Grace Communion International in Caloundra, Queensland | Religious organisation
Grace Communion International
Locality: Caloundra, Queensland
Phone: +61 419 674 420
Address: CWA Hall 17 Kalinga Street 4551 Caloundra, QLD, Australia
Website: https://www.gci.org.au/
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25.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 63 - The Purpose of the Mosaic Law But with the introduction of the New Covenant, the conditions for acceptance also changed. No longer wa...s obedience on the part of the people required which was the weakness of the Mosaic Covenant. Acceptance is no longer based on our works but on the saving works of Jesus on our behalf. Romans 10:1-4 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. When we, in faith, accept the gift of grace Christ’s sacrifice has made possible on our behalf, the penalty for our sin is removed, we are forgiven, given God’s Holy Spirit and we are adopted as His children. The law has lost its power and control over us. Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. If Christ has already paid the price demanded of the law, there is no way we can be held accountable to it. That is why there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. It would be a terrible injustice to require the penalty be paid a second time and the Father is not going to dishonour the awful price His beloved Son has paid to set us free from sin. The problem of sin has been taken care of by the obedience and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And as it has been achieved through faith the glory goes to the one who has made it possible, not to religious people believing it has been achieved by their own efforts (1 Corinthians 1:29-31). But there is more good news for those who are in Christ. The law that condemns us is replaced with the law of the New Covenant. Romans 8:2 Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. If the law of sin and death has been removed, then we have access once again to the eternal, life-giving power of the Spirit, pictured by the tree of life in the garden. Through Christ’s efforts, we have been forgiven, born again to a new life with a new nature, adopted as sons of God and restored to full relationship with the Father. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
25.01.2022 A very timely article.
25.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 44 - Salvation Extended to All The Mission of the Holy Spirit This last phrase all have access to the Father by one Spirit is also import...ant because it gives us an insight into how God plans on drawing us into this new humanity in a personal or individual sense. As we just read, all humanity is embraced in this circle of grace in a general or corporate sense. However, as in all gift giving, a gift offered has to be accepted by the recipient. This is what moves the gift from the corporate sense to the individual sense. There has to be an acknowledgement on the part of the individual receiving this remarkable gift of the terrible price paid by God in order for this gift of eternal life to be offered to them. But as in the rest of this remarkable saga so far, this last critical step in the process of salvation is not left to us otherwise we would surely mess it up. The Spirit mentioned above, the Holy Spirit, has the mission of drawing us as individuals into the fellowship of this new humanity. We will speak more of this later when we get to the subject of Pentecost but wanted to mention it here to dispel any notion we are condoning universal reconciliation (the belief all humanity will eventually be reconciled to God). Relationship placed on a whole new basis For the moment though we need to understand the vital connection between the Father giving His stamp of approval on all Jesus had accomplished by raising Him from the dead, and how that has changed the basis on which the relationship between God and all humanity rests. No longer is God dealing with mankind on the basis of the law, but on the basis of grace. The act of the Father in resurrecting Jesus and the Fathers acceptance of Jesus when He presented Himself as the first sheaf of the first-fruits (Leviticus 23:9:14) after His appearance to Mary in the garden (John 20:17) confirmed the statement, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. The whole basis of the relationship between God and man had been placed on a whole new basis because of the saving work of Jesus Christ. The task of the law was to judge and condemn us, but now that that has been satisfied by the cross, God can extend grace to sinful humanity so that we are raised up with Christ, justified, reconciled and at peace with God. The task of Immanuel (God with us) has been accomplished in all its fullness. God humbling Himself in turn has exalted mankind to an entirely new status in his relationship with God. And if God is with us, then the opposite is also true, We are also with God. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
24.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 46 - The Kingdom of God The Beginning of the New Creation His resurrection from the dead on the third day signified the beginning of the ne...w creation, the new creation that included the possibility of humanity joining Jesus in immortality to share and commune in the life and love of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ. The resurrection of Jesus, crossing the gulf between mortality and immortality through the power of God also signified the start of Christs rule over the kingdoms of this world. Satan had promised Jesus dominion over the kingdoms of the world at the temptation if Jesus would bow down and worship him (Matthew 4:8-10). Now with the defeat of sin, Satan and death, this was the inauguration of the kingdom of God on earth with Jesus as its newly coronated King. As prophesied in the book of Daniel, this kingdom would grow until it crushed all opposing powers (Daniel 2:31-35). This was the beginning of the end for kingdoms built on the power of ruthless force the culmination of which is recorded in the book of Revelation. Meanwhile, the present age will continue in the same old way, but the whole framework of history has been set on a whole new path as Christ has embedded Himself in the very heart of it all. What was previously destined for decay, death and oblivion, has now been set on a whole new trajectory thanks to the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. Here now stands a man who has defied death and corruption and is no longer subject to the natural laws of this world. In addition, He now has the power to draw all humanity into the divine dimension where God lives when He declares, I am the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25). Jesus resurrection is the beginning of the end for earthly chronos time as the old decaying world is being replaced by the new creation, the kingdom of God. Both times continue to exist for the time being, but inexorably, the kingdom of God will advance and the old creation will slowly fall away into oblivion. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
23.01.2022 The July issue of Equipper published today. It features a lead article from Charles Taylor, GCI Pastor in Miramar, Florida. The message comes from a sermon he g...ave on racial injustice. A timely and poignant article focusing on the truth that God is real and he is there for us and in us. He will strengthen and comfort us as he brings his justice. Click the link below to read the full article and check out the ministry resources in this issue! https://equipper.gci.org//know-justice-know-peace-know-jes
23.01.2022 We all have things we battle at times. In these most difficult of times we pray for those battling addiction that they may know the depth of Gods love for them and receive the help and strength to overcome this form of bondage.
21.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 56 -The Holy Spirit - "Builder" Building a community of holy people There are a number of parallels we can draw from this story with what o...ccurred on the day of Pentecost. Both stories centre on a building. One, the Tower of Babel is built to glorify man, while the second, the church is built to glorify God. Both projects centre on constructing a sacred place for God or gods to dwell. In both accounts God uses language to either divide a community, the one in rebellion, or in the case of preparing a holy people, to build a community. Acts 2:4-6 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Right from the beginning of the church age, the emphasis is on building a community, not one in opposition to God, but one in cooperation with God. Paul describes this community God is building with His Spirit in Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2:19-22 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household. What we see here are people who in the past were scattered, and at enmity with one another, (Jews and Gentiles) being brought together into one community (Galatians 3:28). But in contrast to the attitude of defiance displayed at Babel, we see a totally different perspective displayed by those involved with the construction of this building. V.20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Unlike the tyrant (supposedly Nimrod) who organised the people in rebellion against God at Babel, here we see the one directing the building of this new edifice through the Holy Spirit is Jesus Christ Himself. Those involved with the construction of this building will cooperate with the Spirit and take on Christ’s name (Christians) as He conforms them into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). And amazingly, unlike the bricks and mortar used on most construction sites including the Tower of Babel, this building is being constructed with those individuals who willingly commit their lives to Jesus Christ. The apostle Peter refers to these individuals as living stones. 1 Peter 2:4-5 As you come to him, the living Stonerejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Instead of defiance and rebellion, we see spiritual sacrifices of adoration and obedience. And unlike the Tower of Babel that was built to glorify man, this building is being constructed to glorify God. Notice what this building is called and what its purpose is to be. Ephesians 2:21-22 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. This building is being constructed living stone by living stone to be God’s dwelling place. Under the New Covenant, God is not interested in living in tabernacles of canvas or temples made of stone. No, His purpose from the beginning is to dwell with, and incredibly, through the Holy Spirit, within us, as Paul goes on to say. V.22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Notice the last part of this verse. God’s purpose remains the same, to build a loving community between God and His people. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
21.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 65 - From Law to Relationship 5) As we have been welcomed back into the presence of God, the New Covenant is again based on a relationshi...p rather than a long list of do’s and don’ts. Adam and Eve enjoyed a remarkable relationship with God prior to their disobedience. They enjoyed God’s presence as they walked and talked with God in the cool of the evening. They were the recipients of God’s personal love, assurance and security. There were no long lists of do’s and don’ts, no sacred times or locations, no buildings, no sacrifices, just a loving relationship. However, this all came to an end when they failed to obey the one simple command God gave them to test their faith in Him. And what did they do? They hid from God and mankind has been hiding ever since (Genesis 3:8-10). And one of the ways we continue to hide from God is to substitute the law into the position that rightfully belongs to God. Sin is much more damaging than simply breaking the law. It is much more than just an affront to our holy God as it threatens the whole concept of what God stands for, intimate relationships based on His love. Ultimately, this is why He is so opposed to sin and He wants us to understand this as well. Sin destroys relationships. The Torah was an interim step in this direction, but as we have seen it was limited in its effectiveness by the fallen nature. However, under the New Covenant, God wants us to join him in opposing sin not only because it is contrary to the law, but because we now understand its destructive power in shattering relationships. Opposing sin because it breaks the law, is replaced by the Spirit inspired knowledge sin threatens the very concept of the Godhead itself, intimate loving relationships. Unfortunately, all too often God is regarded as a policeman or a sheriff of the law rather than a merciful loving Father who wants an intimate relationship with us. Those preoccupied with living under the law only magnify this false concept of God as a sheriff. Its true God is a God of justice, but that justice is governed by love and a desire to root out anything that threatens relationships. However, in our fallen dehumanised state, the last thing we want to do is to face up to our guilt and would rather hide behind the law as we assume it is less confronting than having to acknowledge our sin before a relationship-oriented holy God. The Israelites did the same thing at the foot of Mt. Sinai when they asked Moses to speak to God on their behalf (Exodus 20:18-19). Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
19.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 64 - The Law and God's Holy People We have been set free from the condemnation of the law as the demanding righteous requirements of the la...w have been fulfilled in us by Christ (Romans 8:3-4). This simply allows grace to be grace. Romans 6:14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. It’s unfortunate that the word law has so much negative baggage associated with it as people misunderstand its role in the redemption process and mistakenly apply the works mentality of the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, people were judged on how well they performed in regard to the law. Acceptance was conditional on their works. But amazingly, under the New Covenant we are accepted on the grace made possible by Christ’s works. Romans 4:5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. The beauty of grace is we are accepted and continue to be accepted regardless of how far we fall short of the perfection demanded by the law. Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. This is the Father’s gift to us acceptance based on Christ’s works rather than our works. Christians need to enjoy their new status This ought to be very liberating for us. We no longer need to win God’s favour; we have God’s favour. We are accepted, we are His sons and daughters, nothing shall separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). This new status is something to celebrate. We can enjoy our new status and the reassuring grace of God in which we reside. The pressure to be perfect is gone. It was impossible to begin with and even in our new status with God’s help we will never achieve perfection this side of the resurrection. God knows this and this is why He does not put unrealistic expectations on us now that we live under His grace (Matthew 11:28-30). Christians, far too often, continue to place themselves under the uncompromising demands of the law when there is no need to. Instead we should revel in our new status. Our eternal destiny is no longer in our hands, but in our Saviour’s very capable hands. We need to be humble as this scripture implies and accept God’s remedy for sin. It has been achieved by Christ’s finished work on the cross and nothing needs to be added to it. All the honour and glory needs to go to the one who has made it all possible, Jesus Christ. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
19.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 42 - Defeating Evil But there is an additional problem. Not only has man cut himself off from the source of true life and fellowship with ...God, but also now his sin has created a corresponding separation from Gods point of view. As Gods holy nature is opposed to sin and evil, it now means humanity finds itself under Gods judgment. For God not to oppose sin would mean a total denial of all God stands for. He is a holy loving God, full of light and truth and as such has to oppose sin and evil in whatever forms it takes. But His opposition to, and judgment of sin, is with the intent of restoring the creature back into relationship with Him. As mentioned earlier, Gods goal is not the destruction of mankind, but salvation. Salvation means the restoration of the relationship where the creature trusts the design of the Creator. But it is precisely here in His opposition to sin and evil that God exercises His righteous anger. He is not going to allow evil to frustrate His purpose of sharing the life and love of the Trinity with His creation. And the means he chooses to express His wrath against sin and evil is to do so in a very unorthodox way. Instead of holding mankind to account for their sin, He chooses to substitute His very own Son to pay the penalty for their sin. The intent of this approach is to provide the way whereby humanity can be drawn back into relationship with Him. So Gods anger is not expressed in the destruction of mankind, but rather as redeeming love. Rather than casting us off, God through the incarnation and the atonement of Jesus, reaffirms His commitment to His wayward children. He will not let us go. His judgment and wrath is directed at the sin and evil that is preventing restoration. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
18.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 49 - Jesus' Resurrected Body Incredibly, humans will be infused with the very life of the godhead so we can share their existence as their ...children. Notice though, both in this section and as we will see in 1 Corinthians 15, there is a limited amount of information on what our resurrected body will be like, and what we will be has not yet been made known. A complete revelation of what our body will be like wont happen until we encounter the risen Christ. However, until that time, there are some things we can know. Different bodies designed to function in their appropriate environment The first thing we need to understand is there are different bodies designed to suit different environments. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul goes to great lengths to explain how these various bodies have been designed to function in the their particular environment. We have already made the distinction between chronos time and eternal time. Our present physical bodies were designed to function in the four-dimensional environment of time and space. But now that we are being raised to live in the spiritual realm of the new creation, eternal time, we will need an appropriate body to function in that dimension. V.42-50 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. The physical body that relies on food, water and air for basic survival in the decaying world of chronos time is not an appropriate body for the spiritual world of eternal time. V.45 So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. As humans came into existence through physical procreation from Adam, so these new bodies will come into existence through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, and the life-giving spirit. The gift of immortality comes through the life-giving spirit, Jesus Christ. There is no intrinsic power in man such as the immortal soul that can make the transition from mortal to immortality. We, like Jesus Christ, rely on God to raise us from the dead and receive the gift of immortality. V.46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. In the same way we are presently in the image of the earthly man Adam, one day we will be in the image of the heavenly man, Jesus Christ. V.50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. In the same way Jesus said to Nichodemus, Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:5), so Paul confirms we will have a spiritual body suitable to function in the heavenly realm. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
18.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 41 - Reconciliation So we see the enmity between God and humanity has been removed. God is no longer opposed to the sinner because of his ...sin, and man no longer needs to fear Gods judgment. Jesus by interposing Himself as the sacrificial victim accepts Gods righteous judgment on our sin in order that peace can exist between the two parties. But there is a second peace we experience as Paul goes on to say. V.21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christs physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. Mankind, up to this point stood under Gods judgment. The prospect of spiritual death for our sin is not a peaceful existence (Romans 6:23). But now that Jesus has substituted Himself in our place to accept the wrath and punishment of God on our sin, the sword of Damocles no longer hovers over humanitys head. It would be completely duplicitous of God to now hold us to account for our sin after He has executed the final judgment on His very own Son, let alone what it would say of God to have allowed His Son to suffer and die unnecessarily. The Father will not go back on the death of His Son and therefore has nothing more to say about our sin. And that is why Paul can say Christ can present us to the Father, holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. (Colossians 1:22). So not only is there peace between the parties, but also the forgiven party can experience the peace of God. Its important to note that Jesus through His saving substitutionary work has worked out reconciliation in both a general sense for all mankind, but also in a subjective sense so it touches each individual. It is one thing to understand God has worked out this reconciliation between the parties in a general or corporate sense as it affects all mankind. But if this were as far as it went, it would mean the salvation of all mankind or universal salvation. But now the challenge is to reveal this subjective reality to the individual members of mankind so they recognise and accept what Jesus Christ has performed on their behalf. This is the point of decision where each individual, after a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, will either accept or reject the gift of salvation offered to them. We will speak more of this later, but for now it is important to point out, a positive response to this matter is far more likely based on two important changed realities. First, a complete understanding of the lengths to which God has gone in order to offer this gift, and secondarily, the natural enmity which existed in mankinds fallen nature has been defeated and turned back towards God. And as Gods plan for reconciliation progresses, other realities, again provided by God, come into play to facilitate a positive response. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
18.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 64 - The Law and God's Holy People Genuine holiness is produced by Grace But this is only the first step. In order for what Christ has achi...eved on our behalf to become a reality in our lives, the Holy Spirit by taking up residence in our hearts and mind is the means by which God now produces His holy nature and character in our lives. We have been justified and reconciled through Christ’s saving work, now the task is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ so that we think and act as He would (Romans 8:29). This is how the New Covenant produces the genuine righteousness the old law failed to do in God’s holy people. Think of it this way, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the law of sin and death had to be introduced to govern the relationship between God and sinful mankind. But once we are brought to repentance by that law (our tutor, Galatians 3:24-25) to recognise our sinfulness and rebellion against our Creator, that legal relationship came to an end and a new relationship based on grace is instituted. This in effect takes us back to the situation in the garden prior to sin where mankind enjoyed a personal face-to-face relationship with their God with one major exception. We are now given access to the very Spirit of God represented by the tree of life. This is why Paul calls this new way of God relating to mankind based on grace the law of the Spirit who gives life (Romans 8:2). Again it helps if we go back to Romans 8:1-2 and substitute the word covenant in place of the word, law so we understand we are talking about two ways of God relating to mankind. Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law (Covenant) of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law (Covenant) of sin and death. The sad truth is, Adam and Eve were never forbidden access to the tree of life. They chose instead to exercise their freewill that led to the introduction of the law of sin and death. But as it says here in Romans 8:2, the New Covenant of life is introduced by Jesus Christ to set us free from the law of sin and death. Under the New Covenant, we are welcomed back into God’s presence (remember that word) in a personal relationship where the main influence for change in our lives is the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. As mentioned, the Spirit brings with Him the very nature and character of God as He is God Himself. So the New Covenant has instituted and set in motion all of the ingredients needed to fulfil God’s plan to create a genuine holy people for His name in his image. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
18.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 65 - "From Law to Relationship" We now continue with more reasons why the New Covenant is so much more effective in producing the character... and nature of God in His people than the Mosaic Covenant or Torah. 3) The law that condemns and brings death only applies to the old sinful nature of Adam, not the new nature 1 Timothy 1:9-10 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurersand for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine. As mentioned earlier, the Ten Commandments reveal more about humanity’s fallen sinful nature than it does about God’s holy nature. But this is precisely what it was designed to do. The law, as a tutor (Galatians 3:24-25), has done its job in bringing sinners to repentance, but once it has completed its job, it no longer applies to believers who are now under grace and are now slaves to righteousness under the direction of the Holy Spirit who now works with our new nature to develop spiritual maturity in God’s holy people. So when we try to control believers through the old rules and regulations of the law, we are not taking into consideration the reality of the Holy Spirit and our new nature. The new nature is under the control and direction of God’s Holy Spirit who gives us the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). The other unfortunate consequence of living with the old sinful nature under the law is the proclivity to divert attention from oneself and apply the demanding requirements of the law to others. Luke 6:42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. The old nature wants to divert attention from its own failings and point the finger at others (Genesis 3:12-13). This results in the unfortunate practice of judgmentalism. Believers, after experiencing the amazing grace of God and the price paid for their redemption should be humble enough to acknowledge their own failings and concentrate on overcoming the planks in their own eyes rather than concentrating on the failings of others. A proper understanding of grace, and an understanding that the law only applies to non-believers, would prevent much of the judgmental attitude that still pervades Christianity. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
17.01.2022 On knowing the triune God
17.01.2022 As many of us are still practicing social distancing, our Prayer Guide is not filled with the same events and celebrations. However, we are continually connecte...d as the body of Christ. This month, rather than a different prayer for each day, we have a ten-minute prayer guide with suggested one-minute prayer topics. Click the link below to view and download the May Prayer Guide, as we commune with our living God. #WeAreGCI https://resources.gci.org//20/04/Prayer-Guide-2020-May.pdf
17.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 45 - New Creation Jesus Resurrection sets humanity and creation on a whole new trajectory We should not underestimate what Jesus resurrec...tion from mortal to immortality means for humanity. The course of the created world including humanity is set on a whole new trajectory as a result of the resurrection. Because of Adams sin, mankinds destiny was set on a trajectory of decay, corruption and death. Not just physical death, but also spiritual death, because they lived under Gods righteous judgment. Also in this corruptible state, they became easy prey to the forces of darkness and evil arrayed against them. And as we have seen, they had no means within themselves to free themselves from the process of decay, corruption and death or the hold the evil forces exerted over them. Under this scenario, humanity would cease to exist and descend into oblivion. But we have seen how Jesus, through His life, death and resurrection by eternally attaching Himself to humanity has defeated the enemies of mankind. He defeated and overcame our fallen human nature and the devil through His life and crucifixion, and He defeated death through His resurrection to immortality. Death had no power over Jesus, as He was sinless. It was impossible for Him to remain in the grave as death can only exert its power over sinners. When Jesus set His face to go up to Jerusalem it was with the intention of allowing Himself to be put to death in order to pay the penalty for our sins, but also to invade and defeat this last enemy, death. His bursting forth from the tomb on the third day demonstrated this last enemy had been defeated. We see Jesus as the Creator, first of all injecting Himself into our fallen humanity in order to re-create it and restore true humanity, and secondarily, by intentionally allowing Himself to be put to death, He shattered the stranglehold of death and established the gateway to immortality. The course of humanity has been set on a whole new trajectory, one that no longer results in death and oblivion, but one that results in life and true humanity in the image of God. This is what makes the new humanity possible. Through His incarnation, life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has brought about the redemption of humanity. No longer is our destiny under the control of our fallen nature, the forces of evil, or death, but under the control of the one who declares, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. (John 11:25). Jesus through the ordeal of the atonement has forged a new humanity out of the old. Our inclusion in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the basis then for the creation of the new humanity which will live on into eternity. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
15.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 55 The Holy Spirit - Game Changer Is Grace limited to just this present age? An important second question also revolves around God’s loving... nature. We have spoken a lot about the grace God is able to extend to humanity because of Jesus Christ’s saving work. But under the scenario where salvation is only available in this present age, this implies God’s grace is restricted by a time frame and only to a select group. It’s only available for those who live in this 2000 plus year period, then rescinded. More to the point, it’s a timeframe imposed on God by fallible human beings. Of course, this is ridiculous. We now live in the time of the new creation whose defining characteristic is grace which has been obtained by the cosmos changing sacrifice of the Son of God. There is no going back to the old creation characterised by law. It also implies God is not a God of second chances. Yet we see God, in his dealings with a stubborn and recalcitrant Israel, His mercy being extended time and time again. If we are to anticipate or make an assessment on God’s likely behaviour, we are always on safer ground to judge Him on past behaviour than try to predict what He will do in the future. In matters of dispute such as these it is always best for us humans to remain humble, and even silent and leave the salvation of mankind in the hands of our loving Father. Paul continues the discussion. V.24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. The best way to destroy all dominion, authority and power is for the unjust of any age to surrender their lives into the loving arms of their Savior. We in faith need to trust the Father who knows the best time and place to call someone to optimise success, that is, when this personal encounter between Jesus Christ and the individual happens. I recently read a book on the history of western civilization. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in England, (1800-1830), children as young as six, worked 12-16 hour days, six days a week, in the cotton mills and coal mines in order for their families to survive. If they arrived late for work they got the strap. If they nodded off at work they got the strap. Do you know what their life expectancy was? 17. Were these children born just to experience eleven years of drudgery and then cease to exist forever? Personally, I don’t think so. Let me finish with this scripture, as there may be a few surprises for some at judgment time. Luke 13:29-30 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last. What our loving God has planned for the judgment remains a mystery, but based on past experience, it just may be a happy and joyful time for the vast majority of humanity. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
15.01.2022 Fear and love cannot co-exist. Fear is motivated by self-protection. It is an attempt to keep us safe from presumed pain, but fear is made null and void by perf...ect love, and God is love. We dont have to be afraid of some future punishment because Love (God) keeps no record of wrongs. His mercies are brand new every day. Sin can never separate us from God because God separates us from sin as far as the east is from the west. Lord, reveal to us our fears and help us to see how all our fears were put to death on the cross. Holy Spirit, in every circumstance, help us choose to embrace your ever-present love, and show us how our fears naturally disappear. Father, forgive us for all the wrong ways we have judged you as not good. Help us to let go and freely and fully receive your amazing love for us, because perfect love casts out fear. #GCIMeditationMonday See more
15.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 42 - Defeating Evil We cant leave this section surrounding the events of the cross without saying something about the destructive force th...at is sin. After all, this is the primary cause of the broken relationship between a holy God and His creation. Humanity was created to be in relationship with His Creator. The Creator not only brought man into existence, but also provided the means by which he would be sustained (Acts 17:28). His existence though, was dependant on the created maintaining a healthy relationship of love and trust with His Creator. Under this arrangement, mankind enjoyed harmony, security, assurance and peace, not lacking anything. However, as we know when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by insisting on being their own gods rather than their Creator, this special relationship was terminated and although God did not disinherit nor destroy his wayward children, He continued to sustain them but allowed them to reap the consequences of their decision to substitute themselves in the place of God. So rather than enjoying the peace and security offered by living a life under the guidance of their Creator, Adam and Eve now found themselves in the anxious, stressful and harrowing experience of living a life alienated from God, a life characterised by sin and guilt. Their sin was to assume a position reserved only for God Himself. The created assumed the role of the Creator. This is the basis of all sin, a lack of trust by the created in their Creator. The command, You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3) was given to preserve the Creators place of honour in the relationship and why it is mentioned first in the Decalogue. This is why God takes our sin very seriously as it is a direct affront to Him personally. It is a rebellious creation thumbing their noses at their Creator and Father. Adam and Eves temporary existence continued but fellowship with a Holy God ceased as a result of their sin. This is why they went and hid themselves and humanity has been following their example ever since. But more than hiding is at stake. Now that humanity has cut themselves off from the true source of life, there can be only one consequence, physical and spiritual death. This is the ultimate result of self-willed humanity rebelling and choosing to trust themselves rather than His Creator. Mankind has, in effect, committed a form of suicide. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
14.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 41 - Reconciliation But as mentioned, true reconciliation demands a response from both parties otherwise atonement is not possible. And as... reconciliation, relationship and love are dependant on free will in order for it to be genuine, the onus passes to the forgiven party to respond and accept this God-given gift. Cast your minds back to the story by Søren Kierkegaard of the king who lowered himself in order to win the hand of the humble maiden. The king can do all in His power to facilitate a positive response, but ultimately he cannot force his will upon her. The final choice of whether she will reciprocate in kind to his love is up to her. This is the position in which humanity now finds itself. Will it respond to Gods act of pure love and participate in the divine act of reconciliation? This is a very important step in the reconciliation process. If the process of atonement just stopped at the legalistic aspect of justification where the judge is satisfied the penalty of our sin has been paid, and Christs righteousness has been imputed to us, then there is the danger of our developing complacency to our sin and simply continuing to live in our previous lifestyle. It would effectively mean, we could continue in our sinful lifestyle and still escape the wrath of God. The goal of atonement is much more than simply making us righteous. It is all about reconciliation. It is the restoration of a personal relationship between humanity and God. Justification without reconciliation results in cheap grace. It would be the humble maiden accepting the kings overtures of love simply to enjoy the benefits of the position without a reciprocating love. It would be an empty, loveless marriage. God is not mocked and He will not allow the death of His Son to be mocked. God has gone to extreme measures to break down the barriers preventing reconciliation and will not rest until his purpose is achieved. The onus is in the hands of the forgiven party to accept the gift. If it is rejected, it is not because God has rejected them. In point of fact, He has already taken their rejection upon Himself at the cross. God has chosen in Christ to love and accept sinners. If they now choose inconceivably to reject that acceptance, then they deserve the fate of the rejected. There is a place reserved for those who choose rejection. It is that god-forsaken place called hell, life cut off from a relationship with God. But it is not Gods will for any to be assigned to this place. It is a result of their decision to reject the loving grace of God. Gods goal is not destruction, but salvation. A salvation that results in a restored relationship with humanity sharing in the divine life of the Trinity. But here again, humanity is not left to himself to work up this personal response. God takes the initiative. To again quote John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself Through Jesus Christ, God has eternally bound himself to humanity. And if necessary, the Good Shepherd will pursue the lost sheep to the gates of hell in order to restore the relationship. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
13.01.2022 Here's a great message for Easter.
13.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 43 - Resurrection - Defeating Death The cry, It is finished showed just how confident Jesus was that He had faithfully fulfilled every ta...sk the Father had asked of Him in order for the gift of salvation to be offered to all mankind. After working for millennia to restore the relationship between Creator and created since the first sin, Jesus at last could rest. John 5:16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working. The Father and Jesus who enjoyed rest on the seventh day of creation had to recommence working after sin entered the world in order to restore the relationship with His rebellious children. The Sabbath commandment pointed forward to this day when spiritual rest and peace between God and mankind would be accomplished through Jesus saving work. Hebrews 10:11-13 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. The duties of the Levitical priesthood of the Mosaic Covenant merely pointed forward to the true saving work of Jesus Christ. Nothing more needed to be added to His work as far as Jesus was concerned, hence His cry, It is finished, rendering the Old Covenant obsolete. One Last Enemy However, having accomplished all this, there was still one last task Jesus could not complete on His own. There was still one last enemy that had to be defeated otherwise everything that Jesus had accomplished up to this point would be wasted. For this last task, Jesus had to rely on His heavenly Father to accomplish. That one last enemy remaining was death itself. If God could not demonstrate His power over the grave itself, then all His previous saving work would be for naught. To use the medical metaphor again, the disease causing death was cured, but unfortunately the patient died. Jesus lay dead in the tomb after submitting to the hell of the cross and bearing the sins of the world. But His last cry, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit showed the vital connection between Jesus and His Father had not been broken by the evil forces arrayed against Him. Jesus, as demonstrated throughout His entire life, had complete trust that His spirit was in the safe hands of the Father until He was restored to life through His resurrection (John 2:19). Jesus did not have an immortal spirit or soul anymore than we do. He had to rely on His Father to resurrect Him. Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Only God has the power to raise the dead. If we want to live again, this is where we too need to put our trust. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
13.01.2022 Today at church we had a special presentation to Ann Gedenne for her years of service as a Registered Nurse and her recent retirement. Well done Ann! We so appreciate all your years of selfless service and love for all the people whose lives you have touched. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!
12.01.2022 Announcement from Pastor Bob: COVID-19 Restrictions lifted Some good news! We are able to resume our worship services in the CWA Hall this coming Sunday, 21st June at 2pm. Of course, there will be health and safety requirements, from the CWA Management, which will be adhered to each time we meet. ... NOTE: If anyone feels unwell, or has a cold, fever, or other symptoms, please dont come. Hand sanitiser will be provided and expected to be used upon entry. We must be socially distanced and we will also maintain a record of everyone attending on the day. Look forward to seeing you next Sunday. God bless, Bob
12.01.2022 This is a very good article. Follow the link.
09.01.2022 Jesus reveals who we truly areAccording to Paul, the humanity of Jesus is the truth about us all. Our true identity is revealed to us in the mirror of Jesus. When we look deeply into that mirror with unveiled face, we behold there our own glory in the bright shining face of Jesus, the true human.
09.01.2022 What does "born again" mean?"Born again" is a familiar, though often misunderstood term. What is its biblical meaning? Here are two articles to consider:
08.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 47 - Evil in the New Creation Jobs trial ended with him having a stronger faith and a closer spiritual relationship with God than he had p...rior to his trial. This is a powerful lesson for all Christians to remember when we are facing our own personal trials. We need to remember there are times when God is more concerned with our spiritual development than with our physical well-being. We have a heavenly father who knows us intimately and knows what is best for us spiritually in order to mould and shape us into His image (Isaiah 64:8). And like Job we need to learn to trust Him with this process. There is a similar example to Jobs story in the New Testament where a messenger from Satan is used to prevent the apostle Paul from becoming conceited. 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Apparently this messenger was allowed to harass Paul so he would keep a healthy perspective on the task at hand, preaching the gospel to the Gentiles rather than boasting about his unique spiritual revelations. V.8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. And, like Jesus, Pauls prayer for relief was not granted, ultimately because there was a higher spiritual purpose at work. But notice another important principle regarding sin and evil in our spiritual development. V.9 But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me. Our failure to measure up under our own human strength, which is inevitable, forces us back to the One whose power we should be relying on in the first place. That is why Paul says, v.10 That is why, for Christs sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. And the most powerful example of God overcoming evil with good is in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The evil intent of the powerful physical and spiritual forces that schemed to destroy the Son of God resulted in the salvation of the world. This principle is still in effect today as we witness God preparing a holy people for Himself by turning the temptations of the flesh and the evil intent of the devil into godly righteousness. As prophesied right from the beginning in the book of Genesis, Satan sustained a fatal blow when Jesus rose from the dead (Genesis 3:15). His fate is sealed as we will soon see, but until that time he is allowed to perform his evil work as part of Gods plan to prepare a holy people molded in His image. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
07.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 48 - Full Extent of Evil There is another reason the devil has been allowed to exert his evil influence on mankind and that is, humanity ne...eds to realise the true and full extent of the evil that resides in the human heart. Up to this point we have identified three stages humanity has experienced throughout its history. We witnessed the age of anarchy that resulted in God having to destroy all mankind with a flood except for the eight in Noahs ark. Such was the depravity of mankind God had to step in and wipe out this evil before they annihilated themselves. We get a taste of what this world might have looked like with what we see happening in Iraq and Syria today with the likes of ISIS. The second age occurred with the introduction of a written code of law. The first written code we are aware of can be traced back to Mesopotamia and was introduced by Hammurabi, a Babylonian king about 1760BC. Much of the common law we use today can be traced back to the code of Hammurabi. The Law of Moses followed this at the time of the exodus about 1446BC. What is unique about the Law of Moses is it included offenses against a deity as well as against society. The age of the Law was both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand it put a restraint on human behavior so that the world did not fall back into anarchy, but on the other hand it pointed to the failure of humans to live up to its ideals. There is this vast gap between the is and the ought. This of course is why it was necessary for Jesus to come and live up to the requirements of the law on mankinds behalf so His righteousness could be attributed to us. This introduced the third age, the age of grace that began with Jesus death and resurrection and the start of the new creation. However, there are those in our society who naively think that given enough time, enough education, more laws and better forms of government, that humanity will reach a golden age all by itself. Its a noble ideal of course. Unfortunately, each generation goes to its grave with dashed expectations and the world about the same as it has always been. But scripture tells us, just so mankind gets the point that life without God is hell, that just before Christs second coming, the restraints holding back the full extent of evil will be removed so no one is left with any doubt that we are deeply flawed creatures in desperate need of help. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
07.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 46 - The Kingdom of God This new kingdom is characterized by grace rather than law (Romans 6:14). Through His death on the cross, Jesus ha...d substituted Himself as the focal point of Gods final judgment on the world and ended the conflict between God and humanity. Mankind no longer lives under the judgment of Gods law as Jesus saving work has cancelled the written code which judges us guilty and now lives under the forgiving power of the New Covenants blessing of grace (Colossians 2:13-15). In addition, this new age is characterized by the spiritual healing work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:16-18). Whereas the old age was dominated by evil spiritual forces intent on separating mankind from His Creator, this new age is characterized by Gods Holy Spirit drawing humanity back into relationship with His Creator. This new age is one of inclusion where all, both Jews and Gentiles are invited to share in the kingdom (Acts 2:17, Ephesians 2:14-15). The dividing wall of hostility between competing parties has been broken down and now all are one in Christ Jesus. This is the new humanity or the citizens of the kingdom of God (Galatians 3:28). This is the age of the firstfruits or the church age (Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:19-22). The world needs to hear the good news about the God who loves them so much He was willing to die for them. In addition, a people, the church (firstfruits) needs to be prepared to assist with the great harvest of souls (second-fruits) at the end of the age. So when Jesus said in Mark 9:1, Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power, He was referring to much more than His transfiguration before His disciples. He was speaking about the dawning of the new age, the age of the kingdom of God, the age of grace, the age of the healing work of the Holy Spirit, and the formation of the early church. The whole course of humanity was set on a whole new trajectory when the first human, Jesus, was raised from the dead. We shouldnt make the mistake of minimizing the full implication of what occurred on that resurrection morning. It was much more than Jesus being brought back to life, joyful event though that was. It was the culmination of all that Jesus had set out to do through the incarnation and the atonement. All He had accomplished would have been in vain if not for His resurrection. The resurrection proved God not only had the power to grant humans immortality, but it was His stamp of approval on all Jesus had done to make this transition possible. In addition, it was the arrival of the new age, the kingdom of God under the loving rule of the rightful King and Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
07.01.2022 A week filled with love and hope for all people!
06.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 64 - "The Law and God's Holy People" Law in the age of the New Covenant Controversy surrounding the role of the law in the age of the New C...ovenant is nothing new. Change always brings controversy and after living with the Mosaic Law for over 1200 years, this was bound to happen, as most of the early converts to Christianity were law-abiding Jews (Acts 2:41). But as Gentile converts were added who had no experience with the Mosaic Law and were correctly instructed that salvation was only possible through faith in Jesus Christ, the potential for controversy over the role of the law grew. This is the underlying dynamic with which we should view the books of the New Testament cannon that addresses the development of the early church, especially the writings of Paul. More than any of the other apostles, he, as the apostle to the Gentiles, was the one who had to juggle this dynamic as most of his churches had both Jew and Gentile converts. Not only that, but he faced a determined faction of Jews who insisted new Gentile converts adopt the teaching of the Law of Moses into their new Christian practice (Galatians 2; Galatians 5:7-12; Titus 3:9). To further confuse the issue, there are times when Paul himself speaks positively about the law and times when he speaks negatively about it. On the negative side, to be under the law was, to be in slavery (Romans 7:22-23; Galatians 4:21-31), brought death and condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:7-9), is powerless to save us (Romans 8:3), those that promote the law are the enemies of Christ (Galatians 5:12), it came to an end with the introduction of the New Covenant (Romans 10:4; Galatians 5:18), and it produced self-righteousness rather than godly righteousness (Romans 10:3). On the positive side, Paul calls the law holy, righteous and good (Romans 7:12), faith does not nullify the law but upholds it (Romans 3:31) and although circumcision is out, keeping the commandments of God is not (1 Corinthians 7:19). How then are we to reconcile these two points of view? The answer lies in Romans 8:1-2. Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Notice two laws are mentioned; one that leads to life, and one that leads to death. As we saw last time, the reason there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus is because, 1) Jesus, through His righteous life has produced on our behalf the righteous requirements demanded by the law. In other words, we are accepted in faith, based on His righteous works not ours (Romans 8:4). And, 2) Jesus has paid the death penalty demanded by the law for mankind’s sins. So the law has lost its deadly power over us. It can no longer condemn us or punish us as it says here in Romans 8:2. We have been set free from the law of sin and death. What this section of scripture is saying is, the law that God instituted as a way to govern the relationship between a holy God and His rebellious children (one that led to sin and death) has now been replaced by a new law, the law of the Spirit to govern the relationship between a holy God and His holy people (one that leads to holiness and eternal life). This is simply the fulfilment of the promise recorded by the prophet Jeremiah added to God’s original statement in Leviticus 26:12. Jeremiah 31:33 This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. As we saw, the Old Covenant failed in that it did not produce the spiritual maturity required for the Israelites to be God’s holy people. Besides the other positive benefits just mentioned, the New Covenant included the means to address this failure. And this is the remarkable aspect of the New Covenant. The responsibility of living up to God’s righteous requirements in order for them to be His holy people is transferred from the people to God Himself, Jesus. Through His righteous life, His death and resurrection, Christ has fulfilled this aspect of God’s plan to redeem humanity so they can become His holy people. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
05.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 66 - "Instructions in Holiness" God’s ultimate goal of salvation is to make us in His image and conform us to the likeness of Jesus Christ ...(Genesis 1:26; Romans 8:29). We have seen through this series how God has taken the initiative in redeeming us from our sins. First of all, God sent His Son to do for us what we could not achieve for ourselves under the law. His righteousness has been imputed to us, and He has paid the death penalty we deserved for our sins. Second, Jesus sends the Spirit to do what the law could not do in regard to developing holiness in His people. The coming of the Holy Spirit is God’s answer to addressing the question of developing holiness in God’s people now that the law has been terminated and replaced by the New Covenant. We have already seen how the Holy Spirit dwelling in a believer has replaced the law as the new way of identifying God’s holy people (Romans 8:9,14). We have also learned how God, as part of the new creation, has given us a new nature under the direction of the Holy Spirit who gives us the mind of Christ. Our first five points leading up to this sixth point is to show the superiority of the role the Holy Spirit plays in developing spiritual maturity in God’s holy people over the ineffectiveness of the law written on tables of stone. However, to these wonderful gifts, under the New Covenant we are given another wonderful gift and this is what we will term instructions in holiness. Back in Romans 8:1-2 we learned that through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. This new law or covenant of the Spirit who gives life also includes within it, instructions in holiness. But we need to make a very important distinction between these instructions in holiness of the New Covenant and the laws of sin and death of the Mosaic Covenant. As mentioned, the commandments of the Mosaic Covenant were designed and applied to those still ruled by the fallen nature of sin with the intention of bringing them to repentance and providing a certain amount of stability in a fallen world. In contrast, the instructions in holiness of the New Covenant are designed for believers with the new nature to aid them in developing the holy nature and character of God. Because of a lack of understanding of the inherent power of the New Covenant, many Christians tenaciously hang onto the laws of the Old Covenant, especially the Ten Commandments, either because they somehow believe we have to obey them in order to be saved, or there will be anarchy if they are rejected. Hopefully, we have already shown we are already accepted based on Christ’s works, not ours; and our new nature is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who gives us the mind of Christ. Those genuinely guided by the Holy Spirit who have the mind of Christ will not allow their lives to descend into anarchy. So both of these fears are unwarranted. But the goal is to conform us to the likeness of Jesus Christ, and again this is a process, a process the Holy Spirit will lead us through. Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. (Also Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 1:17). The Holy Spirit has already started this process of leading us to spiritual maturity when He inspired the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The promise Jesus made to His disciples was He would send the same Holy Spirit that guided Him as a human to His followers (John 14:16-18). So by studying the life and teachings of Jesus Christ primarily in the four gospels we get a very clear picture into the mind of God, a picture that is so much more revealing than the Old Mosaic Covenant. Download free ebook at www.in godsimage.site
04.01.2022 A very timely message.
03.01.2022 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I Peter 1:3
03.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 50 - Jesus' Ascension Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King Lets take a look at these three roles now that Jesus has ascended to heaven. The ...first thing we should consider about all three roles is how they are exercised. Surprisingly, we see little difference between how Jesus exercises His pre-resurrection ministry and His post-resurrection ministry. His role may have changed from being the suffering servant to one of Lord of lords, but we see little, if any difference, in His approach to the task at hand. After all, His main title still remains one of being humanitys Savior. Sometimes even we Christians may want Him to exercise His unlimited power as King of kings and Lord of lords with a little more gusto, and show the world who is boss. But this a God of love we are talking about and He would rather every tongue confess He is Lord by leading them to that admission voluntarily rather than forcing them to do it with an iron fist. To restate a popular phrase, A man convinced against their will is of the same opinion still. So it is when it comes to love. We cannot force another individual to love us. It has to be a personal choice. To go back to our earlier story of the king who wanted to win the heart of the humble maiden by Søren Kierkegaard, the challenge now is to get the maiden to respond voluntarily to the kings overtures of love. Jesus, through His incarnation and His atoning work on behalf of humanity, has more than demonstrated Gods love for His creation. The task now is to make mankind aware of the love this self-sacrificing God has demonstrated on their behalf. The goal of Jesus ministry remains the same, to save the world. The hard work of providing justification and reconciliation for all humanity has been accomplished. The emphasis of His ministry now changes to enlightening an oblivious humanity of what God has accomplished on their behalf and to get them to respond voluntarily to His overtures. They need to be made aware of the good news, as that is what the gospel is all about. And He would prefer to do it through the conquering power of love, rather than with an iron fist. And this, too, is why Jesus ascension is so important, as His removal from the scene forces us to focus our attention on the historical Jesus, the God of love who willingly joined us in our humanity, who suffered, bled and died on our behalf so that we could join Him in eternity. This is why the primary focus of the gospel writers is on the suffering servant rather than the Lord of Lords as this demonstrates for all time the enormous love God has for His children. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
03.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 43 - Resurrection - Defeating Death. Man in his arrogance likes to think he can control most circumstances in life. But one thing he cant... control is this last enemy, death. We may be able to postpone it for a while but eventually it strikes us all. So the resurrection of Jesus is great news for humanity, not only because Jesus our Savior is raised from the dead, but also we have a heavenly Father who has the power to raise the dead. Death has lost its sting in the face of the living God (1 Corinthians 15:55). But now that Jesus has defeated death, the Father passes this authority to the one who has defeated both death and hell to Jesus. Revelation 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Jesus now holds the keys to mankinds destiny. He is the one who has gone to death and hades on our behalf, defeated them and as a result is given the authority to offer us the gift of eternal life. It is no longer death, sin, the devil or any other power that controls the destiny of mankind. That power is in the merciful hands of our Savior. Hebrews 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of deaththat is, the devil 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Instead of being held captive by the power of sin, death and the devil, Jesus has set us free from those evil forces that held us under their sway. And if we are set free, what has God in store for us? 1 Corinthians 15:20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. Firstfruits implies secondfruits. Just as Adams sin decreed death as the destiny for humanity, now Jesus resurrection sets the stage for humanity to make the transition from death to life. And not just biological life, but eternal life in relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mortality is not part of Gods plan for humanity. We may experience a physical death, but the resurrection of Jesus proves the nature of a finite person, their personhood can extend beyond death into immortality. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
03.01.2022 How many times have you asked (begged) God to fix your circumstances, whether it was an ongoing health issue, family troubles, financial worries, or any numbe...r of concerns and burdens, yet God seemed to be occupied elsewhere? This is when we must remember that our ways are not the Lords and his thoughts are much higher than ours. God has a much bigger perspective of what is going on in our lives. So how do we tap into this God perspective? We simply need to ask, God, what is your perspective? What do you say about this situation? It can be helpful to picture giving God your circumstance and asking him to show you how he sees it. What does it look like in Gods hands? Take time to sit with the Lord. Ask him questions and listen for his responses. Simply receive his deep love for you, abide in his healing presence, and see how your perspective changes. #GCIMeditationMonday See more
02.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 65 - From Law to Relationship Under the New Covenant, Jesus has restored our humanity and has paved the way for us to come out of hiding to... once again enter into the very presence of God where we experience the love; security and assurance only a holy God can give. John 4:23-24 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. Notice it is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ who is now directing our worship. The Spirit includes us in the circle of love that is the Godhead where there are no long lists of do’s and don’ts, no sacred times or locations, no buildings, no sacrifices, just a loving relationship. God does not want to relate to us through the legal paradigm of the law; He wants to relate to us via the godly relationship that is love. God does not want this covenant relationship to be like a loveless marriage where two parties get together simply to fulfil selfish motives. He wants us to relate to Him as a loving Father rather than a sheriff enforcing a list of do’s and don’ts. Through the New Covenant of grace, He has set in motion the means to achieve this as the Holy Spirit is the master of relationships (2 Corinthians 13:14). God is holding out the ultimate form of relationship to us, the gift of sharing in the same fellowship that exists within the very Godhead itself. 1 John 1:3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. As we read in John 4:23-24, the Father is seeking those who want to join Him willingly and participate in the fellowship which is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
02.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 44 - Salvation Extended to All The Father has given His stamp of approval on Jesus successfully fulfilling every task the Father had give...n Him in order to provide salvation for humanity. Its the Father effectively saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (2 Peter 1:17). In other words, the Father is saying, I am satisfied Jesus has fulfilled all we set out to accomplish in order to restore our relationship with our wayward children. In theological terms this is called the doctrine of Satisfaction. The Father is satisfied justification of sinners has occurred by Jesus willingness to accept Gods judgment on sin by submitting to the death penalty on our behalf. The Father is satisfied sinners have been clothed with Jesus righteousness which He lived on our behalf. The Father is satisfied our fallen human nature has been sanctified and infused with Christs righteousness through union with Him. The Father is satisfied reconciliation has occurred as the barrier of sin preventing peace between the two parties has been removed. And remarkably, the Father is satisfied the way has been opened for Him to forgive His dear children so He can adopt them into sonship. And if the Father has given His stamp of approval to all Jesus has accomplished, what does it mean for humanity? Well it effectively means the relationship between a holy God and His creation has changed dramatically. It is entirely built on a new basis pictured by the New Covenant instituted by the saving work of Jesus Christ. Prior to the atonement and the resurrection, because of mans sin, the relationship between God and humanity was based on law and as a consequence, judgment, because of our failure to obey the requirement of the law. We opposed God through our sinfulness, while God rightfully opposed us because of His holiness. But God was not going to abandon His children in our lost and sinful condition. Ephesians 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved. But now that Christ has taken care of the problem of sin and our lack of righteousness, the law no longer exerts its deadly hold over us. How can it when the penalty for our sin demanded under the law, spiritual death, has been paid for by our Savior? To now turn around and demand it be paid a second time would mean Jesus death was totally unnecessary and make the good news of the gospel a grotesque fabrication. God is not a liar and He certainly would not subject His dear Son to the horrendous ordeal of the crucifixion unnecessarily. So if the demands of the law have been satisfied by the saving work of Jesus Christ, Gods dealings with His creation can now proceed on a whole new basis. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
02.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 42 - Defeating Evil And it is here too at the cross that the spotlight is rightly focused on the true extent of humanitys sin. The symbo...l of the cross has both a light and a dark side to it. While on the one hand, it symbolises Gods loving redemption of mankind, it also carries a dark shadow that should remind each of us that we too are implicated in this shameful deed. It is no accident that in Jesus ordeal leading up to the crucifixion, representatives of all humanity are implicated in His execution. Collectively, Jews, Gentiles, church, state, and individuals in the crowd, all of humanity as sinners have the blood of the beloved Son of God on their hands. That wicked deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9) of mankind rose up and spat in the face of God. Yet in the midst of this, the beloved Son asks His Father to forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34). Such is the contrast to the way we humans would have reacted to the terrible injustices He suffered. Instead the love of God shines through Jesus even while suffering innocently the wrath of God against our sin. 1 Peter 2: 21-25 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin,and no deceit was found in his mouth.23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Through the whole awful ordeal, Jesus remained faithful to His Father and His heavenly kingdom. He did not sink to the level of mans fallen nature by retaliating in kind; neither did He succumb to the temptation to call on the divine power at His disposal. We see the devils influence in this regard when a similar question to his earlier temptations is raised, if you are the Son of God! Matthew 27:39-40 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God! Although the forces arrayed against Him were formidable, they are dealing with the King of Kings who would not betray His kingdom for the passing glories of this present age (Matthew 4:8-10). Nor would He yield to the demands of the flesh to use His divine powers to end the ordeal (Matthew 26:53, Matthew 27:40-43). His sights were unswervingly set on the task set before Him, to free once and for all His wayward children whom He loved and for whom He was determined to be their Saviour (Luke 9:51). Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
01.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 55 - The Coming of the Holy Spirit - Game Changer The second thing that needs to happen has already been accomplished. That is the reconci...ling work of Jesus Christ that has restored peace between the two parties. The gateway through the veil has been opened for humanity to approach God, and for God to approach humanity through the Holy Spirit. Because of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice, God can now extend grace to sinful mankind, and because of Christ’s obedient response to the Father on our behalf, reconciliation has been achieved. Prior to this point, it was impossible for the unreconciled and alienated mind of humanity to even understand the things of God, let alone respond to saving grace. But now that Christ has provided reconciliation, the way has been opened for God to pour out His Spirit on mankind and for man to draw near to God. The third thing that needs to happen is a personal decision made by the Father Himself. John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. Just for emphasis, Jesus repeats this statement later in v.65 of the same chapter. One of the great mysteries of the salvation process is this question of election or calling as it is called, this opportunity to experience and respond to God’s overtures of love. Traditional Christianity has maintained one has to respond in this life in order for one to be included in the elect and to be saved. If this statement were true, then this would automatically exclude all those who lived prior to Christ, including ancient Israel, and those who have never heard of Christ’s name. In other words, the vast majority of those who have ever lived. Fortunately, in recent times, this rather narrow view is coming under more scrutiny and for very good reasons. The reason for this scrutiny revolves around the question of the nature of God. Would a God who claims to be love, create billions of children only to consign the majority of them to destruction? Who of us as human parents would choose to consign one of our two children to heaven, and the other to hell? The second question that needs to be asked is, If we truly believe Jesus has already paid the death penalty for all mankind’s sins, why are they now required to pay the death penalty themselves a second time? A more loving response is to believe God the Father has made just provision for all men. He loves all His children and has gone to great lengths to secure their salvation and none will be forgotten. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site
01.01.2022 Good to reflect on as we partake of Communion.
01.01.2022 Extract from Chapter 50 - Jesus' Ascension A human now sits at the Fathers right hand Jesus has spent 40 days since His resurrection reassuring the disciples ...He is the same Jesus they knew before the resurrection, and preparing them for the task of taking the gospel to the world. Luke 24:50-52 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. With Jesus ascension to heaven we come full circle. When Jesus arrived in Bethlehem, it was God joining us in our humanity. Now as He ascended from Bethany to heaven, Jesus is taking our humanity into the very presence of God. The incarnation is God humbling Himself to join us in our earthly realm, whereas the ascension is the exalting of humanity to meet God in His heavenly realm. Gods purpose from the beginning is to bring humans into union with Him so they too can share in the life and love of the Godhead. Now sitting at the right hand of the Father is a human being. This is not a sin-racked decaying human we normally think of. This is the sinless, glorified head of the new race, the pinnacle of true humanity, the firstborn of the new creation. The ascension of Jesus is the completion of the miraculous journey from the darkness of death, to the glory of heaven. Philippians 2: 8-11 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to deatheven death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This is the new reality. Under the new creation, humanity is now wedded to eternity through the mediator, Jesus Christ. And amazingly, as the new Adam, he is the forerunner of the whole human race. What has happened to Jesus can happen to every human being (1 Corinthians 15:45). Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Download free ebook at www.ingodsimage.site See more
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