“Delivered From This Present World”

Galatians 1:1-5

1) Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

2) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

3) Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4) Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

5) To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I

f life is not operating according to what will best benefit us (not, necessarily, according to what we like), then our life is not operating according to God’s plan for us. God does not take us out of the World because it is not operating as we wish, but He came to change us that no matter what is operating and no matter how it is operating, it will not affect us.

Without controversy, human beings are into “control.” More than anything else, we want to control what people do—particularly toward us. What we never seem to remember is that Jesus chose not to exercise control over anything that others did to Him. We say that He “chose” because He had within His Power all power.

This series has been designed, by God, to show us what He has already accomplished for us and the necessity of accepting it. Along with acceptance must come the acknowledgement that the “doing” has been done in the Spirit, and therefore, if these things would be ours, this (the Spirit) is where we, too, must live. So, now that we know where we must live, how is it accessed once we get there? Through us accepting it by faith!

The fundamental problem with human beings is that we are “sensory creatures.” This means that we rely upon sensory perception for knowledge of our surroundings and situations. This is fine as long as we are only human beings, for human beings need only that which will allow them to “navigate” this realm. However, once one becomes a spiritual being, he must be led (and fed) y that which is spiritual because he now is “alive” in that realm, only.

The “battle” that we are fighting we should not be fighting—if we are professing salvation. Actually, we fight many “battles”—with ourselves, our flesh, other people, our families…the list is endless. But, why get “saved” if you still are expected to fight for yourself? All of these things are “occupations” of the flesh and the very definition of salvation embraces “becoming completely new.” If, after salvation, one is not new, he could not be considered to be “in (in union with) Christ.”

There is no such thing as a new “human being.” We know from scripture that “that which is born of flesh is flesh.” This means that only that which emanates from the flesh can be expected of it. Therefore, if we are to commune with a spiritual God on His “level,” then we, too, must be “put to death.” This is the only way that what “is” already, can be changed.

We already know that our “first birth” affords us human life, only. We are offered the “second birth” (through water and the Spirit) that we might experience “new life.” This is the only way that we are able to be “delivered from this present world.” Now, “deliverance,” in itself, is the beginning of a new life and purpose, but for many, “new life” means that one must preach. Now, as opposed to being “called to preach,” the only valid calling is to be the “messenger of God.” If one is not willing to be the “mouthpiece of God,” then he has no right to speak for Him.

Though what is frequently given to us by the Man of God is received in different ways by different people (some of those “ways” not so good), the problem is never the presentation of the message, but rather, the “content.” What might we say this? Because the Word of God should always lead to change—and change is resisted. The reason that is resisted is because to speak of its need, bespeaks mistakes; mistakes infer that there is something that we do not know and this, finally, is threatening to us.

If we are truly to be “delivered from this present world,” then we will also have to be completely free from its insecurities, threats, temptations and inhibitions. How to do this? By accepting what God has already done—so that we can praise Him for what is being done. All that God wants is for us to trust what He says that He has done.