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Unless a High Court challenge is successful Australians who are on the electoral role will receive envelopes posted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics from September 12 to have a say on same-sex marriage.  Responses will be due by 7 November and a result announced on 15 November.  The nation is divided on whether this is a good idea but if this is the only way forward on this issue, I encourage you to have your say and cast a vote.

In this blog, I want to outline some considerations on the postal vote that I hope will be helpful in thinking this through and having conversations with others especially when they disagree.  I also encourage you to read my blog Thoughts on Same-Sex Marriage. [1]

It’s important to note from the start, same-sex marriage is not merely an “issue”.  This debate involves people – people who God loves, people made in God’s image, people who are in our churches, that you’re related to and that you meet in everyday life.

Jesus is at the heart of Christian unity

This is the most important thing to remember at all times.  Christians have disagreed on many things over the centuries and sometimes those disagreements have led to poor behaviour and outcomes.  For example, both John Calvin and Martin Luther advocated for the death of anyone they considered to be heretics (read: “anyone who disagrees with me” – sound familiar?)  While Christians don’t usually kill each other these days, there are many keyboard warriors, preachers and others whose words hurt and wound.  Jesus is at the heart of Christian unity – who He is, what He’s done and what He continues to do.  These are non-negotiable to the Christian faith.  People don’t go to heaven or hell for what they believe about same-sex marriage.

Voting is a secret ballot

I’m amazed at the number of individuals who ask others what they’ll vote in this SECRET ballot.  You don’t have to tell anyone what you intend to vote.  I heard of a pastor who, last weekend, “implored” his people to vote “no.”  It’s my opinion that this pastor is going beyond his authority in doing this.  I never tell people what I vote, and neither do I instruct them on how to vote.  The church is beyond politics.  Our message and mandate are from another place; we are citizens of heaven and called to be ambassadors who bring heaven to earth.  In any church, there will be people of various political persuasions and who have differing views on ethical issues.  Disunity occurs when church leaders fail to recognise this.

Don’t be critical of others’ relationships

My understanding of the Bible leads me to believe that heterosexual marriage is a relationship that is like no other.  The coming together of a man and a woman in sacred marriage is a covenant that reflects both the image of God and the relationship that exists between Jesus and His church.  It is a relationship where children can be born and raised by both of their biological parents.  But my beliefs do not cause me to criticise or demean other people’s relationships.  Over my 40 years as a Christian, I’ve watched the church grapple with accepting divorced and remarried people and single parent families.  We now freely welcome such people into our churches (well at least most churches). People find themselves as single parents for all sorts of reasons, and they should never be made to feel like second-class citizens. Neither should couples whom for whatever reason can’t have or choose not to have children.

The Bible often speaks critically of divorce and remarriage, but we have come to realise there are higher laws that come into operation such as “Love your neighbour as yourself” and “treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”  We need to apply these greater laws to same-sex couples and singles who want to be part of a church community and grow in their relationship with God and others.  Remember, “a Christian’s job is not to be right about the Bible, our aim should be to fulfil Scripture.” [2]  Some gay and lesbian couples and individuals have children, and the church has a responsibility to minister to those children as well.  It would not be helpful to the kids for their parents’ relationship status to be criticised by their church.

Sometimes the Bible is just not clear

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard or read, “the Bible clearly states …” I’d be a very wealthy man.  Sometimes the Bible is clear, but on many things, it isn’t.  A favourite book series of mine is Counterpoints by Zondervan publishers. [3]  This set contains over 30 titles that deal with many views on various subjects.  There are four views on hell, three views on creation and evolution, four views of baptism and two views of women in ministry (yes and no) to name a few.  While the Bible is clear on the unique relationship between a husband and wife, it is not as clear on some other relationships.  Read my blog, “The changing face of marriage” for more on this. [4]

Like it or not, there are various views on the six verses in the Bible that appear to condemn homosexuality.  Those who take these verses literally and at face value should not be condemned as bigots and homophobes while those who come to a different conclusion should not be labelled revisionist or heretical.  People on both sides of this debate have studied the context, history and culture of these Scriptures and come to differing conclusions.  Some people do not see these verses as condemning of loving, monogamous same-sex relationships while others do.  I encourage you to read widely and come to your conclusions – and allow others to do the same.

Beware of outraged Christians

Lately, I’ve seen an increasing number of blogs and social media posts from outraged Christians, often posted and shared with little or no fact-checking, and all they do is distort the truth and create fear.  I think that’s the intended outcome and I don’t believe that is a good way for Christian people to behave.  For example, a recent email from the Australian Christian Lobby is titled, “It’s under attack” and includes a quote from Professor Jordan Peterson, a psychologist and academic at the University of Toronto.  Professor Peterson has become somewhat of an online celebrity in speaking out against political correctness (and is making a lot of money in the process).  The ACL says, “In the wake of same-sex marriage, Canada passed a new law making it a criminal offense for you to refuse to call someone by their “chosen” gender pronoun.  Refuse to bow to such rainbow totalitarianism by LGBTI activists and you could suffer legal prosecution.”  These claims are inaccurate as another academic at the University of Toronto shows [5] but they have been shared over and over by outraged Christians who fail to check their facts.

The “slippery slope” argument also attempts to instil fear, that is, if we allow “A” to happen then “X, Y & Z” will inevitably follow.  This fear causes people to fight to protect “A” at all costs.

Not all gay people want same-sex marriage

To think that all gay people are for same-sex marriage and all Christians are against is just wrong.  I’ve chatted with some gay and lesbian individuals who don’t support same-sex marriage.  One guy told me he thought of marriage as a heterosexual institution and wanted nothing to do with it.  One thing that is important to understand is that in countries where same-sex marriage is legal there’s a minimal uptake of it.  For example in the UK, civil partnerships, rather than marriage, are still preferred by the majority of straight and gay couples.  In Australia, about 3% of the population identify as other than heterosexual.  The last census indicated there were 33,714 same-sex couples and 4,650,986 opposite sex couples.  Considering that most of the same-sex couples won’t get married, I sometimes have the feeling we’re creating a storm in a teacup – albeit a costly storm.

Everyone needs to compromise

It is my belief that sooner or later same-sex marriage will become law in Australia.  That being the case it’s of vital importance that any legislation is carefully framed.  The Australian Government has to govern for all people but in any decision there will naturally be some who are happy with the outcome while others are not.  There will be winners and losers – the winners must choose not to gloat and the losers must lose well.  In the meantime, compromises need to be made.  The trouble is that people on the extremes don’t like to compromise.  Such was the case recently when Federal Member for Goldstein, Tim Wilson, along with Patrick Parkinson put forward a bill that defined two kinds of marriage – religious (sacred) marriage and civil marriage.  This bill offered widespread religious freedoms not contained in the other two bills (the Dean Smith Bill and the George Brandis Bill).  Some gay extremists, some conservative politicians and the Australian Christian Lobby rejected this Bill because they refuse to compromise.  In doing this, the losers may get little or nothing.

Finally, as mentioned previously, it’s important in all our dealings that we don’t see this as merely an issue.  This is a debate about people whom God loves.  And so any discussions have to be tempered with grace, understanding, and respect and include the Christian qualities of tolerance, kindness and patience because that reflects the nature of God. [6]

 

[1] https://baysidechurch.com.au/thoughts-on-same-sex-marriage/

[2] Shane Willard, Getting Unstuck https://baysidechurch.com.au/message/getting-unstuck-ps-shane-willard/

[3] http://www.zondervan.com/the-counterpoints-library-complete-32-volume-set

[4] https://baysidechurch.com.au/the-changing-face-of-marriage/

[5] http://sds.utoronto.ca/blog/bill-c-16-no-its-not-about-criminalizing-pronoun-misuse/

[6] Romans 2:4

In this blog, I’m continuing from last week’s discussion on the issues that are most important to you.  A survey of my Facebook friends revealed that matters of justice, particularly for asylum seekers and the homeless, ranked at the very top of their concerns. [i]

The third concern was equality – or at least the lack of justice we often see in the world around us.  Inequality features highly for asylum seekers and the homeless, but it also ranks as a big issue for Australia’s indigenous people, along with victims of abuse, trafficking and domestic violence.  There is high inequality between those who have access to clean water and those who don’t; and the poor and weak are frequently oppressed by the rich and powerful.

Right now 844 million people in the world – one in ten – do not have clean water. 2.3 billion people in the world – one in three – do not have a decent toilet. There are 289,000 children under 5 die each year due to diarrheal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation. [ii]   Inequality for Australia’s indigenous people is massive compared to the rest of Australians,[iii] and there are over 30 million trafficked people in the world; half are children, and 80% are female.

Equality, or the lack thereof, is a constant theme throughout the Bible even though some of the earlier comments made in books like Leviticus look like anything but equality.  It’s of vital importance that we understand the progressive and changing nature of God’s revelation through Scripture. Reading through the book of Leviticus from a 2017 western perspective can be quite daunting. There are instructions on how much to pay for slaves and how to treat women. Some of these commands boggle our minds and we can easily wonder at the inequality reflected in what we read.

But when you understand that these things were written 3,500 years ago to an ancient Middle Eastern culture that had very few, if any, written rules, we get a different perspective.  In some instances, this was the first time written regulations gave slaves and women any sense of equal treatment. Until then, they were considered a man’s goods and chattel.  Leviticus was quite revolutionary in its day. It upheld human rights for disabled people (19:14), refugees (19:33-34) and the elderly (19:32).

Many of the prophets spoke out with a great condemnation against the wealthy and powerful that oppressed the poor and weak.  Consider Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed (correct the oppressor). Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”  The prophet Micah summarised the importance of equality and justice like this: “what does the Lord require of you except to be just, and to love and to diligently practice kindness and compassion” (6:8).

Jesus’ teaching and actions continued this revelation.  He reached out to people that others (particularly the religious) would have nothing to do with –  such as lepers, the unclean, the sexually immoral and the mentally ill. The New Testament Scriptures also break down walls that divided people and communities – racial, gender and economic barriers are non-existent in Christ, says Paul (Galatians 3:28).

There is no place in the Christian faith for expressions of inequality because of differences in gender, race, creed or money.

On one occasion the Apostle Paul met with the other apostles in Jerusalem.  The outcome of the discussion was agreement that Paul and his team would continue to reach out to non-Jews with the gospel message.  Paul writes, “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.”  The apostle took this seriously and, everywhere he went, he received offerings to relieve poverty.  His stated goal was equality (see 2 Corinthians 8:13-14).

It’s interesting that amongst all the things the Jerusalem church leaders could have highlighted as the one most important thing that should accompany the gospel message, it was equality for the poor.

And equality for all people should still accompany the gospel of Jesus.  It saddens me when I hear a non-equal message preached by people who identify as Christian.  Their lack of equality contradicts all that Jesus stands for and, in the process, repels people from Him.  Justice and fairness for all must always be part of the real gospel of Jesus.  That’s why it’s such good news!

”Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” – Amos 5:24.

 

[i] Blog: Is justice an optional extra

[ii] http://www.wateraid.org/au/what-we-do/the-crisis/statistics

[iii] http://www.australianstogether.org.au/stories/detail/the-gap-indigenous-disadvantage-in-australia

This week on my Facebook page I asked my friends and followers to give me their opinion.  My request went like this, “I’d like to get your feedback for a blog I’m writing this week. This afternoon the Federal Liberal Party Room will be discussing the issue of same sex marriage. Without minimising the importance of this discussion, I’d like to hear from you about what issue you (whether you are Christian or not) believe is the most important one that we should be focusing on right now. Is it same sex marriage or something else? What is ONE thing that concerns you at the moment particularly from a justice point of view?”  What followed was a mainly respectful thread (I only had to remove one “friend” this time!)

It’s important to note that my Facebook friends come from a variety of backgrounds – Christian people as well as those of other faiths or no faith, various political persuasions and diverse nationalities.  With that in mind, I thought it interesting that the number one issue that concerned people was Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers, followed closely by homelessness.  The third was equality, which covers quite a few issues that I’ll discuss in next week’s blog.  Other concerns that received more than one mention were safe schools, domestic violence & child abuse, energy costs, human trafficking, mental health, substance abuse and climate change.

There were no surprises here.  I’d presume that those who engage with me on social media would have a high awareness of the importance of justice and equality, as these are things I regularly write about and on which I work.

My Christian faith is the primary incentive for my justice focus as I see it as inseparable from the gospel message rather than an optional extra.

The gospel is not just about saving souls and getting people into heaven in the future, but also about bringing heaven to earth in the present.   That’s the heart of Jesus’ teaching in The Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come; your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

God’s will is the expression of his goodness that is fundamental to His character. In fact, Jesus revealed that God’s goodness is the number one attribute He wants to show all people (Matthew 7:9-11).  Jesus taught that God had delegated the responsibility of demonstrating His goodness to His followers (Matthew 5:43-48).  That’s right; Christians are to practically spread God’s goodness to all people and all creation.  Sometimes the church has done (and still does) a brilliant job at this; at other times we have failed (and continue to fail) dismally.

The focus of the entire Lord’s Prayer is what happens on earth.  God cares for all people and His creation, and He wants his people to care as well.  Many of the concerns raised on my Facebook page this week demonstrate this caring attitude.  The problem is that most of these important issues get politicised and people are then polarised around the issue.

For example: when you read the words “asylum seekers and refugees” most people will think of them through a political filter that then restricts or encourages action.  Some will lean to the Right where the primary emphasis is on border security and national safety. Others will lean left where there is often more compassion but less thought on the impact of increased immigration on our social problems, infrastructure, and security.  Rather than thinking politically we need to think Christianly, because one day God is going judge us on our treatment of people in need (read Matthew 25:31-46).

Refugees are people – people who are loved by God and people who need love, kindness, protection and their basic needs met. 

While I can advocate for the rights of refugees on a general scale, the most important thing is what I can do to make a difference on a small scale.  Christie and I and Bayside Church are currently helping a small number of refugees and we’ve been able to make a huge difference for them.  Just because we can’t solve the whole problem doesn’t mean we do nothing.  The same goes for helping the homeless.  I’d love to help every homeless person in Australia, but I can’t.  We have, however, given out well over 100,000 hot meals to homeless and disadvantaged people in bayside Melbourne over the past decade.

We can apply this same principle to every issue, thinking Christianly instead of politically, and asking the question “how can I show God’s goodness in this particular situation?”  For example, climate change is hugely polarising, but surely we can agree that pumping less pollution into the earth’s atmosphere is a worthy goal?  The ethical use and protection of valuable resources, such as trees, minerals, wildlife & water and to protect the sources of resources is a responsibility we must all bear.  I realise some Christians have the view that one day God will make a new earth, so why bother looking after this one?  This faulty logic is like saying “one day I’m going to get a new car, so I’ll just trash the one I’m currently driving.”

Praying “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” means that Christian people will pray and work for peace and justice amongst individuals and nations wherever possible.  We strive for economic fairness and equality between rich and poor and seek justice for all despite gender, race, sexual orientation or creed, but more on equality next week.

It’s no secret that I like to write and speak about current issues – be they ethical, moral, political or whatever.  It’s important to me to connect my Christian faith with the things people are talking about and experiencing in life, and not to be automatically AGAINST everything, which sadly is the message some Christians send.

If you read my blogs and social media posts you’ll realise that not everyone appreciates or agrees with my opinions and statements on these issues – and that’s fine!  But one comment I see time and again from well-meaning Christian people is that “they” (“they” being whoever I’m writing about) need to REPENT.

I spent the first few years of my Christian journey in a small Pentecostal church.  What they lacked in size they made up for in legalism and, every Sunday morning and evening, we’d get a healthy dose of it in the sermon as well as in “prophetic” words shouted from the platform.  God seemed to be permanently angry with us, and we simply weren’t good enough – ever!  We all knew what “REPENT” meant – God was ticked and we needed to change.  I get a similar impression from the comments I receive on blogs and Facebook posts that, “They need to repent.”

Now I’m not downplaying the importance of repentance to the Christian Gospel.  The word is found almost 80 times in the Bible, so it’s obviously a significant thing to God.  But exactly what does it mean to repent? Is God angry and shouting like my first pastor or does repentance indicate something kinder and gentler?

In the Hebrew tradition, in which the Bible has captured, the word translated as repentance is Teshuvah and means, “to return home.”  In Judaism and Christianity, this returning home is, “coming back into intimacy with the Father.”  Jesus beautifully illustrated the concept of Teshuvah in the parable of the lost (prodigal) son (Luke 15:11-32).  Notice that in the story the prodigal is motivated to return home because he’d run out of money and was starving.  He rehearsed a speech that he never got to finish because all he needed to do was return home to his Father who was looking out for his son.  The Father ran to him, embraced him, gave him a ring and a robe and threw a party.  The Father wasn’t angry with him; didn’t ask for an account of where he spent his inheritance or how many women he had sex with, and he didn’t ask his son to grovel and beg for forgiveness. I repeat, all the son had to do was return home (Teshuvah) and relax in the intimacy, grace and unconditional love of his Father.

Great joy and celebration should accompany Teshuvah – just as it was in Jesus’ parable. The Father told his grumpy oldest son, (who reminds me of some of those who comment on my blogs and posts), “we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”  When we’ve sinned and gone astray, it’s so easy for us to fall into regret, depression, helplessness, hopelessness and extreme sadness.  I saw people do that in the church I mentioned earlier and I’ve seen children do that when it seems they can never please a parent: “If I can never be good enough then why bother trying?”  Some people bring that attitude to their relationship with God and certain “Christian” teaching only reinforces this. I’ve seen people walk away from God because they see Him as unappeasable, angry and relentlessly demanding.

Remorse for our sin is important, as is an awareness of how we’ve hurt God, others and ourselves, but all of this should only drive us to return home and, when we do, our gracious Father is waiting with open arms.

Last week I watched a segment on ABC’s 7.30 Report about domestic abuse in the church. [1]

While the reporting of some statistics by the ABC was not entirely accurate,[2] it seems there is still a level of domestic abuse in churches – including traditional, evangelical and Pentecostal ones  – and any abuse is inexcusable.

It was a sobering report and one that left me feeling sad and frustrated that abuse continues in some churches (and at the hands of some “Christians”) – often supported by an understanding of Scripture that contradicts the whole tenor of the Bible.  After all, “If you really keep the royal law stated in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself,’ you are doing well.” [3]  Real love doesn’t abuse others, including one’s wife (or husband or partner or anyone else for that matter) in any way.

Using isolated Bible verses to justify verbal, physical, emotional or any other kind of abuse is unchristian.

One of the Bible verses used to rationalise domestic abuse is Ephesians 5:22-24, “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.”  If you read these verses on their own, it seems pretty clear that wives are to submit to their husbands IN EVERYTHING.  It’s also clear how an abusive man could use this part of the Bible to justify his ill treatment.  However, if you read the verse before (Ephesians 5:21) it instructs husbands and wives to, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  In other words, mutual submission is appropriate in Christian relationships.  The Apostle makes this general statement about submission and then proceeds to show how wives and husbands are to work this out by submitting to one another in their marriage.  Husbands are to love their wives deeply, give their lives for them and care for them.  Ephesians 5 does not authorise violence of any kind.

The other chapter of the Bible that is used as an excuse for abuse is 1 Corinthians 11.  The Apostle Paul begins this chapter by once again speaking about headship, but a few verses in he makes a statement that would have been considered very controversial in the patriarchal society of the first century: “woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.” [4]  Some people accuse Paul of being patriarchal and considering women as inferior to men, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Thomas Cahill writes, “Equality … is Paul’s subject: what he is doing here is taking the Genesis account of the Creation, which was the aboriginal Jewish locus classicus on the inequality of women, and turning it on its head by subtly reminding his readers that even the Messiah needed a mother.” [5]  1 Corinthians 11:11-12 is one of the first Biblical references affirming sexual equality, as well as one of the first in any literature up to Jesus’ time.

The bottom line is this: if you ever encounter someone who uses the Bible to justify abuse of any sort against another human being, rest assured that person is not understanding or using the Bible correctly.

It sickens me the number of times over the years I have heard of pastors, priests, or counsellors recommending that women in particular are to stay with husbands or partners who physically, verbally or emotionally abuse them.  As we’ve already seen, the Bible teaches that submission is to be mutual.  Love and respect don’t beat each other up! There is no room for abuse in any relationship, in any church or justified by any Scripture.

If you find yourself in an abusive relationship separation is advisable (at least a temporary one).  Reconciliation may be possible (with much support, prayer & counselling) but divorce may be unavoidable. [6] Whatever you do, don’t stay in a relationship where you are being abused in any way, and don’t allow others to suggest that you do!

 

[1] http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2017/s4704681.htm

[2] http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/andrew-bolt/andrew-bolt-abcs-apology-refusal-after-attack-on-christianity-was-all-wrong/news-story/4d3b7b1c70172e2e037e0ccfe739f695

[3] James 2:8; Cf. Romans 13:10

[4] 1 Corinthians 11:11-12

[5] Thomas Cahill, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, Anchor Books, New York, 1999, p. 141

[6] https://baysidechurch.com.au/divorce-and-remarriage/

Last week I posted on Social Media some concerns I have about certain comments Christian leaders have made to the media about ethical and moral issues.  In my post I upheld everyone’s right to free speech as well as the right of people to disagree.  What followed was a lively discussion.

My question on Facebook though was this: “do these sorts of comments tend to alienate people from the Christian message?”  When Christian leaders speak out on ethical / moral issues does it draw people towards God or away from Him? Does it attract or repel?  These are vitally important questions for Christians and churches to answer.  What is the church’s FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT message to communicate to those who are not Christian, and when does our other messaging cloud our main message?

Let me put this another way:  Most churches (be they Catholic or Protestant or neither) hold to the doctrine of eternal hell: that those who don’t accept Jesus’ sacrificial death and eternal life-giving resurrection will be eternally separated from God and tormented forever, without the possibility of a second chance.  Will people go to hell for supporting abortion or euthanasia or same-sex marriage or will they go there for rejecting God’s salvation through Jesus?  In the light of your answer to that question, what is the FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT message the Church needs to communicate?

If you were to ask non-Christians what the church’s view of same-sex marriage is (or abortion, or Euthanasia or….) they’d be able to tell you: the church is against it.  If you asked those same people what it means to be a Christian they’d probably tell you it’s about being a good person and going to church.  What that reveals is that the Church collectively, and Christians individually, have largely failed to communicate the true gospel to people who so desperately need to hear it.

The apostle Paul summarises this wonderful message of good news in his second letter to the Corinthians. In writing to this church he reminds them of what happened when they first believed in Jesus, “God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).  The church’s FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT message to non-Christians is the message of reconciliation. Reconciliation is being restored to friendly terms – we were once enemies of God but because of Jesus we are reunited with Him.  The original Greek word Paul used meant to change money. In Jesus hostility is exchanged for friendship.

Why do Christian people (including pastors) so often count people’s sins?   Does this draw people towards God or away from Him? Sadly, I think it repels rather than attracts.   Any message that clouds the message of reconciliation compromises the gospel we are to uphold. God sent Jesus to save, forgive and bring people back into a relationship with Himself. That has got to be the message Australians hear from Australian Christians – including pastors.

It should be noted that Corinth was one of the most evil and sexually depraved cities of the first century, and the apostle certainly addressed the importance of purity in the church community, but he also made it clear that the church is not called to be the moral policeman to the broader society: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people — not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world… What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside” (1 Corinthians 5:9-10, 12-13).  What a very different message those outside the church get in Australia (and other Western nations) in this day and age.

Some of the people who commented on my Facebook thread reminded me of how important it is for people to repent.  I agree, repentance is a vital step in the salvation process, but it’s not the first step.  Many people aren’t ready to repent; they’re not even considering the Christian faith as an option, and a large reason for this is the messaging they get from the church.  In his letter to the church at Rome Paul wrote that it is God’s kindness, tolerance and patience that lead people to repentance.  That’s right, kindness, tolerance and patience not moral blustering and judgmental attitudes.  One attracts the other repels.

Others reminded me that Jesus told the woman caught in the act of adultery to, “Go and sin no more” (John 8).  Indeed He did say that to her, after He’d dispensed of all her hypocritical accusers and chosen not to condemn her Himself.  As the only sinless man Jesus is the only person qualified to tell someone to leave his or her life of sin.  The rest of us should walk very gently with our fellow sinners.

This week another famous Christian brought a message of good news to the thousands gathered for the One Love Manchester concert.  He’s a young guy who hasn’t always lived up to the “Christian standard.” It seems to me that its taken a few years for him to wrestle with his faith and his fame, but two weeks ago Justin Bieber posted three words on his Instagram page, “I follow Jesus.”  To the massive crowd in Manchester he said, “God is good in the midst of the darkness. God is good in the midst of the evil.  God is in the midst no matter what’s happening in the world, God is in the midst, and He loves you and He’s here for you.”

Now THAT’S the sort of message Australians should be hearing from our well-known Christians. THAT’S the kind of message that has the ability to attract people TO Jesus rather than repel them from Him!

One of the biggest news items in the past week has been the deportation of Schapelle Corby back to Australia from Bali. Once again her name has polarised Australians.  Some people, like me, believe in her innocence and are thrilled that’s she’s now back on Australian soil.  Others think she’s guilty and are not so happy.   Maybe there’s a third category of people who just don’t care either way.

The arguments and discussions over Schapelle Corby are reminiscent of the details surrounding Lindy Chamberlain in the 1970s. Did she do it or did she not? Of course Lindy was found guilty of murder and her husband of helping her conceal the crime. She received a life sentence with no parole; he received a three-year suspended sentence. As we now know, there was a huge miscarriage of justice.  Lindy Chamberlain served three years in jail until new evidence came to light and authorities realised they had been wrong (what if we had the death penalty back then?). The Chamberlains, exonerated by the royal commission in 1987, were pardoned and compensated.

I wonder if, in the years to come, we might learn that a similar miscarriage of justice has taken place regarding Schapelle Corby?  Remember, Schapelle checked in her bag at Brisbane airport and neither she, nor her travelling companions, had any contact with it until after they arrived in Bali.  Schapelle’s travelling companions’ luggage and Schapelle’s own luggage was never searched.  There was no investigation into where or how Schapelle intended to sell the marijuana.  The marijuana was never analysed and later it was destroyed, obliterating any chance it could be used to acquit her. There was no DNA or fingerprint analysis conducted.

To suggest that Schapelle got a strong smelling, pillow-case-sized bag of drugs through both Brisbane and Sydney airports undetected, bypass check-in staff, x-ray machines, scanners, sniffer dogs, police, customs and baggage handlers is very hard to believe.  Over the years since Schapelle’s conviction there have been numerous reports of corruption amongst customs officials and baggage handlers at Sydney airport.

The other question that’s always concerned me is why would anyone take marijuana from Australia to Indonesia anyway?  It doesn’t make any sense.  The dope that was found in Schapelle’s boogie board (4.2kg) was worth around $25,000 in Australia but only $700 in Bali.

So where does this leave all the arguments and discussions?  For those who think she’s guilty, that Schapelle has “done the crime,” then realise that she has also “done the time.”  Serving nine years in “W” Block at Bali’s Kerobokan prison is enough time for the crime.  That’s what the Indonesian authorities believed and that’s why they released her on parole in February 2014.

But if Schapelle is innocent then a great injustice has been committed, just like it was to the Chamberlains.  My hope is that one day the truth will come to light and that Schapelle will be duly compensated for her loss – not that anyone can replace the nine years of her life she spent behind bars plus a further three years in Bali when no doubt she would have preferred to have been home in Australia.  In the meantime let’s leave Schapelle alone to spend time with her family and friends and to learn to live once again in freedom.

It’s one of the most difficult Christian teachings to grasp – that God is a Trinity – that He is THREE but also ONE. This difficulty, added to the fact that it is one of the least understood Christian teachings, also makes it one of the most criticised.  Some groups, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Latter Day Saints and Christian Scientists, say it’s simply not true.  But the Trinity is one of the most important Christian teachings and is foundational to all other major doctrines of the Christian faith.  For example, if God is not triune then Jesus is not God. If Jesus isn’t God then he wasn’t sinless.  If he weren’t sinless he would have had to die for his own sins and not ours.  If this were the case no one could be forgiven and reconciled to God.  And on it goes.

While the word “Trinity” is not found in the Bible, the concept is.  It comes from two words – “tris” meaning “three” and “unus” meaning “one.”  God is one but He is expressed in three distinct personalities – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) God revealed Himself as a plurality in the very first chapter of the Bible when He said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” Two chapters later, “the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us.”  We find God speaking in plural form all the way through Genesis (cf. 11:7; 18:1-2,10,13-14) and using plural names like Elohim and Adonai.

In the New Testament there are literally dozens of references to the Trinity.  Some of the more profound ones are:

  • The baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17)
  • The great commission (Matthew 28:19)
  • The promise of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17)
  • The gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
  • The benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14)
  • The plan of redemption (Hebrews 9:14)
  • The love of God (1 John 4:16)

This last point is very interesting when we consider that “God is love.”  By its very nature love needs an object in order to exist. In the eternity before God created, perfect love existed between the members of the Godhead (theotés): the personal and extremely relational God who is clearly seen in the person of Jesus (Colossians 2:9).

The teaching of the Trinity simply states that the Father, Son & Holy Spirit are three distinct persons who make up one God.  The Father is God (John 6:27); the Son is God (Matthew 1:23, “Emmanuel – which means, God with us.”) and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:1-4).

I’ve heard a number of illustrations over the years that help us grasp the concept of the Trinity.  A family can consist of a mother, father and a child – three distinct persons but one family.  A musical chord is made up of three different notes – three sounds that make up one sound.  Water can exist as a liquid, a gas and a vapor but it’s all H20.  The sun gives us light, heat and radiation; three distinct aspects, but only one sun.  If we were to use maths, God would not be 1+1+1=3 but rather 1x1x1=1.

While any illustration ultimately falls short of fully describing the Trinity, all of these are helpful for us as limited human beings to grasp something of an infinite and eternal God.  And that’s important to remember. Would a god that I could fully explain to you be worth knowing?  How can a finite mind fully grasp an infinite God?  It would be easier to fit the Pacific Ocean into a teacup!

But there is one thing more important than knowing about God, and that’s knowing God.  And that’s why Jesus came.  God in human form – “with us” – that we might know Him.

I’ve always been aware that the Quran mentions Jesus a number of times, but it wasn’t until I had a fascinating conversation with a guy this week that I realised how much Jesus is revealed – and not just the quantity of references but their quality too.

Now I want to state upfront that I am not a scholar of the Quran. I don’t pretend to be an authority on Islam and neither is this blog written to be critical of another religion.  I never make light of other people’s beliefs even when they differ from mine.  To be genuinely Christian is to “Love your neighbour as yourself” and that includes loving and respecting those of other faiths including Islam.

The man I was chatting with pointed out to me that in the 114 chapters of the Quran, Mohammed is mentioned in 5 places, but Jesus (Isa) is mentioned directly and indirectly 187 times in 93 verses (ref: Jesus in Islam).  Now I’m not suggesting that the frequency of mention automatically makes one more important than the other, but it does interest me that the Muslim Holy Book honours Jesus in this way by making Him the most mentioned person.

The Quran teaches that Jesus is al-Masih (Messiah or Christ) who came to bring a new revelation (al-Injil, or Gospel).  He is referred to as the Son of Mary, the Spirit of God and the Word of God who went to Heaven, is still alive and will come again. The Quran, as well as most Hadith (reports describing the words, actions and habits of the prophet Muhammad) mention that Jesus was born without sin and performed many miracles.

Although most Muslims don’t believe in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection there is an interesting verse in the Quran (19:33-34) which some have suggested refers to both events: “And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.  That is Jesus, the son of Mary – the word of truth about which they are in dispute.”  Other scholars disagree with this interpretation.

In the Quran (Surah 62:5) Allah does not think very highly of those who don’t read Holy Scripture such as the Tawrat (Torah or Hebrew Scriptures) and al-Injil (the Gospel).  The Quran also instructs Muslims on how they should treat those who study Holy Scripture: “So if you are in doubt, [O Muhammad], about that which we have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so never be among the doubters” (Surah 10:94).  Many scholars believe this verse encourages Muslims to read, know and apply truth by listening to the people of the Holy Scriptures, that is, the Jews and the Christians.  In fact, to learn more about Isa (Jesus) one is encouraged to read al-injil – the Gospel, the four books found at the beginning of the Christian New Testament.  Reading these amazing, ancient books will give you great insight into the Man Jesus, what He did and what He taught and, most importantly, what He can do in your life today because, as the Quran and the Bible declare, He is still alive!

 

The most frequently asked question about the Christian faith goes something like this: “If God is real why do we see so much suffering and evil in the world?”  It’s a fair question and one that deserves some good answers.  I mean if God is really that powerful, really sovereign, really in control then why doesn’t He do something about the pain and suffering of people?

It needs to be realised that people cause the vast majority of suffering on planet Earth.  God took a risk and gave humans freewill.  We have the ability to make choices.  Some people choose well, others don’t.  The bad choices some people make invariably impact on others causing pain and suffering.

Ultimately God is sovereign and He is moving history in the right direction.  His plan will eventually be fulfilled and His goodness will cover the earth.  But in the meantime we are not exempt from the pain that is inflicted when people do the wrong thing or good people do nothing.  When it comes to the day-to-day happenings in this world it should be noted, “God is in charge but not in control.”  In fact He has delegated the control of this world to people.

Right at the beginning of time He gave the responsibility of governing and controlling creation to human beings (Genesis 1:28).  So are we doing a good job?  Sometimes “yes” and sometimes “no.”  For example, Bono writes, “Extreme poverty has been cut in half in the last 20 years, and the facts show that we can get it to virtually zero within a generation – but only if we act.”  That’s right, good people taking charge can end poverty in the next few decades.  So instead of blaming God for suffering what are YOU doing to make a difference?  The same can be said about other major issues of caring for the earth and its people: reducing pollution, caring for the environment, conservation, praying and work for peace and justice amongst people and nations, economic justice and equality between rich and poor, male and female; racial equality for people of marginalised races; protection for refugees and asylum seekers and so on.

These are not merely political issues, they are deeply important matters that should concern all of us who pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven – for those of us who want to see things continue to improve on this planet as they have done for centuries.  That’s right, the world is actually becoming a better place, and if you don’t believe me then read history!

All of the above still doesn’t account for the suffering that is NOT caused by people.  For example, what about natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, bush fires, volcanoes, tsunamis, avalanches and extreme weather events?  While I don’t pretend to have all the answers to these complex scientific occurrences, there’s one thing I’d like to put forward about such phenomena, that is, “every blessing has a shadow side”.  What I mean by that is the very things we enjoy on this planet also have the ability to harm us.

I love trees.  I appreciate their colour against a blue sky; I love their shade on warm days; and I breathe the oxygen they create.  Trees play a role in the formation of rain and wind.  Strong winds can cause large tree limbs to break.  Sometimes these fall on people and cause injury and death.

Earthquakes are caused when tectonic plates move.  If the earth were solid, rather than being made up of plates that move, life, as we know it could never have survived.  Earthquakes and volcanoes have been responsible for creating countries (such as Japan) and the stunning mountain ranges we enjoy.  People can ski on many of these mountains.  Sometimes avalanches happen causing injury and death.  Some people love climbing mountains.  Occasionally they die trying.

Volcanoes occur when magma erupts through a weakness in the earth’s crust (invariably as a result of an earthquake).  Volcanoes wouldn’t happen if the earth were cooler.  But if this were the case the cooling would remove the magnetic shield around earth that protects the planet from cosmic radiation.  The result would be out of control global warming, an increase in solar rays that are believed to cause cancer, and extensive solar winds that could dry out rivers, lakes and seas.  There goes your fishing, boating and surfing.

Floods cause havoc.  They destroy homes, livestock and people’s lives. They also create an explosion of new plant and animal life, rejuvenate river systems, fill dams to give us an abundant supply of fresh water, give agricultural land a complete soaking to prepare it for bumper crops, recharge groundwater systems, fill wetlands and increase fish production because of nutrients supplied by the land during flooding.  Likewise bushfires, as devastating as they are to human and animal life, are also necessary for the rejuvenation of vegetation.  In fact some plants actually need heat and smoke to release their seeds.

The gravity that keeps us on the planet also enables fatal falls; the fire that warms also burns; the water in which we swim can also drown.

Tragedies happen and the suffering of people should never be downplayed.  These are opportunities for humanity to come together, to help one another, to be our best selves.  A wonderful example of this was the devastating 2004 Asian Tsunami that claimed up to 280,000 lives.  It prompted a worldwide humanitarian response in which a number of countries gave more than $18 billion in aid and helped in rebuilding the worst effected nations.

Finally, if God were to remove all evil from the world where would He start and finish?  Should He just get rid of the big-ticket bad guys like Isis and Al-Qaida?  Or should he also deal with people who speed and cause accidents?  Have you ever exceeded the speed limit?  Should He get rid of you?

I’ve just concluded a six-week teaching series on The Lord’s Prayer at Bayside Church.  I’ve loved studying the world’s most well known prayer as well as teaching others its timeless truth.  The prayer ends, “… and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (or simply “from evil”)

It’s strange that Jesus would teach His people to ask God not to lead them into temptation when the Bible clearly teaches that He doesn’t tempt people?  Consider James 1:13-15, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  In these verses the Bible plainly states that temptation occurs because of our own evil desires that are to be resisted rather than indulged.  God does not lead people into temptation so why should we pray for him not to?

The answer is found in what I consider to be a better paraphrase of this verse: “do not permit us to go into temptation” or “let us not sin when we are tempted.”

These renditions recognise five facts:

  1. The fact that God does not tempt anyone
  2. The fact that Jesus was tempted in every way like we are
  3. The fact that we all have a natural predisposition to go astray
  4. The fact that we need to pray about this tendency every day!
  5. The fact that prayerlessness will lead us into temptation

These truths are well illustrated in the events surrounding Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He had already told his disciples that they would all fall away.  Peter was adamant that, even if the others did, he wouldn’t.  To that Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times” (Matt 26:34 NIV). Peter emphatically insisted that Jesus was wrong and so did the other disciples.

In the next scene Jesus and his followers go to Gethsemane.  He takes Peter, James and John with him to another part of the garden and confides in them that he is deeply distressed, troubled and overwhelmed with sorrow to such an extent that he feels it will kill him.  Jesus asks the three men to stay awake and be vigilant.  Jesus then goes a short distance away, falls on the ground and prays that the upcoming torture and crucifixion would be taken away from him.  He then returns to his disciples and finds them sleeping.  He quizzes Peter asking him if he couldn’t even stay awake, be vigilant and prayerful for an hour, after which he speaks these immortal words, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt 26:41 NIV).  This whole scene is repeated twice more until Judas betrays Jesus and the disciples flee.  Peter denies Jesus three times just as He predicted.

In this story Jesus teaches that attentive prayer is the best way to resist temptation.  That’s why he teaches, “do not permit us to go into temptation” or “let us not sin when we are tempted.”  Temptation is not sin, in fact Jesus faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.  Our prayer in times of temptation should be for “Our Father” to give us the strength not to give into it and sin: “deliver us from evil” and also “deliver us from the evil one.” 

Luke’s account of this story gives insight into Satan’s part in temptation when Jesus warns Peter that Satan had asked to sift all of the disciples like wheat.  “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32 NIV).

The evil one and evil often work together.  The answer is our alert and attentive prayer as well as Jesus’ constant prays for us.  Consider these two powerful verses from the Letter to the Hebrews:

Jesus is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. (Hebrews 7:25)

Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:16)

A 1999 romantic comedy, The Runaway Bride brought back together the couple we fell in love with in Pretty Woman (1990) – Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.  In The Runaway Bride Julia Roberts plays Maggie Carpenter an attractive young woman who is nervous of being married and, as a result, has left three men waiting for her at the altar on their wedding day (all of which are caught on tape), receiving tabloid fame and the dubious nickname “The Runaway Bride.”[1]  Maggie is scared of commitment and conflict and consequently has become a consumer of relationships.

One of the metaphors for the church in the Bible is that of a “bride” with all of the beauty and depth of meaning that is reflected in such a relationship.  But over the past few years I’ve noticed an increasing amount of the same “qualities” in some parts of Christ’s bride as we see in the runaway bride – and it’s not a pretty sight.

Maggie Carpenter wants to be in a satisfying, happy marriage but she fears commitment and thus runs away at the last moment.  I’ve noticed this increasingly amongst some Christians, although I must say that right now at Bayside Church we’re reversing this trend.  I totally understand that some people have been overly committed to serving in their church and have become exhausted as a result.  Sometimes they’re fearful of committing again.  If that’s the case they need to be able to sit and soak in God’s presence for a season to be healed and restored.

There are others though who are just afraid to commit.  They’re happy to receive but not to give and they miss out on all the benefits that commitment brings.  The Dead Sea is dead because it only takes in water (from the Jordan River) but has no outflow.  The salt content is very high and so no plants or animals can live in the sea.  Apart from bacteria and a few microorganisms the Dead Sea is well … dead!  A person who fears commitment experiences the same deadness because they are good receivers but they have no flow out.  They don’t commit, they don’t connect and they eventually runaway often to repeat the same process in another part of Jesus’ Bride.

The second fear of the runaway bride is conflict.  There is no such thing as a committed relationship without conflict – just ask any couple who have been together for any length of time.  The way to a deeper and more fulfilling relationship is learning to work through conflict in a mature, rational and caring way.  Over the years at Bayside Church I’ve seen many people do this and the results have been wonderful.  Sadly I’ve watched others become part of the runaway bride.  Conflict happens and they run – either to another part of the bride (often to repeat the process) or they walk away from the bride completely.  Such people are on an endless search for the perfect church and they are constantly disappointed.

All of this leads to consumerism.  Julia Robert’s character became a consumer of relationships who ran from commitment and conflict and left a trail of broken hearts behind her.  Consumerism is a stain on the modern-day Bride of Christ – and it’s getting worse.  I am so grateful to the committed people at Bayside Church, many of whom have stood strong with us for one or two decades – some for 25 years.  But during this time I’ve also watched an increasing number of Christians driven by consumerism.  I know that the Holy Spirit strategically moves people to various parts of Christ’s Bride.  People move house, change jobs, shift to a different part of a city, a country or even overseas and they will find a new local church as a result.  But others are motivated by consumerism to make sure all “their” needs are met.  They often leave behind them bewildered friends.

Maggie finally meets Ike (Richard Gere) who she also initially runs away from.  “Maggie then explains that she had been running because every other guy she was engaged to was only engaged to the idea she had created for them rather than the real her, but with Ike she ran because, even though he truly understood her, she didn’t understand herself. She “turns in” her running shoes just before proposing to Ike.” [2]  Christians who are constantly “running away” need to face up to the reasons why they’re running.  Like Maggie they need to do some healthy introspection and learn to understand themselves.  Whether it’s consumerism or a fear of commitment and conflict, it’s time to stop being part of The Runaway Bride.  Put down roots, commit to serving and not just receiving, and make a decision to work through conflict.  You’ll be so glad you did – and so will everyone else!

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_Bride_(film)

[2] Ibid.