Tough Questions

Why ‘Maundy Thursday, and What’s Good About Friday?

Rev Charlie (April 2025)

As Holy Week approaches, so too do Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I am often asked about the origin of the word 'Maundy' and why a day marked by heinous violence against God is called 'Good'.  Let us consider each of these days in turn.

First, Maundy Thursday - the day when Jesus gathered with his disciples in the upper room for the Last Supper.  During this time, Jesus prepared his disciples for the horror and sorrow of his crucifixion and imparted important teachings.  Perhaps the best known of these teachings comes from John 13: 34-35:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The word 'Maundy' comes from this verse, derived from the Latin mandatum, meaning 'command'.  The words, ‘a new command’ would be translated as mandatum novum.

Maundy Thursday is the day Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another as he had loved them.  The following day, Good Friday, reveals the full extent of his love, not just for his disciples, but for all humanity.

But how can there be anything ‘good’ about the cruel torture and execution of a loving and benevolent God?  Well, the term ‘Good Friday’ was not originally coined to suggest that Jesus’ crucifixion was good.  Instead, it likely originated in the third century, with ‘good’ being a shortened form of the Germanic word ‘Goodes’, which means ‘God’s’ or ‘Holy’.

That being said, Good Friday is undoubtedly the most dichotomous day in all of human history.  On one hand, the Author of Life endured the most barbaric and inhumane treatment at the hands of those he had created, which can only be described as the epitome of evil.  On the other, this was the decisive moment in God’s plan to conquer evil forever.

Jesus’ crucifixion stands as the most damning exposé of human sin, yet it was also the very means by which God reconciled himself to sinners.  It was an act of unimaginable evil on the part of human beings, and unfathomable good on the part of God.

Good Friday is Good News because Jesus paid the penalty of sin for all who are willing to put their faith in him.  In Jesus’ grisly death, God’s good purpose of loving and redeeming the world is proclaimed.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2: 15

Tough Questions

Why Hold a Prayer Vigil?

Rev Charlie (March 2025)

Prayer is powerful.  In a way that we may never fully understand, God has woven prayer into his method of governing the universe.  Prayer and reading God’s word go hand in hand.  Charles Spurgeon is said to have remarked, “When asked ‘What is more important, prayer or reading the Bible?’ I ask, ‘What is more important, breathing in or breathing out?’”  Both activities, if they can even be viewed as two separate activities, are essential for anyone who seeks a close relationship with God.

However, maintaining a healthy prayer life is easier said than done, and many Christians struggle with this most basic of Christian disciplines. To reignite our church’s commitment to prayer, we will hold an all-night prayer vigil immediately following our Ash Wednesday service. The goal is to have continuous prayer throughout the night, with congregation members dedicating anywhere from one to nine hours in prayer at a central location.  Participants will be able to pray individually, or with others, and resources will be provided to help them explore new forms of prayer.

Prayer vigils are not a way of ‘twisting God’s arm’ with our pious endeavours, rather they provide an opportunity for more focussed and intentional prayer.  Jesus prayed through the night before choosing the twelve disciples, demonstrating the importance of taking time to seek God’s guidance before making important decisions (Luke 6: 12-13).

The power of unified and concerted prayers should not be underestimated.  During the Second World War, in the days leading up to the evacuation of Dunkirk, a colossal military disaster seemed inevitable. German forces were on the verge of annihilating the British Army.  However, on the 26th of May 1940, at the behest of King George the VI, a National Day of Prayer was held.  The nation devoted itself to pray in an unprecedented way, whilst a daring rescue operation was unfolding.  In the end, 338,000 British and French troops were safely evacuated.  Prayer changes things.

Getting up in the middle of the night to pray, as some of our parishioners will be doing, may be inconvenient, but it reminds us that prayer is of the utmost importance.  Beginning the season of Lent with a prayer vigil sets the tone not only for the season but for the entire year.

In the second chapter of Acts, we find Jesus’ followers waiting, praying, hoping and expecting God to do something new.  On that same day, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and three thousand people were added to their number.  Two thousand years later, earnestly seeking the Lord in prayer can still lead to spectacular breakthroughs.

We approach this prayer vigil in the hope that the Lord will revitalise our collective prayer life, deepen our relationship with him, and guide us toward the plans he has for us.

Tough Questions

Is Christmas a Pagan Holiday?

Rev Charlie (December 2024)

It is often asserted that the 25th of December is essentially a pagan holiday.  Is there any truth to this claim, and how ought Christians to respond to it?

In the Roman world, the 25th of December was a feast day dedicated to the sun, called ‘The Birthday of the Unconquered Sun’.  It was also the final day of the week-long ‘Feast of Saturnalia’, which marked the passing of the winter solstice.’  It is entirely plausible that the early Church chose the 25th of December to celebrate Jesus’ birthday in order to redirect society’s attention away from paganism and towards Christ.

The truth is, nobody knows the month and day of Jesus’ birth.  The first recorded speculation about its being the 25th of December comes from the early third century.  In 202 AD Hippolytus (who later became the Bishop of Rome) claimed that Jesus was born on the 25th of December.  Further, in 221 AD, the Christian historian Julius Africanus, suggested that Mary conceived on the 25th of March (nine months before the 25th of December).  Whilst these postulations are unlikely to be correct, they show that Christians had been celebrating Jesus’ birthday on the 25th of December from at least the beginning of the third century.

Interestingly, the celebration of the sun god on the 25th of December was not instituted by the Roman Emperor, Aurelian, until 274AD.  We do not know how long ‘Sol Invictus’ was unofficially celebrated prior to that date, however, it does cast doubt over the theory that Christians appropriated a pagan feast day.

We do not know that exact date of Jesus’ birth, nor can we be sure why the early church settled on the 25th of December, (a decision ratified by Emperor Constantine in 336 AD).  Be that as it may, it is entirely appropriate for Christians to celebrate the momentous event of Jesus’ birth, and the 25th of December has been the preferred date for most of church history.

God is in the business of redemption.  The word ‘redeem’ finds its origin in the slave markets of the ancient world; but to understand what it means in a Christian context, we might turn to Colossians 1: 13, which says, ‘For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.’  If God can take a sinful human being, indeed an actual pagan, and transfer that person from darkness to light, then what is to prevent him from doing likewise with a pagan festival?  God takes things that are sinful, broken and evil and transforms them to be used for his good purposes.

You will not find anything in Scripture about celebrating Christmas, but then again, Scripture does not have much to say about celebrating birthdays either.  In fact, the only birthday celebrations the Bible recounts are those of Pharaoh and Herod, both of whom celebrated by having someone murdered (the chief baker and John the Baptist respectively).  Yet we do not spurn birthday celebrations on the basis of this grisly history.  How much less should we call into question celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour, just because it happens to fall on a day that was once a pagan festival?

There will never be a day when we cannot say, ‘This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Psalm 118: 24, NKJV) A day that focusses exclusively on the birth of Jesus is one that should stir us to new heights of joy and gladness as we contemplate God’s love, humility and willingness to give up everything for our sakes.

Wishing you and yours a blessed, peaceful and joy filled Christmas!

Tough Questions

Should Christians Serve in the Military?

Rev Charlie (November 2024)

There are two common ways to answer this question.  The first is to establish whether war can ever be morally justified, and the second is to consider how soldiers are viewed in the New Testament.

All Christians ought to agree that war is evil and highlights the extent of human sin and brokenness.  Notwithstanding, there are two main schools of thought within Christianity regarding the legitimacy of going to war, namely pacifism and just war theory.  Pacificists reject the use of violence under any circumstances.  Proponents of just war theory contend that war may be justified when specific criteria are met.

A biblical case can be made for both positions.  For example, in the later part of Romans 12, Paul exhorts his audience not to repay anyone evil for evil and to treat our enemies with compassion.  Furthermore, Romans 12: 19 says: ‘Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.’  If nothing else, Romans 12 says a lot about how we should treat people on a personal level, and some would extend this to a nation’s foreign policy.  However, in Romans 13, Paul goes on to emphasise a government’s role in administering justice, ‘But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.’

War is evil, however, because of the fallenness of our world, there may be circumstances that necessitate the use of force in order to prevent an even greater evil.  As Remembrance Day approaches, it seems apt to cite the Second World War.  Nazi Germany was busy invading sovereign nations without provocation and murdering Jews, gypsies, homosexuals and the disabled on an industrial scale.  To make no attempt to prevent this would be cowardly and evil.  As Bonhoeffer famously said, “Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act.”

Bonhoeffer also provides the following helpful analogy.

“If I sit next to a madman as he drives a car into a group of innocent bystanders, I can’t, as a Christian, simply wait for the catastrophe, then comfort the wounded and bury the dead.  I must try to wrestle the steering wheel out of the hands of the driver.”

Whilst nations are sometimes too quick to resort to armed conflict, it would seem that war can be a legitimate and morally justified response to evil.  Sadly, there are times when no amount of diplomacy or sanctions will prevail.

If war can be morally justified, it follows that it is not morally wrong to join the military.  This premise seems to be supported by the New Testament.

When a group of soldiers asked John the Baptist ‘What should we do’, he replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”  There was no suggestion from John that the soldiers should renounce their profession.  On the contrary, if they were to go on receiving pay, they would have to remain in their profession.

Three of the gospels tell the story of a Roman Centurion who was praised more highly by Jesus than almost anyone else.  Jesus did not say to him, ‘Go and be a soldier no more’, but “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

Moreover, the very first gentile convert to Christianity was a Roman Centurion by the name of Cornelius.  This was, of course, no accident.  God specifically sent Peter to preach the gospel to Cornelius’ entire household.

The New Testament does not call into question the moral integrity of Christians who serve in the military, however, those who serve have a responsibility to do so in a way that bears witness to the values of God’s kingdom.  Australia’s adherence to the international rules and conventions of war makes this task somewhat easier.  However, it should be noted that, even in the most disciplined of military units, illegal and/ or immoral actions do sometimes still occur.  Therefore, Christians can and should be a restraining influence to ensure that our military maintains the highest possible ethical standards.  From this perspective, one could make a case for having as many Christians in the military as possible.

---

What is a Just War?

Six conditions must be satisfied for a war to be considered just:

• The war must be for a just cause.

• The war must be lawfully declared by a lawful authority.

• The intention behind the war must be good.

• All other ways of resolving the problem should have been tried first.

• There must be a reasonable chance of success.

• The means used must be in proportion to the end that the war seeks to achieve.

How should a Just War be fought?

A war that starts as a Just War may stop being a Just War if the means used to wage it are inappropriate.

• Innocent people and non-combatants should not be harmed.

• Only appropriate force should be used. (This applies to both the sort of force, and how much force is used)

• Internationally agreed conventions regulating war must be obeyed.

A Testament to Faith and Unity in the Body of Christ across continents

Written by James Waithaka

In the winter of our despair, when all seemed lost, a divine intervention reaffirmed our faith. Our daughter Michelle, was born prematurely at 31 weeks. After 2 months at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), we were devastated after doctors gave Michelle zero percent chance of survival. Yet, in our darkest hour, we found solace and strength in prayer. 

The church at St. Andrews Springfield led by Reverend Charlie Lacey and believers in Kenya under Reverend Anthony Makena, Head of Social Action and Advocacy at ‘Christ Is The Answer Ministries’ (CITAM), became our pillars of support in payers. Our united prayers, a fervent plea to God, spanned across continents and cultures, reflecting the profound connection within the Body of Christ. 

The promise of Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know," guided our collective prayers. We soon received miraculous news from the doctors: "James and Loise, we have a MIRACLE." Baby Michelle's oxygen levels had significantly improved.  Within eight days from when the prayers intensified across continents, she was discharged from intensive care. Michelle is now two and a half years old, perfectly healthy, thriving and giving God all the glory and honour.

This testimony is a vivid illustration of the unifying strength of the Body of Christ. The global prayer and encouragement of dear brothers and sisters in Christ, culminated in a turn of events that defied all odds, demonstrating the profound impact of spiritual unity in Christ Jesus. This story showcases how dedicated hands reach beyond immediate relief to profoundly touch lives through prayer and action.

In the heart of Kenya, Reverend Anthony Makena spearheads Social Action and Advocacy at Christ Is The Answer Ministries (CITAM). The mission to reach the communities reflects a profound commitment to service, extending mission of compassion and support beyond spiritual guidance to tangible relief efforts. 

Leadership in the community extends beyond traditional pastoral roles, involving active engagement in community relief efforts. By providing not only essential supplies but also emotional and counselling assistance, this has fortified the role of the Church as a pillar of hope and resilience within the community.

This dedication shone brightly during Kenya's devastating floods, as CITAM’s Social Action Ministry provided essential supplies and counselling to those affected, showcasing the church's role as a beacon of hope in times of crisis. This dedication exemplifies a commitment to serve communities, extending beyond spiritual guidance to tangible acts of compassion. https://citam.org/serve/ 

God bless

James

Tough Questions

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Rev Charlie (October 2024)

Christian opinion on how best to approach Halloween is divided.  Some avoid anything to do with Halloween, others join the festivities wholeheartedly, whilst others still, opt for some kind of Christian alternative.  With the shops already full of pumpkins, witches’ hats, and skeletons, let us explore the pros and cons of each of these approaches.

Halloween is often rejected by Christians on the grounds of its pagan roots; specifically the Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would make fires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.  In the 8th century, the 1st of November was designated ‘All Saints Day’ by Pope Gregory III, and the evening before became known as ‘All Hallows Eve’, which is where we get the name, ‘Halloween’ from.

It should be noted that Christians are not required to reject everything with mixed or dubious beginnings.  For example, the word Sunday comes from the Old English word ‘Sunnandæg’, literally ‘Sun’s day’, in honour of the Sun, which was personified and venerated in Norse mythology.  In a similar vein, Monday is the moon’s day, and the other days of the week are named in honour of various Norse and Anglo-Saxon gods.  Today, we recognise that those names have lost their original meaning.

Perhaps the main reason that some Christians reject Halloween is that it has become a major celebration for those who practice wicca, satanism, neo-paganism and the like.  Christians should have nothing to do with these practices, nor should they celebrate that which is dark, macabre, or evil.  In the book of Acts there are many instances of the Apostles encountering sorcery, which is roundly condemned on each occasion (See, Acts 8: 9-24; 13: 6-11; 16: 16-21; 19: 13-20).  Clearly, there are aspects of Halloween that Christians ought to reject.  We should not be dressing our children up as ghosts, zombies or demons, or encouraging them to identify with evil in any way.  For many Christians, that means avoiding Halloween altogether.  Others would argue that there is nothing wrong with children dressing up us superheros and princesses and receiving lolly bags.  The question is, does that kind of participation appear to give tacit approval to the darker aspects of Halloween?

Many Christians take the view that some aspects of Halloween can be redeemed or used as an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus, for example, by handing out gospel tracts along with lollies.  Moreover, many churches run alternative celebrations with the intention of switching the focus from darkness to light (the light of Christ).  This is the approach my own church has adopted.

Whatever one’s view of Halloween, it should be understood as a matter of personal conscience.  In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses the issue of whether Christians are permitted to eat food that has been sacrificed to idols (admittedly, that is not a common problem today).  He concludes that a believer should not go against their own conscience.  However, the believer is free to eat such food, unless doing so would cause a brother or sister to ‘stumble’.  In that case, says Paul, it is better to refrain.

Christians should not ‘celebrate’ Halloween any more than they should sacrifice food to idols.  However, they are free to do things that are associated with Halloween, providing that they are not inimical to the teachings of the New Testament (for example, dressing up in innocuous costumes, or giving out lollies).  Remembering, of course, Paul’s exhortation to remain mindful and respectful of the position taken by other believers.

Tough Questions

Is Christianity Always Counter Cultural?

Rev Charlie (September 2024)

The Church has been persecuted since its conception.  In the book of Acts, following the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, we read how ‘a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem’ (Acts 8: 1-2).  Today, Christians remain the world’s most persecuted group.  According to a 2019 report ordered by former British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, the persecution of Christians has reached near genocidal levels in some parts of the world.

Jesus warned his disciples that they would face persecution:

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15: 18-20)

So, what has persecution got to do with the question at hand?  Quite simply, Christians have always been persecuted precisely because Christianity is countercultural.  The Gospel has been proclaimed in every cultural context imaginable, and it would take volumes to catalogue the various ways that Christianity has collided with such a vast array of cultures.  However, from Jesus’ perspective, there are, broadly speaking, only two cultures: the worldly culture that hates God, and the culture of God’s kingdom.  Either we belong to the world, or we belong to Jesus.  For those who belong to the world, the Gospel will be confronting.

Indeed, the Gospel is an offense because following Jesus necessitates change and transformation at the deepest level.  From the haughty Pharisees of Jesus’ day to the 20th century communist ideologs who attempted to eradicate the very concept of God, the world has always resisted the Gospel.

In a world that is in rebellion against God, Christianity properly understood is always countercultural, however, the Church has sometimes failed to be.  One of the most notable examples is that of the German Church in the 1940s.  In the face of racialized Nazi ideology, particularly antisemitism, church leadership remained conspicuously silent.  Not to mention the widespread complicity of many “ordinary” Christians.  Of course there were many exceptions, but overall, the German church capitulated to a wholly evil cultural innovation.

Christians must remember that the world hates God, and any society bereft of Christian influence will tend to move further away from the values of God’s kingdom.  Therefore, our point of reference for moral discernment ought not be the mores of the prevailing culture, but rather God’s word.

The moral zeitgeist of Western civilisation is now changing so rapidly that to align ourselves with it would mean adjusting our perspective every five years or so.  In an increasingly polarised world, Christians should not be swayed by loud voices from either side of the political divide, as they never seem to reflect a truly Christian perspective. 

As Christians we are called to be ‘salt and light’, which invariably means being countercultural.  We must reject ungodly cultural trends, ideologies and policies, no matter what their origin.  Our loyalty is to Jesus and his kingdom.  However, we must understand that our allegiance comes at a cost.  Adopting a countercultural stance can, depending on the context, lead to Christians being derided, ostracised, “cancelled”, victimised, imprisoned, tortured or killed.  We are fortunate to live in a country where the cost of following Jesus is relatively low.

Christianity is always countercultural.  If we find ourselves getting comfortable with the surrounding culture, then we have probably compromised with the world that hates God.  We are the Church.  Let us aim to be as radically countercultural as Jesus and the faith he taught us.

Tough Questions

Can we Reverse Church Decline in the West?

Rev Charlie (August 2024)

It is well documented that Christianity in the Western world is in decline.  Is this an unavoidable and irreversible trend to which we must resign ourselves, or might we hope for, and work towards, a very different picture?  To help us answer this, let us begin by asking a different question, namely, ‘Could a tiny group of Jesus’ followers in the first century have organised a mission that would eventually lead to the Christianisation of the Roman World?’  History replies with a resounding ‘yes’.  And perhaps Jesus would respond to both situations by reminding us, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt. 19: 26).

The phrase, ‘Church decline’, is itself a misnomer.  The true Church of Jesus Christ includes every follower of Jesus alive today, as well as everyone who has ever belonged to Jesus, including those saved by grace prior to his coming into the world.  When a Christian dies, they do not cease to be part of the Church, rather they await Jesus’ return when they will be raised to new and everlasting life.  The decline of the church is therefore an impossibility.  If only one person in the world where to give their life to Jesus over the course of the next year, the church will have grown by a factor of one.

However, we should not use this knowledge as a cop out.  Jesus has not given up on building his Church and neither should we.  So, what lessons can we learn from the rapid expansion of the early Church in the first century?  Firstly, the primary concern of the Apostles was proclaiming the gospel, which is neatly summarised in John 3:16 and the creeds.  Jesus died for our sins and without him we are lost and eternally separated from God.  The core message of salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus must remain front and centre.  In recent decades, many churches have been distracted by other agendas, sometimes at the expense of the gospel itself.

Of course, the outworkings of the gospel in a believer’s life are manifold.  Should we feed the hungry?  Yes!  Should we welcome strangers?  Yes!  Should we care for the sick and the dying?  Yes!  Should we visit prisoners?  Again, an emphatic yes!  Jesus commanded us to do these things and true discipleship necessitates them.  However, the core business of the Church is to bring people to repentance and faith in Jesus, that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit and led to a life of true discipleship.

When it comes to sharing the gospel, we live at a time of unprecedented opportunity.  There is an emerging generation that, by and large, has almost no understanding of the Christian message; we are bombarded with a confusing array of new ideas and philosophies; and, in a world that seems more chaotic by the day, many are beginning to doubt humanity’s ability to fix things.  In short, there is a dearth of hope and a hunger for truth.  A relatively recent survey conducted by NCLS suggests that 37% of Australians would likely accept an invitation to a church service, if asked by a close friend or family member.

Can church decline be reversed in the West?  That depends on whether we can recover our confidence in the message that has been entrusted to us.

Rob's journey to Memory Mountain

In the 1920's and group of four aboriginal pastors visited the community of Akundgi near Hasst's bluff west of Alice Springs on a mission to introduce Christ. It was recognised at the time by elders of the community as a welcome event as they had had 'dreams' that indicated this event was coming and they readily accepted the invitation to have Jesus as their saviour and hundreds were baptised in weeks following from this and other communities in the surrounding area.

The place these missionaries met the community elders was on the flat area underneath what is known as Memory Mountain. A monument was erected to commemorate the event and the community remain strong and dedicated Christians to this day.

About 15yrs ago, the elders approached a world renowned photographer (Ken Duncan) to help them build on visions that they had of a cross being placed on Memory Mountain, which Ken agreed to do. Many trials were encountered on the journey to complete the construction of the Cross, but they were all overcome and the cross was unveiled at Easter in  2023.

The people of this community have a deep love of God and believe that the cross at the centre of our continent is a stepping stone to the eventual revival that will come to our Nation through the Holy Spirit descending on the area and sweeping across the nation making our nation the Great South Land of the Holy Spririt, where all people will be united in Christ.

I feel extremely honoured to have had the opportunity to visit this community and experience the prescence of God in our arid centre to hear and witness testaments to their faith in our saviour.

Article by Rob Mahony

People are welcome to visit. Trips can be organised through the following link https://walkawhile.org.au/

Tough Questions

Can a Christian Lose their Salvation?

Rev Charlie (July 2024)

To answer the question, ‘Can a Christian lose their salvation?’, we must first clarify what is meant by salvation.  A person is ‘saved’ when God forgives their sins and brings them into his eternal kingdom (Colossians 1: 3).  Salvation was made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection, and it is realised when a person repents of their sin (wrongdoing) and puts their faith in Jesus.  A person who is not saved remains in their sin and will be eternally separated from God.

It is important to realise that a person is saved, not because of what they have done, but because of what Jesus has done for them.  Since we can do nothing to gain our salvation, it follows that we can do nothing to lose our salvation.  However, this is not a licence to behave in ways that are inimical to the values of Christ’s kingdom.  Quite the opposite, the way we choose to live is evidence that our profession of faith was genuine.

‘Saving faith’ is not a one-off event, action or prayer, but rather a lived reality.  As Jesus said, “A tree is recognized by its fruit.” (Matthew 12: 33) The New Testament stresses that some who profess the name of Christ do not truly belong to him.  When describing certain corrupt people, Paul states, ‘They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.’ (Titus 1: 16) And Jesus himself warned the disciples against ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’.

Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will be saved (Matthew 7: 21), not because they have lost their salvation, but because they never truly gave their hearts to Jesus in the first place.

That having been said, it is important to remember that all Christians sin (1 John 1: 8); sometimes in significant ways.  However, whilst true believers are not perfect, sin will be followed by repentance and the overall trajectory of a believer’s life will be towards God, rather than away from him.  God has cancelled the sins of all those who put their faith in Jesus; not only past sins, but also future ones.

The question is not so much, ‘Can a Christian lose their salvation?’, but ‘Can God lose a Christian?’, and the answer to that is an emphatic, ‘no’.  As Jesus himself said: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” (John 6: 39).

There are occasions when believers seem to turn away from the Lord.  There are two possible explanations for this.  Either their faith was not genuine, or they have allowed sin to establish a foothold in their life.  In the case of the latter, Christ will eventually bring them to a place of repentance and restoration.

Everyone who truly puts their faith in Jesus will persevere to the end and be saved.  It really is a case of once saved, always saved, or as Christ put it, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Tough Questions

Can Christians Divorce and Remarry?

Rev Charlie (June 2024)

Sadly, nearly half of all marriages in Australia end in divorce, a statistic that no doubt includes many professing Christians.  So, what does the Bible have to say about divorce and remarriage?

Firstly, it is important to say that God designed marriage, and this lifelong, monogamous union between one man and one woman is the bedrock of human society.

Genesis 2: 24

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

This ‘one flesh’ union is meant to last until the death of one or both marriage partners, hence the traditional marriage vows, ‘til death do us part.’  In a perfect world, divorce would not exist.  However, we do not live in a perfect world and God understands that there are circumstances under which marriage becomes intolerable.  Jesus’ teaching on divorce reveals that, whilst divorce always involves sin, the person initiating the divorce is not necessarily at fault.  For example, Jesus indicated that sexual immorality on the part of a spouse is legitimate grounds for divorce, and potentially remarriage.

Matthew 19: 9

“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

This does not mean that sexual sin within marriage must inevitably lead to divorce.  Indeed, the possibility of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, should always be the first consideration when dealing with any marital problem, be it infidelity or something else.  However, Jesus’ teaching does affirm that there is at least one legitimate reason for divorce.  The next question is, are there others?

Jesus did not elucidate any further grounds for divorce; however, the Apostle Paul adds abandonment to the list.  In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul explains that a believing husband or wife should not divorce their unbelieving spouse as a matter of course.  He then adds, ‘But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances.’  The fact that they are ‘not bound’ would suggest the freedom to divorce and remarry.

So, are marital unfaithfulness and abandonment the only legitimate grounds for divorce?  To answer that, let us look at the reason God permits divorce at all.

The Pharisees posed Jesus the following question, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” When Jesus pointed to the sanctity and permanence of marriage they asked, “Why then did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”  To this Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning […]”

We live in a world where ideal scenarios are not always possible because of human hardheartedness.  All problems within marriage, indeed all sin, begins in the heart.  Hardness of heart can lead to highly destructive behaviours, including violence and abuse.  I would argue that such behaviours break the marriage covenant and provide legitimate grounds for divorce.

When it comes to divorce, it is not possible to give a neat formula, as some attempt to do.  For example, there are those who argue that divorce and remarriage is only permissible in the case of adultery or abandonment.  Clearly a more nuanced approach is needed.  Applying Biblical teaching about divorce requires a great deal of wisdom and pastoral discernment.  Divorce should never be encouraged as the first option, however, there are times when the marriage covenant is so badly violated that staying in the marriage is no longer a viable situation for one or both parties.

It should come as no surprise that God hates divorce (Mal. 2: 16).  That is not to say that God hates divorcees, rather, he hates to see the marriage covenant broken, not least because it causes a huge degree of emotional pain and turmoil.  As Christians, we should push back against a culture which says, we can get divorced for ‘any and every reason’, whilst remaining pastorally sensitive to the hurt and abuse that some people experience within marriage.

In conclusion, God gave us marriage, and if both partners are willing to submit to Christ and each other, it is beautiful, sacred and worth fighting for.  Notwithstanding, there are situations whereby divorce and remarriage is permissible, though such decisions should not be taken lightly and only after pastoral intervention.

Tough Questions

What is the Unforgivable Sin?

Rev Charlie (May 2024)

All three synoptic gospels record Jesus saying that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.  Many Christians question what Jesus meant by this, and some fear that they may have inadvertently, or even deliberately, committed the ‘unforgivable sin.’  This is pastorally significant, since everyone who has put their faith in Jesus ought to be confident of their forgiven status.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus speaks about blaspheming the Holy Spirit immediately after the Pharisees accuse him of using demonic power to cast out demons.

Matthew 12: 31-32

And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Given the context, it could be inferred that to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to attribute the Holy Spirit’s work to demonic forces.  However, such a distortion of the truth is more likely symptomatic of a sinful mindset, whereby a person wilfully and routinely opposes the work of the Holy Spirit.

There is a sense in which we all oppose the work of the Holy Spirit because that is essentially what sin is.  However, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to oppose him so thoroughly and determinedly, that one is no longer able to repent and believe.  It is to harden one’s heart to such a great extent that repentance is no longer possible.  Therefore, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit is unforgiveable, not because the Lord chooses not to forgive it, but because the offender refuses to repent and be forgiven.

The person who fears that they may have committed the ‘unforgivable sin’ almost certainly has not.  Even some of the hard-hearted Pharisees eventually gave their lives to Christ, most notably the Apostle Paul.  Their willingness to repent demonstrates beyond doubt that they had not committed the unforgiveable sin.  By contrast, those who heard the Gospel from Christ himself, witnessed his miracles, and saw the Spirit’s power at work in the church, yet remained resolutely opposed to the truth until their death, were guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  Those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit today will reject and oppose any evidence that points to the truth of the Gospel and will remain entrenched in their unbelief until the end of their days.

Therefore, the unforgiveable sin is not so much a specific category of sin, rather an irrevocable spiritual state of being.

To the person who truly repents forgiveness is available, no matter how heinous the sins of their past.  As it says in 1 John 1: 9, ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’  In short, no sin is unforgivable for the person who is willing to repent.

Tough Questions

How Can We Be Sure that Jesus Rose from the Dead?

Rev Charlie (April 2024)

The validity of Christianity hinges on the historicity of Jesus’ literal, bodily resurrection.  If Jesus rose from the dead, Christianity is true - if he didn’t, it isn’t.  There is a lot at stake!  So, how can we be sure that Jesus’ resurrection is a historical fact?

A detailed account of Jesus’ resurrection is given by all four Gospel writers, all of whom saw Jesus post resurrection, or spent time with those who did.  Not to mention the other twenty-three books of the New Testament, all of which attest to the same remarkable event.  The New Testament books are historical documents and cannot be discounted simply because they are unashamedly Christian in their perspective.  However, there are also extrabiblical sources that point, not just to Jesus’ existence, but also his resurrection.  For example, the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, who had no vested interest in Christianity, wrote a detailed account of the resurrection that is entirely consistent with that found in the Gospels.

Unsurprisingly, the most compelling evidence for the historicity of the resurrection is to be found in the Gospels themselves.  There is much evidence to be gleaned from these accounts, but in the interest of brevity, let us focus on three key facets.

Firstly, the tomb was found empty on the third day.  Nobody denies this.  Matthew tells us that the religious authorities propagated a rumour that the disciples had stolen the body in order to explain this embarrassing fact.  However, if the disciples stole the body, they would have known that they were peddling a lie.  It seems unlikely that they would dedicate their lives to proclaiming a falsehood and be willing to die in their efforts to uphold it.

Secondly, all four Gospel writers affirm that the first to discover the empty tomb were a small group of women.  In first century Jewish (and Roman) culture, women were not permitted to give evidence in a court of law.  If Jesus’ followers had made up the story of his resurrection, a group of peasant women would be an odd choice of primary witnesses.  The only reason for the Gospel writers to have included this detail, which was potentially damaging to their case, is that they were simply reporting the events as they happened.

Thirdly, we must consider the disciples themselves.  When Jesus was arrested, they scattered into the night.  During his sham of a trial, Peter vehemently denied knowing him.  At the crucifixion, they were nowhere to be seen.  Presumably they were in hiding, fearing for their lives, dejected and despondent.  Yet this same group of men were soon to risk everything in their efforts to proclaim that Jesus had risen from the dead.  What brought about this tremendous change of heart?  By far the most plausible explanation is that they personally encountered the risen Christ.

Finally, it is important to stress that the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection does not all lie in antiquity.  Jesus did not have any political or military power; the influential Jewish religious leaders hated him; his public ministry lasted just three years, and he never wrote anything down - yet he is the most influential person in all of human history.  The claim of Christianity is that Jesus is alive today and knowable on a personal level.  Moreover, the lived experience for millions, if not billions, of Christians, past and present, is that of having a personal relationship with Jesus.  This suggests that Jesus not only rose from the dead but is still very much alive today.

Tough Questions

WHY DO CHRISTIANS FAST?

Rev Charlie (March 2024)

Fasting is a Christian spiritual discipline and one that we particularly associate with the season of Lent, but what is fasting and why do we do it?

For many Christians in the modern West, fasting is giving up a luxury food item for Lent, for example, chocolate or coffee.  Whilst this has its benefits, which we’ll discuss later, fasting is more typically going without food for a specified period.  Fasting is not distinctly Christian (Muslims fast), or spiritual (a growing number of people practice intermittent fasting for health reasons), nor is it commanded anywhere in Scripture.  However, we know that Jesus fasted for forty days in the desert, and it would seem that he expected his followers to fast too.

Matthew 6: 16-18

“When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Notice that Jesus did not say, ‘If you fast’, but ‘When you fast’.  Fasting is something that Jesus expected his followers to do.  Moreover, he indicated that fasting should be done in such a way as to go unnoticed by all but God.  This points to the entirely Godward focus and purpose of fasting.  When we fast, we renounce something good (usually food), as a way of expressing our need for something greater.  It is a way of accepting the fact that we need the Lord more than food, and even life itself.  Experiencing the hunger that accompanies fasting reminds us of our hunger for God and our need to turn to him in prayer.  If done with the right motives, fasting will intensify our prayer lives.

Fasting is not a means to impress others or show how pious we are; nor is it a formula to receive what we have asked for in prayer.  Moreover, if our overriding thought when fasting is, ‘I can’t wait to eat something’, then we have probably missed the point altogether.  A true fast will bring us closer to God, which will ultimately change us for the better.  In Isaiah 58, God condemns Israel’s days of fasting for being all show and no substance.  Though they fasted, they continued to disregard the poor and the needy, and injustice and oppression persisted unabated.

Taking fasting seriously as a spiritual discipline, especially during this season of Lent, has the potential to change us forever, but only if we use it to intensify our relationship with the Lord.

There are of course some for whom fasting is not recommended: diabetics, pregnant women, those with a history of eating disorders and so on.  However, going without specific foods or even abstaining from social media or gaming can help us draw closer to God if that is our motive.  The most important thing about fasting is a heartfelt desire for God and his work in our lives.

Tough Questions

DO ALL BABIES GO TO HEAVEN?

Rev Charlie (February 2024)

The question of whether all babies go to heaven is one of deep personal and pastoral significance and the cause of much anguish to a great many people. From the outset, it is important to acknowledge that no verse of scripture addresses this matter specifically, however, much can be inferred from a variety of pertinent texts, from which we can take a great deal of comfort.

It is sometimes asserted that babies go to heaven because they are ‘sinless’, however, this line of argument is inadequate. The Bible teaches that sin is like a hereditary disease that has been passed down to every human being throughout history (see Romans 5: 12), it is therefore present at every stage of development.  This need not cause consternation because no-one enters heaven on account of their sinlessness.  God saves people, not because they have the right to be saved, but because he is gracious.

God reveals himself to humanity in a variety of ways, not least through creation itself.  Romans 1: 20 says, ‘For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.’  An infant is incapable of comprehending God’s eternal power and divine nature and so lacks the capacity to reject God’s revelation of himself.  Moreover, even though infants are not sinless, they do lack the opportunity to sin.  When we consider these two facts together, it could be said that infants are, to all intents and purposes, innocent.

In Matthew 19, when Jesus reprimanded the disciples for shooing away parents who were most likely bringing their babies to him for a blessing, he said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  Verse 15 continues, ‘When he had placed his hands on them…’ This laying on of hands almost certainly refers to an act of blessing.  It should be noted that, nowhere in scripture does God explicitly place his blessing on people who are not part of his kingdom.

Our final appeal is to God’s nature.  The Bible places great emphasis on God being loving, compassionate, merciful and just.  Indeed, Psalm 89: 14 says, ‘Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.’  We can trust God to do what is right and just for each and every infant who passes into his care, and I believe that means mercifully welcoming them into his kingdom.

Advert

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, is a growing, lively evangelical congregation that loves Jesus and is home to a diverse range of people of all ages and backgrounds.

We have two part time positions available which could be filled by two people or combined to create one broader role.

Click below to read more about the roles and contact us if you would like to apply.

Young Adults

Coordinator

Part-time, 4 hours per week

Administrative Assistant

Part-time, 7.5 hours per week

Contact: Rev Charlie

E-mail: charlie@standrewsspringfield.org.au

Mobile: 0476 818 763

Tough Questions

Why are Matthew and Luke’s Accounts of Jesus’ Birth so Different?

Rev Charlie (December 2023)

We are so used to seeing the nativity depicted in the form of cards, paintings, models and plays that we might be forgiven for thinking that every facet of this well-known scene is described by all four gospel writers.  In truth, only Matthew and Luke describe the birth of Christ and their accounts are far from identical.  For example, Matthew states that an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, whereas Luke describes the angel Gabriel visiting Mary in person.  Both Matthew and Luke recount a group of people visiting the infant Jesus, however, for Matthew it is a group of Magi and for Luke a group of shepherds.  Matthew chronicles the family’s escape to Egypt, whilst Luke makes no mention of their sojourn in Egypt.  What are we to make of these differences?

Firstly, it is important to recognise that ‘difference’ is not the same thing as ‘contradiction’.  If you were to read about an event in two different newspapers, you would not expect the accounts to be identical, since each reporter would have his or her own perspective.  Moreover, by reading two reports on the same event, you would most likely get a much fuller picture of what occurred.  Admittedly, a comparison of the accounts of the birth of Christ in Matthew and Luke does present us with some conundrums, but overall, they complement each other in the same way that two newspaper articles might do.

Most of the differences can be attributed to the details that each writer chose to include or omit.  For example, it is perfectly reasonable to surmise that both Joseph and Mary received some kind of angelic visitation.

Perhaps the most difficult details to reconcile are the fact that Matthew tells us that the holy family fled to Egypt, whilst Luke seemingly has them returning to Nazareth immediately after Jesus is presented in the temple, (which would have taken place when he was forty days old).  There are two possible explanations that negate the need to hypothesise that one or both authors “adapted’ the story for rhetorical or theological reasons.   

Firstly, it could be that Jesus was presented in the temple after the Magi’s visit in Matthew 2.  If the family returned to Nazareth immediately after this event, it would mean that they fled to Egypt from Nazareth and not Bethlehem, which is plausible since Herod’s jurisdiction included Nazareth.  If this is the case, Matthew 2: 13 would be understood as follows, ‘When they [the magi] had gone, [insert Luke’s account of the visit to the temple and return to Nazareth], an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.’

The second possibility, and in my view the more likely, is that the family’s flight to Egypt took place after Jesus was presented in the temple and before they returned to Nazareth.  In this case, Luke 2: 39 would read as follows, ‘When Joseph and Mary had done everything required of the Law of the Lord [insert the family’s return to Bethlehem, the magi’s visit and the flight to Egypt], they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.’

An author’s silence about an event need not signify that it did not happen.  It is therefore judicious to reconcile the two gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth by recognising than neither author detailed every aspect of the narrative.

The foregoing observations draw our attention to the differences between the two accounts, but of far more interest are the similarities.  Matthew and Luke both assert that Mary was a virgin when she conceived and that an angel announced that her son would be the Messiah.  Both authors affirm that Mary and Jospeh were engaged to be married and that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  And, in both gospels, Jesus’ family end up in Nazareth.  Most importantly, the clear message of both evangelists (and indeed all four gospel writers), is that God has entered the world in the person of Jesus Christ to bring salvation to his people.

As we enter the season of Advent, let us enjoy this story with all its layers and complexities and give thanks for the awesome events that paved the way for us be reconciled to God through his son Jesus.

John 3: 16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Tough Questions

Is it Okay for Christians to be Cremated?

Rev Charlie (November 2023)

Cremation was legalised in the UK in 1902 and in Australia between 1891 and 1925 (depending on the state).  However, it only became widely accepted in the Church of England in the 1940s, and the Catholic Church did not authorise the practice until 1963.  The Orthodox church prohibits cremation to this day.  Most people are not well versed in the recent history of cremation, nevertheless, the question of whether cremation is equal to burial is one that Priests encounter from time to time.

The reason that all Christian denominations rejected cremation until relatively recently has to do with its links to pagan burial rights encountered by the early church.  In some pagan cultures, cremation was seen as a way of liberating the soul from the body, so that it could pass on to the ‘afterlife.’  However, as Christians, we do not anticipate a disembodied afterlife, quite the opposite, we look forward to a bodily resurrection.

If we want to know what resurrection life looks like, we should turn to the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in the gospels.  When Jesus rose from the dead, he had a real, physical body.  The disciples were able to touch him and he ate with them.  Our physical bodies are a requisite component of human existence; that is to say, we need both body and soul to be human.

1 Corinthians 15: 42-44 says the following about the resurrection, ‘So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.’

Those who belong to Jesus will be raised with physical bodies that are no longer subject to death and decay.  This will be the case for all Christians, regardless of whether they have been buried or cremated.  God created the universe from scratch; he will not require the remains of our bodies to remake them.  If a deceased person is buried, their body will eventually decompose and be no different from a body that was cremated.  The mode of burial in no way hinders God’s ability to raise a person to everlasting life in a renewed and restored creation, where heaven and earth are forever conjoined.

The Bible has nothing to say about required modes of burial, however, it goes without saying that the bodies of the dead should be treated with dignity and respect.  In the case of cremation, this would normally mean that the ashes are buried in the ground, or in some cases, buried at sea.

Most importantly, this question reminds us that death need not have the last word because we have the sure and certain hope of resurrection life through Christ Jesus.

Tough Questions

Has Modern Science Disproved Parts of the Bible?

Rev Charlie (August 2023)

The assertion is often made that modern science has “disproved” the Bible and rendered Christianity null and void, however, nothing could be further from the truth.

Modern science was born out of a worldview that accepted the premise of there being an omnipotent God of creation.  As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Men [people] became scientific because they expected Law in Nature, and they expected Law in Nature because they believed in a Legislator.”  Indeed, most of the pioneers of modern science were devout Christians, who saw no contradiction between their faith and their scientific discoveries: Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, Isaac Newton Robert Boyle and Francis Bacon to name but a few.  And if, as some contend, science has now ‘outgrown’ such a primitive thing as faith, how does one explain the presence of so many Christians among the world’s most eminent scientists today?

Far from discrediting the claims of Christianity, in many cases, modern science gives credence to them.  The Aristotelian idea of an eternal universe was seized upon by post-Christian scientists, who were eager to remove God from the picture.  However, in 1931, a Belgian cosmologist and Catholic priest by the name of Georges Lemaître, put forward a theory that has been popularised as ‘the big bang theory.’  Lemaître’s widely accepted theory necessitates the universe having a beginning, something that was known to the authors of Genesis more than 3,000 years ago.

Another startling scientific discovery that points clearly to there being a creator is the unravelling of the human genome.  This 3 billion letter mathematical sequence is the code required to create a human being, and it can be found in every cell of our bodies.  If we were to discover a complex computer code, or even a book, we would assume that it must have an intelligent creator.  The human genome is a phenomenally complex coded language; it is inconceivable that it came about solely through natural processes.  Indeed, the scientist responsible for the Human Genome Project, Francis Collins, affirms that view.

When examining the perceived contradictions between scientific discovery and the Bible, it is important to recognise that scientific endeavour and the Bible seek to answer very different questions.  The Bible contains a myriad of literary genres, but these do not include the genre of ‘scientific textbook’.  Take, for example, the creation accounts of Genesis 1 and 2, which describe the creation of the universe in about two pages.  These accounts do not attempt to answer scientific questions about creation, such as ‘When?’ and ‘How?’, rather they answer the more personal questions of ‘Who?’ and ‘Why?’.

When we consider the Bible’s many literary genres, we must bear in mind that something can be true without being literally true, poetry for example.  In the 17th century, the Catholic church made the mistake of refuting Galileo’s most significant discovery on the basis of a literal reading of poetry.  Galileo discovered that the earth orbits the sun, but the Church was loathe to accept this fact, largely because of Psalm 104: 5, which states, ‘He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.’  This verse is true, in that God did indeed establish the earth, and its position in the universe is stable and unchanging.  However, this truth is expressed poetically and was never intended to be understood as a scientific dictum.

So, we can be confident that the Bible is true, and not in any way discredited by modern scientific discovery, however, we must always pay careful attention to the genre of any given text.

Let us conclude with what the Bible has to say about itself, namely, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)

Tough Questions

Should Christians Tithe 10% of their Income?

Rev Charlie (August 2023)

Many of us have heard it said, or preached, that Christians should give away ten percent of their income, in accordance with practices that we read about in the Old Testament, but is this still a requirement for Christians today?

The ten percent ‘tithe’ was part of the Mosaic law, but the New Testament makes it clear that Christians are no longer under the law, for example, Galatians 3: 24-25 says, ‘[…] the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.’

Moreover, the tithe was one of many offerings required by the law.  A faithful Jew was expected to give between twenty and twenty-five percent of their income.  If we were still under the law, why would we limit our giving to ten percent?

Some proponents of the tithe cite Jesus’ affirmation of it in Matthew 23: 23:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Jesus tells the Pharisees that they should not have neglected ‘the former’, namely tithing from their spices.  However, it should be noted that Jesus himself lived under the mosaic law, since the new covenant (God’s new agreement with humanity), did not come into effect until after Jesus’ death and resurrection.  We tend to forget that Jesus was decidedly Jewish in his daily practices, worship and outlook.

In a list of the top fifty subjects that Jesus taught on, money and finance comes in at number four, yet Jesus never chose to teach about tithing.  In short, the New Testament does not stipulate a ten percent tithe for Christians.  So, what should our position on giving be?

The New Testament makes it clear that giving is an essential Christian discipline.  However, instead of a percentage amount we are given clear principles.

Firstly, our giving should be generous and sacrificial.  Paul commended the poverty-stricken Macedonian church that gave beyond its means to support the church in Jerusalem, saying: ‘In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.’ (2 Corinthians 8: 2-3).  This is a corporate version of the kind of generosity that Jesus commended in the poor widow, who gave two copper coins and the last of all she had (Mark 12: 41-44).  Sacrificial generosity requires great faith in the Lord’s ability and willingness to provide for all our needs (though not necessarily our wants).  A standard ten percent tithe would not be sacrificial for the very wealthy because they could offer it without forgoing any of life’s luxuries.

Secondly, our giving is to be joyful.  That is to say, it should flow from an attitude of the heart, rather than from a sense of obligation.  As it says in 2 Corinthians 9: 7, ‘Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’  Again, there is no mention of a percentage amount that everyone must pay.  One could assume that some will give more than ten percent and others less, according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, our giving should be thoughtful and prayerful.  It is worth remembering that Jesus taught us to go beyond the requirements of the law.  The law says ‘do not murder’, but Jesus said, do not harbour anger and resentment in your hearts.  The law says, ‘do not commit adultery’, but Jesus said, do not look at someone with lust.  The law says ‘give a tenth of all that your fields produce each year’, but Jesus said, ‘give to everyone who asks you’ (Luke 6: 30).  Our generosity and giving should not be limited by a set amount, rather it should grow and increase as God’s kingdom grows within us (Luke 17: 21).  Deuteronomy 10: 14 reminds us that everything belongs to God.  In other words, everything we have is on loan to us; we do not own it and we cannot take it with us when we depart from this world (Ecclesiastes 5: 15).  James reminds us that ‘every good and perfect gift is from above.’ (James 1: 17).  Our very lives are a gift from God, as is our eternal salvation.  We do well to remember what it cost Jesus to secure it for us.  With all this in mind, we think, and we pray, and we trust – and we decide in our hearts how much to give.