Blessed Contrasts

Every life is full of contrasts which add to the richness of life.  Many things we deem negative are in light of the positive we once enjoyed.  For instance, we start life young.  It is only as we grow older and experience the effects of age we look back to aspects of youth with longing.  Sickness reminds us of how it once felt to be healthy and well.  Painful joints and injuries are reminders of a time when we never thought about joints, anti-inflammatory medication, or scar tissue.  The negative feelings we have can be useful triggers to remind us of many things we have taken for granted:  we had been richly blessed by God with youthful vigour and health and didn't even notice.

My grandpa recently told me because of his physical ailments and compounding limitations a few classic words of wisdom:  "Don't get old!"  The beauty of growing older and even creaking joints is not discovered in supplements, therapy, or miracle cures, but in realising the future for followers of Jesus is eternal glory free from the need of any such things.  For us the future is not a return to youth with its folly but glorification and immortality in the presence of God.  We have so much to look forward to, for the things we enjoy so much on earth will fade away because they cannot be compared in light of eternal life with our Saviour.  It is not so much what God removes from our experiences but what we gain.  Since our knowledge is limited by our experience, however, God is gracious to paint a picture we can understand dimly through blessed contrasts.

Revelation 21:1-5 says, "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." ⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

If we had never wept in sadness or personally experienced pain, sorrow, and the finality of death, we would not appreciate the future God has prepared for those who trust and love Him.  It seems the more we experience sorrow and pain in this life, the more we have to look forward to.  We know what it is to have new things, and also to know what it feels like to grow old.  Old creaky joints and brittle bones cry out for deliverance, and in His time God will answer gloriously.  God will make all things new and perpetually so in a place where only righteousness dwells.  We who have only known wickedness and corruption will one day have a King dwelling in our midst who is infinitely more than benevolent or kind:  He is loving, just, compassionate, merciful, and altogether good.  The concept of "heavenly upgrade" just doesn't do God's glorious plan justice.

The Ordinary Christian

In Australia we recently had a change in Prime Minister.  Being relatively new to Australian politics, occasionally I will make inquiries with Autralians because they have a wealth of knowledge - especially from a historical perspective I do not possess.  On the ABC website the other day I read an article which seemed to match what I have observed:  leaders in parliament go to great lengths to show they are everyday, ordinary people.  Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke makes an annual appearance at the SCG to scull a beer, and whilst in office Tony Abbott was seen jogging with lifesavers or volunteering with the Fire Brigade.  Malcolm Turnbull would wear an Akubra hat when visiting rural areas.  The new Prime Minister Scott Morrison was pictured in the article tending a BBQ covered with fried eggs.  The title of the article was, "Just a regular Joe (or Bill or ScoMo): How our leaders work hard at being 'ordinary.'"

The article took a bizarre turn as it took aim at the Prime Minister and his open Christianity.  Frank Bongiorno in his opinion piece at the ABC remarked:

Like Mr Keating, the very Sydney-ish Mr Morrison is looking south for an AFL club, and he has cultivated what journalist Phillip Coorey calls a "daggy ordinariness". But his everyman act is already running up against his evangelical Christianity. The classic Australian plain man is not an evangelical.

Russel Ward sketched the "the typical Australian" most influentially in The Australian Legend 60 years ago. He is, Ward writes, "sceptical about the value of religion and of intellectual and cultural pursuits generally". The latter certainly fits Mr Morrison, but not the former.

I found it difficult to follow the logic of the article which went something like this:  Australian politicians work hard to appear normal and be everyday people, but Scott Morrison cannot be considered an "everyday" man because he is an evangelical.  In the article there was virtually no description provided of ScoMo's faith, and the sledge about the Prime Minister's scepticism of "intellectual and cultural pursuits" did not go unnoticed.  I was left to wonder exactly what Mr. Bongiorno meant when he wrote "evangelical," as it was not fleshed out in the article.  Frying eggs and wearing footy jumpers is deemed an "act," but it seems being an "evangelical" is not something an Australian leader should wear on their sleeve.

There is no shortage of religion in the world, and many religions could be aligned with intellectual and cultural pursuits.  Be that as it may, I find it strange any person (except for ignorance) could deny the positive implications of the description provided in James 1:27 for religion:  "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."  Christianity is unlike all other "religions" because we serve a living Saviour borne out of His love for us.  In loving God and others as He loves us, followers of Jesus ought to be numbered among the most useful, kind, generous, and gracious citizens, neighbours, and friends.  An atheist Matthew Parris years ago shared how he observed faith in Jesus made a positive difference in the world.  I don't believe the world is anti-religion, as religion is prolific in all nations:  I believe people are vehemently opposed to evangelicals in particular because they openly share their faith in Jesus Christ.

Maybe what is needed in the halls of Parliament and in State Government is more people who are willing to make a stand for righteousness and the truth of scripture, who wield their God-given authority in a way which honours and glorifies Him regardless of the contrary cultural tide.  Would to God being an "evangelical" would become an ordinary lifestyle in this great land, that our plain purpose in life would be out of God's love for us to love Him and others, humbly serving as our LORD Jesus did during his brief pilgrimage on His way to Calvary to die for lost sinners so they could be saved.  We cannot outdo Him, nor should Christianity be an act to appeal to constituents.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and those who follow Jesus are fit for service in politics or any arena because God gives us a Spirit of love, of power, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

The Way Speaks

On the blank pages in the back of my Bible I keep a running list of key verses which emphasise the deity of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and verses which confirm the Trinity.  Though the Bible does not employ the word "trinity," throughout scripture the doctrine of the Triune Godhead shines forth.  I recently came across a couple of great verses which I added to the list from the book of Isaiah.

Through the prophet Isaiah, the God who spoke from the beginning addressed the children of Israel.  Isaiah 48:16-17 reads, "Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me." ¹⁷ Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go."  It is evident the prophet Isaiah is not speaking for himself, for he could not claim to be "from the beginning," nor was he the promised "Redeemer."

Speaking of the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus Christ, the apostle wrote in John 1:1-2, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God."  In Isaiah 48:16, the Speaker identifies Himself as being separate from the "Lord GOD" and His "Spirit."  Based upon this and other places in scripture, it is clear the One speaking is none other than the self-existent and preincarnate Christ, the Son of man and Son of God.  Jesus was sent by the Father to be the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14).  Jesus is the Holy One of Israel and also the Redeemer (1 Corinthians 1:30-31; Ephesians 1:7).

What the LORD says here is telling as well:  "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go."  Jesus prayed the Father to send the Holy Spirit who would guide all Christ's followers into truth (John 16:13).  All Jesus tells the Holy Spirit He is faithful to proclaim.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).  He also calls Himself the "Good Shepherd" who lays down His life for His sheep and even for sheep not of His fold which He has called - both Jew and Gentile.  Jesus leads us in the way we should go, setting an example of love, humility, obedience, service, and meekness all His disciples ought to follow.

Jesus said, "Come near to Me" in Isaiah, and He said in John 6:35-38, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."  Jesus cried out similar words in John 7:37-38:  "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God?  The Way still speaks and saves all who believe!

The Implications of Definitions

The English language is filled with nuances which impact our perspective.  So many words we commonly use have a range of meaning, and learning the definitions of words enriches our understanding.  It is very possible we limit the meaning of a word to one facet and miss the implications.  Take as an example the word "commit."  The vast majority of times the word is used is in a negative sense, for instance to "commit" murder or adultery.  There are positive uses of the word as well, like in Psalm 37:5:  "Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass."  The implication of the word is to roll away, give, or entrust.

To illustrate the wide range of meanings of this word "commit," here is the definition from the Webster's Dictionary 1828 edition (punctuation and spacing edited by me to save space):

COMMIT, verb transitive literally, to send to or upon; to throw, put or lay upon. Hence,

1. To give in trust; to put into the hands or power of another; to entrust; with to; "COMMIT thy way to the Lord." Psalms 37:5; "The things thou hast heard of me, commit to faithful men." 2 Timothy 2:2.

2. To put into any place for preservation; to deposit; as, to commit a passage in a book to memory; to commit the body to the grave.

3. To put or sent to, for confinement; as, to commit an offender to prison. Hence for the sake of brevity, commit is used for imprison. The sheriff has committed the offender; "These two were committed, at least restrained of their liberty."

4. To do; to effect or perpetrate; as, to commit murder, treason, felony, or trespass; "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14. 

5. To join or put together, for a contest; to match; followed by with; a latinism; "How does Philopolis commit the opponent with the respondent?"

6. To place in a state of hostility or incongruity. Committing short and long words. But this seems to be the same signification as the foregoing.

7. To expose or endanger by a preliminary step or decision which cannot be recalled; as, to commit the peace of a country by espousing the cause of a belligerent; "You might have satisfied every duty of political friendship without committing the honour of your sovereign."

8. To engage; to pledge; or to pledge by implication; "The general--addressed letters to Gen. Gates and to Gen. Heath, cautioning them against any sudden assent to the proposal, which might possibly be considered as committing the faith of the United States." And with the reciprocal pronoun, to commit ones self, is to do some act, or make some declaration, which may bind the person in honour, good faith, or consistency, to pursue a certain course of conduct, or to adhere to the tenor of that declaration.

9. To refer or entrust to a committee, or select number of persons, for their consideration and report; a term of legislation; as, the petition or the bill is committed. "Is it the pleasure of the house to commit the bill?"

People are commonly encouraged to "commit" their lives to Jesus as LORD and Saviour.  Making the decision to follow Jesus is undoubtedly a commitment, but this word does not necessarily convey faith or trust.  I remember a friend who used the term "commitment" in relation to a pledge he made to his local church to give so much money over the next four years.  In his mind he made this pledge and therefore he was covered - for lack of a better word.  It is scriptural we would commit our lives to Jesus as He did into the hands of the Father, to entrust ourselves entirely to His covenant and will.  But I do find it interesting Jesus never asked the disciples to commit before following Him.  He was not interested in them pledging their loyalty before they were permitted to be His disciples.  In most cases recorded in scripture He simply said, "Follow Me."  Their faith was not conveyed by words alone but through obedience.  Our pledges mean nothing if they are only words or promising to give money or assent:  faith in Jesus and spiritual rebirth through the Gospel is needed for salvation.

So friends, crack open those dictionaries!  Language is a complex challenge to navigate, and our much improved access to information does not necessarily mean we understand the nuances of our mother tongue!  Words are powerful because of the meaning behind them when properly understood.  This is why I steer away from recent translations tailored for modern speakers, for stripping away language reduces meaning and significance.  Reducing language to today's common vernacular tends to dilute rather than distill.  God saw fit to give us His words written down which have been faithfully translated - not only so we could analyse and repeat them in our language - but so we could know Him and walk in light of His revelation and truth.