The queen fulfils her coronation Oath to uphold the true profession of the Gospel

On 2 June 1953, 60 years ago today, the queen on her coronation took an oath.

She was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury, ‘Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel?’

She answered, ‘All this I promise to do.’

Gillan Scott has usefully catalogued on his blog excerpts from the Queen’s Christmas messages over the last few years and says, I believe correctly, that she has become ‘one of our nation’s greatest evangelists’.

And one does not have to look far in these speeches to see the evidence of her own faith in Christ and the Christian Gospel:

‘For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.’ (2000)

‘I draw strength from the message of hope in the Christian gospel.’ (2002)

She sees both the beauty in man (being made in the image of God) but also our fallenness and need for redemption:

‘Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive.’(2011)

She emphasises the historic truths at the heart of our faith, that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead:

‘…Jesus of Nazareth who, often in circumstances of great adversity, managed to live an outgoing, unselfish and sacrificial life.’ (2008)

‘His death might have been the end of the story, but then came the resurrection and with it the foundation of the Christian faith.’ (2000)  

‘Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith.’ (2012)

And she goes on to emphasise what is at the very heart of the life of faith of the believer:

‘God sent his only son “to serve, not to be served”. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.’ (2012)

 What is our rightful response to Jesus, she asks:

‘The carol, In The Bleak Midwinter… gives the answer “Yet what I can I give him – give my heart”. (2012)

The heart, biblically speaking, refers to our whole selves – mind, will and emotions.

In Passion Week, just before his crucifixion, Pharisees and Herodians sought to catch Jesus out by asking him whether the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar.

The plan was to put Jesus in an impossible position.

If he said ‘no’ he would be in trouble with the Romans, the governing authorities. If he said ‘yes’ he would lose the popularity of the people.

His answer was brilliant:

Jesus knew their hypocrisy. ‘Why are you trying to trap me?’ he asked. ‘Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.’ They brought the coin, and he asked them, ‘Whose image is this? And whose inscription?’

‘Caesar’s,’ they replied. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’ And they were amazed at him.

Roman coins carried the image of the emperor and so they belonged to the emperor.

This of course begged the question of what it was that carried the image of God.

The Pharisees, who in spite being hypocrites knew their Bibles, would have known the answer to this question.

It is human beings who carry God’s image (Genesis 1:27).

The implication is clear. Human beings belong to God (Psalm 24:1) and so should give their hearts – their whole selves – to God.

This is what the queen, in upholding her coronation oath, encourages all of us to do.

So have you? 

Won’t a good moral life get me to heaven?

Peter Ustinov, the famous actor, was asked in a television interview for his 'doctrine of man'. He gave the reply 'Man is essentially good!' and was rewarded with sustained applause from the audience.

Even among those who believe in the reality of heaven and hell, the popular conception is that the latter must be reserved only for arch villains like Stalin, Hitler or Genghis Khan - perhaps along with a handful of gang rapists and serial killers.

Most people, however, are thought good enough to pass the test. This sort of thinking is widespread but totally at odds with the Christian Gospel.

Our acceptance by God does not depend on our goodness, but rather on his mercy (Lk 18:9-14; Tit 3:5). In answering the question 'Won't a good moral life get me to heaven?' we need to bear in mind the following:

1.The Reality of Judgment

The Bible teaches that death leads not to extinction of perception, not to reincarnation, not to a disembodied existence of the soul - but rather to judgement (Heb 9:27). At this point there is a separation between those who are consigned to Hell, and those who are to receive resurrected bodies (Phil 13:2; 1 Cor 15:35-56; 2 Cor 5:1-9) and join Christ as his subjects in a new heaven and earth (Is 65:17-25; Is 66:22-24; Rev 21:1-5). Any who doubt the reality of Heaven and Hell should be reminded that this is the teaching of Jesus Christ himself and his apostles (Mt 10:28, 11:20-24, 13:37-43, 47-50; 25:31-46; Jn 5:22-30; 2 Thes 1:7-10; Rev 20:11-15).

2.The Pass-Mark of Perfection

God's standard is not that we be better than others, but rather that we be perfect (Mt 5:48). To stumble at just one point is to fail completely (Jas 2:10). Furthermore in God's eyes bad thoughts are no less evil than bad actions - lust is equivalent to adultery (Mt 5:27,28) and anger to murder (Mt 5:21,22). As we become conscious of God's real standards, it becomes apparent that even the morally upright fall short of them (Rom 3:20) - as the examples of the apostle Paul (Phil 3:4-7) and the Rich Young Ruler (Mt 19:16-30; Mk 10:17-30; Lk 18:18-30) clearly demonstrate.

3.The Universality of Sin

With this standard in mind it is clear that there is no-one 'who does what is right and never sins' (Ec 7:20). To the contrary all have fallen short (Rom 3:9-12, 23; Ps 14:2-3, 53:2-3). Even our good deeds are bad in God's sight (Is 64:6). Since we cannot save ourselves it follows that our only hope is to be rescued by God (Mt 19:25-26).

4.The Perfection of Christ

By contrast with man, the sinlessness of Christ is taught in the Bible as an established fact (Is 53:9; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22; 1 Jn 3:5). He can confidently challenge his accusers to find fault 'can any of you prove me guilty of sin?' (Jn 8:46). He is therefore the only way to God (Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim 2:5).

5.Salvation only by faith

Eternal life therefore cannot be gained by our own efforts. It is a free gift of God which must be received by faith (trusting belief) in Christ (Rom 1:17; 3:22; 6:23; Gal 2:16; Eph 2:8,9; Phil 3:9; Tit 3:3-6; Heb 11:6). If we could achieve it by our own efforts, it would not have been necessary for Christ to give his perfect life on our behalf (Gal 2:21). It is Jesus’ death on the cross on our behalf for our sins which is what makes it possible for us to be saved from what would otherwise be inevitable judgement (Jn 3:16; 1 Cor 15:3; Gal 1:4; 1 Jn 3:16).

Sometimes the question is put around the other way. If God is good then surely he would not send people to Hell? But this is to misunderstand the sinfulness of man and the holiness and moral purity of God. Sinful man simply cannot stand in God’s presence so could never exist in heaven.

On earth we are sheltered from the reality of judgement in order to give us a chance to come to God willingly to receive his forgiveness. He has furthermore, through Jesus Christ, done everything necessary for that to happen. But if we refuse that and thereby shake our fists at him in defiance then there is no other offer on the table. It is his universe not ours and there is only one other possible destination.

A good moral life cannot get us to heaven. It is not good people who go to heaven, for no-one is good enough. Good people (those who think they are good enough) go to hell. Bad people (those who realise they fall short of God's standards and look to his grace and mercy) go to heaven if they put their faith in Christ (Jn 3:16, 5:24).

The real meaning of the Tarot – 'The Lovers'

Many people use tarot cards for divination, but this is to miss their true significance and meaning.

It is far better to seek to understand their symbolism and the ancient wisdom that lies behind it because it tells us how to make sense of the world and live in it.

The Rider-Waite tarot deck is the most popular Tarot deck in use today in the English-speaking world.

I have already explained the rich symbolism behind the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ card and now move to ‘The Lovers’.

In this card we see two human figures, two trees and a third suspended figure with the sun shining behind its face.

We have already introduced in the first card the concept of the creator God – denoted by the Hebrew tetragrammatton YHWH – who stands outside the world distinct from it and is represented by a host of different symbols each of which tell us something about his character and purposes.

In the wheel of fortune card he is represented by the lion, bull, eagle and man. He is further depicted there as a lion bearing a two-edged sword – known as the Lion of Judah.

In this card we see him, in keeping with elements of this earlier symbolism, with the face of a man but bearing the wings of an eagle.

On this occasion he is seated not outside the world but is entering into it in order to enjoy a relationship with human beings.

The scene is one of perfect harmony. The human figures, male and female, are naked but not ashamed and enjoy close relationship with both each other and God.

There are two trees in the background, one bearing fruit with a serpent wrapped around its trunk, and the other bearing leaves.

As with the wheel of fortune card, in order to understand the symbolism we need to go to the symbolism in the Old and New Testaments that make up the Bible.

In Genesis 2 we learn that God placed human beings in a garden in which the two most important trees were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

They were allowed to eat the fruit of any tree except for that from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For their knowledge of good and evil they were to rely directly on the word of God himself.

Genesis 3 (read the whole account here) tells us that the serpent (identified in Revelation 12:9 with the Devil) deceived the woman and the man into doubting the word of God and rejecting him by eating the fruit.

This led to their ejection from the garden and broke their relationship with God. This breaking of this key relationship also led to a breaking of relationships between the man and woman and between humans and creation.

But the symbolism in the card also carries signs of hope and a rescue not just for the alienated humans but also for creation itself.

The eagles’ wings point to the fact that God will initiate a rescue plan by calling out Israel into a special relationship with himself.

Exodus 19:4,5 and Deuteronomy 32:9-12 describe how God will rescue the nation of Israel (Jacob) by carrying them and protecting them with eagle’s wings. He would thereby keep his people safe out of the reach of the Devil (Revelation 12:14) and through a human descendant of Israel bring rescue to others.

The sun behind the human face is a reference to the fact that God himself will visit the planet again in the form of this human descendant with ‘a face like the sun’ (Matthew 17:2 and Revelation 1:16).

The outstretched arms point to the way in which this man will die and the clouds on which he is seated are a sign that he will later come in judgement (Daniel 7:13; Matthew 24:30).

Finally the leaves of the tree of life, depicted on the right of the picture, symbolise the healing of the nations that will arise as a result of this cosmic rescue (Revelation 22:2).

You've heard of the Ryder Cup but who was Samuel Ryder?

Well done Team Europe on a brilliant Ryder Cup victory tonight. But I wonder if you know who Samuel Ryder was and how he got interested in golf in the first place.

Samuel Ryder (24 March 1858 – 2 January 1936) was an English businessman, entrepreneur, golf enthusiast, and golf promoter who originated the idea of selling garden seeds in ‘penny packets’ and built a very successful business.

After funding an international golf competition in 1926, he sponsored the Ryder Cup, donating a gold trophy for the first biennial golf championship between the best professional golfers in the United States and the United Kingdom in 1927.

The Ryder Cup has since developed into golf's most important team competition.

Ryder was also a keen Christian and a member of our church – Spicer Street, St Albans. In fact had it not been for a conversation with the then church minister the Ryder Cup tournament might never have eventuated.

He had been a Sunday school teacher in Sale in his youth, and became president of the Mid-Hertfordshire Sunday School Union in 1911.

After moving to St Albans he joined the Spicer Street church soon after 1895 and quickly threw his weight behind the project of a new church building, Trinity Congregational Church.

After a period of ill health in 1908, Ryder's friend Frank Wheeler, preacher at Trinity, suggested that Ryder take up golf as a way to get more fresh air.

He became an enthusiastic amateur, quickly securing a single-figure handicap and joining Verulam Golf Club, where he served on the greens committee for 20 years. He made large donations to the club, and was appointed captain in 1911, 1926 and 1927.

Ryder considered that something vital was required to rouse British clubs to take a real interest and responsibility in encouraging young professionals of talent in order to match the Americans and expanded this idea with sponsorship of a succession of tournaments and challenge matches that ultimately resulted in his donation of the famous Ryder Cup.

The trophy was valued at 100 guineas and manufactured by the well-known firm of Mappin and Webb.

An informal 1926 match held at Wentworth Club between teams of professionals from Great Britain and the USA served as the impetus for the first official match for the Ryder Cup, staged at Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts, USA during June 1927.

Samuel Ryder started ‘Ryder Seeds’ in the old Dagnall Street Chapel and when he later built his premises in Holywell Hill, the old chapel became a warehouse. The packets would be posted each Friday so that his customers, working men, would receive them for their time off on Saturday afternoons. The business grew rapidly and soon employed around 100 staff.

Ryder, who was described as 'a man of strong and outstanding principles', was also active in local politics who was a city councillor from 1903 to 1916 and mayor of St Albans in 1905.

Sam Ryder died in April 1936 but his widow was a frequent worshipper at 'Spicer Street' until her death in 1955 at the age of ninety-one.

Golf is still very much part of our church’s life. Past and current members have been involved in leading Logos Golf Ministries, a Christian charity dedicated to helping Christians and Churches use golf for furthering the Christian Gospel.

What happens to those who have never heard the Gospel?

In short, we do not know! 'The secret things belong to the Lord our God' (Dt 29:29). Certainly we cannot speak for any individual. However, the Bible does not leave us totally in the dark and various approaches towards an answer can be made.

We are not here considering the fate of those who openly reject Jesus. The Bible has much to say on that score (eg 2 Thes 1:8-10). Rather we are considering the fate of those who through no fault of their own have never heard of Jesus. We only need to think of all those who died before Jesus was ever born to realise the scale of the problem. What then can we say?

The Justice of God

If Christianity is true, then God is a morally perfect and just being. He also knows everything and his very nature is love. The idea that on the Day of Judgment there will be a massive miscarriage of justice, either because God didn't know or didn't care is inconceivable. Such a God would be an evil tyrant, not the merciful Lord revealed by Jesus. So whatever does happen would leave any moral observer entirely satisfied that the God of all the earth has done right (Gn 18:25).

General Revelation

No-one is totally ignorant about the true and living God. 'For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse' (Rom 1:20). This includes the moral character of God as evidenced by our consciences (Rom 2).

The Old Testament Heroes

The Old Testament heroes of faith had little knowledge of Jesus yet found God's mercy. Jesus described Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as feasting in the kingdom of heaven (Mt 8:11) while heaven itself is described as being at Abraham's side (Lk 16:23). Christ's sacrificial death on the cross hundreds of years later seems to have acted retrospectively for them (Rom 3:25, Heb 9:15). Is it not possible then for others who have not heard of Jesus to respond to the knowledge of God they do have in the way those heroes did?

We needn't conclude from this that such an admission would be to undermine the church's missionary task. After all, those men were the shining exceptions, not the rule. Moses descended from his encounter with God on the Mount to find the Israelites worshipping a golden calf! The lament of the Psalmist was that God looks down from heaven to see if there are any who seek God, only to find 'Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no-one who does good, not even one' (Ps 53:1-3). Rather, it is the preaching of the Gospel that is God's chosen means of disturbing the complacent, bringing conviction of sin and calling men to himself. Those who hear his call begin to seek after God for mercy and forgiveness.

The Honest Seeker

Jesus promises that those who do seek after God will find him (Mt 7:7).This may mean that they will come to hear the good news about Jesus in this life. But clearly that wasn't the case for the Old Testament characters. It may therefore mean that such people can live without any assurance of forgiveness and yet are forgiven by God through the atoning death of Jesus, after casting themselves on God for his mercy. The Gospel then would bring such seekers not so much forgiveness itself as the assurance of being forgiven.

Summary

Only God knows how individuals will fare on the day of Judgment. Such matters are no proper concern of ours. 'Vengeance is mine, ' says the Lord, 'I will repay' (Rom 12:19). Yet we have every reason to believe that God will do what is right. Everyone has enough knowledge of God in order to seek after him but the general situation is that men do not, even though their consciences condemn them. Hence we are called to proclaim the Gospel and urge that men and women be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20). Certainly, those who have heard the Gospel and rejected God's offer of forgiveness will be judged on a totally different basis from those who while remaining in substantial darkness earnestly seek the truth, confess their sins and cast themselves on the mercy of God.

(From CMF's Confident Christianity Course)

A short five point explanation of the Christian Gospel

GOD (Rules) God really exists! He made the world, and that includes you and me. We believe this because he has clearly revealed himself in the historic person of Jesus Christ whom he raised from the dead. Jesus is the rightful ruler of the world.
See Gen 1:1; Mt 28:18; Phil 2:9-11.

MAN (Rebel) None of us has lived consistently as though this was the state of affairs. We have all by degree assumed that we have the right to run our own lives. Sometimes we have consciously disobeyed God; at other times we have just ignored him. It amounts to the same thing, rebellion.
See Mk 7:21-23; Rom 3:12; 1 Jn 3:4.

GOD (Repent) In Christ, God tells us that this is not our world to live in according to our selfish desires. It is God's world. Therefore we should stop rebelling against him and live in the world the way he has designed us to live in it. He calls us to come into his 'Kingdom', that is to submit to his kingly rule in our lives.
See Mt 7:21; Mk 1:14,15; Acts 17:30.

WHAT IF I DON'T? (Unforgiven) If we refuse God's offer of forgiveness and reconciliation, we will remain unforgiven and unreconciled. Ultimately, rebels will be overthrown.
See Mt 7:23,26,27; Rom 1:18; 2 Thess 1:8,9.

WHAT IF I DO? (Forgiven) If we stop rebelling and bring our lives under God's rule, he treats us as though we had never rebelled against him. He accepts us wholeheartedly because Jesus in dying on the cross took upon himself the punishment we deserve. A whole new relationship with God then opens up. We become his friends and are adopted into his family and will live with him for all eternity after death in the glorious new world that is coming.
See Jn 3:16; Rom 6:23, 8:1,15; Col 2:14.