Long before I became a resident of Australia, there has been an ongoing debate concerning how to handle the boats of refugees and "asylum seekers." There are differences between these groups, though the terms are often used interchangeably. Similar to where I lived previously in Southern California where drug trafficking and people smuggling are ongoing issues, the position of Australia provides unique challenges. Having little practical knowledge of the conditions which have evolved over the decades to bring us to this point, I have no unique insight or authority to even suggest a solution. It seems unlikely that a single action or policy will make the "problem" of people smuggling go away. Even this term is a misnomer, because these profiteering smugglers are the ones who are bringing desperate refugees or asylum seekers. Those who feel they have no where else to flee will do anything to save themselves, their family, and seek a future in Australia.
Are there clear guidelines and policies in place so people can be processed as refugees whilst remaining in their country? Do people have access to facilities that do not rely upon the internet or electronic banking? Is there a way for genuine refugees to be accepted into Australia even if they lack the funds to take their case before the court? The boats of people may be more of a symptom than the cause. But from what I hear on the news - whether it is true or not I cannot be certain - many people pay money for the boat trip to Australia because they are convinced it will expedite or even ensure their processing into Australia. People sadly pay money and find themselves aboard leaky vessels, some perish at sea, and others are intercepted and processed at offshore facilities. They believed the words of a smuggler but were deceived. Whilst some are found to be true refugees and brought to Australia in time, others are sent back home to start the process over again.
Having just finalised the process for permanent residency for my family and me, it is clear there is a legal way to immigrate to Australia. While some have no choice but to flee, others make a decision to take the risk to climb aboard a boat with the hope of becoming a resident and possibly a citizen of Australia. It must be beyond sobering for people who spend all their money for a trip they are told will result in them being processed and accepted into Australia and never make it. I think we can all sympathise with their plight, having been deceived by people who stand to profit from them.
I wonder if this is the way some people think about heaven. They are told that as long as they are a "good person" they will be accepted. They like to think that on the Day of Judgment God will be sympathetic towards their plight, their ignorance of His policies, and throw themselves upon His mercy. But God has been very clear that there are not many paths to salvation. There may be many routes one can take to acquiring residency status in Australia, but there is only one way to heaven: through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and LORD. Many will say to Jesus on that day, "Lord, Lord!" but He will say to them, "I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness." I am sad at the thought of people being deceived to think they can be good enough or that they will be able to sweet-talk their way into heaven. God is a Just Judge, and He has made a way for all people to be saved. They must first meet His exacting conditions. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
If we want to do the works of God, we must believe on the One He has sent, the God-Man Jesus Christ. It is one thing to lose your life savings because you were duped to believe a boat trip would end in residency; it is far worse still to lose your soul because you were deceived to think your "good" works could save you. Salvation is in Christ and no other. Only those who seek refuge in Christ will become residents of heaven!
16 August 2013
14 August 2013
The Power of Politics
The tendency in all people is to look to the wrong things for salvation. Even people of faith in God can be duped at times into placing too much trust in things and people other than God. The illustration in the life of Peter on the Sea of Galilee when he took his eyes off Christ, overwhelmed by the storm's wind and waves, is a fitting one. Whether I read the news from my home State of California, or watch debates and news concerning the approaching election in Australia, the focus is on the same sort of things: economics, health care, and social justice issues. The expectation on the government to "fix things" is misplaced, seeing the government has had much influence to bring us to where we are. You might as well shout at a lost man with a megaphone and demand he find his way without a map or have 100 million people sign a petition if you want - but that will not bring his wandering to an end.
C.S. Lewis wrote, "If tribulation is a necessary element in redemption, we must anticipate that it will never cease till God sees the world to be either redeemed or no further redeemable. A Christian cannot, therefore, believe any of the those who promise that if only some reform in our economic, political, or hygienic system were made, a heaven on earth would follow." (The Problem of Pain, pg. 102) Those in politics are not so rash to predict a "heaven on earth," but they no doubt place faith in their policies to bring about improvement. The difference between many of these politicians, businessmen, leaders, and citizens and the perspective of C.S. Lewis is that Lewis believed wholly that there is a God, and He is in complete control. Much of the activism we see today is a response to a symptom rather than the root cause. Sin is the cause of all suffering in this world. It is the source of the curse which ensures all will wax worse and worse - not "better and better." Ultimately this world will only be "better" after Jesus Christ sets up His throne on earth and reigns in righteousness. The world is sick, and this healing will only come through Christ.
I am grateful that even in a world growing darker with every passing day, the light of Jesus Christ will shine ever brighter through the steadfast testimony of His people and scriptures. We can make a difference as we labour in prayer, obedience, and faith, following Jesus and making disciples. When the President of the United States visited Australia last year, one of the newscasts attached a moniker to his name: "The most powerful man in the world." This perception suggests that Jesus Christ is not still alive. I only state this title because apparently it is a perception some have. I agree that the office of the President is both respected and has great authority. But in relation to God, how powerful is a man? So you vote your preferred politician into office: what then? Can they save you? Are they capable of providing life for all? Here is a haiku I wrote as I mused upon the subject. Let me preface this by saying this poem is not an indictment against any particular person, party, or policy.
C.S. Lewis wrote, "If tribulation is a necessary element in redemption, we must anticipate that it will never cease till God sees the world to be either redeemed or no further redeemable. A Christian cannot, therefore, believe any of the those who promise that if only some reform in our economic, political, or hygienic system were made, a heaven on earth would follow." (The Problem of Pain, pg. 102) Those in politics are not so rash to predict a "heaven on earth," but they no doubt place faith in their policies to bring about improvement. The difference between many of these politicians, businessmen, leaders, and citizens and the perspective of C.S. Lewis is that Lewis believed wholly that there is a God, and He is in complete control. Much of the activism we see today is a response to a symptom rather than the root cause. Sin is the cause of all suffering in this world. It is the source of the curse which ensures all will wax worse and worse - not "better and better." Ultimately this world will only be "better" after Jesus Christ sets up His throne on earth and reigns in righteousness. The world is sick, and this healing will only come through Christ.
I am grateful that even in a world growing darker with every passing day, the light of Jesus Christ will shine ever brighter through the steadfast testimony of His people and scriptures. We can make a difference as we labour in prayer, obedience, and faith, following Jesus and making disciples. When the President of the United States visited Australia last year, one of the newscasts attached a moniker to his name: "The most powerful man in the world." This perception suggests that Jesus Christ is not still alive. I only state this title because apparently it is a perception some have. I agree that the office of the President is both respected and has great authority. But in relation to God, how powerful is a man? So you vote your preferred politician into office: what then? Can they save you? Are they capable of providing life for all? Here is a haiku I wrote as I mused upon the subject. Let me preface this by saying this poem is not an indictment against any particular person, party, or policy.
Mister President:
The "World's Most Powerful Man."
He sits there, farting.
I'm sure the irony is not lost on you! We are foolish to deify men who are at the mercy of the health and digestion of their own bodies, just like you and me. Compared to God, what power does man possess? Man only has power God has granted to him. Christians have the most power to do good in this world because the Spirit of the Living God lives within us. He is the One who empowers us for service, enables us to stand strong in the face of adversity, and to intercede on behalf of the poor. God has ordained good works He has called us to enter for His glory. Prayer is more than talking, and obedience to God's Word greater than any policy a man can enact. If God is for us, who can be against us? In these times of uncertainty, when the only certainty is things growing worse and worse, place your faith in Jesus Christ. He is our source of life and will complete the good work He has begun. Stand, O Christian! Stand and praise the LORD! He will fight for us, for the battle is the LORD's.
12 August 2013
Lesson from a Boot
I suppose there is a first and last time for everything, and hopefully I ticked both boxes yesterday with a law mower "mishap." During all the time I have mowed lawns since my youth, I have only had two incidents to report. One of them was when I pressed my knee into the hot muffler (which cost me a little skin!) and my second came yesterday. I was wrestling with a rusty gate whilst reaching over the running mower. When I pushed against the resistance with my right, my left hand which held the handle pushed down slightly. The momentum of my body went forward, and my right boot slid barely under the whirring blades. Before you could say "jack rabbit" I heard a strange noise, then instantly sensed a vibration, and found the blades had contacted the toe of my boot. Here's the result:
I was a bit annoyed by my careless stupidity, but the feeling was quickly swallowed up with thankfulness that I still had my toes! I can't vouch that the boot is still waterproof, but after a little "Shoe Goo" it cleaned up nicely. As I finished mowing the lawn, a lesson came out of the experience. It was not my intention to slide my foot under a moving mower, but in the course of work damage was done. It was a foreseeable, predictable consequence considering the situation: if a boot comes in contact with sharp blades, the boot will lose. Our proximity to sin adds greater potential for damage and loss. No one figures they will be the one to be overtaken with a trespass. They believe they are in control until suddenly, before they can even react, the fangs sink in and with them a numbing agent that kills from within. I was taught as a child never to play with matches because of potential risk. Don't think you can play with sin and not be burned. Sin always brings death.
It was a good lesson, and I'm thankful the cost was only damage to a boot and not the loss of my toes! Praise the LORD for His grace and goodness.
I was a bit annoyed by my careless stupidity, but the feeling was quickly swallowed up with thankfulness that I still had my toes! I can't vouch that the boot is still waterproof, but after a little "Shoe Goo" it cleaned up nicely. As I finished mowing the lawn, a lesson came out of the experience. It was not my intention to slide my foot under a moving mower, but in the course of work damage was done. It was a foreseeable, predictable consequence considering the situation: if a boot comes in contact with sharp blades, the boot will lose. Our proximity to sin adds greater potential for damage and loss. No one figures they will be the one to be overtaken with a trespass. They believe they are in control until suddenly, before they can even react, the fangs sink in and with them a numbing agent that kills from within. I was taught as a child never to play with matches because of potential risk. Don't think you can play with sin and not be burned. Sin always brings death.
It was a good lesson, and I'm thankful the cost was only damage to a boot and not the loss of my toes! Praise the LORD for His grace and goodness.
11 August 2013
The "R" Word
I've been thinking lately how the word "consequences" typically carries with it a negative connotation. Very rarely is the word used to convey something desirable. If we talked about the consequences of sin, it would almost seem a stretch to find anything good from sinning against God.
Last Sunday at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we examined the passage in 2 Samuel 12 when David was confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin: the murder of Uriah the Hittite and the theft of his wife. God makes it clear that the core of sin is not human weakness or indiscretion, but stems from the hatred of God. The prophet spoke for God in 2 Samuel 12:10: "Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife." David had done a horrible thing in sinning against God. Yet when confronted with his sin, David owned it, confessed without reservation, and repented.
Repentance is a critical and necessary doctrine in the church today. Without repentance, there can be no forgiveness or salvation. Luke 24:46-47 says of Christ, "Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Also Paul said in Acts 17:30-31: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." The word "repent" has the meaning to "think differently" and results in a change of life as one chooses to live according to God. Except we repent, we will perish.
Sorrow takes a primary role in the act of repentance. Webster wrote in his 1828 Edition Dictionary of what it means to repent: "In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonour to His character and government." He writes of "repentance:" "Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct...real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin." Because the concept of repentance is tied closely to sorrow for sin, repentance never tends to be a popular subject. People can be overwhelmed by their sense of grief for past sins and some remain in a constant cycle of guilt, embarrassment, and shame. An improper understanding of repentance leads people to remain mired in past sins and therefore prevented from entering into the joy of the LORD.
Repentance is actually a very good thing to come out of sin. Our God is a Redeemer, and repentance is the step a man must take before He can be restored to fellowship with God. Something Webster neglected to address is the end of repentance - another "R" word - rejoicing! Did you know that the end of repentance is rejoicing? After David confessed his sin, look at what he wrote in Psalm 51:8-12: "Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit." Rejoicing in the ultimate consequence of repentance. Understand this: we do not rejoice over our sin, but in the goodness of our God to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God chastens those whom He loves, and we should rejoice in such love. Do you not know heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents? When David repented, heaven rejoiced. Jesus says in Luke 15:7: "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." If God and all heaven rejoice over your repentance, should we remain in perpetual sorrow?
If repentance has not resulted in rejoicing, there remains a step of faith for you to take. Paul wrote while incarcerated in Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" This is the cutting edge: we are to rejoice in the LORD always. When we are in sin, God has ceased to be our focus and first love. We are to approach repentance with a similar view of Christ's crucifixion. We view Christ suffering and dying on the cross with sorrow because of our sin. Yet we take comfort that it pleased the Father to bruise Jesus and make Him a sacrifice for sin so we could be cleansed and make whole. Should the disciples have continued to mourn Christ's death when He stood among them alive three days later? No! If we are risen with Christ, forgiven and made new, may the joy of the LORD be our strength. Repentance isn't a dirty word. The intended end of repentance is rejoicing. Repent, and by faith enter in!
Last Sunday at Calvary Chapel Sydney, we examined the passage in 2 Samuel 12 when David was confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin: the murder of Uriah the Hittite and the theft of his wife. God makes it clear that the core of sin is not human weakness or indiscretion, but stems from the hatred of God. The prophet spoke for God in 2 Samuel 12:10: "Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife." David had done a horrible thing in sinning against God. Yet when confronted with his sin, David owned it, confessed without reservation, and repented.
Repentance is a critical and necessary doctrine in the church today. Without repentance, there can be no forgiveness or salvation. Luke 24:46-47 says of Christ, "Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Also Paul said in Acts 17:30-31: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." The word "repent" has the meaning to "think differently" and results in a change of life as one chooses to live according to God. Except we repent, we will perish.
Sorrow takes a primary role in the act of repentance. Webster wrote in his 1828 Edition Dictionary of what it means to repent: "In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonour to His character and government." He writes of "repentance:" "Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct...real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin." Because the concept of repentance is tied closely to sorrow for sin, repentance never tends to be a popular subject. People can be overwhelmed by their sense of grief for past sins and some remain in a constant cycle of guilt, embarrassment, and shame. An improper understanding of repentance leads people to remain mired in past sins and therefore prevented from entering into the joy of the LORD.
Repentance is actually a very good thing to come out of sin. Our God is a Redeemer, and repentance is the step a man must take before He can be restored to fellowship with God. Something Webster neglected to address is the end of repentance - another "R" word - rejoicing! Did you know that the end of repentance is rejoicing? After David confessed his sin, look at what he wrote in Psalm 51:8-12: "Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit." Rejoicing in the ultimate consequence of repentance. Understand this: we do not rejoice over our sin, but in the goodness of our God to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God chastens those whom He loves, and we should rejoice in such love. Do you not know heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents? When David repented, heaven rejoiced. Jesus says in Luke 15:7: "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." If God and all heaven rejoice over your repentance, should we remain in perpetual sorrow?
If repentance has not resulted in rejoicing, there remains a step of faith for you to take. Paul wrote while incarcerated in Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" This is the cutting edge: we are to rejoice in the LORD always. When we are in sin, God has ceased to be our focus and first love. We are to approach repentance with a similar view of Christ's crucifixion. We view Christ suffering and dying on the cross with sorrow because of our sin. Yet we take comfort that it pleased the Father to bruise Jesus and make Him a sacrifice for sin so we could be cleansed and make whole. Should the disciples have continued to mourn Christ's death when He stood among them alive three days later? No! If we are risen with Christ, forgiven and made new, may the joy of the LORD be our strength. Repentance isn't a dirty word. The intended end of repentance is rejoicing. Repent, and by faith enter in!
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