rather than a biblical one that walks in step with Jesus by faith in Him.

For instance, Stanley wrote concerning the "Moslem" approach:

"The Moslem attitude toward suffering is perhaps simpler than any other attitude.  The Moslem is impressed with the sovereignty of God.  All that happens is his will.  He has predetermined and predestined all that happens.  The good and the evil that come upon us are alike his will.  The attitude of the faithful is to submit to that will.  Islam literally means submission to the will of God.  The Moslem view of suffering, therefore, is to the accept it as the will of God and submit to it...Islam, great and noble in many ways, has nevertheless sterilized the life of vast portions of the East, because its acceptance of inequalities and sufferings as the will of God lays a paralyzing hand on any civilization that adopts it.  It is an opiate." (Jones, E. Stanley. Christ and Human Suffering. 1933. New York, The Abingdon Press, pp. 60–61. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.‌)

I have observed Christians who, when awed by the omniscience and sovereignty of God, can adopt a fatalistic view of God's will that credits (or blames!) Him without consideration of human agency or God's redemptive power.  One can mistakenly assume everything that happens must be God's will when God allows human beings to act contrary to His will continually by sin (2 Peter 3:9).  The Bible says clearly it is not God's will any should perish, yet He sent His own Son Jesus to enter humanity and taste death for every sinner.  By paying the price atonement requires with a righteous sacrifice, by death God could swallow death forever and offer eternal life for all who trust in Him.

Christians ought to be impressed with the sovereignty of God, but we should never use His sovereignty as a cloak for our sin of doing what we please and assuming God approves of it, or to shirk our responsibilities when God has chosen us to do His will revealed to us in His word.  Because God is a Saviour and sovereign He is able to redeem what was intended by man or Satan for evil and use it to do great good.  God's sovereignty ought to move us to submission under His loving and gentle hand even when circumstances feel harsh and painful, for faith in our good God enables us to stand according to His will.  God is sovereign, and has also given people the freedom to choose how we will respond to the circumstances of life.  God has provided something infinitely greater than an opiate for our pains by His presence and promises, and He empowers us to be fruitful and spiritually prosperous by His grace with all He allows.

We are not made noble by suffering alone, but it is noble to suffer and continue to praise God with gratitude and thanksgiving of which He alone is worthy.  Pain can cloud our outlook and negatively colour our attitude, yet the love, grace and goodness of God provides comfort and peace beyond words for those who choose to entrust their lives into His hands.  By faith in Christ we know God, and knowing we are known and loved by Him shifts our perspective to seek Him and to do His will He helps us to do as 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says:  "Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Power of the Holy Spirit

 I was blessed to read a sermon by C.H. Spurgeon which exhorted believers to rely upon the Holy Spirit to do the impossible, to perfectly accomplish what we could never do by our own efforts.  May you be encouraged in knowing God and experiencing the Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus.  Here is an excerpt in the conclusion of the sermon preached long ago but remains as relevant as ever:

"The power of the Holy Spirit is your bulwark, and all his omnipotence defends you.  Can your enemies overcome omnipotence? then they can conquer you.  Can they wrestle with Deity, and hurl him to the ground? then they might conquer you.  For the power of the Spirit is our power; the power of the Spirit is our might.

Once again, Christians, if this is the power of the Spirit, why should you doubt anything?  There is your son.  There is that wife of yours, for whom you have supplicated so frequently; do not doubt the Spirit's power.  "Though he tarry, wait for him."  There is thy husband, O holy woman! and thou hast wrestled for his soul.  And though he is ever so hardened and desperate a wretch, and treats thee ill, there is power in the Spirit.  And, O ye who have come from barren churches, with scarcely a leaf upon the tree, do not doubt the power of the Spirit to raise you up.  For it shall be a "pasture for flocks, a den of wild asses," open but deserted, until the Spirit is poured out from on high.  And then the parched ground shall be made a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; and in the habitations of dragons, where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes.  And, O ye members of Park Street! ye who remember what your God has done for you especially, never distrust the power of the Spirit.  Ye have seen the wilderness blossom like Carmel, ye have seen the desert blossom like the rose, trust him for the future.  Then go out and labour with this conviction, that the power of the Holy Ghost is able to do anything.  Go to your Sunday School; go to your tract distribution; go to your missionary enterprise; go your preaching in your rooms, with the conviction that the power of the Spirit is our great help.

And now, lastly, to you sinners.  What is there to be said to you about this power of the Spirit?  Why, to me, there is some hope for some of you.  I cannot save you; I cannot get at you.  I make you cry sometimes--you wipe your eyes, and it is all over.  But I know my Master can.  That is my consolation.  Chief of sinners, there is hope for thee!  This power can save you as well as anybody else.  It is able to break your heart, though it is an iron one; to make your eyes run with tears, though they have been like rocks before.  His power is able this morning, if he will, to change your heart, to turn the current of all your ideas; to make you at once a child of God, to justify you in Christ.  There is power enough in the Holy Spirit.  ye are not straightened in him, but in your own bowels.  He is able to bring sinners to Jesus; he is able to make you willing in the day of his power.  Are you willing this morning? has he gone so far as to make you desire his name; to make you wish for Jesus?  Then, O sinner! whilst he draws you, say, "Draw me, I am wretched without thee."  Follow him, follow him; and, while he leads, tread you in his footsteps, and rejoice that he has begun a good work in you, for there is an evidence that he will continue it even unto the end.  And, O desponding one! put thy trust in the power of the Spirit.  Rest on the blood of Jesus, and thy soul is safe, not only now, but throughout eternity.  God bless you, my hearers.  Amen." (Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Spurgeon’s Sermons: V. 1-2. Baker Books, 2004. pages 131-133)

Read God's Word

I read a couple of C.H. Spurgeon sermons today, and as usual, they were a rich spiritual feast.  What I found compelling and challenging was how he strongly called out professing believers who attended his church who did not regularly read the Bible.  Spurgeon had no quarrel with supposed freethinkers or those of a different perspective, but as a preacher of the Book he knew to be God's word said, "...There is never any necessity for Christian ministers to make a point of bringing forward infidel arguments in order to answer them.  It is the greatest folly in the world...Let men of the world learn error of themselves; do not let us be propagators of their falsehoods." (Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Spurgeon’s Sermons: V. 1-2. Baker Books, 2004. page 27)

Spurgeon reserved his strongest rebukes in his sermon for professing, churchgoing Christians who were not in the regular practice of reading the Bible when it is God's word written to us.  He took aim at those who watered down the Word by trying to make it more palatable when it was intended to be unpalatable to our natural flesh.  Better than laying guilt on people to goad them to do what they ought to do, Spurgeon minced no words and at the same time shared how attractive, inspiring and remarkable God's word really is.  Toward the end of the message I enjoyed an especially delightful paragraph, and I hope it will work up an appetite in you to read God's word like a hungry man who finally sits down to dinner.

"My friend, the philosopher, says it may be very well for me to urge people to read the Bible; but he thinks there are a great many sciences far more interesting and useful than theology.  Extremely obliged to you for your opinion, sir.  What science do you mean?  The science of dissecting beetles and arranging butterflies?  "No," you say, "certainly not."  The science, then, of arranging stones, and telling us of the strata of the earth?"  "No, not exactly that."  Which science, then?  "Oh, all the sciences," say you, "are better than the science of the Bible."  Ah! sir, that is your opinion; and it is because you are far from God, that you say so.  But the science of Jesus Christ is the most excellent of sciences.  Let no one turn away from the Bible because it is not a book of learning and wisdom.  It is.  Would you know astronomy?  It is here:  it tells you of the Sun of Righteousness and the Star of Bethlehem.  Would you know botany?  It is here:  it tells you of the plant of renown--the Lily of the Valley, and the Rose of Sharon.  Would you know geology and mineralogy?  You shall learn it here:  for you may read of the Rock of Ages, and the White Stone with the name engraven thereon, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.  Would ye study history?  Here is the most ancient of all the records of the history of the human race.  Whate'er your science is, come and bend o'er this book; your science is here.  Come and drink out of this fair fount of knowledge and wisdom, and ye shall find yourselves made wise unto salvation.  Wise and foolish, babes and men, gray-headed sires, youths and maidens--I speak to you, I plead with you, I beg of you respect your Bibles, and search them out, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Christ." (Ibid, pages 42-43)

Freethought and True Freedom

Those who read the Bible without faith in God--that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him--will find themselves hopelessly hamstrung, blind and ignorant of the spiritual riches presented to them in God's word.  Those who read Scripture to find fault with God, His Laws or His people will have no problem doing so because mankind's spiritual perceptions are naturally distorted, and there is nothing easier than projecting our faults onto others and justifying ourselves.  Those who willfully deny the truth made evident by God erect endless obstacles for themselves which faith according to God as revealed in His word easily clear away.  I was reminded of this when I thumbed through a book written by an atheist who penned multiple volumes to espouse his hatred of God and defiance of Him.  A learned and intelligent man, no doubt, but lost in a morass of willful unbelief only humility before God can deliver from.

My first tip this book was not exposition of the Ten Commandments but a scathing critique of God and any who trust in Him came from the name of the publisher:  "Freethought Press Association."  My hypothesis was "freethought" was in opposition of what some term being "brainwashed," those who have latched onto religious traditions and beliefs who are assumed incapable of thinking for themselves at all.  Apparently all hope is not lost, for secularists are willing to go to great lengths in the hope of eroding faith of the simple.  It is no wonder such people banded together to form an association, really an antichurch and antichrist organisation to espouse numerous critiques of God and express their disdain for the suggestion of His existence.  It was very easy to affirm my hypothesis in minutes, and a smile formed on my lips as I observed the author predictably hold forth straw man arguments, false equivalence, out of context quotations and the blasphemy of lowering the God of Israel to nothing idols of heathen nations to justify misguided claims.

While the author of this tome felt a level of indignance necessary to goad him to attempt to refute and deconstruct 10 commandments one by one, I feel no such need to refute his work at all because God has already spoken for Himself.  I have no problem with such people:  it is clear such have a problem with God, and any argument I bring forth will do no good.  If someone will not see, I cannot make them see even when I try.  Jesus is the One who opens the eyes of the blind, and praise the LORD He still does so to this day.  Jesus frees us from the bondage to sin and unbelief the "Freethought Press Association" is deceived to think is freedom.  Though secular, it appeared the author laboured under proud illusion the self-righteous Pharisees did when confronted by Jesus Christ, for they believed themselves illuminated and branded Jesus as a deceiver of the people when the opposite was true.  They were deceived to think they knew the way to eternal life when Jesus revealed Himself with countless signs to be the Way, the Truth and the Life--the Way by faith they would not go.

John 8:31-36 says, "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ³³ They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" ³⁴ Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."  Unbelieving Jews took umbrage with the suggestion the disciples of Jesus who were free (thus insinuating they were not free) for according to their reckoning they had never been in bondage to anyone.  Going back through history, it is amusing they could say this when Hebrews had been in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years and in Babylon for 70 years.  But Jesus knew and perceived the true bondage they suffered throughout their history and currently suffered:  bondage to sin.  Jesus revealed Himself to be God in the flesh, as He proved He was able to forgive sins.  Unbelief is sin, and the Pharisees were in complete bondage to it, though they saw themselves as free.

Jesus taught when a person repents of sin and trusts in Him, He forgives sinners whom He makes born again.  We are all born slaves to sin and as a result face eternal death as sins's wages, and those who are born again by faith in Jesus are made sons of God and receive eternal life as a free gift.  God frees those who trust in Him from sin and makes us free indeed--free to know God and do His will, free to have fellowship with God, to be spiritually fruitful, free to serve God however He leads us by His grace, free to receive correction and repent sincerely, free to forgive and give grace to others, free to enjoy fullness of peace and joy, free to think with divine insight worldly wisdom cannot supply.  The LORD God and His word grant discernment to recognise bondage from true freedom and avoid the woes of Isaiah 5:20-21:  "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"  Blessed is the one who sees as God sees, seek to do as God pleases, who affirm the wisdom of God and admit their own folly.  Those who realise they are lost in the dark and come to Jesus as the Light of the World in faith will be made free indeed, but those who are wise in their eyes and lead people from faith in Christ as Saviour (who makes free indeed!) will remain in darkness and bondage.

Water Carriers and Wood Hewers

Often God puts people  in places of leadership or in the spotlight who would rather avoid it.  Dr. Robert E. Speer was one of those people, who for 46 years served as secretary on the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions.  Based on the testimony of his biography, his faithfulness was an inspiration to many who sought to honour him upon his retirement, as the Presbyterian board had an age limit of 70.  As his retirement drew new, he wrote to the editor of a missionary magazine who planned to write an article about him, "In whatever you write, will you not make it just as impersonal as possible?  Let the cause fill the whole picture, and let us water-carriers and wood hewers who have sought to serve it be in our proper place out of sight." (Wheeler, W. Reginald. A Man Sent from God: A Biography of Robert E. Speer. Fleming H. Revell Co, 1956. page 253)

This reticence to public honour is evidence Dr. Speer continued to be small in his own eyes even when others considered him a spiritual giant.  The reference to the work of the ministry being as "water-carriers and wood hewers" takes me back to the Gibeonites, people of Canaan who deceived Joshua to make a league or covenant with them.  Having heard of the greatness of the God of Israel and knowing they were helpless before Him, they sent messengers wearing tattered clothes, with rations of mouldy bread and torn wineskins--as evidence they had been on a long journey--when they were neighbours.  When their ruse became apparent, Joshua and the elders confronted them for their deceit yet were bound by their oath before God to spare their lives.

Joshua gave his sentence upon the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:23-27:  "Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves--woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." ²⁴ So they answered Joshua and said, "Because your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. ²⁵ And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us." ²⁶ So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. ²⁷ And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day."

What Joshua framed as a curse turned out to be an incredible blessing, for the lives of the Gibeonites were spared and were given a position of service for the congregation and the altar of the LORD wherever God led His people.  The Gibeonites were given a role to support the Levites and priesthood who served in the tabernacle, providing wood for sacrifices and water for ceremonial cleansing.  People who were once under the sentence of death were given life and the privilege of serving the great God of Israel they feared all their days.  Their lives were not their own but to be poured out as living sacrifices unto the LORD who accepted them by grace.  Doesn't this closely resemble our standing as Christians by faith in Jesus Christ, having been purchased by His shed blood to serve and glorify Him forever?

The woodcutters and water carriers worked to provide the supplies required for the service of God's tabernacle, and unlike the high priest who wore special vestments they wore the clothing of common men.  Rather than standing above and blessing the people, their blessed God and His people with every swing of the axe, pull of the saw and the endless repetition of drawing and lugging water.  Their toil may have been unnoticed and unappreciated by man, but God knew their sacrifices and pains well.  He saw the splinters and blisters; God valued those who continued to toil even when priests their age had long since retired from public service.  The Gibeonites who were once outsiders and foreigners God brought near by His grace, and He allowed them to serve Him as His chosen inheritance.  Let us be as the Gibeonites in our service to Jesus Christ our great High Priest regardless of our role in ministry, content to faithfully serve the LORD out of sight so Christ may have the preeminence.

The Speer Prayer

After the murder of his son Elliot, Robert Speer and his wife wrote letters in response to condolences offered by friends and family that are recorded in his biography.  I was especially blessed by a prayer in a letter that was a combination of the Collect for All Saint's Day and from the hearts of Robert and Mrs. Speer.  The prayer is as follows:

"O Almighty God, who has knit together Thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of Thy Son Christ our Lord; grant us grace so to follow Thy blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which Thou has prepared for those who unfeignedly love Thee; through the same Thy son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen." (Collect for all Saints Day)

We seem to give him back to Thee, dear God, who gavest him to us.  Yet as Thou didst not lose him in giving, so we have not lost him by his return.  Not as the world gives, givest Thou, O Lover of Souls!  What Thou givest, Thou takest not away, for what is Thine is ours always, if we are Thine.  And life is eternal and Love is immortal; and Death is only an horizon; and an horizon is nothing save the limit of one's sight.

Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see farther.  Cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly; draw us closer to thyself, that so we may know ourselves nearer to our beloved who are with Thee, and while Thou dost prepare a place for us, prepare us for that happy place, that where they are and Thou art we too may be.  Amen." (Wheeler, W. Reginald. A Man Sent from God: A Biography of Robert E. Speer. Fleming H. Revell Co, 1956. page 239)

God, who is able to give sight to the blind and raises the dead to life, is the source of life and love we can steadfastly look towards in all seasons of life--even with eyes blurred with tears.  I had never thought of death as "only a horizon" which is nothing but evidence of limitation of sight.  There is a limit to our vision and perspective, but God suffers no such limitations.  Mr. and Mrs. Speer prayed to be lifted up to see farther, for God to cleanse their vision so they could see more clearly.  With eyes of faith on Jesus they believed mourning was part of their preparation for heavenly joy in the presence of God and their beloved son.  While God was preparing a place for them in His presence, they too were being prepared.  Is this not the victory of faith in Jesus who overcomes the world and death as well?  Even in grief we are made more than conquerors by God's grace--weak and troubled though we may be.