Life and Death - Face the Facts

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Justice and mercy

 

Still we have not plumbed the depths of this profound subject. Nor indeed shall we do so here; but we can, at least, go a little deeper.

 

Think, for a moment of Adam. Because he sinned, God condemned him to death. Adam set the pattern for the whole human race. All human beings are "in Adam".⁸ From him they inherit a sin-biased nature, and like him they return to the dust.

 

By pronouncing the death sentence upon mankind, God is upholding His own righteous law. Because God is righteous, and because God always will be righteous. He can never waive this death sentence upon the children of Adam. To do so would be to say that sin does not matter.

 

Yet God is a God of mercy too. Clear thinking is necessary here. It is important to understand that God's mercy is never in conflict with God's justice. What happens, rather, is that God's mercy is extended to those who acknowledge His justice. Those who say that the death sentence is just are not spared this sentence, but through Christ they are offered life beyond the grave.

 

The Lord Jesus was a member of the human race. He was "in all points tempted like as we are".⁹ Because Jesus was, by his birth, a child of Adam, God required that he too should die. Jesus was not rebellious. He accepted death. But, because he had never sinned, God could, without being inconsistent with his own righteous principles, raise him from the dead and make him immortal.

 

The uniqueness of Jesus

 

Jesus accepted death. In this he was different from other men He did not kick against God's righteous law. The fact that he had never sinned makes the lesson more impressive. If he could humbly accept death, how much more should we, who have earned it so abundantly.

 

The uniqueness of Jesus can be expressed like this. Whereas other men sin freely, but resent the death which comes because of sin, Jesus resisted sin completely, and accepted death. He upheld God's righteous laws completely. No wonder God restored to him his life.

 

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⁸ 1 Cor. 15:22

⁹ Heb. 4:15.

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Jesus was made like us...

 

The uniqueness of Jesus concerned his character, and not his nature. His nature was human — just like ours.

 

To avoid misunderstanding, let it be stated emphatically that Jesus Christ was, in a unique sense, the Son of God. He was con­ceived by the Holy Spirit.

 

 

But he was born of a woman, and "in the days of his flesh", he partook of human nature and human infirmity. (After his resurrection he partook of "the divine nature"). The humanity of Jesus is another "hard" fact that many people are not willing to receive. Yet the Scriptures are emphatic — indeed dog­matic — on the point. Consider the following statements:

 

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same

... "

(Heb.

2:14).

 

"For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest

...

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able

ίο

succour them that are tempted" (Heb.

2:16-18).

 

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb.

4:

 

To deny that Jesus possessed a nature that could be tempted is to deny Scripture. Moreover, it reduces the temptation in the wilderness to a piece of play-acting. If Jesus possessed a nature that was above temptation, then the temptation was not real. We do not dishonour the Lord Jesus when we say that he had a nature like ours. We honour him the more, for we say that although he had a nature like ours, he never yielded to temp­tation, whereas we often do.

 

If we believe that Jesus was "touched with the feeling of our infirmities", we can better understand the purpose of his death.

 

Look at it this way. Because Jesus came in our nature, he himself had to wage war against sin. His Father told him what to do. There were two vital steps:

1. Never was he to yield to temptation and become a sinner. "He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
    
   
2. The impulses of his human nature — the nature that he inherited from Adam had to be completely overcome. As long as the nature remained alive, temptation was a possibility, and the battle against sin was not completed. So "he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Heb. 9:26). In doing this he completely submitted to the will of God and conquered his human will.
   

Thus Jesus, in his life and by his death, completely and consistently vanquished sin in himself. Sin was destroyed, but Jesus died in the process. God completed the work by raising him to life and immortality.

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... and we must be like him

 

The way of Adam is the way of disobed­ience, self-indulgence, sin and death. Adam grasped at life, and obtained death.

 

The way of Christ is the way of obedience, self-denial, righteousness and life. Jesus accepted death, and obtained life.

 

Thus Jesus began a new order. Naturally, we belong to Adam. We are on the broad way of sin and death. We are invited to renounce Adam, and transfer our allegiance to Christ.

 

The Scriptures tell us that Christ died for us. Many people take this to mean that Christ died instead of us, and therefore we need not die. This is not the message of the Bible. Instead, we must die with Christ. We must identify ourselves with him in death, that we may share in his life too. We must take up our cross and follow him — to the place of crucifixion.

 

We are not asked to die with him literally. We crucify our Adamic impulses. We die to sin. That is what repentance means.

 

This great theme is expounded by Paul in Romans 6:

 

"So many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into his death. Therefore we are buried with him by bap­tism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life... Our old man is cruci­fied with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin" (verses 3-7).

 

Suppose we decide to make a start. We want to forsake Adam and follow Christ. How do we set about it? The answer has been given in the passage from Romans 6: bap­tism. In the words of Peter:

 

"Repent, and be baptised every one of you" (Acts 2

:38).

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8. NEW CREATURES

 

Priorities

 

Living for ever with Christ, in an earth filled with the glory of God: the prospects are boundless! But our minds are not big enough to appreciate the true worth of these eternal blessings.

 

We are concerned with other matters. The things of this world crowd in on us, and take possession of our minds. Compared with the great, eternal realities, the matters that usually occupy our minds are footling. They present themselves in a friendly, innocent sort of way; and, all unsuspecting, we welcome them. But soon they become tyrants that com­pletely rule our lives. The tyranny of narcotics is feeble in comparison with this vast, self-induced brainwash that determines the course of human life.

 

Indeed, some of the things that interest us are harmless enough in themselves. It is our attitude to them that is wrong. Take sport, for example. A little healthy recreation can fulfil a useful purpose. It can invigorate the body and refresh the mind, preparing it for higher purposes. But to let sport make massive demands on time and energy is to escape, like children, from the responsibilities of life.

 

There is a more subtle temptation. Some things may be described as necessities of life. We need food, clothing, a place to live and a few material possessions. It is right that we should work to earn money to procure these things for ourselves and our dependents.

 

But it is wrong to make the quest for these things the great purpose of our lives. We do not live for the purpose of acquiring these things. We acquire these things for the pur­pose of living. Then, with lives thus provided for, our business should be to fulfil the higher purpose to which we have been called.

 

Most people know of no higher purpose. They get money, and the things that money can buy, in order to live, in order to seek more money and buy better things... They cannot see that they are going round in circles, like puppy dogs chasing their tails.

 

The stern words of the Lord Jesus concern­ing the folly of being obsessed with material things have gone unheeded. Never has there been such a materialistic age as ours. But hear the words of Jesus, from Luke 12:

 

"Take heed, and beware of covetous­ness

:

for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (verse 15

).

 

"The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment" (verse

23).

 

Our great purpose, says Jesus, must be to seek the kingdom of God:

 

"But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (verses

31, 32).

 

If we strive to enter into the kingdom of God, it will be God's pleasure to give us a place in that kingdom; and we can be assured that He will keep us supplied with other necessary things as well. If, however, we are obsessed with these other things, we cannot expect a place in God's kingdom, and there is no guarantee that we shall receive these things in which we are so interested, either.

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God's work

 

We must then get our priorities properly sorted out. God's kingdom must be priority number one.

 

Expressed in another way, we must re­nounce Adam and follow Christ. That was the theme of Romans 6. Those who have been baptised into Christ must "walk, in new­ness of life"; their lives must be "in the likeness of his resurrection".

 

The words of Paul to the Corinthians are startlingly vivid: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Cor. 5:17).

 

New creatures in Christ: how can we ever rise to such a high calling? If we have tried to live more worthily, we will have learned the hard way how feeble human nature is. Ultimately we are forced to confess that we cannot make the grade.

 

Let's change the emphasis: we cannot make the grade. The creation of a new creature in Christ is God's work. We must invite God to take over.

 

How then does God work in us and through us?

 

The word, miracle, can rightly be applied to this divine operation. But we must be careful not to confuse miracle with magic. God does not produce effects without ad­equate causes.

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"The seed is the Word''

 

The creation of a new creature consists of a process, and an event. The process is a long one. It involves the gradual transform­ation of the mind. Only those who are willing to submit to the discipline will be privileged to receive the divine education that effects this change.

 

At the end of the process comes the event. Those who have undergone the mental trans­formation will be given bodies to match their spiritual minds. After the resurrection, they will receive new natures, free from all sinful impulses, and immortal.

 

We are concerned here with the mental change that should be taking place now. There are two notable passages in the New Testament concerning rebirth, and in each of them the positive factor which causes the rebirth is the Word of God.

 

"Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures" (James

1:18).

 

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever"

(1

Peter

1:23).

 

Not only is the birth of a child of God effected by the Word of God: the subsequent growth is an operation of the Word too. Both James and Peter follow up their statements concerning rebirth by the Word with an exhortation to stifle all such human impulses and utterances as would resist the free course of the Word of God.

 

James says:

 

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear (i. e. to hear the Word), slow to speak, slow to wrath

...

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only

... "

(James

1:19-22).

 

And Peter:

 

"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby"

(1

Peter

2:1, 2).

 

The lesson is clear. We must read, and continue to read, the Scriptures, We must approach the Word of God with a teachable spirit, and allow its benign influence to be a decisive factor in the shaping of our lives. This attitude to the Bible is quite exceptional. We have to be exceptional people.

 

There is no substitute for regular, system­atic reading of Scripture.

 

It was the Lord Jesus who said, in expounding the famous parable of the Sower, "The seed is the word".¹⁰

 

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¹⁰ Luke 8:11.

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9. THE VITAL STEP

 

Counting the cost

 

Sooner or later we have to make a decision. We have seen that there are several ways of expressing it. Shall we follow Adam, or Christ? Shall we seek the things of this life, or the kingdom of God? Shall we be carnally minded, or spiritually minded? Shall we be crucifiers of Christ, or shall we be crucified with him?

 

Those who, by neglect or indecision, will not face the issue, have, by their very attitude, already made their decision. Those who do not resolve to follow Christ, show their pref­erence for the way of Adam.

 

It will surely be understood, from all that has been discussed, that a great multitude of professing Christians are, despite their protestations, followers of Adam. The Lord Jesus himself leaves us in no doubt about this. Immediately after speaking of the broad and narrow ways, he says:

 

 

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits

...

 

"Not every one that saith to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name

?

and in thy name have cast out devils

?

and in thy name done many wonderful works

?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you

:

depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt.

7:15-23).

 

Here then is the stark challenge of Christ­ianity: shall we follow Adam, and perish, or shall we follow Christ, and live for ever?

 

A caution here! The Lord Jesus has no respect for those who make vows, but do not fulfil them enthusiastically. His condemnation of the lukewarm Laodicean community is terrifying in its severity:

 

"/

know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot

:

I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Rev.

3:15, 16).

 

So, to use again the Lord's words, we must count the cost. ¹¹

 

But, as we have kept reminding ourselves, human nature is very deceitful. Let us not make this business of counting the cost an excuse for evading our responsibilities. Life is very short, and very precarious.

 

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¹¹ Luke 14:28.

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Baptism

 

Let us return to a question that was raised earlier. Suppose that, after prayer and diligent reading of Scripture, we decide that we want to renounce Adam and follow Christ: how do we make a start?

 

The answer has been given: "Repent and be baptised, every one of you.”

 

Many people quibble about baptism — some about the question of its necessity, some about the age when it should take place, some about the method.

 

Example and precept

 

Is baptism really necessary?

 

You will remember the occasion when Jesus asked John to baptise him, John tried to put Jesus off. He was too good. "He had no sins to wash away.

But Jesus insisted:

 

"Suffer it to be so now

:

for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" (Matt.

3:15).

 

Notice how Jesus used the word us: "... thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” He insisted that he and we must be baptised. Dare we challenge his authority?

 

Let us turn again to the words of Paul concerning baptism in Romans 6. He not only tells us that baptism is necessary, but also explains why. By baptism we formally declare that it is our intention to die with Christ — to crucify our sinful Adamic impulses:

 

 

"So many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into his death. Therefore we are buried with him by bap­tism into death

:

that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life

...

Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin, for he that is dead is freed from sin" (verses 3-7).

 

The decision to be baptised is the greatest decision of our lives. It is as grown people, and not infants, that we must face this fateful issue. To quote Jesus again, "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved".

 

Belief comes first; then baptism.

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he only method

 

If the New Testament is our guide, the question of the method of baptism will be quickly settled.

 

The New Testament knows only one method of baptism: immersion in water. The Greek word, baptizo, means, to dip or to immerse; and a number of scriptures show that this must have been the method. For example:

 

"And Jesus, when he was baptised, went up straightway out of the water” (Matt. 3:16).

 

Clearly, Jesus must, first, have gone down into the water.

 

The two following passages speak for themselves:

 

"And John also was baptising in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there" (John 3:23).

 

"They went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he bap­tised him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip...” (Acts 8:38, 39).

 

In the next quotation, the words, "buried with him by baptism into death", are only appropriate if the method is immersion:

 

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4).

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In conclusion

 

The issues of life and death have been put before you. Now it rests with you.

God does not force people to accept the gospel despite themselves. It has been aptly stated that God draws men, but He does not drag them.

 

If you reject God's invitation to receive eternal blessings, you give proof of your own unworthiness to receive these blessings. That is how divine selection works.

 

if you accept God's invitation — if you make your vows, and, by God's grace, fulfil them — yours will be the unspeakable joy of hearing the great Judge saying, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world". ¹²

 

The promised kingdom cannot be very far away, but there will probably be some waiting period. This will have a meaning and a purpose for those who follow Christ. It will be a time of preparation.

 

There will be some tribulation — let us not conceal this fact. That is a part of the training. But there will be blessings too, and a hope that will provide a solid anchorage when people everywhere will be distraught with fear.

 

Already we can see the beginning of the fulfilment of the Lord's prophecy concerning "distress of nations with perplexity... men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth".¹³ This is the time when true disciples can look up and lift up their heads, for their redemption draws nigh. The return of their Lord is near.

 

 

Peter Watkins

 

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¹² Matt. 25:34.

¹³ Luke 21:25-31.

 

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