THIS OLD WORLD CAN CHANGE
Judges 8:33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals.
Since the death of Joshua the Israelites had been in a cycle of turning from worshipping the Lord to other gods or idols. God would send punishment on them, and they would cry because of their punishment and then come back to the Lord. They would stay true to the Lord until a new generation would come. Then the cycle of turning from the Lord, to punishment and then back to the Lord they would return. After seven years of the Midianites attacking Israel, God once again showed his mercy by using Gideon to set them free. Because of this the Israelites wanted Gideon to rule over them, but Gideon wisely told them to let the Lord rule over them. Sadly this good advice was not taken, and after Gideon’s death Israel returned to worship Baal once again.
Sometimes old habits are hard to break especially when they are handed down from generation to generation to generation. Israel had gotten into a cycle of turning from worshipping the Lord to the worship of Baal, Asherah or some other idol. When bad times would come they would remember the Lord and repent of their sinfulness and ask the Lord for help. After he helped them and prosperity began again, back again to the same old idols the Hebrews would go, only to find themselves in trouble once again.
For some reason things don’t seem to change to much throughout history. Even though we have our school system teach history year after year as they go through their education, when children get out of school they still make the same mistakes as their ancestors. I believe the reason for this is not mental as much as it is our moral condition. You see with Adam and Eve’s rebellion from doing God’s will came an inherited bondage that we call the carnal nature or sin nature. It is that aspect in everyone that wants their will to be done rather than God’s will for their lives. If everyone would only live according to God’s will there would be no sin. Our free will would be turned to doing God’s will. Instead everyone living for their will leads to the same old problems that faced all the previous generations.
Is there hope for breaking this cycle of living to pacify our sinful nature? Yes there is. This hope lies in Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to atone for our sinfulness, he not only made it possible for the forgiveness of our sins and our reconciliation with God, but he made it possible that we could have a new start in life. Thus the saying that Christians are born again. Jesus sends God the Holy Spirit to come into our life and heart to begin a process of change. With each day the Holy Spirit adds to the fruit of his spirit or characteristics that make us more like Jesus or Christ-like in ever increasing measure. This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Wouldn’t the world be a better place it everyone was perfect in all these characteristics? Well as Christians we can and it is all a matter of wanting the Holy Spirit to daily help us to be more Christ-like than the day before. While we do not take this old body to heaven, we will take our Christ-likeness there where we will get our new spiritual body as it tells us I Cor 15:49.
As wonderful as it would be for everyone to be Christ-like in character, we also need to be like him in nature too. This means getting rid of the old carnal nature that encourages us to rebel from God’s will to do our own will. Jesus always wanted to do his Heavenly Father’s will and we should too. God always has our best interest in mind for us, even if Satan continues to tell the world otherwise. It would be nice to go to the doctor and have him remove it but it is a spiritual thing and not physical although the carnal nature certainly affects our physical body and the world around us. This takes the work of the Holy Spirit as we see in Romans 8:5-17. It points out that those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The sinful mind is hostile to God and those controlled by the sinful or carnal nature cannot please God. Then comes the best news with it saying that you are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Holy Spirit that lives in you. Then comes the challenge to us by saying that we have an obligation to life by the Holy Spirit and not that rebellious carnal spirit towards God. If only the world would allow the Holy Spirit to do this for them what a wonderful place earth would become. The thing is as the Bible says,”You can’t put new wine in old wineskins, because they will break.” A person needs to become a Christian first and then the Holy Spirit can bring about the changes that the world needs so badly.
Sadly to say the cycle of history will continue from generation to generation. Unless each one of us begins to touch lives all around us to help others become Christian too. The world can change, but it will come about one person at a time. Impossible you might say? Well, just think how far Christianity has come in about 1976 years. It started with Jesus and then his twelve apostles, and now look how many people have and are turning their hearts to Jesus. Good news about Jesus is not good news until someone hears it. Won’t you tell someone today about the love of your life?
Prayer: Lord, while we can not change the world, you can use us in our part of the world. Please give us the courage and love to share you with those close to us, so that through you this world might change. It’s for your glory we ask this Jesus. We love you Lord!
