Where are the Brexit negotiations heading?
As a bystander, who has a limited understanding of politics, these negotiations have gone well beyond determining the method and means by which the United Kingdom will exit Europe. It looks to me like a war. The aim of the hierarchy of the European Union is to ensure that the UK will either remain or leave in name only. The British Goverment has a clear mandate to bring the UK out.
What was intended to be a ‘bolt to freedom’ is fast becoming a ‘battle for the sovereignty of a nation’! The national mood was to throw off the shackles and bureaucracy of the European Union resulting in a return to self rule.
All of this current debacle reflects the struggles of the human heart and will as described in the Bible.
I should add at this stage that this blog has no political intent. I am not interested in expressing a view for or against Brexit. I am merely using the current scenario to illustrate the desire in every human to be the master of their own destiny and in every case our gross failure to achieve that ambition. We will see, however, that there is freedom and liberty with an atmosphere of joy and peace when an individual submits to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. But more of that later.
Our aversion to (God’s) authority
Humans generally like order and structure but they like to be masters of their own destiny. The reason we have this strong leaning to self determination is that we were created by God to rule.
Humanity was created in the image of God - So God created -- man in his own image, in the image of God created he -- him; male and female created he -- them, Genesis 1:27 - this gives man ability, creativity etc.
At this early stage God gave us the right to rule and vested in the first couple His delegated authority to manage the creation - And God blessed -- them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish -- the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you -- every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and -- every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat, Genesis 1:28-29.
It is pretty obvious that the world is not in its original condition any more. Something happened! Humans were not created to kill, be greedy, hurt and suffer. So what happened? Hebrews chapter two explains - But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him, Hebrews 2:6-8.
The authority and control of the world no longer sits fully within the grasp of humans. This is obvious as we grapple with world economies, relationships, the natural world, the environment etc etc. We cannot control our world.
These problems started when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. They rejected His authority for the same reason that we do. They thought they knew better and wanted independence to do as they chose. The result was exactly as God has told them it would be. Death came, evil came, sin came with all the drastic side effects (sickness, abuse, cruelty, bankruptcy, fear, trauma) that we accept as normal. The list is endless; we know it all too well.
The parallel I’m making is that we thought that we would be better off without God and the rules He created. At the end of the day we discovered that our so called liberty plunged us into deep problems and a trap that we cannot get out of.
The issue is not just about the world and its management, it’s about our souls. We may mismanage the planet and get away with it but if fail to save our souls we will face eternal consequences. It affects us all - 'Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned', Romans 5:12.
Is there a solution?
I cannot give you a solution to Brexit but I can tell you about the solution to the problems of sin and eternal judgment. Our salvation does not lie in our own hands we need someone to intervene on our behalf and provide the solution. Someone has already done this, His name is Jesus.
The passage in the Bible (Hebrews 2) that explains that we were given delegated authority from God in the day of our creation and states that things have changed also, thankfully, outlines how God intervened to bring salvation to us. This is what it says: But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man, Hebrews 2:9.
The expression ‘taste death for every man’ points us to the cross. Other scriptures state the reason Jesus came into the world was ‘to save sinners’. One verse states ‘Christ died for the ungodly’. Peter, the disciple, wrote ‘for Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,’ 1 Peter 3:18. This explains that Jesus the perfect one (the just) suffered for sinful people (the unjust). His suffering was on the cross as he died for our sins (that’s what it means by ‘being put to death in the flesh’) and he rose back to life on the third day to demonstrate that the price was paid and that he had victory over death (that’s what is means by ‘being made alive by the Spirit - The Holy Spirit of God).
We may or may not achieve Brexit but you can be liberated from the consequences of sin and the fall. You can be free from the power of sin in your life. It is possible to be released from the guilt and debt of sin. Why - because Christ paid the price in His death to secure this outcome.
What do you need to do to benefit?
Confess and admit your sins to God (pray)
Repent (change your thinking and turn to God)
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (this is not believe about or even admit he is a real person, it’s more than that. It’s to trust Him and depend on Him to save you.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved - Acts 16:31
Repent, and believe in the gospel (the good news) - Mark 1:15
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