Relationship With God

I believe that Christians should take the opportunities they receive in their daily lives to speak the good news of God to others they meet. 

In this post I will be trying to lay out one way of understanding what lies behind such witness. 

It's common to represent initiation into the Christian walk as the beginning of a relationship with God. And there's nothing wrong with this conception as long as we keep in mind some important differences between human relationships and relationships with God.

1. God Is Not A Person

It's common to hear folk say that God is a person. In the evangelical world it's almost a fundamental doctrine and taken for granted. 

However, although God relates to us in a personal way for we are persons, his being--to use C. S. Lewis' graphic term--is 'super-personal'. What Lewis meant by this language is that God transcends or is beyond what we describe as a person.

And we begin to comprehend the supra-personal nature of God through God's revelation of himself as Triune Being: as Three persons (e.g., Matt 3.13-17)  in One Being (substance)(e.g., Deut 4.35; 1 Cor 8.6).

Bruce A Ware (2005) in speaking about the Trinity says:

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not identical persons, but they are harmonious in accomplishing the one undivided purpose, . . . since they each possess fully the one, undivided divine essence (p. 42).

So seeking a relationship with God is to seek a relationship with a 'three-person'd God' (John Donne), where each divine Person is related to each of the others in One Being ('substance'). 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and he spoke often of the love between the Father and himself, and of their intimate, unique knowledge of each other (Matt 11.27; Jn 10.15; 13.3; 14.9-11; & etc.). In addition, Jesus is God's 'only begotten Son' (Jn 1.14, 18) which means that Jesus is not made but begotten and has the same nature as the Father (Heb 1.3).

Furthermore, Jesus had an intimate relationship with the Spirit from conception (Lk 1.35), at his baptism (Jn 1.32-33), inauguration of his ministry (Lk 4.18-19) and also throughout his earthly ministry (Acts 10.38). The Spirit is said to 'proceed' from the Father (Jn 15.26) and to be sent by the Son (Jn 16.7; Acts 1.33). 

The Spirit is definitely a Person because he can be lied to (Acts 5.3), he commands apostles (Acts 10.19, 20) and uses personal pronouns of himself (Acts 13.2; 10.20). And the Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth will be the One to teach them further when Jesus has gone from them. Further, Jesus says that He will send another 'comforter' (John 14.16) with the Greek for 'another' meaning 'another just like me' (not 'another similar to me' as Jesus could have said in Greek).

Now what is amazing about all of this is that Jesus invited his disciples into this relationship he has with the Father and the Spirit (Jn 14.10-11, 20-21, 23, 26). All mankind is also invited and drawn into relationship through the death, 'the lifting up' of Jesus (Jn 12.33-34).

2. A Major Barrier To Relationship With God  

The major barrier to this relationship with God is our many sins we have committed. Or with more sophistication, it's the 'fallen' nature we exhibit, passed on to us as children of Adam and Eve's unfaithfulness to the relationship they had with God in the Garden of Eden. This fallen nature or 'heart' leads us into all sorts of sins and into a complacency towards the things of God.

a) What is the good news about Jesus? 

The good news is that Christ (i) died for our sins according to the scriptures, (ii) was buried, (iii) rose again the third day, (iv) was seen by various individuals, by the eleven and then twelve disciples/apostles, then by over 500 believers at one time many of whom were still alive when Paul, Christ's apostle to the Gentiles, wrote his letter to the church at Corinth in circa AD 55. Finally, on the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Paul, at that time a fanatical, persecutor of Christians (1 Cor 15.1-11) and changed his life around.

Let us enlarge upon this Bible passage in First Corinthians 15 because it is a concentrated snapshot of the gospel that Paul had received and preached. We must remember that the text was written to Christians in the first century AD.

i) Christ died for our sins

Some bible texts (e.g., Jn 3.17) use words like 'saved' and 'save' implying that God's only Son came into the world to 'save' mankind in some sense. Other verses go further directly linking his coming with 'sin' and 'sinners' (1 Tim 1.15; Heb 9.26).

Before Jesus came into the world, coming to God was blocked by our sinfulness, our desire not to do God's will but to go our own way. 

Sin is essentially lawlessness (1 Jn 3.4); choosing to live the way we want to without any wish or care as to how our Creator wishes us to live. A lawless lifestyle is run by wilfulness and pride, themes we will return to later.

We were in a deathly state (Eph 2.1) because of our 'trespasses and sins' but Jesus willingly died a shameful death in our place; he was our substitute (Isa 53.5).

He died our death because our sin required that we should be punished for our sins with death (Rom 6.23); this death was eternal separation from God.  

But the Trinity knew mankind was doomed forever: hence, the Father 'planned' humanity's salvation (Eph 1.4-6); the Son executed the Father's plan by taking upon himself the sin of the world (Isa 53.5-7; Jn 1.29; 2 Cor 5.21; 1 Jn 4.10) and the Spirit continues to apply the work of Christ to this day (Jn 16.13-15; Eph 1.13-15).

ii) Christ was buried

Jesus was buried in a sepulchre and that's important because it tells us he really died. The Romans only buried people who were dead and being a culture of death, they made sure Jesus was dead. They even allowed for a guard to be placed at his tomb (Matt 27.64-66) to ensure his body was not stolen by his disciples.

iii) Christ rose again the third day

One theme running through the preaching of the apostles after Jesus finally left them is that: Jesus was dead but now He is alive. Peter, the apostle, voices this clearly on the Day of Pentecost after the disciples have all received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2.4, 24, 32, 36).

Paul declares that faith in Christ is futile if Christ is not raised from the dead (1 Cor 15.12-19) adding that we are still in our sins (1 Cor 15.17) and therefore in danger of eternal spiritual death.

The importance of the resurrection of Christ Jesus is that it authenticates this Man and all he claimed about himself to be correct. He said he would die and rise again the third day (e.g., Lk 9.22) and that's what happened (Lk 24.1-45).

iv) Christ was seen by many

They all seem to be believers though we can't be sure of that because even Thomas one of the original twelve doubted until he was permitted to touch Jesus (Jn 20.24-29). And, on another occasion mentioned by Matthew, we read that 'And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted' (Matt 28.17).

In Acts we're told that 'he shewed himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God' (Acts 1.3). The very fact that Jesus appeared to the apostles over this period of time implies that the disciples required 'infallible proofs' of his resurrection and that Jesus was not reluctant to satisfy their desire for proof.

We note too that Jesus appeared to more than 500 believers at one time so we can definitely rule out hallucination because hallucination does not occur en masse. Furthermore, says Paul, many of these witnesses were still alive when Paul had written the first extant letter to the Corinthian church.

Lastly, Paul sees the Risen Lord himself (Acts 9.1-31) which changes his whole life around. He is no longer a persecutor of the Christian Church but the great apostle to the Gentiles.

b) What is the good of this news for humanity?

This news signifies that the punishment that mankind's sins required has been definitively borne by the Messiah, Christ Jesus, in his death and resurrection (Rom 4.24-25). The penalty incurred for breaking God's law has been paid!

So the good news is that the sin-barrier between God and mankind has been broken down by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

3. BUT . . .

The Bible says that those who don't believe the good news about Jesus the Messiah are alienated from God (Jn 3.16-18, 36) and subject to God's wrath and condemnation (Jn 3.36; 2 Thess 1.7-10).

a) Being judged

Being judged is an unpopular notion today to the point where even the idea of judgement of any kind is rejected. But all human societies, in one way or another, practice human judgement when serious laws have been broken. In everyday life too, only the gullible fail to exercise judgement. When faced with the many demands of living the exercise of judgement proves to be an inescapable feature of human life.

On the divine level, we cannot escape the number of references to God's judgement throughout the bible beginning as early as the first book of the Bible (Gen 3.16-19). In fact, judgement occurs in this life to us all because we are all part of the human race subject to the curse that came upon us for Adam and Eve's rebellion (Rom 5.17-18).

In the New Testament, many exist references (e.g., Rev 20.1-10, Rom 11.13-24). At the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17), Paul spoke about God 'judging the world in righteousness by that Man whom he has ordained' and reinforced the credibility of this claim by citing the fact that the Man, Jesus was raised from the dead after his crucifixion (Acts 17.31; see also Matt 25.31-46; Rom 2.6; 2 Cor 5.10).

All eternal judgement for sin has been visited upon Jesus, the Son of God (even if in this present life we will still experience judgement of a temporal nature).

A final judgement will occur for believers to apportion rewards but not to condemn. But the rub is, such judgement will occur for believers (2 Cor 5.10).

If we are not believers in Jesus who is the only way to the Father (Jn 14.6) then we need to be 'saved' from the judgement leading to 'the second death' (Rev 20.6, 14).  

b) Being saved

To be saved in normal language may be defined as being rescued from something bad such as financial ruin or death. Hence, life-savers at the beach save bathers from drowning if they get into difficulties in the ocean by rescuing them from the water. This needed rescue is what Christians call 'being saved'.

So we could all be likened to drowning swimmers in the ocean waving our hands wanting desperately to be rescued. We need to be rescued because we live under the judgement of God as sinners who have broken his holy laws by 'leaving undone what we should have done' as well as, 'doing things we should not have done'.
 

i) by grace

Though hard to grasp from any human perspective, this God seeks for humanity. (We may think we are initiating a move towards him, but our moves are a sign that he has already inclined our hearts to seek him. When we think about that, it should encourage us even more to press on towards him!)

Being 'saved', experiencing God's salvation from sin, is by God's grace. The notion of 'grace', 'the unmerited favour of God to those who deserve the opposite' is the hallmark of Christian teaching and life.

ii) through faith

Our faith doesn't save us but it is the sole instrument God uses to bring about our salvation (Rom 1.16; 4.2-3). Without faith, that is, a wholesale trust and reliance on the truth of God's promises to forgive our sins and make us right with him, we 'cannot please God' (Heb 12.6).
 
God seeks us all loving us with a holy love (Jn 3.16; 1 Jn 4.10). The truth is he was moved with compassion for man's pitiful state to give His 'only begotten Son'  for the welfare of His creatures.

iii) for good works

Although we are not saved from the penalty of sin by doing good works, we are saved to do good works. This teaching abounds in the New Testament (Matt 5.16; 1 Tim 5.9-10, 24-25; 1 Tim 6.17-18; Titus 2.12-14; Jas 3.13; Heb 10.24; 1 Pet 2.12).

A beautiful summary of how grace, being saved, faith and our good works go together is given in this verse:

By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk therein (Eph 2.8-10).

Coda

In writing further on this theme which arose out of various contacts I've made and discussions I've had, I intend to draw attention to the limitations of presenting what I've outlined above to members of our post-Christian society.

The presentation of the Gospel always requires that we be sensitive to the context in which we present it. That doesn't mean we should compromise its message but we must do the groundwork so that what we say is intelligible to those with which we speak.    

Advent: A Reminder of Judgement to come

In this season of Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it is often forgotten that the season is a sharp reminder that Jesus will come one day 'to judge the quick [living] and the dead' (old form of Apostles' Creed).

The Creed draws these words and idea from at least four different scriptures of general judgement (Acts 10.42; Rom 14.9,12; 2Tim 4.1) plus two scriptures on the specific judgement of Christians (2Cor 5.10; Jas 5.9).  

We recoil at that thought that we Christians will be judged but scripture makes this clear beyond dispute.


Although, we have been saved, are being saved and will be saved from the 'wrath to come' (1Thes 1.10), nevertheless, Christians will also stand before Christ to have their works tried by fire to test the quality of them (1Cor 3.13).

This thought is a sobering one and worthy of our earnest attention as we wait for His coming in compassionate judgement.

WORSHIP: What is it and how is it done?

One of the popular, modern beliefs about Christian worship is that it primarily occurs when the congregation is led in singing by a band of musicians and singers.

That view is unfortunate and takes us back to the days when the laity came to church not to sing but to listen to the beautiful cathedral choirs do the singing. 

For sometimes, the use of 'worship teams' with bands' and singers' efforts amplified can inhibit congregational participation. The 'worship team' can become a unit set apart by its skills and volume from the congregation leading to congregants becoming passive in their involvement in the service.


Interestingly, the perspective that supported the Medieval church in its captivity was its split view that regarded the ordained in a higher, separate category. These exalted ones all had a 'vocation', a calling. Needless to say, the common, unordained folk found in the congregation did not have a vocation. 

The great Reformer, Martin Luther challenged that understanding. He countered by stating that God is milking the cows of the countryside through the hands of the milkmaids! (See G. E. Veith's splendid article on Luther's reformation idea of vocation.)

Entertainment As A Way of Life 

It doesn't take too much discernment to see that our present society is taken up with entertainment and amusement. Although, our secular society worships other gods as well, entertainment is big business and it keeps consumers (horrible word!) off the streets and inside shops spending.

Moreover, entertainment keeps non-Christians and Christians alike from focussing any attention on the world to come.

It hasn't always been like this and certainly for major parts of the 20th C -during the two world wars and in the 1930s economic depression in-between- entertainment as a way of life, wasn't prominent. Even after WWII, both the victors and vanquished societies were exhausted by the war effort.

After the second WW, things were slow until we hit the 1960s with worldwide street protests and the young dropping out of 'the establishment' and experimenting with free 'love', 'recreational' drugs and different modes of living.

The establishment of television in the West became the springboard for many other technologies that have been directed towards financial gain through providing entertainment. Central to that entertainment culture has been the pop music industry.  

We cannot blind our eyes to the fact that Christians also breathe the air of this popular music-centred, entertainment culture. We also cannot avoid the unnerving questions that it raises for Christian worship services in general.

Christian worship songs

N. T. Wright, the famous New Testament scholar, points out that church worship music has done two things historically: reflect the culture we live in but also, challenged that culture if need be. 

He expresses concern that some present worship songs are all about 'my love affair' with Jesus. His gentle chides that the 'falling in love' metaphor is rather like striking a match. We see all the fireworks and it's exciting; but if the lighted match is used to light a candle, then the match's light is given a more permanent expression in the burning candle.

The other concern that should be expressed about some worship songs is that they are individualistic in theme rather than we-affirmations of the assembled body of believers. Of course, both types have their place but both should be given a place in the church's repertoire. 

At the heart of worship is reverent adoration

Lots of ways exist for the church to express reverent adoration of its God. 

From the stricter liturgies of the older denominations to the free forms of the newer groups each congregation is acknowledging God's Lordship, Kingship, Sovereignty, Loving Kindness, Goodness, Holiness and Tender Mercies and praising, glorifying, thanking and honouring Him for all he has done.

Why do we need to worship?

Why does God need our worship and adoration? Well he doesn't need it! 

But we need to do it because in acknowledging who God is we also acknowledge who we are. 

He is the Creator who has given us life and who sustains our lives moment-by-moment. To not acknowledge that is to live a life of delusion. To try to live without gratitude for the life we have is to exist as an ingrate.

Much, much better to recognise from where we draw all our life and this occurs in confessing God's worthiness to receive all our praise.

Doing All Things Through Christ

'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' (Phil. 4.13). 

All sorts of nonsense unfortunately have been inferred from these words of the apostle Paul in Philippians. One bit of silliness is the preaching that every saint of God 'can do all things they wish to do' in Christ. 

I suspect that this teaching comes from the 'health and wealth' theological quarter but wherever it comes from, that type of motivational preaching that seeks to use this verse to encourage God's people to 'reach for the stars' and 'fly like eagles', etc. is unsound.

And yes, it is bound to lead to eventual disappointment and disillusionment in the hearers that seek to follow the advice.

Another possible and associated source is 'possibility thinking' ideology and my remarks above and below also include this understanding too.

My main objections follow these paths:

A). These interpretations are not true to the context of this verse

The question of the meaning of 'all things' is implicitly answered by every interpreter and reader of Philippians 4.13.

Just a moment's thought though would surely incline one to the fact that 'all things' does NOT mean every thing possible. We can't decide to jump off a high bridge and expect to escape all injury on the basis of the 'all things'. We are limited by our creatureliness because we are creatures; the creator is God alone.

Definitively, Paul's words are limited by the immediate biblical context (Phil 4.11-12) which too often isn't even read! This context speaks of Paul's being in want as well as abundance and his having learned to be content whatever his situation. Would that was each Christian's testimony! 

But, his testimony is that 'I can do all this [i.e., accept both want and abundance] through him who gives me strength [NIV]'.

B). These interpretations are not true to the overall tenor of Scripture

I read the scriptures and although we can meet the patriarchs and judges of the Old Testament who did great things for God. However, their exploits were never done with the spirit of a recent US presidential candidate who said in 2008, 'We can do it', which is hallmark of practical atheism.

Some Christian teaching today seems to want to be among those who can sing with Frank Sinatra, 'I did it my way'.* My technique, my application, my resolutions, my method, my (secret) knowledge got me to the line. 

We have to get this one thing into our hearts; none of these things count with God! We have to again get into our hearts who God is. I fear we have lost that sense of the majesty, the glory, the spendour and the fear of the Lord that permeates the Scriptures. When mere mortals met angels they were terrified! When they met the Lord, they encountered the holiness of God and fell prostrate at his feet.

The, 'we can do it' mantra is the old adamic spirit showing itself in its dulled sheen. (And of course, 'we' haven't been able to do it!)

God wants all the glory to be his because it rightfully belongs to him; whereas, the flesh wants to rob God of his supreme position. 

Let's not be found among those who are caught by the devices of Satan but be among those who are fully knowledgeable of his wicked snares.

Let us put on 'the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires (Roms 13.14, RSV).

*Did you know that this song is the most popular song being played at funerals nowadays? The song for Christians should be, 'He did it His way'!