Charles Haddon Spurgeon was England’s best-known preacher for most of the second half of the 19th century. In a sermon he gave when he was only 20, Spurgeon declared that the proper study for a Christian is the Godhead. Here is a quote from that sermon—it’s one of my favorites:
Charles Spurgeon (1834-92)
The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father. There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, “Behold I am wise.” But when we come to this master-science, finding that our plumb-line cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought, that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass’s colt; and with the solemn exclamation, “I am but of yesterday, and know nothing.” No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God.
As have many other preachers and teachers, Spurgeon reminds us that the great and central question of Christianity is this: “Who is God?”
God’s own answer is not a proposition, but a person: the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ. As the self-revelation of God, Jesus is the focal point of our knowledge of God’s nature. Jesus, who takes us to the Father and sends us the Spirit, teaches us to ask, “Who is God?,” then bids us look to him for the definitive answer.
Throughout history, many great thinkers pondered the question, “Who is God?” Unfortunately, they often did not, or in certain cases (before the Incarnation) could not, make Jesus the living center of their investigations. Working from the central revelation of God in Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity was developed to answer the false reasoning and heretical ideas about God that had infiltrated the church in the first three centuries of its existence. Though the Trinity doctrine doesn’t answer all questions about God’s nature, it helps us focus on who God is without wandering away from sound doctrine.
The early Christians were not unique in developing errors of reasoning as they pondered the nature of God. Theologians and philosophers of every age got it wrong and our time is no exception. Old ideas have a way or repackaging themselves and worming their way into contemporary thinking. It is important that we are aware of two errors that are prevalent in our day. Both lead to wrong conclusions and a distorted picture of who God is.
The first error is a modern version of pantheism—the idea that God is a part of his creation instead of being distinct from it and Lord over it. Though Scripture tells us that creation tells us about God (Romans 1:20), there is an important difference between believing that God is present to everything and believing that everything is God.
Unfortunately, a belief in the divine spirituality of everything (often referred to as “the Universe”) is common today. Hungry for spirituality and put off by traditional religion, many people are seeking “enlightenment” in obscure and fringe ideas. Go into any large bookstore and you’ll find whole sections devoted to fantasy fiction and the occult. Video gamers are obsessed with ever more bizarre themes and fantastic creatures wielding supernatural powers. Technology is blurring the line between fantasy and reality, and the spiritual landscape is becoming cluttered with offbeat ideas.
The same thing happened in the early years of the church. People had an appetite for magic and mystery. As a result, many non-apostolic epistles and gospels were in circulation—offering a mix of truth and bizarre ideas about God, reflecting the popular culture of that day. Paul reminds us what happens when people lose their spiritual moorings:
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles (Romans 1:21-23).
A second prevalent error in our day concerning the nature of God is conceiving of God as a spirit force that dwells in everyone individually. From this perspective, God is viewed as a genie that we carry with us, making use of him as the need arises. It’s as though God is a cosmic smartphone with all kinds of useful apps.
Following this line of faulty reasoning, we wrongly conclude that when we travel, we are taking God somewhere that he is not already present. God becomes dependent upon us and is limited by our limitations. As a result, God can’t be more faithful than we are. Though this false idea may boost our sense of self-importance, it is a false sense of importance that negates the grace of God.
The truth of God’s nature, revealed in Jesus, is the opposite of this error. As the authors of the New Testament remind us, God remains faithful even when we are faithless. Our true importance is related to our identify as children of the God who not only dwells within us by his Spirit, but far beyond us. Our calling is to join God in what he is doing. We do so with great anticipation knowing that he has been at work long before we arrive on the scene. We are greatly privileged to share in what the Holy Spirit is doing to turn people around and to draw them into a reconciled relationship with the Father and the Son.
The more clearly we understand who God is, the better will be our understanding of who we are and of our calling to live in communion with Christ by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus told his disciples to pray, “your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). But what is that kingdom? And when and how will it come?
Noting the rather mysterious nature of the kingdom (Matthew 13:11), Jesus gave his disciples homespun illustrations to help them understand. He would say, “The kingdom is like….,” then offer analogies like a mustard seed that starts small, a man who finds hidden treasure in a field, a farmer who sows seed, or a merchant who sells his entire inventory to buy a pearl of great price.
Through such analogies, Jesus sought to help his disciples understand that the kingdom of God is “not of this world” (John 18:36). Yet, they continued to misunderstand, expecting Jesus to lead their occupied nation into a worldly kingdom that would give them political freedom, power and prestige.
Many of Jesus’ followers have continued to misunderstand, including our own denomination. Perhaps you will remember our former booklet on the kingdom, published in 1972. It was entitled, “Just What Do You Mean…Kingdom of God?” Though it contained a few kernels of truth, it entirely missed very important ones. It erroneously stated that the kingdom is an event that pertains more to the future than to the present. In sermons based on that wrong premise, we’d speak of a “soon-coming kingdom.” Our mistaken understanding resulted from poor exegesis and confused interpretations of Scripture. Though we did not intentionally seek to diminish the triumph of Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension, our misunderstanding of the kingdom of God did just that.
Like a three-stage rocket
Though no single illustration perfectly captures the full scope of the kingdom of God, there is one that might be helpful in our modern context: The kingdom of God is like a three-stage rocket. The first two stages pertain to the present reality of the kingdom and the third to its future fullness.
Stage 1: Launch
The first stage was the “launch” of the kingdom into our world through the Word of God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Being fully God and fully human, Jesus brings the kingdom of God to us. As the King of kings, wherever Jesus is, the kingdom is present.
Stage 2: Present reality
The second stage began with what Jesus accomplished through his death, resurrection, ascension and the sending of the Spirit. Though he no longer dwells among us physically, Jesus dwells within us by the Spirit, knitting us together as one. The kingdom of God is now present—it has broken into all of creation. Thus no matter which country is our earthly home, our citizenship is in heaven, for we live now under the sovereign reign and rule (kingdom) of God.
Those who follow Jesus come under that reign and rule. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), he was instructing them to pray concerning both the here and now as well as the future aspects of the kingdom. As followers of Jesus we are called to bear witness to our citizenship in a kingdom that already is present. We are not to think of the kingdom as only something in the future. As citizens of the kingdom here and now, we are about our Father’s business, doing his kingdom work now. That work includes caring for the poor and needy and faithfully stewarding God’s creation. Through such works of kingdom righteousness, we share in the ongoing mission of Jesus, demonstrating the character of his present kingdom rule and reign.
Stage 3: Future fullness
The third stage of the kingdom is yet future. It will occur when Jesus returns in glory to usher in a new heaven and new earth.
At that time, God will be known by all and will be seen to be who he truly is—“all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). We have now the sure hope that at that time, everything will be put right. It is encouraging for us to dream and imagine what that will be like, although we remember Paul’s words that no mind is able to fully conceive of it (1 Corinthians 2:9).
As we dream of the kingdom’s third stage, let’s not forget the first two. Though having a future aspect, the kingdom is here now. Because that is so, we are called to live accordingly, to share with others the good news (gospel) of Jesus the King, and of his present and future reign in the kingdom of God.
In this issue of GCI Weekly Update, we are publishing part one of a six-part series that examines the biblical testimony concerning the kingdom of God. I think you’ll find this series, written by Gary Deddo, to be stimulating and eye-opening.
Your brother in Christ,
__________________
PS: I spoke recently with Paul Young, author of The Shack. He agreed to be a guest speaker at our GenMin Converge conference in 2015 (there will be one conference that year and it probably will be held in Columbus, Ohio). Note that registration is now open for the 2014 Converge conference being held in two locations: Southern California and Ohio (for information, go to genmin.gci.org/).
This week let me draw your attention to two celebrations coming next month: Black History Month and National Marriage Week. Though not part of the historic Christian calendar, these celebrations do highlight two important issues.
In the U.S., February is celebrated as Black History Month. First proposed in 1920, it became an official national celebration in 1970. The purpose is to draw attention to the significant contributions made by African Americans in the fields of art, literature, science and industry.
Though many of GCI’s U.S. churches acknowledge Black History Month, some have asked, why single out this one group? What about other minorities—haven’t their contributions also been neglected? That’s a fair question, but the fact that we have a nationally recognized celebration of Black history shows the progress our society has made in race relations.
My friend, Curtis May tells of indignities and humiliations he experienced growing up in the segregated South. I remember attending one of our congregations as late as the mid-60s, where African-American members were seated in a separate section of the hall. Though that practice seems unthinkable now, it still astonishes me that so many of us—black and white—accepted it as “God’s way.” It shows just how much we can be influenced by the trends and opinions of the world around us—both for good and bad. For an interview with Curtis about Black History Month, go to www.gci.org/history/bhmonth.
Thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, America has become a more just society in matters of racial equality. Though we’re far from perfect, our national acknowledgement of Black History Month shows that we have come a long way, though it should also remind us that we still need further progress as a nation, as a church and as individuals.
Jesus accepts everyone, just as the old hymn reminds us: “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red, brown, yellow, black or white, they’re all precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” These lyrics would make a good focus for a discussion with your congregation during Black History Month. They also can inform celebrations of other cultures and ethnicities. For additional resources for Black History Month celebrations, go to:
This year, the U.S. celebration of National Marriage Week will occur on February 7-14 (for information go to www.nationalmarriageweekusa.org/). Other countries have similar celebrations at other times.
Though we’ve seen progress in race relations in the U.S., I’m saddened to note that in the Western world, the institution of marriage is severely threatened. Increasingly, committed marriage relationships are viewed as optional—one of several possibilities for people choosing to live together. National Marriage Week celebrates traditional marriage, noting that marriage yields better results in combating poverty, in child-rearing, and in producing happier, healthier and longer lives.
In the insightful and sobering report, “Why Marriage Matters: Thirty Conclusions from Social Science,” a group of family scholars summarized findings from the social sciences concerning divorce, cohabitation and marriage in the U.S. The lead author, W. Bradford Wilcox, who directs the National Marriage Project, wrote this:
Family instability affects older people too. Divorce among those age 50 and over is at the highest level on record. A National Center for Family and Marriage Research study reports that in 1990 only one in ten people 50 or older got divorced. By 2009 it was one in four. If that pace of increase holds, in 2030 the number of over-50 divorces will top 800,000 (The Gray Divorce Revolution, 11/13).
That these trends are taking their toll in our society is no surprise, for the traditional marriage relationship is God’s design. We don’t have to join the debates raging about the alternatives, but we can show, by example, that traditional marriage is what God intends. Here is an area where Christians should be shining lights in a world that has lost its way.
As pastors and ministry leaders, we have an important role in helping married couples grow stronger in their relationships. As we all know, marriages (including our own) are under constant attack. Oftentimes the worst attacks come simply through neglect. It’s what we “pour into” our marriage that makes it a success. The greatest source of this “in-pouring” is the grace of God both in creation (creating the institution of marriage itself) and in redemption (with God’s gifts of forbearance, forgiveness, unconditional love and positive, hopeful regard toward one’s spouse). The ultimate foundation for all human relationships is the reality that in Jesus Christ our Triune God has entered into a relationship of covenant love with all humanity, declaring that he will never leave or forsake us. He never will divorce us.
We come to know more and more profoundly the meaning and nature of God’s covenant love in Christ as we live out that love in all our relationships, including in marriage and with people across racial boundaries. Doing so enables us to know and experience more deeply God’s ever-faithful covenant love that not only strengthens relationships but restores seemingly dead relationships back to life. This is the resurrection power of Jesus’ own love and life.
Though we’ve made progress in race relations, the decline in traditional marriage values is a sober reminder that we live in a broken and fallen world. It is a world that desperately needs the moral guidance, healing touch and sure hope that God provides.
Please continue to remind those you serve of God’s faithful covenant love and then that the most powerful impact we make as Christians is by our examples of sharing that love. May we all “go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society.” By our examples, may we “provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God” (Philippians 2:15 The Message).
In the early days of our church’s transition from legalism to grace, I think one of the most dramatic changes was the way we regarded the “food laws” listed in Leviticus chapter 11. It was not the most important change spiritually, but this particular “upgrade” in our understanding did impact most of us in practical, down-to-earth ways.
I remember now, with some amusement, how some regarded this change as a kind of litmus test to see if we had really “accepted the new covenant.” Thankfully, we have matured, though some people continue to think that it is somehow “unrighteous” to eat what Leviticus 11 labels as “unclean.” Perhaps this letter will provide a more accurate perspective.
I recall talking with some teenagers years ago about their extra-curricular activities following one of our youth activities. They were all under age and got hold of some beer, which they drank to a moderate level of excess. Then they ordered pizza. Some of the pizzas came with pepperoni. As I discussed with them the illegality and dangers of underage drinking, they were quick to point out that they did not eat the pepperoni. In their minds, it appeared that drunkenness was minor compared to the “sin” of eating pork.
Because we are ministers, not nutritionists or dieticians, it is not our responsibility to tell people what they should or should not eat. What a person decides to put in their stomach might be a matter of wisdom and common sense, but according to the New Testament, it is not a matter of righteousness. But some old habits die hard. If someone decides to follow Old Testament dietary rules, be a vegetarian or even a vegan, they are free to do so. The problem comes when they decide that in doing so they are being more righteous than those who do not follow their preferences.
It is sometimes argued that “clean” food is better for you. Maybe it is in some cases, but it is important not to read health advice into the Bible’s food laws. Some of the great Jewish sages made that mistake. For example, Maimonides thought that unclean animals were disease carriers. Apparently, he did not know about deer ticks, salmonella bacteria in poultry, or E. coli in beef and lamb. Some saw significance in the fact that unclean animals are scavengers and clean animals are not. Whoever came up with that one apparently did not know how close the “clean” fish, sole, is to being a bottom-feeder. Nor, apparently, had they observed that chickens eat disgusting things. I won’t go into detail!
God gave Israel the list of clean and unclean animals as yet another way to keep them separate from the other nations (Gentiles). Some of those nations ate almost anything. An archaeological excavation at the ancient city of Gath discovered that Philistines enjoyed eating dogs. That doesn’t surprise me, given some of the things I am invited to “enjoy” on my travels around the world. I personally feel that some foods should be off-limits to anyone! I still can’t bring myself to eat certain seafood. But that’s my personal dietary preference, not a matter of righteousness.
The real issue in Israel’s food laws was social order. God wanted his people to have a distinct culture, so they would stand out from other nations. The detailed rules of the old covenant effectively accomplished that separation—addressing every aspect of life, including diet. The food laws of Leviticus 11, which were part of the old covenant’s purity laws regulating Israel’s worship and social interactions, limited God’s people to the consumption of “clean” meats. Eating clean meats symbolized communion with God while eating unclean meats symbolized distrust and separation from God.
Thus, in new covenant times, when Peter was struggling with the question of taking the gospel to the Gentiles, God gave Peter a vision of both clean and unclean animals and then commanded him to “kill and eat” (Acts 10:13). Peter protested: ““Surely not, Lord!…I have never eaten anything impure or unclean” (Acts 10:14). In reply, God declared: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (Acts 10:15).
Through this vision, God was teaching Peter that Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension had ended distinctions between clean and unclean people, symbolized by the end of distinctions between clean and unclean animals. The previously “unclean” Gentiles, like the previously “unclean” animals, were now declared clean in God’s sight. In Jesus, Israel and the Gentiles were brought together as the one people of God, filled with the Spirit.
Our calling is to participate with Jesus in what he is doing to take the gospel into all the world—unto all people. As we do, we are free to have fellowship (including table fellowship) with everyone. Paul corrected those who passed judgment on others concerning food preferences: “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean” (Romans 14:14 ESV). Paul also declared that “Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats” (Romans 14: 20 ESV).
Paul’s point was that we should not insist that others eat what we regard as acceptable. Eating or not eating does not define a right relationship with God. In the multi-cultural setting of the city of Rome, Paul urged that dietary differences between Jews and Gentile Christians be accommodated, declaring that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17 ESV).
The new covenant gives us new direction related to a new kind of fellowship that is centered around Jesus Christ. Let’s help our people follow that direction.
I’m sometimes asked why we no longer refer to God as a “family.” Isn’t that term appropriate, given that there is a Father and a Son who are bringing “many sons to glory”? My answer is that whereas the analogy of God as a family works at some levels, we must be very careful because it can lead in directions that distort the biblical revelation of the one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The analogy of God as a family can be used in a limited way to indicate that just as there are relationships between family members, there are relationships in the triune God. However this analogy is easily misunderstood as indicating that just as in a family there are separate persons who each have their own being, so God is made up of persons with separate beings.
But that is not the case. What is true of human relationships in families is not necessarily true of God, who is not a creature. While there is a triune relationship within God’s one being, that relationship is not between separate beings. The three “persons” of the Trinity, through their absolutely unique relationships, constitute the one being of God in a way that is quite unlike a human family.
The uncreated God cannot be explained in terms of a created human family. Trying to do so amounts to mythology and even idolatry.
Most of us probably are familiar with the Hebrew word Elohim. It is one of several names used for God in the Old Testament. In our former teaching, we mistakenly claimed that Elohim is a “uniplural” noun—like the noun “family.” Following this line of reasoning, we erroneously concluded that there are two separate Gods (Father and Son), comprising a “God family.”
From the Akkadians and Egyptians to the Greeks and Romans, pagan religions have taught a plurality (pantheon or family) of gods. The Greeks even constructed a family tree for their pantheon. [1] This pagan conception is known as polytheism (many gods, like the pantheon of Egyptian gods pictured below), or bitheism or ditheism in the case of two gods.
In contrast to the polytheistic misconceptions of paganism, God revealed himself to Israel as one (single, exclusive) God. He commanded his people: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). “Before me” is literally, “before my face”—a Hebrew idiom meaning “beside me” or “in addition to me.” [2] Though Elohim is a plural noun, it was never understood as a reference to many gods, and certainly not a reference to a family of gods.
The pantheon of gods in pagan religions ruled the realm of the gods, the supernatural and, ultimately, the human world. Typically one of these gods was designated head of the pantheon and, like the other gods, would have at least one consort (female partner). But God forbade Israel to think of him in these polytheistic and sexual terms. Yahweh definitely is not the head of a pantheon. He has no consort. There are no other gods in his presence [3]. Therefore, Moses proclaimed: “Hear , O Israel, the LORD [Yahweh] our God [Elohim], the LORD [Yahweh] is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Old Testament Hebrew does not support the idea of a “God family.” The nouns used for God’s names and titles are coupled with singular verbs. For example, it is said in Genesis 2:7 that “the Lord [Yahweh—a singular noun] God [Elohim—a plural noun] formed [a singular verb] a man from the dust of the ground.” Though Elohim is a plural noun, the Bible almost always couples it with a singular verb.
Note, however, that while emphasizing the unity and uniqueness of one God, Elohim does allow for the idea of a plurality of persons in the one Godhead. We see this hinted at in Genesis 1:2, 26: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters…. Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…'” This rich linguistic character of Elohim is found only in Hebrew and in no other Semitic languages—not even in Biblical Aramaic. [4]
Note also that, as is true in the English language, Hebrew has both singular and plural nouns. However, quite unlike English, Hebrew is able to specify singular, dual and plural meanings for nouns. [5] For example, in the Old Testament, God is named Eloah (a singular noun) 57 times; he is named Elohim (a plural noun referring to three or more) 2570 times; and he is named Elohiam (a plural noun referring to two) exactly zero times.
The nature and usage of the plural noun Elohim in biblical Hebrew, taken together with the singular verbs that are coupled with it, while allowing for the possibility of some kind of plurality in God, does not allow for separate beings who make up a pantheon (family) of gods. When we add to this the Old Testament’s emphatic teaching that there is only one God, it becomes clear that our former teaching that God is a family of two separate Gods is not biblical. Even though the Hebrew Scriptures hint at a plurality of persons in the Godhead, the notion of there being two separate “god beings” is ditheism (a form of polytheism)—a belief expressly prohibited by God himself.
God is one being with a plurality of what we refer to as divine “persons.” This is why I say we should be very careful in saying that “God is a family.” The truth about the nature of God, which is only hinted at in the Old Testament, is revealed to us fully by Jesus Christ. Given that revelation, we can say with confidence that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit live in a loving, eternal relationship as one Triune God—a relationship in which, by grace, we have been included. This wonderful truth of our participation and inclusion is helpfully explained by Gary Deddo in a two-part article. We published part one last week and you’ll find part two in this issue of Weekly Update.
Your brother in Christ,
Joseph Tkach
PS. For those interested in further reading on this topic, here are the sources I’ve referenced in my letter.
Happy New Year to all of you! And thanks to those who sent me cards, letters and emails on my 62nd birthday. Also thanks for the positive comments about the recent Advent-themed Speaking of Life videos.
My prayers are with all who are experiencing the record-breaking cold in the US. Betty Johannsen found a way to blow a stunningly beautiful bubble in the extreme cold. Her husband, GCI pastor Doug Johannsen, photographed it and his picture is now being used on a local TV station’s Facebook page:
I pray that everyone experienced great joy in celebrating our Lord’s birth. John Biswas invited me to speak at the Christmas service of his congregation in San Bernardino, California. Most of the service (pictured at right) was in the Bengali language although most of those attending there are fluent in English.
A new year always brings with it great expectations. Though 2013 left much of the world in a terrible mess, we do hope for better in 2014, though the likely reality is that in the year ahead some things will stay the same, some will get better and others will get worse. Of course, “better” or “worse” depend on one’s point of view. And everyone has a particular point of view, which may or may not be based on fact.
Though much of what we see going on in the world saddens us, I find joy in seeing what God is doing, often behind the scenes, to ensure the eternal future of all human beings. That sense of joy is greatly magnified as we join in what Jesus is doing as his co-ministers. Let me share some of what I’ve experienced recently.
Though I’m unable to travel to the Philippines to help with the typhoon recovery work there, I feel a personal involvement in having contributed financially. I’ve also found joy in hearing reports from the many people in our fellowship who are serving there on the front lines.
I’ve also experienced great joy in hearing about the growth of our summer camps. 2013 was a successful camp year in every way. Our team is planning an even more ambitious program for 2014. I cannot overemphasize the positive impact these camps have in the lives of thousands of young campers and hundreds of staff members. Please pray for the camp currently going on in Australia (you can follow them at https://www.facebook.com/pages/GCI-Youth-Australia/143788422338178?ref=hl).
Every day I’m reminded that our denomination, though small, makes a significant impact around the world. Hector Barrero, our mission developer in South and Central America, told me about his recent visit to GCI congregations in Honduras and El Salvador. Our members there are enthusiastically involved in the work of Jesus in their communities despite many limitations. Kalengule Kaoma, our mission developer in East, West and Central Africa, told me about his recent visit to Uganda where he met several groups who are interested in joining us. He also learned of two pastors who are interested in planting GCI churches in the area. We wait to see what God will do next!
Susi Albrecht, who works in our home office, told me about the volunteer work her father, GCI elder Hermann Birawe is doing in Zurich, Switzerland. Although Hermann struggles with health issues, he is working with some Syrian children (pictured at left) who are refugees from the ongoing civil war in Syria. Because Hermann lived through a war himself some 70 years ago, he connects with and understands these children in a deeply personal way. Susi told me that his work with these children is a very bright spot in her father’s life. Isn’t God amazing? Not only does he help those who need it, but he blesses those who provide it. Truly, all are included in the love of God!
In this troubled world, people like Hector, Kalengule and Hermann are bright spots. They remind us that no matter our situation, we can shine as lights in a dark world. Our works do not save us, but because we are saved, we can work. And when we work by faith in the grace of our Lord, the glory of God shines forth so that all may give him glory. Let’s work together in 2014, fulfilling our calling to share with Jesus in the ministry that he will be doing in and through us.
Your brother in Christ,
Joseph Tkach
PS. Beginning in this issue, we’re publishing a two-part article from Gary Deddo titled “Jesus’ Acceptance.” It helps us understand what we mean when we say You’re included. I encourage you to read it and to share it with others.
Sometimes it’s nice to state the obvious—that’s what most Christmas cards do. In celebrating Christmas, it’s not the date of Jesus’ birth that’s important, but the stunning fact of his incarnation. In his infinite creativity and freedom, God reached down to us by becoming one of us. In doing so, he delivered the joyous good news of who he is for us and who he has made us to be in him.
Irenaeus, the second century Christian teacher, put it this way:
(c) Mercy Ink – used with permission
For, in what way could we be partakers of the adoption of sons, unless we had received from Him through the Son that fellowship which refers to Himself, unless His Word, having been made flesh, had entered into communion with us? Wherefore also He passed through every stage of life, restoring to all communion with God (Against Heresies, Book 3, 18.6-7).
As the apostle Paul explained, the eternal, all-powerful Son of God willingly put himself through this profound change, taking upon himself our fallen human nature and mortal body:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
The angels celebrated with great joy when Jesus was born. Let us join in the celebration!
Here are members of our home office staff who work for GCI or GCS. Not pictured are Susi Albrecht, Lorenzo Arroyo, Randy Bloom, Gary Deddo, Charles Fleming, Glenn Gordon, John Halford, Ted Johnston, John McKenna, Michael Morrison, Anthony Mullins, Rick Shallenberger, Bernie Schnippert and Greg Williams. Most of this staff work in Glendora, others work offsite; some are full time, others part time.
Along with the other members of our home office staff (pictured and listed at right), Tammy and I say “Thanks and Merry Christmas” to our pastors, ministry leaders and all the other GCI members who serve so selflessly within our part of the body of Christ.
2013 has been an amazing year in our journey together and it looks like 2014 will be another. It’s exciting to think about what God may have in store for us. We deeply appreciate your service during the year now closing and look forward to our service together, with Christ, in the year ahead.
Your brother in Christ,
Joseph Tkach
PS: Weekly Update will be published next on January 8. The home office will close on December 24 and reopen January 2. In the meantime, please note in this issue the announcement about the 2014 US regional conferences. The first one is in Southern California in February.
As you know, Nelson Mandela died last week at age 95. He led the black majority in the Republic of South Africa in a long struggle to cast off the oppressive rule of the white minority with its evil policy of apartheid (racial segregation). When Mandela became his country’s first black president, he refused to call for revenge against the oppressors, becoming an international symbol of the power of forgiveness.
Though far from perfect, South Africa is a much better place because of Nelson Mandela. For some helpful perspective on his life and legacy, I recommend “Nelson Mandela and the Ironies of History,” an article by Albert Mohler posted online at www.albertmohler.com/2013/12/07/nelson-mandela-and-the-ironies-of-history/.
Nelson Mandela
Mandela was unusual in that his struggle for freedom and equality did not lead to an early grave, though he suffered many long years “buried” in prison. Others who espoused non-violent resistance to oppression met violent deaths—Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. spring immediately to mind. These were imperfect men, but their lives eventually made a significant difference for the cause of peace.
And of course, none can compare to Jesus of Nazareth who has the title, “Prince of Peace.” His life was perfect. He brings us God’s own peace, a peace that this world can never give.
The urge to be free is a strong drive in human beings. Last month Curtis May and I visited GCI’s Richmond, Virginia congregation for their 50th church anniversary. Pastor Bill Winn and Elder Chip Brockmeier arranged for us to visit historic St. John’s Episcopal Church where delegates from Virginia met in 1775 for the second time and Patrick Henry made his famous speech in which he said, “Give me liberty or give me death!”
As I enjoyed the visit to that historic church, I thought about the choice made there that resulted in the Revolutionary War, in which so many died. But that is the result when we make the choice—liberty or death.
As Christians, we celebrate a different kind of revolution—one planned from the foundation of this unhappy, fallen world. That revolution, on behalf of Adam, Israel and all humanity, was brought about by the Incarnation, through which Jesus embraced us all in our fallen brokenness. In doing so, he in himself resolved the conflict, giving humanity new life. As Thomas F. Torrance wrote in When Christ Comes and Comes Again:
Far from being rebuffed by the disobedience and rebellion of man, the will of God’s love to see and create fellowship with man established the covenant of grace in which God promised to man in spite of his sin to be his God, and insisted on binding man to Himself as His child and partner in love. God remained true and faithful to His covenant. He established it in the midst of the people of Israel, and all through their history God was patiently at work, preparing a way for the Incarnation of His love at last in Jesus Christ, that in and through him he might bring His covenant to complete fulfillment and gather man back into joyful communion with Himself.
Patrick Henry laid a choice before the Virginia delegates when he said, “Give me liberty or give me death!” That is still the choice offered by the multitude of “freedom fighters”’ in our world today. Sadly, the result in most cases is death followed by the establishment of a different type of tyranny. So often, today’s freedom fighters become tomorrow’s oppressors and their “freedom” ends up being another form of bondage.
“Liberty or death” is not the choice that Jesus offered. In fact, it wasn’t even an offer, or a choice. Jesus does not say “I am come that they might have a choice of death or freedom.” He says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, KJV).
The liberty that Jesus gives us is not something we gain by armed struggle, or even passive resistance. It is God’s gift of loving reconciliation with God and with others that we cannot obtain in any other way except through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
In this season of Advent, most Christian churches are in a “countdown” to the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas. It’s common during this time of year to hear discussions concerning whether December 25 is the right day to celebrate Jesus’ birth, or even if it is appropriate to do so at all.
Trying to figure out the exact year, month and day of Jesus’ birth is not new. Theologians have been at it for almost two thousand years. Here are brief samplings of some of their ideas:
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-220 A.D.) mentioned several possible dates including November 18, January 6 and the day of Passover, which, depending on the year, would have been March 21, April 24 or 25 or May 20.
Sextus Julius Africanus (c. 160–240) mentioned March 25.
Hippolytus of Rome (170–235), a disciple of Irenaeus, mentioned two possible dates in his Commentary on Daniel: “For the first appearance of our Lord in the flesh took place in Bethlehem eight days before the Kalends of January [December 25], on the fourth day [Wednesday], under Emperor Augustus, in the year 5500.” In another document and in an inscription on a statue of Hippolytus, the date given is April 2.
Based upon statements from the Jewish historian Josephus, some place Jesus’ birth in the period of March 12-April 11, 4 B.C., since Christ was born before the death of Herod the Great.
John Chrysostom (c. 347–407) mentioned December 25.
In Computation of the Passion, an early anonymous work, probably of North African origin, the date mentioned is March 28.
Augustine (354-430), in De Trinitate, writes that, “He is believed to have been conceived on the 25th of March, upon which day also He suffered…and He was born according to tradition on December 25.”
Messianic Jews mention a couple of options—the predominant one based on the schedule of the priests’ service in the temple, specifically the “course of Abijah” (Luke 1:5). This approach leads them to place Jesus’ birth on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and his circumcision on the eighth day of that festival.
It’s interesting to speculate that Jesus could have been born (or conceived) during Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles. I like the concept of Jesus reversing the work of the death angel if it happened during Passover. And there would be a satisfying symmetry in his coming to “tabernacle” with us if he was conceived or born during Tabernacles. However, there is not enough evidence to be sure, though perhaps we can make intelligent guesses based on the small amount of evidence available to us.
In Luke 2:1-5, we read that Caesar Augustus decreed that the Roman Empire should be taxed and that everyone had to return to their own city to pay the tax. So Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem and there Jesus was born. It is reasonable to assume that such a census would not have been ordered at a time that would interfere with the harvests. It is also reasonable to assume that the census would not have been ordered in the winter when the weather is usually cold and travel is difficult. Since Spring was the time for preparing to plant, perhaps autumn, after the harvest, is the most likely time of the year for the census, and thus for Jesus’ birth. However, it is not clear from Scripture how long Joseph and Mary stayed in Bethlehem. Perhaps Jesus’ birth occurred several weeks after the census was taken.
The fact is, we can’t know the date of Jesus’ birth for sure. Scoffers seize on this vagueness, claiming that the whole idea is a myth, and Jesus never existed. However, even though the date of Jesus’ birth is uncertain, the fact of his birth is founded on verifiable historical evidence. Biblical scholar F.F. Bruce has a nice comment about those who doubt it: “Some writers may toy with the fancy of a ‘Christ-myth,’ but they do not do so on the ground of historical evidence. The historicity of Christ is as axiomatic for an unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar. It is not historians who propagate the ‘Christ-myth’ theories” (The New Testament Documents, p. 123).
The people of Jesus’ time knew from the prophecies about when to expect the Messiah. But those prophecies, or the Gospels, don’t pinpoint the date with the degree of precision that modern historians might desire. But that is not the purpose of the Bible, which is to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).
The main focus of the New Testament writers was not on the date of Jesus’ birth, but that God the Father had sent his Son at just the right time in all of history to accomplish his saving purposes and thus fulfill his promise. The apostle Paul proclaimed, “When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Galatians 4:4-5). And we read in the Gospel of Mark: “Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!'” (1:14-15).
To know the date of Jesus’ birth might be interesting from a historical perspective, but it is theologically irrelevant. We need to know that it happened, and what is more important, why it happened. On that, the Bible is abundantly clear. As we lead our congregations in this season of Advent, let’s keep that big picture in mind and not get bogged down in the details.
In the last two issues of Weekly Update our focus has been on the topic of grace (please read Gary Deddo’s important article about law and grace in last week’s edition). Because this week Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, it seems like a good time to talk about a different kind of “grace”—the custom of asking a blessing at a meal. Many Americans will say grace before getting down to the serious business of consuming their Thanksgiving turkey.
Of course, saying grace is not the same as saving grace, although for some it may seem almost that important. Some may feel the need to ask God to remove impurities from the food, or to protect them from harmful ingredients. Personally, I never pray in that way, as I wonder how it makes the person who prepared the meal feel. However, it is always appropriate to remind ourselves of our dependency on God for every aspect of our lives. And that is what saying grace at a meal is all about. The English word “grace,” when used in this context, is derived from the Latin gratiarum actio, an “act of thanks.” If you speak Spanish, you will recognize the similarity to the word gracias.
Most Christian families have their own tradition for saying grace before meals. The Bible provides no “rules” concerning this custom—it does not specify what to say or how long to pray. My grandfather often prayed in Russian and my mom, sisters and I didn’t understand most of it. He would finish in about 30 seconds. But not so for my dad. When he said grace before the meal, we often had to remind him that the food was getting cold!
Some Christians say grace when eating in restaurants. It’s fine to do so, but some discretion is called for, though a brief, unobtrusive prayer thanking God for a meal in a restaurant is unlikely to offend. You’ll remember that Jesus criticized the Pharisees for praying in public, but his concern was not that they prayed in public, but that they were praying to be seen as “righteous.”
Most cultures and all major religions have traditions of praying before or after meals. The Christian tradition comes from ancient Judaism, where the typical custom was to offer a blessing before, but, more often, following the meal. Rather than “blessing” the food, these prayers of thanksgiving acknowledged God as a generous provider. This custom originated in a command given to Israel in the Law of Moses, known among the Jews as birkat hamazon: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you” (Deuteronomy 8:10). This is one of 613 commandments (called mitzvot) found in the Torah. Sadly, some Jews applied it in legalistic ways, adding all sorts of requirements as to when and how to pray.
We know that Jesus followed Jewish prayer customs, at least to some extent. For example, he gave thanks before distributing the loaves and fishes to the five thousand (Matthew 15:36). The fastidious Pharisees, who did everything according to the letter of the Law of Moses, criticized Jesus’ disciples for eating without washing their hands in accordance with the specified Torah rituals. It is thus likely that they neglected other requirements related to prayer.
Of course, Jesus was not promoting poor hygiene, nor was he promoting ingratitude. However, he did use every opportunity to wean his disciples away from a performance-based relationship with God. He wanted them to know what the apostle Paul later wrote to the Christians in Rome: “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Let us remember that in all aspects of our lives, including when we say grace at meals.
As my family sits down for our Thanksgiving meal, I will be offering to God a prayer of gratitude both before and after we eat.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was England’s best-known preacher for most of the second half of the 19th century. In a sermon he gave when he was only 20, Spurgeon declared that the proper study for a Christian is the Godhead. Here is a quote from that sermon—it’s one of my favorites:
