If there were no resurrection...

Here's my magazine article for April:

The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in the whole history of the universe. And not just because to celebrate it we have a day when you're allowed to eat chocolate at every meal and for every snack in between! Jesus' death is the centre of the Christian faith but it's his resurrection that gives his death its meaning.

Paul wrote that the most important belief is “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians15:3-5). Later in the same chapter he writes “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (verse 17). Our sins can be forgiven because Jesus died in our place but it is his resurrection that guarantees that his sacrifice worked.

Jesus predicted that he would die and be raised to life again (Mark 8:31) so his resurrection proves that his teaching is trustworthy and true. Therefore, when he says that he gives his life “as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) we know that is true too. Anyone could say that they will give their life as a ransom for many but the resurrection is proof that Jesus actually did it. Without the resurrection, Jesus could be seen as just a wise teacher or guru, or even as a tragic hero who died because he challenged the establishment. With the resurrection we can be sure that Jesus' death was the sacrifice needed to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. We also know that sin has been dealt with because the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23); Jesus' resurrection proves that he has conquered death and therefore also conquered sin.

But the resurrection is more than a proof so that we know we can be forgiven. Paul tells us “We were therefore buried with [Jesus] through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). That new life has the qualities of eternal life (closeness to God, freedom from slavery to sin, freedom from fear of death) but is available here and now. Jesus' resurrection means we can have a fresh start; forgiven for our past sins and a future close relationship with God. Jesus' resurrection means that salvation isn't something that happens after death but is a state of life before death that carries on beyond death. As Jesus said, he came so that those who believe in him “may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

So this Easter as you munch your way through excessive amounts of chocolate, think about the world-changing event that that chocolate celebrates: Jesus' resurrection. And more importantly, think what Jesus' resurrection means to you. In Romans 10:9, Paul assures us “if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Fish tanks and freedom

This is my magazine article for March:

The Christian season of Lent starts on Ash Wednesday which this year falls on 1^st March (for Welsh readers, St David's day is transferred this year to 28^th February - see http://hybaldsrector.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/where-has-st-david-gone.html). Lent is a time of self-examination and repentance and is often associated with the practice of giving things up. This has recently been joined by, and increasingly replaced by, a call to take up spiritual or charitable practices. Now of course these are worthy and admirable things to do, but I suspect that our preference for 'taking up' rather than 'giving up' has less to do with our spiritual and moral health and more to do with our contemporary dislike of self-denial.

For over half a century now our culture has shifted away from attitudes of respect for and obedience to authority, and has moved towards an attitude of self-assertion and self-centredness. This shift is not totally a bad thing, but it is reaching its logical conclusion in the present attitude that I should be able to have what I want and it is wrong to deny me it. This is usually dressed up in the language of being 'free' or having a 'right' to have or do something. The progression has been from “I do what I am told” to “I do what I like as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else” to “I can do what I like whatever effect it has on others (or myself)”.

Jesus, by his death, has set us free the guilt of our sins. But as Paul reminds us “My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love” (Galatians 5:13 Contemporary English Version) and Peter says “You are free, but still you are God’s servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong” (1 Peter 2:16 CEV). But in a world where 'freedom' is the battle-cry, the suggestion that we should try to live according to God's laws is not popular.

So how can we be free if we still have to live as God wants us to live? Well, we do not free a fish by taking it out of a fish tank, we only kill it. Similarly, we are only truly free if we live in the way we are intended to live, and the one who tells us what that way is is the one who created us, God. Freedom from God's rules is not freedom to live, it is only freedom to die.

The odd thing is that we know that freedom from constraint is not really freedom because we see it all around us. Unrestrained eating is unhealthy, excessive consumption of alcohol has a detrimental effect on health and society. However, the most shocking example is the 'freedom' of the sexual revolution that has led to increases in STIs, abortions, broken relationships, pornography, sexualisation of children and psychological trauma.

The promises to bring freedom and happiness cannot be fulfilled by a culture that puts personal interests above everything else. Jesus said, “I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest” (John 10:10 CEV). This Lent why not test whether Jesus' promise is true?

Dabble, dabble, game or trouble?

Here's my article for the October parish magazine:

There's a fine line between vigilance and paranoia and between caution and hysteria and it's a line that I'm going to attempt to tread in this article.

This summer's gaming sensation has been Pokemon Go – a smartphone game where imaginary creatures and accessories are looked for and captured in real life locations.  Some have praised it for getting coach-potato gamers out of their houses and walking around, whilst others have pointed out the dangers of people walking onto roads or into streams; causing accidents or making themselves vulnerable to crime by playing the game.  A few people are warning of the spiritual damage that Pokemon can do.

This latter group look at the 'worldview' of the game. Pokemon is short for 'pocket monsters' and the Pokemon have different abilities, for example reading of minds, use of poison, mimicry, taunting, teleportation and hypnosis. The concept of the original game of Pokemon is that you capture these Pokemon, 'train' them and then 'summon' them to fight against other people's Pokemon.  This, they say, is very similar to the practices of summoning and trying to control spiritual beings and forces that are found in witchcraft, Wicca, shamanism and spiritism, all of which the Bible warns against.  They also point to the testimony of former witchdoctors such as Bautista who, with no prior knowledge of the game, identified some Pokemon with demons they had encountered.

However, whilst some of the underlying themes and concepts of Pokemon are based on unChristian and potentially dangerous worldviews, it is after all just a game.  The same can't be said, on the other hand for those who 'dabble' in witchcraft, Wicca, mediums, psychics, spiritism etc.  These are very real attempts to summon and control very real spiritual beings and forces.  The problem with these practices, apart from the dubious techniques used by some of the practitioners, is that although the spiritual forces are real, only demonic forces would use these means.  This is because God has forbidden these practices so no force for good would use them, despite them seeming to be harmless or even caring.  St Paul warns us the “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

There is no such thing as good magic, the dead cannot be communicated with and spiritual forces are beyond the command of humans.  What will respond if you call on these things are evil spirits that we are unable to control.  However, the Bible records loads of occasions where Jesus demonstrated his power over evil forces, and ultimately “God defeated the spiritual rulers and powers. With the cross God won the victory and defeated them. He showed the world that they were powerless” (Colossians 2:15). If you have opened the door of your life to evil influences, the good news is that through Jesus that door can be shut and you can be set free from every evil force that wants to control you.