WORD OF LIFE No. 9 - 2016.
TEXT: Hosea 6:1.
"Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up."
We see in that promise so many years before our Lord came, the promise of a resurrection for those who follow the Lord. "Come unto the Lord"!, the prophet implored the people, come unto Him, make again a new testimony in our life, a new commitment to come unto Him for He will show us His love. He has shown that He has torn us and surely we can see that mankind was torn away from the love of God, by the deceit of Satan and yet the prophet prophesied that He will heal us. Surely that healing came about on the cross. Surely that healing was for all mankind. We have heard and we understand, and we have heard it so often that on the cross He took the sins of the whole world upon Himself, and yet when we look into the world today, there is as much sin here as there ever has been. We in our lives, commit as much sin as those people that were torn from God. So what does it mean to have the sins of the world taken away from us? We can liken it in our natural life. It is not the sin or the committing of that sin that is taken away from us, but it is the penalty or the retribution that we have to make, that is taken from us and replaced by the love of God through Christ. He is prepared to take that penalty upon Himself and that retribution. Each of us should understand that as we go through life, if we break a law of the land, whether it be a minor law on the roads, we have to pay a penalty, we have to pay a retribution. If we break the major laws which are against God and the land, we have to pay the penalty often of imprisonment, or sometimes in some countries, even death. We have to pay a retribution. If we deliberately do something against our neighbour and he has suffered with a harm, the law dictates unto us that we have to pay a retribution to try and balance his life back to where it was. When we look at this in God's sight, which is what the people, the children of Israel and the whole world had to do before the love of God came with Christ.
When they sinned, they had to pay a penalty or a retribution to God and it was not possible that that penalty or that retribution eventually could be accepted by God. Since our Lord took the sins of the world upon Himself and declared it finished, we now live in a period of time where provided we believe and provided we accept the grace of Christ in our lives when we commit a sin, we are not tormented or tortured with that understanding that we have to pay a penalty or a retribution that has been paid for us by Christ on the cross, and we can go through life being peaceful with God. Peaceful with one another, knowing that no sin requires a retribution or a penalty from God. That does not mean that we can become blatant and say that we will continue to sin so that this grace will abound, God forbid said the Apostle Paul. But to know in our hearts, in our spirit, in our inward being we have this knowledge that the sins of the world have been taken away. The penalty and the retribution to God no longer apply and that should allow us to live in peace and be reconciled to God, because we know then that He has indeed healed us. He has healed us and according to the prophet, He will once again bring us back to life, not the life of this world, but the life that will come when our Lord returns and we resurrect again from the grave and we become a converted being.
As this Grace is extended freely from our Lord to all believers, we too, must be prepared to extend this to others. We must never judge or condemn each other for those things done in life, because if God has seen fit to heal us, and to bind us up, we too, must follow that example.
Apostle Cliff Flor
North Queensland.
WORD OF LIFE No. 10 – 2016.
TEXT - Luke 24: 51.
“The very last act of our Lord to His Apostles before His Ascension, was to bless them. "And it came the pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into Heaven."
This was the closing scene of our Lord's ministrations upon earth. In this His visible Ascension, we learn that He left a blessing on His Apostles and those who through the Apostle-word believe on Him. This blessing of the Lord, is the promise of the Father fulfilled, to send the Holy Ghost, to complete the labour of our Lord in the saving grace to fallen man, for the sending of the Holy Ghost, is the comforter who shall comfort all the faithful ones and prepare them as the elect for our Saviour. It was thus that the Redeemer rose to Heaven, and did leave in the minds of His disciples a most encouraging impression. This blessing of our Lord is to be with His people until He returns in power and glory to take them unto Himself. We may well stand in awe and wonder and cry within ourselves, what a fitting close of the labour of our Redeemer on earth. God had willed not our destruction, but our salvation and to deliver us from sin and eternal death, hence did our Lord devise and execute a plan whereby it is to be accomplished; Our Lord Himself assures us that this was the end of His Ascension. We who believe this great deed of our Lord, it must alter the whole idea of our existence; for it must raise us to a higher order of life. Let us then arise and know our calling to real greatness, our glorious and immortal destiny; let us not prove unworthy of our calling.
Our real life is what we live for, for where ever the main object of our soul is fixed, therein we live and move and have our being. Our zeal should be directed in the first instance, to heavenly things, but we must not let it stop at that, we must be sincerely concerned for the salvation of others.
The Lord's temple must be built and completed so that our Lord can walk and dwell therein. As stated, the Lord's temple is built of living stones, these must be found and grooved and placed and shaped to fit therein, so that it is pleasing in the sight of God. It was our Saviour's wish and His design, that His Church should grow and spread, it should stretch forth its boughs and spread its branches wider over the earth, garnering in souls and shielding them from the temptations of the evil one, and giving them spiritual nourishment, the saving fruit of the Gospel truth. The Lord God gives His blessing to the labour of His servants that blessing given at His ascension will be with His servants to the end of the world.
These words written in May 1944 by the
Late Apostle E Zielke
North Queensland.
WORD OF LIFE No. 11- 2016.
TEXT - Hosea 6:2-3.
"After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth".
The Jewish people understood what the former rain and latter rain meant, for when they went into the Promised Land, they were also promised by God, that if they worshipped Him only and did not turn to false gods, but gave unto Him all honour, He would answer their prayers and He would grant unto them blessings. When they wished to plant their crops, they did not even have to pick a season, because they were under the blessing of God. When they were ready to plant, they came to the temple, they acknowledge God as the Almighty Creator and they asked Him for the rain and that was given enough moisture for them to go and then plant their crops, and they knew that would happen for a loving Father had promised them. We know that in time, that blessing was taken away because they doubted God, and we can read the report of that in the Scriptures, where, when they doubted God and started to complain that this rain was coming and they weren't quite ready for it. They didn't want it this week, they wanted it next week, and we unfortunately, still hear this today amongst those upon the land. God then showed His power and He sent them a hail storm which destroyed and left everything in a state of disrepair, and from that day they lost the blessing of that former rain. Now we in the Christian church were also given a former rain of the Holy Spirit, and that former rain came into the world on the day of Pentecost. It filled the people and it allowed them to bring forth the springing up of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit became manifest and through those gifts, the church was edified and we must remember that a gift from God is an accumulating gift. He began with sending the Holy Spirit, that Holy Spirit brought forth the gifts. Those gifts were used and brought forth among the members to edify others and that then converted itself into the fruits of the spirit and the church became productive as we today, must also be productive, for that is why the gift is sent. During the former rain, the church brought forth much fruit and much faith, and we can read that in history, but once again we can also read in history, how mankind began to complain, how man wished to take the honour and glory to himself, how man wished to lead the church by his own wisdom not by the power of God. Once again God showed as He did with the children of Israel, He withdrew those benefits, He sent a storm into the church which was then scattered hither and thither and we can read the history of the church on how it became divided and through the terrible dark years, things were done because the darkness was again coming into the world. This spirit of God was no longer functioning the way God intended it.
The latter rain in the days of the children of Israel, once their crops were grown and the seeds headed, then it required rain to form that seed head into fruit and in their day they just simply believed. They took the first fruits, which were those seed heads that grew above the others. They took those first fruits into the temple where they offered them to God. They thanked Him for His creative powers and He sent unto them the latter rain and the latter rain came across the whole land and their fruits set seed and they were blessed with enough fruits to last them for the next year and they gave thanks to the Almighty God. Once again we can read in the scriptures where they began to select the fruit they would give back to God. They began to say that they were growing the crops, but forgot that it was God's work and He withdrew from them also the latter rain, so that there were recordings in the scriptures of great famines as God tried to show them that this latter rain was required and the means of it were to bring Him thanksgiving for the former rain and the fruits. Now in the Christian church, God also, as the prophet said, would send the latter rain, and we know that it came about as devout men, everywhere in the world, realised that there was something missing out of the church. This latter rain came about as the second outpouring or regeneration of the Holy Spirit, but according to the prophet Joel, it came in a different way. It was the former rain and the latter rain, both sent at the one time and the church received not only that spirit which would allow it to grow, it received that spirit that will bring it to maturity, and that is what we live for today. To witness the maturity of the church so that on this third day, the church can also be risen from the grave, the church can come alive again. The day of refreshing the Apostle Peter referred to it as, when all things will be made new again and we will live with the Lord forever, and that is what we believe in our faith. We see therein that there is a requirement and that requirement is that we must have the Holy Spirit working within our midst. Without this Holy Spirit, we cannot be guided the way of God, we will be guided the way of man. That is why we believe in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, so that it will be given as a gift to that person. That person then can bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Those gifts can be edified within the church and the church then can bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are many and listed in the scriptures. The world can then see that this body of people are being led by a different spirit, not being led by the ways of the world but being led by this spirit of God, that has the power to take us onto this great day of refreshing. It is the only power that can take us there. We can do nothing on our own, and that is why we must keep this active within our communities and around the world.
The Spirit of God is fed by the partaking of the body and blood of Christ, for the Spirit of God is part of the God-head. Christ is part of the God-head, our Father is part of the God-head and that is why our Lord said that if we partake of this worthily, He is then within us and we are within Him. It is a spiritual connection and we must maintain that spiritual connection, because our Lord said that He and His Father are one and they agree in one. We must have this connection to be going to our Heavenly Father, who can keep this accumulating effect going within the communities around the world.
We too, must at all times, hold up before God and always be prepared to place before Him, that first fruit, to ensure this rain is not taken away from the church. Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:20 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept".
We must at all times, display our faith in Christ to the world. (John 5:24). Apostle Cliff Flor
North Queensland.
WORD OF LIFE No. 12 – 2016.
TEXT- 1 John 2: 15-17.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
With these words the Apostle John asks us to make an important decision. Where does our interest lie, or what is more, whom do we love, God or the world?
Today it takes a lot of courage to stand firmly on God's side and to renounce the world, "Don't be prudish and old-fashioned" some say. Others say "This kind of narrow minded Christianity is outdated." Are they right? Are these words not meant for the present times? Do they imply hostility towards our bodies and the world?
Let us first understand what is meant here by the word "world." This word has many meanings. It is usually used in a neutral sense, in terms such as 'world peace', 'world trade' etc. When it is used in connection with creation, then it means all creatures, human beings, the animal and plant kingdom as well as our whole planet. There is a lot in this world which God or man has created and which quite naturally, and without restricting us in any way, gladdens our hearts.
In today’s reading the word world means that part of it which is against God. It means men, who rebel against God, it means their godless and sinful lives. Here we are warned about the danger that threatens our spiritual life. It also helps us to truly love our fellowmen. May this reading enable us to make a clear decision. In many cases this might not be so simple. Man no longer considers those things displeasing to God to be wrong or dangerous. This attitude does not work. It is impossible to love God and 'this' world. Jesus called the devil the "Prince of this world" (John 14:30). We cannot love God and evil at the same time.
Light has no communion with darkness, and righteousness has no relationship with unrighteousness or truth with untruth. We should not worry about what society considers moral, but should rather flee from the destructive power of godlessness.
The greatest gift God gave us, is the gift of love! Love is life. Through the love of God we have been saved from death. What do I love most? To what use do I put it? On what does my life depend? The answer will tell us where our interests lie. It is sad to see this gift wasted on unimportant things. If man loved God as much as transitory things, then man's life would be different. John, therefore, rightly says: "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." He says it without moralizing. He states a fact. Therefore, love God for He loves us first.
The Apostle mentions three ways by which the love of the world is kindled in us, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye of the pride of life. As individuals we have been given no guideline to check whether we have become victims of the world. Here we have to use our judgement and love to find our relationship with God. Following rules would be easy. Instead each one has to follow his conscience and choose his own way. He who looks earnestly within himself will clearly see what he truly is, and thereby find his way to eternal life.
Apostle Rudi Gassmeyer
Germany (Since retired).
WORD OF LIFE No. 13 – 2016.
TEXT – Genesis 6:14-22, 7:1.
“Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”
We read those words and we imagine a short period of time when Noah had to construct this ark. The measurements of the ark are huge. It was a huge ship, we would say today. It had to be constructed without modern day tools. It was recorded that Noah went into the ark when he was 600 years old. We see for 100 years Noah was blessed with this Grace or Christ and he was obedient to God's word. We can imagine the ridicule that he and his family would have come under as they went about this work. The ridicule as Noah told them that God was going to destroy every thing with a flood. It had not rained in the world at that time. All their water came from under the earth in the form of mists. How they must have laughed and mocked at Noah and his family, who in faith because of this grace that had been granted unto them tried to teach and preach to the people to return back to the Lord to receive salvation.
We see there the ark in symbol form represented the church. In three storeys: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we see it has sufficient food taken into it to support us through the perilous times in this world. We see only one door that can go into this, and that one door represents our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is the only door: He is the way, He is the truth and the life. One window looking up to heaven showing that through the power of the Holy Spirit this ark will be guided so that all of those therein can find safety. We can see how the grace of God was signified in this great event, and it was a signal for future times, the times in the Christian period. There are many times in this period where we will be ridiculed for believing in this grace and testifying that our Lord will return. Many will mock and scorn because that has never happened in the world also. We must stand firm because the end of that text said that Noah and his family were called into the ark by God. We have to be called into Christ’s salvation. We cannot go out and demand it. We cannot find it, we cannot buy it, we are called, and when we are called we then can get an inkling to the answer – What love has the Father bestowed upon us that we can now be called sons of God? The Apostle Peter wrote about this to the people in his day, and the writings are the same today in Chapter 2 verse 1 on as follows: “But there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly”
We see therein that the Apostle Peter referred to Noah and the events, but he went on to tell us that God is in a position to protect the godly, and the only way we can remain godly is through this Grace which came into the world with the birth of Christ. His birth was different. He did not inherit the original sin, Grace now was in the world and the angels proclaimed that this is the Son of God. Once again the Son of God walked this earth, but He had to provide the means and the way that we could all be blessed. As Eve was made out of Adam, so the church had to be made out of Christ, and the second element then was required. That element was the element of righteousness which was not in the world as a permanent dwelling place. For it is only through righteousness that we can be redeemed and that we can remain the sons and daughters of God, through the Grace that is dispensed through the forgiveness of sins, the righteousness that is given unto us through the Body and Blood of Christ. Christ had to bring that fullness of righteousness into the world. Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” In prophet terms if we trace that through we come to the day when our Lord stood before John the Baptist and told him to suffer it so, so that the fullness of righteousness can come into the world. Grace and righteousness have remained with all the faithful who believe in them, who are not deterred by and false prophet’s philosophies that may come into the world. The only way to receive these two blessings is through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Apostle Cliff Flor
North Queensland.
WORD OF LIFE No. 14 – 2016.
TEXT- Acts 16: 25-31
"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awakening out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
While Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Phillipi they experienced great evidence of God's power. Their setting free at midnight signified an opportune and instructive consequence. The prison keeper stood in great fear as those whom he had thrown into the innermost part of prison with their feet bound in stocks, now were standing before him freed from their chains. In fear and alarm he would have taken his life, for he knew what consequences were in store for him.
But God did not free his ambassadors so that others should die. The keeper experienced a miracle, those whom he had in might, imprisoned comforted him and offered him the key to the spiritual "setting free" with the words, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Verse 31).
Where do we stand? The Lord will always use those who are His as tools in this spiritual setting free of liberation. Yes, just when we are in "deepest night" in grey days, in distress and need, in sickness and trouble, but still capable of praising God in prayer and song. We can experience a glorious liberation. Chains fall off, and the cares, sorrows, fears and walls we've built totter.
To whom in particular can we testify of the liberation of the redeemed in Jesus? Surely our former "prison on keepers." How well the prison keeper received as his own Gospel preached by Paul and Silas as they lay bound in chains and behind bars."
An example of a small event: An American magazine wanted to distinguish whose life was most prudent, modest and temperate. A competition was organized. One candidate wrote "I don't smoke or drink alcohol or gamble. I'm faithful to my wife, go to bed early and arise early. I've led this life the last four years" And a post script read, "Please could the prize wait until next spring as I will then be out of prison." This makes one smile but the meaning goes deeper then it appears. One can present blameless conduct yet still be a prisoner somewhat like the mottos, "Do right and fear no one," or "if all were like me, there would be no wars."
Not so for Paul and Silas. They too, like us all, were sinful people. Nevertheless they could from experience, testify freely and in power of their faith in Jesus their Redeemer. The keeper grasped it and wanted to know what he must do to be saved. That was the most important question. He and his family became believers and were baptised.
As God's children it is our task to make known and to testify of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who is honest in heart, will with great vigor through "word, works and deeds" testify of His redeemer and also desire to pass on the key to the door of freedom.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Apostle Andre Grein
France (Since retired).
WORD OF LIFE No. 15 – 2016.
TEXT – Matthew 7: 15
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
Although our Lord was warning against false prophets coming into the world, it is a warning for us also that if we believe that God can make us fruitful and we bring forth bad fruits the world will see us as a false prophet, and many false prophets shall arise. We could even kill somebody’s faith who was contemplating following Christ, if they saw those acts, then it could be damaging to their faith or their potential acceptance of the Grace of Christ. We see how serious it is, and it is even more serious in these modern days of technology in which we live. We all know the commandments of God, but every word He said is a commandment. Every word that Christ said is a commandment. When God gave the commandments of God to the children of Israel, He also gave them what was described in the Scriptures as sundry laws and commandments. They were no less important to God than the major commandments that He gave us. One of those that we have to be extremely careful with in this modern day of technology, we find written in the Book of Leviticus Chapter 19 verse 16 and reads as follows: "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the Lord.”
We see the warning was we should not go up and down as a talebearer amongst the people, and that instigates within our mind going amongst the people and talking and telling them of things that we have heard of others, but it is a damaging act that we can do. King Solomon pondered on that act and he found also and wrote those words about this act in Proverbs Chapter 26 verses 20-22: “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly." We see there he describes what talebearing does, that if it is taken away it is like a fire, there is no more coals or wood and it will go out, but if it is continued it is like a wound that is given to the one that that talebearing is about, right down into the depths of the stomach he says. We could almost transfer it over to the commandment of God: Thou shalt not kill. That is why Christ when He was on this earth taught that very thing. He taught that if you speak evil against our brothers and sisters, you stand in the same condemnation. If you call our brothers and sisters a fool, we have committed that sin. As we live in the technological age it is no longer required for us to mingle amongst the people. To walk up and down, and to be a talebearer. With modern technology in the form or facebook and Google, and texting - How much talebearing is going on in these mediums? We have to be extremely careful, because even though we are not using our own words, we are using our mind and instigating things that perhaps could be put in there. According to King Solomon it is as though we have murdered those people.
We have to be extremely careful, more careful than we have ever had to be in the history of mankind, for these things are there with one simple press of a button. If we see something coming there that could be a tale and we press the button that passes it on to others or that says that we agree, then we have committed that sin of talebearing. How can we be seen that God is guiding us in our lives? How can we be seen as a light within the world? As we live in these modern days we have to relate the commandments of God to the modern day actions that we see happening within the world and we have to be more cautious as the Scripture tells us: Swift to hear but slow to react, and even slower to turn to anger. We should not rush into anything. We should ask the question – What would Jesus have done if He had seen this thing or heard these tales? He would not have passed them on. He would not have judged. He would not have condemned. He would have exercised grace and judged righteously. We should be so thankful for this gift of grace, because we are sometimes led into things without realizing it, but we can take hope in the words that Christ gave to the Apostle Paul when he was lamenting on those things that he had done, and He told him, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’ The moment we realise that we have done something that is not according to the commandments of God and we reconcile ourselves to God, that Grace of Christ can take that away and give us another opportunity to fulfil those things that we have uttered in the Morning Salute. There are many things that are sneaking into the modern world, but when we see how God foretold of these things we should give thanks that He in His love has shown unto us these things so far ahead of time. We find that the Apostle Paul gave a very strong warning to us that we sometimes neglect and forget, and that warning was in the Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 verse 22 on, he said: “Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
Apostle Cliff Flor
North Queensland.
WORD OF LIFE No. 16 – 2016.
TEXT: Romans 8:14
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
We have read correctly, it is all about God and His Spirit, to reign over us and to be the children of God. Even if this seems constrictive, Apostle Paul speaks of freedom.
With this statement Apostle Paul breaks a taboo by telling the Christians in Rome about freedom. As it is clearly shown in the next verse number 15, "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."
Apostle Paul showed with the parable of the married woman (Romans 7: 1-6) that the people were bound by the law until Christ would die on the cross for them. From this point on, they only belong to Christ. They live in Christ and are now able to bring fruit of their faith to God, provided they believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. The law was necessary to know what sin is (Romans 7:7-11). This law was also made by God. Now Apostle Paul wanted to escape the bondage of sin because he could not fulfill God's law. He came to the conclusion through our Lord Jesus Christ, we are already free.
Everyone wants to be free. Freedom to think, to act, to judge which is the way to live without fear and care, life is worth living. This is what Apostle Paul says: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)
There is a new law of God's Spirit which should guide our lives. God's Spirit gives all people peace and life if they accept it. Accepting God's Spirit gives people a peaceful life. By receiving the Holy Ghost, we become children of God. We belong to His creation. Christ said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again." (John 3:7) A new covenant was made between God and the people, a covenant signed by God by sending His Son, now we are asked, are you willing to sign this covenant, too, without reservation? If yes, we are as a child of God included in the freedom in Christ.
Apostle Paul had heated arguments with the Jews who always wanted to force the Christians to them that neither Jewish descent nor circumcision made one a Jew, "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." (Romans 2:29)
Afterwards he said, "Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith." (Romans 3:30)
Apostle Paul's mission was to bring the people out of the yoke of the law into the freedom of Christ and to convince them that their faith was a gift from God, Apostle Paul's mission was also to call the people to freedom, which is always possible if we trust in God's Spirit.
Apostle Norbert Schaeffer
France.