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Jul

2022

The Only Saviour of Sinners

THE ONLY SAVIOUR OF SINNERS

When Christ was born, via a virgin birth

The skies were filled with angelic mirth

Who couldn’t give praise, or not be thrilled?

The ancient prophecies were now fulfilled

And central to redemption’s plan

The Son of God was born a man

He came from heaven, to earth to dwell

God with us – Emmanuel

Some shepherds came to see the sight

They paid their homage, that first Christmas night

And wise men too, travelled from afar

Gave gifts to the Christ – guided by His star

The Saviour was reared in a normal family

Living in Nazareth, near the Sea of Galilee

He laboured away in the carpentry trade

From stone and wood, various items He made

His divine identity was largely concealed

Until the time came, to be revealed

Then on one day, to John’s surprise

Jesus came to the Jordan, to be baptised

And the Spirit descended, like a dove

And God the Father, expressed His love

He was in the wilderness for forty days

But to Satan’s wiles, He never gave way

And then He began His public ministry

And with very many miracles, He proved His deity

He turned plain water into wine

He cast out demons – they entered the swine

With just two fish and five loaves of bread

Five thousand plus, were miraculously fed

Peter’s wife’s mother lay sick in bed

But one touch from the Saviour, and the fever fled

Lepers were cleansed, and the dead were raised

Lives were transformed, to the Saviour’s praise

With just a word, He calmed the sea

It all begged the question ‘Who could this be?’

At Caesarea Philippi, He asked this question

‘You’re the Christ of God’ was Peter’s confession

Then furthermore, on Hermon’s height

He was transfigured before them – turning dazzling white

And heaven again spoke, to the disciples’ fear

‘This is My Son – It is He you should hear’

Then some months later, the appointed time drew nigh

For the purpose of His coming – to suffer and to die

On trumped up charges, being unjustly tried

They nailed Him to a Cross: He was crucified

On Calvary’s tree, He shed His precious blood

To reconcile us sinners – to bring us back to God

He bore the sins of others, when He died on that tree

When we put our faith in Jesus, from God’s fearful wrath we’re free

At the moment when a sinner, is enabled to believe

A present, full salvation, is God’s promise to receive

For God’s own Son alone, can make us truly whole

And impart God’s salvation, to the needy, human soul

Christ died, and then His body, was laid in Joseph’s tomb

The disciples locked themselves away, in sorrow, and in gloom

Their hearts were very broken, yet, they were so very wrong

In thinking that their Greatest Friend, was now just dead and gone

For three days later, as He’d said, to them the Christ appeared!

Their sadness now was turned to joy, their souls were greatly cheered

He was alive, as prophesied – now risen from the dead

‘Come touch and handle Me, for real’ were the words to them He said

The Saviour conquered death and the grave

He arose victorious – He’s mighty to save

In Him there’s full salvation, for no money and no price

For all who realise their sin – and trust in Jesus Christ

He commissioned His disciples, He commanded proclamation

The message of salvation is for each and every nation

He ascended on a cloud to heaven – to the glory in the sky

And promised to return one day, in the future, by and by

Yes the sceptics always scoff, and the scornful have their say

But it can’t be refuted that Christ Jesus lives today

Seated there in the Glory now, enthroned at God’s right hand

He’s building up His Church on earth – the saved from every land

God’s purposes will triumph – not by force, and not by sword

But the preaching of the gospel – by the Spirit, through the Word

The church, it needs no gimmicks, it needs no special effects

Through simple gospel preaching, God will save His own elect

The Saviour’s final words to us were ‘I am coming soon’

Yes the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, to this fallen world of gloom

Our broken world needs fixing – Christ alone can make amends

And this will surely happen, when to earth He next descends

His people will dwell with Him, they’ll delight to see His face

And rehearse salvation’s story ‘I’m a sinner saved by grace’

So ensure you’re trusting Christ today, or you will be but lost

Believe in Jesus, while you may – He paid redemption’s cost

His invitation still avails – you still can hear Him say

That ‘Every one who comes to Me, I’ll never turn away.’

Timothy Cross

Jan

2022

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Review

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Timothy Cross
DayOne Publications
206 pages; £5.00
ISBN:978-1-84625-680-6

This is an excellent book which does what it says: it encourages Christians for both Christmas and the New Year. There are 30 chapters, each four to five pages long: 15 on the theme of Christ’s birth and 15 for the New Year. It is a lovely blend of solid Bible doctrine and devotional application.

Each chapter ends with three points to reflect on, which remind the reader to pause and think again rather than rush on.

The Christmas chapters cover some familiar themes under catchy headings. They are always engaging and point to Christ and the great salvation truths. For instance, we learn how Jesus is the true ‘son of my sorrow’ (Genesis 35:18 – a reference to Rachel giving birth at Bethlehem), and how Bethlehem (‘house of bread’) and Ephrathah (‘fruitful’) point to the Lord’s Supper.

The New Year chapters include headings like, ‘The unknown year ahead’, ‘One day at a time’, and ‘Peace: the lasting legacy of Jesus’. Here, again, are many truths which point to the character of God, the sufficiency of Jesus, and the promised blessing and support which all believers can know as they go forward into the New Year. These chapters will be especially helpful to those with particular problems, worries, and trials, but they are also a reminder to every Christian that our times are in God’s hands and we must trust him for the future.

In our modern pressurised world, here is an ideal book for every Christian. Try reading a chapter a day from mid-December to mid-January.
Reviewed by Paul Relf, Chatham

Apr

2020

The Corona Virus

I am writing these words during the unprecedented times of the Corona virus. Currently, we are living through a worldwide pandemic known as Covid19. Here in Britain – and elsewhere – we are under ‘lock down’ to prevent the virus spreading. This apart, every day the news reports a sad death toll. Many have lost their jobs as well as their loved ones. Normal life seems to be on hold, with the closure of non-essential shops, places of entertainment, restaurants and even churches. Thankfully, I still have a job, as technically I am a ‘key worker.’ Work though has introduced ‘social distancing’, as have the supermarkets. They have supplied us with hand sanitizer, and everywhere there are notices stressing the importance of hand washing. On a happier note, the country seems to be united in battle against the virus. On a Thursday night at 2000 hrs, we all go outside and give our beleaguered NHS workers – and other key workers – a well deserved and supportive round of applause. But do the Scriptures shed any light on the current Corona virus? Of course they do.

The Providence of God

Scripture teaches that behind every event, ultimately there lies the will of God. God is working His eternal purposes out. ‘For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory for ever. Amen’ (Romans 11:36). The events of this life then are not accidental but providential – ordained and foreordained by Almighty God. ‘God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures and all their actions’ (Shorter Catechism). Almighty God is thus is control of the farthest planet, and Almighty God is thus in control of the minutest microbe. He is God. He is beholden to no one. He knows what He is doing and why He is doing it. It would appear that He is currently thwarting some of the modern day idols – sporting events have been cancelled; social gatherings of all kinds have been prohibited and the economy has taken a downturn. It would also appear that with so many events totally beyond our control, He is reminding us that we are not in charge, but that He is the One at the helm of the universe. The Corona Virus knocks away our earthly props and teaches us just how dependent we are on God. Whatever the circumstances, the Christian is called to trust God through thick and thin. ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Genesis 18:25). He is under no obligation to explain His ways to us. ‘How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!’ (Romans 11:33). William Cowper wrote:-

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps on the sea
And rides upon the storm

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower.

Have faith in God

For the Christian, a time of crisis is an opportunity to trust in God and grow in faith. God has not vacated His throne! ‘The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all’ (Psalm 103:19). Testing times are to be trusting times, and the God of the Bible is infinitely worthy of your trust. The Bible often descries God as a ‘Rock.’ In Him we may find stability in unstable times. Isaiah 26:3,4 ‘Thou dost keep him imperfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because He trusts in Thee. Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.’

Be sensible

The Bible never encourages us to be presumptuous or reckless, but sane and sober minded. God uses means. He uses secondary causes. Thus we pray for daily bread – but also work so we can buy bread. We pray that God would protect us – but we also lock our doors. We pray for our unsaved friends – but also hand them a Gospel tract and even invite them to church. The Corona Virus reveals our fragility and vulnerability. It casts us on God. But this does not mean that we should not obey the government’s guidelines, so: observe your social distance; stay at home in isolation of you have the symptoms; be very careful about hygiene; seek medical advice is you are really smitten by the virus and have difficulty breathing.

Banish your fears with faith

While it is right and compassionate to be concerned about the present pandemic, fear is not compatible with faith. It is incompatible with knowing God as Father, Christ as Saviour and the indwelling comfort of God’s Holy Spirit. Isaiah 12:2 exclaims ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.’

Fear is as needless as it is pointless and sinful. Why? Because our times are safely in God’s hands. Scripture reveals the He, in His providence, has foreordained both the day of our birth and the day of our death, and we will not die prematurely and we will also not breathe for a moment longer than God has foreordained. ‘In Thy book were written, ever one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them’ (Psalm 139:16).

So take heart. God is in control. Your days are in His care. You are immortal until He sees fit to call you home, whether by old age, illness, accident so-called, or even by the Corona Virus. God knows best!

Sovereign Ruler of the skies
Ever gracious, ever wise
All my times are in Thy hand
All events at Thy command

He that formed me in the womb
He shall guide me to the tomb
All my times shall ever be
Ordered by His wise decree

Plagues and deaths around me fly
Till He bids I cannot die
Not a single shaft can hit
Till the love of God sees fit.

Nov

2019

TULIP

One of my earliest memories is that of a family holiday in Holland. I have never been back since, but I can still recall the windmills, novelty clogs, the waterways of Amsterdam, a tour of an Edam cheese factory and the very friendly welcome which the Dutch people gave to us children. Most vividly of all though I can still picture the vast fields of tulips. These seemed like a great sea of red, surging and rippling in the wind.

In 1618 in Holland, the Synod of Dort was convened by the Dutch Reformed Church. The lasting outcome of this Synod was five articles, easily remembered by the acrostic T.U.L.I.P. The articles are known as the ‘Five Points of Calvinism’ and they give a very succinct summary of the Faith of the Bible. The five letters in the TULIP acrostic stand for:-

T – Total Depravity

U – Unconditional Election

L – Limited Atonement

I – Irresistible Calling

P – Perseverance of the Saints

Let us then consider these five points–also known as ‘The Doctrines of Grace’–a little more closely.

1. Total Depravity

‘Total depravity’ gives a biblical diagnosis of the human condition. As descendants of Adam, we are sinners who need to be saved, and ‘total depravity’ refers to our total inability to save ourselves. We are helpless and hopeless apart from God’s saving grace.

Total depravity does not mean that every one is as evil as it is humanly possible to be, but rather that sin has infected and affected us totally: by nature our hearts are dead towards God, so we do not naturally love Him; by nature our minds are ignorant of God – they are spiritually blind – so that we do not naturally know Him; by nature our wills – subject to our sinful nature – are disobedient towards God, so that we do not naturally seek Him or obey His law. Sin then has affected us totally. We need to be saved, but being spiritually dead in our sins, we are unable to save ourselves and reach out to God for mercy.

Total depravity then is the first point of the five points of Calvinism. There is a reason for this. How and where we start determines where we go. Defective views of human sin will lead to a defective view – or non-view – of salvation. We have to dig deep into the dark soil before we can build up high into the light. A correct diagnosis always precedes a correct cure. The biblical diagnosis of the human condition is ‘Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me’ (Psalm 51:5). ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands, no one seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does good, not even one’ (Romans 3:10-12).

2. Unconditional Election

Unable to save ourselves, God alone can save. Unconditional election reminds us that the initiative in salvation is God’s, not ours. He is a God of sovereign grace. Before the foundation of the world, the eternal, omniscient God saw all humanity. Out of these, He exercised His divine prerogative, and chose an innumerable number for eternal salvation from their lost, condemned plight. He chose – or elected – these for eternal blessing, and by-passed others. His elect had not yet been born, so their salvation was solely due to God’s unconditional choice of them, not to their own merit or demerit.

Divine election has never been a popular doctrine, as it is such a blow to human pride and self-sufficiency. But the Bible teaches divine election throughout its pages:- ‘He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world …’ (Ephesians 1:4). ‘We know, brethren beloved by God, that He has chosen you’ (1 Thessalonians 1:4). To those who object to God’s divine right of choosing some and not others, the Bible’s reply is ‘let God be God.’ Romans 9:21 asks the rhetorical question ‘Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use?’

3. Limited Atonement

Limited atonement – also known as ‘particular redemption’ teaches that Christ died to procure and secure the salvation of God’s elect – the forgiveness of their sins and their eternal peace with God. Christ died, not for everyone – certainly not for those lost in hell – but for a particular people: God’s elect. His death was thus a purposeful, not a pointless one. His death did not make salvation potential or possible, but rather it actually procured the salvation of God’s elect. Christ’s death then – the central point of the five points in every way – and the redeeming benefits of His death was limited – or confined – to God’s elect. It was not for the world in general, for if so, it would have been for no one in particular. Christ’s death was neither vague nor in vain, for Scripture teaches that Christ’s death was with a view to the actual salvation of a particular people: ‘He was wounded for our transgressions …’ (Isaiah 53:5). ‘He will save His people from their sins’ (Matthew 1:21). ‘Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her’ (Ephesians 5:25) et al.

4. Irresistible Calling

Irresistible calling is the next step in the divine plan of salvation, and is both logical and theological. Irresistible calling teaches that those whom God has chosen, and those for whom Christ died to redeem, will most certainly be called to saving faith in Christ in time. God, by His Word and Spirit is active in applying the work of Christ’s atonement to His people. He overcomes all the barriers of human inability, hostility and apathy, and draws them to the foot of the cross and enables them to trust the crucified Saviour for full salvation. Jesus Himself said ‘No one can come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me draws him’ (John 6:44) and ‘All that the Father gives Me (that is, His elect) will come to me’ (John 6:37).

‘Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of God and renewing our wills, He doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel’ (Shorter Catechism).

5. Perseverance of the Saints

The perseverance of the saints refers to the divine preservation of God’s elect for eternal glory. They will not fall away, as God the Father does not cast out His children. The Bible teaches the eternal security of the Christian. Those chosen by God, redeemed by Christ and sanctified by His Spirit will never by lost but kept by God for eternal glory. Salvation is God’s work. It is He Who does the choosing, redeeming, calling and keeping, and nothing can frustrate, thwart, spoil or mar omnipotence. ‘In Him, according to the purpose of Him Who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of His will, we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of His glory’ (Ephesians 1:11,12).

Christians have come to know the Lord Jesus as their Good Shepherd Who gave His life to save them. This Shepherd will never abandon His sheep. He stated ‘My sheep hear My voice, and I known them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand’ (John 10:27,28).

There then are the doctrines of grace – the so called ‘Five Points of Calvinism.’ With election in eternity past at one end, glorification at the other, and the cross of Christ in the middle, they are an all embracing statement of Christian doctrine:- Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Calling and the Perseverance of the Saints. C.H Spurgeon referred to these five points as ‘five great lamps which help to irradiate the cross; or, rather, five bright emanations springing from the glorious covenant of our Triune God, illustrating the great doctrine of Jesus crucified.’ He was right. When the five points of Calvinism truly grip the Christian’s heart, our response can only be that of praising and magnifying the grace of God and the God of grace as revealed to us in His inerrant Word:-

Amazing grace how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found

Was blind but now I see

The Lord has promised good to me

His Word my hope secures

He will my Shield and Portion be

As long as life endures

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail

And mortal life shall cease

I shall possess within the veil

A life of joy and peace.

Timothy Cross

Nov

2019

Keeping Body and Soul Together

Physical and Spiritual Necessities

When the Apostle Paul found himself both in a Roman prison cell and approaching the end of his earthly life, he wrote the following request to my namesake Timothy: ‘When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments’ (2 Timothy 4:13). The request divides neatly into two. i. Paul requested his ‘cloak’ for his physical well-being and ii. Paul requested ‘the books and … the parchments’ for study – for his mental and spiritual well-being.

1. The Cloak

‘When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas …’ The cloak referred to here was a heavy, outer garment, made of Cicilian goats’ hair. Simple in design, it would have been sleeveless and circular in shape when laid flat, the only notable feature being a hole for the head. 2 Timothy 4:21 suggests that winter was approaching. Paul’s prison cell would have lacked our central heating! His thick cloak would have helped maintain a degree of bodily warmth and comfort.

According to the Bible, we are ‘bi-partite’ beings. That is, we are constituted of body and soul. Almighty God made us this way. ‘The LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being’ (Genesis 2:7). We should take care of our bodies, as they are the vehicle in which we glorify God our maker. This will always be so, for the ultimate Christian hope – that is, our confident expectation based on the sure promises of God – is not the salvation of the soul, but the resurrection of the body. Even now though, we should be good stewards of the bodies God has given us. They are actually – if we belong to Jesus – the temple of God Himself. ‘Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? … (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Food and clothing are basic requirements for our body well-being. The Lord Jesus – God’s own Son – assures us that God our Father will ensure that His adopted children will never lack either whilst their earthly life lasts. Jesus said ‘Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? … Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?’ (Matthew 6:26,28-30).

2. The Books and the Parchments

‘When you come, bring … the books and above all the parchments …’ The consensus is that Paul was here requesting the Holy Scriptures that were extant in his day – our Old Testament which foretold the coming of Christ, and perhaps the sayings of the Saviour which had been written down, similar to the kind utilised by Luke when he researched and compiled his Gospel (Luke 1:1-4). ‘The books’ refer to papyrus scrolls. ‘The parchments’ refer to the more expensive animal skins on which the scribes carefully and reverently copied the sacred Scriptures.

It is evident from our verse and its context that the Apostle Paul prized the Scriptures very highly. He knew that they were no ordinary writings but the very Word of God written. He had stated to Timothy a little earlier ‘All Scripture is inspired by God (that is ‘God-breathed’) and profitable …’ (2 Timothy 3:16). Paul was aware that his remaining time on earth was short. Nevertheless, he wished to use the time had had left profitably – and nothing was more profitable to Paul than the Scriptures. He was a life-long disciple of Christ – and the name ‘disciple’ means ‘learner.’ Thus Paul, vastly experienced in the ways of God though he was, never lost the desire to learn in the school of Christ. Paul loved the Saviour. Paul longed to know the Saviour better and make Him better known. The means by which he did this were the Scriptures – ‘the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus’ (2 Timothy 3:15). The inspired Word and the incarnate Word are, of course, distinct. Yet in our Christian experience they co-alesce and are less distinguishable. Jesus Himself said that ‘the Scriptures (are) they that bear witness to Me’ (John 5:39).

So one of Paul’s final requests on earth was for i. A cloak for his bodily warmth and ii. The Scriptures for the warmth of his soul. His desire for the Word of God surely finds an echo in every believer. A desire for and love for the Bible is one evidence that we have been truly born again. A new life has to be fed and sustained. Hence Peter – Paul’s colleague in the Faith – could write to believers ‘As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby’ (1 Peter 2:2, KJV). If we love the Saviour, we will love the Book which draws us closer to Him. As clothing is essential for our physical well-being, so the Bible is indispensable for our spiritual well-being. It will be so until we see the Saviour fact to face, and the Word in Person renders the Word in print obsolete. It is only when we see Jesus that we will need our Bibles no more.

Timothy Cross

Nov

2019

Darker Days of the Soul

When the hour goes back at the end of October each year, the daylight begins to get shorter, and the long, dark nights return once more. I have to confess that, whilst each season of the year has its compensations, this is my least favourite time of the year. A bit of me almost envies those animals that are able to hibernate until the brighter days of Spring! Living in the UK though, we cannot avoid dark days – the days when the clouds don’t go away, and the whole atmosphere seems uninviting and gloomy.

Physical darkness is one thing, but what of the dark days of the soul? How do we cope with the darker seasons of our lives – the times of sorrow and suffering, disappointment, discouragement and depression which come upon all God’s people at some time? Consider the following thoughts from the Bible:-

The Providence of God

The Bible teaches that darkness is part of God’s created order. Darkness therefore – both physical and personal – is not accidental but providential. It is ordered by God Himself. ‘God’s works of providence are His most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures and all their actions’ (Shorter Catechism). The Bible reminds us ‘While the earth remains … summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease’ (Genesis 8:22). ‘Thou makest darkness, and it is night …’ (Psalm 104:20). And in Isaiah 45:6,7 God Himself pronounces ‘‘I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness …’’ Remembering then that the dark days of our lives are as equally from God as the bright ones makes them much easier to accept. God is on the throne of the universe! He is infinite in His wisdom and love. He knows how to balance both the seasons of nature and the seasons of the soul for our ultimate blessing and His eternal glory.

The Purpose of God

The Puritans used to say that ‘Grace grows in Winter.’ Darkness necessitates our walking by faith and not sight. We do not always know what God is doing in our lives – but He does, and He is infinitely worthy of our trust. With Job we may affirm ‘But He knows the way that I take … What He desires, that He does. For He will complete what He appoints for me … (Job 23:10,13,14). What is dark and puzzling to us is as clear as day to Him Who is all-knowing. Hence David’s confession that ‘even the darkness is not dark to Thee, the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light with Thee’ (Psalm 139:12).

The Presence of God

The Bible assures God’s children that He will never leave them alone in the dark. He is a God of covenant faithfulness, Who stands by His people through thick and thin, through light and darkness. His love will not let us go! There is a well known hymn which includes the lines:-

Days of darkness still come o’er me

Sorrows paths I often tread

But the Saviour still is with me

By His hand I’m safely led.

The comforting presence of God with us in our darkness is surely superior to any explanations. And in His Word God promises ‘I will never fail you nor forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5). Small wonder then that the promises of God in the Bible are often pictured as a welcome light in a dark place. ‘Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Psalm 119:105). ‘You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts’ (2 Peter 1:19).

The Praises of God

The Bible teaches that it is actually possible to sing cheerfully even in dark times, that is, to delight to continue to give God the praise He alone deserves. He ‘gives songs in the night’ (Job 35:10). ‘At night His song is with me’ (Psalm 42:8). We recall a certain dark, dingy, dirty, dank and disgusting prison in Philippi. Two Christian prisoners were once held captive there. Acts 16:25 though tells us that ‘about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.’ It goes to show that it really is possible to sing during dark and dreary days. The God of the Bible has not changed. He is ‘unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth’ (Shorter Catechism). In dark days He is still the God ‘Who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of His will’ (Ephesians 1:11). And even in dark days the truth still stands that ‘in everything God works for good with those who love Him’ (Romans 8:28), for His love towards His people cannot be extinguished by any darkness. When we realise these precious truths, a song of praise and thanksgiving is elicited from our hearts. By His grace we may ‘Rejoice in the Lord always’ (Philippians 4:4). Behind a frowning providence He surely hides a smiling face. So we may trust and praise Him on both cloudy days and clear days, in day time and in the night.

The Pre-eminence of God

Finally, the Bible teaches that, for the Christian, dark days and night time are only temporary. ‘The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day’ (Proverbs 4:18). Christians alone are children of light. ‘He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son’ (Colossians 1:13). On the cross the Lord Jesus suffered both physical, spiritual and eternal darkness. He bore our sins and God’s judgement upon them so that all who believe in Him may bask in God’s eternal light one day. So if we belong to Jesus, better, brighter and glorious times are coming. Yes, this world has its darkness. But in God’s kingdom darkness will be banished, and banished eternally. In God’s kingdom it will always be light. ‘And night shall be no more; they need no light or lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever’ (Revelation 21:5).

So, dear Christian friend, do not be surprised if you experience dark days. They are part of God’s all-wise ordering of the universe. Remember that the Lord Jesus is ‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12) and seek His grace to live with whatever circumstances He sends your way. And never forget that brighter days are surely coming, for ‘the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us’ (Romans 8:18). Your testimony will yet be ‘the LORD my God lightens my darkness’ (Psalm 18:28).

Timothy Cross

Jul

2019

The Holy Trinity

Glory be to God the Father

Glory be to God the Son

Glory be to God the Spirit

Great Jehovah, Three in One:

Glory, glory

While eternal ages run!

The doctrine of the divine Trinity is a Fundamental Christian belief and Christian distinctive. The doctrine of the divine trinity is often regarded as the touchstone of Christian orthodoxy. All false religions, cults and heresies are a denial of the Trinity in some way or other.

The final authority for Christian faith and practice is the Word of God, the Bible. It may then surprise you to know that the word ‘Trinity’ is not actually used in the Bible to describe the Deity revealed there. Yet paradoxically, the word ‘Trinity’ could not be more biblical. Christian theologians coined the word as a way of describing the Tri-une nature of the One Who is revealed in the pages of Scripture. The Bible teaches that God is one and God is three. The Shorter Catechism reads:-

Are there more Gods than one?

There is but one only, the living and true God.

How many persons are in the Godhead?

There are three persons in the God-head, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

The Unity of God

The unity of God is a basic axiom of Scripture. If the Old Testament has a ‘creed’ it is Deuteronomy 6:4 which affirms: ‘Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. The Faith of the Bible is strictly – even intolerantly – monotheistic. God alone can declare ‘I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like Me’ (Isaiah 46:9). It is the strict monotheism of the Old Testament which is the rationale behind the first and foremost of the ten commandments where God states: ‘I am the LORD your God … You shall have no other gods before Me’ (Exodus 20:1,3). Jeremiah 10:10 declares ‘The LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.’ Hence both the seriousness and the folly of idolatry, that is, giving allegiance to anyone or anything other than the one, true God.

The Tri-unity of God

Whilst the Bible is very strict in its monotheism, it also reveals a distinction of Persons within the One true God – a Tri-unity. This is evident from the very first page of Scripture. The Bible begins ‘In the beginning God …’ (Genesis 1:1). The word for ‘God’ here is the plural word ‘Elohim.’ We then get a glimpse of this plurality when we read on and see that ‘the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters’ (Genesis 1:2) and also read that ‘God said …’ (Genesis 1:1 et. al.). The latter refers to God’s Word. John 1:1-18 – with its echoes of Genesis 1:1 – describes this Word of God as none other than the eternal Son of God Who, in the fullness of time became Man in the Lord Jesus Christ. We thus glimpse both the unity and the trinity of God – His tri-unity/diversity in unity – on the very first page of Scripture. The account of creation in Genesis 1 reaches its climax with the creation of man. The plurality within God’s unity is seen in that epochal event when we read that God said ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’ (Genesis 1:26). The first chapter of the Bible tallies with the first chapter of the last book of the Bible, for Revelation 1:4,5 contains the opening greeting: ‘Grace to you and peace from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven spirits Who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.’

The New Testament

It is in the New Testament, however, that the Trinitarian nature of the one true God comes into sharper focus. We see this notably in the baptism of the Lord Jesus by John the Baptist in the river Jordan – an event related by all three synoptic Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark and Luke. Taking Matthew’s account as our example, we see that:-

‘Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptised by him’ (Matthew 3:13) – a reference to God the Son, the second person of the Trinity.
‘When Jesus was baptised … the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting on Him’ (Matthew 3:16) – a reference to God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, and:-
‘lo a voice from heaven, saying ‘This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased’’ (Matthew 3:17 – a reference to God the Father, the first person of the Trinity.

The divine Trinity is thus seen at the outset of Jesus ministry, as it is also seen at its end, when Jesus gave His final ‘Great Commission’ to His disciples so: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ (Matthew 28:19).

Triune Salvation

We have seen that the Bible reveals the divine Trinity in action at the creation of the universe, as related in Genesis 1: The universe was created through the action of both God’s Word – the Lord Jesus Christ – ‘all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made’ (John 1:2) – and God’s Spirit moving over the face of the waters.

The Bible also reveals that all three members of the Trinity cooperate in the sinner’s salvation – the new creation. Each divine Person has His distinct role in the divine economy in achieving the sinner’s eternal blessedness. 1 Peter 1:2, for instance, reads that Christians are ‘chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood. Then Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 says to the believers in Thessalonica that ‘God chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.’ Christian salvation is thus a tri-une salvation. If we are saved it is because we have been chosen for salvation by God the Father in eternity past. He then sent His Son to procure our salvation through the shedding of His precious blood on Calvary’s cross. The Holy Spirit of God then applies this work of redemption to our hearts, convicting us of our sin and enabling us to trust in the crucified Christ, and so be reconciled to God the Father.

Christian salvation therefore is a result of the working of God the Holy Trinity. And Christian experience continues to be tri-une. Prayer is one of the Christian’s highest earthly privileges. Whilst all three members of the Trinity may be invoked in prayer, as all three are persons, normally prayer is a matter of coming to God the Father, through God the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit – ‘through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father’ (Ephesians 2:18).

Every Christian grace and blessing therefore is a result of the operation of God the Holy Trinity. The Christian Faith is Trinitarian in doctrine, practice and experience. Hence, since the first century, it is fitting that public Christian worship has invariably been concluded by quoting the famous benediction of 2 Corinthians 13:12: ‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.’

The Christian Faith then – as revealed in Scripture, and defined in the subordinate standards of the Christian church – is distinctly, distinctively, distinguishingly and definitely Trinitarian. It is against this touchstone that all counterfeit faiths may be weighed in the balance and found wanting. True Christianity is Trinitarian in its doctrine, salvation, experience and praise:-

Almighty God to Thee

Be endless honours done

The undivided Three

And the mysterious One

Where reason fails, with all her powers

There faith prevails, and love adores.

Copyright Timothy Cross

Jul

2019

The Severn Bridge

I used to work on the fifteenth floor of a tower block in Cardiff. On a clear day you could see both Severn bridges from the window. The first Severn Bridge was opened in 1966. The second one was opened in 1996. The latter is 5,128 metres in length – just over three miles.

The Severn Bridge links England and Wales. If it wasn’t for the Severn Bridge, you would have to make a fifty-seven-mile detour around Gloucester to get in or out. Before the first Severn Bridge, you would have used the Aust Ferry to cross the waters of the River Severn. The Aust Ferry began operating in 1926, but we are told that ferries across the Severn go back even to Medieval times.

If a remarkable feat of engineering was needed to literally bridge the distance between England and Wales over the River Severn, what would it take to bridge the infinite distance between you and me and God our Maker? God is surely above and beyond us. He is high and holy. We are small, and we are sinners, and it is our sin which especially and particularly separates us from God and enjoying His fellowship, and will do so eternally unless it is dealt with. Isaiah 59:2 states ‘Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you so that He does not hear.’

The Christian gospel proclaims that, in His great mercy, God Himself has built a bridge between Himself and us, and we may travel on that bridge, and reach Him, and be assured of a welcome and acceptance. That bridge is the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s own Son and the only Saviour of sinners.

In 1 Timothy 2:5 we read the statement ‘For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.’ A mediator is a ‘go-between’ – or, if you like, a bridge. How is Jesus this mediator? Scripture teaches that He is so in both His person and His work – by who He is and by what He has done.

The Person of Christ

Jesus is the one mediator between us and God because He is the God-man – God incarnate. In Christ, God came down to our human level. Philippians 2:6,7 says of Christ that ‘though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.’

The Work of Christ

Secondly, Jesus is the one mediator between God and us because He has dealt with the cause of the great separation between God and us, namely our sin. On the cross, He, the sinless one, was made accountable for our sins. He is ‘the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). 1 John 3:5 states ‘You know that He appeared to take away sins and in Him there is no sin.’ When we put of faith in Jesus then, our sin problem – the sin which separates us from God – is dealt with. Through Jesus we may be reconciled to God. His cross is the bridge – the bridge which reconciles sinners to God.

The Gospel of Reconciliation

‘Reconciliation’ therefore is one of the key words of the Christian faith and integral to the Christian gospel. To reconcile means ‘to bridge’ – to bring together two sides which were previously separated or to bring together two sides which were previously at enmity or at odds. Romans 5:11 reads ‘we … rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have received our reconciliation and 2 Corinthians 5:19 explains ‘in Christ (that is, by means of Christ) God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.’

The ‘message of reconciliation’ is thus a synonym for the Christian gospel. The gospel by implication has an evangelistic appeal. It urges a response. So the apostle continues on an urgent note ‘We beseech you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God’(2 Corinthians 5:20) – that is, acknowledge you are separated from your Maker by your sin; put your faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and through Him know the forgiveness of your sins, peace with God and restored fellowship with Him for time and eternity.

So, just as the Severn Bridge enables the tidal waters of the Severn to be crossed without danger, Jesus Christ alone is the one bridge between us and a holy God. ‘He to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood’ goes the hymn. Why not memorise 1 Timothy 2:5. It is a key verse of the Bible: ‘There is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.’ And if you have never done so, put your faith in this one Mediator while you may.

Copyright, Timothy Cross

Jul

2019

When We Don’t Understand

John 13:7 contains these words of the Lord Jesus – words spoken in the Upper Room, as He washed His disciples feet, before His death on the cross: Jesus said ‘What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.’

John 13:7 seems to have a wider application than just its original context. The verse reveals something of the way of God with His children. The verse suggests that at any one, particular moment, we may be in the dark concerning God’s dealings with us. We might not understand what He is doing in our lives at all. The verse also suggests that, happily, one day, all will be revealed and made plain, and, with our full hindsight, we would not want things to have been any other way at all.

Jesus’ words in John 13:7 are words to hold on to. We all have our disappointments. We all can get dreadfully disillusioned and disheartened. Circumstances sometimes knock the steam right out of us and leave us very downcast. ‘Why does life have to be like this?’ we ask. The Lord Jesus’ reply is: ‘What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.’

God Knows

Almighty God is under no obligation to reveal the reason for everything to us. He is God, and as such is not obliged to explain His ways to His creatures. The secret things belong to the LORD our God … (Deuteronomy 29:29). This being so, we will not always be able to fathom His providential working in our lives. Romans 8:28 assures us that He is working all things for our ultimate blessing – but at any one moment we might not think or feel that way.

As an example of the above, consider Joseph in the Old Testament. He was rejected by his brothers. He was sold into slavery in Egypt. In Egypt he was unjustly put into prison. How did Joseph feel? Pained and perplexed for sure. Yet, sovereignly and secretly, God was working all things out for both his and the nations good. Hence, at the end of his life Joseph, with added hindsight could say to his brothers ‘As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good …’ (Genesis 50:20). At any one moment then we may not understand God’s dealings with us. ‘What I am doing you do not know now …’ The Psalmist said Thy way was through the sea, Thy path through the great waters; yet Thy footsteps were unseen.

We Know

‘What I am doing you do not know now …’ We are ignorant of much, for sure. Our understanding is limited. Yet, if we know our Bible and if we know the God of the Bible, what we do not know should not blind us to what we do know. We know that He knows! He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10). We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

In our dark days, we may remind ourselves that we are not the only exception to the truth of Romans 8:28. Also, when we do not understand what God is doing in our lives, we may remind ourselves of the character of God Himself, as revealed in the Bible. This will encourage our faith and enable us to trust Him ‘in the dark.’ The Bible reveals that God is infinite in love and mercy. The Bible reveals that God is on the throne of the universe and is infinite in power. The Bible reveals that God is infinite in wisdom – He is incapable of making mistakes. All His ways are righteous. The Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and right is He (Deuteronomy 32:4). He is infinitely worthy of our trust, whatever our current circumstances.

We Will Know

Finally, remember that one day, if we belong to Jesus, God will explain to us all that has pained and perplexed us here on earth. All will be revealed. He will unroll the canvas and explain the reason ‘Why?’ And our response will surely be to praise Him all the more for His love, wisdom and grace whose depths until then largely unknown to us. ‘What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.’

Sometimes then we are called to bide our time and exercise patience. We seek God’s grace to ‘hang in there’ by faith. All will be made plain in eternity, when God gives us the full light of heavenly glory. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.

I do not know what you are currently going through or have been through – just as you do not know what I have been through. Life has its pains and mysteries as well as its joys. When we do not know what is going on though, Jesus’ words give us courage: ‘What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.’ We walk by faith and not by sight, knowing that our God does all things well and that, one day, all will be revealed, and all will be revealed to be well.

William Cowper, no stranger to the dark and perplexing providences himself, wrote the following well-known hymn:-

God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform

He plants His footsteps on the sea

And rides upon the storm

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never-failing skill

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His sovereign will

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense

But trust Him for His grace

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face

His purposes will ripen fast

Unfolding every hour

The bud may have a bitter taste

But sweet will be the flower

Blind unbelief is sure to err

And scan His work in vain

God is His own interpreter

And He will make it plain

Copyright, Timothy Cross

Apr

2019

The Sons of Joseph

I recently read through the chequered life of Joseph in the Old Testament, and was struck by the fact that, when he lived in Egypt, he had two sons, namely Manasseh and Ephraim. In the Bible, names are often highly significant. They are more akin to our nicknames rather than our birth names. The name Manasseh means ‘making to forget’, and the name Ephraim means ‘to be fruitful.’ A meditation on these two names yields spiritual dividends.

Manasseh

‘Joseph called the name of his first-born Manasseh, ‘For’, he said, ‘God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.’’

Memory can be both a blessing and a bane. If you are like me, you will have memories of both happy and painful episodes from the past. It would be nice to be able to blot out our painful memories – but occasionally they seem to bubble up from nowhere and haunt us without asking.

Joseph had lived through some painful times. He was rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery. He was exiled to a foreign land, and there was unjustly thrown into prison. Now though, under the providence of God, he found himself in an exalted position. He had been made the second most powerful person in Egypt after Pharaoh himself. He was married, and God gave him children. ‘He called the name of his first-born Manasseh, ‘For’, he said ‘God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.’

We can apply this to the Christian’s promised future blessedness. The bliss of heaven will surely drown out all the sorrow we have experienced on earth. The joy of being in the nearer presence of God will surely put all of our earthly losses and crosses into perspective. They will be a non-issue. We will have no difficulty in forgetting them, occupied and preoccupied with the service of God as we will be. ‘I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.’

Yet has not the name ‘Manasseh – making to forget’ also got an earthly application? Sore trials are not necessarily permanent, as God is able to intervene. He is able to hear and answer the prayers of His children. ‘The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial’ (2 Peter 2:9). Which Christian cannot look back and see the gracious, sustaining hand of God on their life? He withheld something from us to give us something better. He gave us His enabling, sustaining grace in a difficult time. He brought healing into our lives. He gave us a little token of His favour which reassured us of His control, good and guiding hand … God Himself has affirmed ‘Behold, I am the LORD the God of all flesh; is anything too hard for me?’ (Jeremiah 32:27). No difficulty is too great for omnipotence. No problem is beyond Almighty God’s solution. Joseph had his painful trials, but God brought him through them. Beyond a frowning providence, He hid a smiling face. So Joseph could eventually testify ‘God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.’ Such is our God. He can say ‘I will restore to you the years … the locust has eaten’ (Joel 2:25).

Ephraim

‘The name of the second he called Ephraim. ‘For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction’’ (Genesis 41:52).

By this time, God had indeed caused Joseph to be fruitful. Gone were the days of slavery. Gone was the prison food. ‘Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain on his neck; and he made him ride in his second chariot; and they cried before him ‘Bow the knee!’’.

God caused Joseph to prosper – so Joseph named his second son ‘Ephraim – fruitful.’ We recall some words of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said to His disciples ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing’ (John 15:5).

According to the Bible, true prosperity is spiritual, not material. True prosperity is not the accumulation of wealth and status, but knowing the presence of God in our lives – the God who is the fount of all blessing, and ‘hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness in and of Himself’ (Westminster Confession). The abundant life results from a faith-union with the Christ who said ‘I came that they might have life and have it abundant’ (John 10:10).

The Shorter Catechism famously begins ‘What is the chief end of man?’ ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him for ever.’ True and eternal prosperity is fellowship with God our Maker – nothing more, nothing less and nothing else – and fellowship with God is gained through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning death on the cross for our sins. Jesus said ‘This is eternal life that they know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent’ (John 17:3). True prosperity and fruitfulness cannot be divorced from knowing God through the Lord Jesus Christ – rejoicing in His salvation; trusting His Fatherly care; being assured of His providential control of the universe in general and our lives in particular and anticipating a glorious future – being with Christ for evermore, saved and safe, abounding in His goodness and grace.

So Joseph had two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. Joseph was a godly man. He saw the hand of God in His life. He knew from tested experience that God is well able to make us forget our sorrows. He knew also that God is able to make us truly abound. If Joseph knew that, how much more do we, living this side of Calvary and the empty tomb as we do.

How good is the God we adore

Our faithful, unchangeable Friend!

His love is as great as His power

And knows neither measure nor end!

‘Tis Jesus, the First and the Last

Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home

We’ll praise Him for all that is past

And trust Him for all that’s to come.

Timothy Cross

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

The Corona Virus

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1. Total Depravity

2. Unconditional Election

3. Limited Atonement

4. Irresistible Calling

5. Perseverance of the Saints

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1. The Cloak

2. The Books and the Parchments

The Providence of God

The Purpose of God

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The Unity of God

The Tri-unity of God

The New Testament

Triune Salvation

The Severn Bridge

The Person of Christ

The Work of Christ

The Gospel of Reconciliation

When We Don’t Understand

God Knows

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We Will Know

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