Reformed Faith – Page 28 – Semper Reformanda

Peace, Love, & Joy | The Importance of Awe | Christmas Special | Devotional Series | Part 23 of 27 | December 22, 2019

“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” – Romans 2:4 (ESV)

During Christmas one time, we were shown a movie on the life of Jesus. I have forgotten the name. But I can still remember one incident very vividly. A girl in my group, who was a few years younger than me, began to cry. She asked the youth leader to please turn off the VCR. Apparently, the crucifixion of Christ was too gory for her to watch. She put her hands over her eyes, and began crying on floor, demanding the movie to be stopped. Her parents came and consoled her. And the rest of us finished the movie. At that time, I thought it was strange. Girls are weakhearted, reasoned my pre-adolescent mind. I even found it amusing. How sensitive, I thought. But now that I am an adult. I have realized, how we who are brought up in a Christian family, can get so desensitised with the crucifixion of Christ. We are so programmed to hear and be taught that Christ died for us – that sometimes it begins to lose its meaning. And perhaps, that is a very dangerous position to be in.

In the Book of Job, we find Job getting slowly withered out, argument after argument. And so, when we reach the end. He goes, all out on God – demanding a justification of why he was suffering without any of his fault. I am sure there might be profound theological or even sophisticated academic explanation of Job’s outburst. But I want to make just one simple observation. We are introduced to Job, in the beginning as a man who ‘fears’ God. And his life is marked by activities of great reverence towards God. But by the end, we find him in a bold tone – demanding justice from God. In other words, Job was so accustomed to his God, that when his troubled overwhelmed him – his fear of God got compromised. He lost his awe over the glory and the majestic of God.

YHWH’s reply to him is also interesting. (Job 38-41) When God responded, His response was not on Job’s queries or demands. To be exact, in YHWH’s response, Job was not even the subject. God rather reminds him, of His sovereign rule. And no. It is not because God did not understand Job. But because Job did not understand God. YHWH puts Job to his place by reminding him, His majestic. Job finally understood. His awe of God returned. And so, along with it, his fear and admiration.

“I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Rev 2:3-5, ESV)

When life is overwhelmed by trouble or even simply, by mundaneness, it is so easy to lose sight of God. It is so easy to lose our awe and admiration of God. It is so easy to forget about how faithful God has been towards us. It is so easy to forget about the reason why we first knelt to Him. It is so easy to forget that Christ alone is our satisfaction. It is so easy to get spiritually dull. And this is a very dangerous place to be in. Because dullness trifles the awe-inspiring majestic of God. And that steals, our fear and reverence from Him. But even if you find yourself stuck in such dull phase, I encourage you – God is wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient. Please do not take this for granted. But take advantage of it. And turn to God. I pray and hope that God will inspire our perception of Him (deeper) this season – reminding us of His profound love and grace.

Read previous entries in this Series:

(i) Introduction: What Christ wants this Christmas (ii) December 1: Prepare the Way (iii) December 2: Mary’s Magnificent God (iv) December 3: The Confidence of Redeeming Hope (v) December 4: A Big God for Little People (vi) December 5: What He Willed to do (vii) December 6: Peace to those with whom He is pleased (viii) December 7: Messiah of all (ix) December 8: Christ is Central in Christmas(x) December 9: Two Kinds of Oppositions (xi) December 10: Our Treasure (xii) December 11: Why Jesus came (xiii) December 12: Replacing the Shadows (xiv) December 13: Christ, the Real Thing, the Perfect Priest (xv) December 14: Making Transformation Real (xvi) December 15: Abundant Life (xvii) December 16: An Unlikely Route to Victory (xviii) December 17: Freedom & Joy Secured in Him (xix) December 18: Pass Me Not (xx) December 19: Overcoming the Power of Death (xxi) December 20: Salvation Unites Us (xxii) December 21: LOGOS

Peace, Love, & Joy | Overcoming the Power of Death | Christmas Special | Devotional Series | Part 20 of 27 | December 19, 2019

The fear of death has a certain power, and that is – shortsightedness. The fear of dying, arises from the fear of unknown. It is the fear of not knowing what will happen to us after we die. The power, such fear holds on us, is one of nonchalance. It makes us care less about the future. And urges us to indulge in the present bodily pleasures. It is hedonism govern by mortality. You don’t know what happens after you die, so you might as well enjoy life while you can.

The fear of death, is the power of sin – this is the law of sin and death at play. This is one of the two laws that governs human lives; the other being the law of righteousness. (Rom 8:2) The Apostle Paul explains, you are either a slave under the law of sin, or you’re a slave under the law of righteousness. (Rom 6:15-23) The latter of which, is a status that Christ came to grant us. (Heb 2:14-15) And so, for that reason – Christ had to reincarnate as a man – to pay the debt as a man, for the sins of mankind. Because no man could meet the requirements of the law.

Piper writes, “Jesus became man because what was needed was the death of a man who was more than man. The incarnation was God’s locking himself into death row.” (pg. 39) Christmas marks this incarnation or perhaps more appropriately – incarceration. Jesus subjected Himself to the law of sin and death, that through Him we could partake in His victory over it. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1Pe 2:24, ESV) “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.” (Rom 7:4, ESV)

Christ has overcome the power of sin and death. It means, He has granted us victory over it, and through Him, and in Him – we overcome the power of death. It means, our life after death is certain. He has secured eternity for us. If we are truly His, and if we truly believe Him, it means there is no uncertainty (after death) staring back at us. It means, fleeting moments of temporary pleasure, holds no greater sway on us, because we are confident about eternal life. It means, you are victoriously living with the whole armour of God put in place. (Eph 6:10-18) It means a life that is not indulgent in sin; which ultimately means, a life free from guilt and condemnation. In other words, overcoming the power of death means – a life of righteous living, in pursuit of holiness.

Christmas should mark a commencement of such life for you and me. Rightfully so, the Prophet Isaiah proclaimed Christ as the Father of Eternal Life. (Is 9:6) He overcame death, so you and I could begin living, as people risen in Christ.

Note: All of Piper’s quotations are from “Good News of Great Joy”

Read previous entries in this Series:

Peace, Love, & Joy | Pass Me Not | Christmas Special | Devotional Series | Part 19 of 27 | December 18, 2019

“Pass me not, O gentle Savior, hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by.” – Fanny Crosby[1]

The greatest danger to our faith is not a hostile government. Our danger is not even our trials and tribulations. Our danger is not a failure in our private business venture. It is not a failure in our career. It is also not a broken marriage, home, or family. It is not social evils, ostracization, or any form of discrimination. The greatest danger to our faith is none of these. The greatest danger to our faith is disbelief.

Rev. C. B. Samuels in his sermon “Nevertheless: The Government is on His shoulders”[2] expressed how we forfeit the joy of Salvation every year. (Is 9:3) Because we only want to celebrate the baby Jesus on Christmas. Because we do not want to confront Jesus the Son on whose shoulder the government will be established. (Is 9:6)

There are two reasons why we don’t want to confront the Son on Christmas. First, we don’t want to confront out sins. And second, we don’t want to submit to God.

The message of the advent was/is clear and simple: “repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Mat 3:2, NLT) The response to this message is same now, as it was when John the Baptist preached. Some stepped forward, repented, and were baptized. And some malign the very act by their mere presence. A majority of us fall on the second lot. This is how we forfeit eternal life, and its inherent joy. We take comfort in the fact that we are born (brought up) in a Christian household, or lived in a Christian community, or know a Christian, et cetera. We take false refuge in the fact that we identify as Christians – which automatically immune us from eternal damnation. The Baptist retort “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.” (Mt 3:8-9, NLT)

The second half of the message, is the announcement of YHWH’s Sovereign Rule. “The Kingdom of Heaven is near… a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders.” (Mt 3:2, Is 9:6, NLT) YHWH not only demands submission, but He declares, He is going to take it. But we don’t want to give up control. We don’t trust God enough to satisfy all our needs. We don’t want to submit to Him. We want to be the God of our own lives. And so, we forfeit the entire Kingdom of God.

Christ concluded this reality, in clear coherent words to Nicodemus. “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God… I assure you; no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.” (Jn 3:3, 3:5-6. NLT) Let us pray, and seek Christ, that the Holy Spirit would regenerate our hearts and save us from our own disbelief. So that we could repent, be a part of His Kingdom.

[1] https://mereorthodoxy.com/reading-the-hymns-pass-me-not-o-gentle-savior-2/

[2] Delhi Bible Fellowship South, 15^th December 2019

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