Advent: Just Another Meaningless Tradition?

In previous years, Advent has easily slipped by without grabbing my attention. The Christmas period is often busy: busy with work, busy with holiday, busy with family and friends, busy buying presents, writing cards. Busy.
The significance of Advent is often eclipsed by the intensity of the season. Advent often blurs into one with all the other festivities of Christmas, so that it seems like just another meaningless tradition. Isn’t Advent that weird thing where you light a candle every Sunday?
The word Advent (from the Latin adventus) literally means "coming". The tradition of Advent is the remembrance of Jesus coming into the world.
Historically, this has been termed by theologians as the "Incarnation", and to me it is the most miraculous and baffling of Christian teachings. To an all-supreme God, the resurrection is totally achievable. But how can the God of the universe fully dwell in one man, whilst this man still remains fully human? Jesus, the God-Man, is the greatest miracle and wonder this world could ever know.
Advent is about reminding ourselves of the breath-taking wonder it is that God sent his Son into the world "to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).
This year I have decided to take Advent more seriously. I would encourage anybody to join with me this Christmas to contemplate the significance of Jesus' advent into the world. Let’s take some time to reflect, to meditate and to ponder.
I have come across two places to go to help begin thinking about Advent. They are shared below.
The first is by 24-7 Prayer. They will be releasing video podcasts on most of the days leading up to Christmas, all exploring the central theme of “When God Comes Near". I would encourage you to check it out by following this link.

Secondly, John Piper has written “The Dawning of Indestructible Joy", a little book containing daily readings (roughly one page) for Advent. So far I have found these very helpful in reflecting on Jesus’ coming into the world. The great news is that this is totally free as a PDF, and you can download it here.

What Does The Bible Actually Have To Say About Church?

In this video, Francis Chan asks a question that I don't think many Christians have considered:
"If someone asked you to describe church using only the Bible, what would you say?"
Regardless of who you are - whether you go to church regularly or not at all - I think video will be interesting and thought-provoking. Take a look, and see whether you agree.

I greatly admire Francis Chan and I find his simplicity refreshing. It is not without reason that he's been called "Captain Obvious". Francis has a gift of being able to communicate the most simple and basic of truths in a clear and engaging way.
Family, Gathering, Mission and Training
It seems fashionable today for Christians to criticise the church, and many have become dejected and disappointed with what they see. Perhaps this is because we try to make church something it was never intended to be.
Church should be beautiful. It should be inspiring. It should be the envy of the world. I think the vision of We Are Church (www.wearechurch.com) captures something of this.

What Does Shower Gel Have To Say About Our Culture?


Branding and advertising is powerful and unavoidable. When shopping we all have a huge amount of choice, and this gives us large scope for individuality and personalisation. That which we buy says something about ourselves. Unsurprisingly, this does not exclude shower gel or body wash. This sounds strange, but if you're a guy you'll know that a manly and strong Original Source gives off an entirely different message than Tesco's own brand. I came across one shower gel which used a slogan that got me thinking:

"Cleanliness is essential when godliness is improbable."

Upon a glance, this seemed like a harmless quip or just a simple sentence of marketing rhetoric. However, I began to ponder more deeply and tried to consider what underlying message was being communicated, even if only implicitly.

One observation is that this particular shower gel company implores us to focus more upon our external and outward appearance (being "clean"), and focus less on our internal state of condition (being "godly"). "Don't bother trying to be Godly, just make sure you look good!" Implicit also in this slogan is the notion that godliness is too difficult or unlikely to be accomplished, and so instead effort should be directed towards how we look on the outside.

I wonder, is this slogan a microcosm? Does it reveal more about the prevailing worldviews of our culture than we would like to admit?

The truth is, to focus on our outward appearance and to tend less our internal state is a powerful and relentless message that bombards us whichever direction we turn. In contrast to this come the teachings of Jesus. He cares more, first and foremost, about what is on the inside.

What Did I Take Away From Two Weeks In Tanzania?


When I first returned from two weeks in Tanzania I began to note some of the lessons I learnt. However, I quickly realised that I found it difficult to articulate what I was thinking and feeling. It had been such an intense fortnight. Our time there has been busy and exhausting, as well as great fun. Given the mixed emotions I was feeling I decided to postpone any written reflection.
Now that more than a month has passed since returning to the UK, I have decided to jot down a few of my reflections. These are still not fully-formed in my own mind, and this blog post will most likely be brief, yet I hope that the process of writing will help me to crystallise my thoughts in a more concise and clear fashion.
Where did you go? Myself and a bunch of others – all partaking in the New Wine Discipleship Year – went to Tanzania for just over two weeks. We went with the Christian organisation Tearfund, who partnered us with the African Inland Church of Tanzania (AICT). We were based in the north of Tanzania, in a town called Musoma.
What did you do out there? It is a little tricky to explain exactly the purpose of the trip, but in retrospect I see the main aims/outcomes of the trip to have been 1) perspective-shifting for us as a team from the UK, and 2) encouraging for all the people we encountered. Let me explain:
1) perspective-shifting – I hope that the two percent of my year that I spent in Tanzania will profoundly affect the other ninety-eight percent of my time in my usual context, the UK. There is value in intentionally purposing oneself to spend time outside of one’s comfort zone. Going to Tanzania meant that I was immersed in a new culture, to which the churches appropriately contextualised. This allowed me to broaden my understanding of the church and God’s mission on Earth, and I could appreciate more of what it means to be part of a global Christian family.

2) encouraging – We were not based in a single location or focussing solely on one task, but instead our time was spread thinly in multiple places. We spent the two weeks visiting schools, churches, families and communities to see the work of the AICT. Hence, our time was very people-focussed with new interactions and introductions taking place daily. Everywhere we went, we looked for opportunities to bless others, build up others, and encourage others in the work they were already doing.
So now that I have covered some of the practical details, allow me to bullet point some of that which I have learnt…
The many people I met were all incredibly generous with their time and resources. In contrast, it seems that the people of England can tend towards being self-centred. We are often incredibly busy people and this make us tightfisted when it comes to the stewardship of that which is in our possession. I have been inspired to be more generous, in a way that was modelled by the people of Tanzania. I hope that I will start choosing to slow down, focus on the people around me, and listen to God’s directing voice concerning the stewarding of my possessions.
It seems that the culture has respect and honour imbedded into it. People make a big deal about greeting each other, and it is normal to talk to strangers in a polite and friendly way. Although this system of greeting each other can seem quite rigid, it is never formal. Furthermore, having a system of greeting elicits conversation between strangers where talking may otherwise be awkward or difficult. Why do the English rarely engage strangers in conversation?
Many of the Tanzanians we met have a kind of material contentment that is unseen in the UK. This juxtaposition made me realise just how strong a grip my possessions have on my heart. What was most frightening was how little I realised this beforehand. Paul, when writing to his mentee Timothy, says that “godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). Instead of always striving for more, I want to embrace a mindset of contentment, and trust that it will be to my “great gain".
The mission of God is global. It was incredibly exciting and inspiring to hear that the Mara region still contains villages, tribes and people groups which have not yet been reached with the Gospel. Join with me in praying that God will send out workers into this field ripe for harvest.
As I look to start university in Durham, this question remains on my mind: How can I now act for the sake of the poor and vulnerable? Perhaps this is a question that you ask for yourself as well.

The Teenager-Preacher Who Led History's First Mega-Church



Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92) was regarded as the “Prince of Preachers". Although he had no formal theological education, it has been estimated that Spurgeon preached to ten million people in his lifetime - often to crowds of more than ten thousand. As Spurgeon could not utilise electronic amplification is his day, this is an extraordinary accomplishment.

Vanity Fair, in its 10 December 1870 issue, described Spurgeon as having “fine natural oratory’, a “powerful voice... and a vivacity of diction". It is clear that Spurgeon was very well known in the nineteenth-century and, although he certainly encountered criticism, he was respected and well-liked by many for being “honest, resolute, and sincere".

Much at odds with contemporary practice, Spurgeon became the pastor of New Park Street Church at twenty years-old - only four years after his conversion. This church was formerly pastored by the famous Baptist theologian John Gill. Admirably, Spurgeon stayed with this congregation for almost forty years. So sought after was Spurgeon’s clear exposition of the Bible that the congregation rapidly expanded. With this, in 1861 the congregation eventually settled in a larger and more suitable venue: the Metropolitan Tabernacle.

Spurgeon’s emphasis on the centrality of Scripture brought controversy as well as renown, as he accused other Baptists’ of “downgrading" the Bible, and rejecting the principle of sola scriptura (scripture alone) one of the central evangelical pillars. Despite this, people of all denominations pay tribute to the life and work of Spurgeon.

Charles Spurgeon wrote extensively throughout his lifetime, communicating Gospel truths using a variety of media. The Treasury of David, a seven-volume study of the Psalms, said to be his magnum opus, is one of Spurgeon’s most well-known works. It was first published in weekly installments over twenty years in his church’s periodical The Sword and The Trowel. Spurgeon’s Daily Devotions are used by many today.

In addition to regular preaching, Spurgeon founded Sunday schools, churches, an orphanage and the Pastor’s College (which became Spurgeon’s College in 1923). He fully embraced the holistic Christian life of worshipping God in word and action. Speaking of Spurgeon, Vanity Fair said that he was a “hard worker in his vocation". Friend, contemporary, and biographer W. Y. Fullerton spoke fondly of Spurgeon: “he lived and laboured with such prodigious energy". Poignantly, Fullerton also appreciated Spurgeon for the personal impact he had upon him, leading Fullerton to write that he owes to Spurgeon “more than he can ever express or pay".

What Can We Learn From The Church In Dubai?


It is 08:45. I am writing on a train bound for Cheltenham Spa, having arrived in England after an overnight flight from Dubai. My trip to the Middle East was brief and passed by far too quickly, but it was jam-packed with fun and adventure. It was breath-taking to see in the flesh parts of the world that I had only previously observed through the lens of a Google Images page – the tallest building in the world, an amazing fountain display in Dubai Mall, luxury seven-star hotels.
In addition to these tourist activities, It was a great learning experience to visit a country which has a church context so different from the West. Christianity is in the minority, and the church has restrictions placed upon it by a state that is largely governed by Islamic law. Christians have to be careful.
The conference that I attended during my stay was titled “Global Missions and the Church". Guest Speakers were John Piper and Victor Atallah. Although lots of good teaching took place, I won’t go into much detail here. Instead, I will briefly note some interesting things that I consider worth sharing:
1. The conference was hosted by the United Christian Church of Dubai (UCCD). The congregation is beautifully multicultural. One observer noted how the church in Dubai was a foretaste of what is described in Revelation 7:9.
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands".
This diversity of ethnicity within the church’s congregation is a microcosm of the whole community in Dubai – a place with people of all nations and tongues. Only ten percent of the population are local Emiratis; the rest come from all four corners of the globe. With such intense diversity there is often the risk of individual cultures fearing or misunderstanding others, isolating themselves and becoming inward-looking. Thankfully, any of this segregation within the community is not present within the church body. I was overwhelmed by the strong sense of unity within a community of such varied peoples.
2. With such a diverse congregation, it is not easy to know to which culture one ought to contextualise. Often, churches which lack such diversity are tempted to contextualise to a single culture’s norms to such an extent that the church becomes dependent upon its “relevance" to culture. Contextualisation is acceptable unless the Gospel message becomes watered-down, softened and impure.
The church – especially in the West – tends to forget that the simple and true message of the Gospel is intrinsically valuable and relevant to all peoples. The Gospel’s applicability transcends cultural boundaries. It’s power and efficacy is not dependent upon the latest audio-visual technology, the pastor’s “coolness", or any other of man’s natural faculties.
The church in Dubai could not – and chose not – to rely upon an over-contextualisation of their church services and other activities. They kept and retained the clear message of the Gospel. They do not add or take away from the Gospel to attempt to relativise it’s message. Mack Stiles referred to this mindset as “Gospel Primacy" and “Gospel Purity": the Good News of Jesus Christ must be the church’s primary proclamation; and such a proclamation must not be alloyed or mixed with impurities.
Have some churches in England become overly reliant upon man’s own natural faculties, forgetting that the Gospel story is the most relevant of all stories?
3. Experiencing church in a whole new context broadened my Global church perspective. I, with many others I am sure, often forget that the Christian faith is a worldwide phenomenon. How the church looks in England is not normative by any means. Depending upon the church’s situation, it faces different challenges and clashes with different world views. One quotation which I found particularly poignant is as follows:
“Many Christians in the world fear the raised fist, whilst we in the West fear the raised eyebrow."
Friends, there are Christians who boldly profess the Gospel in the face of incredible hardship. Our brothers and sisters are a living embodiment of the audience Jesus addresses in His famous Sermon on the Mount, who says “blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." Such Christians don’t ascribe to certain beliefs in a light-hearted manner. Their faith isn’t cold, cerebral and distant. They don’t merely assent to some kind of comfortable pragmatism of “let’s all be nicer, better people". For these people, the Christian faith is a way of life and death. They spend their lives for the sake of the Gospel. It’s often not cosy – it’s costly. This is serious business.
Christian friends, join me in praying for the global church. Our brothers and sisters need boldness and courage, not blind and baseless comfort. Perhaps God will awaken in us the kind of urgency they have for the spreading of the Gospel. I ask and pray that He does this for me.
4. The Christian can be called to go anywhere; this is something else that I have come to realise. There is a great need of Christians from the West to be willing and open to leaving their homes and take the Good News far and wide. We must not become so comfortable and settled that our minds are closed to the possibility of being called somewhere else in the world.
Now that my short trip is over, I must settle into Cheltenham again. After such an eye-opening adventure, it both saddens and excites me that I must get back to the daily rhythms of life here. Lots awaits me: responses from universities and potential invitations for interviews, the build up to Christmas at church, continuing to serve and love the poor and vulnerable in the cold winter months, studying and reading, thinking about the future. I pray that amidst the hustle and bustle of this season – both the highs and lows, the busy times and the quiet – I may draw ever closer to God, who is my peace and my strength.
I must conclude by thanking Jo Summers and her family for being such wonderful hosts. I don’t take it for granted that I was able to travel half way across the world and be fed and housed. Thank you for your incredible hospitality: for driving me to/from the airport; for showing me Dubai; for welcoming me into your home; for hanging out with me; for making some great memories to look back upon. I hope that I can see you again soon.

Do The Christian Scriptures Talk About Euthanasia?

This blog post was originally an academic essay written for an application to study theology at university. It’s original title was “Can a Christian who embraces a Biblical worldview condone the practice of euthanasia?"



Christians hold the Bible to be a source of theology that bears significantly on how to live. They acknowledge that the Bible has intrinsic authority and, in an act of submission, attempt to give the Scriptures functional authority over their lives. This essay will explore whether a Christian can condone the practice of euthanasia.

Euthanasia (literally “good death" from the Greek eu thanatos) can be defined as “the intentional killing by act or omission of a person whose life is considered not to be worth living". This is often called “mercy killing". The euthanasia debate is complex, emotive and ethical. It involves the Christian doctrine of God and humanity insofar as many of the arguments challenge fundamental beliefs of divine sovereignty and human dignity.

John Stott, in Issues Facing Christians Today, outlines the basic issues in the euthanasia debate: the value of human life, the spectre of fear, and the right to autonomy. These three issues can be examined by seeking the Biblical perspective on the following questions:

1) What value has human life?
2) What are the main fears which euthanasia is intended to relieve?
3) What right do we have over our own life?

The value of human life

Different conceptions of the value of human life lead to dramatically different conclusions regarding whether euthanasia is permissible. Dr Richard Huxtable, of the University of Bristol, described three categories for understanding the value of human life, which he terms “intrinsic", “instrumental" and “self-determined".

Huxtable describes an instrumental value of life as “a vehicle to other goods", whereby only life of a “sufficiently good quality is valuable". Hence, if a person’s life lacks quality to such an extent that it can no longer provide the means for acquisition of “goods", it is taken to be acceptable that the person’s life can be terminated. This issue is explored in more depth later.

The self-determined view of human life places value with the individual person. The individual can decide what counts for himself, and what does not, in terms of the worth or value of life. Again this will be elaborated upon later.

Huxtable asserts that the intrinsic value of life is “the idea that life itself is valuable and should not intentionally be brought to an end". This is the viewpoint that many Christians hold, and one which has its basis in the Bible. Although non-Christian scholar Professor Dworkin affirms “the intrinsic cosmic importance of human life itself" not on Biblical grounds, the majority who oppose liberalisation of law to permit euthanasia do so from a religious or faith-based perspective.

For Christians, human life is intrinsically valuable and precious. This belief is derived from Scripture’s revelation that God is Creator and mankind bears His image. Genesis 1:27 says “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him". The Christian tradition deems humanity to be the height of creation on the justification that humankind was made imago Dei - in the image and likeness of God. Stott understands this Latin affirmation to mean the unique rational (and moral and social) faculties that humans posses, distinguishing them from the animal kingdom. This approach is found in the patristic writings of Augustine when he says it is by such faculties “through which we are superior to the beasts".

In commenting on Augustine’s approach, Alister McGrath says the following: “the central distinctive element of human nature is its God-given ability to relate to God". This distinctiveness is echoed by Stott when he writes how humanity has a unique “capacity for relationships of love, since God is love". In this sense, one can see that communion or relationship with God - an essential Christian doctrine being that God is personal - stems, at least in part, from the idea that humanity is made in God’s image.

The duality of creation and communion is seen elsewhere in Scripture. Writers, especially in the poetic literature of the Old Testament, affirm God as both Creator - “you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb" (Psalm 139:13, c.f. Job 10:8, 11) - and as a God who sustains and upholds - “upon you have I leaned from before my birth" (Psalm 71:6). The God of the Bible is one who creates mankind for communion.

The book of Isaiah features God speaking to His people, reminding them of His continual sustenance from birth to old age. Again, this portion of Scripture captures the idea of God as giver and sustainer of life:

Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to grey hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save." (Isaiah 46:3-4).

Given that the Bible speaks of God and mankind in this way, many Christians will oppose euthanasia. Biblically speaking, humanity was made for communion with God, and human life should therefore be respected. Euthanasia implicitly judges that a form or quality of human life is not worthy of the ultimate respect which, according to Scripture, it is due.

When submitting evidence for a report (investigating law relating to assisted suicide) by think tank Demos, a Church of England clergyman and a Christian GP described how euthanasia “devalues human life" and “demeans life and dying" respectively.

Stott implores the Christian to agree with Jean Rostan, the French Biologist, who wrote “I believe that there is no life so degraded, debased, deteriorated or impoverished that it does not deserve respect and is not worth defending with zeal and conviction".

The spectre of fear


In a series of lectures delivered by Professor John Wyatt, consultant neonatal paediatrician, the fears haunting the euthanasia debate were examined. He notes that advocates of euthanasia were motivated in some degree by three fears.

1) The fear of uncontrollable and unbearable pain.
2) The fear of indignity, through the “dehumanising effect of modern medical technology".
3) The fear of dependence.

The latter of these fears concerns the want by many to “write [their] own script and determine [their] own destiny". I will expand on this in greater depth during my discourse on autonomy and self-determinism. Before addressing the remaining two fears, a fourth must be introduced. This, as Stott notes, is experienced by those opposing euthanasia and is the fear that their doctor might become their killer.

Although this fourth fear may sound hyperbolic, underlying it are some significant ethical principles relating to the nature of medicine, the role of the doctor, and the need to protect the vulnerable.

In ethical discussions relating to euthanasia it is often contested, from those opposing the practice, that a doctor ought not intentionally kill his patient. The role of the doctor is to heal. Medicine is a life-orientated profession and is dedicated to health preservation, rehabilitation and aiding recovery. The essence of this service is often said to be captured in the Hippocratic Oath:

I will use treatment to help the sick according to my judgement and ability, but I will never use it to injure or wrong them. I will not give poison to anyone, even though asked to do so".

Doctors, it is argued, are the servants of life. The relationship between the doctor and patient, which is based on trust, is undermined when the doctor becomes a killer. A number of doctors, according to Demos, reject “the idea that hastening a patient’s death could be a legitimate part of a doctor’s role".

Demos noted that protecting the vulnerable is another key issue, and that many feel that a liberalisation in the law of euthanasia would “make disabled people vulnerable to societal prejudice and perceived pressure to end their lives". If a person has lost their capacity and function, John Stott argues that one should guard oneself against “selfish rationalisations", where the real reason one says that a person’s incompetency is unbearably burdensome is because that person would be a burden for them.

Christians hold that the “sanctity" (or intrinsic value) of human life is the crucial concern, whilst many others focus on “quality" of human life. Here, one returns to Huxtable’s “instrumental" categorisation - human life is value only if it is of a sufficient quality. Life is sometimes not worth living. Stott is quick to ask “who can presume to decide this?" Alison Davis - a self-described “happy spina bifida adult" - puts forward a moving argument:

I can think of few concepts more terrifying than saying that certain people are better off dead, and may therefore be killed for their own good."

As previously discussed, the Bible speaks of the intrinsic value of human life. Hence, the Christian would not accept that value of life and quality of life correlate to such an extent that termination of life may be permissibly introduced.

The Christian Scriptures teach a powerful message about the importance of caring for the poor and vulnerable. Jesus proclaims, in Luke 4:18-19, that he is the fulfilment of what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, who said there will be one who comes to “proclaim good news to the poor...liberty to the captives...recovering of sight to the blind". These famous words from the beginning of Isaiah 61 are often cited by Christians to affirm Jesus’ profound concern for the spiritually and physically impoverished. These same Christians use the words as a model which they can imitate. The Christian worldview states that all life, regardless of its supposed quality, is worthy of love, care and protection.

Returning to the two remaining fears concerning the process of dying. Euthanasia, in these instances, is for the purpose of relieving the fear of pain and indignity. The practice appeals to suffering as a basis for its permissibility, whereby euthanasia is a compassionate response to the suffering. The “compassion argument" is often deployed by proponents of euthanasia, but Baroness Onora O’Neill’s evidence to Demos criticised these “fantasised conceptions of compassion".

The Christian charity CARE use the slogan “real compassion never kills" to encapsulate it’s belief that the correct constitution of a compassionate response to suffering is to provide excellent palliative and hospice care. The Royal College of Surgeons give a similar testimony when they say that “a compassionate response...should involve empathy and working hard to control symptoms and not simply hasten death". They also noted how “unusual" it has become to encounter a patient “whose symptoms are truly unmanageable". The increased developments of palliative and social care to diminish pain and indignity render the “compassion argument" as redundant. Hospice doctor Robert Twycross (who is also a Christian) said that he tells his patients, “Not only will we enable you to die with dignity, but we will enable you to live before you die".

Therefore, a resolution often expounded by the Christian is that more should be invested into palliative care. The charity Help The Hospices report that £1.4 million is spent on hospice care every day. Of this large sum, only £477,000 comes from government sources, leaving hospices to raise £949,000 per day. John Stott also makes a direct appeal to the individual Christian by encouraging them to be “actively involved in giving love and support to terminally ill patients at home or in their nearest hospice".

Due to developments in palliative care, most pain can now be managed and controlled. Therefore most of those who deem euthanasia to be permissible now do so with an objective concerned with an individualistic, philosophical commitment to human autonomy.

The right to autonomy


As previously noted, Huxtable’s “self-determined" conception of understanding the value of human life permits euthanasia on the grounds of the individual’s right to autonomy. Andrew Copson of the British Humanist Association has stated that “individual autonomy should take primacy" in the euthanasia debate. In other words, rational and competent human beings should have the right to make their own decisions and dispose of their own life.

The Christian will argue that whilst God created humanity as rational and volitional beings, humankind is also accountable to God for the decisions it makes. An essential feature of humanity is that they live by choice and not by coercion, but this freedom is not unlimited. Stott says, “We find our freedom only in living according to our God-given nature, not in rebellion against it."

The Christian faith notes that no person can be fully autonomous. Humankind lives in a community, where one person’s decisions can inadvertently impact somebody else. Reverend Professor Gill highlights, specifically with respect to the euthanasia debate, that “the broader social impact of seemingly ‘autonomous’ actions must not be ignored".

Ultimately, asserting the primacy of individual autonomy challenges the central Christian doctrine of God’s sovereignty. Brian Rowney of the Independent Methodist Churches states that the Christian faith understands “the taking of life as taking what belongs to God". This opinion was echoed by an anonymous GP submitting evidence to Demos who said, “as a Christian I believe that God gives life and God takes it away". This idea is poignantly expressed in Job 1:21: “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away".

To understand the sovereignty of God is, according to Stott, to understand God as the “creator, giver, sustainer and taker-away of life". God speaks to the people of Israel through Moses in Deuteronomy 32:39 by saying, “there is no god beside me: I kill and I make alive". Likewise, 1 Samuel 2:6 says “The LORD kills and brings to life". Hence, the taking of life is seen to be a divine prerogative, and for humanity to take upon himself such a role is arrogance or, as Stott says, “hubris, presumption before God".

Contemporary culture highly idealises the concept of independence. In the Christian faith dependence upon God is emphasised, and seen to be good. Jesus chose little children as a model of humility, whereby the children are dependent upon parents. Similarly, the Christian humbly acknowledges their dependence upon God.

Another Christian belief is that life is a gift from God. Being only recipients, and not owners of our lives, the Christian sees himself as a steward and guardian of life. Part of this role entails caring for the vulnerable and curing the sick.

Pronouncing objective conclusions in relation to the permissibility of euthanasia is difficult given the complexity of the debate. Furthermore, it must be noted that to explore the issue through the lens of Scripture will, in some sense, narrow the debate. Additionally, Christian scholars may significantly disagree with each other over certain aspects of the debate, despite both looking to the Bible to illuminate the issue and guide any conclusion. Lastly, it not all Christians hold that the Scriptures must be adhered to so meticulously that it affects every aspect of their lives.

To conclude then, the Christian who seeks to embrace a Biblical worldview cannot condone the practice of euthanasia. The Bible seems to outline some values and beliefs which go against its practice. Scripture describes human life as intrinsically valuable, calls for compassion that does not kill, and testifies of a sovereign God.

Bibliography

Attfield, R. (2012) Ethics: an Overview. London: Continuum International Publishing Group.
CARE (2010) End of Life Issues. http://www.care.org.uk/advocacy/end-of-life. Last accessed: 29/10/2013.
Dunnett, A. (1999) Euthanasia: The Heart Of The Matter. London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.
Dworkin, G., Frey, R. G., and Bok, S. (1998) Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: For And Against. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McGrath, A. E. (2011) Christian Theology: An Introduction. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. 5th edn.
Melendez, P of The Cambridge Union Society (2012) The Debate on Euthanasia Need Not be About Life Vs. Death. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/the-cambridge-union-society/euthanasia-right-to-die-the-debate-on-euthanasia-_b_1338973.html. Last Accessed: 27/10/2013.
NHS (2012) Euthanasia and assisted suicide. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/euthanasiaandassistedsuicide/Pages/Introduction.aspx. Last accessed: 29/10/2013.
Pitcher, G. (2011) Euthanasia: compassion or consumerism? Theos Think Tank. http://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2011/10/07/euthanasia-compassion-or-consumerism. Last Accessed: 27/10/2013
Stott, J. (2006) Issues Facing Christians Today. Michigan: Zondervan. 4th edn.
The ethical basis of the assisted dying debate in The commission on assisted dying (2011). London: Demos. www.demos.co.uk.
Thompson, M. (2003) Teach Yourself Ethics. London: Hodder Arnold. 2nd edn.
Hope, T. (2004) Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What Does The Bible Say About Your Work And Your Rest?

This blog post was originally an academic essay written for an application to study theology at university. It’s original title was “What is the role of work and rest in the Christian’s life?"



Within the church, the role of work is rarely taught. John Stott, in Issues Facing Christians Today, notes that “many people...have never heard a sermon on work" despite being church members for numerable years. This is strange given that a large majority of the church’s congregation are workers in some capacity - whether in paid employment or in another context. As much time is spent in the work environment, it is here that, as Stott notes, the Christian faces his “deepest challenges emotionally, ethically and spiritually".

Whilst recently attending a Bible study on the Ten Commandments, the following question was asked: “Which [commandment] would you want to try to keep and why?" A significant number described how they often overlooked the command to observe the Sabbath, even though they felt that resting for one day a week was desirable.

This essay will explore why the Christian often struggles to rest or observe the Sabbath, proposing that there is a profound symbiotic relationship between work and rest. It will also set forth the idea that resting can be a proclamation of the Christian’s redemption in Christ.

Work

The Christian can understand work to be inherently good because it was established in creation prior to the Fall. In the Genesis creation account, God is represented as a worker as his creative plan unfolds day by day, or stage by stage. When human beings are created, they are described as being made to work:

“And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion…The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it." (Genesis 1:28; 2:15)

God gives some of His own dominion over the earth to humanity, decreeing that they exercise their creative gifts in subduing it. John Piper described God as the “Primal Worker", writing how God initially created ex nihilo and then commands that mankind creates out of His creation. In this way, humanity images or mirrors God as Creator. Stott described this as follows: “[humanity’s] potential for creative work is an essential part of [it’s] godlikeness".

With the Fall in Genesis 3, work becomes burdensome and frustrating. The ground is said to become “cursed", and mankind will eat of it’s produce “in pain". Man will have food to eat “by the sweat of [his] face". Due to the Fall, Christianity upholds that the image of God in humanity became corrupted and defaced. Hence, the purpose of work became distorted; it is often seen as futile and is no longer for joyous creativity.

Some Christian theologians emphasise that mankind’s imaging of God is not wholly destroyed. Wayne Grudem states that “God’s image is distorted but not lost". In Genesis 9:6 God authorises the death penalty for murder: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image". Grudem notes that, despite the sinfulness of humanity, man still bears some likeness to God. James 3:9 describes how people in general “are made in the likeness of God". As humanity is still an image-bearer to some degree, Christians hold that purposeful work can still be accomplished. This is especially true when viewing the redeeming work of Christ as a renewal or recovery of more of God’s image.

John Stott emphasised how work ought to be for the Christian’s fulfilment. God “enjoyed perfect job satisfaction", revealed though His declaring creation as “good". Since the Christian tradition holds man to be made imago Dei, his work should also be satisfying and fulfilling. This was confirmed by Pope John Paul II in his 1981 encyclical Laborem Exercens (“On Human Work") who said “work is a fundamental dimension to man’s existence on earth" and that through it he “achieves fulfilment".

Work is also seen to be purposeful when it has a benefit to the community. The converted robber is encouraged to do “honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need" (Ephesians 4:28). Stott says how “work is a contribution to the community and not a detraction from it".

Ultimately, the Christian understands the purpose of work to be for the glory of God. The Bible records how God speaks, through the prophet Isaiah, of humankind as those “whom I created for my glory" (Isaiah 43:7). Humanity’s purpose, in all that it does, must be to fulfil the reason God created it: to glorify Him. Hence, the Christian is urged to “do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). This is stated more directly in terms of work and vocation when Paul exhorts the church congregation of Colossae to “work heartily, as for the Lord" (Colossians 3:23).

However, the distortion of work still stands, often manifested in people’s addiction to busyness. Tim Kreider, writing in the New York Times, made the observation:

“Almost everyone I know is busy. They feel anxious and guilty when they aren’t either working or doing something to promote their work."

American pastor R. W. Glenn states that “the cry of business is the anthem of our culture", explaining this addiction to busyness by the fact that today’s culture is a meritocracy. Contemporary society is such that an individual’s identity is bound up in his achievements: the status and salary of a person’s job, the prestige of the university attended, the car that one drives or the house in which one lives. Glenn terms this as the “culture problem": human beings are “résumé builders", who try to gain acceptance into the inner circle of their company’s management, or into the inner circle of a particular group of people.

The Christian faith clearly holds work to be valuable. Work is commanded, and the Bible contains warning about idleness: “if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10). However, many Christians today seem to overcompensate, and conform to society’s pattern of excessive busyness. Glenn terms this as the “church problem". This remainder of this essay will attempt to uncover the root cause of the potentially unhealthy preoccupation with work, and outline how rest places a vital role in the life of a Christian.

Rest

Stott makes an interesting point when he states that the climax of the creation account is the institution of the Sabbath, not the creation of man to subdue the earth. This is qualified by his assertion that as “human beings [we] are our most human not so much when we work, as when we lay aside our work in order to worship". Stott states that it is the combination of both working and worshiping (through resting from our work) that allows man to realise his “full humanity".

A similar sense of interdependence between work and rest is discussed in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together. Bonhoeffer draws a parallel between a weekly Sabbath and rest from work in general through prayer, using “prayer" and “rest" almost as synonyms:

“Just as it was God's will that man should work six days and rest...on the seventh, so it is also God's will that every day should be marked...by both prayer and work."

Bonhoeffer elaborates on the relationship between work and rest (or prayer) by explaining how they are exclusive from one another, yet belong “inseparably together". He states that having one without the other causes both to lose their clarity and purpose.

Christian author Timothy Keller, in his recent book Every Good Endeavour, echoes Bonhoeffer in proposing that the relationship between work and rest is “symbiotic". Keller develops this through outlining two levels of symbiosis. The first is concerned with the practical benefits of resting and in the second Keller talks about what he terms “the work under the work".

The Christian can understand resting, or observing the Sabbath, as a means of putting work into perspective. Rest relativises work. Danielle Sallade, who writes for The Gospel Coalition, states that Christians who regularly rest from work “take the focus off of [themselves] and place it back, rightly, on God". Stott quotes from Henri Blocher’s In The Beginning, The opening chapters of Genesis, who says that rest:

“protects mankind from total absorption by the task of subduing the earth, it anticipates the distortion which makes work the sum and purpose of human life."

The Christian tradition also values rest because it enables the Christian to more easily trust in God for provision. Sallade state that Christians often forget that “God is our ultimate provider". Resting protects the Christian from falling into self-sufficiency. Jesus’ discourse against worry in Matthew 6:25-34 is set in the context of work and material need. Jesus reminds the gathered crowds that birds “neither sow nor reap nor gathers into barns" yet God provides for them. Jesus then teaches how God the Father will likewise provide for His people, through posing the rhetorical question, “Are you not of more value than they?"
The theological understanding of God as Provider is profoundly encouraging to the Christian. The God of the Bible is represented as upholding the universe (Hebrews 1:3) and as the source of “every good gift" (James 1:17). A third potential benefit for resting or observing the Sabbath comes with the notion that rested people are more productive.

The deeper level to the symbiotic relationship between work and rest relates to “the work under the work", which according to Keller haunts humanity. He defines it as man’s “need to prove and save [himself], to gain a sense of worth and identity". Keller argues that human beings often use their work as a means of self-justification. He then contrasts this with the “gospel-rest" available to the Christian, as they remind themselves that they are unable to earn salvation through work.

Keller’s “work under the work" notion nicely parallels Glenn’s description of the “culture problem" and the “church problem" discussed previously. Glenn describes the church’s problem as follows: the Christian believes that he initially receives God’s acceptance by grace, but then holds that he must maintain acceptance by works. In other words, many Christians exhibit a disconnect between their confessional theology (ascribing to the doctrine of grace) and their function theology (convincing themselves that their continued acceptance by God is somehow dependent upon merit or good behaviour). In this way, many Christians are, as Glenn calls it, “résumé builders" who attempt to gain acceptance into the inner circle of the heart of God. Thus, the “culture problem" and the “church problem" are the same in essence.

Whilst it is inevitable that a person must build a résumé to be accepted by the meritocracy of today’s culture, the “church problem" stems from the Christian’s misunderstanding of a basic element of the Christian doctrine of grace: justification by faith. The Christian too often seeks his own self-justification as opposed to trusting that he is justified by faith in Jesus Christ.

The doctrine of grace has certainly not been without controversy, but generally, with respect to Western Christianity, holds to the following principle: the basis of justification of sinners is the divine promise of grace, received through faith. Humanity is not justified on the basis of its merits.

The reason that the Christian struggles to unwind, feels guilty of a lack of productivity, and is often addicted to work stems from the belief that his acceptance by God is based on his own work and performance. This is why the Christian struggles to rest or observe the Sabbath. The devastation experienced when the Christian fails to be accepted by the meritocracy is symptomatic of this belief. However, when the Christian can rest in God’s approval and acceptance, he does not depend upon the approval of anyone else.

So one can see that there is some sense in which a Christian’s inability to rest or observe the Sabbath can stem from his misunderstanding of the nature of his redemption. When God instituted the practice of the Sabbath in Deuteronomy 5, He portrayed it as a reenactment of emancipation from slavery in Egypt.

“Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God…You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day."

Therefore, to observe the Sabbath is to declare one’s freedom. For the Israelite people this meant freedom from slavery and captivity in Egypt. For the Christian today, the Sabbath declares freedom from the slavery of seeking approval and acceptance by the meritocracy.

Augustine said of God “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you". When the Christian rests or observes the Sabbath, they ultimately are resting in God’s acceptance of them regardless of sin and and an absence of good works.

Bibliography

Amyx, E. (2013) Is Your Job Useless? The Gospel Coalition. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/08/20/is-your-job-useless/. Last Accessed: 04/11/2013.
Bonhoeffer, D. (1954) Life Together. London: SCM Press
Buchanan, M. (2006) The Rest of God. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Grudem, W. (1994) Systematic Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.
Harmon, M. S. (2007) Labor Reflections on Work. http://bibtheo.blogspot.co.uk/2007/09/labor-day-reflections-on-work.html. Last Accessed: 04/11/2013.
Keller, T (2012) The Power of Deep Rest. The Gospel Coalition. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/11/25/the-power-of-deep-rest/. Last Accessed: 04/11/2013.
Kreider, T (2012) The ‘Busy’ Trap. New York Times. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/30/the-busy-trap/?_r=0. Last Accessed: 04/11/2013.

McGrath, A. E. (2011) Christian Theology: An Introduction. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. 5th edn.
Piper, J. (2009) Don’t Waste Your Life. Wheaton: Crossway Books. 2nd edn.
Sallade, D. (no date) Human Flourishing: Toward a Theology of Work and Rest. The Gospel Coalition. http://thegospelcoalition.org/cci/article/human_flourishing. Last Accessed: 04/11/2013.

Stott, J. (2006) Issues Facing Christians Today. Michigan: Zondervan. 4th edn.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.