21st March 2010

These words summarize the response to Himself and His ministry which Jesus sought.

We see here that it is a command, not an option. The gospel doesn’t come out to us with a great idea but with a clear demand.  There is only one response that is suitable.  No other response is acceptable.

We see here that it is universal, not selective – all – even the most righteous by human standards stands in need to repent and believe just as much as the most wicked in our assessment.

We see that it is immediate, not gradual – yes there will be ongoing expression and development  in reality – but it is to be real in the now, not in the eventual.

We see that it is to be ongoing, not merely initial. It is a present tense imperative indicating a continual reality of daily life as Jesus’ followers, as Kingdom citizens living in this present world.

‘In convicting us of sin, God is calling on us to recognize  that the change we must make is not simply good advice; it is an imperative. He is telling us that what we have done is not merely inconvenient, counterproductive or undesirable; it is flat wrong and must be changed.’ (Jay Adams)

Scripture portrays repentance as a radical of change of heart that results in a radically different way of living – God’s way of living, Kingdom Living.

But if repentance is genuine, it will be partnered by Faith – faith in Jesus Christ as God’s instrument of salvation, the bringer of peace through His death of our sin; faith that trusts Him to save and continues to trust Him in life as we await the fullness of that salvation, regardless of circumstances.

At its core our worship as Christians is an expression of repentance and faith, and is an expression of Kingdom Living, to which Jesus Christ is central and crucial.

There is only one true God, but what is He like?

Indeed in light of the infinite glory and majesty of His Being is it possible to know God? Is He not incomprehensible, how can we know the unknowable? The answer is that the infinite God declares that finite man can know Him since He has made Himself known – and that not with resulting frustration, but rather with abiding joy, satisfaction and fulfilment.

When Paul writes in Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,” he assumes two things. First, that those who he is addressing are true, regenerate children of God, and second, that these believers have a true understanding of the God of the Bible.

This accords with Jeremiah 9:24 which we will consider today: “But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the LORD.”

The great tragedy of the modern surrender to subjectivity is that people tend to conceive of their own god, and respond in accord with this distorted image or mental idol by postulating, ‘I think God is …’. Rather, we must return to the God who has revealed himself in the Bible and the person of His eternal Son.

Such study is also immensely practical. Daniel 11:32 tells us that “the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” That is, as one knows God so they will proportionately reflect real virtue and righteous behaviour.

Peter indicates that the knowledge of God is productive of “grace and peace”, and “all that pertains to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:2-3). The deeper and wider the knowledge of the Lord, the more these things are multiplied. Throughout this letter he also shows how this true knowledge of God protects against the errors and heresies that assail the church. No wonder he calls Christians to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

If you claim to know and love God without entertaining rivals in your heart, surely nothing would take precedence over plunging yourself into the depths of His person.

Pastor John Stasse SYPC pm, 21^st February 2010

The Popular Treatment of God (1 Samuel 5&6)

The scene before us begins with the Philistine army having defeated Israel after the death of Eli, and in the process of which they had captured the ‘Ark of the Covenant’. You see Israel had foolishly taken into battle as some sort of good-luck charm or talisman in hope of victory.

The Philistine kings, having defeated Israel, took the captured Ark and placed it in their temple as a trophy of victory to their god, Dagon (whose idol was a composite of a man’s torso and a fish tail). They were in effect identifying the Ark with God in an idolatrous sense, as suggested the action of Israel in carrying it before them into battle. This was a declaration that Dagon was supreme, not the God of Israel of whom the nations had become so afraid. The Philistines were celebrating their triumph by displaying the captured ark of the Lord in Dagon’s temple at Ashdod. It was here, as it were, that the victor and the vanquished were symbolically brought face to face, but in such a way that God was being treated with contemptuous ridicule.

Notice how the ark was placed in a position of subordination “by” Dagon (v.2). In this way they sought to humiliate God by throwing Dagon’s victory in his face.

They also created the idea in the mind of the Philistine nation that the God of Israel is irrelevant for life – that their god Dagon is more powerful, the one to whom they should turn for worship, as well as in thanksgiving and worship.

And by having God’s ‘Ark’ in this temple, albeit in a secondary position, they projected a conviction that they were also able to harness his power for their lives when necessary. That is without diminishing their trust in Dagon who they now were convinced was superior, they also had the God of Israel as a kind of back-up.

Now there is something familiar in all of this.

Do we not here competing voices of contempt seeking to declare that God is dead? It was the cry of communism, and is the cry of humanism and of many areas of modern science and ethics. We here the cry of those who ask (without ever wanting an answer let alone willing to wrestle with it) ‘If God is real why doesn’t He just do something about the suffering…’

Many even without necessarily denying the existence of God or at least the possibility of it, nevertheless live as without any real reference to Him. They trust in their technology, their wisdom, their leaders. No God is not considered relevant for many in today’s world, just as He wasn’t in the days of Samuel among the Philistines.

Or if some sense the need to acknowledge God it is more in line with the ‘back-up’ theology of the Philistine model. It is not where they turn first, or trust above all – but there is a sensed need to have Him nearby just in case. This is particularly a problem facing those who have grown up in a Christian context but who never embraced Christ in faith. They don’t want to eradicate Him in terms of any significance or role in their life, but at the same time live as if he has none.

A similar disdain may be found among those who would call themselves Christians, who profess a belief in the relevance of God in their lives.

But whereas the Philistines brought the true God into the temple of an idol, they bring their idols into the house of God – but the principle of cohabitation is still the same. On top of this religious pluralism is all the go with its belief, that all religions are merely different expressions of belief in one God, and that Jesus is but one road to a common God even if for them He is seen as the main one. Their faith is perhaps involving a priority to Jesus, but not a solitariness or uniqueness. It is Christ plus whatever ‘god’ or ‘gods’ that have a current flavour in their lives, bring them some purpose or fulfil some need.

But even among those who would consider themselves more biblical in their separation this underlying attitude of disdain may yet not be far removed. It may for instance be seen in

(a) worship. For many who enter churches on Sunday their real desire is for forms and styles of worship that leave the mind untroubled and heart unexercised, but which are entertaining and create an atmosphere which leads them to say ‘Wasn’t that great’ or ‘Well that was nice’ – depending on what social grouping they come from. They approve of almost anything that works as a substitute for intercourse and homage of the soul with God. To worship in any way but “in spirit and truth” is contempt of God (whether it is being done in a modern or traditional worship format).

(b) divided loyalties. For many there are objects in their hearts and lives that are adored and pursued alongside or even over God. Jesus said you cannot serve both “God and mammon (riches)”.

(c) disobedience. To fail to keep His commandments is to throw his law it into His face, indeed it is not merely a reflection on God’s law but on God Himself. What makes sin so offence is not simply that the law if broken, but that it is God’s law that is broken. It is an affront against God, His love, His wisdom, His righteousness and justice, and even His grace. It is to say you are an equal if not greater authority!

(d) disturbing times. Melting and buckling under the situation, doubting God’s love and care or even His ability to do anything about or with this situation. This is but to pour contempt on His wisdom, power, love – on His whole character!

In each of these we’re putting ourselves, others or circumstances in the place of Dagon over and above God! Have you set up a Dagon in your life? Brought it into this house of God? That is to treat God with disdain.

Now one thing that comes out clearly in this passage is that God does not take this treatment lightly. He responds by challenging their confidences and beliefs about Him and about their Dagon.

Look at what we see! The next morning as these worshippers come in to honour their god, they see the mighty Dagon, their mighty Dagon, dislodged from his place and sprawled in all his impotence before the throne of the true and only God! And all they can do is prop Dagon up again.

The next day the scene is even more pointed. This time they find him not only dislodged but also with his head and hands removed. A very pitiful scene indeed!

The miracle was clearly done by divine power in both cases. What made it worse was that these parts were on the threshold – indicating that he was fit only to be trampled underfoot.

In so doing God revealed that the idol was very ridiculous and worthy to be despises, that it was impotent and unworthy to be trusted in or prayed to.

But more importantly it highlighted the truth concerning God: He is subordinate to none, and that God will share His glory with none, and He is the one before whom all should and indeed will bow.

Yet in all of this we see a determined unbelief. They propped him back up after the first night’s discovery. Then after the second night’s also, after which they also venerated the very spot – refusing from then on to step on the threshold! This is beyond belief – yet so it was. Despite His displays of glory, they refused to believe in God.

By this we see that the amount and clarity of evidence is not the key to faith. Jesus complained of the people in his day “If you will not believe my words, believe My works” – but He knew they would not. Elsewhere Jesus pointed out that it is that which is in the man that comes out and defiles. The problem was a heart problem, not at heart an evidence problem. Man is committed to disbelief. This is why he said to Nicodemus: “Need to be born again” to see and enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Mankind today is without excuse, yet they respond in unbelief. How we need to pray that God will bless the Word so that it will bear forth saving fruit. Without it they will respond in further and increasing disbelief. How often people pick up their fallen and shattered ‘idols’ and re-fasten into place over their lives, only to move even further away from God and to come further under the displeasure of God. Indeed do we understand that we are responding to God’s presence and power in our lives with disbelief if we fail to repent of our sins?

Their refusal to believe, though, came at a heavy price. God’s response was to bring a heavy hand upon them, just as He did against Pharaoh and the Egyptians before them. Their evasions made no difference to the reality, showing that it clearly was not a mere coincidence – it was wherever God’s ark was located. The source, they rightly concluded (v.7) after a further test, was God. The objective of the test was to see if God was really behind all of their troubles. It involved two elements. Firstly, cows which had “never been yoked” which meant they were untrained to pull a cart and probably would not go anywhere. Secondly, nursing cows which were taken away from their calves. For the cows unnaturally to head off in the opposite direction from their calves would be a clear sign that the cause of their judgment was supernatural. But these were not obstacles to God, who demonstrated His Being and glory.

Yet even when their disbelief became untenable they did not turn to faith but became filled with fear and dread of God. As someone astutely stated, ‘A delusion proved is not a delusion abandoned!’

They should’ve parted with their sin, with their idolatry rather than with the ark of God. But so defiant in their unbelief were they, so hardened by sin against the truth, they sought to get rid of God. This we see in one community after another. If we read on in 1 Samuel 6 & 7 we see this is true of Israel also. Initially the people of Beth-shemesh had rejoiced at the return of the Ark, yet they are found treating the Ark, and hence God with disdain and disbelief as they looked inside. But God’s judgment upon them did not lead them to repent but they also in a real sense ‘disposed’ of the ark for it was soon moved from Beth-shemesh to Kiriath-jearim where it remained in obscurity for some twenty years (1 Sam 7:2), during which time we are told that “all the house of Israel lamented the Lord”.

Men will cry to God in despair, but they give no evidence that sin is troubling them, only its punishment. Like the Philistines they’d like to be rid of their suffering and humiliation, but not willing to give up their Dagons. No, they’d rather get rid of God who they see as causing them all this grief.

The right response, however, is that of repentance and disposal of our idols and unbelief – cf 1 Sam 73-4. As we are brought to see the truth about God as He touches on every area and circumstance of our life from worship to service, let us – to use the words of William Cowper, pray:

“The dearest idol I have known,

Whate’er that idol be,

Help me to tear it from Thy throne,

And worship only Thee.”

Pastor John Stasse , SYPC am, 21^st February 2010

Knowing God (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Every generation has its set of values and priorities, yet as we look around our own we see it is not really that different to what God declares of Jeremiah’s day.

Some in our day place ‘wisdom’ (whether in terms of education, culture, scientism, mysticism, etc) at the top of the list. Others place ‘power’ there (personal or collective). To them it means everything, they spend their whole life pursuing and exercising it. Still others give their allegiance to ‘wealth’, the accumulation of things. And increasingly we see that for others it is more the doing of things – ie, experiences. They live for thrills, for travelling, trying new things, being at the cutting edge, etc. Though this could also be placed under the general heading of ‘power’ and even that of ‘wealth’.

But God points out, and calm reason inevitably concurs, that there is no true boasting in these things. The mind becomes forgetful or can’t keep up with new learning, culture rapidly changes, science is exposed for its bankruptcy in giving answers on how then to live; influence evaporates with the raising generation; inflation or the deceit of others erodes the wealth; experiences become like old photo albums relegated to memories as the body increasingly becomes unable to rise to the challenge of new opportunities. Temporary at best, always illusory, never satisfying, ever craving for more and more in an ad infinitum exhaustion (without or seemingly without limit).

The only true authentic basis for boasting is to be found in understanding and knowing God, and therefore by those who put Him first, and in so far as they engage in all these other things they do so from the position of and illustrative of this relationship with God.

In our monthly Discipleship Seminars this year, which we have entitled ‘Behold Your God’, we are going to consider various attributes of God has revealed concerning Himself, doing so with the aid of Packer’s ‘Knowing God’ to lead us into the Scriptures. But in so doing, to quote Packer, ‘Our concern must be to enlarge our acquaintance not simply with the doctrine of God’s attributes, but with the living God whose attributes they are. As He is the subject of our study, and our helper in it, so He must Himself be the end of it. We must seek, in studying God, to be led to God.’

This is the import of Jeremiah 9:24. By the phrase “understand and know” it speaks of the believer’s relationship with God, a relationship which must be cherished as well as enjoyed, enlarged as well as guarded. We see here:

Throughout Scripture, “knowledge” implies an intimate relationship, not just awareness (Amos 3:2, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth”), and is even used for sexual intercourse (Gen 4:1,17; Matt 1:25; John 10:14,15).

It expresses a relationship marked by genuine and warm intimacy. The knowledge of God emphasized here is not a superficial knowledge, or a mere surface awareness of the facts about God, but a genuine, personal sharing of life with Him, based on repentance from sin and personal faith in Him.

What then God is saying is that believers do not merely know about Him and able to articulate truths concerning Him which they in turn can communicate to others, but that they actually know Him and can speak of God to others in terms of relationship realities not merely factual statements.

This is what we are able to glory in, this is our glory. But do we really stop think about what that means? When was the last time you were overwhelmed by the incredible nature of that proposition that we “understand and know God”.

Think of the vast contrast between us, the very real, deep and wide gulf that exists between us. He is infinite, we are finite. He is holy and pure, the very definition of it, but in and of ourselves we are unholy and impure….

A W Pink observes ‘He is solitary in majesty, unique in His excellency, peerless in His perfection. He sustains all, but is Himself independent of all. He gives to all, but is aided by none.’

Yet what is being declared here is that mere mortals, mere creatures can “understand and know” God, that God permits, indeed invites and assures of it.

If it had pleased Him God may have continued alone for all eternity without making known His glory to His creatures. He could have been the really ‘unknown God’ and unknowable God, leaving us to just get on with life and trying to make sense of it without reference to His Being or activity.

He was perfectly blessed within Himself before the first creature was called into being. It was purely the fruit of His will without any compulsion of need. And even now, what are we that He should reveal Himself to us? Indeed as Psalm 8 asks in ceaseless wonder “What is man that You are mindful of Him?”

Yet God created mankind with a view of a genuine relationship based on a real even if limited understanding and knowing Him. He did not do this with the angels, nor with any other created being. Only of man did He say “Let us create man in our image”. Not only that He pursued us even in our sinful state to bring us out of spiritual darkness that we might be reconciled to Him and enjoy the privilege of a living and developing relationship with Him, the nature of which He communicates through the most perfect expression of openness in the loving relationships of Groom and Bride, of Husband and wife, and of Father and child.

And yet we read of the new covenant through the work of the Messiah in Jer 31:34 “they all shall know Me”. Jesus tells us that all who believe in Him “have everlasting life” (John 5:24) and then in John 17:3 spells out the very nature and essence of eternal life saying, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (see also 1 John 5:).

When Paul writes in Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,” he assumes two things. First, that those who he is addressing are true, regenerate children of God, and second, that these believers have a true understanding of the God of the Bible.

This is the reality of the Christian experience and life. We understand and know God – not fully to be sure, but certainly really. The Christian’s greatest privilege is not forgiveness nor that we are going to heaven, it is that we partake of this indescribable and privileged reality of all believers, and one that defines the very essence of heaven. But we are not called to wait till then, it is a present reality.

What God particularly declares in Jer 9:24 is that this is what we should glory in this reality. It is not a knowledge that leads to frustration but to joy, enthusiasm. We will express this to God, but also with one another, and indeed before all.

If such a glorious God can be known, and is indeed known by some, it is incumbent on us all to know Him, and more so every day. But how?

We do so the moment we believe, and yet we do so gradually. We have it, yet we know instinctively there is more of it to enter into.

We know this in terms of human relationships. A couple getting married have already come to know each other through the time of courtship end engagement, but they soon learn if they were unaware of it, that there is so much more to learn about each other and themselves in relations to one another. Every new situation of joy or challenge becomes a context of discovery.

So it is with our relationship with God. Peter Jeffrey describes that the knowledge of God we receive at conversion ‘is only the key that opens up the possibility of knowing God in His fullness.’ In becoming a Christian we understand something of His wisdom, His holiness and justice, but also His grace, mercy and love for these things are set before us in the Gospel, but when we believe we see how personal they have become, and yet we also know that we have but to scratch the surface of all that we can know in this present life of God of His Being and His ways – and what is this compared to what will be unfolded to us in glory! As John Blanchard wrote: No Christian is truly spiritual who does not revel as much in his ignorance of God as in is knowledge of Him.

And children I want you to understand that what we are speaking about here is not something you have to wait till you become an adult to possess and enjoy. Think of little Samuel in the OT. He does not stand as an isolated case. In Jesus, the moment you believe in Him, He calls you His friend, walks with you and pours out His love on you.

Nor do we have to wait till we get our lives together before we can hope that God will be like this to us. Instead it asks of all, Why delay, why even, as some, spend a whole lifetime without knowing Him when it can begin now, the moment you turn to Jesus in faith, trusting Him to be your saviour and Lord?

Yet the question remains, How do we enter and grow in such knowledge of God? If we ask ‘What is God like?’ The answer of the Bible is that He is not like anything at all. He is so gloriously unique that any attempt on our part to define God would inevitably result in idolatry, which Tozer defines as ‘to entertain thoughts about God which are unworthy of Him.’ The great danger in formulating our doctrine of God is to shape our thoughts in part or in whole more by sentimentality than truth. But where do we get the truth? The answer is that God is known as He is revealed to the heart by the Spirit of God through the Word. Yes, creation demonstrates a Creator so plainly that all are “without excuse”, but people cannot accurately perceive what that Creator is like let alone enjoy relationship-knowledge.

When you look at a watch you can see that there was a watchmaker who was gifted in detailed construction and persistent in application unto completion, releasing it to the market only when it was seen to be good. Such broad things can be said, but as to whether he or she, personality, manners, relationship skills, moral character we would be in the dark, How could we ever say ‘I know him?’

Is the infinite eternal God so much more within the grasp of human reason and deduction? Certainly not! The God of the Scripture can only be known as He makes Himself known. So we need to go to the Scriptures, and even then read them under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, and especially behold Him there in the eternal Son who became man, Jesus Christ.

But even then this knowledge of God is fragmentary. We need to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus” (1 Peter 3:18). Paul tells us in Col 1:10 that the principal prayer and aim of Christians should be that we “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God”.

The more we know of God the more we hunger to know. Once a person knows God as Father and Saviour, they will want to go on to discover as much as possible about God. And the more we learn about God the more it humbles us yet at the same time thrills us and we will find ourselves love God even more.

Some may think that seeking a clearer understanding and knowledge of God by studying the Bible is dry and dull, but the believer sees that is far from the truth, that it is exciting and satisfying. ‘What can be more exciting than discovering biblical truths about God, and what can be more satisfying than to have our minds and hearts enlarged by the knowledge of God?’ (Peter Jeffrey)

Spurgeon, when only 20 years old said, ‘Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity… Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your cares? Then go, plunge yourself in the Godhead’s deepest sea, be lost in His immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest refreshed and invigorated.’

Such a study is therefore also immensely practical. As one said, ‘the outworking of our faith is conditioned by our concept of God.’

Daniel 11:32 tells us that “the people who know their God will display strength and take action.” That is, as one knows God so they will proportionately reflect real virtue and righteous behaviour.

Peter indicates that the knowledge of God is productive of “grace and peace”, and “all that pertains to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:2-3). The deeper and wider the knowledge of the Lord, the more these things are multiplied. Throughout this letter he also shows how this true knowledge of God protects against the errors and heresies that assail the church. No wonder he calls us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

But we must be careful. Our concern in study what the Bible teaches about God is not to enlarge our acquaintance with its teaching on the attributes of God, but with the living God whose attributes they are. And in this pursuit we are greatly encouraged for this is God’s goal in us. Do we understand that this is what God wants to see in us? In Hosea 6:6 he declares that this is what He desires – “I desire mercy not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burn offerings.’

Do we realise how much we lack knowledge of God? We need to ask God to show us how impoverished in this understanding and knowledge we are.

Do we realize how impotent we are in coming to such knowledge of God? We need to pray that God by His Holy Spirit would shine in our hearts to give us “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Himself” (1 Cor 4:6). Our knowing another really depends more on them allowing us to know them than on our attempts to getting to know them. Our great joy is that God invites us to understand and know Him. Our great responsibility, the prime pursuit of our lives is to so know Him.

Lastly, do we realise how this ought to be the essence and sum of life and living? All around us the knowledge of God is despised and sadly even within the church is often neglected, treated as an ordinary thing. Yet this subject as Calvin rightly says ‘is justly entitled to the labour of a whole life; nay, were a hundred lives given us, this one thing would be sufficient to engage our attention.’ May God give us grace that this will never be an undervalued possession!

The Bible teaches that God can be known. That’s astonishing, isn’t it?

The God of the Universe has chosen to reveal Himself to us. In Jeremiah 9:24 He declares that His people “understand and know Him” – speaking not just knowing about Him, but knowing Him in an intimate relational way

But how well do we know Him?

Isn’t it true that the more we know Him the more we want to know Him? The Christians prayer is to be “increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col 1:10). God desires us to know Him more fully, more accurately and more personally. And so do we.

Perhaps you have read J.I. Packer’s wonderful book, Knowing God. I believe that this book surely ranks as one of those books that people say, ‘It made a lasting impact upon my life.’ This year at SYPC in our monthly Discipleship Seminars (on the last Sunday evening of the month, February to November from 5.30pm) we will be looking at several chapters of Packer’s Knowing God. We will be focusing on his second section under the title ‘Behold Your God’. Hope you can join in.

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. – A W Tozer