BIBLICAL PARADOXES
Before focusing upon the Biblical paradoxes, let’s focus upon what the Oxford Dictionary has to say about the word “Paradox”. Well it defines the same as “a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true.” Well are there paradoxical statements in the Bible? Hmmm… many but in this message I want to train my spotlight on only eight of them. Firstly…
COMMANDMENTS…
Now the law came in to increase the trespass…Romans 5:21
Talk of automobile accidents increasing after introduction of traffic laws…is this probable? Well, the Mosaic Law given at Mount Sinai to the redeemed Israelites from the Egyptian bondage (Exodus 20) aroused all kinds of forbidden desires in them when brought in contact with their inherent, rebellious Adamic nature. Now let an erstwhile rabid Jew explain his predicament, we pick up action from Romans 7:7-8 (TLB). Over to Apostle Paul…
“Well then, am I suggesting that these laws of God are evil? Of course not! No, the law is not sinful, but it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known the sin in my heart—the evil desires that are hidden there—if the law had not said, “You must not have evil desires in your heart.” But sin used this law against evil desires by reminding me that such desires are wrong, and arousing all kinds of forbidden desires within me!...”
Laws of God coupled with man’s innate fallen, sinful nature (inherited from the first breakers of Law –mind you sin is lawlessness-I John 3:4) makes for an explosive mix. Talk of mixing gasoline with fire…
The “paradoxical” attitude of Israelites at same Mount Sinai (they hadn’t moved an inch) after receipt of the Laws on one occasion, is proof if one is needed that Divine Laws aimed at man’s welfare and his rebellious nature do not belong to the “made for each other” genre. Let the Scripture take over…
“So they were up early the next morning and began offering burnt offerings and peace offerings to the calf idol; afterwards they sat down to feast and drink at a wild party, followed by sexual immorality.” – Exodus 32:6
Now how’s that for a “Rev Party”!!! If the Law itself leads to death…where exactly is the solution. Let the same, hitherto Jewish fundamentalist named Saul answer it (after he became a Christian, he was christened Paul)…
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:25 (NLT)
Well, then how did Christ the Saviour accomplish it? Save us from our own wicked hearts (Jeremiah 17:9), as it were? Through the “heart transplantation process” beginning with the work completed at the Cross!!! Welcome to yet another Biblical paradox…
CROSS…
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—Heb 2:14
Now this is how renowned JFB Commentary captures the essence of the above-captioned Scripture portion…
…that through death—which He could not have undergone as God but only by becoming man. Not by Almighty power but by His death (so the Greek) He overcame death. "Jesus suffering death overcame; Satan wielding death succumbed" [Bengel]. As David cut off the head of Goliath with the giant's own sword wherewith the latter was wont to win his victories.
By His death, He overcame death …ah those are the key operative “paradoxical” words. Virtually there was “victory” at apparent “defeat”. Where Christ’s life obviously “ended” at the Cross in the eyes’ of His earthly enemies, a “new” journey of God’s redemptive Gospel (I Cor 15:1-4) had begun of saving countless from the clutches of sin.
All those who believe and accept the Saving Gospel (I Cor 15:1-4) are given a “new heart”. But isn’t this unfair for God to let sinners go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for he does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins…who has already “been punished” on their behalf (Romans 3:26/2 Cor 5:21-TLB).
At the imminent rapture, what would happen conclusively to all those who have accepted God’s plan of Salvation in Christ and are living “new lives” (Romans 10:8-10/2 Cor 5:17)?
Let Apostle Paul explain this matter of “life and death” …here he touches upon the “Law-Sin-Death-Saviour’s Victory at the Cross” connection
“O death, where then your victory? Where then your sting? For sin—the sting that causes death—will all be gone; and the law, which reveals our sins, will no longer be our judge. How we thank God for all of this! It is he who makes us victorious through Jesus Christ our Lord!”- I Cor 15:55-57 (TLB).
So how is that “obedience to God” which was so burdensome to Jews (Acts 15:10-11) is not so to Christians. Enter, yet another paradox…
COMFORTER…
“…The believers learned how to walk in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.”-Acts 9:31
Now this is a paradox that that has to be experienced to be believed, for “fear” and “comfort” are not in the worldly logical sense “bedfellows”. However, in a Christian’s life the Comforter-the Holy Spirit (John 14:16 KJV)- which the Saviour sends into believer’s heart at the point of the latter’s regeneration instills a healthy balance between “Reverential fear towards God” (Isaiah 11:2) and “Heavenly Comfort” (Gal 5:22-23). Yes, there is ever-abiding fear of stirring up Divine wrath and facing the consequences thereof in a Christian’s heart which acts as a deterrent to licentious living but at the same there is Heavenly joy which at once makes walking in God-honoring ways “as burdensome as flying is to a bird or swimming is to a fish”. Oh the Master’s yoke is light indeed (Matt 11:28)!!!
Where there is Christ sent Holy Spirit, there is neither legalism nor license (both extreme forms of behavior) but only liberty!!! Hallelujah!!!
CHARACTER…
“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”- Matt 10:16
“Is a Holy Christian really a combination of a serpent and a dove? A spiritual “Jekyll and Hyde”!!! …the uninitiated on the subject are perfectly entitled to question …permit me to add here…even with a loud, protesting voice. Before we take even one proverbial step forward, I would like all the rationalists to focus on the Saviour’s words “wise” in connection with the Serpent. Is there any mention of “poison” there? Not by a long shot. Let’s also understand that these words were spoken in the context of a Christian’s evangelistic ministry OUTSIDE the Church where he is bound to come across several dangers to his life and limb. What does an earless snake do on sensing forest floor’s vibrations triggered by an approaching herd of wild buffalos’ or elephants? Instantly seek the refuge of the rocks or the safety of its pit. Likewise Christian’s are supposed to have their “ears to the ground” on approaching dangers and pro-actively “flee” danger (Matt 10:23).
Let the Scripture speak for itself in connection with wise Paul’s danger-evading tactics…
“When many days had passed, the Jews[ plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.” –Acts 9:23-25
Was the Apostle “spitting venom” at the plotters’ of his life? No, he merely like a “wise” serpent evaded danger. Add to that his non-retaliatory, peaceful Dovelike posture towards his foes’ and the picture of “being wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove” emerges with no shades of grey. Hey, Dove has no gall bladder hence there would be no release of “bitter bile” into its circulatory system at any time which causes irritation or anger in other avian species or for that matter in mammals (including humans).
Now let’s address two related “bigger” questions’…
a) Why do dangers’ come visiting the Evangelists trying to rescue souls lost in the darkness?
b) Should a “bold” Christian flee danger in the manner of a serpent?
Firstly question number one.... At this stage, it would serve us well to recall the words of Shepherd David recorded in 1 Sam 17:34-35 (NIV) which goes thus:
But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. WHEN it turned on me...
Friend, when you are trying to deliver the souls from the “jaws” of that “roaring lion” Satan (I Peter 5:8), what else can be expected other than a fierce attack from your adversary? Cheer up, even while being like David in trusting God to protect you, be sure to use your God-given wisdom to ward off the danger. This begs the second question…
Should a “bold-like Lion” Christian flee danger? As "paradoxical" , as it can get...I can hear some members say. Yes, especially when his “time” on Earth is not “up” (even for Christ’s death on the cross was there not an appointed time?-John 7:30/8:20) and he is to yet yield fully “dividends” on his Master’s “Heavy investments” on him. Let it be said that from the time of Christian’s salvation brought about by priceless sacrifice of the Saviour (1 Peter 1:18-19), the Redeemer starts “investing” in the Saved one by constantly showering His inestimable love, patience all with an aim of shaping him up into a Christ-like , supremely useful vessel (2 Tim 2:20-21)...to be used fruitfully for His Glory. Should a Child of God with stupid, reckless “hara-kiri” mindset contemplate of “exiting” this World just to have the “halo of a martyr” before he has accomplished all of Divine purposes’ in his life? NO WAY!!! It would be akin to burying one’s “talents” arousing the Master’s anger (Matt 25:24-30). Make no mistake if we are going to live on His terms, it follows that we have to die on His terms only (Romans 14:7-8).
CHURCH…
“…Be innocent babies when it comes to planning evil, but be men of intelligence in understanding matters of this kind.” – I Cor 14:20 (22)
Oh yes, there has to be awe and spontaneity in worshipping the Almighty but all in the name of exercising diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit in worshipping the Creator, there was virtual bedlam in the Corinthian Church. So Apostle Paul gets down to some serious business of instilling order in their worship. All of 14th Chapter in his first epistle to the Corinthian Church is devoted to Worshipping the God of order (I Cor 14:33) in an orderly way. The above-captioned paradoxical Scripture is the punch line to his argument of maintaining order in a Church service.
By the way, Church leader is there order in your Church service? Needless to say, striking the balance between spontaneity and systematic sequence in the order of service is the key to effective worship.
CHARITY…
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.-Proverbs 11:24
Now how is this possible? One steeped in human rationale may ask for in the Worldly realm, more you save, greater your savings, fatter your bank balance and so on and so forth? Let me herald the fact that impossible is possible only with God (Matt 19:26). Now hear this testimony from a horse’s mouth (Yours truly). When, I was about a quit a lucrative, highly paid job to take-up full-time spiritual ministry in answer to the Master’s call ten years ago, several questions popped up in my mind with regard to my future charity? Well, I was supporting some Christian ministries financially, when I was holding a job. Would or could I continue doing the same being a full-timer also was a question which creased my forehead before I took that “leap of faith”? Truth to tell, by His Grace and empowerment alone my financial support to Christian ministries increased much more after coming to Full-time Ministry. Why? Did I solicit for funds and get them? NEVER!!! The Lord provides faithfully by “stirring up the hearts of men” (Exodus 35:21–the cornerstone verse of George Muller’s peerless orphanage ministry). Oh yes, a Christian’s Bank balance at the end of the day may not be “overflowing” but his spirit will become richer with time, even as his “Heavenly Bank account” will be swelling (Matt 6:19-20). In Ministry, the golden rule is “If you run after Jesus, all the needed resources come ‘chasing’ you “. But tragically if one runs after money, he would eventually find himself stranded “high and dry” (I Tim 6:9). Shipwrecked…ah that’s the word!!!
When it comes to Charity, we can be either like clean waters of a “flowing river” or like that of a dirty, stagnant pond … perfect hoarders…opps sorry, I mean perfect haven for mosquito breeding (sic). By the way are not flowing clean waters revered to the point of worship in our Country? In this connection, we need to tell our countrymen lovingly that the Creator alone needs to be worshipped and not His creation.
CONSPICUOUS…
“…For when I am weak, then I am strong” – 2 Cor 12:10
What do Christians do when they are buffeted by Satan-driven storms or troubled by a Satanic “thorn in the flesh” (2 Cor 12:7) paradoxically permitted by our Lord Himself sometimes for own spiritual welfare? The answer is as simple as it is spontaneous. Hang oh so-more closely to the Lord who gives us –the weaklings- the strength to endure the ordeal. Is He not after all the vine and we the branches (John 15:1-5) who get the “spiritual strength” (Eph 3:16-17) from Him and Him alone? Now what would be effect of all these (we patiently enduring what the devil throws at us) on the watching World? Salutary? Yes, for it would be clear as crystal to them that we are being sustained by His infinite power (and not by our limited strength) and some souls like the Philippian Jailer may be won over to the Lord (Acts 16:16-34).
CEDE…
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.-Matt 16:25
And when it finally comes to the crunch! After our time is up on Earth and we have completed all of the divinely ordained purposes in our life (John 21:15-19) and martyrdom with all its attendant implications of physical agony looms large before us. What is going to be our response or rather what ought to be our response? Thankfully we should accept martyrdom all for His glory (Romans 14:8) fully believing all along that “sunset” (our end) in one place is “sunrise” (a glorious beginning) in the other. Incidentally if our martyrdom inspires some brethren, strengthening their faith, then so be it. Didn’t somebody say “aspire to inspire, even when you expire”. By the way, how can a Christian discern, his time is up and it is time to cede to his killers’ without any struggle? The indwelling Holy Spirit is the teacher in all matters including this dicey issue (2 Peter 1:14).
Finally, for those who are willing to lay their life at the altar, the reward by way of a Crown promised is not one of incorruptibility (I Cor 9:25) or rejoicing (I Thess 2:19) or glory (I Peter 5:4) or righteousness (2 Tim 4:8) but paradoxically the one of Life (Rev 2:10). Hallelujah!!! No wonder that great martyr Jim Elliot observed “He is no fool, who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose”. Hallelujah…
Suresh Manoharan
ps...This message replete with pics/animation can also be accessed at the following URL...
http://www.jandsmministries.com/message_oct1_14.asp
