November 5, 202

I want to propose an outlandish but hopefully worthwhile thought experiment. What if universalism was true and everyone would go to heaven no matter what? We will set aside for a moment the logical inconsistency with this scenario and the teaching of scripture as well (I know not a great way to start a Church bulletin article). If this was the case and everyone would go to heaven regardless of their behaviour or their belief what would you do? 

Some might react as if it was the purge and go crazy doing whatever they wanted. Others might carry out that one secret desire that they have kept secret for so long. Some might decide just to sleep in on Sunday or give up reading their bibles. This exercise is of course directed to those who are Christians since many in the world already behave as if there is no God or accountability. 

     It’s these people I suggest actually teach us a powerful lesson. Their lives are not happy and fulfilled always abounding in health wealth and companionship. Instead those who live outside of the limitations revealed by God find themselves facing all kinds of problems. Their relationships suffer, they are often in prison or homeless, they often can’t hold a job, they end up addicted to various substances. Those who end up well off financially are not better off as they struggle with addiction and mental health challenges empty relationships. 

     Even adopting a few very basic limitations make a huge difference. Ben Shapiro has cited statistics repeatedly which indicate if a person will only finish high school, not have children outside of wedlock and avoid addiction they will not be permanently in poverty. Where do these basic principles come from? God of course. 

     This brings me to the point of this little thought experiment. I would propose that even if nothing we did or believed could bring cause us to be eternally lost it would still be better, wiser, and more reasonable to believe in and obey God. There are at least two applications I would like to make in considering this.

     First, we need to understand that nothing we can do no matter how hard we work or how “good” we are can redeem us or pay for our sin. That is only possible through Christ. If you are trying to work for your salvation, you are missing the point.

     Second, I am often asked if I believe this or that issue to be a matter of salvation. I am always tempted to ask; What if it’s not? Do you only listen to God because you fear punishment? That sound like some people who once came to John the Baptist. If you are only obeying out of fear, then I think your understanding and appreciation for who God is and what he has done is out of whack. 

     I absolutely believe we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling understanding the value of our eternal souls. However, I also know that obedience must be motivated by love for and a desire to be like our master. 

     Based on these considerations and others I would submit that even if sin had no consequences, we would still be smart to avoid it. Even if God didn’t care if I followed Him, I would still do it. Because he is going where I want to go. 

     With all of that said we must come back to the fact that God is Holy and Just. There are consequences to sin, in this life and the life to come. Only through obeying the gospel by faith, repentance, baptism, and faithfulness can we be free from sin.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

October 29, 202

     A few years ago, I read an article by Steve Higginbotham, (if you don’t follow his writing, I recommend you do as he offers very good devotional thoughts). He made a great point about consistency which I have included below. It did make me think of a couple of important points that I would encourage us to think about. First Steve’s point is a great reminder from what is something of a humorous story. Secondly It makes me think of two important and practical matters. 

     First we need to develop habits which will enable us to keep our relationship with God front of mind. It may be daily Bible study, family devotionals, regular prayer, dedicated participation in Church events. All of these can help us to faithfully live out our Christianity.

Second, we need to remember that people will look at us often judgementally specifically looking for failure. We should also remind them that we are not perfect but look to Christ to make us perfect. Further we are not claiming to be superior to others but uncompromisingly serve a God who is superior to all of creation. 

     Here is the story Steve shared.

     A couple years ago I had the opportunity to make a trip to Israel. One of the places we visited

was the “Church of the Nativity.” This church building was erected over the alleged birthplace

of Jesus. As we walked through the facility, one of the men in our group quietly chuckled at

something that was said by another tourist. Immediately, one of the priests approached him

and threatened to throw him out if he continued to show disrespect in this “holy place.”

I found this priest’s rebuke to be rather ironic, because only months prior to our arrival, the

Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests that share possession of this church building got into a

brawl as they cleaned the building in preparation for their observance of the birth of Jesus.

Due to their brawl, several priests and police who tried to stop the fighting had to be sent to

the hospital. So while this priest lectured this man about “respect,” I couldn’t help but think

that this man, only a few months earlier, had engaged in a free-for-all at the same spot.

Well, it happened again. As December 25 approached in 2011, these priests got into it again,

throwing brooms at each other and beating each other with broomsticks and iron rods. Again,

their riot had to be broken up by police.

     Allow me to make a point from this. We need to allow this story to remind us how in

congruent unholy actions are coming from those who are supposed to be holy. Oh, it’s easier

to see in others than in ourselves, isn’t it? The inconsistency of the actions of these priests is

glaring as we look on. However, let me remind you that our unholy actions are just as glaring

to our friends and family. God has called us to holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16). There is more to

being a Christian than just a single act of obedience which allows us to wear the name of

Christ. Those of us who wear the name of Christ must also give special attention to walk in the

footsteps of Jesus, and to guard our influence so that the world will not blaspheme.

Copyright © 2011, Steve Higginbotham. Permission is granted to copy these articles.

 

October 22, 202

All of us come across people every now and then who are easily upset or offended. Often we learn to avoid these people or walk on eggshells whenever we are around them. How do we effectively deal with these people or even have a relationship with them.

     These type of people remind me of a cat that Nancy and I had when we were first married. Her name was Molly, Nancy and I were browsing in a pet store and Nancy was petting a kitten in its cage. As a sales person passed I overhear Nancy ask how much is the kitten? To which the salesperson replied she’s free. At that point I knew we had a cat. Molly was very touchy. The first night I rolled over and she hissed at me for getting to close (meanwhile she was on my bed). 

     As Molly got older she grew more confident and would purposely intimidate and even scratch at guests. She had a special ability to sense those who were a little nervous and pay special attention to them. I can remember her climbing the shelves near the door so she could scratch and hiss at the people coming in the door. Ed and Edith’s curtains had a claw mark where she scratched at Berry.

     The problem was that in the first home she was in the two other cats that lived there attacked and almost killed her. For this reason she had real trust problems and would not take to people easily. Nancy and I had her for a while and over time she became very comfortable and good to us. She would jump onto Nancy’s lap when she got home from work and purr while Nancy’s rubbed her ears.

     How was it that Nancy and I could have a good (if sometimes frustrating) relationship with Molly this touchy and sometimes mean little cat. Simple, we fed her, took care of her, welcomed her and made her feel safe and comfortable. We still had to discipline her and not let her get into things she shouldn’t be. Eventually Molly learned that we were looking out for her and would not hurt her and actually grew to like us.

     What did we do with the cat that might be helpful with people? We approached the cat with a positive attitude, we wanted to help and care for her and wanted her to like and trust us. Further we gave her chances; I was scratched and hissed at many times. We continued to care for her giving her what she needed not what she deserved. We didn’t become angry or hatful toward her. Notice that these are all things Jesus seeks in his people (Luke 10:27; Luke 19:10; Mat 2:12-14; Mat 18:22-23).

     We all have to deal with people who are touchy and may even hurt us. If we approach them as Jesus would often these very people can not only be part of our life without causing too much heartache but can actually become our friends.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

October 15, 2023

On one occasion during bible class, we talked about worship and how the characteristics of God inform how we worship. One participant asked, “what do you think it is about humans that makes it hard to develop the attitudes and characteristics of God?” In the context of the class we had talked about the Pharisees, Saul, the people of Israel. All of these at various times were told their worship was unacceptable because they were not Godly. Sometimes it was injustice, sometimes it was not being merciful, sometimes it was not being faithful. In each case the people were told doing the right forms does not make your worship right. 

     This is true today as well we can’t go along thinking that because I am worshiping I must be right with God. The Pharisees worshiped while not honouring their parents (Mark 7). Saul claimed he disobeyed God so he could worship (I Sam 15:13-15). The people in Amos’s time worshiped while not maintaining just practices (Amos 5:18-27). All of them were told their worship was not acceptable to God. The point we are making is that the worshiper needs to be developing the characteristics of God. God is just, those who want to worship him must be just, God is merciful therefore those who want to worship him must be merciful. We could go on and on, and many other examples are mentioned in scripture. 

     The point is God draws us to him and reveals himself to us so that we can become like him (Rom 8:29). If we’re not being conformed to the image of Christ we are missing the point. It was in this context that the question was asked “why do we have such a hard time with this?” When I asked the audience to offer suggestions they gave me a number of good ones all is relating to human tendencies and all having one thing in common. They all came down to who is first. If I put myself and my desires first then I will never become like anyone else including God as revealed in Christ. And this is what brought me to thinking about those subjects which are sometimes called “the issues.”

     As I thought about the various beliefs and practices that have become problematic among churches of Christ I began to notice a theme. It’s always about selfishness. Marriage divorce and remarriage, instrumental music, gender roles, baptism and the plan of salvation, even the advocating of a new hermeneutic, all amount to humans saying to God I am going to do what I want. I want to violate my marriage vows and then marry someone else. I want to worship with a guitar, I want to be the final authority on what the bible means by what it says. 

     And this brings us to the real question. Do we love God and do we believe that he loves us? If we love him and think that he loves us then there is no place for pushing our desires. Jesus said he would know those who loved him because they would obey. A short illustration makes the point well. If I want to show Nancy how much I love her how would I do it? Would I plan a date of playing X-box and eating chicken wings? No because those are things I like, instead I would ask what would Nancy like, what would she enjoy and then I would do that. Love asks what does God want, not how can I manipulate the situation to get what I want.

~ Kevin Cleary

 

October 8, 202

I recently had the opportunity to volunteer at a music festival. A number of bands played and then were critiqued by the adjudicators. The two men who did the adjudication were skilled musicians and university music professors. It was interesting to hear them explain to the various bands how they could improve as a group and even to hear improvement in the few minutes they worked with each group. One thing they repeatedly told each band was something I had never heard before. They told them to hum or sing the notes and compare their playing to their singing. I wondered why for the first few times until one of the adjudicators explained. “The goal of any musician is to sound like the human voice”. He pointed out that the greatest complement a musician can receive is to be told their playing sounded vocal. I couldn’t help but take note.

     No wonder then when God revealed how his new covenant people should worship it was using the only instrument created by Him, which every other instrument tries to be, the human voice. As God’s people leave behind the imperfect and embrace the perfect it only makes sense. We leave the imperfect and ineffective animal sacrifice for the perfect effective sacrifice of Christ Heb 10:1-12. We leave behind the imperfect music of mechanical instruments for the perfect fruit of men’s lips Heb 13:15.

     In this light it’s no wonder that Charles Spurgieon puts it as he does; “Praise the Lord with the harp. Israel was at school, and used childish things to help her to learn; but in these days when Jesus gives us spiritual food, one can make melody without strings and pipes. We do not need them. They would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing unto him. This is the sweetest and best music. No instrument like the human voice.” (Commentary on Psalms 42:4) “David appears to have had a peculiarly tender remembrance of the singing of the pilgrims, and assuredly it is the most delightful part of worship and that which comes nearest to the adoration of heaven. What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettiness of a quartet, bellows, and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it.” (Spurgeon preached to 20,000 people every Sunday for 20 years in the Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle and never were mechanical instruments of music used in his services. When asked why, he quoted 1st Corinthians 14:15. “I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” He then declared: “I would as soon pray to God with machinery as to sing to God with machinery.” (Charles H. Spurgeon,)

     Thank God that he has blessed us with the ability to express our love and devotion with the beauty and simplicity of voices raised to heaven.

~ Kevin Cleary