WAS JESUS EVEN A CHRISTIAN?

 AS my pastoral ministry at Legana rapidly draws to an end it is my hope that I leave a deposit in your soul that encourages you to also Love God with all your mind as well. Using your mind in your worship involves being thoughtful about what you read and hear; and, it also involves being sceptical. It may surprise you that these qualities are exhorted in the Bible for all believers (as I will point out in a moment). It is my contention that with increasing screen addiction to social media — where viewing “memes” and watching celebrity YouTubes — are being confused for factual information, that even believers maybe susceptible to deception. I want to offer some ways to guard what might be being allowed into your soul.

Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
Second Timothy 2:7

 Normally I would not discourage anyone from dismissing someone’s claims or ideas merely because they belonged to a different group to them. Philosophers refer to this as “the genetic fallacy” (based on dismissing the origin or ‘genesis’ of where the claim or idea came from). However, I do want to point out that even though someone claims to be a Christian, it is not their claim which verifies that they are a Christian – it is based on what they are claiming or the ideas they are expressing which verifies it or not. For example, someone could say, “I am a Christian” but then they dismiss that the Bible is God’s authoritative revelation, or that Jesus was the incarnate eternal God! Someone else may claim that they are a “progressive Christian” which may sound like they are a ‘contemporary’ Christian – but this actually means that they are a “theologically liberal Christian”. This is someone who does not believe in the authority of God’s Word, the miracles of the Bible, the deity and virgin-birth of Christ or Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. I am not encouraging you to necessarily dismiss someone out-of-the-gate who introduces themselves as a ‘progressive Christian’ (this would be committing the “genetic fallacy”). Instead, I encourage anyone to consider another’s claims or ideas for its truthfulness despite how they identify. This is applying First Thessalonians 5:21.   

But test everything; hold fast what is good.
First Thessalonians 5:21

HOW TO TEST ANY CLAIM OR IDEA FOR TRUTHFULNESS

  To “test” a claim involves asking three questions: (i) How do you know that?  (ii) How did you come to that conclusion?  (iii) How do those who disagree with you see this differently? These questions are important to distinguish between an ‘assertion’, which could simply be someone’s unfounded opinion; and, an ‘argument’, which is more likely based on facts and sound reasoning. It is important to remember that all people are equal; but, not all ideas are equal.

 

CASE STUDY #1,
A PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN DECLARES THAT THE CHRISTIANS HAVE GOT JESUS ALL WRONG ABOUT SEXUALITY, REPRODUCTION RIGHTS, AND SALVATION, BECAUSE JESUS WASN’T EVEN A CHRISTIAN!

  Alisa Childers, (the daughter of Chuck Gerrard who was featured in the film, Jesus Revolution) was a member of the Christian girls’ band, Zoe Girl. When she married her husband and came off the road to settle in Nashville and raise their family, her and husband connected into a local church. Touring for so many years and travelling the world to perform, Alisa was unable to enjoy a college education. The pastor welcomed the Childers family into the church and asked Alisa to join his weekly Bible study where, he claimed, she would be receiving the equivalent of degree-level theological education. Alisa was naturally excited about this opportunity but as she went each week she became increasingly disturbed by what she was hearing from her pastor. One night after coming home from this Bible study, she was particularly disturbed and told her husband. What the pastor had been teaching was undermining Alisa’s faith in Christ and His miracles, the authority of the Bible, and even the gospel itself. Alisa’s husband announced that they would no longer be attending this ‘progressive’ church. After leaving this church and finding another more theologically sound church, Alisa began to research what progressive Christianity actually taught. I strongly recommend reading her book which resulted from her research – Another Gospel.

Last week I was sent a link to a 2020 YouTube video featuring James Talarico who is a charming, popular, and very likeable American politician who described himself as progressive Christian. Oddly, his claim that “Jesus was not a Christian” has been repeated by many other social media influencers who are opposed to classical Christianity and have persuaded some to abandon the traditional beliefs of Christianity. I know that many godly Christian thinkers have responded to Congressman Talarico’s rather odd claim that most Christians are wrong about their traditional values because: Not even Jesus was a Christian. I would like to reiterate many of these responses and add my perspectives as well.

What is a Christian? Before someone makes an attempted ‘gotchya’ claim like Jesus wasn’t even a Christian – we should ask for a definition of a ‘Christian’. Put simply, a definition of a Christian (based on the Bible) is – A person who has been redeemed by Christ through their trusting-faith and is now metaphysically connected to Christ in which they are now “in Christ” and Christ is in them. Note Galatians 2:20 and Romans 8:1 which undergird this definition:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

¶ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1

  Once we establish the biblical description of a Christian as one who has been redeemed by Christ and now lives in Christ with Christ in them, it should become immediately obvious that the ‘gotchya’ meme that Jesus wasn’t even a Christian is literally a nonsense because Jesus was the Redeemer and not ever the One in need of redemption! And since Christians are those redeemed by Jesus who follow Him it is simply not true that being a Christian is opposed to what Christ taught! Perhaps some may object that there are people who claim to be Christians but don’t seem to live like one? In which case, I share their concern. But if their objection comes from a genuine Christian upholding the genuine moral teachings of Christ which are largely objectionable in today’s licentious culture (as it also was in the Greco-Roman culture of the first-century in which Christianity was birthed), then I do not share their concern. We should not shrink back from the uncomfortable teachings of Christ (Matt. 15:19-20; 6:15; 7:26-27; 16:27-28; 19:4-6; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 13:3; John 6:65; 14:6) — instead, we should lean into them!  Do not be embarrassed by Christ’s weird supernatural acts or revelations. Ponder C. S. Lewis’s encouragement not to be persuaded by liberal (‘progressive’) Christians (written over 60 years ago) :

Don’t, however, misjudge these “liberal Christians.” They genuinely believe that writers of my sort are doing a great deal of harm. They themselves find it impossible to accept most of the articles of the “faith once given to the saints.” They are nevertheless extremely anxious that some vestigial religion which they (not we) can describe as “Christianity” should continue to exist and make numerous converts. They think these converts will come in only if this religion is sufficiently “de-mythologised”. The ship must be lightened if she is to keep afloat. It follows that, to them, the most mischievous people in the world are those who, like myself, proclaim that Christianity essentially involves the supernatural. They are quite sure that belief in the supernatural never will, nor should, be revived, and that if we convince the world that it must choose between accepting the supernatural and abandoning all pretence of Christianity, the world will undoubtedly choose the second alternative. It will thus be we, not the liberals, who have really sold the pass. We shall have re-attached to the name Christian a deadly scandal from which, but for us, they might have succeeded in decontaminating it.
C. S. Lewis. 2015 (1963). Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer (Lewis Signature Classics). Distributed Proofreaders Canada. Kindle Edition. Chapter 22, pg. 69.

 

CASE STUDY #2,
A BLOGGER CLAIMS THAT CHRISTIANS HAVE GOT JESUS ALL WRONG, AND  JESUS NEVER SAID TO FOLLOW CHRISTIANS, HE SAID “FOLLOW ME.”

Did He? There are many things that Jesus the Christ told His original disciples that He has never told us. Consider His statements to His disciples about seeing Him crucified to death then three days later seeing Him risen from dead (Matt. 20:18-19). It would be poor exegesis if such a passage was interpreted as if this was said to all generations of believers everywhere. Consider Christ telling His original disciples to go into Jerusalem and find a donkey for Him (Matt. 21:2) – no-one would suggest that every Christian down through every age should make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to find a donkey for Christ! Christ told His disciples to literally follow Him (Matt. 4:19; 9:9), as a test of another man’s declaration of allegiance to Christ (Matt. 8:22), and to a rich young noble (Mtt. 19:21). Christ certainly gave His disciples the cost of following Him which they were to preach as part of their gospel message:

¶ Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
Matthew 16:24

It is mischievous to claim that Jesus didn’t say “Follow Christians.” Jesus appointed His messengers (called apostles) to have His authority (Matt. 28:19; John 15:16). This authority given by Christ to those He calls within His Church includes the responsibility to rebuke and correct (1Tim. 4:11; 2Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:15). And if these Scriptures are not emphatic enough, then consider Hebrews 13:7, 17, which reveal that Christ has placed shepherd-leaders within a church who must be honoured. Naturally, Christ expects and requires that these appointees do so with gentleness, care, and love. Over the past twenty-nine-years, this is how I have striven to pastor those that God has placed in my charge. Please pray for me to continue to do so in an even greater way over these next seven weeks until finish up at Legana and hand the shepherd’s mantle over to Harry.

 

THE NEED FOR GODLY & LOVING DISCERNMENT

An aspect of my pastoral prayer for you and our church is that you each continue exercise and grow in your love for the Lord and each other, with a heart for those in our community who are in darkness. I am supplementing this prayer with the petition to the Lord for you to be discerning about what you hear and watch on social media, and on your guard about celebrities who are mistaken for experts, and memes which are mistaken for trustworthy. Remember to ask the three discernment questions mentioned earlier. Strive to follow Christ prayerfully, thoughtfully, studiously, and don’t be intimidated by those who appear to confidently denounce the Bible and Christ’s Church with empty slogans and witty internet memes. 

Your Pastor,

Andrew

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THE FRUIT DIET WORTH MORE THAN MONEY

There was a time when people were desperate to find the right diet. There was the: Atkins diet; The Zone diet; Ketogenic diet; Vegetarian diet; Vegan diet; Weight Watchers diet; South Beach diet; and, the Raw food diet. People went on these diets to lose weight, to gain weight, to become healthier, to improve their mental alertness, to make them happy, to have an excuse to drink blended thick green “health shakes” and to be trendy. I tried a diet once. But after two days I hadn’t lost the kilos it promised so I stopped. There is, however a little known diet that easy enough start and not so hard to end and its effects are beneficial physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, relationally, and spiritually. I’m referring to the Holy Spirit Fruit Diet.
 How different would your life be if you were filled continually with the Holy Spirit? This seems to have been the experience of at least the first Christians. We know that Jesus told His disciples after His resurrection to “receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn. 20:22) which may have been the moment that they were “regenerated” which is a fancy way of saying that they were born again (Jn. 3:3). But then Jesus told His disciples to wait for the outpouring of the Spirit (Lk. 24:39; Acts 1:4) which was yet to come. The effect on the disciples when this happened was dramatic — especially in the Simon Peter (Acts 2:14). He went from being a cowering timid fearful backslider to being a bold courageous fearless leader of the Christ’s Church (Acts 2:15-39). Then some days later, as Peter was about to bear witness before the rulers of Judaism, he was filled afresh with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8). When Peter met again with the other believers to pray, all of them were filled with Holy Spirit again (Acts 4:31). Thus, being filled continually with the Holy Spirit seems to have been the usually experience of the early believers. As the Church grew and spread, the early Christians’ understanding of who the Holy Spirit was and what He wanted to do in each believer and church also grew. They discovered that the Spirit didn’t just fill them to be bold proclaiming witnesses, He also enabled them to bear witness to the power of Christ by how they lived. The apostle Paul called this, the fruit of the Spirit. 

 

THE SPIRIT DIET FOR CHURCHES

When the apostle Paul arrived in Corinth he found people who were very spiritual. They were very aware of the spiritual realm. They had often seen demonic activity (note 1Cor. 10:20-21). They were very aware of angels and other heavenly beings (note 1Cor. 4:9; 6:3; 11:10; 13:1; 2Cor. 11:14). Thus, when Christian leaders such as the apostle Peter and Apollos, and Paul had ministered in Corinth there was much spiritual activity, including “signs and wonders” (2Cor. 12:12), miracles and healings (1Cor. 12:9, 28-30). Paul wrote to the Corinthians about how the ministry of the gifts of the Spirit were given to bless the whole church (1Cor. 12:1-11) and should only be used to do so. But before he wrote to the Corinthians about the Holy Spirit’s gifts, he wrote to the Galatians about the Holy Spirit’s fruit.

 

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT DIET FOR A BELIEVER

What does a ‘spiritual’ person look like? After Paul and his team had evangelised Galatia, reports soon came to him that Judaizers (Jewish Christians who believed that salvation was the result of faith in Christ plus keeping the laws of Moses which included circumcision for men) had come to these Galatian converts and told them that they weren’t really saved unless they also became Jewish. (A Gentile could become a proselyte to Judaism if they did the religious works required in the laws of Moses.) Paul was dismayed. He wrote a letter to them explaining that what these Judaizers had told them was wrong. He grounded his reasoning in the work of the Holy Spirit among them and especially within each of them. This work of the Holy Spirit, Paul reasoned, was proof of God having given them the gift of salvation and did not require their own religious efforts (“works of the law” or the efforts of “the flesh”).

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Galatians 3:2-3

Paul reminded the Galatians that their new life in Christ was the result of the Holy Spirit giving them the gift of faith (Gal. 2:20) and then a spiritual diet that produced “fruit” (Gal. 5:22-24).

¶ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
          Galatians 5:25

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. This is what the Holy Spirit produces in each believer. This is why, when a church of these Spirit-transformed Christ-followers assembles, it just might be more similar to a ‘bowl of fruit salad’ than we had realised! While the health benefits of the previously mentioned fad diets might be questionable (and expensive!) there is no other diet that can compare with the body-mind-soul health benefits of the Holy Spirit’s fruit diet. You can start this free diet at anytime with just one prayer and a yielded heart. It really is a diet that is worth more than money!

Your pastor,

Andrew

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THE ART OF COMFORT

 THE ART OF COMFORT

Pastors come in different varieties which is why the term pastoral conjures different ideas in the minds of different people. A pastor is like the hand that is placed in the glove of a ministry position which then leads to that glove taking a certain shape of the pastor’s strengths, abilities, and spiritual gifts. Over time, if the partnership between a pastor and a congregation endures, that pastor will also be shaped by the needs and demands of those whom God has called them to shepherd. And if both that pastor and that congregation are particularly blessed by God, the breadth of the needs and demands of a growing congregation will be attended to by pastors rather than the unrealistic expectation of them being met be a pastor. But there are times when a pastor is called upon by the broader community to care for that broader community in those times of severe adversity resulting from some tragedy. Floods, bush-fires, transport disasters (air/sea/road), military incidents, famine, are just some broader community demands for pastoring that come to mind as examples. More often than not, the type of person that God equips to enter these tragedies is one who has been shaped by God through having to deal with their own tragedies. In these instances the pastoral glove takes the shape of a chaplain. A chaplain’s principal function is comfort. In writing to the Corinthians after a particularly painful series of events, the tragedy-seasoned apostle Paul was able to comfort those he was ministering to because he himself had been the beneficiary of comfort from God through others. Notice how many times he refers to comfort in just five verses of the opening chapter of Second Corinthians- 

¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction,
with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings,
so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation;
and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure
the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you
share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Second Corinthians 1:3-7

 

COMFORTING

Chaplains generally minister outside of their church community yet on behalf of their church community. They minister the love and comfort of God through Christ to those who are grappling with the early stages of sudden grief. They become a listening ear, a hand to be held, the bearer of immediate aid, and a conduit for other practical services. They represent the God who has suffered and entered into our world of suffering, loss, and pain (as Paul stated to the Corinthians 2Cor. 1:3-7). The most effective chaplains are those who have earned the trust of those they are called upon to comfort. This is why they can be found in football clubs, schools, and certain workplaces. (It is my hope that as our church continues to develop we will have numbers of representatives from our church serving as chaplains in these various community hubs who can offer hope and comfort in times of tragedy being experienced within these clubs/schools/workplaces.)

But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,
and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you,
as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.
Second Corinthians 7:6-7

 

GOOD GRIEF

Unlike animal life, all of the aspects of human life are not instinctive. We humans have a lot to teach each other about being a fully-formed human being who is capable of love, bearing responsibility, living sacrificially for others, developing spiritual intimacy with God, worshiping, interacting courteously and respectfully with others especially those different from us, and parenting as a father or mother the next generation. Along the way of life’s path as we each learn these skills, there will be the inevitable need to also learn how to process loss. This will involve the loss of something precious, a loved one, a dream, a love. Dealing with such losses involves grieving. Ministers of comfort help those grieving to grieve well. They patiently listen as the grieving one expresses their disbelief at their loss, then their anger at someone (anyone will do) who should be or could be blamed, their regrets, then their overwhelming sadness. The minister of comfort shows the grieving that tears and sadness at their loss is both normal and healthy. They introduce them to the concept of their new normal and help them to understand that things will never be same again, and that feeling sad whenever they think of their loss is a part of their new normal. Without this shepherding, a griever’s remaining relationships can be strained beyond acceptable limits, and their use of food/alcohol/seclusion can become unhealthy for them physically/emotionally/spiritually. This is why chaplains are so valuable today. Chaplains are guides of good grief.

¶ So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4

 

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

In the times of our deepest anguish, God is “the God of all comfort” (2Cor. 1:3). He is the One who understands our pain, our loss, our sadness. He is the One gives meaning to each of these. It is this God who not only promises to comfort all those who turn to Him in worshipful surrender, but He is the One who heals wounded souls so that they can be used by Him as agents of His soul-healing comfort to others. I am aware that there are many in our church who have experienced soul-healing comfort from God and that their tears of sadness in the process are more often than not good for our souls. Most of these ministers of comfort will never be seen on our stage or behind our pulpit, but I can also assure you that those who are regularly ministering from our pulpit are indeed recipients of the God of all comfort’s soul-healing comfort.

¶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father,
who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 
comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.
Second Thessalonians 2:16-17

Your pastor,

Andrew

Let me know what you think below in the comment section and feel free to share this someone who might benefit from this Pastor’s Desk.