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!