Are You Right, Mate?

This casual cliche, with all its common connotations, is as characteristically Australian as meat pies and Holden cars. And the expected response is often altogether too predictable, no matter how critical the real situation might be. Because sometimes things are just not right at all. We all too often have real hurt and pain. But we pass as ships in the night,  without meaningful contact or communication. We seem determined to fly as a facade the flag of self-sufficiency. And so we plot our course. posing as confident captains of our own ships and masters of our own fate, until our bravado and false pride finds us floundering on the rocks and reefs of some personal calamity.
The terrible trouble of such personal isolation seems to be the price we pay for the privilege of living in cur hurry and worry world. And this is bad enough. But the greatest tragedy of all lies in the common response today to the question, "Are you right mate? Right with God?"
The Creator of our universe and the coming Judge of all mankind insists that we come to grips with this all Important question in the here and now or we will surely suffer eternal shipwreck in the there and then. It will not suffice to ignore, delay or make excuse. Well may one tell a concerned Christian to, "Mind his own religion," but such a response to the King of this universe is not only daft, but dangerous.
God has given us one prime responsibility during our brief existence here on earth. The prophet Amos placed it plainly and pointedly when he said, "Prepare to meet your God..." (Amos 4:12) Since our time is in His hand and this is the day that He has made, we only have the time Cod chooses in His grace to give us in which to find His answer to this vital question.
But how does one make sure of a right relationship with God? First, we must face the fact of our position. The Bible teaches that God is Holy and that man is not. Al! men are sinners. (Romans 3:23) And the ultimate end of our sinful conduct will be eternal  separation from God, unless some effective intervention occurs. (Romans 6:23)
Next, we must realize that all our efforts to bridge the chasm separating us from our Creator are vain and futile. Our natural tendency is to trust our own abilities, righteousness and the work of our own hands. So some are christened, confirmed, baptized or join a church;  all the while unwilling to admit their obvious dismal failure in living uprightly and keeping the golden rule. From the outset all such efforts are doomed because God says there is none righteous, no not one and that all our pretended righteousness are as filthy rags when compared to the holiness and righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:10) After all if we could, through our own energy and effort, make ourselves right with God, why did Jesus die on a cruel cross to pay our sin debt? Peter said Christ suffered once for our sins, the perfect one for the imperfect one, so He could bring us to God.
Just how then can one be right with God? If we can only stand in the Holy presence of a Holy God if we are without sin, how can we acquire such perfect righteousness? Paul had the answer and the Holy Spirit of God Inspired him to share it with us In the Bible. He said, "God has made Jesus to be sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Cor. 5:21) "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"  ( Romans 5:1)  Then he said, "If you believe  your heart in the Lord Jesus Christ you shall be saved...for whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:9 &13))
Are you sure you are right with God? You can be.  How?  Simply repent of your sin, place your absolute faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your sin sacrifice, call upon His Name, ask Him into your heart to be your personal Saviour and receive His gift of everlasting life.

Counterfeit Charlatans or Changed Christians?

What is a real Christian? I mean the real McCoy? The genuine article? What we Aussies would refer to as fair dinkum and dinky di; without sham, shabby pretense or hypocrisy? The sort you could stake your reputation or life upon? The kind who may still be found standing for Christ when all around are falling? I'm sure we've all heard the old stories and clichés that deal with the dilemma of the identification and determination of a real Christian. Such as the little boy who, after hearing a message outlining the qualities of a real Christian, asked his father if he had ever really seen a Christian. The world around is still asking that question of us every day. Much of the world is still waiting to see one. Oh, we have plenty of the counterfeit kind; even though they may be a bit difficult to detect right away. You can submit a counterfeit coin to a bite, bounce or other test, and ultimately determine its true character. You can analyze the color, patterns and paper quality of a counterfeit note and identify most fakes immediately. When I was a practicing analytical chemist we used scientific methodology to correctly identify any substance or compound coming into our laboratory. We could break it down chemically into its molecular parts and determine its true nature.

Our Savior left us the information and methodology for accurately analyzing Christian character as well. He said, "Every tree is known by its fruit.." He also said, "A good (or saved) man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good." This is the acid test. Even the world knows that characteristics such as love, joy, peace, patience, honesty and integrity are identifying fruits of the Spirit. We can be sure they are watching the growth and production of those who claim to be Christian trees. We are surrounded on all sides by spiritual fruit inspectors and should always be mindful that our Savior said, "By this (love) shall all men know that you are my disciples."

There is a story of the little boy who was watching his pastor driving nails on a church building project. The pastor said, "Son, are you hoping to learn to drive a nail properly so you can be a carpenter when you grow up?" "No," the small lad replied, "I'm waiting to see what a preacher says when he smashes his finger!" The world is also awaiting our reaction in the crucible of crisis. Our confirmation in word and deed of the validity of our faith. They are watching to see if our profession matches our possession.

The Tried And The True

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the rapid and ceaseless change going on around you? Is change for the sake of change necessarily a good thing? Have all the new gadgets spelled success and happiness for members of modern day communities? As we see the cracking of the moral foundations of our society, the functional breakdown of our traditional institutions and the tearing apart of the very fabric of our culture, we are made to wonder if the much heralded blessings of change have become curses rather than blessings.

Many recognize that in the midst of the changes designed to attract the attention and procure the patronage of a materialistic consumer society, it is necessary to test, try and prove new products, processes and procedures to determine if they are really beneficial or worthwhile. This is true simply in the sense of getting value for money. If we are going to spend hard-earned money we do not wish to squander it on inferior products of little reputation or worth. For this reason, many of us usually go for the tried and true; especially after we have suffered a few so-called bargains.

If we are to be cautious about change in our secular life, we should be doubly so in spiritual matters. It is not just new methodology we must examine to determine it’s efficiency, effectiveness and efficacy, but organizations and movements, obviously based upon principles of compromise, are vying for the attention and support of those who once were known as fundamental, Bible-believing Christians.

I tend to want to stick to the tried and true, especially in matters of eternal significance. As the old saying goes, "Give me that old time religion." If it was good enough for Paul and Silas  and our forefathers in the faith, it is good enough for me. If I am going to spend my time and energy contending for a faith, I want it to be the faith of our fathers as it was once delivered to the saints. If I am going to pay the price of real committal, I want to purchase the approval of God, not the praise of men. If I am going to preach a gospel, I want to ensure I only proclaim the powerful gospel of Christ.

As we examine the proliferation of what might be termed bargain basement type religions, and listen to the extravagant claims that press in upon us from all sides, we must make every effort to examine the validity of their claims and the Biblical basis of their boasting. But how are we to know? In what crucible can we analyze them?  In what test tube can we test them? In considering the myriad of claims being made today, just what tests will assure us we have the right stuff?

Just one test will suffice. The very Word of God is the only sufficient rule of faith and practice. Only the sharp and powerful Sword of the Spirit has the capacity to dissect and analyze every claim and counterclaim and ascertain scriptural validity. Our standard must  always be the grand  old Book of the grand  old faith!

One hears much talk today advocating that many things in doctrine, methodology and music are just matters of preference. Those who seemingly worship at the altar of change, for the sake of change, seem to have few convictions about the primacy of the Word of God or the need to have scripture, scriptural precedence or principles as a basis of our faith and practice. Anything seems to go as long as it may appear to be attractive to the secular world and draw the crowds to be entertained in a so-called praise and worship setting. It should not be so among those who love the Lord and the Word of God!