Vicarious or Substitutionary Atonement:

Straight AheadThis is the season when we celebrate the coming of God in the flesh to dwell with us, to "tabernacle" with us. We sing, "Emmanuel," by which we mean, "God with us." God came to earth in the flesh, in the form of a baby. He was called Jesus because He saved His people from their sins. Exactly how did Jesus save His people from their sins? The birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus are all closely connected. Jesus lived a sinless life; yet, He was crucified. He suffered the death of a criminal--the innocent, suffering for the guilty. This offends some people--even some who call themselves Christian. They don't like the idea that God caused an innocent man to suffer punishment on behalf of guilty sinners. The vicarious, substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of those who call upon Him in faith doesn't make sense to a lot of people. It doesn't square with their idea of fairness. It doesn't seem like a process that would be designed by a loving God. To these people, the substitutionary atonement is just one possible theory of how salvation could work--and not a very satisfying theory at that! To them, it's just one possible image of the atonement. I wonder if the Christians who are skeptical of substitutionary atonement have any better ideas of how the sins of a fallen race can be reconciled with the holiness and justice of an absolute and perfect God! I wonder if they are prepared to hold their own views accountable to the actual teachings of Holy Scripture and not simply design a scheme of salvation according to their own liking. The penalty for sin had to be paid. God had to design, in His infinite wisdom, a plan that would both satisfy His holiness and justice, yet also exercise His perfect love toward His fallen creation. He sent His Son, the Second Person in the Godhead, to earth. Jesus was God in the flesh--fully human and fully divine. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, yet voluntarily, in accord with God's holy will, gave Himself up to suffer death on a cross. Christmas makes no sense without the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of His people. If you want to go to Bethlehem, you have to go through the river Jordan, into the wilderness, and eventually wind up at the cross of Calvary. The substitutionary atonement of Christ is the perfection of the Old Testament sacrificial system. How can someone claim to be a Christian and yet question the biblical pattern of atonement which is foreshadowed in the Scriptures from beginning to end? Without the atonement, there's no merry Christmas!

If You Want Good French Fries, Don't go to New York City!

Tuesday night, the Board of Health in New York City voted to ban trans fats in New York City.  The ban is going to be phased in, and will not take complete effect for several months yet; but it's obvious that the "food police" have found a home in New York City.  (Next time I visit the Northeast, remind me to get my fill of French fries in New Jersey--unless, of course, the food police have taken over the entire northeast corridor by that time.)

 

We used to complain that the federal government was taking our rights away from us, treating us like children, and watching over us like a nanny.  Increasingly, though, it's happening at every level of government!  I would be tempted to laugh at this move against trans fats by New York City's Health Department.  (It reminds me of a school board voting to take certain kinds of snacks out of vending machines.  (That strikes me as rather silly, too; but at least, that's a school board acting ostensibly to take control of what kids eat.  They're merely acting as a "Big Parent.")  This is a board of city government acting to protect adults, and that's quite a different matter. After all, I don't have to eat French fries if I don't want to; but I happen to like them.  I'm not sure I'll like them quite so much now.

 

I realize that trans fats have limited--some would say questionable--uses.  I'm not arguing that they're good for me, any more than I would argue that Coca-Cola, beer, or chocolate candy are *good for me.  I don't believe it's wise to ride in a car without fastening my seat belt. There are lots of things people probably should do, and lots of other things people probably should not do--things we should eat, things we should avoid, things we should take only in moderation.  The point is this:  The government has far more important things with which to concern itself than how a restaurant fixes its French fries, or whether I get my daily fix of trans fats!  

 

Is it really worth the financial cost to the city of New York to make sure the local "greasy spoon" isn't quite so greasy?  Do we now take our Constitutional and individual rights so lightly that any legislature, board, or governing body can regulate our lives down to the smallest detail without anybody making the slightest peep?  Or, worst of all, have we become so dependent as a nation that we will let city hall, state legislature, and the federal apparatus in Washington make all our decisions for us so that we no longer have to make any choices for ourselves--whether it be taking the fun out of our French fries or restricting our rights to display nativity scenes?  

 

It would be a little strange if French fries became the new symbol of freedom in America now, wouldn't it?

 

     

Straight ahead!  See my blog at:   www.noblindbluff.blogspot.com

Philippians 1:3-11; Second Sunday in Advent, Year c:

You may remember the gospel song that was popular a few years ago, "O Happy Day." In Philippians 1:3-11, the apostle Paul looks forward to that happy day that Christ will complete the work He has begun in His church. On December 25, we celebrate Christmas; but it is also a wonderful opportunity for every Christian to celebrate the spiritual past, present, and future that we enjoy through Jesus Christ. 

 

The city to which this letter was sent was populated by many veterans of the Roman army.  Thus, the city had close economic and political ties to Rome.  The church there was better off financially than most.  Paul was writing this letter from prison, probably in Rome.  He wrote his  personal and immediate thanksgiving to God.  Amid trial, conflict, and suffering, Paul was thankful.  This is a witness we need to share with many at Christmas time.  We could encourage a lot of Christians and many outside the church if we could give a resounding witness to the real joy of our faith during this time of the year.  He was thankful for the participation of these Philippians in his pastoral work.  By their generosity and encouragement, they were contributing to the spread of the gospel.   In addition, Paul was certain that God would complete the good work that God had begun in His church.  So today, God is working through us to reveal Christ to the world, and Christ is working in us to bring us to maturity in Him.

 

Paul desires individual growth in the grace of Christ as well.  He is confident that these saints will be preserved to the end.  He prays that their love, with knowledge and discernment, will grow more and more.  He speaks of applying the truth and reaping the fruits of righteousness.  

 

Paul was a grateful servant as he wrote this epistle to the first church which had been established in Europe.  The worshippers in this church were mostly Roman pagans and proselytized Jews.  We learn how this church started in Acts 16, with the story of Lydia.  

 

Paul is apparently the writer of this letter.  Timothy was already a close associate of Paul, and is mentioned in the opening verses.  These were men who were glad to be known as servants of Christ.  The letter was addressed to the whole church.  It is good for us to remember that all Christians are saints in Christ.  Paul honors the officers of this church; so obviously, some form of church structure was already beginning to take shape.  

 

Paul's knowledge of God is not merely intellectual, but also personal.  He remarks on those aspects of their church life which already marked them as a faithful, active church.  

 

And then, in 1:9-11, we have one of Paul's several pastoral prayers for this church.  He desires that they will approve what is excellent.  He prays that they will remain faithful till Jesus comes.  The early Christians, mindful of the first Advent, were already pointing toward the Second.

 

  

 

  

Straight ahead!  See my blog at:   www.noblindbluff.blogspot.com