Sermon by Ps. George on October 3, 2021

The Biblical Framework for Healing and Restoration
The preacher talked about the life-controlling problem of sin and how certain behavior patterns developed before we came to salvation seem to control us even after we receive salvation and get into a community called the church. The verses we reflected on were:

• Ephesians 2:1-5 (Picture of our past life and God’s mercy and saving grace.)
• Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Romans 13:11-14 and Romans 1:29-31 (The list of deeds of the flesh/life-controlling sins and sinners not inheriting God’s kingdom.)

Paul wrote these letters to believers in various churches who needed cleansing to take away patterns of sinfulness that were deeply entrenched. Almost every church even today has similar issues but the process of weeding these out of our life is a gradual journey that happens in context of the community which is the church of Christ. We then looked through the importance of walking in purity (Ephesians 5:3-7, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, and 1 Timothy 1:8-11).
The preacher also talked about three paradigms:

• Act 1: Creation and Design

God created us and created us as relational beings (with Him and each other). There was order and authority. We were meant to obey Him.

• Act 2: The Fall

In Garden of Eden, humans chose Satan and relation was broken and they were sent off His presence. The deep intimacy with God was broken, that is, we gained independence from God who is the source of our very existence. God then gave them complex ways to continue fellowship: the sacrificial system. The unblemished lamb that became so close to the man and then the pain to sacrifice it.

• Act 3: Redemption

John the Baptist says: Behold the Lamb of God. The sacrificial system of Israel fulfilled once and for all on the cross (Titus 2:11-15).
We must understand this framework and return to the source through Christ. All of us to be healed and restored when we do this. Matthew 11:28 has Jesus calling us back to the original paradigm to restore the broken relationship. The other verses to be considered are: Hebrews 6:11 (persisting until the end and the hope we have), Romans 8:1-2 (freedom from law to those in Christ), and Galatians 5:1 (freedom in Christ).
Jesus also talks about the ills stemming from the heart (Mark 7:21-23) so we need to enthrone Jesus in our hearts and let Him cleanse it. We also need to abide by the guidelines that the Bible provides to live peacefully in community.