Australia’s reformed AP evangelical periodical SUMMER 2012/13 The Cross: What Jesus won, and why

Gerald Bray on reconciling justice and mercy

Mark Powell on our perfect prize

Philip Burns: the Master Weaver Editorial

the New Testament says, that Christ’s exhibit one attribute by denying the blood satisfies the justice of God. other - which is clearly impossible. As Robert Haldane pointed out: “Mercy Not only was God just, He was also the and justice are irreconcilable except in justifier of the guilty who have faith in Christ.” Or, in the stark and moving Jesus (Rom. 3:26). That is, He was words of ‘Rabbi’ Duncan: “There is both just and merciful at once. Take nothing but Christ between us and hell; away the cross, and God could be just and, thanks be to God, we need by sending us all to hell for our sins. Or nothing else.” He could be the justifier of sinners, by harles Spurgeon once called ignoring our sins. He could only Peter Barnes substitutionary atonement “the Cgreat net of gospel fishermen”. That used to be taken as given in evangelical circles. Today, however, there is widespread embarrassment at what some have portrayed as cosmic child abuse. That Christ is our substitute is seen as a primitive and barbaric notion. Richard Dawkins opened a recent Q & A session with a blistering attack on substitutionary atonement, to which Cardinal Pell apparently felt unable to respond. The god of the modern world, if he is allowed to exist at all, is bland to the point where he would not offend the delicate sensibilities of anyone. William Barclay used to say that the cross shows us that God will always love us. Very comforting, but how is this true? It is only true if it achieves something needed for our salvation. The Scottish theologian James Denney was too concessive in a number of areas, but he was right to say that unless this is shown it would be like someone leaping into the water and drowning to prove his love for me when I was sitting on the pier and not in any danger of drowning. What, then, is the connection between the love of God and the death of Christ? Denney confessed that he had not seen any intelligible relation established between them, except “that which is the key to the whole of New Testament teaching, and which bids us say, as we look at the cross, He bore our sins, He died our death. It is so His love constrains us”. In short, Denney was saying what

2 AP All we like sheep

Our straying meant Christ had to die. Peter Hastie talks to Gerald Bray.

esus did not sin, but on the cross conversational and contemporary and likeness so that we could enjoy a He became sin for us. What does overview of ’s leading ideas. special relationship with Him. This this mean? In this interview Dr relationship is similar but greater than J Gerald, Paul says to the Corinthians Gerald Bray explains and defends the relationship that He has with the that the death of Jesus Christ for our the traditional Christian doctrine of the angels. We have been created, not sins according to the Scriptures is of atonement. In recent times this crucial simply to communicate with God, but “first importance”. What does he mean? doctrine has been doubted by some, to have fellowship with Him. Clearly, even within the church, and despised He means that unless Jesus had gone to the angels can communicate with God by many who are acclaimed in the the cross and died as an atoning too, but only as servants, whereas we world. One thing is for sure: the sacrifice for sin, then the basic problem are created to be God’s children. atoning death of Jesus provokes strong of how to deal with sin would never Now the problem we face is that we reactions. have been tackled. He reminds us that have spurned the love of our Heavenly the death of Christ makes a permanent Dr Bray is a research professor of Father. At the instigation of the fallen difference to the nature of our divinity at Beeson Divinity School in angel, Satan, we have followed him in relationship with God. Birmingham, Alabama. He has earned his rebellion against God and have a D.Litt from the University of Paris- Of course, atonement had been going come under the sentence of death. You Sorbonne and is an ordained on for a long time in the Jewish context, know the saying, “The greater they are, in the Church of England. but by its nature it was only temporary. the harder they fall”? Well, that’s true of Dr Bray’s specialty is church history It had to be constantly renewed. us. God created us for an amazing and historical . A prolific However, the coming of Christ put an destiny of fellowship and service, but author, he has published many end to the temporary sacrifices and He also warned us that if we ever scholarly articles and books, including fulfilled a long-held hope in the Old rejected Him we would die in our sin. The Doctrine of God (IVP) and Creeds, Testament that one day God would put Rebelling against God has the most Councils, and Christ (Christian Focus away sin forever through the offering of serious consequences. You can’t paper it Publications). His book Biblical a special sacrifice. This took place when over or think it doesn’t matter. Interpretation: Past and Present (IVP) Jesus, the sinless Son of God, acting as Rebellion against God brings death. was voted as one of the 10 books every God’s appointed high priest, offered up That is what defines our predicament. pastor should read. His book Yours is Himself as the final sacrifice. Since God is the source of our lives the the Kingdom (IVP 2007) is a systematic Our relationship with God either penalty for sin shows us how serious it theology based on the Lord’s Prayer and wouldn’t exist or would be quite is to rebel against Him. When Adam his recent biblical and systematic different to what it now is had that not and Eve chose to disobey the Lord, they theology, God is Love (Crossway), is a happened, so the death of Christ for actually chose death. They chose to our sins is the key doctrine in reject God’s will, a choice with I certainly couldn’t Christianity. Without it, Christianity as catastrophic consequences. And to we know it never would have existed. overcome the tragedy that we have die for my own sin brought upon ourselves, God has to get Why is atonement necessary? What is into the mess of what is wrong and because I am already it about the nature of God and our cleanse it at the root. It’s like healing an own situation that makes the a sinner. I can’t infected wound or a cavity in your teeth. atonement our greatest need? overcome it. Nor can Unless you get right down to the bottom I think the atonement is necessary of the infection or decay and remove I do this for you. because God created us in His image them, then there’s no possibility of

SUMMER 2012/13 3 healing. Our problem is that we have brought death upon ourselves through Some people think that we can ignore sin sin and, therefore, only by overcoming or let it go unpunished. But we are too death is it possible to pay the price of sin. significant for God to turn a blind eye to Where does it first become clear in the Bible that we need to be reconciled our ruptured relationship. to God? Right at the beginning, after the fall of most solemn day of the year. Jews still eyes because you can’t see for yourself. Adam and Eve, where they are expelled recognise it as the basic need. You have lost the power of sight and so you need someone who can see to help from the garden and were cut off from Can you explain why God requires you. I know it’s not a perfect analogy, the tree of life. It’s clear that while they the death of a substitute to remove but it does highlight that there are were in fellowship with God the tree of sin from us? life was something that they were conditions from which we suffer when Well, the first thing to point out is that intended to draw from but as soon as we need someone without that it is not just any substitute that can they defied God’s word they were cut condition to help us because we cannot remove our sin. The substitute we need do it ourselves. off from it. If they are ever to receive is the sinless Son of God. I certainly life again, they need to be reconciled British theologian James Packer has couldn’t die for my own sin because I with God. said that the phrase “atonement am already a sinner. I can’t overcome it. through propitiation” is the essential You see this in the story of Cain and Nor can I do this for you because I message of the cross. What is actually Abel. Abel offered the sacrifice of a don’t have the ability to take away your meant by the phrase? lamb, and later we see Noah offering sin. If I can’t die for myself or for you, animal sacrifices to turn away God’s our only hope is in the sinless Son of Well, this phrase preserves an wrath as soon as he left the Ark. Again, God. He is the only one who is important truth for us in we see the need for sacrifice in the time righteous and in perfect relationship understanding the atonement. It of Abraham who realises through his with the Father. reminds us that the justice of God must attempted sacrifice of Isaac and the be both acknowledged and satisfied in This explains why the Son of God had Lord’s provision of a lamb, that the any solution for sin that leads to to become a man in order to be our guilt of sin must be atoned for. reconciliation between God and man. substitute. Only God could help us I think the need for a sacrifice for sin because He has the power as God to Justice demands that sin is both becomes really clear in the Mosaic law bear our sin. He actually took upon condemned and punished. Some where there are detailed provisions that Himself something that we are people think that we can pretend to lie at the centre of Israelite worship. incapable of doing for ourselves. It’s ignore sin or allow it to go unpunished. From the time of Moses onwards, the hard to think of a useful analogy, but if However, this ultimately diminishes need for atonement is plain. To this day you are a blind person you understand our greatness in the presence of God. in Judaism the Day of Atonement is the the need for someone else to be your We are too significant for God to turn a blind eye to our ruptured relationship. Our sin matters because we matter to God. Now propitiation is God’s answer to the problem. It tells us that God’s perfect justice – His wrath against sin – has been fully satisfied through the atoning work of Christ when He died upon the cross. It was sufficient to meet the demands of God’s justice. I think it’s also important to add that the Son of God made this sacrifice to God voluntarily. We often forget that Christ went to His death willingly. He came to do the will of his Father but He did so freely out of love. This validates the sacrifice. It meets all the demands of God’s righteousness and is therefore accepted by the Father as a perfect sacrifice. This is why we call it a propitiation, because it satisfies God’s justice and turns aside His wrath from us.

4 AP What’s so special about the shedding it’s up to them to put things right and People don’t like the of blood to bring about atonement in this is something that’s essentially the Bible? within the capacity of everyone to do. wrath of God They believe that God will be happy Blood is the symbol of life. The Bible because they think with that, forgetting that what He tells us that without blood there is no demands is something that goes beyond of Christianity as a life. So the idea of the “shedding of anything that we are capable of blood” is associated with sacrificial kind of moral achieving on our own. That is the heart ritual where the death of a victim occurs. of the matter. They reduce Christianity system. They believe Why must a death occur in the process to a kind of morality and forget the it’s up to them to put of sacrifice for sin? The answer is that seriousness of sin. we are dead in the sight of God and things right. unless another can assume that death The idea of “propitiation” reminds us that God treats sin very seriously for us we are not getting to the root of will be, he does suggest that he will indeed. The belief that we can avert the problem. You see that in Cain and assume the punishment for sin and bear God’s just punishment for our sin by Abel. Abel’s sacrifice was better than it for everyone. There is a sense in doing something ourselves is misguided. that of Cain although Cain’s general which this mystery “servant” will deal Only Christ can do it for us. intention to offer something to God decisively with our sin once and for all was right. Do you think there is one particular at some point in the future so that the His problem was that he didn’t see that passage in the Old Testament sacrificial system of the Mosaic law will sin required death. It was at this point prophets that speaks more clearly to no longer be needed. us of our need of atonement and that Abel understood the real nature of Charles Wesley, in his famous hymn God’s provision of a Saviour? the problem of sin. He knew that the And can it be?, at one point suggests penalty for sin was death so that the Isaiah 53 is the classic text, isn’t it? that God actually died on the cross. lamb that he offered had to die by There the prophet reminds us that “all Did God die on Calvary? shedding its blood. When Cain offered we like sheep have gone astray”, and It’s an interesting question. I always ask fruit he revealed that he didn’t understand “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity it in doctrine exams. “Did God die on the problem that he faced as a sinner of us all” (53:6). He also says, “He bore the cross?” The correct answer is that before a holy God. He didn’t see the the sin of many” (53:12). If you have to the divine person of the Son of God connection between sin and death. take one particular text from the Old suffered and died in His human nature. Testament this is the one, although However, Abel did and so he realised It is found in Philippians 2 where the there are others. that his offering required the shedding divine Son of God, who was equal with of blood. Isaiah 53 is important because it makes God, nevertheless humbled Himself by Why do you think that many us realise that the prophet sees one taking the form of a servant. I think it’s theologians today dislike the concept person who is going to do all this. interesting that Jesus voluntarily takes of propitiation and baulk at the idea Although it is not clear who this person the nature of a servant in His of appeasing God’s wrath? People don’t want to face the seriousness of what has happened. It’s not that they think they are perfect and they don’t have to live a good life. They just don’t see the reality and depth of sin in their lives. Anselm faced this question in the 12th century. In his famous book, Cur Deus Homo (Why Did God become Man?), he tried to show why it was necessary for Christ to die. Anselm’s answer was that no one understands the need for the death of Christ until they have first grasped the terrible nature of sin. This is the problem. People don’t like the wrath of God because they think of Christianity as a kind of moral system. They believe

SUMMER 2012/13 5 relationship with the Father. He The divine Son of it without any sense of compulsion. assumes a human nature so that He can Can you explain what the writer of get rid of sin and bring about a God did suffer on the the Hebrews means when he says that reconciliation between God and the cross, but only by the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse human race. The incarnation is a means our hearts and guilty consciences? to an end because, without it, Christ taking on a human could not have died in His divine To cleanse our hearts is to make us nature since a divine nature cannot die. nature that made His think in the right way. “We have the If Christ is to suffer and die for sin, He suffering possible. mind of Christ,” Paul says to the has to devise a way in which that is Corinthians. Jeremiah talks about possible. This explains why He became He could not have taking out “the heart of stone and incarnate. putting in the heart of flesh”. The died in his divine “heart” represents the way we think, the So the answer is, “Yes, the divine Son of way we feel, and the way we perceive God did suffer and die on the cross, but nature. ourselves. It is the core of our identity. only by taking on a human nature that was insignificant and that we didn’t The atonement affects us at this deepest made His suffering possible. He could really matter. I only understand the level by purifying our thoughts and not have died in His divine nature.” importance of the atonement when I desires and renewing our whole Why do people like Bishop Spong realise that who I am and what I do is orientation to life. react so strongly against the idea of of real importance to God. Cleansing the heart is the key to our atonement through propitiation? I think the other reason that people like salvation because the spiritual warfare I think the reason people like Bishop Spong react to the traditional view of in which the Christian is engaged is Spong react to the traditional Christian the atonement is that they have really the struggle of the clean heart view of the atonement is that they against an evil world. If our hearts are misunderstood it. They often think that underestimate the seriousness of the not clean we are not in tune with God the biblical view of the atonement issues at stake. They fail to understand or with the world around us. If they are involves God the Father demanding that the nature of sin makes cleansed then we will think and desire that the Son should die. However, this reconciliation impossible on our terms. the right things. So it’s very important is a caricature of the doctrine. As I have It’s impossible for us in our own to receive this blessing and to have our already pointed out, the Father never strength to go back to God. It’s like guilt and defilement taken away. leaping off a high cliff. Once you jump demanded anything of the Son. Jesus Sometimes I meet people who don’t down you can’t get back. Someone Christ was never forced to go to the think this is possible. They say to me, needs to come down and rescue you. cross. Christ willingly took the form of “If you knew what I’ve done in my life Reconciliation is only possible if God a servant when He died for us. The idea you wouldn’t be preaching forgiveness reaches out to us. In reaching out to us that the Father was a tyrant who because God can’t forgive me when I He cannot say, “Oh, it doesn’t matter insisted that the Son should die is a cannot forgive myself for all that I’ve what you’ve done.” If He had said that total misunderstanding of the done.” And I say to them, “Well, you then we might assume that what we did atonement. The Son volunteered to do are not meant to forgive yourself because you can’t. Only God can forgive you.” One of the real joys of being a Christian is in knowing that An answer to the atheists our sins are forgiven even though we remain sinners. In other words, we Jon Meeker has discovered physical proof of God’s existence. don’t have to be weighed down by our It lies in Sicily, undiscovered for centuries. sins. And this is not because we don’t A Godless world is granted an astonishing care about them; it’s that we are set free end-time witness of God’s awesome presence from them. and the truth of the Judeo-Christian Bible. If I didn’t believe in the power of the Find out how, in: cross I could never preach the gospel. I’d stand up and think, “who am I to be THE BEAST OF BABYLON doing this? I’m not worthy of this. How can I tell other people to repent when by Dale Heslin I’m a terrible sinner myself?” The Available from Amazon Books reason I can now preach the gospel and and Kindle $4.95 call on others to repent is because I have repented myself and I have been blessed by the removal of my guilt.

6 AP Perfect prize Many Christians underestimate what Christ won on the cross. Mark Powell

few years ago now my brother- described the Gospels not as The second theory is commonly in-law pulled me aside and “biographies” – which is a review of referred to as “Christus victor” with the A asked me privately about a someone’s life – but rather emphasis being placed on a ransom question he had been struggling with “thanographies” – that is, a review of being paid to Satan rather than God. It for quite some time. He said, “I know someone’s death. Everyone agrees that is sometimes also referred to as the “fish that Jesus died on the cross to take Jesus was born so that He might die, hook” view of the atonement since at away our sins and all that, but don’t but what did His life, death and the cross the Deceiver was himself you think it would have been better if subsequent resurrection achieve? deceived by swallowing the “bait” that he had stuck around a few more years the death of Jesus would mean His Historically there have been three and given us more instruction?” defeat. However, the “hook” hidden major ways people have understood the underneath was that in His resurrection His question betrayed what he really significance of Jesus’ death. Each one of Jesus defeated the power of death and believed (or didn’t believe) as to what them has a certain element of truth to therefore released the hold that the Jesus’ death and resurrection has it but it is the third one in particular Devil has over us. actually accomplished. That is, he knew that best represents the Biblical material something of the “right answer” in his and has also come under the most Jesus’ death should head, but what he truly believed about attack. the matter was another question move us greatly, but entirely. The first is known as the moral influence theory. This interpretation to say that this is What does the cross of Christ mean? It emphasises the inspiring nature that all that the cross is has become the central symbol of the Christ’s love can and should have on us. Christian religion. Which is a little The death of Jesus, then, demonstrates or does falls strange because in its first century the love of God so dramatically that we hopelessly short. setting, crucifixion was the worst form cannot help but be convinced of it of punishment possible. It was a ourselves and share it with others. Just This particular view was especially horrific, shameful way to be put to think of the great classic hymn When I popular among the early church Fathers death, with people often suffering for Survey the Wondrous Cross, by Isaac and more recently was the position put days. How then has it come to have Watts. Who is not moved when they forward by none other than C.S. Lewis! such pride of place? ponder the sacrifice of Calvary? The Just think back to The Lion, the Witch The cross is obviously central to any problem is, however, that this does not and the Wardrobe and especially how account of Jesus’ life, with each one of present the complete picture. Yes Jesus’ Edmund is redeemed from the claims the Gospel accounts devoting much death should move us greatly, but to say of the White Witch. Aslan (who space to describing what took place; so that this is all that the cross is or does represents Christ in the story) offers much so that some people have falls hopelessly short. himself in Edmund’s place but because

SUMMER 2012/13 7 of the “deeper magic” he is able to getting him out usually falls on a kind Ultimately the problem anyone has in break the stone table and reverse the friend.” coming to appreciate what the cross has curse of death. achieved is a spiritual one within the Is it enough to say that Christ has paid individual. On our own, without the Many evangelical Christians are the price for our sin “not in the sense of illumination of God’s Holy Spirit, it unaware that Lewis himself rejected the being punished” but rather in the more will always seem confusing and thus third and most popular view of the impersonal way of only “paying a bill”? remain a mystery. As the apostle Paul atonement – commonly referred to as The Bible clearly says that it’s more – says in 1 Corinthians 1:22-24, “Jews penal substitution. In his book Mere much more! In both the Old and New demand miraculous signs and Greeks Christianity Lewis outlines his Testament Jesus’ death is explained as look for wisdom, but we preach Christ understanding of the position, as well taking away the punishment, which we crucified; a stumbling block to Jews as why he rejects it, as follows: “The personally deserved. Just consider the and foolishness to Gentiles, but to one most people have heard is the one I following passages. those whom God has called, both Jews mentioned before – the one about our “He was pierced for our transgression, He and Greeks, Christ the power of God being let off because Christ had was crushed for our iniquities; the and the wisdom of God.” volunteered to bear a punishment punishment that brought us peace was instead of us. Now on the face of it that What my brother-in-law needs then is upon Him, and by His wounds we are is a very silly theory. If God was not more instruction but rather for healed. We all, like sheep, have gone prepared to let us off, why on earth did God to open his eyes to the meaning of astray, each of us has turned to his own the gospel. That he would see in Christ way; and the Lord has laid on Him the the perfect substitute for his sins. The iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:5-6 When understood One who paid the price – the personal like this, Jesus’ “God made Him who had no sin to be price – for all the times he has failed to sin for us, so that in Him we might keep God’s Law and that in exchange death is the greatest become the righteousness of God.” 2 Jesus is also offering to him a righteous act of love and Corinthians 5:21 standing in heaven since his sin has been replaced with Christ’s “He Himself bore our sins in His body on sacrifice ever made. righteousness (see Zech. 3:3-4). the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you Mark Powell serves as one of the ministers He not do so? And what possible point have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, could there be in punishing an Burwood, Sydney. innocent person instead? None at all The so-called New Atheists, Richard that I can see, if you are thinking of Dawkins and the late Christopher punishment in the police-court sense.” Hitchens, as well as many even from within the Christian church, are Significantly, Lewis almost argues vehemently opposed to the whole idea himself back into the mainstream of God sending His Son as a substitute position when he immediately goes on to die in our place. They even go as far to state: “On the other hand, if you as to say that this particular view is think of a debt, there is plenty of point essentially the same as cosmic child in a person who has some assets paying abuse. it on behalf of someone who has not. Or if you take ‘paying the penalty’, not The objection is refuted when one in the sense of being punished, but in remembers that Jesus went to the cross the more general sense of ‘standing the willingly. He did not take upon racket’ or ‘footing the bill,’ then, of Himself our sin by accident but by course, it is a matter of common freely laying it down. When understood experience that, when one person has like this, Jesus’ death is the greatest act got himself into a hole, the trouble of of love and sacrifice ever made.

8 AP For now, we see only the tapestry’s tangled underside.

Philip Burns

nd we know that in all things that determines whether tomorrow you the issue. Creation is full of things that “ God works for the good of those and I live or die, then it is little wonder go on without us seeing them – A who love Him, who have been that many people find life so consider the germination of a seed – called according to His purpose” depressing! But no. It’s not how the and laws that are always in place, such (Romans 8:28) dice falls that determines what happens as the law of gravity. Just as these all but He who writes the script. And He happen day in and day out according to All of us struggle with doubt, wrestle who writes the script here reminds us the laws of His design, so too in with issues and at times feel the weight that He works in and through “all relation to our circumstances God of uncertainties. And one of those things” and He leaves no room for never sleeps or takes a holiday. He uncertainties we feel is this - do the chance or co-incidence. remains at work, even though our things that happen to us in this world, circumstances suggest He knocked off happen because God allows them to Second God’s control of all things is ages ago. happen under His control or do they active. The verse says “all things work happen because they are outside of His together for good”. It is not as though Third, God’s control of all things is control? And if God is in control, is He God has or had some plan and He's left harmonious. The verse says “all things always in full control or does He it sitting high up on a shelf in His study work together for good”. One sometimes slip up in keeping that that He may or may not consult every commentator translates this verse as control– maybe even just a little? Just thousand years or so. His control of all “we know that God intermingles all how do all those puzzle pieces fit? With things is a reality even in daily things for good for them that love that in mind, I want to direct you to experience. Sometimes some aspect of Him”. Of course, His people should this remarkable verse from the pen of His control of all things seems obvious, expect that with God. He has a habit of the Apostle Paul. Among many things and other times it seems hard to detect, turning the varied and sometimes but whether His people can see it is not that could be said about this great difficult circumstances of believers’ lives verse, note these. into things that make sense. First, God’s control of all things is Sometimes some Making a sponge cake requires a variety inclusive. The verse says that “all things aspect of His of ingredients that by themselves will work together for good”. In this case not combine to produce the cake. And “all things” means “all things”, control of all things if a cook were to view each ingredient excluding nothing. A lot of people seems obvious, and in isolation, she might be tempted to believe that things happen because of leave one out. But when the right coincidence and chance. Some believe other times it ingredients are mixed together in the that the stars of the zodiac control all seems hard to right way under the right conditions, that happens. Others believe that fate the finished product will be what it determines our circumstances. But the detect, but whether should. In the same way God knows Bible’s point of view is that we are not His people can see how to take the varied circumstances in those who are subject to random which His people find themselves – happenings in the world. If it is chance it is not the issue. even if those 'ingredients' involve

SUMMER 2012/13 9 suffering or pain or trial – and to work But pain, temptation, “My life is but a weaving, between the them together to bring about whatever Lord and me; He intends. The Old Testament story illness and trial are I may not choose the colours – He of Joseph is a wonderful illustration of all tools that God knows what they should be. that truth. uses for His purposes For He can view the pattern upon the Fourth, God’s sovereign control of all upper side things is beneficial. The verse says “all that can be beyond While I can see it only on this, the things work together for good ”. But our sight. under side. Christians often have a problem with Sometimes He weaves in sorrow, which the good intent of God’s control of all seems so strange to me; because on the underneath side of the things, and that problem is very easily But I will trust His judgment and work cross-stitch all my stitches were badly put. The “good” that God intends is on faithfully. tangled. The front didn't look too bad, interpreted in a very superficial way to but the other side looked like a disaster ’Tis He who fills the shuttle, and He mean that anything that helps them or zone. Now if God is Sovereign and the knows what is best; brings them joy or increases their bank Master Weaver of all that happens to So I shall weave in earnest, and leave to balance is surely good, while anything us, then it is not beyond Him to blend Him the rest. that causes them to struggle or increases some dark threads in with the lighter Not ’til the loom is silent and the their anxiety levels or decreases their ones. From a human perspective these shuttles cease to fly bank balance is surely not good. The darker threads might seem threatening Shall God unroll the canvas and explain modern principle that anything that but, as part of the “all things”, the the reason why. makes one happier is good may often darker threads are needed to complete be a long way from God's idea of good. The dark threads are as needed In the the whole picture, which we may not But pain, temptation, illness and trial Weaver’s skillful hand see until the Day comes when we shall are all tools that God uses for His As the threads of gold and silver In the know fully, even as we are fully known purposes that can be beyond our sight. pattern He has planned.” (1 Corinthians 13:12). It is in this – Benjamin Malachi Franklin 1882-1965 Many, many years ago now, I started God's sovereign control of all things – work on a cross-stitch pattern of an old that we can take great comfort, just as Rev. Philip Burns is minister of Bendigo gum tree which I never did finish the poet wrote; Presbyterian Church, Vic.

10 AP World news

Muslims defend girl Terzi said that violence against Christians has been particularly Islamic groups in Pakistan, including the common in Africa. “Stopping these country’s leading body of Muslim clerics, atrocities must be the priority of the have come out in support of Rimsha international community,” he said. Masih, the Christian girl with Down’s syndrome falsely accused of blasphemy Terzi was speaking at a conference who has been released from prison. sponsored by the newly established in 1957. He used it until he died in The All Pakistan Ulema Council Observatory for Religious Freedom in 1977, aged 42. One of the lines (APUC), which includes representatives Rome, set up to monitor and combat emphasised by the “King of Rock and from fundamentalist groups, called for violations of religious freedom. Roll” is, “What is a man advantaged if an “impartial and thorough CWN he gain the whole world and lose investigation into the case” and for himself or be cast away,” according to ‘Thuggery’ in Egypt “strict action” to be taken against UK’s Press Association. Rimsha’s accusers if she is found The Church in Egypt is being subjected Christian Post innocent. An imam who led the charges to “cheap political blackmail and against her was later arrested on political thuggery” as Islamists demand Nurses poisoned suspicion of planting evidence. that its funds come under state control Police in Pakistan are investigating in what could be seen as a ploy to APUC chairman Allama Tahir Ashrafi allegations that extremists targeted deflect growing scrutiny of Muslim said this was “a test case for Pakistan’s hospital nurses by putting poison in the Brotherhood finances and affairs. Muslims, Pakistan’s minorities and for tea they were drinking one afternoon the government”. He condemned the This was the assessment of Christian during Ramadan. Latest reports state mobs who regularly pressurise police rights group Copts Without Chains to the 11 nurses taken ill at the Civil into registering blasphemy cases, saying the recent call by Islamists that the Hospital Karachi are now out of that it was like the “law of the jungle”, government monitor church finances. danger, but at least some of them were and called for the government to “make Khaled Saeed, spokesman for the rushed to intensive care soon after this case an example so that nobody will Salafist Front, said in a debate on consuming the tea. dare misuse the blasphemy law in future”. Egyptian TV on 28 August that the The nurses included three Christians “This is the first time in the history of measure was “necessary” to know where and, according to local reports, the Pakistan that the Muslim community the Church’s money goes and “if it is on Masihi Foundation, a Christian rights and scholars have stood up for non- the right track or not”. organisation, said that if true the Muslims,” said Sajid Ishaq, chairman of Absurdly over-stating the power of the alleged attack was “a vile act” against the Pakistan Interfaith League Christian community in Egypt, Saeed religious freedom and tolerance. Barnabas Fund claimed that the smallest monastery in According to Catholic news agency Egypt was larger than the Vatican, and AsiaNews, most Muslim staff at Civil ‘Stop atrocities’ he alleged there were concerns of a Hospital Karachi do not tolerate non- Italian foreign minister Giulio Terzi has “church state within the Egyptian civil Muslim colleagues eating or drinking said that a drive to stop anti-Christian state”. during Ramadan. atrocities should be a top priority of Barnabas Fund Aid to the Church in Need world leaders. Elvis Bible fetches $92,000 No ‘ecumenical cathedral’ Citing the killing of 800 Christians in Nigeria by the Boko Haram terrorist A Bible used by Elvis Presley until his Catholics have snubbed the idea of the group since the beginning of this year, death in 1977 and containing his world’s first ecumenical super-cathedral handwritten notes, thoughts, in Christchurch, where both Catholic annotations and underlining has been and Anglican cathedrals were destroyed bought by an American man based in by earthquake last year. the UK for £59,000 ($A92,000). Anglicans in Christchurch have been The holy book was given to the talking about rebuilding a shared super- American singer on his first Christmas cathedral with Catholics, a move that in Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, would be unprecedented worldwide.

SUMMER 2012/13 11 Allowah – caring for children with complex disabilities

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12 AP Christchurch Bishop Victoria under Article 88 of the country’s weddings, 2486 humanist weddings, Matthews has confirmed the criminal code. They were founding 1729 Catholic weddings, 865 Assembly controversial idea has been discussed members of the Free Journalist Club, of God weddings, and 694 Anglican informally. If approved, it would bring an organisation not recognised as an weddings. In addition, there were 554 Catholics and Anglicans together under official body by the government. homosexual civil partnerships registered the same cathedral roof for the first in 2011. UCA time in the world since the churches Scotland began to recognise humanist split in the 16th century. Humanists: “we do” wedding ceremonies in 2005. Long-time Anglican Michael Earle Jewish Christian leader dies asked how the two Christian churches could justify spending millions to repair Jhan Moskowitz, 64, one of the or rebuild both broken cathedrals, founders of Jews for Jesus, the best when they were suffering dwindling known Jewish evangelism agency in the congregations before the quakes hit. world, has died after falling and hitting his head on a subway in New York City. UCA Vietnamese Christians jailed Moskowitz was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. His parents were The People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh refugees from Nazi Germany and spent City has jailed three Christian bloggers four and a half years in a concentration in a case that has polarised the religious camp. community and drawn international criticism. Nguyen Van Hai and Marie “I learned at an early age what it means Ta Phong Tan received sentences of 12 to be a Jew and to be loyal to my years and 10 years, respectively, with More weddings in Scotland are now heritage and my people,” says Jhan. He five additional years of house arrest, conducted by the Humanist Society was disenchanted with religion in his while Phan Thanh Hai received a four- than by the Catholic Church, according teens, but was committed to the year sentence and three years of house to newly released government statistics. survival of his people and became a short-term volunteer on a kibbutz arrest. Of the 29,135 marriages that took (communal farm) in Israel. The bloggers were charged with place in 2011, there were 15,092 civil spreading anti-government propaganda weddings, 5557 Church of Scotland Christian Today

SUMMER 2012/13 13 Today, there are more evangelicals in Africa and Asia than in the areas of the world where they have traditionally been most numerous. This must lead to books changes in how is viewed and how it operates, but these changes need not be doctrinal. Joel Beeke is a Wait Till You See paper and in the classroom; moronic clear-headed and faithful guide to how we the Butterfly and exclusionary in practice”. should proceed. Doreen Tamminga His targets are hit, hit hard, and they According to Beeke, “Evangelicalism is stay hit. He wants to foster not the Edinburgh: Banner gospel-driven Christianity recognisable celebrity, for “we all need to cultivate of Truth, 2010. by the biblical fundamentals of the gospel that certain unmessianic sense of non- of Christ, the Reformation fullness of the All reviews by destiny that will make us better citizens doctrines of Christ, and the practical fruit Peter Barnes of the kingdom”. of the Spirit of Christ”. In a short work, This is a Occasionally, one begs to differ and Beeke has provided much help and collection of 44 short stories for offer a correction, albeit with timidity. encouragement for those still wishing to children – 13 for four to six-year-olds; But Kris Kristofferson’s lyric that be called evangelical. 11 for seven to nine-year-olds; and 20 “Freedom’s just another word for Socrates in the City for older readers, aged 10 to 12. This is nothin’ left to lose” does not capture a good idea, but it is not obvious that it the Lutheran notion of the freedom we Eric Metaxas (ed.) has worked well. The stories are not have in Christ – especially when Janis London: Collins, particularly imaginative or clever. In Joplin sings it! 2011. fact, they are very predictable. The two chapters on death and funerals Socrates famously As a hook to grab the attention of the (20 & 21) are both provocative and said that “the reader, they lack something. Paul compelling, while chapters 16-18 offer unexamined life is White’s Jungle Doctor stories, for an incisive critique and appreciation of not worth living”, example, are much more captivating. Roman Catholicism. Trueman is and this is the C. S. Lewis always maintained, rightly, truthful, funny, and stimulating. He inspiration that Christian literature should be good has a verve all of his own, and will liven behind a group which meets in New York as literature. It would be worth trying the spirits and challenge the thinking of City to discuss the Big Questions of life. these out on some youngsters, but the all who peruse him. All kinds of issues are discussed: religion fact that there is a good gospel What is and science; suffering; the good life; the intention behind these stories does not Evangelicalism? place of fathers; Christians in politics; mean they work well as stories. why Christianity makes sense; as well as Joel R. Beeke Fools Rush In other topics, with the final chapter being Where Monkeys Darlington: EP, a potted biography of Dietrich Fear to Tread 2012. Bonhoeffer by Metaxas himself. None of this is done in a ponderous and pretentious Carl R. Trueman 1976 was intellectual way, but in what is called “a dubbed ‘The Phillipsburg: freewheeling Marx Brothers approach to Year of the P & R the search for truth”. Indeed, Groucho Evangelicals’ in Publishing, 2012. always made more sense than Karl. the USA by The subtitle of Newsweek. Yet now The introductions by Metaxas are, in a this collection of evangelicalism seems to be a movement different way, of similar worth to the essays is appropriate enough: “Taking in some disarray. D. G. Hart wants to essays by the experts. He can be very aim at everyone.” The result is certainly drop the term altogether, while Roger funny, although the danger for any comic a feisty effort, and well worth the read. Olsen wants to portray it as “a never- is that he occasionally trips over himself. Trueman apparently possesses a coffee ending journey rather than a fortress to Metaxas’ final words on the resurrection, mug with the inscription: “The truth be defended”. Small wonder that in dealing with the martyr Bonhoeffer, shall set ye free; but first it shall make Spurgeon declared: “It is mere cant to indicate a true seriousness and depth in ye miserable.” He jokes that his motto cry, ‘We are evangelical, we are all what is being attempted here. It is not to as academic dean at Westminster is evangelical’, and yet to decline to say be expected that every essay would be “The man who has no enemies has no what evangelical means.” Nobody convincing. When Sir John Polkinghorne honour”. He is not afraid to describe much wants to be an open liberal today, was challenged to produce examples of liberal ecumenism as “sophisticated on but the spirit of liberalism still prevails. beneficial mutations, all he could point to

14 AP was bacteria. He then went on to Personally, I found these studies to be the hang-ups others indicate that he is a universalist. For all refreshing and challenging; they are a have with . that, this is a rollicking and stimulating delight to read. It was John Newton There are timely piece of work, which is thoroughly who said that “grace has long and reminders that God enjoyable and recommended to all. strong arms”. Eric Alexander is a man is beyond our of the same ilk, and he preaches Our Great God and Saviour comprehension accordingly. There is nothing superficial (Rom. 11:33), that Eric Alexander here, only a thoroughly biblical and election and Edinburgh: Banner appropriate presentation of the great evangelism go of Truth, 2010. truths of our great God and Saviour. together (2 Tim. 2:10), that love is greater Reading this work can only do much than knowledge (1 Cor. 8:1), and that we Eric Alexander good to your heart, mind and soul. are to live with a loving and creative tension has been in the so far as our discerning the divine attitude Church of Killing Calvinism to unbelievers is concerned (Matt. 23:37). Scotland How to Destroy a Perfectly Good ministry for Theology from the Inside Not everything, however, can be applauded. Dutcher mentions that his favourite more than 50 Greg Dutcher years, but podcast preachers are Piper, Driscoll, and somehow has retained a firm and clear Adelphi, Maryland: Cruciform Press, 2012. MacArthur, but is very apologetic about grasp of the gospel. Here we have 16 This is a worthwhile addition to the citing a non-Calvinist like C. S. Lewis. In wonderful studies on the character of sum total of Calvinistic literature on my view, more apologies would be needed God, the salvation of God, and the the market. Greg Dutcher sets forth for citing Driscoll than Lewis. Also, it is a Church of God. The beginning of each eight ways for Calvinists to discredit little disturbing that Dutcher can plant a chapter would have been enhanced, I their own theology: by loving church where Calvinism is not known by think, by giving the text in part or in Calvinism as an end in itself; by name. “Calvinism” is not the password to full, as is the case for chapter 8 on becoming a theologian instead of a heaven, but ignorance of the term is no Isaiah 52:13-53:12, but that is a minor disciple; by loving God’s sovereignty guarantee of grace either. Having said that, criticism. My only other criticism - more than God Himself; by losing an this is a stimulating and needed piece of again, rather minor - is that the young urgency in evangelism; by learning only work, which should do much good. man mentioned on pages 79-80 is said from other Calvinists; by tidying up the All these titles are available from to be converted when the only evidence Bible’s “loose ends”; by being an Reformers Bookshop (02) 9564 3555;

supplied indicates regeneration. arrogant know-it-all; and by scoffing at reformers.org.au $ AP Response Form

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SUMMER 2012/13 15 Studied the LAST WORD irrelevance Liberal Christianity is merely unbelief dressed up. Peter Barnes

ormally one looks to the New Responding to the recent dispute over sticking together with other grape stems. York Times for wisdom in the the Sydney Anglican marriage vow At the end of the reading, I wondered Nsame way that one might look where the wife professes submission to whether anybody else was as embarrassed for gold in a rubbish dump – it may be the husband, broadcaster Mary as I was. We were all meant to be deeply there, but it will take a lot of digging, Kostakidis pontificated in a Spong-like moved, no doubt, but it was a struggle to and the prospects of success are not fashion: “The writing is on the wall for remain silent and not laugh. great. Yet, on 14 July, 2012 the Times the church in the West; unless they (sic) Back in 1937, H. Richard Niebuhr published an article by Ross Douthat on get with the times, they’ll become criticised this liberal and rather vacuous ‘Can Liberal Christianity Be Saved?’ increasingly irrelevant.” view of Christianity which he summarised Douthat referred to John Shelby Spong’s There is nothing new in this approach. as “a God without wrath brought men book, Why Christianity Must Change or Lloyd Geering, an apostate Presbyterian without sin into a kingdom without Die, and noted how the Episcopal in New Zealand, states: “Christianity… judgment through the ministrations of a Church in the USA had essentially needs to be seen not as something Christ without a cross”. There was a time followed Spong’s lead, and transformed eternally fixed but as an ever-changing when liberal Christianity appeared itself from being a rather sedate pillar of and developing process. The modern progressive. Now it has surely run its the WASP establishment to being a self- secular world is all part of that evolving course, and its doctrinal and ethical consciously progressive body in terms of process.” Actually, the liberal emptiness has become obvious to all, even its beliefs and its ethics. Yet the result denominations have done a good job of some writers for the New York Times. has not been life but death. getting with the times and so becoming The main problem is, of course, that As Douthat writes, “if conservative irrelevant. liberal Christianity simply parrots what Christianity has often been the world already thinks it knows and compromised, liberal Christianity has When theological liberalism or believes. The same buzz words are there simply collapsed”. There is hardly a modernism emerged as a dominant in both groups: tolerance, not judging, lunacy that the Episcopal bishops have force in the second half of the 19th being inclusive, acknowledging that we not embraced, from blessing century, not everyone could have are all on a journey, we all belong to faith homosexual liaisons to proclaiming that guessed its direction. As Alexis de groups, what this text means to you, our stewardship of the earth demands Tocqueville put it: “With a revolution, sharing our insights. Finally, it has all that we not reproduce ourselves. Indeed, as with a novel, the hardest part to collapsed, and we can see that the there may well be secular liberals out invent is the ending.” We now have emperor has no clothes, only platitudes. there who would be embarrassed by the more idea of the ending – it is banality weird combination of Pollyanna and at best and rank unbelief at worst. In his Letter to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, Peter Singer that gets passed off as the Recently I was exposed to what liberal C. S. Lewis commented that “Liberal Christian gospel these days. theology means in practice when it Christianity can only supply an comes to prayer and devotions. A ineffectual echo to the massive chorus of I wondered whether university chaplain read a story about a agreed and admitted unbelief”. That about sums it up: liberal Christianity is anybody else was as little grape stem that was glad to be only unbelief dressed up in some alive, but could only survive the wind Christian words. It is revelation without embarrassed as I and snow when another grape stem the Bible, life without the Holy Spirit, was...it was a called to her: “Here, reach out … hang and salvation without Christ. It speaks of on to me.” After some hesitation, the God but does the work of the devil. struggle to remain grape stem agreed, and finally learnt the silent and not laugh. lesson that strength comes through Peter Barnes is editor of AP