The Church - it's Philanthropy

63. DISCUSSION WITH C.F. ANDREWS

[On or after November 9, 1936]

GANDHIJI: Their (Christian missionaries) behaviour has been as bad as that of the rest who are in the field to add to their numbers. What pains one is their frantic attempt to exploit the weakness of Harijans. If they said, ‘Hinduism is a diabolical religion and you come to us,’ I should understand. But they dangle earthly paradises in front of them and make promises to them which they can never keep. When in Bangalore a deputation of Indian Christians came to me with a number of resolutions which they thought would please me, I said to them: ‘This is no matter for bargain. You must say definitely that this is a matter to be settled by the Hindus themselves. Where is the sense of talking of a sudden awakening of spiritual hunger among the untouchables and then trying to exploit a particular situation? The poor Harijans have no mind, no intelligence, no sense of difference between God and no-God. It is absurd for a single individual to talk of taking all the Harijans with himself. Are they all bricks that they could be moved from one structure to another? If Christian Missions here want to play the game, and for that matter Mussalmans and others, they should have no such idea as that of adding to their ranks whilst a great reform in Hinduism is going on’.*

Reform! Why do you need a reform when you are so true towards the untouchables?

The mission of the Church is not just to evangelize and nurture, but to be a part of social cause too.

One missionary remarked, "It ought to be frankly recognized that it may be towards the Motherhood of the Church rather than towards the Fatherhood of the Savior from sin that the faces of the pariahs and aboriginal races of India are being slowly turned. They may be seeking baptism, for the most part not from a desire to have their lives and consciences cleansed from sin and to enter the eternal life of God, but because the Church presents itself to them as a refuge from operession, and as a power that fosters hope and makes for betterment."*

The Holy Bible reads,

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

(Matthew 25:35-40, NIV).

*Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Volume 70, page 58.

*H.B.Hyde, South India Missions - The present opportunity, The east and the west, VI (January 1908), 78.

The Crucified Cross - our only memorial.

The Crucified Cross - our only memorial.

The "U Go offensive, or Operation C", the Japanese offensive launched in March 1944 against forces of the British Empire in the northeast Indian regions of Manipur and the Naga Hills, through the two towns of Imphal and Kohima, one of the last major Japanese offensives during the Second World War. The Japanese and their allies were first held and then pushed back.

The war memorial in Kohima, capital of Nagaland, reads:

"When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today."

Ephesians 1:4, Paul writes that God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.." God knows about each one of us even before he laid the foundations of the universe. He knows each one of us, because He created us in His own image. Genesis 1:27 reads, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;" What does God expects from us? Leviticus 11:44 says, "For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner.." God wants us to be holy; to holiness, Apostle Peter adds something more 1Peter 1:14, "Obedience", the scripture reads, "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy"" (1Peter 1:14-16). Rather than showing obedience, what did our ancestor "the first man Adam" (1Corinthians 15:45) did? He disobeyed God's commandment, God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”(Genesis 3:3). Both Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned against God. The consequence of sin is death. Romans 6:23 reads, "For the wages of sin is death"; "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" Paul questions in Romans 6:16. And Paul reminds us of a remedy for this eternal death, the remedy or the gift is Jesus Christ, "..but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). God shows His love for us in such a way that "..while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd; ..I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep.. I must bring them also. .. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again" (John 10:14-17). The Annunciation, Birth, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ has a purpose and He is here to fulfill it. Jesus says, "..just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45). Writing to Timothy, Paul writes, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all,.." (1Timothy 2:5,6). As prophesied by prophet Isaiah, [“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:4-12)], Jesus was crucified for our sins, "He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right (righteousness)" (1Peter 2:24). He died for our iniquities, and as Jesus himself predicts his resurrection, "they will condemn him to death ..and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" (Matthew 20:18,19). As said He was risen on the third day. As the purpose is been served, so now it is for us to confess our sins, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1John 1:9).

To conclude, if we can remember history and make a memorial for those brave soldiers who fought a brave fight in World War2, how much more are we owed to pay back for Him who had died instead of us. The punishment that we had to face, He took upon Him (Isaiah 53:5). Let us remember our Lord's Great Commission for us "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,..." (Matthew 28 19,20). The Crucified Cross is our only great memorial.

So, let's take a decision, "When I am out of home, I will tell them of Jesus and say, For your tomorrow, Jesus gave His life."

Source about Kohima memorial is taken from Wikipedia.

Contrast between "the first man Adam" and "the last Adam" - A thought.

Contrast between "the first man Adam" and "the last Adam" - A thought.

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").

Matthew 27:46 (NIV).

And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").

Mark 15:34 (NIV).

We all know that this is the fourth saying of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Cross. The enunciation of this clearly expresses the pain, agony and the weight of the sin that was upon Him. This made Jesus felt like, He was been left all alone in the world of "evildoers" (Mark 13:27) "darkness" (Matthew 8:12) all around Him, "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mark 13:28). He cannot resist this because, there is no sin in Him (John 8:46, "Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?")

But in contrast, our ancestor "first man Adam" (1Corinthians 15:45) at garden of Eden, when he had eaten the forbidden fruit shared by his wife Eve (Genesis 3), they entered into a new world of sin, fear, nakedness, hate, lies, etc. which is nothing but death. They realized that they are experiencing anew and not the past.

I believe, if Adam at that moment, when he experienced something anew, he should have cried out to the Lord, as Jesus cried out to His Father, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani". I am sure that the cry for desperate help from Adam would have brought in a new solution for the remedy of sin. But this didn't happen, he hid and was afraid of God. So "the last Adam" (1Corinthians 15:45) had to challenge the death by overcoming it. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Corinthians 15:55-57).

Hosanna - the Redeemer

Hosanna -

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the king of Israel!"

John 12:13.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:9,10.

Oh, how beautiful isn't this. In gospel of John, people are shouting "Hosanna", means, "Save us now, or Please save, or Save now". It's like a prayer, Save, I pray.

Whereas when it comes to Book of Revelation, people from every nation, tribe, people and language, are crying out of happiness, "Salvation belongs to the Lord". Their white robes signify that they are Redeemed and are Washed by the Blood of Jesus.

In both of the verses from gospel of John and Book of Revelation, we see people holding the branches of Palm in their hands. They are symbolically used for such ideas as triumph, victory, peace, plenty and also fertility. It is always evergreen. In one of Judaism' cults (Kabbalah) palm is symbolized as the Tree of Life. The Romans rewarded champions of the games and celebrated military successes with palm branches.

What symbolism can a Christian derive from this. Yes, it is Jesus Christ who gave up His life as a ransom. In gospel of Matthew 20:28, Jesus says, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Apostle Paul writing to the Church in Ephesus, says, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us" (Ephesians 1:7,8). For we are been "bought with a price" (1Corinthians 6:20). So lets "stop becoming slaves of men" and this world (1Corinthians 7:23) and "by all means, glorify God in your body" (1Corinthians 6:20), because you're a Winner over sin and eternal death through Christ' death and resurrection. So let's continue our journey of Spiritual warfare with this hope.

Knowledge Seeker

 Just a Knowledge Seeker -

I'm just a knowledge seeker,

On my way to the glory.

I know what truth is, but

I should learn to diffuse it.

Knowledge is the only source,

As I just learnt a jot and a tittle of it.

Of the chasm of knowledge, 

There are still areas unexplored. 

People force me to share it, 

For it would be like leaving them 

With a life boat in the middle of an ocean.

I know what they incur by it.

It is better to share what I'm confident of,

Than to show off as a Philosopher.

A halo and a nimbus I may desire to,

What worth is it for when I'm half empty.

For the LORD is the source of it,

From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

And I completely depend on Him,

As I seek it to enlighten my understanding.

Holiness

Holiness - 

When I wanted to write about this, I retrospect and introspect my life and my illness to speak or write about this inherent  charcter of the Lord. Isn't that why, prophet Isaiah when he had a vision in the times of king Uzziah, in Isaiah chapter 6, saw that the Seraphim, the dwellers of heaven, themselves covered their feet and their faces, as if they are not worthy to present themselves before the Lord or in the presence of the Lord, and cried to one another, knowing where they are, calling, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Armies; His glory fills the whole earth" (v3). And Isaiah, the prophet who was watching all this dumb struck, felt the weight of his own sinfulness, said, "Woe to me! I [too] am doomed! - because I, a man with unclean lips, living among a people with unclean lips, have seen with my own eyes the King, ADONAI - Tzva'ot!", which means, "the King, the Lord of Armies" (v5). This is how the holiness of the Lord would be. No one is worthy to stand in this presence. When God called Moses in Exodus chapter 3, and presented himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses was awe struck and "hid his face because he was afraid to look at God" (v6). The Lord introduces Himself when questioned by Moses, replied as, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you" (v14). 

Can man become holy? No. Never by himself, because Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". Man can become righteous by the salvific and redemptive blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus calls himself as "I AM", as in Exodus 3:14, in John 8:58. And Jesus also says that we die in sin, because, "for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (Jn 8:24). Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, reads, "Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 2Corinthians 5:21 reads, "He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God". We are made righteous by the blood of Jesus, but are in the process of being holy. We should  live a pious life to be made holy till the day of the Lord or until our last breath. Till then day after day we should live a life sanctified to the Lord. Romans 12:9-21, Colossians 3:12-17, etc, all teach how to lead a pious life, to present yourselves as "a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you..." (1Corinthians 6:19). Because "For you are bought at a price" (1Corinthians 6:20), the invaluable blood of Jesus.

Apostle Paul in his bid farewell address to Ephesian elders before leaving to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22), giving them a hope in the present and in the future says, "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (Acts 20:32). Paul is speaking of an inheritance among all those who are sanctified, which means, the sanctified has an inheritance. They may be the believers and the church or may be those who inherit the heaven or the new heaven and earth. The scriptures says, "..we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.." (Romans 8:16,17). His children are sanctified for this purpose.

The word "holy", render to mean sanctified. Sanctified is used in hope to encourage the believer and the Church in his spiritual journey, as well as, also the resultant act of Christ through the Cross. The scriptures also confirm that we are sanctified through the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 13:12; 10:10 reads, "And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood". "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Scriptures like 1Corinthians 6:11; 1Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 10:14; Revelation 22:11 and so on, are all there to encourage the believer and the Church in hope to encourage our spiritual warfare. But one thing is clear that we are sanctified and set apart for the Lord. Jesus before his arrest declares himself as "sanctified/ set apart" in John 10:36; 17:19, and He also wants his apostles to be "sanctified by the truth", and separating or consecreating them as "who are not of this world", in John 17:17-19. 

"25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an Holy (qodes) anointing oil. 26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt sanctify (qadas) them, that they may be most holy (qodes): whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy (qadas). 30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate (qadas) them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office." Exodus 30:26-30. We can read the words "consecrate/ sanctify/ holy" all come under the same word "qadas". We can also read that the Levites, Aaron and his sons are also sanctified for the special work God has appointed for them. It makes clear that the Levites, the utensils and other things are all sanctified or consecrated for special work, just like Jesus himself, the Apostles. Even the believers are all sanctified for a special purpose and we need to accept it in faith and in hope.

To conclude, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy (hagios) nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1Peter 2:9). Ephesians 1:4 says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy (hagios) and blameless in his sight." Colossians 3:12-17, includes reiterating that we are "the elect of God, holy and beloved..", following with some rules for christian living to live a pious and acceptable life. Peter writing in his first letter encourages us to have a 'holy conduct' to 'be holy in all you do', "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1Peter 1:15,16).

There are many other things that are connected with holiness but out of those this is the most prominent thing I thought to write it down. I want to close with a hope and a wish that, "May he make your (our) hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. Amen (1Thessalonians 3:13).

Idolatry and Idolaters

In the Salvation Cantata, Psalms, 115, v4-8, "But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them."

Very recently, I read about a Pompeii excavation, a four wheeled "Ceremonial Chariot" made of iron, bronze and wood, which has been found. Some archaeologists claim that the chariot was used for marriages for bringing bride and the groom and others claim that the chariot was used to carry the idols of gods and goddesses as a ceremonial possession on the roads. (Look for information on Tensa and Pilentum are given in the pictures below). Even today we can see such ceremonials happen all around the world.

In Roman history, we can see temples for the emperors like Julius Caesar and Augustus, and the adoration that took place in the temples, as like we can see the divine forms of the Egyptian Pharaohs as well. 

In the Holy Bible, we can see idolatory in the times of Moses. Aaron makes a golden calf and says, "Behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of Egypt", in Ex.32:4. In the next verses we can clearly see that an alter was built and sacrifices were made.

After the reign of King Solomon, Jeroboam with a contemptuous intention, if let the tribes on his side go to the temple in Jerusalem, may join Rehoboam and might kill him. So, he made two golden calves and said, "here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt", 1Kings 12:28. And he made a special festival and offered sacrifices.

There are some more instances of the idols in the Bible.

"Your calf-idol is rejected..", (Hosea 8:5) says the Lord. You made those idols with your own hands and brought distruction upon yourselves (Hosea 8:4). Colossians 3:5 says that, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." 1Corinthians 10:7,14, says "Do not be idolaters..", and "..flee from idolatory". The boasting Philistines, after capturing the Ark of Covenant, and placed it in the temple of Dagon. The next morining the people of Ashdod saw that the idol of Dagon fell facing ground before the Ark of Covenant and the next day they saw the fallen broken idol of Dagon (1Samuel 5:1-5). The Lord we serve is the Living God who calls Himself as "I am" (Ex 3:14) and even our Lord Jesus refers Himself with the same title in John 8:58, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abharam was, I am".

I want to close with a verse from Habakkuk 2:19,20, "Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in his Holy Temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him". And the Temple is your body, and the Holy Spirit lives in you and "You are not your own, for you were brought at a price. So glorify God with your body" (1Corinthians 6:19,20).