Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Dec 21, 2006 21:09:23 GMT -5
AN ONSLAUGHT AGAINST CHRIST
by JUSTINE
The season is here again, and everyone is making preparations to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. Others do this by the sheer fact of the rhythm of the season that is part of the calender, while a few actually have an idea of what Christmas is all about.The essence of Christ's birth is the foundation of our faith, based on the fulfilment of the prophets, like that in Isaiah 9 where His coming was heralded ages before it came to be.
Verse 6 of Chapter 9 says For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
This was the remarkable mystery of God's foreknowledge of events and things yet to come.I believe many at the time had difficulty understanding what Isaiah meant by his prophecies just the same way people today disregard the meaning of Christmas which thus culminates into bizare shopping sprees and other non Christ-centred issues which have become the hallmark of the celebration.
At such practices, I look with a lot of awe, not for the fact that it can't be brought down, but for the fact that it is gradually becoming an onslaught against the majesty of Our Lord and Saviour, by first denying Him a miracle birth and secondly challenging his authority over human kind.
This is epitomised in so many ways, as was portrayed in one of the banners I saw today which read,"THE ROLE OF RELIGION AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ENJOYMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM".
This looked just like any topic for a symposium, but at the core of it was conveyed a message of defiance to the authority of Christ. I should add that religion perse may not be totally reflective of the mission of Christ to save humankind but it is like a packaging that contains what is essentially the basic teaching that He handed down to his disciples and hence to us.
In most instances where man is unable to explain a particular phenomenon with regards to how his/her life is affected, the quickest resort is to blame it on God, religion and faith related issues like fidelity, self-control, chastity before marriage, with the view of dismissing it as a sheer pact of psychological sedation and rationalistic effrontery. All these have the underlying goal of presenting man with a choice to freely conduct him/herself in whatever manner that is pleasing to him/her. Unfortunately, it is almost the cardinal job of every person who does not believe in God to challenge the efficacy and authenticity of our faith, to unravel Christ's impeccable character and subject it to ridicule and derogation, disinterest and resentment, upholding man's hedonistic egoism above obedience to God.
Isn't this what was envisaged in Psalm 2:1, as follows:
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the LORD
and against his Anointed One.
It is time the people of the world desisted from trying the patience of our God and submitted to His authority. For it is more pleasing to Him to obey than to sacrifice.As to when this will happen rests on the shoulders of every believer to present Christ as the true hope of the world, the ransom for our sin and the One who died in our stead.
And I implore you friends, let us bring meaning to this season by being Christ-like, accepting to carry our cross and follow him, patching up every tatter on our garments, and welcoming the King in his cradle. For the manger baby is a wonder to us who believe. Christmas should not just be an end-of-year fete, but a daily process by renewing our relationship with Him always.
JUSTINE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
by JUSTINE
The season is here again, and everyone is making preparations to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. Others do this by the sheer fact of the rhythm of the season that is part of the calender, while a few actually have an idea of what Christmas is all about.The essence of Christ's birth is the foundation of our faith, based on the fulfilment of the prophets, like that in Isaiah 9 where His coming was heralded ages before it came to be.
Verse 6 of Chapter 9 says For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
This was the remarkable mystery of God's foreknowledge of events and things yet to come.I believe many at the time had difficulty understanding what Isaiah meant by his prophecies just the same way people today disregard the meaning of Christmas which thus culminates into bizare shopping sprees and other non Christ-centred issues which have become the hallmark of the celebration.
At such practices, I look with a lot of awe, not for the fact that it can't be brought down, but for the fact that it is gradually becoming an onslaught against the majesty of Our Lord and Saviour, by first denying Him a miracle birth and secondly challenging his authority over human kind.
This is epitomised in so many ways, as was portrayed in one of the banners I saw today which read,"THE ROLE OF RELIGION AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ENJOYMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM".
This looked just like any topic for a symposium, but at the core of it was conveyed a message of defiance to the authority of Christ. I should add that religion perse may not be totally reflective of the mission of Christ to save humankind but it is like a packaging that contains what is essentially the basic teaching that He handed down to his disciples and hence to us.
In most instances where man is unable to explain a particular phenomenon with regards to how his/her life is affected, the quickest resort is to blame it on God, religion and faith related issues like fidelity, self-control, chastity before marriage, with the view of dismissing it as a sheer pact of psychological sedation and rationalistic effrontery. All these have the underlying goal of presenting man with a choice to freely conduct him/herself in whatever manner that is pleasing to him/her. Unfortunately, it is almost the cardinal job of every person who does not believe in God to challenge the efficacy and authenticity of our faith, to unravel Christ's impeccable character and subject it to ridicule and derogation, disinterest and resentment, upholding man's hedonistic egoism above obedience to God.
Isn't this what was envisaged in Psalm 2:1, as follows:
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the LORD
and against his Anointed One.
It is time the people of the world desisted from trying the patience of our God and submitted to His authority. For it is more pleasing to Him to obey than to sacrifice.As to when this will happen rests on the shoulders of every believer to present Christ as the true hope of the world, the ransom for our sin and the One who died in our stead.
And I implore you friends, let us bring meaning to this season by being Christ-like, accepting to carry our cross and follow him, patching up every tatter on our garments, and welcoming the King in his cradle. For the manger baby is a wonder to us who believe. Christmas should not just be an end-of-year fete, but a daily process by renewing our relationship with Him always.
JUSTINE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED