There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
There is but one true, holy and living God, Eternal Spirit, who is Creator, Sovereign and Preserver of all things visible and invisible. God is infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love, and rules with gracious regard for the well-being and salvation of men, to the glory of his name. We believe the one God reveals himself as the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinct but inseparable, eternally one in essence and power.
The lordship of Jesus Christ: The New Testaments use of these words, chiefly Kyrios, sheds a flood of light on the question that we propose with God's help to answer this question: What do we mean when we say "Jesus is Lord"? The word history, or etymology, of Kyrios does not help us a great deal. Turner defines the secular meaning of the Greek word, "apart from religious contexts, " as " 'master,' or a 'guardian' or 'trustee." As usual, we must turn to usage to ascertain the meanings of the writers (and the Divine Inspirer) of the NT books. In the twenty-seven scrolls that make up our NT Canon we find at least seven ways in which Jesus is Lord.
Jesus Is Lord in His Dignity: At the most basic level of usage, Kyrios denoted respect for our Lord even when the speaker was not yet aware of who He really was. A theologically important usage of Kyrios is made by the repentant thief at Calvary. The dying thief requests, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:43). Such faith! There were no apparent signs of royalty on that occasion—except the regal way our Lord spoke and handled the situation even in His agony. Of course, even here the word could be translated "Sir," but this would rob the passage of a great deal. Even worse is the critical text reading: "Jesus, remember me." The human name Jesus, while dear to us by centuries of hymnology and Bible-reading, was a common name in the first century. The vast majority of manuscripts supports the reading Lord, that we believe stresses His divine majesty.
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath: In the Gospels, when Christ heals on the Sabbath or allows His disciples to eat grain from a field on the Sabbath, He proclaims that He, "the Son of Man, is Lord even [or also, kai] of the Sabbath" (Matt 12:8). This means that He is not controlled by the Sabbath, but the Sabbath is under His control. This certainly suggests His deity. As God the Son He shared in giving the original Sabbath law to Israel in the first place.
As Man, Jesus submitted to the Sabbath law to fulfill all righteousness. He did not, however, submit to the traditions that had encrusted the law with pettifogging legalisms that actually contradicted the original good that God intended by the fourth commandment. Because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, we can rejoice with Paul that no Christian can be called to book for keeping or not keeping the Sabbath (Col 2:16, 17). The principle of rest every seventh day, however, is a blessing to man's mental and physical health and is well worth maintaining.
Jesus Is Lord of His Day: Not only is Jesus Lord of the Sabbath, the OT day of rest, but what is more significant for NT believers, He is Master of His own day, the "Lord's Day" (Rev 1:10). Some, using only the English text have said that this is really just another way of wording "the Day of the Lord." Actually the construction is quite different in the Greek.5 "The Day of the Lord" represents the OT Day of YHWH, a day of divine retribution.
Granted, this is a main theme in Revelation as a whole. However, in Chapter 1 of Revelation the stress is on the Person of the Lord Jesus and John's prostrate adoration of the very One on whose chest he had reclined his head so many years before. Christians can demonstrate their submission to Christ's Lordship by observing the Lord's Day. But how should it be observed? Certainly all agree we should worship together and hear His Word. Acts 20:7-12 presents the Lord's Supper and preaching as standard elements in NT observance.
Is there continuity with the rest of the OT Sabbath? Some have gone so far as to make the Lord's Day a legal burden rather than a gracious joy. We should not treat the Lord's Day as strictly a weekend pleasure slot on our calendars. Active Christian workers, especially preachers and missionaries, often find Sunday to be the least restful of days! By and large, however, most believers can—to their health and benefit—maintain the principle of one day in seven for rest—also for worship and service as opportunities present themselves. As to what each individual should or should not do on the Lord's Day, a personal submission to the Lord's will in one’s own circumstances can decide the issue in the light of Scripture. We should neither offend others nor "judge Another's [the Lord's]7 servant" in this regard (Rom 14:4).
Jesus Is Lord in His Supper: One time the Apostle Paul used kyriakos, the adjectival form of Kyrios, to refer to the Supper of our Lord, literally the "Lordly Supper" (1 Cor 11 :20). The context in I Corinthians 11 is one of disrespect on the part of some carnal Corinthians for this feast of remembrance. It was not the Lord's Supper they were having, but rather a church supper to gratify their physical appetites!
As Host at His own Table, the Lord Jesus invites all the faithful (and some of the not-so-faithful) to come and dine with Him and His people. As the Lord of the Table, He leads the songs of the saints among His brethren: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You" (Heb 2:12, quoted from Ps 22:22). One of the ways all believers can show their submission to Christ's Lordship is to accept His gracious invitation: "This do in remembrance of Me."
Jesus Is Lord and Master: Classic liberalism used to be fond of the title "the Master" for Jesus Christ. This should not obscure the fact from Christians that this is a very good translation of at least one aspect of His Lordship, namely that He is Master, Lord, and Sovereign. In the Gospels our Lord tells several parables in which the key figure is a "boss" or lord, whether of a vineyard, an estate, or whatever. It does not take great insight to figure out who is represented by this man in various guises. Obviously, it is the Lord Jesus Himself.
Because of the emotional connotations of the words master and slave in recent Western history,10 modern preaching on this topic tends to substitute employer and employee/servant in handling such texts as Eph 6:5-9 and Col 4:1. The word for servant in the NT passages is literally bondservant or slave. Paul calls himself a slave (doulos, from the verb deo, bind or tie) of Jesus Christ. Probably the traditional KJV translation servant is best in English due to the racial undertones that tend to creep into our use of slave. In the OT the slaves or servants were frequently of the same ethnic origin as their masters. For the Messiah as the Ebed-Yahweh, or "Servant of the LORD," it would probably be misleading if the English word slave were used.
Jesus Is Lord of Lords: There are two or three other NT expressions used of Christ that give very strong witness to His absolute sovereignty, perhaps in an even stronger way than Kyrios. One of these is the word despotes. From an English-speaking view-point this word is somewhat marred by the negative connotation of our derivative despot. Used ten times in the NT, this word is employed, like kyrios, for ordinary masters in Titus 2:9, for God in Zacharias' Benedictus in Luke 2:29, and for God (or Christ) in the Jerusalem saints' prayers in Acts 4:24. It is used in 2 Pet 2:1 for the apostates "denying the despoten that bought them."
Another title of Christ as Sovereign, this time a phrase, is "Lord of lords" (Kyrios ton kyrion, Rev 11:15). This sort of expression is a Hebrew way of stating the superlative. The OT book Song of Songs means "The Most Exquisite Song." The expression here signifies "The Most Absolute Sovereign." Gentile kings in OT days were not too bashful to call themselves "king of kings." A similar phrase uses a participle in the genitive instead of "lords." Kyrios ton kyrieuonton literally means "Lord of those lording" or "having dominion" (1 Tim 6:15).
The Holy Spirit who proceeds from and is one in being with the Father and the Son. He convinces the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He leads men through faithful response to the gospel into the fellowship of the Church. He comforts, sustains and empowers the faithful and guides them into all truth.
The Holy Spirit is the helper, the educator, the applicator. He is the one who brings new life to those who are spiritually dead. When you sin it is the Holy Spirit who convicts your mind and your heart of your wrong doing. He is the one who baptizes all true believers into the true fellowship of Jesus Christ. At the very moment that a person becomes saved the Holy Spirit indwells in them permanently so that their salvation can be assured. He also seals them unto the day of final redemption, bestows spiritual gifts upon them, and fills those who are yielding to him with the grace of God.
1 John 5:6 "This is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth." It is the enlightened power of the Holy Spirit who teaches us, guides us, and instructs us so that we are soon filled not only with understanding, but also with inner peace and joy. The Holy Spirit is the intercessor, he is the voice of warning in times of temptation, and he is the communicator of God's truth to our hearts.
It is the guidance of the Holy Spirit that is going to change your character, your conduct, your personality, yes your entire life. It is the Holy Spirit that is going to make the poor rich, the weak strong, and the lowly exalted. And the Holy Spirit does not come and go from your life. Once you become saved, once you are born again, then he will be with you always.
One of the main jobs of the Holy Spirit is to lead and empower, and to draw back the curtains for those searching for spiritual truth. But he will not possess or control us. We must seek and desire to follow God's lead in our lives. Our efforts apart from the Holy Spirit are futile. Yet the Holy Spirit's power without our efforts simply represents potential energy. It is like a light switch in the off position. The potential to light up the room is present, but the circuit is open and nothing is flowing through.
It is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that will ultimately make possible the completion of our salvation. It is our effort and his power that is going to get us into heaven. The Holy Spirit gives us the spiritual love and the spiritual strength to obey God, to control our sinful nature, and to walk on a righteous path in God's love. It is the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit that is sufficient to drive out the influence of Satan and the world from the life of the believer who is seeking to do God's will.
The Holy Spirit is God. He indwells us at the moment we place our faith in Christ. He empowers us to live an effective Christian life by affirming our salvation, encouraging us and giving us the strength to live a life that is pleasing to God and personally fulfilling. The Holy Spirit also endows each believer with a unique spiritual ability to serve the church and the world. (John 14:16; Ephesians 1:19-20; 1 Corinthians 12)
- The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict, regenerate, seal, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower believers for life and service.
- The Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ.
- The present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose influence, we are able to come to Christ and we know the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit enables Christians to be obedient to God’s Word and to live a godly life.
- The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace in which God pours out His Spirit with an outward manifestation of a holier lifestyle to be witnesses for Christ and the evidence of speaking in tongues.
And it is helpful to have a written record of those mighty acts by which we have been redeemed. It is good to have the Scriptures, the Lord's love letters to His children. But what is needed, in addition to these, is the incarnate love of God. The word of life must take flesh in our day if the world is to know God's love in all its fullness.
The Holy Spirit alone can bring together our theory and our practice. I am convinced that the most important aspect of the current movement of the Spirit, and the one which will have the most far-reaching effects on the Church and the world, is the renewal in our midst of the concept and the practice of Christian community, what the New Testament calls koinonia. As Paul put it, "the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God" (Romans 8:5:19).
Because the Holy Spirit made and makes possible the existence of the Church, the Feast of Pentecost is considered to be the birthday of the Church. The day on which we were given the gift of the Holy Spirit of God. The energy that keeps the Church in existence, the voice that speaks to us when we are very quiet inside, the bearer to us of what God created us to hear and what Jesus wanted us to learn.
The Holy Spirit is in us and in the world, linking us one to another. As a people who worship together, we are a community. We are in fact in community with everyone in the world who worships God, who seeks faith, who believes that good is better than evil. The word community comes from the same root that gives us the word communication, and the word Communion. We are all part of one another.
To be in relationship with God is to be in relationship with every person who is also in relationship with God. And we do not need to speak the same language or have the same accent to be in true community; we have only to realize that we are all part of God, and to keep that uppermost in our mind and spirit as we live and relate to each other.
The principal agent of all formation, including ongoing, is the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit is capable of reaching "to the depths of every individual's heart as a result of (his) living presence". It is he who distributes "to each one his gifts as it pleases him", and dispenses "special graces" by which "he makes them fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church".
The Holy Spirit "teaches what is necessary for the following of Christ; enriches us with gifts and special graces which make us able to assume offices and services for the common good; gives us strength to bear witness to Christ, and teaches us how to behave and what to say in emergencies."
The nature of grace and its main movements in the lives of human beings, has been grace-the loving, unmerited favor and active power of God toward all and in all. God's grace has been seen flowing from him in such a way that it always takes the initiative in a person's life, from prevenient grace to grace throughout eternity.
Whatever good desires and deeds there are in a person are the result of that person's response by faith to the prior gift of grace. In this formulation-God works, therefore you can work and must work - the initiative of God's grace is completely retained. Man has no cause to claim merit or pride for his righteousness.
The concept of grace is central to the mission of the Church, and as a church are charged with sharing the grace of God with others. God's divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature.
The living of Christian faith was “revealed in Scripture, illumined by Tradition, unified in personal experience and confirmed by reason.” Understanding this concept is the key to being and remaining a servant leader in Christ. Scripture is primarily revealing the Word of God :so far as it is necessary for our salvation” – therefore our theological task, in both it’s critical and constructive aspects, focuses on disciplined study of the Bible.
To use today’s terminology – the Bible should be considered as the world’s first “self-help” book – all the answers to a successful life walking in the path of the Lord can be found within. Whether we are in our role as ministers or counselors of friends or family, it is important to remind them that we are just acting as a mouthpiece for the Lord – he is doing the work through us to remind us all of His presence in our lives, in times of joy and sorrow; and, that if we ever have questions or concerned, the answers can be found somewhere within the Good Book – the more we read it and learn it, the better off we will be.
Regeneration and Sanctification
Repentance: Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ. By it, a sinner, out of the sight and sense not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature, and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for, and hates his sins, as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments.
Although repentance is not to be rested in, as any satisfaction for sin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God's free grace in Christ; yet it is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect pardon without it. As there is no sin so small, but it deserves damnation; so there is no sin so great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavor to repent of his particular sins, particularly.
As every man is bound to make private confession of his sins to God, praying for the pardon thereof; upon which, and the forsaking of them, he shall find mercy; so, he that scandalizeth his brother, or the church of Christ, ought to be willing, by a private or public confession, and sorrow for his sin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended, who are thereupon to be reconciled to him, and in love to receive him.
Repentance is one of the graces implanted at regeneration. Speaking with God's authority, believers are to call the unregenerate to believe, to repent and to obey.
In their fallen nature they are unable to do any of these. But when the Holy Spirit applies the benefit of the work of Christ the lost soul is regenerated. Into that regenerated soul is implanted three basic spiritual faculties:
- Saving faith: by which he trusts in the redeeming work of Christ
- Repentance: by which he abhors his sin and flees toward holiness
- Sanctification: by which he begins to grow in true obedience
Since repentance is both part of the gospel call to the unregenerate and a function implanted at regeneration, it is important that, for God's glory, we understand its foundation, its nature and its operations.
The Administration of Forgiveness
As a free gift of grace implanted at regeneration and grounded upon the full satisfaction for the sins of the elect by the work of Christ, repentance does not in any way merit our forgiveness by God. Yet as a part of that which flows out of the renewed life by the work of regeneration, neither forgiveness nor pardon can be expected that is independent of the evidences of a true repentance in the believer.
Justification: Justification is a judicial and at the same time a gracious act by which God, reconciled by the satisfaction of Christ, acquits the sinner who believes in Christ of the offenses with which he is charged and accounts and pronounces him righteous. We explain justification simply as the acceptance with which God receives us into his favor as righteous men.
And we say that it consists in the remission of sins and the imputation of Christ's righteousness. God forgives sinful individuals, counts them as righteous on the basis of their faith in Christ, and accepts them as his own reconciled children, apart from all human merit and solely because of the superabundant merit of Christ's work of satisfaction.
When God justifies a man, He declares him to be righteous. To justify never means “to render one holy.” It is said to be sinful to justify the wicked, but it could never be sinful to render the wicked holy. And as the Law demands righteousness, to impute or ascribe righteousness to anyone, is, in Scriptural language, to justify. To make (or constitute) righteous is another equivalent form of expression. Hence, to be righteous before God and to be justified mean the same thing as in the following passage: “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rom 2:13).
Forgiveness of Our Sins
Another key aspect regarding the nature of justification is that it entails the forgiveness of the believer's sins and their guilt before God (Ps. 32:1; Isa. 1:18; Rom. 4:6-8; Col. 3:13). Our sin and guilt is removed from us as far as the East is from the West. This is a biblical expression used to convey this concept (Ps. 103:12).
The believer, the one who trusts in Christ Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior is not only pronounced not guilty, is not only pronounced innocent, but is pronounced righteous (positionally now and eventually practically as well) by God (Rom. 1:17; 3:21-24). that it (dikaioo) "...is to pronounce, accept, and treat as just, i.e., as, on the one hand, not penally liable, and, on the other, entitled to all the privileges due to those who have kept the law."
In other words, God views the believer as if they had/have completely or perfectly obeyed the law (i.e., the Ten Commandments).
As soon as a contrite sinner believes the divine promises of grace which for Christ's sake is offered to him in the Gospel, or as soon as he puts his trust in the vicarious satisfaction which Christ has made for the sins of the world by His perfect obedience, he is justified, or declared righteous before God. Subjective justification may therefore be defined as the act of God by which He removes from the believer the sentence of condemnation to which he is subject because of his sin, releases him from his guilt, and ascribes to him the merit of Christ.
Justification is Not Because of Our Works
Some individuals have tried to argue that good works are necessary for salvation in the sense that one needs to cooperate with God in salvation, and their part is the good works. For instance, some people have taught the idea that James (chapter 2) contradicts the Pauline teaching regarding the role and relationship of justification and faith and works (e.g, Rom. 4 and 5), and that James proves that works are part of salvation in the sense that we must cooperate with God by our good works to be declared righteous by Him.
However, the Bible does not teach in James or elsewhere that we must earn or in some other way "cooperate" with God for our salvation (i.e., to be declared righteous by God). "True faith manifest itself in good works. Absence of the latter denotes absence of the former." This distinction is between a true or genuine or saving faith and a "false faith," and not between a genuine saving faith and works. A true or saving faith always will produce good works, but the works do not save or justify the person. The works are evidence that the person possess saving faith or already is justified.
Regeneration: Theological term for "Born Again" (John 3:3) whereby a person has their spiritual blindness supernaturally cured, and is regenerated to a state of free will comparable to that of our first parents prior to their fall.
The biblical doctrine of regeneration teaches that not only what Christ has accomplished for us objectively through His sinless life and atoning death is a free gift of God, but also what the Holy Spirit accomplishes in us subjectively (the fruits of regeneration) is a free gift from God. Salvation from start to finish is a work of God. If faith in Christ and repentance are something that man can do apart from regenerating grace, then salvation is not wholly a work of God. Regeneration always leads to conversion. Regeneration is the act of God and of God alone.
But faith is not the act of God; it is not God who believes in Christ for salvation, it is the sinner. It is by God’s grace that a person is able to believe but faith is an activity on the part of the person and of him alone. In faith we receive and rest upon Christ alone for salvation. Faith is the instrument whereby the sinner lays hold on the person and work of Jesus Christ. True faith is always accomplished by genuine repentance.
Regeneration is a supernatural, instantaneous, and secret working in the heart of the Elect. It also has no content. Instead, regeneration opens spiritually blind eyes, spiritually deaf ears, turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh, and brings the spiritually dead back to life! A person cannot even "see" the Kingdom of God without first being Born Again (John 3:3).
Regeneration is the beginning, the starting point, the fountain of all the saving graces which are subjectively applied to the sinner. When Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (Jn. 3:6), He was saying that being born again invariably will lead to a person becoming a spiritual person. Regeneration will without fail lead to conversion. Jesus did not say that regeneration would make salvation a possibility if one cooperates with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s power is invincible; it is irresistible.
This does not mean that men are forced or coerced into God’s kingdom against their will; their heart is changed in such a way that the unwilling become willing and the unable become able. The person who is regenerated by the Holy Spirit embraces Jesus Christ because he wants to. After he is regenerated, Christ becomes the most important person in his life. The Savior becomes to him like a hidden treasure and a pearl of great price (Mt. 13:44, 46).
Regeneration is solely an act of God in which man does not cooperate. One would think that this point would be rather obvious after examining the passages which teach the necessity of regeneration. Regeneration is an act of God upon man’s heart. “The Holy Spirit comes and does something to the soul of man. He penetrates into the innermost recesses of man, into his soul, spirit, or heart.
Sanctification: Sanctification is the work of God’s grace by which those who believe in Christ are freed from sin and built up in holiness. In Protestant theology it is distinguished from justification and regeneration, both of which lie at its root, and from neither of which is it separable in fact; inasmuch as the term justification is confined to the judicial act or sentence of God, by which the sinner is declared to be entitled, in consideration of what Christ has done in his behalf, to the favor of God, and of which sanctification is the efficient execution; and the term regeneration is confined to the initial efficient act by which the new life is imparted, of which sanctification is the progressive development. Both regeneration and justification are momentary acts, and acts of God in which the sinner is passive; sanctification, on the other hand, is a progressive work of God, in which the sinner cooperates.
The theory of perfection conceives that the satisfaction and merit of Christ have made it consistent with divine justice to offer salvation to men on easier terms than the old Adamic law of absolute perfection; and that perfection is attained when these lower terms have been complied with. “Christian character is estimated by the conditions of the gospel; Christian perfection implies the perfect performance of these conditions.
There is no religion but social religion, no holiness but social holiness. The communal forms of faith in the Wesleyan tradition not only promote personal growth; they also equip and mobilize us for mission and service to the world. The outreach of the church springs from the working of the Spirit.
What is the role of the church in modern society, and is there any theological basis for that role? The church has at least three roles to play in society. They are:
- Witness to God's love and power.
- Call society to peace, justice and compassion.
- Work toward the welfare of all members of society.
Let me lift up each one of these roles to look at its theological base.
Witness to God's Love and Power
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
By changing the focus from witness to the teaching of doctrine and traditions, the church has become more like a tribe and less like a spirit-led community of witnesses. This is a natural process of change, but is not necessarily a good one. One reason for the change is the identification of the church with the society in which it lives.
If the role of the church is to witness to the society around it, it must have a certain critical distance from that society. Without this distance it is very difficult to discern where the practices of society diverge from the church's understanding of God's desires for the world. The church can become confused, seeing in human actions the plan of God, when those actions are not consistent with the Bible.
This distinction between public and private roles of a Christian continues today. When we gather to discuss the role of the church and legislation in defining restorative justice, we need to recognize the basic difference between the views of those who belong to churches which have been part of the power structure, and those who don't. The church has a role in society of witnessing to the power and love of God. But how does that witness manifest itself these days? How should it manifest itself? One way is for it to
Call society to peace, justice and compassion.
God looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness but heard cries of distress. . . Woe to you who add house to house and field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land . . . who acquit the guilty for a bribe but deny justice to the innocent . . . But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness. Isaiah 5 Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Luke 6:20b-21.
Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28. These are prophetic words, words which compare what society is doing with eternal principles of peace, justice and compassion. The church has a prophetic role in its society. Human versions of truth come and go. They tend to be based on what works, what is popular, or on a reaction to something else that didn't work.
The church's role as prophet is even more important just for this reason. An individual is easily squelched. But a church is not. The church also has a corporate memory. It may take years for an idea to build and percolate. Sometimes it takes more than a generation. Think of the role of the Catholic Church in Poland. There it did take more than a generation for the church-supported Solidarity movement to lead the country back to independence. The church in Russia is enjoying a tremendous resurgence. These things take time. An individual prophet doesn't have the staying power to see it through.
Another strength of a prophetic church is the group discernment process. It is one thing for an individual to have a big idea, but it is quite another when a church examines that idea, prays over it, and discerns that God is calling the church to this particular prophetic role. Where does that sort of prophetic imagination and staying power come from? An individual with a big idea would be hard-pressed to hang in there. The power of the church discerning the idea and confirming it, then lending its support is a powerful force. The church has been given revealed principles for living in peace with justice and compassion. It hasn't always lived up to those principles, but where it has accepted its prophetic role things have happened.
- Should the church be involved in the legislative process? If so, how?
- Is there a type of prophetic voice which is singularly appropriate for the church?
- Is the church just another self-interested pressure group?
- How does the church discern what sort of legislation it ought to be espousing?
- How then can it be involved as an institution in specific legislation?
The church is a big, diverse organism. Its members hold almost any view of social policy you can name.
The Old and New Testament prophets tended to be loners. They heard God speaking to them, and told people about it. How do we moderns, especially in our various groups, hear God speaking a clear word? The biblical prophets also tended to say what was wrong with the status quo. You didn't see them drafting social legislation, for the most part. The original Joseph signed on to run Egypt's entire social program, but he is pretty much alone among Bible characters in having done so. The church is called to speak with a prophetic voice. We are also called to discern how faithful servants of God do that in a modern context. These meetings are part of that process. Talk is good, but the church is also called to Work toward the welfare of all members of society.
When Christians witness to the love and power of God, the point they are making is that God has a plan for humankind. One aspect of that plan is a special concern for the poor and powerless. A special concern that justice be done with mercy. The best interests of the rich and powerful are not a concern, generally speaking, since they are doing just fine. The New Testament book of James says it this way in chapter 2 (NRSV): Principles found in the Bible have a more lasting quality because they aren't self-defined. The value of peace, justice and compassion come from outside us, from a source of absolute truth. As such, they are much more difficult for a Christian to set aside than some principle of the moment.
The church has a reservoir of wisdom and truth in the Bible, and a role to play in witnessing to that truth in a call to the society of its day toward peace, justice and compassion. But, as the book of James suggests, a faith which calls others to these things without also practicing what it preaches is a dead thing.
The Resurrection, and Eternal Life.
Kingdom of God: Through his sufferings as the Christ, Jesus achieved everlasting kingship and lordship over all creation. He has become "King of kings and Lord of lords," sharing this title with God the Father Himself (Deut 10:17; Dan 2:47; Rev 19:16). As a man, Jesus Christ is King of the Kingdom of God. Christ came for no other reason than to bring God's kingdom to men. His very first public words are exactly those of his forerunner, John the Baptist: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt 3:2, 4:17).
All through his life Jesus spoke of the kingdom. In the sermons such as the Sermon on the Mount and the many parables, he told of the everlasting kingdom: Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; He who does these commandments and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.; But seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness, and all things will be yours as well; and The mustard seed, the leaven, the pearl of great price, the lost coin, the treasure in the field, the fishing net, the wedding feast, the banquet, the house of the Father, the vineyard ... all are signs of the kingdom which Jesus has come to bring.
And on the night of His last supper with the disciples He tells the apostles openly: Christ's kingdom is "not of this world" (Jn 18:31 ). He says this to Pontius Pilate when being mocked as king, revealing in this humiliation His genuine divine kingship. The Kingdom of God, which Christ will rule, will come with power at the end of time when the Lord will fill all creation and will be truly "all, and in all" (Col 3:11).
The Kingdom of God, therefore, is a Divine Reality. It is the reality of God's presence among men through Christ and the Holy Spirit. "For the Kingdom of God ... means ... peace and joy and righteousness in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17). The Kingdom of God as a spiritual, divine reality is given to men by Christ in the Church. It is celebrated and participated in the sacramental mysteries of the faith. It is witnessed to in the scriptures, the councils, the canons, and the saints. It will become the universal, final cosmic reality for the whole of creation at the end of the ages when Christ comes in glory to fill all things with Himself by the Holy Spirit, that God might be "all and in all" (1 Cor 15:28).
Apart from the above reasons, any who still feel that heaven rather than earth will be the location of God's Kingdom, i.e. the promised reward, need to also explain away the following points:- The 'Lord's Prayer' asks for God's Kingdom to come (i.e. praying for the return of Christ), whereby God's desires will be done on earth as they are now done in heaven (Matt. 6:10). We are therefore praying for God's Kingdom to come on the earth. It is a tragedy that thousands of people thoughtlessly pray these words each day whilst still believing that God's Kingdom is now already fully established in heaven, and that the earth will be destroyed.
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5) - not '...for their souls shall go to heaven'. This is alluding to Psalm 37, the whole of which emphasizes that the final reward of the righteous will be upon the earth. In the very same location that the wicked had enjoyed their temporary supremacy, the righteous will be recompensed with eternal life, and possess this same earth that the wicked once dominated (Ps. 37:34,35). "The meek shall inherit the earth...Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth...The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever" (Ps. 37:11,22,29). Living in the earth/promised land for ever means that eternal life in heaven is an impossibility. "David...is both dead and buried...David is not ascended into the heavens" (Acts 2:29,34). Instead, Peter explained that his hope was the resurrection from the dead at Christ's return (Acts 2:22-36).
Earth is the arena of God's operations with mankind: "Heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's, but the earth hath He given to the children of men" (Ps. 115:16).Rev. 5:9,10 relates a vision of what the righteous will say when they are accepted at the judgment seat: "(Christ) hath made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth". This picture of ruling in God's Kingdom on earth is quite removed from the vague conception that we will enjoy 'bliss' somewhere in heaven.
The prophecies of Daniel chapters 2 and 7 outline a succession of political powers, which would finally be superseded by the Kingdom of God at Christ's return. The dominion of this Kingdom would be "under the whole heaven", and would fill "the whole earth" (Dan. 7:27; 2:35 cp. v. 44). This everlasting Kingdom "shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High" (Dan. 7:27); their reward is therefore eternal life in this Kingdom which is to be located on earth, under the heavens.
The Resurrection: Besides being the fundamental for our Christian belief, the Resurrection is important for the following reasons:
- It shows the justice of God who exalted Christ to a life of glory, as Christ had humbled Himself unto death (Phil., ii, 8-9).
- Christ was the first to rise unto life immortal; those raised before Him died again (Col., i, I8; I Cor., xv, 20).
- As the Divine power which raised Christ from the grave was His own power, He rose from the dead by His own power (John, ii, 19; x, l7-18).
Since the Resurrection had been promised as the main proof of Christ's Divine mission, it has a greater dogmatic importance than any other fact. "If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain" (I Cor., xv, 14). - The Resurrection completed the mystery of our salvation and redemption; by His death Christ freed us from sin, and by His Resurrection He restored to us the most important privileges lost by sin (Rom., iv, 25).
- By His Resurrection we acknowledge Christ as the immortal God, the efficient and exemplary cause of our own resurrection (I Cor., xv, 21; Phil., iii, 20-21), and as the model and the support of our new life of grace (Rom., vi, 4-6; 9-11)
The Bible emphasizes that the reward of the righteous will be at the resurrection, at the coming of Christ (1 Thess. 4:16). The resurrection of the responsible dead will be the first thing Christ will do; this will be followed by the judgment. If the 'soul' went to heaven at death there would be no need for the resurrection. Paul said that if there is no resurrection, then all effort to be obedient to God is pointless (1 Cor. 15:32). Surely he would not have reasoned like this if he believed that he would also be rewarded with his 'soul' going to heaven at death? The implication is that he believed the resurrection of the body to be the only form of reward. Christ encouraged us with the expectation that the recompense for faithful living now would be at "the resurrection" (Luke 14:14). Again the point must be driven home that the Bible does not teach any form of existence apart from in a bodily form - this applies to God, Christ, Angels and men.
At his return, Christ "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Phil. 3:20,21). As he now has a literal bodily form, energized purely by Spirit rather than blood, so we will share a similar reward. At the judgment we will receive a recompense for how we have lived this life in a bodily form (2 Cor. 5:10). Those who have lived a fleshly life will be left with their present mortal body, which will then rot back to dust; whilst those who in their lives have tried to overcome the mind of the flesh with that of the Spirit "shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6:8) in the form of a Spirit-filled body.
There is ample further evidence that the reward of the righteous will be in a bodily form. Once this is accepted, the vital importance of the resurrection should be apparent. Our present body clearly ceases to exist at death; if we can only experience eternal life and immortality in a bodily form, it follows that death must be a state of unconsciousness, until such time as our body is re-created and then given God's nature.
The whole of 1 Corinthians 15 speaks in detail of the resurrection; it will always repay careful reading. 1 Cor. 15:35-44 explains how that as a seed is sown and then emerges from the ground to be given a body by God, so the dead will likewise rise, to be rewarded with a body. As Christ rose from the grave and had his mortal body changed to an immortalized body, so the true believer will share his reward (Phil. 3:21). Through baptism we associate ourselves with Christ's death and resurrection, showing our belief that we, too, will share the reward which he received through his resurrection (Rom.6:3-5).
Through sharing in his sufferings now, we will also share his reward: "Bearing about (now) in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body" (2 Cor. 4:10). "He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit" (Rom. 8:11). With this hope, we therefore wait for "the redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:23), through that body being immortalized.
This hope of a literal bodily reward has been understood by God's people from earliest times. Abraham was promised that he, personally, would inherit the land of Canaan for ever, as surely as he had walked up and down in it (Gen. 13:17; His faith in those promises would have necessitated his belief that his body would somehow, at a future date, be revived and made immortal, so that this would be possible.
Job clearly expressed his understanding of how, despite his body being eaten by worms in the grave, he would, in a bodily form, receive his reward: "My redeemer liveth, and...shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body ("after my skin is destroyed", R.A.V.), yet in my flesh (or bodily form) shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: though my reins be consumed within me" (Job 19:25-27). Isaiah's hope was identical: "My dead body shall...arise" (Isa. 26:19).
Very similar words are found in the account of the death of Lazarus, a personal friend of Jesus. Instead of comforting the man's sisters by saying that his soul had gone to heaven, the Lord Jesus spoke of the day of resurrection: "Thy brother shall rise again". The immediate response of Lazarus' sister Martha shows how much this was appreciated by the early Christians: "Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (John 11:23,24). Like Job, she did not understand death to be the gateway to a life of bliss in heaven, but, instead, looked forward to a resurrection "at the last day" (cp. Job's "latter day"). The Lord promises: "Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father...I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:44,45).
Eternal life: This expression occurs in the Old Testament only in Dan. 12:2 (Revised Version, "everlasting life"). It occurs frequently in the New Testament (Matt. 7:14; 18:8,9; Luke 10:28; compare 18:18). It comprises the whole future of the redeemed (Luke 16:9), and is opposed to "eternal punishment" (Matt. 19:29; 25:46). It is the final reward and glory into which the children of God enter (1 Tim. 6:12, 19; Rom. 6:22; Gal. 6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; Rom. 5:21); their Sabbath of rest (Heb. 4:9; compare 12:22).
The newness of life which the believer derives from Christ (Rom. 6:4) is the very essence of salvation, and hence the life of glory or the eternal life must also be theirs (Rom. 6:8; 2 Tim. 2:11,12; Rom. 5:17, 21; 8:30; Eph. 2:5,6). It is the "gift of God in Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). The life the faithful have here on earth (John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47, 53-58) is inseparably connected with the eternal life beyond, the endless life of the future, the happy future of the saints in heaven (Matt. 19:16, 29; 25:46).
The phrase "eternal life" is synonymous the "salvation" spoken of in Scripture - a "salvation" that embraces the whole person. This "salvation" can be spoken of in all tenses : we have been "saved" the instant we believed (regeneration & justification), we are being "saved" now as we progress in Christ (sanctification), and we will be saved when this corruption/mortality is changed into incorruption/ immortality in the resurrection at "the last trump" (glorification). Biblical "salvation" comprises all of these and is not complete until all of these take place.
Our "eternal life" is attributed to us in the present tense in the same way as our glorification (Romans 8:30) and even our resurrection (Ephesians 2:4-5) are. As we are told in Romans
4:17 - God "calls those things that be not as though they were ..." Make no mistake - this is a reality. When it is God offering the guarantee, it is as real as anything that ever was. But when all relevant passages are accounted for, we must also recognize that Scripture clearly teaches that our salvation, our immortality, our eternal life is something yet to be actualized. It encompasses the whole man, and thus will not be complete until our Lord returns.
The answer, when are considered, is that "eternal life" is ours presently in the sense that it is guaranteed by the work of Christ (John 4:14; Romans 5:10; 2 Tim. 1:1,10; Titus 1:1-2; 3:7; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13 - also expressed in the description of believers at His second coming in Rev. 17:14). Believers are the "heirs," eternal life being the "inheritance" (see Matt. 19:29; Ephesians 1:14; Titus 3:7; 1 Peter 3:7). God has given us His Holy Spirit as the "earnest" (Strong's #728 - Grk. 'arrhabon' = 'down-payment') of our "eternal life" (see 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14) - this is what it means to be "sealed with the Spirit."
Of course such is Biblical. Whoever believes the Gospel "has" eternal life - John 3:36; 5:24. Such a one will "never see death" - John 8:51; 11:26. The believer will "never perish" - John 10:28. Christians "have passed" from death to life, the implication being that we have eternal life "abiding in" us - 1 John 3:14-15. Evangelicals have shouted it loud and long; believers can know here and now that they have eternal life. Such assurance is entirely Biblical - 1 John 5:13.
Eternal life isn't living forever. Everyone lives forever, even lost people. No one ceases to exist. We all will continue to exist, even after our physical lives end, in either heaven or hell. Someone might say, "Eternal life is living forever in heaven with God instead of in hell with the devil." The scriptures say, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life..." (Jn. 3:36; 5:24; 6:47, 54). Everlasting life is something we already possess in this present life.
According to John 17:3, eternal life is knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. The word "know" is speaking of more than intellectual knowledge. It is speaking of an experiential knowledge; a knowledge that comes from personal experience. This word was used to describe the most intimate personal relationship between a husband and wife. Genesis 4:1 says, "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD."
So, the word "knowing" that the Lord is speaking of in John 17:3 refers to intimacy. This is missing in many Christians' lives. Few Christians have entered into this relationship that the Bible calls "eternal life." All the blessings of God flow from this personal intimacy with God. If our relationship is strong, we will be too. If our personal relationship with the Lord is weak, then all the formulas and steps in the world will not bring the right results. Our priority must be having a positive, personal, vibrant, relationship with the Lord.
John 3:16 is probably the most popular scripture in the Bible. It is a wonderful passage that many of us learned by heart as children. However, we have become so familiar with this verse that many of us don't really know what it's saying. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The traditional way that this verse has been applied is to say God loved us so much that he gave his only Son Jesus, in order that we would not perish. That's true but incomplete according to this verse. It's true that Jesus died for our sins so that we wouldn't perish by being condemned to hell. If that was all there was to salvation, then that is more than we deserve and we could give our lives in service to God for the mercy He shed on us.
But there is much more to salvation than just getting our sins forgiven. That's the entry point. It's like the front door. The real benefit of salvation according to John 3:16 is eternal life, not just not perishing. The ultimate goal of Jesus dying was to give us eternal life; intimacy with God. A person who prays for the forgiveness of his sins so that he can escape hell, but doesn't move on to experience intimacy with God has missed the real point of salvation.
What a radical statement! Most Christians were brought to the Lord through an awareness of their sins and their impending doom if they didn't repent. They believed for an acquittal of the charges against them. They didn't want to go to hell. Once they gained an assurance that their sins were forgiven and they were headed to heaven, they lost their motivation to seek the Lord. They got what they wanted.
But the real purpose of salvation isn't just getting our sins forgiven. Don't misunderstand me. That is essential. Jesus did die for the forgiveness of our sins (Gal. 1:4; Mt. 26;28; Rom. 4:25; Heb. 10:10). It's impossible to have relationship with the Lord without getting our sins forgiven. Therefore, the forgiveness of our sins is an absolutely vital part of salvation.
The real benefit of salvation is intimacy with God, not only in the future, but right here, right now. Sin just happened to be an obstacle that stood between us and intimacy with God. Therefore, it was dealt with and removed. However, the Lord didn't accomplish all this so we could just be delivered from future punishment. He did it all because He loved us and wanted intimate relationship with us now. He couldn't have that intimacy with us as long as we were stained by sin. So, He did remove the sin from us as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12), but for what purpose?
So, we wouldn't go to hell? Yes, that's a benefit, but the real purpose was to bring mankind back into relationship with Him; not just after we die but right now.
With that in mind, it is accurate to say that anyone who comes to Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins, but doesn't avail himself of the relationship that forgiveness provides here and now, is missing out on the real purpose of salvation. That means most Christians today stopped short. They aren't availing themselves of being in a close relationship with the Lord. Why not?
One of the simplest answers is that intimacy with God has not been presented as the goal of salvation. If it's not taught, people won't have faith for it because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Relationship with God hasn't been the evangelist's message. The message has been reduced to believe so you won't go to hell. Repent or else! Turn or burn!
This has gotten many people to pray what we call "The Sinner's Prayer" and only God knows if they really committed their hearts to the Lord. Many of those who came to the Lord to get rid of the fear of going to hell ceased to seek the Lord after they prayed that prayer. That's because their faith wasn't focused on having a vibrant relationship with the Lord. They wanted to escape hell and they saw Jesus as their "get out of hell free card." They should have seen Jesus and the Father as a loving God who did more than just pity them and make a provision for their release. He loved them passionately and redeemed them so He could fellowship with them.
Because intimacy with the Lord has not been the prevalent message of the church, we have many people who have associated with us out of concern for their eternal destiny, but their true commitment to the Lord is suspect. That would not be the case if we were preaching the same message as the first century church. They didn't have all the technological tools that we have. They didn't meet in churches with padded pews and air-conditioning. They didn't have any physical advantages to offer people. On the contrary, becoming a Christian in the first century often meant martyrdom. Yet the first century faith spread like wildfire.
Even as Christians were being burned at the stake and thrown to hungry lions, there was such a joy on their faces and peace in their lives that many Romans would jump out of the stands professing faith in Christ, and rush to sudden death because they wanted the relationship with God that they saw in the lives of these Christians. They had more than a doctrine or creed. They had relationship; an intimate relationship with a living God.
That's what the world hasn't seen in modern day Christians. People are tired of doctrines. They want something that will touch their present lives. Most people are suffering so badly in their present "hell" that they don't think much about the hell to come. They are trying to cope now. We have the perfect answer to the "now" problems of this life.
Christianity isn't just for the life hereafter. Of course, it covers that and that is glorious, but Jesus died to save us from this present evil world (Gal. 1:4). Relationship with God Almighty is the greatest thing in THIS life, not only in the one to come. We need to enter into this intimacy with the Lord ourselves and then as it transforms us into His image, others will want what we have.
This has been the key to my life with the Lord. The Lord revealed Himself to me with so much love that everything this world had to offer paled in comparison. It's my relationship with the Lord that has led me to a life of holiness, not some doctrine. It's my love for the Lord that has made all the hardships life has thrown at me manageable. My faith isn't in a doctrine, but in a living person. Even though I haven't figured out all the answers, I know the One who has them and I am assured that He is guiding me.
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