We will see Him

"If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why then did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having." C.S. Lewis The problem, Lewis then continues is that because a free 'self' exists it has the potential to put 'itself' first - "wanting to be the centre - wanting to be God in fact" . And this breaks the world - "the machine conks" . What does God do about this? He enters our world, becomes one of us while also remaining God - forgiving our sins we committed in our 'free will'. So, our salvation focusses on the identity of this God-man Jesus who claims to forgive sins and to be God. Lewis says: "You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you ...

This week I am going to blog through a program broadcasted on the BBC in 1942 by C.S. Lewis. As a acclaimed academic He converted from Atheism to Christianity late in life. In a society blighted by two world wars at the time, there was a lot of questions about the existence of God and Lewis seemed like he had the faith to answer it. As an atheist C.S. Lewis used to argue against Christianity with this question: 'If a good God made the world why has it gone wrong?'. But then it was pointed out to him that in order to be able to say that this 'world has gone wrong' he had to have some kind of idea of what this world is supposed to be. 'A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line'. So, where does this idea of right and wrong come from? That can only prove the existence of God who so valued right and wrong that... "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteous...

Hell is a place where the God of grace and mercy is not present. Instead it's the accuser and the father of lies that inhabit that horrid place forever: Revelation 12:10 "I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.'" False accusations for an eternity, propped up by lie after lie - that is what the devil currently does and what he will do for an eternity. In contrast to this Christians believe "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies!" (Romans 8:33) and "Neither angels nor principalities nor powers nor anything else shall separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ" (Romans 8:38f). Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we long to be where you are and we pray that we will now live in the confidence th...

Hell is a place where the God of grace and mercy is not present. Instead it's the accuser and the father of lies that inhabit that horrid place forever: Revelation 12:10 "I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.'" False accusations for an eternity, propped up by lie after lie - that is what the devil currently does and what he will do for an eternity. In contrast to this Christians believe "Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies!" (Romans 8:33) and "Neither angels nor principalities nor powers nor anything else shall separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ" (Romans 8:38f). Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we long to be where you are and we pray that we will now live in the confidence th...

So, what will an eternity in hell be like? Again, words and metaphors and examples fall short. Perhaps this will help give you an idea: Hell begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others . . . but you are still distinct from it. You may even criticise it in yourself and wish you could stop it. But there may come a day when you can no longer. Then there will be no 'you' left to criticise the mood or even to enjoy it, but just the grumble itself, going on forever like a machine. It is not a question of God 'sending us' to hell. In each of us there is something growing, which will BE Hell unless it is nipped in the bud. C.S. Lewis Now to be honest, I don't agree with everything in this statement but this much I agree with - God will in the end give those that reject him what they want and leave them alone. Romans 1:18 " The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who supp...

Yesterday we said that words and metaphors fall short of expressing what hell is like. Here how the last book of the Bible explains it: Rev 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever . From this and other texts in the Bible we know at least one literal fact about hell - it is forever. This is a thought that drives us to tears as we think about our unbelieving friends and family. How can a loving God do this? Perhaps the question should rather be - how can loving people do this? Yes, hell is awful and unending but it is also completely avoidable. Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross you took our punishment of separation from the Father, but because you were absolutely sinless satan had no right to hold you there eternally. Thank you for making me a new creation in you - and giving me your privileges. Please ...

Looking at the images of exploding bombs in Libya or the devastation following the Tsunami in Japan one is shocked to think that a loving God could allow such bad things to happen. What is even more disturbing to some is that God not only allows such bad things to happen, but that a place called hell exists in his creation. And far from being a topic Jesus neglects - it is something he spoke of quite a lot! Just listen to Jesus in Matthew 25:41,42 , speaking of his second coming: "Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Commentators agree that even the description of hell as an eternal fire might be symbolical, but not for the usual reason. It is not because reality will be less than an eternal fire, but because the reality of hell will be far far worse - impossible to express in normal literal language. What makes it so bad? It is not the presence of the devil a...

I know, this is not the kind of topic you want to see on a Monday morning. The problem is if we want to understand Christianity we have to deal with hell at some point. Whatever I am going to say this week - remember God is not a God that looks at hell from a safe distance. Paul writes to the church in Rome (Rom 3:25): "God presented [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished..." -       God gave his only son as a sacrifice of atonement - or 'at-one-ment' - uniting us to God. -       He did this by bearing our 'punishment' on the cross. -       Without faith in the fact that he was punished in our place, we will be left to face God's eternal punishment for our sin. Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you taking the punishment I deserved and giving me the life I didn'...

In Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus tells a parable of a King who has forgiven a servant a debt of 10 000 talents (one talent represented 15 years worth of wages). It is a debt to large to pay - even if his children's children were to pay it. This same man then refuses to forgive someone that owes him a small amount of money. The King then hears of this and says to the man: Matt 18:33 - "Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" -       The justice and mercy we show to others has an origin: it started with God, the one that showed us infinite grace by paying our infinite debt. -       Jesus' death on the cross for us should be our motivation to do acts of mercy and justice. -       We know this. Why don't we do it? Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, help me to give grace because I have received your grace. Amen. You are receiving these emails because you have visited or supported ...

"When a Christian sees prostitutes, alcoholics, prisoners, drug addicts, unwed mothers, the homeless, the refugees, he knows that he is looking in a mirror. Perhaps the Christian spent all of his life as a respectable middle-class person. No matter. He thinks: "Spiritually I was just like these people, though physically and socially I never was where they are now. They are outcasts. I was an outcast." Timothy Keller - Ministries of Mercy -       The Gospel holds that we are all dead in our sin (Eph 2:1). -       It's only because of the love of God that Christians have been made alive with Christ. (Eph 2:4). -       If this is where you came from spiritually, can you look down on anyone? Ephesians 2:4,5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I will ...

"If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take gets us to the wrong place faster" - Stephen Covey, The seven habits of highly effective people. -       Obviously you work to get paid. But after you've got the money, why do you work? What is the end goal? -       If you enjoy your work - is it your goal to stay there as long as you can and then retire happy and fulfilled? Will you be fulfilled? -       If you don't enjoy your work and you've decided it's is a stepping stone to something else - what is that 'something else'? Will it be fulfilling? -       Jesus worked with the end in mind. And as He died on the cross we get an insight into why he worked: Joh 19:30 Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, your ladder leaned against the right wall. You lived and worked not for eart...

"I remember being on holiday in the South of France and seeing a magnificent yacht moored in the harbour. She had a crew of 24. I met the captain, who was having coffee in the harbour. I asked him about the yacht. He told me that everyday the crew took her out to sea to check on safety procedures. Every day the yacht was cleaned to perfection. She was provisioned, and every day they were ready to sail. He then added wistfully, 'We have not seen or heard from the owner for nearly three years, but we are ready to set sail the moment he arrives, and I know he will turn up one day, I hope soon." Ken Costa, God at Work -       Who are you working for? -       If it's 'my boss' - is he or she the one who's approval you're ultimately working and waiting for? -       The Bible has a different view. : Luk 12:40 "You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” P...

"Let's face it. We work to make money, to live and to enjoy ourselves. It makes life bearable even if work sucks. Whats' wrong with that?" - trainee in UBS to former chairman of the bank, Ken Costa. -       Why do you work? -       If it's 'for money' - has the money lived up to it's promises? -       The Bible has a different view. The word for work and worship in the Hebrew Old Testament is the same. -       In fact - in the New Testament Paul writes: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters" - Colossians 3:23. Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I owe every gift and skill and opportunity to work to you. Help me to worship you today as I do my work. Let this worship flow from the fact that you've worked for me on the cross and continues to work as you are busy making everything new. Amen. You are receiving these emails becau...

Philippians 1:1-2 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,        To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:        Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. -       We heard yesterday that Christ loves his church. His church is global or universal - all over the world. -       But here we see how that global church, which will never be seen in one place until Christ returns, meets locally. -       They meet in a particular place (Philippi or Canada Water or Surrey Docks or .... ), they are made up of people who believe in Jesus ('saint in Christ') and they have 'overseers' (elders or servant-leaders) and deacons (practical leaders). -       Do you express your membership of Jesus' global church in local, practical commitment to a church family where you are? -    ...

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. -       What is your excuse for not loving the church as Christ loves her? -       Is it because you don't see the beautiful, radiant bride of Jesus but just a small, bickering bleak group of people in a cold hall? -       Is it because you were hurt in the church - fallen out with someone - that the church is more like an angry old widow? -       Or is it that you just don't love her - that there is no passion... in fact you find her a bit boring? -       This is not what Christ sees and this is not what He feels for the church. One day the entire creation will see the beauty...