096. The Father God Who Delights To Answer His Children’s Prayers

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

It’s always encouraging to hear how God has answered prayer. Several years ago my wife and I returned to Florida to do a Healing Mission at an Episcopal Church where we had ministered several times before.  We attended church just after we arrived and sat in the congregation. I couldn’t help noticing in my direct line of vision, a young blond haired child lifted up in his mother’s arms. I thought to myself what a bright healthy looking child he was. To my surprise the mother came over at the end of the service and said to me, “Do you recognise me?”  I had to admit her face wasn’t familiar.  She told me, “Two years ago when you were here, I asked you to pray for me. I hadn’t been able to conceive and you prayed that the Lord would enable me to conceive.  Well here is the result!”  As she said the words she held up the little fellow I had seen throughout the service.  It was a great encouragement to us as we began a new mission to see how God had been at work during a previous mission two years before.

At the present moment we are in Florida once again to do another (almost) month-long Healing Mission in the same church. The Rector had kindly invited me to speak at his weekly Sunday Forum which occurs before the last of the 4 morning services. As I was preparing to speak I introduced myself to a woman sitting alone. She said, “Do you remember praying with me some years ago?” Again her face wasn’t familiar. (I think I need to develop a photographic memory!)  She went on to say that some years ago she was suffering third stage cancer in two areas of her body. She had asked for prayer and I had anointed her for God’s healing.  She said that subsequently the Lord marvellously healed her. She no longer has cancer. So once again an encouraging testimony as we began another Mission in the same church.

It made me realise that often we don’t come to know the marvellous things God has done in answer to prayer. When I was the Leader of the Healing Ministry in St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, I had the opportunity to go to many cities and country towns around the nation to teach on healing. I was amazed at the number of people who would come up to me and say that they had been to the Wednesday night Healing service in the Cathedral in Sydney some 5 or 10 or 20 years before and received prayer for healing  and had been wonderfully healed as a result. Only a few of those folk had remembered to write and tell us what had happened.

Sharing a testimony of how God has healed us is never a matter of boasting. Whenever the Lord touches anyone’s life with His healing power, it is always due to the His grace, to the outpouring of His love and mercy on those who need His touch on their lives.  So praising Him for a healing we received is exalting Him and not ourselves.  I was pleasantly surprised at the response I received to my last blog which told the simple story which came from a woman in her nineties. Her story obviously touched hundreds of people around the world. I am told that she was delighted that her story has been a blessing to so many. So even in your nineties God can still use you to His glory if you humbly share what He has done in your life with others.

It would be a great thing for the kingdom of God if more of us were willing to share the good things God has done for us in answer to prayer.  People in today’s world are desperate for hope and are longing to see that God is real. Real healings of real people stimulates faith in those who hear of those encounters. To put it in the wonderful words of Psalm 107, 1  Oh, thank GOD–he’s so good! His love never runs out.  2  All of you set free by GOD, tell the world! Tell how he freed you from oppression (The Message).

Blog 096.  Jim Holbeck. Posted from Florida on Friday 2nd November 2012

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095. Real Life Stories. “Just whisper Jesus’ name. He is only a prayer away.”

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

All of us have had significant moments in life. It may have been a chance meeting with a stranger. That meeting helped change the course of our life. Or someone said just one sentence or even a short phrase. As a result our lives were changed forever. I often meet folk who have had some unusual but very significant happenings in their lives. Most of their stories will never be known except to some family members and close friends. I hope in future days to share in these articles some of these stories. Otherwise they might never be known. Today I introduce to you an older woman whom I will call Pam. Pam is now in her nineties. (This is not her real name. She wishes to point readers to the Lord and not have them focus on herself.) This is her story in her words.

 “I was telling my story to the new Parish Priest. He thought I was a bit of a nut at first but by the time I finished, he was the one who told me to write it down for others to read. This is my story.

 Over 50 years ago I had to go from Dubbo to Sydney. It was for a very important family business matter. It was on the night train in those days. I was quite sick. On that train there was only one seat that wasn’t occupied. It happened to be alongside me. I was quite pleased about that. When we got to Blayney, a young woman got in and sat in the seat. She said she had tried to get on the train but there were no seats. Suddenly somehow there was a seat for her. She sat alongside of me and took my hand and said “You’re sick aren’t?” I was very sick and I said, “How do you know?” She replied, “I was sent here to look after you”. She put her hands on my head like a priest giving a blessing, made the sign of the cross on my forehead and said some prayers. I don’t remember what she said. Then she said, “Just whisper Jesus’ name. He is only a prayer away. Go to sleep now. You’re going to be alright.”

 When we pulled into Central Station in Sydney, we got ready to leave the train. She made the sign of the cross on my forehead again and said “Just whisper Jesus’ name. He is only a prayer away”. Then she disappeared and I didn’t ever see her again. That day everything went so smoothly for me. It was like a miracle in itself! I told just a few of my family when I came home.

Then 50 years later, I went with my granddaughter to Scotland. Some of my family came from Scotland, and we were at Lochness. We got off the boat and started to walk towards where we had to wait for the bus or coach back to Edinburgh. Suddenly I couldn’t breathe. I lost my voice and I was staggering. My granddaughter said, “What’s wrong Nan? What’s wrong?”  I couldn’t answer her. I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. They got me to a lounge chair in the waiting room where we were to wait for the bus to go to Edinburgh. The room was crowded. A tall woman came over to me. I was still gasping for breath. She put her hands on my forehead like a priest. She made the sign of the cross on my forehead and said “Lord Jesus, take this malady away from this woman and make her whole”. She stood there for a while with her hands on my head. I guess she was saying prayers. Then she said “You’re going to be alright now”.  I replied, “Thank you!” Suddenly I realised I had my voice back again. She said to me, “Just whisper Jesus’ name. He is only a prayer away.” Then she turned and walked back into the crowd and I never saw her again. I said to my grand-daughter “That was a kind of miracle wasn’t it?” She replied, “I know Nan. I saw it and so did a lot of other people.”

 I came home to Dubbo. It took me 50 years to realise I was supposed to do something with this precious message. I asked my youngest daughter if she would type the message for me on cardboard or something and my daughter said, “I’ll do better than that. I’ll laminate them for you!” Some time later she did a hundred or so of them. Later a new Bishop came to Bathurst. A coach-load of people went down to hear him. I knew I just had to go, not to see the Bishop, but to take that special precious message. 

 On the way down I thought that there was no way in the world I was going to do this. Everyone was chattering and having a great time. So I gave out only one to a University student who was sitting alongside of me. She said she was very pleased to get it and said “I will always keep this”. I said to her “I’m sure this message ‘Just whisper Jesus’ name. He is only a prayer away’ will bring you great blessings as it has me.”

 Coming back on the coach, I thought, “How am I going to do this? Everyone was talking away the same as they did on the way down. Yet I knew I was there for a reason. I was meant to bring those laminated messages. I said softly, “Lord Jesus, please, you have to help me. I can’t do this alone.”  All of a sudden the bus stopped. The people stopped talking. I was shaking like a leaf. But I got up to tell them that I felt that I had to do this. I said, “Would you like me to tell you something very special that happened twice in my lifetime“. The bus driver handed me the microphone. So I told them what I have already told you. Then I said, “If you would like one, I have got them in an envelope. I will pass them around.”  I can honestly say that the envelope came back empty. I felt a bit sad because the only person who didn’t get one was the bus driver.

 Many people have said to me since, “I’ve got it on my dressing table, and I say it every day.” I was so pleased to know it was received so wonderfully. But I knew I had to keep on giving them out everywhere I could. On one occasion a man sat alongside of me. I had never seen him before. He was a stranger to town. He must have had Parkinson’s disease as he was shaking so badly. I handed the laminated message to him. I told him what I have told you here. There were tears in his eyes as he said, “Thank you! God bless you! I can’t thank you enough for this! You were meant to talk to me today!”

 On another occasion a lady was sitting several seats ahead of me in the church. I knew she was praying. I slipped in beside her before church started and I gave her the laminated message and told her the story. She said, “You were meant to tell me this today. You were sent to tell me this today. It is what I really needed. Have you any more?” I said, “Yes!”  She said, “I have three sons, could I have one for each?” Of course I gave them to her.

 Then just before Easter last year at the Lenten prayer meeting in my daughter’s home in Dubbo, everyone was telling different things that happened in their lives. I shared my story. When I mentioned that some people might think it was a coincidence that the bus stopped, a very well educated gentleman in the small group said, “My dear, that was no coincidence, it was meant to happen!”

I was personally blessed as I read Pam’s story above. We often think that the important people, the brilliant people, have the greatest impact for God in this world. But Pam’s story shows that He uses ordinary people who want to be used by Him. God placed ordinary people in Pam’s path who brought His blessings into her life. She in turn humbly began to share the blessing she had received with others whom God had brought into her everyday situations.

As I wrote in a previous article, God does use people in His purposes. But it is not just their ability that is the important factor. Rather it is their avail-ability to Him which determines whom He can use to impart His blessings. Pam’s story motivates me to use all the abilities He has given me to live for Him. Yet at the same time it reminds me that I am only useful to others if I am available to Him.

Blog No.095.  Jim Holbeck. Posted on Friday 21st September 2012

 

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094. Galatians 6 outline. Paul Sums Up His Epistle. Freedom Not Bondage!

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

In this final chapter Paul summarised much of what he had written in the previous chapters. He wanted the believers in Galatia to walk in victory and not return to the legalism being advocated by the false teachers. The latter wanted the believers to become “real believers” by becoming Jews first, especially by urging the believers to be circumcised. Paul saw that as a denial of the gospel message.

Paul had written that believers were to follow the command to “love their neighbour”, 5:6, 13, 14. In this chapter he outlined how that might happen in practice.

Paul concluded the epistle by contrasting the self-seeking motives of the false teachers with his own motives. The false teachers wanted to see the believers “marked” with the mark of circumcision to show how they had influenced the Galatians to follow their teaching. By contrast Paul wrote that he was already marked. He was marked with scars. These were the scars that came from being persecuted for his faith in Jesus.

A).     HELPING OTHERS, BUT NOT BURDENING THEM.  6:1-5

i).  Believers were to help one another walk in victory. (1)  Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

ii).  But they were to be careful not to get trapped in sin themselves. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

iii). Believers were to bear each other’s burdens without unlovingly “dumping stuff” on fellow believers. (2)  Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.(3)  For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (4)  But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbour. (5)  For each will have to bear his own load.

B).    DOING GOOD TO EVERYONE.  6:6-10

i).   Doing good to teachers. (6)  One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. (7)  Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

ii).  Doing good brings blessing. (8)  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (9)  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

iii).  Doing good to everyone as occasion arises. (10)  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone,

iv).  Doing good especially to brothers and sisters in Christ. and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

 C).    A PERSONAL NOTE. 6:11

Paul adds this personal note to show how concerned he was for the believers in Galatia. This had to go out with his personal touch and not by the less personal hand of an amanuensis. (11)  See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

 D).    CONTRASTING FLESH AND SPIRIT. FALSE TEACHERS AND PAUL. 6:12-18

i).   The wrong motivation of the false teachers.  (12)  It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

ii).  The hypocrisy of the false teachers. (13)  For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

iii). The right motivation of Paul. (14)  But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

iv).  The necessity of the new creation in Christ. (15)  For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

v).  The blessing of God on faithful believers. (16)  And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

vi). Paul was a marked man. He was not referring to the marks of circumcision. Rather his marks came from being persecuted. He suffered because he was not ashamed of the cross. (The false teachers were!)  (17)  From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.(18)  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

(Please note that outlines of the previous chapters may be found by clicking on these links.  Chapters 1,  2,  3,  4, 5.

Blog No. 094. Jim Holbeck. Posted on Thursday 20th September 2012

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093. Galatians 5. Outline. The Choice We Face. To Live God’s Way Or Our Way?

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

Paul here describes the gospel message. He states that these facts were true.

  • Christ has set believers free. They are not to go back under slavery to the law of the Old Testament.
  • The false teachers were trying to get the Galatian believers to observe the law as a mean of getting right with God and staying right with Him.
  • Paul reminds his readers in 5:1 that there are free already in Christ, and have to stand in that freedom by rejecting the false teachers. Later he tells them to live in that freedom 5:13.
  • His readers have the freedom to choose to walk by the Spirit or to live by the dictates of their old flesh nature, 5:16-26.

A. THE CONTRAST BETWEEN GOD’S WAY AND HUMAN’S WAY. 5:1-6

GOD’S  WAY OF FAITH.   SPIRIT
HUMAN WAY OF WORKS.  FLESH
FREEDOM. (1)  For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore,
SLAVERY. And do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
(2)  Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision,
  • Christ will be of no advantage to you.
(3)  I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that
  • he is obligated to keep the whole law.
  • (4)  You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law;
  • you have fallen away from grace.
(5)  For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
(6)  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

B.   THE PROBLEMS BROUGHT IN BY THE FALSE TEACHERS . 5:7-9

  • They had a negative effect on the believers in Galatia, (7)  You were running well.
  • They were a hindrance to believers obeying the truth. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
  • The pressure they put on believers was not from God. (8)  This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
  • Their evil influence could spread. (9)  A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

 C.    PAUL’S CONFIDENCE AND WISH. 5:10-12

  • He trusted God to protect them. (10)  I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.
  • (11)  His critics accused him of having the same message. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. But the fact they persecuted him showed he didn’t.
  • He wanted His readers to be free of the influence of false teachers. (12)  I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

D.  CHRISTIAN FREEDOM TO LOVE OTHERS AND TO LIVE FOR GOD.  5:13-19

HOW FREEDOM BEHAVES. In a loving way!  (13)  For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (14)  For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (15)  But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

THE CHOICE IN CHRISTIAN LIVING. To walk (live) by the flesh or to live by the Spirit.

The advantages of walking by the Spirit.

  • Victory over the flesh nature. (16)  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
  • The Spirit helps believers in their victory over their flesh nature. (17)  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
  • Allows one to walk in freedom. (18)  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  (19)  Now the works of the flesh are evident:

E.  THE WORKS OF THE FLESH.  THE OLD NATURE.  HUMANS APART FROM GOD.    UNREGENERATE.  NOT BORN AGAIN. 5:19-21

IN THE SEXUAL SPHERE.  Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality. As Jesus said, sin is in the thought life as well.
IN THE RELIGIOUS SPHERE. (20)  idolatry. Sorcery. Worshipping other gods and dabbling with the powers of darkness.
IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE. ……  enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,  21  envy, (drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.)  Anti-social behaviours which were inappropriate and unnecessary for believers.  
IN THE DRINKING SPHERE. Drunkenness, orgies and things like these.

THE CONCLUSION: I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Continual living in this way is an indication they have not been born of the Holy Spirit of God.  Such ongoing behaviour shows they are not in the kingdom of God.)   (22)  But the fruit of the Spirit is

F.   THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. 5:22-23. (The outward evidence of the life of God within the believer). 

love,  joy, peace.   Jesus spoke of the disciples sharing His love, joy and peace. 

Patience, kindness.  The attitudes one should and can adopt to others by the grace of God. 

goodness, faithfulness (23) gentleness,  self-control; against such things there is no law. The inner qualities made available to believers by the Holy Spirit in the grace of God. 

 G.    A  FINAL REMINDER OF WHO THEY WERE IN CHRIST. 5:24-26

Through their faith-union with Christ they were dead to the old. (Cf., Gal 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ …. .)   5:24  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

They were now alive to God. The Spirit gave them life. Now He could guide them to walk in God’s way. (25)  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

They were brothers and sisters in Christ in the same family of God.  (26)  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

  • (They had all received the Holy Spirit to enable them to come equally into God’s family. There was no room for pride.  It was all from God’s grace.
  • They had all received the Holy Spirit to enable them to live in love for one another. They could love with God’s love, Romans 5:5. When love is flowing, provocation ceases. 
  • They had all received the Holy Spirit. There was no need to envy others in the family who had also received the same gift.   

(Please note that outlines of previous chapters can be found by clicking on chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3 and chapter 4 or by looking at the Index on the right hand side of the site. )

Blog 093.  Jim Holbeck.   Posted Monday 17th September 2012

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092. Galatians 4. Overview. The Freedom Of The Children of God.

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

In chapter 3 we saw that the blessing of Abraham referred to the promise of the Holy Spirit who was to be to be received by Gentiles who trusted in Christ.  (3:13)  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”– (14)  so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. They would be seen as Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise, 3:29.

 In Chapter 4 Paul shows what was the purpose of God in giving the law, and how Christ came to set people free from the Law as a means of getting right with God. Gentile believers were part of God’s family, children of God and heirs of the promise of the gift of the Spirit given to Abraham. He bids them to remember what God has done for them in Christ and not look for another way of being right with God. There was no other way. Jesus was the way.

1).        REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST! Children of God not slaves to the law. 4:1-10

  • Heirs might own everything but while children they are unable to appropriate all that is potentially theirs. 4:1)  I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything
  • Heirs need guidance as children until they are ready to inherit their blessing, their inheritance. (2)  but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.
  • Heirs as children are subject to the same restrictions as slaves. (3)  In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
  • Heirs receive their inheritance at the time set by the father. God did the same for His children. He gave them a promise but it was to be released in His timing. Jesus came at the fullness of that time. (4)  But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
  • Jesus came to enable believers to receive their inheritance. He died to release them to receive their inheritance, adoption into God’s family. (5)  to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
  • As heirs they received their inheritance. God gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit. (6)  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
  • Redemption by Jesus meant that they entered into the privilege of sonship (7)  So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
  • Redemption by Jesus had set them free from other powers or principles in the world. (8)  Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. (9)  But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God,
  • To listen to false teachers would be to place themselves under bondage again. how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
  • To return to legalism would render Paul’s ministry among them of no value. (10)  You observe days and months and seasons and years! (11)  I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

2).        REMEMBER HOW GOD BLESSED YOU THROUGH ME

  • Paul had come among them in weakness. (12)  Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. (13)  You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first,
  • They had responded to his message of Jesus. They saw Paul as a messenger from God.  (14)  and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
  • What then has become of the blessing you felt? You would have done anything for me in your appreciation of receiving the message that set you free.  15 For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
  • Friends always share the truth though it may not always be appreciated. (16)  Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

3).        REMEMBER MY MOTIVATION. IT WAS TO BUILD YOU UP, NOT TO USE YOU

Paul ministered to them out of a concern to bring them into the kingdom and to “build them up” in the Lord. By contrast the false teachers were trying to “butter them up” as a means of gaining advantage for themselves.  (17)  They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.

  • Motivation was the key. Was ministry offered as coming from God or was it offered from selfish purposes as the false teachers were doing? (18)  It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you,
  • Paul would not give up on them. He wanted to help them to come to maturity in Christ. (19)  my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
  • Paul wanted them to know how genuinely concerned he was for them. (20)  I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

 4).        REMEMBER WHAT THE LAW OF GOD ACTUALLY SAYS

It spoke of freedom and slavery. Notice the contrasts in the table below.

The Promise given to Abraham. Freedom

The promise of the Law. Slavery
(22)  For it is written that Abraham had two sons ……..  and one by a free woman. (22)  For it is written that Abraham had two sons one by a slave woman……….
while the son of the free woman was born through promise. (A miraculous natural conception and birth through Sarah) (23)  But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, (A human arrangement using Hagar and not what God had planned for Abraham)
(24)  Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. (One was a covenant based on law and the other a new covenant based on grace, and predicted in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Represented by Sarah.) (26)  But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. (Freedom for those in a heavenly or spiritual Jerusalem for those in the new covenant.) One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. (25)  Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.(The law was given on Mt Sinai. The law promised life and freedom but brought death and bondage because people could not fulfil it perfectly. )The Jews who rejected Jesus (represented by those in Jerusalem) were still under law, not grace,  and in slavery to it.
The progeny of Sarah  (the children of faith) would number all those who trusted in Christ throughout the world and throughout all generations.  (27)  For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.” The children of Hagar (those in slavery to the law), those Jews who would not believe in Jesus as their Messiah would be less in number than Sarah’s progeny.
Christian believers are the true sons of Abraham, of faith, and recipients of the promise of Abraham (the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit). (28)  Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. The Judaisers and those who relied on the law persecuted those living under the grace of God in Christ.). (29)  But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
Believers were the true children of Abraham and of Sarah, and of the freedom given by the Holy Spirit.  (31)  So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.  Those relying on the law as a means of getting and being right with God were in slavery to sin and to the law and were rejecting what God had done in Christ.God’s purpose was through Sarah and her son Isaac through whom God’s promises should come.  Hagar and Ishmael were not in God’s purpose for the blessing to Abraham’s descendants.  Those who relied on the law could not inherit the blessing promised to those who were meant to believe. (30)  But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”

5).        REMEMBER THIS!  “YOU ARE FREE IN CHRIST!”  All believers including the Galatian believers were the children of the free woman Sarah though whom God’s promise would come, to be received by faith.  (31)  So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

Blog No.092.  Jim Holbeck.  Posted on Monday 17th September 2012

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091. What’s happening in the USA? An American analysis of the 2012 Election race

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

There used to be a saying that whatever happened in the USA would eventually (in ten years or so)  trickle out here to Australia. However we live in a different world where we see and hear the Presidential candidates talking at their respective Conferences at the same time those present at those conferences are seeing and hearing them as well. What happens in America has inevitable consequences for Australia.  Much sooner these days! So the elections and the Presidential race are of tremendous interest and concern for us in Australia too. Decisions made in America influence decisions made on the other side of the world. Often wonderful decisions, but sometimes some decisions are not so helpful for us in Australia.

It is not easy to get analyses from a Christian perspective of what is happening in the USA and in other parts of the world. That is why I have found one particular writer a great help in giving a theological perspective of events in the USA and in the wider world. He is Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr. who is the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, one of the largest Seminaries in America.  He has helpfully compared, in the following article, the platforms of the two main parties. It helps us to be more informed as we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in the USA. I trust you find it as useful as I did. http://www.albertmohler.com/2012/09/06/the-great-american-worldview-exercise-the-2012-election/

His other writings on the Bible, theology and a wide variety of social issues are really very helpful as well. They are always well considered and certainly non vitriolic.

Blog No.091. Jim Holbeck. Posted on Friday 7th September 2012 

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090. Boak Jobbins. (1947–2012). Former Dean of Sydney. A Tribute From A Former Colleague

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

As one who worked alongside Boak in the Cathedral for his entire tenure there, I was privileged to see first-hand one of those “unforgettable characters” whom you seldom find in life. Many found great pleasure listening to his deep resonant voice as he preached. Others were deeply impressed at his wonderful grasp on language. His colourful language at times! But it was his ability to preach familiar truths in rich metaphors. Christmas services were the occasion to hear the incarnation of Jesus described as “God with skin on!” He had many other sayings that made you think more deeply than you had ever done before on familiar passages. He had that rare ability to make complex truths simple to understand, while at the same time putting simple truths in such majestic language that you thought about his words for weeks afterwards.

The word “charm” was spelt “B.O.A.K!” He could charm people without realising how charming he could be. As one woman put it, “When he talked to you as an individual, he made you feel that you were really someone very special.” It was genuine. When the late Lawrence Bartlett of Australian Hymn Book and Australian Prayer Books fame worked with us on the Cathedral staff, it was like living between the covers of the Encyclopaedia Britannica such was the depth of their combined knowledge and their individual mastery of the complexities of the English language.

Boak will always be remembered for his dedication regarding the multi-million dollar Cathedral restorations in the year 2000. On countless occasions he would don his hard safety helmet and disappear into the dimly lit Cathedral to investigate the progress of the work. Perhaps no other person had the ability to raise the awareness and support for the financing of the whole project. It brought a crumbling building in some aspects into a modern, clean, beautiful edifice which was a pleasure in which to minister. But it took its toll on him as he spent so much of his time and energy on the project.

On those occasions when there were formal services in the Cathedral it was obvious that Boak was “the man” for the occasion. It was obvious who was running the show even when the congregation included many of Australia’s leading personalities. He ran a “splendid” show. “Splendid” was a word you heard frequently from his lips. He and his wife Di made a glamorous “splendid” couple who were a wonderful advertisement for the Cathedral. When I farewelled them from the Cathedral at a Staff luncheon I referred to them as “a class act”.  They were. They were wonderful ambassadors for the Cathedral, but more importantly for the Lord they served. Boak will be missed by many, many people whose lives he touched for the Lord. Many people! Deeply!

My wife Carole and I join with hundreds of others around the world in assuring Di and their children, Lachlan, Ben and Sarah of our prayers for them at this very sad time for them in their unexpected loss.

Jim Holbeck. Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney from 1988 to 2006. (Presently Acting Rector, Anglican parish of Maclean, Northern NSW)

Blog No.090.  Jim Holbeck. Posted on Monday 3rd September 2012

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089. Humans. Basically Good? Or Prone To Evil? Mark 7:20-23

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

Someone once said to me, “I don’t think the description of the Fall of humankind in Genesis 3 is relevant for today. Humans are basically good.” I felt like saying, “Brother, what planet have you come from? It’s certainly not planet Earth!” When you have had to deal (as I have done in full-time ministry for almost 45 years) with all the messes humans get into, there can be no other explanation than the truths in Genesis 3. Humans are wired to do bad stuff. It needs the power of God to stop them going more deeply into even more evil.  So the question is, “Are humans basically good or are they prone to evil?” It’s not just a theoretical question for philosophers to discuss ad nauseam. It hits us in the face every day as we drive our cars. I saw just last week someone driving irresponsibly and if I had not braked to let his speeding car into a narrow space  in front of me there may have been a serious head-on collision on a narrow two direction two lane road at a combined speed of close on 200km/h. How selfish can you get to want to be seen as a skilful driver (or having a FAST vehicle) passing car after car, but at the same time endangering the lives of many people?

The dilemma we face. Should I trust people or not? Are they basically good or could they do evil?  The dilemma for one person might be, “Can I leave my child with that man or woman? They seem to be nice. But can I really trust them?” The decision is made to do so. Another child is sexually abused.  Or “Should I go into business with that person? They seem trustworthy enough.” Another business is liquidated as the new partner skips off with the money. Or as one woman told me, “I married this lovely fellow and we went on our honeymoon. He said he would just go down stairs for a drink before we retired. He took some time. Later I discovered that he had met a young woman in the bar and had gone back to her room and had sex with her.” She almost screamed at me as she painfully said, “ON OUR WEDDING NIGHT!” But that was the first of many similar occurrences during her marriage. Apparently a “nice” man in the view of most people who knew him but with a fatal flaw that brought so much hurt and pain to his wife.

Are we humans basically good or basically evil?  We need to know in terms of whether we can implicitly trust people. Jesus didn’t always trust people. We read in The Message version of John 2:23-25, … many people noticed the signs he was displaying and, seeing they pointed straight to God, entrusted their lives to him. (24)  But Jesus didn’t entrust his life to them. He knew them inside and out, knew how untrustworthy they were. (25)  He didn’t need any help in seeing right through them. We may not have the same depth of perception He had. But we do need to have the same caution about relationships, knowing what people are capable of doing.

 Jesus Has The Answer For Our Dilemma. Mark 7:20-23.  In this passage Jesus said that it was not what went into a person that made them unclean. It was what came out of them. He continued, Mar 7:20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him.(21)  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, (a word meaning inner dialogues or reasonings or deliberations, planning what to do. ) He then spoke about the form those evil thoughts took in the actions that followed.

  1. Sexual immorality. Sexual sins or immoral acts both within and outside of the marriage.
  2. Theft.  Taking or using unlawfully something that belongs to someone else.
  3. Murder.  Begin with thoughts in the mind. The actions stem from the thoughts. Jesus went deeper and said that to have hatred in one’s heart towards someone was to be guilty of murder.
  4. Adultery.  Where a spouse is unfaithful to his or her partner. I tried once to get a man to face up to the fact that he was committing adultery with a friend’s wife.  I said to him, “You didn’t just wake up and suddenly find yourselves in bed together, did you? You thought about it (which was wrong) and made a decision to go further in the relationship. You are accountable for what you have done. It wasn’t accidental.”  Again as Jesus said, for a man to look lustfully at another man’s wife is to make him guilty of adultery even though the action hasn’t happened.  This leads on to the next wrong way of thinking that leads to actions. Coveting.
  5. Coveting.  This is mentioned in the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:21  “‘And you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbour’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.’” Coveting often leads to further action to take hold, for oneself, of the thing or person coveted.
  6. Wickedness.  All sorts of evil. A similar word is used of the devil as the wicked one. These are the sorts of bad things the devil would deceive us into doing to other people.

Then Jesus added a number of evil attitudes

  1. Deceit. It’s outwards expression in speaking or acting out what is false.
  2. Sensuality.  Lacking self-control in sexual matters.
  3. Envy.  Wanting what is not ours. Not grateful to God for what we have.
  4. Slander.   The word is blasphemy. Evil speaking = speaking evil of others.
  5. Pride.   Self-focussed attitudes looking down on others.  Thinking and acting as though others were inferior to oneself. Eg., the scribes and the Pharisees.
  6. Foolishness. Sums up all the previous evil attitudes.

Jesus concluded, (23)  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

No wonder King David as a man after God’s own heart cried out to God after he had sinned against God in his sin with Bathsheba, Psalm 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. He saw that his heart needed to be recreated lest he do the same again.  He had discovered how capable he was of deliberately doing evil and of trying to conceal it.

What do Anglicans believe?  Anglican belief is found in the 39 Articles of Religion to be found in the back of most Prayer Books. Article 9 is titled, “Of original or Birth sin”.  It has these words. Man … is of his own nature inclined to evil. … This infection of nature doth remain in those who are regenerate (born again). In other words this proneness to do evil is characteristic of all people. All born-again people still possess this old nature with its bias towards evil and can give way to it unless they are careful. That’s why they are to sow to the Spirit and not to the flesh (the old nature). Gal 6:8  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

A question to consider regarding this. Have you ever wondered why many men and women who have been in active service in wartime hardly ever speak of their experiences? There is one obvious reason. Because they saw man’s inhumanity to their fellow humans in war. They saw and heard despicable things. It had a terrible effect on them. They don’t want to recall the memories. But there may be another far deeper reason for some of them. I discovered this when counselling many men over the years. Many of them have opened up enough to say that during active service they thought about and did some terrible things themselves. Now they find it almost impossible to talk about them.  They were horrified at their thoughts at that time. They were even more horrified at some of the things they did.  They never dreamed they would ever think or do such things in all their lifetime.  They discovered that they were just as evil sometimes as they imagined the enemy to be. That may be why many such men and women who used to be church-goers never came back to church again. They detested the evil they saw in others. They detested even more the evil they saw in themselves. They felt there was no place for them back among the “good people”. I’m sure that there is a whole lot of healing that needs to happen for such men and women. But they need to find people who won’t be shocked at what they hear about the experiences of those veterans.

William Golding. The challenge of the book and the film “The Lord of the Flies”.   The story is of “innocent” schoolboys alone on an island without any adult supervision or presence. Golding shows that the increasing violence in the boys came from within them. It was not due to some external factor. He portrays the characters in the film to show that there is innate evil in humans. He is correct in what he portrayed. Human experience confirms it. The Bible has always taught it. Philosophers and theologians ignore it at their peril. There is no other satisfactory answer to why the world is as it is. God knew what He was doing in giving such a simple explanation in Genesis 3 for why humans function (or malfunction) as they do. As has been said before, We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because by nature we are sinners.

It means then for Christians that they need to change their prayers from praying that nice people become even nicer, to something much deeper than that. They need to pray for people that they get soundly converted; that they get switched on to the Lord; that they are turned around by repenting of all evil and turning to God for forgiveness and His wisdom and strength. They need to be born again of the Spirit of God so that they become new creatures in Christ. People need it. The world needs it. Every individual needs it.

A New Beginning. A New Creation. A New Humanity. A New Way Of Thinking. A New Way Of Living. St Paul had known a radical change in his life. He saw himself as a new creature in Christ. He saw that other people could know the radical change he had experienced. He expressed that in 2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. New creatures could become new in character due to the indwelling Spirit who came upon those who believed in Jesus. They would be given a new nature through the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. In fact he described this new nature in Galatians 5 as the spirit nature being opposed to the old nature (flesh) which they had from birth.

That contrast is spelt out in this chapter in the difference between the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit”. The “works of the flesh” are those characteristics that come to all people because they are like that in a fallen world.  It affects every area of life. It is in the area of sex, (19)  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality. It is in the area of religion, (20)  idolatry, sorcery.  It is in the area of social sins such as enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,(21)  envy. It is in the area of drinking, drunkenness, orgies. It is in everything associated with these things,  and things like these. That pretty well covers most of life’s experiences. The problem with this life-style is that it is self-defeating. It misses out on life with God in heaven, I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The new life in Christ. It is full of opposite characteristics. It is not “works” (frenzied activity) but “fruit” (the quiet outward expression of the life within), the expression of the life of the Holy Spirit within each believer. It is seen to be operative in the area of one’s attitude to God who shares His love, joy and peace with us. (Jesus spoke of His followers are having His love, His joy, His peace.) It is in the area of relationships with others in society, possessing patience, kindness, goodness. They are nice thoughtful people to have around! It is in the area of one’s relation to oneself, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control.  They are honourable and trustworthy people.  While they are living according to the Spirit that is!  Paul wrote in Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. If the Spirit had brought people new life then they had an obligation to continue to live life being continually guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

 If it is true that all humans have a bias towards evil (in St Paul’s terms, a flesh nature) then that explains why there is so much evil in the world. People who are out of touch with God are doing what comes “naturally” to them. In various degrees. How can that change? They need to know and to experience God’s power in their lives.

This is how I sometimes pray for everyone I know, those who are my friends and the same prayer for those who aren’t interested in being my friend.

“Lord, I ask that you might work in (so and so’s) life to bring them to yourself. Open their eyes to see that they need You and may turn to You to receive forgiveness for all their sins and to receive a new life in Jesus. Set them free from the power of the evil one who had blinded their eyes and who holds them captive to do his will. I pray that they may be born again of Your Spirit and be released to be the people of God You want them to be. Fill them with Your Spirit so that they might know and experience Your wisdom and Your power to live in Your way. May they show forth the fruit of the Spirit in their lives day by day. Please protect them and bless them that they might be a blessing in the lives of other people. AMEN

Your prayer for people doesn’t have to be the same. But it does have to take into account that what is required for people is that they become new creatures in Christ and not become just  slightly nicer people in the world.

Blog No.089. Jim Holbeck. Posted on Sunday 2nd September 2012

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088. Galatians 3. Jesus Is God’s Only Way To Himself

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

Introduction: In this chapter Paul is showing the contrast between the works of the law (trying to obey them) and faith in Jesus Christ. The natural way of thinking was that one had to do something to get right with God. The Jews thought it was through obeying the Law (the Law of Moses or the first 5 books of the Old Testament). They thought that in this way they could be pleasing to God.

However we see in this chapter that the purpose of the Law was not to point to itself as the way for acceptance with God. Rather the law was meant to point people away from itself to Jesus as the One in whom acceptance could be found with God, Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.  So chapter 3 is all about the inadequacy of the law. It was good but had no power of itself to help people become “good” in the sight of God.  It is also about the sufficiency of what God has done for us in Christ to enable humans to be right in His sight (to be saved in and through Him.)

 3:1-5.  Questions Paul Asked Of The Galatians To Illustrate Their Foolishness. They had turned back to rely on good works

Question 1).     “How come you are being foolish in turning away from God?  Are you under some hypnotic spell? The truth is that Jesus Christ died on a cross to save you. The law can’t save you!”  (1)  O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. (They were trusting in having the law, and in trying to obey the commands God had given them. But they were not continuing to trust in Jesus who had fulfilled those words for ever.)

Question 2).     “How did you receive the Holy Spirit? Was it while you were trying to obey the law or was it when you heard the gospel message and put your trust in Jesus Christ for salvation?” (2)  Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? They knew the answer. It was when they heard the gospel message and trusted in Christ that they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul was saying loudly to them in this epistle, “Wake up! Remember how you began your faith-journey!”

Question 3).     “Why are you continuing to be so foolish?  You began a new life when you believed the gospel message and the Spirit of God came into your lives. Are you forgetting all about that and trying to go back to obeying the law in order to be right with God?”  (3)  Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? What they were now doing made no sense. (The Spirit had brought them life. Why would they go back to relying on their own efforts and reject the efforts of Christ for them on the cross?)

Question 4).     “You initially suffered persecution when you first became believers, so why turn away from your faith in Christ now? Surely your stand for Christ will not be in vain!” (4)  Did you suffer so many things in vain–if indeed it was in vain? (Suffering for one’s faith in Christ can either be seen as a pain or a privilege! The Galatians needed to be reminded of the privilege of belonging to Christ even if it brought them pain.)

Question 5).     “Here’s another question for you to answer. When you heard the gospel message about Jesus and trusted in Him, God poured out His Spirit on you. He did miraculous signs among you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Did God do that in your midst because you were trying to obey the law, or was it that you put your trust in Christ.” It was the latter obviously! (5)  Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith–  

The questions were asked to get the Galatians to reconsider what Christ had done for them through His sacrificial death on their behalf. It was also to get them to reconsider what He had continued to do in their midst as a community of faith. Answering the questions correctly should bring them back to being a people with a living faith in Christ and not revert to doing dead works apart from Christ. That was Paul’s purpose in writing to them.

 3:6-10.   Illustrations To Show That Getting Right With God Comes Through Faith In Christ. It was not by trying to obey the works of the law

1).        The example of Abraham.  He trusted God. (Seen in his ongoing trust in God and also in his willingness to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice.) (6)  just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

2).        The example of the sons of Abraham.These were present-day believers in Galatia who were sons of Abraham in the sense that they had faith in God like their father in the faith, Abraham did. (7)  Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

3).        The Scriptures predicted that the Gentiles could receive the blessing God promised to Abraham. The blessing was the gift of the Holy Spirit they received when they believed. (8)  And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”(9)  So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. Jews and Gentiles come the same way to God, through faith in Jesus. God had predicted that blessing for the Gentiles in His dealings with Abraham. The Gentile believers in Galatia had been the recipients of a promise from God.

4).        Trying to obey the law to get right with God doesn’t help one little bit. Instead of bringing blessing from God it places one under a curse. The curse is the penalty pronounced by the law itself. Some friend! The penalty is that arising from the failure to obey the law perfectly. No one can obey the “all things” perfectly. (10)  For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” There was another way that brought a blessing and not a curse. His name was Jesus!

 3:11-16. The Short-Comings Of The Law Compared With Christ

1).        The law can save no one. Christ can. You can only be righteous in the sight of God by putting your trust in Christ and not through trying to obey the law. Then you have to live by faith in Him. (11)  Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

2).        The law curses those who don’t obey it perfectly. (12)  But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” (As James wrote, to fail in one point of the law is to be guilty of breaking the whole law, to become a law-breaker.)

3).        Christ set us free from the curse by bearing the curse for us.  (The curse we brought on ourselves by trying to obey the law perfectly and failing to do so.) (13)  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— (Jesus bore the curse for us.)

4).        It is Christ who brings the promise of Abraham to those who trust in Him. The promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who believe. (14)  so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. (Jew and Gentile believers receive the same promise of God, the gift of the Spirit through faith in Christ).

5).        The law couldn’t bring the promises of the covenant to people. Only Christ could do so as the promised “offspring” of Abraham. (15)  To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.(16)  Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. (The promise is in Him alone.)

3:17-29. THE POSITIVE PURPOSE OF THE LAW. Why God gave it!

The law God gave is not bad! It told people how they needed to behave in a way that was glorifying to their Creator God and also beneficial to their fellow humans. But it had a deficiency.

  • The law pointed out the way to live but gave people no help in doing it. If they tried to obey the “good” law, it condemned them for not obeying it perfectly. (21)  Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.
  • Well why did God give a law to obey if He knew we were incapable of obeying it? It was to make us realise that our attempts to obey the law would always fail, so we had to look for another way of getting right with God. (22)  But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (When humans fail to obey the holy law of God in any part it highlights the sinfulness of human sin. It shows that one is imprisoned in sin as a sinner. The promise however comes to those who put their trust in Christ.)
  • That’s where the gospel message about Jesus comes in. He is that other way to which the law pointed. The real way. The only way. He came as the sinless Son of God and fulfilled the requirements of the law in two ways.
    • i). He fulfilled what the law required by obeying it perfectly in the life He lived.  The law had now been fulfilled by a human. It meant that no other human needed to live a perfect life as a means of getting right with God. They couldn’t anyway! 22)  But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23)  Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24)  So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
    • ii). He fulfilled the requirements of the law by bearing the curse for every failure of the human race throughout eternity to do what the law required. In other words He died to take away the sin of the world and bear in Himself the penalty those sins had incurred. 13)  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us— (Redemption is secured when a satisfactory death takes place to release those who are bound. That’s what Jesus did for all sinners by His death.)
  • Now people could get right with God through receiving the gift God had given them. The gift of His Son. In receiving Christ by believing in Him, they also received the promised Holy Spirit. In doing so they were receiving the blessing God had promised Abraham, that through his seed [singular, meaning Jesus] all the nations of the world would be blessed. We know that was initially fulfilled on the day of Pentecost as the promised Holy Spirit fell on those from many nations.  The falling of the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles who believed continued throughout Acts and will continue for ever for those who believe.
  • Those who have faith in Christ are united as one in Him. They are the children of Abraham, heirs of the promise [of the Holy Spirit]. (26)  for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27)  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28)  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (They are one in the Spirit. The same Spirit indwells them).
  • The final verse sums it all up. No one can get right with God by trying to obey the law of God. It needs a perfect score! It is impossible. But God gave a promise to Abraham that all the nations of the world would be blessed. It would be through Abraham’s seed [singular]. Jesus was that seed. The blessing came as they put their trust in Jesus, the seed of Abraham, and received the new life by the Holy Spirit of God. In so doing they became fellow heirs in the family of God. 29)  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Jesus the Saviour for all who believe!

Blog No.088.  Jim Holbeck. Posted on Saturday 01September 2012

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087. How Did The World Come To Be In Such A Mess? Is there an answer?

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

Well it’s pretty clear really! We’ve turned our back on God. When you turn your back on God you can get into a hell of a mess (literally). God has shown us in His book (the Bible) how we are meant to live but we have ignored what He said. What we did know, we didn’t act on anyway! But how about people who don’t have Bibles? How do they know how they are meant to live? A good question! But there is an answer. God showed a lot about Himself in the world He made. For example the more you study the world the more you realise that you didn’t make it. Neither did your wonderful parents or grandparents! It shows such intricate design and order that it is obvious that no human could ever have designed it or created it. Some supernatural being must have done it. A being who is above nature, who made it all.

We can paint beautiful life-like flowers on canvas but we can’t make them live. We can harness the wind to derive energy, but we can’t produce the wind ourselves, (well some blowhards do better than the rest of us but it is infinitesimal in the grand scale of things.) We use some explosives to do a bit of damage but a violent tornado or earthquake does far more damage in a matter of moments. We marvel at the food chains in the world and marvel that it is all so coordinated, as though someone planned it that way. It is indeed a short-sighted person who says that there is not a supernatural being who made it all. Seeing the order and the power in creation is meant to lead everyone to know more about this being. The creation does bear witness to the existence of a Creator whom people are meant to “search out” in whatever way they can.

However the Bible says that instead of searching out more about this Creator God, humans refused to acknowledge His existence. They refused to thank Him for the privilege of living in the wonderful world He had made.  By taking their focus off Him as creator they began to think silly thoughts about God and to live as though He didn’t exist. This led to more foolish thinking. In fact what happened was this. They made their own gods. They did this in three ways.

I). Firstly they tossed aside the evidence that the creator God had shown in His creation. In its place they made images to be their gods. Some looked like humans. Others looked like birds or animals or even (shudder, shudder!) nasty looking reptiles. Fancy thinking that lifeless images could compare to the creator God!

II). Secondly they rejected the truth about God that He had revealed about Himself. They began to live a lie. They realised that they had strong feelings. But instead of expressing those feelings appropriately in the way the Creator God wanted, they did their “own thing” independently of God.   Their focus went from being on the Creator God to being focussed on the creation itself. It’s as though they were saying, “We don’t need you Creator, if you exist that is. We can manage this world. We are sufficient of ourselves to run the show. We don’t need you even if you do exist!”   

So God did something very significant. It’s as though He said, “Well if you want to run your own show, I’ll let you do it. I gave you free-will in the hope you chose to worship and follow me. But I’m now handing you over to do what you want to do”. What happened? They did what they wanted to do.

III).  Thirdly, they rejected God in rejecting His order in creation. Some women, for whatever reason, felt an attraction towards other women. So they acted on it and formed same-sex relationships. It was not what God wanted (Genesis 2:24). It was contrary to the purpose for which God had created the world and the people in it. Some men also, for whatever reason, gave up the way God had made the world composed of males and females. They turned their backs on women and focussed their consuming passion on other men. And expressed their passions inappropriately from God’s point of view. He saw it as shameless. He saw it as an error on their part. He saw their actions as coming from a debased mind. But you can’t act contrary to what God wants and not expect consequences.  One of the consequences was that God continued to hand them over to do what they wanted. What they continued to do was not what He wanted for them. But He gave them a chance to turn to Him to act in the ways He wanted them to act. They refused His help to become the people He wanted them to become.

Was God just picking on those who were involved in same-sex activity? No, of course not!  He is against everything that is harmful for His creatures. The following are some of the things that earn the displeasure of God when people turn away from Him. It is not only anti-social behaviour, but anti-God behaviour as well.

Other signs of rebellion against God in His world

People who lose their focus on God to whom they are accountable, wrongly focus on other people. They can become nasty to them. Instead of being righteous people they can become filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They can be filled with many anti-social attitudes and actions. Their envy may lead them to destroy others by harbouring murderous thoughts towards them, creating strife, being deceitful and being malicious. They continue on this downward spiral by gossiping about people, by slandering them, by being insolent to them.  They maintain haughty, boastful attitudes and fail to have due respect to those who brought them into the world. They may even try to work out how they might inflict even more damage on those they don’t like. As those who have given up on God they have nothing to offer in relationships. In short they are the “less than they might be people”, senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

There is a very, very sad thing that happens. The people who are guilty of any or all of the things mentioned above in their rebellion against God, also encourage other people to do the very same things. They actually applaud those people when they do the things that are anti-God and thus anti-social, Rom 1:32  Although they know full well God’s just sentence–that those who practice such things deserve to die–they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

The very sobering thought behind all this is that when people turn away from God and act in rebellion against Him, as seen above, He takes them seriously. He purposely hands them over to do what they want to do apart from Him.  Freedom to rebel. Freedom to run their own lives. Freedom to ruin the lives of others through inappropriate speech and behaviour which is repugnant to God.

So there is the answer. The world is in a hell of a mess because the powers of darkness run rampant in a society which has turned its back on God. People unknowingly become the puppets of evil powers even while they think they are running their own lives.  St Paul once wrote to Timothy a church leader who had to deal with people who were false teachers. He advised Timothy how to behave, 2Ti 2:24-26  The Lord’s slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, (25)  instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance to know the truth. (26)  Then they may come to their senses and escape the Devil’s trap, having been captured by him to do his will. How scary to realise that when you think you are running your own life, that it is the Devil who is “calling the shots”.

Is there any hope? Yes, amazing hope through amazing grace. The transforming power of God is available to make new creatures out of those who turn from their rebellion against God. To those who have focussed on creation, to now turn to focus on a relationship with God through Christ. As ‘The Message’ puts the words of 2 Corinthians 5:14-19, (14)  Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do. Our firm decision is to work from this focused centre: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat.(15)  He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.(16)  Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore.(17)  Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it!(18)  All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. (19)  God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins.

Do you want to get out of the mess you have gotten into in life? As ‘the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step’, so the change in your life can begin with a simple prayer to God.

Prayer:- “ Lord, I am sorry for running my own life apart from You. I’m sorry for all the hurt and pain I caused others as I lived that way. Please forgive all my sins and transform my life so that I can become more like Jesus in all I say and do. I ask this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.

(PS. The words in the article above are really an extended paraphrase of the words in Romans chapter 1:18-31. I will write in more detail on this passage in future articles. But read the passage now and get blessed!)

Blog No.087. Jim Holbeck.   Posted on Thursday 30th August 2012.

 

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