In Spite of Toxic Religion, God is Still God

Can you imagine that despite the arrogance of some prominent preachers, there is still a good God?

In the Bible, I read about many false prophets, but the few true prophets wrote the Bible with God's inspiration.

In the Bible, we see the sad story of the sins of the Jews, and the history of the Christian church is no better.

Nevertheless, I do not want to focus on the sins of the Jews and Christians, but on the wonderful role models, the heroes of faith and the many believing Jews and Christians in the Bible who have shown us the way to God and still do.

Have you ever thought that despite all the scandals in the churches, Jesus is there and loves you?
Everywhere we look, we see pornography, sexual perversion, abuse and rape. Nevertheless, I know that sex is good.

Despite all the perversions of religion, despite hypocrisy, self-righteousness and
know-it-all attitudes, I still believe in God.

Do you want to invest your money? There are scams everywhere, but do you want to bury your money in the garden or keep banknotes under your bed?

A clever person wants to invest their money in productive projects.

A wise person is not interested in toxic religion, but they are also not satisfied with this world.

Are you disappointed by religion? Don't give up though. Where there is counterfeit money, we can often also find the real thing.

God is real. God is your creator. God loves you.

Jesus said:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Mt 7:7–8 NIV

A young atheist felt the emptiness in his soul. He saw a church and went in, where he observed pious worshippers.

He began to address God in his own way.

God, if you exist, and I don't believe you do, then I don't think it's my duty to believe in you. On the contrary, it is your duty to reveal your existence to me. If you do exist, then let me find you.

In a remote village lived an old man who loved Jesus. He prayed for years that God would help him to bring a Jew to faith.

One day, the young atheist, who was Jewish, was travelling. He sought shelter in the village and the old Christian welcomed him.

He gave him a Bible to read. As the young man read the Testament, he felt the love of God like fire in his heart and he believed.

The young atheist was of Jewish origin, but only when he met Jesus as his Messiah did he find the God of Israel.

Are you Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist? It doesn't matter. Jesus was born a Jew and lived on earth as a Jew, but he died on a cruel cross to suffer the punishment for our sins.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

Deliverance from Addictions, Trauma and Sin

There is a big difference between a person who wilfully and unscrupulously follows evil ways and a person who is overcome by sin.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Gal 6:1 NIV

A young man thinks he is a born-again Christian. He loves to read books about faith. He talks enthusiastically about missions and wonderful testimonies. He is a Jesus fan.

At the same time, he has a pretty girlfriend. She works in a brothel and wants to continue working as a prostitute. She has no inclination to seek a different life.

This young religious man seems to have no remorse. He wants to continue to enjoy his sexual adventures and at the same time remain a Jesus fan.

Is this man on the path that leads to heaven? What does Jesus say?

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Mt 7:21 NIV

Should we help this man with gentle counselling? Perhaps he needs to fear God's judgement.

Then there are completely different situations in which true disciples of the Lord are overwhelmed by temptation.

Peter told Jesus that he was ready to die for his Lord.

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” Mt 26:34 NIV

Jesus did not scold Peter, but corrected him mercifully with love and grace.

I know a pastor who was overwhelmed by his responsibilities and financial problems. He loved Jesus with all his heart, but he was overwhelmed that his faith was not strong enough to get out of trouble.

He tried to pay his debts by gambling with poker machines. He not only lost his own money, but money that belonged to the church. When he openly confessed his sin, he was  deeply humiliated had to resign from his position as pastor.

Peter was not condemned when he failed before the cross, nor do I believe that this pastor and his wife were condemned. They repented and are faithful servants of the Lord to this day.

I also know Christians who go wrong after unbearable abuse and bullying. Some with gambling addictions, others with porn or sexual sin, others with alcohol or other drugs.

God understands your trauma. You hate your sin and Jesus hates that sin too. He does not look down on you. He wants to heal your broken heart. He wants to set you free from your addiction and sin.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NIV

Healings and Miracles Today

There are Christians who are enthusiastic about signs and wonders. Some of these Christians love Jesus with all their heart and have an intimate relationship with God.

Others seem to be enthusiastic about miracles, but their lives show no deep love for God and little love for their neighbour.

Jesus is our role model. His love for God and for us human beings moved him to sacrifice his life on the cross.

Through his death on the cross, his love was most clearly seen, but not only that. Everything Jesus did was motivated by his love.

We find the human life of God's Son in four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

At the age of 30, he began his ministry as an itinerant preacher. Three years later he was arrested and executed on the cross.

A central aspect of his ministry was the signs and wonders, especially the very frequent miraculous healings.

We read again and again how his miracles were motivated by great compassion and mercy.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Mt 14:14 NIV

His teaching and preaching were motivated by the same compassion and love.

His healing ministry was inseparable from his ministry as a teacher and preacher.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Mt 4:23 NIV

There was no sickness before the first man and woman disobeyed God. In a sermon by Peter in the book of Acts, we see that sickness is the work of the devil.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 NLT

After his resurrection, before he returned to the Father in heaven, Jesus declared that his disciples should continue the same supernatural ministry.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  

they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mk 16:17–18 NIV

This is supposed to be the normal behaviour of Christians.

‘’These signs will follow those who believe...‘’ so not only apostles.

We find a similar statement in the Gospel of John.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Jn 14:12 NIV

But didn't Jesus warn that we can work miracles and still be condemned as sinners?

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Mt 7:22–23 NIV

That is the tragic reality.

But some want to claim that all preachers in our time who really or supposedly work miracles are hypocrites.

Is it possible that a preacher blessed by God can work real miracles but end up being condemned as a sinner?

Judas Iscariot healed the sick, just as Peter and John did, but he betrayed Jesus and was condemned.

But if Jesus taught signs and wonders were important, we should also value miracles. He is our role model. We should believe for miracles and make sure we are motivated by love, as Jesus was and is.