掲示板

Blogs with inside information and personal opinions from GRN members around the world

What obvious error have I fallen into?

Christine Platt - Friday 12 December 2014

A few years ago I realised that I knew a lot more about God than I actually knew Him. I determined to put my effort into knowing God rather than learning more about Him. I think that was the right thing for me to do, but I'm seeing more and more clearly how important it is to be thinking right thoughts about God. Thinking wrong thoughts about God very easily leads to wrong behaviour (sin) which is accepted by a church whose thinking is skewed.

I've been travelling a lot lately in Asia and the Pacific. I've noticed a few odd things that Christians believe in different places. It has been amazing to see what a detrimental effect they can have on God's people - the church.

1) When Jesus died on the cross and rose again he defeated the Devil, death and sin. Those who are in Christ have nothing to fear from the Devil or evil spirits. In fact in Christ we have authority over them. We are also called to forgive those who sin against us and leave all vengeance to God.

I was in a village where a church elder told me how two family members had died recently. A fellow villager was identified as killing them using black magic - vengeance was taken.

These people did not understand who Jesus really is and what he achieved on the cross. They remain in fear of evil spirits and committed a terrible sin as a result of their lack of understanding.

2) Jesus had no place to lay his head. Paul was content with much and little. Jesus promises us persecution if we follow him and to meet our needs on this earth if we put first God's kingdom and righteousness.

I went to meet a pastor in a small village. Most of the people lived in small dwellings made of wood and bush materials. The pastor lived in an absolutely massive brick house with iron gates.

A young man with us was ministering after completing Bible college training. He wondered what he was doing wrong that God had not blessed him with a grand house and the riches he could see in the hands of other ministers of the Gospel.

3) In Christ there is no Jew or Gentile, male or female, or slave or free. We are all one in Christ Jesus. We are all born dead in our sin. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are born again by the Holy Spirit.

I spoke to a few people in a certain city. They were from a Christian sub-culture in a city with another dominant religion. I noticed that a couple of people spoke about reaching the gentiles with the Gospel. They knew that they were not Jews, but very much identified as Jews as they read the Bible and considered people from other religious backgrounds as gentiles.

This thinking makes it very difficult for these Christians to embrace a person who comes to faith in Christ. They identify more strongly with those of the Christian sub-culture than believing "gentiles". How hard then to nurture and support new believers.

As I consider these things I wonder.... What errors am I embracing? What sins are they leading me into? It's a sobering thought.