The majority of the world’s population lives in cities yet Christians often have a negative attitude to these key centres of population. We’d rather have a bigger garden than rub shoulders with the world in the very places where we can have the greatest impact. This is a stark contrast to the apostles who prioritised reaching densely-populated, cultureshaping, Christ-needing cities. If we believe that the historic reformed faith is the most God-glorifying form of Christianity we cannot leave reaching city inhabitants to liberals and charismatics. We need to develop our vision for the cities of our own island and the wider world. We hope that our interview with London-based pastor Paul Levy will help you pray for and learn from other reformed Christians serving in cities. We’re also very grateful to consultant psychiatrist and Christian counsellor Dr. Andrew Collins for agreeing to write a series of articles on mental health. Everyone who reads this magazine will either face mental health issues personally or in the lives of those around them. We hope you’ll find Andrew’s introductory article beneficial as he identifies some elements of good mental health. I’m confident it will whet your appetite for further articles to come. This issue also includes David Whitla’s latest ‘Do not be afraid’ article as he explores Christ’s words to the disciples; ‘Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men!’ Our desire to be fishers of men is examined in another article as we ask why there has been a decline in Go Team applications. Our articles on universalism and the media storm surrounding Pastor McConnell’s remarks highlight the uniqueness of Christ. I want to thank all of our writers for their excellent contributions. We hope that the combination of articles in the following pages will build you up, excite you and send you out to reach the nations for the glory of King Jesus.
The Messenger is the bi-monthly magazine of the Covenanter Youth, the young people’s association of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland. The subscription cost is £8/€10 per year (6 issues). Cheques made payable to the Messenger Magazine and sent to: Alistair Rolleston, 3 Hawthorn Close, Newtownards, BT23 8EU. Please visit our website for other payment and subscription options. You can contact the Messenger by email via subscriptions@messenger.rpc..org. All news items and articles must be with the committee by the first of the month prior to publication and be in accordance to the requested word count. Any reports of events, camps or go teams should be no longer than 350 words. The Editorial team reserve the right to alter the content and adjust the layout of all work submitted. S.D.G.
Abigail Nelson Alistair Rolleston Andrew Morrison Emma Dunwoody James McCullough Philip Aicken Stephen Steele
-
YET AGAIN WE’VE REACHED exam season – the dread months of May and June filled with hard work, sleepless nights, cramming, junk food and sore wrists. These are followed by the blissful month of July before the panic of results and decisions in August. People generally want to be encouraging during these periods of increased pressure and stress by using phrases such as “good luck”, “all the best” or “you’ve worked hard; whatever happens, happens.” The last of these phrases in particular really grinds on me. “Whatever happens, happens” implies that by chance the right questions may appear on the question paper, by chance you may just happen to achieve the grade you deserve and really it has no relation to the amount of work you have put in before the exam or how the exam went. This phrase isn’t only used in relation to exams but to job interviews, promotions at work, putting an offer on a house, etc. But the reality of the Christian life is that nothing ever just happens. To use the phrase ‘whatever happens, happens’ is to imply that our God is not a God who is fully in control of every detail of our lives, including the outcome of exams, job interviews, promotions at work, etc.
In these verses Paul is encouraging the believers in Philippi that, no matter what happens, God is in control and they are to remember that how they act reflects the Gospel. This is seen supremely in the death of Christ which was planned from eternity for our salvation. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter whether or not we get top grades in our exams, a place in the best university or promotion at work. What matters is that we act in a way that gives God the glory, not just through the good times but also through those that are stressful and pressured. Be encouraged as whatever happens, God already has it planned out for the glory of his name and the good of his people.
Photo credits (clockwise, all Flickr): Jack Amick, starlights_, kennysarmy, College Degrees 360
What is the status of Christianity in London right now? Overall, church attendance in the UK is going down but London hugely challenges that trend, in that the number of people attending church is said to be growing. There are numerous reasons for that, but primarily it’s because of immigrant churches, and particularly black Pentecostal churches, which have seen huge growth in the last 15 years. However, church attendance is no real guide to anything, is it? J.I. Packer said of American Christianity that it was 'a mile wide and an inch deep'. The danger is looking at the mere stats of London, and being really encouraged about church life. When you look at Biblecentred, Cross-proclaiming, (dare I say it) Reformed churches, we are very weak indeed. However, there is -
a lot to be encouraged about. The last decade has seen probably 3040 good Bible churches planted. In the main, this has been done by conservative evangelical Anglican churches, and so the Gospel is being proclaimed in many many parts of London. 40 churches sounds amazing, but remember the sheer number of people living here (over 8 million). Every shade of theology is here. I fear that going to some of the big churches in central London is more like going to a gig than going to worship. Places like Hillsong do great harm, and even some of the milder forms of charismatic churches are often silent on issues such as homosexuality and the wrath of God. Churches like HTB (which designed the Alpha course) will have to decide over the next few years whether they will stand with
the Biblical gospel or not. Thankfully, many of the black church leaders have held firm on moral issues. On the encouraging side, those churches which are faithfully preaching God's word and seeking to follow him are slowly seeing growth. What is church culture in London like? It's difficult to answer that, as I really only know one congregation. For us here in Ealing, one of the issues is busyness and finances. Work takes up an enormous amount of time, long hours are expected, the commute on the tube is pretty draining, and the sheer cost of living in London means that, even though wages are higher, people have less disposable income. That means for us in a church situation you have to constantly be aware that the congregation is fragile; there's a
transient nature about the church which takes a little bit of getting used to. You have to make and remake friendships and be willing to put yourself through that again and again. One of the ways living in London can affect church culture is commitment. People can go to a big city-centre church and go to one service on a Sunday, turn up at a midweek bible study and that’s it. When you have a strong view of the Lord's Day and want to encourage people to make it a priority to be out on Sunday evenings, to get stuck in and serve in different ways, use hospitality as a means of building up folk and outreach, you can be looked at like you're asking far too much of them. What are some of the challenges a church faces in a massively cosmopolitan, multi-religious city? The challenges are really a fantastic opportunity! The world has come to London: within a mile of our congregation are two Sikh Gurdwaras, a Hindu temple, two Mosques, a Spiritualist Church and three Roman Catholic churches. The vast amount and range of people can leave you feeling overwhelmed. For us as a congregation the big challenge I think we face is discouragement – the work is slow and there are so many without Christ. There are certain people groups that can seem impenetrable. We have a massive Polish population, and to even engage with them about the Gospel is so difficult. There are thousands upon thousands of Somalis, and I think we've maybe had two come within our church building in the last 10 years. We just pray… How much influence does secularism have in shaping Londoners’ reactions to the gospel message? My suspicion is that for most people they are just living day-today, with a fair amount of dissatisfaction and yet a complete apathy to do anything about it. I think there is a growing intolerance against a Christianity which holds
the biblical line on sexuality, the uniqueness of Christ and the reality of Hell. Tragically, the gay question is normally at the top, or at least very near it, of people’s list of questions about the Gospel, and so it can be very tough getting to the heart of the Gospel with them. How does being a Christian young person in London differ from, say, Northern Ireland? I've never been a young person in Northern Ireland, but my wife has. I was brought up in South Wales. In lots of ways I don't think it's any different. It is hard to stand as a Christian anywhere and it always has been. The challenge of being out of step with all your classmates or work colleagues is tough. The big difference would be that the majority of your classmates/ colleagues won't be from the UK, and so you are having to engage with Islam and other cultures much more.
“ From what I've seen of Northern Ireland, most Presbyterian Christians live in pretty large homes and have new cars, and there's a very good standard of living. In London one of the blessings is that it is so expensive to pay your rent that you cannot make your home a palace. Materialism, I would argue, has less of an impact in London than in a place like Northern Ireland. No one cares less what car you've got here – in fact most of my congregation haven't got one. Which evangelism methods have you discovered to be most fruitful in London, and what hasn't worked? I think in the last 40 years lunchtime services have been very effective. You are spending so much time in work and your colleagues know you as well as anyone, and yet most of them live in different parts
of London. The opportunity to go in the middle of a lunch hour and hear 25 minute exposition from the Bible gives a fantastic chance to bring colleagues with you. It also allows you an oasis where you come to hear the Word in the middle of what is, for many people, a difficult work environment. We've done English Language Classes and an International Cafe and have seen some people come to faith through that. Young people's work is always worth it and who knows when the seed that has been sown will bear fruit. I'm a big advocate of reading the Bible with non-Christians, opening up John’s or Mark’s Gospel, and getting them into the text. There's no magic bullet. The Church is the biggest magnet in evangelism! Using hospitality, getting unbelievers in a Christian home is a wonderful thing. Introducing them to other Christians. Being as friendly as you can be. I don't buy into the 'London is very unfriendly' line that is so often spouted. I just think it is different from what community looked like 30 years ago outside of cities. We do need to go out of our way to build relationships with people, but it's hardly rocket science. How can we pray for churches in London? Pray that we will be faithful and use the means of grace – preaching the Word, administering the sacraments and prayer. That the Spirit would open blind eyes. Pray that we would grasp the wonder and the power of the Gospel and have confidence to ask people to read the Bible with us. Pray for people to be willing to stay in London and be part of churches for the long term. Pray that we would give ourselves to hospitality. Pray that we would train up workers for the harvest field. Pray that we would become more representative of London more black people coming to our churches, and for us in Ealing particularly Africans, Polish and Somali people.
Are we losing our hunger for mission? The committee responsible for organising Go Teams, our denomination’s mission teams, report a falling interest year on year. As a small group of churches it is possible that a demographic shift is partially responsible but feedback from many Covenanter Youth groups indicates that fewer young people are committed to church life. Let’s consider why there may be a decreased interest and what reasons there may be not to go.
If you are sixteen the prospect of spending a week at a different church meeting new people and taking part in new activities may seem daunting. Door-to-door evangelism is a particular fear for potential Go-Teamers of all ages. The reality is very little time is spent knocking doors and no one will force you to take part in anything with which you are not comfortable. More experienced team and church members will be there to help you and to take the most challenging responsibilities. Go Teams are a fantastic opportunity for spiritual growth and are suitable for anyone over sixteen. If you are genuinely
-
concerned that you may not be mature enough to serve on a team, speak with your parents or pastor. They’ll help reassure you and guide you to a suitable sphere of service.
Everyone wants to spend their summer holidays with their friends and Go Teams can be a great way of developing existing friendships. Agreeing to spend a week with a group of strangers is difficult. One way to solve this problem is to plan with your friends and arrange to go on teams together. Perhaps you could ask a Christian friend from a different denomination to come with you. However, if your friends aren’t going to go with you please don’t just stay at home. Mission teams are a fantastic opportunity to make new friends as you serve Christ together. It is a great chance to become friends with Christians who have different interests or who may be a different age to you.
You may feel that you did your fair share of Go Teams in the past and your time is done. Or perhaps you’ve never taken part in a Go
Team but feel the opportunity has passed. Go Teams are predominantly comprised of young people because they have the most free time but older team members are very valuable. The most valuable often have grey hair! Taking time off work or taking part in a team with your spouse/family is a great way to serve and be spiritually revitalised. The sixteen year olds taking part this summer need twenty-somethings and much older team members to provide leadership. Don’t think you are too old to learn from younger team members, as together you will encourage and strengthen each other.
Employment is a gift from God but all jobs can affect involvement in church life. The workplace is a great place to meet and befriend nonChristians leading to witnessing opportunities. If you are a student at school or at university remember that you will probably be working for the rest of your life. In the long summers of school and university you will have a unique amount of time to serve. Don't waste it
working every minute if you don’t have to. Carefully consider your motivation for prioritising work over Go Teams and remember that you can take part in evening-only or one-day teams. Helping for part of a longer Go Team is also better than not serving at all.
Go Teams are far from the only mission teams that you could take part in this summer. Perhaps you are taking part in CSSM teams or something similar within Ireland. Getting to know believers from other denominations can bring unique encouragements and challenges. However, mission work is to be done by the church, not para-church organisations (Ephesians 3:10). Para-church teams often lack Biblical oversight, can struggle to follow-up conversions with discipleship and may involve unbiblical worship practices. Being involved in the mission work of your own denomination is of primary importance. There are opportunities to travel on foreign mission teams which Go Teams cannot offer. It is exciting to have many young people in our denomination gaining a global vision of Christ’s church and the need to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Biblical pattern is to start where you are and move outwards (Acts 1:8). If you haven't been involved in outreach with your own church and on Go Teams but are doing a foreign team, something's not right. Make sure to consider taking part in the Nantes Go Team and the mission teams
organised by the RPCNA.
At the time of writing 60% of RP Churches did not have single Go Team applicant from their congregation. Furthermore, all the applicants were drawn from only 16 different families. Perhaps there are wider lessons which can be drawn from the increasing disinterest in Go Teams.
“ All ministries need to have a clearly defined and appropriate purpose. Go Teams are not equivalent to mission. If we were to assess their success purely in terms of souls saved or numbers added to the church we should probably stop them tomorrow. If a church thinks of having a Go Team as outsourcing mission it could do more harm than good. The purpose of Go Teams ought to be assistance and discipleship. A team can assist the actively-involved local church in achieving particular task for which they need extra numbers e.g. leaflet distribution or children’s clubs. They are at their best when the minister takes an active role in discipling team members and members of the congregation. It is an opportunity for intensive teaching, igniting a heart for mission and rekindling an excitement about the RP Church. Clarity of purpose will help make Go Teams more attractive and consistently beneficial for team members.
The disinterest in Go Teams may be symptomatic of a lack of excitement about the work of our denomination or confidence in our distinctive beliefs. We will not have a denomination committed to foreign mission, church planting and local evangelism if we are mildly embarrassed about being Reformed Presbyterian. We are not to major on minor aspects of doctrine and practice but we ought to be able to confidently articulate what we believe. We are the only exclusively psalm-singing, paedo-baptist, Westminster standards-affirming, Covenant-remembering denomination on our island. If these are all things that the Bible teaches why be embarrassed? Why not spread a passion for Christ’s Kingship over church and state? Dynamic ministries It’s also possible that Go Teams could become a little static and repetitive. The reality is that all our ministries, even our most successful ones, should be continually adapting and improving. If they are not, it is likely that they are beginning to stagnate. Purposeful and dynamic Go Teams have a vital part to play in the discipling of confident Covenanters to reach the nations for God’s glory. Pray that God will provide all the volunteers required for Go Teams over the coming months. Pray that he will provide courage and wisdom for all those involved in planning, organising and leading teams. Pray that they may continue to be used to glorify God.
The Messenger Committee
-
For many, the call to unreservedly follow Jesus Christ is a daunting prospect. It will be costly to our relationships in this world, to our values, and to the sins that stain our consciences. This initial, instinctive fear of following Christ was something Simon experienced when Jesus called him to be a disciple. Like the Israelites at Sinai in our last study (Exod.20:18-20), he cringes before the Lord under a powerful sense of his sin, but Jesus reassures him, and any of us who would follow Him: “Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men” (Luke 5:10). Take a few minutes to read the story in Luke 5:1 -11, and we will see how Jesus overcomes our fears, and illustrates four rudimentary elements of Christian discipleship.
Jesus is with the multitude by the Sea of Galilee and, spying two empty boats, he picks the one belonging to Simon for a makeshift pulpit. This, of course, was no random choice. Simon was acquainted with Jesus; if you study the chronology of the Gospels, you’ll find that he had already been introduced to Jesus by his excited brother, Andrew (John 1:41) and, three days later, had witnessed
-
Jesus’ first miracle at the Wedding of Cana (John 2:1-11). Since that time, Simon evidently was socially connected with Jesus; he had even welcomed him into his home, where Jesus healed his mother-in-law of a fever (Luke 4:38-39). Clearly, then, this Galilean fisherman had considerable esteem for Jesus’ person, calling him “Master” in (v5) – a term of deep respect. But for all this, by Luke 5, Simon has clearly not yet made a commitment to Christ. He has a passing acquaintance with the Saviour, but that is all. He is Jesus’ admirer, but He is not yet Jesus’ disciple. Instead, we find him still fully committed to his career of fishing the waters of Galilee with his business partners (v2,7,10a). Perhaps like Simon, you’re acquainted with Jesus – you know about his miracles and you’ve seen him answering prayer, perhaps by healing a loved one. Maybe your family members know Jesus and are excited about him, as Andrew was. But you haven’t yet had an intimate
encounter with Jesus for yourself. Perhaps you harbour fears of following him. You’ve yet to experience that decisive ‘interview’ with Jesus which he was about to have with Simon.
Jesus deliberately chose Simon’s fishing boat because he was fishing for Simon. It probably came as quite a surprise to the fisherman when, after the sermon, this Rabbi from the hill country commanded him, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Like so many of Jesus’ passing acquaintances in our world, Simon initially questioned the credibility of his Word: “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing!” (v5). But Jesus is teaching Simon a lesson about the faith of the Christian, and, happily, Peter passes the test “Nevertheless, at Your Word I will let down the net…” Following Jesus requires complete faith in his Word, and only those who exercise it see his glory. The stunning miracle of the enormous catch of fish (v6-7) demonstrates Jesus’ divine authority beyond a shadow of a doubt: if he rules the fish, he also rules Simon! I wonder do you take Jesus at his Word – even when all your experience, fears and expectations try to argue otherwise, just as
Peter’s nautical instincts protested? But this is how Jesus catches followers: by calling them to believe his Word. ‘Simon, while drawing the multitude of fishes into the net, has himself fallen into the net of Christ; while taking a prey, he has himself been taken a prey’ (R.Trench).
Jesus as his “Lord” (v8). While our personal testimonies may differ, the faith and repentance expressed here by Simon are essential elements of all who would follow Jesus. Have you confronted your sin, fallen at Jesus knees and said to him, “I am a sinful man/ woman”? This is the way of Christian discipleship.
What is Simon’s reaction? He crumples in fear before Jesus and cries, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” The irony is, our sin makes us flee the very One we need to draw near to for life, which explains in part why so many people are afraid to follow Jesus: He will expose your sin, and you naturally shrink from that! Simon’s sin separates him from a holy God, and disqualifies him for discipleship. But Simon is also in the Presence of the Mediator, through whom his sins will find forgiveness. An hour earlier, when Jesus was merely an acquaintance, he addressed him as “Master” (v5). Now, in the drama of his call to be a disciple, he addresses
How does Simon go from this craven fear in (v8) which cries out, “Depart from me!”, to ‘…forsaking all and following Him’ in (v11)? The answer is that Jesus removes the source of his fear. When Simon says, “I am a sinful man, O Lord,” it is an acknowledgement that this Lord before whom he kneels is the One against whom he has sinned! So when Jesus reassures him, “Do not be afraid” (v10), it is a word of reconciliation: Christ has made Simon’s peace with God. The antidote to a sin-driven fear of following Christ is a sin-pardoned fear of God!
If Jesus has removed the source of your fear of following him, your new life of discipleship will be marked by ‘forsaking all’ and ‘following Him’ (v11). Peter forsook his boat, his net, his business, even his jackpot catch of fish that would have made him a rich man. It’s not that these things had no intrinsic value, or that Jesus will call each of us to abandon our professions; rather, it’s that the Christian has new priorities: “From now on, you will catch men!” If you’re still afraid of what it will cost you to follow Jesus, know that he can more than compensate your losses, and with far more enduring fruitfulness. Follow Jesus, and you will discover the joyful new task of ‘catching’ people, so that they too may share in your own experience – no longer having merely a passing acquaintance with Christ, but believing his Word, confronting their sin, and serving him as Lord!
-
-
-
-
WHAT DO Tom and Samantha need? How would you help them? Does God and his Word have any relevance? One in four people have mental health problems. One in four! Think about that for a moment. That’s one (at least) in every family, dozens in churches, and…well, a lot in society! I suppose we shouldn’t be that surprised. We live in a fallen, broken -
world, with fallen, broken bodies. In those bodies are broken brains with broken minds and broken feelings. And we haven’t even mentioned sin yet. Genesis 3 saw the entrance of sin into life and creation with the subsequent curse on everything. Within moments we read of pride, shame, fear, mistrust and paranoia, relationship conflict, sorrow and toil. All the stuff of mental health
problems! The fall has a lot to answer for. So what is mental health? What are some of the elements of healthy ways of thinking, feeling and behaving that would be relevant to Samantha and Tom? To you and me? What do we need?
How
we
see
ourselves
is
important. It’s easy for our identity to get tied up in wrong things. With Samantha there’s a risk she’s beginning to see herself in terms of her body image, or more accurately how she thinks others see her shape! We live in a world where many images and voices are leading us to believe that physical beauty is a certain look and that look is everything. It’s who you are. It’s your identity. But for Samantha this was leading to problems. She needs a sense of who she truly is as a person. That would be healthy.
What we live for is central. What do you get up for? What’s life about for you? What’s your purpose in living? Tom had begun to lose sight of his purpose. There didn’t seem to be anything to get up for. But we need purpose. We need something to live for. That’s one of the things that motivates us. It’s why setting simple goals can help the depressed person. Perhaps for Samantha her purpose for living was to look good and find that perfect guy. We can live for the wrong things! But we all need purpose.
We are wired to look forwards. We all think about the future. We want things to be better. We expect good to come. Tom had lost that. The future looked blank and black. No goal to move towards. Having hope gives us direction. Having hope gives us something to reach out for.
Samantha was really struggling with fear. She was afraid of how others saw her. Was she too large? Was she attractive? Did it look like she was greedy? Would people accept her? Like her? These fears were beginning to take over. Fear around her body image, fear of food
itself – fear was a big driving factor for her. Fear is at the root of many mental health problems. Fear isn’t all bad! In a world of dangers and pitfalls the right kind of fear can be good. Fear can keep us safe. Fear can help us appreciate things that are much bigger than us. There is a healthy fear, but we tend to fear the wrong things.
whether she was restricting or gorging there was no self-control. Desires were running amok. For Tom, he might go online to check his emails. But two hours later and he was still viewing unhealthy material. We have appetites that are good, but can be hard to control. When they begin to take over and enslave, we begin to lose our mental health.
Neither Samantha nor Tom had much peace or rest. Samantha was compulsively checking foods, checking calories, checking her appearance, checking how others saw her. Tom was restlessly diverting into pornography to escape bad feelings but finding no peace there. Both had a clinging guilt that gave no rest to their souls. We crave peace and rest. We know the benefits of sleep, a holiday, a teabreak! It is healthy to quieten down and rest. It feels refreshing. But where do we get restful peace that we can really rely on?
What strikes you about the support Samantha and Tom have? It doesn’t seem to be there! Perhaps they haven’t shared their struggles, or others have drawn back as they haven’t known what to do. But Tom and Samantha are isolated. We were built for relationships. We need support. We need help. We need companionship. So we’ve looked at some of the elements of good mental health. I hope some of you reading this article are feeling pretty frustrated at this stage! Where does the Bible come in? What about God, you may be asking. Good questions, and we’ll tackle them in the next article.
Tom was trying to escape into pleasure. Pleasure is good! Joy and happiness are healthy! No wonder Tom wanted to escape there. But there are good pleasures and bad pleasures. Tom was left guilty and unhappy from his pursuits. “By their fruits you shall know them.” What gives you pleasure? Good pleasure, pure joy, a healthy happiness are all part of enjoying good mental health. Helping Tom and Samantha to pursue those things within God’s good creation is part of helping them. Did you notice how both Tom and Samantha related to things in their lives such as food and the internet? For Samantha food became not just a preoccupation, but
Dr Andrew Collins works part-time as a consultant psychiatrist in the field of Psychiatric Intensive Care. He also works part-time in the field of Christian counselling from his home in Portadown. As well as offering this service, Andrew has provided teaching and training on pastoral and mental health issues for churches and conferences. His counselling is based upon the conviction that the Word of God is a sufficient guide for living in the world today. Andrew is a member of Killicomaine Evangelical Church where he is involved in the ministry on a regular basis. He is married with five children.
PASTOR MCCONNELL’S denunciation of Islam as evil provoked an outraged reaction. Evil is commonly limited to individuals who commit extreme atrocities. If the sermon had clearly referred only to Islamic terrorists it would have passed unnoticed but describing the entire Islamic system as evil was seen as a misinformed generalisation. McConnell’s later apology effectively accepted this definition of evil as he said he sought only to condemn “those who use their religion as justification by violence.” Throughout the media storm no-one asked the bigger question; what do we mean by evil? Only by assessing this question can we know if it is a fair description of Islam and how we are to respond. What is evil? ‘My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.’ (Jeremiah 2:13) Christianity provides a much broader definition of evil than child-molestation, genocide and terrorism. Jeremiah described evil as forsaking God and seeking pleasure in the world’s empty promises whilst theologian Augustine defined it as a ‘perversion of the will’. Evil is not just an illusion or a narrow category which we can use to designate a few bad apples; it is the biggest problem faced by every individual. McConnell’s depiction of Islam as evil was not too generalised rather it wasn’t extensive enough. We are all born opposing goodness and ‘wholly inclined to all evil’ (Westminster Confession of Faith). We are in rebellion against God and all other religions are merely the seeking of pleasure in broken cisterns. Is all evil equal? ‘And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades... it will be more tolerable on the day of judgement for the land of Sodom than for you.’ (Matthew 11:23,24) We are all without hope without Christ but all evil is not equal. Some sins are ‘more heinous in the sight of God
-
than others’ (Westminster Larger Catechism). This means that it is still appropriate to speak out against particular evils out of love for God and compassion for the lost. Islam is evil because it twists the truth and provides imitations of the true God, his law and his Messiah. It elevates Muhammad above Christ, denying the life-giving incarnation and resurrection of the Son of God. Sharia-law and violent jihad could be regarded as the unrestrained evil of Islam but even without these extreme examples, Islam is evil because it opposes the living God and leads millions to eternal destruction. Islam is not the worst religious evil. Christ regarded Capernaum as under greater judgment than Sodom because Capernaum knew far more and still rejected Christ. Churches that claim to be Christian and do not preach the Gospel are more evil than Islam. Professing Christians who have rejected Christ’s freely offered grace and seek to earn salvation will be under greater judgment than any Muslim. Christ is the Only Answer ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ (John 14:6) Our response to McConnell’s comments must lead others to see that Jesus is the only answer to the problem of evil. Jesus is the only one who can save us from our sin. All other religions, philosophies and worldviews are ‘broken cisterns’ that promise life but bring only death. Our society hates this message and seeks to claim all religions are equally valid or equally invalid. McConnell’s comments were flawed but the public outcry seemed partially fuelled by the evangelical arrogance to claim to be the only truth. Some Christians also seemed embarrassed by Christ’s exclusive claims but we must not shy away from proclaiming Jesus as the only way, the only truth and the only source of life. We must think clearly about our faith so that we can explain our faith more clearly than McConnell. We must realise the pervasive nature of evil and that we were once under its grasp. We must lovingly speak out against the influence of evil religious systems. Pray that God would preserve the freedom to preach the full Gospel in these islands. Pray that God would give us wisdom, courage and clarity in our words as we point people to King Jesus.
THERE’S AN APP for that. For more or less everything you can think of, you can get an app to help you out. From an app that can enable you to walk and send emails at the same time to one that helps you find your phone. There is even an app to help find apps! Anything you ever might need help with is catered for. Or is it? I had a quick search to see what kind of apps are there to help in the case of a shipwreck. Not surprisingly I didn’t have much success. The best seemed to be an app that I could use to ‘pretend’ to staple my ship back together! I know this sounds ridiculous but I can’t help but feel this is how we tend to tackle our problems sometimes. I’ll admit we are not likely to be shipwrecked onto a desert island any time soon, but we do come up against life’s struggles.
Falling out with close friends, failing an exam, not getting a job we were really hoping for, illness and even a loved one passing a way. These trials can leave us feeling stranded, alone and not sure what to do, as if stuck on a desert island. Often at these times, we try and sort an answer for ourselves. We look to see what the world has to offer. We fill our life with social media to find friends, we study instead of spending time with God to improve our grades, we make comprises to find a job. It’s like trying to staple the ship back together, ultimately it will end in failure. I know I am just as guilty of this as anyone else, I forget so easily there is something much greater in this life than what the world has to give. The amazing message of the Gospel is that, as Christians, we have God on our side. Romans 8 speaks of
Ballyclabber
the love God has for us, how nothing can separate us from it, and how because of it, we are heirs. Heirs to what? Verse 18 says that it is incomparable to anything else, it is beyond our wildest dreams. Because of this all other trials seem small. When we fix our eyes on God, what He has done for us and Heaven, all other hardships pale into insignificance. This letter to the Romans was wrote by Paul who had his fair share of hardships, he had been through an actual shipwreck amongst other trials. Yet he considered them not even worth comparing. So no matter what you are going through, whatever shipwrecks you are facing, look to God.
Universalism is the belief that everyone will end up in heaven eventually. There are variations in belief as to how, when and on what basis one is welcomed into heaven. However that which all these different beliefs have in common is the affirmation that everyone goes to heaven when they die. This seems to be the view of most unchurched people in Britain today. They may not be churchgoers or know the gospel but many still believe in life after death. They believe in heaven and they believe that when they or their loved ones die, heaven is where they will go. For such people the only qualification you need to get into heaven is to be dead! This often finds expression at funerals when people say things like ‘they have gone to a better place’.’ It is of course not surprising that such beliefs should be held by those who, on the whole, are ignorant of the teaching of the Bible. That such beliefs are held, taught and
-
encouraged by many who know their Bible, profess to be followers of Jesus Christ and who are leaders in the church of Christ, is extremely alarming. However, this is the prevailing opinion in many churches and is supported by many individual professing Christians. The theological reasoning that lies behind universalism (where such reasoning exists at all) usually takes one of three forms. Some argue, on the basis of certain texts of scripture, that Jesus, by his death, secured the actual salvation of everyone. He died for everyone's sins. Those who advocate this view cite passages such as ‘he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for
“
ours only but for the sins of the whole world.’ (John 2v2) ‘The Lord… is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3v9) or ’if one died for all then all died, and he died for all.’ (2 Cor 5v14-15) They argue that the Bible clearly states that Jesus died for all men. Others argue that God, being a God of Love, would never send people to Hell to suffer and that his love triumphs over sin and evil in saving even the worst of sinners. Still others, following similar thinking to the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory, believe that those whose sins have not been forgiven on earth and who die in their sins are punished for a period of time in Hell, the period of time being determined by the number and nature of their sins, after which they are then welcomed into heaven. In all of these views God's love is seen to triumph over sin. Thus God is glorified in the defeat of sin and the salvation of sinners. Even those
who have followed other faiths are eventually welcomed into heaven, either on the basis of their faithfulness to the measure of spititual light they had received (ie being a good Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist) or on the basis of them being given some degree of punishment between death and glory for following a false religion. Universalism is certainly, in many ways, very appealing. Those of us who have unsaved loved ones who have no interest in spiritual things, or who have loved ones who have died in their sins would be greatly comforted to know that despite their sinfulness God in his grace and mercy was going to save them. This, however, is to look at such things from a purely subjective, feelings-oriented perspective and to ignore the plain and clear teaching of the scriptures. The Bible clearly teaches that in order to be saved and subsequently go to heaven a person must believe in Jesus Christ (Acts 16v31). They
must be ‘born again’ (John 3v3- 5) A person is saved ‘by grace, through faith’ (Ephesians 2v8). Jesus said that ‘no man comes unto the Father except through me’ (John 14v6). Jesus also clearly taught that there is no possibility of escape from there or any prospect of ever being transferred from heaven to Hell (Luke 16v19ff). Even among those who verbally profess to be followers of Jesus there will be many who will not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7v21ff). In a number of Jesus parables he speaks about people being cast into ‘outer darkness, where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.' Many other passages of scripture could be cited to proven that universalism is a completely unbiblical concept. What the advocates of such a belief fail to realise or refuse to accept is that God is not only glorified in the demonstration of his grace and love in the eternal salvation of sinners he is also glorified in the exercise of his
righteousness and justice in the eternal punishment of sinners. Many people die in the forlorn hope and terrible delusion that they are going to heaven, only to find that beyond death they are actually under the judgment of God in Hell. Sadly, many still alive, try to find comfort at a time of bereavement in thinking that their loved one who has died has gone to heaven when in reality their loved one is actually in Hell. The doctrine of universalism is a mighty weapon in Satan's arsenal used to the destruction of millions of souls, a weapon which tragically is being carried and discharged by many godless churchmen who have failed in their duty to preach the truth of the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
The abbreviation RIP comes from the Latin phrase ‘requiescat in pace’, which means ‘rest in peace.’
The phrase seems to have come from man-made traditions rather than a specific Bible foundation. However, the idea of ‘rest’ and ‘peace’ in death – for a Christian – is a very Biblical idea. Revelation 14:13 describes those “who die in the Lord” (i.e. Christians) as resting from their labours. Romans 8:38-39 tells us that not even death can “separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Psalm 23:4 describes Christians fearing no evil and knowing God’s presence as they “walk through the valley of the shadow of death”. Paul says in Philippians 1:21 that “to die is gain”.
The problem with much of the use of RIP is when it’s used for people who weren’t Christians. “‘There is no peace,” says my God, ‘for the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21). The Bible is clear that, unless someone has had their sins forgiven by repenting and trusting in Jesus, then they’ll face eternal punishment in Hell for those sins. They won’t rest in peace. On Facebook, Twitter or wherever else, be careful not to block that clear and important Bible truth by careless use of the letters RIP.
It can often be found on gravestones or in the death columns in newspapers. It’s probably more commonly connected with Roman Catholicism, but in recent years usage of the phrase has increased in a form that would be more likely to be seen or used by Messenger readers – on social media like Facebook and Twitter when someone has died.
Readers of a certain generation will associate the pronouncement ‘Fool’ with the A Team’s legendary B.A. Baracas. If he was the one who spoke the words of Psalm 14 we could laugh and move on but he wasn’t. We have to take this pronouncement seriously, as it is the verdict of Heaven on men and women - fools! So, how is the fool recognisable? Is it to do with I.Q., academic record or brain-power? No. ‘The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’’’ (v1). The Bible says Dawkins, Hitchens and Pullman, the intellectual atheistic heavyweights of our day, are fools. These men are not on their own- the fools are not a small group of loud-mouthed Godbashers. Fools are all around us, in our work, in our street, on our team, and maybe even in our church. They
-
are the practical atheists, the men and women living as if there is no God. The fool is the person who never thinks of life and death, lives as if there is no judgment to face and relies on luck. The fool says who says, “I can sort out every situation without God.” The life of a fool is tragic. Through acts of kindness they may appear to do good in the sight of others but in God’s eyes, ‘They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good’(v1). They may understand quantum physics but in the things that matter they have ‘no knowledge’ (v4). Fools are often contemptible of those who love God. If you are reading this as an unconverted person you need to know that according to God you are a fool. It is as plain as day that there is
a God in Heaven to whom you must give account. It is beyond dispute that Jesus Christ was and is the Son of God. It is irrefutable that he lived and died and rose again. He is the only hope of fools. So suppress no longer the ‘great terror’(v5) in your heart and turn from your folly to trust in Jesus Christ to save you. Christian, it is your calling to live in a world of fools where you will be cold-shouldered, laughed at, mocked, victimised and snubbed. As you live out your days remember, that it is by grace that you have been delivered from folly and made wise, and given understanding to seek the Lord. So be gentle, be gracious and pray that others too would be delivered from the madness of living as if there is no God.
X-Men: Days of Future Past, as the seventh instalment in the Hollywood blockbuster franchise, is everything one expects from a Marvel film – a thrilling plotline, truckloads of actions of exhilarating action sequences, and some intelligent character development. Set in a dystopian future in which humans and mutants are locked in warfare, the X-Men face their greatest challenge yet – giant adaptable robots called “Sentinels” which threaten to wipe them out entirely. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is given the task of travelling back in time to 1973 to unite a young Charles (James McAvoy) and Erik (Michael Fassbender) to prevent the murder of scientist Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage), inventor of the Sentinels: the event which sparks the mutant-human war of the future. The cast list strewn with massive Hollywood names delivers, and this is a highly enjoyable watch, keeping you on the edge of your seat to the dying minutes. A sequel to both XMen: The Last Stand and X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past fits perfectly into the series and leaves plenty of cliff-hangers to be answered in future films. If you are looking for a sensational sci-fi
adventure for a bit of escapism, look no further! For much of the film, we see Charles Xavier trapped by grief, hatred, and unable to move beyond his past; the events of X-Men: First Class. The time-travelling Wolverine becomes his mentor, in the way that Professor X must be for him many years later, and in the darkest moments of the film, when it seems like all has been for nothing, Charles has an encounter with his future self,
which reminds him of the very thing that will keep him going: hope. Charles Xavier never gives up on anyone, saying in the film: “Just because someone stumbles and loses their path, doesn't mean they can't be saved.” Charles’ hope lies in human nature, and he believes that that will save them. The Bible has much to say about hope, and we can see clearly that a hope such as Charles Xavier’s is misplaced. Unfortunately, in a sinful and fallen world, with sinful and fallen people, to place our hope in others leads ultimately to disappointment. However, in Christ, we can say with the Psalmist: “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.” (Psalm 71:5). To place our hope in the Lord means a hope that will not disappoint us, that will not shame us, that will lead us to eternal glory, no matter what this world may throw at us. May we all place our hope in the Lord who keeps His promises! “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
-