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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We hear this word all too frequently. It is a most convenient word, however few realise its true meaning. Radicalisation is the word to which I am referring.
We hear of young men, and women, being ‘radicalised’, and many gloss over its current significance.
Some may even wonder what can be done, if anything at all.
We leave our present studies in the Gospel of Luke, briefly, although we are not leaving Luke’s Gospel because it is in Luke Chapter 3 and at verse 9, that John the Baptist speaks about the axe being laid at the root.
As John prepared for Jesus Christ to walk onto the world’s scene, never again to leave it, he speaks about how the old ways would be cut down if the tree did not produce good fruit.
We are experiencing the most challenging days of our lifetimes. Many are unaware of the severity of the circumstances.
True genuine radicalisation arises in Luke’s Gospel, where John the Baptist is preparing the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Saviour and Lord.
Radicalisation means that the root is going to be affected, and biblically speaking, that means sin is going to be dealt with, and only Jesus Christ can deal with sin.
Only God can forgive sin, and that involves the shedding of blood.
We are reminded of all this during Passover, when we recall how Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb, was crucified, shedding His blood to wash away sin.
The contemporary usage of ‘radicalised’ might better be called poisoned, duped, or deceived.
Any radicalisation which does not involve Jesus Christ, and the shed blood on the cross to wash away sin, is a false and deceptive and inadequate and misleading radicalisation.
Fearlessly, John preached that it is axing time.
John is referring to the quality of the root, and if there is no fruit that tree should be axed. That is radical.
As John prepared for Jesus to walk onto the world’s stage, he taught that he was not interested if you can trace your ancestry back to Abraham.
What matters is righteousness, not race, nor ritual.
It is not just the lopping off of a few branches. It is much more serious and much more radical.
This is positive, encouraging, edifying radicalisation, which God floods with mercy, love, grace and peace.
One can choose or not choose. By not choosing, one makes a choice!
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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