A Short Note for the Near Future

I have not fully prepared the follow up post in my Reiki series yet since I have been preparing to fly out-of-town this coming week.

I'm off to a wedding...and I'm not much of a dancer.
Be afraid.

However, I will preview my response with this:

First, the second FAQ from ChristianReiki.org:

Q. What is the best way for a Christian to practice Reiki?
A. Reiki provides a very wonderful way for Christians to make use of God's power. When giving or receiving Reiki attunements or treatments, call on God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to work directly through you and do the healing for you. This can be done through prayer before Reiki sessions, attunements or classes etc. Christians have also found praying for additional healing power from Archangel Michael, Gabriel and the other angels of God to be very effective. In this way your connection with God's love can become very powerful and act as a source of guidance, healing and love that will always be available to you.

Second, read these two quotes from the Westminster Confession of Faith (all emphasis added):

[Speaking of the 66 books of the Bible] "All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life." - Chapter 1, Section 2 

 "The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men." - Chapter 1, Section 6

Now ask yourself, how can practices found solely in Eastern mysticism be legitimately incorporated in the life of the Church?

More on this when I return in June.

Christian Reiki Series Index

This post will act as the Index for the series of posts analyzing Christian Reiki:

1. Introduction
2. FAQ 1 - Is Healing for Christians?
3. FAQ 2 - The Best Way for Christians to Practice Reiki?
4. FAQ 3 - Why is Attunement Necessary?
5. FAQ 4 - How Can We Know Reiki is from God?
6. FAQ 5/6 - Is Reiki a Religion? A Cult?
7. FAQ 7 - What about Reiki Symbols?
8. FAQ 8 - What are Reiki Guides?
9. FAQ 9 - Is Reiki Wizardry or Black Magic?
10. FAQ 10 - Is Reiki a Buddhist Practice?
11. FAQ 11 - How Should Christians Handle Healing Done in the Name of Jesus?
12. FAQ 12 - Is Reiki Right for All Christians to Practice?

Reiki FAQ #1: Is Healing for Christians?

For the Introduction, see here.
-------------------

Woman receiving Reiki treatment.

From the FAQ at ChristianReiki.org:

Q. How do we know that healing is appropriate for Christians to do?

Here is the answer they provide:

A. In I Corinthians 14:1 Paul tell us to eagerly desire spiritual gifts. In I Corinthians 12:28 Paul says that healing is one of the gifts. Paul also says that each of the gifts is best expressed with love. Also, Jesus is quoted in John 14:12 as saying, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father." We know that Jesus practiced laying on hands type healing, therefore, it is scriptural for Christian to practice healing by laying on hands.

 Their line of reasoning becomes our outline:

1. Paul says to eagerly pursue spiritual gifts; and
2. Healing is one of these gifts; and
3. Love is the best way to express these spiritual gifts; and 
4. Jesus said His followers would do what He did, and even greater things; and finally
5. Jesus used the "laying on of hands" to heal people; therefore
6. The use of "laying on of hands" through Reiki has Scriptural foundation.

1. Paul says to eagerly pursue spiritual gifts.

Spiritual gifts are indeed just that, gifts from the Spirit of God. Though there are a variety of gifts, there is but one Spirit, one Lord, and one God who dispenses these things. Much like the human body with its variety of members, where all the members work for and are united to the one body, so the spiritual gifts vary greatly, but all work for and are all united by the one Spirit. One important note here is that these spiritual gifts will not contradict each other, they will not work against each other, and they will not work against God's Word (see 1 Corinthians 12).

To eagerly seek the spiritual gifts is to eagerly seek the source of these gifts, which is God alone. That is, the God the Scriptures testify to; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who lowered Himself to become a man to die for sinners - this is the God who pours out these gifts. To seek the gifts and not seek the giver of these gifts is to act as an unbeliever, being led astray by idols (12:2-3).

2 - Healing is one of these gifts.
I submit that all healing in the New Testament was sudden, dramatic, and unavoidable.

First, healing was sudden such that people were healed immediately, not over a series of sessions. No one ever visited Jesus multiple times to have their illness removed. Both Jesus and the apostles healed people once with no need to rejoin them.

Second, every New Testament healing was dramatic such that it was visible and bore witnesses. Healing was not done in secret or behind closed doors. The restorations were also dramatic in the sense that they radically cured both disease and physical disability.

Lastly, New Testament healing was unavoidable. People blind from birth could permanently see again. People crippled from birth could permanently walk again. Women with uncontrollable bleeding bled no more. People who were dead for days were publicly raised and lived again. The religious leaders of Jesus' day couldn't avoid His power, and neither can we today.

3 - Love is the best way to express these spiritual gifts.
Indeed, Paul discusses the importance of love in 1 Corinthians 13, explaining that without love, all gifts are useless. Love is not without example as Jesus not only perfectly loved people, but perfectly loved the Father. Horizontal love - love toward people - is nothing unless we have vertical love - love toward God (see Matthew 22:36-40). In fact, it's not even our love toward God that is ultimately important, but God's love toward us (see Romans 5:8). Therefore, for us to love others with God's love, we need to have God's love in us (see 1 John 3:11-24).

4 - Jesus said His followers would do what He did, and even greater things.
What "greater works" is Jesus talking about in John 14:12? This portion of Scripture is Jesus' final words to His disciples in the upper room. He is talking with them about the importance of Him ascending to the Father. The next question is, "What is vital in God's plan that Jesus must ascend?" The answer is the coming of the Holy Spirit (see John 16:7), which occurs not long after Jesus' ascension (see Acts 2:1ff).

As a man, Jesus could only stay in one location at any given time. Through the apostles and other believers however, by them receiving the Holy Spirit, both the power of Christ and the gospel message could spread all over the world. The Church is called the Body of Christ after all. As John Calvin says of this verse:

"Many are perplexed by the statement of Christ, that the Apostles would do greater works than he had done. I pass by the other answers which have been usually given to it, and satisfy myself with this single answer. First, we must understand what Christ means; namely, that the power by which he proves himself to be the Son of God, is so far from being confined to his bodily presence, that it must be clearly demonstrated by many and striking proofs, when he is absent. Now the ascension of Christ was soon afterwards followed by a wonderful conversion of the world, in which the Divinity of Christ was more powerfully displayed than while he dwelt among men. Thus, we see that the proof of his Divinity was not confined to the person of Christ, but was diffused through the whole body of the Church.

"....This is the reason why the disciples would do greater things than Christ himself. It is because, when he has entered into the possession of his kingdom, he will more fully demonstrate his power from heaven. Hence it is evident that his glory is in no degree diminished, because, after his departure, the Apostles, who were only his instruments, performed more excellent works. What is more, in this manner it became evident that he sitteth at the right hand of the Father, that every knee may bow before him, (Philippians 2:10)." - John Calvin's Commentary on the Gospel of John, chapter 14 verses 8-14

5 - Jesus used the "laying on of hands" to heal people.
I will briefly mention two things:

(1) Jesus healed people by means of rubbing mud on their eyes, by having other people touch His cloak, by mere spoken word, and yes, by touching them. Laying on of hands is one of many means Jesus used to heal people.

(2) In reality, though, the means of healing are not important. Jesus, as the second Person of the trinity and God incarnate, can heal people however He wishes. This is important: Jesus healing people is not due to methodology and technique. Jesus healing people is due to Him being full of the power of the Spirit. Jesus poured out the Spirit on the apostles during Pentecost so they would possess the same power Jesus did. As a result, they too could speak in tongues, heal people, prophesy, and do all the other mighty works that Jesus did. The Spirit of God, not learning proper technique, heals people.

6 - The use of "laying on of hands" through Reiki has a Scriptural foundation.
Finally, Christian Reiki claims their technique of "laying on hands" is the same as what Jesus and the apostles did. Is this true? I submit that it is not.

On all points, I have found Reiki to be off base:

(1) Reiki claims to be practicing the spiritual gift of healing.1 If this were the case, then one would expect the central teaching of Reiki healing - the doctrine of energy chakras2 - to be present in the Scriptures. However, the idea of energy chakras are no where to be found in the Scriptures. The same goes for "life energy"3 and "attunements". The Spirit of God will not work against the Word of God; so if one claims something about God that is not in accordance with what Jesus and apostles taught, then that person is not speaking by the power of the Holy Spirit (see 1 John 4:1-6).

(2) Reiki claims they are actually healing people.4 However, their healings are not verifiable. There is no medical evidence that anyone was inexplicably healed after a Reiki session. For example, I have not seen verified reports of the dead being raised or the blind recovering sight by means of Reiki. But, if Reiki represents a different sort of healing, then where is the Scriptural evidence that there are two different sorts of physical healing?

(3) Reiki claims they are loving people by healing them via channeling God's Spirit.5,6 To truly love people, however, the person needs to be in love with the God of the Bible. Is one consistent in love by practicing healing techniques in the name of God that God  Himself speaks nothing of in His word? To love people, we need to love God; and to love God, we need to know Him by receiving His Word.

(4) Reiki claims they are practicing the works of Jesus, and even doing greater things than Him.7 Yet, for example, what is greater than raising a dead person back to life? If the answer is anything other than spiritual resurrection via believing the gospel, then that answer isn't Christian.

(5) Reiki claims they are practicing a healing technique that is irrespective of one's religion.8 Jesus and the apostles healed people because they were full of the power of the Spirit of God. Jesus did not teach a "technique" or a certain "methodology" that would allow anyone, whether they were His follower or not, to heal people. If Reiki claims they are practicing what Jesus did, then where is the Scriptural evidence that Jesus taught that healing was due to technique that anyone could perfect?

In the end, Reiki fails to show that this practice has any firm Scripture foundation. They miss the mark of accurately understanding the Scriptural proofs they provide to justify their practice.

--------------------

Notes:

1.   http://www.christianreiki.org/index.htm  - See first paragraph "Should Christians Practice Reiki?" - "She had finally decided that she must accept God's calling and the spiritual gift of healing and believes that Reiki offers the way."
   http://www.christianreiki.org/info/Articles/ReikiNameChrist.htm - See first paragraph: "Many of my Christian friends have refused to accept the spiritual gift of Reiki."
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki#Origins - "It is claimed that by a mystical revelation, Usui had gained the knowledge and spiritual power to apply and attune others to what he called Reiki, which entered his body through his crown Chakra."
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiki#Practice - "In Western Reiki, it is taught that Reiki works in conjunction with the meridian energy lines and chakras through the use of the hand-positions, which normally correspond to the seven major chakras on the body. These hand-positions are used both on the front and back of the body, and can include specific areas (see localised treatment). According to authors such as James Deacon, Usui used only five formal hand-positions, which focused on the head and neck. After Reiki had been given first to the head and neck area, specific areas of the body where imbalances were present would then be treated. The use of the chakras is widespread within Western Reiki, though not as much within Traditional Japanese Reiki, as it concentrates more on treating specific areas of the body after using techniques such as Byosen-hō and Reiji-hō, which are used to find areas of dis-ease (discomfort) in the auras and physical body."
3. http://www.christianreiki.org/info/WhatisReiki.htm - See paragraph 1: "It is based on the idea that all living things have a special energy flowing through them called life energy. When your life energy is high, you'll feel strong and confident, be more relaxed and centered and less likely to get sick. When it is low, you'll often feel tired, be more easily affected by stress and less resistant to illness."
4. http://www.christianreiki.org/info/Articles/JesusandReiki.htm - See last paragraph: "Clearly the Bible indicates that he did healing by laying on hands and also indicated that we could do the same."
5. http://www.christianreiki.org/info/Articles/TeachingsAndValues.htm - See first paragraph: "I believe that I am here on earth to help people understand that God loves them and I realize from deep within myself that this lifetime has been centered on communicating this through the values and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth."
6. http://www.christianreiki.org/info/Articles/JudithWhiteArticle.htm - See question "Does Reiki Involve Channeling" - "By most people’s definition of the word "channel" Christians channel the Holy Spirit and the prophets all channeled God."
   "It seems possible that God does send angels to help us practice Reiki -- in fact, I am quite sure I have experienced their help -- but here again I have felt it is wrong to ask to know more about them. All that a true angel desires is to glorify God, not to receive any attention itself. I simply pray that the Lord will give my client what He knows they need and ask the Holy Spirit to guide me. How God’s will is accomplished through Reiki isn’t necessarily for me to know."
7. http://www.christianreiki.org/ - See fifth to last paragraph: "In addition, many Christian seekers have found John 14:12 an important source of guidance as well as reassurance that becoming healers it is not only possible, but also something we as Christians should develop if we feel spiritually guided to do so...."
8. http://www.christianreiki.org/info/FAQ.htm - See question "Is Reiki a Religion?" - "Reiki is a simple healing technique. It does not require one give up ones religion or changes ones religious beliefs in any way to practice it. Most Christians who practice Reiki state that Reiki brings them closer to God, to Christ and to the Holy Spirit and because it is a method of healing, it helps them fulfill their Christian calling to help others."

Introduction - Christian Reiki Series

As proponents of Christian Reiki often say, "Reiki is a useful technique that helps [us] express compassion toward others and relieve suffering" while at the same time "creates a closer connection...to God."1

The purpose of this series is to cover the use of the Scriptures and the Christian religion in general by Christian Reiki proponents. As often the case when one attempts to mix the Scriptures with worldly religion or non-Biblical spiritual practices (e.g., Christian yoga), central tenets of the faith are compromised typically, but not always, centered around the use of the Scriptures and person and work of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Peter once said, 

"There are some things in them [Paul's letters] that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability." - 2 Peter 3:16b-17 (emphasis added)

As I read more into Christian Reiki (see here, here, and here), a few (among several) troubling points pop out to me:

1. Christian Reiki tends to be focused inside Roman Catholicism, although the practice is performed among non-Roman Catholic Christians as well.2
2. Christian Reiki embraces the idea of "secret knowledge" outside the received Scriptures for use by the Church.3
3. Akin to number two above, Christian Reiki embraces extra-Biblical works rejected by the Church, including the Gnostic Gospels.4

During this series, I'll interact with the FAQ at ChristianReiki.org, which attempts to answer questions and objections from people in general, and Christians in particular. I will tackle one or two FAQ entries per post. My goal is to expose the teachings of Christian Reiki to the Scriptures, to show what is truth and what is error, and to encourage followers of Jesus Christ to rely on the Bible as our only infallible source for faith and life.

I encourage proponents of Christian Reiki to interact with me here, as iron sharpening iron is good for both parties. To worship God accurately in faith and life is of supreme importance, as several episodes in the Bible point out; and I wish for all Christians to know truth from error.

--------------------


Notes:
1 - http://www.christianreiki.org/ - See second paragraph: "They have found that Reiki is a useful technique that helps them express compassion toward others and relieve suffering at the same time that it creates a closer connection for them to God."
2 - http://www.christianreiki.org/info/NunsPriestsMinisters/nunshome.htm ; 
http://christianreiki.org/info/Articles/ReikiatCatholicHospital.htm ; 
http://christianreiki.org/info/Articles/TheExperienceofaRomanCatholicReikiMaster.htm ; 
http://christianreiki.org/info/Articles/ACatholicValuesReiki.htm ; 
http://christianreiki.org/info/Articles/a.htm
3 - http://christianreiki.org/info/Articles/JesusandReiki.htm - See sixth paragraph: "The fact that Jesus had secret teachings he gave only to those who he had given healing power is clearly indicated in Matthew 13:10-11 and Mark 4:10-12 & 34. Secret knowledge is also part of the Reiki teachings in that the symbols as well as the process of doing attunements are traditionally kept secret and only made available to those who take a Reiki class."
4 - http://www.christianreiki.org/info/Articles/JesusandReiki.htm - See third to last paragraph: "The early followers of Jesus' teachings were made up of several groups including the Docetists, the Marcionites, the Ebionites, the Thomasines, the Carpocratians and the Gnostics. The Gnostics and some of the other groups practiced laying on of hands and professed to have a secret knowledge that had been passed on to them by Jesus and his disciples. They were united by their core beliefs which included: a personal experience of Jesus or the "kingdom of heaven within," their freedom and lack of rules, guidelines or creeds and their reliance on inspiration and inner guidance. Their existence is attested to by the Gnostic gospels which are part of the Nag Hammadi Library which was discovered in Egypt in 1945. The fact that Jesus had additional teachings not recorded in the Bible is attested to in a letter written in the second century AD by the early Church father, Clement of Alexandria. In Clement's letter, he spoke of a secret gospel of Mark which was based on the normal canonical one but with additions for special followers of Jesus, referred to as "those who were being perfected" and "those who are being initiated into the great mysteries.""

What Others Are Saying Regarding Christian Reiki

As I prepare for my upcoming series dealing with the various claims made by Christian Reiki trying to justify their practice from the Bible, I would like to direct your attention to these various resources and discussions.

More Books and Things book review blog takes a look at Reiki Healing Touch and the Way of Jesus by Katherine Epperly.

Defending. Contending. theology blog references the above book review, and some interesting discussion ensues in the comments.

Lighthouse Trails Research Projects' article on Reiki.

ChristianReiki.org - Read the articles on this website for a positive defense of mixing Christianity and Reiki. This will be the primary site for my examination of how Christian Reiki practitioners justify combining the Holy Scriptures and this mystical, Buddhist spiritualist practice.

Wikipedia's article on Reiki is fairly thorough.

More to come later on this week.

Pre-Introduction for the Reiki Series

As a way of anticipating my upcoming series on Christian Reiki, I would like to direct your attention to this short but salient discussion by Pastor John Piper on John 14:12, which is often used by Christian Reiki proponents as a proof text for their healing practices.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." - John 14:12

Source

Upcoming Series on Christian Reiki

Recently, I have become aware that some folks personally close to me are devoted followers of a Christian off-shoot of Reiki, which is a Buddhist healing technique involving the channeling of "life energy" through one's chakras. One can find more information regarding Reiki on Wikipedia; and for Christian Reiki specifically, ChristianReiki.org.

Next week, I'll post the introduction to the series by reviewing the general concepts of Reiki.

Stay tuned.

What Jesus Fulfilled For Us

In thinking about the afternoon sermon yesterday at my church, which covered the first half of Peter's sermon in Acts 3, this thought came to me: God used our evil against us to save us from that very evil. In other words: the sin that God hates, He used to save us and cleanse us from that very same sin. What an amazing mystery this is considering God's unfathomable hatred of sin and evil.

Peter and John healing the lame man at the
Beautiful Gate

Just after Peter and John healed the lame man outside Solomon's Porch at the Temple in Jerusalem, the crowds were, as Luke says, "utterly astonished" (vs 11). Yet Peter admonishes them by saying, "Why do you wonder at this?" (vs 11). As my pastor noted, at the face of it, Peter's question is quite silly: if I just saw a man who was unable to walk suddenly able to walk, I would be quite amazed as well, and I'm a Christian! So what's going on here? As explained in yesterday's sermon, Peter's response is similar to Jesus' response to Nicodemus in John 3: Nicodemus should have known what Jesus was talking about in regard to the Spirit because the Scriptures spoke of it. Essentially, Peter was admonishing the crowd by saying they should have known that the Scriptures spoke about these times, about the coming of the Kingdom of God with the death and resurrection of Jesus. As Peter says, it wasn't by their own "power or piety" (vs 12) that this man was healed; it was by "faith in His name" (vs 16) - Jesus' name - that this man was healed. In fact, Peter says he is now of "perfect health" (vs 16).

Jesus fulfilled something the crowds at the Temple should have known about: He fulfilled what the prophets spoke concerning our ultimate healing. Every healing Jesus and his apostles performed were an outward sign of an inward reality - namely - the regeneration of the spirit of man. When the lame man was lowered from the roof top into Jesus' midst, He said, "Your sins are forgiven" (Luke 5:20), and only later healed the man to prove a point to the Pharisees!

Yet the very means by which these physical and spiritual healings are possible is through the death of Jesus, because only through the death of Jesus could anyone be healed in any way, shape, or form! As Isaiah says:

13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
    he shall be high and lifted up,
    and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you—
     his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
    and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations;
     kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they see,
    and that which they have not heard they understand. - Isaiah 52:13-15

...

4  Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
     smitten by God, and afflicted.
5  But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
     and with his wounds we are healed.
6  All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all. - Isaiah 53:4-6

...

[12b] ....because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
    and makes intercession for the transgressors. - Isaiah 53:12b

Jesus was "marred", He has "borne our griefs and carried our sorrows", He "was pierced for our transgressions", but He now "makes intercession for the transgressors". In other words: God ordained the very sin used to kill Jesus as the means of bringing life to those self-same sinners. Jesus "was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification" (Romans 4:25) so that He would become "a life-giving Spirit" (1 Corinthians 15:45). And all of this was done "according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23).

What a grand mystery this is, that our Father would use our sin against us, so to speak, to save us from our sin. How is such a thing possible, when He is "of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong" (Habakkuk 1:13)? We simply don't know. What we do know is that what "you meant evil against...God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20) and "28 ....we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified" (Romans 8:28-30).

Peter told the crowd they "killed the Author of Life" (verse 15). Yet it was precisely because they "killed the Author of Life" that we are able live today.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. - Romans 11:33-36

What Jesus Did for Us

As I was driving to work this morning, thinking about the things of God discussed at my church's Bible study last night, I was struck by the intensity of God's love for His people. I was amazed that He would Himself become the object of wrath necessary to bring His people into true fellowship with Himself. These verses in Hosea chapter 11 reveal the dilemma of God requiring justice against His Law-breaking people while at the same time keeping His unilateral promise of love made to Abraham. Here is the relevant portion of Scripture:

5 They shall not return to the land of Egypt,
    but Assyria shall be their king,
     because they have refused to return to me.
6  The sword shall rage against their cities,
    consume the bars of their gates,
    and devour them because of their own counsels.
7 My people are bent on turning away from me,
    and though they call out to the Most High,
    he shall not raise them up at all. 

8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
    How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
    How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
    my compassion grows warm and tender.
9 I will not execute my burning anger;
    I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
     the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath. - Hosea 11:5-9

What I find amazing here is that God needs to balance both His justice - to destroy Israel because of their consistent Law-breaking - and His love for His people.

Where is God's anger coming from? It's coming from the fact that Israel, like a son, has refused to learn and obey the righteousness of their Father (vvs 1-2). They never were able to perfectly obey the Law of Moses, and so God's anger was kindled against them. Yet God promised Abraham that a great nation would come from him, that he and his offspring would be blessed by God and would be a blessing to the whole world (cf Genesis 12:1-3). How would God be able to bless these people and whole world if He ultimately destroyed them? His great name would be compromised! May it never be!

Yet God cannot over look sin (Deuteronomy 7:10), even the sin of His own people (Leviticus 26:14ff); and the blood of bulls and goats won't cut it in satisfying the wrath of God (Hebrews 10:4). So how can this dilemma - God's intense love for His people even while they are evil and sin-filled - be solved?

For our sake he made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus, the God-man, took away our guilt by, as Paul says, becoming sin - even though He Himself was sinless - so that we would become God's righteousness. Jesus secured our fellowship with God by taking on the wrath of God Himself. To paraphrase John Piper: the gospel is that God rescues us from God.

Jesus became that perfect sacrifice that God required to finally and securely take away our sin and satisfy His wrath (Hebrews 10:12-14).

God's love is a true, intense, incredible, and intimate love for His elect. His love for us doesn't mean our sins are overlooked, for there is no injustice with God. Instead, because of His love for us, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). In fact, this is why the gospel needed to be revealed apart from the Law (Romans 3:21), for in the Law there is no mercy, only punishment and destruction. 

Praise be to my God and Father in heaven, whose ways are inscrutable, and yet perfect in both love and justice!

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24  and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. - Romans 3:21-26

What Jesus Gained for Us

Today is Good Friday, the day our Lord suffered the wrath of God and died for the sake of the elect. There are many other good blog posts out there covering many aspects of this for us (see Desiring God, Pyromaniacs,  and The Gospel Coalition for a sampling).

I offer here a simple thought for today: Because of what happened this weekend all those many years ago, Jesus gained for His people entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, where we have access to the very throne room of God Himself. We do not have full possession of this blessing yet, but we do have the promised Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our future receipt of this blessing.

The King gave His Son for us....

As we go into this weekend, let us consider how we ought to live knowing that Jesus freed us from bondage of sin and death and give us the best thing we could possibly imagine: intimate knowledge and fellowship with our Creator, God and Father.