From the President

Grief, Hope, and Our Mission

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Thu, 10 Nov 2016 20:58:43 +0000

Grief, Hope, and Our Mission

��ñ�� president Tom Lin sent this post-election reflection to all ��ñ�� staff and volunteers on Thursday, November 10, 2016.

Friends, it’s been a long couple of days. I’ve been on the road this week. I’m physically and emotionally spent, but I wanted to share a bit of my thinking.

As a Taiwanese American raising two half-Taiwanese/half-Korean daughters, I spent yesterday processing and grieving the divide in the society where my girls are being raised. I remember growing up in a society where others made it clear that I didn’t “belong” and that I should “go back to where I came from,” and then committing myself to changing this for the next generation. The U.S. presidential election leaves many of us—particularly women, people of color, LGBTQI staff, and immigrants—feeling vulnerable, devalued, and without hope.

I am troubled by the fact that evangelical voters split between the candidates along racial lines. The racial divide within the church seems as clear and as stark as ever before. This leaves me grieving, weary, and sobered.

Many of us are genuinely struggling, wondering where God is in all of this. What should we do?

As followers of Christ, I hope we will attempt to heed Scripture’s command to pray for the leaders of our country. Some of us will do so with hope. Some of us will do so only by faith. All of us will need to pray how Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.”

As members of the global Church, I hope we heed voices from the majority world who stand in solidarity with our challenges and have experiences to share. Church leader Duncan Olumbe from Kenya wrote yesterday:

May God walk with citizens of the USA and especially those who are Christians during this interesting phase of your history. Whether celebrating or dumbfounded, do not box God into your interpretive grid, theological or otherwise…. I sense the Golden Rule – love your enemy – will be severely tested over the coming days. Speak and post less, be more reflective, and pray even more.

As ��ñ��, we must resolutely affirm the good news we bring to campus, to every corner of the campus, including the most marginalized corners. I believe the church and our country need us to live out our commitment to multiethnicity and ethnic reconciliation now more than ever. Let us grow in entering into the discouragement and despair of our students of color. Let us continue challenging White students to renounce cultural idolatries and racism, while also trying to better understand White anger and alienation more deeply and empathetically, coming out of this election. Let us continue challenging all students to embrace God’s invitation to be ambassadors of reconciliation.

Furthermore, I believe we need to live out our commitment to women in ��ñ�� leadership. When we do so, we model what it means to treat women with the dignity and respect they are owed as people created in God’s image. We demonstrate what it means for men and women to work as partners together.

I believe we need to learn advocacy for the religious freedom of others, particularly Muslims. Thanks to our campus access initiatives, we have a good relationship with the Muslim Students’ Association. We are talking with their national executive director next week.

This election reaffirms the strategic importance of our mission. It reaffirms that we must work together to make ��ñ�� a place where women, as well as staff, students, and faculty of color, thrive, where our multiethnic communities are salt and light in the midst of darkness and hopelessness. We yearn to see this, but we cannot carry out God’s mission in our own power or own strength. This is something we can only pull off with the power of the gospel.

Brothers and sisters, we have good news to bring to the campus in this fractured and polarized time. We are people of hope! And the thirst for hope is at an all-time high. Amazingly, the early church grew and matured under leadership whose debauchery, sin, and ethnic divisions outstrip our own. So we will continue to engage the campus with the gospel, even with hope.

With gratefulness for you and our partnership in the gospel,

Tom

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Living on the Edges with Isaiah

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 15:07:54 +0000

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Living on the Edges with Isaiah

This summer, I camped in the book of Isaiah. It was eerie how the prophet matched my life in terms of polarities: joy and sorrow, triumph and tragedy, hope and despair. One passage in particular, Isaiah 43:1-7, captured my many twists and turns.

Fear Not

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”

It is easy to fall into fear when hard times occur: when a man randomly walks into my former university and shoots three students; when past ��ñ�� president Steve Hayner is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; when the chancellor of the California State System (CSU) rejects our final appeal and derecognizes our 23 chapters.

But the Lord tells us not to fear. Why? Because we are His children. Why? Because He has redeemed us. Why? Because He is sovereign.

I wish that I could understand exactly how this works. Frankly, I don’t. But I accept His imperative to be people of courage in the face of opposition, missional in the face of headwinds, and faithful in the face of discouragement.

With Us Through Tough Times

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

Passing through floods and fires is no joy. When a chapter leader is persecuted, no Teflon-proof garment eliminates the sting of rejection. When a sibling dies - as mine did last spring - there is no elimination of sorrow. When an ��ñ�� Press book is subjected to unfair “friendly fire” from a fellow Christian, there is no masking the hurt.

But the Lord promises His presence when we are in pain: “I will be with you . . . the flame shall not consume you.” In the midst of our campus access struggles, the Lord sent a surprisingly positive front-page New York Times article, ministry allies and a number of new high-capacity supporters.

A few years ago, I had dinner with an ��ñ�� alumnus. When I mentioned Isaiah 43, his eyes welled up. At 17, he was driving his older brother from their home on the Navajo reservation in Arizona to Denver. He blanked out, the car flipped, his brother died, and he was seriously hurt. Providentially, the first people on the scene were an off-duty doctor and ER nurse.

For two years, he had no memory of the event. Then, at a student conference at Campus by the Sea, it all hit him. For the next year, he told me, “I barely hung on to my sanity. But I read Isaiah 43 every day.” Through the Lord’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and a supportive faith community, he slowly made it through the fire.

Precious in His Eyes

“For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. . . . Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.”

We must never forget that the Lord is our “savior”—not just in the heaven-after-death sense, but in the right-now-life-in-the-mud sense. And we must never forget that He loves and honors us. As Isaiah reminds us, we are the apple of his eye.

As such, I believe that the Lord will do amazing things this year on a whole variety of campuses. This includes those where our chapters have been derecognized—not just at the Cal State schools, but at Bowdoin, Vanderbilt, Rollins, and Tufts as well. Look for strong chapter leaders to emerge and for missional disciples to be developed. Just as Isaiah called a righteous remnant to emerge in his day, so we call students and faculty to form countercultural communities of truth, holiness, justice, and love.

Created for His Glory

“. . . everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

The Westminster Confession reminds us that we have been created to live for God’s glory, not our own. Surprisingly - and paradoxically - when we die to self, joy abounds and fear recedes.

And so, as a community, we rejoice at His abundance this past year as we experienced all-time high numbers of core students, faculty, new believers, and staff. In our 73-year history, we have never experienced such abundance. To Him be all glory.

As we live on the edges of Isaiah 43, we are reminded to fear not, to live in His presence, to revel in His care, and to live for His glory. For it is often in turbulent times, when we are humble and dependent, that He astounds us the most.

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From the President

At Stake: Religious Liberty

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:59:18 +0000

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Alec Hill, President of ��ñ��

At Stake: Religious Liberty

I’m upset.

Last month, the Federal government mandated that Catholic universities, hospitals and charities must provide – and pay for – contraceptives to their employees and students. The mandate may also – depending upon interpretation – include the provision of sterilization services and the morning-after pill.¹

Why should I care? I am not Catholic. Nor do I agree with Catholic teaching on contraception.² Politically, I am a moderate and hence not prone to condemn every governmental edict.

I care because this matter touches upon the religious freedom of us all. I care because ��ñ�� is engaged in a parallel struggle. Over the past 18 months, our status as a recognized student organization has been challenged on 41 campuses.

Reasons for Concern
I’m upset because the mandate compels a religious community to act contrarily to its understanding of Scripture. In doing so, it violates a long-held American social contract that – for the most part – allows such communities to practice beliefs that are outside the cultural mainstream. In my dark moments, I fear that we are entering an era where the majority will increasingly impose its views upon beliefs it regards as backward.

I’m upset because the mandate is an anathema to practicing Catholics worldwide, a direct contradiction of Catholic teaching. Many dioceses are moving towards civil disobedience. Arizona Bishop Thomas Olmsted writes: “Unless the rule is overturned, we will be compelled to either violate our consciences, or to drop health coverage for our employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). We cannot – we will not—comply with this unjust law.”

I’m upset because of a cultural impulse to narrowly limit faith to matters of preaching, communion and baptism. Before drafting this essay, I read numerous writers who support the health care mandate. A common underlying assumption seems to be that religion is tolerable so long as it is segmented, privatized and outside the public realm. As a believer in the lordship of Jesus, I simply cannot accept this point of view.

Reasons for Hope
In mid-January, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously recognized the rights of religious groups to hire people of faith.³ Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: “The interest of society in the enforcement of employment discrimination statutes is undoubtedly important, but so, too, is the interest of religious groups in choosing who will preach their beliefs, teach their faith and carry out their mission.”

In recognizing the dynamic contribution that religious pluralism brings to society as a whole, the court’s opinion serves as a welcome counterpoint to the contraception mandate. In the interface between culture and faith, these two decisions represent wildly divergent trajectories.

Call to Action
As ��ñ�� students, faculty, and staff, what role should we play in influencing this trajectory?

Let us stand in solidarity with our Catholic friends on the health care mandate. I urge you to contact your elected representatives and to ask your pastors to speak out.

Let us be winsomely courageous as we face our own religious liberty challenges on multiple campuses. We would do well to emulate our students, faculty and staff at Vanderbilt University. Recently placed on probationary status, our chapters are engaging the administration on a new policy that prohibits the selection of leaders on the basis of faith.

Let us continue to pray, sharpen our minds, share the Gospel, develop mature disciples, love our adversaries, care for the poor and be a voice of grace and truth in the public square. Simply put, our duty is to be faithful followers of Jesus. By doing so, his glory, power and redemption will impact culture in ways we cannot foresee.

^{1 – There appears to be some disagreement amongst scholars regarding the potential scope of the new Health and Human Service mandate.}
^{2 – Though I do have grave concerns about the morning-after pill.}
^{3 – Hosanna-Tabor Church v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, No. 10-553.}

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From the President

Alec Hill - Welcoming Our Largest New Staff Class Ever

webteam@intervarsity.org — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0000

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Alec Hill - Welcoming Our Largest New Staff Class Ever

For ten days every June, new campus staff gather in Madison for extensive training. This year’s class is special. Not only are they joining the Fellowship in the midst of the “Great Recession,” but they represent our largest class ever — 134 strong. This is clearly an act of God.

As I got to know many of them individually, I was impressed by both their love for God and their passion for the campus. As a group, they are deeply committed to evangelism, student leadership, chapter planting, and chapter building.

They best way to demonstrate the joy of this year’s class is via photos from our National Service Center Day. I think that you will enjoy them. Special thanks to Keith Hirata for serving as program director and to Kylene Hong for running logistics.

In the group photo above, I’m buried near the back right-of-center. As the shot was taken, I yelled, “Who pinched me?”

With Ritu Singh of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy made support phone calls from my office one night. Despite eating M&Ms in my chair (and not leaving me any), she redeemed herself by writing an encouraging note on my white board.

With Aaron Rayos of San Diego State University. His bright Bruce Lee T-shirt immediately caught my attention. Our oldest daughter attended Lee’s high school alma mater in Seattle.

Hamming it up with (from left) David Carney of Boston University, Joel Sedam of Roger Williams University, Hope Aswell of Brown, Adam Croft of Rhode Island College and Chris Corry of Bryant University.

With Jon Wanak of our ITS Team. The cut-out version on the left mysteriously shows up every June. I have tried to destroy it over the past nine years, but office staff are always one step ahead of me. Alas.

With Jason Abrams of Jackson State University. No hair vs. hair. What, me jealous?

With Link staff heading to serve sister IFES student movements in other countries. Jaimie Carlisle(from left to right) will serve in Panama, Sara Hedgecock will be in Romania and Holly Gilbo will minister to students in Canada. Great group all!

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From the President

Planning

webteam@intervarsity.org — Sun, 16 May 2010 05:00:00 +0000

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Alec Hill

Planning

During my nine years with ��ñ��, I have observed two distinct groups of staff when it comes to long-term planning. Some engage the subject with great vigor. Others are more ambivalent.

As I have searched the Scriptures and prayed, I have developed my own theology of planning. Positively, I see it as an opportunity to seek the Lord’s guidance and a process by which to better focus on that which is central to our mission.

But I also have concerns. When does planning tip to over-reliance upon our own insights? At what point does it reduce — rather than increase — our listening to the Lord?

The book of Proverbs has much to say on the subject. For example, “those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness” and “the plans of the diligent lead to profit.” But, we are also warned: “in their hearts human beings plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps” and,““many are the plans in a human heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”

So, we plan, but we do so in humility and dependence. We use our minds, but only in conjunction with our hearts. We write out detailed aspirations, but only after we’ve listened. We debate content, but only in tandem with prayer and fasting.

Jesus’ greatest command is that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Just so, Godly planning should engage our passions, our spirits, our thinking and our fortitude.

Present
As we wrap up the third year of our current five year Strategic Plan (2007-12), we have much to be thankful for. Our five strategic initiatives are:

Chapter planting and building
Evangelism
Leadership development
Multiethnicity
Field staff funding

Over the past three years, 60 new chapters have been planted with up to 20 more being launched this fall. We have seen a response to the Gospel on campus unparalleled in our 70 year history. The size of our New Area Director cohorts has nearly doubled in size. Many more ethnic minority staff are moving into positions of leadership. And, even in a time of economic uncertainty, a significant number of field staff have moved closer to their target salaries. Thanks be to God!

Perhaps the greatest benefits have been less tangible. As trust has deepened, partnerships across regional and departmental lines have flourished. We have become a stronger national movement as we better focus upon the core of our ministry — students, faculty and campus. I am also thankful for the pervasive influence of Scripture, prayer and spiritual formation within the Fellowship.

And, I am grateful for our supporters. Current intent to the Vision Campaign is now just short of nine million dollars and intended planned gifts exceed fourteen million dollars. I am particularly thankful for the way our alumni have responded: over the past few years, their annual giving has increased by nearly seven million dollars.

Future
Our next Strategic Plan will commence in a little more than two years (July, 2012). Though that seems like a long way off, it is important that we begin the conversation now. We want to hear many voices in the process. Thanks again to those of you who participated in the SWOT process — strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

In June, our Board of Trustees will set broad parameters for the new Plan. Then, in September, senior leaders will meet in Madison to lay a concrete foundation for the next Plan. Following that, the Plan will be developed in increasing detail with input from a wide variety of staff.

Prayer
In the meanwhile, we are engaging in much prayer. It is vital that we hear from the Lord. Our National Prayer Co-Directors — Jay Sivits and Joe Moore — have developed a prayer plan (what else?!). Cabinet members and trustees have committed to praying weekly for the new Plan and the Cabinet will fast together during our annual retreat in August.

What can you do? Please add the new Strategic Plan to your prayer list. Choices made will impact the Fellowship over the next decade and beyond. May we obey, honor and glorify the Lord together.

^{Alec Hill is the president of ��ñ��.}

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From the President

Alec's April 2010 Video Update

webteam@intervarsity.org — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +0000

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Alec's April 2010 Video Update

Quarterly information for staff

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From the President

Global Student Ministry

webteam@intervarsity.org — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +0000

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Alec Hill

Global Student Ministry

For ten days in early March, I had the great privilege of meeting with the presidents – named “general secretaries” in the rest of the world – from over 130 sister national student movements. The conference, held in Malaysia, was hosted by the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) of which ��ñ��/USA is a founding member. The hospitality was fabulous. The Malaysian staff team is pictured above. Annette Arulrajah, the Malaysian General Secretary, is at left below.

Since I was the only American in attendance who actually lives in the USA, I was constantly in conversation with folk from other nations – a dream come true for an extroverted internationalist like me.

My roommates were Bala Usman from Nigeria (pictured on the right, with Annette) and Fery Pasang (pictured below) from Indonesia. I will never forget the morning that Bala showed me night-before photos of a massacre of Nigerian Christians in his home town. Or Fery’s many stories about planting a new student work in Cambodia.

Every morning, I met with a “family group.” My group consisted of peers from Rwanda, Ukraine, the Middle East and Poland. The Rwandan leader, Syldio Dusabumunemyi, is 39 years old and single.

So, he is one of only a small group that is still alive today. He acknowledged his “survivors’ guilt” and is single, in part, because he struggles with issues of security/permanence in this life.

It was also my pleasure to spend time with two brothers from Papua New Guinea. They represent the entire staff from their country. With the help of alumni and volunteers, they lead a student movement of 10,000 that saw 1,000 new believers last year. What an inspiration.

I also enjoyed spending time with leaders from the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. In 1992 and 2000, I spent time in this region and fell in love with the student movements. It is such a joy to see them sending down deep roots into their college campuses. Kaspars Prusis of Latvia and Stepas Ribokas of Lithuania are pictured at left.

If time allowed, I could recount conversations with peers from Mexico, Ivory Coast, Guatemala and India. Or of the Bangladeshi student who became a Christian in the former Soviet Union, of all places. But I will save my last words for IFES General Secretary, Daniel Bourdanné. It is one of the great privileges of my life to count Daniel as a friend. Wise, visionary, pastoral and grace-filled, we are extremely fortunate to have such a leader overseeing our global fellowship. Thanks be to God.

(Alec Hill is the president of ��ñ��.)

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IFES

From the President

Alec Hill: Malaysia IFES Conference

webteam@intervarsity.org — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +0000

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Alec Hill: Malaysia IFES Conference

Every morning, I met with a “family group.” My group consisted of peers from Rwanda, Ukraine, the Middle East and Poland. The Rwandan leader, Syldio Dusabumunemyi, is 39 years old and single.

When asked why he is not married, Syldio told us his personal history. Before the 1994 genocide, he was one of 70 students involved with our sister national ministry on the Kigali campus. Hutu and Tutsi Christians — together — defied their own tribes by continuing to eat together in the university’s cafeteria. During a holiday, 60 of his friends were murdered. So, he is one of only a small group that is still alive today. He acknowledged his “survivors’ guilt” and is single, in part, because he struggles with issues of security/permanence in this life.

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From the President

Alec Hill: My Top Ten Books of the Year

webteam@intervarsity.org — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

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Alec Hill: My Top Ten Books of the Year

Each spring, I have the joy of sharing my favorite books from the past twelve months. This year's list is arranged in order of preference.

1. Deep Church by Jim Belcher (��ñ�� Press, 2009) This is one of the best books I’ve read in the past decade. A first-time author dissects divisions within the American church and proposes a constructive way forward. I will feature the book in my Spring Leadership Meeting talk, and I am asking all participants to read it in advance.

2. The Life and Times of Cotton Mather by Kenneth Silverman (Harper and Row, 1984) For over a year, this biography gathered dust in the corner of my bedroom. Frankly, reading a thick tome about a 17th century Puritan minister just didn’t seem very exciting. How wrong I was! This is a powerhouse account about a larger-than-life figure. Mather was a leading minister of his day, author of more than 400 books, the first American member of the British Royal Society of Science, a provider of the theological justification for the Salem witch trials, and deeply insecure despite all his accomplishments. He buried 13 of his 15 children and two wives of his three wives (and the last one may have been mentally ill).

3. The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal by David McCullough (Simon and Schuster, 1977) Before McCullough became famous for writing books like John Adams, 1776, and Truman, he penned this marvelous forty-year history of the Panama Canal. From the dreams — and disastrous — failures of the French to the bullying of the Theodore Roosevelt administration, the account reads better than many novels. One of the most interesting characters is Bill Gorgas, the doctor who eradicated yellow fever and malaria in Panama. A devout Christian, he regarded his medical calling to be a sacred trust.

4. The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa and Asia – and How It Died by Philip Jenkins (Harper, 2008) I simply could not put this book down. Jenkins follows up on his brilliant 2002 work, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, with an equally compelling volume. Ever wonder where those churches currently under attack in Iraq came from? Ever wonder why the Christian church all but died in so many Moslem nations? Ever wonder what happened to those church communities that were anathematized by the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D.? Jenkins answers these questions and more.

5. The Haunted Land: Facing Europe’s Ghosts After Communism by Tina Rosenberg (Vintage Books, 1995) Written shortly after the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and East Germany, the author describes scores of "villains" and "victims" from the former Soviet empire. Moral issues become clouded as villains tell their side of the story and victims turn out to be less virtuous than initially thought. A fascinating account of coming to grips with secrets, betrayal, truth, justice, and forgiveness.

6. Tyndale Commentary Series on 1 and 2 Samuel by Joyce Baldwin (��ñ�� Press, 2009) Page for page, this is a hard-to-beat series. Fabulous theologians writing to lay people like me. Uniformly excellent. In addition to 1 and 2 Samuel, I also read volumes on Judges and Ruth, 1 and 2 Kings, Job, Matthew, and John this year.

7. Africa Bible Commentary edited by Tokunboh Adeyemo (Zondervan, 2006) Every morning, I read this commentary in tandem with a Tyndale volume (see #6 above). Various African theologians exegete biblical texts. An absolute treat. In recent months, for example, I have been enjoying reading Musa Gotom of Nigeria and Isabel Apawo Phiri of Malawi.

8. Josephus: The Complete Works by Flavius Josephus (Thomas Nelson, 1998) Ok. This is an awfully nerdy choice. I mean — who actually sits down and reads Josephus? I have read around him virtually my whole adult life and finally decided to take the plunge. I have been pleasantly surprised by the readability of his _Antiquities of the Jews_ and _War of the Jews._

9. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (Norton, 1962) I realize that this novel must look horribly out of place vis-à-vis the other works on my list. I have never seen the movie — and don’t intend to — but the novel is riveting, a virtual primer on original sin. Burgess creates an absolutely irredeemable character and then gives hope of his redemption. Not for the faint of heart.

10. How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In by Jim Collins (HarperCollins, 2009) The only leadership book on the list. From his past writings (e.g. Good to Great), I get the feeling that Collins — who I don’t think is a believer — taps deeply into common grace. Some of his chapter titles could be taken straight from Scripture: "Grasping for salvation," "Undisciplined pursuit of more" and "Hubris born of success." In parts, the book reads like Proverbs revisited: pride comes before a fall; don’t be greedy; be disciplined, honest, loyal, humble, and persistent.

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From the President

Alec Hill: Reflections on the Character of God

webteam@intervarsity.org — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0000

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Alec Hill: Reflections on the Character of God

I have been reflecting on the Lord’s character recently. It is both a thrilling and humbling pursuit. In many ways, He is so unlike us — all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good. But in other ways, we are called to imitate Him.

Thirteen years ago, I wrote a book for ��ñ�� Press.¹ It was my first real point of connection with the Fellowship and, as I look back now, an important entry point. The book’s premise is that we are called to mirror three of God’s primary characteristics — His holiness, justice, and love. Each trait is mentioned more than 800 times in Scripture.

God is Holy
God is pure, separated from sin, and demanding of our total devotion. Like a spouse, He is jealous when we value other things (or people) more highly than Him.² Jesus warns us that we can’t serve two masters ³ and that our greatest duty is to love the Lord with all of our hearts, souls, and minds.⁴ Indeed, by comparison, we are to “hate” all competing loyalties.⁵

We see God’s holiness in play when He demands that we worship no other deities ⁶ and that we be morally pure before Him.⁷ We see this trait when Jesus clears the temple in anger against corruption ⁸ and again when Ananias and Sapphira are struck down for lying to the Holy Spirit.⁹

God is Just
God’s justice is revealed in many parts of Scripture. In the Ten Commandments, for example, His people are expected not to murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet.¹⁰ Why? Because He is just. In bestowing a variety of gifts on humans — including life, marriage and property — He expects those rights to be respected by others. Hence, Samuel’s sons are condemned for accepting bribes that corrupt the judicial system.¹¹

A great final judgment is coming in which God’s justice will be on full display. His wrath will be evident to wrong-doers and His rewards to the righteous.¹²

God is Loving
In the West, we hear a lot about this attribute of God. We — understandably — cherish the images of a father running to greet His wayward son and of a shepherd desperately seeking for his lost sheep.¹³ God’s mercy and forgiveness touch our deepest longings.

We are assured that His compassions fail not;¹⁴ that He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west;¹⁵ and, that He sent His son to die on our behalf.¹⁶ Like a cheated-upon spouse, He takes us back despite our many sins.¹⁷

The Centrality of the Cross
The intersection of these three traits is most graphically displayed in Jesus’ crucifixion. In His holiness, sin had to be punished. In His justice, wrath had to be expressed. In His love, a pathway to redemption had to be found.

In a stunning move, God substituted His own Son for us, casting our well-deserved punishment upon him. As our Doctrinal Statement says, “Jesus Christ…assumed the judgment due sinners by dying in our place…”

Implications for ��ñ�� Staff
Serving a holy God, we are to have no other gods — be they our family, ministry, or reputations — that compete with Him. We are to be honest, sexually pure and free from covetousness. We are to love Him more than anything or anyone else.

Serving a just God, we are called to respect the dignity of others. We are to avoid gossip and slander. We are not to favor those we know over those in other regions or departments. We are to be extra sensitive to those who are disadvantaged.

Serving a loving God, we are commanded to reflect upon our own faults before confronting others. We are to seek reconciliation with those who injure us and offer forgiveness even in the face of repeated — and grievous — harm.

This mandate is by no means easy. When Jesus calls us to “be perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect,“¹⁸ he means it. Thankfully, he also understands our imperfections and extends grace.¹⁹

Balance Needed
The human body provides an apt concluding illustration. If holiness is comparable to the skeleton in providing core strength, then justice is analogous to the muscles ensuring balance and love is similar to flesh emanating warmth.

Obviously, all three are needed in equal measure. Just imagine a body with only a skeleton — it would be rigid and immobile. Or picture muscles without a skeleton and flesh — they would be cold and improperly focused. Finally, consider flesh unsupported by any infrastructure — it would be undefined and undisciplined.

As we reflect upon God’s character, we must be diligent to keep these three qualities in balance. If we focus only upon holiness, we will drift into legalism and separatism. If we emphasize only justice, then we will find ourselves becoming harsh and itching to condemn others. And, if we preach only love, then we will float into the perilous sea of situational ethics.

May the Lord keep ��ñ�� balanced, tethered equally to each divine trait. Let not our “holiness people” set themselves apart as being spiritually superior. Let not our “justice people” hold themselves out as being closer to the heart of God. And, let not our “loving people” forget the importance of Truth.

Rather, let us strive to reflect God’s whole character.

^{1. Just Business: Christian Ethics for the Marketplace, IVP, 1997.}
^{2. Hosea 1:2.}
^{3. Matthew 6:24.}
^{4. Matthew 22:37-38.}
^{5. Matthew 10:34-39.}
^{6. Exodus 20:1-12.}
^{7. Leviticus 26:1-46.}
^{8. John 2:13-22.}
^{9. Acts 5:1-11.}
^{10. Exodus 20:12-17.}
^{11. 1 Samuel 8:3.}
^{12. Revelation 20:11-13 and 22:10-15.}
^{13. Luke 15.}
^{14. Lamentations 3:22-23.}
^{15. Psalm 103:12.}
^{16. 2 Corinthians 5:21.}
^{17. Hosea 2:1-23.}
^{18. Matthew 5:48.}
^{19. John 20:24-29 and 21:15-19.}

Alec Hill is the president of ��ñ��. In a recent chapel at the National Service Center, Alec talked about “Responding to Criticism.” To hear that talk, or download it, click here. (Time: 26:94)

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