Is the Bible just another holy book?

Every religion has their ‘holy book’ and all the holy books say the same thing: Love God and love your neighbour. The Mormons have the Book of Mormon, the Muslims have their Koran, and the Christians have the Bible. Just Jinger was correct in saying that it doesn’t matter what book you read. Is this right?

What sets the Bible apart, if anything? Peter, a friend of Jesus and a pastor in the early church wrote, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16)

Eye-witness
According to Peter the New Testament writings about Jesus do not fall into the common category of religious stories and legends. The Jesus-accounts are based on eye-witness, verifiable, historical events. During first century times (and before and ever since) there were a vast amount of made up, cleverly invented, religious stories. The religious section of Exclusive Books has always been busting at the seams! Yet, as Peter forthrightly says, these are invented stories and anecdotes, not based on truth.

Islam
Take for example Islam. The arch-angel Gabriel allegedly visited Mohammed (born 570 AD) in private and recited the Koran to him. No eye-witnesses. Just Mohammed’s word. The same could be said for all the sacred scriptures of all the world religions.

The Jesus-story is based on the writings of eye-witnesses recording historical facts.

Reliable?
How do we know these writing are reliable? We have over 5000 Greek manuscripts to back up the New Testament, the oldest being the John Ryland’s fragment that dates back to 125AD held at a museum in Manchester. There are over 24000 manuscripts of the New Testament if you include those of other languages. The ancient document that comes in at second place to the Bible in terms of historical reliability is Homer’s Iliad that has 643 existing manuscripts. What the point? The bible is reliable, true and accurate. There is more evidence that Jesus Christ existed than Julius Caesar ever did!

Peter then writes in v21, referring to the Bible, “prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” What this means is that the Bible is not made up stories, cleverly crafted religious legends or the writer’s opinions about God. The Bible is nothing other than God’s word to us.

Does it matter what book you read? It matters more than you might think.

My idol factory

Growing up I never took seriously the Bible’s warnings against idolatry as I thought there were not that relevant. Maybe in Thailand where bus drivers take their hands off the wheel to say a silent prayer at every Buddha shrine they drive past! Very few of us have private shrines in our homes to other gods. How wrong I was. Idolatry is, according to Roman 1, the underlying sin of our age as people have “worshipped and served created things rather than the creator”. Our hearts are idol factories.

Ten Commandments

Have no other Gods before me, is the first commandment. The Bible is not politically correct and the competition commission would certainly not be happy. But God demands that we treasure him alone for he is the only God. This means turning from rebellion towards God and trusting in Jesus.

Have no idols, the second command, clarifies the first. To have other gods before God is idolatry. An idol can be ANYTHING that takes the place of God in your life. ANYTHING that demands your devotion and where you seek your security and significance. ANYTHING you treasure instead of God.

It could be the sex idol. You know you’re serving this god when you demand sex - when you want it, how you want it and you’re angry when you don’t get it. You’re even willing to hire an escort, watch porno or swing with someone else’s wife.

The work idol demands that we spend all our daylight hours in the office and only see our children on weekends

The money idol demands that your happiness is caught up with the JSE.

The leisure idol allows you to worship Jesus at church only when the weather on Sundays is too windy to go the beach or not wet enough to stay in bed.

The worship of the acceptance idol calls for your Facebook status to be changed every hour and it is also because of the worship of this idol that girlfriends allow boyfriends to take naked photos of them.
Of course there are also religious idols like my right-doctrine idol or my moral-record idol, and even my ministry-achievement idol.

The media calls you to worship these and other idols by “worship-calling”, known also as advertising.

So, do you worship Jesus alone, or some other idol? Do you strive to keep the first two commandments?

Are you a (irritating) compulsive grumbler?

Have you been to a braaivleis recently? Did you come home depressed because of the compulsive grumblers? I did. Too much corruption in the government! Too much unemployment! Too much crime! The petrol price. The schools. The youth. The weather! You name the subject, it gets grumbled about. Perhaps even more seriously, we grumble privately to ourselves: Life is so unfair. My salary is too low. If only God would… Grumble, grumble, grumble. Grumbling should be declared our national hobby! What astounds me is that Christians are often the biggest grumblers.

It may astound you too to know that in the Old Testament after God had supernaturally, miraculously and powerfully rescued the Israelites from Egypt and killed their enemies (read Exodus 15!) they grumbled about how unfair life was at the first opportunity. The Bible reveals some deep insights into the truth about grumbling:

1. Grumbling is always against God
Moses reminds the discontented crowd in Ex 16:8 that they are not grumbling against him, but against God. Interesting point. The God the Bible presents us with is the Sovereign God who controls and purposes all things, even calamity (c. Ex 4:11, Ps 115:3, Eph 1:11). Therefore when you grumble about the government you are really grumbling against God who ordained and appointed that government. When you grumble about South Africa want to emigrate, you are grumbling against God who ordained that you were born in South Africa. King David sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite with adultery and murder. Yet, David could say in Psalm 51 that he sinned against God and God alone. Why? Sin is ultimately always against God! And therefore ultimately only God can forgive sin. The same with grumbling.

At the Lausanne Congress the sobering point was made that there are no countries “closed” to Christianity, only "countries where Christians are not currently willing to pay the price to take the gospel there." I may add “or to stay there”.

2. Grumbling is evidence that we make much of ourselves and not of God
The ultimate purpose of God rescuing the Israelites and killing the Egyptian army was not to that the Israelites could make much of themselves, but that God would be made much of. God acted to “gain glory” for himself (Ex 14:4, 17, 18). God was and is at work in the world and in our lives, not so that we may think we are something, but that we and the world may see that God is worthy of all glory. When we grumble about circumstances we show that we are more concerned about our happiness and comfort, than showing our confidence in the sovereign God to an unbelieving world. When we grumble we show that we are concerned for our own glory and not God’s.

3. Grumbling shows how spiritually immature we are
“Why do you keep on testing me?”, God asks the Israelites (Ex 17:2, 7). Did I not control nature for your rescue? Did I not open the Red Sea? Did I not destroy your enemies? If I have done all this for you, do you not think that I can and will keep on providing for you? Grumbling shows that we do not trust God in our present situation and that we are failing the maturity test. God ordains tough times for us so that we will keep trusting in him for our joy and his fame; instead we often distrust God by grumbling and rob ourselves of joy and bring dishonour on God’s name.

Romans 5:10 speaks to this: For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

If God did so much for us when we were his enemies, how much more will he keep doing for us now that we belong to Jesus? Stop grumbling and start trusting.

Claiming your miracle

I’m constantly surprised by the number of miracles crusades, healing services and even (I’m not lying!) raising the dead ceremonies in Cape Town in the name of Jesus. The basic premise underlying the theology of the organisers of these events is that signs, wonders and miracles should be common place in the Christian’s life. In fact, if they are not happening, you should doubt whether you are a real, bona fide Christian.

The Bible however would differ with the theology of the “signs & wonders” (S&W) movement. In the Bible S&W occur only twice: in the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt & in the time surrounding Jesus in the 1st century. God had said to Moses: “I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.” (Ex 3.20) Moses in turn told the Israelites that God would rescue them with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment (Ex 6.6). God’s purpose was to demonstrate his power, so He told Moses: “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you.” (Ex 7.3-4)

When God acts in history to rescue his people it is accompanied by signs and wonders. The same signs are to some (i.e. the Israelites & believing Egyptians) signs of salvation and to others (i.e. Pharaoh) “acts of judgment”. During the centuries after the Exodus there were no S&W! Indeed, one of the job descriptions of the prophets was to remind the Israelites of the how mightily God had acted in the Exodus. The prophets did not perform new S&W, but called God’s people to remember the S&W performed during God’s rescue in history (E.g. Micah 6.4, Jer. 11.1-4, 34.13 etc.) Life in Israel after the Exodus was not miracle crusade after miracle crusade, but rather dogged, relentless trust in the God who rescued them. The Israelites lived by faith, not by sight.

One fine day, after centuries of few miracles, a carpenter from Nazareth turned water into award-winning wine. Then he started healing people, exorcising demons, controlling nature and even raising corpses back to life. The ultimate wonder was Jesus himself dying on a Friday and then rising that Sunday. S&W accompanied those who were delegated by Jesus to carry on his work. God was acting in history to rescue his people again. Not from Pharaoh, but from Sin, Death and Satan. By the later writings in the New Testament we see few S&W. Paul does not heal Timothy, but tells him to take his medicine (1 Timothy 5:23).

Like the believers in the Old Testament, we are to life by faith not by sight. We are to put our faith in God’s recue on the basis of what Jesus has done in history. God may and does perform miracles and wonders today, but our faith should not depend on them, our theology should not demand them, and our gatherings should not insist on them.

Suffer the Child: Jesus' disarming of Satan

Judith Spencer, tells in her book (Suffer the child) of little Jenny who was born to a mother who was member of Satanic cult. As a pre-schooler she was initiated into this group and remembers how she read from a bible that cursed God and praised Satan. She watched people have sex on the devil’s alter and witnessed torture and sacrifice of dogs, cats, chickens, squirrels and goats. She experienced blood drawn from her genitals and skin scraped over her body for use in satanic communion rituals. The title of book is from a phrase that Jenny often heard the priest use, “Suffer the little children to come to me, for such is the kingdom of hell.” Two psychotherapists have been treating Jenny, as she created over 400 personalities as a method of psychic survival.

The big point is this: Satan is around and he seeks to destroy you, your family, your marriage and your children. The bible says that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and Jesus referred to himself as the stronger one who attacks and overthrows Satan (Luke 11:20-22). How did Jesus do this? Colossians 2:13-15 gives us a good description:

At the cross Jesus made the forgiveness of our sins possible (v13). The written code that was against us was cancelled (v14). The written code was a signed acknowledgement of debt in those days, much like your house bond with ABSA bank or your credit card statement at the end of each month. The debt we owe though is death, because that is the consequence of sin. That written code was cancelled as Jesus paid up our debt by his substitutional death. More than that, he nailed it to the cross (v14). The picture here is the titulus which hung above the crucified person’s head listing their crimes. Our “written code” symbolically hung over Jesus head and he died for our crimes. Not only was the written code wiped out, but the document it was written on was destroyed. The result is that the (demonic) powers and authorities were disarmed or stripped of their power (v15). That means that Satan’s power to accuse us and demand our death has been lost. We belong to God and Satan has no hold over us. We are free to love God and say no to sin. At the cross Jesus overcame Satan for us.

A satanic strategy
Satan’s popular ploy is to remind us of old sins and evil we have done. He seeks to reassert his control over us by pretending that he can re-manufacture the “written code” and accuse us before God. Satan says things like: “God doesn’t forgive you. Those sins were too evil. You deserve God’s judgement. You don’t deserve God.”

Re-read that passage in Colossians and thank Jesus, the stronger Man.

Top Billing a.k.a. getting your priorities straight

I think the programme that I dislike most on TV is Top Billing. Top Billing idolizes luxury, extravagance, opulence and excess. So we strive for bigger mansions, more exclusive interior designers, softer carpets and heated towel railings. Before you ask (I know you will): I live in a comfortable house worth over a million rand and have just painted half of it inside so it looks nice.

What I am blogging for is perspective. Sure God gives us every good thing to enjoy and as Christians do deny or reject God’s good gifts would be dumb. But somehow I think that we as Christians have got our priorities somewhat lopsided.

God, through the prophet Haggai in the Old Testament, lashed out at his people for decorating their own home while the temple (God’s symbolic home) in Jerusalem was lying in ruins. God’s people had returned from 70 years in exile and their houses were in a mess and no doubt needed some attention. Yet, by the time of Haggai’s prophecy, God’s people had been back 19 years from exile and the temple remained unbuilt.

The excuse was that the timing was not quite right for the rebuilding (Haggai 1:2). Interestingly, the people did have time to decorate and beautify their own homes (1:4). The reason for this, according to God, was that the people did not fear or revere the LORD Almighty (1:12), nor did they live for his pleasure or honour (1:8). In other words, God’s people didn’t think much of God and were living for their own entertainment and comfort. As a result, their experienced lack of pleasing and judgment. Four times in the book of Haggai God says to his people, “What’s up with this, consider what you do!” God called for his people to make temple building their priority.

I bet that if you had to ask one of Haggai’s audience where God was on their priority list, they would have said that of course in first place. But actions speak louder than words.

The temple, which symbolised God’s presence, in a picture of Jesus, who is God’s presence with us. So now, if we want to worship and meet with God we don’t get on a plane to Jerusalem, but bow down to Jesus. Getting our priorities straight means prioritising our relationship with Jesus and prioritizing Jesus’ work. Too many of us spend too much of our time, talents and treasure on our own entertainment, comfort and home decoration, than on Jesus and his work (i.e. giving generously to gospel ministry, hospitality, serving the local church, encouraging others etc).

God says to us too: “What’s up with this?”

Is your church a cult?

You may be in great danger! 1 Timothy 4:1 in the bible says that some will “abandon the faith and follow the teachings of demons”. Interestingly, it does not say they will abandon faith. And so today we find many churches and organisations teaching all kinds of doctrines that people believe and put their faith in. The verse says that they will abandon “the” faith, that is, accepted, orthodox, biblical Christianity. Ultimately Satan, the master-deceiver and world-seducer, is behind all churches and groupings and denominations that abandon the truth of the bible as old-fashioned, irrelevant and naïve.

So how do you know if you’re in a cult?

1. Key doctrines are downplayed

For example: the authority & inspiration of the bible; the fact that all humanity is depraved through sin; Jesus’ death was penal substitution; through faith in Jesus alone were are members of God’s kingdom; Jesus is a model for all Christians; God has made male and female gender distinctions & sex outside marriage is sin; the reality of an eternal, conscious hell for unbelievers; Satan & demons are real etc.

2. Lots of legalism
Your church will have rules and regulations for your dress code, your activities, your finances, your time, your possessions and your relationships (including who you are permitted to marry. They will dictate to you who to see, what to do, what the right thing to say is and how to say it. Various degrees of control can be experienced, from subtle manipulation to blatant ordering. Obviously this is dangerous because in the process the gospel of God’s free grace in Jesus is distorted: No longer just Jesus, now Jesus plus obedience to our rules. Oh yes, I almost forgot, the rules don’t always apply to the leader!

3. Leaders are full of pride and have an unteachable spirit
Normally in cults the leader becomes untouchable by anyone. He is accountable to God only and everyone must obey what he says like it is God’s words.

4. Extra revelation from God
Cults regularly claim they that god has appeared to their leader and revealed a new message. It might be Joseph Smith of the Mormon “church”; pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy of the kingdom of Jesus Christ; David Koresh of the Branch Davidians; or your local minister who God appeared to last week. Time and again the new revelations refer to the end of the world and how the earthquake in China is a sign.

5. The only true church
If you ever hear something like this, “We are the only ones who are right. If you are not one of us, then you are destined for hell. We alone have the truth, so you must join us to be saved", then RUN!

Don’t fall for it
The way to make sure you don’t join a cult is to scrutinise the statement(s) of faith any particular church you are thinking of joining. Friendliness and good music are nice, but not the main criteria when looking for a church. Check that the church has a statement of faith where their core beliefs and values are spelt out. Ensure that the preaching is from the bible, in line with their faith-statements, to judge whether they have kept THE faith.