A FATAL PROBLEM?
Many born and bred Anglicans and Roman Catholics still feel they have a responsibility to make at least an occasional appearance at church services. Yet all too often I leave such services feeling very distraught. The talks are too often a load of social codswallop. “What was the point of that,” I wonder. “What am I being taught?”
I was recently invited out to tea with a pleasant group of people, many of who attended church regularly. The subject came up, “What is the Christian gospel?” It was so embarrassing. Even the regular churchgoers could not answer this. One thought that if we lived according to Christian teaching, society would be a better place. Another recognised that it centres on Jesus dying for our sins but added that because of this event God forgives everyone. Who is teaching such people?
There has been much discussion about the cause of the demise of so many British churches. The prophet Malachi was very clear about the cause of the problems in his day (about 430 BC) and yet his diagnosis seems to have much bearing on today’s problem,
“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his lips men should seek instruction – because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.” (Malachi 2:7)
There was a lengthy exchange of correspondence in ‘The Times’ about a disputed issue of theology. There was one refreshing little note,
“Sir, may we please have a little less theological codswallop and a lot more, “Thus says the Lord.”
The Danish theologian and philosopher Soren Kierkegaard declared,
“Christendom has done away with Christianity, without being quite aware of it. The consequence is that, if anything is to be done about it, one must try to introduce Christianity into Christendom.”
Where are the men who will say, like Calvin the Reformation preacher in Geneva,
“Men are fools till they submit to the Word of God.”
Surely to answer the question, ‘What is the Christian gospel,’ we must be clear what God says about the matter. After all it is his good news for us.
A patient came to see me in my outpatient clinic who was wearing a golden crucifix on her necklace.
“That’s pretty,” I said, “Does it mean that you are a Christian or aren’t you sure about these things?”
“Yes, I am a Christian,” she replied, “but not the practising sort. I don’t go to church or anything like that.”
I simply replied, “I am sorry,” and changed the subject, but it got me thinking. Can a person be a Christian if they are ‘not the practising sort’?
This is not a new problem however. In the first century whilst many were joining the Christian church others were losing their interest and involvement. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, who was probably a companion of the apostle Paul, recognised this problem and one reason he wrote his letter was to warn such people.
There is a recurrent theme in the opening chapters,
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Hebrews 2:1
“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12
“We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” Hebrews 3:14
“. . . let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it (entering God’s rest)” Hebrews 4:1
“Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no-one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:11
Why was it so important in the first century to be involved with the church? Is the church still important or is the church just a club suited for those with musical, mystical or moral interests?
The Message of the Bible
The Christian good news is the answer to mankind’s main problem. How on earth can self centred people like us ever hope to be acceptable to the almighty, holy, perfect creator of the universe? Our puny, transient efforts at being good do not persuade God that we are good enough to live for eternity in His presence. Our disastrous situation is made abundantly clear throughout the whole Bible; it is its first major lesson. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God they were expelled for ever from God’s presence in the Garden of Eden and the way back was barred. Who could free their descendants from this perilous condition? Right at the beginning of Genesis a solution is promised. A descendent of Adam and Eve will free people from the control Satan has over them. God said to the serpent, Satan,
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head . . .” (Genesis 3:15)
God’s ambition has always been that we should live forever, enjoying His company. But Adam and Eve’s rebellion put an end to this and they were expelled from the garden.
“‘He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat and live for ever.’ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden.” (Genesis 3:22,23)
We likewise are unable to enter God’s presence because of our rebellion. Who is qualified to solve this awful dilemma? Who could lead a people back to God? This is the whole point of the Old Testament. The reason why the book of Genesis emphasises the family of Shem and not the other descendants of Noah was because God’s Saviour was to come from the Semitic (Shemitic) people. One of these was a man called Abraham. Although he was not the Saviour, he recognised that the only answer for our sin was for another life to be sacrificed as a substitute. These token sacrifices were illustrations of the one final, definitive sacrifice. One of Abraham’s descendants was to be the rescuer. The stories selected in the book of Genesis clearly show which of many possible family lines this Saviour would come from. He would be a descendant of Abraham’s son Isaac (not Ishmael) and then of his son Jacob (not Esau). Moses did lead God’s people out of Egypt but he was not the real saviour? He could not lead his people into the Promised Land. Joshua succeeded him but he also died without bringing peace. (His name is interesting though. He had originally been named ‘Hoshea’ by his parents but God had it changed it to ‘Joshua’, which means ‘God is Saviour’. Significantly this has the same meaning as ‘Jesus’, and it explains why God insisted that Joseph call Mary’s baby by that name (Matthew 1:21).)
After Joshua the search for a Saviour to lead God’s people back to God went on. None of the Judges fitted the bill. The first king, Saul seemed to start well but quickly lost the plot. Then the great King David was anointed king. He was probably the greatest leader of God’s people with many great attributes but his clearly described sins proved he could not be the mediator between us and God. Yet God said that the Saviour was still coming and that he would be one of David’s direct descendants.
The prophets looked forward to this Saviour. In all there are over 330 prophecies about him in the Old Testament even going into details such as which village he was to be born in, the miracles he would perform, how he was to die and that he would rise from the dead.
Jesus fulfilled every one of those old prophecies. He came not just to teach us the way back to God but to live a perfect life so that he could be the answer to our greatest need. He was to be the one and only sacrifice, the ‘Lamb of God’, who by taking our sin could open the way back to God.
The Message of Hebrews
The writer of this book has a passionate concern for those who have only a limited commitment to Christ. In summary he is saying, “Don’t you realise who Jesus is? He really is God, who has himself become our rescuer”. The book begins with this conviction as to who Jesus is,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3
This writer was very clear in his mind – much more so than many church leaders today. To write to Jewish people and claim that Jesus sat down in the presence of Almighty God, and furthermore sat down in the place of honour at the right side of God can only mean that he was equal to God – he was God himself. He supports this statement with fifteen quotes from the Old Testament confirming that God would send his own son who would have much more standing even than angels. The first three are interesting in that they are taken one from Psalms, one from the early prophets and then one from the Pentateuch, the Law. The Jewish Rabbis at this time would try to support any statement they made with three quotes from these same three sources.
It is because of who Jesus is that everyone must live their lives honouring him.
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. . . . how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation.” Hebrew 2:1,2
The true God is a wonder working God. He miraculously freed his people from Egypt by dividing the Red Sea. They entered the Promised land when God dried up the flooded Jordan. At times throughout history God has intervened in truly amazing ways. There is no pretence or fudging when God is at work. King Darius recognised that Daniel’s God was the true God saying,
“For he is the living God and he endures for ever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, and his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth.” Daniel 6:26-27
The writer to the Hebrews picks up on this as further evidence that Jesus really is God’s Saviour of the world.
“This salvation which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs and wonders and various miracles . . .” Hebrews 2:4
How Jesus won our Salvation
The writer to the Hebrews is very clear about this.
“. . he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9
We have been made holy because Jesus took the penalty for our sins on himself. The control that the devil has over us for all time is broken by the death of Jesus as our substitute.
“. . . so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Hebrews 2:14
“. . . that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:17
Jesus became sin for me in order that I could claim his righteousness.
Who has Jesus saved?
Chapters 3 and 4 of Hebrews answer clearly who has been saved and is a member of God’s family.
“Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” Hebrews 3:6
It is our response to the claims of Jesus over our lives that shows whether we are God’s people. Whenever Jesus is talked about, a division is caused. Some are thrilled and willingly accept the forgiveness he brings but others scoff.
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 3:7, 8
“See to it , brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12
Saving faith is not a transient thing. Jesus told the parable of the sower to remind us of this fact. If the seed, the message about Jesus, only lives in us for a short time then it is useless. There is no non-practising Christian.
“We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” Hebrews 2:14
The proof of real saving faith is a persistent mindset to obey what Jesus has taught us in his Word, the Bible. Just as Israelites could not enter the Promised land because of their disobedience, so no-one can enter heaven unless they live lives obedient to the Lord Jesus.
“And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Therefore since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” Hebrews 3:18-4:1
This teaching in the book of Hebrews should worry many who claim the title of Christian. They may have been baptised, confirmed or even ordained but the essential evidence of saving faith is that commitment to live for Jesus according to the teaching of the Bible.
“It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience.” Hebrews 4:6
Some people today think that they will be acceptable to God because of the good things they have done. Our writer is clear that such works are inadequate. Entering God’s rest only comes as a free gift of God. The proof that we have been given it is that we make every effort to obey Jesus.
“. . . for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no-one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Hebrews 4:11
Some may argue that they do not want the Bible to be the basis of faith. It is not up to us to chose, we have no option but to obey what God has taught us. The writer to the Hebrews also wants this to be clear.
“For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing souls and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
A missionary, translating the Bible into a tribal language was endeavouring to find a word for ‘obedience. There appeared to be no word for this virtue, which was seldom practised. One day he was walking through the village with his dog that went missing. Putting two fingers into his mouth he gave a loud whistle. Almost immediately the dog appeared and ran to his masters side. A local villager was watching and said in the local language, “Your dog is all ears”. The missionary immediately knew that he had the word for obedience. Oh that more people claiming to be Christians were ‘all ears’.
An Appeal
We must not trifle with Jesus, the Son of God. We can put on the appearance of living for Jesus but he knows where our hearts lie. It is this Jesus who will ultimately be our judge.
“let us hold firmly to the faith we profess . . . Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:14
Let us remember that God is with us all the time. He knows what we think and do, even if other people don’t. Our only hope when we come face to face with Jesus as our judge will be if we are relying on his death as a substitute for us. We can tell if we really have faith because out lives will reflect that Jesus is our Lord. How we need to hear this old message again. When church people live lives that are little different to others, don’t talk warmly about their Saviour, don’t pray, don’t read the Word of God, don’t meet regularly with other Christians to encourage them and learn more, cannot explain the gospel and are not even sure it is true, they are in a desperate situation. Their eternal salvation of such people is very doubtful indeed.
“. . . you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.” Hebrews 5:12
D.L.Moody was preaching at a Mission for students at Cambridge University. He said,
“Someday you will read in the papers that D.L.Moody is dead. I don’t want you to believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. At that moment I will live for ever.
I was born in the flesh in 1837,
I was born again in Jesus Christ in 1855,
I will live forever with Jesus Christ.”
He did not have a fatal problem.
