You have to set up an Arabia space for you and God…

Paul spoke to the people of Galatia in Galatians 1:7 about those who were perverting the gospel of Jesus Christ. I once heard a preacher say that you can actually get the bible to say whatever you like it to say. You can get the bible to agree with you on punishment and you can get it to agree with you on grace. You can get the bible to drive the dagger through the heart of homosexual-ism, and you can get the bible to state that Jesus came for the sinner and broken. You can get the bible to reap revenge, and yet you can get the bible to make you turn the other cheek to your assailant. You can get the bible to agree with you in your loathe for others, and get the bible to speak of love. You can get the bible to agree with slavery, and yet get it to speak of no bondage.

Hence because of these contradictions, the people of Galatia sloppily allowed people with no sound doctrine or basis in God to get them to revert to relying on the law rather than on their faith in Jesus Christ. These perverted teachers taught the believers in Galatia to depend on religious laws to maintain their righteousness. The truth is we cannot live by mere religious standards and be holy; our holiness comes from God and God alone. It is He that helps us to be holy. The bible reminds us in Galatians 3:11 that the just shall live by faith.

Many Christians today speak of laws and regulations, and expect people to adhere to them. They speak of holiness as though when you obey certain laws you will be holy. They have got God wrong. They place a burden on others; such burdens that they themselves cannot bear. In fact God knows we cannot bear the burden, that is why He sent His Son. His only requirement is that if we have faith in His Son, we will be saved.

So how do we develop faith? How do we know God’s will? How do we find our way through these contradictions? Look at how Paul dealt with this. When God called him according to Galatians 1:15-17, he went to a secret place. When God called Paul he did not go running around, taking in everything that was going, he created a secret space for him and God. He went to Arabia. He went away to encounter the person of God – the Holy Spirit. I believe the reason why many Christians listen to and are taught contradictions to God’s truth is because most people do not have an Arabia experience. Yes, after Damascus must come Arabia. You have to know this God that is revealing Himself to you. He is not your long lost friend, He is not your cousin, He is not our co-worker – He is God. We have to know what He wants of us. We have to get others out of our ears and let God fill our heart and ears. We have to know how to love the way God loves. We have to know how to show mercy as God shows mercy. We have to know how to pray like Jesus prayed. We have to know how to show compassion as Jesus did and does.

Only when we have an Arabia space, and know Him, and know what He wants of us, will all contradictions end. When you know God yourself, you will have known the truth. And when you know the truth, you will be set free per John 8:31-32 – So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

I encourage you to make a secret space for you and God, and stop listening to everyone else, but God Himself!

Linda Faith

Linda is a prolific writer. Her body of work includes inspiring poems, fictional books, and Christian living empowering books. You can find her work on www.amazon.com. Linda is also the pioneer of Joy Women, a platform she employs to inspire women all over the world to be all God has destined them to be.

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