Put off the Old First!

At the close of this mornings service, I felt led to read from Ephesians 4:20-24:  "But you have not so learned Christ, ²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."  The emphasis of the passage is that to put on the new man, we first must put off the old man.  Following Christ is more than imitating Him outwardly:  it is a transformation that must take place in the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In the classic movie "The Christmas Story," Ralphie is a boy who desires more than anything to have a genuine Red Ryder BB Gun.  There is a memorable scene where his little brother, Randy, is heavily wrapped in winter clothes before his walk to school.  His mom was so overzealous he was not even able to put his arms down, nor stand back up after he tumbled back into the snow.  The picture of Randy stiffly running and stumbling with his bulky clothes is a fitting picture of the old man.  There is no possible way for us to put on the new man when we are encumbered with the old.  We must lay aside all weights and the sin which easily besets us.  It is imperative we walk in the Spirit, our minds being renewed by God's Word.  Then, by God's grace, we can put on the new man which walks according to true righteousness and holiness.

From a human perspective, rocket science is WAY easier than this.  But from the spiritual vantage point we have in Christ, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us and has given His life for us.  With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.  No amount of good intentions can transform a man's heart.  God delights to make us new in Him, sanctifying us into His image.  Let's do our part to put off our former conversation that we might walk in newness of life.  Romans 12:1-2 reads, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Speak the Truth!

WARNING!  This post may contain spoilers concerning a jolly man with a beard clothed in red often associated with Christmas.

As far back as I can remember, Santa Claus has always been a fictitious character along with the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny.  For the large majority of my childhood I was raised by Christian parents who valued honesty even when it came to traditions.  I remember even to this day a negative experience I had in kindergarten.  As Christmas drew near, I was discussing with a girl my age about whether Santa Claus was real or not.  The discussion escalated into an argument.  The little girl marched me right into the kitchen where both our mothers were conversing.  "Mommy, is Santa real?"  The eyes of the woman narrowed on me with a fierce look that unnerved me with its intensity.  Her words were even harder to understand.  "Of course, sweetie.  Santa is real."  I wonder if my jaw dropped in amazement as I looked to my mum for support.  Here is a grownup lying through her teeth!  How can this be?  Why would she lie?

My mum pulled me aside and explained something to this effect: "Honey, Santa Claus is like a game some parents play with their children.  It was fun for them as kids to believe in Santa and they want their kids to have fun too.  We know that Santa isn't real, but if you meet kids who believe in Santa don't argue with them.  It's a decision for their parents to make."  I can say with all honesty I didn't miss out on any fun in my childhood because my parents told me Santa wasn't real.  I was familiar with stories of St. Nick who was generous to give gifts perpetuated in various cultures in different ways.  Growing up, I saw Santa not so much as giving but a great thief, robbing Jesus of the attention He rightly deserves.  If Santa robs Christ of glory, he might as well be Satan.  The only thing I "missed out" on was having my parents lie to me, taking advantage of my childlike innocence and betraying my trust.  A parent who lies to their kids about Santa Claus might also be lying about God, Satan, angels, heaven or hell.  Had my parents lied to me, I would have taken it very hard when the truth finally came out.  Disillusionment would be a natural response.

"Well, it's not really a lie.  It's just a fun tradition we have."  Tradition or not, Christians are called to align their lives with scriptures.  There's nothing wrong with having traditions like setting up a tree, decorating the house, sharing special meals, or even singing songs or watching movies with Santa in them.  Some people do not regard Christmas day as a holiday at all because of the ancient pagan roots of the day since Christianised.  In general, today Christmas is hardly a religious holiday when it comes to the population of the world.  Romans 14:6 explains the freedom we have to express our worship of God:  "He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks."  It's not a sin to put out cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer.  But I say to you it is a sin to lie to your children, tradition or not.  Give presents "From Santa" with a wink and a grin if you want, but the risk of betraying the trust of a child should not be taken lightly.

Proverbs 12:22 reads, "Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight."  No one enjoys being lied to, even if it means an extra present.  "Believing" a lie becomes a bribe that nets more presents.  I am convinced that any perceived benefit of deceiving children pales in comparison to the damage which comes from the Santa ruse.  If you doubt me, google "Is Santa real?"  There are even articles to help parents soften the blow when their kids ask.  What I read breaks my heart.  Please take seriously the things you teach your children.  If you want them to believe you, speak the truth in love!

Several typical examples of responses from the above article:

I believe in the spirits of Santa. He once lived and is still living in all of us. He died like 2000 years ago but he is always going to be real.

—Guest Mikayla

 

I'm eleven and I stopped believing when I was eight because I found my parents putting presents under the tree that said "from santa". And also the rapping paper on the presents from santa, I found the roll in the closet. On that night my heart was broken though that they had been lying to me about it for eight years, they still try to tell me he's real and I'm eleven. I'm still mad at them.

—Guest Fiona

 

I'm 12 and I still believe. I may have some problem, because most of my friends seem more mature, but I'm the type that would hang out with lil kids, so that kinda has an effect on me. Am I weird since I believe. Really sometimes I think that God is really Santa and magically makes presents appear under our tree. Because Dec. 25 is his son's birthday. Or maybe Santa is his helper...... Well I'm 12 and I believe.

—Guest Heather

 

My parents never told me he wasn't real but it's so obvious!!! I stopped believing at ten, and hated my parents secretly for awhile for lying.:(

—Guest Guest Amy

 

I never believed in Santa. My parents didn't ever pretend he was real. Christmastime was still delightful and magical. I never intended to tell my children that Santa was real, but I have an 8 year old step-daughter who lives with me and is starting to ask questions. Her dad has asked me not to 'ruin' it, so I'm stuck. I don't want to lie to her. I also don't want to traumatize her. I told her to talk to her Dad about it. I don't understand why people insist on telling kids Santa is real. Make-believe is wonderful, and the spirit of generosity is even better. Why do people feel that the magic of Christmas stems from a belief in some jolly old man, instead of the love and good cheer in our own hearts. I, for one, will be relieved when her dad finally tells her. I hope it doesn't break her heart though.

—Guest KT

Soul Starvation

No one enjoys the sight of emaciated children, malnourished from lack of food.  While some of us have only seen pictures of such suffering, starvation and lack of clean water is a reality for millions in the world today.  It is heart-rending to see the vacant stares of the starving, too weak to swat the flies from their eyes and mouths.  Quality food and water are necessities for life, and for some they have become an elusive luxury.  God created our bodies to produce hunger pangs that alert us to our need to eat.  If our bodies do not receive the nutrients required, the body will feed on stores of fat and even muscle tissue to survive, leading to organ failure and death.

Physical starvation is a tragedy only eclipsed by spiritual starvation and death.  What does it profit a man to have all the food and clean water in the world and lose his own soul?  The body is temporary and the soul is eternal.  Through a prophet God said in Amos 8:11-12:  "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. ¹² They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but shall not find it."  Even as we live in a day of abundance yet great lack when it comes to food and water, the same can be said concerning the Word of God.  Many Christians have multiple Bibles, but there remain areas of the world where Bibles are scarce.  Even Christians who have Bibles on their night stands and listen to sermons every Sunday are starving for the words of the LORD.  Bibles remain closed while other books are consumed.  Instead of God's Word being preached from the pulpit, there is more about politics, opinion, morality, and "do's or don'ts."  Funny stories may be entertaining, but it is God's Word our souls hunger for.

If only our spiritual condition was as obvious as that of a starving person!  When we see pictures of suffering children, are you disgusted or feel compassion towards them?  Your response says a lot of the condition of your heart.  We are often blind to the spiritual squalor people live in every day, destitute of any spiritual sustenance.  The truth is, in our natural condition we cannot even see ourselves in truth!  In our blindness, spiritually speaking, humans could be contrasted with people afflicted by anorexia.  No matter how gaunt or haggard the image in the mirror, we see a distorted image of ourselves as muscular, beautiful, and perfect.  Though spiritually starving, we can be deceived to think we are living the "good life."  The sweetness of sin in mouths of men numbs the bitterness of the poison at work in their stomachs.  We might as well be eating refuse.  It takes the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to impress the truth upon us and bring conviction of sin.

I find it interesting that Jesus compares the Holy Spirit to "Living Water," a life-providing spring granted to all who repent and trust in Jesus.  He told the woman at the well in John 4:13-14, "...Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."  Not only are the words of scripture food for our souls, but Jesus is the "Living Bread" which has come down from heaven.  He said in John 6:51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."  Before Jesus went to the cross, He led His disciples in partaking of the Passover sacrifice.  The next day Jesus would be revealed to all as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world by His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection.

Praise God that we live in a day of abundance concerning His precious Word.  For those who are starving spiritually, all you need to sustain your souls is found in Jesus Christ.  I believe we are living in a day when people are running to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD.  It is not that God has not spoken or no longer speaks, but people are not listening.  God has spoken, but His unadulterated Word does not fit in with their beliefs or opinions.  Because it has been rejected it lays dusty on a shelf.  It has the power of God to give and sustain life, but it is seen by many as outdated and irrelevant.  The days of spiritual famine in which we live are of our own making.  Let us turn back to the naked Word of God and hold fast to what we have.  Let us feed on His faithfulness and the Word which endures forever.  Taste and see that the LORD, He is good!

A Happy Ending

People love happy endings.  They want to see good triumph over evil, the right guy to get the girl, and the villains to receive the justice they deserve.  A movie that does not end "happily" in the eyes of the viewers is wholly tainted.  I feel I am a bit of an anomaly because I don't need a happy ending to enjoy a film.  I actually appreciate a director who will risk his movies being unpopular because he or she is willing to to throw aside the cliche to make a point.  Perhaps this ruins the fantasy escapism people seek when they choose entertainment.  They would rather a movie end their way, even if it is predictable.

As I'm reading through Killing Fields Living Fields by Don Cormack, there are glorious testimonies among the darkness that shine with Christ-like brilliance.  When Cambodia was in the throes of her genocidal revolution primarily from 1975 to 1979, the amount of suffering of Christians and ordinary citizens is hardly thinkable.  It is in the darkest seasons that the light of Christ shines the brightest.  Being a Christian did not spare people from the brutality and torture of the Khmer Rouge's demonic rule.  In fact, Christians were singled out for execution because of their beliefs.  The words of Christ rang true:  in this world they experienced tribulation, but they were of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world.  For some this overcoming came through martyrdom.

While there are stories of miraculous deliverance as God hid people from detection of their enemies, others faced death with steadfastness and resolve for the glory of God.  A particularly poignant story is related in the book about a Christian family that had been singled out for execution.  On page 230, the story is told about a family that was forced to dig their own grave.  As they knelt in prayer led by the father Haim, one of his sons fled into the bush to escape his captors.  The story is told like this:

Haim jumped up and with amazing coolness and authority prevailed upon the Khmer Rouge not to pursue the lad, but allow him to call the boy back.  The knots of onlookers, peering around trees, the Khmer rough, and the stunned family still kneeling at the graveside, looked on in awe as Haim began calling his son, pleading with him to return and die together with the family.

'What comparison, my son,' he called out, 'stealing a few more days of life in the wilderness, a fugitive, wretched and alone, to joining your family here momentarily around this grave but soon around the throne of God, free forever in Paradise?'  After a few tense minutes the bushes parted, and the lad, weeping, walking slowly back to his place with the kneeling family. 'Now we are ready to go,' Haim told the Khmer Rouge.

But by this time there was not a soldier standing there who had the heart to raise his hoe to deliver the death blow on the backs of these noble heads.  Ultimately this had to be done by the Khmer Rouge commune chief, who had not witnessed these things.  But few of those watching doubted that as each of these Christians' bodies toppled silently into the earthen pit which the victims themselves had prepared, their souls soared heavenward to a place prepared by their Lord.

I ask you:  is that a happy ending?  From a strictly human perspective, there is no silver lining to this cloud.  It is a tragedy that a poor helpless family would be bludgeoned to death by merciless thugs.  But those with spiritual sight and faith in Christ see this as a happy ending indeed!  Their souls found release through the death of the body to a glorious entrance into the presence of the LORD.  It is not a happy ending but a joyful beginning!  A rich man with every worldly comfort and accolade dying in his bed surrounded by his family without Christ is the most tragic ending of all!  For everyone without Christ as LORD and Saviour, their days upon this earth could be defined as merely stealing a few days in the wilderness, wretched and alone, waiting for death to seize upon them.  Every word, deed, thought, even all the good left undone will be be judged according to God's righteous statues.  There will be no joy or happiness in the death of those who die apart from Christ because hell will be their everlasting portion.  Yet for those born again through faith in Jesus Christ, what unspeakable joy lays before us even in death!  Jesus died and rose from the dead so we might live with Him forever.

May God impress upon us all the temporary nature of this life and our need to lean wholly upon Christ in faith.  The world is not worthy of such sacrificial love and devotion unto God seen in Haim and his family.  Resolve in God's strength for our lives to glorify Christ according to what is written in Philippians 1:18-21:  "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. ¹⁹ For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰ according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."