Knowledge and power.

In previous eras there was an encouragement to learn.  Knowledge was touted as the gateway to a better life, job and understanding of creation. Lack of knowledge kept a person or society in ignorance, ill health, poverty and servility. Hosea put it this way 'My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge' (Hosea 4:6). 

 Though still true in many ways, especially in undeveloped countries, there has been a subtle twist to this old proverb. 'Power comes to the ones who control the knowledge'. In the Westernised cultures this is becoming more and more evident and more and more concerning. What Daniel 12:4 foresaw is our daily experience: 'Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.' We are bombarded with news, views, apps, F.B. telephone, newspapers, Hollywood and silicon valley etc. etc. etc. 

However, most of us absorb without discernment. It isn't until we are 'scammed', pilfered, exploited or otherwise hurt that we realise our knowledge was faulty and/or manipulated. This has emerged as a huge problem in recent elections, press briefings on the 'corona-virus' and reporting on persecution of Christians, especially was in Africa. 

What was assumed but nor written in the proverb 'knowledge is power' was the word 'Truth.' It is only Truth which produces helpful and healthy knowledge. It is only Truth that prevents power from dominating, crushing or corrupting those in 'Power.' If Truth was the pre-requisite for issuing information can you imagine the shock-waves through Governments and media, business and relationships and dare it be said, in Denominations and Missions.

Unfortunately, Truth is crucifiable in this World where Untruth, Half-Truths and out right Lies are the masters. Maybe that is one of the issues we have to face as Christians. Jesus is 'The Way, the Truth and the Life' and He was opposed and crucified. But, He could not be entombed but rose again. So it is with Truth. At present in Australia there are those who are 'crucified' for speaking the Truth from a Biblical Worldview. Martyn Iles from Australian Christian Lobby wrote:

Well-respected GP Dr Jereth Kok lost his medical licence because a review board in Victoria didn’t like the way he expressed his opinions about issues like transgenderism on social media.

·        A proposed law in Victoria would prevent Christians from working as chaplains – affecting not just chaplains but also the many students who rely on their care and support.

·        Brisbane mother Katrina Tait faced an inquiry from the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board after she supported ACL’s petition against the promotion of ‘Drag Queen Storytime’ to protect children.

·        A Christian couple in WA, the Hordyks, had their application to become foster parents terminated because of their Christian beliefs. 

We who follow the One, Jesus, who is the Truth and His Word, which is Truth must seek to know Him and be prepared to experience some form of 'crucifixion' for our stand. Take comfort in the fact that our Lord promised to provide and guide and turn our night into day.

Hosea quoted the Lord God as saying 'I desired\mercy, not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.' 6:6. In his final letter, Peter gives good advice for living for the Lord in a godless world: 'Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' 2 Peter 3:18.

The final word for us in our lifestyle is a quote from Ephesians 4:15, ' Speak (hold) the Truth in love'. Both are, sadly, in short supply.

Ray Hawkins.

 

The difficulty in being 'dead'!

If I’m dead, why am I still tempted, tested and enjoy the trivial? Can I share with you this doctrine and, for me, the dilemma associated with the Christian life?

The New Testament repeatedly informs its readers about the momentous event at Calvary. Galatians 2:20 and Romans 6 declares that Christ embraced me (and you) when He was crucified. He died! We did too, in Him! But my problem was first written up by Paul. Romans 7:15-24. We know how he felt when he wrote ‘I do what I don’t want to do and don’t do what I should, and what I hate, I do!’

Why is it so?

The doctrinal implications about my death must be understood first of all from God’s vantage point. Following on from grasping the wonder that talks about we are faced with the moral expression of it in our life and living. As if that was all there was to it we then discover a ‘monster’ in our human nature.

How God views me – you - after a faith commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. We, who were unclean, dead in sin and enemies are now alive to Him, cleansed, forgiven, justified.  We are no longer in the kingdom of Darkness but in the Kingdom of His Son¹! We are seated with Him in the Heavenly places². That which prevented us from having a relationship with God and barred us from Heaven eternally has been crucified, removed, buried! Romans 6:6 defined it as ‘the old man.’  God sees me and you as His - now. Trouble for me hovers around the fact that I have to work out in daily life what God has wrought in me. Easy, if we were in Heaven. Difficult as we who are ‘dead’ are still operating in World dominated by the Kingdom of darkness. We are confronted by doubts about our death, how to please God and controlling our very active memories and the twisted tastes of our soul.

What then am I, or you, to do when people claim to have a better way to be dead?

There has always been some who claimed to really be alive to Christ was to become a Jew first. That meant keeping the Mosaic Law as well as believing on Jesus. This was actually refuted by the man who claimed he had kept the law rigorously. Then he discovered the Mosaic couldn’t save him. That was Paul. Read Philippians 3 for his testimony.

This brilliant man didn’t say Jesus had killed the Law. No! It was still operating with its curse on failure and powerless to forgive after condemnation. In Romans 7:4 this upholder of salvation as supremely and solely by faith in Christ wrote believers are dead to the Law. We live in a new realm. The mandate for our life and living is to set our affections on Christ and to unleash His righteousness through our obedience to Him and His will. The Church council in Acts 15 did not require Gentile believers to place themselves under the yoke of the Law of Moses. Why? Because it could only tell us the wages of sin is death but it couldn’t give us life. In our commitment to Christ we have paid the penalty of sin which came when Adam transgressed God’s word. The Law of Moses defined some of the specific areas in which all ‘crash and burn’.

I, being a Gentile, was never under the Law. However, I was bound by my pagan and philosophical traditions with their avenues of escaping judgement. I still am surrounded by them but being redeemed from them I am dead to their influence. As I read the New Testament letters I gain an understanding of those traditions that no longer should dictate to me my views about God and my relationship with Him. I must realise that I’m dead to old and profane wives fables and pseudo-science³.

There is a majestic passage in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. It speaks of our victory over the most dreaded time to come. Faith in Christ makes us share in His death and resurrection. We have new life and new dwelling arrangements. Unfortunately, for those who reject the grace of Christ Jesus and shun joining Him in His cross and resurrection they experience a death to which we have died. In Revelation 2:11 and 20:6 the promise is given to believers that we have no part in what is called ‘The second death.’ In Revelation 20:14 the destiny of those not dead to sin and their ‘old man’ and therefore alive in Christ are delivered into that realm. The ‘Second Death’ is no fun park but a place of gnashing teeth and tears of regret.

References.

 ¹Colossians 1:13. ²Ephesians 1:3.  ³1 Timothy 6:20.

Next week: Poem of the month.

 

©Ray Hawkins 28^th January 2018.