The Gift of Life: God's grace as a juridical act

Grace presupposes law and judgment. This makes God's grace a legal act, a fact that churches often do not emphasise, possibly due to a lack of understanding.

As a result, the study of law sometimes helps to reclaim parts of Biblical understanding that may be missed by most pastors.

Singapore has adopted and adapted the Westminster system of government which separates powers between the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches. Article 22P(1)(b) of the Singapore Constitution empowers the President of Singapore, as part of the Executive branch, to exercise clemency powers to pardon convicted offenders: 

The President, as occasion shall arise, may, on the advice of the Cabinet... grant to any offender convicted of any offence in any court in Singapore, a pardon, free or subject to lawful conditions, or any reprieve or respite, either indefinite or for such period as the President may think fit, of the execution of any sentence pronounced on such offender.

The case of Yong Vui Kong v Attorney-General [2011] 2 SLR 1189, contains the following explanation of these clemency powers at para. 74 of the judgment by former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong:

I start by stating that the clemency power is a legal power of an extraordinary character. It is unlike all other legal powers in that: 

(a)     It is an executive power which is exercised as an act of executive grace and not as a matter of legal right... 

(b)     A decision to grant clemency is "[a] determination of the ultimate authority that the public welfare will be better served by inflicting less [punishment] than what the judgment fixed"... Conversely, a decision not to grant clemency represents a determination by the ultimate authority that the public welfare is better served by allowing the law to take its course, ie, by carrying out the punishment prescribed by the law. 

(c)     Ordinarily, the law should be allowed to take its course. However, when the clemency power is exercised in favour of an offender, it will "involve a departure from the law"... in that, in the interests of the public welfare, the law (in terms of the punishment mandated by the law) is prevented from taking its course. 

(d)     The considerations of public welfare that the ultimate authority deems relevant in making a clemency decision are entirely a matter of policy for it to decide... 

(e)     In the specific context of a death sentence case..., the grant of clemency to the offender confers a gift of life on him. This is because the offender has effectively already been deprived of his life by the law due to his conviction for a capital offence. If clemency is granted to the offender, his life will be restored to him, whereas if clemency is not granted, his life will be forfeited as decreed by the law. In other words, in a death sentence case, the clemency decision made, be it in favour of or against the offender, does not deprive the offender of his life; the law (in terms of the conviction and death sentence meted out on the offender by a court of law) has already done so.

We all know the consequences of sin. Even in the Garden of Eden, God warned Adam not to eat of the fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for when he ate of it, he would surely die (Genesis 2:17). Paul writes in Romans 6:23a, "[for] the wages of sin is death".

So the ordinary consequence of our sin is death. All of us had (eternal) death sentences hanging over our heads, having effectively already been deprived of our lives by the Law of God due to our conviction for a capital offence - no less than the offence of high treason against the Most High God.

We were all criminals on death row.

However, God - being God - has the power to give life and the power to take life.

Paul continues in Romans 6:23b, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". This is an act of grace and not a matter of legal right. (Indeed, if we were to be put on trial, we would all be found guilty.) It is a determination of the ultimate authority that the good of all will be better served by inflicting less punishment than what the judgment fixed. The Law is prevented from taking its course.

Hence, Jesus' sacrifice to save us from our sins confers a gift of life on us when we originally had none. It is a gift of life in its fullest sense.

No doubt this is what Paul meant when he wrote in Galatians 2:19-20:

For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.  I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Therefore, having been rescued from death and given a second chance at life, let us live unto the Lord to the fullest!

"Where are you?"

Yesterday morning, I was complaining to God and asking Him why I do not hear His voice all the time. At the same time, I was also thinking about some of my friends whom I felt I ought to speak to more.

God had some words for me and them. He said three words, "Where are you?"

"Where are you?" were the words that God spoke to Adam in the Garden of Eden, after Adam sinned by eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Bible records in Genesis 3:8-9:

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"

The question was more than a mere question about Adam's physical location. It was a question of where Adam was with respect to Him, or where Adam was in Him. As Skip Moen puts it in Guardian Angel, "God is asking why Adam is not where he is supposed to be - with Him." Yet, "Adam now seeks escape from the presence of God."

The passage suggests that Adam used to walk with God, more than just physically. But now Adam said, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." (Genesis 3:10)

Jesus' call of discipleship is as simple as "follow me", literally to leave all else and walk with Him.

But there were hard teachings. Once, Jesus spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Another time, He spoke about taking up the cross and denying oneself to follow Him. People left.

When Jesus asked His disciples whether they were going to leave too, Peter gave a remarkable answer in John 6:67-69:

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 

So God's word for me, and for my friends who came to mind, was "Where are you?"

Is the answer, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid"?

Or is the answer, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life"?

Church as Family: How Christians are truly related by flesh and blood

From the Old Testament sacrifices to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, many Biblical covenants are made in blood.

 

At the same time, we often hear people describing the church as a "family", drawing from passages such as Matthew 12:50 where Jesus said, "whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

 

Knowing that the Bible teaches that the natural family unit is established by marriage between a man and a woman and their children, a fellow brother-in-Christ once asked concerning the apparent dilemma between the two definitions of "family" in the Bible.

 

My answer to him back then was that the use of the word "family" in the context of the church is a metaphor, drawing from the understanding of the natural family unit.

 

This is not wrong, and might be an answer I would give to a non-Christian, but I soon came to realise that there is much more.

 

 

When we talk about the natural family, we are referring to flesh-and-blood relations. For example, if someone is my brother, he is related to me by flesh and blood. We would expect a DNA test to show that we are biologically related.

 

But Christians are truly related by flesh and blood too!

 

Christians are related by the shedding of the flesh and blood of Jesus, who died to redeem us all from our sins. In Holy Communion, we partake of Christ's flesh and blood. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

 

There is also another sense in which the church is related by flesh and blood with Jesus.

 

When God created woman, He put the man Adam into a deep sleep and formed the woman out of the man's rib. As a result, the man could say of the woman, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." (Genesis 2:23)

 

Jesus has been described as the Second Adam (Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:45). In the same way, Jesus was put into a deep sleep in the grave and out of His sacrifice God formed the church. The church is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33). It is truly bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh.

 

Therefore, in a very real sense, Christians are related by the flesh and blood of Jesus.

 

We are truly brothers- and sisters-in-Christ.

"Judging You": A conversation with a friend

"Do not judge!", people often say, (mis-)quoting passages like Matthew 7:1-5.

The dogma of the 21st century, as well as 21st century Christianity, is that of being "non-judgmental".

But who's judging whom?

Some time back, I was briefly explaining to a non-Christian friend that certain forms of birth control pills, like the "morning-after" pill, had the effect of inducing the abortion of an implanted foetus.

She immediately retorted, in a tone that was half serious and half in jest, "Judging you..."

She went on later to criticise me for being irrational, albeit in a relatively calm and civil manner.

Now, who is the judgmental one here? More importantly, which judgment is right?

That is some food for thought.

Planned Parenthood's claim that "abortion is not even mentioned in the Scriptures"

People who disagree with Christians on abortion often argue that "religion should be kept separate from politics", or that religious people should not "impose" their beliefs on others.

It is deeply ironic, then, that there are those "pro-choice" advocates who delve into questions of theology attempting to justify abortion through Scriptural exegesis.

Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the United States. Sometime back, it published a "Pastoral Letter to Patients" justifying abortion:

Pastoral Letter to Patients

Dear Friend:  

The decision to have an abortion is personal. Though your reasons may be complicated and private, you’re not alone. As religious leaders from a number of religious traditions, we’re here to support you in your decision. 

Many people wrongly assume that all religious leaders disapprove of abortion. The truth is that abortion is not even mentioned in the Scriptures—Jewish or Christian—and there are clergy and people of faith from all denominations who support women making this complex decision. The beliefs of each person are deserving of respect, and each person deserves care and compassion, No one should be allowed to force their faith teachings on anyone else. 

We believe this decision is yours, made with your doctor and anyone else you choose to bring into the conversation, such as a spouse, partner, parent, or clergy person. 

Our religious traditions have somewhat different opinions about abortion, but we share some basic understandings: 

• No one knows the circumstances of your life as well as you know them; no one knows what’s in your heart better than you. Allow yourself to be at peace with your decision. 

• God loves you and is with you no matter what you decide. You can find strength, understanding, and comfort in that love.

If you'd like to speak with a clergyperson, your local Planned Parenthood health center can refer you to someone who will be supportive of you and your decision. Your privacy will be protected and all conversations will be completely confidential.

Is this true?

The Bible on Abortion

Planned Parenthood is arguably correct on one level, since the word "abortion" cannot be found in the Bible. However, on that count, the Bible does not say anything "specifically" about a lot of things, including smoking, drugs, nuclear weapons, and a whole host of other morally controversial issues. We need to dig deeper.

There are two important questions we need to ask when approaching the topic of abortion. Philosopher and theologian William Lane Craig, who is one of the leading apologists of our time, phrased the two important questions as follows:

1. Do human beings possess intrinsic moral value?  
2. Is the developing foetus a human being?

The Bible makes it clear from the beginning that all human beings possess intrinsic moral value as bearers of the image of God (Imago Dei). All of humankind, both male and female, are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:6). This is the reason why God commanded, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).

There are numerous passages in the Bible which affirm the humanity of the developing foetus. One of the most powerful passages is King David's psalm, Psalm 139:

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
(Psalm 139:14-16)

Other passages include Genesis 25:22, Isaiah 49:1, Jeremiah 1:4-5 and Luke 1:44.

Therefore, the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) has condemned the practice of abortion, declaring that "[because] the embryo or fetus is a human being, made in the image of God, its destruction is tantamount to the killing of innocent lives." Hence, NCCS "cannot countenance the destruction of a fetus even in the context of legalised elective abortion".

Response of Alliance Defending Freedom

In light of Planned Parenthood's apparent agreement that the religious beliefs of many women their will be very relevant to their decision about whether to have an abortion, Casey Mattox, Senior Counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, offered to place one free copy of the Bible for every Planned Parenthood facility in the United States.

Part of the open letter to Planned Parenthood reads:

... I would like to offer Planned Parenthood one free copy of the Bible for every Planned Parenthood facility in the country. Planned Parenthood could place these Bibles in their waiting rooms and permit women the opportunity to explore for themselves what the Jewish and Christian Scriptures have to say about abortion. There is no doubt that we are on opposite sides of this theological and moral question. But as we are in apparent agreement that Scripture and its teachings (or lack thereof in your view) on abortion would be relevant to many women’s abortion decisions, making these Bibles available to those women would certainly benefit your potential customers. 

To allay any concerns you might have, the Bibles Alliance Defending Freedom would provide to Planned Parenthood would be new unmarked copies. For instance, we would not highlight Psalm 127:3 (“Truly children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward”), Psalm 139:13 (“You knit me together in my mother’s womb…”), Psalm 22:10-11 (“You have been my guide since I was first formed . . . from my mother’s womb you are my God”) or Jeremiah 1:5 (“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart”). 

We would not dog-ear Exodus 20:13 (“You shall not kill”). Nor would we even place a bookmark at Luke 1:41, 44 (where the “baby [John the Baptist] … leapt for joy” in his mother’s womb when the baby Jesus was nearby in Mary’s womb). 

Rather, we would make these Bibles available, unedited and without emphasis of any kind, allowing those women visiting a Planned Parenthood facility to review them themselves.

Judgment as Vindication

"Do not judge! Don't be judgmental!"

Sometimes, when we speak to people in church about sin, we are often met with the retort, "Do not judge!"

 

But why are so many people who profess to be God-fearing Christians so afraid of judgment?

 

The Gospel message is unabashedly pointed in its presentation of the reality of sin and its consequences, but at the same time is unabashedly clear about the reality of justification in Christ Jesus. This is beautifully summed up in Romans 3:23-24:

[For] all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

 

In his First Epistle to the notorious Corinthian church, Paul did not hesitate to warn them about sin, even as he affirmed their sanctification and justification in Christ:

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

 

For those who are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation. Paul writes in Romans 8:1-2:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

If we are in Christ Jesus, there is no reason to be afraid of judgment.

 

Rather, God's judgment would be a form of vindication for those in Christ Jesus.

 

To be "justified" is to be declared righteous, like in a court of law. Someone who is truly innocent has has no reason to fear the judgment of a righteous and holy God.

Like in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, when Jesus returns at the Second Coming, the wicked are cast into eternal punishment, while the righteous are brought into eternal life (Matthew 25:31-46).

 

For the righteous, judgment is not to be feared as condemnation or punishment. Instead, it vindicates them. The Book of Revelation records the cries of the saints in heaven to God:

"How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" (Revelation 6:10)

The question, then, is this: Are you in Christ Jesus, or not? If you are, you would welcome judgment because you have nothing to fear. If not, it would be "a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31).

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice": Have we gotten church wrong?

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice," God spoke through the prophet Hosea as He pointed out the grievous sins that Israel and Judah had committed (Hosea 6:6).

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice," said Jesus when the Pharisees questioned Jesus' disciples as to why their Teacher was eating with tax collectors and "sinners" (Matthew 9:9-13).

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice," said Jesus again when the Pharisees rebuked Jesus and His disciples for picking some heads of grain and eating them on the Sabbath. Jesus then headed to the synagogue and healed a man with a shrivelled hand (Matthew 12:1-14).

Having been raised in a Christian home, and having attended church ever since I was born, "being Christian" has essentially meant attending church every Sunday, reading my Bible and praying every day, attending cell groups and Bible studies and living a good personal life. That was what I was taught about how to be a "good Christian".

On the other hand, failing to attend church and missing Bible studies were a big no-no; these were only pardonable if I had some legitimate reason.

But what does the Lord truly desire of us?

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus illustrated the meaning of "mercy" by telling of the priest and the Levite who walked on without caring for the injured man, while on the other hand, the Samaritan went the extra mile to show concern for him and ensure that he was being cared for.
 

In the parable, Jesus seemed to care very little about the fact that the priest and the Levite were "religious" people, who were probably on their way to or from their religious duties. Instead, the hero of the story was a despised Samaritan who his neighbour and showed mercy.

Have we gotten church wrong? Where do our priorities lie?

Surely, salvation is by grace through faith alone (Romans 3:23-24), but likewise we are called to work out our salvation "with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12) and to express our faith in love (Galatians 5:6).

In our weekly Sunday rituals, have we forgotten the poor, sick, homeless, orphans, widows, aliens, unborn, or disabled? Have we forgotten those who are sexually broken and crying out for love and affection yet finding these in all the wrong places?

Will we be the people to whom the Lord will say "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me" (Matthew 25:35-36)? 

Or will the Lord say to us, "depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)?