Yesus dan orang Miskin

“Yesus mengasihinya. Dia pun menghulurkan tangan-Nya” (Markus 1:41)

Salah satu ciri yang sangat membezakan Yesus dengan guru-guru agama yang lain ialah Dia seringkali menjemput dan melayan golongan masyarakat yang terpinggir dan terbiar kerana masalah fisikal mereka atau disebabkan adat larangan yang dipraktikkan oleh masyarakat orang Israel pada masa itu – seperti Dia mendekati pelacur, bercakap dengan wanita, makan bersama dengan pemungut cukai, menyentuh orang yang sakit kulit, bersama dengan orang Roma dan Samaria.

 Antara semuanya, mungkin boleh disimpulkan bahawa Yesus seringkali datang kepada orang yang miskin. Golongan masyarakat yang tidak dipedulikan oleh orang lain.

Jika kita membaca kesemua kitab Injil secara keseluruhan, kita akan mendapati bahawa Yesus selalu dikaitkan dengan orang miskin. Ini dapat kita lihat dengan jelas apabila Dia membaca Firman Allah nubuat oleh Nabi Yesaya dalam Perjanjian Lama tentang diri-Nya sendiri. Lukas (4:18) menulis, “Roh Tuhan ada pada-Ku, Dia telah melantik Aku supaya mengkhabarkan Berita Baik kepada orang miskin” (baca juga ayat 19). Firman ini ialah salah satu tema utama yang menjadi latarbelakang bagi setiap ajaran dan pekerjaan-Nya.

Yesus bukan sahaja prihatin terhadap orang miskin, malah Dia seperti orang miskin yang lain tidak mempunyai tempat tinggal sendiri yang tetap. “Anak Manusia tidak mempunyai tempat untuk berbaring dan berehat” (Matius 8:20). Ini sangat berbeza dengan “Yesus” yang dikhabarkan oleh guru-guru palsu pada masa ini. Merujuk kepada Yesus secara fisikal, mereka mengatakan bahawa ‘Yesus mahu kamu hidup dengan mewah’ padahal Yesus tidak pernah berkata begitu tetapi sebaliknya. Mereka mengatakan bahawa ‘Yesus ialah seorang yang kaya’  padahal Dia seringkali makan di tempat orang lain dan pengikut-pengikut-Nya-lah yang menyediakan keperluan dari segi kewangan untuk menyebarkan Berita Baik. Mereka mengatakan bahawa ‘Yesus ialah seorang yang berprestij dan mempunyai pakaian yang cantik’ padahal Dia seringkali disangkal, dihina, dimaki dan rupanya “tidak elok ataupun tampan, sehingga kita tidak tertarik kepadanya” (Yesaya 53:2).

Mungkin disebabkan oleh ajaran-ajaran seperti ini dan sikap sesetengah orang Kristian yang suka memetik dan memilih ayat-ayat dalam Firman Tuhan mengikut kesukaan sendiri dengan mengelak ajaran Yesus yang lain seperti tentang kesengsaraan, penghinaan dan penganiayaan – dan hanya fokus dengan “berkat, berkat, berkat” dan “keselesaan hidup” sahaja. Tidak hairanlah kita tidak mempedulikan orang miskin disekeliling kita. Tidak hairanlah kebanyakkan aktiviti keagamaan kita terhad kepada nyanyi nyanyian, kelas vocal dan bermain alat musik, konsert, kem, persidangan dan seminar – dan langsung tidak melihat kepada dunia luar yang memerlukan kasih Yesus. Kita tidak mempedulikan orang lain, khususnya, orang miskin di sekeliling kita.

Bukankah kita harus mencontohi Yesus Kristus dalam segala hal?

Jadilah seperti Zakheus. Apabila Yesus datang ke rumahnya dan mengkhabarkan Berita Baik kepadanya, dia menerima Yesus dengan penuh sukacita sekali. Dia yang sebelumnya ialah ketua pemungut cukai, yang mencintai wang lebih daripada segalanya kini tidak lagi bersandar kepada barang fana. Dia telah menjumpai Mutiara yang berharga; dia telah menjumpai Yesus [atau lebih tepat lagi, Yesus telah menjumpai dia] “Zakheus berdiri dan berkata kepada Yesus, ‘Guru, saya akan mendermakan separuh daripada harta saya kepada orang miskin. Sesiapa sahaja yang pernah saya tipu, akan saya bayar kembali empat kali ganda!’” (Lukas 19:8). Ini ialah sikap orang yang telah menerima Yesus dalam hidupnya. Harta dan keutamaannya sekarang tidak lagi menjadi utama baginya – Tuhan Allah ialah hartanya sekarang. Matanya sekarang terbuka untuk melihat kepentingan orang lain. Bagaimana dengan kamu?

Adakah kamu mempedulikan orang miskin atau orang yang memerlukan kasih Tuhan disekeliling kamu? Adakah kamu sanggup mengotorkan tangan kamu untuk ‘menyentuh’ mereka? Sanggupkah kamu menolong dengan apa yang termampu dan memberitakan Berita Baik kepada mereka? Atau adakah hati kamu sudah dimiliki oleh barang fana dan mata kamu sudah ditutup dengan keinginan untuk memiliki harta kekayaan dunia?

Lihatlah Firman dan pekerjaan Yesus – Dia peduli. Kamu pun perlu begitu juga.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Back to Basic Doctrine Series

Actually, this series is from Understanding Bible Truth booklets by Robert Hicks and Richard Bewes (1981), but I have expanded some texts for modern readers (to make it easier to read) and added Scripture quotes (I’m using ESV Bible) into these writings to clarify its points more clearly. My purpose of making this series available in the internet is single: So that you can be clear the essential facts about the Bible’s teaching in a readily understandable form.

Why I invest my time in re-typing and expanding this series and write it in such a way that even ordinary people without formal theological background can gain benefit from this series (I hope and pray); negatively, it is because I see the shallowness and down fall of solid Biblical teaching and the rise of false teachers who teaches the old heretic of prosperity, health and wealth gospel in our churches today especially in my own country Malaysia. And positively, to help the faithful ones to stand firm and remain solid, unshakable in their delight and understand of Bible doctrine.

I pray and hope that this series can achieve or at least contribute to my single purpose above and help to ease these two concerns for the glory of God and for the joy of His people.

Now briefly, why should Christians be familiar with Bible doctrine?

[Doctrine means ‘teaching’]

1)    Firstly, because we love God. And if you love someone, you want to know everything about them, so it is with our respond to God and His Word.

2)    Secondly, because what you believe will shape your spiritual life. The way you think about God will affect the way you relate to God and to all God’s creation especially to others.

3)    Thirdly, because without it we won’t understand the world in which we live. Or to put it differently, we won’t know how to live in the world.

4)    Fourthly, because without it we won’t know what to say to the unsaved people we meet. Peter tells us that we must be ‘prepared to give to every man a reason for the hope that is within us’ (1 Peter 3:15)

5)    Fifthly, because we ought to instruct one another in truth and defend our faith against false teachings. We must correct error with the truth.

6)    Sixthly, because in order for us to be a mature growing Christian, we should continue to learn about the faith. We must continue in what we have learned and have firmly believed.

7)    Seventhly, because Christian affections must be based on the knowledge of God. Mind and heart are one. Thinking and feeling are one. Use both of these faculties for the Glory of God.  

Bible Doctrine Series contents

[Click the title to read]

1)    The Bible

i.            Its Main Sections

ii.            Its Inspiration

iii.            Its Interpretation

iv.            Its Application

v.            Its Central Theme

vi.            Its Contents

2)    God 

i.            The Creator

ii.            God’s Being

iii.            God’s Character

iv.            The Fatherhood of God

v.            God’s Revelation

vi.            The Trinity

3)    Jesus Christ

i.            His Incarnation

ii.            Main Events in the Gospels

iii.            Main Aspects of His Ministry

iv.            His Names

v.            His Atoning Death

vi.            His Triumphant Resurrection

4)    The Holy Spirit

i.            His Person

ii.            His Names and Descriptions

iii.            His Work

iv.            His Activity in the Christian

v.            His Fruit

vi.            His Gifts

5)    Humanity

i.            Our Uniqueness

ii.            Our Diversity

iii.            Our Rebellion and Fall

iv.            Our Rebellion and Condemnation

v.            Our Quest and Dilemma

vi.            Our Enemies

6)    God’s Messengers

i.            Angels

ii.            Patriarchs

iii.            Priests

iv.            Prophets

v.            Apostles

vi.            Evangelists

7)    Salvation

i.            God’s Plan for Humanity

ii.            Humanity’s Need of Salvation

iii.            The Way of Salvation

iv.            Acceptance

v.            Sanctification

vi.            In the Letter of the Romans

8)    The Christian

i.            Described

ii.            The Christian and the Bible

iii.            The Christian and the Prayer

iv.            The Christian and Witness

v.            The Christian and the World

vi.            The Christian Life

9)    The Church

i.            Its Characteristics

ii.            Its Main Description

iii.            Its Relationship to Christ

iv.            Its Authority and Mission

v.            Its Ordinances

vi.            Its Ministry and Order

10)           The Last Things

i.            The Hope of the Christian

ii.            The Prelude to Christ’s Return

iii.            The Return of Christ

iv.            The Judgment

v.            The Resurrection

vi.            The New Order

If you want to read on the latest updates and additional materials such as Bible Study help and reflection questions on Understanding Bible Truth booklets by Robert Hicks and Richard Bewes (1981), you can refer to Collins Bible Companion: The Only Book You need Beside the Bible (Fulham Palace, London: HarderCollins Publishers, 2009. p 330-463).

Part 2: God - The Trinity (vi)

Actually, this series is from Understanding Bible Truth booklets by Robert Hicks and Richard Bewes (1981), but I have expanded some texts for modern readers (to make it easier to read) and added Scripture quotes (I’m using ESV Bible) into these writings to clarify its points more clearly. My purpose of making this series available in the internet is single: So that you can be clear the essential facts about the Bible’s teaching in a readily understandable form.

What is “the Trinity”?



In the simplest terms, Christians believe: there is only one God. But this one God exists as one essence in three Persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. When Christians says they believe in one God in three Persons (the Trinity), they do NOT mean: 1 God in 3 Gods; or 3 Persons in 1 Person; or 3 Persons in 3 Gods; or 1 Person in 3 Gods; rather, they mean – 1 God in 3 Persons. It is NOT 1+1+1=3, but 1x1x1=1.

Remember, the word “Trinity” is a ‘concept’ use to explain the eternal relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – it is not a ‘name’. It is a concept to try to explain the unexplainable “threeness” of God. But I think it is only tells half of the doctrine, since we also must emphasis on the unity of God. Therefore, I agree with Charles C. Ryrie in his book A Survey of Bible Doctrine when he writes, “Perhaps the word tri-unity is better since it contains both ideas – the ‘tri’ (the threeness) and the ‘unity’ (the oneness)”.

If you want to study and understand more about “the Trinity”, you can see my books recommendation at the end of this discussion. Meanwhile, let’s briefly discuss this complex-but-essential subject in the light of what the Scripture taught.

Assumed in the Old Testament

The Old Testament stresses that God is One. The prophet Isaiah, in particular, says that there is only one God, and that all other ‘gods’ are false. “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god” (Isaiah 44:6. See also verse 7-8). And yet, at the same time, the opening sentence of the Bible uses a plural form for God’s name (Elohim): “In the beginning, God [Elohim] created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), and does so hundreds of times subsequently.

There are enough indications in the Old Testament for us to recognize the idea of three Persons within the Godhead. For example, God sometimes refers to Himself as “us”, and there are appearances and visions of Him which suggest different members of the Trinity.

Asserted in the New Testament

In the New Testament Jesus gives us some very clear teaching about the Father and the Spirit (see John 14:15-26; 16:5-15). We are left with these facts: there is one God – but the Father, the Son and the Spirit are all individually God. The New Testament does not give us a formula about the Trinity, but the evidence is unavoidable. In the unity of the one God, there is a Trinity of Persons achieving man’s salvation, and in whose name we baptize. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Accepted by Faith

Proof texts are not enough for a clear understanding of the Trinity. We must study all the teaching of Jesus and of His apostles, and observe the threads of truth that run through the Bible which relate to the will of the Father, the work of the Son and the inner working and witness of the Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul writes, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). Apostle Peter also testified, “…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood” (1 Peter 1:2).

God the Father

The first Person of the Trinity in called Father, not primarily because of His relationship to His creatures, but because of His relationship to the eternal Son. It is the Father who predominates in the Old Testament. But even though this is true, God is seen as One, as Savior, and as Spirit – in preparation for the fuller revelation of the three Persons in one Godhead.

[See Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:21; Acts 2:32-36]

God the Son

The second Person of the Trinity is called the Son. He became a man, Jesus Christ, in order to rescue men from the domination of sin. As Son of God, He was involved with the Father in the creation of all things, and shared in His eternal glory. Within the Trinity, the Son is subordinate to the Father, but only because of the work He does. Therefore the Son was sent by the Father, and only acted under His Father’s authority.

[See John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:8]

God the Holy Spirit

The third Person of the Trinity was sent from the Father in Christ’s name, to make personal in the lives of Christians all that Christ had made available through the Cross. Just as Jesus once lived among us, so the Spirit now lives in us. Although He was active in the Old Testament, the Spirit’s main task began after the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:6-11). He is the one who points attention to Christ, who speaks to the church in every age, and who equips Christians with abilities to serve God.

[See Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11]

My Conclusion about “the Trinity”

I once read (and record) that: if you try to understand fully about the Trinity, you will lose your mind. But if you deny the Trinity, you will lose your soul. So true! God of the Bible, the Trinitarian God, is not of our making. We should not and must not try to mold God according to our own thinking or wishes or pleasure but to direct our heart and mind to the Scripture as He has revealed Himself to us. We don’t have to understand fully (not that we can) about the mystery and the complexity of the Trinity, but I assure you that you will eventually understand the truth of it as you experience the work of the Father, the Son and the Spirit in your own life.

Finally, I want to share with you my encounter with Jonathan Edwards’s vision of the Trinity. His writing is quite hard to read but if you try to read it slowly and digest every words of it carefully, your heart will be comfortably warm and your mind will be under convinced as I do now. He writes,

“This I suppose to be that blessed Trinity that we read of in the Holy Scriptures. The Father is the deity subsisting in the prime, unoriginated and most absolute manner, or the deity in its direct existence. The Son is the deity generated by God’s understanding, or having an idea of Himself and subsisting in that idea. The Holy Ghost (he means ‘the Holy Spirit’) is the deity subsisting in act, or the divine essence flowing out and breathed forth in God’s infinite love to and delight in Himself. And I believe the whole Divine essence does truly and distinctly subsist both in the Divine idea and Divine love, and that each of them are properly distinct persons”

[Source: Jonathan Edwards, “An Essay on the Trinity”, in Treatise on Grace and Other Posthumously Published Writings, ed. By Paul Helm (Cambridge: James Clarke and Co. Ltd., 1971), p.108]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

………………………………

Reading recommendations:

1.     Millard J. Erickson, Introducing Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1992, 2001) on “God’s Three-in-Oneness: The Trinity” p.106-114.

2.     Charles Caldwell Ryrie, A Survey Bible Doctrine (Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute, 1972) on “What is The Trinity?” p.29-34.

3.     Wayne Grudem, Christian Beliefs: 20 Basics every Christian Should Know (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press) on “What is the Trinity?” p. 37-42.

4.     Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps & Time Lines (California: Rose Publishing, Inc., 2005) on “The Trinity” p.180-184.

If you want to borrow books above from me. Please comment below ya.

My Concern & Martin Luther on Sin and Grace

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin” (Romans 4:7-8ESV)

The reason I write this post is because I’m concern about sad news that I heard recently from two of my very trusted friends who are also concern by it in regard to a “strange doctrine” that is slowly but constantly spread within their Christian campus fellowship. The teaching that simply stated: because of God’s grace, there is no need for repentance and confession of sin since God had forgiven us already. This heretic teaching is very confusing and deadly wrong because it ignores totally on men’s responsibility (not work but response) in salvation, namely, to acknowledge their sin against our Holy God. Two basic truths that we should understand in the work of salvation are these: 1) God’s sovereignty over all things; and 2) men’s responsibly in all things. Here I quotes Martin Luther, the great Reformer to help us to understand this matter on sin and grace.

Martin Luther

During the academic year 1515-16, Luther delivered a course of lectures in Latin at the University of Wittenberg on Paul’s letter to the Romans. A copy of these lectures has survived, allowing insights into Luther’s theology at this early stage in his career. In the course of analyzing Romans 4:7, Luther opens up a discussion of the relation of sin and grace in the life of the believer. His basic argument is that sin and righteousness coexist in the existence of believers, so that they are at one and at the same time sinners and righteous people. He writes,

“Since the saints are always conscious of their sin, and seek righteousness from God in accordance with His mercy, they are always reckoned as righteous by God. Thus in their own eyes, and as a matter of fact, they are unrighteous. But God reckons them as righteous on account of their confession of their sin. In fact, they are sinners; however, they are righteous by the reckoning of a merciful God. Without knowing it, they are righteous; knowing it, they are unrighteous. They are sinner in fact, but righteous in hope…

It is like the case of man who is ill, who trusts the doctor who promises him a certain recovery and in the meantime obeys the doctor’s instructions, abstaining from what has been forbidden to him, in the hope of the promised recovery, so that he does not do anything to hinder this promised recovery… Now this man who is ill, is he healthy? The fact that he is a man who is both ill and healthy at the same time. As a matter of fact, he is ill; but he is healthy on account of the certain promise of the doctor, who he trusts and who reckons his as healthy already, because he is sure that he will cure him. Indeed, he has already begun to cure him, and no longer regards him as having terminal illness.

In the same way, our Samaritan, Christ, has brought this ill man to the inn to be cared for, and has begun to cure him, having promised him the most certain cure leading to eternal life (here he is using the story of Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-36 to illustrate his point, not the interpretation of the text itself)… Now is this man perfectly righteous? No. But he is at one and the same time a sinner and a righteous person. He is a sinner in fact, but a righteous person by the sure reckoning and promise of God that he will continue to deliver him from sin until he has completely cure him. And so he is totally healthy in hope, but is a sinner in fact. He has beginning of righteousness, and so always continues more and more to seek it, while realizing that he is always unrighteous.”

[Source: Lectures on Romans (1515-16); in D. Martin Luthers Werke: Kritische Gesamtausgabe, vol. 56 (Weimar: Bohlau, 1938). 269.25-30; 272.3-21]

Martin Luther emphasized: “God reckons them as righteous on account of their confession of their sin”. Know this: we are saved by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8). Faith is the only condition. Anything added become a work attached to the grace of God. Faith is the condition, and it is faith in Jesus Christ who alone can save. This is the grace of God. Period. But the fruit of faith, if the faith is genuine, then the internal conviction and external respond would be repentance and confession of sin. This is sure.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.