God On My Side

A live reflection on Denton's coverage...

I expect some of my gut reactions will be as controvertial as his doco.

* Intro is using Jesus' words, with a weird traditional thing, interesting use through the doco of the NIV audio tracks.
* Then superimposed by perhaps some of the more radical bits of teaching on the pseudo healing/teaching ministries.
* Oooohhh George Bush... Scary!!! He is endorsing them!!! Nooooo!!!!
* Denton looks for the everyday believers... good to see that it is not just about the televangelists.

Issues identified:
Personal Promise Bible
I have had a view for a little while that is dodgy theologically. Denton is right to be sceptical, though some of the passages may actually be personal statements to me.
Noah's Ark
There was a funny joke about two stuffed elephants, he paid through the nose for them and carried them around in a big trunk. I think there also needs to be care taken in giving explanations about things like animal messes that are outside the scope of what the bible actually says... Maybe this would be good application for much of Genesis.
Arab Vision TV
Jos seems to be an authentic guy, sees results in his work, that should be pretty exciting. He seems to be quite genuine in his later bits too.
Aussie Christian TV
The Aussie looks tacky in his khaki, trying too hard to fit Australia's stereotype.
Hollywood Actress
A lady with eight Marriages might put you off for a little while. It seems that her pain may have contributed to becoming a Christian (the bigger picture always makes a bit more sense), and influenced her political activism.
Televangelist Producer
Perhaps a more contrary voice politically he has a few dodgy sayings in the clips. Examples include - "Perception is just as important as reality" - "No matter how powerful your message is, if noone is watching it doesn't matter".
Despite this he seems like a nice guy, though favours to some extent size over faithfulness.
Kids Programming
It didn't seem to be that much of a problem in and of itself. Kids praising God, I don't have an issue with that. Looks pretty peaceful compared to the other bits shown earlier in the clash of civilisations intro.
Door to Door Bible Sales
Just as a concept this confuses me greatly. Is business really booming now more than ever before?
Sculpture Guy
Seems to be very open about being an undercover evangelist (as much as you can be at a Christian broadcasting conference). Sculptures seem a bit interesting, caters for a nice trinket market. Queries remain on many points he expressed.
Christian Marketing
Denton appropriately noted on the excesses of Christian retail. Good to see some criticism of Jesus trinkets, but not knocked completely.
McDuff Brothers
What amazing hair, Boring singing - They have a pretty interesting story though with the Texas fire disaster and the felt need for repentance for not telling enough people about Jesus.
Final Events of Bible Prophecy
The guy behind it has an interesting life story, the bible that converted him in the cave, so ended up reading it, prayer wanting purpose for living. Helicopter with a national news crew sent to a cave, what a story.
His program is quoted as saying the final signs are fast being fulfilled, this raises generally the problems of the whole dispensationalist approach, danger of predictions being the last generation.
He is right to point out that return of Christ is good news and will happen, but I am wary of his predictions.
American Political Christianity
* America's Lost Dream - US founded to have only God as king.
* Crisis about politics of abortion and same-sex marriages, interesting lines drawn in the sand on issues. Seems problematic when mingling good and bad from the writers. Shows some breadth of socially conservative politics. Is the homosexual issue being overplayed??? Hard to tell. Appropriate perspective of the people that God is stronger.
*There is Bush again... No!!!!!!!! (joking). Some of those political stickers are scary, but there is a bit of balance and humour to cancel it out. Interesting political discussions where some are in love with them.
* Israel holy land - Isreali tourism ministry. The links between zionism and Christianity are interesting. The christ killers tag is perhaps unfair. They want tourism - well that would make sense. I'm not sure the people on the TV are understanding the Israel references properly. Rapture wrongly understood in these contexts.
Part of the Israel problem is that people misunderstand the impact Jesus had on the ongoing effect of God's covenant with Abraham. Good Biblical theology will teach that the land promised to Abraham now becomes fulfilled in a heavenly Jerusalem.
The Bible as God's word
The show presented an appropriate need for trust in the word of God. Whether the presentation commended the trust is another issue.
The last drilldown is all about the nature of other religions. The false religion points made were relatively fair. There were some unfortunate cringeworthy moments when discussing the Koran, but it seems lots of questions were asked about the exclusive nature of the Gospel - an exclusive nature that the bible clearly affirms.
Our faith is not about experience though, but should be nailed to the history and trustworthiness of the cross, otherwise it is all relative.

Jesus' Sermon on the Mount

The wonderful thing about commuting (and running XLS Ministry Resources) is the chance to read many well written Christian books.

This last few weeks have seen me digesting Don Carson's "Jesus' sermon on the mount and his confrontation with the world" which runs through the terrain of Matthew 5-10.

I left the book impressed with Jesus, desiring to do evangelism at work when I get the chance, and humbled by my failures before God.

I'm not sure any book could get a better review than that, as God's word shines through the writings.

Justice and Righteousness

In many a good argument Justice and Righteousness seem to be taken as seperate ideas.

Doing the right thing can be played against doing the just thing.

With God there is no such distinction. In Isaiah 42, the same Servant who brings justice to the earth has people in the coastlands waiting for his law (see v4).

There is a strong link between Jesus' bringing of justice and the personal changes that each of us go through as we are reformed to be more like him. As we are living rightly, God is using us to bring justice.

This easter we remember the radical love shown on the cross to sinners who did not deserve it. Christ died for his enemies, while they were his enemies. But we also remember that they are being changed and reformed into good friends.

Grace was never cheap, the crucifixion makes that clear, but Christ, the perfectly righteous, brings justice by taking away the sins of his people and teaching them the righteousness he practiced.

Jesus is someone we can go to for self-affirmation. His sacrifice makes us of real worth, but it shows that there was a problem so large that he needed to die.

How to interpret the Bible

According to JI Packer

There is more involved in witness to Christ than throwing pre-arranged clumps of text at unbelieving heads; the meaning and application of the gospel must be explained to men and women in their actual situation.
... Biblical terms and images (sin, justification, sacrifice, covenant, holiness, priest, blood, spirit for instance) are not self-explanatory; it is therefore our task as witnesses to Christ to seek out ways and means of making their meaning clear.

If you liked that, this next bit hits the nail on the head.

Not that we may alter or revise the gospel in order to make it more pallatable to the modern mind. That would be treachery to Christ. Our business is to present the Christian faith clothed in modern terms, not to propagate modern thought clothed in Christian terms. Our business is to interpret and criticise modern thought by the gospel, not vice versa.

Sheer Bravery

This sort of selfless sacrifice was shown by one of my best mate's (from a previous church) dad. To jump in a car to save kids from being swept away is incredible, but totally in step with his character shown over the time I have known him.

Thank God he is still alive.

Primates spotted in Tanzania

The heads of each Province of the Anglican Church (known as primates) are currently meeting together in Tanzania.

While a few procedural issues will dominate the play for the first few days, it will be interesting to see the events play out.

My concerns about church unity coming from a common truth will hopefully be reflected in a common patnership and mission are not guaranteed to be reflected in the decisions of the meeting, but much prayer is needed.

The nuts and bolts of the decisions will not come out straight away, but we need to keep praying.

Unfortunately, The Windsor Report is flawed, and the Panel of Reference has not been effective in upholding the doctrinal concerns of the faithful churches.

Pray that things are better this time.

Isaiah - Part 1 - The LORD has Spoken

Having spent a good part of this week looking at Isaiah 1-2, it has been the simple things that have struck me.

We have a God who speaks to warn his people. A God who warns of impending judgement, and the need for repentance.

We have a God who calls on his people to be washed clean, and to have their sins taken away.

We have a God who has brought to himself people to serve in his holy city, still attracting the nations in.

But all of those things come from the most exciting thing. We have a God who speaks.

A question of Timing

I am currently preparing a study on 1 Corinthians 4.

A bit that has always intrigued me is as follows:

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.

It seems to me, upon a bit of reflection that the Corinthians had fallen for a mistake when it comes to timing. Correct exposition of other bible passages (like Ephesians 2) clearly leads to a correct assumption that Christians have by grace been raised to rule with Christ over the whole of creation.

But that is not what the present age experience should be like for the Christian. We can know this because the faithful in many parts are still being treated as sport for the world, and are still under intense persecution.

The present time is for proclaiming unashamedly the message of Christ Crucified. What this leads to is the potential for suffering like Christ.

Unfortunately, as a Christian in a stable denomination (at least within Sydney) and in a prosperous city, it is easy to forget what the time is for. Paul genuinely desires in the above passage to be able to say the time is for reigning, so he doesn't have to suffer any more, but he can't.

We are called in the gospel to serve a crucified (cursed) king. The king who took our punishment upon himself. The King has been vindicated (the resurrection), and he will be vindicated (the second coming). While we wait for that final triumphant vindication, honouring the king is not by living as kings, but by serving him with our lives.