Agenda and Motive

I was looking for a C.S. Lewis quote I mentioned in a previous blog post and on the first page of Google results there was a blogger who wrote an expose on the occult agenda of C.S. Lewis in his Narnia books.  The internet is rife with this sort of thing, people who claim to have discovered a "hidden agenda" which may or may not be true.

As I thought this claim to knowledge over, it occurred to me that "having an agenda" often directly corresponds with personal motive.  Because we cannot perfectly know the hearts of men making absolute claims about the motives of others is dicey at best.  Take for instance in western culture the marriage of people who are vastly different in age:  a young woman marrying an older wealthy man could be viewed by some as a gold-digger or some might call the old man a pervert.  But the reality is the couple could very much be in love, regardless of what is common practice in society or our judgments based on appearances and limited knowledge.  Even when we have heard two sides on a matter we haven't heard the whole story.

God is the only One who perfectly knoww the hearts and thoughts of men, something Jesus demonstrated on a regular basis in the Gospels.  Jeremiah 17:5-10 says, "Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD. ⁶ For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited. ⁷ "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. ⁸ For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river,and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. ⁹ "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? ¹⁰ I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."  Walking according to sight has many pitfalls, but trusting the LORD keeps us from anxious thoughts and makes us fruitful.  Our heart is naturally deceitful:  if we cannot know the depravity and hidden agenda of our own hearts, how can we be sure we know the motives of others?

Now there are ways hidden motives of the hearts can be revealed by the things we say and do.  But let us examine our own hearts because we are quick to assume we know the motives of others:  quick assumptions and judgments we make say more about us than others.  We are to guard our hearts, to examine our motives, to weigh our feelings and thoughts against the straight-edge of scripture to ensure we are aligned righteously with God and our fellow men.  A heart regenerated and illuminated by God may not be more discerning of others but sees the need for personal repentance and reformation as David in Psalm 51:10-12:  "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."  There is much which may concern us about others, but in our praying let us draw near the LORD for our own sakes in desperate need for revival, renewal, and restoration.

Troubled By God

Because of our limited understanding and ignorance we can tend towards oversimplifying biblical truth.  There are many clear-cut doctrines in scripture which are objective and plain.  But like the apostle Peter who was filled with the Holy Spirit, we can admit there are teachings in scripture which are hard to understand.  He wrote in 2 Peter 3:15-16, "...and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures."  To understand, rightly divide, and apply the scriptures requires being born again by the Holy Spirit and discernment only God provides.

One challenge all followers of Jesus face is the personal application of God's Word, how we put things into practice by faith.  There are all sorts of beliefs and practices in the lives of people which are traditional but not scriptural.  Traditions are not bad in themselves and can serve many good functions like discipline, remembrance, and can glorify God.  But doing things merely out of tradition or copying others because it seemed to work for them can lead us by degrees away from active faith in Christ and obedience to Him.  We can assume what we heard was true and repeat it before we even check to see if the Bible actually says it.  I am grateful that the God who does not change has given us His Word which is true and will never pass away.  Truth and wisdom from God needs no revision.

What I have been reading in the Bible lately plays right into what I've been thinking, how God is intimately involved in the physical and spiritual aspects of our lives.  Like magicians who are masters of misdirection and sleight of hand, Satan utilises these tactics to turn our eyes from Jesus.  Concerning the spiritual realm he aims to move us to extremes:  to be obsessed over demonology or dismiss the whole thing as a sham; to tout our authority as children of God in pride or to imagine Satan as absolutely powerless to even tempt us.  The devil is pleased when we give him credit for our troubles (as a consequence of our sin) and be helplessly resigned to believing lies.  The devil would have us imagine fighting spiritual battles depends largely upon what we do or don't do or the precise words we say rather than what Jesus has accomplished and our identity in Him.  I imagine Satan loves it when we try to take the fight to him ourselves rather than walking in the victory Jesus Christ has already won.

I have been reading in 1 Samuel how the Spirit of God departed from King Saul and how an evil spirit was sent by God to trouble him.  This is put bluntly in 1 Samuel 16:14-15:  "But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. ¹⁵ And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee."  It was no secret to Saul or his servants God sent an evil spirit to trouble Saul.  How much good, do you suppose, would rebuking the evil spirit have done for Saul--when the spirit was fulfilling God's purpose at His direction?  Saul's problem was not the demon but his broken relationship with God!  He had been lifted up with pride, was disobedient, stubborn, sought his own glory rather than God's, and when confronted with sin made excuses.  God rejected Saul from being king because Saul rejected God.  But God loved Saul and desired He would repent and be restored.  He gave Saul opportunity and motivation to repent because of his distress caused by this unclean, malevolent being.  This satanic oppression was a divine rebuke for Saul's pride.

Saul was anointed king by the almighty God who rules in the heavens, the One before whom Satan and the demons tremble.  Saul did not need a exorcist:  he needed to repent and be restored to God who is a Saviour.  There was not a particular prayer to utter, holy water to sprinkle, or for a prophet to lay hands on him for deliverance.  See how this relates to what is written in James 4:6-10:  "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." ⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."  The distress and trouble Saul faced was more to do with his relationship with God than the evil spirit.  If Saul would have drawn near to God, God would have drawn near to Him like Jesus did the demon possessed man in Gadara.  Saul was not possessed but certainly distressed, and only repentance and restoration to God who sent the evil spirit could change that.

And this is a key point:  Saul and his men sought a godly musician to play the harp to soothe his distress.  The music played by David for a time seemed to do Saul good.  But rather than changing circumstances by simply removing the demonic influence, God desired Saul change:  to humble himself in repentance, seek the LORD with all his heart, and submit under God's rule.  No one could make Saul do this, and God wouldn't force him.  Instead of being afraid of demons or their influence, we do well to draw near to God who rules over all, the Saviour before whom the demons shudder.  Saul rebuking the unclean spirit would have accomplished nothing because he was sent on God's holy errand.  The Bible has many more examples of God rebuking men and the need for men to rebuke one another than rebuking evil spirits.  It is best for the LORD to do the rebuking of the devil (Zec. 3:2, Mal. 3:11, Jude 1:9), and should He employ angels or men to do so He is to be praised and glorified forever by His humble servants.

Easter In the Bible

The Bible is packed with amazing insights God provides generously by His grace.  I was intrigued by what I read this morning concerning Herod's arrest of Peter in Acts 12:4:  "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people."  I read my devotions and study out of the King James Version because of the Strong's concordance so I can look up the original words.  I have read this many times before but it struck me "Easter" was used instead of "Passover" way back by learned and pious scholars who embarked on the seven year, peer-reviewed process of fulfilling King James' commission to translate the scriptures in 1611.

I found the inclusion of "Easter" ironic and illuminating.  Some of the more conservative-leaning folks in Christendom prefer to avoid the term and utilise "Resurrection Sunday" to avoid any pagan connection.  There are some who prefer the King James Version of the Bible because they believe it is more true to the original languages and intent of the Author.  I believe the translation of "Easter" fits well with New Testament doctrine that the Law was the shadow of what Christ is the substance (Col. 2:16-17).  Devout Jews continued to observe Passover according to the Law of Moses, but things were different for all Jews and Gentiles after Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead on the first day of the week.  Instead of the translators deferring to Passover this switch to Easter focuses on the blood shed on Calvary and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It is good to remember God's deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt and the Spirit of God sparing their firstborn, but to Christians Easter meant assurance of the forgiveness of sin, resurrection from the dead, and eternal life through faith in Jesus.

The KJV rendering of the passage from Acts enforces the New Testament doctrine that calling the day "Easter" or "Resurrection Sunday" is of infinitesimal consequence compared to the spiritual regeneration and transformation of sinners through the Gospel.  Paul had much to say on this subject in Romans 14 and other places concerning the Christian liberty unto the LORD to eat, drink, to observe a day or not, and we can extend this doctrine to the terminology we use when referring to said day.  Romans 14:5-6 says, "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ 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."  If Easter is an offensive term to you (which was not offensive to the KJV translators of scripture), God provides the freedom to use another.  Who Jesus is and all He accomplished in His death and resurrection ought to be our focal point--not terminology.

Is terminology or words important?  Of course.  But fancy splitting hairs over terminology as a measure of spiritual maturity or righteousness before God when we could unite in praise and adoration of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ who has made us righteous by faith!  Paul warned of this very thing in 1 Timothy 6:3-4:  "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, ⁴ he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions..." (bold emphasis mine)  In itself calling a day "Easter" is no less pleasing or offensive to God than "Sunday," a word not found in the KJV which we have unquestioned freedom to use.  Call it Passover, Easter, or what you will without spiritual snobbery or worrying of offence, for God looks upon the heart.  Let each be fully convinced in their own mind and give more grace.  To Christians what many call Easter is at its root worship, praise, and adoration of Jesus Christ and acknowledges and celebrates the Living Hope God has provided by grace.

A Glorified Body

Today I officiated a funeral for a much loved mum, nana, and friend.  It was an emotional time for all to hear touching tributes that conveyed the depth of love and gratitude coupled with mourning great personal loss.  Saying goodbye to a loved one is always hard, and it is a great blessing when grief can be tempered with the knowledge of a future reunion in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.

During the service attendees were invited to place a flower on the casket adorned with a lovely bouquet, Scottish tartan, and smiling portrait to the sound of bagpipes.  All the flowers provided were ultimately laid on the closed casket soberly and with tears.  It occurred to me after the service how the person we honoured and remembered was no longer with us, though the deceased body remains.  The real person created in the image of God, the soul of the departed, had already gone to God.  What remained in that casket could be compared to a seed, a husk that bears no resemblance to the plant that springs from it.  A living plant, flower, or tree looks nothing like the seed.

Paul employed this example speaking of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:35-44:  "But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" ³⁶ Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. ³⁷ And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain--perhaps wheat or some other grain. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. ³⁹ All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. ⁴⁰ There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. ⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. ⁴² So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."  Our physical bodies will one day die and decay, but Jesus is the Resurrection and Life who gives eternal to all who trust in Him.

The glory of the terrestrial body bears no resemblance to the glory yet to be revealed.  The death of the body is the gate through which Christians pass into eternal life in the presence of God forever free from pains, sorrow, sickness, suffering, and regret.  The natural processes of the body like the conversion of oxygen into carbon dioxide or the pumping of blood through veins and arteries is unseen but it is happens in living people continuously.  God has put eternity in our hearts and explained in the Bible not only how to live in this life but how to have assurance of eternal life in heaven instead of perishing in hell.  In rising from the dead glorified Jesus gave certainty to the resurrection, forgiveness, and eternal life available through faith in Him.

Praise the LORD for the living hope we have through Jesus Christ.  Farmers do not weep over the seed they sow because the planted seed is the source of hope for plenty.  It is fitting we weep over the passing of our loved ones into eternity, but we can rejoice knowing the planting of the seed of our bodies in death instantly triggers a glorious, everlasting future in the presence of God--the almighty God and Saviour we can know and rejoice in today.  What consolation and comfort God gives by His grace.