Looking at Christ

Most Bible lovers agree that the Old Testament Scriptures promise Christ, pattern Christ (in types and shadows) and present the problems that Christ solves (e.g. how can God justly justify the ungodly). Where there is less agreement is over the question of whether, to what extent and how is Christ present in the Old Testament. When the LORD ‘appears’ to people (e.g. Gen. 12:7) is that the second person of the Trinity – a Christophany – or is it a more indeterminate ‘theophany’? When the Angel of the LORD talks to people and it seems like the LORD God is speaking (e.g. Judges 2:1-3), is that the pre-incarnate Christ addressing them or is it an angelic being who is being used as God’s mouthpiece – like the LORD speaking through a long piece of piping coming out the mouth of the angel? There are differences on this and people I hugely respect (e.g. Gerald Bray) who would decide against seeing much of the Son of God physically/visibly/audibly present in the Old Testament. I don’t ...

This is a question that came up recently at the Utumishi wa Neno training in Marsabit. And it's a good question. Underlying the question were a few understandable concerns: Doesn't preaching Christ from every chapter of the Old Testament mean that you will be forcing the Scriptures to say what they are not saying, that you will be allegorising all the time, that you will not be respecting the integrity of the Old Testament 'as it is'? Won't preaching Christ every week be boring and predictable? Don't we need to teach the full counsel of God including the commands and responsibilities, the need for faith, the good examples of the heroes of the Bible? These are important and fair concerns. Hopefully, clarifying what we mean by 'preaching Christ' should answer them: We are not trying to stick Jesus in passages where he is not. We don't want to twist the Bible. We want to bring out the meaning and impact as the Spirit intended it. And neithe...

Almost 500 years ago Martin Luther (not the King Jr) protested against the selling of indulgences by men like Tetzel with catchy ditties like "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs."  A few days ago I heard a Sunday School song that was almost as bad as Tetzel's. I forget the exact words but the essence was that if you children don't put your money in the offering bag then heaven's door will be shut to you. Martin Luther's words and stand are as relevant today as ever. We need a reformation. Luther wasn't a perfect man or a perfect theologian but then that was his big point - Christianity is about twisted sinners looking to the perfect man and his perfect sacrifice and receiving him as food for beggars. If you haven't read any Luther recently then you must. It's totally gripping, explosive, pungent language that picks you up and gives you a shake and turns you to Christ alone. Here are some links: ...