TRANSFORMED BY LOVE

THE EARLY YEARS - BROKEN WORLD

My name is Georgia Belfont, I was born in London in 1961. Becoming aware of the existence of ‘God’( יְהֹוָה the existent One who is eternal life אֱלֹהִים) and making a decision to follow Jesus of Nazareth in 1989, was one of the most transforming experiences in my life. As a child I had some awareness of a spiritual reality, (through reading a children’s Bible and star gazing at night and asking questions about existence), but I did not class myself as a believer. I never went to church, or read the Bible as an adult. The only conversation I had about Jesus was with my sister, who said, "he was a space man".

From a young age I was troubled by what I saw and experienced in the world. How could human beings be so loving and yet commit such acts of extreme wickedness? I knew there was something deeply broken in the world. It wasn’t until I left London and attended art college in 1985, that these concerns became more focused around identity, politics and issues relating to race, class and gender. I tried to find solutions to these problems in the world through socialism and feminism.

While studying at art college, I won a travel bursary to Cuba, to research their art and education system. It was also the fulfilment of a childhood dream, believing that there was somewhere in the world all nationalities could live together in harmony. Sadly my utopian dreams were shattered.

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM CHILDHOOD

From childhood I was aware of what was right and wrong, but that did not stop me from stealing a doll from my best friend and then lying about it. I felt remorse, guilt and shame because I went against my conscience. I had hurt her and her family deeply, they loved me and accepted me into the family, yet I betrayed a trust because I was driven by envy and jealousy. I returned the doll but they didn’t forgive me. I had lost a friend, I was remorseful. I experienced grief and loss because the relationship was severed.

What was the driving force behind the action to take something that was not mine? A force so powerful that I would ignore my conscience and steal? The Bible describes this sequence as a corrupted desire, the giving into temptation which leads to sin. (James 1:13-15).

WHAT IS SIN?

Sin literally means to miss the mark, to fall short of God’s divine nature. It is the absolute opposite of what God says is right and good. A distorted desire leads to sin. It is in our ‘DNA’ so to speak and can be traced back to our human ancestor Adam.

ORIGIN OF SIN - The Fall of Mankind

 From reading Genesis I discovered that God created human beings to share in an eternal relationship with Him and to reflect his divine nature (2 Peter 1:3, Galatians 5:22-23) in our relationships with one another and to take care of the earth. There were two ways to live in the world, represented by the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. One would lead to life the other death. Genesis 2 and 3.

PROTECTION THROUGH A COMMAND

To protect mankind from death God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They mistrusted God, and gave in to temptation. (Genesis 3:1-7) This act of disobedience led to sin entering their hearts and a loss of innocence. The consequences of which led to them experiencing spiritual and physical death for all humanity. Living from the knowledge of good and evil produced conflicting desires. There was a relationship with the Creator of sorts but not one based on the eternal life of God.

Sin affected humanity’s view of a loving God and distorted the truth of who we were. The sinful ‘nature’ (flesh) would eventually lead humanity into a downward spiral of greed and depravity, envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice....sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. (Romans 1:29-30 Galatians 5:19-21, Colossians 21:21).

NOT ABANDONED

God’s plan of salvation was decided upon before the beginning of time. (2 Timothy 1:9-10). In entering our broken world God became the willing victim of our sin to restore humanity back to union with Himself in Christ Jesus.

THE CROSS - ALWAYS LOVED

Jesus the second Adam was without sin. He came to reveal God’s love and rescue us from the oppressive force of sin and spiritual death by taking into his body humanity’s sin. In dying and being resurrected from the dead, Jesus made a way for humanity to be delivered from the irreversible outcome of (Adam’s) humanity’s sin.

METANOIA

Despite my passions and desire to live in a more harmonious loving world, I realised that I was part of the problem. I came to believe and understood my personal sin contributed to Jesus needing to die on the cross. My sinful attitudes and behaviours were viewed no differently from that of the most sinful offences humans can commit. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23-24).

FORGIVENESS

Sin is painful, it hurts God deeply as seen in His Son’s death on the cross. "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:23) Humanity crucified an innocent man, yet from the cross Jesus did not retaliate but in love he cried out:

‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ (Luke 23: 34).

SALVATION

Reading about the medical evidence of the crucifixion and the realisation of what Jesus must have suffered on the cross, was so profound and deeply moving that it broke my heart. I made the decision, after much wrestling with repentance (metanoia) to accept God’s gift of salvation and eternal life. In December 1989 I was baptised into Jesus Christ (full water immersion) for the remission (forgiveness) of my sins and received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:36-38).

HOPE 

The scriptures continue to inspire, transform and renew my mind daily. I am convinced that the incarnation of Jesus Christ in history, His conception, life, death, resurrection and ascension has the power to transform the human heart. In reconciling the world to Himself, God in Christ showed me that I (humanity) was loved, restored and forgiven.

This narrow road of life in Christ is not easy. The incarnation is a profound mystery revealed, that not everyone can accept, but for me, Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. In Jesus my heart is being healed from the effects of sin. I am learning to see myself and others as God sees His creation. Fearfully and wonderfully made.

MY ARTISTIC PRACTICE 

The Word becoming flesh, remains an expression of a spiritual reality that language cannot fully convey. It is through my artistic practice and the visual language of art, that I express this profound mystery of life revealed in Jesus Christ and the writings of scripture.

FAITH ENQUIRIES 

If you have any questions about faith, life and love, contact me via the contact page and I’ll be happy to assist you to the best of my ability.