Salvation Made Simple

As much as we say we prefer things to be easy, there is part of us which likes a level of difficulty and complexity.  Take puzzles for example:  a 20 piece puzzle is not as satisfying or fun to complete as a 500 piece puzzle.  Board games like "Candyland" or "Snakes and Ladders" are fine for little kids, but there is a point when most people actually want more of a challenge, more strategy with actual decisions which impact the outcome of the game.  Supporters and fans of professional teams and athletes pay money to watch players compete at a high level.  They would not likely pay to watch little children play tee ball but will pay hundreds of dollars for the chance in person to see M.L.B. players compete in the Home Run Derby.  The higher the stakes, the greater the difficulty, the bigger the stakes, the greater the honour and glory man gives and receives.

A similar dynamic is found in religious pursuits where great sacrifice and devotion of a person can be revered over the object of worship.  Supposed spiritual truth gained at great cost is carefully guarded and offered to only those deemed worthy.  The religions of the world are often a complex and demanding means of working to make oneself worthy, yet Christianity as revealed in the Bible stands by itself founded in the grace of God through the Gospel.  Followers of Jesus Christ always run the risk of reverting back to a system of works to prove themselves righteous when righteousness is a gift of God by grace through faith alone - faith which works righteously.

Jews and Gentiles both struggled to lay aside the fleshly impulse to look to men for guidance rather than the scriptures applied by the Holy Spirit.  Worship under the Law was highly complex and incredibly demanding and the aid of priests was necessary to approach God.  The Catholic church bears a loose resemblance with the demands placed upon adherents to partake of Mass, holy communion, confession, and on with the help of priests.  Among the religions of the world there always seems to be a level of religious bureaucracy to know or reach God - some guru, shaman, priest, prophet, or angel.  Like levels of difficulty in a Sudoku book or a video game, to advance means greater skill, knowledge, sacrifice, or devotion.  It is obvious people find some satisfaction in making spiritual advancement as complex and difficult as possible because the tendency is prevalent!

When Jesus came to earth in human form, the Son of God, in establishing a new covenant through His shed blood on Calvary He trumped the old covenant of Law.  When the veil in the Temple was torn top to bottom at His death, it confirmed Jesus Christ is our High Priest and no longer is anyone other than Jesus required to know God and be saved.  We do not need the prayers of priests, apostles, saints, or prophets to have an audience with the Almighty, no additional sacrifices of bulls, goats, or sheep are required to have favour with the KING of KINGS, for He provided atonement with His own blood.  There is no prophet who can compare at all with the humble Prophet, Apostle, and Rabbi from Nazareth Jesus Christ, and He is infinitely more than any of these roles also held by others being God Himself.  Jesus is the one who has promised to pray to the Father who has sent the Holy Spirit to regenerate all who trust in Jesus and guides us into all truth.  How awesome is this!

No longer does man need to work to prove himself worthy of forgiveness or that divine wisdom can be entrusted to him because Jesus has offered salvation by grace through faith.  The prophets of Ba'al spent all their strength leaping about, shouting, even cutting themselves hoping to invoke a response from their god, but it was a fruitless endeavour.  People to this day exhaust themselves in their frantic efforts to prove themselves worthy, but only Jesus is worthy of all honour and praise.  It is because we are not worthy and never could be worthy we come to Him in humility and faith, asking for forgiveness with thanksgiving.  Gone is religious bureaucracy, for Jesus alone forgives sin and presents us faultless before the Father.  There are no hoops to jump through to know God but to believe our risen LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Jesus has come to us and has drawn all men unto Himself so we might be saved and experience abundant life.

ANZAC Dawn Service 2019

I told the LORD if He would wake me up, I would go to the dawn service on ANZAC day.  I awakened before my alarm and walked to the cenotaph in Riverstone to join the throng which had already filled the square in front of the train station.  This is one of many dawn services I have attended on ANZAC day, commemorated annually on 25 April.  Those who attended the service were treated to a historical occasion - one I did not expect (besides the drone which buzzed around for half the service, a noisy nuisance).

The format of the service had a notable addition to hymns, poetry, the LORD's prayer, and the Last Post:  a speech, prayer (in song), and interpretation of a local Muslim imam.  In light of the Christchurch massacre it was decided to extend an invitation for the Imam to address the crowd and pray.  I thought it was a strange thing indeed, to hear prayers in Arabic those Diggers likely heard at a distance from minarets all those years ago at Gallipoli before they gave their all.  It was the first time ever, the imam shared, a Muslim had been asked to share like this and was grateful for the opportunity.  His words were measured with an Australian accent and translated carefully:  he often mentioned the grace of God and never said "Allah" - only "God."  If I was a not a Christian, what he was saying sounded on the surface very Christian.  But the god of Islam and the Koran and the God described in the Bible are two different deities:  they cannot be reconciled as the same, and the wise will not be duped.

The people who attended the dawn service were of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, and this is the world in which followers of Jesus live.  There are some who want Muslims (and Americans, for that matter!) to "go back where they came from," but I am glad they live among us.  How will people ever hear of Jesus Christ of the Bible who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life?  There are deceptions all around, but it is only the truth of the Bible and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit we need to be light in a world of darkness.  Years ago I learned in some countries people are identified as Muslim or Christian due to their family background and this information is included on your identification.  In many countries it is illegal to be born Muslim and later decide to become a Christian.  Jesus Christ, in whom dwells the fullness of God bodily (Colossians 2:9) died to save the souls of Americans, Diggers, Muslims, to free people from bondage to sin and the power of Satan, and to provide life abundantly.

In the parable the master was not concerned to have the wheat and tares grow up together, fearing the tares would somehow strip the wheat of its nutritious properties.  No:  the wheat and tares were permitted to grow up together and when the time of harvesting came they would be sorted.  So it is for all the people at that ANZAC dawn service and all the world.  God knows every single person who has been born again through faith in Jesus Christ, the only Way to God.  What is the chaff to the wheat?  Praise the LORD He has sent Jesus to be the Saviour of the world and we can have love, forgiveness, and eternal life through Him.

The Convenient Time

We live in an age of convenience which boasts indoor plumbing, electricity on demand, fast and affordable transportation, and technology which has made instant communication across the globe possible.  Should we find something inconvenient we seek to make to process faster, easier, and more time-efficient.  But there are some things, regardless of innovation or technological advancement, could never be aptly described as "convenient" in an easy or simple sense.  Powdered coffee may be convenient, but it is far from (as we would say in Australia) a proper coffee.

According to Webster's 1828 edition, the word "convenient" is defined as, "suitable; proper; adapted to use or to wants; commodious."  It is evident by reading this definition it is subjective term.  One person might believe powdered coffee is perfectly suitable for a morning cuppa, but others would scoff at even the suggestion.  Suits are intended to be tailored individually to fit each wearer, but paying extra for this luxury to some does not seem convenient:  it is easier and cheaper to buy a suit off a rack.  It may be over the years the emphasis of the definition of "convenient" has moved away from what is proper and drifted to something adapted to our personal desires.  All of this thinking came from what Felix said to Paul in Acts 24.

After Paul was arrested and taken to Caesarea, he spoke at length with the Roman governor named Felix.  When no decision was immediately made concerning his case, during the period of his incarceration he met with Felix on many occasions.  Acts 24:24-25 reads, "And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. ²⁵ Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you."  There is it:  a "convenient time."  Righteousness before God, self-control as a fruit of the Spirit, and the coming judgment all people will face are all suitable and proper doctrines.  They are always proper concerning our personal self-evaluation:  how can a sinner stand before a righteous God?  Does not our lack of self-control condemn us?  What shall we do, knowing we will be judged according to God's holy standard revealed in scripture with eternity in heaven or hell at stake?

The words Paul spoke caused Felix to tremble in fear so great was his sense of conviction.  In light of Paul's reasonings he imagined there must be a more convenient time to address these inconvenient truths, so he sent Paul away and procrastinated for a more "convenient time."  The revelation of a righteous God, our sin, and the judgment to come are always convenient - suitable and proper for all men for all time.  They however can never be made convenient, as in "adapted to use or wants."  It is never preferred or easy for our flesh to repent of our lack of self-control, outbursts of wrath, or deceit.  If you are waiting for a convenient time like Felix was, perhaps you will also be like Felix who put off reasoning about these fitting subjects indefinitely.

Because Felix would not repent and receive righteousness through faith in Jesus, he remained in his sin.  He was a man blinded and corrupted by greed as Acts 24:26 reveals:  "Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him."  He sat in the seat of judgment and gave the appearance of interest in what Paul had to say, but his motive was a desire for a bribe.  If Paul would pay him off, though innocent of all charges, he would gladly set him free.  The ironic thing is the truth of the words Paul spoke were of infinitely greater value than money, for he shared the means of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus and the Gospel Felix could freely receive.  Judgment to come and the way of salvation cannot be adapted to our preferences, but are most convenient topics to lay to heart and address today:  today is the convenient day for repentance and forgiveness from God, the day we can be made righteous by faith.

Was it convenient for Jesus to die on Calvary?  At what point does having nails driven through flesh seem easy?  It was convenient in the sense it was suitable and proper Jesus should do the will of the Father and die as the Lamb of God to atone for the sins of the world.  God has made salvation convenient for us in adapting a suitable and effective way to salvation by grace through faith we could not earn for ourselves.  Communication through words is a funny thing because no matter how directly something is stated we can wriggle away to dodge the point.  Doing so when it comes to righteousness, self-control, and judgment is never in our interest because it is God's revelation of our need and His gracious supply if we will hearken, confess our sin, repent, and trust in Him alone.  Those who put off dealing with conviction of sin for "a convenient time" will find it never comes - because it is to be addressed today.

Jesus and Fulfilled Prophecy

The writers of the Gospels pointed out many times the life of Jesus fulfilled prophecy, like being born by a virgin, His birthplace would be Bethlehem, He would live in Egypt for a season, and be raised in Nazareth.  The odds of just these being true of anyone is beyond reckoning - and these are just a fraction of the prophesies fulfilled by Jesus!  In His death He also fulfilled prophesies:  He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, rejected, pierced, lifted up, lots would be cast for His clothing, not a bone would be broken in death, and He would rise from the dead on the third day.  Again, the miraculous fulfilment of them all was only accomplished in the life of Jesus.

One fulfilled prophecy not often referred to is the accusing taunts hurled at Jesus as He hung on the cross.  Matthew 27:39-43 reads, "And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." ⁴¹ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ⁴² "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. ⁴³ He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"  To those who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, this so-called "Saviour" needed saving Himself.  It is clear by the term "blasphemy" employed by Matthew he believed Jesus capable of being blasphemed, being God in human flesh.  They mocked His claims of being God, the Messiah sent to seek and save the lost.

See the similarities of a prophetic passage written by King David in Psalm 22 which begins with words Jesus spoke from the cross:  "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  For all Jews well-versed in scripture this allusion would not have been unnoticed.  Now see the similarities between what the passers-by said to Jesus in Psalm 22:7-9:  "All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ⁸ "He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!"  Isn't this incredible, that the ones who blasphemed and hated Jesus were ones who fulfilled scripture with their insults?  This shows me that even things meant for evil God can redeem for good.  God preempted their scornful words with His Word, and the answer of Jesus was not with words but with fulfilment of scripture by suffering and rising from the dead.

The testimony of prophecy fulfilled in the life of Jesus provides very strong and rationally unassailable evidence Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  Though scoffers and mockers remain to this day, followers of Jesus take heart their Saviour Jesus is risen and living!  The One who endured suffering and shame provides comfort and rest for our souls that endures, and having been raised with Him through faith we press on in light of rational evidence of salvation and eternal life.

Do Not Fret

"Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. ⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm. ⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth."

Psalm 37:7-9

Three times in the first 8 verses of Psalm 37 David wrote, "Do not fret."  Instead of fretting, we are called to rest in the LORD, to trust in Him, and wait patiently for Him.  We are to put off anger and wrath, knowing God will provide for us.  "Fret" isn't a word used often, and when I have heard it used it was almost synonymous with worry or anxiety.  As the context shows, fretting is more than worry but when we harbour indignant anger.

The Strong's Dictionary defines the Hebrew word translated "fret" as:  "to glow or grow warm; figurative (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy; be angry, burn, be displeased, grieve, be (wax) hot, be incensed, kindle, be wroth."  Fretting is not being worried about the prosperity of the wicked, but to be angry about it.  It is to be agitated violently, to be worn away by scraping, to be chafed and irritated.  I read these verses yesterday, and guess what happened today?  God revealed old junk in my life I was still fretting over.  I had put things out of my mind, but the past continued to gnaw at me like mice chewing on wires and timber in the attic.

Just like a saddle improperly fitted will rub and wound the back of a horse, so circumstances and perceived injustice wears on minds and hearts.  Our fretting will always have a negative impact on others, bringing turmoil and harm.  When we are at rest in the goodness of the LORD and waiting patiently for Him in faith we do not need to fret.  We are called to cease from anger and forsake wrath, for in our anger we have said and done awful things we wisely regret.  Even as worrying cannot make a person grow taller, fretting never accomplishes good only God is capable of.

Here are the preceding verses in Psalm 37:1-6:  "Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ³ Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday."  Instead of fretting over others who get away with murder, we are to trust in the LORD and do good.  The wicked may flourish for a short season, but God who is our righteousness remains just.  He does not fret so why should we?

Our God In Heaven

When it comes to heaven and the eternal state, not much of the Bible is spent describing it because for us it is beyond description.  Our frame of reference is this world, but the new heavens and earth will be...new.  This is not like Toyota's new Camry which bears a striking resemblance to the previous model:  it will be beyond what our minds can conceive.  It is a world of perpetual day because God supplies the light.  It is difficult for us to imagine the biblical revelation that there is no sea, and New Jerusalem has gates made of a single pearl.  People say "pearly gates" because we cannot imagine an oyster that enormous, but God doesn't need oysters to create exactly what He wants.

We are creatures of schedules, routine activities, and special plans so therefore we have great interest in how this will look in heaven:  what will we do, who we will see, and how a daily routine might look.  Very little if anything is mentioned on this subject.  Somehow the idea has drifted around (probably bad theology from cartoons) our heavenly activities will be little more than sitting around strumming on harps.  But this is a myth with no basis in reality, for apart from the 24 elders seated around God on the throne there is no mention of benches, lounges, or pillowy clouds.  We sit because our legs grow tired, but who is exhausted in heaven? 

Because we are finite humans who live on earth I believe we often ask the wrong questions.  We obsess over the things or people we can idolise.  People in all seriousness ask if there will be golf or baseball in heaven.  They wonder about whether we will have dogs or cats as pets.  "What would heaven be without animals or sport?" people wonder.  This is simply answered:  infinitely better.  In asking such a question we are like hungry children who look forward to their morning gruel, for what could breakfast be without it?  Heaven is not eggs and bacon compared to gruel but an existence of complete satisfaction without hunger, thirst, crying, or even digestion.  What some consider the most important meal of the day will be consumed by the presence of the God who created, loves, and chose us to be with Him forever.

And that's another thing.  It is incredibly odd to me how people romanticise about people they will see and surprisingly Jesus is not always mentioned among them.  Entering the eternal state will not be like going to a party where you introduce yourself with a handshake or hug and gravitate to preferred company, food, or activities.  We imagine the queue to meeting Jesus like a two-hour wait to go on a ride at an amusement park and skipping it to hang with Moses and David - especially because we have some burning question to ask them.  Really?  Do we not realise heaven will be heaven - not because we will have mansions, crowns, or authority but because God is there and we saints by His grace will be glorified with Him?  What or who can rival the presence of God?  For our earth-entrenched minds, sadly, quite a lot.

Consider the testimony John witnessed of the four living creatures and the 24 elders in their worship-loop around the throne of God in Revelation 4:8-11:  "The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ¹¹ "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."  We cannot conceive not needing to rest, nor to have the supreme focus to worship God continually without respite.  To many it seems ridiculously boring, but that is the flesh talking.  God is worthy and we will delight to praise Him; He will be our central focus.  Crowns are symbols of royalty and authority, and to be in God's presence and not be consumed will be an everlasting thrill.

Let me encourage you:  don't try to dumb down heaven to earthly conceptions.  The scattered descriptions of heaven in the Bible barely scratch the surface because it would be completely lost on us.  When Paul had a heavenly revelation he declared it was unlawful for him to even speak of it - contrary to modern authors today who sell their stories.  What has been revealed makes us scratch our heads and wonder because it is foreign - yet glorious.  1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."  In what ways shall we be like God?  John didn't know, and neither do I.  But suffice it to say any conception we could possibly have of heaven is ridiculously poor.  The human intellect, creativity, and imagination has limits, but God will undoubtedly blow our feeble opinions and assumptions away with what He has prepared for us.

Members of Christ's Body

"And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."

1 Corinthians 12:26-27

These are verses I have been thinking over lately.  It is amazing how we are adopted by God into His family by faith in Jesus Christ, and by God's grace we are collectively added to the Body of Christ, the church, as individual members.  The church has many individual members which comprise the whole, but there is only one Head of this body:  Jesus.

Though the functions of the various parts of the body are varied and important, nothing is as critical as the head which has capacity to see, speak, hear, smell, taste, and feel.  Jesus is the One who sees all, spoke the world into existence, and hears all who cry out to Him in faith.  He created all the diverse scents and flavours, and His knowledge of us and depth of feeling for us is beyond our comprehension.  If a single sparrow falls to the ground on the globe it does not escape Him, and are we not far more valuable to Him than the birds of the air?

When a part of the body is injured, all the body is notified by discomfort and pain.  After I hiked through bush later I realised I had scratched my lower legs and needed to wash and treat the bleeding skin to prevent infection.  To do this required the attention of the whole body to locate and retrieve the antiseptic to clean the wounds.  My eyes showed me where treatment was needed, and my hands did the work of washing and applying antibiotic ointment and dressings.  My legs were not running on a treadmill when I put my first-aid training to work, nor were my hands balled into fists in boxing gloves as I slugged a heavy bag for exercise.  My shins suffered damage, and the whole body laboured towards healing and restoration of the wounded parts.

The human body has an internal nervous system which communicates a message of pain which prompts our eyes or hands to search to find the source.  It is an intricate and amazing system but it pales in comparison to the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells everyone who is born again.  Our connection to Jesus is not with nerves which can be pinched or numbed but is a spiritual one with no risk of blood clots, losing circulation, or being completely severed because we are one with Christ as a member of His body.  Our physical bodies remain prone to illness and injury, but in Christ we are immortal and eternally seated with Him.  The Holy Spirit is able, without us even saying a word, to prompt others to pray for us and reach out to help us.  We also have been given mouths and can speak to our fellow believers, and when we humble ourselves to admit our pains others can support and encourage us.  But our peace, healing, help, and life remains in God alone.

How does it feel knowing you are part of the body of Christ?  We need never feel forsaken or forgotten in Christ.  We are often forgetful and even the severity of our injuries escape our notice, but nothing escapes the watchful eye of our Saviour who created and loves us.  The blood coursing through my legs began clotting hours before I even noticed I was cut, and Jesus provides for every physical and spiritual need we have - sometimes long before we ever thought to ask.  We ought to seek Him and make our requests known to Him, for in doing so our faith is demonstrated in obedience.  May we honour Jesus Christ above all members of the Body, and in doing so there is always great cause for rejoicing.

When You Cannot See

When we go through hard times, we can feel swept off our feet and cast down without hope.  It's also tough when things are going well and depression unexpectedly hits.  Christians with genuine faith are no exception.  Sometimes we are not alright and we can feel something is very wrong, though we can't put a finger on it.  I can compare my experience after delivering a sermon to someone suffering from postnatal depression yet on a spiritual level.  I want to "hit it out of the park" at every opportunity God provides me to preach, yet I often kick myself for falling short.  Then I need to dust myself off and throw myself into the process of preparation again - despite feeling down and worthless.  There are fleeting times of encouragement and the euphoria of apparent usefulness or progress, but these glad feelings can instantly evaporate as I sink to great depths and wonder if it is time to hang up the boots.

Apparently I am not alone in the struggle with feeling low as I labour in the Word and seek to follow Jesus.  The LORD prompted me to read a chapter called "The Minister's Fainting Fits" in Spurgeon's Lectures To My Students, a book which has been very useful to me over the years.  It is absolutely crammed with scriptural content and wisdom which has challenged and encouraged me.  The quote is long, but allow me to share the last paragraph from the aforementioned chapter as it was what I needed to hear today - and hopefully will be a blessing to you as well:

"The lesson of wisdom is, be not dismayed by soul-trouble.  Count it no strange thing, but a part of ordinary ministerial experience.  Should the power of depression be more than ordinary, think not that all is over with your usefulness.  Cast not away your confidence, for it hath great recompense of reward.  Even if the enemy's foot be on your neck, expect to rise and overthrow him.  Cast the burden of the present, along with the sin of the past and the fear of the future, upon the Lord, who forsaketh not His saints.  Live by the day - ay, by the hour.  Put no trust in frames and feelings.  Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement.  Trust in God alone, and lean not on the needs of human help.  Be not surprised when friends fail you:  it is a failing world.  Never count upon immutability in man:  inconstancy you may reckon upon without fear of disappointment.  The disciples of Jesus forsook Him; be not amazed if your adherents wander away to other teachers:  as they were not your all when with you, all is not gone from you with their departure.  Serve God with all your might while the candle is burning, and then when it goes out for a season, you will have the less to regret.  Be content to be nothing, for that is what you are.  When your own emptiness is painfully forced upon your conscientiousness, chide yourself that you ever dreamed of being full except in the Lord.  Set small store by present rewards; be grateful for earnests by the way, but look for the recompensing joy hereafter.  Continue with double earnestness to serve your Lord when no visible result is before you.  Any simpleton can follow the narrow path in the light:  faith's rare wisdom enables us to march on in the dark with infallible accuracy, since she places her hand in that of her Great guide.  Between this and heaven there may be rougher weather yet, but it is all provided for by our covenant Head.  In nothing let us be turned aside from the path which the divine call has urged us to pursue.  Come fair or come foul, the pulpit is our watch-tower, and the ministry our warfare; be it ours, when we cannot see the face of our God, to trust under THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS." (Spurgeon, C. H. Lectures to My Students: Complete & Unabridged. Ministry Resources Library, Zondervan Publishing House, 1989. pages 154-165)

Suffering for Speaking

Australian rugby union superstar Israel Folau made waves by a social media post which urged sinners of all kinds to repent with a list of verses from the Bible.  The Rugby Union Player's Association quickly denounced and distanced itself from the comments, and reports say Folau will be sacked for his repeated transgressions.  According to reports it was his lumping in of homosexuality in a list of sins where the Player's Association has lost patience, as he has been warned about this in the past.

Tracey Homes wrote an article on the ABC website and brought up points to consider should Folau be fired as a consequence of his social media posts:  "Are his posts inciting violence? Do they qualify as "hate speech"? If the answer is yes, then what does it say about the future of others in the game who hold the same views or religious beliefs? For too long those who identify as LGBTQI felt they had to be silent if they wanted to be accepted in sport — that is changing, and sports like rugby in Australia are helping create environments that are far more welcoming. The danger is that rather than ending the silence, another group now faces the prospect of being silenced."  Because Folau was seen to "vilify" particular sinners, he is now viewed by many as a hateful and homophobic villain.  My opinion on whether Folau should have posted what he did or the response of the union counts for nothing so I will not weigh in on it.  It seems the opinions of people are often only noticed when they offend someone.  What I can say with certainty is severe consequences like these towards people who believe and proclaim the scripture is to be expected and predictable.

It didn't take long for the news outlets who reported the firing of Israel Folau to dredge up an old video of him preaching and disparaging Christmas and Easter.  Again, the points he makes are his own and I see no reason to bat him or them around.  The point I take from this it is a graceless world in which we live where everything we say and do can and will be used against us.  Instead of cowering in fear or silence, however, we ought to continue to speak the truth in love:  our words should not be uttered to stir the pot, accuse, or condemn but humbly as we are led by the Holy Spirit.  Men who feared God in both the Old and New Testaments (and Jesus Himself!) were persecuted and punished for speaking the truth revealed by God.  Paul said as a matter-of-fact in 2 Timothy 3:12-13:  "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived."  When a person makes a stand for Jesus and the Bible as the Word of God, persecution and vilification is part of the deal.

In this perfect storm of social media, political correctness, and the fierce collision of worldviews, those who hold fast to God's Word can expect to cop a beating.  Praise the LORD there is abundant consolation in Jesus Christ for all the pains we endure, regardless of whether we deserve punishment or are censured unfairly.  The faithful followers of Jesus who were upbraided, threatened, and beaten for teaching in the name of Jesus, Acts 5:41-42 reveals how we too ought to respond:  "So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. ⁴² And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."  To all who agree with God's Word and admit they are sinners and need saving, Jesus is the only Saviour.