Posts from — December 2010

“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” –Romans 2:1 (NIV)

Crime has become something characteristic of life in this fallen world. In every society, in every culture, and in every age, we are made aware of the prevalence of criminal activity. Whether it is through historical documents, popular movies, or even today’s news, we cannot escape the reality that deviance exists and will continue to exist as long as humans populate this world. Yet when we see images of thieves and murderers we become inflated by self-righteousness. Though we may acknowledge the depravity of their actions and look down upon them in disgust, we blind ourselves to our own innate wickedness. How may of us, in envy and jealousy, have desired to take that which was not ours to take?  How many of us, in our rage, have wanted to act in violence toward another person? Sin according to Christ is not defined by sole outward action, but by the very thought, and under that definition we are all criminals.

To redeem us from our sinful nature, Christ came so that by His death and resurrection we may be free from the bondage of sin and clothed with His righteousness. But we often forget to put on these clothes which He has given us. While we may think that we are wearing these clothes and are standing up for the holy standards of Christ, we are actually naked if we have done so in a judgemental spirit. Usually we end up using our self-proclaimed righteousness as weapon to slander others and boost our own pride. Truly wearing the garments of purity Christ has given us means humbling ourselves knowing that while we were bound as sinners and still chose to indulge in sin, Christ has forgiven us in His love. Nothing will be able to snatch us from the love of God and He will continue to remain faithful to the redemptive work He wants to carry out in our lives. When we have submitted ourselves to Christ’s Spirit and have allowed His righteousness to be made manifest in our lives, we will remain unapologetic in His view of sin while at the same time displaying His love. He will prompt us to remember that just as He has forgiven us of much, we are to show mercy and love by His enabling; drawing others into the hope of being restored by Him.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” –Isaiah 65:24 (NIV)

Often times, a good doctor can tell what is wrong with a patient even before the patient himself utters a word. Outward signs, such as overall complexion and severity of coughing for example, can often be enough information for doctors to understand the situation and recommend prescriptions accordingly. But doctors usually do not do this right away. They first wait for the patient to tell them what is ailing them. Only after the patient requests to undergo treatment does the doctor act. Doctors cannot simply force treatment on someone, but are required to wait until the patient willingly submits himself to the doctor’s expertise. When this happens, doctors are required to act towards the restoration of the health of the patient; doing all that is within their power to bring healing.

In His infinite wisdom God knows exactly what we need. He has created us and knows us intimately well; even better than we know ourselves! As the embodiment of love and righteousness He wants to provide for us in our time of need. Yet He will not act if we have not submitted ourselves to Christ and His perfect will for our lives. If we in our pride have rejected Him by clinging onto our flawed wisdom and understanding, we cannot assume that He will grant us what we need. Only when we have come with humble hearts to Him in prayer, making that choice to trust in His flawless guidance and allowing Him to direct our steps, will He unveil the wonderful plan He has in store for us according to His faultless timing. By abandoning our pride and fear; running instead into the arms of Christ and acknowledging that His ways are better than ours, we will be able to find rest in His promise that He already knows what we need in our situations and will lovingly provide for us when we ask.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“‘But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.’” -Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)

When we have been the victim of injustice and insult, the command to love our enemies seems ludicrous. Human tendency is to seek retribution for wrongs through our own wisdom and might. If someone strikes us, our instant reaction is to strike them ten times as hard. If we have become the subject of torment and ridicule, our most treasured desire is the day when we can inflict the same misery upon our oppressors. Yet this is how the cycle of hatred and violence begins; by a simple yearning to get even. The moment we let vengeance to invade our hearts, we will be consumed by an insatiable rage. Revenge will distort our image of people and propel us to take pleasure in committing horrible acts that we thought we would never carry out. Though we may think that we are able to master these unbridled emotions, in actuality we become slaves to our hate and bitterness.

Our unwillingness to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us often stems from the misconception that to do so is a sign of timidity and weakness, along with an acceptance of the wrongs that have been exacted upon us. But this is far from the truth. Christ never acknowledged that the injustices committed against Him were inherently virtuous. While suffering on the cross He cried out to God in Luke 23:24, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Yet while He was omnipotent and could have easily overpowered His persecutors, He loved them. Redemption and restoration would not come through violence, but by a love that has no earthly parallel.

Christ went to the cross for the Pharisees who accused Him, for the soldiers who clubbed and tortured Him, for men who nailed Him, and for the crowd who hurled insult after insult while He endured the agony of crucifixion. He did this so that through His death and resurrection they may no longer be slaves to wickedness, but free under His righteousness. As children of Christ we are called to emulate the selfless love shown by Him. But as long as we have made vengeance and hatred our idol, we will never be capable of displaying this love. Only when we have allowed Christ to invade our hearts and have submitted ourselves to His Spirit will His love overflow from our lives. His sweetness is more effective than any weapon and when we make that choice to have it made manifest in ourselves, it will bear witness to those around us of the beauty and freedom that is available through the power of Christ.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” –Romans 15:4 (NIV)

I often cringe when I hear people say that studying history is boring and irrelevant. While historians are sometimes accused of having immersed themselves in the past to the point that they have disconnected themselves from the present, history itself is meant to be a guide. A good scholar of history knows how to take the lessons of the past and apply them to the present in the hopes of constructing a better future. To work to prevent the horrors of the past from occurring again, we must first understand how and why they came about. Conversely, what was good and noble of the past should be reclaimed and appropriately implemented within the context of the modern age. An understanding of history will help us make sense of the world around us; where it has been and where it is going.

The Word of God, is the best history textbook available to man. Its pages bear witness to the story of humanity from the time God created us and our descent into wickedness, to Christ’s redemptive sacrifice on the cross and the hope we have through Him by identifying with His death and resurrection. Its characters are real people living in real places at real points in human history. Even historians outside the Christian tradition attest to the veracity of the Scriptures! Throughout the Bible we are provided with examples of people who chose to remain within the will of God and those who chose to remain outside; along with the consequences of their respective decisions. But unless we have personally chosen to apply the truths of the Bible to our lives, then our knowledge of the Scriptures is meaningless. Only when we have allowed the Spirit of Christ to reside in our hearts and have submitted our understanding to His perfect wisdom will He be able to teach us through His Word. With Him as our Guide, we will know how to live according to His righteousness and dwell in the hope of being ultimately restored through Him.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“…you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” –1 Corinthians 6:20 (NIV)

Two summers ago I had the wonderful privilege of visiting Washington D.C. One of the places we visited was Arlington Cemetery; where the remains of American soldiers killed in battle are buried. Seeing rows upon rows of white gravestones was a truly sobering experience. But what left an impression on me was what our tour guide left us with. He alluded to the fact that freedom is not really free, but always comes at a price. I then remembered America’s especially vital contributions to the Second World War. Faced with the scourges of fascism and ultra-nationalism, it sent its soldiers to fight in order to preserve not only its own freedom, but the freedom of many other nations as well. Those who enjoy liberty today are indebted to those who saw and continue to see to its maintenance.

When we allow Christ’s Spirit to reside in us, we are no longer bound by our sinful nature, but are able to choose to follow Him. However, this freedom came at the cost of His blood. Since God is holy, He cannot tolerate sin and the appropriate punishment for sin is death. But He did not want His creation to suffer such a fate and wants to reconcile us with Him. For this reason, Christ became the one sacrificial Lamb for all who desire forgiveness and to be made right with God. By His death the penalty for our wickedness is paid, and through the resurrection of Christ we have conquered the power sin and death held over us. Yet why do we voluntarily return to our wickedness? Christ’s sacrifice is not a license to indulge in vice, but it is to be treated with respect knowing that our freedom came at the cost of His life. What should our response be to His selfless and unwavering love? When we submit ourselves to His Spirit and walk in obedience to Him, we will know of the joys of living in the freedom He has given to us. This means seeking to honour Christ in whatever we do, be it in mind, body, soul, or spirit; allowing Him to aid us living according to His righteousness.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.” –Leviticus 25:35 (NIV)

In certain countries within the British Commonwealth, the tradition of Boxing Day remains strong. Falling on the day after Christmas, it is presently known as a day where people throng department stores in order to take advantage of great sales that only come once a year However, this was far from its intended purpose. Instead of acquiring more possessions, the day was focused on addressing the needs of the poor. Families would make gift boxes and pack food, toys, and clothes in order that they may be distributed to those who did not have the luxury of obtaining these things. Alms boxes would be placed in churches where congregants would donate money to be divided amongst the needy in their midst. Wealthy landlords would give their household servants bonuses, gifts, and the opportunity to visit their families as an act of gratitude for their hard work.

It is tempting to become self-absorbed during the Christmas season. With all the celebrations, gifts, and presents, it is easy to simply bask in the blessings of possessing material wealth. In all these things however, God has called His children to consider the poor. To aid the destitute is mandated in Scripture and is close to the heart of God for He has created all in His image. But we are mistaken if we think we can fulfil this mandate on our own strength and capabilities. Human tendency is to be selfish and to seek ways to glorify the self, even in our charity. Only when we have allowed the Spirit of Christ to conduct His redemptive work in our lives and yield our selfishness to Him, will He fill us with His selfless love. When we do this, we will be fulfilling His mandate not because of any counterfeit benevolence of our own, but solely by the love and compassion of Christ overflowing from within us. By allowing our hearts to be moulded by Him, our ears will be open to His voice and He will move us to act with genuine concern towards those around us; bearing witness to who He is and what He intends to do for all of humanity.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’” –Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)

One of my favourite Christmas songs is “Mary Did You Know?”, written by Mark Lowry. In this song, the tender moment of Mary holding the newborn Jesus is placed into perspective in light of who He is and is destined to be. His mission to redeem humanity from sin is illustrated in the final line of the first verse; “This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you.”, and concludes with a powerful line describing His divine nature; “This sleeping child you’re holding, is the Great I Am “. The entire song essentially summarizes why every year Christians all over the world take great joy and celebration on this day. It marks the entrance of hope into a world of darkness; the hope that through Christ will come man’s deliverance from sin and despair.

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Over two thousand years later, it has become saturated by an excessive consumerism; exploited by those who are obsessed with gaining wealth and prestige. Yet while we know that this rampant materialism has failed to attach meaning to Christmas, we try to find its meaning elsewhere. One place is in the warmth and joy spent with family and friends. But though this is important and good, it is not the reason why Christmas is celebrated. We may even pay a nominal acceptance of the fact that it is about Christ and erect our Nativity scenes depicting baby Jesus. However, unless we have gone beyond the image of the infant Christ, have understood the true purpose of His coming down to Earth, and have personally allowed His Spirit to carry out His restorative work in our lives, the celebrations of Christmas hold no meaning. To truly celebrate Christmas is to dwell in the joy of knowing that on this day our Saviour, Jesus Christ was born. In His infinite love He had one sole purpose; to save humanity through His death and to give us life through His resurrection. Outside of Christ there can be no other meaning to Christmas. No other substitute will be able to match the glory of Christ’s entry into the world, and the implications it has for all mankind.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.