Friday 5 March 2010

The Vicar writes...

Dear All,

God’s purpose for us is that we enjoy our salvation. The enemy’s plan is we do not receive salvation and if we do then he tries to stop us enjoying it. Joy is the means by which we draw up the blessings salvation offers (Isa 12) and is also the way our salvation becomes contagious to those we meet. Satan sometimes uses hardship outwardly, but this is not his main weapon . What he uses most is accusation about our past or our present, and when he brings difficulties, he will be accusing us by saying it is our fault, and there is nothing we can do about it. That is not true. Jesus is always bigger than any problem. He has a plan. Our past is irrelevant to the Christian being able to receive and move in the salvation Jesus brings to us through his death and resurrection. The only issue is our faith and how much we are willing to receive of His Spirit.

We enjoy our salvation because Jesus has forgiven us. When we asked Jesus to forgive us and rule our life, He has done just that. We do not need to be better; just people who walk with Jesus in life.

Romans 7:1-6 reminds us that before we found Jesus as our saviour, our reference point was not Jesus but the law. This law dominated us whether we were trying to obey it by being good, trying our best; or whether we were being rebels doing the opposite of what we knew others would expect. Both ways wound us and make us empty inside.

What is worse, the law may give us good instructions but no help, so we feel even further alienated from any hope of being different. Paul in Romans 7 likens it to being married to a husband who is no help but always correct and from whom we cannot be divorced and as the law `never dies, we cannot even look forward to being free through his death. The answer to this is that we die instead…. we become a Christian and enter a new life. Paul states we died to the law through belonging to Christ.

Our life has now a new reference point, not the law of the past with its priorities and snobberies; its guilt and regrets; its obligations and responsibilities; its rules and divisions. Our reference frame is our relationship with Jesus. We must not commit spiritual adultery by going back to our first husband the law. Just as we received Jesus we are to live in him (Colossians 3:6). No more “ I must be a good Christian”; instead thankfulness at the cross. No more doing without receiving; instead receiving God’s favour and moving in His will. No more doing anything to please men, but only to please God;

People around us may view us initially as if there is no change, but as we move in our new life in Christ, they will gradually notice a difference. This may not, in the beginning, always be welcome or seen for what it is, but God will be at work in those we meet and in most cases brings a blessing. Eventually as we continue in the new life we have found in Jesus, others begin to get the good news too! Don’t let anyone rob you of the joy that is yours in Jesus!! (John 15:11, 16:22,24, 17:13)

Jonathan Couper

PS Don’t forget the passion play!!

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