Died with Christ - now what?

The following is my teaching notes for the Santal Church leaders given through WhatsApp on4th April 2018. Being detailed notes it may not read as well as something written for publication. Rather than leave it for later editing I have decided to upload it in the present form since it follows on directly from the previous blog. The essence of the previous blog was to demonstrate from the verb tenses in scripture that sanctification is not progressive, but instant. See the previous blog for the texts involved and the argument.

Unlike earlier teaching notes I have written these out in some detail so that I kept on track.

This teaching is, by its very nature, very philosophical and so will need to be repeated a few times with extra effort needed to grasp it. I know this is quite different from the normal teachings I give based on story telling and concrete expressions. So it will take longer to absorb and a greater mental effort to understand. I don’t apologise for this, just to point it out. I don’t know of any other way to teach it. Maybe, once it is fully understood you will be able to express it in ways which better reflect oral methods in teaching.

There is  large content here and so will need several sessions just to cover it and further sessions to reflect on it and feed back to me. The content is so important as to need this approach. In essence it is the distilled content of Paul’s teaching on the life in the Spirit. That is why I will need your feedback so that I can be sure it has been grasped clearly. This is as much a matter of revelation as of teaching, so I need to know the revelation has happened.

Even Paul found it necessary to take a very philosophical approach which many found difficult to understand. Peter recognised this in 2Pet 3:16

2 Peter 3:16 NIV
[16] He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.


Paul himself acknowledged it:

Hebrews 5:11 NIV
[11] We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.

Here he acknowledged that it takes effort to understand it. This is because basic human nature wants to feel as though it does something to contribute to our life, even our redeemed life. That is why he keeps emphasising that we are to continue in our life in Christ in the same way as it was begun. That is, we began in the spirit and we are to continue in the spirit,



In summary, everything is about Jesus and Him crucified. That is the way forward for all of us. Here is the only basis for our faith. We added nothing to our salvation, and we add nothing to our sanctification. It is all about Jesus.

Jesus is the Kingdom of God. Jesus is now the focus of all things. Whereas before people were looking for an earthly political kingdom, now we have a kingdom which is entirely focused on the one man, Jesus. We are citizens of that kingdom, and ambassadors of Christ since we are in Him. As He is so are we in this world.

We must keep this in mind at all times, especially when we are faced with situations which seem to remind us of our old nature.

Our faith is to be in Jesus and Him Crucified and nowhere else.

In Romans 5-8 Paul  tells us of the four freedoms  now have in our new identity. We are free from

• Wrath
• Sin
• Law
• Death.

1. WRATH

Romans 5:1,9-10 NIV
[1] Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

 [9] Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! [10] For if, while 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 life!

2. SIN

Romans 6:1-2,6-7 NIV
[1] What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? [2] By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

 [6] For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--- [7] because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

3. LAW

Romans 7:1,4 NIV
[1] Do you not know, brothers and sisters---for I am speaking to those who know the law---that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives?

[4] So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

4. DEATH

Romans 8:1-2,9-11 NIV
[1] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

 [9] You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. [10] But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. [11] And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

This last freedom is the greatest one of all. The greatest enemy we all had to face was death. (1Cor 15:26).

1 Corinthians 15:26 NIV
[26] The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

And we are now free from death. As Jesus said to Martha, “whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” ( John 11)

John 11:25-27 NIV
[25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; [26] and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” [27] “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

We have the same problem that Martha had. She didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about either, since the common experience of mankind is death, so how can we never die? She didn’t understand this, but she did believe in Him. It was her faith in Jesus that got her past her lack of understanding.

Ever since I was a teenager I have been convinced that I will never die. It was just a sense deep within me that defied explanation. I tried to understand it by saying that I expected Jesus to return before I died and so I would meet Him in the air. That may well be the case, but it is not necessarily the case.

2 Corinthians 5:4 NIV
[4] For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Here Paul describes what we call death being swallowed up by life. At the point where I breathe my last breath I will pass from life to LIFE. This life will be swallowed up by real life. People around me at the time will think I have died, but MY experience will be LIFE.




All of these freedoms sum up our new nature “in Christ”.

But what about our perception of still having a sin nature that needs to be fought? Surely we must work hard to change our nature to come into obedience to Jesus? This mindset is saying to Jesus that He didn’t do enough and we have to add our work to His action on the cross. We might not put it so bluntly in our reactions, but our reply needs to be unequivocal as to our real position in Christ. He has done everything and our reactions must reflect this.


Since we have died with Him, we should not be surprised that we need to be broken at some point. The new nature cannot work effectively in the old nature, so it needs to be got out of the way for the new man to grow in the likeness of whom we are in, even Christ.

The problem and the solution are both described in Rom 7-8

Romans 7:15-25 NIV
[15] I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. [16] And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. [17] As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. [18] For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. [19] For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do---this I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. [21] So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. [22] For in my inner being I delight in God's law; [23] but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. [24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? [25] Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 8:1-17 NIV
[1] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, [4] in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. [5] Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. [6] The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. [7] The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. [8] Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. [9] You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. [10] But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. [11] And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. [12] Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation---but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. [14] For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. [15] The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs---heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.


We are also told to put off and put on, thinking that these are works that we are to carry out. This is very easy for a child to understand, but we as adults find it difficult, and even a contradiction in terms. A child just accepts who they are and grows naturally without effort.

Colossians 3:1-17 NIV
[1] Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. [5] Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. [6] Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. [7] You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. [8] But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. [9] Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. [11] Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. [12] Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. [13] Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. [14] And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. [15] Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. [16] Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. [17] And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ephesians 4:20-32 NIV
[20] That, however, is not the way of life you learned [21] when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. [22] You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; [23] to be made new in the attitude of your minds; [24] and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. [25] Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. [26] “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, [27] and do not give the devil a foothold. [28] Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. [29] Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. [30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. [31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. [32] Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

As an example of how this is to work in practice let us look at how we resolve conflicts

Everything is a matter of
• our belief,
• where we place our faith and
• how we understand who we really are.


Continued in  the next blog.

Where is the Kingdom of God?

Kingdom

In July 2016 I wrote a brief analysis of my years at View Hill Fellowship and the inability to transition that fellowship from a programme based church to a cell church. This was not to minimise the many wonderful things that happened through those years but just to reflect on the key issue of cell church. I commented on the need for a clear biblical ecclesiology  which is missing from most Western churches.

Part of this is a defective understanding, in my view, of the nature of the gospel. In most cases the gospel is limited to the gospel of salvation, which is absolutely crucial, but is not what Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim. Jesus came proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God which involves being “born again” before it can be either seen or entered (John 3). Over the past few years I have become more convinced of the absolute need to be clear about the Kingdom of God and the life that flows from that. Various views equate the Church with the Kingdom of God, or have a dominion view of an earthly kingdom, or several other variations of these views.

But the Kingdom of God is as different from these views as it is possible to be. There is nothing in common between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world, including the religious kingdom.

Out ecclesiology needs to have a fuller understanding of our christology. The two cannot be separated. I will not go into depth about ecclesiology here, as the reason for this blog is a fuller understanding of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom is largely found in the parables which are designed to obscure the meaning rather than illuminate it (Matt 13:11-15). The meaning is only opened to the eye of faith. Even right to the end of Jesus’ life the disciples were confused about the Kingdom of God. They were still expecting the Kingdom to be an earthly, political kingdom rather than what Jesus came to inaugurate.

It was not until after the resurrection that Jesus taught clearly about the Kingdom. Those forty days were the key time for Jesus to correct their understanding of the Kingdom of God. After Pentecost the disciples were not only empowered to preach boldly, but also they had a totally different understanding of the Kingdom of God.

Throughout the time of the Old Testament the kingdom was national Israel. They were meant to be a holy nation which would spread the knowledge of God throughout the world. Instead they kept this knowledge to themselves and degenerated into a legalistic religion which established, and maintained, a separation of Jew and Gentile which was totally against God’s original plan for them. In Jesus this division was broken down (Eph 2) as the true Kingdom of God was revealed.

By the time of Jesus the Kingdom of God was focussed entirely on Jesus, so that He was the Kingdom of God.

This is the new understanding brought by Jesus as seen in the New Testament. The Kingdom of God is no longer about a political entity, but is about Jesus and Jesus alone. When Jesus died on the cross He declared that there was nothing that we can do to bring about our salvation. He has done it all. Paul and the other writers of the New Testament emphasises this over and over.

This flies in the face of all religious activity. Jesus has done it all, we contribute nothing. We appropriate this by faith, but add nothing to it. Paul went to great length to emphasise this, not only for salvation, but also for our very lives. One verse among many is Gal 3:3:

Galatians 3:3 NIV
[3] Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

Romans 8 draws out the same point throughout the chapter.

When our nature and position in this new kingdom is discussed there is an emphasis on Jesus, not on us. Note the past tense in the following description:

This is seen so clearly in verses such as the following.

• Galatians 2:20 NIV
[20] I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

• Romans 6:5-6 NIV
[5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6] For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin---

• 1 Corinthians 2:2 NIV
[2] For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

• Galatians 6:14 NIV
[14] May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

• Colossians 2:9-15 NIV
[9] For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, [10] and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. [11] In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, [12] having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. [13] When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, [14] having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. [15] And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

• Colossians 3:1-4 NIV
[1] Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

• Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV
[3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. [4] For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--- [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. [7] In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace [8] that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, [9] he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, [10] to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment---to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. [11] In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, [12] in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. [13] And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession---to the praise of his glory.

• Ephesians 2:4-6 NIV
[4] But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions---it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

• Ephesians 2:12-14,18 NIV
[12] remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. [14] For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, [18] For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

The description given to followers of Jesus is in terms that identify the believer with Jesus. In Paul’s phrase “in Christ” we have this summarised. We died with Jesus. Our life is hidden with Christ in God. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.

This is what Jesus prayed for in the high priestly prayer of John 17. He prayed that we would be “in Him” in the same way that He was in the Father.

Most understandings of these descriptions that I have read  speak of the description either in future terms or only in spiritual terms. However the language is clear. These descriptions are in the past tense and are meant to be taken at face value as a present reality.

The Kingdom of God is Jesus and only Jesus. We are in the Kingdom of God as we are in Him. It is this corporate identity that constitutes the kingdom now.

The only place where Jesus said what the Kingdom was is  “the kingdom is within you”. In every other case Jesus says that the kingdom is “like”.

Now we understand that the Kingdom being within us is another way of saying that we are in Jesus. It is Jesus who lives, we have died. Jesus was crucified as a sin offering for the sins of the world, and we were crucified with Him, just as we have risen with Him, since we are “in Him”.

Paul said that he wanted to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This summarises everything that is important for us in this life and the next. This is the good news that Jesus came to bring. We enter the kingdom through new birth and then become one with Him, in reality, not just theologically.

Once the power of this is has been appropriated through having our minds transformed (Rom 12.1-3) we can start to live the life that Jesus calls us to, since it is just allowing Him to live His life through us. Then our ecclesiology becomes an easy matter to discuss. It will then be seen that many, if not most of the activities we engage in are not part of the Church that Jesus came to set up as His body and bride.

In brief, the church is meant to have two main activities: fellowship and equipping. Most of the activities we concentrate on belong in the family not in the church. But this is for another blog.

Programs or People

        

When I first came to VHF in 1995  I was determined that we would concentrate on people rather than running a range of programs. It all sounded so right that everyone embraced it enthusiastically. After all I was called to View Hill Fellowship for this very reason, to transition the Fellowship from a program based church to a cell church. I am sure that none of us really realised what was involved at the time.

This emphasis on cell church was a reaction against the programmatic church which was virtually universal at the time. Many, in many churches, had used programs in the church in a way which resulted in the program being more important role than an active relational life with Jesus and His people. The “means” had become the “message”. People were crying out for the reality of a relationship with Jesus. Instead, the church was providing program after program which resulted in several unintended outcomes.

 Church had become engrossed in the latest and greatest programs coming largely from the USA: church growth, evangelistic programs, worship seminars, etc. We poured over the books coming from the “successful” mega churches. Rick Warren headed the list.

Once people had completed each program, there was one more folder on their bookshelf. That was finished, now what's next?

Most churches were like this, to one degree or another. In the case of VHF there was a desire to discover a more relational form of church life. It was in this context that i was called to VHF to transition the church to a cell based church.

The process started well, even though I began the changes far too early albeit at the encouragement of the leadership and members. This was a major error and one which would bedevil us for the whole time there, and ultimately torpedo the transition. I had not yet built enough “emotional capital” in the church. This takes time, at least a year or more.

Once people started to really see what was involved in the transition, they began to retreat to the more comfortable position of a programmatic church. Relationships are far more difficulty to negotiate. This is particularly so when it is expected that those relationships were to be subject to the greater relationship with the Lord Jesus and His call to make disciples. This ultimately involved people seeing that they were being called to reach out to others, involve these new friends in their cell, and move towards multiplication once the cell got to such a size where very close relationships could not be achieved. Such cells could not grow beyond about 15 or so people if closeness was to be maintained.

Ultimately there was a reluctance to reach out and grow since this meant a perceived break in existing relationships.

All attempts to continue along the cell church model failed and we soon retreated into the familiar program based church, even though we called it cell based.

Subsequently I have come to see that this is a common story in democratic countries. The cell model seems to work best in societies which are more controlled, the so called “command economies.” In such societies people are used to being told what to do, and will do it. However in democratic societies there is no such pressure to conform. We are used to doing whatever we want to, and heaven help anyone who tries to tell me otherwise. After all, I am free to do whatever I want to. Such is the attitude of most people in democratic societies. We will reach out to help others, but only as it suits me and my situation.

In such a society, church usually becomes one of the activities I will be involved in on a voluntary basis , as I have time and interest. This might sound like a parody, but it is not far from the truth. If it were otherwise there would be many more people active in sharing the gospel in a sacrificial way. “Go” would replace “come” in our approach to spreading the gospel.

There is much more analysis of those 12 years at VHF which will have to wait for another time.

From my current  perspective, outside of leadership in the parish system, I see other issues at play, which I could not even see, let alone evaluate, when I was within that structure.

The main issue is also the most controversial. The very system within which we operate virtually guarantees a retreat into “safe” life in the church, and against an evangelistic lifestyle. Our structures encourage, or even mandate, a “come” mentality rather than “go into all the world “ view. We call on members to come to church so they can be evangelised and so add to the membership of the church. This leads to seeker friendly churches, “back to church” Sundays, special guest services and so on.

Don’t get me wrong. Numbers are important, they represent people. It is important that the church grows numerically as well as spiritually. But this is not what we see when we examine church life in our society. We see a shrinking church, with some wonderful exceptions. We see growth being by transfer from other churches rather than by conversion. We see people making their choice of church based on what is best for the children, or other activities. There is a dynamic that is attractive in a “busy” church. We can have activities that suit our needs. But is it what Jesus instituted?

However, is this what church is meant to be? I don’t see this in what little we know about the early church, or what we see in other societies where the gospel is heard for the first time. It seems to be a problem specific to areas where people are relatively well off, where being a Christian is easy, where people are many generations from the initial introduction of the gospel. It is not a problem of first generation Christians, by and large, or where being a Christian involves sacrifice and persecution.

Comfort and security are two of the main obstacles to a vibrant faith. It has been so throughout history. Even in the early life of Israel, Moses warned the people about this danger.

When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you--a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant--then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

(Deu 6:10-12 NIV)

Nominalism is only a short distance away from vibrancy and dependence on God for everything.

This is a matter of a faulty ecclesiology which is very hard to counter. Jesus’ commands are ignored, or watered down, rather than being obeyed. Ecclesiology is the forgotten discipline of many churches which are faithful to Biblical precepts in most other areas. I have written, and will continue to write extensively on this.

Another obstacle is the pressure that many young families face in raising a family and pursuing a career. The amount of time people can devote to church life is under great pressure. This is not a comment on their Christian life which should be on show in work, family and every other part of life. Church life is, rightly, subservient to family life. However, even with this caveat, some hide behind work and family and use these as excuses rather than reasons for low engagement with the church.

It is precisely in this time when your family is young that lasting attitudes are made. This is the time when children notice what their parents are doing and saying and so judging what church really means to them. This is the time that the church needs to be equipping parents to teach their children, not sending their children to Sunday school for the church to teach them. Sunday school is a good place for children to have fun and join with other children, but it is not the place that God intended for the faith to be passed on. That belongs in the family, and more precisely, with the father. The church’s role is one of equipping.

This equipping role is not just the equipping of families to minister to their children, but for all the members to be equipped for whatever role God has shaped them for, not just church work. This is one of the main missing ingredients in our ecclesiology. The few hours a week we spend in church are meant to be the “engine room” for the rest of the week. We are meant to be equipped for whatever we spend our time in during the week; work, family, leisure, community work, etc.

It is interesting that it was only when I stepped outside my role of parish leadership that I saw this as clearly as I do now. I certainly preached this, tried to model it by championing member’s roles in society and tried to disciple people along this line. But I did not have the passion  or ability to swim against the tide of society and church culture to see it achieved. I wonder how much of this was an unconscious dependence on the parish for my “salary”? It is certainly easier to speak of these matters when you are not dependent on the people for your livelihood, but I think it is a larger issue than this. I believe it is a spiritual issue where you are blinkered to some issues when you are in the midst of them.

This is the issue with culture of all kinds. When you live in, or under, a culture, you are often not aware of the effects of that culture. It is something you imbibe by merely being in it. That is one reason that we find other cultures hard to understand yet those in the different culture are perfectly at ease. Such is the difficulty with cross cultural evangelism, or at an even darker side, the reason for fear and intolerance of foreign cultures that we see in our country at the moment with Muslim immigration. In earlier years it was an intolerance of Southern European immigration. Even earlier it was an intolerance of our indigenous people. Whatever the different culture involved, it is hard to leave our own culture behind.

This is also true of church culture. When we were born again of the Spirit of God, we were born into the Kingdom of God. The culture of the Kingdom is as different from our normal culture as that between any other culture you can name, say Ethiopian for an example. The problem arises when we know that we are born again, yet fail to move into the Kingdom culture and instead keep within a church culture which is more influenced by tradition than we care to acknowledge.

A careful reading of the New Testament should make us aware of this, but the power of the practiced culture of church is very strong. How are we to fully understand the teachings of Jesus about the Kingdom of God? We read the parables but miss the main point. In fact Jesus said that this would be the case when His disciples asked why He spoke in parables.

The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

(Mat 13:10-17 NIV)

The parables were meant to HIDE the truth from all who would not come with faith, a radical and transforming faith, a faith that was prepared to forgo everything for the sake of Jesus and the gospel of the Kingdom, even to the point of death. So we use the parables as cautionary tales rather than the radical teachings that they are.

There are many other passages in the New Testament that can’t be understood in any other way as well. For example,

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

(Luke 9:57-62 NIV)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

(Gal 2:20 NIV)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

(Gal 5:24 NIV)

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.

(Php 3:7-17 NIV)

And there are many more. In fact the whole of Jesus’ teaching emphasises the gulf between the culture of the world and that of the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately, since the time of Emperor Constantine in the 4^th Century, the church has increasingly imbibed the culture of the surrounding society. It is even seen on the pages of the New Testament with Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian Church. They had become worldly.

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly--mere infants in Christ.

(1Co 3:1 NIV)

This is an almost universal problem, but it is not one we are to tolerate.

The way of the Kingdom of God is not the easy road. It is difficult. It does require sacrifice. It will mean that you will be swimming against the tide of society and much of the church. But it is the only way that is acceptable to Jesus. His love for us demands that we give our all for Him. Our love for Him must overcome all opposition from whatever source it comes.

Further blogs will address the issue of ecclesiology in more detail. This is one of the missing points of the Protestant Reformation, and the key to a productive life in Jesus.

Pleasant boundary lines

LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

(Psa 16:5-6 NIV)

David wrote this psalm in a difficult situation, as he did many of the psalms. So this verse is even more important. We know we are secure when we are in the hands of Jesus. Independent of any people or circumstances we are secure in Jesus. He can rejoice and be glad knowing this. Hence he is able to rejoice IN his situation and say that his boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places, for those boundary lines are not defined by this world but by the assurance of his inheritance yet to come.

What a wonderful reminder for us. Our boundary lines have also fallen in pleasant places. We are exactly where God intends us to be. He is not taken by surprise as the things around us change. He is not taken by surprise with world events. He is not taken by surprise when we think our world is collapsing around us. 

Why are we surprised? We can say that it is just human nature, but that is not sufficient if we truly trust Jesus for this life as well as the next. We may not have answers for why things happen, but we can be sure that OUR boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places.

It is a strange use of the word “pleasant”, but none the less it is true, at least when we see it from an eternal perspective.

Here is yet another example of the need for us to have a proper world view. A biblical world view is so different from a earthly world view. We live within this collision of world views and have to make up our minds as to which world view is going to govern our life.

Surely this is part of what the apostle Paul meant in Romans 12 when he said:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

(Rom 12:2 NIV)

Our minds need to be renewed if we are going to understand God’s ways and what pleases Him. This is a radical change, a metamorphosis, a total transformation. For most people this is going to be a fairly long process as we are immersed in a totally different world view (or culture). Hence one of the needs for us to learn from and honour true elders in the faith.

Young people cannot make this transition easily. It is only by the application of God’s ways as seen in the Bible to everyday living that we begin this transformation. Wisdom is not gained easily or quickly, it takes time and application.

We can all begin by affirming the truth of this psalm and recognise, and rejoice in the fact, that our boundaries have indeed fallen in pleasant places, even when we do not feel like it.

The wisdom of life

There is much need today for wisdom. Wisdom is from the elders, those who, through a lifetime of knowledge and experience, have discerned the ways of life which actually work. Knowledge and strength come in our youth. Hopefully knowledge increases even as strength diminishes.But neither of these are wisdom. Knowledge is one of the building blocks of wisdom, but that knowledge needs to be lived before it can become wisdom.

In today's society we value knowledge and youth. We tend to discount what the elders (olders) share. The video below (Barry Schwartz in a TED Talk) is an eloquent description of wisdom from a human perspective. He refers to it as virtue, but it is similar to wisdom.

Remember that this was given just after the inauguration of Barak Obama as the President of The United States, so some of the references are to be seen in this time perspective. He eloquently shows the limitations of law and incentive as motivators and dirctors of human activity. Instead he shows, without ignoring law and incentive, the need for moral heroes to whom we can look for moral skill and moral will; heroes in the ordinary as well as extraordinary affairs of life.

Of course this is nothing new for us as Christians. Or is it?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Pro 9:10 NIV)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psa 111:10 NIV)

There are many such precepts in the Scriptures, but where is the matching behaviour today?

We seem to have lost wisdom, in our earthy behaviours as Barry Schwartz shows, and in our real life, the life of the Spirit, as  the powerless state of much of the Church shows.

The Western Church, and much of the rest of the world as well, is running after the latest teaching, the latest experiences, the latest "guru", but forgetting the true wisdom that only comes from a fear of the Lord.

There is much I could say, and will say in future blogs about the fear of the Lord. It seems to be largely absent from modern Christianity. Much of what passs for Christianity is little more than pop psychology, and poor psychlogy at that, rather than an acknowledgement of the Kingship of the Lord God Almighty as revealed by the Lord Jesus and recorded in the Bible. We need a real fear of this God, and not the insipid 'fear' that is preached as reverence, or some other lesser term.

We must return to our God. He is calling out from so many elders and fathers in the faith. Who will listen? Who will bow before the Holy One and live their whole lives as living sacrifices to the wonderful Lord Jesus.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.
(Rom 12:1 NIV)

Application and diligence

Today seems to be the day of information overload. We start many things but complete few. Or else we get caught up in on-line games or in other time wasting activities. The world around us seems to be never ending in its demands on us, so that the Lord’s work is often relegated to whatever free time we have, if any.

The urgent has overcome the important.

How many Christians spend more than a cursory amount of time doing the Lord’s work, or even more importantly, spending time with Him?

We easily forget the main reason for our lives and who it is who promised to look after us. Instead, we assume it is all up to us and we fall under the curse of the Fall.

Gen 3:17-19 NIV  …. ,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.  (18)  It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.  (19)  By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

But we are no longer under this curse once we become part of the Kingdom of God. Jesus has now taken the curse on Himself and broken it over His followers.

Mat 6:30-34 NIV  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith?  (31)  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  (32)  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  (33)  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  (34)  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So why do we worry so much? Why do we relegate the prime work of seeking His Kingdom and righteousness to the rare spare moments of time?

Jeremiah’s words about this are as relevant today as they were more than 2500 years ago.

Jer 48:10 NIV  "A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the LORD's work! A curse on anyone who keeps their sword from bloodshed!

Our swords (the Word of God) must be used and not kept sheathed.  We have been given mouths to proclaim the word of God in season and out of season. We must use this ‘sword’, with all love and wisdom, but USE it.