August 13, 2010

So what?

As I sit writing this article, the television news channel is blaring on about the escalating violence in Libya and the renewed dissatisfaction in Egypt. The price of crude oil is about $115 a barrel and the economic futurists are sharpening their pencils in preparation for a series of doom-and-gloom articles. I change channels and what do I find? I find an American right wing ‘evangelist’ figuratively mounting one of four horses of the apocalypse! Daniel’s king of the South is advancing, the king of the West is about to intervene, and all hell is about to break loose on earth!

So here is my question. So what? So what if the so-called Libyan rebels disrupt the oil production and as a result the price per barrel breaks through $120 and continues to climb? So what if America fulfills Chavez’s cynical prediction, rushes in to secure its oil supplies and as a result China gets militant? Don’t get me wrong. These things would not be good for anyone and I don’t say ‘so what?’ as if they don’t matter. Rather, my question exposes the fundamental problem that ordinary folk like us have, and that is knowing how to respond to the things that are happening in our world; ‘so what are we supposed to do?”

If North Africa blazes in social unrest and the price of petrol, and consequently almost everything else, rises steeply… so what are we supposed to do about it? If indeed the TV evangelist is correct and we are witnessing the start of The Tribulation… so what are we supposed to do? Do we sell up everything and head for the hills? Do we accost everyone we meet with an escape-from-the-hell-to-come gospel? My answers are no, and no. We are supposed to be light to the world, not lamps in hiding. We are called to be disciple-makers, not harvesters of expediency driven ‘commitments’. So what then are we supposed to do?

I believe that the book of Hebrews gives us an answer to the ‘so what?’ question. Hebrews 10:19-25 reads; ‘Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.’ So what should we do? We should draw near to God, hold to the hope we have, and encourage one another.

The most important thing in these times is to be close to Jesus. The imperative for this hour of human destiny is to spend time in fellowship with the only one who doesn’t change, who will not let us down, and whose secure friendship endures for all eternity.

Now is the time to seek the Lord while He may be found. Nothing is more important than a rich relationship with the Lord Jesus.

Also, a most powerful testimony in these times is the living testimony of a person full of hope. Not hope in materialism, or politics, or religion, but hope in the living God. ‘But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…‘ (1 Peter 3:15-16)

The third thing we should do is to expend time and effort on the church fellowship. We need each other. We need to be encouraged and we need to encourage others. Negative, destructive scare-mongering is not the right response to our times; words of faith, hope and love are.

So what? So press in to God, give a witness of hope to the world, and encourage one another.

So what? Read More »

When the flame flickers low

I have to confess that I am amazed when I hear someone who has been married for forty years say “I am as much in love with my wife now as I was when we first got married.”

I would relate more to “I love my wife more now than I did when we got married” because love does mature. To be ‘in love’ though is something else altogether. The words evoke memories of a heady hormonal euphoria when everything was new and utterly charming. But this fades as the relationship deepens over time and, whether good or bad, we tend to fall into a comfortable rhythm of life with our partners.

Something similar happens in our spiritual life, and this is not surprising because Christianity is also relationship based. We love the Lord and we love His people but it all seems a little routine and stale. We pray, we read the Bible, we attend church, and on occasions we speak to unsaved people about Jesus. Yet the flame that once burned so bright now seems to be flickering low.

When we are honest with ourselves we realize that we aren’t altogether satisfied with a stale yet comfortable relationship, either with our spouses or with the Lord. But what is to be done about it?

In the book of Revelation Jesus address seven local churches and to the Ephesians He writes, ‘You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.’ (Rev 2:4-5) NIV. In this one succinct statement the Lord Jesus sets out what is needed to rekindle the flame of a relationship, either matrimonial or spiritual. Remember – Repent – Repeat.

Remember when you first met Jesus as savior and lord? How did you feel? What engaged your attention? What was it about this relationship that intrigued and fascinated you? We need to remember so that we can appreciate the difference between then and now. Once we realize that what we have now falls short of what we had then, we repent. To repent means to change one’s mind and so we say, “I am sorry Lord. I want to be different. I want to return to the vitality of the relationship we once had.” But having remembered and repented, we still need to repeat.

Jesus said that we should do again the things we did at first. What do we need to repeat? What did we do when we first met Him? How did we behave? What took priority over our time and energy? I remember how I was as a new Christian. I couldn’t get enough of the Bible. I read it eagerly and studied it diligently because I knew that it was God’s Word to me. I was filled with wonder every time I learned something new about the nature and character of Jesus. I was determined to obey what it said and take seriously its guidance. Another thing that characterised those early years was deep desire to talk to other Christians about the scriptures, faith, and particularly about Jesus. I would sit them down at a table, get them a cup of coffee and then say “Now tell me, what does the Bible mean when it says….?” And I was so totally engaged in my relationship with Jesus that it was natural for me to talk to unsaved people about Him. I didn’t Bible-bash or systematically evangelise, I simply witnessed, and chatted, and shared. Anyway, that’s how I remember it and I am sticking to my story.

So, if the flame is flickering low, then a way to fire it up again is to repeat the activities of the early years.

Read and study the Bible prayerfully and with expectation. Spend time with other Christians speaking about Jesus, not just about rugby or the economy. And witness to those who do not yet have a relationship with Him. Talk to them about Jesus as you would about your much loved life partner.

I know this is good advice when our spiritual flame is flickering low and I am pretty sure it also applies to other relationships, like marriage – Remember, Repent, and Repeat.

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The sign of Jonah – or a whale of a tale

Leave a Comment / Articles, Published Articles / Christopher Peppler

Over the years I have been keeping reasonably up to date on the findings and theories concerning the shroud of Turin. Every year something new emerges as various scientists seek to understand this enigmatic burial shroud.

The shroud put in its first recorded appearance in 1356 at a time when religious relics and superstitions were rife in medieval Europe. Some researchers claim to be able to trace it back to the sixth century and one even claims that there is reasonable evidence for it coming out of the first century. Whatever its recorded history, many religious people think it is the authentic burial cloth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Recently the Pope went to pray before the shroud, so clearly he believes it has significance.

No matter what one thinks of the shroud, it certainly is a mystery. In 1898 it was photographed for the first time and this led to an intriguing discovery: the image in the shroud is a negative. Up to this time most sceptics thought that the image was simply the work of a skilled medieval artist trying to cash in on the relics market. However, the discovery that the image was actually a negative put this idea under a lot of pressure. Recently artists and scientists have attempted to reproduce such an image using pigments, dyes, rubs, heat treatments and so on. Their results are interesting but far from compelling. Besides, current microscopic examination of the fabric shows no evidence at all of any pigments.

In 1988 carbon 14 dating indicated that the shroud originated in the middle ages. More recently, however, facts have immerged which prove that the process was seriously flawed and that the cloth could well date back to the first century.

Since 2003 a number of articles have appeared in reputable scientific journals seeking to make sense of the shroud and its image. A popular hypothesis is that the image was formed by ammonia derivatives from a human body interacting with carbohydrate residue in the fabric (the Maillard reaction). But this doesn’t fully explain the remarkable image. It seems that the image in the shroud is a sort of 3D terrain map of the body it covered. Because of this quality, researchers have been able to use modern computer techniques to develop a full reproduction of the body. In 2010 the History channel aired a documentary showing the results of this process. The resultant 3D image shows a man with abrasions in his face, shoulder, and knees. The scourge marks of a cat-o-nine tails are visible and the wound in the side, wrists and feet are unmistakable.

The consensus opinion at this time is that the shroud of Turin is genuine in that it carries within its fibres the image of a man who died by crucifixion and that in all probability the material can be dated back far earlier than the medieval era. Is it the burial shroud of Jesus? No one can be sure of this, but it is true that the wounds shown in the image conform to the Gospel record of the crucifixion.

Some scientists are still not satisfied with the chemical interaction theory of how the image was formed. They claim that a catalytic event must have caused such a reaction. They theorise that some form of energy must have passed through the fabric to trigger a chemical reaction. One hypothesis is that the units of matter called nuceons must have decoupled causing a dematerialisation of the body. Simply put, the body passed through the fabric of the shroud.

All this is interesting but far from conclusive, so why am I interested in it, and why should you be? Luke 11 and Matthew 16 record Jesus’ words concerning the only sign He was prepared to give an unbelieving generation. Matthew 12:38-41 records, ‘Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”’ Whether or not scientific evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the sign for our age is debateable. What is certain however is that research continues, TV channels continue to produce documentaries, people write books, but the mystery remains. The crucifixion and resurrection remain in the public’s eye.

Every Easter the Christian church remembers the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am grateful that scientists and sceptics, although they may not believe, continue to wrestle with the possibility that this pivotal event in biblical history may well be historically and scientifically verified. If it was verifiable, would this effect my faith in any way? No, but it sure would make an unbelieving world sit up and take notice.

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When God says, “Step aside!”

Leave a Comment / Articles, Published Articles / Christopher Peppler

Revival. What a word! It means, to bring to life again.

The church was brought to life on the day of Pentecost around 29 AD, but now it needs to be brought to life again; it needs revival. I say this for three main reasons.

Firstly, so many Christians, the living stones that make up the church, are practically indistinguishable from the rough rocks that constitute the ‘world’. George Barna has conducted surveys over the last few years that show that American Christians are little different to non-Christians. They may speak religious-speak, what I can ‘Christianees’, but they live no differently to their ‘pagan’ neighbours. And I am sure that this applies to other cultures as well… South African, for instance.

If we are no different to the ‘unsaved’ in values, priorities, and lifestyle, then why should they believe us when we say “You must be saved”? No wonder that so many people regard the church as a haven for the hypocritical! If we are to reach people with the Gospel then we must first be changed by that same Gospel. If we want to shed light into darkness then we must first be light – ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 4:6). But for this to happen on a scale sufficient to change our societies we need… Revival!

The second reason I make the claim that the church needs to be brought to life again, is that the nations of the world are in deep trouble and only a revived church can heal them. There is a lovely song that goes, ‘heal our nation, pour out your Spirit on this land’. But how will God answer that cry of our hearts? He will answer by pouring out His Spirit on His church. Then we, Spirit filled, revived, disciples of the Lord Jesus will speak life, and perform life-giving acts, to the people of our nation.

The third reason for my claim is a sincere belief that without revival we just cannot reach enough people fast enough to heal our world of its sickness of soul. Not all churches are having slumber parties in the world’s darkest hour. Not all Christians are indistinguishable from their unsaved neighbours. Many churches, Christian organisations and individual Christians are joyfully serious about their mandate to breathe life into their worlds. The problem is that it’s mostly too little and too late. We need Revival!

In the years 1895 to 1910 revival fires sprang up all over the world…The Great Awakening, The Welsh Revival, Azusa Street, Wesley, Whitfield. Names that thrill us and fill us with a deep yearning to experience what the people of those days experienced.

Millions, yes millions, of people were born again during those revival years.

Church denominations doubled in size and thousands of new church fellowships sprang up all over the world. It was as though a fiery wind from heaven blew across the globe, and wherever it blew people, like dry tinder, caught fire and burned brightly for Jesus. North America, South America, the British Isles, Australia, China, India, and South Africa all experienced revival. People were healed, convicted, saved and changed. And the societies in which they lived were transformed in Jesus name!

Revival is not a reward for a church that is powerful and effective in the world. Revival is the divine prescription for an ailing church that just cannot be and do what God intended. Revival is not a mighty church saying “Look Oh Lord what we can do!” No, Revival is when the church hears God saying, “Step aside and see what I can do!”
My heart resonates with the words of the prophet Habakkuk; “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2). These words have become my daily prayer, as has the prayer that the great Welsh revivalist Evan Roberts exhorted the people of his day to pray;

“Oh Holy Spirit, send us Revival!”

When God says, “Step aside!” Read More »

The different Gospel

1 Comment / Articles, Published Articles / Christopher Peppler

In 1988 D.R.McConnell wrote a book critiquing the modern Faith Movement titled ‘A different Gospel’, but there is another ‘different gospel’ that has been around far longer. Paul describes it as ‘really no gospel at all’ (Galatians 1:7) because the Gospel is good news whereas the ‘different gospel’ is not. This false gospel goes under various names but the one we are all most familiar with is… ‘Legalism’.

Legalism, possibly the most pervasive different gospel of all time, is defined most simply as the belief that we can, and should, do something to earn or merit salvation or divine approval. The formula of legalism is Faith + Something = Divine Acceptance. The ‘something’ usually consists of adherence to a specific set of doctrines, practices, good works, or religious observances.

Paul wrote Galatians, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, mainly to counter a certain form of legalism – the imposition of Judaic beliefs and practices on Christian believers. Some leaders and teachers of the time were insisting that for a Christian to be ‘kosher’ he or she had to become a Jew. Nowadays, we seldom encounter this exact form of legalism, yet the discussion around the recent ‘Return of the Judaizers’ article certainly proves that the perceived requirement that Christians observe the Saturday Sabbath and festivals of ancient Israel is still around in some circles.

However, I want to address a more subtle form of legalism that plagues the church communities of our land. Let me introduce it with a couple of questions.

Why do so many church leaders insist that their members give 10% of their total gross income to their local church? I have heard, and read, the arguments in favour of this Tithing practice and I find them all very ‘thin’ biblically. And most of those who advocate Tithing on the grounds of the Old Covenant don’t insist on Saturday Sabbath keeping on the same grounds. The scriptures encourage generous financial giving (2 Corinthians 8 & 9) but to demand a Judaic 10% is to add ‘something’ to the free grace of God (I feel another article coming on). The other day a young man even e-mailed me to ask how he could ensure that he was Tithing his time! And why do some churches make water baptism a membership requirement? I believe in baptism by immersion in water, but are people unacceptable to Jesus and His church if they are not suitably baptised? In my opinion, these are both forms of legalism.

Of course, the different gospel of legalism has infiltrated at a much deeper level than church policy.

At its core is the misconception that God deals with us on a works and rewards basis – we do what God requires and He then favours us.

Sure, the world system works this way, but not the Kingdom of God! We can do nothing to merit God’s favour; He loves and accepts us because of our relationship to Jesus Christ, not because we in any way earn His approval. It is called GRACE, not merit!

As born again children of God, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we hold ourselves accountable to the highest biblical standards of life and witness. We do this because we love Jesus and because we appreciate the value of obedience to divine standards for ourselves, our families, the church, our nation, and the world in general. However, legalism goes beyond this, seeks to hold others accountable to the same personal standards, and judges, criticises, and ostracises anyone who falls short. Legalism makes little distinction between perceived sinful behaviours and the people concerned. When a legal-beagle spots a shortcoming in someone else he ‘speaks the truth’ as directly as possible with little or no regard to love and redemption. If the person does not immediately conform, then legalism applies the John 8:11 solution, but with a nasty twist. In effect, Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery “I do not condemn you; go now and leave your life of sin”, but legalism says “I do condemn you; go… now!”

Legalism is a different gospel that is no Gospel at all, and it is a blight on our churches!

I have been involved in pastoring for over three decades, and in that time I have seen the problems that license and hyper-grace can produce, yet nothing compares to the ubiquitous ravages of legalism I have observed in the Body of Christ.

The different Gospel Read More »

So what?

When the flame flickers low

I have to confess that I am amazed when I hear someone who has been married for forty years say “I am as much in love with my wife now as I was when we first got married.”

The sign of Jonah – or a whale of a tale

Over the years I have been keeping reasonably up to date on the findings and theories concerning the shroud of Turin. Every year something new emerges as various scientists seek to understand this enigmatic burial shroud.

When God says, “Step aside!”

The different Gospel

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