Christian Discipleship

What would you change in your relationship with God, with Christians and with other people in your life? A lot of people would want to:

Pray more faithfully

Hear more clearly

Live more confidently

All true disciples of Jesus would want these things. What we tend to think about, however, is how bad we are at these things. We look at what Jesus requires of us and feel daunted because a disciple is supposed to:

Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbour as yourself (Lk.10:27)

Love other Christians (Jn.15:17

Go and make disciples - more people to challenge your capacity to love unconditionally (Mt.28:18-20)

Lets face it, we become Christians, perhaps do a course or two, but then what on earth do we do? Most of us simply get lost in the general melee of church life (melee, from the French, meaning a confused crowd. It can seem like that sometimes can't it?) What is a disciple and what is a disciple meant to look like?

Discipleship

Discipleship was commonplace in the ancient world. Philip Vogel calls us apprentices in his excellent book Go and Make Apprentices, still available at Amazon. Some notable biblical apprentices are, Joshua who was apprenticed to Moses; Elisha who learned his craft from Elijah; Timothy who learned everything he knew from Paul. Then, of course, there were the disciples of John the Baptist. Disciples are not confined to the Bible. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle had their followers.

Disciples chose who they would follow so if you were drawn to a materialist philosophy you might follow an Epicurean teacher. If you were searching for a philosophy that taught clear judgement and inner calm you might seek out a Stoic teacher. In this respect what made Jesus stand out was his statement:

“You did not chose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit...” (Jn.15:16)

The fruit that will last is grounded in love. Love for God, love for our neighbour, love for Christians and a determination to share that love with others – make disciples. But how do we do that? What does it look like when we are doing it? Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, gives us a start when he writes:

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

Having died to ourselves and been raised with Christ, we are now citizens of another kingdom altogether, the kingdom of God. Our hearts and minds, then, should be set on the progress, the service of that kingdom and, if they are, they become capable of loving with all our hearts, souls, mind and strength, because they are heavenly hearts, heavenly minds.

The Master

What do we see when we set our hearts and minds on things above? We see Christ sitting on the right hand of God. We see the One to whom we are apprenticed:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Col.1:15-19)

Take a breath for a moment, take another look at that powerful description of Jesus and consider this: you did not chose him, he chose you. Astonishing, isn't it? So now we have our eyes on him we need never, dare not take them off him again because, you see, he is the way (Jn.14:16) and he is the light (Jn.1:1-4) Jesus is the truth lived out and demonstrated for the world to see.

The Disciple

The original disciples spent a lot of time with Jesus and eventually were sent to live out the truth among the people the way Jesus did. So the way to be a disciple is to have our eyes on Jesus and follow him, like an apprentice following and copying the master strokes of the craftsman. Paul describes this way of learning by copying in this passage:

“For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” (1 Thess.1:5-7)

Did you get that? You know you have been chosen by God when your faith is worked out in power and conviction and the indwelling Spirit. If you are a disciple you will imitate the mature lives of others and of the Lord and you will become an example to others. Furthermore, this life of fixing our eyes on Jesus, imitating him and the good examples of others brings us peace (Philip.4:9)

Disciples of Jesus spend time with Jesus and encourage one another in the things of the kingdom (Acts 2:42-47) Discipleship is not a solitary enterprise but is practised in community. That is why we need to learn to love one another. We are going to spend eternity together and we will spend it in the kingdom of God so we had better learn to love and the sooner we set our hearts and minds there the better prepared we will be for his coming and for that time when nothing will ever again get in the way of our knowing and worshipping him.

What Does Your Christian Résumé Look Like? Philippians 3

Finally!

Paul here has two “finallys” in his letter, the second in Philip.4:8. These demonstrate for me the dynamic and authentic nature of the letter. He writes what he means to write and what occurs to him as he is writing, as the Spirit breaths life into words that express the pressing burden of Paul's heart.

He is repeating something he has shared with Philippian believers before, “It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.” (v.1) Perhaps he shared this in person, perhaps in a previous letter we don't now have. But we learn there is security in turning to the Scripture regularly and being reminded of these great truths.

Paul warns of putting our trust and confidence in “the flesh,” in what we are able to do, in good works and religious ritual, using a vivid illustration from a real threat of the day, the idea that circumcision was necessary to become Christians.

He also reminds us that we are called to a heavenly citizenship, that we leave our past behind us and “press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] in Christ Jesus.” (v14) He gives his own testimony as an example of how we should think of these things. How serious is this message Paul needs to reinforce? Look at the language he uses.

Circumcision, or Mutilation?

“Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ, and who put no confidence in the flesh...” (Philip.3:2-3)

This can be a difficult passage for the modern reader used to politically correct speech. But Paul knows no such pleasantries, and neither should we when the body of Christ is threatened by what Paul in another letter calls a false gospel. Dogs, in that culture, even today, are kept outside, excluded because considered unclean. This is how Jews sometimes spoke of Gentiles but, controversially, this is now how Paul refers to these Judaizers who were teaching that to be a Christian you first had to be a Jew, be circumcised. It is well to remember that if you make a friend of Jesus the world will make an enemy of you.

He uses two different words here for circumcision; katatome' and peritome'.. When he refers to those who taught circumcision he uses katatome' (katatomay) which means not circumcision but mutilation. It is an insult and conveys the strength of Paul's feeling.

In Leviticus we read that “Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies.” (Lev.21:5) This is a reference to the pagan practice of lacerating one's body to signify mourning or to secure the attention of a deity. You will have seen this in the media as Shiite Muslims mark Ashura, a time when they self-harm to remember the martyrdom of the prophet's grandson Imam Hussein.

Paul is saying that what was once an acceptable religious observance, circumcision, had become nothing more than what is done by pagans, mutilation.

Even in the Old Testament circumcision as an outward sign was not sufficient. In Deuteronomy we read, “The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” (Deut.30:6) God requires a heart devotion of his people and outward show doesn't produce that.

Paul uses peritome', the correct word for circumcision, when he refers to Christians who are now the real circumcision, circumcised, as God promised, in their hearts. The message couldn't be clearer: this is so important I am going to repeat it and in the strongest terms.

Our challenge today is not circumcision but circumstances. We put our trust in our qualifications, our profession, our church attendance, our Bible reading, our prayers. These are all good things but they cannot make us acceptable to God. Paul knew this more than anyone.

7 Things

Paul writes of seven things which once led him to believe he could have confidence in the flesh:

1. Ritualistic: Paul tells us he was circumcised on the eighth day according to the law “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical” (Ro.2:28) Today, people will still sometimes come to a church to get their children “done,” meaning Christened. But we are not saved by ritual, even Christian ritual, if there is no living faith. We believe in believers' baptism, the baptism of those who believe knowingly and intelligently. As has often been said, the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart and it is the heart that trusts in God that is received by God.

2. Birthright: Born of the people of Israel; he was not a convert, or a “God fearer” but was born a Jew. “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'” (Ro.10:12-13) Our good friend John would say in response to this that he was born in a pub but this doesn't make him a pint of beer. Being born in a Christian country doesn't make you a Christian.

3. Genealogical. He could trace his lineage to the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe that gave Israel their first king. His credentials ran deep. Paul in his first letter to Timothy and in his letter to Titus refers to vain genealogies because he knew that being born to a Christian family doesn't make you a Christian; God doesn't have any grandchildren. In the new life in Christ you cannot live on borrowed light.

4. Language and lifestyle. He was a Hebrew of Hebrews, meaning his whole life, language and attitude reflected his Jewish roots. He even spoke Aramaic. But Christianity isn't a culture but new life in Christ where, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal.3:28)

5. Connections. Paul was a Pharisee, a group that paid special attention to legalistic and ritual righteousness. Some people still think they have a special place in God's heart, perhaps recognising others are “Christians as well” but believing, for one reason or another, “we're his favourites” because we carry the right Bible, pray in Jacobean English, speak in tongues, meet in homes, recognise this or that model of church government. But the gospel is for whoever believes John 3:16

6. Zealous. In pursuit of righteous ends he persecuted the church. “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way” (Pro.19:2) Paul writes of the Jews, “I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge” (Ro.10:2) What a shock for this most zealous and educated of Jews to realise his zeal was born of ignorance!

7. Legally and outwardly faultless. In all appearance he seemed scrupulous in keeping the law but he later wrote “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out...in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work in my members.” (Ro.7:18-24) Paul discovered, to his horror, that he was a hopeless sinner. It is no wonder he cries, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

Paul's credentials are impeccable. This was Paul's CV, his résumé. For many of us this is a picture we have of the ideal Christian life; upright, respectable, well born, well connected. Paul was ready to present this CV to God when God asked, “Why should I accept you?” but something changed his mind. Paul now regards these things as “rubbish.” The word he uses here is skoobala and literally means excrement. Again, extreme language to underline a vital message. What has he seen that he didn't see before?

He saw Jesus!

He saw Jesus' righteousness, understood what God required, and came to the devastating realisation that he didn't qualify at all. Now, when God asks Paul, “Why should I accept you?” and he presents his CV, his résumé has one word written on it – JESUS!

Paul repented of his sins but also of his own righteousness. We need to repent of our own works righteousness too. Because it leads to one of three things:

1. We can become self-righteous and look down on people

2. We can become self-loathing as we realise how inadequate we are before God

3. We can believe we hold God to ransom because I have done this and now God owes me

Good deeds are vital (from vita meaning life, i.e. works define the Christian life) and are urged on us in the Bible but they do not, as Paul discovered, win us entry into God's favour; Christ alone does that. As the old hymn has it:

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Where is Your Righteousness?

John Bunyan who, like Paul, suffered much for his faith, tells of walking through the fields when a phrase came into his head. “Your righteousness is in heaven.” He saw a vision of Jesus at the right hand of God and realised that God could not ask, “Where is your righteousness?” because Jesus, his righteousness was always before God.

He realised it was not his good frame of heart that made his righteousness better, nor his bad frame of heart that made it worse. As Paul wrote,

“...not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – a righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” (Philip.3:9)

It is by that faith we may know the power of Christ's resurrection working in our own lives as we live for him, by this we may know that heavenly citizenship to which he calls us. May that be true of us today. May we be found among those who press on towards the goal for which God has called us heavenward, in the knowledge that if we trust in Jesus our righteousness is in heaven and our security in him (Philippians 3:12-14)

Thinking as Christ Jesus Thought: Philippians 2:1-11

This is one of the most magnificent texts in the Bible and countless sermons have been preached from it. It has been most popular, perhaps, as an apologetics piece to argue the case for the divinity of the Saviour, and it certainly does make that case compellingly.

Philip.2: 6 speaks of his life in eternities past, telling us Jesus was and is “in very nature God,”the NIV capturing particularly well the meaning of the text.

Philip.2: 7 refers to his birth, how he emptied himself and became a man. He didn't stop being God but emptied himself of his glory, made himself of no reputation.

Philip.2: 8 speaks of his being humbled even to the extent of dying a shameful death

Philip.2:99 tells us of his resurrection

Philip.2:10-11 tells us of his exalted position in eternities to come

The case for his deity is well made here, where he is described as being “in very nature God”; as being given “the name that is above all names.” Name here meaning not simply a title but a reputation, an indication of his person and character, and that name is the name of God. And we are told that at his name “every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” This refers back to what God says of himself in Isaiah 45:22-24.

But this text is not arguing a case, it is affirming a truth already accepted by Christians:

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Paul writes in his letter to believers in Colossae, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heart to God.” (Col.3:16)

This passage in Philippians 2 is probably a hymn, or part of a hymn, and dates back to within thirty years of Jesus' execution. This is what the earliest Christians believed. It was possibly used as a creed to teach new Christians some foundational facts of the Christian faith and may have been used at baptism and communion services. If you are a new Christian, a young Christian, you would benefit from reading and thinking about these eleven verses, in your devotions, and in your prayers.

In our NIV it helpfully comes in six stanzas of three verses each indicating its creedal form, its hymnal nature. These New Testament letters would have been read aloud in the congregation and this text may well have been repeated by a congregation as a confession. So Paul is appealing to what Christians already know and understand to be true and urging us to live it out with Christ as our model.

The key verse for our understanding is verse 5 - “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” or “Think the same way that Christ Jesus did.”

Thinking is imperative to the Christian life. Paul reminds us in his letter to Rome that the Christian life is a life transformed by the renewing of your mind (Ro.12:2) where he goes on to write about discernment. In a world that lays such store by feelings this is a clarion call to be intelligent about our faith. Later on in Philippians he writes:

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philip.4:8)

Another way of putting it is, be like Christ even in your very thought life! Paul is making clear that theology (thinking) and Christian living (doing) belong together. James urges us, “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22)

What does that 'doing' look like?

In Colossians 3 there is a passage headed in the NIV, Rules for Holy Living. In the ESV it is headed, Put On the New Self. This passage begins with these wonderful words:

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

It begins with being united with Christ, raised with him. It is in our being united with Christ that our hearts and minds are set on things above. It is in this way that we know the encouragement of his fellowship, the comfort of his love, the fellowship of his Spirit that Paul writes about to the Philippians. If we are united with Christ, Paul is saying, we will think the way Christ thinks, and this will lead to our practising our faith by being one in spirit and purpose (Philip.2:2)

This is not a call to be some bland, homogeneous crowd, not a blind uniformity. It means being united even as we hold different views. Differences that exist because of our imperfect understanding shouldn't rob us of our unity in Christ.

This unity is achieved, Paul tells us, by considering others better than ourselves, looking to the interests of others. Paul is writing against any party spirit in the church, urging us to achieve unity by means of humility with Jesus as our great example.

The Old Adam and The New

There is a parallel here with Adam, the man who sought to be like God. Jesus is God yet didn't grasp his glory but humbled himself, making himself nothing, a servant. Paul explains in his letter to the Romans that man is sinful because he is “in Adam,” that is, has inherited sin and death from Adam, his head. But in Christ we have new life and he becomes our head (Ro.5:12-20)

Christ’s sacrifice was complete as he obeyed even to the point of dying on a cross. We are so used to hearing the story that its original impact can escape us but this was a truly horrible death. It was a death of unimaginable shame to the Jews. In Galatians Paul writes, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'” (Gal.3:13; Deut.21:23)

To a Roman the cross was such an offence it was not even mentioned in polite company. The Roman philosopher Cicero wrote, “Far be the very name of the cross, not only from the body, but even from the thought, the eyes, the ears of Roman citizens.”

“Therefore,” Paul goes on to write, “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name...” (Philip.2:9) In consequence of his great sacrifice, God exalted Jesus to the highest place and gave him the name above all names. That is not to say Jesus wasn't God before. In his prayer before Gethsemane Jesus prayed, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (Jn.17:5)

Just as Jesus was restored to his true glory, so we, through faith in him, will be restored to our true nature. But the journey to that point is the journey demonstrated by Christ, a life of humility, sacrifice, and service to the glory of God.

It is the example of Christ that defines, not just our journey in this life, but the very society, the economy of heaven. Living like this is to become as natural to us as sinning was before our redemption. With such a future won for us at such a cost

What are you willing to let go of for the glory of God?

Are you willing to be a servant?

Are you willing to humble yourself?

Are you prepared to sacrifice self?

Those who “are raised with Christ” live this way. Those who live this way, when he appears, will appear with him in glory.

Happy New Life

Custom is stubborn, isn't it? I remember my mother, when I was a boy, being utterly scandalised to discover that my aunt sometimes served up fish and chips for Sunday lunch. “I mean, its just not done!” Those of a certain age will remember that Sunday lunch wasn't Sunday lunch if it wasn't a roast and two veg. I do wonder what she would make of people having Sunday lunch out, and choosing to have curry, sushi, or pasta.

We painted our bedroom ceiling green and when a friend saw it she was stunned, blurting out, “But ceilings are white!” She didn't know where to look, poor thing. Actually, it is a very delicate green, picking out some of the ivy my wife lovingly stencilled on the walls, very arboreal, very calming after a stressful day. Maybe we're odd. I do hope so.

How much of what we do simply because that's what everybody does is called, custom, culture, tradition, or some such thing. I wonder what we would do if we didn't have these ruts to follow, that mule track to meander along.

We can deceive ourselves in thinking someone – the mysterious “they” - is in charge and it “wouldn't be allowed” if it was wrong. My mother, again, once remarked, “I like it when 'they' have Christmas on a weekend.” It hadn't occurred to her that it was simply a function of the calendar, that there was a certain inevitability in the scheme and, if she just hung on, a Saturday/Sunday Christmas would come around again. The next one is in eight year's, if your interested, while the next Sunday/Monday Christmas is in three years (you must take leap years into account - 'they' said)

So we follow custom, do what we always did, what others always do, what 'they' have always done, finding comfort and assurance in the familiar, in the crowd.

But what if we didn't follow the crowd, hide behind custom and orthodoxy, allow 'them' to decide for us? What if we had a vegetarian Christmas dinner, went to bed early on New Years Eve, bought someone else a gift on our birthday, wandered purposefully off the mule track, jumped out of the rut made for us by others, stopped waiting for something to happen to make it all mean something and simply made something happen?

Its New Year's Eve as I write this but only according to the calendar, and only according to one calendar. All that will happen tonight is 31 becomes 1, Tuesday becomes Wednesday, December becomes January, and its all been decided for us.

It is a time when people make resolutions, because that's what 'they' do, and they will sooner or later go out and break those resolutions. People will make promises to themselves they will more than likely not keep. The hope of a new start will slowly but inevitably trickle away and the impact of this on the rest of the year can be, for many, so discouraging.

What if we did it differently? What if we accepted that some traditions are good and helpful but, when it comes to time, the past is a bucket of ashes, tomorrow is no more than a promise, and we only have today? How would we live today if we realised it is all we have in this life? What would we do differently today? What if we took all those promises, prioritised them, got rid of the empty ones we are just bound to break and put our energies, not into regretting yesterday, nor into worrying about tomorrow, but living today in light of “the most important things in my life?”

What would be important to us today if today was all we had? Thrilling idea, right?

Happy New...Life?

10 Reasons for Reading your Bible in 2014

Christmas is over, thank goodness. Isn't it a minefield of custom and etiquette? Did we send an appropriate card to this or that person? I hope they didn't feel it was preaching at them. On the other hand, I do hope it wasn't too frivolous, was a clear “witness.” Did someone we sent a card to not send one back? Did we get a card but forget to send one? Is anyone coming off our Christmas card list? (No one comes off mine)

And gifts! Does anybody understand this new technology that seems to be obsolete as soon as it hits the stores? A book is still the safest bet in my view. You don't have to switch it on, it won't run out of power, it will pass airport security without any trouble, and you don't need teenagers to show you how it works.

A friend wishes you a merry Christmas and you shake his hand in a manly fashion, but what about his wife? Do you simply nod, shake hands in a manly fashion, or do you kiss her? Do you kiss her, or does she kiss you? Is it a peck on the cheek, an air kiss, and how many? One, two three? How many is polite and how many is bordering on predatory?

And the greeting! How are we to greet each other? If you say “merry Christmas” you simply know someone is going to look disapprovingly at the connotation in that word “merry.” “That’s the kind of Christmas you have is it? And you an elder of the church!” On the other hand, if you say a sober “happy Christmas” someone is bound to reply with a loud, “Merry Christmas!” as though to make the point, “cheer up you miserable so-and-so.”

Do you think we might be worrying about the wrong things though? The best place in my Christmas was the carol services. They took me away from the hurly-burly of Christmas mania and focussed my mind where it should always have been. Thank God for his church.

New Year Resolutions

But it is over for another year. Although, we now have New Year's resolutions to contend with. I expect the diet companies will get a sharp rise in membership in January followed by a depression by March, in more ways than one. Gym membership will rise for a bit, but how long will it last? The roads of hell are paved with good intentions. Are we thinking about this in the wrong way as well? Is there a better way of finding resolve, of making and keeping the promises we foolishly make to ourselves this time of year?

I have one piece of advice when it comes to New Year's Resolutions – don't make them!!! “From now on...” statements just rise up and embarrass us, remind us of our folly and failures.  The problem is that once we tack a resolution to a day and time it becomes absolute and we are so discouraged the moment we fail because the failure is absolute.

“I said I would do this ‘from now on without fail,’ and I have failed, and what a miserable, discouraging experience it is.”

My advice to you is, don't make this type of resolution. Can’t we find different, more realistic, reasons altogether for adopting the disciplines that so often evade us?

Some of you will decide to follow a Bible reading plan in the coming year.  With the right motivation we can start a plan any time, resume it with renewed resolve when we fall down, and witness real progress even as we occasionally fail. Reasons that have nothing to do with the date but everything to do with how we benefit from reading our Bibles.

Let me share some thoughts on why starting a Bible reading plan – any time – is a good idea and give you reasons for persevering, guilt free, in that plan.

1. Encouragement

I am encouraged to read that the apostle Paul needed to encourage his young charge, Timothy, in applying himself to reading and teaching the Bible. In one of his letters to  Timothy Paul writes this familiar text,

As for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim.3:16)

Even church leaders need to be reminded to read, teach and live the Scriptures. This should encourage us to persevere, knowing we are in good company when we sometimes struggle. In persevering we can be a blessing and encouragement to others – even our leaders.

2. Blessing

There is blessing in reading and obeying the Bible. God said of Abraham,

I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." (Gen.26:4)

How did Abraham hear God? You might be surprised to know he read God’s word. We like to think of those times when Abraham heard directly from God but he also had a written record of God's statutes and commandments. The word translated statutes means a written record, an engraving in fact. Certainly, written records go back that far and further. So Abraham read and obeyed God's written word and, we are told, there is blessing in hearing and obeying God. Following the example of the “father of the faithful” includes Bible reading.

3. Personal Application

The Bible is for us and applies to us personally.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb.4:12)

What's on your heart today? What is burdening you? A good place to start is with God's Word, which can help straighten out your thinking, read your heart and show you a way through. Look again at that note from Paul to Timothy:

As for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim.3:16)

How often have we thought how we would like to have spiritual wisdom, to know thorough equipping, and to grow in the things of God? What better motivation could there be for opening our Bible to read in the coming year?

4. Inheritance

We are charged with faithfully passing on Bible truth. King David, in his old age, wrote:

My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and grey hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. (Ps.71:15-18)

Scripture tells us this is what Abraham did, “Abraham gave all he had to Isaac” (Gen.25:5) Just like Timothy, Isaac had learned and inherited God's truth from childhood. In the Bible we see God’s truth being passed on from one generation to the next. From Abraham to Isaac  to Jacob, to Moses and the prophets, to David and from him to those that followed and to Timothy from his mother. We too have inherited that same truth from our spiritual parents. What better way to do the same than by the good example of faithful Bible reading?

5. Covenant

We are told in Exodus,

Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do." And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. (Ex.24:4)

Just as with those people of God in the desert, when we become Christians we enter a covenant relationship with God and the terms of that covenant are recorded in the Bible. Why wouldn’t we want to read that exciting account of God’s dealings with his people, of God’s promises to us and ours to him?

6. Tradition

We read of the first Christians that “they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)

As we read, ponder, set our minds and hearts on the word of God we are doing what was done by our spiritual forebears in the early church. In the privacy of our room, in our quiet times, as we read, ponder and apply the word of God to ourselves we are following in that unbroken tradition given us by God.

Do you want to know what it is to be a biblical people, to be “church?” It starts right here, with Bible reading.

7. Prophecy

Before he ascended to the Father Jesus said to his disciples,

These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. (Lk.24:44-45)

Warning his disciples of false Christs Jesus said, “But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.” (Mk.13:23) The things that happen to the people of God are the fulfilment of the purposes of God. Have you ever thought of that? Ours isn't a blind faith but an informed faith, wonderfully informed beforehand by Scripture. Who wouldn’t want to delve into God’s declared purposes?

8. Instruction

Paul reminds us in his letter to Christians in Ephesus,

You also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph.1:13-14)

Did you get that? You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, when you believed. Now look at what John says in his gospel about believing,

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

In the Bible we have that “word of truth” and in believing that word we are included in God’s great plan for mankind, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. Why wouldn’t we want to open up the book and read what God has to say to his people?

9. Example

Writing about the experiences of rebellious Israel Paul wrote,

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. (1 Cor.10:11)

Some people are in the Bible as an example, others as a warning. This is instruction to us as we anticipate Jesus coming again. Why not learn from the wisdom and folly of others, reading their stories, allowing their lives to either guide us on or warn us?

10. Assurance

Finally, in a glorious description of the City of God, John writes,

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed-- on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.

The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement.

The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass.

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there.

They will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations.

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Rev.21:10-27)

You see, there is another book and our names are recorded in it as citizens of God's city and kingdom. We are written there if we have believed and obeyed, like Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, John, Paul, Timothy...who believed because they read and trusted God's word and walked by its light (Ps.119:105)

Who wouldn't want to read the Bible this coming year, to be reminded of God’s sure promises to those who trust him? And if, like Timothy, we need encouragement, if we get distracted, who wouldn't be encouraged to take up the word again, persevere and continue in trusting and obeying, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, [pressing] on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Php.3:13-14)

Happy New Year, and may God draw us ever closer as we devote ourselves to his word in the Bible and allow it to shape and mould our lives, to his glory.

The Christian in Armour

Clothed in Christ (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Paul, in his letter to Christians in Ephesus – probably a circular letter to churches in Asia Minor, modern Turkey – is a helpful overview of Paul's thinking. It covers many major themes before coming to the familiar text about the armour of God.

Paul begins by reminding faithful Christians that we are “blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

Verses one to fourteen of chapter one are one sentence in Greek and form a doxology, an expression of praise to God for his many and generous blessings, first through the Father (v 3) then through the Son (vv 4-13a) and finally through the Spirit (vv13b-15)

The Christian, we are told, is chosen (4,11), predestined (5,11), redeemed and forgiven (7), made wise in God's purposes (vv8-9), included in Christ and sealed to him (13), and has the Spirit as a guarantee of future inheritance in Christ (13,14)

Paul's prayer is that we understand, “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of your glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” He is anxious to impress upon us the eternal significance of his message for us (1:15-23 cf 3:14-21) a message of:

• Spiritual resurrection 2:1-10
• Cultural and religious reconciliation 2:11-22
• Entry into God's eternal truth 3:1-13
• A place with Christ in heavenly places 2:4-10

He encourages us in how we are to live in light of these great truths:

• In the church in unity and maturity 4:1-16
• In the world in love and as light 4:17-5:21
• In the home in love, kindness and mutual submission 5:22-6:9

We have every reason, then, to “be strong in the Lord” as Paul writes in 6:10, because our strength is in God's “mighty power” and the armour he now writes about is, “the armour of God.” It is only so armed that “you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” Indeed, it is because “our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against...the spiritual forces of the evil one...” that we must put on the armour of God's providing.

The belt of truth indicates that we are settled and firm in our conviction and character, not force, is is what wins the battle. Jesus said “I am truth” (John 14:6) When we understand the truth of Christ there is no lie that can bind us.

The breastplate of righteousness reminds us we are not righteous in ourselves but because we are in Christ we are justified, God pronounces us righteous and treats us as such. There is no condemnation in Christ (Ro.8:1); this breastplate protects us against all the accusations of Satan

The shoes of the gospel represent a readiness to tell the good news of Jesus and equip us to stand firm in the gospel. Our feet are protected by the gospel of peace (Ro.5:1)

The shield of faith is utilised by trusting on God's promises that protect us from our enemy. The shield of faith is the only movable part of the armour and can cover any area to protect us from the fiery darts the enemy sends. Faith in the finished and complete work of Christ (Ro.10:9).

The helmet of salvation is vital because our minds need to be renewed from the way of the world to the way of Christ (Ro.12:2). The helmet guards our minds, reminding us of God's promises for our future.

The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God by which we can destroy every false argument. But this is not a blunt instrument to hit people over the head with. The Spirit makes real the word of Christ in us and we share from that reality, bringing a life changing word to others (John 16:13).

This is not literal armour, each piece is an aspect of the completed work of Jesus Christ; to know the armour we are to know Him. We do not seek the armour but we seek the Christ and realise what is ours because of the complete work of Christ. This is the fully equipped Christian standing firm in the armour of God, clothed in Christ.

Atheists using the Bible to “Convert” Christians?

YouVersion is a wonderful Bible app for your phone, tablet, or computer. It offers different versions of the Bible in different translations, is very intuitive with the capability to highlight, bookmark and make notes, as well as offering a selection of reading plans. Its the sort of thing you might be surprised to find on the tablet of your regular atheist. Yet, it seems atheists are finding it helpful in winning arguments with Christians and even winning those Christians over to their Godless view of the world. You can read about it on the Religious News Service (RNS)

Converts?

The first question that occurs to me is why are atheists bothering to make converts? Are they so determined to turn people away from a gospel of hope (gospel means Good News Mark 1:1 GNB) to their counsel of despair? I hear atheists complain that Christians speak of hell, yet here they are making hell on earth, robbing folk of the very hope of escaping a lost eternity. Nice one atheism!

Then, of course, there is a certain perverse delight taken in making converts. With apparent glee, one atheist said, “Nothing makes you an atheist faster than reading the Bible. It’s one of those beautiful side effects of having these Bibles free and easily accessible.”

When a Christian sees someone come to Christ they delight in their having stepped into the light of God’s love. It appears that these atheist delights in the reverse journey, taking great pleasure in having deceived a believer into the bleak darkness of their Godless world; and its not as though their arguments deserve consideration, much less respect.

Breaking the Rules

Some time ago I stopped into Waterstones bookshop to buy Richard Dawkins’ book The Greatest Show on Earth, an excellent volume, spoiled only by the regular snide and irrational asides about Christians, all of whom are put in the same category of mindless, insane, young-earth-creationist blind believers. Anyway, as I say, otherwise a good book.

When I took the book to the sales point two members of staff stood there and immediately entered into a conversation about the book. Oh, one exclaimed, has he brought out a new book? Yes, the other drooled, isn’t it absolutely marvellous, I must get one and read it.

Oh dear! Clearly, this wasn’t something they thought about, rather more something they subscribed to because it suited them; and they criticise Christians for being mindlessly unthinking!

People can be like that, don’t you find? They decide what suits them and order their thinking, such as it is, their lives,  their reading, conversation and their company accordingly. Of course, in many areas of life it doesn’t matter one jot. Getting your haircut, choosing a hobby, going to parties, planning a holiday. One man’s meat, as they say…

There are, however, some areas of life where it isn’t wise to ignore the rules, otherwise you can get into all kinds of trouble. Of course, it isn’t for me to lay down rules for others but there are rules in life and it is well worth giving them some consideration. For instance, when driving your car, crossing the road, wiring your house – gaining a clear and accurate understanding of the Bible.

Break the rules of society, of culture and of manners, and the consequences may not be the end of the world; indeed they might be fun. Break the rules of the road, of simple road sense, of electrical wiring, and you can end up very dead indeed. Break the rules of Bible reading and, in your death, you may end up…well.

Take the remarks of:

“Lauren, a 22-year-old chemistry major from Colorado, is not interested in the app’s mission to deepen faith and biblical literacy. A newly minted atheist, she uses her YouVersion Bible app to try to persuade people away from the Christianity she grew up in.

‘I know of a lot of atheists who have come to their nonbelief by actually reading the Bible rather than just the fluffy stories they choose to tell you about in church,’ she said. ‘Reading the full story with all its contradictions and violence and sexism, it should make you think, ‘Is this really what I believe in?’ At least it did for me.’” (quoted in the RNS article)

Oh, Do Grow up!

Dear Lauren, she speaks of ‘the fluffy stories they choose to tell you about in church,’ of the shocking things she discovered when she read the Bible for herself, and this is a characteristic of all those taking pleasure in parading their atheism, “travelling across land and sea to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, [they] make him twice as much a child of hell as [themselves].” (Mt.23:15)

The story, it seems then, is that these muddle-headed people have read their Bibles for the first time and, acting on their first impressions, have turned their backs on God. Having been more than satisfied with ‘fluffy stories,’ for which others are always to blame, since they never take responsibility for themselves, they turn to the Bible and, having consulted no one in particular, make of it what they will. That is breaking the rules.

You hear it in Lauren’s remark, ‘Reading the full story with all its contradictions and violence and sexism, it should make you think, ‘Is this really what I believe in?’ At least it did for me.’”

The atheist of this low calibre simply takes what they think the Bible means, and compares it with, ‘what I believe,’ dismissing what doesn’t suit them and feeling quite smug about it into the bargain. Oh, dear!

These people really should grow up, take some responsibility for their folly, learn and apply the rules. For instance, it is utter folly to compare the mores of our society with that of societies some two-thousand and more years ago.  This is a simple rule of historical research. But who needs rules when you have already made up your mind?

Not a Book of Instructions

Furthermore, the Bible is not a simple book of instructions. In many different literary styles it is a collection of poetry, parable, philosophy, theology, history, and of stories covering over 3,000 years. Some stories are examples, some are warnings. If you take the warnings for examples, well, of course you are going to be shocked. If you take the culture, practices, errors and sins of ages past as God’s ultimate ‘norm’ then you are going to be disappointed.

Even in the Bible, stories are culturally bound, so attitudes cannot be, and we should not expect them to be, so foreign to the surrounding society as to be completely alien and irrelevant. On the other hand, it is true that the Christian religion is, in its own way, most peculiar for its time, blazing a trail in cross-cultural harmony (Eph.2:11-21)emancipation for slaves and women (Gal.3:28) setting the bar high on issues of morality and civilised society (Mt.5-7). Indeed, the Judeo/Christian tradition laid a solid foundation for what we so take for granted today, Western concepts of freedom, equality, morality, justice and mercy.

The Bible is God’s Word and it only makes sense, it is a rule if you will, that you should allow God to speak for himself in his word. What does God mean by this? rather than, What words will I put in God’s mouth, what charge shall I lay at his door? It is wicked to caricature Bible lessons as ‘fluffy stories’ and, while it is commendable that someone should read it for themselves, it is a mistake to read into it our own prejudices, preconceptions and misunderstandings.

It is foolishness to think that, having nothing but what you regard as fluffy stories to draw upon, you should think yourself capable of fully understanding a document that has proved the better of generations who have tried to dismiss it, ban it and burn it, that has comforted and encouraged, educated and equipped countless Christians to acts of great courage, philanthropy, sacrifice and service . The 19th century preacher C H Spurgeon famously declared, “Defend the Bible? I would as soon defend a lion! Unchain it and it will defend itself.”

But then, if you come to it with your mind made up…

 The fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God.’ (Ps.14:1)