Sin - 3

The reality of sin - it is, to use modern terminology, in your DNA and in mine. It is something of which, deep down, each of us is aware. The results of sin - it creates a great gulf between us and our Creator God; a gulf that none of our good works, resolutions, turning over a new leaf, giving to charitable causes, attending worship services, or anything else you care to name, can bridge that gulf. 

However, as I stated at the end of the previous post, this does not mean that we are without hope.  That is because there is, indeed, a remedy for sin - but not one that we are capable of providing by ourselves! Paul writes to his brothers and sisters in Rome that "... the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:23). Notice, if you will, that wages are deserved! If I have worked for my employer, and completed the tasks that have been assigned to me, in the time allotted, then I fully deserve the wages that I am paid. However, a gift is something that I don't deserve, but simply accept - with gratitude! So, my spiritual death is the fully deserved wages of a life lived in sin, and rejecting my Creator. On the other hand, I may receive, here and now, eternal life - the very life of Almighty God in me, now, and throughout eternity.* 

                                                                                                               

In what is almost certainly the best-known verse in the New Testament part of the Bible, the apostle John tells us that "... God so loved the world that He [the Father] gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him [the Son] should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). The Lord Jesus, Himself, claimed that: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6; emphasis added). In those two verses we see both the inclusiveness, and the exclusiveness, of the Christian Gospel. It is inclusive in that it is available to all; it is exclusive in that it is available only to those who come to the Father through the Lord Jesus. Now there are some who will immediately ask about "predestination". That is too big a subject to deal with in a post - but I do deal with it in my first book, "Great Words of the Faith". The Kindle version costs less than a couple of cups of coffee in an average coffee-shop, and the royalties go directly, and entirely, to Release International in support of those who suffer in the persecuted church.

The God-provided remedy for your sin, and for mine, is the Lord Jesus Who, at Calvary, as the perfect spotless Lamb of God, paid the penalty for our sin, and opened the way into the Father's presence - without the need of an intermediary, whether physically alive, or already departed this earthly life. 

There are three things that we must do.

1. We must believe that He was, and is, God the Son - the second Persona (not a typo - see the chapter on 'The Trinity' in "Great Words") of the eternal Godhead. John tells us that he wrote his account of the Gospel "... that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ [the Messiah], the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31).

2. We must repent. Repentance is more than being sorry for our sins. After all, if I rob a bank and am then caught, I will be sorry - but not necessarily for my crime, but for now having to pay the price of that crime. Hell will be full of people who are sorry for their sinful lives - but too late! Repentance is seeing my sin as God sees it. The prophet Isaiah describes it, very graphically, when he writes: "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment." (Isa 64:6). It was a Messianic Jew (i.e. someone born a Jew but who accepts Yeshua [Jesus] as HaMashi'ach [the Messiah]) who explained to me, many years ago, that the Hebrew expression used by the prophet referred to the rag used, at that time, by a menstruating female during her time of menstruation. Not a pleasant 'word-picture'!

3. We must confess. That is to say, we have to share our new life, and our new-found faith, with others! Paul, again in his great letter to the early believers, writes: "... if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved." (Rom 10:9-10). 

All three steps are necessary. My current car is almost too clever for my liking! To start the engine, it is not sufficient that I turn the ignition key. Oh no! I must insert the "key" (that isn't even a 'key' as in my previous cars); I must press down, hard, on the clutch; and I must push the "starter button". No one of those actions, or even any two, will start the engine. All three are required! Would I expect my eternal salvation to be any different?!

However, when I follow the requirements, and the car engine starts, I may go on my journey - should it just be to Pineuilh, to the shops, or much further afield on holiday. So with the Christian life - life "in Christ Jesus". Our recognition of our sinfulness - its reality; our understanding of what it does - its results; if it leads us to the One Who is, Himself, the remedy; provides us with a new birth, that starts a new life, that will not always be easy, but will always be rewarding. 

And there is more! Just this morning, in Lamonzie-St.Martin, we were reminded of Paul's words in Rom.3: 23-24: "... since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, " Now there are some things that don't translate well, and one such is the easy way by which to understand the word "justified"* In the English language, and probably no other, it is that when I am "justified", it means that Father God treats me "just as if I'd" never sinned at all! Do you realise the magnitude of that statement? I am a sinner; I sin on a daily basis; yet because "...  the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (I John 1:7), Almighty God no longer sees my sin, and treats me as if I am sinless! Wow!

As the Gaither Vocal Band (the best-ever line-up!) sing - the iron bars and chains of the enemy, the devil, that hold us down are broken, and we are free, free indeed.

If anything above has touched your own heart,and you wish to receive further help, please do not hesitate to contact me. I shall endeavour to put you in touch with someone who lives in your own area, and who will be able to provide that help. Otherwise, I shall try to help you, myself, from a distance!

"There's a way back to God from the dark paths of sin; there's a door that is open, and you may go in: at Calvary's cross is where you begin, when you come, as a sinner, to Jesus."(E.H.Swinstead).

* This concept is also dealt with in "Great Words"!

Sin.

Sin is something to which I have referred in a number of posts. It is not a particularly popular topic - but it is a very important one! I plan, DV, to look at the subject in this, and the next two (or three!) posts. Budding preachers may even discern a little three-alliterated-point sermon!

In this post, I want to look, briefly, at the reality of sin. This involves asking the question "What is it?" The answer provided by the authors of the Westminster Shorter Catechism (on which, with my Presbyterian background, I was raised!) is that: "Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God." (Q.14). In other words, sin is not simply committing a crime. Of course, in most countries, that which is considered to be a crime is, indeed, a sin. If I murder someone, I have broken the law; committed a crime - and I have also sinned. However, the Lord Jesus says "... that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment;" (Matt 5:22) - and He makes that statement in the context of the sixth commandment. Yet I will not be arrested for being angry with anyone - it is not a chargeable offence.

Teasing out the Catechism definition, it is saying that if I fail to live up to God's law, or  in any way disobey it, then I have sinned. The reality is that not one of us meets those criteria. Every day; every hour; I let God down in one way, or another! Whether, or not, I like the idea, I am a sinner in His sight! And worse - I can do nothing about it! I am not a sinner because I sin - I sin because I am a sinner!

How is this so? Well we have to go right back to the beginning. In his letter to the early church on the great metropolis of Rome, Paul writes: "... sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned." (Rom 5:12). You may read the story (if you don't already know it) in Genesis 3 - read the whole chapter! We see, in the opening verses, the devil's strategy. He starts by sewing the seeds of doubt: "Did God say …" (v.1) He then goes on to "put words in God's mouth: "... You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?" Now, it is true that, at this point, the woman puts the devil right. (vs.2-3).  However, the devil moves on in his strategy by denying God's Word (vs 4-5). This leads to the woman's defection from the command of Almighty God, and her drawing her husband into the devil's scheme. (v.6).

Note the progression - the woman saw; she took; she ate; she gave. That is the sad progression of defection - and it is a pattern that has been followed ever since. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, brought sin into the perfect world that had been created ("And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good." [Gen 1:31]), and it has been a part of each of us ever since. The psalmist-king of Israel, David, wrote: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Ps 51:5). Now let me emphasise that David, writing under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, was not condemning the act of sexual intercourse which, between a man and a woman in a marital relationship, is God's way of fulfilling His command in Gen.1:28. What David is saying is that from the moment of our conception, we are sinners! 

So that is the reality of sin - it is inherited by each one of us. If David were writing today, he might simply say that it is "in our DNA", and we cannot get rid of it. That is why Paul can state, quite categorically, that "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"(Rom 3:23). And, if we look at ourselves, honestly, we know that that is true. You are a sinner; I am a sinner; every human being on the face of the planet is a sinner. There's no getting away from it. And, says Paul, "... the wages of sin is death," (Rom 6:23).

But that is leading on to the next post when, DV, we shall look at the results of sin.

The Ultimate Physician

Covid-19 notwithstanding, 21st-century medical science is amazing! Physicians are able to cure many illnesses, both mental and physical; surgeons can perform surgery that, even a few decades ago, would have been considered impossible; therapists can assist in recovery using equipment that can sometimes appear to have been developed by science fiction aficionados. However, only the Lord Jesus can bring about the healing that makes 'bad' people 'good'! 

My former Professor of New Testament at the University of Glasgow, the Rev. Dr. William Barclay, tells of a conversation he had with a noted psychiatrist - and one who recognised his own limitations! "All that a psychiatrist can do," said the doctor, "is strip a man naked until you get to the essential man; and if the essential man is bad stuff, there's nothing you can do about it. That's where you come in!" Prof. Barclay later commented: "I think that he meant that this is where Jesus comes in!"

In Luke's account of the Gospel record, he shares the situation regarding a man named Zacchaeus.  You may read the story in Luke 19:1-10. Zacchaeus was a 'bad' man who needed, not medication, or surgery, or therapy, but inner healing. He was, Luke tells us that "... he was a chief tax collector, and rich." (Luke 19:2). This latter fact is not surprising since, as a chief tax collector, he was able to 'take a cut' from what his subordinates had collected - always more than what the Roman authorities demanded! He was, indeed, a very wealthy man!

However, he appears to have heard about this wandering Teacher, Jesus of Nazareth and, for whatever reason, he wanted to see him. Unfortunately for Zacchaeus, he was a man of great wealth, but small stature. He wasn't the only person in Jericho who wished to see Jesus! Now, if he had been a butcher, a baker, or a pottery maker, people would gladly have ushered him to the front of the crowd. But a tax collector - a chief tax collector?! No way! What was Zacchaeus to do?! 

He did something that must have raised quite a few eyebrows! He climbed a conveniently-situated sycamore tree! To help us to realise what this meant, think of your local Provost, or Mayor, in full ceremonial robes, doing the same thing! To most people, it would probably be quite shocking! But, in this situation, not to Jesus!  He stopped, just under the tree; looked up, and said: "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." (Luke 19:5). Zacchaeus hurried back down to the ground - as quickly as his flowing robe allowed him! - and Jesus went to his house.

This, to the crowd, was an even bigger shock than seeing Zacchaeus climb the tree! Luke writes: "And when they saw it they all murmured, «He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.»" (Luke 19:7). Zacchaus was a very happy man - or was he? 

I suspect that he was, in fact, overwhelmed with guilt when Jesus looked up and told him that He was coming to his house. Jesus had reached into what that psychiatrist had referred to as "the essential man" - what Zacchaeus really was, stripped of his fine clothes; his luxurious (by contemporary standards) home; his great wealth. The evidence for this is that, as the day progressed, he "... stood and said to the Lord, «Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold.»". (Luke 19:8).  That was a sign of true repentance, and a willingness to make full reparation. So, Luke's record ends: "And Jesus said to him, «Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.»" (Luke 19:9-10).

"Today salvation has come to this house, ..." As Jesus spoke those words, Zacchaeus was spiritually healed. Only the Ultimate Physician can do that. And what He did for Zacchaeus, He can, and will, do for you. You may not have the same wealth that Zacchaeus had. You may not exercise the greed that he had exercised. But, like him - and like me! - you are a sinner in the sight of Almighty God. That is the essence of your being. It's in your DNA. The Psalmist-king David penned these words: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Ps. 51:5). That is not making a comment on the act of sexual intercourse between a husband and wife in a Biblical marital relationship! It is merely making the point that, from the moment of my conception, I have been a sinner!

Are you aware of your sinfulness? Are you experiencing guilt? That is because God the Holy Spirit is working in your life. Yield to His prompting, and allow the Ultimate Physician to perform His amazing surgery of the soul.  It will be for your eternal good; and to His eternal glory.

 

Everlasting life!

There is a Greek story of a goddess who fell in love with a mortal. The problem, of course, was that they both knew that he would eventually die, while she enjoyed immortality. The goddess went to Zeus, the chief god, and asked if she might be granted a request. Zeus agreed - but told her that she could have only one request granted, and was never to come back for another. Happily, the goddess agreed - and asked that the object of her love be granted everlasting life. Zeus granted her request, and the couple were married.

At first, all was well. However, as the years passed, they realised that they had made a major mistake. The husband lived on - but he kept getting older. His body deteriorated; his mind became fuzzy; while his wife lived on in her eternal youth. The point of the story, one may assume, is that everlasting life - in itself - is not something to be desired.

That story came to mind when I read a newspaper headline, earlier today: "Scientists find way to STOP ageing in development which could lead to everlasting life." Now, to be fair, they do claim to have found a way by which the actual process of aging may be stopped. It's all to do with telomeres - fragments of DNA which cap both ends of each chromosome and protect against the wear and tear of natural ageing. However, even the thought of "being around", in this human life, for thousands of years, is surely off-putting! And, of course, there is the practical consideration of population growth!

It may be more than coincidence that I came across that headline, and article, so soon after my previous post on the Final Frontier! Perhaps the Lord is speaking to someone specifically through this blog! Are you concerned about death? It isn't unusual! However, for those who have come, in repentance and faith, to Jesus the Christ and received the new life that He offers, there is no need to fear. He offers us, here and now, "life in all its fulness" (Jn.10:10) and, when our mortal life has ended, a continuing life in His nearer presence. It's not "everlasting" life, but "eternal life" - the Life of God Himself. and it is something that we enter as soon as we accept the gift of salvation that Jesus gained for us on the cross at Calvary.

Have you accepted that gift? If not, why not?! Perhaps you think that you are not good enough! Well, I'll not argue with you on that score! You see, neither am I! Paul wrote to the Roman believers (!) that "all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one;' " (3:9-10) and, again, that "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (3:23).

That's why he made clear, in his letter to the Ephesians, that it is "... by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God -" (2:8). This year is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation,and one of the great principles of the Reformers was "Sola gratis" - "Grace alone". Taste of that grace for yourself - you will never regret it, and you will know life that is truly rewarding (although not necessarily easy!), and that will be yours for all of eternity!

Concert carnage.

It is rare for me to comment in the immediate aftermath of an incident, but I am making this post one of those exceptions.

The latest reports that I have read have stated that 22 people - including children - died as a result of the "suicide bombing" at the end of a concert in Manchester. Accounts of the injuries sustained by many more would suggest that that number may well rise in the next few days.

How does one react to such an atrocity - apparently planned over a number of weeks? One can bring pious platitudes - but they seldom have any positive effect. One may rant and rave - but anger seldom has any positive effect either. One may turn away, simply relieved that one was not personally involved - but that, to me, would be a display of callousness.

It would appear, from reports, that the first problem was inadequate security precautions at the venue. many have complained - sadly, too late - that they were not properly searched; that bags were not even checked. This is, most assuredly, a major factor in such a situation. These large venues need to ensure that their patrons are as safe as is humanly possible - especially when groups such as Daesh (aka ISIS) have made no secret of their intention to inflict mayhem in "western" countries.

Of course, the situation is made easier for the terrorists when we permit a claimed 3,900 who were involved in the conflict in Syria, to return to the UK with no more than "a watchful eye" being kept on them! With numbers like that, it is no surprise that many "slip through the net"!

Another problem is that of the so-called "moderate Muslim". It is reported that "The Muslim Council of Britain said the Manchester attack was “horrific” and “criminal”. Secretary general Harun Khan said: “May the perpetrators face the full weight of justice both in this life and the next." However, what many decide to ignore is that the terrorists are the true Muslims! Since its founding by the false, paedophile "prophet", Muhammad, the aim of Islam has been the world-wide Caliphate - the whole world under the control of Islam, and under the restrictions of shariah (Islamic Law), by military force where that is deemed to be necessary. So how do the so-called "moderate" Muslims fit in with this, in the light of their pious-sounding comments? They are simply following the example of their founder. It is called "taqiyya" and is the deliberate deception of the infidels (that's all of us who do not profess to be Muslims) in order to further the expansion of Islam and the attainment of that final goal - that world-wide Caliphate.

How then should we infidels - and especially Jews and Biblical Christians - react? We should certainly not shun any Muslims we know. Rather, we should seek to win them over from what is, I firmly believe, a satanic cult. That is not easy - yet there are reports, from many parts of the world, of hundreds, even thousands, of Muslims turning to the Lord Jesus for salvation. We who believe in the power of prayer must engage in that particular activity, faithfully and fervently. However, we must also remember the words of Jesus that His followers be "wise as serpents [whilst being ] harmless as doves." (Mt.10:16). The first is every bit as important as the second.

The government, also, has a major part to play. One of the first responsibilities of any government is the safety and welfare of the people it governs. Under the Terrorism Act 2000, the police have extensive powers. Using these powers, people can be detained for up to nine hours, with DNA samples and fingerprints taken, without the need for any reasonable suspicion. If it is considered to be necessary, police may also detain and search an individual, with the aim of determining whether, or not, that person appears to be someone who is or has been concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

However, the latest quarterly Home Office report on the use of police powers under the Terrorism Act, which was released in March, shows that there has been a decrease in the use of these powers. This, it has been claimed, is due to pressure from groups like Stop Watch, which argues that they infringe the human rights of Muslims and other communities.

It is my personal opinion, that enough has been done to pander to the alleged "rights" of, particularly, the Muslim community. Those 22 young people and children who were so callously murdered last night, surely had some right to life! However, that right was over-ridden by one man's desire to kill and maim in the name of Islam!

I pray for those who have been bereaved; I pray for those who have been injured; I pray for those who have been traumatised; I pray for the members of the Emergency Services who responded so quickly and so competently. I pray, too, for the perpetrators of all such deeds, in the UK, in France, in other parts of the world; that they may yet be saved by the only blood that was ever shed that has a lasting, and positive, affect - the blood of Jesus the Christ, on the cross at Calvary. In Him, and in Him alone, is found salvation, and the forgiveness of sin. And one doesn't have to be an Islamic terrorist to need all of that!

Life on Mars!

"Its near perfect design and shape means it must be the result of intelligent design and certainly not a trick of light and shadow" (Paranormal Crucible web site computer narration).

An interesting comment, I hope you will agree!  It refers to a pyramid-shaped  object, photographed by the Mars "Curiosity Rover" - the unmanned space vehicle, placed on the surface of the Red Planet, by NASA (North American Space Administration).  According to those who believe that there was (or still is!) civilised life on Mars, it is clear evidence of an intelligence that designed, and built, the "structure".

Perhaps it is; perhaps it is not.  What I find fascinating is that the majority, if not all, of those who would make this astounding claim, will still insist that the universe itself is merely the result of random chance events over billions of years!  They will insist that the complexity of the eye - mammal, fish, or insect - "just happened" in a series of "evolutionary" changes (for which there is absolutely no evidence of which I am aware!).

If one is prepared to examine the subject with a truly open mind, one quickly realises that there is, indeed, design and purpose behind all that we see and experience - on planet Earth, and beyond!  The only question is:"Who designed it all"?

The Old Testament book of Genesis (Beginnings) gives a clear and simple answer: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen.1:1).  Those who refuse to accept that simple statement do so, not on the basis of what they claim to be "scientific evidence", but because they are not prepared to accept the very existence of One to Whom all of mankind is ultimately answerable.  They demand 'evidence' for the existence of God, unable, or unwilling, to recognise that such evidence is all around them.

Whether we examine the immensity, and the regularity, of the cosmos; or whether we marvel at the workings of DNA; we are surrounded by evidence of intelligent design - and only the blinkered will claim otherwise.  

However, the most amazing thing is that this wonderful Creator of all that is, desires to be in a loving relationship with weak, sinful, human beings such as you, and me.  To make that possible, He took upon Himself human flesh and, in the Persona (not a typo - see my book: "Great Words" - details above - and the chapter on "Trinity") of Jesus of Nazareth, lived a human life - yet without sin, in any shape, manner, or form. (see Heb 4:15).  Out of that great love for us, He even went to the cross, becoming sin for us, and dying the death that we deserve. (see Rom.5:8; II Cor.5:21; inter al).  Before He breathed His last, he uttered a great shout of triumph - in the Greek language in which the New Testament is largely written, the single word "Tetelestai" - "Finished!" (Jn.19:30).  He had completed the amazing work of salvation, and the way had been opened for those who come to Him, confessing their sins, repenting of those sins, and seeking His help through the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, to come into the presence, and know the fellowship, of that same Creator God.

Have you made that move?  He is ever waiting - but not for ever!  "Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (II Cor 6:2; emphasis added).

He has been my Saviour, and Lord, and Friend, for more years than I care to consider.  I have often let Him down (and still do!); but He has never let me down.  I commend Him to you and, as always, if you think that I may be able to be of help at a personal level, please feel free to contact me via the e-mail address at the top of the page. 

 

The Ten Words (1)

My latest book (currently at the proof-reading stage) has the title "Foundations of the Faith".  It is based on what is known as The Apostles' Creed but, when I started writing it, I planned to add two other sections to it.  One of these was to be on The Beatitudes, and the other on what are usually referred to as The Ten Commandments.  Regretfully, my self-imposed limit of 50,000 words was reached with the Creed, and a couple of appendices!  I may, at some future date, produce a volume on those two important parts of the written Word of God but, for now, they have been placed on the 'back burner' - where a good chef will place something that needs to simmer gently while other culinary preparations are made.

However, at the beginning of a new year, I thought that it might be helpful to look, albeit briefly, at The Ten Commandments or, as they are known in Hebrew, The Ten Words (also known as The Decalogue).  These, as many will be aware, are recorded in the Old Testament book of Exodus, in the 20th chapter.   This chapter begins:

"And God spoke all these words, saying,  'I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me'."   

"You shall have no other gods before Me."  I wonder how you understand those words?!   Basically, they are a command to recognise the one true God, and they are a reminder to the Children of Israel of the authority behind these words.  Moses isn't reporting some celestial suggestions, or providing some alternative opinions.  He is is stating ten commands being given - initially to the Children of Israel but, by extension, to all of mankind - by the very Creator and Sustainer of all that is.

This first command has to do with our relationship with Almighty God.  Jesus gave us the same commandment, in slightly different words, when He was asked: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" (Matt 22:36).  He replied: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." (Matt 22:37-38).  In other words, Jesus - Himself, God - is confirming that this command is that nothing, and no-one, else should receive the honour that belongs to God alone.

Some, of course, will claim that they do not believe in the existence of any 'god'.   However, I would contend that all of us have at least one object of our worship.  It may be nature itself; it may be a prized possession; it may even be 'self!   You see, whether we like to admit it, or not, we are 'hard-wired' to be worshipping creatures.  It is, in modern parlance, "in our DNA"!   Romans 1:18ff may have been written almost 2,000 years ago - but it is as up-to-date as tomorrow's newspapers!  A key statement is that people "... exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever!" (Rom 1:25).   That is, quite simply, breaking that first commandment.

So, who or what are you putting before God?  It's not a rhetorical question!  It's a question that each of us must answer - if not now, then later!  If we are breaking that commandment; if we are placing anyone, or anything, before Him in our lives, then we are already guilty in His sight.  James writes: "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it." (James 2:10).

It's a sobering thought!  

The next post will look at the second commandment.

The Miracle of the Incarnation

One of the familiar Biblical texts that will have been read many times over the past week or so, is John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father."   This is a simple statement of the miracle that lies at the heart of the Christian faith.  As we move, inexorably, towards the end of this calendar year, it is my intention to share a little about it, in three posts, starting with this one.

In this post, I wish to make the point that the possibility of the incarnation must be admitted.  In other words, no-one has the right to say, dogmatically, that it could not have happened.  It is impossible to deny in the light of the limitations of man's knowledge.  We simply do not know everything that there is to know.  That is why billions of pounds are spent, each year, on research of one kind or another.  It is part of our human DNA to constantly seek to learn.  If we knew everything, then there would be nothing left for us to discover!   Ray Comfort, in his book "God doesn't believe in atheists" makes the very point that even if I can claim, honestly, to have 80% of the sum total of the knowledge available in the universe, that would still leave 20% that I did not know.  In that 20% could well be the particular piece of information that I seek.  If I claim, categorically, that the incarnation is an impossibility, I am claiming that I have complete knowledge of the whole of the created universe - and no person has that!

However, not only is the Incarnation - the Creator of all that is, taking upon Himself the very human flesh that He had created, and entering the time-space continuum in which we live out our mortal lives, and which He also created - impossible to deny in the light of the limitations of man's knowledge; it is also impossible to deny on the grounds of the basis of man's knowledge.  All of our knowledge is, initially, revealed knowledge.  By that, I mean that it is revealed through both my perceptive, and receptive, senses.   I depend on them to come to the conclusions that I reach.   I am incapable of 'manufacturing' knowledge; only of discovering what is already there!  Christianity also claims that spiritual knowledge is based upon revelation - in which man is, again, the recipient.

So, however we may look at it; whether, or not, we believe it; the possibility of the incarnation must, by any right-thinking, and fair-minded, person, be admitted!

God - and the Archbishop!

The headline immediately attracted my attention.  

"Archbishop Welby: Sometimes I wonder if God really exists."

Thinking that it was one of those deliberately misleading headlines, designed to encourage me to read the full article, I did just that!  The headline, it would appear, is absolutely accurate!  In what was offered as a direct quotation, we are informed: "The other day I was praying over something as I was running and I ended up saying to God ‘Look this is all very well but isn’t it about time you did something, if you’re there’ – probably not what the Archbishop of Canterbury should say." (emphasis added). That final comment must surely be viewed as something of an understatement!  

So, if the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church has occasion to doubt the very existence of the Creator God, is it any wonder that so much appears to be wrong within that particular communion - at least in the 'western' world?

Of course, the existence of God is on of those hoary old chestnuts that is pulled out, time and time again, by the sceptical, secular, humanists of the world.   And it must be admitted that, in the sense of laboratory experiments, that existence is something that we cannot prove!  Nor, indeed, should we expect to be able to do so!  If I was able to reduce God to the confines of a test-tube, then I would be greater than God.  In that case, the God Whose existence I had now 'proved' would not be God at all, as one definition of God is "the creator and ruler of the universe and the source of all moral authority: the supreme being." (Oxford Dictionary).  If I have reduced this being to something the existence of which I can 'prove', that I am certainly superior to that Being - and it, whatever else it may be, is not God! 

This is not to say that there is no evidence for the existence of God - but note my use of the word 'evidence'.  Evidence is not scientific proof.  In a criminal investigation, for example, the detectives who are involved in the case will gather evidence from the crime scene and elsewhere.  They will put together a case, and present it to the Office of the Procurator Fiscal (in Scotland), or to the Crown Prosecution Service (in the rest of the UK).  It will then be up to the legal experts to decide whether, or not, the case as presented is likely to persuade a jury that the accused is guilty of the crime as charged!  There is no 'proof''.  It has all to do with the burden of evidence - "beyond reasonable doubt"!

The topic is too large for me to deal with in just one post on this blog.  Anyway, I deal with it, to some extent, in the second volume of my book series (Foundations of the Faith) that I hope to have published by the end of the year, or early next year.  However, permit me to share a few thoughts.

1. Creation  I would contend that any unbiased, impartial, observer would accept that this amazing universe in which we live out our mortal lives is not the result of a long series of random accidents. To use an unoriginal example, if I see a Boeing 747 sitting on an airport runway, I do not conclude that it resulted from an explosion in a junk-yard!  (We won't go into the origin of the junk-yard, or the cause of the explosion!).  Design demands a Designer, and the creation demands a Creator to Whom, in the English language, we give the nomenclature "God".

2. DNA  Okay, I suppose that after Creation, everything else is merely a sub-section!  Having said that, DNA is amazing!  What is it?  Well, I am no micro-biologist, but I know that it is a code - a code made up of four chemicals identified by scientists as A, T,G, and C.  These are arranged in the well-known double helix.  Every human cell has no less than three billion of these 'letters' in its code. They are, effectively, the instruction manual for the cell.  An instruction manual, basic logic tells us, requires a writer who deliberately, and intentionally, prepares it.  We call that writer, God!

3. The human 'heart'  No, not the organ that is pumping blood around your body as you read this post - although it is a remarkable piece of engineering in its own right!  I'm referring more to the human psyche - the inner person that makes me different from you, and you different from everyone else. Suppress it as we may, there is something inside us that 'knows' that there is a superior Being.  I read an article just a few months ago that claimed that this "sense of God" is innate to humanity.  Our 'default' position is, apparently, that we accept the existence of God.  It is a secular society, that does not want to be answerable and accountable, that then 'teaches' us that the whole idea is nonsense. However, even then, there is truth in the words of Augustine that "Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee"; or, in a more contemporary form: "There's a God-shaped blank in every heart that only God can fill".

I doubt that the Archbishop of Canterbury reads this blog, but I trust that someone will advise him that he need not doubt.  Almighty God has not left Himself without witness. Our God is totally dependable; totally trustworthy; totally believable.  

“Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (Jn.20:29). 




  

What might have been - and what is!

This blog has been neglected for too long!  The reason is that I have been without internet access for some days.  My wife and I are making our way to Dunkerque, from our static caravan, for a few weeks in Scotland in order to be there to support our younger daughter as she commences chemo-therapy subsequent to the Lumpectomy that she underwent shortly before we left.

We are, at present, at Laulurie - definitely our favourite site in France, and probably our favourite touring site anywhere.  These first two days have been glorious - clear blue sky; temperature into the 30s; gentle breeze; and the conviviality that brings us back here, year after year.

It was as I lay at the side of the pool (on a lounger, of course!) this morning that I found myself day-dreaming.  I started to think of what might have been.  We read, in the Biblical book Genesis, that when Almighty God had finishes His work of creating the heavens and the earth (aka the universe), He looked at His work and "... saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good." (Gen 1:31).  We go on to read of the relationship between man and his Creator, and of the disobedience of man that allowed sin to enter the world.  That sin became, as it were, part of our DNA, and we are sinful creatures from the moment of our conception. (see Ps.51:5)

But what if Adam and Eve had not disobeyed?  What if the enemy, in the guise of a serpent, had not beguiled them?  What if they had remained the perfect creatures that God had made?  All that we may do, of course, is speculate.  As I slipped into the pool for a twenty length (it's 20m long!) swim, I wondered if Adam would have discovered that he could swim in the clear, cool, water of the river that flowed out of Eden (see Gen.2:10-14).  If he could, he would have come out of the water to a much more gentle warmth that I have been doing these past couple of days. Yesterday, I held my private devotions outside - Adam was able walk in the garden with his heavenly Father, and talk with Him face-to-face!   There was no sin, no sorrow, no death.   Little wonder that we speak of it as Paradise!

However, our human ancestors did, in fact, sin, and that is the basic reason why the world in which you and I live is as it is.  That's the basic cause of all of the greed, and violence, and murder, and everything that is negative and that causes harm to any part of the creation.  What might have been was replaced with what, in fact, is!

Yet even that is not the whole story.  Listen to Paul: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." (Rom 8:19-23).

Out of His great love for us, Father God did not leave us in our sin.  Instead, He has provided an answer.  Adam and Eve endeavoured to cover their sin by their own works - by making aprons of leaves.   But, right at the beginning, God showed that "... without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." (Heb 9:22).  We read: "And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them." (Gen 3:21) but, in order that those skin garments be made, an animal (perhaps a lamb?!) had to die.  The central message of the Gospel is that God provided a perfect sacrifice, in Himself, in the Persona of the Son.  He took your place, and mine, on the cross at Calvary.  There, He died the death that you and I deserve to die.  It is as we place our trust in Him, that we may know a new relationship with God the Father, that lasts throughout this mortal life - and into eternity itself!

Perhaps you think that you're not good enough!  Listen to the words of Jesus Himself: "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me; and him who comes to Me I will not cast out." (John 6:37)

Come to Him, acknowledging your sin; accepting that you are incapable of doing anything about it; and assured that He will accept you - and make you a brand new creation, in Him. (II Co.5:11).

If I may be of any further assistance, please feel free to contact me at author@minister.com

Putting the cart before the horse!

One of yesterday's news items concerned the case of Emma Hickman and her legal battle with the Ministry of Defence - a battle which she has finally won.  The background was that her fiancé, who was a serving soldier in the 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, died in a Taliban bomb attack, in March of this year.  A tragic incident - exacerbated, three months later, by the birth of a daughter to Ms Hickman.

She claimed, not unsurprisingly, that her fiancé was the father of her child, but the MoD refused to release a sample of Private Wade's DNA to allow his paternity to be beyond doubt, and to enable him to be named on the baby's Birth Certificate.  At last, officials have released a sample, and Private Wade's paternity has been confirmed.  This does have the added benefit of making the child (at least) eligible for compensation - although the young mother has vehemently denied that her case had anything to do with money and, oddly enough, I am inclined to believe her!

However, it does raise the whole issue of the falling moral standards that are so prevalent in our contemporary society.  If this couple had not "put the cart before the horse", and had been married to one another before bedding each other, the situation would not have arisen!  

Many of us, in Scotland and the UK, are deeply concerned about the current attempts by some politicians in both Holyrood and Westminster to redefine marriage.  However, could it be that the concept has already been so devalued that such a move is almost a "natural" progression?

What we need is a return to the "old-fashioned" values of chastity before marriage, and fidelity within it; of children being reared by a father and a mother (except, of course, in such tragic situations as that of Private Wade and Ms Hickman); of proper, and appropriate, discipline being exercised in the home.

Such "reactionary" ideas may not gain much support from the general population, but they could go a long way towards healing a society that is not so much fractured, as broken into little pieces!  This is where the true Church of God, the Body of Christ, has an important part to play.  "... if My people who are called by My Name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (II Chron.7:14), is a word from Almighty God that has not been revoked.  However, it is "His people" who are to be involved.  Let those of us who claim to be among that number take His word seriously, and call upon His name.

Love!

According to today's copy of The Independent newspaper, "Love, supposedly, is many things.  Blind, if you ask Shakespeare. All you need, says John Lennon. But scientifically compliant? Subject to a set of specified natural laws? Nothing more than a simple mathematical equation? It doesn't sound terribly romantic. Still, it's a prospect that has got matchmakers more than a little excited."

The story is that science can find the perfect match for each one of us!  Whether it's DNA compatibility assessment; or people who smell different, but not too different; or our ability to taste MHC (the major histocompatibility complex - no I don't know what it means, either!) in one another's saliva; the attraction of one to another may be scientifically explained and, therefore, science is capable of pointing us in the right direction in our search for Mr, or Miss, Right!  However, there are many who would insist that the idea that it is possible to boil down romance into a simple, straight-forward, formula is a total non-starter!  There are too many aspects to a realationship - to do with personality; physical attractiveness; beliefs; family background; etc.

Of course, all of that has only to do with human love.  However, there is a greater love than that.  I shared a little about it at the Communion Service in Coatbridge Baptist Church on Sunday.  It's the love of God!  And it is really special.

Many see only the best that I have to offer.   But I know every word I utter - not just the ones that I preach; every thought that enters my mind, and is entertained there - including those about which I would rather not have anyone else know; every deed that I perform - even those unseen by any other human eye.

Many of those things make me less than proud of myself.  Sometimes - all too often! - I see much in me that I don't particularly like.  I sometimes wonder, in moments of real honesty, if others knew me as well as I know myself would they think as highly of me as they do!

The amazing thing is that Father God knows me even better than I know myself!  He knows every thought before it has even entered my mind; every word before I have uttered a sound; every deed - and the true motive behind it.  Yet, such is His love that He still loves me - not because of what I am in public, but in spite of what I am in private.

That's real love; 'agape' love; divine love.  That's a love that, in this life, I can never fully understand.  That's a love that is displayed on a Roman cross as that same God, in the Persona of the Son, bled and died for my salvation.

It's a love that reaches out to every human being, in every age, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or anything else.  Have you responded, yet, to that love?