The earthquake in Haiti throws up the question of why, if God is both good and all-powerful, he should allow such suffering. Archbishop John Sentamu was interviewed about this on the Today programme (R4) earlier this week, but what he said was pretty incomprehensible - as the interviewer, John Humphrys, noted.
Unfortunately, American 'televangelist' Pat Robertson could be understood when he said the earthquake was judgement from God on the Haitians for 'making a pact with the devil'.
Meanwhile, the only comfort atheist geologists could give was to say it was just an accident waiting to happen.
So we need some sensible, comprehensible and helpful answers. To do this, Christians will turn to the Bible, and especially to what Jesus has to say. But can we trust the New Testament? And if we speak of life after death for the Haitians or anyone else, on what basis do we do so?
These questions will be dealt with at our Sunday evening services in the coming months. On March 1, we'll be asking the question, 'Haiti: Where was God?', on April 4, we'll be thinking about life after death, and on May 2 Dr Peter Head will be answering the question, 'Can we trust the New Testament?'
Put the dates in your diary and think about who you could ask along.
Monday 18 January 2010
Wednesday 13 January 2010
Ice & snow and God
As I sat here looking out through the 3 foot long icicles hanging outside my study window, and had a meeting cancelled because of the snow, I wondered what the Bible had to say about snow & ice...
First, Psalm 147 speaks of God's sovereignty and the power of his word over all things:
Psalm 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
Daniel 7:9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
When the Marys saw Jesus after he was raised from the dead: Matthew 28:3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
And finally, Revelation 1:13f ...among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man", dressed in a
robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
So when you see ice & snow, let it remind you of the purity of Jesus and of his purifying work; of the fickleness of man and the power of God's word.
And then the snow won't seem so bad!
First, Psalm 147 speaks of God's sovereignty and the power of his word over all things:
He sends his command to the earth;Then Job (ch 6) likens his fickle friends to the melting ice:
his word runs swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow like wool
and scatters the frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.
14 "A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.The whiteness of new snow should speak to us of purity - our own when we're cleansed by God's forgiveness, and Christ's inherent purity:
15 But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow
16 when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow,
17 but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels.
Psalm 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."
Daniel 7:9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
When the Marys saw Jesus after he was raised from the dead: Matthew 28:3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
And finally, Revelation 1:13f ...among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man", dressed in a
robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
So when you see ice & snow, let it remind you of the purity of Jesus and of his purifying work; of the fickleness of man and the power of God's word.
And then the snow won't seem so bad!
Saturday 9 January 2010
Church membership
One of the great problems in Anglican (Church of England) churches is that anyone can become a 'member' of the church by signing the electoral roll. If you live in the parish, you don't even have to attend church more than a couple of times a year. Yes, you should have been confirmed (or the equivalent), but let's face it, for many people that was a mere formality - a rite of passage - in their teenage years, and meant very little.
Free or independant churches have a more rigorous membership with various requirements (e.g. signing a statement of faith, believer's baptism, attendance at membership classes etc.), and for those of us in the Anglican church it's very easy to look across the fence and think the grass is greener - that a membership scheme will solve all the problems of a lack of commitment. And certainly many recent & excellent books about the church recommend this. But not long ago I was talking to someone in a pentecostal church that has a membership scheme who was expressing just this same frustration - people turn up at church as and when it's convenient and think they're committed to the body of Christ. They imagine that this kind of service & worship, which is given so long as there's nothing better to do, is appropriate for the Eternal Son of God who suffered, died, rose and ascended to the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
So the question is this; would a rigorous church membership scheme help people to realise the privileges and responsibilities of being a member of the body of Christ?
It may do. It is well documented that if it's hard to join something, people feel a greater sense of layalty to the organisation. But we're in danger of imposing man-made rules on Christ's church. While the Bible does speak of individuals as 'parts' of the body of Christ (eyes, hands, feet etc. in 1 Cor 12), and it does insist that persistently immoral people should be expelled (1 Cor 5), and of the need for adherence to the faith (1 John), these are not quite the same as a membership scheme. We must not become latter-day Pharisees, making it more difficult to join the church than Christ would want us to do. In any case, in the Church of England, it's difficult to see how such a membership could be established and maintained alongside the statutory Electoral Roll.
And yet... there's still a part of me that wants to recognise both the benefits of being a member and also the responsibilities. Perhaps we have to leave these things to God working by his word and Spirit in the lives of individuals...
Free or independant churches have a more rigorous membership with various requirements (e.g. signing a statement of faith, believer's baptism, attendance at membership classes etc.), and for those of us in the Anglican church it's very easy to look across the fence and think the grass is greener - that a membership scheme will solve all the problems of a lack of commitment. And certainly many recent & excellent books about the church recommend this. But not long ago I was talking to someone in a pentecostal church that has a membership scheme who was expressing just this same frustration - people turn up at church as and when it's convenient and think they're committed to the body of Christ. They imagine that this kind of service & worship, which is given so long as there's nothing better to do, is appropriate for the Eternal Son of God who suffered, died, rose and ascended to the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
So the question is this; would a rigorous church membership scheme help people to realise the privileges and responsibilities of being a member of the body of Christ?
It may do. It is well documented that if it's hard to join something, people feel a greater sense of layalty to the organisation. But we're in danger of imposing man-made rules on Christ's church. While the Bible does speak of individuals as 'parts' of the body of Christ (eyes, hands, feet etc. in 1 Cor 12), and it does insist that persistently immoral people should be expelled (1 Cor 5), and of the need for adherence to the faith (1 John), these are not quite the same as a membership scheme. We must not become latter-day Pharisees, making it more difficult to join the church than Christ would want us to do. In any case, in the Church of England, it's difficult to see how such a membership could be established and maintained alongside the statutory Electoral Roll.
And yet... there's still a part of me that wants to recognise both the benefits of being a member and also the responsibilities. Perhaps we have to leave these things to God working by his word and Spirit in the lives of individuals...
Thursday 7 January 2010
Church and state
So they're already campaigning. Babies are commandeered for photos, slogans are trotted out and posters put up.
But how should Christians respond to politics and the state?
First, we should always find it hard to know who to vote for: God calls us to be more generous and compassionate than any left wing politician, but more concerned for morality than any right wing politician. We want to invest in business because it's investing in people and work, but we want the state to provide good healthcare and support for the vulnerable.
Second, we must have a realistic view of what can and what cannot be achieved now. Some Christians believe that we can completely transform this world now and bring the Kingdom of God into the present by social action, miraculous healings etc. But the Bible says that the Kingdom of God will come with the return of Christ - only then will the world be put to rights.
Other Christians seem to deny that we can do any good now, and that we should only preach the gospel - it's tough now, there's nothing we can do but prepare people for heaven. But this denies the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and the church. We're called to pray for the those in authority and do good to those who hate us. The church is to demonstrate a genuinely alternative, God-honouring, transformed and transforming way of life. But we can't right every wrong nor heal every illness. People are still sinners (even Christians) and will still suffer and die.
So we have to walk the tightrope. No, we can't make the world perfect. But yes, we can make a difference. And we should make a difference - individually and corporately; by our prayers and our behaviour; in generosity and morality. And of course, by proclaiming Christ as Saviour and Lord - because it's true and honours him; because it's powerful and brings people into the Kingdom of God.
But how should Christians respond to politics and the state?
First, we should always find it hard to know who to vote for: God calls us to be more generous and compassionate than any left wing politician, but more concerned for morality than any right wing politician. We want to invest in business because it's investing in people and work, but we want the state to provide good healthcare and support for the vulnerable.
Second, we must have a realistic view of what can and what cannot be achieved now. Some Christians believe that we can completely transform this world now and bring the Kingdom of God into the present by social action, miraculous healings etc. But the Bible says that the Kingdom of God will come with the return of Christ - only then will the world be put to rights.
Other Christians seem to deny that we can do any good now, and that we should only preach the gospel - it's tough now, there's nothing we can do but prepare people for heaven. But this denies the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and the church. We're called to pray for the those in authority and do good to those who hate us. The church is to demonstrate a genuinely alternative, God-honouring, transformed and transforming way of life. But we can't right every wrong nor heal every illness. People are still sinners (even Christians) and will still suffer and die.
So we have to walk the tightrope. No, we can't make the world perfect. But yes, we can make a difference. And we should make a difference - individually and corporately; by our prayers and our behaviour; in generosity and morality. And of course, by proclaiming Christ as Saviour and Lord - because it's true and honours him; because it's powerful and brings people into the Kingdom of God.
Tuesday 5 January 2010
What are you reading?
Come on - God's given you a brain, use it and read some good Christian books!
Here are a few recommendations, but for more, see http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/ and http://www.10ofthose.com/
If you're in Tunbridge Wells, let me know if you want to buy, and I'll order them all together to save postage. If we get orders for 10 of any one title we can get them much cheaper.
Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
The Prodigal God - Tim Keller
Married for God - Christopher Ash
God's Big Picture - Vaughan Roberts
True Worship - Vaughan Roberts
Total Church - S. Timmis & T Chester
Ordinary Hero - Tim Chester
ESV study Bible
Here are a few recommendations, but for more, see http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/ and http://www.10ofthose.com/
If you're in Tunbridge Wells, let me know if you want to buy, and I'll order them all together to save postage. If we get orders for 10 of any one title we can get them much cheaper.
Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
The Prodigal God - Tim Keller
Married for God - Christopher Ash
God's Big Picture - Vaughan Roberts
True Worship - Vaughan Roberts
Total Church - S. Timmis & T Chester
Ordinary Hero - Tim Chester
ESV study Bible
Monday 4 January 2010
Psalm 67
In a recent newsletter, Neil R. wrote a really helpful paragraph about Psalm 67.
First a reminder of what the psalm says:
The first time the nations are mentioned (Gen 10 & 11) they are under God's judgment at Babel. The next mention (Gen 12), they are to be blessed by God's choice of Abram. Our God, whose nature is always to have mercy, is for ever finding ways to reach out and bless those who deserve His judgment. Thus began the complicated relationship between the people of God and the surrounding nations; forever trying to cling hold to the promise of the Land, forever forgetting that they were to be a conduit of divine blessing to their neighbours. When Israel forgot this calling, the Lord would scatter them among the nations and would use His people as instruments of His blessing in strange lands: Jacob in Haran, Joseph in Egypt, Moses in Midian, Elijah in Zarephath, Jonah in Nineveh, Esther and Nehemiah in Susa, Daniel in Babylon. Home-sick emissaries, who wanted nothing more than to go home to their land, reluctantly found themselves feeding the nations, bringing prosperity to their masters, acting as civil servants, healers, wise men and royal wives."
Thanks Neil!!
First a reminder of what the psalm says:
"Psalm 67 tells us that God's people get God's promised blessings so that God gets the glory among all the other nations. That is the mandate for mission.
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us.
2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.
7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
The first time the nations are mentioned (Gen 10 & 11) they are under God's judgment at Babel. The next mention (Gen 12), they are to be blessed by God's choice of Abram. Our God, whose nature is always to have mercy, is for ever finding ways to reach out and bless those who deserve His judgment. Thus began the complicated relationship between the people of God and the surrounding nations; forever trying to cling hold to the promise of the Land, forever forgetting that they were to be a conduit of divine blessing to their neighbours. When Israel forgot this calling, the Lord would scatter them among the nations and would use His people as instruments of His blessing in strange lands: Jacob in Haran, Joseph in Egypt, Moses in Midian, Elijah in Zarephath, Jonah in Nineveh, Esther and Nehemiah in Susa, Daniel in Babylon. Home-sick emissaries, who wanted nothing more than to go home to their land, reluctantly found themselves feeding the nations, bringing prosperity to their masters, acting as civil servants, healers, wise men and royal wives."
Thanks Neil!!
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