NT Christology Notes

 Messianic prophesies

Kingship from Judah, of David, perpetual (Genesis 49:10, Num 24:7, II Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isa. 11:1-9, Jer. 23:5-6, Dan 9:25); execute justice, protect, save, make war. Also, humble, suffering servant of the Lord. True Israelite identity came to be associated with exile and oppression. Zech 9:9, Isaiah 42:1-7; 49:1-7; 52:13—53:12.

Worker of miracles as proof of call and anointing, inbreaking of God’s kingdom. Isaiah 35:5-6

In light of continued political pressure, Jer, Ezekiel emphasize spiritual element (new covenant, new heart Jer 31:31, Eze 36:26); Zech blends governor and priest Zech 4:14 “two anointed ones”

As oppression continues and restoration is anti-climactic, messianic hope turns apocalyptic and cosmic. God’s operations in the world include all the nations, and forces of darkness are very much engaged and influence political sphere.

 

Conclusions

 

Scripture is focused and unified

- single story, single main character, single trajectory

God can be “imaged”

- God condescends; takes human form; active in history

Use of earthly, concrete metaphors

- establishment of offices, significance of people, land.

- materials for theologizing, but need to go behind the metaphor to the essence

- cannot immediately conclude that God has a body, etc.

 

New Testament Christology

 

Discussing the NT portrait of Jesus

 

- not a complete picture, indirect (even Jesus' believers struggled to understand him John 14:9)

- Jesus is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be engaged in

- this is not a NT exegesis class; we are after specific issues pertinent to systematic theology

- e.g. if people were healed by their faith when encountering Jesus, is that the same for us today?

- we take our systematic theological question and we interact with biblical theology and scripture. i.e. miracles were signs of kingdom of God and his rule breaking into space and time (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20)

 

The biblical-theological question (microscope, compass, in time): What is Jesus’ role in redemption history?

The dogmatic question (telescope, map, outside time): what kind of person must Jesus be to effect salvation? This is the loci communes of christological reflection.

 

à therefore, to go from biblical theology/exegesis to dogmatics (historic events to timeless propositions), we want to know:

1. what is Jesus’ mission and how does he achieve it?

2. What does that say about who he is?

 

The bible insists that Jesus is remarkable, not just another man, prophet, teacher. How remarkable is he, and what did the church conclude? Spoiler: trajectory from NT to church dogma (and beyond) is preoccupied with the relationship between Jesus’ humanity and divinity! There are states of Christ: humiliation and exaltation

 

Gospel Portrayals

 

 

Aspects of human nature

1. Genealogy and birth

- Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Boaz, David. Promised Seed, crushing Satan, Davidic king; themes of sovereignty of God, barrenness, election, inclusion of sinners and Gentiles

- of Mary, through Nathan, David’s son; of Joseph legally through kings, which ends with curse upon Jehoiakim, Jer 22:30.

 

 

- virgin birth: fulfillment of Isa 7:14 (sign to Ahaz re: Immanuel) Matt 1:25, Matt 2:13 Joseph NOT the father Note: Matt 1:15 Ἐλιοὺδ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἐλεάζαρ· Ἐλεάζαρ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ματθάν· Ματθὰν δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰακώβ·

Matt 1:16 Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ἄνδρα Μαρίας, ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός. (and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, out of whom was begotten Jesus, who is called Christ)

- Micah 5:2 Bethlehem, king * “One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.”

- worshiped by Magi

 

christological questions: how can a divine person be born, why virgin birth?

 

- born of woman in order to be proper representative for humanity (truly man)

- seed of woman of the Holy Spirit, gives some distinction/contrast from Adam à free from Adamic curse i.e. original sin (yet without sin). Immaculate conception takes this too far

“(1) Christ had to be constituted the Messiah and the Messianic Son of God. Consequently, it was necessary that He should be born of a woman, but also that He should not be the fruit of the will of man, but should be born of God. What is born of flesh is flesh. In all probability this wonderful birth of Jesus was' in the back-ground of the mind of John when he wrote as he did in John 1:13. (2) If Christ had been generated by man, He would have been a human person, included in the covenant of works, and as such would have shared the common guilt of mankind. But now that His subject, His ego, His person, is not out of Adam, He is not in the covenant of works and is free from the guilt of sin. And being free from the guilt of sin, His human nature could also be kept free, both before and after His birth, from the pollution of sin.” – Berkof, 336

 

One way to think about it …

- aspects of Davidic Kingship à there is still eschatological/historical work to be done wrt Israel and nations

- Sinless savior à finished work

- within NT his dual natures causes him to break out of every mold and expectation; displays of his extreme suffering and extreme glory surprise us

 

Features of ministry

1. unprecedented claim to authority

- over creation: nature, sickness, demons. Esp. Matthew 12:22-50 by the Spirit of God I drive out, kingdom has come; stronger man; unforgivable sin à places himself on par with Spirit of God; angels, Matthew 26:53

- over religious establishment: temple (Mark 11:15-17), Sabbath Mark 2 23-8; 3:1-5, oral law Mark 7:9-13, written law Matt. 5:21-48 “I say to you.”

- over sin, Mark 2:1-12; death including his own John 10:18

- over salvation history, cosmic realm  (Luke 22:29-30 ; Matt 19:28, Matt 10:32-3

- all authority Matt 28:19-20. Sense in which he possesses all authority AND ALSO gains all authority. His mission operates on an arc that is infinite in scope (accomplishment and reward scheme within covenant of redemption)

 

2. Continuation, extension, fulfillment of OT

- transfiguration: proves fulfillment of law and prophets

- new moses, new israel

- state of “humiliation” refers to his work under the law: humble circumstances; poor, servant, acquainted with sorrow, rejected; must live under the disobedience and curse of Adamic race + Israel.

- succeed where Adam/Israel failed, covenant of works/mosaic law. Born under the law, learning obedience, fulfilling all righteousness, inaugurate kingdom of God; overcomes temptation (lust of eyes, flesh, pride of life)

- ministry to Israel; condemnation of Israel; Zion is finished! “it is finished!”

- fulfills and extends messianic expectation. Not political!

- 3 offices: prophet and priest are completed; king remains into future

- his blood is key à new covenant

- prophecies toward Israel, treatment of prophets, fig tree

 

 

3. Divine relations

- revelation of the Father; Son is sent; Spirit will be sent

- Jesus’ work will produce unbreakable chain of being

- John 17- prediction that God’s people will participate in this

 

4. Demons, hell, Gentiles, poor, outcast

- challenging Jewish beliefs

- demonstrates universal lordship, inbreaking of kingdom and forming of new society

 

Suffering and resurrection

- early church was suffering community, imitating Jesus

- once clear that Jesus died to save sinners à spirit is primary; suffering is redeemed and redemptive

- suffering during all of life; climax at passion week

- predicted, but so is future joy – following prophetic pattern.

- innocence as well as guilt: betrayed, unjustly convicted. But must be convicted by ruler; numbered with sinners

- resurrection is explosive but requires faith

 

2. Sinlessness and active obedience

- virgin birth secures his sinlessness (sanctified by Holy Spirit, will of man not involved); prevents him from being just another human individual

- sinlessness: Luke 1:35; John 8:46; 14:30; II Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 9:14; I Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5.

 

3. Obvious display of human nature

- growth, submission, Luke 2:39-40; Luke 2:51-52; under Pontius Pilate, John 19:11

- sleep, hunger, distress, emotions, pain, etc. dies on cross quicker than expected

- ignorance(?) Matt 24:36 (note TR omits “nor the Son”).

 

Aspects of divine nature

 

2. Demonstrations of divinity

- Father’s confirmation of his sonship; transfiguration; receiving worship; knowledge,

 

Pauline Christology

- much of it is assumed between he and his readers

- his writings provide raw material for later theologizing, but not concerned or aware of classic orthodox issues

- cannot be separated from what Jesus has done (soteriology)

- Paul belongs to a "high christology" , like John and Hebrews

- strongly christologicaly. he cannot speak of what God has done without speaking of what Christ has done

 

 

Centrality of Christ

- dramatic extension of redemption history

- role of Paul’s radical conversion

- a high christology and high soteriology; cannot be separated (Christ and him crucified)

- redemption lifted to cosmic sphere

- union/participation with Christ – heightened sense of believer’s relation to God and his benefits

 

Father and Son

Thessalonians

- clear distinctions between God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; not synonymous or confused; spheres of activity distinguishable

- God is prime mover; lover, elector; Christ effects salvation; Christ is Lord (Yahweh); Kyrios also functions to critique Roman empire and gods

- forced to see Paul espousing "christological monotheism"; view of monotheism expands naturally; Paul doesn't see a problem/tension

 

 

"in Christ"

- Christians: in the Lord

- object: confidence in, trusting in

- instrument: called in, in Christ God forgave

- locative: full deity in x, in x not Adam, one body in Christ

- union: ephesians, blessing, chosen, adopted, redemption, sealed, in dwelt

 

 

1 Cor 8:6 - context of pagan idolatry

- restates Shema into 2 parts: one God the Father and one Lord, Jesus Christ

- Father is source, goal; Christ is effective agent of creation and redemption (preexistent). ie. identity of one God includes the one Lord

- general consistency of using "God" to refer to the Father (except possibly Rom 9:5 and Tit 2:13)

 

1 Cor 10:4, 20-22

- present with Israel; punished them for their rebellion, idolatry, testing him

- in what way is he present? sacramentally present? allegorically?

- overlap seems like more than analogy; Christians participate with body and blood through the Supper

 

1 Cor 15 resurrection body

- strong affirmation of true humanity

 

 

Philippians 2:6-11

- 4 difficult wordings: form of God, seize, emptied himself, in human likeness

- primary concern is pastoral and illustrative: having same, non-selfish mindset

- "being" in the form of God. always the case; contrast with simple past

- "form" = metaphor to describe transition between 2 states, God and man. speaks of features, not shape; platonic influence?

- seized, taken advantage of, used selfishly. prob contrast with "empty"; maybe ties to Eden's temptation story

- "emptied" metaphor for humiliation; not emptying of actual stuff/properties, but pours himself out by becoming an obedient slave and follower cf. Isa 53:12-13

- "likeness"; same but also different; still God

--> Jesus does the opposite of being selfish

- "the name" - cf Deut 12:5,11 Jesus is given the Name; exalted out his humiliation so that we can see that he is above all.

- every knee bow: Isa 45:18-24. as a result of his work, he becomes the physical focus of worship; says a lot about the significance of atonement for creation and cosmos.

- glory to the Father - Paul's economic monotheism

 

Break from Judaism

- challenge of NPP: how much law is included in justification?

- Paul: none. Faith in Christ alone. No other gospel

- against Gentiles tempted to copy Jewish ways (he considers dung! Philippians 3:4-8) and law; in X, wall of hostility destroyed, no more jew and gentile. Eph 2:14-17 ..

 

Cosmic Scope

- now in a state of struggle/contest with spiritual powers moving to climax

Eph 1:10-13 Eph 3:10-14 ...

Col 2:15

1 Cor 15:24-26 .. note: Christ will be subjected to the Father does not mean essential/eternal subjection. Christ is the reconciler/summation of all things with the intention to bring glory to the Father (phil 2), which he has always had with the Father. Need to distinguish essence of the Son from mission of the God-man

 

Christology of Hebrews – Rev

- “greater than” David, Adam, Angels, Moses, Levitical priesthood,

- Rev recap Daniel’s visions of Christ, lamb, warrior, king, judge

 

Link to Messianism

- usually cosmic and eternal in scope

God's Son is not simply the messianic king, sent by God to

deliver Israel from bondage; God's Son is the one whom the Father sent to earth to redeem his people and give them adoption as "sons" so that they, too, become full heirs—not now of a strip of land on the eastern Mediterranean shore but of eternity itself. - Fee, 545

 

Sonship

Paul's Son of God Christology, with its roots deep in Israel's story, finds its grand expression in human redemption that transforms the redeemed into "sons" and heirs of God as well. No wonder, then, that when Paul bursts into doxology, it is expressed in terms of "the God [who is now known as] the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," the eternal Son.

OT Christology Notes

 The Lord appears to Abraham in Gen 12:7, Gen 17:1

Angel of the Lord

- same as Yahweh Gen 16.13 Hagar "I have seen". start of idea that people can look at God and not die cf. Gen 32:30; Exo 24:9-11

 

- sent by/stands alongside Yahweh: Genesis 24:40, Num. 20:16, , Zech 1:12-13

 

- seen/perceived by men

Hagar Gen 16:7

Isaac Gen 22:15ff

Jacob Gen 31:11, Gen 48:15

Moses Exo 3:2; cloud and fire Exo 13:21, Exo 14:19; Exo 23:20; Exo 24:9-11; Exo 32:34; Exo 33:2 Num 20:16; Isa 63:9 Exo 23:20ff my name is in him

Exo 33:14 "my face shall go" with you cf. Jude 5, Isa 63:9

Josh 5:14 captain of the host cf. Josh 6:2 Yahweh; Matt 26:53 legions of angels

Judges, 6:11-24; 13:3-23;

David 2 Sam 14:4-20; 2 Sam 24:14-17; 1 Chron 21:11-30; 2 Kings 19:35; Isa 37:36

Elijah 1 Kings 19:5-7

Ezekiel 1:1-28

Daniel 3:23-29

Jehovah sends the angel: Gen 24:7, 40; Num 20:16; Zech 1:12-13 angel speaks to Jehovah

John 1:18 no one has seen God

 

- contrasted with angels

Gen 18, 19 three men

view of ancient commentators, YHWH accompanied by lower angels

key: Gen 18:22 "the men turned and went to Sodom, BUT Abraham stood before the LORD."

God "goes down to see" through his angels, instruments who execute judgment

Gen 31:11ff Jacob. ascending and descending. Angel names him, blesses. cf. Gen 48:15-16 God and Angel equated

physical revelations of Yahweh is in his Angel

 

 

Angel in conversation with Yahweh – “with God,” stands alongside

 

 

Term disappears after incarnation

 

- Seed of woman Gen 3:15, 

- prophet like Moses Deut 18:15-19

believed by Philip, John 1:46; Samaritans, John 4:25; 5:46 Moses wrote about me

gives shape to the harsh judgment upon the Jews, who claim to trust Moses (Luke 23:44, *Acts 3:22,23) also Luke 11:50-51 blood of all prophets required of this generation (who rejected THE prophet!). Jesus sums up the prophetic office as an ideal.

Matt 17:5 "listen to him!" cf. Isa 42

Aaron and Miriam cannot claim to be like Moses, Num 12:6ff

Israelite history

broadly, God must demonstrate that man cannot be the agent of reconciliation. God must come down to lift man up. Does not allow our limitations to inhibit his purposes. Achieving this through Israel demonstrates his power, wisdom, and glory.

Calvin: "He comes down low where we were to bring us up to where he was"

Luther: forming a womb in Israel for the incarnation; providing a matrix for the coming down of the Son of God; salvation is from the Jews, preparation. 

Israel provides conceptual tools for understanding God; "community of reciprocity" in which God's Word produces a response toward God

 

(Modernist project removes the Jesus from history becomes unreal and impersonal)

 

Recapitulation of Israel's story is essential hermeneutic for understanding OT

Three offices hashed out in OT (corresponds to tripartite structure?). imperfect shadows perfected in person of Christ

(cf. 1 Kgs 19:16b), priest (cf. Exod. 30:30), and king

(cf. 2 Sam. 5:3).

1. shepherd-king. Mark 6:34; Mark 9:36. Ps 23. gathering, leading, feeding

2. priest. Heb 4:15; representative; intercession; 

3. prophet. like Moses. announcing truth. Heb 1

 

 

Types: figure or representation of something to come; usually in the form of persons, events, things, institutions, ceremonies; (prophet priest king)

Seed of woman Gen 3:15 cf Gal 4:4 allusion to virgin birth cf, Isa 7:14

offering of Abel Gen 4:7

faith of the OT saints Heb 11:11,26

 

Adam - Rom 5:14, Rom 5:12-21; 1 Cor 15:45ff

Abel - Heb 11:4

Melchizedek Gen 14; Ps 110:4; Heb 5-7

Isaac

Benjamin "son of my right hand"

Joseph: birth Gen 30:22; loved Gen 37:3; hated Gen 37:4, rejected; sold, conspired against, condemned unjustly; exalted; savior

Moses: born under danger; Gentile bride; Deut 18:15-19

Joshua: success and victory vs Moses Rom 8:3-4; dispenser of gift Josh 13; distinction from Moses Exo 33:11

Redeemer: Lev 25:48, Ruth 3:12-13; Heb 2:14; 1 Pet 1:18; Gal 3:13

Prophet like Moses

Deut 18:15-19

believed by Philip, John 1:46; Samaritans, John 4:25; John 5:46 Moses wrote about me

gives shape to the harsh judgment upon the Jews, who claim to trust Moses (Luke 23:44, *Acts 3:22,23) also Luke 11:50-51 blood of all prophets required of this generation (who rejected THE prophet!). Jesus sums up the prophetic office as an ideal.

Matt 17:5 "listen to him!" cf. Isa 42

Aaron and Miriam cannot claim to be like Moses, Num 12:6ff

 

Events and Things

Clothing for Adam and Eve: Gen 3:21 cf. Job 29:14, Ps 132:9, Isa 61:10; Rom 3:22, Rev 19:8

Ark 2 Peter 2:5

provision in Egypt: Exo 16:4, 17:6; 1 Cor 10:4

Tabernacle: bread, light, incense; curtain; mercy seat; 

serpent Num 21:5, rod Num 17, rock, scarlet thread, water, tree of life, 

 

Sacrifices 

"life in the blood" Lev 17:11. blood meant to give life --> spilled blood signifies death and decreation; only solution of the problem is to spill, splash, sprinkle THE blood of the lifegiver. atonement always mirrors and mimics the sin

lamb of God John 1:29, submission 1 Pet 2:21-23

bulls and goats: bearing and removing sin scapegoat Lev 16:5ff

burnt offering: consumed in wrath; eaten in one sitting (finished, sufficient work)

purifying from heifer Num 19:17

dove/pigeon Lev 1:14, Lev 5:7 became poor 2 Cor 8:9; leprosy Lev 14:4

 

Aaronic priesthood

shadow of the reality; inferior, but reflective Heb 5

image of king (to the people) servant (before God)

 

Feasts: holiness, no work; first fruits 1 Cor 15:20 (resurrection); pentecost; atonement Lev 16:15 cf. Rom 3:25, Heb 9; 

 

Cities of refuge: Num 35, Deut 19, Josh 20; can return at death of high priest cf. Ps 46:1; Psalm 142:5; Isa 4:6

Messianic Prophecies and Threefold office (Reading: O’Collins, “The Jewish Matrix”)

 

Prophetism in Israel

Prophet: appointed speaker for divine superior; ambassador e.g. Aaron for Moses

rise of theocratic kingdom gives rise to prophetism

God leads his people first through phases of having no king, then having wrong king to reveal the need for an ideal king who would properly reflect the kingdom of God

NOT a political office, they carried the words of Yahweh. with decline of the monarchy, prophets thought of as unpatriotic. kings and prophets become enemies

exilic prophets: not repair but complete, eschatological regeneration

difference between Samuel and later prophets: later ones began writing their prophecies. from about Amos onwards, the "new" things envisioned by later prophets would last a long time. eventually, prophetism begins to see history as a whole, with a goal

Growth of messianic expectation during decline of Israel’s monarchy, especially exile. Righteous deliver to come to restore Israel’s glory.

Preparation: Mal 3:1, Isa. 40:3 John the Baptist

Fulfillment of 3-fold office (Israel in its ideal state is forgiven, listens to God, and abides by his covenant); offices come into harmony, He shall be a priest upon his throne” (Zech. 6:13).

 

Messianic prophesies

Kingship from Judah, of David, perpetual (Genesis 49:10, Num 24:7, 2 Sam 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isa. 11:1-9, Jer. 23:5-6, Dan 9:25); execute justice, protect, save, make war. Also, humble, suffering servant of the Lord. True Israelite identity came to be associated with exile and oppression. Zech 9:9, Isaiah 42:1-7; Isa 49:1-7; Isa 52:13—53:12.

Worker of miracles as proof of call and anointing, inbreaking of God’s kingdom. Isaiah 35:5-6

In light of continued political pressure, Jer, Ezekiel emphasize spiritual element (new covenant, new heart Jer 31:31, Eze 36:26); Zech blends governor and priest Zech 4:14 “two anointed ones”

As oppression continues and restoration is anti-climactic, messianic hope turns apocalyptic and cosmic. God’s operations in the world include all the nations, and forces of darkness are very much engaged and influence political sphere.

 

 

The Complexity of Romance Part I

There are times when biblical texts make more sense and come more alive than when read at other times. For me these days, 1 Corinthians 7, Paul's wisdom and encouragement regarding marriage and Christian service, resound with sharpened clarity. "The married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided." To be sure, Paul is not making an ethical pronouncement; he has "no command' from the Lord regarding this matter. He's only talking practical daily wisdom, the limitations of time and energy during this distressing age.

I'm convinced we're living in times where the modern man's anxieties with regard to women are more complex and difficult than ever. Romance is a constant negotiation of will and power. The insatiable search to be adequately entertained distracts us from sitting down and resolving past resentments, present frustrations, and future plans. The fibres that bind together to create a strong rope are fraying, not from the ends, but from the middle. The orientations of leadership, of money, of nurture and support are no longer moving as one unified strand as they once did. They're moving in every direction, a tangled mess that threatens to rupture the cord.

It's hard to blame a single perpetrator in this lamentable enterprise. But if I were to put my finger on it, the problem lies in the double edged sword of chivalry's death, and feminism's rise.

Present in the Moment

It's been a while since I truly behaved like a tourist. While I was living in southeast Asia, it didn't take long until I embraced it as my home. A native is one who longer thinks it a novelty to eat the food, use the facilities, feel the weather, talk with the people. While on my trip to Europe with my family, however, we behaved like total tourists. One thing I noticed that tourists do is to live for the photo shot. The place in which one stands and the view that one behold is not really about the being present in the moment. It's about saving the picture digitally, to be shared and looked when you are no longer there.

I've noticed the same thing happening during New Years and National Days - any celebration involving fireworks. The dazzling displays explodes in the night skies, sending shafts of brilliantly coloured light across the black expanse speckled with twinkling stars. The human eye is really the only thing that can really take in that live-action shot in all its splendour. And the human soul is the only thing that can really appreciate its beauty. And what do we do? We spend the entire 30 seconds to 3 minutes of the fireworks display trying to capture the "perfect" shot in our cameras. Failure after failure, blurry shot after blurry shot, we stare not at the fireworks in the sky, but the 2X3 inch screen on which a crappy picture displays, proving over and over how inadequate the technology is compared to our eyes.

No camera can fully grasp the moment - not even close. It cannot reproduce the same light, the same sounds, the smells, the textures, the memories. And yet we devote the entire moment into force feeding the moment into digital memory, to be saved for another time, when we are not there anymore, when we cannot possibly experience that moment any longer.

Tragic, that we are not present in the moment. That we live not for the true moments, but for the fake ones. We live for those moment which are after the fact. We click and move on without truly beholding and we wonder why we don't remember the scene the way the picture depicts it.

Do we do the same thing with God? Are our musings about him but a click shot of trifling things about him and not a true beholding of him? Perhaps I am guilty of this when I engage in theology, or debate matters of doctrine and scripture. If my theology does not become a filling of myself with and an enjoyment of the excellencies of God, and a commitment to deeper worship and closer obedience, then has it done me any good? Have I not stored him away in a small box, having missed the point of being present in the moment?

Europe and the Christian situation

I'm currently in Germany visiting family, but in another way, I'm visiting family of another sort, treading upon the same earth as our ancestors of the western Christian tradition. These are the very lands that was home to Christianity for centuries, the birthplaces of doctrine and the great theologians of the faith. We owe so much to the believers who contended for and hammered out the essence of our faith in fires of affliction and controversy. Christianity had a large part to play in the flourishing of the sciences, health care, social justice intervention, economics, and academics. But now, the dazzling blaze of vibrant Christianity is but a fading shaft of light struggling to peak through the gloomy clouds of secularism. Europe is now largely post Christian. They say that on a given Sunday, there are more Anglicans worshipping in Nigeria, than in all of England, US and Canada COMBINED!

If anything can be learned from history, it's this: These things happen. It may shock the types of things that are possible in a fallen world. The fear, of course, is that history will repeat itself. One of the purposes of studying history is that it gives us a good idea of what to expect in the future. We asian believers and immigrants have believed on the testimony of American and European preachers who taught our forefathers so long ago. Such preachers are long gone but we have embraced their message and are running with it.

Will the same thing happen to us that happened to them? Will we find ourselves getting tired with the fad and lay Christianity behind us in pursuit of other things? One would think that when a society is transformed by the influence of its faith, as is the case with Europe, that the religion of the people would continue to likewise flourish. On the other hand, there are countries like Thailand, whose religion has done nothing to improve the quality of life of the people; but this very religion remains rock solid and impenetrable. How odd ...

on apostasy in the Christian church

These days, I'm encountering friends who are or questioning or leaving the faith. Perhaps the scariest thing of all is these are not the outcast and rebellious ones who used to smoke cigarettes outside of the church while the service was going on or the ones who dragged to church by their parents and later realized that they were neither genuine Christians nor even very sympathetic to the faith in the first place. In fact, they were the ones with whom I rubbed shoulders in ministry, who led outreaches, cell groups, Christian events; the ones who I saw weeping in repentance and who lifted their hands in fervent worship!

Now, they were bordering on atheism at worst, and agnosticism at best. Some common things I find about these friends, from what they related to me:

1. They are questioning the Church, its culture, its customs, its leadership.
2. They were a part of a parachurch organization, filled with fun and excitement, but only for a season.
3. They were confronted and hurt by Christian leaders.

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts to revive them from the blindness they presently experience. In my theology of perseverance, those who are genuinely saved and inhabited by the Holy Spirit will never finally or ultimately fall into apostasy but will be preserved to the last day. It would utter sadness to know that these brothers who fought beside me in the trenches of ministry were never truly born again to begin with!

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matt. 7:21-23). This passage always struck me as sensational, something I never thought would actually happen. Only now do I how possible this scenario really is.


Perhaps the fundamental problem is that their entrance into faith was birthed within the context of a particular season or phase of life, or through the trappings of a well-done presentation of how exciting being a Christian can be. Now, it's not wrong that people come to faith because of a need in their life- indeed all genuine conversion must start with a deep sense of despair and helplessness. The problem is that the need was cosmetic and not fundamental: they sought Christ to fill a temporary and superficial need, be it a need for community, physical provision, a sense of calling. Once this need was met for a while by the religion called Christiantiy, the demands of the One called Christ began to be an impediment and obstacle to their real goals in life: to live for themselves. Rather than meeting the risen and glorified Christ, the exalted ruler of the universe who demands total allegiance, they met Christianity, the established institution that provided a momentary sense of belonging and purpose.

Yes, it's true that the Son of Man came not be served but to serve (Mark 10:45a). But read on ... "... and to give his life as a ransom for many." Once he ransomed us from our enslaved and pathetic state, he became exalted and we became free from sin so that we can be enslaved once again to a new Lord and King: Jesus. Hence, the Apostle Paul calls himself Doulos, slave of Christ Jesus.

Embracing Christianty is simply the easiest part. Embracing Christ, however, is much more demanding.

Michael Jackson

It's been almost 2 weeks since news of the death of Michael Jackson, and yet the news is still news. It's still being splashed on the billboards, CNN, music networks. His albums are still top of the charts and his pictures (the sightlier, not-so-recent ones, interestingly) are everywhere. All over the world people held memorials and candle-light vigils mourning the loss of this music icon. Tears were shed from L.A. to Tokyo, and some even travelled from Australia to stand with a crowd outside the Staples Centre - without a hope of getting in to watch to memorial service.

Why the hype, you ask?

You see, Michael Jackson, talented musician though he was, was more than a musician and dancer with some fancy moves. I remember the cover art of one of his albums, History. It was an apocalyptic scene where a statue of Michael Jackson stood towering against a night backdrop with tiny helicopters flying around and bright flood flight lit the area, though unable to capture the entire statue. On his right arm, the number 777, tatooed in all its arrogance.

They say there was not a person in the world who was not in someway touched by the character of Michael Jackson. He represented so much for so many people. Perhaps, in the final analysis, all he was a stark reminder of the idolatry that our generation is guilty of. The making for ourselves, images which we are familiar with to mask the terror of divine reality. In our day, we have seen great men. Human rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr, but few tears are shed for him; political heroes like Ghand and Winston Churchilli, but few tears are shed for them. In our day, who is the one in which lay so much of our concern and for whom we shed the most tears when he is gone?

The entertainer.

The one who was a sparkle to our eyes as we watched from the television screen or on the stage. We've along way it seems, in the opposite direction. The world seeks a Messiah. It always has. We seek a noble ruler, an unshakable kingdom; one in whom to pin our hopes. The world has lost the king of pop, and the mourning continues until today.

How very, very sad.