The following exerpt is taken from The Ten
Commandmentsby Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
In this blog series I will work through this very
important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style
questions at the end. I have been much convicted by the writings of Pink and I
pray your walk will also be strengthened meditating on his teaching of
scripture …
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT PART III
How vile and abominable this sin is appears from the
following considerations. It is a sin which makes a person most like the Devil.
The Devil is a spirit, and therefore gross carnal sins do not correspond to his
nature. His sins are more refined and intellectual, such as pride and malice,
deception and falsehood. "He is a liar and the father of it" (John
8:44), and the more malice enters into one composition of any lie, the more
nearly one resembles him. It is therefore a sin most contrary to the nature and
character of God, for He is "the Lord God of truth" (Psa. 31:5), and
therefore we are told that "lying lips are an abomination unto the
Lord" (Prov. 12:22). As Satan is a liar and the father of lies, and as God
is the Lord God of Truth, so His children resemble Him therein, "seeing
they are My people, children that will not lie" (Isa. 63:8). God has
threatened a most fearful punishment upon them; "all liars shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 21:8).
Alas, to what fearful heights has this sin risen. It has become so common that
few indeed have any conscience thereon, until we have to lament that
"truth is fallen in the street" (Isa. 59:14). First, truth has
departed from the pulpits. A whole century has passed since the lie of
evolution captivated the scientific world and then was taken up by thousands of
unregenerate preachers--a lie which strikes at the very foundations of Truth,
for it repudiates man's fall, and sets aside his need both of redemption and
regeneration. For the same length of time the so-called "higher
criticism" of German neologians has been peddled throughout the
English-speaking world by thousands of godless ministers, who wish to be looked
up to as men of superior intellectuality. Once Truth departed from the pulpits
it was not long before it departed from the halls of legislation and the marts
of commerce, until we now live in a world where confidence between nations is
nonexistent, and where the word of our fellows is no longer to be relied upon.
1) Summarise Pink’s reasons for us
not to tell lies.
2) With the rise of social media and
“fake news" it really is true of us that we live in a time where
"truth is fallen in the street" (Isa. 59:14). I confess that I have
read and then shared items of news or memes or articles which I felt furthered
the Christian cause (such as reports on erroneous or heretical statements made
by the pope) only to discover that they had no ground in truth. Are you
diligent in tracking back a resource to find if a quote really was said by
someone or an action performed? Your intention in sharing something may be good
and even gospel centred but does the work of God need to be aided by a
unresearched fact? A half truth? An outright lie? How many times have you heard
a quote from the pulpit and tried to find its source only to find that it is
found only on Christian websites quoting other Christian websites? If you do
preach make sure you check your quotes back to printed material or discoverable
video or audio recordings please.
3)There was a time when a person’s
honour was a carefully guarded thing. When a person’s word was their bond and
impugning someone’s truthfulness could even result in a duel to the death. Now
we as a society revere lying as a skill. Indeed someone who cannot lie or
refuses to may be passed over for promotion at work. Are you prepared to lose
opportunity in order to honour God – do you need to repent of this action if
you have already undertaken it?
The following exerpt is taken from The Ten
Commandmentsby Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
In this blog series I will work through this very
important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style
questions at the end. I have been much convicted by the writings of Pink and I
pray your walk will also be strengthened meditating on his teaching of
scripture …
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT PART II
Negatively, this ninth commandment forbids all false and
injurious speeches respecting our neighbor; positively, it inculcates the
conservation of truth. "The end of this Precept is that because God, who
is Truth itself, execrates a lie, we ought to preserve the truth without the
least disguise" (Calvin). Veracity is the strict observance of truth in all
our communications. The importance and necessity of this appears from the fact
that almost all that mankind knows is derived from communications. The value of
those statements which we accept from others depends entirely on their verity
and accuracy. If they are false, they are worthless, misleading, and evil.
Veracity is not only a virtue, but it is also the root of all other virtues and
the foundation of all right character. In Scripture, therefore,
"truth" is often synonymous with "righteousness." The godly
man is "he that speaketh truth in his heart" (Psa. 15:2). The man
that "doeth truth" (John 3:21) has discharged his duty. It is by the
truth that the Holy Spirit sanctifies the soul (John 17:17) .
The positive form of this ninth commandment is found in
these words: "Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour" (Zech.
8:16). Thus the first sin prohibited therein is that of lying. Now a lie,
properly speaking, consists of three elements or ingredients: speaking what is
not true; deliberately doing so; and doing so with an intent to deceive. Every
falsehood is not a lie; we may be misinformed or deceived and sincerely think
we are stating facts, and consequently have no design of misleading others. On
the other hand, we may speak that which is true and yet lie in so doing, as in
the following examples: we might report what is true, yet believe it to be
false and utter it with an intention to deceive; or we might report the
figurative words of another and pretend he meant them literally, as was the
case with those who bore false witness against Christ (Matt. 26:60). The worst
form of lying (between men) is when we maliciously invent a falsehood for the
purpose of damaging the reputation of our neighbour, which is what is more
especially in view in the terms of the ninth commandment.
1)Do you agree with Pink’s assertion that a lie consists of
three elements or ingredients: speaking what is not true; deliberately doing
so; and doing so with an intent to deceive? Should we add a fourth category –
doing so in order to commit evil. To aid your thinking on this, consider the
following three scenarios:
-a 1940s German who is hiding a Jewish family in her loft is
asked by the police if there is anybody else in the house with her and she say
no.
-the woman Rahab who hid the Israelite spies in her home in Jericho
and misled the soldiers who came to arrest them.
-Or what of Christ himself – we find the following in John 7 - “My
time is not yet here; for you any time will do...You go to the festival. I am
not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After
he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left
for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.
2) Following the idea in question 1) is it appropriate to lie in order to
save others from injury or death or to love others. Do parents tell many little
lies to their children simply because the truth is harmful for a young mind (for
example saying that granny is sleeping rather than dead, or even saying that
granny is definitely now with Jesus even though it was clear to the adults that
she had no real faith, or that mummy and daddy sometimes close and lock their
bedroom door because they need a proper sleep in the afternoon.) In other words
– is all mistruth always sinful? What about the placebo effect for example or a
parent saying that “this is not going to hurt” or “it will be better tomorrow”?
The following exerpt is taken from The Ten
Commandmentsby Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
In this blog series I will work through this very
important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style
questions at the end. I have been much convicted by the writings of Pink and I
pray your walk will also be strengthened meditating on his teaching of
scripture …
THE NINTH COMMANDMENT PART I
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbour" (Ex. 20:16). Take these words simply at their face value and
they prohibit only the horrible crime of perjury or the giving of false
testimony in a court of law. But as with the previous Commandments, so it is
here: much more is implied and inculcated than is specifically stated. As we
have so often pointed out, each of the Ten Commandments enunciates a general principle,
and not only are all other sins forbidden which be allied to the one named and
prohibited, together with all causes and tendencies thereto, but the opposite
virtue is definitely required, with all that fosters and promotes it. Thus, in
its wider meaning, this ninth commandment reprehends any word of ours which
would injure the reputation of our neighbor, be it uttered in public or in
private. This should scarcely need any arguing, for if we restrict this
commandment to its literal terms it would have no bearing on any save that
small minority who are called upon to bear witness in a court of justice.
In its widest application this commandment has to do with
the regulation of our speech, which is one of the distinguishing and ennobling
faculties that God has bestowed upon man. Scripture tells us that "death
and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:21), that "a
wholesome tongue is a tree of life" (Prov. 15:4), and that an unbridled
one is "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8). That our
words are not to be uttered lightly or thoughtlessly is made clear by that
unspeakably solemn utterance of our Lord's: "But I say unto you, That
every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the
day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words
thou shalt be condemned" (Matt. 12:36, 37). O how we need to pray,
"Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips"
(Psa. 141:3). The duties concerning our tongues may be summed up in two words:
our speech must always be true and spoken in love (Eph. 4:15). Thus, as the
eighth commandment provides for the security of our neighbor's property, so
this one is designed to preserve his good name by our speaking the truth about
him in love.
1) “…each of the Ten Commandments enunciates a general
principle, and not only are all other sins forbidden which be allied to the one
named and prohibited, together with all causes and tendencies thereto, but the
opposite virtue is definitely required, with all that fosters and promotes it.”
What then are the opposite virtues to slader and lying?
2) The word “devil” means slanderer. The devil is also
called by Christ the father of lies. In what ways does the keeping of the 9th
commandment prevent us from being like the devil.
3) Do you value your own integrity? Why does reputation play
an important role in our interractions with others? How do you feel when you
discover that others have spoken ill of you (perhaps unfairly) “behind your
back”? How do you feel about someone when they speak ill of others – do you
trust them not to do the same of you?
4) What attitudes foster a slanderous character? Why do we
lie?
The following exerpt is taken from The Ten
Commandments by Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
In this blog series I will work through this very
important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style
questions at the end. I have been much convicted by the writings of Pink and I
pray your walk will also be strengthened meditating on his teaching of
scripture …
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT PART V
Here are a few suggested helps and aids to the avoidance of
the sins prohibited and to the performance of those duties inculcated by this
eighth commandment. (1) Engage in honest labor, or if a person of means, in
some honorable calling, seeking to promote the public good. It is idle people
who are most tempted to mischief. (2) Strive against the spirit of selfishness
by seeking the welfare of others. (3) Counter the lust of covetousness by
giving liberally to those in need. (4) If your Savior was crucified between two
thieves that the gift of salvation might be yours, bring no reproach upon His
name by any act of dishonesty. (5) Cultivate the grace of contentment. In order
thereto, consider frequently the vanity of all things temporal, practice
submission to Divine providence, meditate much on the Divine promises (such as
Heb. 13:5, 6), be temperate in all things, set your affections on things above,
and remind yourself daily of the earthly lot of Christ.
1) Make this paragraph into a prayer in your own words.
2) Which of these 5 suggestions is most applicable to you
right now? Will you covenant to go and undertake it today?
2) What is meant by “the grace of contentment”? How do
we cultivate it according to Pink?
The following exerpt is taken from The Ten
Commandmentsby Arthur W. Pink
(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)
I took a break from this series in 2017 but now will try
to finish it …
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT PART IV
"Thou shalt not steal." Lying advertisements are a
breach of this commandment. Tradesmen are guilty when they adulterate or
misrepresent their goods, and also when they deliberately give short weight or
short change to their customers. Profiteering is another form of theft. The
Apostle Paul admonishes "that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in
any matter" (1 Thess. 4:6). The contracting of debts to support luxury and
vanity is theft, as also is the failure to pay debts incurred in procuring
necessities. A man is a thief in the sight of God who transfers property to his
wife just before he becomes bankrupt, and so also is any bankrupt who later on
prospers financially and then fails to pay his creditors to the full. That man
or woman is a thief who borrows and returns not. This commandment is broken by
tenants who heedlessly damage the property and furniture of the owner. Evasion
in paying taxes is another form of theft; Christ has set us a better example
(Matt. 17:24). Gambling is still another form of theft, for by it men obtain
money for which they have done no honest work.
This old saying is true. "Whatever is gotten over the
Devil's back goes under the Devil's belly." Certain it is that God sends a
curse upon what is obtained by force or fraud: it is put into a bag with holes
and under Providence soon wastes away. God, by His righteous judgment, often
makes one sin the punisher of another and what is gained by theft is lost by
intemperance and a shortened life. Therefore it is written, "The robbery
of the wicked shall destroy them" (Prov. 21:7); and again, "As the
partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and
not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall
be a fool" (Jer. 17:11). Many times God raises up those who deal with them
as they have dealt with others. The fearful increase of this crime in modern
society is due to failure to impose adequate punishment. If the reader is
conscious of having wronged others in the past, it is not sufficient to confess
this sin to God. At least a twofold restitution must be made (Luke 19:8 and 2
Sam. 12:6)--if the owner is dead, then to his descendants; if he has none, then
to some public charity.
1) In this first paragraph Pink outlines several less obvious
forms of theft that are theft none the less. Why can it be said that these
forms of theft a) show a distinct mistrust in God’s provision b) reveal an ugly
attitude of entitlement and pride c) show a lack of love for others?
2) In your own words explain what is meant by “Whatever
is gotten over the Devil's back goes under the Devil's belly.”
3) Does God always punish thieves – in this life? Note Pinks
choice of words: "often" and "many times”. Which scripture
assures us that eventually and finally - all thieves will be punished?
4) Examine your past and, like Zacchaeus, determine to make restitution for your thefts if
possible.
Probably one of the most misunderstood and incorrectly used of the fallacies - here's how it works:
Person A: "No Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."
Person B: "But my uncle Angus is a Scotsman and he puts sugar on his porridge."
Person A: "But no true Scotsman puts sugar on his porridge."
Person A has committed the fallacy.
What makes someone a true Scotsman has nothing to do with their porridge sugaring habits but rather that they were born and raised in Scotland.
If the qualification for something/someone to be in a category is not met then it is right to say that it/they does/do not truly belong in that category. The Fallacy has NOT been committed.
For example:
Person A: "No true Christian would be involved with the inquisition"
Person B: "But all the inquisitors were part of the Roman Catholic Church - they were Christians"
Person A: "But no true Christian would kill and torture others - this is not what Christ or scripture teaches"
Person A has NOT committed the fallacy because the category of "true Christian" is defined in scripture.
There is a new creature in the land - the fact checker. With god-like power they decide what is fact and what is not. Sometimes they provide evidence but sometimes they do not. Sometimes their evidence is limited, one sided or itself un-checked. Sometimes they merely slap a sticker on a post but other times the post is deleted. there is sometimes and avenue for argument and other times there is not. We are being trained to accept the mighty fact checker. Watch out. There is only one absolute standard for truth - The Bible.
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
Theodicy : a reasoned defense of God's goodness and
omnipotence in view of the existence of evil or suffering. Often stated with
specific examples such as:
(Stephen Fry): “... bone cancer in children? What’s that
about? ...Why should I respect a capricious, mean-minded, stupid God who
creates a world that is so full of injustice and pain?”
or
(David Attenborough, quoted in New Scientist 16 May 2009):
“People say: ‘How you can see hummingbirds, roses, and orchids and not believe
in the Lord’s splendour’? But if you’re going to look at those things, you
should look at other things too. Imagine an African boy with a parasitic worm
boring into his eye... I find that intolerable.”
or
(R.C Sproul in Tabletalk Magazine): "Putting a human
face on evil can make it more understandable—it’s no surprise that evil people
do evil things. Nature’s violence can be more troubling. How do we deal with
natural disasters that do not respect persons but rather indiscriminately claim
the lives of the elderly, infants, and the handicapped along with able-bodied
children and adults? 'How,' many people—even many Christians—ask, 'could a good
God allow such things to happen?'"
The argument against God's existence due to suffering
given by atheists is formulated like this ...
FIRST PREMISE: God is all-powerful and benevolent.
SECOND PREMISE: An all-powerful being would be able to
prevent suffering/evil.
THIRD PREMISE: A benevolent being would want to prevent
suffering/evil.
FOURTH PREMISE: Suffering/evil occurs
CONCLUSION: Therefore God does not exist.
Such questions have been asked right back into the mists
of time and the attempt to answer is called theodicy. There have been all sorts
of attempts - some more speculative, others more scriptural - this is mine. I
give a theodicy because i beleive that this may be the most common objection to
beleif in God and as an evangelist i want a well developed argument to demolish
this stronghold so many people hide behind. the answer to suffering i beleive,
in its simplest form, is actually the Gospel. But the Gospel given in terms
that can be related to only if the universe is in fact the way it is. So i call
my amswer a 'realational theodicy'. Let me explain ...
As a parent and an educator i am well aware that at school
and at home we create a 'safer' subset of adult life in which children can
learn without lasting destructive consequences (if done right that is). For
example if a child refuses to tidy up their room they might be denied dessert
as a punishment. Yet if an adult fails to do their job in a productive way or
keeps arriving late and leaving early then they might lose their whole career.
If a child takes something that doesn't belong to them, then when caught, they
might be banished to their room with no television for the night. Yet if an
adult steals something significant , like someone else's car, they might face
time in prison. And so on. Relative to adult life, childhood, if well managed
by parents and teachers, is a sandbox for playing roles and learning lessons.
What if, relative to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven or the unending horror of
Hell, this little life we lead is for each of us also a sandbox, a 'safer'
subset schooling us for what is yet to come. Think about it: the loss of
television privileges or dessert seems devastating to the child at the time,
but these consequences are trifles compared to the loss of a career or a long
stay in prison - as well we adults know - or do we? what if all the terrible
things that happen in this life: calamity, disease, death itself - are
actually, relative to eternal consequence, far, far safer.
So what do we learn about in our sandbox life? Time,
distance, power, blessing, consequence and more. Let's consider time for a
moment. All measurement is relative to a standard. there is a place inFrance
where they keep the perfect metre and the perfect kilogram etc. All other
metres and kilograms are related to these agreed standards. Time too is
relative or relational and not just in terms of a standard of measurement such
as seconds or Planck time units or galactic years. Our personal understanding
of how long an hour, a day, a year and even a lifetime is experiential.
Emmotion and circumstance may make time seem to stretch or shrink but over all
we, through direct and continual experience, come to value the duration of
time; we come to understand how quickly or slowly it passes. And so when we
sing John Newton's famous hymn lyrics: "when we've been there ten thousand
years bright shing as the sun" - we are actually overwhealmed by the
thought of such a long existence! Our emotions are then even further heightened
by Newton's next lines: "we've no less days to sing God's prayers than
when we'd first begun". Newton
well knows that if people really think about what he is saying here they will
first extrapolate that 10 000 years is more than 100 lifetimes and then realise
that, as eternity stretches ever onwards, even this seemingly vast amount of
time is actually really no time at all in comparisson to the infinte - though,
in order to begin to appreciate duration in relation to etrnity it is necessary
to first understand a lifetime - in the sandbox. A similar discussion could be
had about distance or power.
Now stand as a parent or teacher, outside the sandbox as
it were, and try to explain truly adult concepts to the small child within.
Imagine trying to explain taxes or mortgages or criminal law to the little one
whose whole world is plastic spades, buckets and soft styerilized play sand.
You could do it but you probably won't have any succes if you use words such as
"deductions", "escrow" or "culpability". Adult
languages and examples will just not do. Instead you must relate. You must come
down to their level, use their language and experience. You must simplify and
add detail only when the main idea has been grasped. teachers everywhere are
well aware of this concept. Relating in these terms is often how God himself
speaks to us in scripture. John Calvin in his Institutes wrote: "For who
is so devoid of intellect as not to understand that God, in so speaking, lisps
with us as nurses are wont to do with little children? Such modes of
expression, therefore, do not so much express what kind of a being God is, as
accommodate the knowledge of him to our feebleness. In doing so, he must, of
course, stoop far below his proper height." For example when scripture
mentions God's arm (Deuteronomy 33:27) or nostrils (Psalm 18:8) it is not
actually suggesting that God has arms or nostrils. John 4:24 says that “God is
Spirit.” God is omnipresent, so would
his nose be everywhere as well? Of course not. We however do have arms and
nostrils - we experience smell and understand the joy of smelling a good meal
being cooked; and we have arms and know the value of a strong arm that protects
and works hard. In the sandbox of life we have the nose and arm and their
qualities and thus can relate in some way to what is being told to us in
scripture about something which goes far beyond arm or nose, but at least
represents a starting point for our reckoning.
Now let's consider that if this is indeed God's mode of
operation for teaching us - child-like as we are in our sandbox world - then
what could suffering be teaching us? what does suffering relate to and, if the
sandbox is a "safer" subset of what is to come, then even the worst
suffering we can experience in the sand box is still far gentler than that
which lies in wait for many of us in eternity. a scary thought indeed - but not
one without a silver lining as we shall see.
But first let us not only ask why there is suffering in
the world but also: why is their pleasure? along with wondering about the curse
we must also ask: why the blessing? Why does scripture say in Matthew 5:45:
"He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous."? Why do we live in a world where there are
golden and purple sunsets as well as vast and terrible hurricanes? Why do we
get to enjoy the giggle of a happy baby and shudder at the recorded tirades of
adolf hitler? Why do we have the incredible function of the eye and the horror
of medically untreatable blindness? Job said: "...The LORD gave and the
LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." If we must ask
why the Lord takes away, we must also ask why he gives.
Imagine for a moment an alternate universe where there is
no suffering - since this is the primary complaint of the sceptic: that a
universe with suffering in it could not have been made by a benevolent all
mighty God. Imagine a world where people never hurt eachother and nature is
completely benign - a utopia. No
volcanoes, floods, droughts, disease or poisonous snakes, no wars, crimes or broken families and so on. But
also in this universe people are still ignoring God, still refusing to thank
him for life and provision, still sinfully desiring to be the gods of their own
lives. As an aside one could argue that such a universe would be impossible
since people could not help but harm eachother if they have such great freedom,
but let's assume in this scenario that somehow such things do not happen and
there is no suffering at all. Now here comes a prophet and he calls people
together and tells them that God is angry with them for refusing to acknowledge
him and that he is going to judge them and punish them in a place of eternal
torment. In a world without suffering why would the people beleive that God is
angry? Without calamity how would they understand the concept of
"punish"? If they ask the prophet to describe hell - how will he
relate it to them?
Or imagine the opposite universe: a place of utter
ceasless horror where there is no percievable blessing - a distopia. A place
where there is nothing but continuous disaster. where there is such consumate
suffering that even the blessing of life itself is viewed as a curse. Now here
comes the prophet and he calls the beleagured people together to tell them
about God. how would they believe that God is loving or merciful? how would
they understand any description of Heaven? How could they concieve of grace?
In our actual universe we, by God's wisdom and blessing,
have both suffering and joy to relate to. Our sandbox has been 'stocked' with
everything we need to understand the prophet's warnings and encouragements, to
understand the curse and the blessing.
For example in the book of Revelation it says in 21:4 4
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away".
How could we understand these words unless we lived in a universe where we
directly or indirectly experience death, mourning, crying or pain? In other
words the future blessed absence of these things can only be understood if they
are first presently or historically tanglible.
Scripture describes a great feast in the Kingdom of Heaven
to come (Isaiah 25:6-8; Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 14:15 and 22:16-18;
Revelation 19:6-9). Eating a sumptuous feast in the company of people we love
is something the vast majority of people can relate to. It is a wonderful
feeling - a celebration. A good fulfilling meal in a beautiful place with great
company is pretty much the happiest way for a perspn to spend time. Our common
experience of feasting makes the reality of the future concept being described
by the authors of scripture just about imaginable. the feasts we have on earth during our lifetimes:Christmas,
weddings, Thanks-giving, significant birthdays and so on, are all types of the
Kingdom of Heaven. Types or typical of what is to come. This necessitates a
brief discussion of Christian typology.
Paul in Romans 5.14 calls Adam "a type of the one who
was to come"; in other words a type of Christ. Christian Typology refers
to the study of symbols in history that relate to later persons (most
particularly Christ) or events or places. For example the flood in the story of
Noah could be related to Baptism (1 Peter 3:20–21) which was a later
development in history. Noah's Ark itself can be related to the rapture of the
church (Luke 17:27). The People of Israel as they wandered in the desert living
in tents and waiting for the time of the crossing into the promised land can be
related to all beleivers everywhere waiting in a sinful world for the second
coming of Christ (Hebrews 11:13-14 and 1 Peter 2:11). All the blood letting and
sacrifice of the old testament points to the ultimate blood letting on the
cross (Hebrews 10). Many many more examples can be made but take the point -
scripture confirms that God often speaks to us through symbol or type. We can
relate to symbols and types because they are drawn from our life experiences.
Jesus spoke in parables for this very reason. the community he spoke to knew
very well about the stupidity of sheep, the difficulty of sowing seeds, the
problem of weeds, the fustrating loss of a coin and the way yeast works through
dough. Now, consider carefully, can it be true that suffering and the temporary
allowance of the existence of evil may indeed be typical? Are the calamities of
this world given as types of hell? and again the blessing also are typical. as
we have seen the feasts we experience on earth are typical of what is to come
in paradise. and the thing to remember about types is that they are not exact
correlations but hazy representations of something more substantial. Ad am is
not the same as Christ but is in some ways a type of christ - as was David.
Scripture outlines this concept beutifully in 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now
we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I
know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." Types
are like imperfect replections in the beaten copper mirrors of biblical times.
Remeber this later when we think about the fires of hell.
Let's have a closer look at a verse:Isaiah 40:31 "...
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on
wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be
faint." How can one hope in the Lord unless one needs to hope in Him? by
which i mean, if we lived in a place of utter perfection and fulfillment
already - a utopia - then hope would be unnecessary. How can we understand
renewing our strength if we never lost it? Who among us has never faced a
moment of utter exhaustion in some way or other? In a utopian universe we would
never need to rely on God to renew our strength. Let's move further in to the
verse. Who has ever watched a bird soaring on high and not wished to have that
power and freedom, to gaze down on the glory of earth and ride the invisible
rivers and whirlpools of the sky? Who has ever run and not grown weary or
walked long distanced without losing energy? this one verse is full of
relatable types and so it gains its meaning with greater clarity because it
reaches into our experiences and imaginations and stimulates deeper
understanding of concepts that are far to grand to be explained any other way.
I could likewise expound
about towers of refuge (Psalm 61:3), sweet flowing springs (John 4:14),
good sheppherds (John 10:11) and lands flowing with milk and honey (Exodus
3:8). I could also talk of wind tossed waves (Ephesians 4:14), clouds without
water (Jude 1:12) and weeds plucked and bundled for the fire (Matthew 13:30).
The point is simply again that scripture tells us that the
answer to why their is suffering has to do with communication - information given through types and
symbols that we can relate to - and cannot, dare not, ignore. For if the
blessings we find in life tell us that God is loving, kind, good, patient,
creative, generous and so on, what does the existence of suffering tell us
about Him?
Can we understand that the same God who made the dawn
chorus - all the glory and spelndour of the birds singing as the sun rises - is
also the God who makes a person so deaf that they are unable to hear it (Exodus
4:11)? The same God who invented fire and made it so useful to us also made it
so very dangerous and destructive (James 3:5b)? Let's talk about fire. It is a
very rare adult who can say they have never once been burned in some way. I think
it is safe to say we have all touched something hot with our hands and suffered
for that brief exquisite kiss. Recently on a camping trip i burned my thumb. I
was in such relentless pain for hours afterwards that it literally consumed me.
I could not enjoy my beautiful surroundings nor the lovely company. All i could
think about and focus on was my thumb. the pain was like an anchor tugging me
back to its reality and precluding everything else. At the time the pain seemed
unending and almost blinding. All i wanted to do was quench it in water and be
left alone to my misery. I am sure you can relate.
When Jesus described hell as a place where the whole body
is burned in an unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43; Matthew 3:12 and 5:30) - he
really knew that his audience then and now would strongly relate to the pain of
burning because they had all had similar experiences. Understand carefully now
that this Man of God - the messiah who is telling us about hell is also the
creator of the universe. He created the nervous system that can feel fire and
the brain that can percieve and be wracked by it. Is it impossible to assume
that, at least in part, the reason why he did this was so that when he warned
us of the horror of Hell he would be able to relate it to something that was
almost as bad - that is, to a full body burn that cannot be soothed, consumes
all of the attention and never relents? If he made hell and he made burning and
he chooses to relate them then we can learn at least two things here: hell is
at least as bad as a full body burn and that the reason pain exists is to make
this point very very clear to us. The warning is given relatable substance - as
an act of mercy - because the reality that follows the temporary burning pain
in sandbox of life is in fact far worse
(because burns heal - hell doesn't stop - ever)
Let's explore Jesus' teaching on hell further. Why do we
fear the dark? Mainly because it contains the unknown and because it makes us
far more helpless. Being in the dark limits our options. We can relate to
trying to run away from something in the daylight being a lot easier than
trying to escape pursuit in the dark - even if this was only childhood games of
tag. the dark limits our ability to choose and is possibly but unknowably full
of dangers - whether they be waiting criminals or simply the low sharp edge of
a tea table perfectly poised to hurt an unwary shin. Being in the dark can also
be very lonly - in the dark our fear makes keep quite and prevents us from
seeing a friendly reassuring face. How many times have i heard people brazenly
state that they would prefer to go to hell because all the best rockstars are
there - or some such similar nonesense. Little do they know that while hell
will indeed be crowded it will also be a lonly self consumed existence. do they
imagine that someone in agony will want to talk to them? do they imagine that
in their own torment they will want to listen? Hell is described by the one who
made it as a place of darkness. Matthew 8:12 "... will be thrown into the
outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
(See also Matthew 22:13 and 25:30 and also Jude 1:13). Not just sandbox
darkness but "outer darkness" or literally the outermost - the
darkest darkness. A place of fear and ignorance and lonliness. A place that
makes people weep and/or gnash their teeth in helpless fury. Is it possible to
beleive that the one who created the concept of light and dark and our ability
to perceive these things did at least in some way make them so that we could
relate them to these important characteristics of hell - the darkness in the
sandbox giving us an ironic but safe glimpse of eternal blind fear, lonliness
and helplessness?
Hell is a place where there is no sleep, no rest
(Revelation 14:11 and Isaiah 48:22).
Anyone who has agonised through a sleepless night can relate to that, right?
Did God create insomnia? Of course he did. Hell is not only surface pain but
somehow it is suffering on every level including internal pain. Jesus taught:
Mark 9:48 "...where their worm does not die". What is this mysterious
worm? It is literally a gnawing worm - like a maggot. Ever had a stomache
bug? intestinal pain of any kind is
deeply unpleasant and again quite consuming. when you are ill in the gut you
can think of little else. You become trapped between your sick bed and the
toilet. you lose your appetite and may even wish you could die. We can relate
to the idea of having something eating us up inside. Did God create intestinal
problems? Of course he did.
Scripture is full of examples of God's benevolence - a
benevolence we don't deserve - but is also sprinkled with examples of God's
righteous readiness to judge and punish. Written down we have accounts like the
fall in eden, the great flood, the curse of Babel, the plagues of Egypt, Nadab
and Abihu, Uzzah, Ananias and sapphira - all given as stern evidence that God
will act in sovereign anger whenever it pleases him. Natural disaster,
sickness, old age and death all add relatable weight to scripture. We literally
don't just have to learn from distant history because, in our very own lives,
we have been burnt, stumbled in the dark, suffered insomnia and had stomoch
flue - we have suffered loss, empathised with others and come somewhat to terms
with our own mortality. the great warning is not just printed in a book but
emblazoned accross the story of each of our lifes. In unmissable lessons we
learn that God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11) and will move in
unending judgement and condemnation on a scale far beyond our "safe"
little sandbox. C. S. Lewis had it dead right when he said: "... it is
because God loves us that he gives us the gift of suffering. Pain is God's
megaphone to rouse a deaf world." Suffering is a gift because it tells us
something is wrong and gives us specific relatable means to understand the
consequence of not fixing it. What is wrong is that we have alienated ourselves
from God, sought to be our own gods even though we are so limited in resource
and intelligence, we live selfish unthankful lives and we hurt eachother
continually. and as we have seen the scripture warns us that there is coming a
place of punishment that takes every ounce of suffering that is possible in
this world - that we can begin to relate to - and intensifies it and make it
unending.
Pain is part of a healthy body. Hanson's disease - leprocy
- has as one of its symptoms the loss of feeling. A body that cannot percieve
pain is in great danger because when it is being damaged it does not take steps
to prevent further damage. This is why Lepers are often missing body parts. it
is terrible to be burned by a hot plate in the kitchen. what do you do the
moment the pain comes? you jerk your hand away from the plate and seek medical
attention or cool running water - you take care of the problem. but imagine you
couldn't feel the pain and just left your hand on the hot plate until it cooked
it to the bone? Again, i am relating because even humans use relational methods
to communicate - because they are in fact very effective.
So pain is not always a bad thing. Sickess drives us to
seek a cure. Lonliness drives us to seek companionship. War may drive us to
seek peace. Death drives us to live. Parents out of love may allow their child
to suffer a painful course of treatment to save their life or limbs. A couple
may deprive themselves of holidays and freetime and work multiple jobs to save
up enough to get on the property ladder. An athlete may endure years of
excruciating training to become the best at their skill. a musician might
practice for hours every day until they have blisters in order to excell at
their instrument. Examples can be multiplied - the sand box is full of them,
thanks be to God.
in conclusion then: suffering and evil are tolerated in
this world by God because he is using these things to drive us to repentance
and salvation through his Son by first making it quite clear to us that the
most dangerous thing we face is not the calamities of this little world, but
the wrath of the eternal, thrice Holy Creator God of the universe.
Hebrews 10:31
"It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God."
God is warning us about hell in more than words. He has
given us the gift of percieving and experiencing unpleasant things which tell
us something of the judgement that is coming
Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools
despise wisdom and instruction."
It is right to fear God and then, as the men of pentecost
did, call out and say:"what must we do?" (Acts 2:37)
to which the reply has always been:
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who
are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself." (v38)
So my theodicy is in fact the gospel - the answer to why
their is suffering ... is love - relateable, multidimensional, experiential,
eternal, sacrificial - love.
Or to put it another way without suffering there is no
true relateable understanding of condemnation and damnation, no deepseated
understanding of the need of a saviour or the cross or of Christ.
Suffering and love are together at the start of eternity -
suffering and love are central to the gospel. Suffering communicates what words
and blessing cannot.
Revelation 6:12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
If a large cloud of dark matter made up of dust and rocks and larger asteroids was streaking towards our solar system at unimaginable speed, we would not be able to detect it until it was already here.
As it swept into the solar system it would wipe the light of the stars and planets from the sky - they would literally disappear from one side of the night sky to the other as if they were being rolled up like a scroll being allowed to snap shut. As the cloud passed in front of the sun it would be so thick as to blot out the sun's light completely. A huge number of the stones and asteroids would strike the earth. This and potentially the gravity of the cloud itself would cause massive earthquakes and tsunamis big enough to collapse mountains and wash away islands. There would be a vast prolonged meteor shower like figs dropping from a tree. Volcanic eruptions and worldwide fires would cause the darkened moon (from no sunlight) to reflect back the earth's lurid glow as the colour of blood.
Finally this cloud would knock larger bodies of the solar system into earth's orbital path including a mountain sized asteroid and a comet (later trumpet judgements)
I'm not saying that God could not fulfil the sixth seal without a physical means but huge invisible clouds of hurtling dark matter are very real possibilities and one such a one might have been aimed at earth by the Lord thousands of years ago.
The question was asked: Should one repent EVERYDAY as a follower of Christ?
My answer: In a sense we Christians use the word repentance in two similar but subtly different ways. There is the sense in which each sin, and especially each habitual fleshy sin, must be repented of continuously - literally turning and keep turning back to the way of righteousness daily or even by the hour or minute, and we need to help each other to do this too (that is what the washing of the feet symbolised and why we must not stop meeting together to spur each other on to love and good deeds - i.e. accountability in fellowship and submission to church discipline). There is also the first and greatest sense of repentance that happens only once in a believer's life and that is the changing of the mind about who Jesus is and what He has done on the cross for our salvation and His glory - the repentance which is unto life. The greatest sin is to reject salvation in Christ and so it is the first and most pressing repentance we preach as we evangelise the lost. This is a one-off repentance that leads to a life of walking humbly with our God, loving His mercy and acting justly (forgiving others) and having an attitude of continual repentance. Amen?
