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Oct. 1997
On holidays we celebrate. We remember. But what do we remember?
During the months of November and December in much of the Western world we celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. As we get closer to December 25 the pomp and ceremony that surrounds us becomes overwhelming. It is the "holiday season." It is the season in which the message about the "spirit of Christmas," or the "spirit of Jesus" or the "spirit of giving" rings in our hears. But even these words can mislead. Even this message takes our eyes and our minds off the reason for believers to rejoice. It is not just the commercialization of the "Christmas season" that takes our mind off the gospel; the messages about the "spirit of Jesus" or the "spirit of Christmas" or the "spirit of giving" can do that too.
Another theme that we hear repeatedly during the "holiday season" is "peace. This also can be a distraction that takes our mind off the gospel. (This will be dealt with in Part II of this meditation.)
What should we be thinking about at "Christmas" time? We should be thinking about an execution--but the world of unbelievers certainly isn't doing so and perhaps many Christians aren't doing so either. It hardly seems appropriate not being a bubbly subject.
Why should anybody be thinking about an execution at "Christmas" time? Because if the Son of God who entered the world "at" Christmas time had not been executed according to God's plan there would be nothing to rejoice about at "Christmas time" --for anybody (whether "believers" or unbelievers).
Yes, messages about the "spirit of Jesus" or the "spirit of giving" or the "spirit of peace" can be misleading! Such phrases may draw our attention away from the message we should be rejoicing over--or at least the message that should be the cause of believers' rejoicing.and the message that is the source of true peace. How can this be? you ask. Follow along...
Christians appreciate Jesus coming into the world more than anybody else. But... And it is a big "but." But-- it is not the coming of Jesus that makes his coming a reason for rejoicing. Sounds absurd? But that's the truth. The gospel is not that he came but that he accomplished that which he was sent to do. The coming of Jesus and the life of Jesus' would not be a reason to rejoice --if it was not that Jesus' kind of life (always doing his father's will) inevitably led to the fulfillment of the purpose for which he had been sent by the Father--the redemption of his people by the his death on the cross. (Titus 2:14) Jesus coming into the world and living a sinless life, Jesus being a perfect example would have been a source of discouragement if he had not redeemed us by his death. His life would have only revealed to us how sinful and weak we are, how utterly helpless human beings are--if in fact that is our condition.
What is our condition? Are we really in bondage to sin? Or are sinful activities only options to which some people are drawn (especially on "bad" days)? What does the Bible teach about the nature and pervasiveness of sin?
"If God places no trust in his servants, if he charges his angels with error, how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!" ( Job 4:18-19) "If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes, how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks up evil like water!" (Job 15:15-16)
Another kind of general statement which describes the predicament of man is found in the 14th chapter of the book of Job: "Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No-one!" (Job 14:4) The prayer and declaration by the psalmist is very clear on the subject: "Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no-one living is righteous before you." (Psalms 143:2) The words of God in Jeremiah express the truth this way: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." (Jeremiah 13:23)
In the New Testament God's statements are equally blunt. "As it is written: 'There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no-one who does good, not even one.'" (Romans 3:10-12 ) The Bible says everybody is a prisoner of sin. The Bible does not say "just some people," or just "bad" people are under the dominion of sin but that everybody in their natural state is a prisoner of sin. Nobody is born outside the prison or with the strength to deliver himself from the prison. In Paul's letter to the church in Galatia written long after Jesus' death and resurrection we read the apostle's assessment: "The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."(Galatians 3:22) Only God can deliver them from their bondage.
But there is more. The Bible says a lot about the nature and depth of sin.
Sin is subtle. Sin is deep. Sin is a bottomless pit. Sin comes to expression in countless ways. When we remember that the vast majority of "actions" which God views as sins are "actions" which take place in the mind who (that takes God seriously) has not felt the pull of sin in one of its forms? In Galatians 5:19-20 God tells us this: "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;" Then he goes on to add the much longer list of sins that take place in the mind before they ever translate into physical action: "idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions."
The bible says, "each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (James 1:14-15)
The Bible tells us that the source of sin, the place where sin originates and grows, is deep inside a person. Jesus tells us, "From within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man `unclean'." (Mark 7:21-23)
In the gospels Jesus provides an example of when and where sin takes place even though it may never reach the stage of physical behavior: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28)
Oh, how deep the "infection of sin" runs!
How hidden and how corrupt is the source of sin. In the Old Testament portion of God's word we read this statement about the heart: "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Yet it is according to what God sees in the heart that he judges whether that person meets the standards that God himself set out in his revealed will. (1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10; Luke 11:39; Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Romans 2:29)
Are these teachings of our Creator about sin an ignorable source of information on the subject? What do we know about what sin is except by learning what the Creator's word tells us? Who knows better than our Creator how strong and pervasive the power of sin is? Who knows as only our Creator can know whether people can just choose to walk away from sinful dispositions and inclinations, whether people have the ability "to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps"?
To see the power of sin, to judge whether sin is as powerful as God's revelation says it is, who has to look further than the mess the world is in now and has been in since history began? To know that sin is incredibly subtle and deep who has to look beyond his own heart and mind and compare what is seen there with the purity of thought and motives that God requires?
What does all this teaching about the condition of humankind have to do with Christmas and the execution of Jesus? It has everything to do with it. Because, if Christ has not delivered anyone from (the penalty for, and) the power of sin (=the prison house of sin) nobody would have anything to be happy about "at" Christmas time. If we are hemmed in by sin, if we are held in bondage by the power of sin what good can the example of Jesus' love and matchless life do for us? If, as it were, our hands are tied (by sin) how can we copy the example, the movements of anybody whose hands are not tied? Jesus' example has been widely known and highly spoken of for close to 2000 years in much of the world. But the manifestations of sin are as much in evidence now as they were before Jesus Christ ever came into the world. What good does the example of a sinless life do us? A perfect example by itself is not only useless, but, like a perfect standard (Romans 3:23; James 2:10), is discouraging. The example of a sinless life is not a cause for rejoicing.
The Bible speaks of the world's reaction to the example of a sinless life observed in Jesus. "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light." Why did they love darkness? The verse continues: "because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." (John 3:19-20) Jesus spoke of the world's reaction to himself. He said "it hates me."Why did the world hate him: "because I testify that what it does is evil." (John 7:7) Even the religious leaders of the Jews and their Roman cohorts wanted to get rid of him (Matthew 26:3-4;1 Corinthians 2:8; Acts 2:23; 3:15;7:52;13:27).
Unbelievers are no lovers of Jesus. And they have not been delivered from the wrath of God or the dominion of sin. The bible is very blunt about the condition and destiny of unbelievers: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36) Unbelievers have not been delivered from either the power of, or the penalty for, sin. Unless they become believers they will pay the price for their sins. Jesus said to the Jews: "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am [the one I claim to be], you will indeed die in your sins." (John 8:24)
If the world of unbelievers is a world of prisoners (on death row) as the Bible says it is the question must be asked: What does the world of unbelievers celebrate at Christmas time?
What distinguishes Christians at Christmas time as well as at other times is that we know what God has delivered us from. Why did Jesus Christ die? "... to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father." (Galatians 1:4) What did God do for us? "He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." (Colossians 1:13) What are believers doing? Looking forward to the appearing of "Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath." (1 Thessalonians 1:10) "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin....You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. / For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." (Romans 6:6,18,14) "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14) As the Bible says, "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) What a relief it is to no longer have the condemnation of the law hanging over us!
While every human being was in the prison, was in bondage to sin God has removed believers from that position. "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest [of humanity], we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:3-6) That is how God describes the position of believers in his scheme of things.
The position of those people who have been delivered out of the dominion of darkness, out of the kingdom of Satan, and transferred into the kingdom of the Son of God, has been changed. Believers are no longer waiting for condemnation but are now "heirs of God" (Romans 8:17), "citizens of heaven" (Philippians 3:20) and looking forward to the inheritance that God has prepared for them. (1 Peter 1:4-5) Believers have something to rejoice over.
What does all this teaching about the pervasiveness, the power of sin and the transfer of believers to the status of heirs have to do with the subject of Christmas and rejoicing because of an execution? The connection is a matter of time.
When did this deliverance of believers from the dominion of darkness (or prison house of sin) and their appointment to a new status as heirs take place? It was not when the Son of God came into the world (the event which we in the West commemorate at Christmas time); it was not when the victory over death was confirmed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:2-4) It took place when the execution of Jesus occurred according to the plan of God. (Luke 13:33; 18:31; 24:25-26, 44-46; Acts 2:23). It happened on that day which Christians have for centuries called "Good Friday."
All the glamor and excitement of Christmas and the messages that ring in our ears during the "holiday" season can make Christians forget their reason for rejoicing. Don't look at the wrong thing! Don't look at the mess the world has always been in or at the attempts of sinners to reform the world which have been going on for centuries. Don't dwell your own momentary failures or successes either. (James 2:10; Philippians 3:8) They won't make any difference in your destiny. (Perhaps at this time tomorrow you will no longer living on this earth.) If you are a Christian look at, dwell on, the fact that it was the life of him who was nothing less then the Son of God that was given for you. It was God who qualified you to be heirs to a most excellent inheritance (Colossians 1:12), "an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-- kept in heaven for you" (1 Peter 1:4). Can you believe that he doesn't care what happens to you? Are you despondent? Then, Christian, you are not setting your mind completely on the grace to be revealed to you (1 Peter 1:13) --the grace that will be fully communicated to you--because of what Christ accomplished when he was executed on that first "Good Friday".
During the "holiday season" when Christians are reminded of the time that Christ came into the world and we hear the words the "spirit of Christmas" or the "spirit of Jesus" do not be led into thinking (or feeling) that Christmas is a time for rejoicing because of the "spirit of Jesus" and not because of the death of Jesus.
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Now let's think about the message of "peace" which we hear so much at Christmas time. At Christmas time we hear a lot about "peace." We hear how this should be a time when hostilities disappear, how this should be a time when we "bury the hatchet," how this should be a time when we should be overwhelmed by thoughts of "peace." The problem is that the "peace" which is being spoken about is not God's "peace". It is not just the commercialization of the "Christmas season" that takes our mind off the gospel; messages about the "spirit of Jesus, messages about "peace" can do that too. And it is those messages that are more likely to be a deadly trap for the believer since they sound sweet and Christian.
In the Bible the same contrast is recorded. Some leaders in Israelite society were talking about peace when there wasn't any and it was not in God's plan that it would prevail in the near future (as God's prophet Jeremiah was vainly trying to point out.) Jeremiah spoke of those leaders this way: "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. `Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace." (Jeremiah 6:14)
When God sent his Son into the world was it God's purpose to obliterate all hostilities, all antagonisms between people? Not at all. "Do not suppose," Jesus said, "that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34) The idea is that Gospel will divide people--those who believe and those who don't. Jesus said, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." (Luke 12:49-53)
When Christ died on the cross the result was not that every kind of evil and calamity disappeared from the face of the earth. Wars did not stop (and still have not stopped). Sickness did not go away. Divorce, hatred, resentment, violence did not fade out of the picture. Starvation, famine, earthquakes, floods, the pollution of the earth and its atmosphere have not ceased to be part of the lot of mankind. God's revelation does not say that these phenomena would go away or that this world would become a peaceful place while at the same time it remained a world of unbelievers. (2 Peter 3:10-13)
Everywhere in the world we see divisions and violence. The world is in a mess now. Is there a time when it wasn't this way? What does the Bible or other historical records show? Looking at the world will not leave you with the impression that peace is taking over, or that men (or women) are "pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps," and changing their hearts so that they have turned into peaceful creatures. Looking at what is going on in the world of sinful human beings produces an impression of everything but peace. What is seen is violence, turmoil, distress, heartache, anguish, disease, death. That the world of unbelievers is in the condition of antagonistic turmoil should come as no surprise to believers. It would be more than a surprise, it would be a contradiction of the word of the Creator if the world of unbelievers was not in the condition of continuous violence, turmoil and distress. (Genesis 6:5; Isaiah 57:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Romans 1:29-31)
"Peace, peace the world cries when there is no peace." Especially around Christmas time we hear the media talk about peace. But it is not God's peace that they are talking about. There is a total difference. The Bible speaks about the difference. In some places the distinction is stated very clearly rather than being implicit.
On the very night Jesus was to be betrayed and arrested when the disciples were upset because they realized that Jesus was about to be taken from them, Jesus said to them : "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." He also said to them, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 14.27; 16:33)
A number of hours later after Jesus had been betrayed and arrested he was standing before the highest civil ruler. When Jesus was asked, "Are you the king of the Jews" Jesus explained about his kingdom, saying, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36) The "peace of God" does not eliminate hostilities in the world but actually creates an additional reason for hostility to exist. Jesus said of the world, "it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil." (John 7:7) Even the religious leaders of the Jews and also (for partially different reasons) their Roman cohorts were hostile to Jesus and wanted to get rid of him. (Matthew 26:3-4;1 Corinthians 2:8; Acts 2:23; 3:15; 7:52; 13:27). Jesus said to his disciples, "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 the words I spoke to you: `No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also..." (John 15:18-20)
There is a total difference between what the world calls "peace" and what God's peace means. The "peace of God" is not the same as the tranquility that may be present to the eye when there is an absence of physical conflict.
The apostle Paul spoke about the "peace of God" in his letter to the believers at Philippi: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) The Bible does not say that the "peace of God" will keep your bodies safe from harm (by eliminating all conflict from the world) but that it "will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." In the Old Testament portion of God's word this same promise is set forth in the words of the psalmist speaking to God: "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." (Isaiah 26:3)
What is the peace that believers possess? Peace with God. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) Where does this peace come from? From God. But the consciousness of this peace comes "from" or through what we do--looking at God and remembering his acts of mercy. (John 6:40) It is God's favor that is the basis of our peace. But it is our looking at the evidence of his favor that brings that peace-God's peace- into our consciousness.
FEEDING ON POISON OR A GOOD DIET
Who knowingly feeds on poison? Who knowingly maintains a balance between poisonous foods and good food? We are affected by what we put in our stomachs. We are also affected by what we put into our minds. As with physical foods not everything that we can fill our minds with is good to feed upon. Some thoughts are fiction. Others are fancy. Some are true. Some are false. Without the proper food for the body we die. Without the proper food for the mind we also die. Without "the facts" the mind cannot come to true conclusions anymore than the most brilliant mathematician can arrive at the number 6 by adding 2 and 3. If we don't focus on and acknowledge what God says is reality we can be sure of going astray and suffering a consequence more distressing and more lasting than physical death.
The consciousness of God's peace does not come automatically. Focusing on what fills the heart of believers with peace does not happen automatically, but is something we do consciously. This is just as true in the "holiday season" as at any other time. We must deliberately focus on, deliberately feed on "good food." God tells us what is needful for us. God tells his children how to be live. He commands us. He says, "set your mind on things above." In the apostle Paul's letter to the congregation at Colossae we read: "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1-2) This is a command just as an earthly physician might tell a person who has a particular condition that he or she must get a certain amount of exercise each day. And our Creator knows what we need! If we don't feed on the facts of God, that is, on what in his mercy God purposed and what by his power he accomplished (permanently) then we will miss the joy and peace that the remembrance of Christ's coming into the world and dying on the cross should bring.
FEEDING ON THE WRONG FOOD = CONSIDERING THE WORLD AS THE NORM
Eat the right thing. Fill the mind with the right thing. Believers, if you disregard what the "great physician" says and instead of "setting your heart and mind on the things above" you look upon what you see in the world as basically natural and normal is it any surprise that you get depressed or discouraged or gloomy? Who doesn't? There are so many things over which you have no control: things such as the hostility between people (whether covered up or open) which leads to violence, divorce, war; the pollution of the oceans; the growth of the ozone hole; the spread of Aids; inflation; terrorism; disasters; death; etc., etc., etc., etc. Looking at the state of the world is discouraging. Looking at the history of mankind is discouraging, looking at "nature" which is "red of tooth and claw" is discouraging. Focusing on the world and all the symptoms of sin and death is depressing if we forget whose world it is. More than once the Bible records a godly man asking himself, "Oh, my soul, why are you downcast within me?" (Psalm 42.5,11) The answer is given later. The answer is that he was looking at the wrong thing.
What is the right thing for believers to look at? What are the "things above" the sight of which causes God's peace to fill the soul? The Cross. It is not Christ's coming in the world that brings peace to believers. It is his death on the cross according to the plan of God that brings us the peace of God.
What is it in the cross that fills the souls of believers with God's peace when they look at it? They see that God sent a stand-in for them, a stand-in who overcame. They see that Christ removed God's appointed punishment for defying the revealed will of God--which is death. (Romans 6:23; Genesis 2:17; 3:19) "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that [for the purpose that] whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). When believers look there they see their enemy--him "who holds the power of death--that is, the devil" overcome.It was "by" the death of Christ that this victory over the devil was accomplished. (Hebrews 2:14-15) The resurrection of Christ proved it. When believers look there they see that their savior--the Son of God "disarmed the powers and authorities"; it was there at the cross the cross that "he [Christ] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Colossians 2:15) When believers look at the cross they see deliverance: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13: cf Romans 8:3-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21). It was there that "He [God] forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14) It was there that the blood of the completely obedient Son of God accomplished for believers what they could not accomplish for themselves. It was at the cross that not only was their deliverance from the penalty and power of sin accomplished but an incomparable inheritance was earned for them. (Romans 8:3-4; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)--What peace, what a relief flows through the vision of the cross.
It gladdens the heart to know this Almighty One is favorably disposed towards us. Christians do know this. We have been "redeemed" by the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:19). We who believe have reason to be grateful because we know the Creator cared for us so much that he sent his Son to die for us. We also know he will not let his Son's death be for naught.
It is fountain of peace for each believer to know he or she is in the permanent favor of the Almighty God. It began a "long" time ago and will never change. (Hebrews 6:17; Romans 8:35,38-39; Matthew 25.34) By looking at God's record (his written word) we know we are safe under the care and protection of the Almighty God. (Romans 8:32; Hebrews 7:25)
God has told believers in many ways that we can count on his favor, his love. The holy God who sent his Son to pay for my offenses against himself--can I doubt his love? I was not lovable prior to or at the time that the Son of God laid down his life for me, for "whoever" (Colossians 1:21-22), so how can I have a question about whether his feelings toward me might change or come to an end? The Bible puts the question to me, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?(Romans 8:32) and again,"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?" (Romans 8:35)
God's own word--which is where I learn about God's character, purpose and care--says to me: "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). God's word tells me that "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:25-27) The Bible states unequivocally that "[Christ] is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:25) And again, unequivocally God's word tells me that God "is able to keep you(me) from falling and to present you(me) before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- (Jude 24) So what is there to worry about? Oh, how the peace of God guards the heart and mind of believers!
HOW COMFORTING IT IS TO REMEMBER WHO IT IS
THAT HOLDS THIS ATTITUDE TOWARD US?
When believers remember who it is that holds this favorable attitude towards them the feeling of security, safety and peace grows even stronger. What does God's word reveal him to be? Time, history and life are in his hand. The world is his baby. "In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:10). It was he who "made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places they should live." (Acts 17:26). When God hides his face his creatures are terrified: "when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust." (Psalm 104:29). "Man's days are determined: you [God] have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed." (Job 14:5). He is the one before whom "all the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth" (Daniel 4:35) It is he who holds the "keys of death and Hades" (Revelation 1:18). It is he who can "destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). He is the one to fear. He is the one to be on the "good side of." And it is the cross that shows which side of him we are on. It is the cross that more than anything else reveals God's attitude toward those in his favor. This is what believers know. What a cause for peace to fill our hearts and minds!
CHRISTMAS--A TIME TO BE WATCHFUL --AND TO REMEMBER THE GOSPEL
What does all this have to do with Christmas being an likely time to be misled? The peace which the world talks about so much at Christmas time is not peace with God. When did the peace between a Holy God and sinners come into existence? When did God bring about God's peace and bestow eternal blessings on those who believe in him? It was at the cross. It was on that first "Good Friday" when a unique execution occurred according to the "timeless" purpose and plan of God. (Acts 2:23)
During the "holiday season" Christians are reminded of the time that Christ came into the world. At the time we hear the catchy phrases-- the "spirit of Christmas" or the "spirit of Jesus" or "this should be a time when we are peace makers." These phrases can sound good and Christian but they may be misleading like the words of the doctor who tells you "all is well" when in fact you are dying of a fatal disease. (Jeremiah 6:14) It is in this season especially that we need to remember that Jesus' exemplary life would be no foundation for genuine joy or peace if it was not that he died to deliver his people from their imprisonment, if he had not died on the cross to deliver them from their bondage to sin and from the wrath of God. During the "holiday season" there would be nothing for believers to sing about unless there had been a unique execution, a "Good Friday!"
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