The typology of Genesis 24

In the Old Testament there are numerous pictures and symbols of Christ and the Gospel which are, of course, fulfilled in the New Testament. An example of this is found in Genesis chapter 24. In this chapter Abraham sends a trusted servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. At first, this just looks like a beautiful story of a man, concerned to find a good wife for his son, sending a servant on an errand. However, if we look more closely we see that there is a clear picture of Gospel truth as outlined in the New Testament. Consider the following: Abraham resembles a king, arranging a marriage for his son. This is similar to the story Jesus told, in Matthew 22 which, of course, is a lesson He gives about the Gospel invitations being sent out, and many people ignoring them. To be more specific, Abraham is like God the Father, wanting a bride for His Son and preparing the way for this to be effected. The servant, in verse 2, is a picture of the Holy Spirit sent out to claim the bride. Note, he does not speak of himself, but simply carries out his task of drawing the bride for Isaac. In John 16 v 13-14 Jesus makes it clear that the Holy Spirit does not "speak of Himself". Note, too, that the servant enriches Rebekah with gifts (verses 22 and 30) - so the Holy Spirit enriches us with the graces of Christ. Also, it is the servant who brings the intended bride to Isaac. So it is the Holy Spirit who brings us to Christ by convicting us of our sins and opening our eyes, and so forth, see John 16 v 8-11. Rebekah is brought out from her own people and brought to Isaac verses 61-67; so we are the called out company, the ecclesia. Although we are physically in the world we are not of it. Isaac is a picture of Christ. Rebekah had not previously seen him but loved him through the testimony of the servant. So with us, we have not yet seen Christ, with the physical eye, but we love Him due to the working of the Hoy Spirit within us. Look up 1st Peter 1 v 8. In verse 63 Isaac goes out to meet the bride - this is fulfilled in 1st Thess 4 v 14-17. So we see then, the rich symbolism of this chapter. As we read through the Old Testament we do ourselves immense spritual good by looking for the pictures and symbols of Christ - truly the OT is a mine of treasure!

Why did Nate Saint go to Ecuador?

In 1956, five missionaries attempted to make contact with a tribal group, in the jungles of Ecuador, known as the Aucas. To be correct, their real name was Waorani but they were known as Aucas to the outside world. The initial contact was positive but, when the five went back for another visit they were killed.

One of them was Nate Saint, a pilot, who had a son, Steve. Steve Saint was almost 5 when his dad was martyred for the cause of Gospel. Many years later he gave an interview in which he said the following : 

"People ask me why my parents went to Ecuador and the answer I give is simple. When I was at college I was in my room, one day, and could smell smoke, when I opened the door and looked out I could see there was a fire. Being on the 3rd floor this was a highly dangerous situation. However, by crawling along the floor I managed to escape only to find that a group from my floor had already left the building and were gathered together outside. It transpired that they had gone right passed my door but hadn't bothered to knock and warn me. If they had warned me it would have been my responsibility to make a choice to leave the burning building or to stay. However, it was their responsibility to warn me. In a similar way we have a responsibility to give people a chance to be saved by spreading the Gospel". 

When I heard that I was reminded of Ezekiel 33 and the watchman. In verses 1 to 9 we are told about the watchman's responsibility to sound the alarm and it makes sobering reading for all of us, as Christians.

Why? Because Jesus only had to die once.

When the children of Israel were living in the wilderness they were subject to many trials and afflictions, one of them being a lack of water and, in the book of Exodus, chapter 17, we read of  such an incident.  In answer to this  God  commanded Moses to strike a rock and water came out to satisfy their thirst.

In Numbers chapter 20 the Israelites are, again, without water, but on this occasion God commanded Moses not to strike the rock but to speak to it.  However, in a rare display of blatant disobedience he struck the rock.  For this offence he was debarred from entering the promised land (and also, no doubt, for his arrogance in stating "must we fetch you water out of this rock" - verse 10).

While we can understand God's displeasure with Moses the question remains - why did He tell Moses to strike the rock in Exodus 17 but to speak to it in Numbers 20?

It is an intriguing question and one that has perplexed many, but the answer is really very simple - because Jesus only had to die once.

Let's apply some Typology to this. 

In 1st Corinthians 10 we read that when the Israelites were in the wilderness the Rock was Christ; we also know from both the Old and New Testaments that water is a symbol of spiritual cleansing- the refences are too numerous to mention here..  Moreover, the image of striking is a picture of Christ's death.  In Isaiah 53 we read that Jesus was "...stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted" - verse 4.  Therefore, it is not delving in the realms of fantasy to believe that the incident in Exodus 17 is a vivid picture of Christ being struck for us, and through His death we have spiritual cleansing; BUT, according to Hebrews 9 v 28, and also 10 v 12,  Christ was to die "once".  On the second occasion Moses should have spoken to the rock which is a picture of what we read in Romans 10 v 13 viz. "whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved".

We see, all too clearly, a profound spiritual lesson; due to Christ's death, and subsequent resurrection, the way for us to obtain spiritual cleansing, and a right standing before God, is open to all.  We cannot add to that finished work.  Down through the centuries huge numbers of people have sought to add to the work of Christ by their own good works and religious observances.  Moreover, the Roman Catholics  believe that it is possible to re-sacrifice His sacrifice which, they claim, happens during the Mass.

However, as we see from the above description of these two separate incidents, our dear Saviour only had to suffer once - the response required from us is not to add to this work, by own own efforts, but simply to call upon the Lord's name and we  "will be saved".

Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved".

My first big test and how I coped with it.

I came to know Christ as my personal Saviour in Sept 1975 and the sense of joy and assurance that I experienced cannot be put into words.  However, in the Christian life it is not all honey and roses; there are tests along the way, what may be termed as "the hard providences of God".

Such a test came to me in the following year around June.  Several lads in my class were seeking apprenticeships at Chatham Dockyard.  A number of trades were on offer but it depended upon a successful outcome of sitting a rather stiff entrance exam.  If you passed, then the higher you came, the better your choice of the apprenticeships on offer.  I sat this and, to my astonishment, finished in the top 4%!  Looking at the number of vacancies for the best trades I could see that I would have the choice of the top two on offer.  However, when the medical occurred I was turned down because of my defective hearing.

As you can imagine, this was a crushing disappointment when, at the age of 17, I suddenly felt a deep sense of hopelessness - what was to become of me now?

Through this deeply distressing experience the Lord taught me, as a young Christian,  two very valuable lessons.  

Firstly, I was to recognise that He is in control.  Whatever happened, Romans 8 v 28 meant what it said, and that God really was "working all things together for good".  

Secondly, I needed to learn that, in all situations and circumstances of life, God would provide; Phil 4 v 19 is a reality - God really would provide for me all that I needed.

Looking back over the last 45 years I have found these two lessons to be of inestimable worth as I have, at times, faced difficulties and trials.  Throughout the last four and a half decades God has kept me, by his grace, and led me to lean completely upon Him, seeking to draw on Him for much needed strength with every trial faced.

I share this with readers in the hope that it will be of help to any who are struggling with an issue, or trial.  Put your trust completely in God - He will see you through.  "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers they shall not overflow you.....For I am the Lord your God..."

Isaiah 43 v 2-3.

Evangelistic lessons from Ecclesiastes 11.

The opening 6 verses from Ecclesiastes chapter 11 give us encouraging lessons in evangelism.

Verse 1 - Cast your bread upon the waters: for you shall find it after many days.

This gives us the basic exhortation to spread the Gospel - the Bread of Life, John 6 v 35.

Verse 2 - Give a portion to seven, and also to eight.....  is a reminder to spread this bread liberally, that is freely, without reserve, as much as possible and as often as possible.

Verse 3 - If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon the earth:  and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be. This  speaks to us of divine providence.  God arranges circumstances so we get opportunities to give the Gospel to people in situations that we least expect.

Verse 4 - He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards clouds shall not reap.   We can always make excuses for not sowing the seed of the Gospel.  When we determine to spread the word, the Devil will fill our minds with all manner of "reasons" to delay, or avoid, doing the business.

Verse 5 - As you know not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb......even so you know not the works of God who makes all.  The word for spirit is wind; see John 3 v 8.  Just as the wind blows where it wishes, so the Holy Spirit blows into peoples' lives to convert them.  We do not know how God is working His purposes out in the people we meet.

Verse 6 - In the morning sow your seed, in the evening withhold not your hand: for you know not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.  As we sow the seed of the Gospel we need to be aware that the most unlikely people will get saved.  We simply do not know what is in peoples' hearts when we give them the truth.

They just don't get it.

There's been a lot of talk in political circles, lately, about possible plans to make "gay conversion therapy" illegal, thus protecting homosexuals from "psychological manipulation and quack remedies, designed to make them normal".

Now, I've no wish to "psychologically manipulate" anyone; my only desire is to spread the Gospel to the end that people would be saved from their sins and have eternal life.  However, it's come to my attention  that some MPs wish to go further; they want to make it illegal to pray with gays, and counsel them from the Bible.  This would have the effect of criminalising such verses as 1st Cor. 6 v 9-11, or even 2nd Cor. 5 v 17.

As I thought upon this, my mind was drawn to the words of Jesus in John 3 v 8 when He declared that "the wind blows where it wishes...…..so is everyone who is born of the Spirit".  If the Holy Spirit deigns to blow into a persons life and convert them to Christ, then no power on earth can stop Him.

Indeed, one of the great teachings of God's word is that of effectual calling.  We are told in Acts 13 v 48, when Paul was preaching in Pisidian Antioch, that "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed".  Moreover, we are told, by Jesus Himself, that everyone given to Him by the Father, will come to Him (John 6 v 37).  These, and many other verses give us complete confidence that, when we spread the Gospel, either by word, or the printed page, then God will draw His elect to repentance, and faith in Christ.  Moreover, we are told in Job 42 v 2 that God's purposes "cannot be thwarted".  People may be thwarted in their aspirations and, indeed, often are, but God will always ensure that His decrees are carried out. No-one, no matter how "powerful", in the world's eyes, will be able to stop the Holy Spirit working in the lives of those who have been appointed to eternal life.

This brings me to the title of this article - those MPs and "gay rights" groups, who wish to make it illegal for the Bible to be used in converting people, are fighting against God, and they are fighting a losing battle. 

In conclusion, it seems that the most appropriate passage to quote, at this juncture, would be Psalm 2 viz. "Why do the heathen rage, and the people image a vain thing, the kings of the earth set themselves...… against the LORD....He that sits in the Heavens shall laugh".

Why is universalism so wrong?

During the Christmas period I received a rather bizarre email from a person, who I had previously thought to be a genuine Christian. The missive went something this: "I have become a Universalist Christan; I believe that everyone gets to Heaven in the end".

After giving this some thought I felt compelled to email him a reply to the effect that he needs to repent of this heresy and come back to God's Word. 

Why did I take such a strong stance on this matter and act with, what some may term, "an undue harshness"?  Why is universalism so heretical, so utterly wicked, that those who hold to this view need to be warned, in no uncertain terms, to repent and turn to God's Word? 

The answer is simple - Universalism contradicts the clear teaching of Christ in four ways; moreover, it violates the principle of natural justice.  Let's look at these:

Firstly, universalism is wrong because Christ taught that there are two ways and two destinations

In Matthew 7 verses 13-14, He stated that there is a Broad Way and a Narrow Way.  Most people, sadly, travel this Broad Way in life and it ends in judgement.

Secondly, universalism is wrong because Christ gave us stern warnings of a place called Hell.

In Mark chapter 9 He clearly warned us of a dreadful place, "where their worm dies not and the fire is not quenched" see verses 44 and 48.

Thirdly, universalism is wrong because Christ told us that He is the only way "to the Father"

In John 14 v 6 He declared Himself the only way to be right with God, the Father.  Moreover, John chapter 3 v 18 states that people who do not believe in Christ are under condemnation.

Fourthly, universalism is wrong because it contradicts the great commission

In Mark 16 v 15 Christ told us to go out "into all the world and preach the Gospel".  If everyone gets to Heaven in the end what would be the point of spreading the Gospel?  Why put ourselves at risk of ridicule, and even danger, if everyone is going to Heaven, anyway?

Finally, universalism is wrong because it militates against our natural sense of justice.

In March 1996, one Thomas Hamilton walked into a primary school in Dunblane, murdered 16 children and their teacher, then shot himself dead.  According to universalists he is in Heaven.  Such a thought simply does not "ring true".  Even without the Bible's teaching on this matter, we know that this vile teaching, that everyone gets to Heaven in the end, is a ludicrous invention.

What should be our response to all this?  Simply to re-double our efforts to spread the Gospel because, if the Bible is true (and it is), there is only one way to Heaven - and we need to tell people how to get there.

 

 

The Gospel begets racial equality.

We've heard a lot, in recent months about the issue of racial equality and the need to treat everyone fairly, regardless of skin colour and, I've no doubt, that all right minded people would unreservedly agree.

However, it is my belief  that true racial equality comes about in the presentation of the Christian Gospel and I would like to give 4 reasons for this assertion.

Firstly, in Romans 3 verses 10 and 23 we are told that all people are sinful in the sight of a Holy God who has perfection as His standard.  We have all fallen short of that perfection, irrespective of skin colour.  We are all, by nature, under God's condemnation and deserve His wrath throughout eternity.

Secondly, Hebrews 2 v 9 tells us that Christ tasted death "for everyone".  Again, skin colour makes no difference when it comes to the objects of God's love, as shown in Christ.  He loves "the World" (John 3 v 16) and His Son is the propitiation "for the sins of the whole world" 1st John 2 v 1-2.  

Thirdly, Revelation 5 v 9 and 7 v 9 tells us that in Heaven there will be people from every "kindred, tongue, people and nation".  This doesn't, of course, mean that everyone will be in Heaven, but all people who have accepted Christ as their personal Saviour, regardless of where they come from, or what language they speak, will be worshipping the Saviour.

And, finally, (in the words of Trevor McDonald!) Acts 17 v 26 tells us that God "has made of one blood, all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth".  In a sense, it could be argued that there is no such thing as different races; rather, there is the human race.

While it is true, that people have misused the Bible to justify racism (for example the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, in its past support for apartheid), as true Christians, born-again of the Holy Spirit, we can confidently stand with God's infallible word and stand against racism in the best way possible viz. by dedicating ourselves to the spread of the only message that will save people from their sins.

Can such a man as this get saved?

News has come through of the death of Peter Sutcliffe AKA "The Yorkshire Ripper".  He was serving a whole life sentence for a series of horrific murders of many women over a period of several years in the Yorkshire area during the 1970s and 1980s.

Upon hearing of his death it is likely that there will be people making the following comment "Well, if anyone deserves Hell, it's him, no doubt he is there now". Is such an observation justified?

Firstly, let's look at the question -who deserves God's judgement in Hell?  The quick answer would be people like Sutcliffe, child killers, war criminals and so on.   However, if we are true to the Bible we need to acknowledge that we all deserve Hell.  We've all sinned in God's sight and deserve His just condemnation; Romans 3 v 10 and v 23 make this abundantly clear.  Moreover, if we look into our own hearts and see just how sinful our thought lives can be we know that we deserve God's condemnation.

Secondly, before we assume that all killers deserve Hell, but not the rest of us, let us remember the teachings of Christ that to hate someone is to murder them in our hearts - is any of us able to be acquitted of such a deed?

Thirdly, the Bible teaches that Christ's death was a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind - 1st John 2 v 2.  In that sense we all participated in the grisly events that surrounded His crucifixion.  We were all part of the crowd that howled for His blood, we all sat in Pilate's seat condemning Him, we all nailed Him to the cross and jeered at Him even while He bore our sins - in short we all have the blood of the Son of God on our hands.

Fourthly, God's grace is such that even convicted murderers can be forgiven, and given a place in Heaven, if they truly turn to Christ and receive Him as their personal Saviour.  I have heard accounts of people in prison for the most horrendous offences, being wonderfully converted.  Moreover, it is quite possible, that Sutcliffe turned to Christ before he died; we don't know this for sure but while that possibility remains we cannot say definitively that he is in Hell.

As I pondered the possibility of Sutcliffe turning to Christ before dying I'm reminded of the following that I heard a few years ago from a good friend of mine, a Christian evangelist who likes nothing better than to preach the wonderful Gospel of God's grace.  It goes like this.....

In a particular area there was a notorious atheist who openly  rejected the Gospel and would have nothing to do with the Bible.   One day he was thrown from a horse and  knocked unconscious. While he was still unconscious and hovering between life and death Christians prayed for him that he would wake up and have another opportunity to be saved.  In God's merciful providence he did recover and stated the following "you all thought that if I'd died I would have gone to Hell, but what you don't realise is that as I was flying through the air I turned to Christ and believed in Him just before hitting the ground."   Contrary to popular belief he would not have died in his sins.  This led to one penning the following words: 

"Between the saddle and the ground, mercy was sought and mercy found"

Is Peter Sutcliffe in Heaven or Hell? We don't know - but I suspect there will be surprises in Heaven!

Steve Chalke, the latter day Charles Templeton

The reason for this blog is simply to proclaim Gospel truths, and not to engage in personal "attacks" on individuals.  However, the situation with Steve Chalke's apostasy has now become so serious it ill-behoves me, or anybody else who cares for truth, to ignore the damage he is doing.

Before we come to Chalke, however, it would be worth looking at another apostate - Charles Templeton, as there is a common thread that unites both people.

Templeton was born in 1915 and, during the 1940s, he was a close colleague of Billy Graham; indeed, they preached together under the auspices of Youth For Christ.  Moreover, being Graham's senior by 3 years he seemed, for a while, to be the more prominent of the two.  Many young people professed to be converted under Templeton's ministry and he appeared to have God's blessing upon him.  However, by the time the 1950s came along he acknowledged an unwillingness to accept a literal interpretation of Genesis and, to cut a long story short, he finally admitted, during that decade, that he had renounced the Christian faith.  His eternal fate seemed to be sealed when he published the book "Farewell to God" just a short while before his death.

Steve Chalke, born 40 years later, professed conversion in his youth and soon began to engage in Gospel work, having a particular appeal to young people.  Indeed, shortly after my own conversion to Christ, in 1975, he would sometimes visit the church I was attending, and I greatly appreciated his clear, Bible based ministry.  I lost touch with him by the end of the 1970s but would sometimes read the odd article he had written in the Christian press.

About 18 years ago, he ridiculed the Biblical teaching of a  6-day creation, labelling it "rubbish".  Had he disagreed with the literal interpretation of Genesis but showed respect to people who held to it, that would have been bad enough; but his arrogant contempt for those who held to this truth led me to the view that he was heading for a fall.

A few years later, he moved further away from the truth by denying that Christ had borne the wrath of God upon the cross (this essential truth is referred to as "propitiation" in Scripture) and denounced it as "cosmic child abuse".  Given that penal substitution, as it is dubbed  by theologians, is an integral part of the Gospel it was obvious that Chalke was on a seriously downward path away from the Bible.  As time passed he made it clear he rejected the concept of Biblical infallibility and, as if that wasn't bad enough, he came out strongly against the Biblical teaching on marriage and sexuality, siding with enemies of the Christian faith who were promoting unnatural perversions.

Further, he has made clear his willingness to bless so-called "gay unions" and his church, as far as I am aware, endorses "gay marriage".  His apostasy is now so complete, he has openly called for "government intervention" to deal with sermons that he deems to be "negative" on this issue.  In short, he wants to criminalise the Bible's teaching on this matter.

Given that both Templeton and Chalke started their downgrade when they moved away from Genesis there is this common thread that runs through both.  This is a clear warning to us, not to meddle with the first book in the Bible because, once we do that, we may well find ourselves moving further away from truth as we read through God's word.

Finally, it should be stated, that although both of these apostates are on the wrong side of God's truth, there is a sense in which Chalke is the more dangerous of the two.   To be fair to Templeton, at least he had a shred of integrity about him when he admitted to having renounced the faith so that we all knew where he stood, and where we stood with him.  Chalke, despite militating against God's word, still claims to be a Christian, and a minister, at that.  As a result of his endorsing "gay marriage" he is confirming people in their sin; if he wishes to damn his own soul, that is his lookout, but by supporting unnatural perversions he is damning the souls of all the poor creatures who are unfortunate enough to fall for his pernicious wiles.  In short, he will have their blood on his hands when they end up in Hell along with him. 

In conclusion it should be stated, that this dreadful state of affairs should not surprise us; after all,  Paul warn us that "some would depart from the faith..." - 1st Timothy 4 v 1; we are also told that there would be a "falling away" before Christ's return - 2nd Thess. 2 v 3.

May God give us grace not to fall in with the spirit of the age but to remain firm and steadfast, no matter how strong the temptation to throw in the towel and throw in our lot with the likes of Steve Chalke.

The real freethinkers

Given that it's been a few months since my last blog article I thought it was high time I put pen to paper and wrote about a matter that has been on my mind recently (and, no, it's not this virus business!).

During the 19th century this country was outwardly Christian, at least in a cultural manner.  Most people regularly attended church services (though I suspect that many were simply wearing the name "Christian" as a badge, without being truly born again of the Holy Spirit) and the laws of this country did not permit many of the unnatural perversions and other acts of wickedness which are prevalent today.   It was even the case that atheists were not allowed to stand for parliament. 

Against this backdrop a group of people emerged calling themselves "freethinkers".   They were strongly humanistic, even atheistic, and strenuously opposed the way that this country's laws and culture sought to conform to the Bible.

We all know that over the last century, and certainly, since the end of the 2nd World War, the culture and laws of the UK have moved well away from the teachings of the Bible and we are now living in a country which is not only post-Christian, but anti-Christian, with persecution being real for true Christians who seek to live by God's infallible word. 

Given the dire spiritual state of the nation, it intrigues me that there are still people around calling themselves freethinkers because of their atheistic humanism.  These poor creatures are 150 years out of date!  Why do I say that?  Simply because the true definition of a freethinker is one who is prepared to have views and beliefs that do not conform to the majority of the population.  Given that most people do not accept the Bible as God's word, the term "freethinker" is redundant as far as humanists are concerned.

Who, then, are the real freethinkers?  Again, using the correct definition of the term - the freethinkers of today are believers in Christ, who hold to the Bible as absolutely true and reject much of the thinking and behaviour of the majority of the population.

The real freethinkers of today stand firm for God's word and refuse to conform to the wickedness prevalent in this benighted country.  We stand against the unnatural perversions, the filth, the infanticide and the hedonism of the masses.  We have the courage to swim against the tide and are prepared to endure hardships and persecution for daring to challenge the extreme "political correctness" that pervades modern society.

In short the true freethinkers of the UK in 2020 are the ones who walk the narrow way as outlined in the words of our Saviour in Matthew 7 v 13-14.

In office, but not in power.

In recent months the news has been dominated by the C-Virus with people having an almost ghoulish obsession with the daily announcements of deaths and the rate of infection.   Moreover, the daily round of press conferences  by govt, minsters, most notably the Health Secretary, (dubbed "Hancock's Half-Hour") convey no genuine information that give any comfort, or assurance that they really know what they are doing.

Indeed, it would not be unfair to say that, at present, the govt. are giving the clear impression that they are in office, but not in power.

This should not surprise us; after all, human beings are fallible.   We carry on with our daily lives quite merrily until something out of the ordinary happens,  and then we see just how ill-equipped we are to deal with such matters.

Have we ever felt, at times, as if we are being swept along by events, like being caught in a fast-flowing river and helpless to turn round? At times like that our only comfort is to know that there is One who is both in office and in power.  That is, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ.  

In Hebrews 1 v 3 we read that He upholds all things by "the word of His power".  He is in absolute control - governments come and go, so do Prime Ministers and Presidents, BUT the Lord Jesus is the same "yesterday, today and forever" - Hebrews 13 v 8.

If we are tempted to put our trust in the latest eagerly awaited press conference, or some official govt. announcement, then we will be disappointed time and again.  As the Bible says "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God" - Psalm 20 v 7.  Moreover, Psalm 118 v 8 exhorts us to trust in the Lord rather than "to put confidence in man".

As the country continues to reel from one crisis to another, (and the worst is yet to come) let us not despair, as many around us are doing, but have complete confidence in the sovereignty of God; He knows what He is doing and will perform all His good intentions to the glory of His name and the good of everyone He has been pleased to call unto salvation (Romans 8 v 28).

Glaring examples of the nation's hypocrisy

No doubt, like millions of others you are well aware that the nation is in the grip of panic due to the effects of the coronavirus.  Every day the death toll grows and, with it, the call to "save lives" by staying at home.  Moreover, there have been demands for an increase in the testing programme in order to detect the virus, and "save even more lives".

While it is right for the govt. to co-ordinate efforts to stem the spread of the virus and get medical help to those in need, I cannot help wondering if those involved in these efforts realise the blatant hypocrisy that manifests itself.  This is so in two ways:

Firstly, for decades now, our young people have been indoctrinated with the lie of evolution.  We have, teachers say, evolved from lower life forms.  The basic premise of this teaching is the survival of the fittest.  Indeed, it was the central plank of Darwin's so-called discoveries.  (Incidentally, Darwin was a racist, he believed that white people had evolved into a more intelligent race - they don't teach that in schools!) If evolution is true, then why are we concerned about people dying? Surely, if evolutionists are consistent with their own teaching then they would firmly promote the view that nature should take its course, the fit will survive, and the weak will die.

I'm not an evolutionist, I believe God created man in His own image, and that every life is precious, and so I'm not being inconsistent in being deeply concerned about the suffering of others.  This worldview (that because God created us all human life is precious) is the correct one and is reflected in the annals of history, as it was the Christians who set up compassionate and caring programmes during the days of the early church, at a time when Roman society valued life so cheaply.

Secondly, when the daily death toll is announced there are, quite naturally, many gasps of shock across the country, but what about the hundreds of babies butchered in abortion clinics every day?  Since these murders were legalised, in the 1960s, millions have perished, in a holocaust every bit as wicked as Hitler's murder of 6 million Jews.

Moreover, when Christians raise their voice in protest against this barbarity they are silenced and even arrested.  Further evidence of a society "that calls the evil good, and good evil"- Isaiah 5 v 20.

The only hope for our benighted country is a great turning to God, and this is why we need to re-double our efforts to spread the Gospel.  Although evangelism is severely limited, at present, due to understandable govt. restrictions, the situation will not last forever.  When the crisis is over and many people have lost friends and relatives they may be more willing to listen to the call to repent of their sins, accept Christ as their personal Saviour, and submit to him as Lord.  May we be ready to take these opportunities as they present themselves.

In the meantime we can give ourselves to prayer, that God would be pleased to work in people and prepare their hearts for the revival that we so desperately need in our nation.

God is in control - we are not!

I note that, once again, the news is dominated by the effects of this virus that appears to be sweeping across the UK, and indeed, the world.   The whole country seems to be in the grip of fear as the death toll mounts - (but still only a very small fraction of the total population).

As I listen to news reports I'm tending to wonder what is worse - the illness itself, or the panic and mass hysteria that accompanies it.  It is my view that the reason for this state of extreme anxiety (that's putting it mildly!) is that people are beginning to realise, perhaps for the first time in their lives, that they are not masters of their own destiny.  We are not in control - God is.  He is in charge, He calls the shots, He ordains everything that comes to pass.  The Bible states that God "works all things after the counsel of His own will" - Ephesians 1 v 11.

This fact of God's sovereign control over everything that comes to pass is a great comfort to believers in Christ.  We know that, whatever happens, we are kept by His power and this gives us an enormous sense of peace, at a time when millions of people are undergoing the stress that comes with an increasing feeling of helplessness.  As Jesus put it "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you....Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" - John 14 v 27.  The unsaved do not have the privilege of taking on  board this truth.

In the light of the above I find myself feeling deeply sorry for the people who do not know the Lord.  They are like people caught in a river with a strong current, being swept along not knowing where they are going, or what will happen to them.  Perhaps it may be that, being in this state, they will recognise their need of Christ, and that He will be pleased to draw them to repentance and faith in Him as their personal Saviour and Lord.

In the meantime, let us, who know the Lord, keep our confidence in Him remembering the words of Psalm 91 v 4-7 "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flies by day; nor for the pestilence that walks in darkness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.  A thousand shall fall by thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."

Open theism? Open Muppetry!

Imagine the following scenario - two friends, we'll call them James and John, often met together to discuss their hopes and aspirations for the future.   One day, James proudly announced that he had bought a plot of land and was "going to build a house".   "I've ordered all the materials and hope to start next week", he said.  "That's interesting", came the reply,  "let's have a look at your building plans".    James looked incredulous -  "plans", he said "I've got no plans, I'll just put one brick on top of another, and see what emerges.  Don't you think that's a good idea?".   "No" said John "I think you're mad!!"

In a nutshell, that would be the builders' equivalent of Open Theism.

Open theism is a theological line of thought that states that God is not in control, and He doesn't even know the future.   His actions are entirely dependant upon what we do, and He has no actual plan that is being infallibly carried out in accordance with His "unthwartable"  will.  (Unthwartable is not a proper word - it's a bobism, I made it up, see Job 42 v 2 in the ESV).

To suggest that God does not have a plan that is being carried out is to deny the truth of Genesis 50 v 20.  This is where Joseph acknowledges that the evil perpetrated against him by his brothers, in selling him into slavery, was ordained by God to bring about a greater good. Throughout the Bible we see instances of God ordaining events in accordance with His sovereign will for a specific purpose.  Moreover, we read, in Ephesians 1 v 11, that God works all things in accordance with "the counsel of His own will"; and who can forget the famous Romans 8 v 28 where we read that "all things work together for good.....".  In fact, in the New American Standard Version it states that"God causes all things to work together for good...."

As far as knowing the future is concerned, God is outside of time, having created it in the first place.  To suggest that He doesn't know the future is a form of blasphemy!

In short, if God is not in control of all things then, put simply, He is not God.  Open theism then becomes A-theism!

As Christians we can have complete confidence that God is in control of all things, that He does ordain everything in conformity with His sovereign will, and that His plans will be infallibly carried out with no hindrance from mere man.

The ultimate conundrum.

As we approach the general election many people are wondering who to vote for, and some may be tempted not to vote at all, while expressing the view that "they are all as bad as each other".

Personally, I believe that it is a citizens duty to vote; after all, huge numbers of people gave their lives in two world wars to give us the freedoms we have today, and that includes the freedom to choose the government at the ballot box.

According to God's infallible word, "the powers that be are ordained of God" (Romans 13 v 1).  Put in simple terms it means that God appoints those who are in authority.  If God appoints the government why should we bother to vote?  Some Christians try to get round this by saying that God merely allows those in authority to be there, but we make the decision to put them there!  However, that will not do - Romans 13 is explicitly beyond question, God actually appoints the govt.

Herein lies the conundrum - if God appoints the govt. how is it that we have the free-will to choose who to vote for?  The answer is that both statements are true.  It is not for us to try and work out the secret counsels of the Most High; God is sovereign, and He has a way of ensuring that His will is done, while at the same time, we have the power of choice at election times.  If we could understand all God's workings He wouldn't be God!  There has to be some element of mystery.

That brings me to the ultimate conundrum.  It is one thing to discuss this matter when it comes to the question of who will be Prime Minister on December 13th, but what about the most important issue of all - how do we get right with God and be assured that Heaven is our destination?

Of course, the Bible is clear "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved" - Acts 16 v 31; but why is it that, in terms of the percentage of the whole human race, few people believe while most refuse the call of the Gospel?

The answer is simple, it is those who are ordained to eternal life who believe (Acts 13 v 48).  None of us will get saved unless we are given the gift of faith (see John 6 v 65, note the word "can", this speaks of ability).

Now we get to the real question of the ultimate conundrum - the Bible teaches that we are all responsible to turn to Christ in response to the call of the Gospel, and that it is our own fault if we don't get saved.  However, only those "ordained to eternal life" will believe.  How is it that God appoints His elect to eternal life and still holds accountable the ones who don't believe?

Paul deals with this in Romans chapter 9; anticipating this question he answers with characteristic bluntness and simplicity "Who are you, o man, to answer back to God" (v20); and that is the answer to the ultimate conundrum - God is God and we are not, He calls the shots, He is in charge and we must submit to Him in all His decrees.  As Nebuchadnezzar  put it "He does according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand or say unto Him 'What are you doing?'"  Daniel 4 v 35.

Innate or learned?

In my work of street evangelism I sometimes have conversations with people who reject the Biblical teaching that we are born with a sinful nature.  Their assertion goes something like this - "we are not born with a sinful nature at all, people do wrong things to others because they are simply copying behaviour that they see".  Is this correct?

To an extent, it is true that often people are following the bad examples of others; we see this when a youth "gets into a bad crowd" and starts doing stupid things, like acts of vandalism, or violence.  Indeed , the book of proverbs warns us against being enticed into evil by other people - Proverbs 1 v 10.

However, if wrong deeds are purely carried out because of following bad examples how do the Bible deniers cope with the following example?

In the mid-1980s my eldest son, who was 3 at the time, had a playmate called Rachel.  One day, while playing together, he accidentally broke a cup, took it into the kitchen and said "Rachel done it!".

We had never taught him to lie, but he did so - why?  No doubt he thought he might get into some kind of trouble and was lying his way out of it; but if wrong is only done because the perpetrator is simply following another person's example, why did my son lie when he had never witnessed others do so? 

The answer is found in the Bible.  In Psalm 51 v 5 we read that David was in sin even when in his mother's womb.   When the Bible says that sin is in our nature it is absolutely correct, despite the protestations to the contrary from humanistic atheists who attempt to brush aside the clear teaching of God's infallible word.

Having proved, once again, that the Bible is true, I now come to the question  "what is the answer to our sin problem?"  - the glorious Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  His atoning death on the cross and subsequent resurrection present to us the only way we can get right with God and have a new nature, as the Bible says: "If any one be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold all things are become new"  2nd Cor.. 5 v 17.

We should never be intimidated by opponents of the Bible, as we have all the evidence on our side! 

Let us declare the truth of God's perfect word, and trust the Holy Spirit to draw people to Himself, as it pleases Him to do so.

Evolutionary teaching is to blame for youth crime

Every time we put on the news or read the papers we see further evidence of a crime wave among young people with a huge increase in violence, particularly using knives.

While politicians and social workers wring their hands in despair and attempt all sorts of unconvincing explanations, none of them seem to have realised the answer is staring them in the face - the teaching of evolution in schools.

At one time, children were taught that we were made in the image of God and, as such, we should value all people and treat them with consideration and respect.  However, once children started to get indoctrinated with the teaching of evolution the truths of the Bible were sidelined.  This has been going on for several generations, now, and we are seeing how, as one generation passes and another comes along, so crime has increased.  Not only has crime increased but the level of spite and aggression has increased with it, so that violent crime is now much more vicious than before.

No doubt, enemies of the Bible will say this is all nonsense. However, they need to consider one simple fact, when you teach children that they were descended from animals then they will behave like animals. We have seen evidence of this, so often, and will see more of it as  the country becomes increasingly wicked.

Indeed, the whole framework of evolutionary teaching has one aim in mind - to "prove" that we not created by special design, but evolved by accident.  This immediately rules out the need for a belief in a creator with all the constraints that come with such a belief.  Consequently, if people do not believe in a God who sees everything, then they have no motive to treat others well, but rather to look after their own interests, even if that means using intimidation and violence to achieve those ends.

Politicians of all parties come up with various suggestions to stem this endless orgy of violence but there is only one answer - a turning back to God, and the teaching of His infallible word, the Bible.

History has proved, time and again, that only when there is a revival of turning back to God, through faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour, is there a corresponding decrease in crime and anti-social behaviour.  Instead of coming up with new policies, the leaders of our country should be turning to Christ, and then urging the nation to do the same.

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" - Psalm 33 v 12

So what if England are world champions!

It appears from this morning's 7 o'clock news, on Radio 4, that the England cricket team have won a match, more particularly, the World Cup final against New Zealand.

There is nothing wrong with sport per se.  I like watching the occasional cricket match at Kent's County ground, in Canterbury.  However, this outburst of spontaneous joy at England's victory needs to be tempered by 2 considerations.

Firstly, this match, like so many sporting occasions, was held on Sunday.  While not being a strict Sabbatarian of the Free Presbyterian sort, I do hold to the New Testament principle that the first day of the week (another name for Sunday) is to be set aside for the worship of the Lord, the hearing of His word and the fellowship of His people.  Moreover, we recall that John "was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" (Revelation 1 v 10).  Furthermore, in  Hebrews 10 v 25, we read that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

Secondly, sporting glory is as nothing compared with the needs of the soul.  While England were winning the world cup (almost at the same precise moment) a man received Jesus as his Lord and Saviour.  He was led to Christ by a dear friend of mine who has a real desire to reach out with the Gospel.  That man's act in getting right with God, is worth more than a 1,000 world cup victories - after all, didn't our Saviour say "What shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?" - Mark 8 v 36.

I wonder if those England cricket players know God personally, through faith in Christ; if they don't then this victory on the sports field, has a hollow ring to it.  When I was in my early teens, I would often go to Stamford Bridge and watch Chelsea football games and there was nothing wrong with that (I still watch highlights of their games on You Tube).  At that, time (the early 1970s) they were a highly successful team with trophies to show for it - however, 2 members of that team have since passed into eternity, one at the age of 32 following a car accident.  Where are they now?

The captain of the victorious England football team in 1966 passed into eternity in 1993 following a battle with cancer - where is he now?

We could go on giving example, after example, of men and women who have won honours on the sports field, and had their names enrolled in a list of sporting greats, but were their names in the Book of Life when they left this world?

By all means, take pleasure in sporting events, but let us keep this in perspective - what matters more than anything else is to be right with God, and that is only possible through faith in Christ, as our Lord and Saviour.

Three clear evidences that the Bible is true.

One of the oft repeated questions I get when spreading the Gospel is "How do you know the Bible is true?".   That is a fair question; after all, if we are asking people to stake their whole eternity on what the Bible says, it is reasonable for them to ask such a question.

As well as the usual answers - fulfilled prophecies, archaeological discoveries, standing the test of time and its power to change lives - there are also 3 undisputed proofs the Bible is true; and these relate to the assessment it gives of human nature and the reactions to the Gospel.

Firstly, most people reject the teachings of the Gospel, that Christ died for our sins, rose again to be our Saviour, and calls us to repentance and faith in Him.   This rejection proves the assertion that Jesus made in Matthew 7 v 13-14 when He taught that most people would, indeed, travel on the broad way that leads to judgement.  This teaching is proved on a daily basis when evangelism takes place and the truth of the Gospel is met with rejection.

Secondly, Jesus warned His followers, in John 15 v 18-20, that they would be hated for following Him; and that they would face intense persecution.  Given that the Christian faith is the most persecuted belief system in the world, and that, even in this so-called free country, hatred of Christians is becoming more blatant, we can see His words being fulfilled, again, on a daily basis.

Thirdly, in 2nd Thess. 2 v 3, we are told that, prior to Christ's second coming, there would be a great apostasy.  In recent years there has been an increase in the number of professing Christians, even former ministers and evangelists, who have fallen away from the faith, and even come out in opposition to the Bible.   Atheists like to crow about this - "look", they say, "the Bible cannot be true because so many are fallen away from their previous beliefs, and even becoming atheists!" What these poor creatures do not realise is that these acts of apostasy, far from undermining the truth of Scripture, actually, prove the Bible to be true.

As we continue to live out the Christian life and spread the Gospel, let us not be discouraged by rejection, persecution and reports of apostasy, but rather rejoice that the Bible is, once again, proving to be infallible, and let us be confirmed in our faith in Christ, the only Saviour for sinners.