Mark 8:34–38

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple MUST deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? 37 Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? 38 If any of you are ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.””

Have a think about this paragraph…….

Don’t you just want to brush it off?! Come on Jesus surely being a Christian doesn’t have to be so drastic?!

Have a read of how Jesus describes his work for US!

Mark 8:31–32

“He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this,”

Is not Jesus’ work for sinful humanity radical? Jesus denied the very human desires of his self, that we also feel, to be perfectly obedient to God and to be the perfect Saviour and Lord over all things!

Deny self

If this is Jesus and we call ourselves Christians than we must take Jesus’ words in Mark 8:34-38 seriously. Are you willing to deny yourself?

“The Central thought in self-denial is a disowning of any claim that may be urged by self,… a willingness to say ‘NO’ to oneself in order to be able to say ‘YES’ to God.”

If we are Christians than we live a radical life. We don’t live our lives for ourselves, BUT in accordance with God’s will. Which is to have faith in His Son Jesus as Christ!

Take up your cross

Are you willing to take up your cross?

“The saying evokes the picture of a condemned man going out to die who is forced to carry on his back the cross beam upon which he is to be nailed at the place of execution….. Jesus’ words were a sober caution that the commitment for which he asked permitted no turning back, and if necessary, a willingness to submit to the cross in pursuance of the will of God.”

The cross is a sign of humiliation! Not something we want, especially when our culture encourages us to exult ourselves! To be all we can be! To be happy with who we are as long as we have everything we want.

But Jesus’ words call us to be radical. Consider God’s call to be lights in the world, to share the Gospel in a world that hates God enough to kill Him.

Follow Me

Are we willing to follow Jesus?

Jesus’ words “provides a vivid reminder that suffering with the Messiah is the condition of glorification with him (Rom 8:17)” – “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co–heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Following Jesus is radical. You dont find many people willing to follow Jesus. They weigh up the costs and come to the conclusion that following Jesus in this world is not worth the Glory we will have in the next.

THe major question from this is:

If we say we are Christians, are we denying self? Taking up our cross? And following Jesus?

quotes from Lane, W.L; ‘The Gospel of Mark’ (New International Commentary on the New Testament)

“The LORD is in the right, for I (we) have rebelled against his word”

As a Christian I find it hard to see how God can cause me to suffer. I get sick, I break bones, and I am at the mercy of God’s work which involves natural disasters, failing stock markets, and other people being stupid. But as a child of God I expect to be looked after. I expect God to make sure I have an enjoyable life and no troubles. Is that to much to ask from an all loving, all powerful God?

I have heard people preach that as a Christian i should have a fruitful life, full of wealth, prosperity, great health, and success in all things. So why don’t i see God doing this for me?

Welcome to the world of the Lamentations, yet slightly removed. Judah (southern kingdom) is in desolation. They have had their kingdom pulverized and their capital (Jerusalem) destroyed. All of their once glorious kingdom is now unrecognizable. It has disappeared with their obedience to God. This is further highlighted with the curruption of God’s temple, the enemies who ransacked the kingdom have entered the temple, which makes the temple unclean and also destroys Judah’s place of meeting God. This is far from the glorious kingdom of David and Solomon.

To make matters worse this is the work of God. God is judging Judah because of their disobedience (1:5). Which leads me back to the quote above.

Can Israel complain about God when they face trouble & evil in this world?

“The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word” (1:18)

Israel rebelled against God through disobedience, and God being just and fair has judged that disobedience. God is right to do this. His word is a guide and rule. It is good, just and fair. God’s word is God’s advice to us, showing us how we can enjoy this life in God’s world. By obeying his word we can enjoy a good life, but if we disobey we deserve the consequences of our disobedience.

Suprise!!

Surprisingly the writer of this Lament understands the consequences of the nations disobedience and doesnt condemn God but praises God for his right and just judgment. Interesting perspective.

It isn’t God’s fault that Judah disobeyed his word. Nor is it God’s fault that they didn’t listen to his warnings to stop being disobedient. The fault falls on Judah.

It is the same for us.

We should not think that God is at fault when we experience trouble and evil. This is the consequence of our disobedience to God’s word. Our disobedience has consequences and it is not God’s fault, but our own. Often our disobedience leads to the hurt of ourselves or others. For example; If I were to commit adultery I would be hurting my marriage with Aimee, I would destroy the relationship with the third person, and it would effect my relationships with my friends and family.

Our disobedience has consequences.

Can we complain about God when we face trouble and evil in this world?

Well no. We should welcome God’s judgment because it is just and right. What we should complain about is our constant and never ending disobedience of God’s word.

God is good, right and just.

We are evil, disobedient and selfish.

Then who is to blame?

To proclaim the gospel!

Through a great couple from my Church I learned about a mission to Kempsey, called Kempsey Bible Club. This Club is a week long (5 days) of morning sessions singing, teaching from the Bible, playing sports and games, and hanging out doing various things. Also it involves afternoon trips to the local hangout spots to meet up with the families that attend the club through the week. The sad reality of this mission is that the kids hear the Gospel for the week but there is nothing for them through the year.

Why Kempsey?

Kempsey was the starting point where God started helping me understand the need for more people to get into full time ministry. The Churches are struggling, and getting older (in age of the congregation but also in terms of its seperation from today’s society and culture), they are in desperate need of contextualization and a time of mission focus.

There is also another hardship of mixed cultures. Kempsey is one of the biggest aboriginal populated towns in NSW, if not Australia. There is a struggle of misunderstanding between the anglo and Aboriginal population in the town which creates tension. There is also a struggle within the Aboriginal culture, most boys when they reach later teenage years will have gone to jail or will end up in jail when they are in their 20′s. Stealing, vandalism and alcohol related crimes are among the prime offenses that will lead to imprisonment.This culture is creating problems for families, there is no good model of family relationships and dynamics, it also puts a strain on the financial strain on these families (most have more than 3 children and no working father to provide).

But the Gospel can change Kempsey for the better. This is my hope, prayer, and dream. I can see this verse holds great value and implications for Kempsey.

“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” (Eph 2:14–18 ESV)

The future of Kempsey is unknown but I can see hope of God doing great things there. After meeting with 2 ministers on the Mid North Coast I can see that Kempsey is a place that WILL see and hear and experience the Gospel in a great way, whether it is tomorrow, next year or in 10 years. God has a great message that is going to change lives for the better.

I dont know if God has it as part of his plan for Aimee and I to work in Kempsey but it is my prayer that he sends someone and soon.

Please pray for Kempsey and the Gospel going to all places over the world. Also please pray that as i keep talking to the ministers in the Mid North Coast that God will open doors for us to preach the Gospel full time in Kempsey.

Why am I saying this?

Well because one of my lecturers at Moore College has posted about the upcoming and much awaited 2nd Volume on Torrance’s Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ. Check it our here.

Synopsis:

In this essay I will outline the relationship between the incarnate Christ and the salvation of the world. First I will make some quick general definitions. Secondly I will outline the relationship between Christ and salvation through mediation to God and mankind. Thirdly I will look at John Hick’s view on salvation and the incarnation and critique his article “Christology in an age of religious pluralism.” Through these steps I will show that the incarnate Christ mediates salvation through two ways. Firstly mediating mankind to God, and secondly mediating God to mankind. The conclusion that we will reach is that the incarnation is related to salvation of the world through the mediation of Christ.

Essay:

In today’s cultural debates people like John Hick argue for an inclusive view of Salvation. I argue that if we truly understand Christ’s incarnation salvation is not inclusive, because of the exclusivity of Christ as God and man. There can only be one way to salvation. This is seen in the incarnate Christ as He mediates between God and man, and man and God. Through his mediation Christ provides atonement and salvation for the world. We will begin this discussion outlining the incarnation, then looking at Christ’s mediation to God, then Christ’s mediation to man. We will then apply these conclusions to address John Hick’s approach to salvation.

We begin our discussion with the incarnate Christ. Firstly we will define and clarify what we mean. When we say ‘Christ’ we are looking at the Second Person of the trinity called the Son, who came to earth as the person Jesus of Nazareth. There is more we could define about the Christ form the Old Testament, proving Jesus to be the Christ, but now is not the time. When we say that the Christ is incarnate, we are saying it involves the divine Son being born of human flesh and having two natures in the one Person. We see this being portrayed in the New Testament. In Matthew 1:18-25, and Luke 2:1-20 we are presented with the birth narrative of Jesus Christ. In these narratives Jesus’ birth appears abnormal, and it is abnormal for two reasons. Firstly Mary and Joseph were not married and he did not know her. This presents Jesus’ birth being an act of God, through the Holy Spirit.  Secondly Jesus is presented as Saviour. From before and after his birth Jesus is presented as “God with us” or Saviour. Jesus is therefore God in flesh. The prologue of the Gospel according to John continues this idea in a deeper sense. John presents the Son as the Word. The eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among humanity. John’s prologue presents a doctrine of the incarnation. We also see the incarnation of the Son as the Christ in Paul’s letters. In Galatians 4:4 Paul summarizes the birth narrative to one sentence declaring the Son’s incarnation through birth of a human woman. In Philippians 2:6-8 Paul tells the reader that the Son is truly divine but through humility and for a divine purpose he became truly divine and truly human. From these verses we see that before the birth of Jesus the ‘word’ or the Son existed. If we use deductive logic from these verses we must conclude that the Son was not in flesh before appearing as Jesus. But this nonetheless negates the divinity of Jesus. The Gospels and the letters of the New Testament give ample support to the divinity of Jesus without negating his humanity. We can conclude that the New Testament declares Jesus to be the Son, the second Person in the Trinity because He is the word come in flesh. Jesus is also declared to be human being born of flesh and divine being the Son. Therefore the New Testament declares the Christ to be fully divine and fully human in the person Jesus.

The scriptures inspired this truth to be put into creeds. The Nicene-Constantinople and Chalcedon creeds declare the Son as both divine and human in the person Jesus Christ. The key to this understanding was developed by the word homoousion. In this word the understanding of the Christ is of the same substance as the Father. Homoousion was used to clarify and establish the Christ as divine whilst being human. By establishing this term the Church Fathers were defending and strengthening the Christian truth that the Son made incarnate as Jesus Christ.

Thomas F. Torrance later strengthened this understanding of the Son with his view of the Son in space and time. This was a remarkable description as Torrance explores the fact that the eternal Son, being fully divine, did not give up his divine nature but kept this nature and joined it to human nature appearing in the world’s space and time. He explores this as a redemptive act in which God comes into his creation, explaining that this act is an act of mediation. “As both God of God and man of man Jesus is the actual Mediator between God and man and man and God in all things, even in regard to space-time relations.”[1] The incarnation of Christ is therefore an act of salvation as God steps into his creation, into space and time, to mediate God and man. Therefore this act of mediation brings salvation to the world.

As we think about the incarnation in relation to salvation we are drawn to Christ’s mediation. Paul tells Timothy that “there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”[2] The incarnate Christ is the unique mediator, mediating on behalf of mankind and God. This is our main point when we look at the relationship between Christ’s incarnation and the salvation of the world. But it is also the point of friction which some will try and distort, and by distorting this truth they distort the incarnation. Before we move onto the alternate views we will establish the view of Christ’s incarnation mediating salvation.

First we look at Christ mediating mankind to God. Mankind needs a mediator. Because of mankind’s sinfulness a gap developed between God and mankind. For God could not allow sin to go unpunished, therefore mankind cannot draw close to God. This is the reason behind Christ’s incarnation. Christ became incarnate to mediate man to God. He came in the flesh to do what sinful mankind could not do. Death comes into the world through Adam, the first man[3]. This curse is now inherent to all mankind. Mankind is now unable to worship or be acceptable to God. For this reason “God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law”[4]. God the Son came as the incarnate Christ to relate to mankind. Being fully human he lives under the same law as mankind. But unlike mankind Jesus Christ perfectly lives under the law so to redeem sinful people. This is understood to be Christ’s work in his incarnate life to save people. He comes as the Second Adam to undo the curse of sin and offer eternal life[5]. Paul says that mankind is reconciled to God through the death of the incarnate Christ.[6] Christ’s work in being the incarnate mediator to God involved being the second Adam to overcome sin. As divine Christ lived a perfect life, free from sin and free from disobedience towards the Father. In His humanity and his divinity he conquers death winning a victory for us.[7] Christ’s mediation for mankind makes salvation possible through his life and atonement on the cross. T.F. Torrance argues that the incarnation is an act of salvation and therefore we should not separate incarnation from the cross/atonement[8]. Therefore we should see a flow and movement of salvation in the complete vocation of Christ, from the moment of incarnation to the present eternal reign of Christ at the right hand of the Father[9].  Also man was mediated to God in the person Jesus. “Thus the whole life of Christ is understood as a continuous vicarious sacrifice and oblation which, as such, is indivisible, for everything he assumed from us is organically united in his one Person and work as Saviour and Mediator.”[10] This is also Calvin’s point as he argues that Christ needed to be man to unite us in his flesh to be free from sin. “God’s natural Son fashioned for himself a body from our body, flesh from our flesh, bones from our bones, that he might be one with us.”[11] Christ’s incarnation is not only to atone for sin, but also to unite creation with himself, and in doing so Christ mediates mankind to God. As he mediates in his whole life and continual reign we look to the incarnation as a point where mediation started as Christ united himself with mankind. Salvation therefore exists in the incarnation of the Christ.

The incarnate Christ also mediates God to mankind. The incarnate Christ being fully man whilst fully divine bridges the divide between God and humanity. As the Christ moves towards mankind the deity is fully revealed to creation, unadulterated, unhindered, and completely untarnished. In times past God spoke through human agents, declaring the purposes and good will of God. But now God has spoken clearly through His Son[12]. In the incarnated Christ we see the answer to the scriptures[13] that salvation has been revealed in and through the Son, Jesus Christ. For God sent His Son into the world to reveal himself to the world and also to reveal the salvation he had planned for creation[14]. The incarnation therefore represents knowledge of God and also salvation from God. As Christ reveals and contains the fullness of God His very presence on earth is an act of salvation. For God has crossed the divide between man and Himself, despite His hostility towards man He chose to reconcile mankind to himself, through appearing in the Person Jesus Christ and also bringing salvation to the world in Christ.

This act of God has been considered by Torrance to be a sign of the salvation present in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. In Christ, God cuts across eternal dimensions into our space and time.

“This relation established between God and man in Jesus Christ constitutes Him as the place in all space and time where God meets with man in the actualities of his human existence, and man meets with God and knows Him in His own divine Being. … where the infinite Being of God penetrates into our existence and creates room for Himself within the horizontal dimensions of finite being in space and time. … Unless the eternal breaks into the temporal and the boundless being of God breaks into the spatial existence of man and takes up dwelling within it, the vertical dimension vanishes out of man’s life and becomes quite strange to him-and man loses his place under the sun.”[15]

When the Son steps into our space and time as the incarnate Christ he reveals not only his divine nature in the person Jesus Christ, and not only salvation through his body and blood, but he reveals the eternal true God. Such a revelation brings life into the relationship between creation and the creator. In the beginning the creator related to His creation by walking amongst creation[16]. But after the Fall God is no longer described as walking among creation. In Exodus God appears as a cloud or fire, but this does not give a great relational description, because God is veiled from his creation. But when we read of the incarnate Christ we see the glory of God in the Person Jesus, the full deity of God dwelling in the Person Jesus. Therefore as Jesus walked the earth it is the same as God walking the earth. As God walks the earth he reveals himself to his creation and sets up a relationship with his creation that is new and unveiled. Through the incarnate Christ, God is mediated to mankind. Therefore mankind has seen and heard its creator. They have sensed and experienced its creator. The creator has stepped into the created space and time which mankind exists so that what was hidden is now revealed. God is made known to his creation through the mediation of the incarnate Christ.

The mediation of God to man also reveals salvation to man. As Christ’s life was spent revealing God, which involved teaching and revealing God’s plan for salvation. Torrance understands this as an act of God. “We can only know God in an ACT in which HIS ACT AND PERSON are IDENTICAL, in which God’s presence, personal presence, is present in His act, in which the act is the Person and the Person is the Act”[17]. “In Christ, we find God entering into the world of human life and language in a form which is adapted to human intelligibility”[18]. Torrance understands God, in Christ, making himself the object of our knowledge[19]. As the object of our knowledge the incarnate Christ reveals knowledge of God and also salvation from God. This knowledge is found because the incarnate Christ is fully divine. He is God in flesh. Torrance therefore states that the Christ is not a little bit God, or part God, but fully God. The author of the Gospel according to John would agree, as the word, holy and divine become flesh, fully human. This provides a theological presentation of the united natures of deity and humanity in the person Jesus. As a result knowledge of God is implied through God’s word being revealed through the incarnation of the Christ. As the word is revealed salvation through Christ is revealed. To separate the teaching of salvation from the teaching of Christ would be erroneous. Christ in teaching about himself teaches that he is the way, the truth and the life[20]. Through him is the only way to the Father and therefore eternal life, provided through mediation to God. Furthermore the Gospel according to John is focused on knowing Christ to have salvation[21]. In the Person Jesus Christ, his life, death, and resurrection mankind has seen the knowledge of God and his plan for salvation. As Christ reveals God he reveals himself as God and reveals salvation to mankind in himself. Through the incarnate Christ we can conclude that God is mediated to mankind, revealing God and salvation.

This outline of the incarnation in relation to salvation is what John Hick would call this a traditional and irrelevant view of the incarnation. In his article in the Journal of Theology For Southern Africa Hick presents arguments against the incarnation relating to salvation. For Hick the Christian claim that salvation is only through Christ alone is too limited. Hick argues that salvation is not exclusively a Christian teaching, it is not held in the incarnate Christ, but it is found in the love of God for all people in all religions. The main point of Hick’s argument is that “salvation is what religion, in all its forms is about.”[22] This is argued from looking at the world as God’s creation.  If God is the Father of all creation than why would he make salvation available to a minority Christian group? Hick’s answer to this is to add theological extensions to religion. He does not want any religion to be the one way to God. But through experience and logical argument for the good of the many Hick looks to all religions as having “produced profound and inspiring scriptures, successions of saint and prophets, mystics and thinkers, and has provided a spiritual home for hundreds of millions of people over many centuries, opening their lives in varying degrees to the divine and setting them on the human pilgrimage to the kingdom of heaven.”[23] It is on this basis that Hick moves on in his discussion to say that the incarnation and therefore the unique claims of Jesus are metaphor. The metaphor of the incarnation is a Hellenistic understanding of love. “Agape become flesh and blood in Jesus’ life of healing and teaching. …. Wherever men or women have lived in self giving love, there Agape has been incarnated in human life. In this sense incarnation is a matter of degree.”[24] Hick’s argument is therefore that Jesus is not truly divine. By removing the divinity of Jesus he opens up salvation through all religions. His argument looks at Jesus’ life as a call for people to love God and others like he does. Therefore the incarnation is a myth. In Hick’s presentation there is no adequate reasoning for salvation. Salvation in Hick’s view is rather a transformation to a state of eternal goodness[25]. Therefore if we all share the good out of our religions than the world would be at peace. But Hick does not consider that the whole of creation is in groaning, awaiting to be redeemed and reconciled to its creator[26]. Even if mankind were transformed to love one another creation would not be redeemed. It is out of mankind’s power to bring peace to creation. It is totally reliable on the creator. But since Hick doesn’t hold to authority of scripture we cannot see him agreeing with any argument we may make. Considering his attack on the exclusiveness of God we must consider the fact that God chooses to reveal himself. We cannot make God known. Likewise we cannot choose how God will reveal himself. If God chooses to reveal himself in bodily form as a person Jesus than we must accept his revelation. Denying this point obviously voids the mediation of God to man in Christ. For God can be known without the incarnate revelation. If we continue down this track we cannot be certain of salvation. How is it possible for finite man to know the eternal realities? Unless the infinite is made known to the finite, revealing hidden mysteries? Therefore we need the infinite God to make himself known to us. We need the incarnation of the deity. Christ is the mediation of God. Accepting this we therefore have received knowledge of the infinite and how He plans our salvation. This is a gracious and right act of God. If we are to deny the revelation of God than Hick’s plan of salvation is not gracious or right, but unjust. There is no consequence for sin and rejection of God. On this point I believe Hick to misunderstand a vital and important part of religion. For if a wrong has been commited it is just that the wrong be punished. Therefore the wrong done towards God is so great that mankind cannot be made right unless an act of God is done. It is the incarnate Christ’s mediation towards God that provides the correct and vital payment for sin. This is done through His divine power over sin, and through His human nature experiencing the penalty for our wrongdoing. Hick’s view seeks to be inclusive in salvation to all people by scratching Christ’s incarnation. But by doing this he is scratching salvation from its core. God makes salvation possible. The incarnate Christ has made this known.

Christ’s incarnation is vital for the salvation of the world. To misunderstand the incarnation is to distort and misinterpret God’s plan of salvation. In the mediation of the Christ as both God and man we see not only God being revealed but also salvation being revealed and made available to the world. It is only when the mediation of Christ incarnate bridges the gap between man and God that salvation is made possible. It is through Christ’s work mediating God to man, and man to God that salvation is available to the world. We must conclude that Christ’s incarnation is the direct work of salvation for the world.

Sources Cited:

Calvin, J., J. T. McNeill, et al. Institutes of the Christian religion. Philadelphia, Westminster Press. 1960.

Hick, John H. “Christology in an age of religious pluralism.” Journal of Theology for Southern Africa (June 1981): 4-9. Cited 16 September 2009. Online: ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.

Hick, J. The metaphor of God incarnate. London, SCM Press. 1992.

Lee, K. W. Living in union with Christ : the practical theology of Thomas F. Torrance. New York, Peter Lang. 2003.

McGrath, A. E. Thomas F. Torrance : an intellectual biography. Edinburgh, T & T Clark. 1999.

Torrance, T. F. The Trinitarian Faith : the Evangelical theology of the ancient Catholic Church. Edinburgh, Clark. 1988.

Torrance, T. F. Space, time and incarnation. Edinburgh, T&T Clark, 1997.

Torrance, T. F. and R. T. Walker. Incarnation : the person and life of Christ. Downers Grove, IL, IVP Academic. 2008.

Other works consulted:

Letham, R. The work of Christ. Downers Grove, Ill., Inter-Varsity Press. 1993.

Torrance, T. F. The Incarnation: ecumenical studies in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed A.D. 381. Edinburgh, Handsel Press. 1981.

[2] 1 Timothy 2:5-6

[3] Romans 5:12-14

[4] Galatians 4:4-5

[5] Romans 5

[6] Romans 5:10-11

[7] J. Calvin, J. T. McNeill, et al., Institutes of the Christian religion, (Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1960), 466.

[8] T. F. Torrance, The trinitarian faith : the Evangelical theology of the ancient Catholic Church, (Edinburgh, Clark, 1988), 152.

[9] T. F. Torrance, and R. T. Walker, Incarnation : the person and life of Christ, (Downers Grove, IL, IVP Academic, 2008), 75.

[10] Torrance, The Trinitarian faith, 152.

[11] Calvin et al., Institutes, 465.

[12] Hebrews 1:1-2

[13] Psalm 98:2, Isaiah 56:1

[14] John 3:16-18, Ephesians 1:13, Colossians 1:19-20.

[15] Torrance, Space, 75.

[16] Genesis 3:8

[17] A. E. McGrath, Thomas F. Torrance : an intellectual biography, (Edinburgh, T & T Clark, 1999), 149.

[18] McGrath, Thomas, 151.

[19] K. W. Lee, Living in union with Christ : the practical theology of Thomas F. Torrance, (New York, Peter Lang, 2003), 104.

[20] John 14:6

[21] John 20:30-31

[22] John H. Hick, ‘Christology in an age of religious pluralism’, Journal of Theology for Southern Africa (June 1981): 4-9. Cited 16 September 2009. Online: ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost, 5

[23] Hick, ‘Christology’, 6.

[24] John H. Hick, ‘Christology in an age of religious pluralism’, Journal of Theology for Southern Africa (June 1981): 4-9. Cited 16 September 2009. Online: ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost, 9

[25] J. Hick, The metaphor of God incarnate, (London, SCM Press,1992), Chapter 12-13.

[26] Romans 8:22, Colossians 1:15-21.

Preparing to Teach the Bible—Step by Step

If you struggle to understand what teh Tabernacle and Temple would look like go here. The Resurgence have kindly put up the pictures of the Temple and Tabernacle for people like me.

A lot of people like to understand the background to the Bible, which is good but alot of people do to much with little evidence and lots of speculation!

I came accross this site that has a great resource from a reliable Bible guy. So if you are looking for the behind the scenes part to the Bible give this a look.

Paul is greatly encouraged by his partnership with the Philippian Church. A partnership described as:

• in the gospel (v5)
• partakers with Paul in grace (v7)
• partakers through thick and thin (v7)

The Philippians have so greatly encouraged Paul in sticking with him through his imprisonment (see 1:12-14, 4:14-16 cf. Acts 16:12-40) that Paul knows with full assurance the partnership is not give and take, but it is genuine. The genuineness of their partnership is shown in the Philippian’s actions and Paul’s emotions.

Paul is joyous (v4), and filled with affection to see them again (v8). As a result Paul holds them in his heart (v7) drawing him to pray for them and thank God for them.

Which gets me wondering if we ever get so close to our Christian brothers and sisters? And even further do our conversations at Church produce such great partnership?

As I think about this I acknowledge that my conversations with people at church usually consist of ‘how was your week?’ ‘what are you up to this week?’. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But it never seems to get of the ground to discussing anything of great worth.

I am struck by Paul’s prayer:

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1:9–11 ESV)

I dont often consider the strength of these words.

Do I really try and encourage people to grow in love based on the Gospel so they may bring praise and glory to God? Do I allow my conversations to be based on the Gospel and to encourage people to reflect on the message preached in Church? Do I discuss what I have been challenged with as well as being interested with what they have been challenged with?

How is your Christian Partnership going?

10:14 For by a single offering  he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

This reminded me of a saying from Archie Poulos that goes something like this – “all Christians are on a path to glory” – now this is my problem. I cannot remember if this is correct. Archie also has a diagram to visually show his point also. I would love to use it this Sunday but i cannot find it.

As i was looking through all my college stuff trying to find it i came accross a resource sheet by Roy. E. Ciampa that is gold, not in the sense that it was what i need for my talk (hence the title). Looking through his list i found his URL for his website, but it doesnt exist any more, so i googled him and came up with pure Gold Jerry (for all you Seinfeld fans out there).

Go to: http://www.viceregency.com/PreachingResources.htm and you will see what i mean (probably not so great for the average Joe, but still useful)

O and if you Moore students read this, if you have the quote i am trying to find i would love it, also the diagram. I still cant find it.

Why do you do things?

I caught a piece of the Amazing Race last night and I was suprised by the attitude of a Christian pair that were competing in the race. There are many problems i have with this pair but this one really got my nerves. It was the motivation that is keeping them in the race.

One of the challenges on the show was to go down a massive water slide. From the top you could see that you were a long way up and you couldnt really see where you would end up, due to the underground part of the slide. Anyway this girl in this pair is affraid of heights  (and guessing because of the use of floaties, water) so she wasnt keen at all to go down. In fact she thought she was going to die! Her boyfriend, her partner in the race, tries to convince her it will be alright, when that didnt work he tries to force her down the slide. This is the motivation that he gave her for the slide: 1 Million dollars for going down a slide. She didnt care much for the money but rather her life.

Why am I annoyed at this? Because of his motivation. A Christian should not be motivated by money, but God. Wouldnt the wiser thing have been to say “God will protect you.”? Or at least encourage her to trust in God! Instead I think their sinful natures has shone brighter than their trust for God.

The bottom line from this scene that many people will take away is that ‘Money is more important to a Christian than God! ‘

I doubt the faith of those who display such an attitude but I really resent the fact that sometimes we forget what should be motivating us.

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (Rom 13:14 ESV)

Who or what is your motivation?

For a similar topic see Dave’s look at idols.

Check who you pay homage to – part 1

Check who you pay homage to – part 2

Check who you pay homage to – part 3