Church: What is it good for? (setting the scene)

Recently, when asking this question of people around me, the response has sounded a lot like the Whitfield and Strong song ‘War’ for the answer has been: “Absolutely nothing!”

This is a response that will cause many to shake their heads, sigh, and bemoan the post-Christian age we have apparently entered.

The reality is that people I meet are often more concerned with faith, belief and ‘spiritual’ things now than the Christians I engage with; they’re a bit like the 60s generation who embraced Krishna and other strange gods and danced their way up and down Oxford Street in London and grew their hair long, smoked pot and called everyone ‘man’. These were the hippies who sought peace, love (which generally just meant sex when and wherever it was available) and something spiritual to hang their trousers on!

The problem before them (and me too) is that the ‘Church’ (the universal body of believers) is represented by those who inhabit the local ‘churches’ (meaning the building, not the people) and generally speaking, taking a long, hard look at these building dwellers, there is little to convince people to move from their ‘absolutely nothing’ position to join them!

An additional problem is that the ‘church’, which in this context means the local brands on offer, has been found to be dodgy in its dealings. The press publicise the ‘naughty Vicars’ and their shameful goings on and people like me would say, “Today a priest, pastor, leader (select which you prefer) has fallen into sin. Pray for them and the people they have acted wrongly against. Remember that one person has fallen and rejoice in the many who have not.” 

The problem is not the dodgy person in the photographs spoken of in the many column inches that titillate, ignite the emotions and bring their condemnation to bear on the person in the dock. The press, and their readers, become accuser, jury and judge (even though many, if they were honest, have their own skeletons in cupboards, boxes and under their beds).

But, sadly, the hypocrisy of the press, the public and those who call themselves ‘Christian’ or ‘Church’ is obvious and apparent. To put it into context, let’s read the summing up of the human condition from the Apostle Paul (Romans 3.23):
“... All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!” (A shuffling of feet and looking the other way moment for us all I fear). So there we have it: We are all sinners but some of us are unlucky enough to have been caught and had our shortcomings made public.

Now a very silly person (quite recently) said to me, “My sins are forgiven because I believe in Jesus. They don’t believe in Jesus and so theirs are not“. Words which bring another problem out into the light, because if we are ‘Christians’ then we struggle to overcome the old sinful nature and feel pain in the sins we commit because we have ‘fallen short’ of that which God calls us be and have wounded Jesus, the Christ, as grievously as those who nailed Him to the cross.

It is true that there is forgiveness on offer - continuing with the Paul passage (Romans 3.24-25):
“And ALL are justified freely by His (God’s) grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith...”. 

Every time we do something wrong ('sin') the truth is that God's love remains, He doesn't turn His back and walk away (although if He did would the scars convince you of His love for you where mere words we ignore?). Every time we sin, have sinned or will sin (or have people sin against us) the love of God remains ever-present and constant. The word 'justified' is an interesting one, because it's a legal term which means: 'found not guilty'.

A friend of mine proclaims the forgiveness of all humanity through the atoning act of Jesus, and it is true, that Jesus died to reconcile all humanity to the Godhead (that's Father, Sin and Holy Spirit). BUT (and there's always a 'but' isn't there - aside from the one writing this ;-) ) there's a little ting I'd like to draw your attention to: To be received by faith!

Forgiveness and reconciliation to God are there for all to receive. All you need to do is have the following:

Belief - accept that Jesus, the Christ, died to reconcile you to God and in that:
Acceptance - of the gift of Grace and acknowledge the things you have done wrong engage in:
Repentance - that turns us away from doing the wrong stuff and seek God's:
Restoration - to start living a new life set apart from the wrong stuff, and become a true:
Disciple - loving God; living and acting as a true believer should.

The old has gone - the new has come.

Hallelujah or what?

The next post in this series (Church. What is it good for - whose sin is greater) might prove to be shorter and yet somehow more messy. There's corporate (meaning the whole body and the leadership) guilt to discuss. A way forward for us all (local and universal) and so much more besides.

Thank you to anyone who has managed to read this brain dump scribble.

Pax

Jesus isn't all 'Good News'

The day now past turned the white of the Christmas season to red as the Church remembered the 'Holy Innocents'. Herod rushed in and took the lives of the boys, row and under - and Rachel wept for her children because they were no more.

And she weeps still in places throughout the world: Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and many other places besides - but it's not just about violence or internecine struggles or fundamentalism; let's not forget the industrialists and the pharmaceutical companies and the may putting lives on the line through political scheming and shareholder dividends!

Today I sorted a funeral for one at the other end of the scale, almost 100, and celebrated a newly minted life, engaged in the most odd thing I thing I may have ever done in terms of passing on a blessing and had another encounter with things spiritual. The problem with sin and the powers that feed from it in all of its various manifestations is that it is like having moles. Mind you, I went to a posh church a couple of years back and found a member telling me how they needed a anew lawn every few years because of the moles. That is the problem with many in the Church today. Always far too happy to 'get a man in' rather than do it themselves.

Perhaps we've contracted Church and the sin of the world out to Jesus and instead of calling Him 'Lord' are now just calling Him 'Workman'? The whole point is that we do it with Him rather than sit back assured of heaven and eternity and Him stopping the drip under the sink!

So a varied and blessed day - the problems, like the moles, were dealt with where they were obvious and many felt better for having buried them alive (so we will see them again shortly I guess). But life continues to be a challenge and to invite us to grasp what we can, ignore what we ought and to work where we aren't.

Lord, for a day gone and the encounters within in it - I thank You.
For those bound by sin and caught in error, I pray you illuminate the dark places of their hearts and lives and actions.
For those whom I have been used to bless, thank you - and for those I didn't, sorry :-(
And for tomorrow - keep me humble, keep me honest and open the gates of heaven and give me the keys to the tool cabinets to get the job done.

And for the innocents who have gone - and will be taken: Give your Church to stand with and for them and to commend those we cannot save to your grace, love, care and mercy.

Woolly headed and feet of clay

What a mixed day. A cold start to the morning with ice to be scraped off car windows and resultant numb fingers to match the head which has become infected by the dreaded lurgy!

Can't understand how we can eschew the Patriarch, Prophets, John the Baptist, Mary journey that is Advent for the wishywashy Love, Hope, Joy, Peace stuff. Surely we need to reflect on things biblical rather than Hallmark card moments? Jesus isn't looking to merely make us 'happy', He's looking to make us disciples, and that don't look,like the world or find favour with them church members. We need to keep them happy in case they walk? Nah, we need to get them saved lest they burn!

Today's readings were sublime as Jesus is linked to Jesse (and therefore David) and made obvious that he is the hope and salvation that was to come (in Isaiah's time). Paul popped up in Romans and looked at the Prophets too and pointed out that the Messiah was for all: Jew and Gentile! How I long for Church that embraces and proclaims this without that little supremacist edge so often found!

John the Baptist popped in and asked just who we were: Could it be that we are the people with hearts of stone and have become a brood of vipers such that we replace the Sadducees and Pharisees of old?

Complaints abound, people niggled about stuff (justly and unjustly). Usual moans about getting older, getting smaller, getting this, that and the other. Have we trials and ???? - take them to the Lord in prayer, or better still, pray, get your finger out and do something about it.

Feeling slightly ???? as people complain about the stuff I didn't do as it I was the one who had to do it in the first place and they had no responsibility or part to play themselves. Wonder if Jesus ever looked up to heaven and asked, "Why do they keep looking at me? Can't they do it themselves?"  If they can see the need then they can surely also see the solution?

There are days when rather than walk in the hope that the sheep will follow, the attraction of getting behind them and kicking is so great. Give me the grace I lack and the stick I need! Is that a valid prayer?

It feels like the failure of others ends up at my door, sometimes very literally, and the ability to smile and be compliant is wonderful but just occasionally I'd like a table to turn over! We play our little Christian games and abuse people in the knowledge that we have to be forgiven - but that's not forgiveness, it merely the speaking of the word 'peace' when quite obviously there isn't any peace and very little integrity either :-(

The danger of putting on a show for the faithful, of tickling their ears with the spoken and playing to their demands with the new songs and the clamouring for 'bleeding edge' stuff when what is needed is for them to 'bleeding grow up' is immense.

What would Jesus do?

What should Vic do to make Jesus look like Jesus in himself and those he seeks to pastor, work with and work for is the question!

I'd love for a world where we 'tell it in love' rather than hide it in hypocrisy and faux love. My bloke took it to the cross to make his love real to reconcile me to God - sacrifice or superficiality - that is the question and the choice it seems.

Lord, give me clarity of vision, integrity in living, honesty in conversation and love in all I am and do. Amen.

Saturday? Isn't that your day off?

Of course the answer is 'No!' When I served my Curacy it was made very clear that unless Saturday was my official day off, it was a working day. It can be a lighter day than the weekdays, but it most certainly isn't a day off.

I know that I struggle with the concept of days off some weeks as the pastoral needs tend to encroach and amazingly condense my 'off' time but the problems are many and varied in that I don't have a job, I have a calling. Not only that but what I do with a dogcollar I would happily have done without one as a Christian had I ended up working in the City until retirement.

'My church' is mine because I belong to it rather than own it! This is a lesson some I encounter, ordained and lay, need to learn.

Today I have engaged in some subversive Christianity and made Jesus, the Christ, known in some unusual (for Church) settings and in some amazingly God-filled settings. I have found myself greeted and acknowledged by children and adults alike and I like it. Not because I'm a celebrity (although I'll sign copies of the diocesan magazine if you want me to :-). ) but because I am part of a community - and that is the key.

Looking to see what God is doing in the lives around me; getting in step with His mission (the misseo dei is never to be missed) and reaching out to people with no visible need (always and often the neediest) my job is to make 'Christ Known'

As I reflect on the day I ask myself so many questions:
Where did I make Christ known today?
Did I do it well or did I make Christ look wrong and foolish?
Was I a 'fool for Christ' or just a fool who happens to be a believer?
Who did I bless by my presence and who would have been more blessed without it?
What has today taught me and was I willing to learn it; and willing to apply it tomorrow?

Today I took the opportunities I took, but know I could have perhaps taken more. God grant me the wisdom to see the lines I can, and should cross, and those where I need merely to pour you healing presence and step back. Help me to reach out and touch the broken with your love - to listen more - to rest in you and enjoy the scenery just a little.

I love You Lord - you float my boat and rock my socks off - you tell me that all might come near and how nothing separates Your creation from You. I just need to make Church understand that now :-)

Time for Zzzzzzzzzs - bring on tomorrow and make it a little more challenging still, I'm far too comfortable!!

Can't make it to church? 10 January 2016

Today we look at the Baptism of Jesus  - but what is it  really about?

Water, John the Baptist, Jesus (isn’t it always?), repentance, our baptism, belonging, the start of something, salvation, the Cross, forgiveness, repentance, obedience and more besides! All are found in our readings today and undoubtedly some of these will appear in sermons people deliver today too.

Many of us have the image of Jesus and John in the river with the dove descending. This theophany (heavenly turning up) is the first time God speaks up regarding Jesus and it confirms to those then what we know now by hindsight and Bible. Having done Advent, where John the Baptist features large in the readings, we all know this strange and amazing man with his weird clothes and odd eating habits. The man who is, for us, a prophet announcing the present evil age would end and be replaced my the kingdom of God. This is what Jesus’ baptism is about. A new beginning and the ending of the old.

The old ways. The old habits. The old attitudes. The being in slavery to sin. 2 Corinthians 5 Speaks of the ‘the old going and the new having come’. That’s one of the aspects of baptism we consider today – and we should rightly reflect on our baptism and the hallmarks and effects that had on us.

In David Pawson’s book “The Normal Christian Birth’ we find reference to RBBR - Repent, Believe, be Baptised, Receive the Holy Spirit. John called those around him to people to repent and be baptised, not in the name of Jesus but for the forgiveness of their sins so that they might be part of that which is to come (ie. eternity).

Repent means ‘turning away’ – a 180 degree turn) from the old life – it is a binary act. It is more than just 'sorry' - it is a lifestyle change moment.

Life consists of two states; things are either 'on' or 'off' (‘0’ or a ‘1’) -  'good' or 'bad'  - right or wrong. John’s baptism was more than a ‘wet witness’ it marked a change of life and lifestyle. It was a wiping clean of the slate and a public statement of intent (hopefully) and a looking, and preparation, for the ‘age to come’. It was then, and should be for us, the beginning of living life as a '1' and putting aside of the zeroes in our lives.

In the Luke 3:15-17 passage we are told that John is merely the signpost rather than the means by which this new age will come. And, perhaps ironically, it is Jesus (who is baptised by John) who will do the deed, baptising with the Holy Spirit and carrying out the final judgement with an ‘unquenchable’ fire. It is Jesus who will redeem those who God created ‘for His glory’ – and those who bear the name ‘beloved’ will be that same community as found in the Isaiah 42:1-4 reading. Those who are loved and redeemed from the ends of the earth.  In this first of the ‘servant’ passages from Isaiah we learn much and see much that is fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus which, with the baptism, becomes public today.

There were four hundred silent years between Malachi and the coming of Jesus, the Christ, and today we look at Jesus and ask what His, and our baptism means. Jesus did everything in the light – in clear view of all, from His baptism to His death and resurrection. Can we say the same of the way that we live our lives and our faith? Are they one and the same or do we keep life in boxes labelled ‘Me, Church, Work, Family, Hobbies, etc.)?

Are we looking to the reality of a coming kingdom or warming a pew out of habit and a vague hope?

Where is our faith and how does it change us?

This is God’s Son with whom He (the Father) is ‘well pleased’ – can He say that of us and the way we act today? If you’ve answered ‘No’ somewhere in your head, what are you going to do about it?

The ‘well pleased’ speaks of the man and, more importantly, the mission – God is looking at the rescue mission the baptism begins and celebrates in it. Can we? Do we? The dove is a physical manifestation of a spiritual reality – but as we so often say, “Seeing is believing!’ so they saw it as well – just remember this doesn’t mean that the dove is the only way the Holy Spirit is manifested, it’s merely a visual aid for us – a people who are always looking for a sign!

And what sign dip people see in us? Today's Collect sums it up, and informs our prayers, rather nicely:

The Collect
Heavenly Father, at the Jordan you revealed Jesus as your Son: may we recognise him as our Lord and know ourselves to be your beloved children; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Isaiah 43.1-7
Family of Jacob, the Lord created you. People of Israel, he formed you. He says, “Do not be afraid. I will set you free. I will send for you by name.  You belong to me.

You will pass through deep waters. But I will be with you.
You will pass through the rivers. But their waters will not sweep over you.
You will walk through fire. But you will not be burned. The flames will not harm you.
I am the Lord your God. I am the Holy One of Israel. I am the one who saves you.
I will give up Egypt to set you free. I will give up Cush and Seba for you. You are priceless to me. I love you and honour you.  So I will trade other people for you. I will give up other nations to save your lives.

Do not be afraid. I am with you.
I will bring your people back from the east.
I will gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Let them go!’
And I will say to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’

Bring my sons from far away.
Bring my daughters from the farthest places on earth.
Bring back everyone who belongs to me.
I created them to bring glory to me. I formed them and made them.”

Acts 8.14-17
The apostles in Jerusalem heard that people in Samaria had accepted God’s word. So they sent Peter and John to Samaria.  When they arrived there, they prayed for the new believers.  They prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Then Peter and John placed their hands on them.  And they received the Holy Spirit.

Luke 3.15-17, 21,22
The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, “I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”   When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened. The Holy Spirit came to rest on him in the form of a dove.  A voice came from heaven. It said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

Post Communion Prayer
Lord of all time and eternity, you opened the heavens and revealed yourself as Father in the baptism of Jesus your beloved Son: by the power of your Spirit complete the heavenly work of our rebirth through the waters of the new creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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?

The view from the cross

On the cross, Jesus (the Christ) shows us what the love of humanity looks like.

It is not, as Marxist philosopher Slavoj Žižek would have it:
'The Christ showing us what the hatred of one's father looks like.'

And yet in the same breath it is, of course, almost exactly that because it shows God's hatred of the sinful condition, the condition of sin itself - but not the one in whom sin resides. Žižek is almost there for he finds almost all the right words but gets 'one's' and 'The' confused and when this error is corrected provides us with something of extreme value and worth.

For it is The Father's hatred (of sin and its effect) that brings Jesus to that place (the cross) and yes, there is in the crucifixion a satisfaction, some remedy, to be found with regard to the separation and detestation of God towards sin. (Something which we might perhaps contend that the cross does indeed satisfy.)

That Jesus is separated from the Father is without doubt for He has taken upon Himself, and become for us, sin itself in the most unacceptable and unapproachable of manners. And we, in accepting this and His one atoning act, become as one with the Father - no longer abhorrent or separated from Him (The Father) but one with Him.

The act of Jesus on the cross transposes me (you) with Him and in this we don't find rejection of the Son but recognition of His sacrificing of Himself and in doing so experiencing that separation that was ours first hand. The final words of desolation as the distance between God and sin become so obvious and, as God experiences what it is like to lose Himself in its (sin's) noise and no longer hear Himself love, make the cross an even more terrible place than perhaps I have ever imagined. The intellectual knowledge of our separation from our position becomes made real in the God made man, experiential and awful.

Listening to some pontificating over the words from a Christian song, 'til on the cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied,' I found myself wondering about their words: Their protestations that 'God is love - not anger'.

Through them I found myself returning to the thought that although God is indeed love, He must be also able to hate; for if God can only 'do' love then His love is hollow and (sorry God) worthless!

I hear some (spluttering on their morning brew and splurging fragments of toast everywhere) protest with, 'But God is love!' Yes He is, but only because He chooses to be! For God's love to have any meaning then that love has to be a choice made between love and hate - and as God experiences anger (wrath) He too experiences (and is) peace and joy.  After all, in John 3.16 we learn that God becomes man to redeem the world and offer eternal life, reconciliation to Himself, through the offering of Himself - learning at the end of that same chapter (John 3.36):

'Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.'

God's wrath is not aimed on them but at them. 'What's the difference?' I hear some mutter, 'They are still in God's crosshairs!' And yes they are - because the satisfaction of that wrath, the remedy that is the cross, has not been applied - even though it be but a fingertip away. It's like an oncologist aiming a beam of radiation at a person with the intention of missing them and hitting the cancer; a sniper taking out the person with the RPG and missing the child nearby (God doesn't use drones and neither should we -a subject for another day perhaps?).

There is no collateral damage with God - only accurate. precision, sniping!

And that execution of God's wrath and the destruction of sin is found in the cross - where God shows us what  His love of humanity (and of Himself in the Son) looks like and what it does.

Accept Jesus, the Christ, and the life He gave to give and taking up the cross (and all that means)  and the wrath is removed, recognition of the precision tactics that are the cross in the battle again the one who is the father of all lies and condemnation.

simples innit?

Crazy?

Speaks for itself:

Christ the King

When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,” they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”

While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!”

The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine. They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”

Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”

But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” 
Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”

Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23.33-43

Eternal Father,

whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven that he might rule over all things as Lord and King:

keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace,

and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;

who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen

May you today meet with Jesus, The Christ,
May you be touched by the fact that you are loved
Loved enough that someone would die in your place
That you might be reconciled to God
And be brought into the joy that the knowledge
of eternal life is yours.

Just reach out and touch the hem of His garment

God, heaven and hell!

I find it just a trifle funny that considering the people I happen across who take time out to tell me that they don't believe in God almost all of them have some belief in an afterlife! These are generally the people who regard nature as some sentient entity ('Ooh, isn't nature clever - it knows when to make the snowdrops come up and the birds build their nests!' You know the sort of stuff) rather than see it as something that runs along previously laid tracks (which begets the question, 'So who laid them?').

Now some people are expecting nothing after this life and whilst they might not be disappointed, I have a theological understanding that says they will, for their is a heaven and a hell. Heaven is not going to be in a Viking long hall situated in Valhalla drinking, telling stories and wenching (all of which sounds like my rugger days) but will be what we call being in God's presence (and that's open to your own imaginings I guess - Angels, clouds, harps or Arsenal victories perhaps). Hell, for me at least, appears to be spending an eternity in the absence of God (and you can make up your own images for that too!).

Some, having a supposedly kindly God, have created a theology where those who don't make the cut at the final judgement are merely annihilated - they are zapped and it is as if they never were - which will please those who are expecting nothing I guess. But of course this troubles me for there's no separation from God, merely an extinguishing of them and that doesn't fit what I find in the Bible.

But the real challenge for me is the number of people who have an expectation of more and the fact that they all want to run away from 'hell' and want to think of their already departed loved ones all populating heaven and sitting around up there looking down benignly upon us that they invent the various theologies that open the doors to all.

Some take me to task because they see in their own professed faith (Christianity) an exclusive entity that exists to separate rather than welcome all in.  'What about those who don't come to Jesus,' they cry, 'Surely God being a god of love will welcome all in whether they know Him or not?' The problem is that life itself is exclusive - after all, only those born, adopted or married into a family are part of a family. Those who belong to a club are members and have the rights, privileges and opportunities that members have whilst, of course, those who aren't, don't - and yet few have problems with this do they (and if they do then they set about finding out how to join, don't they?).

Others tell me that we need to lower our standards and become 'more accepting'. This is really a call to put aside requirements in terms of mindset, attitude or lifestyle so that we might gain more members. The problem we have is that by changing the constitution we change the values as well as the shape and I'm not sure we can populate heaven according to our own standards even though friends suggest we might - my fear is that we could be supply fodder for the other place.

So here we are, some scribbles and a bit of a dialogue with the clanging contents of my brain for you to contemplate and as you do I leave you with this thought from a friend:

 'If there's nothing bad to be realistically saved from there's no need for a Saviour and there can be no salvation!'

And that's the thought to be taken up next time.

Universalism in a nutshell

Everybody wants to go to heaven and they come up with some amazing theology to ensure that they can rest easy

Well it seems that for some there's no 'but' involved because they are 'Universalists'. One of those whom I know (and love) holds the view that Jesus, having died for everyone, guarantees that all are now destined for heaven. They contend that it whether you have a faith or not, regardless of how you have lived, you are 'in' - Faith in Jesus is not a requirement for us to be 'saved'.

When I point to John 3.16: 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,' I am told that I believe this because I have too high a Christology!

The same criticism (too high a Christology) is thrown at me when I come to John 14.5,6: 'Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'.

I feel that the two passages conspire together to make for a message that says that whilst Jesus did indeed die for everyone, there is an element of recognition and reception required. The ticket to the game is yours but unless you take it and journey towards it, you will never get to see it - the same is true of eternity (as I understand it) for jesus is the turnstile by which we enter.

__________

The second group I encounter tell me that regardless of what we do in this life, we have a second chance - a post-mortem salvation opportunity - once we have left it. It's like Jesus wakes us up, tells us that we've died and asks if we'd like to reconsider our rejection of God and come into heaven. Now, if I was dead and was 'woken' with an offer like that I'd be a bit of a mug to pass it by, wouldn't I?

My struggle here is that the words of Hebrews 9.26-28:
'But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.'

I am of the understanding, thanks to this passage, that we live - die (once)  - and are then judged and to be honest, the wake you up from the dead / second chance bit appears to be a conveniently created accommodation to me. Mind you, like the first option, I can understand it as after all, who wants to think of loved ones not making it? Then again both mean that one of the benchmarks many use when challenging me about faith, grace and forgiveness, namely Hitler, makes it into heaven using them I reckons - so it wouldn't sit well with many inside or outside the Church!

An interesting aside to this is the belief some have that hell is but a temporary condition and that whilst serving our time there the opportunity for parole and release into heaven will be made ours at some time - so all may sin and continue to fall short - but in the end it doesn't matter!

__________

Some tell me that what matters is the moment of death - as long as you call on god with you're last breath then this bringing of god into your life, regardless of how short or even what god is called - the general concept of there being a god is enough or so one of my clergy colleagues tells me! I think that there has to be a little more than this but then again they base their view on the the passage that says (Joel 2.32): 'And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

But in doing so are speaking of calling upon god rather than God and when you consider that the word LORD (for the upper case) means 'YAWEH' - it is a specific name not a general name 'elohim' - then we can see that the idea of calling on god as the entry into the afterlife is merely a wistful, fingers crossed, bit of being hopeful!

__________

So at the moment I have to say that that leaves me thinking that that's three strikes and those who pin their hopes on something more for having lived as something less than God calls us to be will now have to sit down.

I think I regard this issue as residing in a place where I have a clue about some people from their professions and attempts to live as the Bible requires but even then I won't be sure until the end - and then I might only know because I'm outside and know who's out there with me and assuming those who aren't have made the cut.

Thankfully we don't have the right, or ability, to say who is in or not and I actually reckon that's the best way - I'm not concerned with judging people but helping them to be the best they can be and to keep God's laws and commandments and live in love and peace with all.

At the end of the day, as I understand it,  it all comes down to being:

i. Reconciled to God by the atoning death of Jesus, the Christ,

ii. Living a life that keeps the commandments and lives in peace with all, and

iii. Recognising that we are all fallen and sinful and not regarding ourselves as better than those around us but as brothers and sisters with them.

There are some who seem to take joy in those whom they consider to be 'out' whilst of course they are (or so they think) 'in' and this is wrong on so many levels. And for those who want to see God as a Father Christmas figure who have presents for everyone, even when they've actively kept away from His presence - good luck with that. As much as I would like to agree I'm afraid that my theology doesn't fit in with that - sorry, I think you're wrong too!

So here we are - a very simplistic explanation of some of the thinking around eternity - hopefully it will provide a basis for some deeper dialogue and thinking.

Pax

Mission - getting them in isn't enough!

This has been one of those weeks that just has lasted for ever and yet gone by in a flash; one of those where you have done much and still managed to leave undone the things that you wanted to do! (an experience I'm sure we all share from time to time).

There have been so many highlights ranging from ALPHA course through to doing school assemblies through to engagement with people at the other end of the age range; mingling, and celebrating, with fellow believers and giving thanks for them to wondering whether, despite their labels, they are even saved!

I cannot believe that anyone who is in the Christian family can fail to be 'missional'; that ability and desire to see others come into knowledge of Jesus, the Christ, and through that knowledge to come into relationship with the Father through Him - and yet I do. For truly the, 'I'm not an evangelistic,' cries of some to the 'maintenance and parochially-minded' lack of real endeavour others I bump into almost cause my fingers to crack and my chest to tighten. 'How can we not be 'mission-minded'?

How can we ignore the calls of Jesus as written in Matthew 28:

'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.'

How can we fail to see that people coming into the building is great, but it's not salvation, for salvation is this:

‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 
‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? 
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

I mentioned this passage (Romans 10) to someone last week as I tried to explain that increasing the church's 'footfall' (the number of feet on the ground: visitors) is great but 'getting them in' is only part of the job, we need to engage with the people who come in and be there for them when they come with needs.

How can they believe unless they hear and how can they hear unless we tell them?

And of course, we're not all sent, are we? We're not all called to look like Jesus, to love those caught in error, to bind up the brokenhearted, comfort those who mourn, heal the afflicted and all that stuff are we?

Oh no, it appears that we are - so what are we going to do?

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

Santa or Jesus? - take your pick

And celebrate as you will!

But in case you aren't sure - ask yourself this question:

What did Santa ever do for me?

Now ask yourself this question?

What did Jesus ever do for me?

Still not sure?  Let me help with a small graphic and ask you another question:

What's wrong with this picture?*

Hint (if required):  CHRISTmas  NOT Santamas

*and it's not that the catalogue is out of date - just didn't have time to copy in a new one this year)? 

Out the window at the wedding feast

Yesterday we had the parable of the Wedding feast (Matt 22) and the story touched me greatly in the parallels and instructions contained within it.

First the Father invites the guests to His Son's wedding feast - but they don't come.

Then He send out messengers and they are abused and killed.

So, He invites the rest of the people 'Good and bad' to the feast.

Then, arriving at the feast, seeing someone incorrectly dressed, the King has the man bound and thrown out the window into the darkness where there is a weeping and wailing and a gnashing of teeth!

Now the parallels between the Jews and the Gentiles, the former being invited first and failing to arrive and the later being invited as substitutes, is obvious and much like the vineyard owner story last week, must have caused som angst amongst the religious at the time.

BUT

1. EVERYONE is invited to the banquet. This is because Jesus died for EVERYONE!

2. The person who turns up and is improperly dressed is ejected from the party into the outer darkness.

Now point the first seems to say that we need to adopt universalist thinking, because ALL are invited. But the second says that unless we turn up properly dressed, wearing the garments of righteousness, then we are not going to get in! It seems to me that this passage tells us that we need to respond (getting clothed properly is a response, isn't it?) in the right way to live within the salvation that was won on the cross (the invitation is the Cross isn't it?).

So, my previous thinking which was:

Jesus dies for ALL and ALL are therefore given access to heaven - we just need to walk up to Him, look Him in the eyes and take our ticket from Him seems to have yet another confirmation in the Matt 22 parable.

So here's today's big question:

Are we sowing seeds of righteousness today, seeking to clothe ourselves with righteousness or are we going to live our own way trusting in a God who, father Christmas-like, will just open the doors to all?

Mmmmmm!

Happy Monday

“The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!
4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.
7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honour. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

God - respecting choice

Following my thoughts about grace I have been asked how I could worship a God who chooses to let more than half of the people perish and still consider this God to be a God of love. Jesus isn't the 'Saviour of the world', He's merely the saviour of some and condemns the rest! How can a God of love exclude Ghandi, the Dali Lama and others whose lives have touched nations and changed the path of history?

Let's try and look at this logically. God is a God of love and is, through the one atoning act of the cross, the Saviour of all. This is the reality and just as some choose to ignore the reality of their birthright by walking away from their family, some choose to walk away from this salvation. Both family and salvation remain as realities but the choice is made to live outside of them and so whilst it (family and salvation) continues to exist, it is not the day-to-day reality for them.

Now, as to the question,"How can a God of love not include Ghandi?" the answer is simple, God didn't exclude Ghandi, but Ghandi choose not to be in the family photograph but choose for himself a different existence. One that was separate from God and having done so made the choice. If God was then to force him to be part of the family later then He would neither be respecting that choice or leaving us to the wonderful reality that is freewill.

A friend of mine had a child who decided to leave home and live their life their own way. They told the family that they wanted nothing to do with them and whenever they were approached by either of the parents, complained that they didn't respect the child's choices. Whenever this happened, people would agree that the parents were being unreasonable and mutter against them.

That said, every now and again the same child would present demands for money or representation to settle debts or keep them from prison. Whenever they did this other people would point out how they (the parents) were being used and how they were being stupid. Eventually the situation arose when, after an expensive episode with the, now quite adult, child the parents asked whether they would come to a family celebration. The child responded by reiterating their contempt for the family and sadly these were their final words on the matter as, very sadly, they died a few weeks later.

They never stopped being loved but chose to live their own life outside of that love, even though they used it to their own advantage on a number of occasions, but in the end they died outside of that reality. The love never went away but they lived outside it and the family had to respect that choice. Ghandi made the same choices and God, being a God of love and giving freewill, respected that then and continues to even when the final day arrives! To drag Ghandi into the family he chose not to be part of when alive would be to deny his choices and would remove any respect got his choices and deny freewill.

As for the Dali Lama, think he has a god of his own making and a philosophy of his own that says his choices are elsewhere.

Pax

Amazing (or selective) Grace

An American psychologist tried an experiment which saw him standing in a prominent place handing out money as a proclaimed 'free gift'. As people passed by they were offered a crisp new banknote with the message that it was free. Interestingly, few took the proffered offering!

Now whilst some were surprised by the response and the low take up of the money, I have to say that I wasn't and for a number of reasons:

1. Distrust - our natural cynicism leads us to doubt things on the grounds that it 'looks too good to be true'.

2. Distrust - who would offer something of value for free?

3. Distrust - who is this person giving out money? An unknown person with unknown motives - sounds like an invitation to a time share presentation or a starring role on 'Candid Camera'.

4. Distrust - if I grab the money it will make a statement about me. It will say I am needy, or greedy, or one of a number of things that present me in a negative light.

Although I could go on I'll stop at just four reasons, although of course there are many more, and parallel this with salvation and grace.

I am repeatedly on the end of a discussion which ends up with me being told that how it is so very wrong that anyone could have a God, especially a 'God of love', who would deliberately create everyone knowing in advance that more than half of us would end up in eternal punishment.

To this point I would like to respond by taking the example of the psychologist with which we began as a parallel with this salvation issue. The money was offered to all and yet only some chose to take it. The reasons for not taking the offer differed but the results fell into a number of distinct groups, the two main classifications being:

a. They accepted the gift, and
b. They rejected the gift.

There were subsets, those who wanted to see if it was still on offer the next day or wanted to think about it, some wanted to see what happened to others who took the banknote and perhaps dialogue with them to see what they had and why they had it.

The parallels are obvious and so I will let you dialogue internally (and hopefully externally too) on this concept of amazing grace and selective acceptance and leave you with some questions to ponder;

Where are you with this - is the gift yours?

Where are those you love - accepted or caught in distrust or lost in self?

What about those in your workplace, on the bus, train or tube?

The offer of the gift will last but being finite we won't!

Pax

An everyday story of Divine folk

Hello children, are you sitting comfortably?

Got a cup of something hot and some dippy biscuits?

Good, then we'll begin:

Having got out of bed in a good mood one morning and having had a good breakfast (always sets you up, doesn't it?) God decided to act and restore the relationship between him and those he had created (for he is the Father of all). "Time for a bit of salvation," he thought and so Jesus came to earth as one of them (human that is, but still God - confusing or what? But God understood and that's all that matters - isn't it children?).

A simple plan, Jesus would tell them all about how God wanted them to live and then he'd play the master card by destroying the thing that both caused the separation and maintained it. Yep, sin was about to be destroyed. Death, it's penalty was going to be broken and by doing so the people would be free. And so Jesus did exactly that, he died for everyone and when he got home the father threw him a big party with a 'Welcome home Saviour of the world' banner, balloons and Turkish delight (must surely be God's favouritest food)!

Then it struck some of the people that although Jesus was the 'Saviour of the World', not everyone wanted to live the way jesus had taught and before long there were two groups, those who took the bit of paper that told them they were justified (which means in simple language that sin no longer has a hold on us) and those who didn't want to take the paper and live it their way! "We know," they said revelling in their own intelligence, Let's abandon the ticket thing and just tell everyone that they are in regardless of what they believe. That way Jesus will really be the 'Saviour of the world' because everyone will be saved, not just those who take the ticket."

How pleased they were because now everyone was 'in' this meant that everyone was saved and they'd made jesus the 'Saviour of the World' for real. But of course, this meant that they had to removed the 'whosoever believes in Him' bit from the Bible and whilst now there was no hint of being a co-redeemer with jesus, because some said that unless the person said 'yes' salvation ceased to exist then they had a part in the salvific act, there was also no coherent faith life either.

God laughed at that because the people weren't partners in the salvation but were recipients (how they made him laugh at times and cry even more he thought).

Reaching for the kettle he thought to himself, "Oh my, can it get any worse?"

And you know what? It quite probably could.

Universalism - Where I am

Regarding my comment in the last post about how, "You pays your money and makes your choice – don’t say no one told you!" I received the response, "Doesn't sound like very good news to me...!"

The person went on to explain how they'd been led to universalism and that really nicely moves me on from annihilation rather nicely. Those who adhere to universalist views tell me that I have a high Christology and that my views limit God. So what are my views:

God made man to have a relationship with him, walking and conversing with him in the garden in the cool of the day (Gen 3) but man (generic) sinned by disobeying God and thus came separation from God, expulsion from the garden and all the other stuff.

Disobedience brought separation, a finitude to life and so sin (missing the target) became our lot and it marked us out, and led us into despair, from thence onwards. So God engaged in floods, covenants, prophets, miraculous signs (including deliverances) and still man was separate. Whatever humanity did, it never lasted and always fell short of the target (sin again).

So God realising that without the shedding of blood there could be no forgiveness decided to pay the price for sin Himself, with Himself! Enter God incarnate, Jesus (the Christ) who taking upon Himself our sin, personally and individually identifiably, dies on the cross for us so that the debt (tetelestai) is cancelled - paid upon the nail!

Those who accept that Jesus paid this price for them may come and take from His hands the certificate of divorce between us and sin, for we are no longer bound and no longer in relationship. The tie has been broken and we live in that freedom with the father as author, the Son ans the means and the Spirit as enabler. Simples isn't it?

And best of all, this offer is open to all, for in dying Christ secured that freedom for all (see I am a universalist), we just need to recognise, accept and gratefully take the ticket from His hands.

The first response to my views was that the person I was talking to, "Wouldn't want to have a god like that, I don't imagine my god doesn't do that!"

Well, to be honest I have to say that I thought then, and still do, that 'their god' was a god of their own making. They decide that they want a faith where everyone gets into heaven (what's the point of spending eternity with someone you didn't want to spend a temporal life with? Now that's illogical!).

"It doesn't matter what you've believed, what you've done or how you live, God opens the door to all!"

In that case I don't need to engage in evangelism, after all I'm not plundering hell to populate heaven, I'm just moving the markers around a bit. I don't need to live as Christ would have us live, because there's no goats at the end (said he sheepishly!) and eternal punishment was just a typo! Mind you the people I was dialoguing with claim that the Bible was subject to the editor's pen, additions and changes to make religious and political views and never contained half of what it now does and has lost all the bits we'd disagree with!!!

"You have far too high a Christology. Jesus isn't that powerful and doesn't have the ability to pick and choose - everyone ends up in heaven regardless!"

Funny that but my Bible tells me, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world mto condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

So that's the position I occupy on this (in a nutshell)

Pax

Annihilation - Love that ends?

I cannot move away from concept of eternal punishment and this punishment being separation. I understand the position of the universalists (more about them later) who have a Father Christmas like character who permits all to enter because they can’t bear the thought of a God who deals justly with His creation and who extrapolate this to enjoy the accommodation of a God who, if there must be some sort of punishment, gives the sinner 250mls of Euthatol and drops them in the bin (“Don’t worry madam, we gave Tiddles a dignified send-off!”).

I’m sorry people, but it seems that hell, Gehenna - the rubbish tip where the filth and the fires never cease to be, is pretty much something that is in the script. Not as some form of evening the scores or ‘getting pay back’ (as one really dodgy Christian put it), but because that’s what justice is about. Now, I hear some cry, what about grace?

Well grace exists and is there from the moment of cognisance to the moment just before the very last breath (looks like I don’t do predestination either, doesn’t it?) it is there before us. Jesus dies on a cross and sin, losing its power because death no longer works, is defeated – step right up and take a ticket, free and gratis won for you and yours by faith and through grace! If not you don’t just get what you deserve to have (which could still be considered cruel and wicked) but you get what you have made the conscious decision to have. So many people tell me that they have chosen not to ‘do the Christian thing’ but when the final bit comes I bet they wish they hadn’t (and I exclude secondary probabtion too, so there’s no hope once you’ve pegged it) when they get everything they said they wanted! Being zapped would be preferable to living separate, wouldn’t it?

So we have separation and punishment, which I see conveniently coalesce, and one further element which is the hope the annihilationists pin their hopes on, destruction. If hell is about justice and retribution rather than vengeance and revenge then the destruction that I read of from Paul is destruction of the God bit within us – the soul rather than the flesh bit and so this would cause annihilationists to have fallen short. But they continue because they can’t comprehend a God of love being a God of justice, perhaps those who vote for annihilationism should join the many other ersatz faiths that engage in such thinking and become universalist too?

Of course we can explain away eternal punishment by looking at the word ‘eternal’ and defining it as ‘in a future time’ which means that judgment is not for now but for some other time. The implication being that the punishment is not forever which satisfies the now and the imprecatory nature of things when it is assumed that this is what you get and getting to the end without being dealt with signifies victory. If I am to believe a lecture on this from way back, aionios could be used in this manner with pretty persuasive (and perhaps accommodating) results but it doesn’t remove the ‘eterna;’ element from everything else, does it, and if it doesn’t then why should the accommodation exist other than to support temporal (and temporary) caveats? A single act of judgment, punishment and then an eternity of continued presence or being as if you never were – all sounds a bit limp on one side and triumphal on the other, not balanced at all.

I have to apologise, but the quickly scribbled thinking from the top of my bonce and the depths of my heart coupled with the thin theological understanding I possess lead me to a place where I cannot see past what I believe in to a position where we make God frilly and sweet by avoiding giving the people what they want – life serving themselves and eternity separated from Him!

You pays your money and makes your choice – don’t say no one told you ;)

Pax