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contents editorial Rev. Saju Joseph
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Holiness of God to be reflected in the Christians Pastor P. T. Thomas
Holiness as the Work of the Holy Spirit:
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Dr. John Alex
Jesus the Incarnate God into the sarx (flesh) (John.1:1-18):
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Dr. Jose L.
“BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY”: GOD’S INVITATION TO HOLINESS IN THE LAW OF MOSES AND THE OLD TESTAMENT Jison Saju Joseph
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The Lord’s Prayer andthe Holiness of God “Hallowed be Your name”
Vol. 11 Issue No. 1&2 January-February 2018
A magazine that will enrich and renew your spiritual life and give Christian perspective on current events. e-mail : revivemegod@gmail.com igotoibc@gmail.com visit us : www.revivemegod.org CHAIRMAN emeritus PASTOR T. S. ABRAHAM CHAIRMAN PASTOR Dr.T. VALSON ABRAHAM MEMBERS BRO. JACOB THOMAS BRO. SUNNY KODUMTHARA
Dr. Kris A. Jackson
EDITOR PASTOR DR. JOHN K. MATHEW
The Kingdom of God NT Perspective
ADMINISTRATIVE EDITOR PASTOR SAJU JOSEPH
Rev. Gibson Joy
ASSOCIATE EDITOR MRS. STARLA LUKOSE
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QUIZ
MANAGER PASTOR T. J. ABRAHAM CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JUNE THOMAS ANN ABRAHAM PUBLISHER, PRINTER & OWNER MAJOR V. I. LUKOSE (Retired) HEBRON, KUMBANAD, PATHANAMTHITTA, KERALA. PRINTED AT VIANI PRINTINGS, LISSIE JN., ERNAKULAM, KERALA PLACE OF PUBLICATION KUMBANAD, PATHANAMTHITTA, KERALA - 689 547 DESIGN Beam Design S2dio Ph: 93870 73135 beamfine@gmail.com POSTAL ADDRESS P.O. BOX. 31, HEBRON, KUMBANAD KERALA, INDIA, PIN - 689 547 Phone: 0469 - 2664075, 2665855 Mobile: 94476 08954
The views and ideas expressed in each article are those of the writer. - Editor
Pictures Courtesy : ibc & S media / Google
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Letters
Bring Glory by our life
Dear revive, We thank God for the meaningful and inspiring messages through the articles in the last issue of revive. The theme ‘Glory of God’ was treated well with well informing articles by different men of God and scholars. In the editorial, Dr. John K. Mathew is emphasizing the role of the life of a Christian believer in glorifying God. It is not just making sound by voicing ‘Glory’ through our mouth rather we must live a life glorifying God’s name. We bring God glory by becoming like Christ. Jesus honored God by fulfilling his purpose on earth. We honor God the same way. When we serve others with our gifts we bring glory to God. May God help us to bring glory to God through our everyday life. Gheevarghese Mathew, Bhopal
Creation and glory
Dear Editor, The article of Dr. K.G. Jose brings a very comfortable idea in the light of the word of God. Nothing happens in the world without God’s knowledge. All the function of the world is from the creator God. There is nothing as God’s
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intervening in the course of the history of the world because it is God’s world. The writer truly says that the work of God gave shape to us and His voice to the world around us. God made me and the world around for me. God can work together whatever is best for me. Therefore, as long as we are faithful, we need have no fear of circumstances. God can make conditions work together to finish whatever is the best that He means to create in us. Whatever are waste and void His Spirit moves creatively according to a holy purpose which nothing can be strong enough to turn aside. When life seems empty within, darkness seems to descent, the brooding Spirit has not vanished us.This gives us comfort and peace even in the midst of most turmoil in our lives. Let’s trust and closely hold on to our God. Everything is in his control. May God bless revive and the writer. Jessy Joseph, Kochin
Tabernacle and the Glory of God Dear revive, I really appreciate and thank God for the ministry of revive. Each issue is replete with innovative and inspiring ideas and thoughts in the light of the Word of God. The writers have presented the various aspects and dimensions of the theme ‘Glory of God’ in the last issue. Rev. Philip P. Sam explains well the way how the glory of God dwelt among Israelites during their wilderness journey. It was present with them in the pillar or fire and pillar of cloud. The glory of God filled the tabernacle and the temple. The Ark of the Covenant was a sign of the glory of God among them. When the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the philistines the daughter in law of Eli cried while dying after giving birth to a son, Echabod, “Glory of God departed from Israel”. In the New Testament the glory of God was revealed by Jesus before his disciples on the transfiguration mountain. Today each Christian is a tabernacle or the temple of God. The Glory of God must dwell in the life of each Christian. The world must see God’s glory through lives of Christians today. May God enable all readers of revive to reflect the glory of God through their lives. Sajan Joy, Mumbai
Our Future Glory
Dear editor, Last month’s revive was one which kindles hope in the minds of the readers about the future eternal glory. Pastor P.J. Daniel describes the biblical evidences which establish well the future glory of Christians. He is referring to many portions in the Bible that refer to the brightness of God’s glory. According to the writer it helps us to understand our own future. God created humankind to give us the opportunity to become the very sons and daughters of God. If we are to become members of God’s own family, one of the attributes we will receive is the very glory of God. Paul records that we are to “walk worthy of God who calls you in to His own kingdom and glory”. Paul further writes “He called you by the gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Jesus Christ now has the very glory of God. He is the brightness of His glory. We are to obtain the same glory as sons or daughters of God. In Romans Paul emphasis that “If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together”. Apostle John further explains “ Beloved now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is”. To receive the very glory of God is a part of our inheritance as children of God. It is my prayer that none of us loose this inheritance. Let’s strive for that. Roy Jacob,Thiruvananthapuram
Worship and Glory
Dear revive, I pray for the work of revive as it tries to bring true spirituality and hope in the believers. Sound biblical teaching is the highlight of revive articles. The recent issue on the glory of God was very much useful for the believers like me. The importance of worshipping God understanding the glory of God as Isaiah saw is emphasized. I appreciate all the writers and specially the article by Dr. A.C.George touched me very much. I pray that God may enable all of us to worship God in His glory.May God continue to bless the ministry of revive. John D. S., Coimbator
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Pastor Dr. John K. Mathew dedicated exclusively to God or his worship and service. In the words of Gay P. Duffield, “Anything is holy which wholly belongs to God, as his temple with its utensils and furnishings. People were holy who were God’s people.
In the year that King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.(Isaiah 6:1-3). R. C. Sproul makes the following insightful observation about this passage: “The Bible says that God is Holy, holy, holy. Not that he is merely holy, holy. He is Holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love or mercy, mercy, mercy or Wrath, wrath, wrath, or justice, justice, justice. It does say that He is Holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of his glory.” What does God’s holiness really mean? The primary meaning of holy is ‘separate’. When the Bible calls God holy it means primarily that God is transcendentally separate. He is so far above and beyond us that he seems almost totally foreign to us.To be holy is to be ‘other’, to be different in a special way. In fact, there is no question about God’s holiness. We know that He is holy inside out. The central question is how human beings can associate with a holy God? The only answer is Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) In the Old Testament, the term holiness is applied to God in two senses. First, God is separate, set above all which is created. Yet, it is God who calls us to an ethical purity. Secondly, things are regarded holy because of their connection with God, such as holy ground, holy sabbath. God’s holiness permeates anything touched by him, especially man. As applied to men or things, the primary meaning of holiness is dedication and consecration, the quality of being separated unto God. Things are holy that are
As applied
to men or things, the primary meaning of holiness is dedication and consecration, the quality of being separated unto God. Israel is called a holy nation. In the New Testament, the Lord’s people are called saints meaning “holy ones”. May I conclude with words of Leonard Ravenhill, “The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world, and make that man holy and put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it”. January - February 2018
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Dr. John Alex Principal, IBC and Seminary Kumbanad
Holiness as the Work of the Holy Spirit: Perspectives in Christian Traditions Introduction
Holiness is the characteristic nature of God and is the core of His being. Holiness is an attribute of God in the classical Christian theology. “God is Holy� by which we
mean that God is transcendent and different from all other beings. God revealed with the adjective the Holy one. However, when it comes to theological implications and its practical side of Christian life, holiness is considered as the work of the Holy Spirit.
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The concept of holiness has been lost in the contemporary theology and ethics. A W. Tozer wrote, “We have learned to live with unholiness and have come to look upon it as a natural and expected thing.” What are the implications of attribute of holiness for a believer and how do Christians impart the holiness in the practical Christian life? Church traditions understood the practical side of the holiness of God differently. The first part is the doctrine of Holiness in Christian theology and ethics. The second part explores a key biblical passage related to the doctrine of Holiness in the life of a Christian.
Doctrine of Holiness: A look from Different Church Tradition The term ‘Sanctify’ means ‘to make holy’. According to the Old Testament, Holiness refers more to certain objects set apart, like vessels, for temple purpose. To be holy is to be set apart and dedicated for the service of God. In the Christian tradition holiness generally refers to an inner process of transformation, through which persons are made pure and holy. The Nicene Creed explains the essential mark of the church as “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic.” The teachers of the church considered sanctification as an ever growing process towards perfection. One of the early teachers of faith St. Gregory of Nyssa saw the spiritual life as a race. For him spiritual growth is a never-ending process of striving toward perfection. St. Teresa of Avila saw progress in the spiritual life as a continuous striving toward greater depth and to the core of one’s being, each step loving us closer to a vision of the ultimate. The transformative process of union with God is well explained in the orthodox understanding of theosis. For Orthodox churches, theosis or deification is more living than doctrinal. The term was coined by Gregory of Nazianzus. Theosis refers to the transformation of believers into the likeness of God. The basic aim of theosis in orthodox understanding is the union with God. God became human that human might become God. Kenneth Paul Wesche explains: “theosis sets forth the evangelical experience of salvation in Christ as a nuptial mystery in which two, God and humanity, become one as bridegroom and bride.” The Holy Life of God is given in Jesus Christ to the believer through the Holy Spirit. Vladimir Lossky writes, “Pentecost which confers the presence of the Holy Spirit and the first fruits of sanctification upon human persons, signifies both the end and final goal, and, at the same time, marks the commencement of the spiritual life.” The Catholic Church is not giving any specific explanation for the pursuit of holiness. There are varied views which can be categorized into three. (1) Ascetic which focuses on fleeing way from the world, forsaking marriage, secular occupation and it is limited to a few. Holiness is achieved by prayer fasting and self-mortification. (2) Mystical is more of rising from the world than fleeing from the world through various stages such as purgation, illumination and contemplation and ultimately having a close communion with God. (3) Sacramental: In this approach the supernatural holiness is attained through the sacraments. This Holiness is available to all. This Holiness is achieved without any personal struggles. The Protestant churches approach the doctrine of Holiness from biblical perspectives. There were diverging emphases in biblical interpretation of Holiness. (1) Disciplinary approach emphasis on the ecclesial discipline and the obedience to the commandments of God. The puritans were basically of this approach. (2) Experiential approach developed against the rigid legalistic approach to holiness. Holiness is viewed as an inner life to be cultivated. Quakers and Anabaptist groups followed these approaches to Holiness. (3) Perfectionist approach emphasis on the total holiness and made the doctrine of Holiness as the fulcrum of the Christian life. It was the Wesleyan spirituality made the Holiness as the core of Christian life. The doctrine came to the limelight in the modern times through the teachings of John Wesley. John Wesley was in the forefront of the Holiness Movement of the 19th century. Wesley held that the road from sin to salvation is one from willful rebellion
against the law of God and human beings to perfect love of God and human being. They began to see sanctification as the second work of Grace. For Wesley, there involves two crisis in the process of salvation. The first is the conversion experience in which the person is forgave from the sins s/he has already committed. The second experience is the full salvation; the person is
A Pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself. A. W. Tozer
transformed from the causes of his/her sin. For Wesley it was an instant experience received in response to earnest seeking, and by the immediate inner witness of the Holy Spirit. The off roots of Holiness movement at present can be categorized into three – Wesleyan Holiness, Keswick Holiness Movement and Pentecostal Holiness movement. January - February 2018
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The Pentecostals differ from the Wesleyans in the understanding of sanctification and the experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Pentecostal Holiness movement related the second blessing of the Wesleyan holiness with the baptism of the Holy Spirit recorded in Acts 2. Pentecostal movement began to see the ‘glossolalia’ (speaking in tongues) as the evidence for the experience of the second blessing. Instead of hairsplitting discussions on the difference between the traditions or the Wesleyan and Pentecostal movement I would like to examine a crucial passage where Paul mentions the role of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Paul gives an explanation of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:1-17. In these sections, Paul is elaborating the contrast between living according to the flesh and living according to the Spirit.
Sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit in the epistle of Romans The thrust of Romans chapters 6-8 is sanctification. In chapter 6, Paul argues that holiness is required from those who are justified by faith. Those who died to sin must no longer continue to live in it. Believers who died to sin, have been baptized into Christ, his death and have been planted together in the likeness of his death. In chapter 7 Paul continues to emphasize the freedom from sin but focuses more on the law. It can be summarized as (1) The jurisdiction of law is over the living (7:1,4) (2) Christians are like that of a wife whose husband had died and she is free from the law of the husband. Similarly through the death the Christians is freed from the law (7:2, 3,4). However in both chapters there are only pale references to the sanctifying activity of Holy Spirit.
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In chapter 8 Paul describes the work of the Holy Spirit in relationship to the believer. Paul begins with laying out the contrast between living according to flesh and living according to the Sprit. Paul emphasis here the work of the Holy Spirit in the believers. The victory over sin is sure since it is made possible by the Spirit. The righteous demand of the law can never be fulfilled by flesh but in the power of the Holy Spirit. Walking according to the Spirit, Christians share the result of Christ’s victory and are able to do the demand of the law. (8:1-4). Paul continues to explain the consequences of walking according to flesh and according to spirit. The flesh is hostile to God (Vs 7a), the flesh is incapable of being subject to the law of God (7b) and it cannot please God (vs 8) The crux of his arguments is seen from verse 9 onwards. Christian life is not lived by one’s own effort. There is no middle ground between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. Life in the spirit is not an occasional spiritual thoughts or it is not a supernatural influence in our behavior. It is the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit which motivates the believer to develop a mindset that is oriented toward spiritual desires. Being led by the Holy Spirit is not the trademark of a select few but essential for all God’s children. Paul makes clear that holiness is not an occasional event but a daily submission of the believers to the Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is not just providing help in decision making rather saving from sin leading a believer into holiness.
The work of the Holy Spirit is involved in our salvation (8:1-2) and holy living (8:3). The spirit initiates, guides and empowers our actions so that we are able to fulfill the righteousness of God (8:9-14). Holy Spirit as the spirit of adoption also assures our son-ship (8:15)
Conclusion The concept of achieving holiness of God in the life of Christians is portrayed in different ways in the Christian traditions. The biblical portrayal and the traditional Christian understanding are emphasizing one underlying principle to achieve the holiness of God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit which enable the believers to achieve the holiness. There is a close interrelated relationship between holiness and Holy Spirit. Paul sees the Holy Spirit as the moral force for daily living. We cannot have ‘Spirit without the Holy’ and ‘Holy without the Spirit.’ The Holy Spirit is God’s provision for Holy living in the life of the Christians. Paul affirms that Christians can impart the Holiness of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christians and no other means.
Nowhere can we get to know the holiness of God, and come under His influence and power, except in the inner chamber. It has been well said: “No man can expect to make progress in holiness who is not often and long alone with God.
Andrew Murray
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Dr. Jose L. New Testament Faculty IBC and Seminary, Kumbanad
Jesus the Incarnate God into the sarx (flesh) (John.1:1-18): The Implication for Christian Witness
The incarnated God in the human flesh is a miracle in the history of the universe. John the evangelist clearly enumerates this effect through the prologue of
his gospel that Jesus is the eternal Word existed even before the creation of the world. Moreover, there is no distinction in essence between God and the Word (‘the Word was with God and the Word was God’). The evangelist understood that narratives withgenealogies are not enough to explain the complex nature of the person of Jesus January - February 2018
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(humanityand divinity together). Therefore, he composed a song to explain this. God’s revelation through the incarnation made possible for people could see the eternal God with their eyes, hear with their ears and touch with their hands. God has shown his face in the person of Jesus Christ. Moreover, this logos (Word) is a holy God. This eternal logos became flesh (sarx) and made his dwelling among us. This is the historic selfdisclosure of the person and work of Jesus Christ. What a wonderful miracle happened in the history of the universe that the holy God identified with the likeness of the sinful humanity by becoming the fleshly human being. Certain questions asked in this study is, why this holy God needs to take on human flesh? What benefits do human beings get by this act of ‘Word becoming flesh’
I cannot see how any man deserves to be called “holy,” who willfully allows himself in sins, and is not humbled and ashamed because of them. J. C. Ryle 10 January - February 2018
The Holy God becoming the human flesh (sarx) John’s gospel starts with the Logos hymn which was different from the other gospels. In this prologue, John calls Jesus ‘the Word of God’, the rational principle of the universe according to the Greek philosophy. The prologue also spells out the self-manifestation of God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Moreover, it was through him all things were created. This eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn.1:14). The transcendent holy God became really human in Jesus. The great leap of God’s revelation made possible in such a way that ‘God the one and only, who is at the father’s side, has made him known’ (Jn.1:18) through the incarnation. The revelation of logos in the flesh (sarx) is a mystery according to human understanding. The flesh refers to the frailty and vulnerability of human existence (cf.Isa.40:6). He identified with human vulnerability and became an authentic human person in Jesus (Bruce Milne, The Message of John, IVP Press: England: 1993,46). The Greek mind like the Indian mind considers the flesh as evil and yearn for liberation of the flesh from the material world. However, John portrays a different story of the incarnation the Word that is infused with the material world. This eternal, transcendent, invisible and holy God become transient, weak human being. John is highlighting the humanity of Jesus Christ through the incarnation of Jesus in the fleshly form. He specifically uses the Greek word sarx meaning flesh with a specific purpose of the sanctity of the human body in contrast with the popular Greek concept of the evilness in the body. This incarnation is not like the Hindu concept of Avatar in temporary and recurring nature in contrast to the “once and for all” event in the history of the universe (J.J.Kanagarajand I.S.Kemp, The Gospel According to John, Asia Theological Association: Bangalore, 2000), 66.
The Incarnated Word in the flesh revealed God’s glory The incarnated word is the source of the light and life which come from a holy God (Jn.1:4,5). John is explaining three things about the Word: ‘Word was life giver, and the life was the light of men and it illuminates.’ Further, the light shines in the darkness’ (Jn.1:4-5). Through the incarnation, God enlightens every one. He is the true light that gives glory to every human being (Jn.1:9) also dispels the darkness (Jn.12:35; 8:12).
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He came to this world which rebelled against God’s rule to be the light (Jn.1:4,5,9; cf.3:19; 8:12; 12:46). The incarnated Word is the only Son who revealed God’s glory and people ‘have seen the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth’ (Jn.1:14, 18; 3:16, 18). Through the incarnation Jesus revealed the holiness of God and to share the divine life that is in him. It is the glory in the flesh. It is “a visible and powerful manifestation of God” (Herman Ridderbos, The Gospel of John. A Theological Commentary, Grand Rapids, W.B.Eerdmans Publishing Company: Michigan, 1991), 52. The other evangelists (Mark, Matthew and Luke) reveals the glory of the eternal Word that might have been manifested tangibly on occasions like the transfiguration event (Mk.9:2-8; Lk.9:32) but here John wants to portray the continuous presence of God in the incarnate Son. This is the single point of event in human history that the word became flesh and tabernacled among the people just like God’s shekinah glory came and dwelt among the people of Israel (Ex.25:80; 24:16; 40:25-34; 2Chr.7:1ff). It is the glory of the holy God the Father full of grace and truth (Jn.1:14). This glory must have manifested visibly on other occasions like ‘signs’ (miracles) where his disciples had the glimpses of his glory (Jn.2:2-11; 4:43-54; 5:1-15; 6:1-15; 6:16-24; 9:1-12; 11:38-44). For John, Jesus is ‘the only begotten,’ (monogenus)/ the only one of its kind (Jn.1:14). This explains the uniqueness of Jesus as the Son of God. The incarnated Son came from the Father ‘full of grace and truth.’ ‘From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another’ (Jn.1:16). This indicates God’s favour, benevolence and mercy in God’s relationship to humanity manifested the revelation of glory in the incarnate word. There is a difference between the revealed glory in the OT and the glory revealed in the incarnate Son. In the OT manifested glory call for a distance between the people and the revealed glory on the mountains (the theophany at Mount Sinai; Ex.33, 34), in the tabernacle and the temple as it consumes them because of their sinfulness. But through the incarnation of the Word incarnated in the midst of the sinful world. If Jesus is the Word incarnate, it explains the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the incarnation calls us “to worship him without cessation, obey him without hesitation, love him without reservation and serve him without interruption” (Milne, The Message of John,36)
The Implication for Christian Life The grand miracle in the history of the universe is considered to ‘an indescribable gift’ in the words of apostle Paul (2Cor.9:15) for the salvation of the whole world where the response is to call him as ‘my Lord and my God’ (Jn.20:28). The angels worshipped in him in the incarnation (Lk.2:13,14), the shepherds worshipped him (lk.2:15-20), and the wise men from the east worshipped him (Mt.2:1-11). The incarnation “brings healing of the great divide between God and his rebellious creatures into the realm of true possibility.” It brings value to the human existence and the human body which the eastern mind considered to be a prison. The word incarnate identified in our weakness (Milne, The Message of John, 47). In the Old Testament God’s holiness demanded that human beings must keep their distance from the very presence of God (Ex.1912-13; cf.Heb.12:18-21). Similarly, this same ‘distance command’ is maintained in the tabernacle and at the Jerusalem temple where God’s presence is revealed. However, through the incarnation of Jesus, the same God came and dwelt among people. He broke all the barriers between humanity and God. One of the accusations against Jesus the incarnate was that he was the friend of the tax-collectors and sinners (Lk.5:30). The eternal God has manifested his holiness in humanity so that we might partake in his righteousness. The incarnation narrative teaches us that the gospel is not away from sinners
rather incarnated in the society where we become the salt and light of the world. Let the people see the glory of God in us and know that we are the children of God (Jn.17:20-23). It is not by physical separation that we become carriers of his glory and become effective witness of Christ rather by incarnating in this sinful, defiled, corruptible and unwelcoming world, we become effective witnesses. The holy God is repulsed by sin yet would take on human flesh
The incarnation
narrative teaches us that the gospel is not away from sinners rather incarnated in the society where we become the salt and light of the world. Let the people see the glory of God in us and know that we are the children of God and would dwell in the midst of sinners. We participate in the incarnation process of eternal Logos by entering into the world of ‘sinners and tax-collectors.’ God was made flesh through the incarnation so that the sinful humanity could be restored back to the Him. The incarnation event has started the redemptive history where ‘though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich’ (2Cor.8:9). Those who believe in the incarnated Word, God gave the privilege of calling them as the children of God. January - February 2018
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Jison Saju Joseph Old Testament Lecturer NTC, Dehradun
“BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY”:
GOD’S INVITATION TO HOLINESS IN THE LAW OF MOSES AND THE OLD TESTAMENT
One of the most important attributes for understanding God and ourselves is God’s holiness. Our comprehension of the holiness of God, based on natural senses,
remains insufficient. In Exodus 15:11, Moses asks, “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you-majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders.” When we do not realize God’s holiness, we also lose a sense of our own sinfulness, our need for God’s grace, and the desperate plight of our culture. The Hebrew word for holy is ‘quadosh’, and the Greek word is ‘hagios’. In both cases, the meaning is
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separatedness or being set apart from that which is unclean and ordinary. An encounter with God always produces awe and dread that leads to separation from sin. In the Old Testament, the term “holiness” is applied to God in two senses. First, God is separate, set above all which is created. Yet, it is God who calls us to an ethical purity. Secondly, things are regarded holy because of their connection with God - Holy ground, Holy Sabbath, Holy place. Human encounters with the holiness of God in the Old Testament were often fearful. Following God’s destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, the Israelites rested near Mount Sinai - where God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. Before God would establish a covenant with His people, He ordered them to separate from impurity, to make themselves sanctified (holy) to God. On the third day of preparation, God descended to Mount Sinai, demonstrating His power and holiness (Exodus 19:16–20). God warned that anyone touching the mountain would be put to death. Only Moses and Aaron were permitted on the mountain. Mount Sinai was “set apart as holy” -a reminder of the immeasurable chasm between the divine and the human.
each other, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory” (vs. 3). This triple repetition of a divine attribute is without parallel in the rest of the Bible. Scripture never says that God is “justice, justice, justice” or even “love, love, love,” but it does say that He is “holy, holy, holy.” The Hebrew does not have a grammatical way to express the comparative
The Holiness of God: The Heart of Mosaic Law The Old Testament concept of Law is a lifestyle of nurtured and nurturing relationship with God and others, subsuming every facet of life to a dynamic (growing) and joyful acknowledgment of God as supreme Sovereign and Lord of the earth. Torah is not primarily a book to obey or rules to follow; it is a covenant, a path to walk, and a way of life to lead. And yet that walk must authentically reflect the character of the God who has called people to walk it. At Sinai, God made a covenant between Himself and Israel. The Israelites had to keep this covenant in obedience to the Law if they were to enjoy the blessings attached to it. It was on the ground of this covenant that Israel entered Canaan, and it was on the basis of this covenant that God dealt with them as they lived in the land. When Israel entered into this covenant they were to cleanse themselves, for God only draws nigh to those who are clean. Israel needed to understand the holiness and dignity of the One with whom they were making a covenant. Israel did not have to earn redemption by perfect obedience; this is evident by the substitutionary sacrifices present in the law. God’s commitment to save His people was already in place before Sinai. As individuals, the Israelites were expected to conform to the holiness of God. Heart religion in Israelite tradition is not just emotional experience, but an active relationship with God that goes far beyond legal imputation of righteousness or holiness. The Law of Moses was a means of expressing an interactive relationship with God, one in which God’s role is defined by mercy and grace, and in which the faith community’s role is defined by a lifestyle that embodies a concrete response to that grace as a witness to God in the world. That lifestyle subsumes every facet of life under God, so that every detail of life is lived as a testimony to God’s grace as it reflects the character of God. However, all of life cannot be governed by fixed law, because human experience is too diverse, and the movement of history simply will not allow such rigidity. Since torah encompasses both poles of stability and change, it provides anchored guidelines, yet allows flexibility in application. A heart turned toward God will seek to learn torah as the guiding influence of God, the light God shines on the path of life, and will listen for the voice of God speaking torah in a variety of ways. The Old Testament concept of torah as a lifestyle lived out in response to God’s grace, encompassing a grounding in God Himself, yet calling for a holy lifestyle as His people in the real life experience of the world, is genuinely a torah of the heart (Deut 6:5-6).
The Old Testament Emphasis on the Holiness of God: The Vision of Isaiah In Isaiah 6:1-8, we see Isaiah’s vision of God in the temple. He sees the Lord “sitting on a throne lofty and exalted” (vs. 1). Seraphim surround Him calling to
Holiness has never been the driving force of the majority. It is, however, mandatory for anyone who wants to enter the kingdom.
Elisabeth Elliot
or the superlative (i.e., holier or holiest). The way it stresses the importance of something is by repetition. For instance, Genesis 14 describes a battle between various kings. At one point the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah flee and fall into the “tar pits” (vs. 10). In order to indicate the size and extent of these “tar pits,” the Hebrew just repeats the word “pit.” These “tar pits” are the “pit, pits.” In other words, these are the pitiest pits you could find January - February 2018
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The Law of Moses was a means of expressing an interactive relationship with God, one in which God’s role is defined by mercy and grace, and in which the faith community’s role is defined by a lifestyle that embodies a concrete response to that grace as a witness to God in the world. anywhere. Similarly, when God is described as “holy, holy, holy,” it underlines his utter purity. He is set apart, One who inspires awe and is worthy of worship. The foundations of the temple start to tremble (vs. 4) and so does Isaiah himself. He cries out, “Woe is me, I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips” (vs. 5).
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This is the only time in Scripture that a prophet pronounces the prophetic judgment “woe” on himself. As Isaiah encounters God’s holiness, he is acutely aware of his sin and the sinfulness of the society around him. Any vision of God’s holiness leads to a sense of our own sin and makes us sensitive to the unholiness of the culture around us. Isaiah is also particularly aware of the deficiency in his speech and the way of speaking around him. It goes on to speak of the throat as an “open grave” (vs. 13), “tongues…deceiving” (vs. 13), lips have the “poison of asps” (vs. 13). The mouth contains “cursing and bitterness” (vs. 14). This emphasis ought to lead us to examine what comes out of our mouths, and to reflect on the unholy ways our culture influences our speech. However, if Isaiah was simply left with this crushing sense of sin, he would be unfit for the ministry he was called to pursue. So God sends a seraphim with a burning coal from the altar to touch Isaiah’s lips (vs. 6). In this way, Isaiah is told that “your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven” (vs. 7). Then (and only then) the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (vs. 8). Isaiah responds, “Here am I, send me!” (vs. 8). When Isaiah responds to God’s call, he is under no illusion about the degree of his sinfulness. He is utterly dependent on God’s grace. In a similar way, when we each see our own sin, that does not make us unsuitable for ministry, but a candidate desperately desiring God’s grace. In fact, if we feel worthy of the ministry to which we have been called, we should beware. Unless we grasp God’s holiness, we will no longer be “amazed” at his amazing grace. It is easy to take God’s grace for granted, and this is commonly done today. Rather than assuming God’s holiness and being amazed by His grace, we take for granted His grace and are amazed and offended by his holy wrath and judgment. Many presume on God’s grace by doing that which they know is wrong, rather than being deterred by a fear of His holiness. The law as an outline for the type of life expected for God’s holy people has not changed in the New Testament too. As Christians, we are expected to keep the moral law of God. While the Mosaic Law was given primarily externally to the Israelites, it is given to us internally. Our ability to keep the law has not diminished under the Gospel but has actually increased. In the Old Testament there were holy places and holy spaces. The ground around the burning bush was holy (Ex. 3:5). The temple was holy (Isa. 64:11; Jon. 2:4; Hab. 2:20). There are holy utensils (I Chron. 9:29), garments (Ex. 29:21; Lev. 16:4), foods (I Sam. 21:4; Neh. 7:65), oil (Ex. 30:25, 31; Num. 35:13; Ezek. 42:13). The holiness of God sets apart concrete things as holy. Though we are not bound by the ceremonial law (fulfilled in Christ), we are to now set apart all aspects of our lives as holy unto the Lord.
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Pastor P. T. Thomas Writer & Bible Teacher
Holiness of God to be reflected in the Christians Holiness is generally understood in terms of purity and cleanliness. But in the Biblical sense holiness implies much more than purity. When this attribute is related
to God it has a unique sense as God is unique, His holiness too is unique. God’s holiness is inviolable and never changing. In heathen religions, their deities can get defined and their sanctum sanctoriums can get desecrated. But in the case of the true, holy God of the Scriptures, His holiness can never ever get violated by anyone. This inviolable and unalterable holiness of God is His divine attribute and is unique to God. Like God’s omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience of God, this unique holiness is non- communicable and unique. This unique holiness of God cannot be imbibed January - February 2018
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or reflected by any human being nor by any angelic being. Then how can we speak of Christians reflecting the holiness of God? It is here that the second sense of holiness comes into consideration. In the person of Jesus Christ, the holy God humbled himself to be born as man. In John 17:19 we read Jesus’ words: “ for them I sanctify myself, so that they too may be truly sanctified”. Sanctification is setting oneself apart for a single cause. The omnipresent God
The friction God builds into the Christian life is not accidental. It is deliberate, strategic, intended to produce growth in holiness. Sinclair B. Ferguson humbled himself to be a human baby in the womb of a virgin for the very special mission of redeeming human race lost in sin. God who is the controller and sovereign ruler of the whole universe sanctified Himself for the exclusive mission of human redemption. This sanctified state of Jesus Christ is described as holiness of God here. Jesus sanctified Himself so that His
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disciples too may be sanctified unto Himself. That is to say, just as Jesus set Himself apart and gave himself over for us exclusively, we, His disciples too should set ourselves apart and give ourselves over exclusively for Him. This is what is meant by the holiness of God getting reflected in the Christians.
Jesus’ Example The redemption of mankind from sin was not wrought exclusively by Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion that lasted for about six hours. The shadow of the cross was over the Lord right from His very birth. This shadow hovered over Him all through His life. The very fact that Jesus was laid in manger at His birth points to the fact that He came as the scapegoat to take away the sin of the world. The great God set himself apart to be the perfect sacrifice and was born in the manger. Right from that birth started the journey to the cross. Even the shepherds who came and bowed down before the puny babe lying in the manger were specially assigned a great mission. They were the shepherds who were in charge of the pastures where lambs meant for the sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple were kept. Immediately after the birth of a lamb in that pasture these shepherds were to check them for any blemish and make sure of its worthiness to be sacrificed in the temple. These shepherds were commissioned by God to certify the perfect worthiness of the Lamb of God.Jesus was sanctified for us even from the very birth. Such perfect sanctification, Jesus said, was meant for our sanctification. At re-birth we set ourselves apart exclusively for our Lord. We speak of one getting saved by accepting Jesus Christ as his saviour and lord. The ‘accepting’ part is over emphasised so that the part of giving oneself under the lordship of Jesus Christ is subordinated. We forget that we accept Jesus as Lord and master. It is as much as to say that we give ourselves over to His lordship. Just as Jesus’ sanctified state started with His birth, we too should get sanctified at the very time of our salvation. Atsalvation we give ourselves over to the Lordship of the Lord rather than accepting Jesus as our saviour. This is the beginning of our sanctification. That is to say the holiness of Jesus should start reflecting in our life even from the time of our salvation and re-birth.
An Exclusive Relationship As large crowds were travelling with Jesus, He turned around and looking straight into their eyes said: “if any one comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters- yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). What exclusive a relationship is demanded by the Lord!. When one comes to the Lord he should submit himself with an exclusive loyalty and undivided love. This exclusive relationship is the holiness demanded from every Christian. Our God is jealous God; He will not suffer dividing His love and loyalty with anyone else. We are the betrothed bride of Jesus Christ. No bridegroom ever would suffer his betrothed bride to share even a fraction of her love and loyalty with anyone else. The example of bride and the bridegroom is used to highlight the exclusive relationship we should have with the Lord. No human being can ever plead ignorance of such exclusivity demanded from him because this example is enough to make it clear for any human being. This is the holiness of God. That should reflect from our life.
Holiness and Purity Purity is the result of holiness. A pure person with a clean character may not be a holy one because holiness is setting oneself apart for a single cause. Being pure and clean does not qualify one to be the bride of the Lamb of God. According to the divine standard no one can be pure and blemishless to qualify for eternal life. But one who accepts Jesus’ sacrificial death as the only way for the propitiation of his sin and accepts Jesus Christ as his saviour by faith and gives himself over to the exclusive Lordship of the Lord, gets accepted as holy bride of the Lamb of God. Such exclusive submission of oneself to the Lord by faith purifies him and the holiness of God starts reflecting in his life. Thus holiness effects purification, not vice versa.
renewing and enriching life
Dr. Kris A. Jackson Branson West, MO Teacher and revivalist
The Lord’s Prayer and the Holiness of God “Hallowed be Your name”
God has eternally wedded the doctrines of justification and sanctification, and as in any divine marriage, what God has joined together, let not man put asunder. Many in our day seek to divorce the two but the union can never be annulled. It is not so much that holiness is demanded of God, but rather, it should be desired of the believer. The Lord’s Prayer is the chief example of what the sanctified believer wills.
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He wills the will of God. His or her aim is selfless. The request is not, “My kingdom come, my will be done”, but rather the purposes and honor of the Father are chosen over personal ambitions or want. Because the redeemed believer longs to be transformed into His image, the divine presence is pursued. Faith looks up to God in all His perfections, the foremost being God’s holiness. And so,
2. This daily prayer seeks daily purity Obviously, the Lord’s Prayer is meant as a daily model for prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread” assumes that prayer is to be the key that unlocks every morning. No facet of the prayer is more vital than another. As we need daily provision we similarly need daily purity. Jesus beheld the Father’s face every morning and hallowed, sanctified, or set the Father apart, with special honor (Mark 1:35). We bathe every day physically. There is also a spiritual hygiene that washes in the Word with each new day. Holiness, or hallowedness, is not a Sunday experience alone. “Hallowed be Your Name” suggests that every menial activity of every weekday should be devoted to the Lord. “In that day HOLINESS TO THE LORD shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar” (Zechariah 14:20). Imagine a day when the stable is as spiritual as the sanctuary, where common kitchen vessels are set apart for God’s glory no less than the sacraments of the communion table. Leather straps harnessed around the horses’ necks are devoted to God just as the golden chains girding the High Priest’s vestment.
3. No one who honors His name in private willingly disgraces His name in public
I believe the holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him. Rick Warren early in the Prayer, Jesus set himself apart to God who also is set apart, “Hallowed be Your Name”.
1. The Father is heavenly but also holy We speak often of the Heavenly Father, but in Gethsemane’s quiet Jesus prayed to His “holy Father” (John 17:11). Notice, seraph angels never cry“worthy, worthy, worthy”, though God is worthy, or “love, love, love” though God is love. They declare the signature attribute of the Triune God, “holy, holy, holy”.
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I like to call the Lord’s Prayer “Closet Communion”. Image is what is seen outside the prayer chamber, integrity is what is seen within. “Hallowed be Your Name” is the password for entrance beyond the veil. The reason we need to daily pursue and then entertain His presence is because it changes us from glory to glory by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18) and properly dresses us for the rest of the day. Those who appreciate private intimacy with God become very protective of the Glory of God. The spouse who has a deep, abiding, intimate relationship with his or her mate never disgraces that mate in the world’s company. To hallow Him is to honor Him. The sincerity of the communion within the holy place is validated by the conversation and conduct without.
4. Prayer is the ultimate unmasking exercise. The young opportunist announced, “I am Esau”, taking advantage of his nearlyblind father. Years later, confronting his own carnal nature, the fugitive confessed, “I am Jacob”, a cheat, a deceiver, a swindler. It is impossible to pretend while in the Presence. There is no one to fool in the secret place. God knows our hearts and every detail of our lives. So, prayer is the ultimate unmasking exercise. “Hallowed be Your Name” is acknowledgement of who He is but also confession of what we are. It is the safest Doctor’s examination. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23,24). No believer should fear the probing because our holy God is also a healing God. Confession opens the fountain of cleansing and cleansing reveals the true character of Christ within us.
5. What is not inspected deteriorates, what is inspected improves The statement needs little explanation. If you never attend to your teeth the outcome is predictable. A house needs care and occasional repair. Automobiles must be serviced and the oil changed from time to time. Soul-care is no different. The hallowing and unmasking is key to the transforming. The High Priest carefully inspected the sacrifice. Are we not living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God? Most people are skilled at circumspection, judging everyone around them, or retrospection, judging how they would have done a thing had they been in charge, but the greatest need is for introspection, looking in the mirror at the condition of our own hearts. It is important that we show sobriety and order at the Lord’s Table but equally important that we do so when it comes to the Lord’s Prayer. Closet communion is
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daily confrontation with the old nature – “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31). A surgeon scrubs his hands before entering the operating room. Mother demanded that we wash our hands before sitting down at the dinner table. “Hallowed be Your Name” is confession that we need Him to live in and through us or we will naturally revert to the control of our fallen natures.
6. What you rub against rubs off on you Get around someone exposed to chicken pox and you will likely catch it. Hang around a group of gossipers and their negativity will rub off on you. Bathe yourself with faith-inspiring words and it will reflect on the countenance. Get alone with God on a daily basis and the glory will be as evident to all as it was when Moses came down from Sinai, having to veil his glistening face.
7. If you start the day praising Him you will spend the day pleasing Him In closing, Paul offered a keen insight – “If the root is holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:16). If the root of the day, the early-morning, begins hallowed, so goes the rest of the day no matter how it branches out. You feel better all day after a shower in the morning. Prayer is to the soul what a shower is to the body. Prayer is to the
Just One Minute Continued from Cover 2 Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be; Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide; And run not before Him, whatever betide. In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord, And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul, Each thought and each motive beneath His control. Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love, Thou soon shall be fitted for service above. The “prince of preachers,” Charles Spurgeon, said, “If you would be holy, you must live close to Jesus.” The holiness of God not only transforms moral men like Saul of Tarsus. It also transforms even “impossible” people like Karla Faye Tucker, a hatchet murderess on death row, who heard the gospel and repented before a holy God. Before that, she was a drug addict at eight and a prostitute by 11 or 12. In spite of her miserable background and her imminent sentence of death for her crime, she committed her life to Christ and yearned for holy living. She didn’t become perfect, but her life changed so radically, others saw the difference, and many of her fellow prisoners committed their lives to Christ. A Christian man became so impressed by her growing Christ-like character, he married her even though he knew he would soon lose her. She paid an earthly price of execution by lethal injection for her heinous crime, but she died praising the Lord for His holy and eternal deliverance.
spiritual lungs what disciplined exercise is to physical health. If you start the day honoring Him, you will spend the day hearing from Him. If you start by praising Him, you will likely end the day still pleasing Him. What a joy it is for the believer to be justified (past tense), sanctified (presenttense), and soon to be glorified (future-tense). Righteousness is His gift to us. Holiness then is our personal consecration and gift back to Him. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
God is not impersonal with us in our deadness to His holy ways in the way of humans with ants. He knows the number of hairs on our heads. He loved us before He created the world, and He even made Himself one of us. In Christ, He came to reconcile us to Himself, to make us part of His kingdom, giving His life to make us His children. He extends His grace to all of us with the goal that in relationship to Him, we will become holy even as He is holy. Let each of us make sure we have accepted His invitation to holiness through Jesus Christ. Let us make sure we learn to grow in holy living that others may find Him through us. *** Father God, I thank you that you are a holy God. That means your love and grace are always sure. You always keep your promises. I can always count on you, and I know that you have the final victory over evil, death and sin in my life and the world around me. Thank you for offering your perfect and holy sacrifice to me through your Son. Help me to live a holy life so others will be drawn to you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. January - February 2018
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Rev. Gibson Joy Serves as the youth pastor with the Assembly of God Church in Lucknow. His wife Janet serves as a counselor. Both Janet and Gibson have committed themselves to a life of knowing and serving the Lord and His people.
The Kingdom of God - NT Perspective
The word “Kingdom” is a very weighty word. It speaks of royalty, dominion, reign, and kingship. The Kingdom of God is any place where God has dominion or exercises
His reign and authority to accomplish His will and for His glory. This is a dominant theme right through the Bible. A bulk of Jesus’ message centred on the Kingdom of God. Starting from His first recorded words in Mark 1:15 - “Repent for the Kingdom of God has come” to His final parting words with His disciples (Acts 1:3). He taught His disciples much about the Kingdom. Whether they understood what Jesus said is questionable. Even after Jesus’ resurrection, they were still thinking in terms of a physical, geographical sphere of Kingdom rule (Acts 1:6).
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Kingdom with Limits? The disciples and Pharisees of Jesus’ day cannot be blamed for fostering thoughts of a physical kingdom. This is largely due to the fact that much of the Old Testament prophecy and their interpretations in Rabbinical tradition pointed to a Messiah, a political leader, a deliverer (Is 9:1-7; 35:5-6; 61:1-3; Micah 5:2) who would overthrow world powers thereby establishing Israel as chief among all nations of the world (Is 2:2). With phrases such as government, freedom, deliverer, ruler it is all but natural for humans in their limited capacities to think in terms of the physical, cultural and geographical. But seeing through the finished work of Christ on the cross, and the wisdom of God revealed therein (1 Cor 1:18, 21, 24), we as people who have the privilege of hindsight see God’s “mystery which for ages past was kept hidden in God...but now revealed... that God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Eph 3:9-11; Col 1:26-27) We also see how Jesus in His own life fulfilled the entire collection of over 100 prophecies pertaining to the Messiah. A closer look at the Old Testament teachings, prophecies and understanding of the Kingdom of God and how God desired it will reveal to us (in light of what Christ has accomplished) that God had it in His mind all along to establish a Kingdom (Ex 19:4). A people who would be His own and whose God He would be. In fact what we see as the Covenantal formula - “You will be my people and I will be your God” was actually a progression starting with Abraham to the people of Israel and ultimately the whole world (Gen 17:8; Lev 26:12; Jer 31:33; Rev 21:3). Looking at Abraham’s call described in Genesis 12:1-3, we have a window into God’s ultimate plan which is not limited to Abraham or the people of Israel but in fact for the whole world. “Through you all peoples on earth will be blessed”. How was God going to accomplish this? Right from the time judgement was passed on Eve along with a prophecy that her “seed would crush the head of the serpent” (Gen 3:15), every generation looked forward to this Deliverer. God told Abraham that his offspring would carry that blessing. What we need to understand about God’s Kingdom is that it has no beginning and no ending (Dan 4:34). It has existed as long as God and is established wherever God has extended His rule. It is not an earthly Kingdom limited to time, space, caste, colour, creed or any other humanistic categorizations. It transcends the physical to include all of creation both physical and spiritual and heavenly realms. (Rev 5:13). When God created the world, He gave dominion of this part of His domain to humankind to do whatever they pleased with it. His will was that humans would rule on His behalf, representing Him in every way toward all creation (Gen 1:28). For where God’s rule is, there is justice, righteousness, peace and joy (Ps 89:14; Rom 14:17). But humankind yielded to the devil’s temptation and tried to cut himself off of God’s guidance and rule. Thus when they came into agreement with the devil to do his will, they were giving dominion of the earth into his hands making him the god of this age (Luke 4:6; 2 Cor 4:4). Thus the state of world affairs as we see it now is the consequence of the world not coming under the rule of God and the devil exercising his will over lives and nations. To counter this, God devised a plan whereby this dominion would be taken away from the devil. For this, there had to be a human, a “second Adam” who would chose to do God’s will (Rom 5:17; 1 Cor 15:44) whereby he can snatch from the devil’s grip all authority and dominion. This second Adam - Jesus was victorious where the first Adam failed. Through His victory on the cross and subsequent resurrection, Jesus has been given all the authority and power and is the Name above every name (Matt 28:18; Eph 1:20-22). And all who would put their trust in Him would come under His rule. Coming under the rule of God means a shift in our citizenship, our allegiance from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God’s Son (Col 1:13). God waited for centuries long for this promise to be fulfilled for various reasons. First of all He needed to reveal His perfect nature to humankind in the law He would
give to the people of Israel (Ex 20). And for this purpose He chose Abraham and the people of Israel to whom He would reveal Himself. Secondly humankind needed to understand the importance of God’s salvation. In the revelation of God’s law, was also a revelation of human sinfulness and the futility of trying to live up to God’s perfect standard while under the power of sin (Rom 7:20; Gal 3:21,22). Upon realising our need for a saviour and the importance of God’s rule of freedom and grace upon our lives, humanity is in the perfect place to see their need for God’s rule. Within the law, the grace of God was revealed within the sacrificial system offering atonement for sin. But this was only a deed done in faith testifying and even prophetically pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (Lev 16; Heb 9:22; 10:4, 10). Thirdly, Jesus who is God the Son needed to be born under the law, as a Jew and fulfil it completely so as to become the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world for all time (Gal 4:4,5). And fourthly, through the way opened by Jesus, all of humanity is now able to come into a covenantal relationship with God (John 3:16; Gal 3:28,29). Therefore into the Kingdom of God.
Entering the Kingdom Jesus had already stated that His Kingdom is not an earthly one (John 18:36). So how do we as sinful beings inherit the Kingdom? By rebirth. We need to be born into it. A new start, a new heart, a new beginning in a new world. Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied that God would make a new covenant with His people whereby they will receive a new heart and spirit, be moved to obey God’s laws and they will all know Him (Jer 31:31-33; Ez 36:24-26). In Jesus’ discussion January - February 2018
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with Nicodemus he makes it very clear that being born into the Kingdom is nothing short of a miracle of God done by the Spirit of God (Jn 3:5-8; cf. Jn 1:12,13). To be born into the Kingdom is to be born of God. It is received by faith and given completely by the grace of God (Jn 3:16; Eph 2:8,9). It is only when we come under the rule of God as His Children can we escape the slavery of sin (Rom 6:22), the inevitable wrath of God (Rom 1:18) and eternal damnation in Hell (Rev 20:15). Jesus said we need to receive it with the innocent, bold and humble faith like that of little children (Matt 18:3, 4). This is how we enter in. By renouncing the ways of the enemy and his dominion over our lives and accepting the rule of God over our hearts and the trusting Him to give us a new birth into His Kingdom. We are Children of God. It is when we consciously do this that God gives us His Holy Spirit who sets us free (2 Cor 4:17) and we are set on a course of knowing God and living out our new God-given identity as sons of God.
The Culture of the Kingdom As in any Kingdom and organization, the Kingdom of God comes with a culture of its own. It is a culture that flows out of the very nature of God. The reason why Jesus’ message was so astounding to the people of His day was not because He
Holiness is not freedom from temptation, but power to overcome temptation. 22 January - February 2018
contradicted the Law of God but because He stretched it to its truest heights of perfection. Be it adultery, murder, divorce or lying, Jesus brought it up to perfection. “Love your enemies”, Jesus said, “Do good to those who persecute you... Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:21-48). Jesus was living out the culture of the Kingdom that He embodied. When Jesus had compassion on the sick and healed them, when He touched the lepers, raised the dead and calmed the seas, He was living His earthly life not from an earthly perspective but from His Kingdom’s purview. He modelled what would happen through any person who would be born into His Kingdom. He was of God, with no beginning and no end. When we are born again, we are born of God by the power of His Spirit. Two things characterize life in the Kingdom. Firstly, a life of love that is free from fear, forgiving, uniting across racial, gender, cultural, economic and religious barriers (1 Jn 4:18; 2:9,10; Eph 2:14; Gal 3:28,29). Secondly, a life led by and lived out by the help of the Spirit of God so that our lives would increasingly look like Jesus’ life here on earth (2 Cor 3:18; Gal 2:20; 4:16,24,25; 1 Jn 2:6; 2 Pet 1:3,4). And both of these characteristics are lived out only by faith in God (2 Cor 5:7) The admonition of the apostles is that we don’t live according to the patterns of this world (Rom 12:2) but live as citizens of the Kingdom of God (Phil 3:20) as those who are born of God (1 Jn 5:4). In other words, we live our lives true to our calling and new identity (2 Cor 5:17; Eph 4:1). This Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power (1 Cor 4:20) - The power of God enabling human beings to live the Christ-life on the earth now making us true ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20). This is the life Jesus came to give us.
The Future of the Kingdom There is a forward looking aspect to this Kingdom in the way that it is experienced in present day. Paul explains in Romans 8:19 that “creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed”. Even creation awaits that representative rule that needs to be exercised over creation on God’s behalf. What we see today by way of earthquakes, famines, tsunamis are all groanings awaiting a day when the Lord will make “all things new” and the “kingdoms of this world become the Kingdoms of our God” (Rev 11:15; 21:3-5). Daniel prophesied this in his interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan 2:24-48). In his interpretation Daniel spoke of a Kingdom that God would establish that would overthrow all the other kingdoms of this world but would span the entire world and endure forever (Dan 2:44). But what is interesting is how the Kingdom started. It started as a rock not cut by human hands, but soon became a mountain that covered the whole earth. This pointed to the mode in which God would establish His Kingdom. When Jesus came and proclaimed those historic words, “The Kingdom of God has come upon you”, it was the rock striking against the foot of the statue; the rock that would ultimately span the entire world as the Kingdom of God. “The Kingdom of God is like yeast”, Jesus said, “that works through the entire dough”. Again, “The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants...” (Matt 13:31-33). The Kingdom of God is slowly working through the cultures, and kingdoms of this world to bring transformation from a worldly pattern to a pattern after the Kingdom of God. The New Testament looks forward with futuristic expectation and hope of this influence and transformation affecting the entire world for the glory of God culminating in the new world order where God Himself will rule. As citizens of the Kingdom, as ambassadors of Christ those who have been born again, we are called to exercise our influence upon the society we live in as the Light and the Salt of the Earth (Matt 5:13) so that we may increasingly see His Kingdom come and His will being done on earth just as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10). All this is done as we eagerly wait for the day when He comes as King of all kings and makes all things on earth new again.
renewing and enriching life
Catherine Booth (1829–1890)
Female Preacher, Activist and Cofounder of the Salvation Army
Catherine Mumford
was born in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, in 1829. By the time she was twelve, she had read through the Bible eight times. Catherine first glimpsed her call to social justice when she stood up for a drunken man she felt had been mistreated by a local policeman. In 1852, Catherine met William Booth, a Methodist minister. While they shared the same view on social reform, Catherine highly objected to William’s non-feminist views on women, especially a woman’s role in the church and her right to preach. Despite their differences, Catherine and William married on June 16, 1855. One morning in 1860 at GatesheadBethseda Chapel, Catherine recalled, she suddenly felt compelled to stand up and speak. She found herself preaching her fist sermon, and it so impressed her husband that he changed his mind about women preachers. Catherine soon gained a reputation as an extraordinary speaker and began preaching revivals at London’s Christian Mission, which later became the Salvation Army. When the Church of England called William Booth the antichrist for elevating women to a man’s status, William answered his accusers, “The best men in my army are the women.” In 1882, a London survey reported that on one weeknight, there were almost seventeen thousand worshipping with the Salvation Army compared to eleven thousand in mainline churches. Catherine’s tireless campaigns for social reform included organizing Food-for-the-Million Shops, where the poor could by affordable meals; cooking Christmas Day dinners to feed the poor; waging war on match factories that presented health risks from unsafe chemicals; and fearlessly fighting for better wages for women. Fact: The last stanza, which begins, “When we’ve been there ten thousand years,” was added by an unknown author and appeared as early as 1829. In the year 1829… Religious freedom was restored in Ireland. Britain abolished sati, the Indian custom of a widow burning herself on a funeral pyre. Gioacchino Rossini’s opera William Tell premiered. . January - February 2018
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renewing and enriching life
news Top Vatican astronomer: Some scientists pretend they’re atheists for credibility, but many attend church Vatican, November 24, 2017: A top Vatican astronomer has said that a number of public scientists claim to be atheists in order to appear credible, noting that a surprising number of scientists attend church. “The scientists that you see on TV who are proclaimed atheists because they think it gives them credibility in science - which it doesn’t - are turning off the nine-tenths of the population that don’t call themselves atheists,” Consolmagno said, without naming names. Consolmagno said that he was surprised when a number of his scientist colleagues told him they attend church. “I think it would be a great benefit to science and to religion for them to publicly proclaim in their churches that they are scientists. That’s where it needs to happen. Those are the people who need to hear that science is for everybody,” the Jesuit astronomer said. “Christians have the tradition of angels, non-corporeal beings, created by God. What could be more science fictional than that?” Others, such as Young Earth Creationist and Answers in Genesis President Ken Ham, have critisized the search for aliens. “We are not alone in the universe. We are constantly being upheld (Acts 17:25) by the One who created and upholds the universe (Hebrews 1:3). Instead of seeking for a twin to Earth and intelligent alien life, these researchers should seek the Creator who loves them and died for them,” Ham said in 2016.
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Ham has also argued that the Bible does not give any evidence to believe that life may have been created anywhere outside of Earth.
India’s Indigenous people threaten to protest against Christmas Jharkhand, November 24, 2017: Some adherents of traditional religions in India’s polarized Jharkhand state have threatened to protest against forthcoming Christmas celebrations as offensive to local sensibilities. Christian leaders blame outside political plotting designed to divide tribal people by stirring strife. SarnaSamiti, a forum of indigenous religions, at a Nov. 19 meeting accused foreign Christian missionaries of interfering with their culture by indulging in religious conversions. Sarna is the collective name given to local animist religions. The forum said it is opposed to local Christians celebrating Christmas. Father Nicholas Barla, the secretary of the Indian Catholic bishops’ Commission for Tribal Affairs, told ucanews.com that the aim was to foster schisms in order to create a “vote bank” for 2019 national elections. There are an estimated 9 million indigenous people in Jharkhand. The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules in Jharkhand, looks set to win all 14 national seats. Father Barla, a Divine Word priest, said the BJP portrayed Christians as enemies because they opposed unjust government policies. Catholic Nabore Ekka, president of the Delhi region of the Bharatiya Adivasi Sangamam (Indian Indigenous People’s Forum), noted that indigenous groups led by Church workers had successfully fought against the government taking over of indigenous land. It has been observed that extremist Hindu groups target missionaries in order to prevent the education and development of indigenous people. The state in August passed an anti-conversion law targeting Christian missionary work as offering inducements for people to convert from other religions. The state’s Christian component is almost double the national average of 2.3 percent. Jharkhand has some 1.5 million Christians in a population of 33 million, mostly members of the indigenous population, and almost half of them are Catholics.
renewing and enriching life
EFI Youth Commission Research Report One cannot over emphasize on the importance of young people in the Church. In India this importance becomes even more augmented because of our demographics. India is a young nation; every third person in our cities today is a young person. The Church in India too reflects this reality and we as a Church, cannot afford to stay out of touch with the reality of young people’s lives and their issues. This is why I am so glad that this research on the challenges of young people has been carried out by CLFA and its report is being published under the aegis of the Youth Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India.
Dalits allege harassment over participation in church festival Over 50 dalit people have complained to Tiruchirapalli district Collector about police harassment following a dispute over their participation in the annual car festival of a church in the Periyavarseeli village.
The villagers came from the neighboring PokkattakudiSeshasamudram near Lalgudi town on May 13 after police allegedly beat them up over the weekend. The trouble began on Saturday after a few caste Hindus youths of Periyavarseeli village reportedly told the dalits that they should not participate in the car festival of the Adaikalamatha Church held last week. The dalits had returned after the incident, but some of them had questioned a youth who visited their village on Sunday. A police constable on patrol, the villagers alleged, had intervened and assaulted the dalits without any enquiry. “We were just talking to the youth in a friendly manner asking him about the reason for being told to stay away from the festival. But the constable started attacking us. Some of us objected to his action and there was a scuffle. The constable called up his colleagues and 10 to 15 policemen descended on the scene and attacked us indiscriminately,� said N.Mohan, one of the villagers. However, police claimed there was a scuffle between the two groups necessitating the intervention of a police constable on patrol. The villagers had taken objection to this and attacked him, a senior police officer said. Cases have been registered against 11 persons in connection with the incident and two have been arrested.
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QUIZ–59 UNDER A CLOUD 1. What two long-dead men were with Jesus when a shining cloud covered them? 2. Did the pillar of cloud in the wilderness lead the Israelites by day or by night? 3. What epistle talks about a “cloud of witness”? 4. What epistle mentions believers being caughtup the clouds to meet the Lord? 5. According to Jesus, what person will appear coming in glory on the clouds of heaven? 6. On what mountain did God appear in the form of a cloud? 7. What object of the Israelites was notable for having the cloud of God’s glory upon it? 8. What portable object did the cloud of God’s glory appear over? 9. At what event did a cloud hide Jesus from the apostles’ sight? 10. According to Zephaniah, what special day will be a day of clouds and blackness?
The ABC of becoming a Christian
Admit that you are in
need of someone to save you from guilt, shame and bondage or addictions. Admit that you have violated God’s Laws.
Answers for Quiz - 58 SUPERNATURAL JOURNEYS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Elijah (l Kings l9:5–8) His mantle (2 Kings 2:8) Ahab (l Kings 18:41–46) In a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11) The Jordan (Joshua 3) The Spirit of the Lord (Acts 8:39–40) 7. Jesus and Peter (Matthew 14:22–32) 8. The devil (Matthew 4:5–7) 9. A lock of Ezekiel’s hair (Ezekiel 8:l–3) 10. Jesus (Acts l:9) 11. Paul (2 Corinthians 12: l–7)
Believe that Jesus Christ is the
only One whois able to save you and to bring deliverence and offer forgiveness of sins. Believe that Jesus is the only One to conquer death and is the risen Saviour.
Confess with your
mouth that Jesus is your Lord and submit to His rulership in your life.
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