THE UNIQUENESS OF CHRISTIANITY
Dr. Leo Salvador
Manila Bible Seminary
With so many Religions, why Christianity?
The story is told of a social worker in Nigeria who once visited a youth in one of the back streets of Lagos. On his bedside table he found the following books: the Book of Common Prayer (of the Anglican Church), the Muslim Koran, three copies of Watchtower (the magazine of the Jehovah's Witnesses), a biography of Karl Marx, a book of yoga exercises, and - maybe what he needed most - a popular paperback entitled How to Stop Worrying!
"Only about sixteen percent of the world's population is classed as non-religious"
When faced with the multitude of religions in the world today, all claiming to believe the truth, it is no wonder that many people are confused. The number of followers of each of the four major religions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism) run into hundreds of millions. Only about sixteen percent of the world's population is classed as "non-religious". So if we want to know the truth about God, where do we start?
There are various ways of approaching this problem. One way is to retreat into indifference: "How can we possibly know anyway? Maybe they have all got it wrong! Let's wait until death to find out who was right - that is, if there is indeed anything on the other side." Another approach is to assume that all religions are equally valid. It doesn't really matter which we believe as long as we believe in something (or Someone). A cynical historian once said that, to the populace all religions were equally true; to the philosopher all were equally false; to the politician all were equally useful!
The problem with both these approaches is simply that they are assumptions. They are not based on any factual evidence, and assumptions have a nasty habit of proving to be wrong. Maybe all religions do not all lead to God, or heaven, any more than all roads lead to Rome. After all some roads lead to London, or New York, or Timbuktu. Even a superficial study of the world's religions will reveal that they not only teach very different things about God (or gods) but also about how you get on side with him (or her, or whatever) - or whether it is even necessary to get on side with him! Sincerity in our search is essential, but it is possible to be sincerely wrong.
The purpose of this article is to assist those who wish to take a third approach, which I suggest is a better one. That is, to start with another assumption, that if God does exist then he would want us to know the truth and has given us ways of finding it out. It is a fundamental doctrine of Christianity that God is longing to reveal himself to us and wants to enter into a loving relationship with us. He also gave us minds to be used. If you start with these assumptions and do some sincere inquiring and still don't find this God, than at least you are no worse off. However, I am hopeful that you will be pleasantly surprised.
Beginning the search
A very good starting point in searching for the truth, if you can do so honestly, is to pray a prayer something like this:
God, I don't know much about you, but if you are really there I would like to get to know you. I am sincerely prepared to do some honest thinking about you and I want you to guide me in my search for the truth. I am prepared to follow wherever that truth might lead.
It is important to respect each person's right to formulate their own beliefs, even if those beliefs may be wrong. For that reason I do not wish to criticise any other religion. However, in order to make a choice we must be clear about the differences. Each religion has certain things that are distinctive to that particular religion. In this booklet I have chosen six areas which are distinctive to Christianity. As we go through I will point out some differences with other religions. You, the reader, must decide where you go from there. The six areas I will be looking at concern:
The character of its founder, Jesus
Its analysis of our real problem
Its answer to our problems
The way by which we receive forgiveness
The victory it offers over death and evil
The kind of commitment it asks of us as followers
The character of its founder, Jesus
Sundar Singh came to Christianity from the Sikh religion. He travelled around India and overseas, preaching the gospel. The story is told how, at a youth conference, he was questioned by some young people who wanted to know why he had turned to Christianity. What was it that made him change? He said, "My reason for changing was Jesus Christ." They then asked what Christianity offered that his mother's religion did not offer. His simple answer was, "Jesus Christ." They tried another direction and asked what the central doctrine of Christianity was. Again he answered, "Jesus Christ."
What is unique about Jesus Christ? One of the best short summaries about Jesus in the New Testament is found in the first three verses of the letter to Hebrews: "Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word he holds the universe together. After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven."
"Christianity is about God revealing himself to us in historical acts, through chosen people, and supremely in the person of Jesus Christ"
This passage tells us that God is distinct from his creation and yet has chosen to communicate with us, his created beings. Sanatan Dharma, orthodox Hinduism, believes that the ultimate reality is essentially unknowable and that all religions of the world are mere guesses at truth. This is a common view. The celebrated agnostic, Herbert Spencer, maintained that no one has ever been known to penetrate the veil which hides the mind of the Infinite. The Infinite could not be known by finite minds, therefore his agnosticism was secure. (The word "agnostic" comes from a Greek word meaning "not to know" - the Latin equivalent is "ignoramus"!)
All this sounds perfectly reasonable. However, it ignores the question of whether God may choose to make himself known to us. This is exactly what Christianity claims he has done. Christianity is therefore a revealed religion. It is about God revealing himself to us in historical acts, through chosen people, and supremely in the person of Jesus Christ. It is the story of God's search for us, not our search for God. A Japanese, Susuma Uda, says:
Whenever sight is lost of the Biblical revelation, people's religious imagination will end up eventually blending either God and nature (Shinto) or God and self (Buddhism).
The blending of God and self is also very apparent in New Age teaching.
The above passage from Hebrews also tells us that God's most complete revelation of himself is through a historical person, Jesus Christ. He is often spoken of as the "Son of God" in the New Testament. This Jesus is not only the one through whom God created the universe and who now sustains it; he is also described as "like him in every way". This is just one of a number of places in the New Testament which emphasise that Jesus shares the very nature of God, who exists as the three Persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In other words, in the person of Jesus, God himself has visited this planet. As John puts it, he "became a human being and lived here with us" (John 1:14)*.
In entering into our experience Jesus became fully human. In the New Testament, the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell us the story of his life on earth. A good starting point in our search for the truth is to read one of these gospels through and see the picture they give of Jesus. We see there a wide range of both his divine and human qualities. He grew up normally from a child to adulthood. He attended the wedding feast in Cana and mingled with the guests, rejoicing with those who rejoiced. At that same feast he turned the water to wine revealing his divine glory (John 2). As a tired and thirsty traveller he rested by the well in Samaria, but as the divine Saviour he told the Samaritan woman the secret sins of her life (John 4). He wept at the tomb of Lazarus, but then declared his authority as the Giver of Life by raising Lazarus from the dead. He suffered desertion, betrayal and an agonising death, but was proved to be the divine Lord by his resurrection from the dead.
This appearance of the Creator God in history, as one who is both fully human and fully divine, is unique to Christianity. Jesus is a very different figure from the Buddhist bodhisattvas, enlightened beings who have postponed their own ultimate escape from suffering after many reincarnations, and have chosen rebirth to serve humanity. The Dalai Lama believes that Jesus Christ is the highest bodhisattva. However, the Bible presents him as the creator of the universe and the one to whom all authority in heaven and earth is given.
Jesus is also very different from Hindu avatars. These are beings who are said to have appeared at various times in human history. The most important, in terms of devotion accorded to them, are Krishna and Rama. They are incarnations of the god Vishnu, one of the most prominent of the many named gods of Hinduism. The Christian claim, however, is that God has revealed his true character fully and finally in the person of Jesus Christ. "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" Colossians 2:9). "We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true...He is the true God and eternal life" (I John 5:20).
If this is true, then it presents a problem in relation to other religions. This is highlighted in the ministry of a well-known missionary in India, Dr. E. Stanley Jones. Jones often lectured to Hindu audiences having Hindus as chairmen of the meetings. On one such occasion the chairman was a chief minister of state. During his introduction he said, "I shall reserve my remarks for the close of the address, for no matter what the speaker says, I will find parallel things in our own sacred books." At the close of the meeting he was at a loss for words. Dr. Jones had not presented "things"; he had presented a person, Jesus Christ; and that person was not found in their sacred books. As someone has put it, "Christ is the crisis of all religion."
The analysis of our real problem
What is the greatest problem we face? The Buddhist would say that it is our suffering, and Buddhist teaching is primarily a response to this. The Bible does have a great deal to say about suffering. However, it tells us that we have a greater problem still, the problem of our wrongdoing. The common word for this in the Bible is "sin". Indeed, it is sin which is one of the major causes of our suffering. For this reason, Buddhism becomes a religion of enlightenment, whereas Christianity is a religion of salvation.
"To come up with the right answers we must ask the right questions"
To come up with the right answers we must ask the right questions. The fundamental question which the Bible asks (and answers) is, "How do you reconcile sinful human beings with a holy and a righteous God?" Humans were created in the "image" and "likeness" of God. We were given God-like qualities of a spiritual nature which enable us to enjoy a loving relationship with him. In this respect we are radically different from the animal world. Hinduism, Buddhism and New Age teaching blur this distinction.
Love must always involve freedom to choose and we have abused that freedom. "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to their own way" (Isaiah 53:6). As a result of our rebellion and stubborn independence from God we have all become morally flawed. As Jesus put it, "Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God" (Mark 7:21-23).
All religions and cultures have their ethical codes. There is a built-in consciousness in humanity of right and wrong which points to our origin as beings created in the image of God. The problem is that none of us fully live up to what we believe. C. S. Lewis, professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at the University of Cambridge, illustrating the point from Greek, Roman, Chinese, Babylonian, ancient Egyptian and Old Norse sources, demonstrated that there was a "massive and immemorial agreement about moral law." The problem, he said, was that there was also a "massive and immemorial inability to obey it."
The result is that we are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), separated from God (Isaiah 59:2) and are his enemies (Romans 5:10). In contrast, God is morally perfect, described in the Bible as being "holy". He is so pure that no sin can dwell in his presence (Habakkuk 1:13). The moral gulf between us and God is such that we cannot bridge it simply by trying to be good (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5). Such a deep problem demands a more radical solution. Before we can consider a satisfactory cure to our basic problem we must have an accurate diagnosis.
The answer to our problems
Islam recognises the problem caused by our sins in our relationship to God, but comes up with a different solution that depends on our own moral efforts. However, the Bible declares that the problem is too great for that. It could only be solved by God's action, not ours. And God has resolved it in a most wonderful way. He came in the person of Jesus Christ to take upon himself the penalty for our sins through his death on the cross. In other words, Jesus came not merely to reveal God's character, and teach us his truth, but to reconcile us to God. "Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God" (1 Peter 3:18). "But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful" (Romans 5:8). "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his risen life" (Romans 5:10). Christianity is not the story of our search for God. It is the story of God's search for us and the depths to which he was prepared to go to bring us back to himself.
"It is Gods love, demonstrated so powerfully in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, that makes forgiveness a possibility"
Because this was the main purpose of his coming, the New Testament letters give far more attention to the death and resurrection of Jesus than they do to the manner of his coming into the world or the wonderful life that he lived. It is God's love, demonstrated so powerfully in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, that makes forgiveness a possibility. It is here that the uniqueness of Christianity becomes most clear. Other religions either deny the need for forgiveness or give inadequate attention to how it may be achieved. This is one of the reasons that music and singing are prominent in Christian worship. It flows out of the gratitude of hearts that know they are forgiven.
The attraction of the cross
Dr. Michael Green, writer, evangelist and adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury, asks a pertinent question:
Where else in the religions of the world do you hear of a God who undertakes salvation for his people by personally bearing responsibility for their wickedness, and allowing it to crush him?
Themes of the suffering, wounded god do appear in some pagan literature, but in the cross of Jesus we have it in reality.
Jesus, in referring to his coming death, said, "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32). As this is such a significant point in Christianity, I would like to give some examples of its effect on the lives of three people from differing religious backgrounds.
Dr. Kali Charan Chatterjee wrote:
It has often been asked of me why I renounced Hinduism and became a disciple of Christ. My answer is that I was drawn almost unconsciously to Christ by his holy and blameless life...The excellence of his precepts as given in the Sermon on the Mount and his love for sinners won the admiration of my heart...But the doctrine which decided me to embrace the Christian religion and make a public profession of my faith was the doctrine of the vicarious death and sufferings of Christ. I felt myself a sinner and found in Christ one who had died for my sins - paid the penalty due my sins...this was the burden of the thought of my heart, Christ has died, and in doing so, paid the debt which we could never pay.
Toyohiko Kagawa, a Japanese Christian leader and dedicated social worker who was imprisoned for his Christian principles during World War II, said:
I am grateful for Shinto, for Buddhism, and for Confucianism. I owe much to these faiths...Yet these three faiths utterly failed to minister to my heart's deepest needs. I was a pilgrim journeying upon a long road that had no turning. I was weary. I was footsore. I wandered through a dark and dismal world where tragedies were thick...Buddhism teaches great compassion...but since the beginning of time, who has declared, 'this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for remission of sins?'
Dr. David Rahbar, a Muslim scholar, wrote a letter to Muslim and Christian friends to explain why he had become a Christian. After some discussion about the justice and mercy of God, and whether it is consistent for a God of love merely to sit in heaven and be our judge, he says, with considerable insight:
Only in love does justice transcend itself and become loving sacrifice: giving what is due and then giving more...In our search for the truly worshipable, we must therefore look in human history for a man who loved, who loved humbly like the poorest, who was perfectly innocent and sinless, who was tortured and humiliated in literally the worst manner, and who declared his continued transparent love for those who had inflicted the worst of injuries on him. If we do find such a man, He must be the Creator-God Himself. For if the Creator-God Himself is not that Supremely suffering and Loving Man, then the Creator God is provenly inferior to that Man. And this cannot be...
Such a man did live on earth nearly two thousand years ago. His name was Jesus...When I read the New Testament and discovered how Jesus loved and forgave His killers from the Cross, I could not fail to recognise that the love He had for men is the only kind of love worthy of the Eternal God...
The Creator-God and Jesus are one and the same being. May all people know that truly divine love.
A missionary friend has shared the following story with me. A Chinese teacher invited her to his home for lunch so that they could talk about life after death. "I believe there is life after death," he said. "If we have lived a good life we are rewarded by being reincarnated into a happy and prosperous situation. If we have done wrong we are punished by having to come back as a dog or some other low form of life." "But what," my friend asked, "if sins could be forgiven?" The teacher replied quietly, "If sins could be forgiven, that would make all the difference in the world!"
The way by which we receive forgiveness
If forgiveness is possible through God's action in sending his Son to die for us, then how do we receive it? The first step is simply to admit our need of it. This is the point at which pride often becomes the biggest stumbling block to true conversion, even to some who take the name of "Christian". As theologian Emil Brunner put it, in all other religions:
...people are spared the final humiliation of knowing that the Mediator [Jesus Christ] must bear the punishment instead of them...They are not stripped absolutely naked.
Anglican scholar, John Stott, adds:
But the gospel does strip us naked (we have no clothing in which to appear before God), and declares us bankrupt (we have no currency with which to buy the favour of heaven).
The New Testament speaks of the "grace" of God. This is a wonderful word that means his undeserved goodness and favour. It cannot be merited or earned. It can only be received by faith as a gift. "You were saved by faith in God's kindness. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about" (Ephesians 2:8,9). Though there are glimmers of some understanding of grace in other religions it is only fully developed in Christianity. Elsewhere there is always the emphasis that it is only by human effort, in keeping the required standards of that particular religion, that one can be saved, or reborn, or achieve fulfilment.
A Buddhist story which starts off like the parable of the Prodigal Son, spells out this contrast very clearly. The boy comes home and is met by the father, and then has to work off the penalty for his past misdeeds by years of servitude to his father. However, in the New Testament the father sees his son coming in the distance, runs to meet him, flings his arms around him and then throws a party. There is great rejoicing (see Luke 15).
The Buddhist and Hindu principle of karma (cause and effect, paying off our guilt through countless cycles of rebirth), or the Muslim belief that our good deeds are weighed up against our bad deeds, are poles apart from grace (the free forgiveness that Jesus offers through his death), which we don't deserve at all and can never earn. Bishop Stephen Neill summed it up in a wonderfully succinct quotation: "In Hinduism, the doctrine of karma says 'You sin, you pay'. In the gospel, God says 'You sin, I pay.'"
Though Jesus asks for high moral standards from his followers, and a commitment to him as Lord of their lives, neither good works nor commitment can contribute anything at all to our forgiveness and our reconciliation to God. We are reconciled to God by coming in simple trust to Jesus, confessing our unworthiness and humbly and gratefully accepting what he has done on our behalf. In gratitude we offer our lives to him in return. This is what the New Testament understands by faith. It provides the basis for a new relationship based on love and total acceptance. The motivation for loving and serving God and others then becomes the outflow of a grateful heart for what has already been received.
A victory over evil & death which has already been won
After a Muslim in Africa was converted to Christ, his friends asked him why he became a Christian. He answered, "Well, it's like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn't know which way to go; and there at the fork were two men, one dead and one alive. Which one would you ask the way to go?" The fact that Christ was alive attracted him to Christianity. Of the four major world religions that are based on a personality, rather than on a philosophical system, only Christianity claims that its founder came back to life after death.
"Only Christianity claims that its founder came back to life after death"
The resurrection of Christ from the dead is at the heart of Christianity and is referred to repeatedly in the New Testament. Paul declares, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). Both the death and the resurrection of Christ are presented as a complete victory over evil. His sufferings on our behalf make our escape from the condemnation of sin possible. "If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won't be punished" because God "set you free when he sent his own Son to be like us sinners and to be a sacrifice for our sin" (Romans 8:1,3). His resurrection is proof of his claims to be the divine Son of God. It is also proof of his victory over the powers of evil, which are the cause of death. He is "declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4). It is also the guarantee of his final victory when he will return to judge the world. God "has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).
If we trust the risen Christ as our Saviour and yield our lives to him as Lord, then we become "co-heirs with Christ" of his kingdom (Romans 8:17). His resurrection will be the guarantee of ours. "God did this so that in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done" (Ephesians 2:7). The future he longs for us to be part of is one of personal fulfilment, relationships with God and others, service and joy. This is in marked contrast to the Buddhist Nirvana which implies the loss of individuality. The word nirvana comes from a Sanskrit word nirva which literally means "to extinguish", though Buddha himself never affirmed this.
If we reject the reconciliation which Jesus won, at tremendous cost to himself, then we are left to our own resources. We must endeavour to work out our own salvation by good deeds, either over innumerable lifetimes, as some religions declare, or in this one short life. Both of these, according to the Bible, are impossible. The Bible also warns us that, "We die only once, and then we are judged" (Hebrews 9:27)*.
The kind of commitment it asks of its members
C. S. Lewis once said:
The moment a man seriously accepts a deity, his interest in "religion" is at an end. He's got something else to think about.
The "something else" that Lewis is referring to is actually encountering this God, and all that this implies, rather than merely adopting certain religious practices. This is certainly true of Christianity when rightly understood. The ultimate question we face in dealing with the God that Christians proclaim is not whether we can believe the truths about him, or live by the standards he demands, or want to practise certain religious observances, but whether or not we want to get involved with him - to really meet him. Christianity has its doctrines and code of ethics, but basically being a Christian means living in a relationship with the risen Lord.
"The moment a man seriously accepts a deity, his interest in religion is at an end"
When we accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, then the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead,* literally comes to live in our human bodies. As Paul puts it, "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 6:19). One of the ways this is described in the New Testament is being "born again" or "born of the Spirit". Without this we can neither enter nor see the kingdom of God (John 3:3,5). Sometimes this is spoken of as receiving Christ ((John 1:12), opening the door of our lives to Christ (Revelation 3:20), or as Christ coming to live in us (Colossians 1:27).
In this relationship he is the Lord or Senior Partner and he asks for unconditional surrender to his leadership. To grow in the relationship we must continue to exercise trust and obedience. Jesus said, "If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me" (Luke 9:23). In other words, because he died for us, he asks us to die to our own selfish desires and ambitions and to give him the central place in our lives. In response to his love for us, shown supremely through his death on the cross, we offer our lives in humble gratitude to him.
Sadly, it is possible to adopt Christian beliefs, seek to live by Christian standards, take part in Christian religious observances, and still not be really Christian! The heart of Christianity is commitment to a Person and enjoying a living relationship with that Person. If we took Buddha out of Buddhism, or Mohammed out of Islam, or the founder of any other religion out of that religion, and could still receive their teaching from some other source, little would be changed. But if we took Christ out of Christianity there would be nothing left because Christianity begins by entering into a relationship with the living Christ and receiving the gift of eternal life from him.
Conclusion
Michael Green, drawing on his considerable experience as an evangelist, and the resources of much recent writing on the relation between Christianity and other religions, says in Evangelism Through the Local Church:
No faith would enjoy wide currency if it did not contain much that was true. Other faiths therefore constitute a preparation for the gospel, and Christ comes not so much to destroy as to fulfil. The convert will not feel that he has lost his background, but that he has discovered that to which, at its best, it pointed. That is certainly the attitude I have found among friends converted to Christ from Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism. They are profoundly grateful for what they have learned in those cultures, but are thrilled beyond words to have discovered a God who has stooped to their condition in coming as the man of Nazareth, and who has rescued them from guilt and alienation by his cross and resurrection.
In the book of Revelation, John has a glorious vision of the future in the kingdom of God. "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'...For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:9-17).
Throughout the Bible the lamb is the animal of sacrifice. Lambs were offered daily in the temple for the sins of the people. In Revelation, the book that looks forward to the final consummation of God's plans for his people, Jesus is spoken of as "the Lamb" 27 times. It is because he loved us and sacrificed himself for us, that we will have the right to enjoy the blessings of his kingdom, in which he will share the worship that is given to God the Father. In this present world he longs to do many things: forgive our sins; enable us to grow into the sort of people he wants us to be; give us strength to face whatever life may bring; give us a purpose to live for; accompany us on the journey with the sense of his loving presence; to grant us experiences of joy and the assurance of glory to come.
If this is the kind of "religion" you are looking for, then I suggest you get alone with God and pray. If the following prayer echoes the thoughts of your heart then use it as a guide:
God, I want to know you.
I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I have broken your moral laws and I do not deserve your love.
And yet I believe you do love me and sent your Son to die for my sins.
I ask you to forgive my sins and come into my life.
I accept Jesus as my Saviour and Lord. I accept your gift of eternal life.
I do not deserve it, but I thank you for it.
In gratitude I offer my life to you.
Help me to grow in my love for you and for others, and to serve you faithfully for the rest of my days.
If you have made this commitment, or wish to know more about Jesus before you do so, then I suggest you get a copy of the New Testament (part of the Christian Bible) and read through the first four books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which tell the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. There are several good modern translations. The Good News translation is the simplest to read and was originally written for those who speak English as a second language. The New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version are very readable and are among the most accurate. Ask God to give you understanding as you read it. May God bless you in your search for truth.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
ANIMISM
Definition
The word animism derives from the Latin word anima/animo, meaning soul or breath. It is usually applied to any religious beliefs that recognize spirits or a spirit world inherent in the physical world.
Distribution
Animism can be found in many tribal or primal religions. Primal religions are those which are ancient, in existence before the advent of world religions such as Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism. There are many such religions in East Asia, particularly in rural or undeveloped areas, island communities and among tribal groups or minority nationalities. Animism is also found in most of the world religions in East Asia, as folk religion.
Context
Many people following primal religions live in isolated rural areas. Their lives are built around the forces of nature. Birth, death, illness and disaster are not hidden or sanitized as they are in many developed societies.
Outside forces such as foreigners or neighboring peoples may be feared. Some tribal groups are nomadic. It is easier to be aware of a spiritual dimension to life and when human strengths and frailties are exposed by such environments, there is a need for spiritual support.
Primal animistic religions share essential similarities with world religions: a belief in a powerful spiritual realm that coexists with the physical world; usually prayer, sacrifice or offering to communicate with the spiritual world; shrines, temples or sacred places; priests, shamans or mediums who can help the people to hear from the spirits or gods, and sometimes a belief in a “sky god” who is creator and above all other gods/spirits. Animistic folk religions usually grow out of primal religions mixed with one or more world religions. This happens when a world religion is introduced to the area where animistic religions are already practised. The world religion may seem to predominate, but often its tenets and practices will be less important than, or followed alongside, folk customs based on spirit belief.
Beliefs and practices
The spiritual force and the spirit world
The basis of animism is that the spirit world is stronger than humans. The power of the spirit world infuses everything. Spirits are often believed to dwell in particular objects, such as a tree, or places, such as an area of forest or a village. Sometimes they are believed to move around, even following people moving house or village.
Origin of the spirits
Some spirits are the souls of deceased ancestors. Others are beings inherent in nature and the spirit realm. For some people the spirits are intermediaries between humans and a higher god. This is often the case in a folk religion, or a primal religion recognizing a supreme god. In other primal religions, the spirits are the primary beings of the spirit realm. As such their help is sought. Sometimes the help of particular spirits is sought for particular occasions, eg. during illness or war, for marriage or childbirth, or work and study. Help is also sought for better weather conditions or a good harvest.
Relationship with the spirits
Relationship between the spirit world and the human world is ongoing and requires human effort. Some spirits are seen as friendly and helpful, and gratitude is shown by the human effort of prayer or offerings. Other spirits may be evil or troublesome and need to be avoided or appeased. Human effort is required to ensure the goodwill of the spirits and to ensure that they are not offended or neglected.
Contact with the spirits
For contact with the spirits special methods and/or trained, gifted individuals are usually required. Some tribal groups have a shaman. Shamans enter the spirit world by way of an ecstatic trance. They return to the earthly world with messages from the spirits.
Other communities make contact through a medium or through divination. Methods of divination include astrology (eg. in China), fortune telling (eg. by selection of a written “fortune” in folk Buddhism) and rituals (in many tribal communities). In many areas, including those where a world religion is established, there are local healers who prescribe rituals to seek healing from the spirits. In rural areas they will also use natural methods (eg. plants).
Case studies
Comparisons
Similarities between animistic primal religions and Christianity:
• Closeness to nature.
• Recognition of human frailty.
• Understanding of human need for a stronger power.
• Awareness of spiritual realm.
• Life after death.
Contrasts
Elements of animistic primal religions not shared by Christianity:
• Many gods or spirits.
• Often no scriptures.
• Some use magic as well as religious practice.
• The sky god is not close to his people and does not lead by moral example or rule.
• Relationships are restored by sacrifice and appeasement, rather than repentance and forgiveness.
• Some spirits are volatile and capricious.
• Spirits are local rather than universal.
Other points
Many people in East Asia may belong to a major religion such as Islam, but actually follow a mixture of this and animism.
Tribal animism is part of a deeply religious way of life in which the spiritual and physical are inextricably linked.
Animistic religions can involve a strong element of fear.
Christianity often seems to fail beside animism because it does not seem to “work” as effectively in terms of healing.
Many people are content within animistic religions and their ancient beliefs are integral to their culture.
Definition
The word animism derives from the Latin word anima/animo, meaning soul or breath. It is usually applied to any religious beliefs that recognize spirits or a spirit world inherent in the physical world.
Distribution
Animism can be found in many tribal or primal religions. Primal religions are those which are ancient, in existence before the advent of world religions such as Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism. There are many such religions in East Asia, particularly in rural or undeveloped areas, island communities and among tribal groups or minority nationalities. Animism is also found in most of the world religions in East Asia, as folk religion.
Context
Many people following primal religions live in isolated rural areas. Their lives are built around the forces of nature. Birth, death, illness and disaster are not hidden or sanitized as they are in many developed societies.
Outside forces such as foreigners or neighboring peoples may be feared. Some tribal groups are nomadic. It is easier to be aware of a spiritual dimension to life and when human strengths and frailties are exposed by such environments, there is a need for spiritual support.
Primal animistic religions share essential similarities with world religions: a belief in a powerful spiritual realm that coexists with the physical world; usually prayer, sacrifice or offering to communicate with the spiritual world; shrines, temples or sacred places; priests, shamans or mediums who can help the people to hear from the spirits or gods, and sometimes a belief in a “sky god” who is creator and above all other gods/spirits. Animistic folk religions usually grow out of primal religions mixed with one or more world religions. This happens when a world religion is introduced to the area where animistic religions are already practised. The world religion may seem to predominate, but often its tenets and practices will be less important than, or followed alongside, folk customs based on spirit belief.
Beliefs and practices
The spiritual force and the spirit world
The basis of animism is that the spirit world is stronger than humans. The power of the spirit world infuses everything. Spirits are often believed to dwell in particular objects, such as a tree, or places, such as an area of forest or a village. Sometimes they are believed to move around, even following people moving house or village.
Origin of the spirits
Some spirits are the souls of deceased ancestors. Others are beings inherent in nature and the spirit realm. For some people the spirits are intermediaries between humans and a higher god. This is often the case in a folk religion, or a primal religion recognizing a supreme god. In other primal religions, the spirits are the primary beings of the spirit realm. As such their help is sought. Sometimes the help of particular spirits is sought for particular occasions, eg. during illness or war, for marriage or childbirth, or work and study. Help is also sought for better weather conditions or a good harvest.
Relationship with the spirits
Relationship between the spirit world and the human world is ongoing and requires human effort. Some spirits are seen as friendly and helpful, and gratitude is shown by the human effort of prayer or offerings. Other spirits may be evil or troublesome and need to be avoided or appeased. Human effort is required to ensure the goodwill of the spirits and to ensure that they are not offended or neglected.
Contact with the spirits
For contact with the spirits special methods and/or trained, gifted individuals are usually required. Some tribal groups have a shaman. Shamans enter the spirit world by way of an ecstatic trance. They return to the earthly world with messages from the spirits.
Other communities make contact through a medium or through divination. Methods of divination include astrology (eg. in China), fortune telling (eg. by selection of a written “fortune” in folk Buddhism) and rituals (in many tribal communities). In many areas, including those where a world religion is established, there are local healers who prescribe rituals to seek healing from the spirits. In rural areas they will also use natural methods (eg. plants).
Case studies
Comparisons
Similarities between animistic primal religions and Christianity:
• Closeness to nature.
• Recognition of human frailty.
• Understanding of human need for a stronger power.
• Awareness of spiritual realm.
• Life after death.
Contrasts
Elements of animistic primal religions not shared by Christianity:
• Many gods or spirits.
• Often no scriptures.
• Some use magic as well as religious practice.
• The sky god is not close to his people and does not lead by moral example or rule.
• Relationships are restored by sacrifice and appeasement, rather than repentance and forgiveness.
• Some spirits are volatile and capricious.
• Spirits are local rather than universal.
Other points
Many people in East Asia may belong to a major religion such as Islam, but actually follow a mixture of this and animism.
Tribal animism is part of a deeply religious way of life in which the spiritual and physical are inextricably linked.
Animistic religions can involve a strong element of fear.
Christianity often seems to fail beside animism because it does not seem to “work” as effectively in terms of healing.
Many people are content within animistic religions and their ancient beliefs are integral to their culture.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
THOSE WHO CANNOT BE DISCIPLES
Luke 14:25-35
In our text this morning (Luke 14:25-35) Jesus repeats a phrase three times in this passage. It is the phrase “cannot be my disciple”. Jesus is warning us of things that will disqualify us from being His disciple.
Note the context of the passage. There were large crowds following Jesus. Most leaders today are concerned with how to keep the crowd. Jesus seemed to intentionally be trying to thin the crowds. Jesus understood that people are naturally attracted to a crowd.
Jesus understood that it is easy to talk like a Christian and to even believe that you are a Christ follower simply because you hang out with followers of Christ. Jesus wanted us to understand that discipleship is not about membership, it is about a way of life. It is not about following the crowd, it is about following Him. When we put our trust in Christ we enter into a relationship. Faith does not end at the point of decision . . . it begins. Jesus wants to help us in that relationship.
So who are those who cannot be His disciples?
Those Who Are Too Family Oriented
The first thing Jesus says is,
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
This is not a new theme. Rick explained this passage several weeks ago when Jesus was speaking to just the disciples. Now He expands the audience and applies this to any who would follow after Him.
Anytime we come up against a passage like this we must interpret it carefully. We must never interpret one passage in such a way that it contradicts another. The Ten Commandments tell us to honor our Father and Mother. Consequently, these words do not mean that we should neglect or dishonor our family. However, in our heart, in our priorities, in our calendar . . . He must come first. When we read the story of Jacob and his wives Rachel and Leah we are told that Jacob loved Rachel and hated Leah. We know from the context of the story that Jacob didn’t despise Leah . . . he simply loved Rachel more than Leah.
What God is asking of us is similar to a marriage covenant. A man and a woman stand on a platform and declare that they will be “yours and yours alone for the rest of my life”. It used to be that couples used the words: “forsaking all others”. They are not declaring that they will no longer have any friends or never talk to another person of the opposite sex. They are saying that their spouse will have the central or priority position in their heart over all these others. Couples say this because they believe life will be better together than it ever could be apart.
It is a huge commitment. To keep that commitment you have to change the way you make decisions. You can no longer live as if you were the only one that mattered. However, for those who truly make this commitment life is better than it could have ever been outside of that commitment. There is companionship, sometimes there are children, there are shared experiences, and there is a oneness between the two people that can be downright frightening to others.
This is what God wants from us. He wants that kind of commitment from us in our relationship with Him. He wants us to make His glory our primary priority in life. He wants us to do so because He has demonstrated that He alone is God.
This obviously goes against the cultural mindset of our day. Today priorities seem to revolve around “Me, My Job, and My Family” in the minds of most people. We justify our obsession with our job saying, “It is what puts food on the table”. We run to endless school, athletic and extra-curricular events justifying it by saying we are just being a good parent.” We live by a simple motto: “I want what I want” and that seems to settle the issue in our mind. Hear the words of Jesus. He says that people who function by these priorities cannot be His disciples.
Kent Hughes writes,
In the secularized, anti-family culture of today, our family is at the center of our Christian ethic. And that is proper. But some of us love our wives, husbands, and children more than we love God. We miss the mark when we put their development athletically, intellectually, culturally, artistically, socially before their spiritual well-being. We fall short when we spend more time in the car in one day shuttling them to games and lessons than we do in a month in prayer for their souls. By comparison, our lives reveal that we hate God and love our children disproportionately—and that we are not Jesus’ disciples.[1]
The Lord is not telling us to abandon or mistreat our family. He is not telling us to get so involved in the work of the church that we are never home. He is calling us to order our priorities in a godly way. When we do this we actually will be able to love our family more appropriately, fully, and effectively. This is because we are no longer trying to prove ourselves to be a “super parent” but are instead pointing our family to the One who alone is worthy of praise. Only Christ can redeem our children. Only He can accompany them through the storms of life. Only He can lead them to eternal glory before the Father of Heaven. They need us to lead them to Him.
These are admittedly hard words but understand how important this is,
1. Our actions demonstrate what is truly important in life. It doesn’t matter what box we check on a religious survey. It doesn’t matter what you tell your children you believe. Our families are watching our actions. We are either leading our families to God or we are leading them away from Him by the choices we make.
2. This is the wise way to live. Jesus knows the answers to life’s questions. He understands human nature; He is the fountain of all wisdom. When we point our families to Christ we are providing for them the greatest blessing possible.
Those Who Want Easy Discipleship
The first exclusion is hard but the second may be harder
27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Jesus is not talking about carrying a cross in your pocket or wearing a cross on a chain around your neck. The cross is a symbol of death. Jesus is saying we need to be people who are willing to sacrifice even our very lives for the Lord. Contrary to what we sometimes hear on TV, Jesus never said following Him would be easy. In fact, He said just the opposite. Notice here that Jesus does not encourage the crowd with flowery words and promises of ease and happiness . . . He points them to the cross and the cost of following Him.
Christians are often guilty of preaching a shallow gospel. We call people to “accept God’s gift” and we act as if this is the end of it. It would be like someone coming into a car dealership. You as the salesman tell the person that you “want to put them in this brand new car and all they need to do is sign on the dotted line.” The person who has never purchased a new car before eagerly signs their name and then is shocked when you say, “OK, the final cost with tax, license, under-coating, insurance, inflated tires, knobs on the radio, is . . . . four times more than you can afford to pay!” The person feels you swindled them because you never said anything about their being a cost.
This is the way we often present the gospel, and it is irresponsible. Jesus calls each of us to “count the cost”. He gives two illustrations to drive His point home,
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
If you want to put an addition on your home even I know that you don’t knock a hole in the wall and then go to Menard’s to buy some lumber. You need to consider many things: what kind of addition you want and whether you have the property to facilitate that addition. You need to consider the issues of plumbing, heating and electrical. You need to talk to the utilities and find out what is currently buried in the ground. You need to consider structural viability. Then you need to add everything up and decide whether or not you can pay for such an addition. You must count the cost.
The second illustration is a little different.
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
In this case the man doesn’t have a great deal of time to make a decision. An army is advancing against him. The King must take time to consider whether his army has a chance of victory. If there is no good chance of victory the King would be wise to negotiate terms for peace.
Jesus is saying don’t enlist in his army unless you are willing to abide by His command. Don’t declare you want to be His follower unless you know what is at stake. He is telling us not to respond emotionally (even though our emotion is involved); He wants us to respond to Him rationally. This comes as a surprise to many today who think that you need to have lobotomy before you become a Christian. Jesus says the opposite…think about it, count the cost, know what you are getting in to.
In many countries, declaring allegiance to Jesus could get you killed. In some Muslim or tight knit Asian communities declaring allegiance to Christ is seen as an act of treason. You may be executed. Our cost may not be as great but,
* Your belief in a Creator might cost you your job at a University
* Your stand for Christ and the moral Laws He has given might cause you to lose an election, be fired from a job, or be the focus of protests.
* Your refusal to be part of activities that involve illegal or excessive drinking, immoral behaviors, and just plan foolishness, may cause you to be ostracized by your friends
* Your pursuit of personal holiness may necessitate you abandon some of your former activities and friends and create an uncomfortable situation with others.
* Your insistence on conducting business honestly may cause you to lose contracts to less scrupulous people.
The point is that we need to understand that following Christ will not be easy and it will not be “business as usual”. He calls us to be willing to follow Him even ahead of our own comfort and even our own lives. If we don’t realize this, we cannot be His follower.
Those Who Can’t Let Go
The last disqualified for discipleship is in verse 33
In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
Do you remember the story of the Rich Young Ruler? He wanted to know what was needed to obtain eternal life. Jesus told Him he needed to obey the law perfectly (that is the only way to be saved by our own strength . . . we must never sin). This man felt he had lived an obedient life. Jesus told Him that he also needed to sell everything he had and give it to the poor.
Jesus was not saying that a person must be destitute to be a follower. He was saying that we cannot be enslaved to the material and still be honoring God. As a believer we are to be people who are willing to give anything and everything to the Lord for His service. There is to be NOTHING held back.
It is natural for us to say, “Lord, I will give you all I have . . . as long as you don’t ask for; or don’t ask me to do . . . “ You may have said in your heart and mind: “I will follow you fully as long as you
* don’t ask me to serve on the Mission field
* don’t ask me to give up my friends
* don’t ask me to give up buying a new car
* don’t ask me to love a certain person
* don’t ask me to forgive a certain offense
The attitude of a true disciple is this: “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give”. If Jesus is to be Lord AT all . . . He must be Lord OF all. We do not tell Him what is most important, He tells us. He does not exist to glorify us, we exist to glorify Him.
Conclusions
Let’s confess honestly that we struggle with each of these things. We aren’t sure that we really love the Lord more than we love our family. We don’t know if we are willing to follow Christ . . . even to death. We are positive we haven’t given Him everything. Does this mean that we are not His disciples?
The answer to the question I believe is: not necessarily. As we look at the lives of the disciples we see that they grew in their commitment to Christ. I think the principle is this: if we are not seeking to follow Christ fully, if we are not trying to consciously give Him all things, if we are not willing to make significant sacrifices because of our love and trust of Him . . . we are not and cannot be His disciple. We still struggle. At times we still fall short. But we should be moving in the right direction.
Let’s go back to the marriage analogy. Do we live our commitment faithfully all the time? No. Are we as devoted as we need to be? No. There are still many self-absorbed times, there are still temptations that come our way . . . but, if we are pursuing the goal of being fully devoted and committed to our spouse we will see significant progress. Every day brings new tests and challenges. True commitment is both a decision and a learned behavior.
It is the same in the Christian faith. We should be growing in our discipleship. We are constantly learning the cost and every day we agree to pay that cost. Every day we consciously surrender again all that we have and all that we are. Jesus said,
34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Salt was used for a number of things: it preserved, it enhanced, and it facilitated growth. The Christian is to be all these things. However, if a follower of Christ isn’t following . . . they become useless. What can we do to remain “salty”? I’d suggest several things.
1. Consciously decide to truly follow Christ. When we make decisions we quickly (and unconsciously) go through a list of questions: things like: Do I want to do this? Will my friends approve? Is there something to be gained? Is this what I think a good parent would do? Will it be profitable? Will this cause conflict? We must learn to consciously ask: “Will this reveal and honor my commitment to Christ?” “Will this advance His Kingdom?” And we need to ask that question before and above all others.
2. Set up regular check points in your life to monitor your spiritual vitality. Set aside a regular time to meet with God every day. If you find trouble praying, try writing letters to God. Use the Sabbath as it was intended; as a time to realign our hearts with the Lord and to grow in knowledge and truth. Do a monthly spiritual inventory and monitor progress in your spiritual life.
3. Be ruthless in confronting sin in your life. Confront your excuses, justifications and denials. Don’t let yourself be fooled by your own rationalizing. Recognize sin for what it is and deal with it.
4. Practice your faith. Remind yourself that knowledge is of little value until it is applied. Be intentional about finding ways to live out what you say you believe.
5. Be intentional about growth. Read books to deepen your understanding. Listen to sermons. Watch or attend conferences. Make sure you are being spiritually nourished.
Luke 14:25-35
In our text this morning (Luke 14:25-35) Jesus repeats a phrase three times in this passage. It is the phrase “cannot be my disciple”. Jesus is warning us of things that will disqualify us from being His disciple.
Note the context of the passage. There were large crowds following Jesus. Most leaders today are concerned with how to keep the crowd. Jesus seemed to intentionally be trying to thin the crowds. Jesus understood that people are naturally attracted to a crowd.
Jesus understood that it is easy to talk like a Christian and to even believe that you are a Christ follower simply because you hang out with followers of Christ. Jesus wanted us to understand that discipleship is not about membership, it is about a way of life. It is not about following the crowd, it is about following Him. When we put our trust in Christ we enter into a relationship. Faith does not end at the point of decision . . . it begins. Jesus wants to help us in that relationship.
So who are those who cannot be His disciples?
Those Who Are Too Family Oriented
The first thing Jesus says is,
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
This is not a new theme. Rick explained this passage several weeks ago when Jesus was speaking to just the disciples. Now He expands the audience and applies this to any who would follow after Him.
Anytime we come up against a passage like this we must interpret it carefully. We must never interpret one passage in such a way that it contradicts another. The Ten Commandments tell us to honor our Father and Mother. Consequently, these words do not mean that we should neglect or dishonor our family. However, in our heart, in our priorities, in our calendar . . . He must come first. When we read the story of Jacob and his wives Rachel and Leah we are told that Jacob loved Rachel and hated Leah. We know from the context of the story that Jacob didn’t despise Leah . . . he simply loved Rachel more than Leah.
What God is asking of us is similar to a marriage covenant. A man and a woman stand on a platform and declare that they will be “yours and yours alone for the rest of my life”. It used to be that couples used the words: “forsaking all others”. They are not declaring that they will no longer have any friends or never talk to another person of the opposite sex. They are saying that their spouse will have the central or priority position in their heart over all these others. Couples say this because they believe life will be better together than it ever could be apart.
It is a huge commitment. To keep that commitment you have to change the way you make decisions. You can no longer live as if you were the only one that mattered. However, for those who truly make this commitment life is better than it could have ever been outside of that commitment. There is companionship, sometimes there are children, there are shared experiences, and there is a oneness between the two people that can be downright frightening to others.
This is what God wants from us. He wants that kind of commitment from us in our relationship with Him. He wants us to make His glory our primary priority in life. He wants us to do so because He has demonstrated that He alone is God.
This obviously goes against the cultural mindset of our day. Today priorities seem to revolve around “Me, My Job, and My Family” in the minds of most people. We justify our obsession with our job saying, “It is what puts food on the table”. We run to endless school, athletic and extra-curricular events justifying it by saying we are just being a good parent.” We live by a simple motto: “I want what I want” and that seems to settle the issue in our mind. Hear the words of Jesus. He says that people who function by these priorities cannot be His disciples.
Kent Hughes writes,
In the secularized, anti-family culture of today, our family is at the center of our Christian ethic. And that is proper. But some of us love our wives, husbands, and children more than we love God. We miss the mark when we put their development athletically, intellectually, culturally, artistically, socially before their spiritual well-being. We fall short when we spend more time in the car in one day shuttling them to games and lessons than we do in a month in prayer for their souls. By comparison, our lives reveal that we hate God and love our children disproportionately—and that we are not Jesus’ disciples.[1]
The Lord is not telling us to abandon or mistreat our family. He is not telling us to get so involved in the work of the church that we are never home. He is calling us to order our priorities in a godly way. When we do this we actually will be able to love our family more appropriately, fully, and effectively. This is because we are no longer trying to prove ourselves to be a “super parent” but are instead pointing our family to the One who alone is worthy of praise. Only Christ can redeem our children. Only He can accompany them through the storms of life. Only He can lead them to eternal glory before the Father of Heaven. They need us to lead them to Him.
These are admittedly hard words but understand how important this is,
1. Our actions demonstrate what is truly important in life. It doesn’t matter what box we check on a religious survey. It doesn’t matter what you tell your children you believe. Our families are watching our actions. We are either leading our families to God or we are leading them away from Him by the choices we make.
2. This is the wise way to live. Jesus knows the answers to life’s questions. He understands human nature; He is the fountain of all wisdom. When we point our families to Christ we are providing for them the greatest blessing possible.
Those Who Want Easy Discipleship
The first exclusion is hard but the second may be harder
27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Jesus is not talking about carrying a cross in your pocket or wearing a cross on a chain around your neck. The cross is a symbol of death. Jesus is saying we need to be people who are willing to sacrifice even our very lives for the Lord. Contrary to what we sometimes hear on TV, Jesus never said following Him would be easy. In fact, He said just the opposite. Notice here that Jesus does not encourage the crowd with flowery words and promises of ease and happiness . . . He points them to the cross and the cost of following Him.
Christians are often guilty of preaching a shallow gospel. We call people to “accept God’s gift” and we act as if this is the end of it. It would be like someone coming into a car dealership. You as the salesman tell the person that you “want to put them in this brand new car and all they need to do is sign on the dotted line.” The person who has never purchased a new car before eagerly signs their name and then is shocked when you say, “OK, the final cost with tax, license, under-coating, insurance, inflated tires, knobs on the radio, is . . . . four times more than you can afford to pay!” The person feels you swindled them because you never said anything about their being a cost.
This is the way we often present the gospel, and it is irresponsible. Jesus calls each of us to “count the cost”. He gives two illustrations to drive His point home,
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’
If you want to put an addition on your home even I know that you don’t knock a hole in the wall and then go to Menard’s to buy some lumber. You need to consider many things: what kind of addition you want and whether you have the property to facilitate that addition. You need to consider the issues of plumbing, heating and electrical. You need to talk to the utilities and find out what is currently buried in the ground. You need to consider structural viability. Then you need to add everything up and decide whether or not you can pay for such an addition. You must count the cost.
The second illustration is a little different.
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
In this case the man doesn’t have a great deal of time to make a decision. An army is advancing against him. The King must take time to consider whether his army has a chance of victory. If there is no good chance of victory the King would be wise to negotiate terms for peace.
Jesus is saying don’t enlist in his army unless you are willing to abide by His command. Don’t declare you want to be His follower unless you know what is at stake. He is telling us not to respond emotionally (even though our emotion is involved); He wants us to respond to Him rationally. This comes as a surprise to many today who think that you need to have lobotomy before you become a Christian. Jesus says the opposite…think about it, count the cost, know what you are getting in to.
In many countries, declaring allegiance to Jesus could get you killed. In some Muslim or tight knit Asian communities declaring allegiance to Christ is seen as an act of treason. You may be executed. Our cost may not be as great but,
* Your belief in a Creator might cost you your job at a University
* Your stand for Christ and the moral Laws He has given might cause you to lose an election, be fired from a job, or be the focus of protests.
* Your refusal to be part of activities that involve illegal or excessive drinking, immoral behaviors, and just plan foolishness, may cause you to be ostracized by your friends
* Your pursuit of personal holiness may necessitate you abandon some of your former activities and friends and create an uncomfortable situation with others.
* Your insistence on conducting business honestly may cause you to lose contracts to less scrupulous people.
The point is that we need to understand that following Christ will not be easy and it will not be “business as usual”. He calls us to be willing to follow Him even ahead of our own comfort and even our own lives. If we don’t realize this, we cannot be His follower.
Those Who Can’t Let Go
The last disqualified for discipleship is in verse 33
In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
Do you remember the story of the Rich Young Ruler? He wanted to know what was needed to obtain eternal life. Jesus told Him he needed to obey the law perfectly (that is the only way to be saved by our own strength . . . we must never sin). This man felt he had lived an obedient life. Jesus told Him that he also needed to sell everything he had and give it to the poor.
Jesus was not saying that a person must be destitute to be a follower. He was saying that we cannot be enslaved to the material and still be honoring God. As a believer we are to be people who are willing to give anything and everything to the Lord for His service. There is to be NOTHING held back.
It is natural for us to say, “Lord, I will give you all I have . . . as long as you don’t ask for; or don’t ask me to do . . . “ You may have said in your heart and mind: “I will follow you fully as long as you
* don’t ask me to serve on the Mission field
* don’t ask me to give up my friends
* don’t ask me to give up buying a new car
* don’t ask me to love a certain person
* don’t ask me to forgive a certain offense
The attitude of a true disciple is this: “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give”. If Jesus is to be Lord AT all . . . He must be Lord OF all. We do not tell Him what is most important, He tells us. He does not exist to glorify us, we exist to glorify Him.
Conclusions
Let’s confess honestly that we struggle with each of these things. We aren’t sure that we really love the Lord more than we love our family. We don’t know if we are willing to follow Christ . . . even to death. We are positive we haven’t given Him everything. Does this mean that we are not His disciples?
The answer to the question I believe is: not necessarily. As we look at the lives of the disciples we see that they grew in their commitment to Christ. I think the principle is this: if we are not seeking to follow Christ fully, if we are not trying to consciously give Him all things, if we are not willing to make significant sacrifices because of our love and trust of Him . . . we are not and cannot be His disciple. We still struggle. At times we still fall short. But we should be moving in the right direction.
Let’s go back to the marriage analogy. Do we live our commitment faithfully all the time? No. Are we as devoted as we need to be? No. There are still many self-absorbed times, there are still temptations that come our way . . . but, if we are pursuing the goal of being fully devoted and committed to our spouse we will see significant progress. Every day brings new tests and challenges. True commitment is both a decision and a learned behavior.
It is the same in the Christian faith. We should be growing in our discipleship. We are constantly learning the cost and every day we agree to pay that cost. Every day we consciously surrender again all that we have and all that we are. Jesus said,
34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Salt was used for a number of things: it preserved, it enhanced, and it facilitated growth. The Christian is to be all these things. However, if a follower of Christ isn’t following . . . they become useless. What can we do to remain “salty”? I’d suggest several things.
1. Consciously decide to truly follow Christ. When we make decisions we quickly (and unconsciously) go through a list of questions: things like: Do I want to do this? Will my friends approve? Is there something to be gained? Is this what I think a good parent would do? Will it be profitable? Will this cause conflict? We must learn to consciously ask: “Will this reveal and honor my commitment to Christ?” “Will this advance His Kingdom?” And we need to ask that question before and above all others.
2. Set up regular check points in your life to monitor your spiritual vitality. Set aside a regular time to meet with God every day. If you find trouble praying, try writing letters to God. Use the Sabbath as it was intended; as a time to realign our hearts with the Lord and to grow in knowledge and truth. Do a monthly spiritual inventory and monitor progress in your spiritual life.
3. Be ruthless in confronting sin in your life. Confront your excuses, justifications and denials. Don’t let yourself be fooled by your own rationalizing. Recognize sin for what it is and deal with it.
4. Practice your faith. Remind yourself that knowledge is of little value until it is applied. Be intentional about finding ways to live out what you say you believe.
5. Be intentional about growth. Read books to deepen your understanding. Listen to sermons. Watch or attend conferences. Make sure you are being spiritually nourished.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP IS A MYTH!
Biblical leadership is a myth? Well, kind of . . . at least the way it's popularly portrayed. When people write about biblical leadership, they often say, "Let's do leadership like Moses, or David, or Jesus, or Paul." That is not a study of leadership but of leaderships.
Let me be academic here for just a minute.
Leadership History
Leadership studies from the 1950s to the 1970s went through a period of time when "Great Man Theories" were the dominant model of leadership. The search was all about identifying the traits or abilities or characteristics of leadership (looking almost exclusively at male leaders). By 1977, the verdict was in. Research failed to find a set of traits that leaders must posses in order to be leaders (see chapter 2 in Couto's Reflections on Leadership.
Today's popular presentation of biblical leadership harkens back to this failed way of studying leadership, frequently identifying biblical leadership as a compilation of different traits/abilities/characteristics. This leader is strong, this one sensitive, this one wise, this one decisive, etc. Predictably, these books and articles and blog posts have different lists—some longer, some shorter. Rarely do they say a certain characteristic is more important than another, how a particular characteristic should be applied in leadership, and rarer still, how the different characteristics ought to interact with one another.
Leadership and Culture
In addition, the Bible spans many diverse cultures and customs. Yet leadership decisions and actions vary widely from culture to culture. For example, I led a group of congregations in Manila for 30 years. Different cultures have different set of time consciousness. I remember Jim McElroy, an American missionary, made a joke about time consciousness. We were setting an appointment to meet and discuss certain things. Finally we agreed to meet at 9:00 in the morning. But before we parted ways I asked, Filipino time or American time? If Filipino time you can be late at least one hour. If it is American time it must be exactly 9:00 AM. But he answered "Chinese time". I asked what is that? He said, I may or may not come.
So how shall we interpret the words/actions/decisions of these leaders? Culture is a prime factor in leadership decisions. We cannot render a judgment on a certain leadership action until we appreciate the culture of the people involved. In books and articles listing "biblical traits of leadership," culture is rarely mentioned at all.
One-Sided Leadership
Finally, popular biblical leadership tends to look at the leader and not the follower. By examining only one part of the equation, the reader sees only one part of the leadership relationship. Leadership becomes a property or power to be used to get someone else to do what you want. This is a dangerous way to think because it reduces leadership to a tool for controlling others.
Christian Leadership Analysis
So how should Christians analyze leadership? Studying the lives of biblical leaders is a worthwhile task, but we must also examine what Scripture says about community purpose and behavior. We study how the leaders interacted with the people as well as the values the people themselves espoused.
The results of modern leadership research must also be considered. For example, there is a large amount of literature on the different, yet at times overlapping, characteristics of a nonprofit group like a church and for-profit businesses. Leaders unwittingly borrowing characteristics from for-profit leadership books are likely to watch their initiatives go down in flames. Conversely, there is a large body of research on organizational change that is quite apropos to church leadership.
Finally, beware of articles and blog posts like "20 Essential Traits of a Biblical Leader." They tell wonderful, even inspirational, stories about compassion, integrity, courage, etc. However, like fine and tasty leadership McNuggets, they are not particularly satisfying or healthy.
Biblical leadership is a myth? Well, kind of . . . at least the way it's popularly portrayed. When people write about biblical leadership, they often say, "Let's do leadership like Moses, or David, or Jesus, or Paul." That is not a study of leadership but of leaderships.
Let me be academic here for just a minute.
Leadership History
Leadership studies from the 1950s to the 1970s went through a period of time when "Great Man Theories" were the dominant model of leadership. The search was all about identifying the traits or abilities or characteristics of leadership (looking almost exclusively at male leaders). By 1977, the verdict was in. Research failed to find a set of traits that leaders must posses in order to be leaders (see chapter 2 in Couto's Reflections on Leadership.
Today's popular presentation of biblical leadership harkens back to this failed way of studying leadership, frequently identifying biblical leadership as a compilation of different traits/abilities/characteristics. This leader is strong, this one sensitive, this one wise, this one decisive, etc. Predictably, these books and articles and blog posts have different lists—some longer, some shorter. Rarely do they say a certain characteristic is more important than another, how a particular characteristic should be applied in leadership, and rarer still, how the different characteristics ought to interact with one another.
Leadership and Culture
In addition, the Bible spans many diverse cultures and customs. Yet leadership decisions and actions vary widely from culture to culture. For example, I led a group of congregations in Manila for 30 years. Different cultures have different set of time consciousness. I remember Jim McElroy, an American missionary, made a joke about time consciousness. We were setting an appointment to meet and discuss certain things. Finally we agreed to meet at 9:00 in the morning. But before we parted ways I asked, Filipino time or American time? If Filipino time you can be late at least one hour. If it is American time it must be exactly 9:00 AM. But he answered "Chinese time". I asked what is that? He said, I may or may not come.
So how shall we interpret the words/actions/decisions of these leaders? Culture is a prime factor in leadership decisions. We cannot render a judgment on a certain leadership action until we appreciate the culture of the people involved. In books and articles listing "biblical traits of leadership," culture is rarely mentioned at all.
One-Sided Leadership
Finally, popular biblical leadership tends to look at the leader and not the follower. By examining only one part of the equation, the reader sees only one part of the leadership relationship. Leadership becomes a property or power to be used to get someone else to do what you want. This is a dangerous way to think because it reduces leadership to a tool for controlling others.
Christian Leadership Analysis
So how should Christians analyze leadership? Studying the lives of biblical leaders is a worthwhile task, but we must also examine what Scripture says about community purpose and behavior. We study how the leaders interacted with the people as well as the values the people themselves espoused.
The results of modern leadership research must also be considered. For example, there is a large amount of literature on the different, yet at times overlapping, characteristics of a nonprofit group like a church and for-profit businesses. Leaders unwittingly borrowing characteristics from for-profit leadership books are likely to watch their initiatives go down in flames. Conversely, there is a large body of research on organizational change that is quite apropos to church leadership.
Finally, beware of articles and blog posts like "20 Essential Traits of a Biblical Leader." They tell wonderful, even inspirational, stories about compassion, integrity, courage, etc. However, like fine and tasty leadership McNuggets, they are not particularly satisfying or healthy.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
“A COSTLY CAUTION AND ITS CORRECTION”
(Acts 10:14)
“I have never . . . .”
It was interesting to notice that each artist had a distinctive style all his own. If you were familiar with an artist’s style, you could recognize his paintings even if you had not seen them before. A good example is the style of the Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso. All of his paintings have a kind of “grotesqueness” about them (a layman’s point of view) that marks them as Picasso paintings. This style tells you that you are looking at a Picasso, no matter what gallery you may see it in.
Even so, Simon Peter is always Simon Peter, wherever you find him, and whatever condition he’s in. Whether before or after he became a Christian, whether pulling in nets on the Sea of Galilee, or walking with Christ in a desert place, he is always Simon Peter. No matter where or in what circumstance you find him, he will always speak and act like Peter. Nothing could have been more characteristic of Peter than what he said in this verse. He words formed a curious mixture of reverence and impertinence. “By no means, Lord; I have never . . . . “
One thing deserves our approval in this verse; we ought to give Peter credit for standing up for his religious convictions. He had always observed the old ceremonial laws, and he didn’t intend to violate them now. However, we must also remind ourselves that it was God’s voice telling him to change his customary way of doing things. This means that his refusal came dangerously near to being open rebellion against God. Narrow your attention to the words, “I never have.”
I. A SINFUL CAUTION
First, these words reveal a sinful caution in the life of Simon Peter. And the same sinful caution prevails in the lives of multitudes of Christians today. These three words — “I never have” — comprise today one of the most common statements offered by Christians to shelter them from their clearly specified duties and responsibilities.
The reluctance and hesitancy to do a thing simply because we have never done it before often stymies God’s work in a local setting as much as any other factor. The words “I have never” form an alibi or an excuse which a Christian can use to shove duty, opportunity and responsibility away from him. In fact, in these three words, “I never have,” you find one of the great excuses offered by the unsaved person for not being a Christian. “I never have trusted your Christ yet, and nothing bad has befallen me thus far; I guess I can go on this way a while longer.” Many a person is unsaved today, and many a Christian is useless to Christ today, because of these words: “I never have.”
Is this not true with regard to the personal talents and abilities of many people? I think it must cause a deep ache in the heart of God for so many talents and abilities to be wasted and unused as there are in any church. We sometimes say of a certain person, “He is surely talented in that direction,” or “He has a marvelous capacity for a certain thing.” But I am convinced that not one of us has ever exploited his capacities to even the smallest degree. Underneath the drab and ordinary surface of the most common man and woman lies the gold of astounding talent and ability. But in many cases it is never brought to the surface because the working principle of so many people is summed up in this statement of Peter, “I never have.”
There are many people who shrug off their responsibilities to Christ with the words, “I can’t do that,” when they really mean, “I have never tried.” How can you possibly know whether you can do a certain thing or not until you’ve tried it? Poetess Christina Rossetti often said, “Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes; work never begun.” You will never know until you face God in judgment whether or not you had other capacities for Christian service unless you try new avenues of service for Christ.
This principle holds true in the matter of Christian giving. A lady said to me sometime ago, “My husband feels that we can’t tithe.” I answered, “Have you ever tried tithing?” “No,” she replied. “Then he really means, ‘I never have tithed, so I’m sure I can’t,’ doesn’t he?” What blessings he was missing! He was missing the partnership of Christ, the privilege of supporting His work, and the privilege of blessing the world, to name a few of the blessings missed.
This principle is true also in the matter of Christian witnessing and soul-winning. Many Christians think they are excused from this responsibility on the grounds that they can’t do it, when actually they have never tried. A. C. Archibald first popularized the now famous statement: “The only person who fails in soul-winning is the person who fails to try.” There is not a Christian anywhere who could not win some unsaved person to Christ if he or she would just try — with a genuine, unceasing, honest, compassionate effort.
The same principle is true with regard to the private devotional life of many Christians. Many say, “I can’t pray,” when they really mean, “I have never seriously and systematically tried to pray.” Again, what blessings we forfeit because we cannot muster enough force of will to begin to pray and to study God’s Word regularly.
There are many who “never have” with regard to any practical form of Christian service. Some refuse to serve by offering the poor alibi, “I never have done anything like that.” It is true in many churches that some positions will go unfilled at this time because many abide by the statement, “I never have.”
The same thing is true of the church attendance of many people. There are multitudes of Christians who miss church on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, not because they can’t go, but because they won’t go. And many of them dismiss their sin (see Hebrews 20:25) with the easy words, “But I never have gone to church on Sunday night. I always go on Sunday morning, but not on Sunday night. That’s the night we drive out to visit my wife’s mother, or stay home and watch TV.” As if your life benefited more from these things than from a happy hour of worship and hearing from God in the fellowship of His people! What insanity sin fosters in our lives! “But I never have!”
II. THE SAD COST
Notice that the sinful caution pictured in the text has a sad cost attached to it. When God says, “I want you to do this,” and the Christian answers, “But I never have,” and persists in this subterfuge, that Christian pays a terrible price for his un-Christlike caution.
First, the Christian who refuses to obey on the grounds that he never has before misses the very best blessings life can offer to a human being.
To this “I never have” person, life holds no holy of holies. Life refuses to give to this cautious Christian the throbbing thrill of conquering new territory and emerging the victor from the field of battle. To the Christian whose life is one long succession of “I never haves,” his soul withers and dies, and he forfeits the unspeakable blessings of being out-and-out for Christ. The Christian who always “plays it safe,” “stays out of it,” “remains neutral,” “never gets involved,” may not think he has lost anything, but he has.
Furthermore, the Christian who lives by the principle of “I never have” suffers a terrible blindness in spiritual matters. In verse seventeen of the chapter which contains our text, the Bible says, “Now . . . Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean.” He would have known immediately what it meant if his life had not been governed by un-Christian caution. The person who says, “I never have,” keeps his vision limited to a small, narrow circle, and timidly refrains from venturing outside. Consequently, he is blind to matters outside.
III. THE SPIRITUAL CORRECTION
The sinful caution pictured in the words, “I have never,” can be corrected by throwing that caution to the winds and walking a new path for Christ. When this is done, both the correction and the consequences are attended by great rewards.
To try a new thing for Jesus on His terms will bring us to a humble dependence upon God. When God said to Abraham, “Arise, and get out of your country, away from you kinsmen, to a land I will reveal to you,” the Bible says that “Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going, but sojourning as in a strange country.” He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t know what he would find when he got there. He had no earthly idea where his next meal would come from. But he went out! And in going, he cast himself in humble dependence upon God. The same would be true of us if we were to match his adventurous faith today. If the “I never haves” in the community of Christians would begin now to give their talents totally to Christ, to tithe, to visit and witness, to pray and study the Bible, to accept the work of the church as their own, to attend all services of the church -- to do what God leads them to do, what a Christian revolution would sweep our church! The demands of the new paths would force us into God’s arms and throw us back on His resources.
To walk a new path for Christ will create within us a willingness to be used in any place. When Peter abandoned his “I never have” policy, God used him in a new place for a new service. And what a blessing it was — to Peter, to Cornelius, to the Jews, to the Gentiles, to the world!
Even as Peter had his vision, there were voices on the front porch, and a knock at the door. This is a strong reminder that you can’t separate visions from vocations, perception from performance. Peter had a heavenly vision, but he was brought back to earth by the words, “Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and go with them.” Perhaps today some of you have had a vision in God’s house of what you could do if you would only break the shell of custom and try a new work for Christ. Now you must go to the door, where the Master awaits, and accept the duty prescribed in the vision.
A final word to any reader who may not know Christ personally. This means, dear friend, that you have never been saved, thus you are “lost.” To be lost means to be displaced from God, separated from Him in sin, and bound for an eternity without God. This is the condition of every person who has not definitely been saved. Have you experienced God’s salvation? Have you trusted Jesus Christ to save you and received Him into your life? The Bible says, “As many as receive Him, to them He gives power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name” (John 1:12). Let me urge you to confess your sins directly to Jesus Christ, repent of those sins, and trust Him at this very moment to save you. At this very moment, you can correct the most tragic “I have never” in human life. “I have never before trusted Christ . . . but I do here and now trust Him and receive Him as my own personal Saviour and Lord.” Do it now.
(Acts 10:14)
“I have never . . . .”
It was interesting to notice that each artist had a distinctive style all his own. If you were familiar with an artist’s style, you could recognize his paintings even if you had not seen them before. A good example is the style of the Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso. All of his paintings have a kind of “grotesqueness” about them (a layman’s point of view) that marks them as Picasso paintings. This style tells you that you are looking at a Picasso, no matter what gallery you may see it in.
Even so, Simon Peter is always Simon Peter, wherever you find him, and whatever condition he’s in. Whether before or after he became a Christian, whether pulling in nets on the Sea of Galilee, or walking with Christ in a desert place, he is always Simon Peter. No matter where or in what circumstance you find him, he will always speak and act like Peter. Nothing could have been more characteristic of Peter than what he said in this verse. He words formed a curious mixture of reverence and impertinence. “By no means, Lord; I have never . . . . “
One thing deserves our approval in this verse; we ought to give Peter credit for standing up for his religious convictions. He had always observed the old ceremonial laws, and he didn’t intend to violate them now. However, we must also remind ourselves that it was God’s voice telling him to change his customary way of doing things. This means that his refusal came dangerously near to being open rebellion against God. Narrow your attention to the words, “I never have.”
I. A SINFUL CAUTION
First, these words reveal a sinful caution in the life of Simon Peter. And the same sinful caution prevails in the lives of multitudes of Christians today. These three words — “I never have” — comprise today one of the most common statements offered by Christians to shelter them from their clearly specified duties and responsibilities.
The reluctance and hesitancy to do a thing simply because we have never done it before often stymies God’s work in a local setting as much as any other factor. The words “I have never” form an alibi or an excuse which a Christian can use to shove duty, opportunity and responsibility away from him. In fact, in these three words, “I never have,” you find one of the great excuses offered by the unsaved person for not being a Christian. “I never have trusted your Christ yet, and nothing bad has befallen me thus far; I guess I can go on this way a while longer.” Many a person is unsaved today, and many a Christian is useless to Christ today, because of these words: “I never have.”
Is this not true with regard to the personal talents and abilities of many people? I think it must cause a deep ache in the heart of God for so many talents and abilities to be wasted and unused as there are in any church. We sometimes say of a certain person, “He is surely talented in that direction,” or “He has a marvelous capacity for a certain thing.” But I am convinced that not one of us has ever exploited his capacities to even the smallest degree. Underneath the drab and ordinary surface of the most common man and woman lies the gold of astounding talent and ability. But in many cases it is never brought to the surface because the working principle of so many people is summed up in this statement of Peter, “I never have.”
There are many people who shrug off their responsibilities to Christ with the words, “I can’t do that,” when they really mean, “I have never tried.” How can you possibly know whether you can do a certain thing or not until you’ve tried it? Poetess Christina Rossetti often said, “Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes; work never begun.” You will never know until you face God in judgment whether or not you had other capacities for Christian service unless you try new avenues of service for Christ.
This principle holds true in the matter of Christian giving. A lady said to me sometime ago, “My husband feels that we can’t tithe.” I answered, “Have you ever tried tithing?” “No,” she replied. “Then he really means, ‘I never have tithed, so I’m sure I can’t,’ doesn’t he?” What blessings he was missing! He was missing the partnership of Christ, the privilege of supporting His work, and the privilege of blessing the world, to name a few of the blessings missed.
This principle is true also in the matter of Christian witnessing and soul-winning. Many Christians think they are excused from this responsibility on the grounds that they can’t do it, when actually they have never tried. A. C. Archibald first popularized the now famous statement: “The only person who fails in soul-winning is the person who fails to try.” There is not a Christian anywhere who could not win some unsaved person to Christ if he or she would just try — with a genuine, unceasing, honest, compassionate effort.
The same principle is true with regard to the private devotional life of many Christians. Many say, “I can’t pray,” when they really mean, “I have never seriously and systematically tried to pray.” Again, what blessings we forfeit because we cannot muster enough force of will to begin to pray and to study God’s Word regularly.
There are many who “never have” with regard to any practical form of Christian service. Some refuse to serve by offering the poor alibi, “I never have done anything like that.” It is true in many churches that some positions will go unfilled at this time because many abide by the statement, “I never have.”
The same thing is true of the church attendance of many people. There are multitudes of Christians who miss church on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, not because they can’t go, but because they won’t go. And many of them dismiss their sin (see Hebrews 20:25) with the easy words, “But I never have gone to church on Sunday night. I always go on Sunday morning, but not on Sunday night. That’s the night we drive out to visit my wife’s mother, or stay home and watch TV.” As if your life benefited more from these things than from a happy hour of worship and hearing from God in the fellowship of His people! What insanity sin fosters in our lives! “But I never have!”
II. THE SAD COST
Notice that the sinful caution pictured in the text has a sad cost attached to it. When God says, “I want you to do this,” and the Christian answers, “But I never have,” and persists in this subterfuge, that Christian pays a terrible price for his un-Christlike caution.
First, the Christian who refuses to obey on the grounds that he never has before misses the very best blessings life can offer to a human being.
To this “I never have” person, life holds no holy of holies. Life refuses to give to this cautious Christian the throbbing thrill of conquering new territory and emerging the victor from the field of battle. To the Christian whose life is one long succession of “I never haves,” his soul withers and dies, and he forfeits the unspeakable blessings of being out-and-out for Christ. The Christian who always “plays it safe,” “stays out of it,” “remains neutral,” “never gets involved,” may not think he has lost anything, but he has.
Furthermore, the Christian who lives by the principle of “I never have” suffers a terrible blindness in spiritual matters. In verse seventeen of the chapter which contains our text, the Bible says, “Now . . . Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean.” He would have known immediately what it meant if his life had not been governed by un-Christian caution. The person who says, “I never have,” keeps his vision limited to a small, narrow circle, and timidly refrains from venturing outside. Consequently, he is blind to matters outside.
III. THE SPIRITUAL CORRECTION
The sinful caution pictured in the words, “I have never,” can be corrected by throwing that caution to the winds and walking a new path for Christ. When this is done, both the correction and the consequences are attended by great rewards.
To try a new thing for Jesus on His terms will bring us to a humble dependence upon God. When God said to Abraham, “Arise, and get out of your country, away from you kinsmen, to a land I will reveal to you,” the Bible says that “Abraham went out, not knowing where he was going, but sojourning as in a strange country.” He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t know what he would find when he got there. He had no earthly idea where his next meal would come from. But he went out! And in going, he cast himself in humble dependence upon God. The same would be true of us if we were to match his adventurous faith today. If the “I never haves” in the community of Christians would begin now to give their talents totally to Christ, to tithe, to visit and witness, to pray and study the Bible, to accept the work of the church as their own, to attend all services of the church -- to do what God leads them to do, what a Christian revolution would sweep our church! The demands of the new paths would force us into God’s arms and throw us back on His resources.
To walk a new path for Christ will create within us a willingness to be used in any place. When Peter abandoned his “I never have” policy, God used him in a new place for a new service. And what a blessing it was — to Peter, to Cornelius, to the Jews, to the Gentiles, to the world!
Even as Peter had his vision, there were voices on the front porch, and a knock at the door. This is a strong reminder that you can’t separate visions from vocations, perception from performance. Peter had a heavenly vision, but he was brought back to earth by the words, “Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and go with them.” Perhaps today some of you have had a vision in God’s house of what you could do if you would only break the shell of custom and try a new work for Christ. Now you must go to the door, where the Master awaits, and accept the duty prescribed in the vision.
A final word to any reader who may not know Christ personally. This means, dear friend, that you have never been saved, thus you are “lost.” To be lost means to be displaced from God, separated from Him in sin, and bound for an eternity without God. This is the condition of every person who has not definitely been saved. Have you experienced God’s salvation? Have you trusted Jesus Christ to save you and received Him into your life? The Bible says, “As many as receive Him, to them He gives power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name” (John 1:12). Let me urge you to confess your sins directly to Jesus Christ, repent of those sins, and trust Him at this very moment to save you. At this very moment, you can correct the most tragic “I have never” in human life. “I have never before trusted Christ . . . but I do here and now trust Him and receive Him as my own personal Saviour and Lord.” Do it now.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION
We have looked at the first part of PHI 3:10 which says "that I may come to know Him, (and then the verb to know is still in view, so we would say and come to know) the power of (or behind) His RESURRECTION."
The dynamics of occupation with Christ are given in the next phrase, "and the power of His RESURRECTION."
There were two categories of divine power used in the RESURRECTION of Christ.
1. The omnipotence of the Father which restored our Lord's human spirit in heaven to His body in the grave and thereby became an agent in the RESURRECTION, Act 2:24; ROM 6:4; EPH 1:20; COL 2:12; 1TH 1:10; 1PE 1:21. LUK 23:46.
2. The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit which restored our Lord's human soul in Hades to His body in the grave and thereby became an agent in the RESURRECTION, ROM 1:4; ROM 8:11 and 1PE 3:18-19 which says "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit or by means of the Holy Spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,"
The Lord JESUS Christ (TLJC) had a part in the RESURRECTION, as it was a part of the Father's plan for the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union. JESUS Christ said He could raise Himself from the dead in JOH 10:17-18 "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." (Also see JOH 2:15-22).
This same divine power that raised JESUS Christ from the dead is available to every Church Age believer to execute the Pre-designed Plan Of God (PPOG).
There are three categories of divine power.
1. The omnipotence of God the Father, related to our portfolio of invisible assets, through which, the believer fulfills the PPOG.
2. The omnipotence of God the Son, related to the preservation and perpetuation of human history. This means that JESUS Christ controls history COL 1:16-17, HEB 1:3 "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power."
Through His power TLJC controls the universe, PSA 103:19, the physical world, MAT 5:45, the affairs of nations, PSA 66:7, man's birth and destiny, GAL 1:15, man's successes and failures, LUK 1:52, and provides protection for His people, PSA 4:8.
3. The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit is related to residence, function, and momentum inside the PPOG.
The utilization of divine omnipotence during the Church Age is the basis for becoming an invisible hero, and for coming to have occupation with the person of Christ. God's perfect plan runs on God's perfect power for imperfect persons because God is perfect DEU 32:4 "The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He."
The power that raised JESUS Christ from the dead is the same power available to every believer in the Church Age to execute the plan of God. This is the same power that will resurrect every Church Age believer.
EPH 1:19-20, "And what is the surpassing greatness of His power to us who have believed for the working of His superior power, which He made operational by means of Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in heavenly places."
That is the power of our Lord's RESURRECTION. This power creates its own solutions in the Christian life, the ten problem solving devices, something infinitely greater than human morality.
When PHI 3:10 says, "that I may come to know Him, and the power of [behind] His RESURRECTION," it means that we first begin to know this mighty power of His RESURRECTION and ascension when we see our scriptural position in our risen Lord. Since you cannot be resurrected unless you have something to be resurrected from, the foundation of all RESURRECTION life is death, ROM 6:5, EPH 2:5, PHI 2:6.
We are new creations in Christ JESUS by the power of His RESURRECTION. However, this is something that we have to believe and reckon. Our reckoning is to be based upon our position; we count ourselves alive unto God in Christ. Through our faith in this fact, the Holy Spirit makes this truth real in our condition resulting in our spiritual growth. We abide in Him above, and He manifests Himself in us below.
We are hopelessly taken up with the struggle for freedom, unless we are aware we have been cut off from the slavery of sin and self through our having died, with Him, on the cross. Until we know we are alive from the dead, we cannot yield to Him. We know the power of His RESURRECTION in our position. We are realizing that power in our spiritual growth; we will forever know His power in our RESURRECTION bodies.
Where is this power? 2CO 4:7 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;"
How is this power perfected in time? 2CO 12:9 "And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
What does this power have to do with my life? 2CO 13:4 "For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you."
What is the power of our Lord's RESURRECTION? The direct power available to us is found in the filling of the Spirit and the indirect power available to us is in the metabolized doctrine that is circulating in our soul.
God has taken you and me, totally depraved individuals, and given us eternal life, 1JO 5:11-12; perfect righteousness, 2CO 5:21; made us His children, 2TI 2:1, sanctified us, 1CO 1:2; made us priests, HEB 10:10-14, and Royalty (Kingship), 2PE 1:11.
Once we know that we are alive from the dead, we can present the members of our physical body unto God. Our entire body can be presented unto God. Present yourselves to God, and if you're smart, you mind your own business and let God take care of His family! However, we do not present ourselves to God to become free, but to give meaning, purpose, and definition to our life ROM 6:4.
God gives us the ability to understand and utilize the power behind our Lord's RESURRECTION because He demands virtue and integrity on the part of the believer. This results in the ability to handle the details of life and ultimately, to handle spiritual warfare. This is the subject of Eph 6:10. We all need virtue and integrity if we are to be victorious in spiritual warfare. In the spiritual realm, this refers to the spiritual strength to be faithful to the principles of Bible doctrine and living in the PPOG.
PHI 3:10 which says "knowing the power behind His RESURRECTION, goes perfectly with EPH 6:10 which says "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might."
Paul brings out the fact that the details of life are the training ground for future spiritual warfare. The word "finally" in EPH 6:10 should be translated "From now on." This phrase refers to some very important principles beginning in EPH 5:21 where Paul teaches the principles behind the Royal Family honor code. EPH 5:21, says "and be subject to one another in the fear or the respect of Christ." In EPH 5:22, the principles behind marriage, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord." The power of God will give the woman the ability to fulfill this command. EPH 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;" The power of God will give the man the ability to fulfill this command. EPH 6:1, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." The power of God will give them the ability to fulfill this command. EPH 6:4 "And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." EPH 6:5 "Slaves, [Christian labor] be obedient to those who are your masters [management] according to the flesh, with respect and maximum effort [not trembling but maximum effort], in the integrity of your heart, as to Christ;" EPH 6:9 "And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him."
Then in EPH 6:10 the apostle Paul writes, "Finally (from now on), be strong in the Lord, and in the strength or in the power of His might."
This doesn't tell you "how" to be strong in the Lord. It is actually a conclusion of the previous paragraphs concerning the Christian way of life. This is "picking up the pieces" and going forward in the spiritual life. There are many convicting principles taught in these verses concerning the Royal family honor code. EPH 6:10 is where all of us can pull ourselves up from the dust we were lying in because of conviction.
The implication of Eph 5:21-6:10 is very important, it is that we are too unstable and unprepared to handle spiritual warfare if we can't handle the details of life. It is in the details of life, where Satan and the kingdom of darkness will try to hinder us from entering into spiritual warfare. If Satan can cause problems in our relationships in life, then he can break down and destroy the unity God demands.
To combat this we operate in virtue-love, which is personal love for God the Father, spiritual self-esteem resulting in love for self, impersonal unconditional love for all mankind, and occupation with the person of Christ. We need divine power because Satan, as the ruler of this world, has maximum power that he utilizes for his policy of evil. This evil power is deceptive because it is often disguised with the facade of good works or religion and is often concealed by sincerity, which is really a manifestation of evil.
The enemy we face desires to wear us out! Satan is an organizational genius with a great organization of demons, EPH 6:10-12. Satan has one goal regarding the life of every believer, to lead all believers astray. Any area that you do not practice sound doctrine in is an area open to his deception, dishonesty and lies.
However, Satan's power is not greater than God's and this reminds us of God's grace. God has made available to us His power. The omnipotence of the Father in providing our escrow blessings, the omnipotence of God the Son who preserves the universe and history daily, and the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit who provides the power to execute the PPOG.
One of the functions of the devil as the ruler of this world is to express his antagonism, slander, and enmity, toward God and toward God's people. This is why we should not get our eyes on people because that is not where the true problems, lies EPH 6:12.
Satan has a power system that he uses to control others. This is why we need to come to and understanding of the power behind our Lord's RESURRECTION. Satan has a strategy to control nations based on conspiracy and deceit. He is anti-military and pro welfare state, pro-communist and against free enterprise. He is against marriage and the family. Satan's power counterfeits of the plan of God in religion include a counterfeit:
1. Gospel, 2CO 4:3-4.
2. Ministers, 2CO 11:13-15.
3. Doctrine, 1TI 4:1.
4. Communion table, 1CO 10:19-21.
5. Spirituality, GAL 3:2-3.
6. Righteousness, MAT 19:16-28.
7. He has a counterfeit self-righteousness, MAT 23:13-36.
8. Counterfeit power and dynamics (miracles, healing, tongues), 2TH 2:8-10.
9. System of gods, 2TH 2:3-4.
When you are being deceived by the power of Satan you start to lose your spiritual senses and then your common sense. The devil holds believers captive by legalism, self-righteousness, arrogance, emotionalism, guilt, fear, condemnation, and manipulation. Satan's greatest strategy is the doctrinal attack on the cross and principle of salvation by faith alone, 2CO 4:4. Satan must obscure the fact that salvation is by faith alone. When we recognize the power of Satan, we see the reason we need the power of God and we appreciate that "greater is the power that is us than that which is in the world."
We have looked at the first part of PHI 3:10 which says "that I may come to know Him, (and then the verb to know is still in view, so we would say and come to know) the power of (or behind) His RESURRECTION."
The dynamics of occupation with Christ are given in the next phrase, "and the power of His RESURRECTION."
There were two categories of divine power used in the RESURRECTION of Christ.
1. The omnipotence of the Father which restored our Lord's human spirit in heaven to His body in the grave and thereby became an agent in the RESURRECTION, Act 2:24; ROM 6:4; EPH 1:20; COL 2:12; 1TH 1:10; 1PE 1:21. LUK 23:46.
2. The omnipotence of the Holy Spirit which restored our Lord's human soul in Hades to His body in the grave and thereby became an agent in the RESURRECTION, ROM 1:4; ROM 8:11 and 1PE 3:18-19 which says "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit or by means of the Holy Spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,"
The Lord JESUS Christ (TLJC) had a part in the RESURRECTION, as it was a part of the Father's plan for the dispensation of the Hypostatic Union. JESUS Christ said He could raise Himself from the dead in JOH 10:17-18 "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." (Also see JOH 2:15-22).
This same divine power that raised JESUS Christ from the dead is available to every Church Age believer to execute the Pre-designed Plan Of God (PPOG).
There are three categories of divine power.
1. The omnipotence of God the Father, related to our portfolio of invisible assets, through which, the believer fulfills the PPOG.
2. The omnipotence of God the Son, related to the preservation and perpetuation of human history. This means that JESUS Christ controls history COL 1:16-17, HEB 1:3 "And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power."
Through His power TLJC controls the universe, PSA 103:19, the physical world, MAT 5:45, the affairs of nations, PSA 66:7, man's birth and destiny, GAL 1:15, man's successes and failures, LUK 1:52, and provides protection for His people, PSA 4:8.
3. The omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit is related to residence, function, and momentum inside the PPOG.
The utilization of divine omnipotence during the Church Age is the basis for becoming an invisible hero, and for coming to have occupation with the person of Christ. God's perfect plan runs on God's perfect power for imperfect persons because God is perfect DEU 32:4 "The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He."
The power that raised JESUS Christ from the dead is the same power available to every believer in the Church Age to execute the plan of God. This is the same power that will resurrect every Church Age believer.
EPH 1:19-20, "And what is the surpassing greatness of His power to us who have believed for the working of His superior power, which He made operational by means of Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in heavenly places."
That is the power of our Lord's RESURRECTION. This power creates its own solutions in the Christian life, the ten problem solving devices, something infinitely greater than human morality.
When PHI 3:10 says, "that I may come to know Him, and the power of [behind] His RESURRECTION," it means that we first begin to know this mighty power of His RESURRECTION and ascension when we see our scriptural position in our risen Lord. Since you cannot be resurrected unless you have something to be resurrected from, the foundation of all RESURRECTION life is death, ROM 6:5, EPH 2:5, PHI 2:6.
We are new creations in Christ JESUS by the power of His RESURRECTION. However, this is something that we have to believe and reckon. Our reckoning is to be based upon our position; we count ourselves alive unto God in Christ. Through our faith in this fact, the Holy Spirit makes this truth real in our condition resulting in our spiritual growth. We abide in Him above, and He manifests Himself in us below.
We are hopelessly taken up with the struggle for freedom, unless we are aware we have been cut off from the slavery of sin and self through our having died, with Him, on the cross. Until we know we are alive from the dead, we cannot yield to Him. We know the power of His RESURRECTION in our position. We are realizing that power in our spiritual growth; we will forever know His power in our RESURRECTION bodies.
Where is this power? 2CO 4:7 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;"
How is this power perfected in time? 2CO 12:9 "And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me."
What does this power have to do with my life? 2CO 13:4 "For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we shall live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you."
What is the power of our Lord's RESURRECTION? The direct power available to us is found in the filling of the Spirit and the indirect power available to us is in the metabolized doctrine that is circulating in our soul.
God has taken you and me, totally depraved individuals, and given us eternal life, 1JO 5:11-12; perfect righteousness, 2CO 5:21; made us His children, 2TI 2:1, sanctified us, 1CO 1:2; made us priests, HEB 10:10-14, and Royalty (Kingship), 2PE 1:11.
Once we know that we are alive from the dead, we can present the members of our physical body unto God. Our entire body can be presented unto God. Present yourselves to God, and if you're smart, you mind your own business and let God take care of His family! However, we do not present ourselves to God to become free, but to give meaning, purpose, and definition to our life ROM 6:4.
God gives us the ability to understand and utilize the power behind our Lord's RESURRECTION because He demands virtue and integrity on the part of the believer. This results in the ability to handle the details of life and ultimately, to handle spiritual warfare. This is the subject of Eph 6:10. We all need virtue and integrity if we are to be victorious in spiritual warfare. In the spiritual realm, this refers to the spiritual strength to be faithful to the principles of Bible doctrine and living in the PPOG.
PHI 3:10 which says "knowing the power behind His RESURRECTION, goes perfectly with EPH 6:10 which says "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might."
Paul brings out the fact that the details of life are the training ground for future spiritual warfare. The word "finally" in EPH 6:10 should be translated "From now on." This phrase refers to some very important principles beginning in EPH 5:21 where Paul teaches the principles behind the Royal Family honor code. EPH 5:21, says "and be subject to one another in the fear or the respect of Christ." In EPH 5:22, the principles behind marriage, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord." The power of God will give the woman the ability to fulfill this command. EPH 5:25, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;" The power of God will give the man the ability to fulfill this command. EPH 6:1, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." The power of God will give them the ability to fulfill this command. EPH 6:4 "And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." EPH 6:5 "Slaves, [Christian labor] be obedient to those who are your masters [management] according to the flesh, with respect and maximum effort [not trembling but maximum effort], in the integrity of your heart, as to Christ;" EPH 6:9 "And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him."
Then in EPH 6:10 the apostle Paul writes, "Finally (from now on), be strong in the Lord, and in the strength or in the power of His might."
This doesn't tell you "how" to be strong in the Lord. It is actually a conclusion of the previous paragraphs concerning the Christian way of life. This is "picking up the pieces" and going forward in the spiritual life. There are many convicting principles taught in these verses concerning the Royal family honor code. EPH 6:10 is where all of us can pull ourselves up from the dust we were lying in because of conviction.
The implication of Eph 5:21-6:10 is very important, it is that we are too unstable and unprepared to handle spiritual warfare if we can't handle the details of life. It is in the details of life, where Satan and the kingdom of darkness will try to hinder us from entering into spiritual warfare. If Satan can cause problems in our relationships in life, then he can break down and destroy the unity God demands.
To combat this we operate in virtue-love, which is personal love for God the Father, spiritual self-esteem resulting in love for self, impersonal unconditional love for all mankind, and occupation with the person of Christ. We need divine power because Satan, as the ruler of this world, has maximum power that he utilizes for his policy of evil. This evil power is deceptive because it is often disguised with the facade of good works or religion and is often concealed by sincerity, which is really a manifestation of evil.
The enemy we face desires to wear us out! Satan is an organizational genius with a great organization of demons, EPH 6:10-12. Satan has one goal regarding the life of every believer, to lead all believers astray. Any area that you do not practice sound doctrine in is an area open to his deception, dishonesty and lies.
However, Satan's power is not greater than God's and this reminds us of God's grace. God has made available to us His power. The omnipotence of the Father in providing our escrow blessings, the omnipotence of God the Son who preserves the universe and history daily, and the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit who provides the power to execute the PPOG.
One of the functions of the devil as the ruler of this world is to express his antagonism, slander, and enmity, toward God and toward God's people. This is why we should not get our eyes on people because that is not where the true problems, lies EPH 6:12.
Satan has a power system that he uses to control others. This is why we need to come to and understanding of the power behind our Lord's RESURRECTION. Satan has a strategy to control nations based on conspiracy and deceit. He is anti-military and pro welfare state, pro-communist and against free enterprise. He is against marriage and the family. Satan's power counterfeits of the plan of God in religion include a counterfeit:
1. Gospel, 2CO 4:3-4.
2. Ministers, 2CO 11:13-15.
3. Doctrine, 1TI 4:1.
4. Communion table, 1CO 10:19-21.
5. Spirituality, GAL 3:2-3.
6. Righteousness, MAT 19:16-28.
7. He has a counterfeit self-righteousness, MAT 23:13-36.
8. Counterfeit power and dynamics (miracles, healing, tongues), 2TH 2:8-10.
9. System of gods, 2TH 2:3-4.
When you are being deceived by the power of Satan you start to lose your spiritual senses and then your common sense. The devil holds believers captive by legalism, self-righteousness, arrogance, emotionalism, guilt, fear, condemnation, and manipulation. Satan's greatest strategy is the doctrinal attack on the cross and principle of salvation by faith alone, 2CO 4:4. Satan must obscure the fact that salvation is by faith alone. When we recognize the power of Satan, we see the reason we need the power of God and we appreciate that "greater is the power that is us than that which is in the world."
THE LORD'S SAYING ON THE CROSS
In the dispensation of the Hypostatic union, we have been noting that the most dramatic exhibition of the character and nature of God is revealed by the divine love and divine omnipotence in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are going to focus on the end of the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union by noting the sayings or phrases of our Lord when He was on the Cross.
The first phrase:
And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. (LUK 23:33-34)
The Lord prayed for their forgiveness before He was judged for their sins. These are the same people that had slapped Him, beaten Him, spit upon Him, lied about Him, ridiculed Him and scourged Him! These were the very ones who cried out, "crucify Him, crucify Him." Yet the first thing Jesus said on the Cross was a prayer for His enemies. He opened His public ministry with a prayer (LUK 3:21), and He closed His public ministry with prayer.
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, " You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." (LUK 3:21-22)
The Father would remain well-pleased with His Son, and yet at the Cross He would have to forsake Him for our sake. At this point our Lord could no longer minister to the poor, needy, the sick, lame and blind, for He was now confined to a Cross. Our Lord could not come down from the Cross, and at the same time provide for our so great a salvation. This should be a great encouragement to you as a believer, as you meditate on these words, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." When our Lord cried, "Father, forgive them," He was praying for the lost, for those who were bound for hell. The first of the seven great cries on the Cross had no direct reference to Himself. It was, "Father, forgive them."
Though there is an implication to the cruelties He experienced, please notice that He does not say, "I forgive them." That is taken for granted. He didn't focus in on the fact that they were doing any wrong to Him, but rather to His Father. They were insulting the Father by not honoring the Son.
In order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. (JOH 5:23)
The cry, "Father, forgive them," is an unselfish cry as though He was not even suffering Himself. If there had ever been a time in the life of the Lord Jesus Chris when He might have confined His prayer to Himself, it would seem to be now, while on the Cross. However, the Lord began His prayer on the Cross by pleading for others. We see His soul of compassion as He was being crucified! This unselfishness is something we are told to have as well:
Do not merely be regarding your own personal interests, but also for the personal interests of others. Keep on thinking this [doctrine] within yourselves which was also resident in Christ Jesus," (PHI 2:4-5)
This prayer wasn't just for others, but it was for His cruelest enemies. It was a prayer for those who were murdering Him. It was a prayer which included the Scribes and Pharisees, Pilate and Herod, the Jews and Gentiles. If we knew nothing more of Him but this one prayer, we should honor and respect Him for it. The first major point which we see on the Cross in the character of His intercession is graciousness. Those for whom our Lord prayed did not deserve His prayer. They had done nothing which was worthy of being prayed for. They were undeserving individuals who had conspired to put Him to death. They had lied about Him, accused Him falsely, and were crucifying Him. They were utterly undeserving of a single good word from the Savior. They didn't ask Him to pray for them, it was the last thought in their minds to say, "Intercede for us!" He prays for those who reject His word, and therefore think how much more for those who love Him and His word.
Notice another principle in His prayer. In LUK 23:34, when He said "Father, forgive them; [notice what He said next] for they do not know what they are doing." He actually found something good to say about His enemies. "They do not know what they are doing" were His words. It's almost as if He recognized that they were all simply pawns of the devil. He has the same attitude today. He knows our precise condition at this moment, and the exact state of our heart with regard to the suffering, and the temptation that we may be facing. Even more than that, He foresees the trials, and the temptations which are awaiting us. In His intercession He prays for us. Our Lord's prayer also brings out another very important factor - the blindness of the human heart (mind): "They know not what they do." Those who crucified Him were ignorant of doctrine. They did not recognize the Savior of the world. They did not realize that here was the One who was being judged for their sins, taking their place, and providing their salvation. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ had made it clear many times. There was no excuse for their ignorance. The light of the glorious Gospel had shined upon them. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in His grace, was not willing that any should perish, and He prayed for them. However, the human heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2CO 4:3-4)
Man's greatest need is the need for forgiveness and cleansing of sin. The penalty of sin is death is spiritual death. He took our place, He was judged for our sins, and today His prayer on the Cross is still being answered, as many come to Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior!
The second phrase.
And one of the criminals who were hanged {there} was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" (LUK 23:39)
Both of the thieves turned against the Lord Jesus. Both blasphemed against Him, but, one of the thieves repented, he completely changed his attitude, to use the word in its proper connotation. He had a complete reversal of mental attitude not in regard to sin, but in regard to the Person of Jesus Christ:
And one of the criminals who were hanged {there} was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (LUK 23:39-43)
He recognized that Jesus Christ was a perfect Man. He also recognized His deity, for he used the title for deity "kurios." There was nothing he could do for his salvation! He was nailed upon a cross. He could not join anyone's church or go through the rite of baptism! He could not weep in front of an altar, nor could he raise his hand or walk down an aisle! But he turned to the Lord Jesus Christ for help, and he went to exactly the right Person! He also recognized that Jesus had a kingdom. The Lord Jesus responded to this statement of faith by promising him a place in Paradise or Abraham's Bosom, the abode of all Old Testament saints. These two thieves on the cross picture the world today. One believed in Jesus Christ, and was eternally saved. The other rejected Him, and was eternally lost. "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (JOH 3:36). The world is divided by its attitude toward Jesus Christ. Your attitude toward Him determines your eternal future!
The third phrase.
Therefore the soldiers did these things. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the {wife} of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" (JOH 19:25-26
Imagine the anguish in a mother's heart, watching her Son slowly and painfully die. She must have been torn with terrible grief. The Lord Jesus Christ never called her "mother." He always addressed her as "woman." He sought to emphasize that she was the mother of His humanity, but she was not the mother of God! Anticipating some of the great dangers that would come in the future relative to her place in the Plan of God, He was always careful to avoid the title of "mother." Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her into his own {household.} (JOH 19:27)
Here are the words of responsibility. (EXO 20:12). In His dying moment, when He was in the midst of terrible agony and pain, He took time to think of the one who was the mother of His humanity and to make provision for her. We see here a beautiful picture, even in the end, of how Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law in every detail. Every negative, as well as positive, aspect of the Law was met by the Lord Jesus Christ; "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.” MAT 5:17-18)
Today we are not under the Law. Christianity begins where the Law stopped.
That does not mean we are to be lawless. Jesus, in fulfilling the Law, made provision for us to move on into the supergrace life. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [self- control]: against such there is no law (GAL 5:22-23). The very character of Christ in His humanity can be produced in us by the Holy Spirit when He controls the life. We are no longer under the Law, but under grace. Grace is God's provision of the Holy Spirit, who indwells every believer. The Holy Spirit controls when the believer is filled with the Spirit through the use of 1JO 1:9.
The fourth phrase
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (MAR 15:34)
These words, found in Matthew and Mark, as well as in Psalm 22:1, were literally screamed. In this cry, Jesus Christ made it clear that the God the Father with whom He had eternal and unbroken fellowship had to break that fellowship at this moment. Thus we know immediately that this is the time when Jesus Christ "bore our sins in his own body on the tree" (1PE 2:24), this was the unspeakable agony of the Cross, the spiritual death prophesied in PSA 22:1. The fourth cry indicated that He was being judged for us. This is why the Father had to turn His back upon Him. Our sin separated Him from the His Father, even as we were separated from them. The wrath of God deals deadly blows. One was meant for your sins. Jesus Christ stepped in front of you and took the blow. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (ROM 5:8-9). In the eternal state, there will be one resurrection body that has scars on it, it will be His.
Many misinterpret out Lord's sufferings as an appeasement to the wrath of the Father but this is totally wrong. Jesus Christ did not appease the wrath of an angry God, He satisfied the perfect justice of a holy and loving God. For God so loved the world (JOH 3:16). Everything in God's nature, every fiber of His justice and righteousness, rails against sin. God can have nothing to do with sin. All that God is is against sin, and Christ was made a sin offering. Why did Jesus have to die? Death is the wages of sin, and He had no sin. He had to die because Jesus is the only Savior, and His death is His only saving act. His death was necessary, and it was made so by the character of God. This was not an angry or vengeful God. In fact, just the opposite, for God the Father sent His beloved Son as the lamb without blemish to be poured out for us sinners. The resulting propitiation is the basis for God being merciful and gracious toward us.
The fifth phrase.
The fifth cry on the Cross can be identified by the word suffering, After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, *said, "I am thirsty" (JOH 19:28). The thirst of Jesus indicates His humanity, for deity does not thirst. Again it focuses our attention on the importance of the humanity of Christ, for if He were deity alone He could not suffer the penalty of sin. This saying of the Savior, "I thirst," followed the three hours of darkness, during which the light of God's countenance had been withdrawn from the Lord. This cry, then, tells of the intensity of what He had suffered, the awful severity of the conflict through which He had just passed. Even though His sufferings were like no other, great as was His thirst was, it was not desire for the relief of His body that now opened His lips. Far different, far higher, was the motive which prompted Him. The very fact that He did now "thirst" evidences His perfect submission. He that had caused water to flow from the smitten rock for the refreshment of Israel in the wilderness, had the same infinite resources at His disposal now that He was on the Cross. In the volume of that Book which expressed the will of God, it was written that He should thirst! Oh, that we might have the same attitude toward the Scripture! That we might have the joy and the realization and the reverence, the absorption and the interest that the Lord Jesus Christ had in the Scripture!
He simply says, "I thirst," the vinegar is extended and the prophecy is fulfilled. He had hung on that cross for six hours, and had passed through suffering unparalleled: nevertheless His mind was perfectly clear and His memory entirely unimpaired. He had before Him, with perfect distinctness, the whole truth of God. He knew the entire scope of the Messianic prophecies. He overlooked nothing.
The sixth phrase.
The sixth saying on the Cross can be described by the word victory.
When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit. (JOH 19:30).
When the Lord Jesus Christ said "it is finished" He evidenced the fact that salvation was complete. Nothing could be taken away from it and above all, nothing could be added to it. It was purely a matter of GRACE. No one has ever deserved this salvation, and there never will be any member of the human race who deserves something as wonderful and as marvelous and as precious as the blood of Jesus Christ, which, as a representative analogy of His spiritual death, cleanses from all sin. Consequently, when He said, "It is finished", He made it very clear that to add anything to the finished work of salvation is sheer blasphemy! That is why the Scripture reiterates over and over, "He that believes in the Son has eternal life." "It is finished" is a single word in the original Greek “tetelestai!” It was the shortest, and yet the fullest of His seven sayings on the Cross. Eternity will be needed to fully understand all that it contains. All things had been done which the law of God required; all things established which prophecy predicted; all things brought to pass which the types foreshadowed; all things accomplished which the Father had given Him to do; all things performed which were needed for our redemption. Nothing was left undone.
The seventh phrase.
The seventh saying on the Cross can be described by the word contentment.
LUK 23:46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit." And having said this, He breathed His last.
(LUK 23:46)
When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross, it was voluntary.
"For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." (JOH 10:17-18)
Upon His physical death, His human spirit went into the presence of the Father, His soul went into Hades to a compartment known as paradise and His body went into the grave to wait for that glorious moment some three days later when the body would be rejoined by the soul and the spirit, and Jesus Christ would rise from the dead - literally and bodily. The seventh cry was the beginning of the end; and yet the end was a new beginning, for Jesus Christ would arise from the grave in resurrection body, walk among men for a short time, then ascend into the presence of the Father to sit at His right hand as our great High Priest and make intercession for us forever. The Father has been propitiated by the spiritual death of His Son. Jesus, through spiritual death, fulfilled the analogy to the blood sacrifice of the Old Testament; He was then ready to dismiss His Spirit. All references to the blood of Christ refer to His spiritual rather than to His physical death.
So these are the seven sayings of Christ on the cross.
The first dealt with the word forgiveness for His enemies.
The second dealt with salvation (LUK 23:39-42).
The third dealt with the word compassion (JOH 19:26-27).
The fourth dealt with anguish (MAT 27:46).
The fifth can be identified by the word suffering, JOH 19:28 "I am thirsty."
The sixth can be described by the word victory, JOH 19:30 "It is finished!"
The seventh and final saying can be described by the word contentment, LUK 23:46 "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit."
In the dispensation of the Hypostatic union, we have been noting that the most dramatic exhibition of the character and nature of God is revealed by the divine love and divine omnipotence in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are going to focus on the end of the dispensation of the Hypostatic-union by noting the sayings or phrases of our Lord when He was on the Cross.
The first phrase:
And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. (LUK 23:33-34)
The Lord prayed for their forgiveness before He was judged for their sins. These are the same people that had slapped Him, beaten Him, spit upon Him, lied about Him, ridiculed Him and scourged Him! These were the very ones who cried out, "crucify Him, crucify Him." Yet the first thing Jesus said on the Cross was a prayer for His enemies. He opened His public ministry with a prayer (LUK 3:21), and He closed His public ministry with prayer.
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, " You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." (LUK 3:21-22)
The Father would remain well-pleased with His Son, and yet at the Cross He would have to forsake Him for our sake. At this point our Lord could no longer minister to the poor, needy, the sick, lame and blind, for He was now confined to a Cross. Our Lord could not come down from the Cross, and at the same time provide for our so great a salvation. This should be a great encouragement to you as a believer, as you meditate on these words, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." When our Lord cried, "Father, forgive them," He was praying for the lost, for those who were bound for hell. The first of the seven great cries on the Cross had no direct reference to Himself. It was, "Father, forgive them."
Though there is an implication to the cruelties He experienced, please notice that He does not say, "I forgive them." That is taken for granted. He didn't focus in on the fact that they were doing any wrong to Him, but rather to His Father. They were insulting the Father by not honoring the Son.
In order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. (JOH 5:23)
The cry, "Father, forgive them," is an unselfish cry as though He was not even suffering Himself. If there had ever been a time in the life of the Lord Jesus Chris when He might have confined His prayer to Himself, it would seem to be now, while on the Cross. However, the Lord began His prayer on the Cross by pleading for others. We see His soul of compassion as He was being crucified! This unselfishness is something we are told to have as well:
Do not merely be regarding your own personal interests, but also for the personal interests of others. Keep on thinking this [doctrine] within yourselves which was also resident in Christ Jesus," (PHI 2:4-5)
This prayer wasn't just for others, but it was for His cruelest enemies. It was a prayer for those who were murdering Him. It was a prayer which included the Scribes and Pharisees, Pilate and Herod, the Jews and Gentiles. If we knew nothing more of Him but this one prayer, we should honor and respect Him for it. The first major point which we see on the Cross in the character of His intercession is graciousness. Those for whom our Lord prayed did not deserve His prayer. They had done nothing which was worthy of being prayed for. They were undeserving individuals who had conspired to put Him to death. They had lied about Him, accused Him falsely, and were crucifying Him. They were utterly undeserving of a single good word from the Savior. They didn't ask Him to pray for them, it was the last thought in their minds to say, "Intercede for us!" He prays for those who reject His word, and therefore think how much more for those who love Him and His word.
Notice another principle in His prayer. In LUK 23:34, when He said "Father, forgive them; [notice what He said next] for they do not know what they are doing." He actually found something good to say about His enemies. "They do not know what they are doing" were His words. It's almost as if He recognized that they were all simply pawns of the devil. He has the same attitude today. He knows our precise condition at this moment, and the exact state of our heart with regard to the suffering, and the temptation that we may be facing. Even more than that, He foresees the trials, and the temptations which are awaiting us. In His intercession He prays for us. Our Lord's prayer also brings out another very important factor - the blindness of the human heart (mind): "They know not what they do." Those who crucified Him were ignorant of doctrine. They did not recognize the Savior of the world. They did not realize that here was the One who was being judged for their sins, taking their place, and providing their salvation. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ had made it clear many times. There was no excuse for their ignorance. The light of the glorious Gospel had shined upon them. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in His grace, was not willing that any should perish, and He prayed for them. However, the human heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2CO 4:3-4)
Man's greatest need is the need for forgiveness and cleansing of sin. The penalty of sin is death is spiritual death. He took our place, He was judged for our sins, and today His prayer on the Cross is still being answered, as many come to Jesus Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior!
The second phrase.
And one of the criminals who were hanged {there} was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" (LUK 23:39)
Both of the thieves turned against the Lord Jesus. Both blasphemed against Him, but, one of the thieves repented, he completely changed his attitude, to use the word in its proper connotation. He had a complete reversal of mental attitude not in regard to sin, but in regard to the Person of Jesus Christ:
And one of the criminals who were hanged {there} was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (LUK 23:39-43)
He recognized that Jesus Christ was a perfect Man. He also recognized His deity, for he used the title for deity "kurios." There was nothing he could do for his salvation! He was nailed upon a cross. He could not join anyone's church or go through the rite of baptism! He could not weep in front of an altar, nor could he raise his hand or walk down an aisle! But he turned to the Lord Jesus Christ for help, and he went to exactly the right Person! He also recognized that Jesus had a kingdom. The Lord Jesus responded to this statement of faith by promising him a place in Paradise or Abraham's Bosom, the abode of all Old Testament saints. These two thieves on the cross picture the world today. One believed in Jesus Christ, and was eternally saved. The other rejected Him, and was eternally lost. "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (JOH 3:36). The world is divided by its attitude toward Jesus Christ. Your attitude toward Him determines your eternal future!
The third phrase.
Therefore the soldiers did these things. But there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the {wife} of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" (JOH 19:25-26
Imagine the anguish in a mother's heart, watching her Son slowly and painfully die. She must have been torn with terrible grief. The Lord Jesus Christ never called her "mother." He always addressed her as "woman." He sought to emphasize that she was the mother of His humanity, but she was not the mother of God! Anticipating some of the great dangers that would come in the future relative to her place in the Plan of God, He was always careful to avoid the title of "mother." Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her into his own {household.} (JOH 19:27)
Here are the words of responsibility. (EXO 20:12). In His dying moment, when He was in the midst of terrible agony and pain, He took time to think of the one who was the mother of His humanity and to make provision for her. We see here a beautiful picture, even in the end, of how Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law in every detail. Every negative, as well as positive, aspect of the Law was met by the Lord Jesus Christ; "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.” MAT 5:17-18)
Today we are not under the Law. Christianity begins where the Law stopped.
That does not mean we are to be lawless. Jesus, in fulfilling the Law, made provision for us to move on into the supergrace life. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [self- control]: against such there is no law (GAL 5:22-23). The very character of Christ in His humanity can be produced in us by the Holy Spirit when He controls the life. We are no longer under the Law, but under grace. Grace is God's provision of the Holy Spirit, who indwells every believer. The Holy Spirit controls when the believer is filled with the Spirit through the use of 1JO 1:9.
The fourth phrase
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (MAR 15:34)
These words, found in Matthew and Mark, as well as in Psalm 22:1, were literally screamed. In this cry, Jesus Christ made it clear that the God the Father with whom He had eternal and unbroken fellowship had to break that fellowship at this moment. Thus we know immediately that this is the time when Jesus Christ "bore our sins in his own body on the tree" (1PE 2:24), this was the unspeakable agony of the Cross, the spiritual death prophesied in PSA 22:1. The fourth cry indicated that He was being judged for us. This is why the Father had to turn His back upon Him. Our sin separated Him from the His Father, even as we were separated from them. The wrath of God deals deadly blows. One was meant for your sins. Jesus Christ stepped in front of you and took the blow. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (ROM 5:8-9). In the eternal state, there will be one resurrection body that has scars on it, it will be His.
Many misinterpret out Lord's sufferings as an appeasement to the wrath of the Father but this is totally wrong. Jesus Christ did not appease the wrath of an angry God, He satisfied the perfect justice of a holy and loving God. For God so loved the world (JOH 3:16). Everything in God's nature, every fiber of His justice and righteousness, rails against sin. God can have nothing to do with sin. All that God is is against sin, and Christ was made a sin offering. Why did Jesus have to die? Death is the wages of sin, and He had no sin. He had to die because Jesus is the only Savior, and His death is His only saving act. His death was necessary, and it was made so by the character of God. This was not an angry or vengeful God. In fact, just the opposite, for God the Father sent His beloved Son as the lamb without blemish to be poured out for us sinners. The resulting propitiation is the basis for God being merciful and gracious toward us.
The fifth phrase.
The fifth cry on the Cross can be identified by the word suffering, After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, *said, "I am thirsty" (JOH 19:28). The thirst of Jesus indicates His humanity, for deity does not thirst. Again it focuses our attention on the importance of the humanity of Christ, for if He were deity alone He could not suffer the penalty of sin. This saying of the Savior, "I thirst," followed the three hours of darkness, during which the light of God's countenance had been withdrawn from the Lord. This cry, then, tells of the intensity of what He had suffered, the awful severity of the conflict through which He had just passed. Even though His sufferings were like no other, great as was His thirst was, it was not desire for the relief of His body that now opened His lips. Far different, far higher, was the motive which prompted Him. The very fact that He did now "thirst" evidences His perfect submission. He that had caused water to flow from the smitten rock for the refreshment of Israel in the wilderness, had the same infinite resources at His disposal now that He was on the Cross. In the volume of that Book which expressed the will of God, it was written that He should thirst! Oh, that we might have the same attitude toward the Scripture! That we might have the joy and the realization and the reverence, the absorption and the interest that the Lord Jesus Christ had in the Scripture!
He simply says, "I thirst," the vinegar is extended and the prophecy is fulfilled. He had hung on that cross for six hours, and had passed through suffering unparalleled: nevertheless His mind was perfectly clear and His memory entirely unimpaired. He had before Him, with perfect distinctness, the whole truth of God. He knew the entire scope of the Messianic prophecies. He overlooked nothing.
The sixth phrase.
The sixth saying on the Cross can be described by the word victory.
When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit. (JOH 19:30).
When the Lord Jesus Christ said "it is finished" He evidenced the fact that salvation was complete. Nothing could be taken away from it and above all, nothing could be added to it. It was purely a matter of GRACE. No one has ever deserved this salvation, and there never will be any member of the human race who deserves something as wonderful and as marvelous and as precious as the blood of Jesus Christ, which, as a representative analogy of His spiritual death, cleanses from all sin. Consequently, when He said, "It is finished", He made it very clear that to add anything to the finished work of salvation is sheer blasphemy! That is why the Scripture reiterates over and over, "He that believes in the Son has eternal life." "It is finished" is a single word in the original Greek “tetelestai!” It was the shortest, and yet the fullest of His seven sayings on the Cross. Eternity will be needed to fully understand all that it contains. All things had been done which the law of God required; all things established which prophecy predicted; all things brought to pass which the types foreshadowed; all things accomplished which the Father had given Him to do; all things performed which were needed for our redemption. Nothing was left undone.
The seventh phrase.
The seventh saying on the Cross can be described by the word contentment.
LUK 23:46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit." And having said this, He breathed His last.
(LUK 23:46)
When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the Cross, it was voluntary.
"For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." (JOH 10:17-18)
Upon His physical death, His human spirit went into the presence of the Father, His soul went into Hades to a compartment known as paradise and His body went into the grave to wait for that glorious moment some three days later when the body would be rejoined by the soul and the spirit, and Jesus Christ would rise from the dead - literally and bodily. The seventh cry was the beginning of the end; and yet the end was a new beginning, for Jesus Christ would arise from the grave in resurrection body, walk among men for a short time, then ascend into the presence of the Father to sit at His right hand as our great High Priest and make intercession for us forever. The Father has been propitiated by the spiritual death of His Son. Jesus, through spiritual death, fulfilled the analogy to the blood sacrifice of the Old Testament; He was then ready to dismiss His Spirit. All references to the blood of Christ refer to His spiritual rather than to His physical death.
So these are the seven sayings of Christ on the cross.
The first dealt with the word forgiveness for His enemies.
The second dealt with salvation (LUK 23:39-42).
The third dealt with the word compassion (JOH 19:26-27).
The fourth dealt with anguish (MAT 27:46).
The fifth can be identified by the word suffering, JOH 19:28 "I am thirsty."
The sixth can be described by the word victory, JOH 19:30 "It is finished!"
The seventh and final saying can be described by the word contentment, LUK 23:46 "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)