‘ A full perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world’

There’s been a lot of talk In the evangelical community recently surrounding the whole conundrum of unanswered prayer most particularly those that surround finance or careers. The concept of ‘ the court of heaven ‘ has won a strong following especially in America. Basically it postulates that prayer failure is a result of a contract with the devil or some evil deed that manifests itself in a generational curse which may stretch back a very long way and it may be that the current generation have no knowledge of but are still suffering from it consequences. It continues that God is a perfect judge and must abide by a lawful contract even if it is made with the devil and that in order to break free of its obligations we must make specific prayers asking for God to in effect annul the contract. Who am I to know ? but I have my reservations.

First it seems to me to be contrary to scripture Christ died for the sins of the whole world ‘ he is the propitiation for our sins’  his sacrifice brings us forgiveness for all time. I have no doubt that the devil exists I’ve seen him with my own eyes. But how could Jesus’s sacrifice forgive some sins but not others ? What is just about a perfectly good man today paying for a sin committed generations ago of which he is not even aware ? When the bell tolls it tolls for you. I believe the responsibility for sin is personal as is forgiveness, redemption,salvation and damnation ‘ as ye sow so shall ye reap’. Secondly I’m worried by prayers that focus on material rather than spiritual breakthrough. Jesus time and again in the gospels demonstrates his mistrust of the value of material possessions. For him it was the heart and soul that counted ‘ For where your treasure is there will be your heart also’. Matthew

Thirdly I struck by how many times pastors extolling ‘ the court of heaven ‘ use the words ‘ believe me’ why? Surely the teachings of Jesus are the pinnacle of what we can know about God as by its very nature the divine must be unfathomable to human minds and only the son of God made man is in a position to act as a reliable guide. Not I suggest pastors who cause huge emotional injury by promising what they are in no position to deliver. Much of what happens to us in life is a mystery which is why we need faith that God knows best, can see all things at one time and will in the end always act in our best interests even the present suggests otherwise. We do have a lawyer in heaven in whom we can trust and turn to and know that even in suffering there is a purpose: ‘ for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper and not harm you plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call upon me and come to pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you'. Jeremiah