Scriptural As One of the Values of the Upcsa

“SCRIPTURAL” AS ONE OF THE VALUES OF THE UPCSA

The exposition of the values of the UPCSA is gaining momentum every month. This month, we are focusing on being “Scriptural” as one of the values. I have read the contributions submitted by the colleagues in the ministry and they are so profound, insightful and challenging.
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave to you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:7-8)
We are grateful to the Revs Lydia Neshangwe, Colin Campbell, Jane Nyirongo and Hein Barnard for the courage and willingness to send the messages. It is hoped that you will be inspired as you read the contributions.
PLEASE SHARE WITH THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT ARE NOT ON INTERNET AND YOUR ENTIRE CONGREGATIONS.

“SCRIPTURAL” - A VALUE OF THE UPCSA: BY THE REV LYDIA C. NESHANGWE (Lydia Neshangwe is a minister at St Andrew’s – Hillside within the Presbytery of Zimbabwe)

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

At times our Christian witness selfishly points to ourselves, or arrogantly points to our culture, or legalistically points to our church traditions. It is then that we have stopped being scriptural. We then need to take heed of John Wesley’s caution when he said, "The Church is to be judged by the Scriptures, not the Scriptures by the Church." The UPCSA upholds the value of being ‘scriptural’ as important. It is indeed an indispensable value if we want to remain in truth and effective as a church.

Why is it necessary to be scriptural?

To address this question, let us look at a story told by an evangelist. The story goes that one day the evangelist, an avid climber, was climbing a steep ‘challenge’ mountain. When he was nearing the top of the mountain he found himself at a slope so steep that it was actually vertical. There were two small rock ledges where he could place his foot in order to climb onto more stable horizontal ground. He took a long time to decide which outcropping of rock to step on and put his weight on in order to get him up. He studied the two options before him because, if the outcropping was rock solid, it would lead him to the top, but if the outcropping was faulty or weak and he put his whole body weight on it, it would crumble and he would fall to his death. That choice was an important one for him for it could lead to either life or death.

When we choose the scriptural ‘rock’ as a church we make a decision to be on the solid ground of God’s word and God’s will. When we choose the unscriptural ’rock’ we choose the way of instability and spiritual death as a church. If it is not scriptural, it is not solid enough to hold us, and if it is not strong enough to hold us, it is not strong enough to keep us together.

Why do we need the Holy Spirit in order to be scriptural?

The good thing about our quest to be scriptural is that we have the Holy Spirit to illuminate, convict and help us apply the teachings of Scripture to our human understanding and to our hearts. This role of the Holy Spirit is important firstly because in ourselves, we human beings are unable to find and know God. Not by our intellect nor by striving to be better people nor by spiritual and religious practices of any kind are we able to bridge the abyss between God and ourselves.

Secondly, we live in a world that is ripe with various mistaken conceptions and so many competing opinions and theories so that we need the Holy Spirit for counsel and guidance. For when we are scriptural, we will find that we can know how to live “in the world” while being “not of the world” (John 17).

When it is correctly interpreted with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Scripture can be fully relied on in all that it teaches. It is a sure, dependable and trustworthy authority, a solid rock that stands despite the unstable ground that exists in the world around us. “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

“SCRIPTURAL” AS ONE OF THE VALUES OF THE UPCSA: BY THE REV COLIN CAMPBELL(Colin Campbell is a minister at Goodwood with the Presbytery of the Western Cape)

The Values we have as a Denomination are to guide us in our behaviour towards each other and the world we live in today. So when we consider the value “Scriptural” we have to consider that we are from a reformed tradition, and being Reformed is summarized by the 5 “Sola’s” the one in consideration today being “Sola Scriptura”, meaning that only scripture is to be our guide and not traditionor human opinion.

Part of the preamble read at an ordination or induction service contains the following: “This Church accepts the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as inspired by the Holy Spirit to be the uniquely authoritative witness to Jesus Christ and as such the Word of God and the final rule of faith and life.”

In the Bible, three verses stand out for me when I consider “Scriptural”, as relating to the Word of God, They are the following:

-Ephesians 6:17; “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

-Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

-Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

As we read the Bible, so by the Holy Spirit we need to allow God’s Word to penetrate deep into our hearts and lives, and to reveal and bring to the light our own thoughts and attitudes. These are not always right and need to be brought to the light, so that we can confess them, repent from them, be set free and forgiven, and ready to use God’s Word as a sword, a weapon against the temptations of Satan as Jesus did when He said again and again, “It is written ...; It is written ... ; It is written ….”

Accepting Scriptural as a value means we continually Walk in the Light, allowing God’s Word to be a lamp to our feet, a light to our path, as the Psalmist tells us.

In reflecting on the value Scriptural, I would also encourage you to study The UPCSA Confession of Faith section 6 under The Revelation of Redemption; called: Revelation, Scripture, Preaching and Personal Witness. In reflecting on “Scriptural” as a value, I have found encouragement from God’s Word, and the Confession as I have been led by the Holy Spirit. May you also find that encouragement.

Blessings.

“SCRIPTURAL” - A VALUE OF THE UPCSA: BY THE REV JANE MOYO NYIRONGO (Jane Nyirongo is a minister at Garden Presbyterian, Lusaka within the Presbytery of M’chinga. She is also the Moderator of the Synod of Zambia)

INTRODUCTION

Part of our preamble reads:

“This Church accepts the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament as inspired by the Holy Spirit to be the uniquely authoritative witness to Jesus Christ and as such the Word of God and final rule of faith and life.”

Human beings are relational beings. We have all types of relationships, but the most important relationship you can have in this life is with God. But again it is very difficult to have a relationship with someone you don't know.

IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURES

Through the Holy Scripture and by faith, we come to understand what God is like, God’s thoughts, God’s plans and promises for us. Time and again, scripture has opened for men and women the way to God.Yes, “Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the Word ofChrist”. (Romans. 10:170

There are two Greek words translated as ‘Word’ in our English Bibles. “LOGOS” often referring to the written or inscribed ‘Word’, and “RHEMA” often referring to the living or life giving ‘Word’. Jesus said, “It is written (Logos) man shall not live by bread alone, but by every ’Word’ (Rhema) that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

In Acts 17:11, it is said of the Bereans,“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character thanthe Thessalonians for they received the ‘message’ (Rhema) with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures (Logos) every day to see if what Paul said was true.” This verse illustrates the inseparable bond between the Logos and the Rhema. They always work together. We must know the Scriptures‘Logos’ to judge (discern) whether the word (Rhema) that comes to us is really from the Lord or some other spirit. The Holy Spirit (Rhema) and the Holy Bible (Logos) always agree.

Jesus said of the Pharisees,“You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures (Logos)or the power of God (Rhema).”(Matthew 22:29 (NIV).

Many church leaders and members know neither the Scriptures nor God's power. Such people make God want to ‘throw up’. (Revelations 3:15-16)

“ … The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them” (2 Chronicles 16:9 (King James).

Oh how we need to hear His voice today. We can only live,i.e. have the life and blessings of the Lord in our church today by hearing every Word that continues to proceed from God's mouth to our hearts. God wants a people that will dwell in and walk in His Word, so that they become living epistlesknown and read by humankind.(2 Corinthians 2:23)

HINDRANCES TO HEARING GOD'S VOICE

But there are a number of obstacles hindering us from hearing what God is saying through the

Scriptures and His Spirit. Some of these are:

1. Earthly Pressures.Balaam was pressurised to humour the king than to listen to God.

We should be watchful because we also have powerful people who may want us to abuse the Scriptures to please them. (Numbers 22)

2. Wrong Intentions. In the book of Acts, Ananias and Sapphira were pretending to give their money to the work of the Lord but were really keeping much for themselves and it costed them their lives. (Acts 5) They thought they could deceive God. “...... man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

3. Hardness of the Heart. Today, if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts. (Hebrews 4:7)

4. UnregenerateConditions.We need to be born again to hear His voice. “...... , the sheep hear His voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10:34; 16) Anyone canintellectually read the scriptures, but it takes faith to believe. (James2:19, Romans 10:8-13)

5. Preconceptions hinder obedience of God's word Naaman almost misses a blessing because of his preconceived ideas of how the prophet should heal him. (2Kings 5) Let us be the Church that hears God's voice and do His will.

CONCLUSION

The Word of God is one of our values because:

a. The Word of God is flawless (2 Samuel 22:31).

b. Your Word is a lamp to my feet (Psalm 119:105).

c. Is not my Word like fire, saysthe Lord, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29)

d. Your Word is truth (John.17:17).

e. For the Word of God is living (Hebrews 4:12).

f. But my Word will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).

g. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John

1:1)

Let the UPCSA desire to know God and understand God’s will for God’s Church through the Holy Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Shalom

SCRIPTURAL AS A VALUE OF THE UPCSA: BY THE REV HEIN BARNARD(Hein Barnard is a minister of the UPCSA, seconded to the Bible Society at Kempton Park).

Have you ever given it a thought what life would have been without the Bible? To mention a few - there would have been no UPCSA (or any other denomination), no congregations, no church buildings, no ministers, no elders, no associations, no Presbyteries, no General Assemblies, no Manual of Faith and Order, no faith, no hope after the death of a loved one, no real peace – but most of all – no salvation!

No wonder we need to look at one of the five Latin phrases (slogans) that emerged during the Reformation – Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone). We need to bear also in mind the other 4 phrases – faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone and to the glory of God alone. Without the first “sola” there would have never been any of the other “sola” phrases

The surprising fact is that the concept of sola Scriptura goes further back in history – to the church fathers like Ireneaus of Lyons (in 202 from Against Heresies, 3.1.1), Tertullian of Carthage, Hippolytus, Eusebius of Caesarea, Athanasius of Alexandria, Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom and Augustine of Hippo.

Sola Scriptura means that the Bible you and I read is the infallible source of divine revelation and the final authority for matters of faith and practice. This is evident in the words of 2 Tim 3:16. The divine origin of the Bible is the reason for the power to convert a human being to follow Jesus Christ and train that same person to live in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Sola Scripturadoes not mean that all truth is contained in the Bible, but rather that all mankind needs to know for salvation is contained within its pages.

It was the conviction that the Church of the day had moved away from the original, essential teachings of Christianity that led to the Reformation that started in 1517. It is the responsibility of every elder to pay attention to the teachings in the sermons and other occasions where ministers bring the Word of God – is it God’s Word or man’s word? Every believer should read, reflect and question what is being taught in their respective congregations as disciples (learners) to go out and lead others to the Word and its Author. It is also the responsibility of every minister to read and interpret the Word of God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Every word of the 66 books of the Bible is inspired by God’s Holy Spirit. Therefore, the One who inspired the Word is also the One who interprets that same Scripture.

The phrase sola Scriptura fuelled also the translation of the Bible into German, French, English, etc. This is one of the core activities of the Bible Society in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. This is done upon a request by different denominations using the same language. The Bible Society facilitated the translation of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek in the 11 official languages of South Africa, except English. We are currently busy in South Africa with a new translation of the Bible in isiZulu, Afrikaans and in a first English translation – the English Bible for the Deaf. We are called to focus on Scripture, accept salvation by grace through faith, magnify Christ, and live for God’s glory.

“Scripture is therefore the perfect and only standard of spiritual truth, revealing infallibly all that we must believe in order to be saved and all that we must do in order to glorify God. That—no more, no less—is whatsola Scripturameans.” – John MacArthur

Sola Deo Gloria!

Once again, thanks to the contributors of these reflections.
I continue to make an appeal to the colleagues to consider sending their reflections on the values of the UPCSA. Values play a pivotal role in aligning the members of the body with its vision and mission – THE CORE BUSINESS. In May, we shall focus on the value of ‘INTEGRITY’.
LUNGILE MPETSHENI