All Things Seen & Unseen

Recently we were reading Matt 6.19-21 in our devotions. I was especially challenged by our Lord's words in verse 21: 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also'. The cosmic perspective into which this passage fits is the heaven-and-earth milieu (that dominates all of holy Scripture). Jesus' teaching challenges his hearers to assess their attitudes and heart-commitments in the light of heaven.

D. A. Carson gives this short, balanced recital of the gospel of salvation including the important themes of 'the goodness and severity of God' (Rom 11.22). There is one God who has made us. He is the Sovereign of all and is our final judge. He finds our rebellion against Him entirely unacceptable. He stands over against us in judgement. We ought to fear Him. But mercifully He is also a God of love who is prepared to reconcile us to Himself by sending His only Son to bear our sins in His body on the cross.

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a puritan Christian writer and preacher who wrote about 60 books (see here ) and pamphlets which are still read today. He lived in the turbulent 17th century of English history which saw the execution of Charles I (1600-1649) for treason after he had been defeated in a civil war with the 'Model Army' (Parliamentary army) organised by Oliver Cromwell. Bunyan, though born of poor parents , was sent to school and learned to read and write which would figure so prominently in his future. He served as a soldier on the Parliamentary side against the Royalist forces. According to his own words, he cursed, swore, lied, and blasphemed the Lord's name. Yet, he was at the same time troubled by visions of hell-fire.

The question of whether the law plays any part in the lives of Christians today still d ivides the Chri stian community . You would think from the way some Christians preach, write and talk that law should play no part in the Christian life . The 'Grace, Not Law' slogan based presumably on Romans 6.14 and often linked with the facile quote of John 1.17 can certainly suggest this teaching. The scripture, 'For the law came by Moses, g race and truth by Jesus Christ' suggests to some that law has nothing to do with Christians today but this post suggest s otherwise .

Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost. It doesn't have a fixed date because Easter doesn't and therefore nor does Ascension Day (40 days post Easter) and Pentecost (50 days post Easter). I've been told Trinity Sunday, inspires a sense of trepidation in preachers in some Anglican churches who observe the day. That's unfortunate, for Anglicans at least, because the Anglican tradition places the teaching of the Trinity liturgically 1 at the centre of its worship. The scriptures set down to be read at Holy Communion for this Trinity Sunday are: Prov 8.1-4, 22-31; Ps 8.1-9; Rom 5.1-5; Jn 16.12-15. 2 The reader may ponder at this point why these scriptures have been chosen. (Mouse over the references to see the NKJV rendering.) The Trinity teaching is One Holy God revealing himself 3 in three persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. But the revelation of the three persons in the Scriptures is one of different relationships and roles among the three persons. For exampl...

Jesus said to his followers 'you are the light of the world' (Matt 5.14). Note he didn't say, 'should be', 'were to be', 'better be', 'could be' but are .   Christians are now the light of the world (Phil 2.15) because they are in Christ who is The Light of the world (Jn 8.12). The Christ who is within all Christians by the Holy Spirit's presence ensures that Christians everywhere shine as light in the world.

* The denomination that I am a part of seems wedded to the idea that full-time ministers of Christ only exist within the congregational structure. Therefore, it clearly implies that all the work done by the 'laity' (an abominable term btw) is outside the ambit of the Body of Christ. Just to make myself clear: I am NOT talking about involving the non-ordained 'laity' in congregational work such as song-leading, worship-leading, taking up the collection or dispensing the elements for Holy Communion. All of these tasks need to be done but the 'laity' spends most of its time outside the confines of the congregation.