While walking on the footpath this morning, my sons and I heard a warning "honk" from a cyclist who promptly whizzed by. There wasn't much time to react. Instinctively I moved towards the left, creating as much room as possible for the rider to pass on my right. In doing so, I gently bumped into Abel and almost pushed him into the bushes! As we walked and talked about how funny it would have been to see Abel dive headlong into the bushes and disappear, I was reminded of a time when that happened to my brother. And it was totally my fault.
I recounted the story to my sons. Since my parents were highly involved in church ministry, we always were among the first to arrive at church and the last to leave. For years, my brother and I would religiously play football by ourselves or with friends before first service, between services, and after second service. We literally wore out ball after ball playing touch football on the lawn, in a dirt lot, or on pavement. My brother and I were never on the same team because that created an unfair advantage. To have both of us paired on offense or defense meant an easy victory for us. So quite often we were paired up guarding or rushing each other. In case you don't know us, neither of us likes to lose. Thinking back, it's amazing how civilised the games usually were considering our competitiveness and youthful pride.
One morning before the service when I was in my early teens, my brother Mat "beat" me on a long bomb over the top. It was a perfect route, pass, and catch, the ball just sailing over my outstretched hand. Mat brought down the over the shoulder catch for the touchdown. I wasn't happy about being beaten. So what did I do? Just as his feet touched down on the concrete that marked the end zone, I gave him a small shove to the back. It was touch football, right? It wasn't a big shove, but with his forward momentum it was enough to send him sprawling headlong into a large juniper bush. He completely disappeared. In retrospect, it's a good thing that bush was there because it kept Mat from falling down a sheer drop five meters to a concrete path.
Oh no, I thought to myself. I felt bad. Because he didn't emerge immediately from the bush triumphantly with the ball, I knew something was wrong. I didn't feel bad about the extra "love" at the end of the play, but I knew Mat was going to be mad - really mad. He knew what I did, and he knew I did it on purpose. You see, all I could think about in that moment was how my bad decision was going to affect me. After calling into the bush a few times, Mat scrambled out of the bush fuming and thankfully unhurt. My pride had taken a hit being beaten by my little brother (who always could hold his own and was virtually equal or better than me in physical activities growing up) and so I dealt him a blow. We made up and the game continued. I am blessed to have a brother who showed me grace that day. "Shoving Mat into that shrub was the result of my pride and selfishness," I told the boys. "Pride will always make you do things you later regret. In that split-second it felt good to give him a shove, but it's something I have always regretted because of my proud and selfish attitude. I should have congratulated him and been a good sport."
Pride is an awful sin that has led to much more than a kid being shoved headlong into bushes, but the destruction of relationships, marriages, to fights, injuries, and bitter grudges. Pride causes us to hurt people we love. Pride is the primary sin of Satan (1 Tim. 3:6), and it keeps men from seeking God. Psalm 10:4 reads, "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts." Pride is painted in a positive light in many cultures today. People take pride in all sorts of things. But when we lift ourselves up with pride, we only set ourselves up for a fall. Proverbs 29:23 says, "A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honour." It is only through being born again by grace through faith in Christ that we can be free from the shackles of pride. Under the illusion of freedom we are actually bound by pride (Ps. 73:6). When we embrace humility, we don't need to fire away that hurtful parting shot, fight for our rights, or shove someone in the back. Walking in pride is a means of sowing to the flesh, and it will always breed corruption. Thank God that He has given us the example of Jesus, who not only shows us the way but places within us the power to walk in it through the Holy Spirit.
I'm sorry for shoving you into that bush, Mat. But I'm not sorry for the lesson God taught me through it! :)
02 April 2013
01 April 2013
A Rock of Offense
Paul exhorts believers in Ephesians 4:15 to speak the truth in love. God's love looks very different than what passes for love according to man's selfish standard. Because we love people, we ought to tell them the truth. We know the adage rings true: the truth can hurt. Sometimes we don't want to tell people the truth because we are afraid of offending them. When I am faced with this dilemma, I admit that the battle is not so much about others. My natural tendency is first to consider myself: what others will think of me, how uncomfortable I am, or countless other self-absorbed rationale. Those are tendencies I must confess as sin and forsake as I follow Jesus. It is the love of Christ which should compel Christians to speak the truth in love because we deeply care about others more than ourselves.
The message of the Gospel and the cross is a most offensive message. 1 Peter 2:6-8 says, "Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed." Jesus is this "rock of offense." The chief priests and scribes stumbled at Christ's Word because of His claims of deity and how He trumped the Law of Moses. He openly spoke of their hypocrisy and sin according to God's righteous standard. The offense of Christ continues to this day. To say a man is a sinner and needs salvation through repentance and faith to avoid facing the wrath of a furious God for eternity is very politically incorrect. There are some modern day churches that avoid any talk of hell, sin, judgment, or even the blood of Christ because it is offensive. But the love of Christ compels believers to speak the truth on even these difficult, unpopular, and polarising topics - even when faced with being ostracised, mocked, arrested, tortured, and killed. God and the scriptures are immutable, though the world continually sways like a ship at the mercy of the tide.
The day is coming, and even now is, that the divide between Christianity and the world becomes so wide no one can possibly straddle it. The world's opinion of Christianity and what is commonly called "the church" has changed markedly over the last twenty years. It used to be that Christians were considered "Jesus freaks" or a mild nuisance at best. Others looked upon followers of Christ as deluded people entrenched in tradition since their childhood, brainwashed of reason, and in need of a support group or crutch to cope with life's difficulties. "To each their own," people would say through a wry grin. Today even in countries with a strong Christian tradition, there is much more vitriol directed towards the church. People who are tolerant towards everything under the sun are increasingly intolerant and accusatory towards Christians as being bigots, haters, and unloving. Pity has given way to fierce anger. Are Christians without faults? Of course not. The Bible and our consciences tell us that all have sinned and no one is perfect. But the reality is we believers are called to speak the truth in love, and love does not mask the truth. We must be mindful there are ways to deliver an offensive message without having an offensive tone or attitude. 1 Corinthians 10:32-33 says, "Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."
Jesus came to earth as a revelation of divine love. Many of the things that He said were deemed offensive by the people who heard Him. His words were offensive because they did not believe He was God. If they believed He was God, the religious Jews would have given Jesus latitude to speak as God. But because they did not believe His claims, they were deeply offended by Him. Even though Jesus did many great things which could not be spoken against, they desired to kill Him! Therefore the followers of Christ will be despised, despite any social programs or good things we may aspire to do. Jesus said to His followers in John 15:17-19: "These things I command you, that you love one another. 18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." Christians are not of this world, yet there remains a temptation to soften the rough edges of the Gospel to be more palatable to the world. What is created is another gospel which is devoid of the power to convict, justify, transform, redeem, or sanctify. It is a false gospel that is no Gospel at all. We are messengers bringing Christ's message of salvation unto all people, and only an evil messenger selectively edits the message.
As Joshua told the people who entered into the land of promise, so the Holy Spirit exhorts us today: choose this day whom you will serve. Choose this day whom you will fear. Choose this day whom you will trust. We cannot serve two masters: either we believe the scriptures are the perfect, unchanging, unalterable words of God and we preach and live them without apology, or we cast them aside and trample them under our feet as rubbish. It is time for us to believe the scriptures so we might know God. Even if our love is misconstrued, distorted, or interpreted as hatred by those blinded by the ruler of this world, so be it. May we speak the truth in love, fearing God alone. May we follow Christ's example as He went about doing good unto all. If it is ordained we suffer persecution, trials, scorn, slander, loss of credibility in the eyes of the world, loss of physical freedom, or even our lives, AMEN! Even in these things we can rejoice, when our eyes are fixed upon Jesus. Is a servant above His Master?
The message of the Gospel and the cross is a most offensive message. 1 Peter 2:6-8 says, "Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed." Jesus is this "rock of offense." The chief priests and scribes stumbled at Christ's Word because of His claims of deity and how He trumped the Law of Moses. He openly spoke of their hypocrisy and sin according to God's righteous standard. The offense of Christ continues to this day. To say a man is a sinner and needs salvation through repentance and faith to avoid facing the wrath of a furious God for eternity is very politically incorrect. There are some modern day churches that avoid any talk of hell, sin, judgment, or even the blood of Christ because it is offensive. But the love of Christ compels believers to speak the truth on even these difficult, unpopular, and polarising topics - even when faced with being ostracised, mocked, arrested, tortured, and killed. God and the scriptures are immutable, though the world continually sways like a ship at the mercy of the tide.
The day is coming, and even now is, that the divide between Christianity and the world becomes so wide no one can possibly straddle it. The world's opinion of Christianity and what is commonly called "the church" has changed markedly over the last twenty years. It used to be that Christians were considered "Jesus freaks" or a mild nuisance at best. Others looked upon followers of Christ as deluded people entrenched in tradition since their childhood, brainwashed of reason, and in need of a support group or crutch to cope with life's difficulties. "To each their own," people would say through a wry grin. Today even in countries with a strong Christian tradition, there is much more vitriol directed towards the church. People who are tolerant towards everything under the sun are increasingly intolerant and accusatory towards Christians as being bigots, haters, and unloving. Pity has given way to fierce anger. Are Christians without faults? Of course not. The Bible and our consciences tell us that all have sinned and no one is perfect. But the reality is we believers are called to speak the truth in love, and love does not mask the truth. We must be mindful there are ways to deliver an offensive message without having an offensive tone or attitude. 1 Corinthians 10:32-33 says, "Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."
Jesus came to earth as a revelation of divine love. Many of the things that He said were deemed offensive by the people who heard Him. His words were offensive because they did not believe He was God. If they believed He was God, the religious Jews would have given Jesus latitude to speak as God. But because they did not believe His claims, they were deeply offended by Him. Even though Jesus did many great things which could not be spoken against, they desired to kill Him! Therefore the followers of Christ will be despised, despite any social programs or good things we may aspire to do. Jesus said to His followers in John 15:17-19: "These things I command you, that you love one another. 18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." Christians are not of this world, yet there remains a temptation to soften the rough edges of the Gospel to be more palatable to the world. What is created is another gospel which is devoid of the power to convict, justify, transform, redeem, or sanctify. It is a false gospel that is no Gospel at all. We are messengers bringing Christ's message of salvation unto all people, and only an evil messenger selectively edits the message.
As Joshua told the people who entered into the land of promise, so the Holy Spirit exhorts us today: choose this day whom you will serve. Choose this day whom you will fear. Choose this day whom you will trust. We cannot serve two masters: either we believe the scriptures are the perfect, unchanging, unalterable words of God and we preach and live them without apology, or we cast them aside and trample them under our feet as rubbish. It is time for us to believe the scriptures so we might know God. Even if our love is misconstrued, distorted, or interpreted as hatred by those blinded by the ruler of this world, so be it. May we speak the truth in love, fearing God alone. May we follow Christ's example as He went about doing good unto all. If it is ordained we suffer persecution, trials, scorn, slander, loss of credibility in the eyes of the world, loss of physical freedom, or even our lives, AMEN! Even in these things we can rejoice, when our eyes are fixed upon Jesus. Is a servant above His Master?
29 March 2013
Taking Up Your Cross
Following the Good Friday service yesterday, my wife Laura and I had a thought-provoking talk. It is my practice to ask Laura what God revealed to her for personal application during the sermon. "It was good," she said. "But I think it would have been good to talk more specifically about what 'taking up your cross' means. That phrase is used so often in Christian circles it has almost lost all meaning." She was absolutely right. The term has even been adapted into modern vernacular outside the church. When people face irritating or frustrating circumstances they hate but must endure they say with a sigh, "I guess this is my cross to bear." The ironic thing is, that's not how Christ approached His crucifixion. It was no drudgery. He approached it with fierce determination and willingness, knowing His hour had come. For the joy that was set before Him Jesus endured the cross and ultimately rose victorious.
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God on the cross was ordained by the Father from before the world began. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and for the purpose that He might demonstrate the love of God for fallen man through sacrifice. The cross was Christ's calling. It was purposed by God to satisfy divine justice. There can be no forgiveness without atonement. Atonement means to redeem, to buy back. It carries the meaning of an exchange, to reconcile, restore. In the Old Testament under the Law, atonement occurred by the shedding of the blood of an animal. The wages of sin is death, so the death of the sacrifice was exchanged for the life of the sinner. When Jesus took up His cross and was crucified on Calvary, His shed blood once for all provided atonement for all who repent, trust in Him, and obey the Gospel. If I were to die on a cross, it would have no redeeming power because I am a sinner. So what is Jesus talking about when He commands we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him?
The Father purposed that Jesus would be a sacrifice. This taking up our cross is our reasonable service to God as disciples. The cross we are told to take up is the calling God has placed upon our lives as living sacrifices unto God. Some people would love to follow Jesus without meeting the other conditions Jesus speaks of. They believe they can follow Jesus without denying themselves or without embracing the calling of self-sacrifice God has ordained for their life. But Jesus gives us indispensable insight with His command in Luke 9:23-24: "Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." Jesus could not have remained a sinless sacrifice if He chose to avoid the cross. He would have ceased from walking in the will of His Father in heaven. Personal consequences for the results of disobedience or rebellion should never be seen as "a cross to bear." Jesus had never done anything wrong, yet He was called to carry His cross and be nailed to it. God had a purpose in Christ going to the cross, and He has a calling and a purpose for your life as well. Even as God strengthened Jesus to answer His call faithfully to the end, so He will empower and comfort us.
This calling and purpose God intends we take up is to be done daily. It is not a "one-off" decision. Since we live in a body of flesh that resists and even resents the righteous demands of our Father, we must continue to deny ourselves. We must labour through the power of the Holy Spirit to cast down arguments and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience to Christ. The denial of self enables us to submit to God's commands and divine will. Focusing on our cross can never give us the strength to carry it. Our eyes must be fixed upon Christ's example of sacrifice on the cross and His current risen state. We must place our trust in Him alone. We do not serve a dying or dead God, but the One True Living God! Because He is alive, He has the power to strengthen and enable us to do everything He calls us to. By God's grace we can follow Jesus Christ to death and glory. The path to glory always passes through the cross.
I close with a quote by J. Oswald Sanders: "Self-sacifice is part of the price that must be paid daily. A cross stands in the way of spiritual leadership, a cross upon which the leader must consent to be impaled. Heaven's demands are absolute, 'He laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren' (1 John 3:16). The degree to which we allow the cross of Christ to work in us will be the measure in which the resurrection life of Christ can be manifested through us." (Spiritual Leadership, 1st Edition, pg. 142) Taking up our cross involves a decision to first drop everything which may hinder or weaken our grip. Once we have emptied our hands, we must decide to take up the cross. It is God who strengthens us to lift it and Christ will bear it with us. Instead of being a horrible weight, it is a path to fellowship and closeness with God obtainable through no other means. Praise God for the cross!
The sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God on the cross was ordained by the Father from before the world began. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and for the purpose that He might demonstrate the love of God for fallen man through sacrifice. The cross was Christ's calling. It was purposed by God to satisfy divine justice. There can be no forgiveness without atonement. Atonement means to redeem, to buy back. It carries the meaning of an exchange, to reconcile, restore. In the Old Testament under the Law, atonement occurred by the shedding of the blood of an animal. The wages of sin is death, so the death of the sacrifice was exchanged for the life of the sinner. When Jesus took up His cross and was crucified on Calvary, His shed blood once for all provided atonement for all who repent, trust in Him, and obey the Gospel. If I were to die on a cross, it would have no redeeming power because I am a sinner. So what is Jesus talking about when He commands we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him?
The Father purposed that Jesus would be a sacrifice. This taking up our cross is our reasonable service to God as disciples. The cross we are told to take up is the calling God has placed upon our lives as living sacrifices unto God. Some people would love to follow Jesus without meeting the other conditions Jesus speaks of. They believe they can follow Jesus without denying themselves or without embracing the calling of self-sacrifice God has ordained for their life. But Jesus gives us indispensable insight with His command in Luke 9:23-24: "Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it." Jesus could not have remained a sinless sacrifice if He chose to avoid the cross. He would have ceased from walking in the will of His Father in heaven. Personal consequences for the results of disobedience or rebellion should never be seen as "a cross to bear." Jesus had never done anything wrong, yet He was called to carry His cross and be nailed to it. God had a purpose in Christ going to the cross, and He has a calling and a purpose for your life as well. Even as God strengthened Jesus to answer His call faithfully to the end, so He will empower and comfort us.
This calling and purpose God intends we take up is to be done daily. It is not a "one-off" decision. Since we live in a body of flesh that resists and even resents the righteous demands of our Father, we must continue to deny ourselves. We must labour through the power of the Holy Spirit to cast down arguments and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience to Christ. The denial of self enables us to submit to God's commands and divine will. Focusing on our cross can never give us the strength to carry it. Our eyes must be fixed upon Christ's example of sacrifice on the cross and His current risen state. We must place our trust in Him alone. We do not serve a dying or dead God, but the One True Living God! Because He is alive, He has the power to strengthen and enable us to do everything He calls us to. By God's grace we can follow Jesus Christ to death and glory. The path to glory always passes through the cross.
I close with a quote by J. Oswald Sanders: "Self-sacifice is part of the price that must be paid daily. A cross stands in the way of spiritual leadership, a cross upon which the leader must consent to be impaled. Heaven's demands are absolute, 'He laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren' (1 John 3:16). The degree to which we allow the cross of Christ to work in us will be the measure in which the resurrection life of Christ can be manifested through us." (Spiritual Leadership, 1st Edition, pg. 142) Taking up our cross involves a decision to first drop everything which may hinder or weaken our grip. Once we have emptied our hands, we must decide to take up the cross. It is God who strengthens us to lift it and Christ will bear it with us. Instead of being a horrible weight, it is a path to fellowship and closeness with God obtainable through no other means. Praise God for the cross!
27 March 2013
Sodium Chloride and the Chemist
When the earth was young, a chemist considered the elements and compounds which comprise all living things. "I know what I will do," said the man. "I will bring together Sodium and Chlorine, joining them perfectly. They will be one: Sodium Chloride, or NaCl. This unity of 40% Sodium and 60% Chloride will provide flavouring for food, act as a preservative, and will have a long shelf-life."
The chemist was excited, as the close bonds between the chemicals were a picture of the intimacy he hoped to share someday with his bride. "I will make a special place on my table for this salt," he said aloud. He produced a crystal shaker and poured the salt into the valuable vessel. "As long as you live, Sodium and Chloride, you shall remain together as one. What God has joined together let not man separate."
Sodium and Chloride were pleased to remain together even as the chemist had joined them. Had they remained alone, Sodium would have been a metal and Chlorine a gas. Only when they were united together could they be NaCl, or salt.
A day came when two Sodium molecules walked up to NaCl. "We've been thinking," Sodium A began. "We've noticed your special arrangement, being displayed on the table. We believe we have every right to be salt, just like you."
"I'm afraid that's not up to me," said Sodium Chloride. "We were placed in this chemical arrangement by the chemist. He's the one who provided this shaker in which we reside. It is ordained by him that we remain here until death parts us."
"To hell with the chemist," said Sodium B. "We do not believe in any such chemist, and if he did exist he must obviously be a bigot and a fool. We will be salt, and we will get our own salt shaker to prove it."
It was not long before two Chlorine molecules floated up to the salt shaker on the table. Chlorine A began: "We've heard that you said Sodium A and Sodium B cannot be salt. I suppose you would suggest we cannot be salt either."
"Chlorine with Chlorine could never be salt," said NaCl. "The relationship we share is defined by our chemical properties. To be genuine salt, the properties of the compound is 60% chlorine and 40% sodium. Two molecules of Chlorine living in a shaker or being displayed on the table does not make you salt."
"We have a problem with that," said Chlorine B, "and we will take this matter to high court."
The prosecution addressed the judge: "Your honour, it is a grave act of discrimination that this nation will not allow Sodium and Sodium to be salt. Equally repulsive to my clients is the notion that Chlorine and Chlorine cannot be salt either. I demand that my clients have the opportunity to live together in a salt shaker exactly like the one provided for NaCl. I want them to be displayed openly on the table as equals, even as nature intended."
"There is no legal restriction that prevents Sodium and Sodium from residing in a salt-shaker together," said the judge. "Your problem is not with the laws or people of this nation but with the chemist who abides according to absolute law. You seem to think that if Chlorine and Chlorine were to live in a salt shaker they should be recognised as salt. But it does not take a chemist to know that is impossible." The judge sat back for a moment in thoughtful silence. "No doubt the day will come when Sodium and Sodium will abide together in a crystal shaker like NaCl, even displayed on the table. But it will never, ever be salt. Take it up with the chemist if you want, but his word is unalterable." Down came the gavel with a crack. "Case closed."
The chemist was excited, as the close bonds between the chemicals were a picture of the intimacy he hoped to share someday with his bride. "I will make a special place on my table for this salt," he said aloud. He produced a crystal shaker and poured the salt into the valuable vessel. "As long as you live, Sodium and Chloride, you shall remain together as one. What God has joined together let not man separate."
Sodium and Chloride were pleased to remain together even as the chemist had joined them. Had they remained alone, Sodium would have been a metal and Chlorine a gas. Only when they were united together could they be NaCl, or salt.
A day came when two Sodium molecules walked up to NaCl. "We've been thinking," Sodium A began. "We've noticed your special arrangement, being displayed on the table. We believe we have every right to be salt, just like you."
"I'm afraid that's not up to me," said Sodium Chloride. "We were placed in this chemical arrangement by the chemist. He's the one who provided this shaker in which we reside. It is ordained by him that we remain here until death parts us."
"To hell with the chemist," said Sodium B. "We do not believe in any such chemist, and if he did exist he must obviously be a bigot and a fool. We will be salt, and we will get our own salt shaker to prove it."
It was not long before two Chlorine molecules floated up to the salt shaker on the table. Chlorine A began: "We've heard that you said Sodium A and Sodium B cannot be salt. I suppose you would suggest we cannot be salt either."
"Chlorine with Chlorine could never be salt," said NaCl. "The relationship we share is defined by our chemical properties. To be genuine salt, the properties of the compound is 60% chlorine and 40% sodium. Two molecules of Chlorine living in a shaker or being displayed on the table does not make you salt."
"We have a problem with that," said Chlorine B, "and we will take this matter to high court."
The prosecution addressed the judge: "Your honour, it is a grave act of discrimination that this nation will not allow Sodium and Sodium to be salt. Equally repulsive to my clients is the notion that Chlorine and Chlorine cannot be salt either. I demand that my clients have the opportunity to live together in a salt shaker exactly like the one provided for NaCl. I want them to be displayed openly on the table as equals, even as nature intended."
"There is no legal restriction that prevents Sodium and Sodium from residing in a salt-shaker together," said the judge. "Your problem is not with the laws or people of this nation but with the chemist who abides according to absolute law. You seem to think that if Chlorine and Chlorine were to live in a salt shaker they should be recognised as salt. But it does not take a chemist to know that is impossible." The judge sat back for a moment in thoughtful silence. "No doubt the day will come when Sodium and Sodium will abide together in a crystal shaker like NaCl, even displayed on the table. But it will never, ever be salt. Take it up with the chemist if you want, but his word is unalterable." Down came the gavel with a crack. "Case closed."
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