Three Thoughts about Supreme Court Decision on TWU vs Law Societies 2018

Three Thoughts about the Supreme Court Decision

Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: June 15th, 2018

Today, the Supreme Court of Canada delivered its verdict on the issue of accreditation. After a series of back and forth between the TWU and the law societies of British Columbia and Ontario, the case was brought to the top court of Canada to decide whether the law societies should or should not be allowed to deny the university the appropriate accreditation for its new law school. This accreditation is crucial because without the approval by the respective law societies, one cannot legally practice law in the provinces concerned.  At issue was the “community covenant” which every student had to sign before one could study at TWU. This is totally consistent with the religious stand TWU had made in its 56-year history. Unfortunately, there are increasing number of dissent coming from outside and some say inside as well. Let me put in three thoughts about the decision and its impact on TWU and the larger Christian public in Canada.

1) It’s a reflection of changing times
While I am disappointed with the court decision, I think it is only a matter of time before TWU’s “community covenant” would be legally challenged and overturned by public opinion. If this case was brought up two decades ago, I believe the decision would go TWU’s way. Two decades later, among other things, there is a shift of moods and attitudes. Institutional religion is now seen with disdain. People are abandoning churches in large numbers. Throughout Canada, not only are more churches closing down every year, even the remaining churches are struggling with declining numbers. According to PEW research, since 2007, the number of  religiously unaffiliated people has been rising. The single largest group of people who believed but are not affiliated with any church or organization are the NONES, people who essentially answer “None” in the column about their religious affiliation. They could still be believers but they prefer to live without being attached to any religious institution or denomination. According to Leslie Williams, a professor of English at Yale Divinity School, she points out how things had changed. In the 50s, Baptists have the best Bible School and the Methodists the best Sunday School program, and lots of people still go to Church. These external signs hide an underlying discontent about the failure of people connecting with the modern culture. She notes in her book, “When Anything Goes,”

“Finally, after half a century of church squabbles, secularism, and Sunday morning golf games, we lost the people, our congregation dwindling along with most other mainline denominations.”  

She then adds: “The current age has not come up with a new label for itself but defines itself in terms of what it has lost: the influence of Christianity.” In other words, Christians have not updated their own labels. Perhaps, that is one reason why the word “evangelical” is also view negatively. In fact, the words, liberal, conservative, or whatever in between are labels of the past, struggling to maintain their grip on current culture. The frustrated who hold neither of these views too strongly like their ancestors would simply put themselves as “None.” New names are needed.

Faith and Contentment

TITLE: FAITH AND CONTENTMENT
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 4:12-13
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: April 1st, 2016

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12-13)

This week, I want to share three thoughts from my sabbatical.

It has been a strange sabbatical for me. After seven years of being in gainful employment, I took a 3-month sabbatical so as to take a step back from my routine, my regular work schedule, and my familiar activities. During this time, I preached at different churches. I traveled to the Far East. I spent more time with family and friends. When people asked me what I wanted to do during this time, I told them I wanted to write a book. That had not taken off. The ideas were there. The thoughts were there. However, the determination and discipline to do that were not there. After all, a sabbatical must be a sabbatical. Otherwise, call it a different kind of work or some activity-oriented break. One of the problems in modern society is that we have not really understood what rest means. We know how to work from 9 to 5. We know how to bring our projects home from the office. We know how to get connected to the Internet, carry our emails with us, and stay connected to work even when we are home. We have become so comfortable with working that we are increasingly uncomfortable with anything non-work. With such a work-saturated mindset, true rest is hard to find.

Many people have said good things about the sabbath. Let me share a few.

• Seven days of work makes one weak
• "It is not the Jews that kept the Sabbath but the Sabbath that kept the Jews." (Jewish Rabbi) 
• "He who cannot rest, cannot work; he who cannot let go, cannot hold on; he who cannot find footing, cannot go forward." (Harry Emerson Fosdick) 
• "As a man addicted to activity and anxiety, I could tell you story after story about how a restless lifestyle is everything from silly to stupid to soul killing." (Mark Galli)
• "Test the premise that you are worth more than you can produce – that even if you spent one whole day of being good for nothing you would still be precious in God’s sight. " (Barbara Brown Taylor)
• "No other behavioral change has brought so many unintended but welcome benefits to my life of faith and my work as a pastor." (Eugene Peterson)

This week, I want to share three thoughts about my sabbatical.

Faith Films

TITLE: FAITH FILMS
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: Feb 27th, 2016

The Oscars will be held this weekend. With glittering stars and dazzling movies, it is that one time each year that awards be given to film directors, notable actors and actresses, special effects, and all kinds of recognition of great movie work. Even faith films are in town.

If you check out Faith Films, you would see some movies due to be launched this year in Canada. The movie "Risen" has already been launched. As the title has suggested, it is about the eyewitnesses take on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dramatized from the eyes of a non-believer, a member of the powerful Roman military establishment, the story revolves around the tensions after Jesus was crucified.

Another film that will be coming out on March 11th is a film called, "Miracles from Heaven." The story is about an incredible series of miracles that started with the discovery of an incurable disease in a 10-year-old girl named Anna. It sparks off a mad search for a cure, a doomed diagnosis, an accident, and a turn to faith. In real life, the making of the movie has impacted the lead actress, Jennifer Garner, so much that she has now made a point to take her own real life daughters to Church regularly. This is a dramatized version of a young girl who in 2011 was amazingly healed after a near death experience.  It is a powerful movie about family, based on a book written by Anna's mother, Christy Beam. Poised to be a hit with family and Christians, this movie is a tear-jerker that forces viewers to come face to faith with the supernatural, faith, and how it impacts our day to day living. I am looking forward to this film release.

This week, I watched a preview of "Young Messiah," a movie that focuses on the life of young 7-year-old Jesus and his intimate relationship with his parents. Based on a novel written by Anne Rice, the storyline revolves around the dangerous journey taken by Joseph and Mary during the tumultuous time of King Herod, the Jewish rebellion, and the dangers faced by Jews in the midst of harsh Roman rule. Filmed on location, the film is set in beautiful scenery. Since the Bible has very little description on the life of young Jesus, there is a lot of imagination and dependence on Rice's "Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt" to fill in the gaps.

What about consumers? What can we make of faith films? Are they real enough to be believed? Are they too fiction for comfort? Are they simply another Hollywood movie under the guise of a Christian label? Let me offer three thoughts this week about faith films.

First, every movie is a director's perspective. Like many of the movies, they are all dramatized versions and fictional retelling of a basic historical aspect of Jesus' life and the Christian faith. There is no need to go on a witch-hunt to determine how true is one film over the other, and how accurate it is in depicting the truth of the Bible. The key thing is that all the films are interpretations of a part of the Bible story from the lens of the movie makers. They are all made with the modern viewers in mind. The flurry of faith films that is coming out of Hollywood tells us that more and more directors are aware of the huge market in religion and spirituality. The spending power of Christians in churches around the world cannot be underestimated. Any business with a megachurch in town will surely do well to target this segment of spenders. The movie, "Heaven is For Real" may have been based on the story of the boy, Colton, but the story was told from the perspective of the father, Todd Burpo. Like any retelling, there is always a personal perspective infused into the storyline. While we may not be able to distinguish exactly what parts of the movie are on whose perspective, it is good to keep at the back of our heads that this is just one particular perspective.

Second, criticism of movies and the storylines is legitimate but do not let criticisms overwhelm the intent of the movie makers. The movie website "Rotten Tomatoes" is a popular place where people dish out their two cents worth of reviews about each movie released into the marketplace. Like real life situations where people throw tomatoes at horrible performances on stage, reviewers often throw all kinds of criticisms on movies that fail to meet certain expectations. Sometimes, the measurements can be quite ambiguous. Is the number of tomatoes thrown equal to the quality of the movie? Not really. Sometimes, a controversial movie may trigger a barrage of emotions that do not necessarily reflect on the true performance of a movie.

Third, enjoy the story. Whether it is a feel-good movie like "Miracles From Heaven" or a shocking rendition like the gory scenes of "The Passion of the Christ," going to the movies is essentially about the experience. Appreciate the movie for what it is, but let the questions drive us on our own personal research or discovery of the truth. Just like what I call a good Bible Study session. A good Bible study for me is not about the number of answers that one can derive after the study but the lingering questions that keep one's curiosity going. Getting one answer may be good after one session. However, leaving with questions can lead us onto more than one answers that enrich our learning experience.

As an avid movie-goer, I appreciate faith films although many of them still do not match the standards of a modern Hollywood offering. Fortunately, things are changing. More movies are now been made, thanks in part to successful launches by initiatives by Sherwood Pictures (Fireproof, Courageous, War Room). In fact, while I support faith films, I think it is more important to go to the movies with a Christian worldview to interpret the film and not become vulnerable to the shaping tendencies of movies. Like a measuring tape that has absolute boundaries in metric or imperial units, our worldview enables us to discern what is good and what is not. Personally, I find movies with vulgar language and excessive violence very off-putting. Generally, I would switch off and avoid such movies. This is one reason why I find faith films more acceptable. I understand modern movies try to be as "realistic" as possible about contemporary culture. Yet, I feel that we should not be "educated" by vulgarity or violent behaviours. We should stand up for what is right, what is beautiful, and what is holy. The perspective we bring into films is equally important.

Be aware. Be critical where needed. At all times, learn to enjoy the movie and not be stuck on criticisms. After all, going to the movies is more about an experience, not a school research project.

THOUGHT: "What's hard for Christian films is we're presenting to them [people], 'here's what a Godly, good, happy, loving marriage can look like, or here's what forgiveness looks like, or here's how God does answer prayer.' So to the world that may feel inauthentic to them because they've never experienced that before. They may say 'well that's cheesy' but we say 'No! That's real life, we're introducing you to something you've never experienced in your own personal life.'"(Alex Kendrick)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or inquiries. Note that views expressed are personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any person(s) or organization(s).

Tempted to Deny Christ

TITLE: TEMPTED TO DENY CHRIST
SCRIPTURE: John 13:37-38
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: October 2nd, 2015

37Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!"

KEY POINT: How real is our faith? Will it survive the hard knocks of life? Or will it crumble under the first signs of trials?

In John 18, we see a dramatic and negative transformation of Peter, the famous disciple of Jesus. From someone who had the nerve to rebuke Jesus for speaking about his own dying (Matthew 16:22), to his bold physical defense against those trying to arrest Jesus (John 18:10), Peter is that kind of a shoot-first-worry-later kind of a guy. How is it possible for a guy who talks big on the outside but when the hard times come, deny Jesus. As modern readers, Peter's denial seems like a nice story to know about. What if the very trials and tribulations happen to us today?

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Yesterday morning, another deadly shooting shooting occurred in America. This time, it happened at Umpqua Community College in Ten people were shot dead and another 7 injured. The gunman was eventually shot dead after a gunfight with police. From eyewitnesses, there are shocking news about how the shooter singled out Christians to be killed. According the reports, the gunman had a "disdain for religion" and in particular, Christianity. He reportedly asked:

"Are you a Christian? . .. Good. If you are a Christian, you are going to see God in just one second."

What followed was a horrendous act of violence where Christians were quickly shot on the head.  Those who said otherwise or stayed silent were shot on the legs. One teacher died immediately when shot on the head. Many were probably too stunned to know how to react. I wonder what I would have done if I was there. Probably, I'll be dead by now. Maybe, I won't as I might have rationalized the gunman as some deranged individual who was mentally unstable, and would not have taken his question seriously. Truth is, I really don't know. The whole situation can be extremely complex that there is no time to think of some rationalized answers. Incidentally, another recent shooting happened too in a Church in Charleston where black Christians were killed in cold blood. Some said it was racially driven. Others claimed it as another religiously motivated murder. Perhaps, there are elements of both race and religion.

What do we do when we are challenged to deny Christ?

I remember hearing a story of a few gunmen who entered a house Church in a persecuted country, asking believers in the Church to stand up. As the pastor stood up, along with a few other individuals in the congregation, the rest were then asked to leave. As the ones who stood got themselves ready for the worst to happen, the gunmen removed their masks and said to them: "Now we know who are the true believers of Christ, let us continue with worship." I am not sure how true the story is but it is a dramatized form of testing whether one's faith is genuine or not. When the trials and tests arrive, how many of us would pass the faith of test? Will we really lay down our lives for Christ?

I guess my readers would be split down the middle about this. There is no easy answer to such a situation. Stand up for Christ and be killed. Or we sit down by denying Christ and live for another day.

Peter failed the test. When the whole regimen of religious officials and Roman guards arrived to arrest Jesus, Peter and the rest of the disciples fled from the scene. John's gospel describes in vivid details how Peter denied any association with Jesus three times. At the third time, the rooster crowed and Peter wept like a baby.

Never say never.

In a book entitled "Killing Christians," author Tom Doyle has some rather dramatic statements to make about true Christians. He shares eight stories about how courageous believers live out their faith in lands of persecution.

"Sometimes survivors are unrecognizable even by their own families because, in the midst of their brutal affliction, they experienced Christ in an hour of need as few of us ever do. Persecuted believers have become the new face of genuine Christianity. They are filled with passion to live or die for Christ, and we in the West have much to learn from them." (Tom Doyle, Killing Christians, Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2015, xii)

When persecutions come, when the temptations to deny Christ arrive, how would we fare? In a comfortable West where convenience trump conviction; where shallow belief is preferred over deep matters of faith; where empty words speak louder than solid allegiance to Christ, it is hard to determine who are the genuine believers among us. Maybe, there is no better way than to have fires and hardships to sieve us out. Tests of faith are not there to make life difficult for us. They separate the sheep from the goats. They determine the faithful from the faithless. They pointedly asked: "Are you for God or against God?"  There is no middle ground as far as faith is concerned. It is either we believe or not believe. Choosing to withhold our beliefs is already a statement against belief. Until we decisively make the choice to believe.

We are all easily tempted. As long as we live in this world, there is no way we can run away from tests and trials. What we can do however, is to prepare for it. Like the parable of the Ten Virgins, we can keep our levels of faith at maximum level at all times by learning to keep to the basic spiritual disciplines of faith. Like the call to maintain Christian Fellowship in Hebrews 10:24-25, we can maintain godly community by faithfulness in our commitments to one another. We can make it a point to be regular at our group meetings REGARDLESS of how busy we are or how tired we may be at the end of the day. For if we succumb to the busyness of life and the exhaustion of the day during good times, we would collapse quickly like a house of cards when trials and tribulations come.  United we stand. Divided we fall. When the trials and tribulations arrive, will your faith stand?

That is the question that we can only answer for ourselves.

THOUGHT: "No healthy Christian ever chooses suffering; he chooses God's will, as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not." (Oswald Chambers)

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or inquiries. Note that views expressed are personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any person(s) or organization(s).

Forgiven but Never Forgotten

TITLE: FORGIVEN BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN
SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: June 22nd, 2015

"3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Cor 1:3-4)

It was a rough week for the city of Charleston, South Carolina, in particular, for the families of nine members of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, who were shot dead by a 21-year old white man. One hour into a regular Wednesday evening's Bible study, Dylan Roof, shot dead nine black members of the study group in cold blood. It was a murder cum massacre of the racist order. It was totally uncalled for and totally evil to the core. The crime was beyond anybody's wildest imagination and the act roundly condemned by all persons of every race and religion. Even the most hardened of hearts would have their consciences seared with pain and disbelief. After all, we are not talking about a war zone or some kind of a gangland battleground. It was a Church where the key "weapons" of warfare are not guns but prayers, not clenched fists but open arms, not hatred but love. That is what made the whole shooting such a mind-boggling event. On top of that, Roof was graciously invited to do a Bible study with the pastor among them. No one would have thought that welcoming a guest like Roof would turn into a vicious and bloody murder scene. Although Roof managed to escape and subsequently caught a day later, the nine who died never stood a chance and were ushered very suddenly into the presence of the Lord. How do we explain that?

A) Always a Mental Condition?

In cases this this, there are always some who would try to justify it from a psychiatrist's angle, pleading for leniency on the basis of a mental condition. Such is the approach done by Newsweek, that headlined the whole shooting event as follows: "Charleston Massacre: Mental Illness Common Thread for Mass Shootings." Like a skilled researcher, the report goes on to highlight seven previous cases of mental illnesses behind each mass shooting. The problem is, what if they are wrong? What gives them the sudden insight into the mind of this killer? Even mental health professionals are not entirely sure that every case is a mental puzzle in the first place. For us laypersons, who on earth does NOT have mental problems when under stress? How many people would not break under duress? Here's the problem. Who gives people the sudden inside scoop on all shootings to primarily psychology? In an age where people are innocent until proven guilty, what about their victims whom they have hurt before the final judgment? Don't they too have mental problems and scars? For all the attention dished out on the killer's welfare, what about the families of the victims?

Praying Through Psalm 30 (For Nepal)

TITLE: PRAYING THROUGH PSALM 30 (For Nepal)
SCRIPTURE: Ps 30
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: April 30th, 2015

"I will exalt you, LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me." (Ps 30:1)

(Photo Credit: BBC 2015)

O Lord, it's Nepal. What is happening there, You know best.
How do I exalt you in the midst of news like that? Can the wounded be lifted out of the depths?
Did the people of Nepal do something wrong to deserve all this disaster?
There is so much suffering and pain over there now. Lord, do something!
Let there be miracles in the midst of tragedy. Let there NOT the enemies of Nepal, wherever they are, gloat over the tragedy of Nepal.

"2Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. 3You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit." (Ps 30:2-3)

Lord, You are able to help. Bring forth your compassion through the efforts of the nations who have pledged help. Enable them to send their best. Bring them from afar. Enlarge the capacity of the Nepali infrastructure to cope with the increased demand. Encourage the rescuers with good news. Heal the hurt. Strengthen the rescuers. Spare more lives. Let there be survivors who would call out, cry out, and shout aloud their location. Prevent more people from going to the pit.

Facing Cancer

TITLE: FACING CANCER
SCRIPTURE: PSALM 13:1
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: March 12th, 2015

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Ps 13:1)

What do we do when our high hopes of faith clash with the harsh realities of life?

I remember being trained for evangelism years ago to share the gospel with people, to open up the Word of God to them, and to share my testimony with them. With step by step explanations and diagrams, I would lead individuals with questions, be engaged with them about the questions of life, and often concluding with a personal testimony of what life in Christ looks like. A typical flow would be something like sharing the powerful effects of faith on born again believers.

• “I used to be very hot-tempered, but since coming to Christ, I have mellowed.”
• “I was self-centered but since Christ came into my life, I have become more God-centered and other-centered.”
• “I was a very unhappy and dissatisfied person, until I met Christ.”
• “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” (John Newton)

I can also rattle off a list of blessings that people receive from time to time. It can be a huge salary jump or a triple promotion. It can be one’s book entering the list on the New York Times bestseller books. It can also be a surprise present from nowhere, or an answer to a poor missionary’s prayer. For the sick, people’s hopes rest on miracles. For the down and out, hopes rest on a quick turnaround or in extreme cases, a quick end to life. I am not saying that these are bad. No. I thank God for every benefit that comes from God. What I am concerned about are people who place the hope of such blessings as the primary purpose of faith, instead of the glory of God. For people who converted to Christianity on the basis of blessings, good health, and prosperity, the moment the perceived blessings stop, there is a high chance that they will leave the faith.

In Memory of Chua How Chuang

TITLE: In Memory of Chua How Chuang
SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 12:9
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: March 5th, 2015

"9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me." (2 Cor 12:9)

Dr Chua How Chuang

Today is a day of much grief. Dr CHUA How Chuang went home to the Lord this morning. He is survived by Kaori and his three year old daughter Airi. He was a fellow Regent alum, who recently returned to Singapore from Hokkaido Japan as a missionary-teacher on behalf of OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship). After completing his PhD from Trinity, he was back in Vancouver for a visit. I met him for coffee and it was a really enriching time of sharing and caring. Though he was a scholar-theologian, and I was then a student at Regent, I could sense his gift in pastoral care emanating from his warm tone. We chatted like friends even though we had not seen each other for ages. The last time I saw him was way back in Varsity days. He was a VCF Staffworker then and spoke regularly at various Christian Fellowship events. I knew him then as someone who can speak and articulate biblical truths well. He was a well respected figure at Regent, and I remembered hearing about him being one of Dr J.I Packer's best Teaching Assistants. He was one of those students from Singapore who had held the Singapore flag up high in terms of research quality and academic excellence. How Chuang's thesis was based on the Puritan, Richard Baxter, entitled: "Christ, atonement, and evangelism in the theology of Richard Baxter." Not surprising as Dr Packer is an ardent reader of Anglicanism and Puritans.

Choices

TITLE: CHOICES
SCRIPTURE: John 7:17
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: February 8th, 2015

"If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." (John 7:17)

Last week was an emotional moment. Having prepared fervently so many years for my son to be enlisted, I was totally unprepared for the emotions flooding me on the actual enlistment day. Oftentimes mixed, the overriding mood was one of pride. Pride that my son has willingly submitted to the mandatory duty of military service imposed on each and every male citizen of this island country. Compared to armed forces in the West, the Singapore government does not give young males a choice when it comes to enlistment. By law, every male citizen has to serve. Period.

Honestly, if given a choice, I would rather not have two years taken away from my son like that. Very few parents would like their sons to be exposed to military situations. There is no such thing as no risk. Conscription is not something people take kindly to, especially in Western-style democracy and free society. In fact, when he goes on National Service, it seems like my entire family is doing an indirect form of National Service. My job gets interrupted. Our family gets separated. Everyone's lifestyle gets affected in some way, some more, others less. The only thing for us is to pray and to support our son as much as possible. Like many parents, we too are concerned about safety matters. With tough training regimen and demanding physical exercises, the handling of live firearms, plus occasional stories of accidents happening inside the camp, only the nightly phone calls back home bring some forms of relief. During this time, it is much easier to simply bury ourselves in work. Such a strategy lets busyness become a lid to check emotions. I took some time to reflect upon the whole week. A key point: Choices affect us more than we think.

Persevering Saints

TITLE: PERSEVERING SAINTS
SCRIPTURE: Romans 5:1-5
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: January 19th, 2015

"1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5)

Powerful movie of Enduring Perseverance
Go watch it!

Last week, I watched "Unbroken," a powerful movie based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand which describes the life of the WWII hero, Louis Zamperini.  This man survived storms, scorching heat, hunger and thirst for 47 days on the open seas. Captured by the Japanese at the height of WWII, he endured ridicule and shame. He was tortured and humiliated by his cruel captors. His body was physically broken. Emotionally spent, the easiest thing for him was to give in to the demands of his captors or to simply die. No. Zamperini chose life and endured all things. The Japanese leader, Mutsuhiro "Bird" Watanabe, in the prison camp tried to break Zamperini, but failed to crush the spirit of his prisoner. In fact, Watanabe was instead broken from the inside out. All because Zamperini chooses to persevere regardless of the hardship and torture inflicted upon his flesh. It reminds me of Jesus' words, " Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).

The Heart of Prayer

TITLE: THE HEART OF PRAYER
SCRIPTURE:Philippians 4:6-7
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: January 10th, 2015

With lots of good intention, many people would rally their fellow believers to pray whenever they encounter some life challenges. It could be health related. It could be some major project milestone. It could also be travel concerns or some dangerous situations a loved one is in. Those of us in ministry would be familiar with such a request.

• Please pray for me, for journey mercies.
• Please pray for my family member who is undergoing some treatment.
• Please pray for the persecuted Christians in country X.
• Please pray for my upcoming job interview.
•  
•  

Maybe, prayer is simply an anxiety reliever. After all, didn't we read in Philippians 4:6 which calls us not be be anxious about anything, but to present all of our requests to God? Indeed, in the spirit of neutralizing our anxieties, we can ask people to pray for us. A closer read tells me something else. Philippians 4 can be interpreted as a personal call to the one reading the letter. It is Paul calling the Philippians not to panic, not to let anxieties and worries overwhelm us. Instead, offer it up to the Lord in prayer. For in prayer, we let the Spirit of God still our hearts and minds, to give us the peace of God that we all need for that moment and beyond.

Maybe, prayer has something to do with a hidden hope. A hope that the journey will be safe; that the family member would have good health results; that the persecution of Christians would stop; that the upcoming job interview would be positive; and so on. This hidden hope is simply wanting to see personal desires fulfilled. More importantly, it is an acknowledgment that we can only do so much, that there are many things not within our own control, that we need help with the fulfilling of our  hopes. Who else can we go to when things appear to be spinning out of control?

Questioning God

TITLE: QUESTIONING GOD
SCRIPTURE: Job 38:1-3
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: November 24th, 2014

1Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: 2"Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? 3Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me."

I have been following with some interest an open letter online about why a former believer left her faith. It contains various reasons and faults with the Christian religion. Most of all, it stems from a tragic loss of her father, which was made worse by certain insensitive comments that tried to explain it all.

At the same time, I have just read through twenty-four earnest and honest reflections of faith from the standpoints of atheists, believers, agnostics, and various perspectives. Many of them had one thing in common: Faith Under Trial. Some of these respondents who had "left the faith" were raised in rather religious circumstances. They go to Church. They followed the educational processes. They essentially kept with their parental expectations. Until one day, the water bag broke. Skepticism gives birth to sarcasm, followed by plain dismissal of formerly held beliefs. All it takes is a shaking down of the nice image of a big and friendly God who is all loving and all providing. Whether it is cancer, loss of a family member or a friend, or some tragic circumstances, at some juncture, we will all intersect with the pain-and-suffering station of life.  When that happens, questions turn into doubt; doubt turns to fear; and for self-professed "former" believers, fear coupled with frustrations soon turn one away from God.

• "God, where are You?"
• "God, why is this happening to me?"
• "God, are you there?"
• "God, hello? You there? Why don't You pick up my prayer?"
• "God, God, God? Why are You so quiet? I'll try again tomorrow."
• "God? You'll probably sleeping."
• "God? Are you real?"
• "God? Maybe there is no such thing as God."

Leftover Believers

TITLE: LEFTOVER BELIEVERS
SCRIPTURE: Luke 9:59-60
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: November 10th, 2014

59He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)

Yesterday, I preached about the Great Commission versus the Great Suggestion. It was a call for believers who had gotten their priorities mixed up. While they testify boldly about believing in God as their first priority, their living testimonies say otherwise. By doing so, they affirm the accusations of such people as "Sunday Christians." Personally, I would call such people as leftover believers.

I remember a story of a little boy living with his busy dad. Dad often brought home his work. He worked long hours. He often returned home late and when it came to bedtime reading, he was too exhausted even to spend time with his son. It had cost him his marriage, and due to his earning powers, he was able to gain full custody of his only son. Even at the breakfast table, the dad would be either reading his newspapers or checking his phone updates. As a psychologist, he makes lots of money straight from the top of the hour. He is an important man for patients desperate for help.

One regular morning, after getting another of those feelings of being ignored, the ten year old kid asked:

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

Sipping his coffee cup, dad continued to read and said, "Just give me five minutes."

Five minutes past, seeing his dad still busy combing for information on the newspapers, he decided to wait a few minutes longer before saying, "Dad, can I ask you a question now?"

Dad: "Just ten more seconds, my son."

Finally, the dad was ready. The boy asked: "How much do you earn?"

Dad said: "I make about $60 per hour, so that's about a dollar per minute."
Boy: "Wow, that's a lot of money."
Dad: "Yes, but that's because I've invested a lot in my education and training too."
Boy: "Dad, can you give me a minute. I'm going to get something."
Dad: "Ok, son."

The boy returned soon and in his hands were coins making up $5. The boy said: "Dad, can I buy 5 minutes of your time?"

You could imagine the tears in the eyes of the father. He had become so caught up with earning and working, that he had forgotten his own priorities. That morning, he realized that by putting all his best energies and time to focus on his work, he had relied on leftover energies and time for his own son. I feel for the boy. Just seeing the father devote his best attention to work makes the boy feel under appreciated and less important than the work. To the boy, making money is primary, time with family is secondary.  I can imagine the boy complaining to his friends:

"My dad is very loving. He spends a lot of time to work and make money for the family. That is really nice of him. But sometimes I wished that I don't always have to depend on his leftovers just to hear him read me a story."

Some people do exactly that when it comes to faith. In Luke 9:59-60, when Jesus called an unnamed man to follow Him, the man's quick reply was: "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

It sounded like a reasonable request. It can even be a very filial act. The question is, is that the Jewish understanding at that time? Is the father truly dead? If so, should not the man be busy with funeral and burial details rather than simply walking the streets? Should he not be mourning and comforting his family? Is Jesus showing a lack of compassion when telling the man to let the dead bury the dead? Many interpreters say that what Jesus meant was to let the "spiritually dead" bury the "physically dead."

I prefer another interpretation that Jesus is not talking about burial matters. He is talking about priorities. The man had his priorities mixed up, and had chosen to put his earthly priorities first.

According to Jewish customs, immediately after the burial, the family would separate themselves from public appearances and mourn for seven days. If that was the case, it would be very weird for this man to be walking around in public during this time. That is why I believe that the man's father had not yet died. What the man was actually saying is this:

"Lord, first let me wait until my father had died. Only then can I come and follow you."

In our modern era, we can substitute this for the following:

• "Lord, first let me get a job. Then I will come and follow you."
• "Lord, first let me make my first $1 million."
• "Lord, first let me find a wife."
• "Lord, first let me finish my project."
• "Lord, first let me close my very important business deal."
• "Lord, first let me get my degree."
• "Lord, first let me take a selfie with you."
• "Lord, first let me update my Facebook status."
• "..."

When the heart is not willing, the list of other things is endless. If we say to Jesus, "Lord, first let me _____, " we are essentially telling Jesus that there is something more important than following Him. For our priorities are our work, our projects, our businesses, our families, and our lives on earth. Jesus only gets to inherit our leftover time and energy. Our minds have become so caught up with the things of the world that we easily forget the promises of heaven. More importantly, we have missed out what it means to follow Christ. 

The Bible tells us to wait on the Lord, not make the Lord wait for us.

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (Ps 27:14)

Do we offer up our best to God, or do we leave behind leftovers to Him? Leftover believers will prefer to put their own priorities above God's. They may claim to follow Jesus, but by their actions, they are making God wait while they busy themselves with their own priorities.

Leftover believers have a tendency to say: "Why me?" when approached to help or volunteer for some community work. They claim that they are too busy or simply had no time to serve. They will be punctual at work and at client appointments, but on Sunday mornings, they arrive to Church late, and will only serve when they have sufficient energy reserves or some leftover time.

Leftover believers will claim that following Christ is most important, but by their actions they betray their words. They will dedicate their utmost attention to the highest paying customers instead of their utmost for God's Kingdom. They justify their personal actions by claiming:

• "God helps those who help themselves."
• "God had called me to work hard, so what's wrong with working hard?"
• "Surely God had given me a family to take care of. He will understand that Christian work comes only after all the serious work had been done."

I have a problem with that. Firstly, it dichotomizes work into secular and sacred. All work done for the glory of God is good. All work is sacred when we do it in God's image. All honest work is holy to the Lord. Secondly, the problem with such justifications is that it de-emphasizes the value of work done in Christian communities like churches, para-churches, or religious communities. It is one thing to equate all work as good, regardless of whether it is in the religious or non-religious environment. It is yet another to desecrate the importance of religious work. In the Old Testament, God had a visible way of reminding people the importance of religious work and dedication. That is why He called one tribe out of twelve, the Levites, to be focused on religious work. We may not be called "Levites" per se, but we can participate in the work of the Kingdom of God.

My friends, each of us are called to unique places in this world. We can become so busy trying to make a living that we can easily forget the importance of making a life. I suppose that is another way of understanding Jesus' words to the man wanting to bury his father first. For the man's desire to bury his father first is used as a way to describe man's fascination with the world that the world now is bigger than the world to come. It speaks of a temporal that overshadows the eternal. It turns the affairs of man into something that is bigger than the concerns of God. How can that be?

Those who want to follow Christ must remember that priorities are not just spiritual words but our physical responses as well. Let me close with the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who warns us about hoarding our possessions, our time, and our earthly resources.

“Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. In the wilderness God gave Israel the manna every day, and they had no need to worry about food and drink. Indeed, if they kept any of the manna over until the next day, it went bad. In the same way, the disciple must receive his portion from God every day. If he stores it up as a permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift, but himself as well, for he sets his heart on accumulated wealth, and makes it a barrier between himself and God. Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God. Hoarding is idolatry.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship,  New York, Touchstone, p175)

Beware of idolatry which often masquerades in the things we give our priorities to. When we give God only our leftovers, we are guilty of giving our allegiances to other things, not God.

sabbathwalk

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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries. Note that views expressed are personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization.

A Salvation-Skewed Faith

TITLE: A SALVATION-SKEWED FAITH
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 7:13-14
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: September 26th, 2014

13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved!"

This refrain is one of the most common evangelistic statements from Christians to non-Christians. While it may seem quite offensive to some people in a secular culture, it is far better than some who screamed out like a doomsday prophet: "Believe in Jesus or else you go to hell!"

The first statement is a lot more palatable. It promises the upside of faith. The second will usually result in an verbal backlash. It condemns and strongarms one into confession. Some see both statements as different ways to say the same thing. I differ. I think the first statement is more true than the second. For instance, look at the second statement and I see an immediate theological problem. We are on the way to hell not because of faith or non-faith in Jesus. We are already condemned because of sin. Paul reminds us in Romans:

9What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:9-12)

Thus, it is incorrect to say that we go to hell because of failing a decision making matrix at the Cross. People are on the way to damnation anyway. Christ just offers them a way out. By rejecting Jesus, they are preferring to walk their default ways. That is why we choose what we want to live. Some choose Christ. Others choose their own ways. No one forced them.

This week, I like to look not about the decision for Christ, but what happens AFTER the decision. It does not mean the initial decision is unimportant. It simply means the first decision is simply triggering a journey of faith that needs to be completed in Christ. In his book, "After You Believe," NT Wright stated that our Christian living must be "understood and shaped in relation to the final goal for which we have been made and redeemed." Having said that, he argues that life after that decision for Christ must be reflected in character formation in Christ. This is what must happen after we believe.

A) Pitfalls of a Salvation-Skewed Faith

In many outreach events, Christians behave like gospel salesmen, feeding promises and salvation to anyone who would make a decision to believe in Jesus. The prosperity gospel group would trumpet material riches that grow proportionally with faith. Give more and you will receive double or triple, they say. Others proclaim a faith whereby if we fail to obey the do's and don'ts of the faith, we will be rewarded or punished accordingly. The hyper-grace party will pooh-pooh away every negativity with a generous dosage of grace and unmerited favours, to the point that it does not matter what we do after we believe, as grace is an umbrella large enough to shield believers from all things.

What concerns me is this. People who believed in Jesus have chosen to enter the narrow gate, which is the Person of Jesus. Unfortunately, after the initial excitement and fanfare, once the novelty wears off, they proceed to walk the highway of worldliness instead of the narrow way. Jesus warns us explicitly:

"13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it." (Matthew 7:13)

People who choose to simply enter the narrow gate, only to ignore the other aspect to continue walking the narrow path, are people who are "salvation-skewed." They care only to possess the ticket to heaven, and then continue to bask in worldliness. They claim Jesus to be Lord, but they live as if they are the lords of their lives. They confess Jesus but refuse to obey the teachings of Jesus to forgive others. They think that their one decision is enough to guarantee their stairway to heaven.

According to Matthew 7:13, there is a gate followed by a road, a way, or a path. Just like the Parable of the Sower where there are four different kinds of soil where only one is fruitful and desired of them all, we can also see four different scenarios in Matthew 7:13-14 of which the best is preferred and the worst is mentioned. The best is the "narrow gate" / "narrow way." The worst is the "wide gate" / "wide way." What about the "narrow gate" / "wide way" and the "wide gate" / "narrow way" scenarios?  I present the four scenarios below.

Ps 46: Trusting God

TITLE: Ps 46: TRUSTING GOD
SCRIPTURE: Ps 46
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date:  June 6th, 2014

"1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." (Ps 46:1-3)

If Christians claim to trust God, why then do many of them worry? You might be just making ends meet, but all of a sudden, you had a major car repair. There is no more money in your bank account. What do you do? Maybe, you have just gone for an interview and you are anxious about the result. You pray, and you praise God for what had been done. Yet, the worries linger on. Will you get the job? Maybe you are a student, and your exam is tomorrow but you have only covered 50% of the material. How confident are you that you can make the grade? These are some examples of how the cares of this world can easily balloon themselves to be so big that our theology of God suddenly becomes so small.

This question has often bugged me, and for this week, I want to spend some time on what it means to trust God, why we find it difficult to trust God, and what does it take to increase our walk of trust.

On TWU, Freedom and the Law

TITLE: ON TWU, FREEDOM AND THE LAW
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:1-2
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: April 11th, 2014

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Recently, the provincial government of British Columbia approved the establishment of a private University seeking to set up a law faculty within its campus. The Federation of Law Societies in Canada had also approved TWU's application. There was wide agreement on the technical and educational ability of Trinity Western University to train and to produce graduates able to uphold and to practise the laws of the land. There are also no disagreement with regards of the rights of a private University to operate on the basis of their faith. After all, Canadian law permits people the freedom of religious beliefs and the freedom of speech, that will be consistent with the law and constitution. Unfortunately, the passage to legal approval has been rocky. At the heart of the dispute is the "community covenant" which TWU expects all to sign before being hired as an employee, or allowed in as a student.  You can read the entire covenant here.

This morning, the Law Society of British Columbia debated on the motion to reject TWU's application for the establishment of a law school in BC. Listening to the submissions, I noticed it is all about protecting rights. Some argued forcefully that they need to protect the minority group, namely the LGBT community. Others stated that they need to speak for the law of the land more than their personal beliefs. Still, others would reject TWU because they see the covenant as discriminatory. Eventually, when put to a vote, the society decided to defeat the motion, which essentially meant TWU will be recognized and accredited by the Law Society of BC as a legitimate law school. Some of my initial questions centered around the following.

• Where do we draw the line between freedom of religious belief versus freedom of secular choice?
• Is the country big enough to accommodate differences of opinion and faith beliefs?
• Are people big hearted enough to allow people of different faiths to co-exist?
• Do people have a choice at all in their choice of educational institutions?
• Who is the minority who are increasingly being marginalized?
• Who is the mainstream of today?

This week, I want to offer three reasons for optimism, three reasons for continued caution, and end with three hopes for the future student and members of the TWU community.

Four Pathways to Christian Maturity

TITLE: FOUR PATHWAYS TO CHRISTIAN MATURITY
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 12:1-3
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: March 7th, 2014

"1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Synopsis: What is Lent all about? Is it about refraining from chocolates or coffee? Is it about fasting till our face turns blue? Or is it about a turning toward an invitation to spiritual maturity? In this week's article, I want to focus on the four pathways of holiness, to learn to live in greater spiritual maturity as well as growing discernment of the ease of entanglement with the worldly; the focus of attention on the Cross; the the joy of perseverance in faith. That we be complete in Christ.

Lent has begun. Ash Wednesday two days ago marks the traditional kickoff with forty days to Holy Week, also known as Passion Week where Jesus entered Jerusalem en-route to the cross.  During this time, many believers make special efforts toward a more intense and intentional doing of one or more spiritual disciplines. It could be prayer. It can be fasting. For the latter, some contributors to ChristianityToday recently checked on the Twitter world to reveal the five most popular things to fast from: "Chocolate, Twitter, school, alcohol, and swearing." When I saw the list, I cannot help but wonder if these people will start swearing again after Lent.

(Credit: ChristianityToday, What to Give Up for Lent 2014?)

A) Lent as Giving Up Some Things?

There is also another list which tries to classify the tweets in terms of categories of things people are seeking to give up during Lent.

1. Relating to Food (30545 tweets)
2. Relating to Technology (9764 tweets)
3. Relating to School/Work (6744 tweets)
4. Relating to Habits (6689 tweets)
5. Relating to Smoking/Drugs/Alcohol (5737 tweets)

As I go down the list, I cannot help but wonder how many of these people are Christians. At the end of the article, I felt something seems amiss. Honestly, these efforts to fast from various things tend to miss the point of Lent totally. The purpose of Lent is not the fasting or the refraining. Neither is it some kind of a contemporary sacrifice of modern comfort so that we can experience a piece of Christ's suffering now. No. Theologically there is no need to do that, for Christ's sacrifice is already all-sufficient. No one can add or subtract from it. That is why Jesus said just before his death, "It is finished." His work of grace and salvation is finished at the cross. The purpose of fasting is to disentangle ourselves from things that easily hinder us from our pursuit of Christ. Looking at Hebrews 12:1, if the giving up of some things during Lent is a way of throwing off anything that "hinders," so that we can run the race set before us, it is a good thing.

Can Anyone Live Without God?

TITLE: CAN ANYONE LIVE WITHOUT GOD?
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 13:22-25
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date:  January 10th, 2013.

"22And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?”— it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body mistreated. 23Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. 24“I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind. 25This is your lot, the portion I have decreed for you,” (Jeremiah 13:22-25)

Is it possible to live without God? Can people simply switch God off anytime they want? What about the strange logic that one can actually take a sabbatical from faith? This week, I want to entitle this week's article as "Can Anyone Live Without God?"

Can Christians take a break from God? It seems unthinkable. Yet, Californian pastor Ryan Bell of a Seventh-Day Adventist Church thinks otherwise. While many people around the world think about resolutions and make resolutions each new year, Bell decides that for 12 months this year, he would abandon his faith, stop praying at all, and try to live as if God does not exist. As an ordained minister, a pastor for 19 years, as well as a seminarian, Bell embarks upon his 12-month experiment through social media about his endeavors. Since then, it has been reported that Bell is struggling with losing a job, making ends meet, and at the same time, getting help from an unlikely source: Atheists. This may look like a publicity stunt, but when I read the report, it seems like Bell is embarking on a personal quest to try to live out his doubts in order to validate them. How successful will he be? I do not know.

There have been other similar experiments to try out something out of the ordinary. There is AJ Jacob's one year experiment described in his humourous book, "A Year of Living Biblically," where Jacobs puts all doubts about the Bible aside, and tries to live as literally as possible what the Bible actually says. He follows more than 700 rules and regulations stipulated within, and especially the Old Testament. Since that year, he has given talks about his efforts and his biblical experimenting. People laugh, but he sure is serious.

Such experiments are basically reactions to something they are uncomfortable about. Jacobs is uncomfortable about the way fundamentalists are insisting upon a literal interpretation of the Bible. Others like Bell is uncomfortable with doubts amid his own ministry. It is an honest attempt to deal actively with deep troubling thoughts about doubts and what-ifs. Bell is not someone who has embraced change. He has converted from being a Methodist to Seventh-Day Adventist. He has shifted from fundamentalist positions to something more "progressive." So why is it surprising when he decides to take the leap from faith to unbelief? Moreover, this is a one-year experiment, which also means nothing is decided until the end of the 365 days. I find that such lifestyles tend to be more hype and reality. Three questions will frame the discussion. What is the limit of such experimentation? Is it necessary in the first place? Is it worth it?

I Surrender More?

TITLE: I SURRENDER MORE?
SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:7
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: August 23rd, 2013

"rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."(Philippians 2:7)

KEY POINT: When Jesus empties himself, he is emptying not his attribute but surrendering his self-will in favour of God's will.

One of the most popular hymns in many churches is the classic, "I Surrender All" written by Judson W. Van deVenter (1855-1939). Trained in the arts as well as 17 different musical instruments, deVenter gets involved in all things music and arts, whether traveling or ministering. Having many different talents, like many, he struggles with making choices on what best to do with his own life. It is not a situation where he has nothing to do, or does not know what to do. He simply is stuck between the love of teaching versus the desire to be a part of an evangelistic team. No matter what decision he makes, there is always a pro and con. Stay behind and teach, and bless the students inside. Go out and evangelize with the team and he can bless people outside. Both decisions are good. Which then is God's will for him?

This week, I reflect on the common challenge for Christians. How can we truly surrender our all? For that, we will learn from the life of Jesus, and how he surrenders all.

A) Emptying Himself

Philippians 2:7 has often been highlighted for anyone studying Christology and the doctrines related to Christ. The words "made himself nothing" can also be translated as "emptied himself." The verb "kenoo" (kenovw) means 'empty,' 'void,' 'make nothing.' Is "emptying" about becoming like the person who falls short of God's standards? This makes the verb very problematic for theology students when they study kenosis. What does it mean when Christ empties himself?

• Is it the giving up of his OmniPotence (All-Power), his OmniScience (All-Knowing), and his OmniPresence (All-Present)?
• Is it making himself equal to man completely?
• Is it the sacrifice of his complete self-will in favour of God's total will?

If we answer yes to the first question, it will mean that for a period of time, Christ is not divine. For example, one place that scholars have argued is in Mark 13:32, where Christ acknowledges that no one, including himself knows about when exactly the last day is. That represents a temporary giving up of his divine attributes. However, if that is true, then it will deny the very being of God! How can one deny himself the very essential attribute that defines him?

Surely not. Emptying oneself is not exactly giving up of his divinity. Jesus can be divine and still human in his choice making. So, we can say that the idea of 'kenosis' is not about Jesus giving up divinity. Choosing not to exercise divine attributes does not mean one has to give up the attribute altogether.

B) Making himself fully equal to man?

This brings us to the next question. Is Jesus by giving up his own will, becoming more like man rather than God? It is possible, but that will bring problems with regards to how we see Jesus. Is Jesus at that time more human and less divine? How can a person be subdivided into different spiritual stages? Surely, it will bring about all kinds of confusion about the Person of Jesus.

No. When Jesus empties himself, he is not emptying himself of his divine attributes. Neither is he giving up his humanity. He is giving up something else. More particularly, he is giving up self-will. When Christ comes to earth and becomes human, he is already 100% human. He is already fully equal to man. He does not need any more addition or subtraction to make himself more or less like man. He is already fully human. He does not need to give up more of his human being in order to be more human. So if Jesus is fully divine, and also fully human, what then is Christ emptying himself of? The answer: His will.

C) God's Will Be Done

Remember how Jesus prayed on the night before he was crucified? He specifically asks:

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)

Jesus submits himself to the Father's will, preferring to obey God rather than to give in to any other way. It is a deliberate denial of self. It is an absolute determination to put God first. It is a humble acknowledgement that doing God's will is primary, and all other things are secondary. By a wide margin. Note in Philippians 2:7 where Paul writes of Christ as one who "taking the very nature of a servant," as an intentional choice. He chooses to be a servant even when he is a king. He chooses to take the lowly road even when he is fully eligible to take the royal path. He chooses to adopt the nature of a servant, to serve rather than to be served. Paul adds, "being made in human likeness" as a reference to the possibility of choice. Jesus gets to choose. Jesus gets to decide what needs to be done. He is not forced. No one is pointing a gun at his head to tell him what to do or what not to do. Jesus chooses freely, willingly, and obediently. That is the essence of surrender! It is the offering up of our wills in favour of God's will that is the essence of surrender.

D) Essence of Surrender

Unlike wars where the defeated surrenders to the victorious, Jesus surrenders himself to God, not the enemy. The enemy can bash up the Son. The enemy can wallop the body of Jesus. The enemy can create all manner of evil to hurt Jesus. By trying to humiliate Jesus at the Cross, the tables are turned that the one humiliated is the devil and death itself. Remember the taunt,

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)

In overcoming death, Christ has broken the power of sin. In freely choosing God's will, Jesus has done more than what the righteous Job has done. In obeying God completely, Jesus has defeated the enemy completely. The essence of surrender is about fully yielding our own wills and to fully embrace God's will. The writer, Elisabeth Elliot reminds us that "One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime."

E) Practicing I-Surrender-All

True indeed. We cannot say "I Surrender All" at an instant, for life is not an instant frame. All of us can take snapshots of our lives, both physical and spiritual. We can remember only the good parts and forget about the bad. The life of surrender is a lifelong process. There are no short cuts to surrendering. It has to be done constantly, freely, willingly, and obediently.

Judson deVenter, the hymn writer of "I Surrender All," struggled with the decision between teaching vs evangelism for at least five years. He could have screamed out surrender right at the beginning, but it will not be authentic. He could have waited and not make any commitment, so that he can change his mind anytime, but that will not satisfy his inner being. Instead, he struggled, he prayed, he pondered, and on a daily basis continued to be faithful with his skills and talents. Then, as he was conducting a meeting at East Palestine, Ohio, something dawned on him that only one thing is needed: surrender. Surrender the decision to God. Surrender the consequences to God. Surrender himself to God.  The words become a song. The song becomes a classic. The classic becomes God's reminder to many believers, that when we surrender all, we are acknowledging that God knows best.

My friends. Surrender is not a one time decision made quickly. It is a series of decisions made over a period of time. Some may surrender sooner, and others later. What is most liberating is that God is patient. God is willing to wait for us to choose him in everything, and in all things. For in doing so, we will soon realize that surrendering ourselves to God is not about emptying ourselves of our future. It is about putting our lives fully in God who knows our future. When we are in the arms of the perfect God, we are in the arms of one who loves us and gives himself for us, through his great love in Jesus.

If you have trouble singing "I Surrender All," why not try "I Surrender More" for now. At some point of time, God will reward us, with the ability and the faith to sing "I Surrender All." Freely, obediently, and willingly. Are you stuck in the middle between choices like a rock and a hard place? If you are, surrender that choice to God, and pray that whatever choice you make, God's will be your focus. Once you have made the choice, let that choice lead you to greater freedom, greater obedience, and greater capacity to say: "God's will be done in all of my life."

THOUGHT: "The man or woman who is wholly or joyously surrendered to Christ can't make a wrong choice - any choice will be the right one." (A.W. Tozer)


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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries. Note that views expressed are personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization.

Woman's Greatest Fear(s)

TITLE: WOMAN's GREATEST FEAR(s)
SCRIPTURE: Ruth 1: 14-17
Written by: Dr Conrade Yap
Date: Aug 1st, 2013

4At this they wept aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. 15“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” 16But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

KEY: Following last week's article on the male gender, this week I will cover what it means to be feminine, and what makes the woman a true woman in the light of biblical truth.

I am no psychologist. Neither am I some love doctor or emotional therapist. I am simply a trained scholar, eager theologian, an associate pastor, and of course, a husband as well as a father. I am also a wide reader, reading on the average a book every other day. I am interested in a wide range of issues, from marriage to theology; families to individuals; children and teens; aging and diseases; spirituality as well as religious matters; current affairs and various trends in society and culture; etc. In fact, my reading passion has taken me to many places, without having to buy an air ticket or to travel long distances just to learn. The Internet and technology have helped bridged the far and the near together.

Why am I sharing all these? That is because in my line of work as a pastor, I come across many different issues, and faces different and unique challenges. Marital problems, Church member to member relationships,  Sunday services, leadership matters, spiritual growth, counseling, visitation, meetings, Bible teaching, administration, and many more are the mainstay of any pastoral ministry. It is because I am called to preach on a regular basis that I need to read a lot as well.

Last week, I wrote about  issues pertaining to the male gender, where being a real man is not exactly about what they do, but is essentially about making a difference with their lives. I mentioned four kinds of men, giving due weight eventually to the fourth kind that defines what a real man is about. The defining moment for a man is that innate commitment to glorify God regardless of how good or bad the struggle is. Whatever it takes, the Christian man will make a decision for God. That is why many men in particular find special meaning in Rick Warren's purpose driven life.

This week, I like to share what I have learned about the female gender, and what it means to be a woman. I know, I am not a woman, so I am not exactly biologically qualified. Come to think of it, if only women deal with women issues, then men can never be gynaecologists. It is important for men to know about female issues too. 

Like last week, let me borrow again some observations from a trained psychologist, Dr Larry Crabb, once again.

A) What is Femininity?

According to the Hebrew word for female, neqebah means "punctured, bored through." Based on the Hebrew understanding of this word, Crabb writes that being feminine essentially means being open to, inviting, and neither demand nor control, but to be relational. More importantly, the original design for femininity is for receiving from God's fullness, that the woman be able to reflect the full character of God and for the purposes of God. Such a relationship is life giving and nourishes relationships.  So like man's greatest fear is to lose his sense of purpose and direction, woman's greatest fear is the breaking down of relationships. Crabb also talks about the four personas that inhibit the woman from being fully feminine. This is especially true of those who reject a Christ-centered relationship.

• Type 1 - The Defensively Deranged Woman
• Type 2 - The Prematurely Satisfied Woman
• Type 3 - The Angrily Hardened Woman
• Type 4 - The Visibly Troubled Woman (The True Woman)

B) Fear of Unsatisfied Desire (The Defensively Deranged Woman)

A few weeks ago, while shopping with my family at an Asian supermarket, I walked past a woman in her 50s, complaining in Cantonese about a man who had mistresses in mainland China. Speaking as if she was cursing her husband in front of her, it was quite easy to see that she had been traumatized by an adulterous man, most likely her husband. I wonder to myself why she behaved like a mad woman in public. Has she been so hurt that she had become consumed with hate for her husband? Then there are also women I have encountered who had such a horrible relationship with their fathers that they transferred the trauma into their marriages.

Crabb also shares about one woman whose husband on their wedding night preferred to watch a football game than to have sex with her. When the wife woke up the next morning, her husband then said that he "screwed" her when she was sleeping. Angry and frustrated, the relationship went downhill, with the woman quickly becoming a seductress, unable to heal from her brokenness. The defensively deranged woman is not able to recover from a broken past toward healing, as her focus is often on revenge, on bitterness, and on hate.

C) Fear of Loss of Blessings (Premature Satisfaction)

The other extreme is also unstable. Crabb talks about the woman who lives on blessings alone. They let their joy be tightly linked to blessings of good marriage, good kids, good social circles, to define what a good life is. In their overwhelming trust in these good things, it also means the focus is away from building trust in God alone. Such a woman embraces only the good, and refuses to accept the bad. The relational aspect gets compromised as instead of building a relationship with God, the prematurely satisfied woman builds her relationships on blessings alone. It takes the godly woman to be able to trust in God whatever the good or the bad.

D) Fear of Loss of Control (Angrily Hardened Woman)

Like men, anger is an emotion that impacts woman a lot. A woman undergoing pain and painful memories may hide their anger through numbing one's emotions. The "tough lady" image is popular. Toughness is not the issue. Unnatural dealing with anger is the issue. By allowing her sense of "I should have been better treated" to dominate her life, she unwittingly starts to control other people's lives. Some mothers attempt to control their sons and daughters under the guise of doing what is best for them. The trouble is, it can backfire. Their biggest hurt or regret comes when they realize that their adult children are not willing to share openly with them their real struggles. With the female gender that is high on relational matters, it hurts when the closest relationships are not close at all.

E) True Woman (Visibly Troubled)

The first three types of women continue to play hide-and-seek with themselves and their emotions. If there is a common trait, it is a fear of their broken relationships that lead them to performing lots of hiding and little of seeking. The defensively deranged woman hides her past hurts with emotional and mental instability. The prematurely satisfied woman hides her true needs by becoming absorbed in the good things of life. The angrily hardened woman hides her fears through grit and controlling behaviours. It is the fourth woman that is most feminine in the biblical sense.

This fourth type is what Crabb describes as self-aware and God-oriented. Most importantly, she does not hide. She faces boldly her fears and trusts that God will help her. It is this disposition that defines the godly woman:

"God, I come to You. Do with me as You want. Embrace me in Your perfect love that casts out all fear.”

The story of Ruth is an excellent example of a visibly troubled woman who chooses the God of her mother in law, even after the passing of her husband. Knowing that her status is low, and her hope is bleak, she clings on to a faithfulness that is anchored in God alone. Some say that her desire is to be a faithful daughter in law. Others say that she had no better decision to make. I think not. Firstly, Ruth had every right to go marry someone else. Becoming a widow was an accepted state in society. There was no shame. Secondly, Ruth could have returned to her own homeland, just like Orpah. The fact that Ruth chose to stick with her is a conscious decision. More importantly, we note that Ruth does not need to choose God. Yet, she makes a conscious decision to bind her heart to God. With that decision, God blesses her with one of the greatest blessings ever: Bloodline to King David.

Being feminine is not about good looks or biologically features. Being feminine is relational. It is being invited into building that relationship solely and solidly in God alone. The best woman one can ever become is to be a woman of God. A woman of God will be a deep source of blessings to all around. Let us pray for our women friends and family that they too can be the women of God that they have been called to be.

THOUGHT: "The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman." (Elisabeth Elliot)



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Copyright by SabbathWalk. This devotional is sent to you free of charge. If you feel blessed or ministered to by SabbathWalk weekly devotionals, feel free to forward to friends, or to invite them to subscribe online at http://blog.sabbathwalk.org . You can also send me an email at cyap@sabbathwalk.org for comments or enquiries. Note that views expressed are personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization.