Do you want to live forever?

… he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.         1 Timothy 6:15b,16  [NASB]

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16  [NASB]

It seems there is a part of us inside that looks out through our eyes and thinks with our brain and uses our body.  Many believe that this part of us never dies.  Many believe that good people will go to heaven and that bad people will go to hell.  Eternal bliss versus eternal punishment.

However, it seems that scripture is more nuanced than that.  In this benediction to Timothy, Paul implies that the human soul is not immortal.  Speaking of God, he clearly says “who alone has immortality”.  God could grant us immortality, of course; but by nature he alone has immortality.  You and I are not immortal.  Not only will our bodies die, but our sinful souls will perish, unless…

There is where that famous scripture fills in the picture:  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  According to this verse, those who have eternal life are those who believe in Jesus.  Those who don’t believe will perish.

Although God alone is immortal by nature, yet he gives and has given eternal life [immortality] to those who trust in Jesus.  When we unpack the idea of believing in Jesus, we realize that it involves trusting that God forgives us based on the death of Jesus on the cross and on his resurrection from the dead.

Do you want to live forever?  Then repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus, asking God to forgive you.  Otherwise, according to scripture, you will perish.  Eternal life versus eternal death.

– SSXG

“Spirit in the Sky”

During the ’60’s and ’70’s, many musicians paid lip service to Christianity.  One of my favourite popular songs during that time was Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky. 

Some of the lyrics seemed very Christian (“I’ve got a friend in Jesus, so you know that when I die, he’s going to set me up with the Spirit in the sky”).  However, the lyricist [Norman Greenbaum?] clearly didn’t understand the basics of Biblical Christianity.

At another point in the song, Greenbaum sings, “Never been a sinner, never sinned.”  While I don’t know Greenbaum’s life, now or then, I can assure you that Greenbaum was a sinner.  Everyone is.  According to the Bible it is possible to sin in thought and word and deed – and we do.

It is likely that the lyricist was thinking, as many people do, that he hadn’t committed any of the ‘big’ sins.  Adultery, murder, bank robbery – whatever else – of these sins he was innocent and therefore God would look on him favourably and take him to heaven when he died.

Biblical Christianity asserts that it is precisely because we are sinners that we need a friend in Jesus.  Any of our sins – big or small – is enough to close the gates of heaven against us.  Any of our sins is enough to alienate us from God – unless we have received his forgiveness.  The forgiveness that God gives is based on our repentance and our faith in Jesus as the One who died to save us from our sins.

46 and [Jesus] said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.   Luke 24:46-48  [NASB]

– SSXG

“Root of all evil”

5 … men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.   I Timothy 6:5b-10  [NASB]

The famous ‘root of all evil’ passage is found in a discussion about material possessions.

The larger context is Paul’s strong indictment of people who teach false doctrine.  Among their faults is the supposition ‘that godliness is a means of gain.‘  How many times have we heard versions of this supposed truth?  The idea that if you live right, God will bless you materially.  In some cases it is taught that if you give right, God will bless you materially.

Paul says almost the opposite here.  Godliness is gain with contentment.  If we are content with what we have, godliness is a benefit to us.  Not that we will gain more, but that we will be satisfied with what we have been given.

The verse is question is frequently misquoted as “money is the root of all evil.”  The King James Version (which is the version being misquoted) actually declares that “The love of money is the root of all evil” [emphasis mine].

The problem is not the money or the lack of it.  The problem is not the things that money can buy nor the lack of them.  The problem is the love, the desire and the craving for money and material possessions.

May we learn to be content with what we have…

– SSXG

Who is this?

21 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold your King is coming to you,
Gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats. 8 Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David;
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest!”

10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”    Matthew 21:1-11  [NASB]

Jerusalem was filled with visitors come to celebrate the Passover.   Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem stirred up the people to such an extent that people were asking, “Who is this?”

This is one of those questions which matter most in life.  When confronted with the person of Jesus, the most important question is:  Who is this?  You are free, of course, to answer any way you like – but your very life is in the balance.

The immediate answer of the crowd with him is that this is Jesus, a prophet from Nazareth.  They are identifying him to the people in Jerusalem rather than making a religious statement.

However, in the mouth of someone living nearly 2000 years later, this would be a religious statement.  To say that Jesus is a prophet is to say that Jesus is only a prophet.  This brings us into the realm of those who think that Jesus was a good man – even the best man who ever lived – but just a prophet.

However, the crowd with Jesus that day had already made a religious statement about Jesus.  They had already identified him and hailed him as the Son of David and the One who comes in the name of the Lord.  They had identified him as a king in the line of King David, and as the Messiah who would come in the name of the Lord.

If Jesus is a king, then he must be obeyed as such.  If Jesus is the Messiah, the One sent to deliver or save his people, he must be trusted to do so.

So… who is Jesus?  Is he the one you trust as Saviour?  Is he the one you obey as king?  Or is he nothing more to you than a great prophet?

 – SSXG

Conditional forgiveness…

  23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”   Luke 18:23-35  [NASB]

Our pastor referred to this passage in a sermon on the Lord’s Prayer.  He was pointing out the connexion between our prayer to receive forgiveness and our willingness to be forgiving.

However, what caught my attention was the analogy to salvation – the forgiveness of debts being analogous to the forgiveness of sin.

The senior slave was forgiven the debt, and the forgiveness was subsequently revoked.  There can be no claim here that the forgiveness wasn’t real – which is what some assert when a Christian renounces his or her faith.  The debt had been forgiven by the king’s grace.

What is clear is that the fact of his forgiveness was expected to produce a change in his conduct towards his fellow slaves.  Because he did not forgive others, the forgiveness he had received was cancelled.

At the very least, we need to heed the words of Jesus:  14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. – Matthew 6:14,15

 – SSXG

Jesus humbles himself – part 2

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:8  [NASB]

Notice that Jesus gave up his immortality.   He, the creator of life, humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.  God the Son, in whom we now have life, who is the definition of life itself, died on the cross.  How could he possibly be killed?  Only by his own choice.  Only because he deliberately humbled himself.

Think about how he died.  He didn’t die bravely on the battlefield?  He didn’t die an honourable death.  He didn’t die as a hero.

He died because of a weak Roman politician.  Because of jealous Jewish leaders.   Because of a gross miscarriage of justice.  He didn’t die just any death.  He died as a criminal.  As a lawbreaker.  On a Roman cross.

Paul mentions to the Galatians that it was a curse to die on a tree.  And everyone knew that the crucifixion meant shame.  It wasn’t just a brutal death – though it was.  It was also the death of a common criminal.  Lowest of the low.  Guilty in the eyes of the onlookers.  I doubt if the Romans even gave him the dignity of being covered.  Shame upon shame upon shame.  That’s why Paul says, “even death on a cross!”

On the cross,  Jesus gave up his holiness.  We are told that he who knew no sin became sin for us.  Jesus became contaminated with your sin and with mine.

And with that, Jesus also gave up fellowship with the Father.  He cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Friend, do you want to know how much God loves you?  Look at Jesus.  Do you want to know how much Jesus loves you?  Look at his descent from heaven itself to the cross.  This is the God we serve!

– SSXG

Jesus humbles himself – part 1

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. – Philippians 2:5-7  [NASB]

As Palm Sunday approached, I began to think about Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem.  It struck me that Jesus’ humbling of himself began long before that moment – and took him to the cross!

In what way, then, did Jesus humble himself?  We have to begin before the beginning.  There is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  One God – a mystery beyond our comprehension.

There was no time, no space, no matter.  And then God began to create.  He created time and space.  He created the earth and a universe to put it in.  He created living creatures and mankind.  Jesus, God the Son, took part in the creating of the earth and the universe around it.  In fact, in John chapter 1 we are told that “without him was not anything made that was made”.

Notice that Jesus’ initial position was that of oneness with the Father.  He was equal with God.  Whatever it is like out beyond time and space, in the eternal NOW where God is, God the Son was there.

So how did Christ humble himself?

He gave up his glory.  He entered time and space.  He entered into his own creation.  He became a human being.  Notice that God the Son did not treat that status – of being part of the Godhead – as something to be grasped.  As something to hang onto.  Instead, he made himself nothing.  So God the Son came to earth and became the Son of man.  This is the Creator of the universe becoming part of his creation.  As if a computer programmer were to enter the game he created.

He gave up his power.  He who made the universe entered into Mary’s womb and grew there.  He was born a helpless baby like all the others.  There he is, a little baby, needing to be fed by his mother.  Needing Joseph to earn enough to keep clothes on his back and a roof over his head.  He has all the might and power as the God of the universe who created everything – and he is now dependent on Mary and Joseph.

He gave up his sovereignty.  Jesus has the right to be in control, the right to command and to demand that everyone and everything do exactly as he wishes!

But Jesus wasn’t born into the household of the Roman emperor with imperial status and the right to demand the obedience of an empire.

He was born into the dynasty of the great king David – but it was a defunct dynasty, a dynasty with no power or influence whatsoever.  Worse, Jesus was born in an unimportant stable into the care and keeping of the young wife of an ordinary workman.

There he is, sovereign Lord of the universe, yet growing up under the authority of Joseph and Mary.  Obedient to the human beings that he has created!

– SSXG

So… what is ‘Inductive Biblical Thinking’?

For most of my adult life I have held the conviction that the Christian Church needs to move away from systematic theology to what I have thought of as ‘biblical theology’.

By ‘systematic theology’, I mean theology that derives a few basic principles from scripture and then goes on to deduce from those principles a theological system.  Once the system is created, other scriptures are interpreted, re-interpreted, or even counter-interpreted to fit the system.

By ‘Biblical theology’ I meant simply discovering what the Bible teaches and constructing it into a theology – without forcing scripture into a preconceived theological system.

I have since learned that the term ‘Biblical theology’ is already in use.  It may or may not correspond to my views on how to do theology.  I debated using the title “Inductive Biblical Theology” for this blog – since it more clearly describes my thinking, but I discarded it.   While my project involves theology, I am not a theologian.  I am simply a student of the Bible.

So I have decided instead to use the term ‘Inductive Biblical Thinking’ as both the title of this blog and as a way to describe this process of constructing theology inductively.

– SSXG