CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS

 

CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS

Introduction

Image from Web

Christmas is when we especially focus on the birth of Jesus while Easter is when we zoom in on His death and resurrection. Jesus lived a perfect life between these two points which were around thirty-three years apart. We know this because we are told “Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph…” (Luke 3:23). His ministry began with His baptism and lasted for around three years, ending with His crucifixion. Correction: His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension were included in His ministry.

It is here that we move into that much neglected teaching of the Bible, i.e., the doctrine of the Trinity. It is at His baptism by John that we see clearly the Trinity in action. What this has to do with Christmas will become clear. We don’t need to struggle with a three-leafed clover or ice/water/steam (or any of the plethora of illustrations that always seem to fall short of accurately depicting the triuneness of God), when we can just look at what Scripture says about Jesus’s baptism. We’ll start there and then work our way back to His conception and birth.

Now, you may think it strange that we would have a look a baptism to help us learn some more about Christ’s Christmas incarnation and birth. Think of it as the difference between leisurely taking the “scenic route” as opposed to the “bypass” while driving. Maybe we can even add a Christmas dimension by likening it to driving around the dark suburbs and viewing various Christmas displays. Some are simply a few lights while others get you to wondering how expensive their power bills must be! You’ll need to step out of your car and walk, even wade, through some snow, and at times deep snow, for a closer look at the lights. Of course, the Christmas lights we’ll be looking at are a few Bible verses.

Displays at His Baptism

Let’s do a brief running commentary on the following verses from Matthew’s Gospel:

Sprinkled/Poured-out blessing (Web Clipart)

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him” (Matt. 3:13-15).

We don’t see Santa and his reindeer in this “Christmas display”, but we do see that Jesus wasn’t baptised to wash away His sins. He had no sins of His own. His baptism was to wash away other people’s sins, (the blessing), i.e., the sins of all who believe in Him alone to save them from the punishment (the curse) they would receive for their sins against God. We need to bring an angel into our Christmas display, “The angel said to Joseph in a dream, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:20b-21). There’re more, but four things jump out at us from this display: Holy Spirit, Jesus, His people, sins.

Meanwhile, back to the first display we looked at. Jesus being baptised to “fulfill all righteousness” was about the promise of the Father. What promise? The Old Testament is full of them! But here’s just one for now. “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 3:1). We see John the Baptiser in this verse that was written some four hundred years beforehand by Malachi. But more importantly, we see Jesus, “the Messenger of the covenant”, yes, “the Lord” also mentioned. So, here at this Christmas display, i.e., the Lord’s baptism, we see what the Father promised through His prophet Malachi arriving on the scene to “fulfill all righteousness.” This means, of course, that Jesus was doing everything according to the Mosaic law (as properly understood). This is what we mean by Jesus being “sinless”. He perfectly kept every jot and tittle of God’s Law as it applied to Him in those days, which included, of course, the Ten Commandments, and its applications as the ceremonial and Israel’s judicial laws. To “fulfill all righteousness” mostly has to do with the ceremonial law, which, in short, was the Gospel in the Old Testament. Yes, there’s a lot of detail in this wonderful Christmas display!

Displays at the Temple

We need to hear a Christmas carol playing at this point. How about this one? “O come, O come, Emmanuel / And ransom captive Israel/ Who mourns in lonely exile here/ Until the Son of God appear./ Rejoice! Rejoice!/ Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” (From the 13^th century Latin, John Mason Neal, 1818-66). Emmanuel, God with us, the Messenger of the covenant, the Lord Jesus, first appeared in the temple not long after His birth in Bethlehem. “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21).

While at the temple, they met Simeon. “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:25-26). We note that the Holy Spirit was present. Therefore, the third Person in the Trinity was known to Old Testament believers who were awaiting the Messiah’s arrival. He would only be poured out on all nations by the Father and the Son after Jesus had shed His blood, been resurrected and then ascended, as per the covenant promise, “So shall He sprinkle many nations (Isa. 52:15; cf. Joel 2:28-29 with Acts 1:4-5, 2:1-21).

So, we’ve seen Jesus at the temple when He was eight days old. We see Him at the temple again when He is twelve years old with His parents. He went missing. “His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast… So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers” (Luke 2:41-42, 45-47). The twelve-year-old Jesus was asking and was answering His “Catechism” questions! Oh to be more like Him with an amazing knowledge and understanding of Scripture!

Poured-out curse (Image from Web)

We see Jesus again at the temple. This time as One with authority after He had come into His ministry. “Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (Matt. 21:12-13). 

He would visit again after about forty years. This time by the Spirit with a poured-out curse rather than a poured-out blessing. “Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matt. 24:1-2). “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Matt. 24:34). “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:20-22). “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Luke 21:32-33). The destruction of Jerusalem reached its completion with the demolition of its the temple in AD70.

Displays in the Outpoured Spirit & Sprinkled Blood of Christ  

Now, as we ponder all those mesmerising flashing light bulbs and beautiful colours, trying to figure out what they all mean, it goes without saying that the mode and meaning of baptism is one of the most disputed doctrines among Christians. Some see only dunking, while others see only sprinkling/pouring. Others see both these modes! But, like the proverbial hammer that views everything else as a nail, we need to be aware of our own subtle tendencies regarding the word baptism. Keep this in mind when you read that “John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). So, later, Jesus was going to “baptize with the Holy Spirit” which also refers to the promise of the Father.

Sprinkled blessing (Image from Web)

Some Christmas displays, as well as all the bright lights, have carols playing in the background. Ordinarily we don’t have snow at Christmas in Australia, but here’s a hymn (that mentions snow!) that could be playing as we look at our Christmas display: What can wash away my sin?/ Nothing but the blood of Jesus./ What can make me whole again?/ Nothing but the blood of Jesus./ Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow./ ? No other fount I know./ Nothing but the blood of Jesus. (Robert Lowry, 1826-99).

It is the sprinkled blood of Christ on us that makes us white as snow! Therefore, whenever and wherever you see snow at Christmas (on the street or on a Christmas card), think Christ’s sprinkled blood. That’s what the poured out Holy Spirit applies to believers, the blood of the covenant, as per the pictures in both the Old and New Testaments, i.e., the Bible. (See e.g., Exod. 24:6-7; Heb. 9:19-22). Picture this then when it says that Jesus was being baptised by John to obediently “fulfill all righteousness”.

Let’s set the scene some more. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:10-11). I loved seeing white Christmases when I lived in Scotland and Canada, but where I live now, we are more likely to see rain, warm rain, “come down from heaven”. God sending His Word to bring life is illustrated by the rain and snow watering the crops. It is the Holy Spirit that the falling rain and snow are picturing. Here we see, as it were, the Spirit “baptising” the earth. A covenant blessing! (Gen. 8:22). 

Now, let’s ponder our Christmas display some more.

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Now, remember what we said about our tendencies, our presuppositions, our preconceived ideas about baptism? Try not to display your theological biases. Where it says “Jesus came up immediately from the water” does not necessarily mean that He was under the water or had been dunked therein. To think that way may mean that you miss the important thing that baptism is pointing to, viz., the promise of the Holy Spirit (Who comes upon us, to sanctify us, to set us apart with Christ’s blood).

Pored-out blessing (Image from Web)

Do you remember Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch? Compare the eunuch’s baptism with Jesus’s. Notice the presence of the Holy spirit too. “So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:38-29). Like Philip and the eunuch, both John the Baptiser and Jesus went down into the water and both John and Jesus came up out of the water. Nothing is said anywhere about either John or Jesus going under the water. Therefore, we all should try to keep our presuppositions in check and just let the Spirit speak to us with the Word without us imposing ourselves on the text. Baptism is about God’s covenant promise. It is about having that covenant promise applied to us as pictured by having water sprinkled/poured on us. It is the sprinkled blood of Jesus that saves us from our sins, not our profession of faith, as important as professions are.    

Again, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:20b-21). Remember that Jesus was coming to shed His blood in accordance with the law. “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). Therefore, among other things, in our Christmas display we see there are at least four things of note thus far, viz., baptism, our sins, Christ’s blood, the Holy Spirit.

What’s that? Do you hear strains of “Child in the manger,/ Infant of Mary;/ Outcast and stranger,/ Lord of all!/ Child who inherits/ All our transgressions,/ all our demerits/ On Him fall.”? (Tune: Traditional Gaelic Melody, Words: Mary MacDonald (1789-1872) translated by Lachlan Macbean (1853-1931).

Right, as we’ve studied our Christmas display, when we saw Jesus come up from the water, we saw the Father in heaven above declare, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we saw the Spirit descend from our Father in heaven to come upon the Son on earth. Thus, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are pictured in baptism. The Father has given the promise of His Spirit to Jesus who does the Father’s will on earth.

So, as we continue to study our Christmas display, let us note that the Spirit, as gentle as falling snow, comes upon those to whom the Father sends Him. Think, for example, of old Simeon in the temple, of Philip with the eunuch, (though with a bit of thunderous rumbling!) of those believers at Pentecost etc. This is what baptism pictures. This is what was pictured at Jesus’s baptism by John. Jesus was given (as gentle as a dove) the Spirit so that He could “fulfill all righteousness”. Again, according to the law “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Trinitarian Display

So, if we collect our thoughts about baptism, and just before we have another look at our Christmas display, we have already seen that baptism is Trinitarian. Indeed, we are baptised, not so much in the name of God, though it is by His authority, but more into the name of God, which name, of course, is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (three Persons as one God). Baptism therefore is the sign and seal of the Triune God. “Baptizing them in[to] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19b). Some Bibles choose to miss out the following, but it summarises well the Trinity, “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one” (1 John 5:7).

Baptism is to have God’s name and God’s covenant promise affixed to you. God declared Jesus to be His Son at His baptism. He is declaring you to be His adopted child at your baptism. The Spirit is given to us as a token of this. “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Cor. 1:21-22). We see this clearly illustrated by Christ’s baptism by John. i.e., the application of the water to Jesus depicting what the Father was going to do (and did) with the Spirit. Jesus was anointed with water which was signifying His (subsequent) anointing with the Holy Spirit. Messiah, like Christ, simply means Anointed. Jesus was anointed as our Prophet, Priest, and King at His baptism. At our baptism, we are anointed as His subjects. And, for us, it is by our fruits, i.e., the fruit of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us, that we shall be known (Matt. 7:16; Gal. 5:22-23). For us, it’s as Paul says to the Galatians, “My little children, for whom I labour in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). The Spirit, who is the Spirit of Christ, is the One who forms Christ in us.

Phew! Maybe by now you’re now thinking that we should have taken that by-pass road instead of the scenic route! That's the trouble with falling snow, you cannot hear it. It's only when you turn around and look that you see how deep it's getting! But before we pack up, let’s once again gaze upon our Christmas display. Do we need an angel to help us?   

“Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:30-35).

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in forming Christ Jesus in Mary. Only, Mary has the Spirit forming the physical Jesus in her, while we only have the Spirit forming Him in us spiritually, i.e., making us more like Jesus.

Conclusion

We have learned that the three Persons in the Trinity were present at Jesus baptism: God the Father above sent God the Spirit (who was soon to be poured out on all flesh) who alighted on the (incarnate) God the Son on earth. John had pictured this beforehand with the poured-out water on all who had come to him for baptism, including Jesus. With this knowledge we see that the Father, who, throughout Scripture is called the Highest, i.e., the Most High (Gen. 14:19-20; 2 Sam. 22:14; Psa. 7:10; Luke 1:32,35,76; 6:35; 8:28), with the Son sent the Spirit upon Mary to “overshadow” her with the power of the Highest in order for her to conceive the Holy One, so that the Son of God could become flesh. Unlike us who have human fathers, God the Father is the Father of Jesus. Mary is His mother. It was the Holy Spirit who brought this to pass.

Likewise, the Holy Spirit must come upon you and me before Christ will be formed in us. This means that we must be sanctified by, i.e., sprinkled by, His blood before the Holy Spirit will form Christ in us. Christ baptism is not the reality. However, it is a picture of this. Therefore, our baptism ought to be an illustration of this covenant promise of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

When considering the birth of Jesus, the Triune God is displayed to us every Christmas. You just have to know how and where to look.

Image from Web

Is that another carol we can hear? “O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,/ It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth./ Long lay the world in sin and error pining,/ ‘Til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth./ A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,/ For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn./ Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!/ O night divine, O night when Christ was born;/ O night divine, O night, O night Divine.” Placide Cappeau, translated by John Sullivan Dwight.

Click to view (or cut & paste) Celtic Worship play O Holy Night:

https://youtu.be/Ug7DjVvfIrI?si=FQfLWTDg9I0VJ9x2

https://youtu.be/Ug7DjVvfIrI?si=4X8D5nGHSnAQ4hKo

FAITHFUL FRIENDS

 

FAITHFUL FRIENDS

 

Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain” (Gal. 2:11-21).

Introduction

There was a group styling themselves as “Pagans” who met in a neighbourhood where I once used to live. Some people were stirred up enough to write into the neighbourhood newspaper about it all. I must admit that I usually cringe when I read the letters of so-called Christians written in the local rag – especially when they attempt to defend the Faith against outside attack. I get the distinct impression that they’re Christians in name only, that they are ignorant of the Scriptures. They often promote what I call “Doormat Christianity.” Doormat Christianity invites people to walk all over them. It’s a caricature of Christianity. It’s not the real thing. It’s what those outside of the church usually think Christianity is, you know, Hallmark Christmas movies etc. The trouble is that there are many in the church today who believe the same lie.

Well, we should already know that the Gospel is about setting people free, that the Gospel is about being set free from all false religion, be it Communism, Atheism, Socialism, Secularism, Neo-Marxism, Evolutionism, Humanism, Greenie-ism, Wokeism, etc. The Gospel can even set you free from Paganism (which includes those isms just listed). It can free you from all -ism. However, the freedom isn’t just so that you can do as you like. The freedom Christ purchased with His blood is the freedom to serve God, i.e., to serve Him the way He wants to be served. It’s the freedom from serving the idols of false religion and false philosophy. It’s the freedom to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. And it’s the freedom to love your neighbour as yourself.

St Paul's Presbyterian Church, Brisbane

The church often has failed miserably to express her love for the Lord by keeping His Commandments in their various life applications. In the following I want you to see how the Apostle Paul loves God and his neighbour as himself. You’ll see him admonish a Christian brother right to his very face. And you’ll see that he did this out of love for the Lord and love for his neighbour.

Before we get started, I want you also to remember that Paul the Apostle said these words, “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern” (Phil. 3:17). 

Faithful Friends are Tried

How many times has the Lord given you opportunity to demonstrate Christian love? Look at the opportunity that the Lord has given Paul. Look at the test he’s undergoing. The Council at Jerusalem was in total agreement with Paul’s Gospel. And then, (who would have thought!), the Apostle Peter starts playing the hypocrite (2:13). He’s having a bad influence, setting a bad example, destroying the pattern Christians are to follow. The rest of the Jews are playing the hypocrite along with him. Peter’s even got Barnabas climbing aboard too. So, what’s going on here?

A bunch of Jewish men came from the place where James was ministering. And what does Peter do? He turns up his nose at the people he used to dine with, and he goes and sits with these Jews. This, of course, is a strange thing for Peter to do. In chapter 11 of the book of Acts there’s a record of Peter’s encounter with Jews over this very issue. The Jews then had accused him of eating with Gentiles. So Peter told them all about the vision he had had – how he was commanded by the Lord to eat all these things that according to their dietary law, were unclean to Jews. Peter complained to the Lord, but the Lord said, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (Acts 11:9). And Peter spoke these words, “So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them [the Gentiles], by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9).

So what’s Peter playing at? He’s siding with Jews and shunning everyone else. Well, Peter, it would seem, is prone to saying one thing and doing another. For He is the man who said, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” Then before a rooster could crow, he said, “I don’t know him!” But let’s give the Apostle Peter the benefit of the doubt here. Perhaps he hadn’t thought through what he was doing.

John Know's grave, Edinburgh

Let’s say you were an Aussie living in Scotland. What would you do if you bumped into a bunch of Aussies over on holiday. You’d want to spend some time with them. Why? Well, you’d want to reminisce about things back home. You’d have so much in common. But I think we’re clutching at straws trying to make excuses for Peter actions here. Because we’re told that Peter was “fearing those who were of the circumcision” (2:12).

Now, as Christians, when it comes to races, we tend to say that there is only one race – the human race. Depending on where you look it up, there seems to be around five races listed – from white Caucasian through black Negroid with others in between. However, as Christians, we look to the Table of Nations as described in Genesis 10. If all but the eight on the ark died in the Flood, then we are all descendants of Noah’s three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their wives. Why am I telling you this? Paul is calling Peter racist! He says to Peter, “We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles…” (2:15).

The word Jews has to do with Paul and Peter being Ju-dahites. They were of the line of Shem, from whence we get Semites. The descendants of Ham, generally speaking, are those who spread over Africa and beyond, the Hamites, and the Japhethites, generally speaking, are the Greeks, those who spread all over Europe and beyond. The Arabs are also Semites. But let’s not get too carried away here.

Instead of Judahites or “Jews by nature”, the NIV has “Jews by birth.” The words “by nature” accommodates both by birth and by nature. The word “Gentile” has to do with the ethnics, as in all those from nations other than Paul and Peter’s. Gentiles simply means nations, nations other than the one Paul and Peter belong to, including those descended from Ham and Japheth, from black through white.

Being Celtic, the Galatians, i.e., these “Greeks”, would predominantly be fair skinned. Anyway, Paul is calling out Peter for being racist by his actions. Up ahead in Galatians Paul says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek … for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). He says in Romans, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek…” (Rom. 10:12). In 1 Corinthians, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks…” (1 Cor. 12:13). And in Ephesians, “having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity” (Eph. 2:15-18). We could add more verses, but the Gentiles, the Ethnics, i.e., the other Nations, have now been grafted into the same olive tree that Paul and Peter belong to (Rom. 11:17), which is to say, that the Church is the Israel of God. “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed” (Gal. 3:7-8, cf. 3:13-14).

Triquetra or Celtic Knot

Therefore, Paul confronting Peter for his racism is very relevant for our own day where we have some Christians ascribing a special status to today’s Jews, even the present day nation of Israel! The eyes of many of them are on the nation of Israel, as if this nation, and not the Church that the Lord bought with His own precious blood (Acts 20:28), which is made up of Jew and Gentile, is, because of its ethnicity, the people of God. This is exactly why Paul is rebuking Peter! According to Paul, there is no chosen race. Christ is the chosen One; and if you or your nation are not in Christ, then you or your nation are not chosen.       

How is the Apostle Paul going to demonstrate genuine Christian love to this erring brother? Is he going to turn a blind eye and hope it will all go away on its own? “If the blind leads the blind both will fall into a ditch.” Maybe Peter can’t see it, but Paul can. He’s not blind. Peter is at fault. “He was to be blamed” (2:11). And so, the Lord has given Paul the golden opportunity to act as a faithful friend to Peter. Paul, let’s see if you really do love God and your neighbour. That’s his test.

Faithful Friends are True

“But when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed” (2:11). And we are told in verse 14 that Paul told Peter off in front of everyone. There was none of this behind the back stuff with Paul. Paul publicly “shirtfronted” Peter!

How is a person going to know you love him if you refuse to openly express that love? How many times have you or I said to someone, “I don’t think so and so should be doing what they’re doing”? Instead of talking about the person you should be talking to the person. There’s a proverb which says, “Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed” (Prov. 27:5). It goes on to say, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” It’s my belief that there’s too much deceitful kissing and slobbering over each other in Christian circles today. Don’t get me wrong. We all need to be encouraged to walk the walk worthy of our calling. But it’s the way some Christians go about this that has me puzzled.

Christians have been falling for this self-esteem nonsense that doing the rounds. There’s sensitivity and then there’s sensitivity. There’s a time for a quiet word of encouragement in an erring brother’s ear. But there is also a time for a loud rebuke in his face. We don’t see much of this nowadays as we all try to be SNAGS. We’re not talking about sausages. A SNAG is what we used to call a sensitive New Age guy. But don’t listen to Pagan New Age gobbledegook. Listen to the Word of God.

Did Paul say to himself, “I better not say anything to Peter in case I shatter his wounded self-esteem”? Let’s face it, Peter’s been through a great deal – what with denying the Lord and all. I mean, he must have really had his low self-esteem flattened into the mud the time the Lord, with all the sensitivity of a twelve-ton sledgehammer, said to him, ‘Get thee behind Me Satan!’ How’s Peter ever going to get over that? Did Paul think, “I’d better take it easy with Him.” Paul wasn’t about to kowtow to psychobabble when the truth of the Gospel was at stake.

Today’s low self-esteem ploy is nothing but a wily trick of the devil. We live in an age where everyone in the churches is psychoanalysing everyone else. How did the Lord’s Church ever manage before Freud and Jung? I’ll tell you. The Church did what the Bible told them to do. They rebuked an erring brother to his face if need be. They did this because it was an expression of Christian love. “ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Luther and Calvin rebuked others in the same loving manner – just as Paul rebuked Peter to his face for his blatant compromise of the Gospel. And Peter, had been admonished to his face in public, by better than the Apostle Paul. When the Lord rebuked Peter, was He afraid of damaging Peter’s low self-esteem or self-confidence? Wasn’t the Lord afraid that Paul would end up resenting Him? Was Paul afraid that Peter would end up resenting him? No! “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” The wounds are the evidence of the friendship. They are the expressions of your love for another. How do I know this? Because the Bible tells me so.

Thus saith the Lord, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent” (Rev. 3:19). The Lord wants people to repent and be saved. But how will people repent if they are never confronted with the truth of the gospel? And how will they be confronted with the truth of the gospel if we’re too afraid of wounding that person’s self-esteem? We live in a society where this is considered unloving to correct the faults of another. Especially since you’re anything but perfect yourself. “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” They’ll even quote the Scriptures at you, taking them out of context, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” All this, like the low self-esteem trick, is an attempt to stop you from correcting some wrong. “Look at all the wars that have been fought in the name of religion.” “Look at all the wrong things the church has done in the past.” Therefore “Who are you to be telling someone else they’re doing something they shouldn’t?” “So what!” says Paul who has invited us to follow his example, “I withstood [Peter] to his face, [Why?] because he was to be blamed”

Faithful friends are true – true to their Saviour – true to His Law and Gospel. They’ve been set free from the bondage of cultural protocol. If you live in a culture, such as ours where open rebuke is considered unloving, then so what? The Gospel has set you free, free to serve the Lord, not the customs of culture, pagan culture. You’re free to love God and your neighbour the way the Lord wants you to. We need to see things as they really are. We need to see things as a matter of life and death.

Listen to this piece of Scripture, “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20). Do you want to save souls from death? Let me ask you the same question using different words, “Do you love your neighbour as yourself?” If you’ve really been set free by Christ and His Gospel, then express your love for God and your neighbour. Stand up for the truth of the Gospel wherever you see people turn a blind eye to it. But it’s easier to turn a blind eye with them, isn’t it? You might hurt the other person’s feelings. And they might hurt more than your feelings.

Image from Web

The Titanic turned a blind eye toward an iceberg – and a ship went under. The Thredbo ski-resort turned a blind eye toward a leaking pipe – and a village went under. The Church turned a blind eye toward the truth and the whole of the Western world went under. So what in a nutshell was the big problem with Paul and the rest? Paul says, “they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel” (2:14). They, i.e., Peter and the Jews, “were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel” (NIV).

If we are to express our love to our neighbour, we need to tell them when they are stepping out of line with the truth of the Gospel. Just like Paul, who set the example, did. But we ourselves need to know what the truth of the Gospel is first, don’t we? But how will we ever know if we carry on the way we are in the Church at large? Most, it seems, are more willing to turn a blind eye, than run the risk being called unloving by those affected by culture. We’re supposed to be influencing our neighbours, not the other way around.

So then, as we begin to tie things together: How did the Apostle Peter handle Paul’s confronting him with the truth of the gospel? Did he become all bitter and twisted because Paul rebuked him to his face? Did he become suicidal? Not at all, for Peter speaks of Paul as his “beloved brother” in 2 Peter 3:15. Wise man! As the proverb says, “The ear that hears the reproof of life will abide among the wise” (Prov. 15:31). “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Prov. 27:17).

I think the Holy Spirit speaking through His Word has rebuked us. It’s how He shows us that He loves us. So let’s be zealous and repent. Let’s get back on track again. Let’s stop ignoring the truth. Let’s start doing what the Word says we’re to do. Who knows? Maybe the Lord will rescue His Church from beneath the rubble, from beneath the murky depths of false religion and philosophy, the paganism, that permeates the society in which we live – even Christian society. But we’ll have to catch hold of His lifeline of truth, won’t we? We’ll have to start looking in the direction of His voice. If we’re ever going to get out of our sorry predicament, we’ll have to do exactly what He tells us. He has given us an example of the way we should go. He has given as a pattern to follow in the Apostle Paul. And the Lord says His Scriptures are sufficient for all our needs (John 17:17).

Like every true Christian I long for reformation in the Church. I long to see Christ mount His white charger and gallop across whole nations again with His Law and Gospel. Just as He did during the great Reformation. Oh! You might think that the Lord’s Church is dead and buried and I’m living in the past. Christians need to wake up. We need to stop our sleepwalking. Christians have been turning a blind eye to sin. The blind have been leading the blind for far too long. It’s time we climbed out of the ditch and dusted ourselves off and got on with it. It’s time we reclaimed the ground we’ve lost to those who hate Christ and His Law and Gospel!

Image from Web

Take the YMCA, for example. The Young Men’s Christian Association appears to be Christian in name only. Christians have let Christian institution after Christian institution like this one fall to the enemies of Christ. Our schools, colleges and universities were taken over by the Secular Humanistic State. Christians send their children to these institutions, then wonder why when they stop coming to church. These institutions have become factories of secular humanism, atheism, New Ageism, etc., yes, paganism. Christians sat idly by and watched it all happen! Even the Christian schools and colleges have all but been swallowed up by Pentecostalism and Secular government-ism. There’s a verse of Scripture I’m clinging to which says, “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him” (Isa. 59:19). I don’t think there could be a better time than now in Australia and amongst the other nations.

Conclusion

I’m sure you can see many places where the Lord is trying you. Are you going to remain a faithful friend tried and true? If you are, then maybe the Spirit will use you to raise up His banner. I don’t have to tell you that there are thousands of “worthy” causes around. We could be run ragged defending the truth of His Law and Gospel all over the place. Try not to be Don Quixote – tilting at every windmill that moves.

The devil, it seems, likes it when we spread ourselves thin. The main thing the church today needs is to rediscover what the truth of the Gospel is.

Is there any hope? There were one or two letters that Christians had written into the local paper about this YMCA/Pagan issue that actually made sense. They didn’t cause me to cringe as these things usually do. In fact, I found them to be very encouraging indeed. They were being very straight forward with the truth of the Gospel! In fact, they reminded me a bit of the Apostle Paul. More than that, they reminded me of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; who was never One for wishy-washy, lovey-dovey tolerance of sin in human beings. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

Jesus Christ rebuked and chastened people right to their very faces if need be. Let us go and do likewise, dispensing with all the psychobabble that might prevent us. Who knows – maybe the Spirit of the Lord is lifting up a standard against the enemy.

THE CULTURED CHRISTIAN

 

As one who was greatly influenced early on after Christian conversion in my early thirties by a lot of this Neo-Calvinism business, I would like to give my very brief two-cents worth on its positive impact on my life. Now, no doubt, what I’m about to say in the following will be very bewildering to many Christians. They will have no idea what I’m talking about. Other Christians will simply balk at it. While yet others will take umbrage and some may even gnash their teeth! This is where we quote that oft-quoted verse of Scripture about iron sharpening iron (Prov. 27:17).

Is that sabre-rattling I’m hearing already? Do claymores rattle? 

Now, very broadly speaking, and I mean broadly, I equate Calvinism per se with what is/was seen in Scotland from the time of its Reformation onwards. And I view Neo-Calvinism[1] with what is/was seen in the Netherlands and some other parts of Europe from the time of its Reformation, but more especially in the Netherlands in the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. The former (i.e., Scottish Calvinism) being culture destroying (e.g., in the arts, the Gaelic language, and from its lack of hymn-writers and great composers [probably on account of the promotion of - though truly beautiful as it is in its own right! - exclusive psalmody without musical accompaniment} etc., and the latter culture enhancing (Rembrandt et al, all the great hymnwriters and composers {including all the English and Welsh ones}, etc.) 

The Return of the Prodigal Son, 1668

Yes, big brush strokes, really big, I know, (but it’s for the sake of brevity). Now, here’s the thing…

I hear it said that “politics is downstream from culture.” Like Francis Schaeffer used to always do, I suppose we need to define our terms. Romans 13 governs our definition of politics – in that it is basically about promoting good and deterring evil in every area of society, from the individual, the local, municipal through national. (I’ve lifted the following basic but useful definition of culture from the Net): Culture = “the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.”

The Church in Scotland, in its politics, i.e., in its promotion of good and deterring evil, for all the good it did in its past, also impacted Scottish culture negatively – by hamstringing linguistic, artistic, musical development, etc. yes, by stifling culture rather than cultivating it (as per Holland in the good old days).

So, the Church (i.e., Christians), with its salt and light (Matt. 5:13-14), influences culture which, in turn, influences politics, which influences how we all get to live our lives. However, like the mini tsunami of the Severn bore, in our own day we see an inversion of this. The Church now seems to be downstream to politics and culture and is being poisoned. (When we were kids we were taught not to drink water from a burn/creek downstream if it had a dead sheep in it! Drinking upstream from dead things is far better for health. But what went wrong with the Church that she now imbibes from a poisoned chalice? How does the Church fix it? Do we retreat, sit back and pray and let God fix it or is there something the Church is supposed to be doing to fix it as well as praying?

Image from Web

Australian Christianity seems essentially to be disengaged from politics. As a Neo-Calvinist living Down Under, as I verbalise these observations, I’ve even heard someone say to me that I sound just like those American Evangelicals! Yet, the American Evangelicals are in the death-grip of culture-dodging-Earth-escaping Dispensationalism – those with the “why polish brass on a sinking ship” type of theology. Then, there are those who like-minded with the Dispensationalists, i.e., those Amillennialists, the ones that hold to the immanent return of Christ and the “it’s all going to burn up anyway” type of theology. (Is anyone hyperventilating yet? Try the paper bag solution!)

Bottom line to my extremely broad-brushed pontifications? I’ve adopted a Covenant Theology approach that is both Postmillennial and Christian Reconstructionistic.[2] Let’s just call it Neo-Calvinism for short. To be sure, there will be those who hold to different nuances in these areas, but basically all will hold to the famous Kuyper quote:

"Oh, no single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry ‘Mine.’"[3]  

As redeemed individuals, as the Church, i.e., as Christians, we are to be about the business of redeeming the societies in which we live, community by community, nation by nation. Hence, why I am Neo-Calvinist. In other words, I have built my worldview upon a Three forms of Unity, Westminster Standards type of theology, i.e., Covenant Theology – which is a theology that holds to a TFU, WS view of Law and Gospel. This I implement with an optimistic “Christ, not Satan, will progressively win the Earth before His return” type of an eschatology.

This means that the “Last Days” may go on for thousands of years before Christ returns. Therefore, we Christians must plan and must work towards the future, be it educating our children, building and architecture, agriculture… yes, all that cultural stuff! Thus, (as it seems to me) Christianity, like mustard seeds and yeast cultures grows in society and influences it best by adopting and cultivating a Neo-Calvinist understanding and approach among Christians (who dwell and participate in society) rather than stifle it as per ye olde Scottish Calvinist approach. (Count to ten if your heart is starting to race!)

Without meaning that we use a fawning winsomeness when Gospelising, think of the old proverb that we get more flies with honey than vinegar: Whereas, Neo-Calvinism = honey with its hoes, lawnmowers, ploughs, pruning hooks etc. approach to culture, Scottish Calvinism = equals vinegar with its “tying up the weans’s swings on Sundays” etc. approach. Whereas, a smile begets a smile, a screwed-up face will stay like that if the wind changes! One influences culture. The other stunts it.

Yes indeedy, I have used huge generalisations in my endeavour to provoke you to sample the food for thought I have given you, but’s it’s either a “Keep off Grass!” of ye olde Scottish Presbyterianism or a “Newly Planted Seedings. Please Keep off Grass” approach of the Neo-Calvinist. Which one do you think would help to better grow a God-honouring culture which in turn would influence Godlier politics?

 “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days

Image from Web

That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isa. 2:2-4).                 

---

[1] Neo-Calvinism is broadly associated with Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920), theologian, journalist, and Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1901-5). It is also called Kuyperian Calvinism or Kuyperianism.

[2] Of the three, Covenant Theology, Postmillennialism, and Reconstructionism, perhaps the most maligned and misunderstood is Reconstructionism. In simple terms, Covenant Theology is the view that Scripture is not piecemeal but revelation and progressive applications on Earth in historical time of the eternal covenant that the members of the Triune Godhead made in eternity past. Postmillennialism is simply the view that God’s Word reveals the optimistic view of the progressive success of God’s Law and Gospel among the nations prior to Christ’s return. Reconstructionism has to do with the Biblical view of the implementation of God’s Law and Gospel in the lives of redeemed individuals and nations. Essentially the applications of the summary of God’s Law are spelled out in detail in, e.g., the much-neglected Westminster Larger Catechism Q&As 91-153. These can hardly be considered controversial. See also the Three Forms of Unity and the Westminster Standards for a greater understanding of the Gospel as per Covenant Theology.   

[3] James D Bratt, Abraham Kuyper: A Centennial Reader, (Eerdmans Publishing, 1998), 488.

FUTUREPROOF How to live for Jesus in a culture that keeps on changing (Review)

 

Futureproof: How to live for Jesus in a Culture that keeps on changing is very readable. McAlpine is an excellent writer, always keeping the reader engaged. I appreciate the shortish chapters with their various subheadings; like water stations along the route for runners, these are refreshing, encouraging the reader to keep on going. No, the book isn’t a hard slog. It is an easy read. However, call me old fashioned, but I’d like to hear a wee bit more about the “Church Militant” and the “Church Triumphant” than mostly “hospitality evangelism”. Yes, we live for Jesus in a culture that keeps on changing, but how is the “Church Militant” supposed to recapture lost ground apart from, as nice as it is, being nice to single mums, etc.?

McAlpine mentions that the Lord’s return is immanent, while at the same time helping to equip Christians now and for the decades ahead in, what apparently has become, an alien culture. He gives the impression that any success of the Great Commission up till now has peaked and has since been tossed into the dustbin of history. Like Dispensationalism’s errant (and the cruel hamstringing of Christian’s) “Rapture” teaching, apparently Christians are now dependent on the Lord’s return for His Gospel to succeed on earth. So meanwhile, like the WWII troops at Dunkirk awaiting the great rescue flotilla, we are just to be nice to the enemy in friendly engagement during the “culture wars” which we always seem to be losing if we have not already lost.

Doesn’t this earth belong to God? And aren’t those who belong to a culture that keeps on changing not inhabiting and defiling our inheritance as Christians, i.e., the earth? Is the Church Militant not supposed to be “pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”? Yes, of course, Christians are to do Gospel outreach even over cups of coffee. Or course, Christians are to engage people as they find them wherever they are dwelling in their alien culture. But surely, Christ’s idea is that we, Onward! Christian soldiers… are to transform and reform their deformed culture?

Futureproof is a good book for what it intends, i.e., to give a summary with some brief pointers on how to live for Jesus in a culture that keeps on changing.       

MORAL INJURY Towards a Theology

 MORAL INJURY: Towards a Theology

Moral Injury pertains to having ones view of the world violated resulting in an adverse effect of feeling guilt and shame. A worldview is that aspect of our humanity that focuses on things in the world that are (in our own personal opinion) right or wrong, and true or false. Thus, morals relate to who you are as a person. Morals are rules. They are a set of laws by which we police the world in which we live. They govern our interactions with others and our behaviour towards them and they determine how we perceive the interactions between others, whether as individuals or in groups.

Moral Injury occurs when as individuals we go against our own set of moral values and cause harm. It is important to note that this harm may or may not involve other parties (whether human, animal, objects or anything else).

Sample of what readers are saying:

‘Moral Injury Towards a Theology’ is fantastic! It is easy to read and very logical. It explains nitty gritty doctrine and shows why it is necessary for effectual life application. The style is very similar to Martyn Lloyd-Jones in that respect. Also, the personal testimony is very impactful. I hope many people read it and are blessed by it as I have been. Peter Humphreys, PhD candidate.

Available at Amazon in your own country. Here is AU Amazon: MORAL INJURY: Towards a Theology : McKinlay, Neil Cullan: Amazon.com.au: Books