Defending the Faith

In line with the recently announced 'policy', this being the fifth Sunday of the month, I have not prepared a devotion for either of the blogs - in  English or French. Instead, I wish to share a little about the third of my books in the brief series on getting to know "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude 1:3). This third book is named "Defending the Faith", and is based on the First Letter of John (there are appendices on the other two letters from the apostle).

One of those who endorsed the book wrote:

"In "Defending the Faith", Brian Ross takes us through the three letters in the New Testament, penned by the ‘beloved disciple’, the elderly apostle John. He deals, in I John with, among other things, the need for disciples of Jesus to be aware of false teaching – specifically the Gnostic heresy; the importance of fellowship; and the need to grow in the faith. In II John, he draws out the apostle’s warning against false, itinerant, teachers while, in the third of the letters, he shows that John commends hospitality, and condemns a spirit of control in the church. Brian writes, as does John, from a pastor’s heart."

The Venerable Dr Paul Vrolijk
Senior Chaplain and Canon Chancellor
Archdeacon of North West Europe.

As with the other two books in the series - and the one that is currently 'a work in progress' - I have sought to steer clear of language that requires a Doctorate in Theology to be understood. Rather, having sat under the tutelage of Prof. William Barclay, and the ministry of Rev. George B Duncan - in my opinion two of the finest communicators of Biblical truth of the last century - I have sought to do what they did, and use language that may be understood by the majority of people.

Also as with the other books, ALL royalties from sales go directly to Release International, in support of the persecuted church. I do not even know how many books have been purchased, whether in paperback, or Kindle e-book, formats. Of course, that may be a good thing, if no-one is buying!!

Links to all three books are available at the top of the blog. The paperback retails at £8.99, and the Kindle version at £3.99, so they are also affordable. If you use the relevant link at the top of the blog, you will be able to read, free of charge (!) a percentage of the book that will, hopefully, give you more of the flavour thereof.

If you do purchase, please leave a review. This helps other folk to decide whether (or not!) they also wish to buy.

Thank you.                                                                                

Blood Donor.

For many years - after a late start - I was a blood donor. Indeed, I have a certificate thanking me for the 85 donations that I made. Regrettably, a time came when I was no longer permitted to donate - it was the age factor! With my late mother having received a number of units of blood at one time, and a cousin who was more like a sister to me, having also received a great deal of blood whilst fighting a (sadly ineffective) battle against leukemia, I wanted to give back what they had received - and just kept giving!

However, I thought of my "blood-giving" days when I came across an Indian female quartet that I had not heard before. They are called "The Jubalites", and I liked their singing. I also liked the tee-shirt that one of them was wearing for one song. It was black with, in large white lettering, the information: "A Blood Donor saved my life"!

I knew that my blood donations would have helped save some lives - I read that as little as a teaspoonful of whole blood could save the life of an infant! - but I knew that this particular young woman was not referring to any human blood donor, but to the Lord Jesus, the Christ. The cross that was also displayed on the tee-shirt was a bit of a giveaway!

Of course, there is an immeasurable difference between my blood, and the blood of the Saviour! My blood only helps someone with a physical need. It is something that only a relatively small percentage of people are ever likely to need. His blood deals with the problem that is common to all of humanity, the problem of sin.

It is John who, perhaps, makes this most clear when he writes: "... if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7; emphasis added). Please read that again, and slow down when you come to the words that I have emboldened. Do you realise the amazing truth that is being proclaimed? I knew, from a fairly early age, that the Lord Jesus "... Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree," (I Peter 2:24), but that, I had believed, covered sins already committed. When I realised that my salvation was much, much, more than that, I was astounded - and, I must say, relieved!

You see, "all" means exactly that! I checked the Greek - the word "pasées" is defined as "all, any, every, the whole." You can immediately see how much is excluded - nothing, i.e. no thing! So, the blood of the Lord Jesus is so efficacious that it covers, not only my past sins, but also every sin that I shall ever commit during the rest of my life! If that doesn't blow your mind, then I don't know what would!

What an assurance - and how much I need it. You see, even although I have been saved, I am still a sinner. Indeed, John goes on to say: "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (I John 1:8). Note there, if you will, who it is that we deceive if we make such a claim - not our families; not our friends; not our work colleagues, or leisure companions; certainly not Father God! No, the only person who is taken in by such a claim is the one who makes it!

I have just started reading (yet again!) the Letter to Hebrew (Jewish) disciples of Jesus for my personal devotions. One commentator states: "When God saves a sinner, He breaks the power of the indwelling sinful nature at the moment the sinner places his faith in the Lord Jesus (Romans 6).When that believer dies, he loses the sinful nature and, in his glorified body, has only the divine nature." (Kenneth S. Wuest; Hebrews in the Greek New Testament, p.40). So, until I leave this mortal body, I am prone to sin - and I do.

However, because of the shed blood of the Saviour, I am already justified* - that is to say, God the Father treats me "just-as-if-I'd" never sinned; I am being sanctified* - that is to say, God the Holy Spirit is working in me (poor material 'though I am!), making me, little by little, more like Jesus; and I will be glorified - that is to say that, when I meet Him face-to-face, I shall be sinless, in my new resurrection body, that is beyond my finite mind to even imagine!

Do you have such a future to anticipate? Oh, I know that you are not good enough! That's okay. Not one of us is, for "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Rom 3:23). And there's that little word "all" again - absolutely no exceptions. But Paul continues: "... they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, Whom God put forward as an expiation by His blood, to be received by faith." (Rom 3:24-25; emphasis added). 

I suspect that many who read this blog are regular blood donors in their own countries. Well done! There may even by some who have been the recipients of such blood, and who are ever grateful to those who provided it. But please remember, only the blood of the Lord Jesus cleanses you, and me, from all of our sin. Only when we are cleansed may we enter the presence of Father God. Only those who enter that holy presence, in the name of, and covered (metaphorically) with the blood and righteousness of, Jesus, will spend eternity* (timelessness, not "endless time"!) in His presence.

Have you taken advantage of the blood?!

* These words are dealt with, more fully, in my first book: "Words of the Faith". Remember that I receive no financial benefit when you purchase any of my books, as all royalties are paid, directly, to Release International, in support of the persecuted church.

The "Good Life"

One of my favourite "sitcoms" on UK TV in the past (actually, in the 1970s!) was the series entitled "The Good Life". In it, Tom and Barbara (played by Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal) were a couple who decided to quit "the rat race", and turned their garden, in their posh London suburb of Surbiton, into a smallholding, in an endeavour to make themselves self-sufficient in food and other items. Their long-suffering, and snobbish (well, Margo was!), next-door neighbours, Jerry and Margo Leadbetter (played by Paul Eddington and Penelope Keith), are variously offended, amused, and even impressed! 

But what really is "the good life"? Surely it is something that most, if not all, of us would wish to live! So how do we attain it? Of what does it consist? Should we all try to become "self-sufficient? How may it be defined?

I suspect that, for many people, "the good life" is based on appearance. They want to look good in front of neighbours, and friends. They want to look physically good - not that there is anything wrong with that, provided it is natural - but some spend a small fortune on beauty products, tanning salons, plastic surgery, fat suction, etc. Yet appearance, whatever we do, changes. As we get older, there is a limit to what anyone can do with silicone, and dye! And, of course, none of these things, or all of them together, can stop death!

Others interpret "the good life" in a hedonistic fashion. It's all about what brings pleasure to me, in the form of activities and life-style. It's having multiple holidays in exotic locations; attending the cinema or theatre; throwing expensive parties; doing what we find enjoyable - including the use of drugs, and of illicit and immoral sexual activity.

Yet another group see "the good life" as the possession of the latest gadgets; a mansion in which to live; a new car every other year (at most!); the latest clothing fashion; having as much money in the bank as they can possibly spend; and, if that is not absolutely true of some, even they see "the good life"as something that can be bought and paid for in one way or another.

Of course, as so many have discovered, none of these things truly satisfy, and there are many who, looking back over their life, have realised that, rather than it having been "good", it has been largely wasted!

God's Word tells us what "the good life" really is. It is living one's life as Almighty God created you to be. It is doing His will, in His way, to His glory. Many are familiar with Paul's words to the Ephesian believers: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast." (2:8-9). This is a wonderful, and glorious, truth. However, many stop there! Paul doesn't. He goes on to say, in the following verse: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (2:10). We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works - and doing those works that the Father has prepared for us, is "the good life".

The Lord Jesus, Himself, speaking of those who are His sheep, said: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10^(b)) or in some translations, "in all its fulness". That is "the good life".

Are you living life in all of its fulness - serving God by serving others in His Name? There's an old song from the 70s that invites you to 

"Put your hand in the hand of the Man Who stilled the water;                              Put your hand in the hand of the Man Who calmed the sea.                            Take a look at yourself, and you will look at others differently,                              by puttin' your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee."

That Man was, and is, the Lord Jesus - and when we have our hand in His, then we are truly living "the good life"!