God’s thoughts towards His people. Wake up and smell the blessing!

‘Walking like Gentiles’

Jeremiah 29:11 (Page 7) Isaiah 51:17-52:12 (Page 10) Ephesians 4:17-24 (Page 14)

The Law and the Gospel

Part one: Legalism
(Page 4)

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Part one: Legalism

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Theme verses
Philippians 1:9-11

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FIRST WORD
Over the last few months, the news has been filled
with dozens of sordid revelations exposing the dark
secrets of numerous well-known figures. From film
producers, to Hollywood actors, to sports personalities
and politicians: it feels like every time you have turned
on the television or opened a newspaper recently, yet
another prominent person has been accused of grossly
inappropriate behaviour.
O f course, we are appalled to hear of these
allegations recounting how men have abused
their position of power and influence in order to take
advantage of others. It’s good that these dark secrets
have at last been revealed, in order that, hopefully,
justice will be done, and the perpetrators might be
stopped in their tracks.
In the opening words of Luke chapter 12, Jesus speaks
of a coming day when people’s darkest secrets will be
laid bare. Much as, in recent days, the secrets of many
people have been exposed, a greater day will come
when all secrets have the light of truth cast upon them.
Jesus says, “Nothing is covered up that will not be
revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” (Luke 12:2)
Jesus is speaking in the first place about the Pharisees
of his day, whom he describes as ‘hypocrites’. That
is, they put on a show of being good, upstanding,
religious people, but underneath it all they are proud,
hard hearted, and opposed to Jesus. One day, he says,
the truth of what is really going on in their hearts, and
what they say and do behind closed doors in “private
rooms” will be revealed and made known, “heard in
the light” and “proclaimed on the housetops.” Like with
those celebrities, the truth of who they really are will be
exposed for all to see when Jesus returns. The façade
will come crashing down, and the truth will be brought
to light.
However, that day will not only reveal the secrets of the
Pharisees. The writer to the Hebrews says, “no creature
is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed
to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
(Hebrews 4:13)
If we are honest with ourselves, that is a scary thought!
Imagine it – every single word, and thought and action
we have ever committed - exposed and brought to light,
before the Lord and Judge, Jesus himself! The things we
are most ashamed of. The secret sins that no one else
knows about. Even the sins which we ourselves have
forgotten – everything brought to light! It’s a thought
that ought to send shivers down our spine, because
we have all done and said and thought things of which
we are deeply ashamed, and for which we deserve the
condemnation of God in eternity. In many ways, we have
more in common with the shamed celebrities than we
would care to admit.
What is the hope for us, in anticipation of that day? Our
only hope is in Jesus himself, who died for his people,
carrying the burden of all of their sin – secret and
otherwise. The record of debt that stood against them
with its legal demands has been cancelled! It has been
set aside, nailed to the cross! (Colossians 2:14) On the
day when all secrets are revealed, it will also be openly
acknowledged that all of our sin has been paid for in
full, and there is therefore no condemnation for those in
Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
And there’s more! Unlike us, Jesus has lived a sinless,
perfect life. He has nothing to be ashamed of. No dark
secrets. No hidden misdemeanours. He had all the
power in the world at his disposal, and yet he never
abused it in order to indulge a selfish desire. He lived a
life of utter perfection and righteousness.
This perfect, spotless righteousness he now gives as
a free gift, by sheer grace, to all of those who trust in
him. He takes away all their guilt and shame having paid
for it all at the cross, and he clothes his people in his
righteousness, counting it as theirs, so his people can
be accepted and declared ‘right’ by God in his eyes. For
them, the day when ‘what is hidden will be made known’
holds no terrors – only the joy of sins forgiven, and the
full enjoying of God unto eternity!
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 W hen I was about 7 years old, my family went on holiday
over to France. We had taken the car with us, and
I remember vividly the last day of that holiday. We got up
incredibly early that morning in order to drive up to Calais to
catch the ferry back over to England. We set off whilst it was
still dark, and to begin with we had to drive along a narrow,

The Law and

dark country lane, with a ditch either side of it. We had literally
been going for about two minutes when, somehow, the back
wheels of the car ended up sliding into one of these ditches on

the Gospel
one side of the road, with the nose of the car pointing up out
of the ditch. Obviously, this wasn’t something we had planned,
and we needed – somehow - to get the car out of the ditch.

Part one:
The difficulty was, though, that if we revved the car up and
managed to drive out of this one ditch, we could very easily
have overshot this narrow country lane, and ended up going

Legalism
into the other ditch on the other side of the road. Somehow
we managed it. We managed to get out of one ditch, and avoid
ending up in the other ditch. And here I am to tell the tale!

In this series of articles we are going to be think about what it

means for us as Christians to live in line with the law of God.
But, as we consider this, we’ll see that the path of Christian
obedience has, as it were, a ditch on either side of it. On the
right hand side there is the ditch of legalism, and on the left
hand side there is the ditch of antinomianism.

The 18th Century London minister, Joseph Hart, once said

that legalism and antinomianism are like two big millstones
between which the church is ground. More recently, someone
has put it like this: “The church on earth has always, as
it were, to walk on the razor edge between legalism and
antinomianism. It is not surprising that every church [and, I
would add, every Christian] tends to err in one direction or the
other.”

Do you see, as Christians we are in a situation a bit like our

family car was all those years ago in France: we need to get
away from one ditch, but also we need to make sure that we
don’t over compensate and end up in the other ditch!

In this first article, we are going to think about the ditch on the
right-hand side of the path of Christian obedience, the ditch of
legalism, before looking at the ditch of antinomianism in part
two, next time.

The first thing I want to think about is: what do these two
ditches have in common? In some ways, they are very very
different – but it’s important for us to understand that they
are very much related to one another. What they have in

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common is this: both of them are misunderstandings of the
relationship between the law of God and the gospel of God.
The true nature of that relationship between law and gospel
is really the key idea I want to get across in these articles. Get
that relationship right, and you stay on the road. Get it wrong,
and you end up in one ditch or the other.
So let’s look into the ditch of legalism…
Legalism
In what way does legalism misunderstand the relationship
between law and gospel? It does so by viewing the law in such a
way that it displaces the gospel.
Now, legalism can manifest itself in a number of different
ways. Not all legalism is the same, and so I want to distinguish
between what I am going to refer to as ‘hard’ legalism and
‘soft’ legalism. We’ll start with ‘hard’ legalism because it is
more obvious and more easily understood.
i) ‘Hard’ Legalism
What I mean by ‘hard’ legalism is simply using obedience to
the law of God as the basis of God accepting you. So, in this
form of legalism, the gospel is completely displaced by the
law. We might describe this by saying that it is like using God’s
law as a “ladder” to reach up to God.
We need to climb up this ladder, rung by rung, commandment
by commandment, through painstaking obedience, until we
reach the top of it, and we’ve done it all, and we meet God
there at the top and he says, “Well done, you’ve passed the
test, you can enter heaven.”
A lot of people assume that that is basically what the law of
God is there for, don’t they? “Follow these rules, live a good
life, and if you climb high enough up this ladder, God will
accept you.”
Many of the Pharisees in Jesus’ day had a similar kind of
outlook. In Luke 16 v14-17, Jesus addresses this issue. Jesus
says to the Pharisees in verse 15, “you are those who justify
yourselves.” To be justified means to be declared right by God
in his eyes. It means God looks at you and he says, “I accept
you as someone who has kept my law perfectly.”
The Pharisees, who were trying to justify themselves, were
therefore making the claim that they had got to that level
of acceptance by God themselves; under their own steam,
through their own religious obedience. They thought of the
law as a kind of ladder to climb in order to reach acceptance
from God.
In verse 15, Jesus shows us three reasons why having that
approach to the law of God is so wrong.
Firstly, it is proud. Notice, Jesus says, “You are those who
justify yourselves before men.” You see, a mixed motive
inevitably creeps into the heart of the ‘hard’ legalist who uses
God’s law like a ladder. They are doing all of these religious
works because they want to earn the approval not just of God,
but of other people too. They want other people to look on
and think, “Wow, look at that person! Look how his life is so
religiously perfect! They never put a foot wrong!” Do you see,
underneath it all they are motivated by pride?
Secondly, using the law as a ladder is also hypocritical. Jesus
continues, “but God knows your hearts.”
The implication is that, though this kind of person may look
very impressive on the outside, what is on the inside is very
different.
Such a person sees sin as merely an external problem; a
problem in our behaviour, rather than a problem in our hearts.
So they misdiagnose the disease – and they address the
external symptoms, rather than the internal disease itself. And
so they focus all their energies on modifying their behaviour
on the outside, but they are unchanged on the inside. It’s all a
façade.
Also, using God’s law as a ladder like this is an abomination
to God. Jesus says, “For what is exalted among men is an
abomination in the sight of God.”
Why is doing this so appalling in God’s eyes? Why does God
hate it when people think that by performing works of the law
they have earned their way into his good books? Well, not only
is it proud and hypocritical – as well as that it steals the glory
that belongs to God alone.
Salvation belongs to the LORD. It’s all of his working, and
therefore it is all to his glory. And when we say that, actually,
salvation is in our hands, and it’s about our working, we’re
taking God’s glory for ourselves. It exalts man, rather than
God.
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 This is the approach of the ‘hard’ legalist, and it is false
teaching that cannot save. The apostle Paul writes, “all who
rely on works of the law are under a curse… it is evident that
no one is justified before God by the law.” (Galatians 3:10-11)
Now, I would guess that we are probably pretty aware of the
danger of ‘hard’ legalism. That’s not to say we’re immune to
it, but we are aware of it.
But that’s not to say that none of us are in the legalism ditch.
Because there are other manifestations of legalism which I
am going to bunch together and describe as ‘soft’ legalism.
That is, types of legalism which are more subtle, less obvious,
and much more likely to creep into the mind-set of Reformed
Christians, and where the law is used to displace the gospel,
to some extent.
ii) Soft Legalism
What does soft legalism look like?
Firstly, it can manifest itself in thinking that, though you are
saved by grace, the way that you keep yourself a Christian, and
advance yourself as a Christian is through your own strength.
Paul speaks about this again in the book of Galatians.
He writes:
“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works
of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having
begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the
flesh?” (Galatians 3:2-3)
Here, Paul is addressing this misunderstanding of the
relationship between the gospel and the law. It was through
hearing the gospel and responding with faith in Christ that
the Galatians received the Spirit. It wasn’t through works of
the law that they became Christians – it was by grace alone,
through faith alone, in Christ alone.
But then, later on, this legalistic mindset has set in. They have
started to think that in order to keep themselves Christians,
and in order to grow as Christians, it is now all about them,
and what they do in their own strength. So they have got
this unhealthy view of the Christian life, that at the start it
is about grace and faith and Christ, but after that it is about
law and works and me. Jesus has got me in, but now it’s up to
me. Do you see, to a certain extent the law has displaced the
gospel? As Jerry Bridges put it, it’s as if God’s grace runs out
6
as soon as you become a Christian!
Very often, Christians who have started thinking this way
struggle greatly for assurance. They spend their Christian
lives fretting about their level of obedience. They have a bad
week, and they feel condemned. They don’t doubt that Jesus
has done “his bit”, but they wonder if they are doing enough.
Their assurance is in pieces – and they feel crushed by the
law. It’s because of this kind of ‘soft legalism’. They are not
unconverted ‘hard’ legalists, but this more subtle form of soft
legalism has crept into their mind, and it is robbing them of
their joy and their assurance.
Another way that soft legalism can manifest itself is through
adding extra requirements to the law of God. So a Christian
person, rightly, understands that as a Christian they are
called to a life of obedience to God’s law. However, their
understanding of what the law requires goes further than
the law itself goes. So they have a tendency to become very
strict, very regimented, in how they live their Christian life. It’s
almost like they have a list of do’s and don’ts for the Christian
life. “A Christian must look like this, dress like this, behave
like this, vote like this, and have this kind of personality type.
And a Christian must never touch this, do that, go there, or
associate with those kind of people.”
Actually, when you take that mental list of do’s and don’ts,
and compare it to what the Scriptures really say, you see
that it has added a whole load of extra requirements on top
of God’s law. Christian liberty on those issues has gone out
of the window, and has been replaced by a set of man-made
laws.
As Reformed Christians, we’re usually very good at calling out
‘hard’ legalism, but often these kinds of ‘soft’ legalism get in
the back door.
That’s the ditch on the right hand side of the path of Christian
obedience; the ditch of legalism. We need to steer well clear
of it!
In the next article in this series we will look into the ditch on
the left hand side of the path of Christian obedience; the ditch
of antinomianism, and we’ll see how in that ditch the gospel
is wrongly used to displace the law, before in the final two
articles we will explore the Reformed understanding of how
the law and the gospel relate to one another.
 God’s thoughts towards His people.
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the
LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future
and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
S ometimes well-meaning Christians say to unbelievers:
“God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”
Are those words really true? Is that the best way to witness?
Certainly, if the person concerned repents and believes the
gospel, then those words will prove wonderfully true. But
what if that doesn’t happen? The person concerned will go
to a lost eternity - hardly “a wonderful plan for your life”.
Therefore, it’s not wise to use such well-intentioned, but
ill-chosen words, because time could prove you to be liar.
Far better to say something like: “God loves you and if you
repent and believe the gospel you will discover that He has a
wonderful plan for your life, but if you remain as you are, you
will go to hell.” That statement may not be politically correct,
but at least it does have the virtue of being biblically correct!
I’m simply making the point that the above words should
never be applied to all and sundry. They are only true for
believers, or for those who become believers.
In the original context the words of our text were written
by Jeremiah to the captives who had been taken away to
Babylon. The terrible day of God’s wrath had come and the
false prophets who cried out, “peace, peace, where there is
no peace” had proven to be liars. The year was approximately
597BC and Nebuchadnezzar was now in control of Jerusalem.
His soldiers had already carried away many of the people
and most of the furnishings of the temple, while a remnant
had been left behind to till the land. These were “perilous
times”, and our text is part of a letter that Jeremiah wrote to
encourage these captives. The opening verse of this chapter
states: “Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah
the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the
elders who were carried away captive – to the priests, the
prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had
carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon” (Jeremiah
29:1). It’s interesting to note that prior to the captivity God
had many hard things to say to these people about their sin
and the coming judgment. However, now that they were in
captivity, He spoke words of comfort to them, words which
culminate in the revelation of the blessings of the new
covenant (Jeremiah 31). When God’s people are in trouble He
does not forget them, because as our text reminds us: “For
I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a
hope.”
It’s amazing to reflect on the fact that God thinks about us
at all. The great God of heaven thinks about worms of the
dust such as us. That’s amazing! When our fellow human
beings think about us we are encouraged. Many years ago I
remember Professor Ted Donnelly talking about the time he
went to America to study. The last words he heard from his
father as he stood at the docks were: “I’ll be thinking about
you.” He never saw him again, but his father had been thinking
about him right to the end. That’s beautiful, but is it not far
more wonderful to remember that our Heavenly Father thinks
about us? The Psalmist spoke about this in several places.
“Many, O Lord my God, are your wonderful works which you
have done and your thoughts towards us” (Psalm 40:5). Then
in verse 17 David continues: “I am poor and needy, yet the
Lord thinks upon me.” Psalm 139:17-18 also states: “How
precious also are your thoughts to me O God. How great is the
sum of them. If I should count them, they would be more in
number than the sand.” Jeremiah teaches us at least 5 things
about God’s thoughts towards His people.
1) His thoughts towards us are wonderfully appropriate –
“For I know the thoughts that I think TOWARDS YOU,
says the Lord.”
Perhaps these folk thought that God had forgotten them
because they were now in captivity. After all, it was their sin
that had put them there in the first place, so it would have
7
 been logical for them to conclude that the Almighty had now
forsaken them. But that was not the case. God had a plan in
bringing them there and it included good and not evil, as our
text reminds us. The Almighty had good thoughts towards
a distraught people, a people who were in captivity - that’s
encouraging, because that’s when we most need God to think
about us - when we’re in trouble.
Do you remember the time Hagar gave birth to Ishmael? At
Sarah’s suggestion, Abraham went in to her in an attempt to
hasten the fulfilment of God’s promise. It was a disastrous
move and this “kindling of their own sparks” resulted in them
“lying down in sorrow” (Isaiah 50:11). Understandably, not
long after the child was born, the home was filled tension.
Sarah became jealous and Hagar was
forced to flee with her new-born child. That’s encouraging,
Imagine the pitiful sight of that poor girl
sitting by a spring of water out in the and when we’re in
wilderness! To make matters worse she
had hardly been walking in the path of
trouble we should
duty, yet God was thinking about her. We
remember this same
know that because the angel of the Lord
appeared to her and ministered to her. truth: “God thinks
As a result she called the name of the
place “Beerlahairoi”, which means “you about us”.
are the God who sees” (Genesis 16:13).
God knew all about, and had good thoughts towards, a
young girl who was in “big trouble” without any earthly help.
That’s encouraging, and when we’re in trouble we should
remember this same truth: “God thinks about us”. In Isaiah’s
day the people said: “The Lord has forsaken me. And the Lord
has forgotten me.” But God said: “Can a woman forget her
nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her
womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See
I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls
are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16). I like the way
scripture brings these two things together: God’s thoughts
towards us and our difficulties. As the Psalmist said: “I am
poor and needy, yet the Lord thinks upon me.”
2) His thoughts towards us are known only to Him – “For I
KNOW the thoughts that I think towards you,” says the Lord.
God alone knows the thoughts that He has towards us
because they are locked up in His eternal purpose. Indeed
there is often a great chasm between the thoughts that He
actually has towards us, and the thoughts that we might
think He has toward us. “My thoughts are not your thoughts”
(Isaiah 55:8); “the secret things belong unto the Lord”
(Deuteronomy 29:29). From the “things revealed” we can
glean many general principles about God’s goodness, because
it is “through the patience and the comfort of the scriptures
that we have hope” (Romans 15:4). But does that exhaust
God’s thoughts towards us? Not at all, we must remember
8
“the secret things”. What do I mean? Well, God has particular
blessings in store for us that are not yet revealed, and we
can only know them as providence unfolds them. Cowper
mentioned them in his famous hymn: “Ye fearful saints fresh
courage take, The clouds ye so much dread, Are big with
mercy and shall break, With blessings on your head.”
Here is an example from the life of Stuart Olyott. He has
several adopted sons and on one occasion he took one of
them for an interview. The young man thought he did well
and was disappointed when he was told that there was no
job for him. However, some weeks later Stuart’s phone rang
and the caller said “Sorry, wrong number.” However, before
he could put down the receiver Stuart recognized his voice.
He said: “You sound like the man who
interviewed my son recently for a job.
Now that you’re on the phone, has
anything changed?” To which the man
replied: “Funny you should say that
because we now need someone, in fact
your son would be ideal!” Stuart’s son
got the job, and why did the caller phone
the wrong number? His home number
was just one digit removed from Stuart’s
number, but he accidentally pressed the
“wrong number”, or the “right number”,
depending on whatever way you look at it. God had “good
thoughts” towards Stuart and his son which were only
revealed at that moment. Who knows what thoughts the
all wise God has towards us which providence will one day
unfold!
3) His thoughts towards us are “OF PEACE AND
NOT OF EVIL”.
Put yourself in the position of these captives for a moment.
They were in their captivity because of their sin – hardly an
encouraging situation. They might have been forgiven for
thinking that God had evil in store for them, but He hadn’t.
In fact the exact opposite was true. The captivity actually
taught the people important spiritual lessons which they
probably would never have learned had they not gone into
captivity in the first place. Their idolatry is a case in point. The
captivity appears to have rid them of this sin once and for all,
since there is little or no mention it in later books of the Old
Testament. Furthermore, it’s also highly likely that at least
some folk in captivity actually came to know the Lord, through
His hard dealings with them. When they heard Jeremiah
announce: “I will be their God and they will be my people”
(Jeremiah 31:33), is it not reasonable to conclude that this
glorious message was blessed to the hearts of at least some?
What I’m saying is this: surely the “thoughts of peace and not
of evil” that God mentions here included the greatest blessing
of all – salvation?
The principle is this: God sometimes brings trouble into our
lives to shake us up. If He didn’t we would destroy ourselves,
but He has access to all the means in the universe to bring
us to our senses. And in the context here, it’s more or
less certain that some of these captives could trace their
conversion to “Babylon”. Sometimes when things go wrong
we think: “nothing worse could ever happen to me than this”.
However, later on we may see things very differently because
if a “disappointment” thrusts us back on the Lord, and forces
us to look to Him for salvation, then it’s the best thing that
could ever happen to us. Some of these captives in Babylon
could say “Amen” to their time of captivity because it was
there that they found the Lord, or rather the Lord found them.
“What will it it profit a man if he gains the whole world and
loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Far better to pass through
“Babylon” if it results in our conversion, rather than God leave
us to ourselves with the result that we press the self-destruct
button. He knows what He is doing when He brings us
through “Babylon”.
The life of Jacob is another wonderful example of God
having thoughts of peace towards a man who didn’t know
what was happening. When things started to unravel in his
life he made this sad confession: “You have bereaved me,
Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take
Benjamin away. All these things are against me” (Genesis
42:36). He couldn’t have been further from the truth! At that
very moment his son Joseph, whom he presumed dead, was
actually Prime Minister of Egypt, and in that capacity he was
able to help the entire family throughout a period of famine.
Furthermore, Jacob did see all of his children again, every
single one of them. In other words, God had thoughts towards
him that he was completely unaware of – “thoughts of
peace and not of evil”. As Cowper said: “Judge not the Lord by
feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace. Behind a frowning
providence, He hides a smiling face.”
4) His thoughts towards us have a glorious end –
“TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE”.
What did the future hold for these people? Answer: much
good. As I’ve intimated already they would shortly hear about
the blessings of the new covenant. Then seventy years later
they would return from captivity – “For thus says the LORD:
After seventy years, I will visit you and perform my good word
towards you, and cause you to return to this place” (Jeremiah
29:10). At that point the temple and the city would be rebuilt
under the ministries of Ezra, Nehemiah and Haggai. Then in
“the fullness of the time” God would raise up the Messiah
from among these same people. Read the genealogy in
Matthew chapter one for proof of this. Zerubbabel was not
only one of the leaders who led them back from captivity; he
was also one of our Lord’s ancestors! Groomsport, Co. Down, having previously served
All this is relevant for us too because Christians have also
got a glorious future. “Now to Him who is able to keep you
from falling and to present you faultless before the presence
of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24). That’s our future!
Not only do “all things work together for good” in this life
(Romans 8:28), one day we will all be made perfect in body
and soul. We will also live among a perfect people, in a perfect
environment, forever and forever, and all through a perfect
Saviour, whose name is Jesus Christ! This is the future and the
hope that the bible holds out for the people of God.
5) His thoughts towards us are everlasting: “I have loved
you with an EVERLASTING love” (Jeremiah 31:3).
To quote Gerhardus Vos: “The best proof that God will never
cease to love us is the fact that He never began.” Therefore,
if God’s love towards us is “everlasting”, He must also have
everlasting thoughts towards us, and He does! Here is
something utterly mind-boggling. We think in response to
circumstances. Our thoughts are often the reflex actions of
our minds to situations we encounter, but God’s thoughts
are eternal, the product of His eternal purpose, whereby He
“works out all things according to the counsel of His will”
(Ephesians 1:11). “In your book they all were written, the
days fashioned for me, when as yet there was none of them”
(Psalm 139:16). One day we will know much more about this
matter than we do now. CH Spurgeon puts it well: “O believer,
the great thoughtfulness of the divine mind is exercised
towards you, the chosen of the Lord. Never has anything
happened towards you as the result of remorseless fate;
but all your circumstances have been ordered in wisdom by
a living, thoughtful, loving Lord.” What a blessing it is to be a
Christian!
Jeff Ballantine, a native of Co. Tyrone, has been a
minister of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church
for 25 years. He is currently ministering in
in the Lisburn Road congregation.
9
 Reformed Theological College
Isaiah 51:17 – 52:12
Wake up and smell
the blessing!
T he phrase is a call to alertness and to the reality of the
situation. Generally, we use it in a negative sense, but
maybe you like the smell of coffee? If you were to be awoken
tomorrow morning with the aroma of a fresh brew, it would
be a perfect start to your day.
That’s the kind of new start to a new day that is dawning
for Judah here in our passage of Isaiah. God Himself is giving
them this wake-up call. “Awake, awake!” is the call from
the Lord; wake up and smell the blessing! There are three
blessings for them to fill their nostrils with, and with every
blessing there is a command that they must obey.
1. Wake up and see that my wrath is finished!
51:17-23
Verse 17 begins with that double alarm: “Awake, awake!”
Judah had imagined that it was God who had been sleeping,
for they had called on Him to awake back in verse 9, but
10
the problem was on their part; their walk with the Lord was
a sleep-walk. God had not abandoned them, but they had
sleep-walked into captivity, unwilling to heed the voice of the
Lord their God.
Such sin, and sin is what it was, was met with God’s
judgement. That’s why they are here in Babylon. But enough
is enough, and God being true to His word is now awakening
His people; the time of their judgement is over. Now they
must wake up and see that God’s wrath is finished.
Verses 17-21 remind the people of their sinful sleep and the
damage it has caused. They have been made to drink the cup
of the Lord’s fury; they have had to suffer greatly because of
their sin – sin always brings suffering. In verse 18, Judah has
been blessed with many sons, but there is no one to guide
her now, there is no one left to take her by the hand. And we
might wonder what kind of sons were these that have so
mistreated their own mother? But sadly, tragically we hear

in verse 20 that her sons have fainted, they lie lifeless in the
streets; they’re trapped in their sin and misery – like antelope
in nets.
God’s judgement has brought this about through two
different means in verse 19: desolation by famine and
destruction by the sword. They knew it would happen, they
knew that the Lord their God was a holy God; He would
not let sin go unpunished, but they sinned anyway – and it
brought nothing but desolation and destruction.
Don’t sleep-walk into sin! Don’t just imagine that you can
sin without consequence. Sin always brings misery, sin by its
nature ensnares, sin will always bring you down. Yes, it will
promise to build you up, it will promise to make you happy –
but sin is a liar. Sin left them like an antelope caught in a net
– helpless. Sin will do the same to you and me, if we let it. If
we sleep-walk in life we will surely be ensnared. Pride, greed,
laziness, lust – the evil one is ready with the net. Stay awake!
Judah must see their helplessness as a result of their own sin
and God’s judgement upon it. But even here, while they lie in a
stupor – not drunk from wine, but from the intensity of their
affliction, while they lie in the net God has something to say:
something they must awake to hear!
“Awake, awake, see that my wrath is finished.” They must know
exactly who is speaking. They’re still a bit drowsy, but God will
have them alert to His own voice now. God names Himself
four times in verse 22: “Lord”, Adonai – meaning the sovereign
one. “The LORD” – God’s covenant name, YHWH, the great I
AM. “Our God” – the God who has committed Himself to you,
the God who owns you. The One “who pleads the cause of His
people” - the God who is their defender.
Their sovereign, covenant, committed defender God gives
them command: “See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of
trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; you shall no longer
drink it.” See – my wrath is finished for you, and in verse 23
they must see that God’s wrath will fall upon another instead
– even those who afflicted them, those who pierced their
very soul with their persecution, those who walked over them
like a doormat.
Wake up and see it! Wake up and see that my wrath is
finished. This alarm call surely fills them with expectation!
They pull back the curtains and the light floods in! And they
squint in the morning sun low in the sky – see it, says the
Lord! My wrath is finished. Then as their eyes adjust to the
light of this new day dawning – God gives another command
and more blessing.
2. Get dressed! Holiness is yours! 52:1-10
Verse 1: “Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; put on
your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city!”
God has provided new clothes for His captive people; no
longer will they wear the rags of the downtrodden in the
street; those days are over. Get up and get dressed, says the
Lord, I have new clothes for you now! God Himself is excited
about clothing His people. Put on strength, put on beauty.
These are their new clothes now, these they will wear every
day. They are tailor made, they are fitting - God knows how
best to dress His children.
11
 It’s a skill perhaps that not all of us have in this life – and God will not allow His name to be blasphemed forever.
sometimes (husbands!) your wife might wonder at what Instead God says, “My people shall know my name, they shall
you’re wearing or what clothes you’ve put out for the children; know my voice, they shall know Me.”
or sometimes you know it yourself, when you look in the
mirror of the shop changing room and say to yourself, “It’s not Again, Isaiah is a master of building suspense, because we
really me!” want to know just how this will come to pass. How will God’s
people be redeemed without money, how will they come
When God dresses His children, it’s really them. Maybe you to know God’s name, how will they come to know God?
know that happiness when you try on a new pair of jeans or a Something new is certainly coming – but what? How will it
suit and say “yes, they’re just me!” Such are the clothes that take place?
God provides for His children. “I have new clothes for you to
put on” says the Lord; “strength, beauty and holiness. Yes,” “Get dressed” says the Lord. Put on strength, beauty and
says the Lord, “that’s it! Now you’re properly dressed!” holiness. Do it now, because the postman is coming up the
drive! We meet the messenger in verse 7- “How beautiful upon
Their new clothes match their new status. They’re not to sit the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who
in the dust anymore, and they are not to remain in chains proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who
anymore – you WERE a captive but AWAKE to your freedom proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
my daughter, says the Lord. Once they felt so worthless, they
sold themselves for nothing in verse 3, but to God they are The herald here is running over the mountains, and as he
pricelessly valuable; He will redeem His people, but not with approaches, he shouts out the kind of news that he bears! He
money... doesn’t get into the detail until he arrives. But he wants you
to know that it’s good news! It’s news about peace! It’s news
What then? How will God redeem his captive people? We that’ll make you glad! It’s news about salvation! And it’s news
want to rush on into chapter 53 to find the answer, but not about victory!
yet. We want to turn to 1 Peter
1:18-19 and read “... you were not
“But he wants you to know What is the news? Isaiah once again
redeemed with corruptible things, doesn’t divulge it just yet – chapter
like silver or gold, from your aimless that it’s good news! 53 is coming. But you’ll remember
conduct received by tradition from your that Paul quotes this verse 7 in
fathers, but with the precious blood of
It’s news about peace! Romans 10:15, and in the preceding
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish It’s news that’ll make verses he summarises the message
and without spot.” here spoken of: “...that if you confess
you glad! with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
But Isaiah doesn’t go there just yet.
It’s news about salvation! believe in your heart that God has
God’s children are just waking up, raised Him from the dead, you will be
rubbing their eyes, seeing the wrath And it’s news saved.” (Romans 10:9)
is over, seeing their new clothes and
hearing the command to put them about victory!” The Good News is news about Jesus.
on! Is this really happening? How? The Good News is news about
Why? The Sovereign Lord speaks in how you can have peace with God. The Good News is news
verses 4-6, and He tells them why. about how Jesus makes you glad! The Good News is news
about Jesus the Saviour! It’s news about the victory He has
God loves His people; He loves them enough to discipline won over sin and death! That’s why when the messenger
them! Captivity was never going to be forever, and those who approaches – the watchmen are already singing in verses
oppress His people and treat them as nothing will be made 8-10: “Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices
to wail. Verses 5 and 6 also draw our attention to the fact they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the
that God’s people bear God’s name – and when God’s people LORD brings back Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, you
are treated as nothing – then God’s name is blasphemed, waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His

12
people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has made bare
His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the
earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
Verse 10 again brings us back to Jesus – He is the Holy Arm
of God that is about to be made bare in 53v1. It’s not just a
messenger then that is coming, there’s a more important
visitor coming. So wake up and see my wrath is finished!
Wake up and get dressed, holiness is yours!
3. Get going - a new life awaits
They’re not just leaving Babylon; this is a spiritual leaving.
This is a leaving behind of all the worldliness that had so
entangled them before. The awakening was a spiritual one.
The dressing was a spiritual one. So too is the leaving – it
is the leaving that Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 6:17-18:
“Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says
the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will
be a Father to you, and you shall be
My sons and daughters, says the Lord
“You can do more than pray,
Almighty.”
after you have prayed; but
Leaving is hard. Our politicians
might think that leaving the EU is
you cannot do more than
tricky, but leaving the worldliness pray until you have prayed.”
of this life behind is so much more
difficult. In Christ we are dressed
in the white linen of His perfect righteousness, and the world
is having spaghetti bolognese for tea! It’s hard to stay clean
in this world. It’s hard to leave and “touch no unclean thing”.
Uncleanness is everywhere.
If we were just commanded not to touch the unclean things,
we might wonder what is there left to touch – but the Lord
tells us what we are to touch at the end of verse 11; we are
to carry the vessels of the Lord. Again this must be taken
spiritually, because the temple is gone, and all its vessels are
long gone!
We are looking forward to a time where every one of God’s
children will be made a priest, where the dividing curtain
in the temple has been torn in two and every one of God’s
children will have unprecedented access into the holy of
holies. We are looking forward to the age in which we now
live, as John could write in Revelation 1:5-6: “To Him who loved
us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made
us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Believer this is for you... Be a leaver!
Leave the worldiness behind and get busy for God, carry his
vessels! Do His work!
Picture the Old Testament priest in the temple for a moment,
in your mind’s eye... He’s inside the holy place, he’s standing
before the curtain, he is facing the holy of holies, there’s a
small altar before him, it’s the altar of incense. What’s he
doing? He’s praying. Believer – carry the vessels of God, fulfil
your holy calling. Make prayer your business. What business
will you do for the Lord? John Bunyan reminds us, “You can
do more than pray, after you have prayed; but you cannot do
more than pray until you have prayed.” It is time to wake up,
get dressed in holiness and pray.
Verse 12 gives us every encouragement to get going into this
new life that God has planned out for us. The Lord goes with
you, He goes before and behind. He is the one who surrounds
you as you go. The evil one wants you
to lie in just a little bit longer, he would
have you procrastinate and delay
and make you believe that you’re not
ready for service. But Isaiah’s alarm
clock has sounded loud and clear –
please don’t hit the snooze button,
don’t lie in a second longer. Awake!
Awake! God’s wrath is over – In Christ
you are forgiven. Get dressed! Put on Christ’s holiness and
strength. Get going! Leave the bed of worldliness and get to
work for your Master, and the Lord your God will be with you.
Robert Johnston is minister of Knock congregation in East
Belfast. He is married to Julie and together they are blessed
(and kept busy!) with three young children; Ben (10), Luke (9)
and Sophie (6).
13

Ephesians 4:17-24
‘Walking like Gentiles’
S ome of you will remember that in
1986 a band called ‘The Bangles’
released a song called ‘Walk Like an
Egyptian.’ It wasn’t a particularly deep
song in terms of its lyrics, it was just
a bit of fun, and in the accompanying
video there were all kinds of people,
like Princess Diana and Colonel Gaddafi,
walking like Egyptians.
Now in our last two articles, we have
seen that Paul is very concerned about
the way we walk. Now he doesn’t want
us to walk like Egyptians, but he does
want us ‘to walk in a manner worthy’
of our calling (4:1 NASB). He wants
us to walk like Christian people. Now
within the context of walking worthy,
the apostle mentions in v3 ‘the unity of
the Spirit’ which leads him to digress, as
he explores in greater detail this unity
and our responsibilities in maintaining it
(v4-16).
In this article we find Paul returning
to this idea of walking. You see, he
has more to say on the subject, and
Paul intends to get very practical with
us (v25-32, etc). However, before he
gets more practical, Paul wants us
to understand the theological basis
for why he wants us to do what he
wants us to do (v17-24). Being a great
physician of souls, Paul realises that we
could very easily misunderstand him.
He is going to tell us not to do certain
14
Reformed Theological College
things, and we could easily interpret his
commands in legalistic/moralistic terms,
as if Paul were simply saying to us, “Be
good.” You see, there is something deep
down in our fallen natures that loves to
make lists of dos and don’ts. But friends,
what Paul will eventually go on to tell us
in v25-32 is not a list of dos and don’ts,
but is the fruit born out of our union
with Christ.
1) Who is speaking
In this article we are going to focus on
v17-24, where the apostle gives us the
theological basis for the life he wants
us to live, for the walk he wants us
to walk. We are going to look at three
things. Firstly, notice who is speaking
to us. Notice who it is who is telling us
not to live one way but to live another
way. Friends, it is Christ! Paul says, ‘Now
this I say and testify in the Lord’ (4:17a
ESV). Another way of translating this
would be to say, ‘So this I say, and affirm
together with the Lord’. (NASB).
Now Paul isn’t simply saying, “What
I’m telling you is consistent with the
Lord’s teaching,” although that is of
course true. He is saying more than
that. He is saying, “This comes from the
Lord.” Now again, that could be said
of everything Paul says, after all, he is
an apostle of Christ, who speaks the
word of Christ, by the Spirit of Christ.
But for some reason Paul chooses to
deliberately emphasise this here. This
comes from the Lord!
That ought to tug at the drawstrings
of your heart. Do you love Christ?
Do you? Is he ‘the chiefest amongst
ten thousand’ to you (Song of Songs
5:10 AV)? Is he ‘altogether lovely’ to
you (Song of Songs 5:16 AV)? Is he
everything to you? Well, if so, it is
your heart’s delight who is speaking
to you here. It is your heart’s delight
who doesn’t want you to walk this
way, but that way. And notice, friends,
that Christ isn’t giving you advice, he is
commanding you, ‘you must no longer
walk’ a particular way (v17b). Are we
listening to the Saviour? Are we ready to
obey him?
2) How we are not to walk…
So, we now know who is speaking to
us. Christ is speaking through Paul. But
what is he saying? Well, secondly, notice
how we are not to walk. Paul says, we
‘must no longer walk as the Gentiles do,’
(v17b ESV). What does he mean?
When Paul talks about ‘Gentiles’ he
is referring to people who are not in
covenant with God, pagan people, who
are outside of the church. People who
live without Christ. These are non-
Christian people.
We live our lives amongst people like
this. They live in the same streets as we
do. They work in the same places as we
do. They drive the same cars as we do.
They shop in the same shops as we do.
They wear the same clothes as we do. In
so many ways we are alike. So friends,
when Paul says, “Don’t walk like them.
Don’t live like them,” is he telling us to
withdraw from society? Are we to live in
isolated communities, driving around in
horse drawn buggies, and dressing as if
it were the 19th century? Are we to say
‘No’ to electricity, mobile phones, and
the internet? Is this what Paul means?
The answer is most definitely, “No!”
Secondly, we can say what he does
mean. From what he goes on to say, it
is clear that Paul is talking about the
spiritual dimension. When he says,
“Don’t walk like them,” he is saying,
“Don’t live like unregenerate people.
Don’t live like those who do not have
God at the centre of their lives. Don’t live
as if you were not born again.”
Paul explains what he means, by
describing the unregenerate in v17c-
19. This is a complicated passage
(v17-19 are all one sentence in Greek),
but basically the apostle says three
things. Firstly, they walk in the darkness
spiritually, and they do so willingly
(v17c-18a). Secondly, because they
walk in the dark their hearts become
hardened (v18b). And thirdly, because
they have become hardened they
relentlessly pursue sensual pleasure, in
fact, they are greedy for it (v19).
crawling creatures. Therefore God gave
them over in the lusts of their hearts to
impurity, so that their bodies would be
dishonoured among them.”
Now friends, is it any wonder that Paul
says that, as believers, we’re not to walk
like this? Is it any wonder that Christ
doesn’t want us to walk like this? We are
children of the light, so we shouldn’t be
hanging around in the darkness. We’ve
been given new hearts, so we shouldn’t
be behaving in a way that hardens our
hearts. Sin’s grip on us has been broken,
so we shouldn’t be giving ourselves over
to sensuality and the pursuit of impurity.
Friends, this is not who we are, and we
shouldn’t walk like this.
3) How we are to walk…
Now we know what we are not to be
like. Friends, Christ doesn’t want us to
live as if we were not his people. So
finally, notice how we are to walk.
As I have said previously, Paul is going
to become very practical, and give us a
list of commands (v25-32). But before
he does there, in v20-24 he gives us
the theological basis for obeying those
commands, and living the life that both
he and Christ want us to live.
Notice two things:
Firstly, we are to be Christ centred. In
v20&21 Paul says this, “But you did not
learn Christ in this way, if indeed you
have heard him and been taught in him,
just as truth is in Jesus” (NASB).
we understand what Christ is teaching
us? Well, we can only understand when
we are in union and communion with
him by faith, because the truth is in him.
So in contrast to the Gentiles, who live
without him, we are to be Christ centred
people.
Secondly, we are to live like the new
people we are. In v22-24 Paul says,
“that, in reference to your former
manner of life, you lay aside the old self,
which is being corrupted in accordance
with the lusts of deceit, and that you
be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
and put on the new self, which in the
likeness of God has been created in
righteousness and holiness of the truth”
(NASB).
There is a lot to unpack here, but in
essence Paul is telling us that when we
become Christians a transformation
takes place. This is not something that
we do, but something that is done to
us by the Holy Spirit through the new
birth. Our old selves die with Christ, and
in Christ we become new people. Minds
are renewed, and are being renewed,
with completely different ways of
thinking.
So, as we draw this article to a close,
can I ask you, how is your walk? Are you
walking like the people you are, or like
the people you once were? It is Christ’s
command that you walk like new people.

This may sound Now friends, notice

familiar, because “We are children of very closely what the
basically it is a apostle says here.
summary of Romans
the light, so we We have been taught
1. Paul says there in shouldn’t be something, but what
v21-24 (NASB): “For hanging around have we been taught?
even though they Well, we have been
knew God, they did
in the darkness” taught about Christ.
not honour him as God He is the subject Rev. Andrew J. Lucas was
or give thanks, but they became futile matter of the instruction we have born in London and grew up in
in their speculations, and their foolish received. But who has taught us? Well, Buckinghamshire. He studied
heart was darkened. Professing to be here’s the amazing thing, it is Christ who theology at the Evangelical
wise, they became fools, and exchanged has taught us! As someone has said, Theological College of Wales,
the glory of the incorruptible God for an ‘He’s not only the subject, he’s also the and has been minister of Omagh
image in the form of corruptible man speaker. He’s not only the content, he’s Evangelical Presbyterian Church
and birds and four-footed animals and the teacher.’ But more than that, how do for the last ten years.

15
 OBITUARIES
FROM THE CHURCHES

Summer team to Moldova

We had the opportunity once again to go
on the UFM summer team to Moldova
this year from 11– 26 August, with
the added privilege (and pressure!) of
leading the team. Maureen Wise is a UFM
missionary in Moldova whose ministry
focuses on evangelism to adults with
disabilities living in state institutions.
These places are a sad remnant of
soviet days; the people living in them
have been abandoned by their families
and seemingly forgotten by the world.
Through the Casa Mea foundation,
a charity set up by Maureen and her
Moldovan colleagues, four community
homes have been opened in the country, allowing 22 people
to move out of the institutions and experience a huge
improvement in their quality of life.

The two weeks we spent in Moldova were busy ones.

The first week was spent in one of the institutions in the
north of the country. We camped in a nearby field and
were given access each morning to go into the institution,
gather people up and conduct an outdoor service including
singing, testimonies and an evangelistic message (with the
invaluable help of translators). We would then endeavour to
have meaningful conversations with those present, sharing
literature in Romanian and Russian (the primary languages
spoken in the country). Some of the team would organise
craft activities and some sports and games. It was challenging
to see people so physically and emotionally neglected, but a
great blessing to be able to share the hope of the gospel with
them. We experienced an unusual quietness when the Word
was preached.

Our second week was split between the four community

homes that the Casa Mea foundation has set up. Each house
is home to five or six residents and each is near a supportive
local church. The houses all have small plots of land which
allow the residents to grow fruit and vegetables and care for
a small number of animals. We helped in practical ways as
well as enjoying fellowship with the residents, most of whom
have made professions of faith. It was a joy to worship the
Lord together and see evidence of his transforming power in
the lives of his children. Pray for Christians still living in the
institutions who face unimaginable suffering for their faith.

Ben & Esther Smith

16
FROM THE CHURCHES

Book Shop Autumn Lecture

A large gathering met for the Evangelical Book Shop Autumn
Lecture in Knock Church on Monday 6 November. The
proceedings were chaired by Mr David Watson, a trustee of the
Book Shop. The present Moderator of Presbytery, Mr Wallace
Thompson, opened the meeting by reading Psalm 78:1-8 and
committed the evening in prayer.
Mr Colin Campbell, manager of the Evangelical Book Shop, told
of the formation of the work and of the vision of Rev. W J Grier to
import much-needed literature with an emphasis on reformation
in lives and strength for believers. The ongoing testimony of
the shop is seen through its stocking and supplying books for
evangelism, its supplying bookstall materials for churches and
special events, and its desire to be proactive in its outreach. Did
you know that the Book Shop sells over 40 000 books, including
bibles, yearly?
The second lecture was delivered by Crawford Gribben, Professor
of History at Queen’s University Belfast. Under the title, The
Legacy of the Reformation, Professor Gribben spoke about
energy, precision and conviction: Martin Luther’s energy saw
him translate the bible in 11 weeks. John Calvin was marked
by his precision and determination; in his zeal he sent men to
France and Brazil to spread the truth of the gospel, and much
was accomplished through his direction. John Owen was a man
of conviction, a Protestant in a divided nation. In life he suffered
great personal loss, but maintained his love for God.
We must continue to hold to scripture and continue in our
labours. The legacy of the Reformation is a work of man,
overseen by God himself. We are urged to remember the legacy
of the cross and its reforming of us personally and of the
extension of the church through us.

The first lecture, entitled The Legacy of 1927, was delivered by The congregation sang the doxology and Rev. Andrew Lucas,
Mr Ernest Brown, a trustee of the Book Shop and Evangelical Omagh, closed the evening in prayer.
Presbyterian Church historian. Mr Brown spoke on different
aspects of legacy and finished with an appeal to church leaders Caroline McDonald
to be zealous custodians of the church’s legacy. Psalm 90
teaches us to number our days and continue the work of our
hands.

Office bearers’ prayer meeting

The ministers, elders and deacons met for the November half day of prayer on Saturday morning, November 18. Led by our moderator,
we were able to share some of the encouragements and discouragements known in our congregations. There was a sense of harmony
and togetherness as we prayed for the hand of
the Lord to be on our congregations in blessing.
Our missionaries likewise were not forgotten.

With us were three delegates, who shared on

the progress of the gospel within the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church of England & Wales
(EPCEW). Both EPC & EPCEW are very small
denominations but we pray that our influence
will grow as in the mustard seed parable,
remembering the promise of our God to build His
Church. This is our confidence.

17
 FROM THE CHURCHES

Junior Camp Summer 2017

Were you one of the 9 girls, 35 boys, 15 leaders or 3

cooks who spent the first week of July 2017 at Junior
Camp in Bushmills? If so, try out the following fun quiz:
At Junior Camp 2017 what was your...
1. Favourite smell?
(a) The amazing roast beef Sunday dinner
(b) Sausage & chips at the Joey Dunlop leisure centre after
an hour of swimming
(c) A new book, fresh from the bookstall

2. Favourite part of the meetings?

(a) Fun ways to learn the memory verses
(b) Comedy duo Nathan & Julia plugging the bookstall
(c) Visiting another house on Luke Street with Jesus

3. Favourite missionary visit?

(a) Praying around the world map with Open Doors
(b) Meeting Spud Bear on his way to bring a gospel message
to children
(c) Making earth bricks with Stephen from UFM

4. Most exciting activity?

(a) Shopping in Coleraine
(b) Running down the sand hills at White Rocks beach
(c) Inflatable wipe-out sweeper

5. Favourite wordless book page?

(a) Gold- which taught me how holy God is
(b) Red- which taught me Jesus died for my sins
(c) White- which taught me my heart can be washed clean

6. Worst part of camp?

(a) Being on dishes at breakfast time
(b) My airbed getting punctured
(c) The queue for the tuck shop

7. Favourite leader? (campers only to answer)

(a) Sporty Mark
(b) Crafty Rachel
(c) Nurse Debbie

8. Best thing about camp?

(a) Spending a week with friends
(b) Making new friends
(c) Coming to know Jesus as my best friend
18
FROM THE CHURCHES

Inters Camp Summer 2017

What a brilliant week! Forty campers came prepared for a week of good fun, good food and good fellowship around God’s word
– no one was disappointed! We hadn’t long arrived at the Moyallon Cente, Portadown before the ice was well and truly broken,
camp friendships were renewed and new ones were being made. The fun continued throughout the week with much on-site
fun in teams such as ultimate frisbee, rounders, crystal maze games and tag rugby. As memory serves me, Bob’s Bees did
exceptionally well!

We also ventured to Craigavon watersports centre for banana boating, mountain biking and archery. A new venue for Inters was
the estate of Cecil Haffey where we enjoyed frisbee golf, the assault course with aerial zip line, and the play park. We also went
on a tour around the estate where we enjoyed some hands-on interaction with the animals. Newmills Presbyterian gifted us
the use of their halls and when it rained we went there for some of the fiercest competition known in the history of camps, and
that’s just the leaders!

Many of the leaders including myself were new to Inters camp, but those who had been there before kept us right, and together
it was a superb team, a particularly strong team in which every single person had the needed gifts and graces for camp. We
were blessed to have 2 full time dedicated cooks, Esther and Margaret – they worked hard all week to keep us fuelled for all the
activities, and not only was the food excellent, but they served us with joy.

Ross Jackson came every day and taught us from God’s word, and it was pitched perfectly for the campers, though the leaders
also listened intently and were challenged as well. The evening dorm groups also provoked some good discussion. Pamela Gaiya
visited and spoke of the work of ACTS in Nigeria, and Esther Smith also spoke every evening on the life of Helen Roseveare. The
worship each day was assisted beautifully by campers playing piano and guitar. All in all, the week was filled with the grace of
God. Without Him, we could do nothing; but with Him we had a brilliant Inters Camp.

RJJ

19
 FROM THE CHURCHES

Senior Camp 2017

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you
should go…” Psalm 32:8

Summer 2017 saw two “firsts” for Senior Camp. It was

the first time Senior Camp had to be cancelled due to
low numbers. However, it was also the first time we held
a “Senior Camp Day Trip” which turned out to be a great
success. On Saturday 19 August 25 young people from
across the EPC headed to the North Coast for a packed
itinerary of fun and fellowship. As well as current Senior
Camp age group, we also welcomed a few of next year’s
“first time” Senior Campers. We spent the morning on
Benone beach playing a few games and fighting the
strong winds to have a picnic. From there we headed to
FoyleHov activity centre in Limavady and enjoyed some
football golf and laser combat. The day was topped
off with a tasty barbecue and very relevant epilogue
from Rev Andy Hambleton at Ballyclabber RP Church.
The young people were an enthusiastic and fun bunch
who seemed to really enjoy the day and each other’s
company.

With the great crowd we had on 19 August we are very

excited and hopeful about Senior Camp in 2018! We look
forward to the Senior Camp weekend on 9-11 February
in Ganaway, Millise. This will provide opportunity for the
young people to catch up and get excited for summer
camp – planned for the usual second week of July.
Please encourage the young people to commit and book
early this year – forms for the weekend will be available
soon.

Mark, Jacqui and the Team

20
FROM THE CHURCHES
Stranmillis
Congregational
Weekend
From time to time the congregation of Stranmillis has
organised a weekend when people of all ages make a special
effort to come together for teaching and fellowship. We had
such an event this year on 30 September and 1 October.
The Groomsport congregation kindly lent us their premises
for Saturday’s activities - an ideal venue.
Our speaker was Andy Hambleton, Crumlin, and his theme:
“How shall we then live? - a consideration of God’s Law
and its relevance for Christians today.” His first address on
Saturday considered the pitfalls of “hard” and “soft” legalism
and of “hard” and “soft” antinomianism. His second looked at
the Law as a kerb, a mirror and a guide. During these teaching
sessions the children had their own programme focussing on
the same topic in an age-appropriate way.
Our “Congregational Gathering” provided an opportunity to
hear reports of summer outreach work from Jackie Burton
who had been in Colombia and from Ben and Esther Smith
who had been in Moldova, and also to hear interviews with
three members of the congregation, one at the beginning of
studies, one in the middle of life and work and one recently
retired.
Of course our physical needs were not neglected. We enjoyed
home baking, a rich variety of soups and a tasty barbecue to
conclude. In the afternoon there was time for a trip to Bangor
Castle where the children enjoyed each other’s company and
the adults enjoyed more tray bakes!
On Sunday Andy continued the theme with sermons about
Jesus and the Law and challenged us to look at our own
heart attitudes. After the evening service Matt Bingham, our
ministry associate, chaired an “Ask Andy” session.
All told, it proved to be a very positive weekend - a real
opportunity to learn from God’s Word and to connect with
each other.
Ruth Burke
Thank God for those in your life who have
taught you from the bible and continue to do
so. Pray that Sunday school teachers and
youth leaders will be diligent and prayerful in
teaching God’s word and that young people will
realise His word is more desirable than gold
and sweeter than honey. Pray for more leaders
to help run the youth club in Groomsport. Pray
that the Lord would graciously meet with the
many children from broken homes who come
into our churches through the week.
Pray for improved attendance at our prayer
meetings and especially for younger people to
come out. Pray that believing, persistent prayer
will be made and that God will hear in heaven
and answer our supplication.
Pray for safety, happiness and a sense of God’s
presence at all three camp reunions. Pray for
all the needs for leaders and cooks for summer
camps to be met. Pray that God would already
be preparing the hearts of boys and girls to
meet with Him at camp 2018.
Praise God for improved attendance at
Ignite. Give thanks for those who organise,
transport and teach the teenagers. Pray that
the meetings will be very useful in the work of
the kingdom and that helpful friendships will be
made.
Thank God for the blessing of being in
the church family. Pray for any with health
problems or family problems. Pray for newly-
weds and new parents and those busy with
studies or work, that they would seek first God’s
kingdom and His righteousness. Remember
all our ministers as they visit those in their
care, seeking to bring counsel, comfort and
encouragement from God’s word. Ask God to
give them strength, grace and wisdom for each
situation.
21
 Thank God for Ben and Esther’s trip to Moldova
and for Maureen Wise and her Moldovan
colleagues in the Casa Mea foundation. Pray
for the men and women they minister to,

Calling
that they would know much of the comfort
and love and grace of God. Pray especially
for the Christians with disabilities who live in
institutions and who suffer for their faith. Pray

all
that many of our young people would have a
new concern for the unreached and that some
would be called to be missionaries.

campers!
Praise God for the gospel opportunities
provided by Mums & Tots in several of our
churches and for the many ladies (and a
few men) befriended. Ask him to provide the
needed leaders to allow the Crosscollyer Mums
& Tots work to resume.

Remember before God the many people

Don’t miss…
contacted through outreach efforts in 2017:
tract distribution, missions, harvest outreach,
ladies’ events, carol services. Praise him for
Junior Camp Reunion
those who have been converted and pray that Saturday 10 February 2018
many others would remember what they have
heard and would seek God. Pray for God’s Ballyclare EPC
blessing on Rev. Gareth Burke speaking at
the mission in Finaghy this month. Ask God to
direct Crumlin session as they seek ways to
reach into the community.
Inters Camp Away Day
Saturday 3 March 2018
Thank God for our fellowship with EPCEW
congregations. Thank him for those who
faithfully labour in churches in Cheltenham,
Cambridge, Cardiff & other places. Pray that
Senior Camp Weekend
they would remain steadfast and would see Friday 9 – Sunday 11 February
the Lord adding to their number those that
would be saved. Pray that the Lord would grow 2018
the new church plants (Hexham & Salford,
Manchester) and bible study groups (Oxford &
Ganaway Activity Centre
Sunderland).

Booking forms coming soon.

22
 BOOK REVIEWS
Title: Everyone a Child Should Know
Author: Clare Heath-Whyte
Publisher: 10Publishing
ISBN: 9 781911 272601
(RRP £9.99) £7.50
It can sometimes be very hard to get
children (or adults, for that matter!)
excited about learning church history.
To that end, 10Publishing have put
together a fantastic collection of mini
biographies of influential Christians,
brought together in the attractively produced ‘Everyone a Child
Should Know’. This is the second in a three part series, the first
of which focuses on key doctrines of Systematic Theology
(‘Everything a Child Should Know’) and the third of which is about
prayer, and is yet to be published (‘Everything a Child Should
Know About Prayer’).
In all, there are 52 short biographies in this volume, and they are
wonderfully diverse. People included range from Augustine to
John Calvin, George Whitefield, Martin Luther, Amy Carmichael
and Hudson Taylor.
One slight criticism of the book would be that the people
discussed are arranged alphabetically rather than chronologically,
which of course means that as you work through the book you
are constantly ‘jumping around’ from century to century, which
makes it harder for younger readers to appreciate where each
person fits in the story of church history.
That minor criticism aside, we have greatly enjoyed reading this
book as a family. I highly recommend it to parents of primary
school age children, who will be fascinated to hear of the stories
of Christians from years gone by. The book could also be used by
those teaching children in the church, and would provide a good
basis for a series of children’s talks or Sunday school lessons
focusing on church history.
Title: Girls Just Like You (ISBN 978-1-
78191-977-2)
Boys Just Like Me (ISBN 978-1-78191-
998-9)
Author: Jean Stapleton
Publisher: Christian Focus Publications
(RRP £6.99) £4.99
Jean Stapleton has written two short,
helpful devotional books for children,
entitled ‘Girls Just Like You’ and ‘Boys Just
Like Me’.
Taking as their starting point the comment
in James 5:17 that Elijah was a man “with
a nature like ours”, each of the books then
introduces a number of bible characters
who were, in this sense, ‘just like us’. Each
day’s devotional (of which there are fifty, in total, in each book)
begins with a verse or two of Scripture, followed by two or
three short paragraphs explaining some of the key events or
experiences from that person’s life. Finally, each day’s devotional
finishes with some pointers for how to respond to the story,
suggesting things to think and pray about.
The great advantage of these books is their simplicity and
shortness. Most Christian parents (and I include myself in this)
can quickly get discouraged by their failure to maintain good
routines with their family devotions. The pressures of the school
run and homework and such like can mean that spending time
reading God’s word and praying with your children can easily
get squeezed out. These books, however, are a realistic and
attainable start. Our daughter (aged 6) has enjoyed learning
the stories as we have read the girls’ book -sometimes before
school, and sometimes at the dinner table. If you have children
of a similar age and struggle with family devotions, let me
encourage you to make a start by getting one or both of these
books and setting aside a few minutes each day to read, think,
talk and pray about the lessons and truths of God’s word.
Title: Exploring the Bible: A Bible
Reading Plan for Kids
Author: David Murray
Pages: 224
Publisher: Crossway Books (30 Sept.
2017)
ISBN: 10 1433556863
(RRP £12.50) £9.50
As parents, my wife and I are always
surveying the literature available to
help nourish our little covenant hearts which make up our quiver
of three, and there have been some great resources, and there
have been some which haven’t been all that great. However,
David Murray has done an excellent job here – not to mention
the publishers and graphics team.
Why do I think this will be a great resource for our family?
Couldn’t we just read through the Bible with our children?
Certainly; I’m not doubting that at all!
However, here are some of the reasons that attracted me to this.
Designed to be used with your Bible, this resource charts a path
which will take you and your family on a journey through God’s
story from Genesis to Revelation, exploring the high peaks of
redemptive history. Whilst it doesn’t take in every vista on the
journey, it plans to give a ‘big picture’ view.
This resource is about engaging with the text. Not only do
you need to pick up your Bible – which your children can be
encouraged to do alongside – it is about engaging the mind (and
heart!) to respond to the questions set out in this resource. This
helps direct and guide our thoughts and discussions on the text.
It also encourages copying the text, and scripture memorization.
Great care and a lot of thought has evidently gone into the
publishing of this resource. And as such it is laid out in such a
way that it encourages discipleship of young hearts. Often many
resources are focused on transmitting information without
engaging and discipling young covenant hearts. This resource
has helpful sections for prayer points, thoughts, and for jotting
down sermon points under the helpfully titled ‘Exploring with
others’ section. It is a reminder that we study and read the Bible
in community, not in an individualistic isolation.
I know that my wife and I are excited to have this resource, which
we’ve already begun using with a number of friends and their
children around a cup of tea and supper.
It should also remove some hesitation or fear of lack of
knowledge / understanding / failure(?) for those who perhaps
didn’t grow up with family worship and are trying to implement
reading and discussing the Bible with their children. It is
presented very well on the page; appears ‘user-friendly’; and
is achievable – it is presented so that families can finish the
journey in small steps.
I would recommend picking this up: it could well be the needed
map for you as you navigate your way through the Bible with
your children.
Andrew Green
23
 Best of the Blogs
A selection of online blogs and articles to challenge and Why churches should have meaningful membership
encourage you in your walk with God and his people… (Erik Raymond)
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/erik-raymond/
How to make your church uncomfortable (Silverio Gonzalez) why-churches-should-have-meaningful-membership/
https://cccdiscover.com/how-to-make-your-church- “Even though church membership is common in churches
uncomfortable/ today and throughout history, I’ve found it helpful to broaden
“Comfortable churches are common. In a comfortable church, out the answer to help fill out my reasons for why we have
people come from the same class, are the same color, live in church membership. Is church membership biblical? Is it
similar neighborhoods, enjoy the same kinds of music and important? Yes, I believe so. Here are four main reasons why.”
worship styles, get their news and political ideas from the
same sources, and welcome more people like themselves. Christian, do you love God’s law? (Sinclair Ferguson)
The goal in such churches is to upset the nice, comfortable www.ligonier.org/blog/christian-do-you-love-gods-law/
balance. And I’m going to tell you how to do it.” “Neither Jesus nor Paul had a problem with the law. Paul
wrote that his gospel of grace upholds and establishes the
The Trinity: Impassibility, What is Denied (Sam Reniham) law (Rom. 3:31)—even God’s laws in their negative form,
www.placefortruth.org/blog/trinity-impassibility-what- since the “grace of God . . . teaches us to say ‘No’” (Titus 2:11–
denied 12 NIV). And remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:17–19?
“The doctrine of divine impassibility is a biblical, catholic, Our attitude to the law is a litmus test of our relationship to
classical, and confessional doctrine of the Christian church the kingdom of God.”
which states that because God is simple, infinite, eternal, and
immutable, he cannot undergo any change in state of being, Amy Carmichael: A Soldier’s Life (John Snyder)
or be acted upon in any way. The Reformed confessions of https://www.evangelicalmagazine.com/article/amy-
faith express this by saying that God is “without passions.” carmichael-a-soldiers-life/
This negation separates the being of God from an aspect of “‘We follow an undefeated Leader… There is joy in such
creaturely existence.” combat, though there is horror too.’ These words, penned by
Amy Carmichael, give us a glimpse into the paradox of her
Do they know you by your suit? (William Boekestein) missionary labours.”
www.alliancenet.org/christward/do-they-know-you-by-
your-suit#.WVAmFIZ4XYV
“Speaking on the matter of Christian freedom John Calvin
said, “This is a slippery place, and there is great danger of
falling on either side.” Too true! Christians face the dual
temptation of excessive rule-making and inappropriate
freedom-flaunting when it comes to matters that the Bible
doesn’t explicitly address. Of course, neither is a biblical
solution. Neither option promotes the freely-rendered, loving
obedience for which the cross of Christ aims. For believers to
flourish—especially those with differing convictions within
the same congregation—there has to be a better way.
Rather than evaluate this matter in the abstract, let’s consider
the sometimes “slippery” issue of convictions and practices
related to how Christians dress for worship.”

24