Home > Online Magazine > Online Magazine: Edition 78 - Summer (Dec-Feb) 2023/24

Online Magazine: Edition 78

Summer (Dec-Feb) 2023/24

Welcome to the Seventy-eighth Edition of the Online Magazine of the Thornleigh Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Articles

Editorial - Pardon for Kathleen Folbigg

Welcome to the Summer edition of our online magazine.

For the first few weeks of June 2023, the air waves have been bursting with the news of the final unconditional pardon of Kathleen Folbigg. After having served 20 years of a 40-year sentence, following a conviction for smothering her 4 children, her conviction has not been quashed. She is yet to be formally exonerated.

The original conviction relied largely on circumstantial evidence.

The implausibility that four children in one family died of natural causes before reaching the age of two-years.
Kathleen's diary entries which were interpreted as admissions of guilt.

The most recent enquiry into her conviction, in April 2023, concluded.

The discovery of a rare genetic mutation which is known for causing heart problems and sudden death in children, fundamentally changed the understanding of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the children, suggesting natural causes.
Psychiatrist's analysis of the diary entries, finding that rather than admissions of guilt, they were written by a depressed, grieving mother struggling with parenthood and profound loss.
None of this evidence existed at the time of the original trial.

This whole case sounds eerily reminiscent of the famous Lindy Chamberlain case.

How absolutely soul destroying it must be to have your own expression of grief used against you, in order to inflict punishment, for something that you did not and could never do.

How then, as Christians, do we feel about Satan's accusations of us. He is not known as "the accuser" for no reason.

He constantly brings charges against us before God. (Rev 12:10, Zech 3:1) He presents a record of behaviour that is taken as evidence of allegiance with his kingdom philosophy (selfishness) rather than allegiance with the principles of the kingdom of God (love and selflessness). He then goes on to demand punishment and/or attempts to snatch us from God by claiming us as part of his kingdom.
He also takes every chance to present us with an inventory of our own shortcomings. He will tell you that you are not good enough.

His accusations would be much easier to shake off if it were not for the fact that they are mostly true. We can never claim innocence in our own right. He is expert at using our own feelings of inadequacy and guilt in order to get us to doubt the surety of our salvation.

How then can we maintain our assurance that our punishment has already been served by another? The bible gives us some assurance in counteracting the accuser's attacks.

1. We might be sinners but that is exactly for whom Christ died.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NIV)
When we believe the message of salvation, we are given a guarantee of that salvation for us personally.

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:13-14,NIV)
As Christians we will continue to sin. But when we do, we know that God's forgiveness is sufficient for us. At these times we must look to Christ, not at ourselves.

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1, NIV)
If God does not remember our sins, then who do we think we are to dredge them back up again.

"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." (Isaiah 43:25, NIV)

"as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12, NIV)

"you will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." (Micah 7:19, NIV)
When it is God who justifies us, there is no one who can condemn us.

"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." (Romans 8:33-34, NIV)
Nothing can separate us from God.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)
The accuser will be defeated. The end of the Satan's kingdom is set.

"Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:" Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down". (Revelation 12:10, NIV)

So here is a response for when the accuser comes to us attempting to destroy our confidence of salvations. "You are right I am not perfect, but that is irrelevant. You need to be looking at Jesus and my confidence is based in Him not in me."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Folbigg
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-29/kathleen-folbigg-inquiry-child-killer-could-be-pardoned/102278820
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-05/kathleen-folbigg-attorney-general-provides-update/102440136

In this Edition

Pastor's Piece - A Warm Christmas - Pr Andy

In this edition, Pr Andy shares with us stories of the warmth that we not only find in a "down under" Christmas but the warmth that we find in relationships with others.

The Wise Men - Anonymous

Our shy writer this month shares with us her experience of three muchly appreciated gifts, in the form of simple acts of kindness, during the Christmas season.

The Hidden Story of Jesus - Norm Tew

Norman shows us how no one had connected the story of Baby Jesus, from the Shepherds, Herod and the Wisemen, with the later revelation of Jesus as the Messiah.

Gratitude Your way Into the New Year - Zanita Fletcher (writing for Sings of the Times)

Zanita Fletcher, writing for "The Signs of the Times", encourages us to improve our health and levels of happiness, through simple acts of gratefulness.

Book Review - The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews

Our resident book reviewer, shared with us a true story of mystery and discovery of the principles of forgiveness, from an author who is more known for his fictional writing.

Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes - Erica Green

Our recipe column for this edition includes recipes suitable for a summer Christmas table and two afternoon tea sandwiches.

Italian Green Beans (Vegan)
Zucchini Wreath (Vegetarian)
Cheese and Egg Salad Afternoon Tea Sandwiches (Vegetarian)
Sweet Potato, Spinach and Whipped Fetta on Rye (Vegetarian)

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