In a cultural climate that is becoming more acquainted with self-love and extending grace to ourselves, why doesn’t God let bygones be bygones? Why can’t he just overlook our wrongdoings and just forgive us with no strings attached? In this weeks episode, M.T Omoniyi explains the nature of God’s love and why It is only through Christ’s sacrifice of appeasing God’s judgement of sin through the shedding of his blood that forgiveness can truly take place.
Why We Need The Holy Spirit Everyday
Christians believe that God is one being that exists in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This reality is commonly referred to as the Trinity. What is also common is how often the Holy Spirit appears to be the forgotten member within the Trinity. The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer seems to be misunderstood, as a result, Christians do not enjoy their fellowship with God as they ought. The Holy Spirit is not the lesser person of the Trinity and should not be treated as such. If we misunderstand who the Holy Spirit is, we will not experience the relationship we should have. So, who is the Holy Spirit?
God, the Holy Spirit
Before the world began, there was God. Each member of the Godhead was involved in creation. God the Father initiated and worked through the God the Son, whilst God the Spirit hovered over the face deep in anticipation of what was to occur (Genesis 1:1-2 c.f. John 1:1-3). As the biblical narrative unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear the perfect harmony that exists within the Trinity (Genesis 1:26, John 5:19, John 16:13). There is no internal conflict within the Godhead, there is no tussle for power or supremacy. Each member of the Trinity is equal in essence and being, but different in role and function. This means that God the Father is not God the Son and God the Son is not God the Holy Spirit. Their perfect unity in relationship is not in conflict to their uniqueness of person. The bible makes it clear that whilst each member is fully God, they are different persons (Mark 1:10-11, John 1:1, Acts 2:33). If this is the case, and I believe it is, the Holy Spirit must be referred to as God and nothing else.
God and you
Before Jesus died, He promised His disciples – and by extension us – the Holy Spirit. Under the old covenant the Holy Spirit was present, working amongst God’s people (Exodus 31:2-5). Under the new covenant the Holy Spirit is present, dwelling in God’s people (John 14:16-17). For those that trust in Jesus as their life, the Holy Spirit abides in you (1 Corinthians 6:19) and is your guarantee that you are an adopted child forever (Romans 8:14-15). The Holy Spirit only indwells Christians. This exclusivity is vital because the Holy Spirit identifies those who are Christ’s and those who are not. Jesus states, “the world cannot receive [the Holy Spirit], because it neither sees Him or knows him” (John 14:17). The world does not know the Holy Spirit, because it does not know Jesus. Those in Christ, indwelled and empowered by the Holy Spirit will be led in all truth (John 16:13). Since the Holy Spirit is God, He cannot lead you astray. There is no internal conflict within the Godhead, the Holy Spirit will not guide you in a direction that opposes the rest of the Godhead.
If you are a Christian, you are entitled to certain privileges. A problem that plagues humankind is that we are prone to forget. Christians are prone to forget the promises of God in Christ, so here’s a reminder.
1) The Holy Spirit has regenerated you. You were dead, now you are alive. The scriptures call regeneration being born again. Without being born again you can’t see the kingdom of God. In other words, the Holy Spirit makes you alive to know your need for Jesus.
2) The Holy Spirit indwells you. God has not just saved you and left you to meander your way to glory. He saved you, adopted you and now sent His spirit to live in you as confirmation that you are His! God lives in you declares this; He is eternally committed to you (John 14:16).
3) The Holy Spirit empowers you. Sin, Satan and the World are our great enemy. They seek to destroy our souls, ruin our assurance and disrupt our unity as a covenant family. The Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome our enemies by living holy and righteous lives. We don’t have to muster up the willpower to do right. The story of scripture isn’t do so you can get, it’s do because you have – you have God (Galatians 5:16, Romans 8:12-13)
4) The Holy Spirit comforts you. Life can be overwhelming at times and when you are doing everything right, things can still go wrong. As we await Jesus’ triumphant return you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is there to comfort amidst all the cares and troubles of life (2 Corinthians 1:3).
As sojourners and exiles in a foreign land we await a heavenly kingdom (Philippians 3:20), as we wait remember you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is here with you. He has regenerated you, He indwells you, He empowers you and He will comfort you and He will continue to do so until we are welcomed home.
Dear Graduates, Trust God, Not Your Degree
Across the country, university students are completing their courses and hopefully looking forward to graduation (virtual or otherwise). First of all, I would like to extend my congratulations to you all. Whatever degree you have completed, wherever you completed it, congratulations. The journey is long and difficult; therefore this accomplishment should be celebrated, I hope you all celebrate no matter how small. Graduating can be a daunting prospect and the barrage of questions that are thrown at you post-graduation could induce great anxiety and apprehension. There are important decisions that ought to be made by graduates and whilst these decisions may be daunting, good decisions can be made. Hopefully, this article will be of aid to you who are graduating and those who will be graduating soon.
Soak it in
There can be the tendency to feel like you have to take the next step immediately after graduating. Your colleagues and friends may already have made the next step and you may feel the pressure to do that too. Whether it is to apply for a masters or get that graduate role, there can be the pressure to do what’s next lest you fall behind. Whilst it is true “life waits for no man”, rushing to a perceived “next stage” could prevent you from acknowledging and appreciating the stage you have just completed. Living life in such a way will have you accumulating accomplishments and never having the time to enjoy them. Whilst western society encourages you to live life at 100 miles per hour, God does not. Instead, God tells us to be thankful in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18), trust Him in everything (Proverbs 3:5) and rely on Him to supply your needs (Philippians 4:19). This does not mean that we should be inactive and just wait for God to live life on our behalf. It means that we don’t have to live life as if we are the necessary denominator for success. Enjoy your accomplishments and if you haven’t applied for that graduate scheme or that master’s degree immediately it is not too late. Trust God and apply, God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above what you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).
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Trust God’s Promises
In my opinion, an over-quoted yet perhaps misunderstood portion of scripture is Matthew 6:25-33. This part of scripture is part of the famous sermon of the mount. Jesus illustrates to the crowd that if God beautifies flowers that are later used for fuel or feed birds that don’t work for their food, won’t God look after the crowning point of His creation? Don’t miss the implication here. Working isn’t a result of the fall. God worked in creation and one way in which we reflect the nature of God is when we work. Proverbs repeatedly speaks to the wickedness of laziness (Proverbs 10:4, 13:4, 18:9, 21:25). Jesus here says, God feeds the birds and they do nothing. Flowers that are trampled by dogs in the park or destroyed by a game of football, God clothes them with beauty just for admiration. Jesus says if God pays such attention to these parts of His creation, how much more humans who are crowned with glory and honour (Psalms 8:4-5)? The point of this portion of scripture is God will take care of you. You don’t have to put faith in the quality of your degree to be the ticket to a successful career. God knows what you desire and He is good. God does not derive pleasure from seeing His children suffer. God wants good for you, that doesn’t mean that you will get everything you want. What it does mean is that you can trust God with your life because He loves you. If God delights in giving you His kingdom (Luke 12:32), do you think it’s your career He wants to hinder? God will order your steps, you can take a breath child of God (Psalm 37:27).
What Do I Do Next?
Graduating does produce a plethora of questions and not all of them can be answered immediately. I don’t have all the answers but God does. Have big dreams, just don’t hold on to them too tightly. What I mean is the success of your career will matter little if you lose your soul (Mark 8:36). We were created for glory. We were created to know God and enjoy Him forever (Westminster Catechism). Don’t be so focused on career success that you forget what your career success should display – the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Work hard, dream big and trust God. No matter which path you end up taking, rest in the knowledge that you are secure in the arms of God.
How Can I Have A Relationship With The Holy Spirit
The Holy Trinity consists of God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. They have eternally existed as three distinct persons who are each fully God. Although the idea of three persons and only one God is difficult to understand fully, the teaching of this doctrine is clear throughout the Bible. It is our responsibility as Christians to reconcile with it. So the question today would be, do we know the Holy Spirit? Not just about him but rather to know him as a person. Just as we have built a relationship with God the Father and Son, do we have a personal relationship with the Spirit? And how do we build this relationship with him?
What is the Spirit’s role in Christians lives?
Well, to start, we need to know about the Holy Spirit. Just as our Lord Jesus Christ was not lesser than God the Father, neither is the Holy Spirit is lesser than them. They have different roles; for example, in creation, God the Father spoke the earth into being (Genesis 1:9-10). The Son carried out those words: “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3) And the spirit was sustaining and manifesting God’s presence in creation. (Genesis 1:2) Yet, it is important to stress they are one, as there is only one God. They share the same attributes and characteristics; all of them are omniscient, loving, righteous, etc.
Let’s go to John 14:26 and Isaiah 11:2 to read what Jesus and Isaiah have to say about the role of the Holy Spirit.
“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord”
Isaiah 11:2
“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.”
John 14:26
Let’s highlight some keywords here. The Spirit of “wisdom” and “understanding” will “teach” and “remind”. In short, the Spirit is here to make the blind see. We who were spiritually blind have been given sight to acknowledge the spiritual realities we live in and recognize that we have sinned and are in need of a saviour, which is Christ. It doesn’t end there. After our eyes are opened, we can learn, and the Spirit’s role is to “teach” and “remind”, guiding us to gain a greater and deeper understanding of the truth of the bible growing us in our faith.
So just as in creation, the spirit sustains and manifests God’s presence in creation; the Spirit is doing the same thing in our lives, sustaining and manifesting God’s presence in us so that we can be more like him. It is important to emphasize that having the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean that we get immediate and perfect understanding; the words “teach” and “remind” indicate that it is a process. And that process is commonly called sanctification, where we grow in our faith through reading our bibles, praying and growing in our love and understanding of God by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
How to know it is from the Spirit of God?
So now this is the most important question, how do we know it from the Spirit of God? We are often guided emotionally to do this and that and make decisions, but how do we know it is from the Spirit of God? Do we know just because it felt like it? Let’s see what Galatians 5:22-23 and 1 John 4:1have to say about it.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because may false prophets have gone out into the world.”
1 John 4:1
We test it! As stated in Galatians 5:22-23, we can distinguish it by looking at the fruits of the action. Does it result in love, joy, peace … and self-control? If not, it is not from the Spirit of God; remember, the Spirit shares the same characteristic as the Father and the Son. Anything contradictory to his characteristics will never be from the Spirit of God.
So, the more you know God, the more capable you are of distinguishing the Spirit of God. God has revealed himself to us through his Holy Scripture. Hence by fear and trembling, may we want to know him more and may the Holy Spirit bless us so that we may be fruitful and grow in our faith.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2
How Lust Ruins The Rhythm of God’s Design of Sex
God loves sex. C.S. Lewis defines sex as part of ‘The Great Dance’ – from the solar systems to the act of sexual intercourse— they form “an ongoing, dynamic dance, in which plans without number interlock, and each movement becomes, in its season, the breaking into flower of the whole of [God’s] design.” Therefore, our natural sexual desires are good and God-given. But because of the Fall, lust has invaded the headquarters of these desires, and thus we find the problem of sin. One thing we need to realise is this: God did not have our shame in mind when He created sex. He had our joy in mind. He had our pleasure in mind. He had His glory in mind. So what can we do to follow the blueprint of God’s design?
What is God’s purpose in sex?
God authored sex so beautifully. He has conceived it to be so personal and so sacred that it was created to be enjoyed in one exclusive context alone. In marriage. Between a man and his wife (Gen 2:24). This is because the purpose of sex, as a pleasant seal of this union, is to point to the love between Christ and His Bride, the Church (Eph 5:25-32). Sex is an act, not one that focuses on serving your individual’s sexual desires, rather sex should be characterised by the selfless servitude of offering your body to please your spouse (1 Cor 7:3-4). It is the complete giving over of oneself, unashamedly. It is the emulation of the rich and humble love displayed on the Cross.
The main condition of sex according to God is that it is a marital act. This is because God demands covenants. Why? Because covenants testify of and illuminate His faithful nature. The fidelity of a sexual act, confined to marriage, glorifies God’s character which provides a bedrock of deep intimate worship of Him. This worship is perfectly epitomised in Adam and Eve’s loving interactions in Eden before the fall (Gen 2:22-25).
However, this picture of oneness and fidelity is not what we see in society, even within ourselves as Christians. Sin adulterates the natural and pure desires to honour God through our sexual fidelity to our spouses and in purity to Him. Instead, we feel compelled to act out in ‘passionate lust like the pagans who do not know God‘ (1 Thess 4:5), declaring our defiance to His faithfulness by being unfaithful. Under the umbrella of these sinful acts that we perform to satisfy our lust, we find even more problems. Shame, pain, guilt, brokenness, and regret. We often find ourselves in a mess we are unable to fix.
Know Whom you offend
In our fight against lust, we must remember Who it is that we offend. God. The Father, the One who loved you so dearly that He gave His Son as a sacrifice for your sins (John 3:16). Jesus, the One who willingly laid down His life, for you, someone who had never loved Him or desired to even know Him (Rom 5:8, 1 John 4:19). The Holy Spirit, the One who lives within you, to perfect you and is your Guarantor to having eternal life (Eph 1:13-14). You offend God. You grieve God. This is why David says, “ Against You, You only, have I sinned” (Psalm 51:3-4). Not Bathsheba, not Uriah, not his son, but God. That is why when Joseph is fleeing Potiphar’s wife, he says, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9). When we choose to indulge in sexual desires that do not comply with God’s design for sex in covenant marriage, we offend God. It grieves and repulses the Spirit of God that we would dishonour the very bodies that He created, the temple He dwells in, by doing something that He considers abominable. We must recognise the gravity of our sin.
We can never understand this or the unexaggerated brokenness and desperation that David and Joseph felt until we understand the fear of God. And to understand the fear of God we must, first and foremost, know who God is. Therefore, before you join another accountability group, or set boundaries with your partner until further notice for the 100th time, or litter your walls with Post-it notes filled with Bible quotes to deter your attention from temptation, you MUST genuinely and relentlessly seek to KNOW the Lord. Fear of Him is the beginning of all wisdom (Prov 9:10). Sit with Him and have His words wash over you, purifying and bringing into submission those ‘untethered’ desires to the authority and control of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:4). Pray, asking for the fear of the Lord to guide you in the knowledge of who He is and why His plans for sex are what they are. Such knowledge will help you to repent more sincerely and walk according to what is the true and authentic way that God intended for us to live by. After all, the road to repentance must be an earnest one (Prov 28:13).
Teach me your way, O Lord,
Psalm 86:11
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
Passive prayer won’t help you
We have all done it. Said a quick little ten-second prayer when we were faced with the temptation to watch porn or entertain a lustful rendez-vous, when we have no real desire to fight it. In fact, there are times where we are looking forward to satisfying that lust to the point of adopting a “Sin now, pray later” mentality. Sin causes us to have deeply warped views of how grace works in our lives (Rom 6:1). Pride can easily take root and dupe us into thinking obtusely that we can trick God into accepting our feigned attempts at sincere repentance. But why trick God when He is the only one who can save you? (James 4:10)
In the war for sexual purity we must come to an understanding of what we have in our weaponry:
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:14-17
Do not underestimate what you were equipped with on the day of your salvation. God truly understood what awaited us on the front lines. Hence why He has given us weaponry that is not carnal, but that which can destroy strongholds (2 Cor 10:4). He knew the brokenness the trauma of molestation can breed. He knew the addictive power that pornography yields. He knew how our desires for companionship can easily be manipulated into lust by the malignant effects of sin. He knew how loneliness can get the better of you at times, misleading you into thinking masturbation is a safe refuge. He knows our frame and understands that we are dust (Psa 103:14), with no real power within ourselves to fight the sin that dwells within (Rom 7:18, Gal 5:17), or the god of this age (2 Cor 4:4) or the temptation of the world (Phil 2:15).
Therefore, prayer, like any weapon is only effective if we use it well. Why not confess your sins more readily and entirely to God? (1 John 1:9) Why not pray more specifically and boldly, telling God all of your needs and imaginations? (Heb 4:14-16) Why not place the burden of lust at Jesus’ feet and ask the Holy Spirit to exchange your lustful desires for pure ones in Christ? (1 Pet 5:7, Matt 11:29) By doing this you are bringing these lustful thoughts into captivity and submitting them unto the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Nothing is ever too shameful to tell Him who hung naked on the Cross to bear your shame (Isaiah 53:5).
Sex should end with satisfaction in God
I once read a statement that read, “Our sexual desires are meant to drive us towards a relationship that satisfies our soul”. I tried to take that statement seriously without scoffing. What did Pastor John Piper know about my needs? But then I realised what I was scoffing at. A statement that was essentially making a point that everything including our sexual desires, points to Christ. In that moment I knew I really had not even scratched the surface of how great or powerful Jesus Christ was to fulfil my every need and how deep-rooted my lust was. My scoff pointed to unbelief and a low view of God. We can be fooled into thinking intimacy with a human, trumps our intimacy with God. The God who made my existence possible was the very God in whose abilities I did not believe in to satisfy my soul.
The truth is when we underestimate God and we underestimate sin. Though penned more than a century ago these words still ring true:
“I fear we do not sufficiently realize the extreme subtlety of our soul’s disease. We are too apt to forget that temptation to sin will rarely present itself to us in its true colours, saying, “I am your deadly enemy, and I want to ruin you forever in hell.”
Oh, no! sin comes to us, like Judas, with a kiss; and like Joab, with an outstretched hand and flattering words. The forbidden fruit seemed good and desirable to Eve; yet it cast her out of Eden. The walking idly on his palace roof seemed harmless enough to David; yet it ended in adultery and murder. Sin rarely seems sin at first beginnings. Let us then watch and pray, lest we fall into temptation. We may give wickedness smooth names, but we cannot alter its nature and character in the sight of God.”
J.C Ryle – Holiness: It’s Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots
Conquering our sexual sin first starts with conquering our low and false view of God and sin. We must know, understand and accept God’s position as Author and Governor of the things we enjoy here on earth. Things that must be correctly enjoyed through true satisfaction in Him. This includes sex. We must seek Him, to understand His blueprint for how sex should function. When we misappropriate His design, we miss out on the highest climax that there is – satisfaction in Christ.
Therefore dear Christian, do not lose hope. Pursue that greater knowledge, pursue that deeper intimacy with Him, pursue the grace to wait well for the good gift He has in store. Christ promises to draw near to us, only if we draw near to Him (James 4:8).
Seeking Therapy and Christianity
Christianity is often misinterpreted as a singular way of living – completely spiritual and supernatural disregarding the mind and soul. This is not how the Word describes life to be, in fact, we are instructed to focus on the things above (Colossians 3:2) but also directed not to neglect the things of the earth (Matthew 6:26-27). So how and why should we indulge in the things of the world whilst also focussing on the things above, especially with respect to therapy and Christ?
The stigmatisation of seeking physical help
I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.
Psalm 88: 8-9
Mental health is highly stigmatised in Christianity, to the extent where many may be afraid to even talk about such an issue or worse, seek help. Understanding that our mind is an aspect of our being that God also created, and just like our physical self, needs tending to, will help us in coming to terms with the depth and complexity of His creation. Think about how complex the mind and soul are – if we don’t tend to them, how exactly can we learn about them, and thus the extent of God’s power. To say you suffer from issues with mental health doesn’t mean you have ‘demons’ or you are ‘possessed,’ it simply means you have a problem that requires tending to. Prophets in the Bible suffered from problems with mental health, Elijah as an example, so what makes you think that you are not allowed to? If David, the man after God’s heart, can lament to God saying “darkness is my only friend” (Psalm 88) – why must we now be invincible to such issues? Why would God create such a community of encouragement and love if it was not for our minds too? Why would speaking good of each other matter if not for our soul? (Proverbs 16:24) Surely, they have an extent to which they affect our physical being? Let us not put the Creator at a subconscious limit that can be detrimental to the way we view Him – partially depicting to us who He truly is.
Making less of God
Indulging in the things of this world does not necessarily equate to making less of God. In the same way that working ‘secular’ jobs and going to ‘secular’ places doesn’t negate the authority of Christ in our lives, so it is with going to counselling or therapy. As Christians we must understand that it is possible to be in the world but not of the world – these two concepts do not have to be mutually exclusive. Therapy is not necessarily a contrast to God’s healing power, but a complement to it – thus it is possible to both go to therapy and talk to God. In the same way, we would go to a physician for help with broken physicalities, it is the same way we would go to a therapist/counsellor for help with our mental health. If the Author who created Heaven and Earth is sovereign (which He is), why limit him to just working through the supernatural when He works through everything and every being in this world?
By going to therapy/counselling, you are not saying that Jesus is less than but affirming that He is truly sovereign.
Christian therapy and counselling
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
We must not forget, in everything we must be transformed – not to be conformed by the way the world teaches us but by the Word of God. Christian therapy and counselling exists for this purpose, not to stray one towards an unfamiliar path, but to guide one towards the path of truth and reality, professionally. Most teachings from therapy and counselling are built from the foundations of Christianity – so to conduct in such will not necessarily harm your faith. In fact, it may help deepen your faith, making you more knowledgeable about yourself and your need for Christ, as well as providing a healing process for you.
Galatians 5:1 states “so Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free…” – this tells us that there’s freedom available and freedom to be found! We should seek methods that help us to grasp these freedoms and loosen us from the chains of trauma, hurt and mental health challenges, such as therapy.
Idolatry, the centre is still Christ
It is important to note that all of the above points are not to say that you should neglect God. In the famous words of Paul Washer, “Christ should be at the first, second, last and all of the above in our lives.” Christ works through the therapist, but they were never the source. They are but the resource to helping you on your journey. The source is and always will be God. Just as you talk to a therapist, we must be careful not to miss out on conversing with the Lord. This is exactly what He asks us to do (1 Peter 5:7). Contrary to criticisms, counselling can work in a cooperative relationship along with prayer, scripture and fellowship rather than a dichotomous relationship. The source should always be the first in our lives, every other resource is secondary.
If you are seeking Christian counselling and therapy, please click here. You will be redirected to the Association of Christian Counsellors homepage, where you can find a database of different Christian counsellors and therapists near you.
A biblical response to a stubborn heart
Have you ever tried sharing the gospel to a family or a friend, yet no matter what you say or what you do doesn’t affect them in the slightest? What should we do in response then? Should we give up and do nothing, or go into arguments and debates with them and prove that Christianity is logical and scientific? But does our knowledge of the bible and salvation shape our response in these scenarios? Let us consider two doctrines about salvation.
Total Depravity
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins”
Ephesians 2:1
In Ephesians 2:1, Paul was describing the human condition before conversion. Notice that he uses the word “dead” he didn’t use sick, faint, or weak. But he tells us that we were absolutely dead spiritually. A dead person is utterly powerless to do anything of itself or for itself, and that was the case for us. Unable to recognise the glory of God in our lives even though it is so plainly obvious, indulging in sin and feel no guilt from it, that is what it is like to be dead in sin.
If that is the human condition, why and how are we saved? If we are totally incapable of choosing Jesus ourselves, as all of us are dead in sin, how do we explain our own salvation? Well, the bible gives us a straightforward answer: Salvation is through the work of the Holy Spirit working in us that we may be born again.
The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
John 3:3
We find an illustration of the human condition and the work of the Holy Spirit in Ezekiel chapter 37. There Ezekiel was in a valley full of bones, and Ezekiel preached the word of the Lord to the dry bones, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, they were brought back to life again.
The Holy Spirit finds men as destitute of spiritual life as Ezekiel’s dry bones; We were like the bones spiritually, without any sign of life. And the Holy Spirit came and pieced our bones together, gave us tendons, flesh and skin but more importantly, it gave us the breath of life! And only through the work of the Spirit, we are “Born again” and able to see the kingdom of God.
God’s sovereignty
So how does knowing this doctrine of total depravity and the work of the Holy Spirit imply? Does it give us an excuse to stop sharing the gospel with our friends and family? Surely not! If anything gives us hope to press on and continue to preach lovingly, recognising that if it is up to us, no one will be saved, but thankfully that is not the case, for God’s hand is never too short to save.
Yes, we may be discouraged when that family member or friend rejects the gospel, again and again; we may feel sad and impatient but may we never lose hope for our God is a sovereign God, and he delights in saving his lost sheep. Knowing this will bring us on our knees and pray for them, recognising that without the Spirit’s work, our works are in vain. But with the work of the Spirit, even the person that is most unlikely to believe will be able to worship him and sing praises to his name.
Building A Bible Reading Habit
As things open up from July 19th, and many of us settle into new routines, let us continue to, or begin to, prioritise reading the Word of God as our daily bread. As “the Scriptures say,
People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:4 NLT
The Bible is the “word that comes from the mouth of God”, for “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) The phrase “inspired by God” literally means “God breathed”.
We should have this at the forefront of our mind when we consider how much time and energy we will put into reading the Bible.
Bible Reading Benefits
Hearing the Word of God, by reading it, or listening to it, has many benefits to us. Here a just a few:
“Your Word is a Lamp to my feet and a light to my path”
Psalm 119:105
- We need God’s Word to navigate this life successfully. God’s Word guides our next steps, and gives us wisdom to make both daily and longer term decisions. We may find a Scripture that speaks directly to our situation, or become more wise (able to make good decisions), by regularly reading the Word. It also teaches us which decisions to avoid (see Proverbs 6:23).
“Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable].”
Psalm 119:89
- It is comforting to know that no matter what changes around us – be it our personal circumstances or the values of our culture – the Word of God does not, cannot change. It is a sure and unshakable foundation – the only one that we should build our lives on.
“The seed is the Word of God”
Luke 8:11
- The only way to be fruitful and productive Christians is to allow God’s Word to be planted in us and to do it. (See Luke 8:4-15.) We cannot produce fruit without first having planted seed.
“He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
- God rewards the effort and commitment required to read and study His Word
“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”
Ephesians 6:17
- The Word of God is the only attacking armour listed in Ephesians 6. In Matthew 4 Jesus fought against temptation using the Word of God. When we face temptation and adversity, which we will, we can use the Word we are familiar with to fight.
“Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment”
1 Peter 2:2 NLT
- We cannot expect to mature as Christians if we do not hear the Word of God regularly and as a priority.
“How can a young man stay pure? Only by living in the Word of God and walking in it’s truth”
Psalms 119:9
- God’s Word cleanses us and causes us to live holy lives.
“Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever”
1 Peter 1:23
- We are all drawn to Jesus by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. The more we read the Bible, the more we will be able to shine Christ’s light to those around us. (See John 1:4, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.)
How To Read the Bible
Well, first you need a Bible. I like to use a study Bible as I find the notes and references useful. If you do not know which version of the Bible to get, or want a change, a wide variety of versions – in English and other languages – are available on YouVersion’s free Bible app. I like to listen to the Bible using the Dwell App and was thrilled when they recently added the read along function. There is a cost to use the full version but the free version is a useful preview.
Quality vs Quantity
It is certainly important to read through the entire Bible, and doing so can be a good place to start. There are many Read-Through-The-Bible plans to choose from. My mum advised me to and start with the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, a selection of Psalms, and Proverbs, and this works well as a springboard. There are 31 Proverbs so they can be read one a day over and over.
Building a discipline takes time. If you miss a day of your reading plan you could read double to catch up, or pick up where you left off. Sometimes I read a days reading for more than one day before I move on. Either for understanding, or to let it sink in more. It is about building a good habit, not finishing fastest.
Read or listen to the Bible with something to take notes on portions of Scripture that particularly stand out, things you do not understand, and anything that comes to mind as you hear the Word. It can be useful to look back over these notes and reflect on them. I used to use pen and paper, but now use my computer so that I can more easily search through my notes. Find whatever works for you.
Making It Stick
It can be good to agree with a friend to complete a book of the Bible or a reading plan over the same time period. In advance, you could arrange a date to discuss what you have each read. This gives an added incentive to keep up the habit and make good progress before the meeting.
Schedule a reasonable time to do it, and stick to it for as long as it works. If it does not work, move it. If you have an irregular schedule then look at the month ahead and schedule times that will work for you. Just like you might with an important appointment you do not want to miss, you could put your scheduled time in your phone’s calendar, ideally with an alert.
Whether you read the Bible in morning, in your lunch break, or before bed, be sure to pray about building a Bible reading habit before you start and as you go along. God is faithful to keep what you have committed to Him (see 2 Timothy 1:12). We can be confident that as we commit to it we will begin to truly enjoy it. Like David, we will say of God’s Words: “They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.” Psalms 19:10 NLT.
An Open Letter To Those Who Have Suffered Church Hurt
This is an open letter of apology to those who have been hurt by the church. It’s a letter for the casualties of the failings of the church. For those who have been driven away from Christ because of the church, or discouraged because of the actions of the church.
Who is the church?
The church is made up of the individuals called by Christ to act as one body. But the truth is sometimes we don’t. And the way we act can hurt each other. It could be the aunty who has been a member of the branch for years, pastors and leaders, or even just an individual who calls themself a Christian. We all make up the body of Christ and so the failing of one member affects the entire body.
For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12
What has the church done?
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
Matthew 23:13
- Hypocrisy: I’ve heard stories and also experienced the hypocrisy of some people within the church. They gossip, steal, lie and commit sins of the heart and judge others for their outward appearance or for living in a way that they don’t approve of. You may have even done something that is deemed a sin in the Bible, but instead of being corrected in love, people have scorned you, looked at you with derision and made you feel unwelcome.
- Created division: Instead of working together as one to build the Kingdom and share the gospel, we’ve torn people down because they’re not like us. Which in turn has made people feel like they don’t belong. We’ve made people feel like they don’t have a home in Christ because they aren’t like us. We’ve made them feel less than and unworthy, forgetting that God’s love isn’t earned but freely given.
- Actively hurt people: There have been leaders and members who have physically hurt people. They’ve hurt the vulnerable, hurt new members, old members and even those who loyally support them. They’ve done despicable things that have caused a lot of damage to people and the church physically, mentally and spiritually.
- We’ve deceived people: There are people within the church who have stolen from the members. There are even ‘pastors’ who have deceived people and used their position to manipulate people into doing illegal and immoral things. Some people have lost their homes and peace because of the church as a result of manipulation.
My apology
From the bottom of my heart, I’m sorry.
I’m truly sorry for the times we as a body of God have hurt, manipulated, deceived, and judged you. There’s nothing that I or anyone can do to take the hurt away or turn back the hands of time. However, with all sincerity of heart, I apologise. The actions of certain members of the church are not true reflections of Christ and what Christ demands of us.
The God that we serve is love and demands that we love as He has loved us. In our failings, we have represented God badly and have tarnished the image of the God that we represent. In all of this please remember that we the church are responsible for our actions, but God, who is Love, carries no responsibility for our actions.
God gave us the gift of choice, and history and current practices have shown that we sometimes don’t make the best choices and sometimes we make the worst choices. In hurting you we’ve also hurt God.
My prayer is that you see the truth that is Christ. My prayer is that God is revealed to you in Spirit and in truth so that the actions of the church don’t cloud the beauty that is God. There is so much beauty in knowing God and having a personal relationship with Him.
What The Euros Taught Us About Racism
There’s nothing quite like football. There are very few events that can garner such national unity. England were united by a singular goal – it’s coming home. Unfortunately, it did not. What ensued upon the final loss was inevitable. Rashford, Sancho and Saka all detailed in their reflections that they expected the racial attacks that occurred shortly after the result was finalised. As I scrolled through the twitter timeline, I saw numerous comments warning black people who were enjoying the final from various outdoor venues to find refuge. Is football responsible for the racist response we saw or is there a more insidious force at work?
Racism is a heart issue
In recent years there has been a concerted effort to denounce the UK as a racist country. The most recent race report commissioned by the UK government stated, “The UK no longer has a system rigged against people from ethnic minorities”. Yet, if you were to ask minorities if they agreed with this statement the majority, particularly black people would disagree. The reasons why are beyond the scope of this article, but what I want us all to consider this, why did the black players and black fans expect a racist onslaught when England lost? The comments and actions of racists throughout this country further cemented the necessity of the BLM protests that occurred during the summer of 2020. As Martin Luther King famously stated, “A riot is the language of the unheard”. But why should unbelievers lead the charge to tackle racial and social injustices? Let us be very clear, racism is a gospel issue. Racism seeks to distort what God established when he created humans (Genesis 1:26; 9:6). Racism seeks to make us believe the same lie that Satan spoke to Eve, to question our status as image bearers (Genesis 3:1-5). If Christians do not affirm that all humans are created in the image of God and thus all are intrinsically valuable, then we are not equipped to confront racism as we ought.
The Gospel Affirms Those That Racism Denounces
Whilst most Christians agree that racism is the sin of partiality (Leviticus 19:15, James 2:1-4), there is much disagreement as to how to tackle racism. When racial injustice occurs, it appears that some will use the Gospel to dismiss the issue. “Just preach the gospel” is aimed at racism with no consideration of the sociological or historical factors that influence the racialised society we live in or the sociological and historical work that has been done to analyse racism. A myopic view of the gospel narrowly defines the salvific work of Jesus as only redeeming the individual for glory. The gospel is far more glorious than that. The salvific work of Jesus Christ speaks to the redemption of the cosmos, which includes redeeming a people from every tongue, every tribe and every nation (Revelation 5:9). Now these redeemed people are called to spread the fragrance of Christ everywhere, in the hope that those perishing would believe the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:15).
The Gospel Helps Us Love Others
Whilst the Bible is profitable for salvation, teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:15-17), it is not profitable as an analytical tool to interpret the historical and sociological impact racism has had in this country. The Bible is sufficient, not exhaustive. When we make the Bible what it is not, we do a disservice to our neighbours and reduce our ability to love them well. If we want to love our neighbours well, we cannot limit our love to their spirit and disregard their body and soul. The Euros only exposed the condition of people’s heart. Racism is symptomatic of the sin problem that plagues all humanity without Christ. As John Piper states “Christians’ care about all suffering, especially eternal suffering”. If this is true, then let us – girded by the Holy Spirit – use all that is at our disposal to affirm what racism seeks to destroy.