Claiming your miracle

I’m constantly surprised by the number of miracles crusades, healing services and even (I’m not lying!) raising the dead ceremonies in Cape Town in the name of Jesus. The basic premise underlying the theology of the organisers of these events is that signs, wonders and miracles should be common place in the Christian’s life. In fact, if they are not happening, you should doubt whether you are a real, bona fide Christian.

The Bible however would differ with the theology of the “signs & wonders” (S&W) movement. In the Bible S&W occur only twice: in the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt & in the time surrounding Jesus in the 1st century. God had said to Moses: “I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.” (Ex 3.20) Moses in turn told the Israelites that God would rescue them with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment (Ex 6.6). God’s purpose was to demonstrate his power, so He told Moses: “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you.” (Ex 7.3-4)

When God acts in history to rescue his people it is accompanied by signs and wonders. The same signs are to some (i.e. the Israelites & believing Egyptians) signs of salvation and to others (i.e. Pharaoh) “acts of judgment”. During the centuries after the Exodus there were no S&W! Indeed, one of the job descriptions of the prophets was to remind the Israelites of the how mightily God had acted in the Exodus. The prophets did not perform new S&W, but called God’s people to remember the S&W performed during God’s rescue in history (E.g. Micah 6.4, Jer. 11.1-4, 34.13 etc.) Life in Israel after the Exodus was not miracle crusade after miracle crusade, but rather dogged, relentless trust in the God who rescued them. The Israelites lived by faith, not by sight.

One fine day, after centuries of few miracles, a carpenter from Nazareth turned water into award-winning wine. Then he started healing people, exorcising demons, controlling nature and even raising corpses back to life. The ultimate wonder was Jesus himself dying on a Friday and then rising that Sunday. S&W accompanied those who were delegated by Jesus to carry on his work. God was acting in history to rescue his people again. Not from Pharaoh, but from Sin, Death and Satan. By the later writings in the New Testament we see few S&W. Paul does not heal Timothy, but tells him to take his medicine (1 Timothy 5:23).

Like the believers in the Old Testament, we are to life by faith not by sight. We are to put our faith in God’s recue on the basis of what Jesus has done in history. God may and does perform miracles and wonders today, but our faith should not depend on them, our theology should not demand them, and our gatherings should not insist on them.

Suffer the Child: Jesus' disarming of Satan

Judith Spencer, tells in her book (Suffer the child) of little Jenny who was born to a mother who was member of Satanic cult. As a pre-schooler she was initiated into this group and remembers how she read from a bible that cursed God and praised Satan. She watched people have sex on the devil’s alter and witnessed torture and sacrifice of dogs, cats, chickens, squirrels and goats. She experienced blood drawn from her genitals and skin scraped over her body for use in satanic communion rituals. The title of book is from a phrase that Jenny often heard the priest use, “Suffer the little children to come to me, for such is the kingdom of hell.” Two psychotherapists have been treating Jenny, as she created over 400 personalities as a method of psychic survival.

The big point is this: Satan is around and he seeks to destroy you, your family, your marriage and your children. The bible says that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and Jesus referred to himself as the stronger one who attacks and overthrows Satan (Luke 11:20-22). How did Jesus do this? Colossians 2:13-15 gives us a good description:

At the cross Jesus made the forgiveness of our sins possible (v13). The written code that was against us was cancelled (v14). The written code was a signed acknowledgement of debt in those days, much like your house bond with ABSA bank or your credit card statement at the end of each month. The debt we owe though is death, because that is the consequence of sin. That written code was cancelled as Jesus paid up our debt by his substitutional death. More than that, he nailed it to the cross (v14). The picture here is the titulus which hung above the crucified person’s head listing their crimes. Our “written code” symbolically hung over Jesus head and he died for our crimes. Not only was the written code wiped out, but the document it was written on was destroyed. The result is that the (demonic) powers and authorities were disarmed or stripped of their power (v15). That means that Satan’s power to accuse us and demand our death has been lost. We belong to God and Satan has no hold over us. We are free to love God and say no to sin. At the cross Jesus overcame Satan for us.

A satanic strategy
Satan’s popular ploy is to remind us of old sins and evil we have done. He seeks to reassert his control over us by pretending that he can re-manufacture the “written code” and accuse us before God. Satan says things like: “God doesn’t forgive you. Those sins were too evil. You deserve God’s judgement. You don’t deserve God.”

Re-read that passage in Colossians and thank Jesus, the stronger Man.

Top Billing a.k.a. getting your priorities straight

I think the programme that I dislike most on TV is Top Billing. Top Billing idolizes luxury, extravagance, opulence and excess. So we strive for bigger mansions, more exclusive interior designers, softer carpets and heated towel railings. Before you ask (I know you will): I live in a comfortable house worth over a million rand and have just painted half of it inside so it looks nice.

What I am blogging for is perspective. Sure God gives us every good thing to enjoy and as Christians do deny or reject God’s good gifts would be dumb. But somehow I think that we as Christians have got our priorities somewhat lopsided.

God, through the prophet Haggai in the Old Testament, lashed out at his people for decorating their own home while the temple (God’s symbolic home) in Jerusalem was lying in ruins. God’s people had returned from 70 years in exile and their houses were in a mess and no doubt needed some attention. Yet, by the time of Haggai’s prophecy, God’s people had been back 19 years from exile and the temple remained unbuilt.

The excuse was that the timing was not quite right for the rebuilding (Haggai 1:2). Interestingly, the people did have time to decorate and beautify their own homes (1:4). The reason for this, according to God, was that the people did not fear or revere the LORD Almighty (1:12), nor did they live for his pleasure or honour (1:8). In other words, God’s people didn’t think much of God and were living for their own entertainment and comfort. As a result, their experienced lack of pleasing and judgment. Four times in the book of Haggai God says to his people, “What’s up with this, consider what you do!” God called for his people to make temple building their priority.

I bet that if you had to ask one of Haggai’s audience where God was on their priority list, they would have said that of course in first place. But actions speak louder than words.

The temple, which symbolised God’s presence, in a picture of Jesus, who is God’s presence with us. So now, if we want to worship and meet with God we don’t get on a plane to Jerusalem, but bow down to Jesus. Getting our priorities straight means prioritising our relationship with Jesus and prioritizing Jesus’ work. Too many of us spend too much of our time, talents and treasure on our own entertainment, comfort and home decoration, than on Jesus and his work (i.e. giving generously to gospel ministry, hospitality, serving the local church, encouraging others etc).

God says to us too: “What’s up with this?”

Is your church a cult?

You may be in great danger! 1 Timothy 4:1 in the bible says that some will “abandon the faith and follow the teachings of demons”. Interestingly, it does not say they will abandon faith. And so today we find many churches and organisations teaching all kinds of doctrines that people believe and put their faith in. The verse says that they will abandon “the” faith, that is, accepted, orthodox, biblical Christianity. Ultimately Satan, the master-deceiver and world-seducer, is behind all churches and groupings and denominations that abandon the truth of the bible as old-fashioned, irrelevant and naïve.

So how do you know if you’re in a cult?

1. Key doctrines are downplayed

For example: the authority & inspiration of the bible; the fact that all humanity is depraved through sin; Jesus’ death was penal substitution; through faith in Jesus alone were are members of God’s kingdom; Jesus is a model for all Christians; God has made male and female gender distinctions & sex outside marriage is sin; the reality of an eternal, conscious hell for unbelievers; Satan & demons are real etc.

2. Lots of legalism
Your church will have rules and regulations for your dress code, your activities, your finances, your time, your possessions and your relationships (including who you are permitted to marry. They will dictate to you who to see, what to do, what the right thing to say is and how to say it. Various degrees of control can be experienced, from subtle manipulation to blatant ordering. Obviously this is dangerous because in the process the gospel of God’s free grace in Jesus is distorted: No longer just Jesus, now Jesus plus obedience to our rules. Oh yes, I almost forgot, the rules don’t always apply to the leader!

3. Leaders are full of pride and have an unteachable spirit
Normally in cults the leader becomes untouchable by anyone. He is accountable to God only and everyone must obey what he says like it is God’s words.

4. Extra revelation from God
Cults regularly claim they that god has appeared to their leader and revealed a new message. It might be Joseph Smith of the Mormon “church”; pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy of the kingdom of Jesus Christ; David Koresh of the Branch Davidians; or your local minister who God appeared to last week. Time and again the new revelations refer to the end of the world and how the earthquake in China is a sign.

5. The only true church
If you ever hear something like this, “We are the only ones who are right. If you are not one of us, then you are destined for hell. We alone have the truth, so you must join us to be saved", then RUN!

Don’t fall for it
The way to make sure you don’t join a cult is to scrutinise the statement(s) of faith any particular church you are thinking of joining. Friendliness and good music are nice, but not the main criteria when looking for a church. Check that the church has a statement of faith where their core beliefs and values are spelt out. Ensure that the preaching is from the bible, in line with their faith-statements, to judge whether they have kept THE faith.

How do we love sinners yet hate sin?

Jesus came to call sinners to repentance, not those who think God is impressed with them. Jesus hung out with sinners, even endured being called an alcoholic and glutton, for the sake of the gospel.

How do we also befriend, hang-out with, and engage sinners who sin, without compromising our own godliness? What do we do when we find out the couple we are trying to build a friendship with are swingers? Or the friend from the pilates class, who I invited for a chicken salad, snorts coke? Or the guys from the office circulate who porn?

Jesus’ example in John 8 helps us.

1. Treat sinners with dignity and respect
The woman is caught in adultery. Adultery is grievous to God, even punishable by stoning according to Old Testament law. She deserved to die. Yet Jesus treat her with honour and respect, even calling her “woman”, the same word he called him mother in John 2. Big lesson: Sinners (even bad sinners) are humans, created in the image of God and should be treated as such.

2. Call sin sin
Jesus however did not compromise on the reality of sin. Jesus did not excuse her sin or avoid talking about it. He said to her, “leave your life of sin”, implying that it was a sinful life! We should not be too embarrassed or intimidated to call sin sin. We can be open and honest when asked our opinion or when called to give advise.

3. Remain godly at all times
Jesus was a heterosexual male in his earl 30’s. This woman, presumably half-dressed, caught having sex is put on display in front of him. Yet, Jesus remains godly, full of integrity and self-control. We are called to the same. We need to be discerning as to what were we can participate and when we have to back off and possibly even leave the situation or decline the invite. Compromise our godliness would be selling out, not reaching out.

4. Point sinners to Jesus
The religious leaders actually did quite a good thing for the sinful woman: they bought her to Jesus, the only one who can deal with her sin. Unfortunately, when the leaders’ sin was exposed, they slunk away from the source of forgiveness. Our over-arching aim in being friends with non-Christians is to point and introduce them to Jesus.


5. Call for repentance
Once this woman was introduced to Jesus and forgiven, Jesus commanded her to leave her life of sin. We should expect the same from our friends who came to know Jesus. No longer excuses or justifications for an ongoing lifestyle of habitual sin, but rather a renewed passion for holiness and obedience to the bible.

Outstanding issue
The Old Testament law demanded that the woman be punished by death. How could Jesus simply forgive her and thus break a law of God? Actually, the law was upheld! The woman’s sin was punished by death - Jesus’ death. Jesus died for her sins. Jesus died for your adultery and pride and greed too.

Why re-weddings are good

This weekend a couple in our church who’ve been married forty-one years renewed their marriage vows. The reason was two-fold: forty-one years ago they were married in court and on top of that they were both not Christians. Today she has been converted for many years and has prayed faithfully for her husband. A few months ago he too entered Jesus’ Kingdom.

So they renewed their vows in front of the church and we were all very encouraged. In fact, I think this was the first wedding ceremony that I’ve officiated that I can say that the couple knew exactly what they were doing! The wedding couple have a disabled son and have been through their fair share of hard times. For them to promise to love and care for each other “in prosperity and distress” and “in sickness and in health” was especially meaningful.

We were reminded that the Bible says that marriage is a present, a promise and a picture.

A present: Marriage is a present from God for our joy and good. Marriage is not a human idea created by a theological symposium or brainstorming workshop. Therefore we cannot change or alter it, but must respect and treasure it.

A promise: In our version of the marriage ceremony the couples say “I will”, not “I do” because they are making promises for the future, not simply stating what may be true at the preset.

A picture: Ultimately marriage is a picture of Jesus relationship with his people. Jesus is the best bridegroom who sacrifices all for his bride, the church. The reunion in the future in the new heavens and new earth between Jesus and his people is often referred to as a wedding banquet in the bible.

Eat, drink, and be a missionary

The two typical ways that Christians relate to society is either assimilation or refection.

Assimilation: We blend into our culture so much that no-one can tell that we are Christians! We do not take sin or the bible seriously. Young people having sex, living together and then getting married is the norm and there is no substantial difference between the ruthless, ambitious, workaholic Christian businessman and his non-Christian counterpart. Assimilation is easy, any wimp can do it.

Rejection: We withdraw from non-Christian society and culture with the excuse that we are seeking to be holy. We spend our time fellowship with Christians and Christian braai’s and neglect our non-Christian friends and colleagues. Church becomes a force field against an evil, “what is the world coming to” society. We constantly pray for Jesus to come and rescue us, while smiting the rest of humanity. Rejection too is easy.

God’s way of relating to society is more difficult. God commands us to engage with society (no rejection!), while being the distinctive people of God he has called us to be (no assimilation!). Or like Jesus prayed, we are to be in the world not of the world. Peter wrote, “live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

Jeremiah too had this perspective in Jeremiah 29:1-14. He told God’s people in exile in a pagan society to build houses, to get married and take out car insurance. He told them to engage their society, without selling out.

We are all called to this: Engaging our society for Jesus, while being the distinctive people of God. This is why Peter called the Christians he was writing to “exiles/ aliens” (1 Peter 2:11). God has called you to a mission for Jesus. God wants you to connect with your society for Jesus.