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The age of accountability

It is not as if children don’t sin. Much as we would love to deny it, we see quite early in the behaviour of infants and little children, patterns that affirm a heart of sin—be it in the unkind words they speak to one another, in their self-centeredness and crave to have their way at all costs, in their bent to disobey the instruction of their parents, anger, tantrums, etc. These acts, though not well thought out by the child, are clearly sinful, going by the Biblical definition of sin.

Augustine notes in his Confessions¹, “Who is there to remind me of the sin of my infancy? (for sin there was: no one is free from sin in your sight, not even an infant whose span of earthly life is but a single day); who can remind me of it? Some little mite who is a tiny child now, in whom I might observe conduct I do not remember in myself? What then was my sin at that age? Was it perhaps that I cried so greedily for those breasts? Certainly if I behaved like that now, greedy not for breasts, of course, but for food suitable to my age, I should provoke derision and be very properly rebuked. My behaviour then was equally deserving of rebuke, but since I would not have been able to understand anyone who scolded me, neither custom nor common sense allowed any rebuke be given. After all, we eradicate these habits, and throw them off as we grow up. Yes, but I have never seen any sensible person throw away good things when clearing out, so can we suppose that even in an infant such actions were good—the actions of a child who begs tearfully for objects that will harm him if given, gets into a tantrum when free persons, older persons and his parents, will not comply with his whims, tries to hurt many people who know better by hitting out at them as hard as his strength allows, simply because they will not immediately fall in with his wishes  obey his commands, commands which will damage him if they were carried out?” 

We see from certain portions of Scripture, however, that before a certain age, which we will call the age of accountability, God does not hold us accountable for sin. The Bible does not put a number to this age—only God knows—and it will be futile to speculate with regards to the exact age of accountability. However, somewhere in the mystery of God’s grace, we see that children who cannot repent for themselves will not have their sins charged to them. If that is true, then it is true of all children who fit this description regardless of ancestral heritage (whether born to Christian parents, Muslim parents, Hindu parents or not). Jesus said let the little children come to me, for the kingdom belongs to such as these; and he did not differentiate between the children of those who believed in him and those who did not.

Some relevant passages are:

Numbers 14:28-31:

Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected.

(The ‘little ones’ were not punished along with the adults for the sin of grumbling against God and complaining, although we are told that the whole congregation grumbled and complained (Numbers 14:1-12)).

Isaiah 7:15-16:

He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.

(The Bible here makes reference to the age at which one is able to tell evil apart from good and to refuse evil and choose the good. Before then, although one may commit sins (deviate from the appointed pathway), they are not held accountable).

Re: The people of Nineveh and those who haven’t heard the Gospel

Does the argument that infants are not held accountable for sins they commit because they do not know ‘how to reject the evil and choose the good’ justify the people of Nineveh whom God Himself said did not know “their left from their right hands”? (Jonah 4:11). And by extension, does this apply to those who have never heared the gospel?

The answer for that is found in Romans 1:19-20 where Paul argues that there is no excuse for all those who can discern God’s attributes in nature (namely His glory) and the written law of God on their hearts (Romans 2:14-15):

For what can be known about God is plain to them [that is, to mankind] because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. Therefore, they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)

 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them. (Romans 2:14-15).

Infants are clearly not in the position to understand nor perceive God’s glory as revealed in nature, nor do they have the mental capacity to understand it—certainly not in the same way as an adult would. (Please see also John 9:41). In all this, we can trust that that the Judge of all the earth will always do that which is right (Gen. 18:25).

Conclusions and Application 

In summary, this article captures the belief that,

1. Infants, like all mankind, are directly affected by the sin of Adam and therefore suffer the consequences that were brought upon all of Adam’s posterity, namely death and a nature of sin.
2. Despite being born with a nature of sin, the Bible teaches that we are held accountable for our own actions, not that of Adam or any of our forbearers.
3. We can infer from Scripture that until a certain age, which we call the age of accountability, we are not held accountable for our sins, but absolved by the mercy and grace of God.
4. This applies to all those who die before they reach the age of accountability—and this applies to all infants regardless of race, colour or parental heritage.

For anyone who has lost a loved one in infancy, you can be comforted in the knowledge that they are with the Lord. By extension, this exposition challenges the worldview of a heaven that will be sparsely populated. On the contrary, heaven will be very colourful. The heavenly choir will be filled with the joyous refrain of infants of all race, colour, and tongue—all who died in infancy and by the grace and mercies of our Lord were saved and granted a place in his presence where there is joy forevermore! (Whether they will remain infants forever, or grow up in heaven? Only God knows!)

One parent who lost a seven-month old son remarked instructively,

My son’s death is a great motivation for me to live right for God. God and heaven are ultimately my greatest reasons for living as a Christian, but I am also convinced that my son died as an innocent infant and is with our Father. In that case, I want to be where he is too when the time is up.

This is a great example of  how we ought to apply this teaching to our lives as Christians.

What this teaching is not seeking to encourage is a neglect of bringing up our children in the fear of the Lord.

I have heard of parents who neglect to teach their children about God under the pretext that the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them anyway, so why bother? The irony is that every parent’s wish, like mine, is to see their children grow to outlive them and not to die as an infant—even though it is far better than living. Thus, it behooves us to bring up our children in the fear of the Lord. As noted earlier, only God knows the actual age of accountability for each of our children. A seven or nine-year-old may be able to come to grips with their sinfulness and their need of a saviour—it may be at an earlier or later age, it doesn’t matter—ours is to introduce them to the rescuing love of our Saviour and pray he opens their hearts unto salvation.

The Bible is clear on the fact that there is no remission of sins except by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 9:22). If infants who pass to glory are to be saved, we can be sure that it will be based solely on the finished work of Christ on the cross. For you  dear reader, who has yet to place your faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation, the invitation is extended to you. Why don’t you put trust in Him now?

Notes :

1. The Confessions, Revised (The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century, Vol. 1) (Kindle Edition). New City Press.

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Who do I marry? What work or profession must I take on? Where should I live? etc. are some of the legitimate questions Christians ask. Believers must seek to please God in all they do and hence these questions are commendable. However, these questions tend to be answered in ways that I believe are dangerous to believers. Many books, supposedly answering these questions inundate the shelves of Christian bookshops. One such title reads, “Are You Still Single? Prayers to Locate Your Divine Spouse.” These and many more are bestsellers because people are indeed looking for answers to life’s questions and somewhat these titles promise to offer them their answers. But are they the right answers?

As believers, God has given us his Word as the means by which we will please him and every other “How Tos” not faithful to Scripture are to be avoided. And many of these “How Tos” are indeed unfaithful to Scripture. The Old and New Testaments; that is the whole Bible has been given to us “to be the rule of faith and life.”¹ A rule, by dictionary definition, is “a set of explicit or understood regulations or principles governing conduct over an area of people”. It is also “control of or dominion over an area or people” Following from this definition, the Word of God then becomes our explicit or understood regulations or principles governing our conduct. The word of God has control of or dominion over us. This simply a means Scripture has an overarching authority over the believer. If Scripture is the word of God (and it is), then we are to submit our whole lives to its obedience, for in the obedience of Scripture we obey God.  Everything we need to live lives pleasing to God is addressed in Scripture. Is this not an over-stretch you may ask? No, it is not. The Bible indeed has all the answers for our lives.

Perhaps one of the places in Scripture where Scripture testifies of itself is Psalm 119. In this Psalm, David speaks of all what the word of God does for the believer. He places a premium on the Word and in this Psalm, David celebrates the Word of God. The Word keeps us pure, he says. There are wondrous things in the Word to behold, he beckons. The Word is to be treasured above all riches, he admonishes. How relevant all these are to someone who wants to please God by his word! The question remaining unanswered so far is how the word of God gives us guidance. To this I turn to the Westminster Confession of Faith:

The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the word; and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the Church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed.²

There are two important things to be noted in the words of the confession in terms of knowing those things which please God and serve as a guide for our lives. Firstly, there are those things expressly set down in Scripture and secondly, there are those things by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture. In other words, there are things that are so plain in Scripture we don’t need second thoughts or opinions to obey them; and there are those things we cannot clearly see stated in Scripture but can know them as we study and apply Scripture.

I will describe this as moving from the known to the unknown: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut. 29:29)

Expressly Set Down In Scripture

Whatever is expressly set down in Scripture simply indicates things that are clear and unambiguous. They are things that are revealed and ought to be obeyed. They are so plain it will take only disobedience not to see them. One of the characteristics of the Bible taught by the sixteenth-century Reformers is what they call perspicuity of Scripture. “What they mean by that technical term was the clarity of Scripture. They maintained that the Bible is basically clear and lucid. It is simple enough for any literate person to understand its basic message.”³ Of course, this doesn’t mean everything in Scripture can be easily understood. But at least, the very important things we need are explicit.

All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.⁴

One of the clear teachings of Scripture about our conduct as believers is in 1 Thess. 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” God demands nothing but a sanctified life; that is, a life separated from any form of ungodliness. The text actually goes on to list all that is in view here by our sanctification: “that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.” (vv.4-7) The list here is not exhaustive, albeit it tells us clearly what God demands from us. It guides our conduct. The popular verse, Romans 12:1-2 is another place we see an explicit teaching of Scripture: “I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”.

There are indeed many other teachings of Scripture on money, relationships, employment, marriage and any other thing we may call practical issues of life. We are to be good stewards of our finances. We are to love one another as ourselves. As Christians, we are to marry Christians and of course we are to marry from the opposite sex and not same sex. In matters of employment, we are to firstly work and work as unto God and not as to men. These are basics indeed and if we commit to obeying these, other areas of our lives would be less blurred.

Deducing from Scripture by Good and Necessary Consequence

The Scriptures are to be studied and its lessons applied to our life. Any believer who doesn’t make the study of Scripture a part of their life will surely walk about not knowing what God requires of them in any sphere of life. All Scripture, Paul tells us, is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (1Timothy 3:16-17) If Scripture is profitable, then we are to study it and apply it to our lives. For example, studying Scripture will lead us to make a good choice of a marriage partner. God’s word has already laid down many things to look out for when one is considering marriage. As I mentioned earlier, first consideration for marriage is that a believer marries a believer of the opposite sex (this emphasis is important as marriage has taken on an unbiblical outlook). This is a non-negotiable and anything contrary to it is unbiblical. This is a general rule, but how does one narrow down to specifics? Well, if you find a Christian and you both love each other, nothing prevents you from marrying.

Many believers are postponing important life decisions because somehow they want to hear God speak to them. Well, God has spoken in Scripture (Heb. 1:-2), they are simply not listening. Stop postponing life decisions. Make decisions as long as they don’t violate what God has clearly revealed in Scripture.

Waiting for this will of direction is a mess. It is bad for your life, harmful to your sanctification, and allows too many Christians to be passive tinkers who strangely feel more spiritual the less they actually do⁵

I will conclude with the last part of the Confession which is very instructive: “according to the general rules of the word.” (1.6). Whatever decisions we must make should be guided by what Scripture clearly teaches and we will not go wrong. Let Scripture be your guide in your decision-making. Say with David “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Notes:

1. Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) (1.2)
2. WCF (1.6)
3. R.C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009), Kindle edition
4. WCF (1.7)
5. Kevin DeYoung, Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2009), Kindle edition

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“Tolle, lege! Tolle, lege!” (“Take up and read; take up and read”). These are the words of St. Augustine recounting his conversion in his most popular work, Confessions, where, in a state of weeping and brokenness of heart, he hears a voice echoing from the neighbouring house to pick up his Bible and read. Augustine would recount how, upon reading Paul’s words in Romans 13:14-15, “instantly at the end of this sentence, by a light as it were of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished away.”[1]

This event was pivotal in Augustine’s conversion to Christ, as is the preached word in the conversion of sinners. The believer is born of the Word of God (Jas. 1:18; 1Pet. 1:23) and sustained by the same Word. Moreover, Jesus said that the Word of God is the agent by which the on-going sanctification of the believer comes about (John 17:17). Perhaps one of the best statements of the indispensability of the Word of God in matters of faith and life for the Christian is found in the following passage which prefaces Gideon’s International Bibles:

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here too, Heaven is opened and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

“No Spiritual Discipline is more important than the intake of God’s Word”, says Donald Whitney. “Nothing can substitute for it. There simply is no healthy Christian life apart from a diet of the milk and meat of Scripture.” [2] As true as this is, yet how many Christians read the Word of God every day? How many have attempted to read all of it? A study that was conducted nearly three decades ago showed that less than two out of every ten professing born-again believers read their Bibles every day, and–even more depressing–another one in four had never read the Bible before the time of the study. [3] What might your response be if you were to partake in a similar survey today?

Read Your Bible Every Day

In Secondary School, the Scripture Union (SU) had a motto which said, “read your Bible, pray every day if you want to grow”. From this was coined the sub-motto which is captured in the acronym, NBNB, “No Bible, No Breakfast!” It was customary at the time for any fellow member of the SU you met to ask, “what did you have for breakfast today?” to which you were expected to share a summary of what you learned from your Bible during your morning devotion or “quiet time” as it was termed back then. Recognising the importance of Bible intake to the spiritual growth of a Christian, a great deal of emphasis was placed on daily personal Bible study and sharing what one gleaned from God’s word with others.

Regrettably, this discipline is fast dying out among professing Christians today. It has been remarked that the biggest dust storm in history would occur if all the church members who were neglecting their bibles dusted them all off at the same time! “Oh, but very few people use hard-back or leather-cover Bibles these days”, chuckled someone. Therein lies the greatest irony. Today, more than ever before, the Bible is perhaps more accessible than it has ever been in the history of the Christian church. We have it readily available on our phones, tablets, and computers, yet we read so little of it! We carry our phones literally everywhere, we have Bible apps installed on our phones, yet we would rather spend hours in a day browsing social media than turn to our Bibles. Our lethargy to God’s word is truly lamentable—and this accounts largely for the superficial Christianity that is so prevalent in the Church today.

That we need to read our Bibles every day is quite indisputable. John Blanchard, in his book “How to Enjoy your Bible” is very convicting in putting it across this way:

Surely we only have to be realistic and honest with ourselves to know how regularly we need to turn to the Bible. How often do we face problems, temptation and pressure? Every day! Then how often do we need instruction, guidance and greater encouragement? Every day! To catch all these felt needs up into an even greater issue, how often do we need to see God’s face, hear his voice, feel his touch, know his power? The answer to all these questions is the same: every day! As the American evangelist D. L. Moody put it, “A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough for the next six months, or take sufficient air into his lungs at one time to sustain life for a week. We must draw upon God’s boundless store of grace from day to day as we need it.”[4]

Read All of Your Bible

The question remains: why do we read so little of our Bibles? The answer, in my honest opinion, is simply that we lack the resolve. Tape recordings of the entire Bible are readily available today from most bookshops in various versions. These have shown that the Bible can be read through in only 71 hours [5]. Fifteen minutes of reading a day is enough for one to get through the 1,189 chapters of the Bible in less than a year; five minutes a day is enough to complete the Bible in less than three years.

“But”, says someone, “I don’t want to read the Bible like a storybook. I want to take my time and study it.” That’s a fair point. However, I fear that this pretext has been the undoing of many a Christian in never reading their Bibles from cover to cover. Bruce Ware, in his online article “Advice for Another Year of Bible Reading” shares how much Christians stand to benefit if we trained ourselves to read the Bible in two different forms: in a fast-paced manner, and in a slow-paced reading. Fast-paced reading, says Bruce, is necessary if we are to cover the whole of the Scriptures at some kind of regular interval. Reading through the Bible is done at this pace. Slow-paced reading, on the other hand, allows us to “soak in and glory in the beauty and texture of so many passages of Scripture.” This is the pace at which in-depth study and memorisation of Scripture are done.

“But is it necessary to read through the entire Bible?” asks another. The answer is an emphatic yes! If we believe that the entire Bible is the inspired word of God (2Tim. 3:16), then we would do well to read all of it, from cover to cover. Jesus certainly would have expected us to read all of it when he said that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). Will you discipline yourself to read it? There are several Bible reading and study plan options worth considering. These will help you stay focused and consistent in your daily Bible intake.

Let me conclude with these words from King Josiah.

And the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. (2Chron. 34:31).

My prayer is that King Josiah’s resolve in the verse above will be ours in 2018. So, take up your Bible and read!

Notes:
1. Aurelius Augustine, The Confessions of St. Augustine, translated by Edward Pusey. Vol. VII, Part 1. The Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1909–14; Bartleby.com, 2001. www.bartleby.com/7/1/, Book Eight, Chapter 12, Paragraphs 27-28.
2. Donald S. Whitney, in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, NavPress, Colorado Springs, 1991, page 28.
3. Bookstore Journal, as quoted in Discipleship Journal, issue 52, page 10
4. John Blanchard, How to Enjoy Your Bible, Colchester, England: Evangelical Press, 1984, page 22.
5. Donald S. Whitney, in Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, page 33

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I wish you a happy new year and  welcome you into 2018. As we have entered a new year, perhaps one of the most important question on the minds of many believers especially would be “what is the will or purpose of God for my life in 2018?” It is the right question to be asking because the Bible teaches us to be careful how we live not as unwise but wise understanding what the will of God is.

As good as the question is we often don’t seek the answers in the right places. Over the next several days, many will be embarking on fasting programs and attending numerous prophetic meetings in order to hear God’s will for their lives in 2018 through their pastors. I do not mean to denigrate fasting and a pastor’s role in guiding the flock under their care. But I believe God has spoken loud and clear in his word.

We worship a communicating God. He has not left us to grope in the dark with tingling ears to hear what he will whisper to us through somebody else. His word is ancient yet ever true, and it is relevant for us today as it was for the first recipient of the word. God is more concerned about you finding his will than we are, that’s why he has spoken so clear and universally. Therefore if you want to know the will of God for your life in 2018, you don’t have to look any further than what he has revealed about himself in his timeless word. He has spoken about every area of your life and all you need to do is to understand what the will of the Lord is.

The will of God for your life in 2018 goes back to the garden, where God said “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). We were created by God for God, to be his image bearers in the world. Therefore God’s will for your life regardless of the year is to live in such a way that non-Christian will know who God is through you. You are to be an imitator of God as a beloved child (Ephesians 5:1).

What is God like? He has revealed that clearly in the Bible. He is good and all he does is worthy of approval (Luke 18:19). He is love – eternally giving himself to others (1 John 4:8). God is merciful, gracious and patient, he is good to those in distress and in misery, he is good to those who deserve only punishment, withholding that punishment over a period of time that they might find repentance (Exodus 34:6). The Bible also tells us God is holy. He is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own honour (Isaiah 6:3). He is a God of peace not of confusion, his actions are characterized by peace not disorder (1 Corinthians 14:33). He is righteous and just, always acting in accordance with what is right and is himself the final standard of what is right (Duet. 32:4). God is jealous for his divine glory and honour and seeks to protect it (Ex. 20:5). God is wrathful, he intensely hates all sin (Ex. 32:9-10). There are many more of God’s attributes we must understand and display as we devote ourselves to the study of His word.

However, imitating God is not a call to work out our own righteousness. It will take the power of God to live like God, He knows this that is why he has given us the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:11, Paul says “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” The primary role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is not for signs and wonders. He came to empower a life of daily faithfulness and obedience.

In John 14:26, Jesus promised his disciples “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Again in John 16:13, he told them, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come”. Jesus in these verses wasn’t talking about a subjective knowledge which comes through dreams and visions. No, the Holy Spirit after his coming inspired the word of God to be written, which is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16 & 17).

God’s will for you in 2018 is living a life of faithful obedience empowered by the Holy Spirit. This will require a daily intake of his word and a life characterized by ceaseless prayers and seeking to reflect his character through your actions and proclaiming his goodness to those who do not know him. Paul’s instruction to the saints in Ephesus holds true for us: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Eph. 5:15-17).

And as you live this life of faithful obedience,  “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18).

Happy New Year

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And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11)

The title of this article is the first line of a popular Christmas Carol written by Nahum Tate, 1652-1715.

1: While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
all seated on the ground;
the angel of the Lord came down,
and glory shone around,
and glory shone around.

It depicts the annunciation to shepherds of the birth of Christ which we celebrate as Christmas. Christmas is the most celebrated religious festival in the world and as the centuries have gone on, the festival is no longer observed by Christians alone. Today you have people from all religious persuasions marking the day in one shape or form, helped in part by the commercialized undertones of the season.

Around this time of the year there are feelings of happiness and cheer in the air. The stores are filled with all sorts of merchandize and Christmas decorations are everywhere to help make the season a merry one. But the question still remains, what is it about the season we are celebrating?

Is Christmas really worth the funfair?

One of my favourite Christmas pastimes is to let my mind wander to first century Bethlehem, just to put myself in the shoes of the first celebrants of Christmas, because until we capture their reason for celebrating Christmas, we may never truly appreciate what the season should really be about especially, in our 21st century commercialized world.

Luke records the first incident of Christmas in Luke 2:8-11. The Shepherds were not expecting anything out of the ordinary; it was just another day in the ‘office’. But their lives were about to be changed forever. They were visited by an angel of the Lord, and he brought with him the glory of the Lord. They were terrified as they should be. Whenever the glory of the Lord appears to sinful people, the response has always been terror. When man stands in the shadow of God’s glory, his wretchedness becomes as clear as the daylight. That’s exactly what happened to the prophet Isaiah when he saw the Lord in Isaiah 6:1-5, his response was “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

Like Isaiah, the shepherds were filled with great fear. They knew what happens when a sinful person comes into contact with a holy God. Christmas without the message is a terrifying experience. And what is the message?
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (vv.10-11).

This was the day the whole world had been waiting for. The day when the seed of the woman who was promised back in Genesis 3:15 was revealed. This was the day when “…God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

All of us were under the curse of the law due to our disobedience and rightly deserving of God’s just condemnation. But the angel’s message was one of hope “unto you is born this day…a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord”

Though he was speaking to the Shepherds, the message “unto you” by extension is our message. Jesus came for each of them personally as he came for all the people. Christmas is a personal redemptive mission where the creator of the universe made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:7-8).

If you’re not yet a follower of Jesus Christ, know that “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord”. He came for you, and his message is, repent and believe for the salvation of your soul. If you’re already a follower of Jesus, do not be drowned in the commercialization and merchandize of the season. Jesus wants you to renew your affections for him and do what the shepherds did, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child” (Luke 2:17).

Have a Merry Christmas!

The post While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks By Night appeared first on TGN.

The excitement is almost palpable. One can’t help but notice the jolly faces and the height of expectation as Christmas approaches. Christmas lights went up as early as mid-November where I live. Streets are sparkling when you go out at night. Christmas music everywhere. The line-up of entertainment activities is endless—from festive foods, to customised Christmas jumpers, circus carols, you name them! In a sense we can say that the whole world is excited about Christmas. That surely must be good for the Church, says someone. After all, nearly everyone (or so it seems) is celebrating a Christian festival. Everyone is excited about the commemoration of our Lord’s birth—at least for a few weeks. Isn’t that something to be glad about?

But alas, it seems to me that Christmas has been hijacked; and here perhaps, Satan has won one of his greatest Satan’s victories. Christmas has never been about wining and dining or decorations. These external depictions that are commonly associated with the season are meaningless if the true meaning of Christmas is relegated to the side-lines.

Not the wine
Nor the opportunity to dine
Not the gifts
Nor the lights
Not the veneer
Of seasonal wishes, no matter how dear
But a proclamation of the greatest act of love!
God come in flesh–mystery divine
The Judge become Saviour
The righteous for the vain
Humble and in a manger
Rejected and slain
My sins and yours upon His shoulder
Atoning sacrifice–that you and I should gain
True Life came at Christmas!
Bursting the bonds
Up He rose, hail!
Leading bands
Free from Satan’s grips and hell
Free from condemnation
Adopted into His family
Spreading the message of reconciliation
Free grace in Jesus through faith in Him only.
This is the message of Christmas!

Christmas is a time when we are reminded of our need for a saviour. The true Christmas spirit, is one that glories over the gift of God’s Son to a world that is steeply plunging into perversion and perdition. Christmas reminds us of our great sin, and God’s great sacrifice to turn rebel mankind back to Himself. On the contrary, the Christmas spirit of the age is one which says you’re a good person as long as you’re nice and kind for a few weeks (during Christmas).

Suddenly during Christmas, everyone is generous and giving away presents. Enemies are encouraged to make peace—even if it’s just for a few weeks. Friends and families get together for meals, and for a few weeks it’s all cheer and jolly. We are easily misled to think that man is not so evil after all. We can be good if we want to. Certainly, Christmas proves we are naturally kind at heart. Occasional church-goers pride themselves that they at least attend the Christmas and end-of-year services. One of such occasional ‘worshippers’ told me once, “I like the positive feeling I get each time I attend the mass at Easter and Christmas. You really get a true sense of God’s presence. I like that sort of feeling.” This I believe is where we have fallen prey to Satan’s sly tactics. Attending a service or two throughout the year, and an occasional show of kindness do not automatically make us good in God’s sight.

Scripture labours the point that we are not good by nature (Jer. 17:9; Romans 3:10-13). Not that we can’t do any good at all, the question at stake is not to be able to do good for a season or most of the time, but to meet God’s standard of holiness. Truth is, we fall short miserably (Rom. 3:23; Isa. 53:6, 11). That’s why Christ came. The one from whom we were estranged, and the one who will judge all our actions on the last day, became like us to save us. He identified with us at Christmas, and took our place and died for our sins. Jesus became our substitute at Christmas. Through His sacrifice—by believing in what He did on our behalf–we can be reconciled to God (John 3:16, 2Cor. 5:19).

The modern spirit of Christmas is a deception. Our superficial and temporal acts of goodness can’t make things right between us and God. J. I. Packer captures this deceptive spirit of the age aptly in his writing¹ thus:

Modern men and women …naturally incline to a high opinion of themselves…in the moral realm they are absolutely kind to themselves, treating small virtues as compensating for great vices and refusing to take seriously the idea that, morally speaking, there is anything much wrong with them. They tend to dismiss a bad conscience, in themselves and in others, as an unhealthy psychological freak, a sign of disease and mental aberration rather than an index of moral reality. For modern men and women are convinced that despite their little peccadilloes – drinking, gambling, reckless driving, sexual laxity, black and white lies, sharp practice in trading, dirty reading, and what have you—they are at heart thoroughly good folks. Then, as pagans do (and the modern heart is pagan – make no mistake about that), they imagine God as a magnified image of themselves, and assume that God shares their own complacency about themselves. The thought of themselves as creatures fallen from God’s image, rebels against God’s rule, guilty and unclean in God’s sight, fit only for God’s condemnation, never enters their heads.

More and more the focus of the season has shifted from Christ—even the songs that are passed off these days as Christmas carols have little or nothing to do with Christ. The irony is, people are happy to chat about Santa, elves, travel plans and socials, but hate the mention of Christ at Christmas. But there can be no Christmas without Christ. Christmas is a proclamation of the glad tidings that whilst we fail to meet God’s mark, God has Himself provided a way by which we can approach His presence. The Son of God came down at Christmas that we might become sons of God. Thomas Binney articulates this beautifully:

Eternal Light! Eternal Light!
How pure the soul must be,
When, placed within thy searching sight,
It shrinks not, but with calm delight
Can live and look on thee.

The spirits that surround thy throne
May bear the burning bliss;
But surely that is theirs alone
Who, undefiled, have never known
A fallen world like this.

O how shall I, whose native sphere
Is dark, whose mind is dim,
Before the Ineffable appear,
And on my naked spirit bear
The uncreated beam?

There is a way for man to rise
To that sublime abode:
An offering and a sacrifice,
A Holy Spirit’s energies,
An Advocate with God:

These, these prepare us for the sight
Of holiness above:
The sons of ignorance and night
May dwell in the eternal Light,
Through the eternal Love!

Let’s tell everyone about it!

Notes:

1. J. I. Packer, Knowing God; pp. 146-147.

2. Thomas Binney, 1798-1874.

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Recently, I read an online article on a Facebook contact’s wall with a captivating title, “How to Preach the Gospel: The ‘Blessing’ Outreach.” I was exhilarated as I opened to read. But was disappointed.  In the article, the author sought to provide some tips for effective evangelism. In summary, the article suggested that for effective evangelism (evidenced by large numbers of people trooping to our churches),

1. We must not tell sinners they are destined for hell because of their sins, as they are already in hell (probably on the assumption that they are poor or sick) and don’t need a reminder.
2. We must entice our audience with promises of material blessings and business and career ‘breakthroughs’—as this is what Jesus came to offer the world.

This approach to evangelism and Christian teaching at large is fast gaining popularity in many mainstream denominations, particularly in our parts of the globe. However, it is a false “gospel”. And I believe it is a kick in the face of God. Here’s why.

It Spurns Biblical Orthodoxy

The very first preacher we encounter in the New Testament is John the Baptist. This is what he preached:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:1-2).

Shortly after this, we read of our Lord’s own evangelistic ministry. Matthew tells us he preached the exact same thing as John—repentance from sin (5:17). What about the Apostles? The first message Peter preached on the day of Pentecost similarly called people to repent and be baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of [their] sins, so that they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37).

Throughout the New Testament, we see that the apostles and other evangelists remained faithful to this message. Paul went so far as to say that “even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:18). It is only today that we purport to know better than our Lord, the Apostles and the Holy Spirit. The old gospel message is not effective enough by our standards, hence we must “spice it up”. But alas, to sugar-coat the truth is in fact, to present a lie.

It Withholds the Truth in Order to Gain Access

There are those who hold that an undiluted gospel will drive people away from God instead of drawing them. The solution, to them, is therefore to hold off telling people about sin and hell till they are safely in the realm of the church. What such false teachers fail to understand is that the Gospel is good news because first there is bad news. Without the bad news, the good news is of no use. The Bible teaches that we have all sinned and fallen from the glory of God. The wages (consequence) of sin is death—eternal separation from God.  Because of our sins, we are all by nature rightly deserving of God’s wrath and eternal punishment in hell. This is the bad news. Years ago, Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon which he titled, “Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God”. Jonathan aptly sums up the truth about all of us before coming to Christ—we are creatures of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3), deserving of eternal punishment in hell. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— “(Ephesians 2:4-5).

The Bible always tells us the bad news about ourselves, before the good news of God’s grace in salvation through Christ. Any so-called gospel message that presents only the love of God without adequate emphasis on the wrath of God falls short of the true Gospel message as we find in the Bible.

It Presents a Message Which is Not Universal

If the dominant call of the gospel is for people to come to Christ in order to experience material prosperity, what will we tell those who are already well to do materially? This approach to evangelism is opportunistic–targeted at the poor and vulnerable. It is discriminatory—nothing like the free offer of grace that the gospel in Christ offers to all regardless of age, gender or social status. “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:22b-24). There are many examples of wealthy people who don’t care a hoot about God. Truth is, you don’t need God to be rich materially.

Further, preachers of this false “gospel” and their followers greatly misunderstands why Christ came. Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10); and “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 28:20). This is why He came—to reconcile us to God. The message of the gospel is that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself…” (2Cor. 5:17).

It is Worldly Instead of Heavenly

Ernst Neubach’s song, “In Heaven There is No Beer” was very popular on the air-waves growing up. In it, he describes the existential pleasures of drinking beer, by bemoaning the fact that when he gets to heaven, his friends will be drinking all the beer—as there’ll be none in heaven! Sadly, the contemporary preacher who believes that a life of poverty is equivalent to an eternity spent away from God’s presence and therefore he needs to have the best of the world has to offer is only singing to the tune of Ernst. On the contrary, Scripture affirms that the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that awaits us in heaven (Rom. 8:18). The flip side is that the temporary hardships of this world can never be compared to an eternity of gloom that awaits all who reject God’s offer of salvation in Christ Jesus. What is more, the Bible does not promise that once we come to Christ, we will live happily ever after. On the contrary, to the believer, suffering is a sharp reminder that we live in a fallen world (Rom. 8:23, John 16:33, Acts 14:21-22). It is in the new heaven and the new earth that God has promised there will be no more sin, and all our tears and sorrow will be a thing of the past (2Pet. 3:13).

A “gospel” of “blessings” may bring in throngs to warm our church pews, but it may not guarantee true disciples who have turned to the Lord because they have truly repented of their sins. Calvin’s words are fit for the moment.

“The excellence of the Church does not consist in multitude, but in purity.”

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Last week, in response to our online article “Is Jesus The Only Way?” a reader, a Muslim, remonstrated with us with regards to the person and work of our Lord Jesus. According to him, Jesus was not God; but only a prophet of God.

What interested me most in that conversation was his denial of the crucifixion  and resurrection of Christ. This is because, if you take away the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the whole foundation of Christianity comes crumbling down. Obviously if Christ didn’t die by crucifixion, then he didn’t rise. And if he didn’t rise, then there will be no resurrection. And if there is no resurrection; there is no hope for the Christian (1Corinthians 15:12-18). Ultimately, if Christ was not crucified, then the Apostles and Jesus himself were all liars; and the Bible a fraud.The death and resurrection of Christ is the hope upon which the foundation of Christianity stands. And Islam calls that into question. “The bible says Jesus was not sacrificed for the sins of mankind”, this reader asserted. When asked what his authority was, he quoted Psalm 91. The Qur’anic narrative on the crucifixion confirms Jesus was not crucified, he claimed. In this article, I will provide a response to his assertions and claims, with particular respect to the Psalm he referred to.

Psalm 91:10-15 reads:

no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him (Ps. 91:10-15).

Here is The Qur’anic narrative also

They [The Jews] declared, ‘We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God.’ They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been so]. And those who differ in this matter are in doubt concerning it. They have no definite knowledge about it, but only follow mere conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. God raised him towards Himself. God is almighty and wise (Qur’an 4:157-158).

The argument being made was, Psalm 91, as a Messianic Psalm rules out any possibility of a crucified Messiah. “No harm will overtake you“, he emphasised. He continued that as Psalm 91 foretold, the angels would “lift him (Jesus) up” and furthermore, the Qur’an states that “God raised him up”; what the Qur’an reports about Jesus being in fact the fulfilment of Psalm 91:11-12 he affirmed. “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands…”

“They certainly did not kill him. God raised him up to Himself”, was the final plea.

So here we stand, with the Qur’an apparently correcting the Bible. The only problem is that, this is simply a misinterpretation.

I will now address three points in defending the crucifixion of Christ.

The Bible Doesn’t Contradict Itself

Firstly, we should bear in mind that Psalm 91 doesn’t obliterate all the other Scriptures in the Bible pointing to a suffering Messiah. One of the first principles of hermenuetics—the science of interpreting Scripture–is the analogy of faith. R.C. Sproul in his book Knowing Scripture states that,

The analogy of faith is the rule that Scripture is to interpret Scripture: Sacra Scriptura sui interpres (Sacred Scripture is its own interpreter). This means, quite simply, that no part of Scripture can be interpreted in such a way as to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture.¹

Simply, God’s word–the Bible– doesn’t contradict itself. The crucifixion was God’s plan as much as his promise of protection was. When God promises to protect us; it doesn’t mean the absence of trials, temptations, or even death.

Jesus won’t bypass the road to Calvary. God’s steadfast love doesn’t mean the absence of pain, not for Jesus and not for us. God showed him salvation (Psalm 91:16), but remember the empty tomb came after a blood-soaked cross.²

While protection of the Messiah was spoken of in Psalm 91, we must also note that, a suffering Messiah was also prophesied in Isaiah 53. It is only proper that when interpreting the Bible, we look at it as a whole. Also, if we read the Bible, we will indeed see the Messiah was protected and angels did bear him up. Examine Christ’s encounter with Satan in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). After the whole episode, we are told “angels came and were ministering to him [Jesus].”

The Crucifixion Was God Ordained

Secondly, Christ’s death was God’s ordained plan. In Acts 2:22-23, we are told that Jesus was killed “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God”. So, anyone who calls the death of Christ to question is calling God’s plan to question. Christ didn’t die a reckless death where God was unable to protect him.

In fact, God offered Christ up for the sins of the world. He was put up as a propitiation for the sins of the world (Matt. 1:21, Jn 3:16, Rom. 3:25, 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10). A striking observation one may make reading through the gospel of John is the many assassination attempts, so to speak, on Jesus’ life. But none succeeded because his “time was not yet come” (Jn. 7:6; 10:39). Jesus only died at the time appointed by God through crucifixion.

A Moral Dilemma

Who is Jesus? A liar or a messenger of God (borrowing the Islamic description of Christ). Now Jesus on numerous occassions spoke about his death. If he didn’t die on the cross; then we are faced with a moral dilemma: was Jesus a liar or a messenger of God?

Considering the person of Jesus, his moral virtues and the perfect life he lived; if his words about his death, are not true, then we will have to reconsider how we view him. Either he is a liar or he is who he claims to be—the Son of God.

In fact, Islam does acknowledge a Jesus who is a “Messiah, and a messenger of God” in the very place they question his crucifixion. The question we have to ask of Islam is that, can a Messiah and Messenger of God lie? Was Jesus a liar to have spoken about his death, if it was never to be?

Consider these words spoken by Jesus:

For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matt. 12:40).

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised (Matt. 16:21).

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (Jn. 2:18-19; 21-22).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11).

Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial (Jn. 12:7).

Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour (Jn. 12:27).

These are some few words spoken by Jesus himself. If he didn’t die by crucifixion, then he lied when he spoke these word. Is the person of Jesus as recorded in Scripture consistent with a liar? No. Lying is sin and the Bible tells us Jesus was without sin (Heb.4:15). By the Biblical narrative, there is no reason to doubt the Crucifixion of Jesus. Indeed, if Christ was not crucified; as Paul said, we will be of all people the most miserable.

Notes:

1. R.C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture , Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009, Kindle Edition

2. Online article, Why you don’t have to fear terror by Jonathan Parnell, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-you-dont-have-to-fear-terror

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:3)

The text above is the first of twelve verses – one long, elegant sentence in the Greek – within which Paul the apostle praises God for blessing the Ephesian church with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ. In the verses that follow, from the 15th verse onward, Paul prays for the Ephesians that their spiritual eyes will be opened to fully come to terms with the import of these blessings.

Before I proceed further, let me answer a question on my mind which I believe will be of immense benefit to the discourse. When we know what praise is, in our relationship with God, then we can best appreciate Paul’s words in the text. An online Christian ministry, gotquestions, says this of praise:

[It] is the joyful recounting of all God has done for us … It is … the truthful [sincere and heartfelt] acknowledgment of the righteous acts of another. Since God has done many wonderful deeds, He is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3).

With this brief description of what praise is, we can now look at Paul’s praises and glean at least four lessons with regards to Christian praise, prayer and doctrine.

The Place of Praise in the Christian’s Life

How important is praise in your Christian life? What position does it occupy on your prayer list? Is it something that comes at the tail end, when you have finished pouring out your petitions to God?
It is very instructive that before Paul made any petitions for the Ephesians, he started with praise. To Paul, prayer must begin with praise. A careful study of his epistles will reveal that this is his method everywhere. True Christian prayer must begin with praise. Similarly, the Psalmist said to enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise (Psalm 100:4). Indeed, it has been said that praise is the highest form of prayer.

The Nature of Christian Praise

A striking observation from Paul’s doxology here is his deliberate mention of the Trinity. He praises God the Father, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. “Spiritual blessings” means, not only are the blessings in view of a non-material nature, they are derived or applied to us through the Holy Spirit.

We see from Paul’s doxology, that true Christian praise, like the entire Christian position, is essentially Trinitarian. We direct our praises to God, through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. This brings me to my next point,

The Object of Christian Praise

First, notice that God is the object of our praise and worship. We are not the object.

Now, one may wonder that is it possible for anyone to make us the object of Christian praise? My answer is, sadly, very much so, as is apparent from my experience below.

In an assembly where my family and I used to worship – I used to be in the choir – each time before praises, the pastor will tell the congregation, “focus on your problems.” “Focus on what you want God to do for you during this time of praises.” Then we are told, “the harder you praise, the more you will be blessed.” Sounds familiar?

It is not enough that we tend to barge into God’s presence as it were, roll down a long list of requests – some of us even give Him ultimatum when He must answer us or else…, and perhaps when we are about to finish we thank Him, sometimes we even forget to thank Him — but even His praise we have hijacked! “Focus on our problems during times of singing praises to God”?

When my wife and I stood back to reflect on our worship services in that church, we realised that it was all about us, not about God. The sermons were always about us – how if we did A and B, God will bless us materially. We could not see the Gospel at the centre of the weekly sermons. Even the themes of the services were all materialistic. If it wasn’t about breaking financial curses, it was about anointing for promotion or about one material thing or the other.

Now in a sense, I believe the church today prays and praises the way we do because we don’t stop to consider who is the object of our praise.

Paul’s approach is so unlike ours these days. Observe his method: he doesn’t start with us, he starts with God and His blessedness!

Later on, Paul will praise God for the fact that He has blessed us. But that is not what he puts in the first place. His first focus is on the blessedness of the One who alone is the object of our praise. True Christian praise is God-centred, not man-centred.

When we gather in praise and corporate worship to God, we ought to approach with reverence, bearing in mind his attributes. We come before him with reverence and awe, not to entertain ourselves.

A.W. Tozer put it so aptly when he said, “Gathering together for worship has nothing to do with pleasing ourselves, but it has everything to do with pleasing God.”

The Motivation for Christian Praise

Paul goes on to praise God because He has blessed us – not with some, but all spiritual blessings! The Puritan theologian, Paul Bayne (1537-1617), paraphrased our opening verse thus:

“Praised be the God of our Saviour, praised be the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us; that is, by his blessing made us partakers of all spiritual blessings, such as take their beginning from heaven, are kept in heaven, shall all have their accomplishments in heaven; and all this in Christ, who is the root and the second Adam, whence every benefit supernatural springeth, and is derived unto us.”

Strangely, there are some who interpret every mention of “blessings” in the Bible in terms of material things only. But does Paul have material blessings in view here? The qualification “spiritual” will immediately debunk that. Further, the context shows that Paul has in mind the great plan of salvation — beginning in eternity past with the election of the saints in Christ, till eternity to come when God will once more head up all things under Christ. We see from the context that Paul had in mind the eternal counsel that took place between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; where each person of the blessed Trinity covenanted to do certain things in the grand plan of salvation. The Father thought up the plan of Salvation (Eph. 1:3-6). The Son took it upon Himself to carry out this plan, to take on human flesh and be born as a babe, suffer and die a shameful death on a tree (Eph. 1:7-12). The Father on His part promised to grant forgiveness to all those who would believe inthe Son and the work He did on the cross; and adopt them into His family (Eph. 1: 3-6). The Spirit on His part partook to apply the work of salvation to the believer (Eph. 1:13-14).

In a sense, our praise and worship today is superficial because we have stopped contemplating the great work of God in the salvation of man. The contemporary Christian only praises when he has material blessings in view. This is a far cry from apostolic praise.

To the Christian, houses, cars, money and property are not the choicest of blessings. These are temporary. The Christian’s joy and praise is not predicated on material blessings only. His blessings are first of all spiritual – they are other-worldly!

The Christian rejoices that his name is written in heaven. We rejoice because we are forgiven, absolved from sin, accepted in the Beloved, and heirs of heaven!

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