The answer to suffering: caprice, karma, chaos or Christ?

Here's my magazine article for March:

Anniversaries are usually happy occasions, but this month marks a year since the first COVID lockdown and I suspect few of us thought that one year on we'd still be facing restrictions. The pandemic has prompted many people to ask deep questions about life and death; and meaning and purpose, some of which we've looked at in previous articles (see here for some of them). However, we haven't looked much at perhaps the biggest question of all: why does God allow suffering? The problem is often put like this “Suffering exists so God either cannot do anything about it, in which case he isn't all-powerful (omnipotent); or he is unwilling in which case he is not all-loving.”

The first thing to say about this is that this is a specifically Christian question. Although it is often used as the knock-out argument against a belief in God, philosophically, suffering is only a problem if Christianity is true. In other worldviews suffering may exist, but it's not a problem.

If we look at other ancient religions, and to a certain extent Judaism and Islam, the will of the gods is supreme. Norse, Greek and Roman gods were capricious and fickle, they would cause humans to suffer on a whim and were not expected to be fair or just. As ABBA sang: "The gods may throw a dice / their minds as cold as ice / and someone way down here / loses someone dear" ('The Winner Takes it All' 1980). Similarly, for strands of Judaism and Islam, God is so supreme that he can never be questioned even if he acts unjustly. Suffering is therefore not a problem, it should simply be accepted.

For those who believe in karma there is solace (and often glee) in the thought that those who have hurt them will be punished for the suffering they've caused. However, to be consistent the karma-believers should also recognise that the suffering they face is a just punishment for wrongs that they themselves have done. Suffering is therefore not a problem, it is deserved.

The problem for atheistic philosophies is that we see suffering as a problem, because logically there is no grounds for complaining about suffering. If everything that exists exists because of chaos - random atoms banging into each other and 'accidentally' forming the universe – then suffering too is part of this random process. Alternatively, in evolutionary terms suffering is natural: nature is red in tooth and claw, suffering is the by-product of evolution. Either way, suffering is not a problem, it is random or natural.

But we do find suffering problematic. That's because we expect the world to be good and we expect any suffering to be just, because the Christian God is good and just. Only in Christianity can you have a problem with suffering, and only in Christianity can you have the solution to suffering. God created a perfect world, but humanity through rebelling against God (what we call 'sin') corrupted that world and so suffering became part of our experience. Despite that suffering being a just punishment for our rebellion, God did not want to abandon us to that suffering. And so he came to earth as a baby in Jesus; grew up like we do; experienced our suffering and pain; and then took that suffering and punishment on himself by dying on the cross; and in rising from the dead he showed us the new life, free from suffering. By becoming a suffering God, God is able to sympathise with us in our suffering (Hebrews 4:15) but more importantly to enable us to enter the new creation where there is no more suffering (Revelation 21:4). If you have a problem with suffering, then Easter is your answer.

Do you feel like giving up?

Here's my article for the February magazine:


Lent is traditionally a time when we forego pleasures and treats in order to detach ourselves from the temptations of 'the world, the flesh and the devil' and focus instead on God and the blessings he brings. Although we may not be so good at the second part of that, we seem to have been going without pleasures and treats for almost a year now – lockdown and COVID restrictions are almost a state-enforced Lent!

This imposed 'giving-up' is causing a deeper mental health issue of people giving up on life: the strain of coping with uncertain futures or job prospects; added to the worry about catching the virus, or loved ones catching it; on top of trying to get children to learn at home; all this can become too much. Help might be sought in alcohol or drugs, or even just wanting to hide in a dark corner and cry for hours. If you do feel like this, please find someone to talk to, and you're welcome to contact me, or to pop into church any time we're open.

But perhaps there is a healthier way to 'give up'. I read an article last year that had some good advice about some things that we should be giving up. Firstly, “give up thinking you are the only one feeling this way, struggling this way. You are not alone. It is normal in a time of huge uncertainty to feel somewhat lost, frustrated, fed up.” One of the benefits of talking to people when you're feeling that everything is getting on top of you is that you find out that others are feeling the same way. Around thirty or so years after Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, Peter wrote to some groups of Christians who were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus with these words: “you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Peter 5:9). Give up feeling you are alone.

Secondly, “give up trying to come up with a grand plan, and instead focus on some small wins.” This is particularly helpful for those who are trying to teach children at home – perhaps getting a child to do twenty minutes of work happily is better than forcing them to do four hours of work reluctantly. It would certainly be better for the family atmosphere!! But all of us are tempted to create big dreams for ourselves to give ourselves hope and purpose, things like “In a few months time, when this pandemic is over I'll go there or do that.” When the circumstances change and we can't fulfil those dreams, we end up despairing – better to have small short term aims that have a realistic chance of being achieved.

Finally “give up thinking it is entirely up to you. God hasn’t given up, and that is our single biggest source of encouragement. God is not surprised by anything that is happening. God is still at work, and wants to help us through.” None of us as individuals can stop the spread of the virus, or prevent people dying, or save the NHS; nor can we keep all of the plates spinning in our own lives. We need the help of family and friends, which is still possible even in lockdown, and of course God is not bound by government restrictions! God knows you and loves you; God knows your situation and your struggles; turn to him for hope and help. The writer of Psalm 71 cried out to God in his time of trouble and was able to say “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up” (verse 20).

Ding dong merrily on high (and on earth too!)

 It's going to be a very different Christmas this year, and as I write this (mid-November) we're not sure how different it's going to be, but we do know that it is going to be unlike any Christmas we've had before.  But despite whatever restrictions will be in place, there is a general desire to make Christmas a happy and special time.  One of the ideas is to ring bells outside at 6.00pm on Christmas Eve, which seems very appropriate as bells, especially of the jingle variety, are almost synonymous with Christmas.  If you're in any doubt about that, try listening to the most summer-like song whilst shaking bells and you will think about Christmas!!

But why are bells associated with Christmas?  The association probably goes back to the ringing of church bells to celebrate one of the great feasts of the church year and their sound of joy contrasting with the dark and miserable winter weather.  This link has been solidified in the popular imagination by the use of bells as a warning on coaches and sleighs in the poor winter visibility, and of course no Christmas chart song is complete without bells!!

Surprisingly, there is no mention of bells in the Biblical accounts of Jesus' birth, although often they are mentioned in re-tellings of the story as the bells of heaven ringing in celebration or of the angels' songs sounding like bells.  Indeed there is almost no mention of bells at all in the Bible, but cymbals are often included in lists of instruments used to worship God.  However, one place where bells are mentioned are in the clothes that God instructs the High Priest to wear.  In Exodus 28 God tells Moses to anoint his brother Aaron as the first High Priest and that at the bottom hem of a blue robe he should make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn with gold bells between them. There are many different explanations of the purpose and symbolism of these bells, so we may never know for sure, but there are a couple that seem plausible to me.

Verse 34 says “The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die” and verse 43 repeats the warning.  The bells then are possibly an audible reminder to the High Priest that he is entering into the special presence of God and therefore should put aside the 'worldly' clothes of sinfulness and put on the 'heavenly' clothes of holiness.  Repentance is a pre-requisite for a relationship with God.  But the bells are also a reminder that as the High Priest leaves that special presence of God, he doesn't leave that holiness behind but brings it out into the world – the soft sound of the precious gold being the wonderful message of God spoken into a cacophonous world.

The Bible tells us that Jesus is our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4), not just coming as a messenger from God but, as we celebrate at Christmas, 'God-with-us'; God himself in human form.  And the wonderful message that he brings is that he has made it possible for all of us to enter into God's special presence because Jesus is not just the great High Priest but also because “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).  So grab your bells or anything else to celebrate the good news that makes Christmas worth keeping whatever our circumstances!!

Advent Reflections 2020: Isaiah's Titles for Jesus - 4: Prince of Peace

 

For our Advent reflections this year we're looking at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

This week's title for Jesus is probably one of his best known - Prince of Peace - but it doesn't necessarily mean what we think it does. The image we sometimes have is of Jesus being the most calm and peaceful person ever; someone who floats above life never getting phased by anything or anyone; the 'ideal man' of Rudyard Kipling's poem 'If' who treats triumph and disaster the same. You only have to read a couple of chapters of one of the Gospels to know that Jesus was fully human and experienced human emotions like anger, tiredness, grief and exasperation. So what then does the title Prince of Peace mean?

To the Israelites of Isaiah's day the title 'Prince' did not necessarily mean royalty, but was used of a military leader and so it links with the 'Mighty God' title to denote power and authority. Often in the Old Testament the title Prince is used of a national leader (Ezekiel 38) and even of a supernatural being who has responsibility for a nation (e.g. Daniel 10). But Jesus, even though he is the Jewish Messiah, is not a national leader or even a tribal God, he is the Prince of Peace.

For us, peace usually means the absence of war or conflict between nations or groups of people, but the Hebrew word 'shalom', which we usually translate as peace, is better translated wholeness. So Jesus, as Prince of Peace, is going to fight a battle to bring wholeness. When we looked at the title 'Mighty God' we thought about the battle that Jesus fought against the powers of evil, sin and death which he defeated by this death and resurrection.  The consequence of that victory is that we who are sinners can be forgiven because he died to “redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:14).  Humanity was broken by Adam's disobedience but Jesus' obedience even to death and resurrection restores those who trust in him to wholeness.  Thus we can, by the Holy Spirit be conformed to Christ's likeness.

Not only can we be restored as humans but more importantly as St Paul wrote “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).  Our relationship with God is restored and made whole again.  And it is only by having that relationship restored, and by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that reconciliation between people can be achieved.  Only by recognising that we are all sinners; all equally in need of God's mercy; all unworthy recipients of God's grace; that we can truly forgive those who have sinned against us.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace and of the increase of his peace there will be no end (verse 7).  We celebrate what he has achieved on the cross but look forward to his return when his eternal reign of peace will be over all the world. In the meantime, we are called to share this wonderful message: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7).  Let's make the most of the opportunity that Christmas gives us to tell others the good news!

Advent Reflections 2020: Isaiah's Titles for Jesus - 3: Everlasting Father

For our Advent reflections this year we're going to look at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The previous two titles Isaiah gives to Jesus are fairly straightforward, but today's makes us stop and think. I suspect when we hear the verse in the midst of a fuller reading we mentally skip this title and think about the other three, and that is because we've just called Jesus the 'Everlasting Father'. We looked last week about Jesus as 'Mighty God' and how that reminds us that not only is Jesus divine but there is a plurality within the Godhead. We find it hard enough to get our heads around the doctrine of God as Trinity; Three-in-One and one-in-Three, but now we seem to be saying that God the Son is also the 'Everlasting Father'!

This title is used to emphasise two aspects of the Messiah: firstly that he is everlasting – that he has no beginning or end. His everlasting or eternal nature is also brought out in the surrounding verses that speak of there being no end to his reign. This is yet another indication of Jesus' divinity.

Secondly, the title tells us that his character is father-like. His government will not rule by fear and oppression but will be characterised by peace, justice and righteousness (verse 7). Isaiah 40:11 says “He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Jesus picks up on this language when he refers to himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10) and refers to his disciples as his 'children' (John 13:33). Jesus will be father-like because he is a compassionate provider and protector.

To call Jesus 'Everlasting Father' is not to confuse him with God the Father, but to remind us that he is one with the Father (John 10:30, 38) and he is the perfect image of God the Father, the exact representation of his being (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3) If we want to know what God is like we look at Jesus (John 14:9-10).

But Jesus is also a Father in a special way in that he is the author and pioneer of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10-13 and 12:2). As Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary on Isaiah 9:6 “[Jesus] was, from eternity, the Father of the great work of Redemption: his heart was upon it; it was the product of his wisdom, as the Counsellor; of his love, as the everlasting Father”.

Advent Reflections 2020: Isaiah's Titles for Jesus - 2: Mighty God

For our Advent reflections this year we're going to look at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

“Unto us is born a son, unto us a child is given” Isaiah proclaims, and the question is who is this child?  Isaiah has already prophesied the birth of a son in 7:14 - “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” and the word translated 'virgin' could simply mean a young woman.  In 8:3 Isaiah marries a prophetess who gives birth to a son who might be the immediate fulfilment of this prophecy.  However, the deeper meaning of the prophecy is brought out in 9:6.

We saw last week how the son is to be a 'Wonderful Counsellor' which could be applied to a great human.  If you think about some of the famous figures in history, there is often something about them or their lives which inspires wonder, and thousands of memes spread wise words that have been spoken through the ages.  However the next description of the son leaves us in no doubt about who he is: he is the 'Mighty God'.

There is no distinction to be made here between Jesus as the 'Mighty God' and YHWH / Jehovah as the 'Almighty God' as if Jesus were some sort of demi-god or a lesser deity.  This is because YHWH (the personal name for God in the Old Testament identified as the one Creator God and the God who made a covenant with Abraham and his family) is also called 'Mighty God' in Isaiah 10:21 and Jeremiah 32:18.  So the 'son' is clearly identified as equal to the one Creator and covenantal God YHWH, and here we have another reference to a plurality within the Godhead, which eventually comes into focus in the doctrine of the Trinity.  Therefore, 'virgin' is an appropriate translation, not only because the word refers to a young, unmarried woman who in those times would have been a virgin, but also because a virgin giving birth points to the unique nature of the 'son' as both human and divine.

The name 'Mighty God' has overtones of powerfulness and strength particularly in battle, and this reminds us that Jesus didn't just come to do miraculous deeds, or give amazing teachings, but that he came to fight the spiritual enemies of sin and death.  The contrast between a weak, helpless baby and a conquering warrior is one that is so great that many people will separate the baby Jesus from the adult 'Jesus Christ' – they are happy to celebrate his birth as being a joyous occasion, but they don't want to 'buy in' to what he did as an adult.  However, in the good news of Jesus the two are inseparable: Paul tells us “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) and Jesus himself said that he came to give his life as a ransom (Mark 10:45).  The way he saved sinners is by defeating sin and death through his death on the cross (Colossians 2:13-15).

To acclaim Jesus as the Mighty God is to remind ourselves that there is no greater power in heaven or on earth than him.  So we need not be afraid of our own failings, or death, or even COVID-19.  Turn to Jesus, the Mighty God, this Christmas and feel the power of his protection.

Advent Reflections 2020: Isaiah's Titles for Jesus - 1: Wonderful Counsellor

 

For our Advent reflections this year we're going to look at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The first title that Isaiah foretells for Jesus is 'Wonderful Counsellor'. Jesus is wonderful in the sense that he arouses in us a sense of wonder and awe and marvel. Unfortunately, we are so familiar with the events of Jesus' life that they lose something of that sense of wonder, but as we read the gospels we are constantly told how the reaction of the crowds to Jesus was one of amazement, not just at his miracles, but also at his teaching (e.g. Mark 1:27). It is the same as we approach Christmas; familiarity blind us to the amazing events surrounding Jesus' birth, like the angels, the star and the virgin birth itself. Similarly, we need to recover our wonder at the very coming of Jesus, how “...within a manger lies / he who built the starry skies” “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). The most wonderful thing about Jesus is that he came to earth from his glory in heaven so that he could die to redeem us from our sins.

The title 'Counsellor' helps us to see in greater detail what Jesus does. It firstly reminds us of Jesus' place in the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a communion of Persons in perfect unity. The idea of them taking counsel together is a really difficult one to comprehend because we humans take counsel in order to fill in gaps in our knowledge, but God has no such lack of knowledge. The Divine 'consultation' (which we see for example in Genesis 1:26) is more a reminder that each Person of the Trinity acts freely to fulfil the Divine will. So in the Philippians quote we saw that Jesus was obedient to the Father, and in John 16:13 Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit “will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears [from the Father and the Son]” - in both cases there is the inference that the Son and the Spirit choose to act in that way. This contradicts the argument of atheists like Richard Dawkins who say that the Father commits child-abuse by sending Jesus to die for our sins. The crucifixion was the eternal plan of the Trinity for the atonement of human sin – Jesus went to his death willingly because it was his plan from before Creation! This is reflected in another way the phrase 'Wonderful Counsellor' can be translated: “Wonder-working Planner”.

Jesus' rôle as Counsellor also tells us about his relationship to us – he imparts wisdom and truth to us. But he is not just one more voice among many, he is not someone whose teachings have the same value as any other speaker – only he has the words of eternal life (John 6:68), because only he is Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24) and Truth (John 14:6). Despite this, Jesus' words do not come to us as a divine diktat, but as an invitation to life in all its fullness and a sign that he is concerned with our welfare – whoever obeys his words will never see death (John 8:51). In these uncertain and frightening times, who better to turn to than our Wonderful Counsellor?