Christmas carols

Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in the context of the reform of the English Poor Laws. The New Law concerned orphanages, workhouses and debtors’ prisons. While on the surface The Poor Law Act appeared to provide for the poor, Dickens challenges the poor stewardship of the ecclesiastical boards who governed with harshness rather than kindness, compassion and mercy.His Carol is undergirded by his critique of society and a form of Christianity that lacks mercy and an ardent advocacy concerning the oppression of the weak.So, it's a carol with a bite. It speaks to the heart. As his readers see the change in Scrooge,so may they find a shift in their own hearts.
 
Dickens is considered to be one of the most persuasive advocates for the poor of his time. His novels vividly describe the world as he knew it. He shone a light on dark realities such as the destitution and exploitation of children. Capturing the imagination across social classes, hisbooks raised awareness and struck a vein of sentiment,not merely entertainingVictorian societybut giving it a progressive impulse for change.For, as the upwelling of empathy shapes individuals, so also is it a significant force in wider societal reform. Over time, various Acts would, among other things, reduce the working hours of children, improve their education and ultimately lead to the end of child labour.
 
Centuries earlier, Mary’s ‘carol’ celebrates that God remembers kindness, lifts the humble and extends mercy. In Jesus a new force would arrive, who would address societal powers as well as the human heart and change the world as she knew it.
 
"God took the path of descent, that first Christmas, on a journey into the hidden depths of humanity. And we are now invited to follow," reflects Brian Draper. In the Christmas edition of the Radio Times, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams imagines Jesus to spend Christmas with the Occupy crowd at St Paul’s. “He’d first of all be there: sharing the risks, not just taking sides but steadily changing the entire atmosphere by the questions he asks of everybody involved, rich and poor, capitalist and protester and cleric.”
 
While this world is bent towards power and money, God’s universe is bent towards kindness, compassion and justice. While greed rules, his generosity abounds. Jesus is the gift heaven couldn’t wait to give. In fact, this son born to us reflects “the incomparable riches of God’s grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).
 
Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and kings recognised the all-defining moment in history - the incomparable order of generosity, God’s ultimate expression of kindness. Not only for us to receive him but also for us to be shaped by him, living a life of compassion, kindness, humility, and gentleness (Colossians 3:12).
 
Whether this season our carols have a ‘bite’ or are mere entertainment depends on the shape of our heart and the character of our life. Whether we spend Christmas at home, at the homeless shelter, at Occupy or at work, our glorification of him is ultimately lived out in a narrow path that leads to life.  But, hey, it could change our world as we know it.

Marijke Hoek, Coordinator Forum for Change.  Evangelical Alliance

Biblical Themes and Other Religions

Even this cursory survey* indicates that there are some similarities between Christian faith and other religions. Islam and Christianity, e.g., both believe in an eternal Creator God and a judgment to come after death. Both Jesus and Confucius taught a version of the Golden Rule, and both Christianity and Confucianism teach respect for one’s parents. Such similarities are not surprising and can be understood in light of the biblical teaching that all people, including adherents of other religions, have been created by God in his image (Gen. 1:26–27; 5:1–2) and that God has revealed himself in a general manner to all peoples through the created order (Ps. 19:1–4; Acts 14:15–17; 17:22–31; Rom. 1:18–32; 2:14–15). But the differences between Christian faith and other religions are greater and more significant than any similarities.

1. God. The Bible teaches that there is one eternal Creator God who has created all else that exists (Genesis 1–2).Hinduism has theistic traditions, but it also includes polytheistic, monistic, and atheistic traditions. Confucianism’s views on the religious ultimate are unclear, and Buddhism explicitly denies the existence of an eternal Creator.

2. Death. Hinduism and Buddhism both accept the idea of multiple rebirths regulated by karma. The Bible, by contrast, teaches that there is only one life, after which all persons face judgment before God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 20:11–15).

3. Sin. Many religions, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism, identify the root problem afflicting humankind as ignorance about the true nature of reality. But the Bible teaches that the problem is not ignorance but sin, that is, deliberate rejection of God and his ways (Isa. 59:2; Rom. 3:9–26). Moreover, contrary to Confucianism, the Bible teaches that after the fall of Adam and Eve all humankind has been corrupted by sin infecting their moral nature, so that people are not inherently good but sinful (Genesis3; Rom. 3:9–20; 5:12–14).

4. Soul. Buddhism teaches that there is no enduring, substantial soul that passes from one life to another. But the Bible teaches that there is an immaterial dimension of the person, created by God, which continues to exist after death (Matt. 10:28; Rev. 6:9; 20:4).

5. Salvation. Although some forms of bhakti Hinduism and Pure Land Buddhism do teach that salvation cannot be attained through one’s own efforts but rather is a gift from another being, Islam, along with most other religious traditions, teaches that salvation is based on one’s own deeds. But the Bible clearly states that salvation is not something that human beings can earn through their own efforts; it is the gift of God’s grace, which is to be accepted by faith (Rom. 3:20, 28; Eph. 2:8–9).

6. Christ’s incarnation. The Bible teaches that the eternal Creator is a tri-personal Being, and that the second person of this Trinity, while remaining fully God, became a man (John 1:1–14; Rom. 1:3–4; Phil. 2:7–8; Col. 2:9). In a unique onetime event, the Son of God became incarnate as the historical person Jesus of Nazareth. The Hindu notion of avatar, by contrast, concerns multiple manifestations of
Vishnu as both humans and animals, and involves legendary figures such as Krishna, not actual historical persons. In fact, no other world religions teach that the eternal Son of God became a true man.

7. Christ’s preeminence. Jesus is not just another great religious teacher. The truth of Jesus’ teachings cannot be separated from its grounding in the person of Christ as the incarnate Word of God, the eternal, omnipotent Son of God who shares fully in all the attributes of God. It is because of who he is and what he has done on the cross that Jesus is himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6), the only Savior for all humankind (Acts 4:12).

8. Christ’s substitution. The Bible teaches that salvation is based on the sinless life (Heb. 4:15) and the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross, as he took upon himself the punishment for the sins of the world (Rom. 3:25–26; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 2:2). There is nothing like this teaching in Hinduism, Buddhism, or Confucianism, and it is explicitly denied in Islam.

9. Christ’s resurrection. The Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad, and Jesus all died, but there is no reliable historical record of any—apart from Jesus—being resurrected after death (1Cor. 15:1–8). It is because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that we, too, can have victory over sin and death and anticipate our own resurrection to eternal life with God (Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:20–22, 54–58).

Extract taking from the ESV study bible, The Bible and World Religions http://www.esvstudybible.org/images/excerpt-religions.pdf

*The article had previously surveyed the teachings contained in other religions. This extract comes after the surveying of the other religions. It is worth reading to gain understanding of the other religions. http://www.esvstudybible.org/images/excerpt-religions.pdf

A Christmas ball

What a happy scene of merry dancers dancing to a foreign tune not far of the coast. Boys and girls dressed marvellously, beautifully and handsomely not one of whom I could say spoilt the scene perhaps except I. Each were dancing with a smile, burning off the sweet dinner which occupied them shortly before. I did put out my hands, surprised to be taking by some beautiful lassies




who danced way better than I could dream and smiled so free which made me believe that all in this room were having a splendid time. Some did tire but some did endure till the last dance which culminated in a final stretch of future Kings and queens this world to own, danced and spun with their partners till the music stopped.
K.Oni

Miscellanies 25 - All found in the same room

The vision my friends is for a renewed society and renewal of human life. It is said that the lion will lie down with the lamb as well as the wolf with the kid. In the kingdom of Christ, as it is here and as it should be, the rapist is found in the same room as the raped, the persecutor is in the same room as the persecuted, the wicked and vile dictator are in the same room as the poor, the homosexuals are in the same room with the religious, the educated found in the same room as the uneducated and all those who were aggressors as well as the victims were found in the same room. Those who were apathetic are found in the same room as those with great zeal. In this room are they all found together, singing and rejoicing, creating a new society where injustice and hatred are gone. The only things hated are those things which are intangible, evil spirits, principalities and ideologies which are contrary to Christ’s kingdom principles. Be what you may my friend, the door is open to you. Come inside and be transformed, to be one as we are in Christ Jesus.

K.Oni

Rene and Poet 14

Poet facing Rene, trying to keep a straight face retold of how he spoke to his beloved of his long love for her.


Poet: Rene I shall now tell you of the story of how finally I told my beloved of the heavenly love I had for her. After you left me I struggled for a while within my soul whether to declare to her of my consuming desire to know her. 


The struggle within my soul went like this: Oh Poet, tonight is the night I must break my yoke. I wished it happened spontaneously wherein I had no time to contemplate my words. Nerves have penetrated the depths of me and since I’ve desired and been persuaded by Rene, I must deliver. This is my first voyage of this kind and before I sail I am stricken with a fever of a familiar kind. Some have called it sea sickness and if I encounter it now without ever sailing how much more when I and the sea should meet. I am sure those amiable dovelike eyes will do not much to calm my nerves but I must be a man - I must fasten my belt, hold my head high and swim if the ship should wreck. I reminisce on my training and how sweet she was to me and how happy and sad we did play in my imaginations. But have I taking her kindness for love and fall deluded to her heavenly smile; whatever truth it may be, one thing I know is that I am in love and she is worthy for me to tell her although I be so unworthy of such a companion. Oh my heart, whatever flames may burn I must burn with it. Whatever she says I must be content with it. Oh my soul can we ever love again - will we be able to sail again if we cannot sail on her steady calm stream. Such was the reasoning’s within my soul that I was persuaded at last that I must know for the sake of my own soul, for the sake of peace and sleep.


Rene: Even to the end, you struggled internally. But I am proud of you my boy, now pour on me the sugar of your story. For I see a lively lavish smile twinkling in your eyes. I know you too well my love to ever keep me in suspense. Tell me of the pleasure in declaring to her your love - I fear now I shall never see you again. 


Poet declared to Rene what happened in their conversation and of how she had felt the same way. She loved him and he loved her - both now united after a season of deep affectionate longings for one another. 

K.Oni

Cursing, Warnings and Threatenings in the old testament fulfilled in Jesus

All of the promises that we read of in the old testament all find their fulfilment in Jesus Christ because Paul the Apostle writes in 2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God find their yes in him. But this is not only true of all the promises, we can say also that all of the cursing, warnings and threatenings in the old testament also points forward to Christ and is fulfilled in Christ. For example, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In the old testament Lambs represented a sin or guilt offering.  Lev 14:12-13 ‘And the priest shall take one of the male lambs and offer it for a guilt offering, along with the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. And he shall kill the lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary.’ Jesus became the sin bearer as he hung on that cross and bore the curse of God, as it is written ‘anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse’ Deut 21:23. Jesus drank the full measure of God’s wrath and was cursed for our sakes. Every illustration of God’s wrath against sin, and its punishment of sin all look forward to the wrath that was poured out on Jesus at the cross.  Isaiah tells us that God wounded Jesus for our transgressions and laid all of our iniquities upon him. There wasn’t a sin that Jesus didn’t pay for on the cross, that his all the sins of his people, he bore God’s wrath on their behalf. All of the curse, threatenings and warnings that God spoke against sinners in the old testament, Christ fulfilled them or when he returns he will complete the final execution against them.

While Jesus bore God’s wrath against sin on the cross, when he returns he will execute final judgment against sinners.  Psalm 7:12-13 ‘If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts.’ All earlier judgments points towards the final judgment which Christ himself will execute. If a person is found not to be in Christ on the day of judgment, there is no Passover lamb to cover their sins, but all the curse and wrath of God will fall upon them like a mighty waterfall executed by Jesus Himself because all the punishment of sin promised in the old testament is fulfilled at his return.

Therefore, let us take a secure covering and clothe ourselves with the skin of the lamb lest we be found naked and perish forever.

K.Oni

A prayer for my soul - I thank you God that you are my Father

I thank you God that you are a Loving Father
One in whom there is no deceit nor lie.
Each morning, you arise to care for your children
And each night you spread your blanket over them.
You have provided a Shepherd to guide and lead them
You have given them a comforter to always comfort them.
I thank you God that you are my Father
And have richly lavished your grace and joy upon me
I thank you God, I cannot thank you enough
Of how glad my heart is that you are my Father.
I pray that your children will know that you are for them
In their trials, pain and miseries, that you will never leave nor forsake them.
It is you who delighted to be our God, our ever providing Father
Supplying all our needs and giving us our daily bread.
Forgive us when we fail to trust, fail to see your kind and merciful heart.
Forgive us when we doubt your Fatherly ways.
Oh My God, my Daddy and King 
To whom belong all glory and praise
I love you but I pray I may love you more.
I have settled with my heart to always trust
To always believe that you work it all for my good.
You are my Father, when everything seems to fail, this I shall know
That you are forever my Father, who gave all for poor sinful me.
I thank you God that you are a loving Father.

K.Oni