Small Book, Giant Truths

"Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly. ² And he said: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice."

Jonah 2:1-2

Jonah was directed by God to preach against Nineveh, but he chose to disobey the word of the LORD and fled to Tarshish by ship.  God sent a mighty tempest which tossed the ship and the sailors cried out to their gods, being in jeopardy.  Eventually Jonah was revealed by lot to be the reason the storm had come upon them, and according to his directive Jonah was cast overboard and the sea was calm.  God prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah, and from the prison of stinking flesh Jonah cried out to God and was heard.

This biblical passage has much more going on than what is featured in a book for children:  the prophet needed correction and discipline, the sailors would benefit from a demonstration of God's power and instruction concerning His supremacy and sovereignty, and God desired to provide the people of Nineveh preaching and salvation.  To people who required a sign to believe Jesus was the Christ He pointed to Jonah, that as Jonah was 3 days in the belly of the fish and survived, so Jesus would be 3 days in the grave before rising in eternal glory.  In the book of Jonah everyone seemed to change except for him:  the pagan men on the ship sacrificed to God and made vows, and the people of Nineveh repented of their wickedness with fasting.  The book ends with Jonah justifying his anger and indignation before God who remained gracious, patient and wise.

God's preparation of the storm, the great fish, vine, worm and vehement east wind were more than just lessons for Jonah but for all who read this small book of the Bible.  It is written for the sake of disobedient prophets and people alike to hear, fear and obey God.  It is to correct those who hate other nations or people because of past atrocities to show compassion as God did and does.  It teaches everyone who is experiencing personal hell and feels like God is far from them that God hears the prayer of faith in Him and answers.  This book shows God's wisdom in spreading the knowledge of His power through a prophet and sailors alike in His wisdom.  It demonstrates how God's heart is to hear, save and forgive Jew and Gentile alike by His grace.  When it comes to God's wisdom in His word, our cup overflows.

While we try to avoid affliction, God can use it to draw wayward souls to Himself.  The God who created the heavens, earth and seas, the LORD who called Jonah and saved the sailors and Ninevites who called out to Him, is the Saviour who speaks and works His wonders to this day.  Praise God that He who created the ear can hear, and He is able to deliver us from bondage to stubbornness, idolatry, waves of pride that rise and the belly of affliction.  The book of Jonah isn't kid stuff but a revelation of the glorious God for all ages, all people and for all time.

What Agnostics Can Know

Recently I read an opinion piece that prompted consideration.  From the premise to the conclusion I disagreed with every point made.  A strong agnostic tone was maintained throughout concerning Jesus and the testimony of scripture, and thus there was nothing satisfactory for the soul.  In arrogance the pendulum swung between ignorance and irrelevance, and I don't know that a Christian or atheist who would be satisfied with the straw man arguments presented.  For me the article was of value because it showed the complete bankruptcy of an agnostic position concerning the person of Jesus Christ.

Reading the article, it seemed the fellow was pleased to through out the Baby Jesus but treasured His bathwater:  the value in Jesus being a Saviour for oppressed souls was not in His divinity but His humanity.  In the writer's mind some compelling things have been attributed to Jesus, but whether Jesus existed or not is of little consequence.  What really matters, I read, was the concept of Jesus doing miracles and providing for the needy kindles faith in humanity.  From a biblical worldview, this misses the point entirely.

Jesus only said and did compelling things because of Who He is, the Son of God born of a virgin in Bethlehem, the Christ--exactly as God promised beforehand.  The whole of Christ's life is placed under a microscope because of His claim to be the Messiah, that He came from heaven.  Jesus cannot be a good man and lie to deceive people:  either He is the Christ, or He is not.  Either the whole body of work of His life is consistent with this claim, or Jesus is a deceiver and disqualified as divinity--including being a decent bloke.  His sayings, actions and miracles were not to inspire people with faith in humanity, but for the lost sinner to receive salvation through faith in Jesus.

1 John 5:11-13 says with complete authority from God Himself concerning Jesus:  "And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."  For the one who is not sure Jesus was born or is the Son of God, you can know with certainty you are not saved.  Being agnostic towards Jesus Christ and His claims of divinity means you are guaranteed to fall short of the forgiveness and justification He provides by grace through faith in Him.  Saying "maybe" concerning the existence of Jesus Christ or His resurrection means you have no part in Him, remain in sin and are truly lost.

No matter what arguments doubters and deceivers have concerning Jesus, Christians can rest confidently in Jesus Christ our LORD who ascended to the Father in the presence of many witnesses.  We do not need to know everything to know for certain we are forgiven and have eternal life through faith in Jesus.  We who believe in Jesus are called to keep believing, for our faith is according to knowledge revealed in God's word that is true.  Praise the LORD for opening our eyes to see and giving us hearts to understand and know Jesus.  How blessed we are to be known by Him Who has sought us out!

No Christmas Without Christ

Yesterday I enjoyed the nostalgia of watching a classic Christmas movie I had not seen for a very long time:  Miracle on 34th Street.  It was a delightful and humorous film that explores rationality, imagination and faith--though not faith according to a biblical definition.  In the movie faith was described as belief when common sense ends, yet the Christian faith is one according to knowledge of God that is logical and sensible even as He is.  The Bible reveals genuine faith is according to knowledge of what is, and it is wise to place our trust in all God reveals to be true.

It occurred to me throughout the film that Kris Kringle or Santa Claus took middle stage along with a pushback against commercialism.  The one figure that was ignored entirely was Christ, and this does not surprise me in a secular society.  But the fact remains there is no Christmas without Christ.  It may be "Eatmas" or "Drinkmas" or "Partymas" for many people ("mas" being "more" in Spanish), yet for Christians Jesus Christ really is the reason of the season.  The trappings, gatherings and obligatory celebrations or gifts do not make Christmas special:  it is Jesus Christ who is special being divine, and He is the greatest gift ever given or received.

For those who claim those who recognise Christmas unwittingly give honour to pagan traditions, Paul urged believers not to judge one another in their observance of a particular day in Romans 14:5-8:  "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. ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ⁸ For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."  We are able to observe Christmas and Boxing Day as unto the LORD, and God can receive the same degree of glory from our lives even when, in a desire to honour our Saviour, intentionally allow them to pass without fanfare.

What freedom God has grated His children by grace through faith in Christ who has abolished death and brought immortality and life to light through the Gospel.  If we think it reasonable to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, it is perfectly sensible to acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ to earth as a baby--even if it isn't on the exact date.  I don't believe Jesus is more pleased with those who "celebrate Christmas" than those who choose not to celebrate it with a tree, stockings, gifts or going to church.  We please Him by grace through faith in Him, and Christmas is a unique opportunity to proclaim there is no Christmas without Christ.  Unless the Light of the World came we would be in perpetual darkness, and we thus thank God for His indescribable gift of His only begotten Son.

Growing in Grace

Luke wrote concerning Jesus as a lad in Luke 2:40, "And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him."  At the conclusion of the chapter he also remarked in Luke 2:52, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men."  This is a amazing statement.  It is one thing for a person to grow in wisdom and physically from being a child to an adult, but it is incredible Jesus increased in favour with God and men.

Because God's grace is infinite, one might wonder how Jesus--the perfect Son of God--could possibly grow in it.  Luke made a connection in both of these verses between wisdom and grace.  Wisdom comes from God alone, and those who walk in wisdom look to God in faith, obedience and submission.  The observations of Luke emphasise the Son of God Jesus becoming flesh and was one of us in a human body.  There were limits of His mental and physical capabilities as a little child.  He lacked strength and dexterity to lift his head as a newborn or coordination to stand up as an infant.  His body needed to learn to speak and  His mind developed to comprehend figurative language.  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:11 that when he was a child he spoke as a child, understood as a child, and thought as a child, and this was true concerning Jesus.

As Jesus grew in wisdom and understanding, He also increased in favour or grace with God.  Though God's grace is infinite, by faith according to knowledge man can receive God's favour and increasingly walk in it.  Peter exhorted followers of Jesus to this end in 2 Peter 3:17-18:  "You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."  Jesus grew in wisdom, and perfectly understood God and His calling as the Son of God to seek and save the lost.  Unfettered from sin and selfishness, always walking in obedience and submission to His Father in heaven, Jesus provides us an example to follow that we also may grow in grace.

Lest we think God's grace upon Jesus was unique, it is imperative to remember that grace is unmerited, freely given out of God's goodness, love and mercy.  There has never been nor will ever be another Son of David and Messiah Jesus Christ, yet the grace given Him is extended and received by those who trust in Him.  Acts 4:33 says of the early church, "And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all."  God's grace has appeared to all men as it is written in Titus 2:11-14:  "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."

Jesus became wisdom for us, having been taught by the grace of God.  Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and lust and to live soberly, righteously and godly today, knowing we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus from sin and purified as His special people to do good.  Knowing Jesus and walking in obedience to Him is the practical way we can grow in grace every day.  Praise the LORD the grace of God that bring salvation has appeared to all men, and great grace is upon all who believe in the LORD Jesus Christ.  May we grow in favour with God and men because Jesus has become wisdom for us and remain steadfast by faith in Him.