After you've got your converts you make them ... (1)

Twice as fit for hell!
As you are yourselves!

I often find the word of the Godspell song, 'Alas for you' resonating in my heart and head as I encounter people who teach error wrapped up as orthodoxy.

Is it any wonder that the Church of England is in such a state when you hear some of the tripe that is peddled as right thinking?

Is it any wonder that some friends who live in other denominations think that we (the Church of England) are a bunch of apostate losers?

When I was 'saved' - something I can put a date and time to - I remember the feeling of gratitude that accompanied the thought that Jesus had loved me so much that He became fully man (meaning put of being God and emptied Himself of all the God bits) and took my place as one sentenced to die and died in my place. I remember thinking that if Jesus died to allow me and God to have a relationship and to give me life where death had been the curse: That I would live this regained life as fully as I could.

But now I hear people teaching that everyone gets into heaven because Jesus died for them - and they are. BUT, like all heresy whilst starting from a true statement they then add some deviation from the true course so that those who hear their words end up some distance from the place they should be. Let me explain what and how of this issue in simple terms:

God sends His Son into the world - not to condemn people but to save them.
Nothing hard here. In fact it is surely quite welcome news! (Jn 3.16)

Jesus comes into the world and brings salvation. This restores a fallen creation with a consistent Creator and promises an end to the result of the separateness that 'sin' created between us and God (the result being 'death' by the way).
This is not a popular concept for some because they think that we mustn't use the naughty 'S' word and certainly must not tell people that they're doing  'sinful things' because (and this is what people tell me, I'm not making this up) - this is regarded as a value judgement on their life choices and actions and will not make Church, them or God popular! 

The problem is that what we should be dealing with is 'being right' and leading people into righteousness not popularity!

Now, Jesus has come and reconciled the created with the Creator and removed the result of 'sin' (death) and opened for us a new life (that's why the terms 'saved' and 'born again' have such merit). This is the reality for everyone, Jesus truly died for ALL (which last time I looked means all of whatever population you're thinking of). All you need to do is to accept that Jesus died for you (we call this 'belief") and that's the seal on the deal - it's done and dusted, all you need to do is live within that knowledge.
'But,' people say, 'I don't want to believe in Jesus. But I'll have the eternal life, thank you very much!'

The problem with this is that what we have is a situation much which reminds me of when I was a kid growing up in North London. There was a marketing fad between the soap powder manufacturers which saw customers being offered a free plastic flower (as a gift) if they bought a packet of washing powder. I remember an advert' which boldly proclaimed that there was one of these (naff) tulips or roses for 'everyone'. (the 'naff' is my assessment by the way - the companies offering them referred to them as if they were something of great value)

All you needed to do was take the time and energy to pop down to the corner shop or supermarket and buy a packet and then return back later with the box top to redeem your plastic flower. The flower was there for you (because there was 'one for everyone') but you only got one if you took the time to go and collect it. If you didn't want it, you didn't go back - and that was, as ever, your choice.

This is pretty much the same with salvation. Jesus dies upon the cross and by doing so ensures that reconciliation between us and God is made ours: All you need to do is to take a ticket from Him. But if you don't recognise Jesus (or don't want to) then of course you won't be saying 'Thank You' to Him or be taking a ticket because that's the choice you have made! If you acknowledge that this is the case then you will also, I am sure, acknowledge the fact that even those the gift has been made available to you, you have chosen not to claim it.

You don't even have to make two trips, for you can collect the ticket straight from the source and, being polite, say, 'Thank You,' at the same time. So what's stopping you?

You see, those who teach that EVERYONE is saved are totally correct, they've just forgotten who the source of this salvation and the ticket is. Sad really because once you've met Him and realised you were dead but now have been given back your life, you would I'm sure make a decision to live differently - something we are required to do if we are to maintain a newly restored life. This is what the 'born again' bit refers to - simple stuff, n rocket science or calculus required here. But let me make it even simpler:

Salvation is a free gift, but like being given an expensive sports car for free, salvation costs everything you have to keep it on the road. 

Not willing to pay that price? That's not a problem. After you you makes your choice and you decide who you want to please; God or yourself. Just make sure you know not to moan about how unfair things are when the final whistle blows.

Simple innit?

Turning Grey into glorious colour

The penultimate scene of  'Mr Magorium's Magic Emporium' show 'Mahoney' the character who has taken up the reigns from Magorium proclaiming their belief in a piece of wood (described as a 'Congereve Cube' and from this everything changes from shades of grey and depressing black into the most vibrant and glorious colours.

The cube races around the shop as if telling all the hitherto inanimate toys, books and games that there's something magical coming - much like John the Baptist preparing the way for something spectacular - and as the Mahony character reaches out (a yadah / towdah (it's a Hebrews thing folks) moment) everything is transformed.

I too have belief in a piece of wood as the object by which life was both extinguished and gifted for eternity! It is through the belief that has been set into being in, through and by the person who hung upon it, that I have seen grey lives transformed into something full of colour and beauty.

This Christmas we need to take the opportunity to herald people into the Christmas presence of the God made man: Jesus the Christ child.

We need to take the opportunity to share God's love because it's there to be shared: This is how the peace He brings gets off the shelves and into the life's of those around us.

We need to stop selling fear of hell and a promise of heaven (although heaven and eternity are, I am assured, real) and start building relationships, blessing what God is already doing, with Him and us and in so doing put to death religion and start celebrating relationship (for that is what Christianity is - it's not a religion for religion is (as Marx told us) 'Humanity's greatest rebellion against God!

Let us put aside rules and regulations and conditions and instead bring joyful obedience because of the relationship we have with Jesus and the desire to be like Him.

It's simple really innit?

Which are you going to leave people with this Christmas?

Church was never to meant to be a grey place :-)

Christianity - Free Lamborghini or McLaren anyone?

Here's a really quick splurge from my grey matter onto the electronic paper of this blog and I apologise for typos, rushed edits and and confusuioon but here goes:

Last night saw the second evening of an Alpha course that we are running jointly with our local Methodists and as we chatted about the Cross and addressed the question, 'Why did Jesus die?' I became very aware of the fact that, generally speaking, many churches (and members) I engage with appear  to fail to make the cost of commitment real and obvious.

For me the answer to the question 'Why' is summed up in the words of John 3:16:

'For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God didn't send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that through Him (Jesus) it (the world = us) might be saved!'

The 'Why' for God and the 'What' for us are both clearly visible.

God - Die

Us - Believe and accept that salvific act (made ONCE, for ALL, upon a CROSS)

Simples innit?

So here we are, God is offering us, free and gratis something that is precious and unique, namely:

i. Restoration of relationship with God,

ii. The breaking of the power of sin (which is of course death - and by coming back on Easter Sunday He handed it back to satan with the words, 'Whoops, broken it!', and

iii. The becoming of a new creation - through the indwelling and enabling of the Holy Spirit, one that is about to live within the freedom of 'free choice' making the right choices (and wrong choices, when they are taken, less often).

And all we have to do is accept it and keep it on the road. But it is just too easy to have God bear all the cost and us live with all the benefits. There is a cost for us too and many of my friends over the years have paid out (often sacrificially in terms of money, marriages and relationships) to keep cars on the road, aircraft in the air and radios on the airwaves. Others have devoted free time to trains (real and model) or stamp collecting or many of the other hobbies people have, and this is where it gets hard for me when it comes to Christianity.

I know people who put everything on the line for a hobby and know many people who claim to be Christian and yet are willing to do nothing but accept and demand and give the very minimum in time, money and energy.

If I were to offer you one of the top marques of car (Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, etc.) free of charge, how many would take my hand off in the rush to accept it? But to keep a car like that on the road take some real commitment (and it's not just money I'm talking of here).

A friend with one such car told me how it cost him 'a few thousand' every year to keep his beloved super car on the road and yet, he claimed, it was worth it because look at what he had!

God, through the Cross of Christ offers each of us something that cost Him everything and lasts not just for our lifetime but for eternity and yet many of us will commit less to keeping it on the road than we do for our hobbies and pastimes - after all they cry, 'it's a free gift - how can it cost us anything?'

And oddly, these are also more, often than not the same people who complain about the lack of things being done in the church. They are the same people who wished to be served and to be cared for and to be provided for and to be made happy and listened to and obeyed (yep - that too) and yet they don't put anything in to keep the vehicle that is the church or the component that is their life working effectively and efficiently.

Now here's some questions:

Are you the problem or the solution?

Are you willing to pay (and I don't mean with mere money) to keep your faith on the road?

Is your faith an interest (your hobby) or a life-changing, life-long commitment?

Are you willing to pay what it takes or merely willing to take?

The time is coming when we need to realise that if you merely wish to be an associate member (and you're welcome as such) then you will also have to realise that whilst we can guarantee a life membership being open for you in Church, we cannot guarantee and eternal life membership.

Your choice