A Time Such AsThis

Our LORD, how long must I beg for your help before you listen? How long before you save us from all this violence? Why do you make me watch such terrible injustice? Why do you allow violence, lawlessness, crime, and cruelty to spread everywhere? Laws cannot be enforced; justice is always the loser; criminals crowd out honest people and twist the laws around.[1]

 

Assad, Aleppo holocaust. Rodrigo Duterte, over 3,500 suspected drug users and suppliers killed within his first hundred days in office. Putin’s, Russian aggression. Assad sees Trump as a natural ally, Duterte congratulated and will work with Trump. Putin favours Trump. The fanatical environmental crusade has sucked up most governments into its morass of lies and partial truths. International law was flaunted by waves of migrants into Europe, (some of whom were legitimate refugees). Britain’s withdrawal from the European Common Market. Butchery and every kind of barbaric crime committed by the “Islamic State”. Protests and counter protests. Lawlessness and nihilism.

 

What the prophet wrote some six hundred years before Christ is most apropos in today’s world. His world was Judah around 610 BCE. In 721 BCE the ten northern tribes of Israel were conquered by the Assyrian horde, their cities destroyed, men women and children killed, and those left alive were taken captive to be dispersed throughout the Assyrian kingdom. God at that time prevented Judah from falling to the Assyrians. Idolatry, immorality, greed, and violence preceded the fall of the northern tribes. Habakkuk’s complaint to God is that Judah is demonstrating the same behaviours as Israel before its destruction, and God is not doing anything about it. God responded to Habakkuk’s accusation saying, that he was indeed aware of the situation and had plans to rectify it. God would engage the Chaldeans to bring about his judgment of Judah. The news horrified Habakkuk leading to another complaint, how could God use a more sinful nation than Judah to execute his punishment?

 

Habakkuk was told that he would receive a vision, and though it might take a while to happen, God told him “You can trust what I say about the future.”[2] God also said to the prophet “I, the LORD, refuse to accept anyone who is proud. Only those who live by faith are acceptable to me.”[3] Following that, there is a fairly long acknowledgement that the Chaldeans are in fact a godless nation. They are full of themselves and bitterly cruel. The Chaldeans were a pagan nation worshipping idols,

What is an idol worth? It's merely a false god. Why trust a speechless image made from wood or metal by human hands? What can you learn from idols covered with silver or gold? They can't even breathe. Pity anyone who says to an idol of wood or stone, "Get up and do something!" Let all the world be silent-- the LORD is present in his holy temple.[4]

The proud and haughty will come to nothing, not maybe soon enough for most people, but it will happen. Pagan and godless people are abominations to God, in this world however, they will do their thing; like the rich they will have what they want, and live in disregard of people who lack the necessities of life. Poorer people who suffer at the hand of the rich will one day be vindicated. Those people who worship riches or any other form of idolatry, even loyalty to one’s country above God, will eventually recognize the God of heaven and Jesus his Son. Those faithful to God accept that God is where he is, and all should bow before him.

 

From what he heard from the Lord and presumably his vision, Habakkuk became a changed man, “When I heard this message, I felt weak from fear, and my lips quivered. My bones seemed to melt, and I stumbled around. But I will patiently wait. Someday those vicious enemies will be struck by disaster.”[5] My thinking is that it’s better for us to accept that God will sort things out than want to know too much of how he will do it.

Fig trees may no longer bloom, or vineyards produce grapes; olive trees may be fruitless, and harvest time a failure; sheep pens may be empty, and cattle stalls vacant- but I will still celebrate because the LORD God saves me. The LORD gives me strength. He makes my feet as sure as those of a deer, and he helps me stand on the mountains. To the music director: Use stringed instruments.[6]

There is much in the world right now to cause alarm and frustration, the account of Habakkuk although written a very long, may hold the key to managing to stay sane and functional; don’t try to do God’s job, and accept that the long term is firmly under his control.

 

 

 

 

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[1] Hab 1:2-4 (CEV)

[2] Hab 2:3

[3] Hab 2:4

[4] Hab 2:18-20

[5] Hab 3:16

[6] Hab 3:17-19

Take Up His Cross

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."[1]  

 

 

“Take up his cross and follow me!” What did that mean to people of the early first century? To answer the question of what, “take up his cross and follow me,” meant to people of the first century, or even what it might mean for believers down through history, can only be answered through the events that took place before Jesus made that statement. I am annoyed by the dribble of some commentators, who see only explanations that supports their concept of Church. But aside from them, there are a few who don’t impose their own bias on the passage. I will endevour to be as objective as I can. It appears to me that the section in which the statement occurs includes more than five verses. For instance the previous three verses:

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."[2]

These verses are related to the verses preceding them. 
 

Jesus asked the disciples who they thought he was, Peter was quick to speak up. He announce that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus told Peter that he was going to be foundational in the kingdom. A short time after that, Peter took it upon himself to assure Jesus he would not have to suffer, that surely God would prevent anything like that from happening. “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Perhaps the key to “taking up the cross” is within Jesus’ rebuke. Then, immediately following Jesus’ rejection of Peter’s attempt to prevent his purpose, Jesus addressed all the disciples, “if someone desires to accompany me…” Those were his disciples, but like Peter they didn’t necessarily understand Jesus’ purpose. Jesus outlined the need to mature from disciple to companion. There was to be a shift from learner to practitioner. Jesus in today’s vernacular could have said “this is where the rubber hits the road.”  
 

From a rock that was to be prominent in the foundation of the kingdom, to a stumbling block; -Satan!? Such a precipitous plummet in such a short time. Jesus denounced Peter’s objection saying “you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Then to all the disciples he said, “If someone desires to accompany me, let him disown himself and lift up his cross and join me.” Perhaps Peter’s objection to hearing that Jesus was to suffer and die frustrated his idea of what should happen, or maybe, how he saw himself in the proposed kingdom. Denying self and carrying a cross, is the antithesis to setting your mind on human objectives. Peter was not alone in holding ambitions attached to the kingdom. The Mother of James and John, request favoured seating for her sons in the kingdom. The disciples argued among themselves as to which of them was greatest in the kingdom. They were neophytes in spiritual matters, apprentices to the Master. With his approaching death, Jesus had to bring his disciples up to speed in a hurry. Personal ambitions had to be set aside, commitment to God’s way had to be fully accepted and understood. Carrying a cross can be symbolized by Jesus’ burdened walk out of the city to the place of crucifixion, but more expressly his living to die. The act of joining Jesus meant to bear the burden of persecution and/or death while doing God’s will.  

A facet of the cross which impacts our understanding is the curse of any one hung on a tree or piece of wood.

If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.[3]

Paul makes mention of this in his writing:

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"…

It must be noted that hanging a condemned individual on a piece of wood was not the method of execution. The executed individual was hung on a tree to demonstrate the enormity of his sin. Added to what has been said about carrying a cross is the aspect of being cursed; aligning oneself with the ignominy of Jesus’ death. The author of the Hebrew letter pictures Jesus as a sacrifice.

For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured.[4]

Peter reflected the attitude of many, if not all, of the disciples –aspirations of personal benefit in the kingdom. The disciples needed to “get with the program,” because their minds were on self-centered tracks. “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”   

 

 

Considering that Jesus was speaking to his disciples, does what he said apply to people of later ages? While there was a more intense expectation of his disciples due to the fact that they were thrust into the turmoil surrounding Jesus’ murder. As his disciples they were all suspect, and lived in fear of reprisals. The specifics of Jesus’ requirements of his disciples differs from what is expected from believers later in history. The principle of Jesus’ admonition apply to all people; “if someone desires to accompany me, let him disown himself and lift up his cross and join me.” A principle that often seems to be missed the need for a transition from learner to practitioner. The author of Hebrews addressed that issue with his audience;

…you have become dull in understanding. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the word of righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.[5]

Sitting in Church is not being joined with Jesus in his purpose. There is value to sitting in Church if one is learning and growing spiritually, but at some point you have to get up and participate in the purpose of Jesus. In Paul’s words, Jesus “died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.”[6] You don’t join with Jesus in his purpose by doing, but by living. Jesus could have stayed in heaven with all the security and blessing around him, but honouring God’s will, he came to earth and lived among people. That’s where he wants his disciples –among the people who need God’s grace and love. From Jesus’ teaching, we will be judged by our interactions with people. In Church you may be under or near an ornamental cross. However, it is in your community that you shoulder the cross of Christ. Among your neighbours is where you are to demonstrate God’s love and grace given to you by Jesus’ death upon a cross.
 

The simplest definition of “denying oneself” is living for Jesus without thought of personal gain. Which would include doing things to improve one’s chances of heaven. Spiritual maturity begins with a complete unambiguous acceptance of salvation through grace. Being a child of God has nothing to do with Church affiliation, or Church in any way. I am not saying this to disparage Churches, or to suggest nothing good comes from going to Church. I believe the word of God makes it clear that I have a personal duty to honour God and Jesus, by living in the world reflecting love and grace. Again, from the apostle Paul, “…it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”[7] That is what we must all endeavour to achieve.  

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Mat 16:24-28

[2] Mat 16:21-23

[3] Deut 21:22, 23

[4] Heb 13:11-13

[5] Heb 5:11-14

[6] 2Co 5:15

[7] Gal 2:20

The Gospel

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.[1]  

The gospel of the kingdom^[2], the gospel of Jesus Christ,[3] the gospel of God,[4] the gospel of the grace of God,[5] the gospel of the glory of Christ,[6] the gospel of your salvation,[7] preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham,[8] the gospel of peace.[9]
 

 What was going on that upset Paul to the point that he said some teachers within the realm of early Christianity were cursed? He assured the Galatians that the gospel he preached was given to him directly by Jesus. The teachers who were persuading some believers to change were peddlers of a distorted view of truth. Paul passionately confronted false teachers, most of them at that time were Jewish apostates, or over-zealous Jewish Christians teaching that Gentiles had to obey the law. The gospel Paul preached was the same as the gospel Jesus taught. The scriptures above show a number of the terms associated with the “gospel”. The gospel to Abraham was that all people would be blessed through his seed, seed meaning Jesus. The gospel of the kingdom is synonymous with the gospel of salvation. There is only one gospel, the “good news of redemption”, and that is through Jesus alone.  
 

Paul writing to the Corinthians commented on the issue of false teachers.

I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough.[10]

The Judaizing teachers were for the most part Hebrews Christians. Their main purpose was to have Gentile believers submit to the ordinance of circumcision, which ostensibly made them Jews, subject to the Law. It must be understood that for the first ten to fifteen years or so, Jews, and Jewish proselytes, were the only people involved in the Jesus movement. Cornelius was the first Gentile to be offered the gospel of Christ. He was sympathetic to the Jewish religion and “feared God.”[11] Paul on his travels, while in Antioch in Pisidia, went into the synagogue, he “stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen…”[12] The body of Christians in Jerusalem were very influential in the early days,  and even up to the destruction of that city. Christians vacated Jerusalem before Rome’s final attack on the city. It can be seen from James and the elders’ admonition to Paul that Jewish Christians were expected to comply with all edicts of the Law.[13] Jews having been brought up under the Law, were as Christians were required to obey the Law and keep its ceremonies. They would have found it almost impossible to accept that Gentiles had access to their religion without becoming Jews. There was one body, and one Saviour. Grace was the means of salvation, both for Jew and Gentile. That was made clear in a meeting with the Jerusalem brothers, when Peter said, "…we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are." That was a huge statement, and while difficult for Jewish Christians zealous for the Law to accept, it leveled the playing field for all people, Jew and Gentile.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Eph 2:9  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.[14]

There were likely many ready listeners for the teaching that the rituals required by the Law applied to Gentiles as well as Jews. Many of us at one time or another may have thought that a physical act leading to purification of our souls would be helpful. It seems quite innocent to want to do something in respect to one’s own salvation.  

Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?[15]

The words spoken by Peter demonstrate the burden carried by Jews under the Law. But, it was the Law they were familiar with, and which had been in their lives from their first memories. I don’t think believers left Jesus for the burden of the Law itself, but for the cathartic value of engaging in rituals. This I believe becomes evident from the Greek language; many times when we see “the Law” in the New Testament, it can be translated as simply “law”. Disciples leaving Jesus for Moses, or believers leaving grace for law, were exactly the same –a denial of Jesus. Paul saw any deviation from Christ as apostasy.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.[16]

Quite correctly, Jews would assume that Paul spoke of their Law in his defense of faith. In Paul’s argument “the Law” appears in the discussion a number times. However, in the phrase, “you who are seeking to be justified by law,” there is no definite article before “law”. Jews would have taken his meaning to be “the Law”, but the statement takes a broader swath by including any law. How serious was Paul in teaching that anything done as a personal work in the process of salvation negated grace? It seems to me that Paul’s concern was not focused on doctrinal issues, but on the primacy of Jesus. There were many Jews at the time of his writing who zealously acted upon the requirements of their Law.[17] Paul’s objection was that some were teaching that in order to be saved, one had to comply with the rituals of the Law. Followers of that teaching Paul said, “…have fallen from grace.” There are no two ways about it, then and now, salvation is through Jesus, and turning to rituals deny the efficacy of Jesus death. For Paul it was predominately an issue concerning Jewish law. But I wonder, is it an issue believers should be concerned about today? Could the religious practices I engage in cast a shadow over the cross? Does the act of going to Church give me a sense of rightness with God? If we believe that by engaging in rituals we ensure our hope, could it be that we may be denying grace.  

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[1] Gal 1:6-12

[2] Mat 4:23

[3] Mar 1:1

[4] Mar 1:14

[5] Act 20:24

[6] 2Co 4:4

[7] Eph 1:13

[8] Gal 3:8

[9] Eph 6:15

[10] 2Co 11:2-14

[11] Act 10:2

[12] Act 13:16 

[13] Act 21:18-25

[14] Eph 2:8-10

[15] Act 15:10  

[16] Gal 5:1-5

[17] Act 21:20