18 November 2020
Life Without Controversy
17 November 2020
More Than Reminders Needed
Reminders are useful because we easily forget. But even the best reminders have their limitations and do not always serve their intended purpose because we are the weak link. We can be distracted, fall into habits, and be overtaken with behaviours that impede our ability to do our part to follow through.
I was struck recently concerning how many memorials and reminders are in the Bible. After God delivered His people from a Philistine attack, the prophet Samuel set up a stone he called "Ebenezer" and said in 1 Samuel 7:12, "Thus far the LORD has helped us." God directed the Hebrews attach a fringe of blue on their garments so they would remember to keep God's commands (Numbers 15:37-39). When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan river on dry ground 12 stones were stacked in the place where the feet of the priests stood. To stop the people from murmuring against Moses and Aaron, God made Aaron's stick to bud, blossom and yield almonds overnight. Then He commanded it be laid up as a token before the Ark of the Testimony to silence their opposition (Numbers 17:10). God placed the rainbow in the sky as a token of the covenant He made with man and the earth after the great flood, that He would never again flood the earth to destroy all flesh (Genesis 9:12-15). God would look upon His bow and remember His covenant, and it directed men to remember God. Even Jesus told His disciples to receive communion together in remembrance of Him.
Making reminders does not ensure people will remember. This is seen after the children of Ruben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manasseh made a replica of the altar at the tabernacle when they returned to the east side of the Jordan. Because their land was divided by the Jordan river they were concerned future generations would forget their obligation to offer sacrifices to God at the tabernacle in Shiloh, and the remaining tribes of Israel might question their right to do so. Joshua 22:28 shares their explanation for building the altar: "Therefore we said that it will be, when they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say, 'Here is the replica of the altar of the LORD which our fathers made, though not for burnt offerings nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between you and us.'" It is ironic the people who had the real tabernacle and altar along with the eastern tribes who desired their descendants to follow the LORD and built the large replica were unsuccessful. Judges 2:10-11 explains, "When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel. 11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals..." This reveals reminders are useful, yet they provide no guarantee people will heed them.
We can write the time and location of an important meeting in our diary and forget to check it; we can set an alarm to wake up early and continue to dismiss the notifications. Our forgetfulness can lead to slackness in business and in the LORD's service. All the reminders in the world are powerless to change our hearts, and reminders are no substitute for the LORD's presence. That is a glorious truth of those who are born again by faith in Jesus Christ. He does more than remind us: His love compels us. Even those who sewed a fringe of blue on their garments were still condemned by their sin willfully or by ignorance. We can keep the command of Jesus to gather and remember Him by receiving communion together, but the rite itself has no power to save, guide or help us: it is Jesus Christ who is our all in all. The God who gave men brains with memory is able to prompt us Himself, and blessed is the one who responds in faith and obedience. God is mindful of us and needs no reminders. No man can follow and serve God without God's help, and praise God for all the reminders we have of His faithfulness.
15 November 2020
The Victory of Jesus
As a kid who grew up in the church, I was taught Christians were in a "spiritual battle." The range of views and degrees of emphasis placed upon this battle by different people was a source of confusion for me. Some people acted like that battle could only be won by the intense efforts of people to "put on the armour of God" and to be "prayer warriors" delving into "spheres of influence." Others who were also well-grounded in the truth of God's word seemed to give "spiritual warfare" far less publicity. Some often felt "under attack by the enemy" when difficulties arose, prayed for God to mobilise angels on their behalf and for a "hedge of protection." Some saw the battle as out there in the world with an unseen enemy, others saw this conflict more as personal and internal; others felt they were on the front lines whilst others said without a care, "The battle is the LORD's."
One of the great challenges of doctrine around spiritual warfare is terminology often used to explain aspects of it are not found verbatim in scripture. Over the years believers have developed words linked to doctrinal truth which mean different things to different people and involve a range of subjective applications. Many doctrines can be extended to a point of being extreme and drift away from the truth of God's word, and thus we must always be vigilant to be grounded in the Bible. It is imperative believers hold to the sovereignty of God and His infinite power, that before Him the greatest powers of evil must flee as light before darkness. Jehu called out to the eunuchs, "Who is on my side?" and the only way we can be victorious is when we are on God's side by faith in Jesus Christ.
I have lately been thinking about the prayers of Jesus and believers in God throughout scripture and I must confess many prayers I heard in my youth--and prayers I have repeated because I followed their example--are foreign to biblical examples. For instance, I cannot find a time anyone prayed for God to send angels, His ministering spirits who do His bidding. We can find many examples of God sending angels in scriptures, and there is certainly no prohibition to do so. Personally my convictions do not allow me to do so, for it is akin to telling God how to handle His business as the Almighty. Who am I to tell Him what He should do or how He ought to do it? Besides, I would rather have the protection of God Himself than His servants, the One who graciously sets a hedge of protection rather than the hedge itself. We might be content to know God's plans, but better to know the God who plans and whose will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Isn't the Giver better than the gift?
As I was contemplating the nature of the spiritual battle we face as believers who have an adversary who is compared to a roaring lion and seeks whom he may devour, 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 came to mind: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." It is true there is an enemy of our souls, but he does not cast a shadow on the Lover of our souls Jesus Christ. While the Bible has parallels of soldiers with followers of Jesus, Paul told believers in Corinth they should not imagine the spiritual battle should be fought according to the flesh. Therefore the basis of the warfare is not what their efforts but on who Jesus is and what He has done. Paul addressed a group of believers and they were to address sinful aspects of their fellowship which were contrary to Jesus and the Gospel. They needed to be obedient to God themselves before they could rightly administer church discipline.
This exhortation given to the corporate church is also appropriate to take to heart personally. They are not glamorous or flashy but our weapons are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds that exist in our own minds. Though God has taken up residence in our hearts, there are arguments and contradictory thoughts we are called to take captive to the obedience of Christ. "But aren't we to put on the whole armor of God?" some might ask. Of course, but remember Paul's use of the armour was for illustrative purposes and revealed the wide range of protection afforded us by the Holy Spirit. When we put on Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, we are protected as we walk in the Spirit. God protects us physically and spiritually even when He allows a messenger of Satan to buffet us as in Paul's case. If we lose the inner battle of faith in Jesus all is lost, and we resemble people starving in the keep of the castle behind thick walls. When we exalt God and His knowledge in obeying Him, we walk in the victory Christ has won. How awesome is this!