Author: Jimmy Day

One of the things that stands out in the Bible’s early chapters is the age at which some people lived. I mean, Adam was 130 years old when he started a family! Even the thought of that is exhausting.

And that’s not the least of it. Lamech lived to the ripe old age of 777. Adam was 930 when he died. Methuselah was 969, the oldest person of all time. Noah became a dad for the first time at 500.

Ancient texts from many cultures have listed life spans most modern people find unbelievable. For example, the 4,000-year-old Sumerian King List details the reigns of kings in Sumer (ancient southern Iraq) as exceeding 30,000 years in some cases. It also mentions eight kings who reigned for 241,200 years. No one would take that literally.

Explanations

As with almost everything in the Christian world, there are various opinions and positions on the ages in Genesis. Some will take these ages literally, as that’s how they regard Genesis. God created the world in six 24-hour days, made a woman from a man’s side, and people lived for hundreds of years.

First-century Roman-Jewish historian Josephus wrote, “let no one, upon comparing the lives of the ancients with our lives, and with the few years which we now live, think that what we have said of them is false; or make the shortness of our lives at present an argument, that neither did they attain to so long a duration of life, for those ancients were beloved of God, and made by God himself; and because their food was then fitter for the prolongation of life, might well live so great a number of years: and besides, God afforded them a longer time of life on account of their virtue, and the good use they made of it.”

Metaphor

While some people consider these ages literal, others believe they’re metaphorical. Most Jewish theologians think Genesis chapters 1 to 11 to be symbolic. Many Christians agree. I’ve written about this elsewhere. You can also listen to my teaching on this on the Digging Deeper podcast.

The stories up to Abraham are to be understood metaphorically rather than literally. Long lives and old ages are a way of saying the person lived for an extensive time or has seen a lot of events. We still use Methuselah as an example of longevity today with the Idiom, “He’s as old as Methuselah.” When we say this, we don’t mean it literally. No one is suggesting the person is 969 years old. It’s used to communicate that someone is very advanced in years. Other similar idioms include “She’s as old as the hills.” (or “over the hill”) or “They have one Foot in the Grave.” None of these sayings is considered factual, but they all communicate the truth.

Other Considerations 

Some interpret the ages as an ancient form of bragging. Another consideration is how time was measured and viewed in the ancient world. For example, Jesus said, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40). But that is not literally true. Jesus was crucified on Passover (or the day before Passover according to John’s gospel) on a Friday. He died about 3 p.m. He rose again early on Sunday morning, meaning he was in the grave for about 40 hours, not 72 hours. Jesus’ statement is not literally true.

An understanding of the Hebrew mindset is helpful here. Ancient Hebrews considered time as a “part for a whole.” In other words, a portion of a day was still considered as an entire day, a concept known as Synecdoche. We use expressions like this too. For example, cattle are counted by “head.” But the “head of cattle” doesn’t discount the rest of their body. Someone may comment on your car by saying, “nice wheels.” Of course, they’re referring to the entire vehicle. And so, Jesus’ statement about three days and three nights takes in Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, even though Friday and Sunday were only part days.

Was time measured and viewed in the ancient world as it is today? Probably not. A metaphorical understanding of the Bible’s old ages sits well with me. But you decide what is comfortable for you. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Is it a truth that affects the way we live today? Not at all.

Finally,

If you hold a literal view of this subject and feel strongly that you must defend it, it would be helpful to ask yourself why. Why is that important to you? Does it affect your life or that of others? Do you have a “House of cards” view of Scripture? – If this is wrong, nothing in the Bible is correct. The Bible doesn’t behave that way; sometimes, it doesn’t behave at all. We mustn’t make the Scriptures into something that they were never intended to be. The Bible is alive, active, inspired, and ancient and contains truth that powerfully impacts us today even though it comes to us from times past.

 

We find the most in-depth insights into the resurrection body in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the resurrection chapter. Please read and ponder verses 35 to 50, in which Paul states his case and then illustrates it with several mini parables. He begins with two questions asking how the dead are raised and what kind of body they will have.

Question one is answered in the first part of the chapter. The dead are raised because Jesus has defeated death through his resurrection. Because Jesus has conquered death, we can, too, as we place our trust in him. Paul then turns his attention to question 2: With what kind of body will they come?

The Example of the Seed

What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed, he gives its own body.

The seed is a body that first must die. In John 12:24, Jesus said unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. No doubt, Jesus was speaking about his impending death. He died as just one man, but his resurrection has cultivated many “seeds” – the billions of people following him.

That body (seed) dies, and God gives it a new body different from the one that perishes. That’s excellent news. Your resurrection body won’t have the same limitations of tiredness, hunger, and sickness endured by the human body.

As Kenneth E. Bailey says, “the new plant that arises from the soil is not created out of the vegetable matter found in the seed. Paul is not telling his readers that in the resurrection the (flesh) will magically reform and arise using the same bone and flesh with which it died.”

This is important because sometimes Christians are unsure about organ donation and cremation because they fear it may affect the resurrection. But your new body will be made of different stuff, so have no fear.

Flesh and Sun

Paul continues this thought in the following parable. The resurrected body will be different from the natural body we possess now. Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.

He then speaks about Heavenly bodies. Paul isn’t referring to Hollywood actors here; he has the sun, moon, and stars in mind. The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon and the stars another, and each star differs in brilliance. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.

From our point of view, the sun dies each night and is resurrected in the morning. Even though the sun doesn’t move, we speak of it rising and setting. The moon and stars die each morning and get resurrected each evening. In the same way, death and resurrection are part of each day’s cycle.

Adam and Jesus

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.

Paul continues by using the example of the first man, Adam, and the last Adam (Jesus). The first Adam inaugurated the long chain of perishable human bodies. According to Bailey, “the last Adam, Jesus, launched a new age where the incorruptible will inherit the eternal kingdom in the new creation. Paul is referring to the coming of the kingdom of God in its fullness at the end of the age.”[1]

In this present life, all people are like The First Man, having a natural body of the “dust of the earth.” (Genesis 3:19). Almost 99% of the human body’s mass is made up of six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. Almost all of the remaining 1% comprises another five elements: potassium, sulphur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium. Our natural body, says Paul, is perishable, sown in dishonour and weakness as typified by the first Adam who disobeyed, lied to cover it up, blamed his wife, and then blamed God.

As was the earthly man, so are those of the earth. In other words, we can all relate to Adam’s story because it is our story too. We blame others and God rather than take personal responsibility. We are sinners, but that is NOT the end of the story. Like a seed precedes a plant, the natural body precedes the spiritual body.

Paul writes, “just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” Paul refers to Jesus as the last Adam, the second man, and the heavenly man, and makes several statements about the resurrection body which is:

Raised imperishable. The resurrected body will not decay or perish (John 3:16). It will be immortal.

Raised in glory. Possessing qualities of integrity, reliability, and wisdom.

Raised in power. The ability to express the life-giving power of love like Jesus demonstrated through the cross.

Raised a spiritual body. The natural (physical) body is sown into death, and, just like a grain of wheat, it springs up as a spiritual body. This body is constituted and directed by the Holy Spirit, thus one that cannot sin, as was God’s original plan.

A Body Like Jesus’

In the resurrection, we will acquire a body that is like Jesus’ resurrection body – tangible, physical. We will not be disembodied spirits floating around on clouds playing the harp. Thank goodness! After his resurrection, Jesus walked, talked, and ate food with people. He was seen by them but also vanished and reappeared in different places. He moved with ease between physical and spiritual dimensions.

Kenneth E. Bailey writes, “In the resurrection, the believer will have a Spirit-constituted physical body. The brokenness and decay of the old body will be gone. The new body will be a physical body like the resurrected body of Christ. Such a glorious vision and promise calls for an exuberant hymn of victory,” which is how Paul ends this chapter:

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Hallelujah!

[1] Bailey, Kenneth E. Paul through Mediterranean eyes, p. 460.

We, humans, are fascinated by death and life beyond the grave. Before becoming a Christian, I frequently pondered these things and was riveted by discussions about reincarnation and communicating with the dead. One of the things that attracted me to the Christian faith was the assurance that this life is not all there is to life. So, let’s dive into some questions about heaven, resurrection, and immortality.

Do we go Straight to Heaven When we Die?

Christians differ on the answer to this question. Some believe as I do, that we go straight to heaven when we die. Others believe the Bible teaches Soul Sleep, that the righteous sleep until judgement day.

By heaven, I’m referring to the third heaven, which is God’s home and where Jesus is now. It is this third heaven that Paul said he visited either bodily or in a vision.

Jesus taught about the Kingdom of heaven, which is the impact of God’s nature on the earth. This is the emphasis of the New Testament and teachings of Jesus and is to be the focus of all followers of Jesus. In other words, our attention is on the here and now rather than the hereafter.

Searching the Scriptures

What does the Bible teach about going to heaven? Paul had much to say about this, particularly to the Corinthian church:

2 Cor 5:1, “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” Notice that he refers to the body as a tent. A tent is a temporary dwelling place rather than a permanent home. It’s a beautiful comparison.

2 Cor 5:6-8, “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” You can also read Philippians 1:23 and 2 Tim 4:18 to gain more of Paul’s insights.

Peter wrote about heaven as our imperishable inheritance (1 Peter 1:4). The author of Hebrews spoke of the Old Testament saints longing for a better, heavenly country (11:16) in which to dwell.

Jesus spoke of a time when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. It appears that upon death, the soul of the faithful person goes to be with the Lord in his presence.

Soul Sleep

Some Christians believe that a person’s soul sleeps from death to the resurrection. Martin Luther believed this, as does Nicky Gumbel of Alpha Course fame. Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4 are used in defence: “we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of humanity, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (13-14).

I believe the sleep here is metaphorical, like Jesus spoke about Lazarus when he died, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

Proponents of soul sleep believe people’s souls are awoken for the resurrection at Christ’s return. But resurrection ALWAYS refers to the body, not the soul.

Consider Jesus’ interactions with the thief on the cross, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Supporters of soul sleep move a comma, “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.” There is no punctuation in the original manuscripts, so it is a matter of opinion.

I believe our spirit/soul goes straight to heaven when we die, but I understand why some Christians believe the soul sleeps until judgement day. Whatever the case, one thing is sure, “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).

When Does our Spirit Become Immortal?

Is the human spirit immortal, or is it made immortal when we’re born again or when we are resurrected? Once again, there are numerous views on this within the Christian church. In recent years I have come to lean more towards what is known as Christian mortalism, that the human soul is not inherently mortal and that one of the outcomes of Jesus’ death and resurrection is the gift of eternal life. In other words, people do not possess immortality. It is a gift from God.

Scripture says that [God] alone has immortality (1 Timothy 6:16; Cf. John 5:26). If he is the only immortal being that counts people out.

Consider God’s words in Genesis 3:22-23 after the man and woman had “become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and also take from the tree of life and eat and live forever.” So, the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden.” God acted kindly so that people would not live forever in poor conditions.

People do not live forever. The human soul is not immortal apart from an act of God by granting the gift of eternal life because “Our Saviour, Christ Jesus…has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10; Cf. Romans 6:23; 2 Tim 1:10; 1 Peter 1:3-4; Romans 2:7; Matthew 10:28).

We are given the gift of eternal life when we are born again. I am still determining whether our spirit becomes immortal at that point or when we are resurrected.

Next week, I’ll examine what the Bible says about the resurrection body.

I imagine you’ve recently caught the news concerning a lewd joke about Jesus being told on The Project. Gay comedian and cabaret performer Reuben Kaye was a guest on the current affairs program a few days ago and created a storm over a crude reference to Jesus. What’s happened since is a stream of comments, news reports, and blogs expressing outrage, support, and everything in between. So, here’s another one!

Apologies

Watching the interview, you’ll notice that The Project‘s anchor man, Waleed Aly, was singularly unimpressed with Kaye’s joke. The following day, Aly told The Project‘s audience, “We want to acknowledge the particular offence and hurt that it caused our Muslim and especially our Christian viewers. Obviously, I understand how profound that offence was.” Aly is a devout Muslim. Jesus is greatly revered within Islam and is the most-mentioned person in the Quran.

Another panellist, Sarah Harris, also apologised, “Live TV is unpredictable,” she said. “And when this happened in the last few moments of the show, it took us all by surprise; there wasn’t a lot of time to react in a considered way.” She’s spot on. I interviewed hundreds of people during my radio and television career, and things can be unpredictable, especially when interviewing “live.” We’re all wiser in hindsight. Think about all the times you’d love to go back to THAT conversation (or argument) and say things differently or not at all. That’s what live interviewing is like. You do your best at the time. You apologise when you get it wrong. But, of course, the apology was not enough for some.

The Backstory

Reuben Kaye has spoken about the hate he receives for his sexuality and dressing up in drag, particularly from the Christian community. Pause and think about that. The people who follow Jesus and carry the good news; people who are to treat others in the way they would like to be treated; people who are to love their neighbour as themselves have communicated hatred towards a person, and a community, because they are perceived as more sinful than others. The LGBTQ+ minorities have been singled out by much of the church for special attention and particular condemnation.

And so, should those who frequently receive disdain from Christians not feel justified in firing a few shots back? While I disagree with Reuben Kaye’s joke, I understand why he spoke the way he did. I’d love to hear his story one day if I ever have the chance to chat with him.

Cancel Culture

How has the Christian community reacted to all this? Well, we don’t like it, of course. We’re happy to dish up unkind words to others, but we can’t afford others the right to reply. We cry foul about “Cancel Culture,” then protest against The Project, asking for it to be cancelled. We speak words of judgement and condemnation and act surprised when the recipients of our harshness retaliate.

We argue that our freedom of speech is being threatened, that Christians are under fire, and then whine when someone else expresses their freedom of speech. There’s no hypocrisy to see here; please move on!

But Jesus Got Angry

I can hear the argument already. But Jesus got angry, so we have a right to be angry too. Yes, we do, but let’s reflect on what made Jesus angry. Mark tells the story of Jesus’ anger with the religious leaders who sought to kill him because he was good to people on the Sabbath. Shock horror.

Matthew 23 is an entire chapter that records Jesus’ angry rant towards these same leaders “who shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces,” just like the church has done to the LGBTQ+ community.

And then there’s Jesus’ famous clearing of the temple where he “drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons” – an apparent act of anger. You can’t imagine Jesus doing this with a smile on his face. But why did he do it?

After he cleared the temple court, “the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.” It’s significant because these people weren’t allowed inside the temple because of their disabilities. The space had been filled with people profiting from religion, and Jesus saw red and made room for those genuinely in need.

I wonder if you can see parallels between this story and those modern religion has kept out of God’s church.

WWJD?

What would Jesus think of Reuben Kaye’s joke? How would Jesus respond? Would he be as offended as some of his people? I think not. Jesus was reviled plenty during his life, and he rarely reacted. Peter wrote, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

The gospels tell us that Jesus remained silent before his accusers. Sometimes being quiet takes more strength than talking. How does this enlighten us as followers of Jesus? What if we instead used our voices to speak out against injustice and exclusion? What if we got offended by the things that outraged Jesus?

Jesus is as angry with hypocrisy today as he’s ever been. Any form of Christianity that blocks people from gathering with other believers to grow in grace is NOT the faith that Jesus pioneered. In the gospels, Jesus mixes comfortably with all kinds of people. His only words of anger and condemnation were reserved for religious hypocrites who built walls to keep certain “undesirables” out. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus tore the walls down and welcomed all people to come to him and find rest for their souls.

The Project

As for The Project, this has been a challenging time. No doubt there have been lots of discussions and introspection behind the scenes. But I can only speak from personal experience. Waleed Aly and the team at The Project were very kind to Christie and me during the years we advocated for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. They interviewed us and spoke with empathy for the boys. I, for one, would not like to see The Project cancelled. And I hope that we who follow Jesus will speak with kindness and grace and advocate for second (and third) chances for all people, just like we have received ourselves.

Whether you’re Roman Catholic or not, you’ve probably heard of a place called Purgatory. It’s a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of those who die in grace, in friendship with God, but are compensating for some venial sins before going to heaven. It’s an antechamber of Hell, a place of divine cleansing (purging) from which some will eventually emerge as redeemed and united with God.

According to Roman Catholic theology, the living can hasten the purification process through prayers and charitable works on behalf of the dead.

Developing Doctrine

The doctrine of Purgatory was developed during the Dark Ages in the late 500s. The suffering in Purgatory is twofold: physical pain and separation from God. The ideology was primarily based on one passage in the Apocrypha and one in the New Testament.

The Apocryphal reference is 2 Maccabees (Date: 124 BC) 12:44–45, “For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore, he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.”

Regarding the believers’ judgment, Paul wrote, “It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work…If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

Add to that Hebrews 12:29, “our God is a consuming fire,” and, according to Catholic interpretation of these verses, the souls of the departed are purged and purified by fire in Purgatory.

Correct Understanding?

Though it is not necessary to interpret the Corinthians text to mean the fire of Purgatory, it was common among the Latin Fathers to understand this fire as a reference to some short-lived punishment and purification before the final salvation. Examples of this explanation can be found in the writings of Augustine and Caesar of Arles.

But Paul’s language in 1 Corinthians 3 is symbolic. He writes about building on a foundation already laid, Jesus Christ. The way Jesus’ followers build on that foundation is in view here. Our building material is our good works. Paul says they are like gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw. On the Day (presumably Judgement Day), the quality of people’s works will be brought to light, being “revealed with fire.” His allegory is powerful when considering what fire does to these various materials. Wood, hay and straw are ruined, while gold, silver, and costly stones are refined.

While none of this is literal, Paul’s meaning is clear. What Christians do now has eternal ramifications, but our salvation is never questioned because we are not saved by works but by God’s grace flowing through faith alone: “If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved.” The loss is an absence of reward.

Consider Jesus’ words to the repentant thief on the cross next to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). This man had done nothing to bring that was any good, but Jesus promised him direct entry to the paradise of God. No purging was necessary to pay for his sins because Jesus forgave him completely.

Why Fire?

Scripture frequently uses the symbol of fire when discussing the judgment and reconciliation of all things. Christians hold various views on the nature and purpose of the fire.

Those who believe in eternal conscious torment (ECT) believe fire is punitive. ECT adherents believe Hell is forever, and people will never be able to escape the agony of the flames. It is, in my opinion, a horrendous concept that contradicts the nature of a God who IS love.

Conditional immortality (also known as annihilationism) teaches that fire destroys. Those who believe this do not consider the human soul immortal, which is why Jesus gives eternal life as a gift. On Judgement Day, the unrepentant are sentenced to finite punishment and then cease to exist.

Finally, there’s the teaching of universal salvation and purgatory which view fire as purifying. People suffer a time when their sins are thoroughly cleansed. Eventually, everyone is granted access to paradise to enjoy eternity in God’s presence.

Each of these views has scripture to support them. I’ve written about this in more detail here.

Where to from here? Please do some personal study if this topic interests you. Whatever you believe, never use it to provoke fear in others or as an excuse to live a reckless life. We don’t love God because we want to escape Hell. We love Him because He first loved us.

Suggested Reading

Four Views on Hell (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) (Zondervan)

Many people in the Bayside Church community are engaging with the New Year Restart, an opportunity to develop or strengthen a spiritual discipline that becomes a part of your life. One such practice is prayer, so it would be helpful to explore what Scripture reveals about this sacred exercise that promotes spiritual growth.

In his epistles, Paul puts tremendous value on prayer. He must have thought it worked! Of the 667 prayers in Bible, 454 traceable answers are found! Have you ever had a prayer answered? If so, tell us about it in the comments section to encourage the faith of others. Prayer works, so prayer has worth!

In his letter to the Ephesian Christians, the apostle urges them to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” So, let’s explore these kinds of prayers.

Prayers

In Ephesians 6:18, Paul employs the most commonly used Greek word for prayer, proseuche. It’s made up of two words. Pros means face-to-face. For example, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with (pros) God…” (John 1:1). The idea conveyed by this word is one of intimacy. The Holy Spirit tells us that the Father and the Son have always had an intimate, face-to-face relationship.

Euche refers to a wish, desire, or vow. It was initially used to depict a person who made a vow to God because of some need or want. They would promise to give something to God of great value in exchange for a favourable answer to prayer.

Proseuche shows us two important things about prayer. It tells us that prayer is the vehicle to bring us into a close and intimate relationship with God. Secondly, the idea of sacrifice is also involved when we surrender to God’s will, purpose and sovereignty. It’s a cosy relationship with God in which we enjoy His presence and align our will with His.

Requests

Requests (Gk. deesis) is translated as petitions (NASB) and supplication (KJV). It refers to a need or plea and denotes a cry for God’s help that exposes our inability to meet our own needs.

James employs deesis in his letter when speaking about Elijah, “(The) prayer of a righteous (man) is powerful and effective.” Powerful (Gk. energeo [energy] = the power to get things done). I’m so glad that James uses Elijah as an example. He was a mighty man of God, but he was also an ordinary human being who did great exploits and experienced dismal failures. Consider when Jezebel threatened him. Elijah ran for his life and prayed, “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life.” (1 Kings 19:3-5). Ever felt like that? I certainly have!

Elijah recognised his inability to change the situation apart from God’s intervention. He prayed earnestly (deesis) out of his deep sense of need, asking God to intervene. His prayers were powerful and effective – just like yours are! When we cry out to God with our requests, acknowledging our inability to meet our needs, God will hear and answer!

Asking

Jesus reassures his followers that they are welcome to ask (Lit. demand) whatever they wish as long as they remain as one with him (abide, continue, or dwell). Prayer is an enduring relationship rather than a transaction where we only log in when we want something.

The picture in the original language is of a family home in which people live together in safety, comfort, and warmth. If we’re at home with Jesus, and his love and word are at home in us, our prayers will be effective.

New Testament Professor William Klein  stated this: “When a person is asking the Father in prayer, while under the influence of the Spirit of Christ, and is praying according to the Word of God, the Lord guarantees that what the person asks will happen.”

If Jesus’ love and words take up proper residence within us, we will only ask for something in sync with His will and purposes. His word and love transform us, so our prayers always follow his will. This is a recurring theme in the epistles:

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3)

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14)

Intercession

The final kind of prayer is intercession (Gk. entynchanō = “to fall in”). The “falling in” occurs when one party meets with another, primarily to mediate on the other’s behalf. But the meaning is more profound than this. It infers intervention or interference, just like the Canaanite woman did when she pleaded with Jesus to heal her daughter (Matthew 15:22-28). She wouldn’t allow Jesus to dismiss her quickly, and because of her wisdom, persistence, and faith, Jesus intervened and healed her daughter.

Jesus and the Holy Spirit are interceding for us, especially in times of difficulty, suffering, and weakness. Encourage yourself with the truth that when you don’t know how to pray, the Spirit throws himself into your case, taking part in it and interfering (in a good way). As Jesus intercedes for you, he is perpetually meeting you at every point and intervening in all your affairs for your benefit. It infers He goes the second mile every time. Be encouraged!

I wonder if you’ve ever been told NOT to question God?

I have. It’s disrespectful, irreverent, and overly-familiar, apparently. Questioning God shows a lack of faith and fear of the Lord. I mean, God is GOD, and who are we, as mere mortals, to interrogate him?

Verses such as Romans 9:20 are quoted to support this argument: “But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?'”

In my early years as a Christian, I wouldn’t question God. Even questioning pastors was frowned upon. I mean, “touch not the Lord’s anointed,” right?

My Quest to Question

Because asking questions of God and faith has been frowned upon, those who have dared to have not been treated well. I have experienced this first-hand over the past two decades as I have started investigating aspects of my faith.

To be clear, I do not question the existence of God. Neither do I find difficulty believing in who Jesus is or what he achieved through his life, death, and resurrection. I believe Jesus is alive and reconciling people to God.

In the early 2000s, I began struggling with God ordering his chosen people to commit acts of genocide. That was followed by investigating if the Bible teaches that God deliberately tortures people forever in hell. I read widely on these subjects and published some blogs and podcasts detailing the various views Christians have held on these matters over the centuries. What became clear was that there has existed more than one perspective on each topic for hundreds of years.

How We Treat Questioners

The challenge is that most Christians are only taught one interpretation of the various themes in Scripture and are ignorant that alternative understandings exist. So, when they hear that someone believes that hell is NOT forever (for example), they brand that person a heretic or not a genuine Christian or liberal or woke.

In a recent post, a Facebook friend stated it this way: “We have also turned on our own, bullying those who wrestle sincerely with these hard questions. Are the questions themselves too dangerous? Does asking them warrant accusations of heresy? Why are we so afraid? What if Christ is up to the challenge?” Great questions.

I have been called all sorts of names by Jesus-loving people who don’t seem to be bothered by cursing another believer with unkind words (James 3:9-10). I’m a heretic, a cockroach who should hurry back to my dark places, and I’ll be sorry on the day of judgement. I think not.

The Bible and Questions

Hebraically speaking, much of the Tanakh was written to address people’s genuine questions. Consider the ageless stories in Genesis that were no doubt told and retold around campfires in the ancient worlds to answer questions like:

Why do we have to work for a living?

Why is giving birth painful?

Why do people die?

How did we get a free will or become self-aware?

Asking questions and inquiring about your faith is a healthy practice that should be encouraged rather than criticised. If you don’t believe me check out the Psalms, in which there are over fifty questions like:

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (Psalm 10:1).

Why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22);

How long, Lord? Will you be angry forever? (Psalm 79).

How long will your wrath burn like fire? (Psalm 89)

The book of Job is full of questions. Jesus didn’t rebuke people for querying him, and Paul commended the Berean Synagogue Jews for investigating his claims against Scripture rather than gullibly accepting or rejecting his message.

It fascinates me that the Holy Spirit has inspired people to record hundreds of examples of people questioning their faith and their God in Scripture. Yet, we discourage people from doing the same and call them names when they have valid questions.

No Easy Answers

I encourage you to question God and your faith and resist trite or simplistic answers. Learn to wrestle with Scripture and live with the tension of sometimes just not knowing. The Bible and life are full of paradoxes, especially in the depth of suffering.

I believe it is helpful for all of us to move past sayings like, “pray about it, or just believe the Bible,” or my pet hate, “The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it.” Some people quote that like it’s inspired Scripture, except it isn’t.

My faith has gone deeper during the times when I have grappled with doubts and difficulties. I look back over the past two decades and realise that my faith has deepened, I love God and Jesus more than ever, and I walk much more gently with people.

I’d encourage you to rest where you find yourself and be honest with yourself and God.

Have you ever felt that God has gone AWOL on you? I have, many times, and invariably it has been during the darker times of life.

I had always felt very blessed by God’s presence. From the moment I surrendered to Jesus at the age of 21, I was overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. But there have been significant occasions when God seemed absent to me. I’ll tell you about one of these.

Personal Experience

It was the early 2000s, and Bayside Church was growing very fast. We’d conducted a successful building campaign and purchased the warehouse we still meet in. The congregation had doubled in size in 18 months. At the same time, Christie and I welcomed our second daughter. We were a young family with a baby, a toddler, and a teenage church. All of that would have been enough, but I was unaware (at that time) of a blind spot ~ I was a classic under-estimator.

There’s no doubt that God has used the gung-ho, ‘she’ll be right’ part of my nature in establishing Bayside Church and pioneering many other things, but it hasn’t been without cost to myself and others. Through the Enneagram and loving feedback from my ministry team, I’m aware of this blind spot and can recognise it when tempted to over-commit. But in the early 2000s, that was not the case.

You Did What?

Two decades ago, in addition to the things mentioned before, I (we):

  • Started a Sunday evening service and then a Saturday evening service.
  • Planted a campus followed by another one a few years later.
  • Developed a media ministry and a TV Program, Bayside TV.
  • Commenced with Melbourne’s new Christian radio station as an announcer and Music Director.
  • Changed denominations.

Add to that the responsibility of increasing staff members and all that organising and managing a team entails.

I realise now that I had overloaded myself and no doubt experienced burnout. God’s seemed absent. I was in a church gathering one day and could see the Spirit of God at work all around me, but I could feel nothing. It lasted for about six months. It was awful.

My theology informs me that God wasn’t absent and is never absent. It is impossible for an omnipresent being to be missing from anywhere. God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” The apostle Paul asked, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?” He answered with a resounding “NO.”

Jesus’ Experience

Towards the end of his suffering, Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He was likely comforting himself with words from a familiar Psalm, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.” It’s a gut-wrenching prayer about abandonment. I’m suffering, and God seems absent. He left me just when I needed him most. That’s how I felt two decades ago.

And here’s the good news. Jesus knew exactly how I felt because he had suffered the same thing. He felt abandoned by God. So did I. The fact is, God had not forsaken Jesus any more than he had deserted me or you.

Misquoting Scripture

Some preachers have said that the Father turned away from Jesus because he is too pure to look at sin. Habakkuk 1:13 is quoted (out of context) to prove the point. The argument goes like this:

The Son had the sin of the human race laid upon him. God is holy and can’t look upon sin. And so, the Father abandoned his Son. Really? What kind of Father would desert his child in their hour of need? This interpretation of the Bible makes God out to be pretentious, fussy, and, well, very ungodlike. God is not scared of sin. Jesus proved this by hanging out with “tax collectors and sinners” during his life on earth.

The Father didn’t abandon the Son, but the Son felt abandoned. God didn’t forsake me, but my experience for several months was that God seemed absent. I hasten to add that this time was one of the most productive and fruitful periods in our church’s history. It became evident that “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

The absence Jesus experienced on the cross is the same as we may feel when we’re suffering. Where is God? Jesus knows what that’s like. God did not abandon Jesus. It wasn’t that God couldn’t look at sin. Jesus doesn’t reveal a God who is scared of sin; he displays a God who is comfortable in our skin and relaxed around imperfect people. If only more Christians were like that!

The Perfect Saviour

Dr Bradley Jersak says, “In the crucifixion, Jesus shared fully in our experience of absence, assuming it and thereby utterly redeeming it.”

God became a human being and resided amongst us. He experienced everything we do, tempted in every way. We have a high priest who can empathise with our weaknesses. He knows what it’s like to feel abandoned by God, to go through times when God seems absent. I hope you find that as encouraging as I do.

 

One of the first Bible verses I read this year was Isaiah 43:18-20,

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? 
I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed.”

God was about to lead his people back to their homeland after being captive in Babylon. In the preceding verses, God reminds them of the power he used to set them free from earlier captivity when they were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years. With Mighty strength, God brought his people out of Egypt, through the desert and into the Promised Land. But in Isaiah 43, God says, “forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new.”

There is a potent life principle here: sometimes, we must forget the greatness of past successes or the shame of past failures to embrace God’s new things in the present and future.

Anything from the past holding you back needs to be forgotten;

otherwise, it becomes a hindrance.

But this doesn’t mean we are to forget everything that’s happened in our lives. There are lots of things that we should remember.

Recollect Fond Memories

Recall family celebrations and great friendships, the good things in life, and the cherished memories that still stir emotions and gratitude. Things like running through the sprinklers on a hot summer’s day, climbing trees, pillow fights, and laughing so hard that your stomach hurt.

A few years ago, Christie and I took the kids to Malaysia for a holiday. One day the heavens opened for a tremendous tropical storm that left large pools of water everywhere. The kids and I spent ages jumping in the puddles. It was so much fun. Scuffing your feet through piles of autumn leaves is equally satisfying—fond memories.

Remember Things to Rectify

The Bible has lots to say about restitution & forgiveness (see Proverbs 14:9; Matthew 5:23-24). I love the story of Zacchaeus, the chief Tax Collector of Jericho (Luke 19:1-10). Here’s one of the most despised individuals in his town, who made millions by ripping off the poor (sound familiar?). Amid the grumblings of the battlers, Jesus went to Zacchaeus’ house. We’re not told what they chatted about, but whatever Jesus said hugely impacted this rich, crooked, lonely little man.

Listen to Zacchaeus’ words, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” If I have cheated anybody! Of course he had, and paying back four times the amount would have been equivalent to pumping millions of dollars into Jericho’s economy, making a massive difference to the needy.

Imagine the impact – I bet the complainers stopped whining when the money arrived! And all because a man remembered and decided to do something to correct the wrongs of the past.

A Personal Story

My first job after high school was working in a record store in Perth. At night, I studied radio announcing at a Technical college. By day, I managed the cassette department, and so I primarily worked alone. During this time, I helped myself to money from the till and stole some records and cassettes. Eventually, I was found out and sacked. I denied any wrongdoing, but I knew I was guilty.

Fast-forward to the next few years. I became a Christian and went to Bible College to train for pastoral ministry. I studied Christian Ethics in my second year, and the lecturer taught about restitution. I felt strongly convicted of my stealing but reminded myself that all my sins were forgiven when I became a Christian. But the guilt wouldn’t budge, so I went to my lecturer to explain my dilemma.

He encouraged me to phone my ex-boss, admit guilt, apologise, and seek to repay what I had stolen. I did so with fear and trembling. She answered the phone, and I got a frosty response when I told her who was calling. I did as my lecturer had suggested and offered to repay the money. All I had was the semester’s fees (about $1,000), and I asked if that would be sufficient. She said it was, so I sent that to her as a money order, along with a tract on becoming a Christian. I know…but I was young and zealous!

I didn’t hear from her again, but it didn’t matter. I had made amends like Zacchaeus. I had remembered a past wrong that I had the power to rectify. The sense of God’s presence was overwhelming.

Do you have unresolved issues from the past? Do you need to make restitution?

Recall the Great Things God has Done

“I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds” ~ Psalm 77:11-12.

In Scripture, God instituted a feast or an altar whenever he did something incredible. Consider the Passover Feast that reminded people of their mighty deliverance from slavery. Jesus instigated communion to remind us of his death and resurrection (Luke 22:19).

In the Tanakh (Old Testament), there are several altars of remembrance so that the recollection would anchor people in truth.

Consider the story of Joshua leading the people across the Jordan and into the promised land (Joshua 4). “They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River, one for each tribe, just as the Lord had told Joshua. They carried them to the place where they camped for the night and constructed the memorial there.” The altar was a reminder of God’s power, presence, and redemption. Whatever challenges they faced in the future, the altar was a constant memorial of who God was and what God could do.

I encourage you to think of the times God has been particularly present for you. Consider those memories as altars to anchor and inspire you in the present, especially when you encounter difficulties.

A Final Story

Before he became the apostle Paul, Saul was one of the most distinguished religious leaders in Israel, “advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age” (Gal. 1:14). In his letter to the Philippians, Paul outlines his Jewish credentials (3:3-6), which were extremely impressive. But he writes, “whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” And he had lost much ~ prestige, reputation, finance, property, and family. His wife and children likely abandoned him when he converted from Judaism.

But, Jesus had found him and called him, and he wouldn’t look back. In fact, “one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” God was doing something new, and Paul wouldn’t miss out because of regrets, mistakes, or successes.

Imagine the grace the church needed to exert towards Paul, the guy that had imprisoned and killed some of their relatives. This same man was now preaching in their churches.

Forget what is behind, strain toward what is ahead, and press on toward the goal. God is making pathways through the wilderness and creating rivers in the dry wasteland to refresh you. Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I became a Christian in the late 70s, attracted by the love and grace of God that I saw in some Christian people I met while hitchhiking around Australia. But I was soon caught up in the buzz around the book of Revelation and Bible prophecy. The rapture and the end of the world were going to happen between 1983 and 1988, except they didn’t.

Then there was the satanic panic of the 80s and 90s, with over 12,000 unsubstantiated Satanic ritual abuse cases. The Left Behind series of books and films fed a generation of Christians an erroneous view of Revelation. The last few years, especially since the pandemic, have witnessed the rise of QAnon and a supposed Deep State cabal of Satanic Paedophiles manipulating the planet’s governments.

Wising Up

It has taken me many years to realise that some Christians lurch from one false prediction or plot to the next with minimal reflection. There appears to be little to no awareness that such-and-such prophecy was incorrect. They move ahead while stirring up more fear and outrage with whatever the latest conspiracy flavour happens to be.

A steady diet of certain media outlets feeds the fear and outrage. It saddens me to see Christian leaders and others go down the rabbit hole. I’ve watched it for over forty years. It’s unbiblical and un-Christlike. Jesus did not come to build a fearful, angry church; he came to create a victorious one. Christians, please wise up!

On THIS Rock

Matthew records a fascinating discussion between Jesus and his disciples in which he asks them what the public is saying about his identity. All the answers were wrong, but Peter was spot on, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

Jesus is using a play on words. Peter (Gk. Petros) means a small stone or pebble found along a pathway. A stone that someone could throw. Rock (Gk. Petra) refers to a vast mass of solid rock rising from the earth, such as a mountain or precipice. Jesus’ words could be translated as follows: I tell you that you are a little pebble, and on this gigantic rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

The Gates of Hades

Hades was the god who presided over the underworld, called the house of Hades. It was believed to be the place where people went when they died. The New Testament adopts this name for the realm of the dead and pictures it as a large city with its gates representing its power.

In the first century, cities were fortified with walls and gates. On attack, the gates would be closed. The enemy would target the gates as the place of greatest vulnerability. Through the gates, the Army would seek to destroy the invading force.

A Little History

The conversation between Jesus, Peter, and the other disciples occurs in Caesarea Philippi, a mountainous area close to Mount Hermon, the tallest mountain in Israel. The area was known as Bashan in the Old Testament and had a bad reputation. Sihon and Og, two kings of Bashan, had ties to the ancient tribes of Rephaim and Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:10–12; Joshua 12:1–5). Their kingdom’s principal cities were Ashtaroth and Edrei.

The ancients regarded the Rephaim as the spirits of slain warrior kings. Additionally, they believed that the twin cities were Sheol’s gates, the entrance to Hades. Jeroboam constructed a pagan religious complex in Dan, just south of Mount Hermon, where the Israelites worshipped Baal rather than Yahweh.

The Sons of God

People in Jesus’ time, including his disciples, perceived Bashan as terrifying and awful. Jewish tradition holds that the sons of God descended from heaven on Mount Hermon, ultimately corrupting humans by their offspring with human women (see Gen. 6:1-4).

These offspring were Nephilim (giants) and were considered ancestors of the Anakim and the Rephaim (Numbers 13:30–33). According to Enoch’s book, these giants’ spirits were evil spirits sent to dwell on the earth (1 Enoch 15:1–12).

To make the region even spookier, Caesarea Philippi had been dedicated to Zeus; a pagan god people worshipped at a religious centre built at the foot of Mount Hermon. Aside from the brief interlude during the time of Joshua through Solomon, the gates of hell were continually open for business.

The Rock and The Gates

The rock Jesus referred to in this passage was neither Peter nor himself. Jesus suggested the rock where they stood at the foot of Mount Hermon, the demonic headquarters of the Old Testament and the first-century world.

The Church that Jesus envisions in these verses is victorious. He was declaring war on Satan, sin, and death, the things he defeated by his death and resurrection. What Jesus is teaching in this discussion with his disciples is this:

Think of the worst or most challenging place to establish a church, and that’s where I’ll build mine. Find the hub of satanic activity, false religion, and superstition. I will build my church atop the gates of hell and bury them.

And that’s why I challenge the voices of fear and outrage from some quarters of the Christian church. And, if you’re caught up in these voices, I challenge you to stop feeding yourself defeatist drivel. Jesus built his church on a massive rock, saying the gates of Hades would not overcome it. Was he telling the truth? Jesus IS the Truth.

In 2017, McCrindle Research published its Faith and belief in Australia report. It’s enlightening reading for every Christian. Unsurprisingly, judging others, that is, Christians acting self-righteously and pointing out the faults in others and society, is in the top three negative influences for non-Christian people (No. 1 is church abuse). It is seen as hypocrisy for one imperfect human to stand in judgement of another flawed individual.

There appears to be some confusion amongst Christians about the proper place for judging – or not judging. That may be because a casual reading of the New Testament seems to contradict itself on this issue. But the apparent contradictions disappear when you dig deeper and consider the context.

Lots of Meanings

Many words have diverse meanings depending on the context. For example, “tip” can mean “end, rubbish dump, advice, gratuity and spill.” The word “up” has 30 definitions. So, it is with the word judge.

For example, in Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” Jesus uses the Greek word krino, meaning “to condemn or punish.” In Luke 12:57, he uses the same Greek word, but here it means “to consider” – “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?”

Paul uses krino in 1 Corinthians 5:12, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?” Here “judge” means “evaluate” the behaviour of another Christian – a guy was having sex with his stepmother! Incest was strongly condemned in the first-century world, as it still is today. And rightly so.

In 1 Corinthians 6:5-6, “Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?” Paul uses a different Greek word (Diakrino), meaning “to decide or discern.” Jesus uses the same word in John 7:24, “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment” (or decision);

James, in Acts 15:19, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” Judgment means “ruling.” In Romans 12:3, Paul writes, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.” Here judgment means “opinion.” Paul teaches Christians to have a clearheaded opinion of themselves.

Back to Matthew 7:1-5

In this section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he instructs his followers NOT to judge or condemn others and warns that if we do “in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” That’s worth bearing in mind! He then uses an analogy from his vocation as a carpenter, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” Great questions! Jesus goes on to define this sort of judgment as hypocritical and instructs us to “first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” In other words, sort out your own stuff first!

Jesus’ command not to judge does not mean we should never disagree with someone’s life choices. It doesn’t mean I roll over and agree with everything, so I’m not judgmental. There is a time when it’s appropriate to help a fellow Christian to remove a speck from their eye but make sure you’ve removed your plank first!

How to Remove the Speck

Firstly, ask for the person’s permission. Bringing correction is best done out of a relationship with another. Always have the person’s best interest at heart. Our motivation should be care and a desire for God’s best for them.

Next, be humble, gentle and caring. Christians are to assess things according to Scripture, but we must not condemn people with the Bible. We must learn to express God’s truth without being judgmental and condemning. We can feel strongly about something, but we must not be arrogant or lacking in compassion. Please read Luke 7:36-50 for a classic example of Jesus challenging someone’s harsh, arrogant and compassionless judgment.

It would be healthy for us all to bear James’ words in mind: “Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time” (2:12-13 MSG; Cf. 4:2).

Make restoration your ultimate goal. Paul coached the Galatian Christians “if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” Restore, not annihilate. Did you notice Paul’s words, “live by the Spirit”? Gentleness in restoring others is a hallmark of a spiritual person. Living by the Spirit means leaving room for the Holy Spirit in our interactions with others. The changing process that God is doing in each of us (sanctification) is ultimately his work, not ours. Imagine the Holy Spirit saying to you, “You love them, and I’ll change them.”

Pigs and Pearls

Finally, be discerning. Jesus warned his followers, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6). Jesus teaches “don’t bother tutoring those who won’t listen to you.”

Followers of Jesus are not to force their beliefs on those who won’t receive them. Neither are we called to judge or correct people outside of the church. Instead, we must be a compassionate community that corrects but never condemns. We are to discern appropriate and inappropriate behaviour carefully but never bring judgement to another. And we must ensure the focus is very much on ourselves (our plank, our trespasses) rather than someone else’s sawdust.

In last week’s blog, we discovered what the Bible says about people’s inherent goodness. Following on from there, I thought it could be helpful to address another fallacy I frequently hear from preachers: “you are broken, and only God can fix you. But you’ll probably still be broken until you get to heaven.” Is that true? Let’s explore the possibilities.

The word “broken” is found 133 times in the Bible. In Scripture, brokenness refers to commands and covenants, babies being born, sacrifices, clay pots, and sinners that perish. Things that are broken include:

  • Pagan altars and weapons.
  • Idols and city walls.
  • Yokes and bread.
  • Cities and nations.

Not once does the Bible infer that people are fundamentally broken.

What About The Fall?

We Christians get the redemption story skewed when we start reading the Bible from Genesis chapter 3 and what is commonly called “The fall of man.”

But the Bible doesn’t begin with sin. It starts with a creation that God calls very good. Humans are made in God’s Image and are inherently good and not broken. Yes, we are all flawed and sometimes the imperfect world we live in causes “a state of strong emotional pain that stops someone from living a normal or healthy life.” But that is not every person’s experience all the time.

What About Job?

I am not suggesting that some people may not feel broken. In almost four decades of pastoral ministry, I have spoken to many people who have told me they are worn out by what life has dished up to them. I have had the privilege to journey and pray with these people as they seek God’s healing presence. I have watched God do wonders as he has rejuvenated these precious people.

Job is a classic example of brokenness. And no wonder after losing his children, livelihood, and health. Who wouldn’t feel completely devastated? “My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me,” utters this shattered man.

The Broken Hearted

Many have experienced unfair treatment and its resulting pain and anguish. The Scriptures are full of comfort and reassurance to such people. Consider David’s song (Psalm 31), composed when his enemies conspired against him to take his life: “I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.”

David’s ancient words nourish suffering souls: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” The Bible has much to say to those whose hearts are broken. God “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus quoted Isaiah as a foretaste of his mission: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”

A Broken Spirit

Maybe you’re thinking of David’s words when the prophet Nathan came to him after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Psalm 51 is David’s penitent prayer as he seeks God’s mercy and unfailing love. “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”

There is no doubt that David was broken by his adultery and the subsequent death of his son. I am so grateful that he wrote a song about his experiences and that the Holy Spirit has preserved it for successive generations. I have read this song numerous times as I have processed my failures and offences. David’s words are full of raw emotion and genuine remorse. His foolishness crushed his spirit, and he viewed God as the only one who could restore him. But this did not mean that David was forever broken any more than we are.

If you find yourself brokenhearted by the stuff life has served up to you or by your poor choices, I hope you will find consolation and reassurance in these words. The Father’s arms are open wide, ready to forgive and restore. I also hope you are encouraged by the realisation that you are not innately broken. You are created in God’s image. You are awesomely and wonderfully made.