November 24 reflections

A man who identifies as a Christian spoke with me yesterday about heaven. He said that he believed his favorite dog would be there, and he could not imagine heaven without waterfalls. I said I just wanted to thank and praise Jesus for all that He has done for me. He responded that I was more "spiritual" than he. His comments flow with many others that I have heard over the years. People speak of the things they want to do there like fish or play basketball. They hardly ever mention Jesus, which leads me to wonder, would "Christians" be content with heaven if Jesus wasn't there? Paul's attitude is so different! "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain... My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." ( Phil 1:21,23b) This leads to my second reflection. How many "Christians" are like I was, knowing about Christ but not truly knowing him? We can say that we know about a famous person, through reading or TV or movies, but we do not know them personally. When someone justifies disobedience to a specific command of Christ by appealing to the truth that God is loving, one wonders how intimate their relationship is. "For to this end Christ both died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living." ( Romans 14:9 ESV) "He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." ( 2 Corinthians 5:15 ESV) Christ did not come to suffer and to die to help us to do what we want to do but rather to gather for Himself a people surrendered to Him as King. In discussion last night with a Nigerian pastor who lives in a dangerous Muslim majority area, he stated that the largest area of disobedience in the Church was in not evangelizing. He has lived here a number of years and is fluent in English. I am compelled to agree as this is my biggest area of disobedience. Lord, I repent, and ask for boldness as Paul did. "To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel." ( Ephesians 6:18b-19)

Reflections on Hosea

Very recently two brothers asked me if we could study the so called Minor Prophets together since they normally do not hear any teaching on them. Because one is an exchange student returning to his home country soon, we realized that we could not tackle them all so we agreed to study Hosea, the first of the twelve minors. As I reconsidered this decision I began to question its wisdom. Weren't there more important things to look at in the Bible? But, having agreed to study Hosea, I concluded that I needed to keep my promise for the sake of integrity. My first inclination was to consult a study Bible. While i have read Hosea a number of times over the years, it had never been a subject of special interest. This morning I was led to simply read the whole book (about ten pages in the ESV) at one sitting to get a sense of the major theme (s). Upon completion I could say with Paul, "Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!" ( Romans 11:33a) For the primary theme of Hosea was exactly what I had felt led to delve into with my brothers. Consider a married couple in which one commits adultery. The one who has remained faithful loves his or her spouse. Imagine the shock, anguish, anger. Does the spouse wish to give up, punish the other, or hope and work towards restoration? Probably multiple conflicting feelings are churning inside. If we are created in God's image, as Genesis 1:26 and 28 attest, and we have feelings, then God must have feelings too. We see this in the life of Jesus. He weeps ( John 11:35), rejoices ( Matthew 11:25 NIV), shows compassion, gets angry. And we see this display of God's feelings towards His people throughout Hosea. He pleads with them to stop their adultery. He says He will punish them. "Hear the word of the Lord, o children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land." ( Hosea 4:1 ESV) "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity." ( Hosea 14:1) This interplay between God and His people in the time of Hosea mirrors our relationship with God. He ardently wants intimate personal relationship with us. He is angry with our unfaithfulness yet He does not cast us off but entreats us to return to Him and receive His love. "I will heal their apostasy; i will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them." ( Hosea 14:4 ESV)

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

Following the massacre in Paris yesterday, I was invited to a prayer vigil attended by a number of young college age people. There were about twenty-five of us. We were asked to form a circle, hold hands, and pray one by one around the circle. Many expressed shock and incomprehension about why God would allow some horror and tragedy. This reminded me of the perennial question of why God allows bad things to happen to good people. The difficulty in responding to this question in a way that would assuage people's feelings is that, from a Scriptural perspective, the question itself is deeply flawed. In contrast to prevailing human understanding the Bible does not portray people as inherently good. Instead it portrays the exact opposite. David says, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me." ( Psalm 51:6) Lest we think that David's mother was an particularly evil person, we read in Romans 5:12 and 3:23 that all have sinned. Romans 3:12 says that no one does good, not even one. Titus 3:3 offers God's perspective on unredeemed humanity. "For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another." ( All references ESV) Similar descriptions can be found in Romans 1:18-32, 2 Timothy 3:1-7, and Ephesians 2:1-3. Humanity is not good but evil and a just God has reserved wrath for those who refuse to love the truth and so be saved. ( 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2 Thess 2:10.) A more Scripturally accurate question would be why do good things happen to bad people? Those who receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior does not get what they deserve- eternal conscious punishment- for their disobedience, rebellion, and ingratitude, but rather grace, mercy and peace. Why? Because Jesus was betrayed, arrested, tortured, crucified and raised from the dead to take the punishment for our sins. for our badness. As I participated in the prayer vigil I was reminded of the beginning of Luke 13. Some people have told Jesus about a massacre of Galileans by the Roman governor Pilate. Jesus responds, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others wholived in Jerusalem/ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." ( Luke 13:2-5) God uses these horrific incidents as merciful warnings to bring people to repentance.

Recent Biblical Reflections

in Acts chapter 10, Cornelius the Gentile centurion, seems to have been chosen to receive the gospel and the moving/filling of the Holy Spirit because of what he did- fearing God, giving generous alms, and praying continually. I happened to read this chapter after having received a question about whether God responds more favorably or powerfully to those who seek or live for Him. Galatians 6:7, which reads "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap," hits home with particular force as I observe the ravages of a decades long unhealthy lifestyle on someone whom I know well. In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul commends the Thessalonians for their imitation both of him and the Lord Jesus. They "became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia" (northern and southern Greece). Hopefully the example of the Thessalonians inspires us as well. In 1 Peter obedience to the truth involves "sincere brotherly love," and "loving one another earnestly from a pure heart." Most of the above reflections stem from one on one Bible reading and study with various brothers, which we have committed to on a weekly basis. Going slowly and prayerfully through the Scriptures, looking at cross references, and attempting to apply what God is showing us does not require a seminary education or the knowledge of ancient languages. It does require a heart for God and a hunger for His Word coupled with finding another believer who has the same. In closing I note that the greatest commandment ( Mark 12:30) to love God with all of our being "shouts" relationship. God continues to remind me that I was created to have relationship with Him. This is one of the few things that we can take with us into the next life. Without that relationship we enter eternal death. ( Matthew 25:46)