Conversion; Conviction!

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I paid our first - but, hopefully, not our last - visit to the Café Church in Bergerac.  This is an English-speaking Christian Fellowship that meets on a monthly basis, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with them.  The speaker, last week, was Paul, a retired officer from the Metropolitan Police who had served under Met. Commissioner David (now Sir David) MacNee.  He, in turn, was a member of St George's-Tron Church in Glasgow, where my wife and I met, and were married to one another, and he even, as Chief Constable of the then City of Glasgow Police Force, signed the photographs for our first passports!  Indeed, I stood beside his dad in the bass section of the church choir!

Paul shared a good message, but one part of it stuck out for me.  He was speaking on the call of Isaiah, as recorded in what we know as the 6th chapter of that Old Testament prophet's writings.  Paul emphasised the chorus of the seraphim: "Holy, holy, holy, is YHWH Sabaoth", and spoke of the holiness - the 'otherness' of Almighty God.  He reminded us of the conviction that came upon Isaiah - "I am a man of unclean ("filthy" in my New Living Translation) lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips."  In the light of the Holy One, Isaiah knew exactly what he was, and what he deserved.  He was a sinner, who deserved only the wrath of this pure and sinless One.

As often happens - and this is no criticism of any speaker.  Indeed, I would be delighted to learn that others did the same when I am delivering a message! - my mind went off on its own; nudged in a particular direction by what was being spoken from the front.  I began to think about the difference between what often, today, seems to pass for conversion; and a genuine conviction.  It seems to me that too many claim to be converted without ever having experienced a real conviction with regard to their own sinfulness.  Is it not the case that, too often, we encourage people to repeat "the sinners' prayer" without having first made clear to them the extent of their personal sinfulness - and the fact that the holy God cannot even bear to look upon it?  In a "come to Jesus, and all will be well" situation, are we not encouraging enquirers to gloss over their sins?  In our "seeker-sensitive" services, are we not guilty of trying to make the Gospel fit the circumstances, instead of bringing people under the full light of the Gospel.?  Paul reminded us of the Hebridean Revival when people came under conviction of sin in their homes; in their workplaces; in schools; even in the street.  This, of course, is a work of God the Holy Spirit - Who alone can convict people of their sins.  However, this led to the right questions being asked, and the work of those who were already disciples of Jesus was then to explain, and disciple these new lambs of the flock.

Perhaps we in the so-called "west" need to come to a new point of repentance; acknowledging that our own efforts have not resulted in any great growth in the Kingdom of God; confessing that we have, all too often, expected Almighty God to bless the plans that we have made in our human frailty; and seek His will in our efforts to evangelise, and to be the kind of witnesses that He desires us to be.  Perhaps we need to remember that, while this Almighty God deigns to use us, He is perfectly capable of working without us!  Perhaps, when we respond as Isaiah responded, to the vision of the glory of God, we will be able to respond, with greater results, as he responded to the invitation of YHWH Sabaoth - "Whom shall we send, and who will go for us?  Here am I Lord; send me"!

Biblical Olympics

Although as I write this, I am in France, enjoying the sunshine, the peace, and the quiet; in London and other parts of the country, many will be gripped by the Olympic Games.

What many won’t realise is that the excitement of the Games (not necessarily, the Olympics) has influenced the thought and language of the New Testament!  Indeed, one may compile a veritable spiritual sports commentary!  So Paul, writing to the Corinthian church, refers to running, training, boxing, and self-discipline – and all in terms that would have been instantly recognised by the original readers as connected to the games. (I Cor.9:24-27).

Perhaps he was thinking of a contemporary Usain Bolt, when he wrote to the Roman believers: “Forgetting what lies behind, and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” (Rom.3:13b-14).

And to what end?  Not the laurel wreath (or Gold medal) of the Games, but a “crown of righteousness” from Almighty God, Himself. (see II Tim.4:7-8).  Towards what prize are we aiming?

My Barrister!

After living what I felt was a "decent" life, my time on earth came to the end. The next thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what appeared to be a court house.

The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.

As I looked around I saw the "prosecutor." He was a villainous looking character who snarled as he stared at me. He was definitely the most evil being I had ever seen.

I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my Barrister, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, that I felt I must know Him.

The door flew open and the Judge appeared, in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome Presence and, as He moved across the room, I couldn't take my eyes off of Him.

As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, "Let us begin."

The prosecutor rose and said,

"My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell."

He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and times in the past when I had cheated others. He told of other horrible sins that were once in my life and, the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, not even my own Barrister, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.

As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my Barrister Who sat there silently, not offering any form of defense at all. I knew I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't they at least cancel part of the harm I'd done?

Satan finished with a fury and said, "This man belongs in hell.  He is guilty of all that I have said, and there is no-one who can prove otherwise."

When it was His turn, my Barrister first asked if He might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned Him to come forward. As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendour and majesty. I realised why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Saviour.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, "Hi, Dad," and then He turned to address the court.

"Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned. I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wages of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished."

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Saviour, so he is Mine."

My Lord continued, "His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from Me. Satan still does not understand. This man is not to be given justice, but rather grace and mercy."

As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, "There is nothing else that needs to be done. I've done it all."

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from His lips..

"This man is free." The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed."

As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, "I won't give up, I will win the next one." I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, "Have you ever lost a case?"

Christ lovingly smiled and said, "Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, ....... Paid In Full."

It's only a story - but it does have a message. If we want Him to represent us there; we must be willing to represent Him here!   If you've never done so before, confess your sins to Him now; ask for His forgiveness; thank Him for taking your place on the cross; accept Him as Saviour and Lord.  Then live for Him - "life in all its fulness" (Jn.10:10).

This is MY life!

I am still able to recall the late Eamonn Andrews, with his big red book, informing some unsuspecting person: "This is your life".  Some of the stories were quite amazing.

Yesterday morning, I was the invited speaker at a Men's Breakfast in Calderwood Baptist Church, East Kilbride, where I had been asked to share my testimony.  I decided to entitle it "This is MY life"!  Mind you, fitting 27 years (and [quite] a few months) into about 45 mins wasn't easy.  However, I only over-ran by a couple of minutes!

It had been interesting, during the week, preparing my notes.  I haven't been asked for a word of personal testimony for many years and, of course, there is now so much more to share.  I reckon that I could have spoken for twice as long - and still have left out so very much!  (No surprise there, then!).

My initial question was "Who is Brian Ross?", and I made the point that the answer to that depended, to a great extent, on who was being asked.  To my late parents, I was their first-born son - the eldest of six boys.  To my teachers in both Primary and Grammar Schools, I was a pupil - seldom top of the class, but always in the top half!  To my colleagues when I left school and entered the real adult world of work, I was a chef; to lecturers at the Bible Training Institute, the University of Glasgow, the Open University, Moray House College of Education, the University of Strathclyde, and the University of Liverpool (with Trinity College), I was a student; to my wife, I am a husband; to my children, a father; to my grandson, a grandfather.  To a number of Christian congregations/fellowships, I am a minister; to a couple of generations of young folk, I was a teacher.  To listeners to both Caleb Radio and Revival Radio (now Revival FM), I was a programme producer and presenter; on a couple of occasions, I was an advocate in an Industrial Tribunal.  To some 1500 personnel in Strathclyde Police, I am a chaplain; having just completed my first (!) book, I am an author; to many, I trust, I am a friend.  It's been - and continues to be - quite a life!

However, the final point that I shared was the one that I have in common with every other man and woman who has ever lived - with only one exception.  I'm a sinner!  I don't even manage to meet my own standards, let alone those of a holy and sinless God.  Even if I managed to get through one 24-hour period without committing a single sin of thought, word, or deed, I would still be a sinner.  "In sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5) is not making comment on the act of physical sexual intercourse between a man and a woman, within the bounds of a loving marital relationship.  It is making the point that, from the instant that single sperm from my father pierced my mother's egg, and mitosis (the division of cells) commenced, I was already a sinner!  That's why I sin! 

However, I was also able to say that I am a sinner - saved by grace: the grace of a God Who loves me so much that, in the Persona (not a typo!) of the Son, He took upon Himself human flesh; lived a life in which He experienced all that I experience, and more, yet without sinning (Heb.4:15); and died on a cross, in my place!  "Bearing shame, and scoffing rude; in my place, condemned He stood.  Sealed my pardon with His blood.  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!" (P.P.Bliss)

He has travelled with me, now, for more years than I care to admit!  During those years, I have let Him down, time and time again - but He has never let me down.  If you don't have a personal relationship with Him, I commend Him to you; and I commend all who read this to His grace.

Change

Change!  It’s all around us.  As I look in the mirror each morning, I am aware that I have changed from the fresh-faced young man I was forty years ago!  Relationships change – I have friends now whom I didn’t even know a few years ago; there are others with whom, over the years, I have lost contact.  Jobs change – and that is as true in the Force as in any other occupation.  Indeed, one of the things that I realised, early in my time as a Chaplain, is that the one consistency in the Force is - change!   I am aware of the changes in job specs, and in the number of civilian staff, certainly in my own Force, who have found it necessary to move from a position in which they were more than content, just in order to provide a greater measure of job security.  In less than a year, the current eight Scottish Forces will have changed into a single Scottish Force.

Within society, there is also change.  The recent Local Council elections saw many changes across England, Scotland, and Wales.  The Coalition Goverment want to change the composition of the Upper Chamber at Westminster, and to change the very meaning of the word "marriage" (but check my personal ministry blog at www.crazyrev.blogspot.com   Sunday 6th May).

The hymn-writer, Henry Francis Lyte, penned these well-known words in 1847 while he lay dying from tuberculosis (he died only three weeks later): “Change, and decay, in all around I see.  O Thou, Who changest not, abide with me.”  What he was saying, as one who was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth, is what followers of the Christ maintain even today – that in a world of change, He is the unchanging One; that He is, as the writer of one of the letters recorded in the New Testament part of the Christian Bible puts it, “... the same, yesterday, today, and for ever.” (Heb.13:8) 

At a time of change, I find that to be a great encouragement!

Complexity, versus Simplicity!

This week, I attended a meeting in Motherwell Civic Centre at which, among other things, the method of calculating the results of the forthcoming local Council election, using the STV (Single Transferable Vote) system, was explained!

I had not realised just how complex it is!  First of all, a "quota" must be established by calculating the number of valid votes (plus 1) and dividing that number by the number of seats available (plus 1).  Any candidate with a higher number of votes than the quota is automatically elected.  Then the fun really begins!  The "transfer value of surplus votes" is calculated by dividing the number of votes, more than the quota (plus 1) by the number of votes given to the candidate already elected as first choice.  This number is then used to calculate the additional votes given to the remaining candidates.  And so it continues until the appropriate number of candidates have been elected.  And that is the system somewhat simplified!!  It would appear that a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics is almost a prerequisite for Returning Officers!

As I listened, I couldn't help thinking that if the Gospel message of salvation, by the grace of God, through faith in the Lord Jesus, was as complex, then very few would be saved!  How wonderful, then, that although the Christian Gospel is capable of keeping the finest minds that mankind can produce busy in its profundity; it is also, in its essence, so simple that even a little child may understand.

How simple is it?  As simple as ABC!  I need to Admit that I am a sinner, totally incapable of keeping God's law - indeed, totally incapable of maintaining even the standards that I set for myself!  I then need to Believe that God, in Christ, has already paid the penalty for my sin.  As the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, was inspired to write: "... He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed." (Isa 53:5; RSV, my emphases). 

Admit; Believe; and then I need to Confess.  I confess my sin, and my sinfulness, before Him; and I repent (i.e. turn away from it).  I also confess Him before others - telling them of the salvation that I have experienced through Him.

The results of the Council elections will, I have been assured, be expertly counted (mostly by machines!).  I'm glad about that!  But I am thrilled to to be able to sing:
"The old, old, story it is ever new; the old, old, story, praise the Lord, 'tis true;
that Jesus died for me as well as you.  I love the old, old, story"

And I don't need any academic degree at all, to understand that!

Promises!

Promises!  They’re not always easy to keep.  I suspect that each of us has been let down by someone who made a promise to us.  Perhaps we have even let down others to whom we have made a promise!

The Bible portrays a God Who always keeps His promises.  In the Old Testament (the Jewish Scriptures), we read that He promised a man named Abraham that, although old and childless, he would  be the father of a great nation.  That promise was kept – through Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve tribes of Israel.

A young man named Solomon became king.  In a dream, God asked him to name whatever he wanted.  He asked for understanding and wisdom to rule Israel well.  God was pleased with that response (I wonder how pleased He would be with the answers that you and I might give?!).  He gave Solomon wisdom – and promised that He would give the young king all the things that he might have been expected to ask for, as well.  And God kept His promise.  The queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s wisdom, and wealth, and travelled a long distance to visit him.  Her verdict is recorded for us: “... she said to the king, "The report was true which I heard in my own land of your affairs and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me; your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report which I heard.” (I Kings 10:6-7).

Before my next post, millions of people around the world will have celebrated Easter – arguably the most important festival in the Christian calendar.  They will have remembered Good Friday (“good” because, according to the Gospel records, Jesus, the Christ, was paying the price for all of our breaking of God’s commandments) and Easter Day.

And on that very first Easter Day, some women went to the tomb to complete the task of embalming the body with spices.  To their utter astonishment, there was no body to be found!  What they did discover was an angelic being who told them: “He is not here; for He has risen, as He said.” (Matt 28:6).  “He has risen – as He promised”!  Once again, God had kept His promise.

It is my conviction that God still keeps His promises.  At Christmas, I shared some thoughts on that best-known of New Testament verses – John 3:16.  But John continues: “Whoever trusts in Him is not condemned; whoever does not trust is condemned already, because they have not trusted in the Name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:18).   And I believe that God keeps both of those promises!

Easter is not just an excuse for hot-cross-buns, and chocolate eggs.  It’s the anniversary of what Christians believe was the greatest victory in all of history – when God, in Jesus, broke the devil’s claim on you and me, enabling us to be at one with Him, and to have His life within us – a heart transplant, with no fear of rejection!