The trees in “My first Message” bible

My middle son has just moved up from “My First Message” bible to “New Century Version International Children’s Bible“

My First Message has been a real favourite for my son, as the battered spine and torn edges show. It has also been one of my favourites because of the picture of the two trees in the midst of the Garden of Eden.

This picture helps me set out the covenant of grace (the gospel) with my kids:

What choice did God give Adam and Eve?
They could trust God, eat from the tree of live and so have eternal life or disobey God by eating from the other tree, gain the knowledge of good and evil, but face death.

What sort of death did God promise?
The death God promised was the sort of death rebels once faced.
The guillotine, the firing squad, at the kings command.

So, in the garden.
God made his created people three promises.
1. Eternal life through faith in the word of God made in the tree of life
2. The knowledge of good and evil
3. Death by execution if they chose the second promise not the first

What did Adam and Eve chose to do?
Adam and Eve chose to disobey God by breaking the one rule he’d given them.

What did God chose to do?
God didn’t take them out them in front of a firing squad, he let them live, but he shut them out of his presence, so they grew old and died a natural death.

He also blocked their way to the tree of life, because it would be a disaster to live forever as disobedient rebels.

So every human being, born after Adam is
1. shut out of God’s presence
2. knows good and evil (big fat deal)
3. cannot get back to the tree of life
4. dies a natural death
5. and faces execution on the day of judgement

But the bible is the story of God’s grace, mercy and love as he offers us all a second chance.

God’s promises still stand today, he is faithful to his word, which is why Jesus came.

Jesus…lived in God’s presence, and lived the perfect life… he never disobeyed God. He is the only man who ever lived the perfect life. I don’t do it. I do evil things every day, which I know are evil.

Jesus was executed in our place.

Jesus didn’t stay dead, he beat death.

And so, Jesus offers us the promise of eternal life. He has taken the place of the tree of life so that everyone who trusts him and feeds on him by faith receives forgiveness of sins and his perfect righteousness (law keeping) and eternal life. God accepts and loves us as we love Christ and trust him for all he’s done for us.

That’s it.

Here’s my previous post on kid’s bibles which focus on only one tree. Can you guess which one?

Strong as oaks, tender as rose buds.

The title of this post is an attempt at a cultural translation of John Piper’s section ‘Durable as Redwoods, Tender as Clover’ in his book ‘The Roots of Endurance.’

I posted yesterday about the effect joyful, confident Christians had on the not yet converted Olaudah Equiano. Like John Piper, I am convinced that faith in Christ should cause believers to overflow with great joy. Here’s what Piper says about deep seated theological conviction and tender-hearted joy:

One of my great desires is to see Christians be as strong and durable as redwood trees, and as tender and fragrant as a field of clover – unshakably rugged in the ‘defense and confirmation’ of the truth (Philippians 1:7) and relentlessly humble and patient and merciful in dealing with people…

It seems to me that we are always falling off the horse on one side or the other in this matter of being tough and tender, durable and delightful, courageous and compassionate—wimping out on truth when we ought to be lionhearted, or wrangling when we ought to be weeping. I know it’s a risk to take up this topic in a cultural situation like ours where some readers need a good (tender!) kick in the pants to be more courageous and others confuse courage with what William Cowper called ‘a furious and abusive zeal.’ Oh, how rare are the Christians who speak with a tender heart and have a theological backbone of steel.

…Oh, for Christians and pastors whose might in the truth is matched by their meekness. Whose theological acumen is matched by their manifest contrition. Whose heights of intellect are matched by their depths of humility. Yes, and the other way around!—whose relational warmth is matched by their rigor of study, whose bent toward mercy is matched by the vigilance of their biblical discernment, And whose sense of humor is exceeded by the seriousness of their calling.

I dream of durable, never-say-die defenders of true doctrine who are mainly known for the delight they have in God and the joy in God that they bring to the people of God—who enter controversy when necessary, not because they love ideas and arguments, but because they love Christ and the church.

Transforming grace in the life of Olaudah Equiano

In Chapter 10 of his autobiography, freed slave and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano describes how he came to faith in Christ. He was clearly a moral man who at one point was attracted by the higher morals of the Muslims and decided he’d go and live with the Turks. “I often wished for death, though, at the same time, convinced I was altogether unprepared for that awful summons…and being much concerned about the state of my soul, these things brought me very low; so that I became a burden to myself, and viewed all things around me as emptiness and vanity.”

The joy of believing Christians, however, set him on a new line of enquiry:

Some of the guests began to speak their experience, agreeable to what I read in the Scriptures; much was said by every speaker of the providence of God, and his unspeakable mercies, to each of them. This I knew in a great measure, and could most heartily join them. But when they spoke of a future state, they seemed to be altogether certain of their calling and election of God; and that no one could ever separate them from the love of Christ, or pluck them out of his hands. This filled me with utter consternation, intermingled with admiration. I was so amazed as not to know what to think of the company; my heart was attracted and my affections were enlarged. I wished to be as happy as them, and was persuaded in my mind that they were different from the world.

Finally, after a number of other encounters, Olaudah Equiano grasped the gospel:

In the evening of the same day, as I was reading and meditating on the fourth chapter of the Acts, twelfth verse, under the solemn apprehensions of eternity, and reflecting on my past actions, I began to think I had lived a moral life, and that I had a proper ground to believe I had an interest in the divine favour; but still meditating on the subject, not knowing whether salvation was to be had partly for our own good deeds, or solely as the sovereign gift of God; in this deep consternation the Lord was pleased to break in upon my soul with his bright beams of heavenly light; and in an instant as it were, removing the veil, and letting light into a dark place, I saw clearly with the eye of faith the crucified Saviour bleeding on the cross on mount Calvary: the scriptures became an unsealed book, I saw myself a condemned criminal under the law, which came with its full force to my conscience, and when ‘the commandment came sin revived, and I died,’ I saw the Lord Jesus Christ in his humiliation, loaded and bearing my reproach, sin, and shame. I then clearly perceived that by the deeds of the law no flesh living could be justified. I was then convinced that by the first Adam sin came, and by the second Adam (the Lord Jesus Christ) all that are saved must be made alive. It was given me at that time to know what it was to be born again, John iii. 5. I saw the eighth chapter to the Romans, and the doctrines of God’s decrees, verified agreeable to his eternal, everlasting, and unchangeable purposes. The word of God was sweet to my taste, yea sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. Christ was revealed to my soul as the chiefest among ten thousand.

When churches schism or grow

I blogged yesterday on acceptance and godliness in marriage and relationships. The principle of not mixing acceptance (justification) and behaviour (sanctification) in relating to God and each other applies to church as well as marriage. The result of mixing acceptance with behaviour is unhealthy church or schism.

1. The schismatic church: conditional acceptance and ungodly living

Local churches can and do place an emphasis on behaviour as a condition of acceptance. “Wear your Sunday best and don’t smell of alcohol”, “we like to worship in this musical genre”, “we follow this leader”, “we like robes and candles at this church”. When the behaviour of individuals or groups within the church becomes unacceptable to others, even over seemingly petty things, the church schisms or members leave.

2. The neonomian church: conditional acceptance with a desire for godly living.

Lots of churches are home to well behaved, considerate, thoughtful people. Like many married couples its people would say “we’re happy together because we get on well, we don’t do anything to upset each other.” The church focused on behaviour for acceptance never grows beyond attracting other people who look, dress, speak and act like the people already in the church. Stress is found in the church when an individual, family or group joins the church but they do not fit the behavioural pattern. The church knows that it should accept the alien but does not know why or how to so the outcast (social, racial, cultural etc.) remains an outcast.

3. The unhealthy stagnant church: unconditional acceptance with ungodly living.

The stress in this church is caused by presumption. “We’re all Christians so we can do what we like because God accepts and loves us as we are.” This was the problem in Corinth. Through a loyalty to the institution, the area, the building, the community, or because of a fear of failure, a determination to make things work or belief that the church should simply exist, this church presses on in a loveless, shambolic, gospel-denying relationship, as everyone lives to please themselves and ignores calls to obedience and Christ-likeness.

4. The healthy, growing church: unconditional acceptance with a desire for godly living.

This is not a perfect church, there is no such thing, as sin ensures all churches have some degree of stress. But this is the best church can and should be. Acceptance and behaviour are not mixed. Acceptance before God is unconditional; anyone who acknowledges their sin and their total dependence on Christ as Saviour is justified, made acceptable to God, and is therefore to be accepted by his brothers in Christ (Romans 15:7). This is how the gospel forms churches.

The behaviour of a true believer, no matter where they start, never threatens his acceptance before God. A desire to grow in godliness is motivated by the love, mercy and grace of God. Each member of the church sees others as sinners under grace and so lives to glorify Christ by dying to self, living for Christ and building others up according to their needs.

How marriage works and fails

Building on what I wrote yesterday about acceptance and godliness, I’ve been thinking about the relationship between acceptance and godliness in relationships. Just as Christians often mix acceptance (justification) and behaviour (sanctification) in relating to God so the two can become mixed in our minds in marriage. The result of mixing acceptance with behaviour is marital stress or failure.

1. The failed marriage or relationship: conditional acceptance and ungodly living

Most couples confuse acceptance with tolerance, “I put up with him doing that because he loves me.” When the behaviour of a partner becomes intolerable, however, acceptance turns to rejection and the marriage or relationship fails.

2. The stressed marriage or relationship: conditional acceptance with godly living.

This is the basis of the relationship for most co-habiting couples and some marriages, “We’ll see how it goes, so far we’ve been happy together because we get on well, we don’t do anything to upset each other.” Stress is found in the relationship because neither party is ever sure that the relationship will last because we are only as good as our last game. When the relationship comes under strain, often through circumstances outside the home such as bereavement or redundancy, the demands of having to perform to be accepted become self-defeating. As one or both partners demand that the other ups their game, the emphasis on performance leads to an even greater emphasis on failures, past and present. Resentment builds and the relationship is destroyed as one or both partners tread on eggshells for fear of behaving unacceptably.

3. The stressed marriage: unconditional acceptance with ungodly living.

The stress in this marriage is caused by presumption. “She said she would stick by me through thick and thin, so I can do what I like, I don’t need to change.” Through a loyalty to promises, a fear of failure, a determination to make things work or belief that marriage is for life, this couple will press on in a loveless, independent relationship, as one or both lives to please themselves.

4. The good marriage: unconditional acceptance with godly living.

This is not a perfect marriage, there is no such thing, sin ensures all marriages have some degree of stress. But this is the best marriage can be. Acceptance and behaviour are not mixed. Acceptance is unconditional. It is offered and assumed by both parties. Within the security of unconditional acceptance, for better or for worse, neither partner needs to worry that their performance might not be good enough. Yet, because of the grace, love and mercy of unconditional acceptance, this couple lacks presumption. They want to do what’s best for each other, they know their sin and their need to grow and mature. To grow in godliness, we need feedback, “How am I doing? Am I spending enough time with you? Am I doing my bit?” These questions are not shaped out of a need to save the relationship but to make it better. It is the man’s responsibility to take the lead in doing this (Ephesians 5).

This marriage reflects Christ’s relationship with his church, as anyone who acknowledges their sin and trusts in the death of Christ is accepted by God (Ephesians 2:4-9). God’s acceptance is not conditional upon our behaviour but on remaining loyal to the promises God made in Christ. The behaviour of a true believer never threatens his acceptance before God. And so, through being justified by faith alone, grace alone and Christ alone, sinners are free to grow in Christ-likeness without the anxiety of losing their salvation, motivated instead by the love, mercy and grace of God.

Unravelling acceptance and godliness

At the heart of Christian faith and practice there are two mutually exclusive truths. The first is that God accepts (justifies) sinners through faith in his crucified Son, Jesus Christ. The second is that these children of God should want to mature and so be more godly (sanctification). The two truths are like oil and water, they do not mix, but many Christians see them as cake ingredients and inseparably bake them together. This is a recipe for living in ways which do harm to the believer and do not glorify God.

1. The hopeless case: conditional acceptance and ungodly living

The hopeless case believes that God only accepts good people and he knows his behaviour is unacceptable. He will either live his life in a constant state of hopeless depression, self-loathing and guilt or spiral down into a life of increasingly destructive living.

2 and 3. The legalist or neonomian: conditional acceptance with godly living.

Legalism and neonomianism are technical terms for people who think that their behaviour is acceptable to God and so God accepts them. They are different only by degree. The legalist bases her acceptance before God only on what she says, thinks and does. The neonomian mixes God grace with her behaviour, thinking she needs forgiveness and mercy but also that she needs to walk the talk. If she doesn’t keep up her spiritual duties and good morals, she begins to feel unsure about God’s acceptance and lives a joyless, dutiful existence. She is always seeking a bigger bless-up in worship services, as these help her feel as is God still loves her.

4. The liberal: unconditional acceptance with no desire for godly living.

At the heart of liberalism is the attitude that change is not necessary. “Jesus accepts me as I am so I don’t need to change.” This lack of a desire for change can be based on any of a number of reasons:

1. Inability, “I can’t change so I won’t.”
2. Denial, “I am fine the way I am.”
3. Self-centred pleasure, “I like the way I do things.”
4. Genetic, “I was made this way and so will live like this.”
5. Cultural, “this is the way we do things in our culture.”

4. The complete Christian: unconditional acceptance with the desire to be godly (change).

This Christian knows that God accepts (justifies) and loves him because he loves and trusts Jesus as the one who died to take away his sin and make him right with God. He can do nothing to add to this or take it away, as long as he goes on looking to Jesus, like a mountaineer hanging from a cliff face, unable to climb up or down, who looks to his climbing rope and says “as long as you hold, I’ll live”.

At the same time, he desires to change. He desires to be more like Jesus and less offensive to God.  This desire flows from knowing the love, mercy, forgiveness and grace of God in the wrath-turning death of Christ. If God was once furious with me but Jesus took that fury away and now God loves me, I’ll live for him in self-sacrifice, duty, service and obedience.

In the next couple of days I’ll relate these things to church and marriage.

My song is love unknown

Brilliant Easter joy:

At the cross

I’ve posted exerts from W.E. Sangster’s, A Spiritual Check-up (Christian Co-workers, taming the tongue and a home check-up). All the questions he asks leave room for spiritual growth and drive the believer back to Christ. This is Sangster’s Cross Centered prayer from the end of his booklet:

For ever here my rest shall be
Never higher than Thy feet

I come, Lord;
I believe, Lord;
I throw myself on Thy grace and mercy.
I have not whither else to go.
Here I will stay,
I will not stir from Thy door;
on Thee will I trust, and rest, and venture myself.
If I perish, I perish on Thy shoulder;
if I sink, I sink in Thy vessel;
if I die, I die at Thy door.
Bid me not go away, for I will not go.

The difficult balance of self-love and self-sacrifice

I have been vicar of Holy Trinity West Bromwich, in an inner city urban priority area, for 4 weeks now. In my new post, I am keen to avoid burnout, which means some degree of self-preservation.

As I relaxed in a hot bath the other night, with underfloor heating in the bathroom in an otherwise cold Victorian vicarage, I read John Piper’s introduction to “The Roots of Endurance” and wonder if I have the balance between self-sacrifice and self-love quite right?

The Unbiblical Absolutes of Self- Protectionism

There is a mind-set in the prosperous West that we deserve pain-free, trouble-free existence. When life deals us the opposite, we have a right not only to blame somebody or some system and to feel sorry for ourselves, but also to devote most of our time to coping, so that we have no time or energy left over for serving others.

This mind-set gives a trajectory to life that is almost universal—namely, away from stress and toward comfort and safety and relief. Then within that very natural trajectory some people begin to think of ministry and find ways of serving God inside the boundaries set by the aims of self-protection. Then churches grow up in this mind-set, and it never occurs to anyone in such a community of believers that choosing discomfort, stress, and danger might be the right thing—even the normal, biblical thing—to do.

I have found myself in conversation with Christians for whom it is simply a given that you do not put yourself or your family at risk. The commitment to safety and comfort is an unquestioned absolute. The demands of being a Christian in the twenty-first century will probably prove to be a rude awakening for such folks. Since we have not embraced the Calvary road voluntarily, God may simply catapult us onto it as he did the home-loving saints in Acts 11:19: “Those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word.”

More benefits of faith union with Christ

I led a session on our lent course, The Cross Centered Life, on meditating on the the benefits of faith union with Christ.  One of the members of the course sent me this email, which was originally shaped like a bell but which wouldn’t fit on the wordpress page:

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God’s child (John 1:12)
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ.  (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God  (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
I am assured all things work together for good  (Rom. 8:28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God’s temple (1 Cor. 3: 16 ).  I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God’s co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1).
I am God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14).
I have been adopted as God’s child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God

(HT Debbie)