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What Did Jesus Really Teach About Hell?

Emmanuel Ayoola
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What Did Jesus Really Teach About Hell?

As I sit in McDonalds writing this article, hearing AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” playing in the background, I can’t help but shiver. Any teaching on Hell is not to be taken lightly but is immensely important for both Christians and a lost world. Recently, some Christians have shied away from speaking or thinking about Hell, and some professing believers have rejected eternal punishment altogether. In the UK, whilst 45% of people believe in Heaven, less than 40% of the population believe that Hell exists. 

However, Jesus was not short on teachings about Hell. The Apostle Paul spoke about the fate of the wicked after death over 80 times in his letters1 (more than he spoke about mercy, forgiveness or Heaven combined). If we want to see Christ-like families, Christ-like friendships, Christ-like churches, Christ-like evangelism and a Christ-like world, then we need Christ-like understanding, not least on the subject of Hell. Whilst we explore what Jesus had to say on this subject, we’ll be using points raised in Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle’s incredibly helpful book ‘Erasing Hell’.

Hell is a Place of Punishment After Judgement

Jesus makes clear that the purpose of Hell is for punishment. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’s disciples came and asked Him questions about the end times (Matthew 24:3). As He teaches them about His coming judgement, Matthew 25:31-46 explains the fate of the wicked: 

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

Matthew 25:31-32

Then He will say to those on His left “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:41, 46

When speaking about the Pharisees after being tested by them, Jesus says:

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?

Matthew 23:33 

The key thing here is to understand is the sentencing that Hell is. This is retributive punishment, not an allegory or a corrective state. Jesus leaves no room for us to consider Hell as a non-literal or a type of correction facility after death. We all know John 3:16. A beautiful verse speaking about God’s love. Just two verses later we also learn about the fate of those who reject Him. John 3:18 teaches that whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The same God who “so loved the world” unapologetically warns people of what rejecting Him leads to. If we are to be truly loving, we would be willing to tell people the truth, even if it costs us moments of awkwardness, social exclusion, or worse, death.

Hell is a Place of Torment 

Again, Jesus does not hold back in describing the nature of this sentence. Two of the ways that Jesus uses to describe Hell are intended to wake us up to the severity of sin in the eyes of a Holy God. 

A Place of Burning Fire

Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:40-41

And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.

Matthew 18:8-9 

A Place of Darkness

When speaking to a non-Jewish centurion about the inclusion of Gentiles into the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus says:

While the sons of the kingdom [of Israel] will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 8:12 

In another parable taught to His disciples, Jesus says His servants will,

Cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:30 

You may ask, “How can Hell be both fiery and dark?” Of course, the descriptions are symbolic. But don’t allow the symbolism to cause any complacency. Some say Gehenna (Hell in the New Testament) is a reference to a burning rubbish heap outside of Jerusalem and not to be taken literally. This fails for two reasons:

  • This idea was developed by a Jewish Rabbi, 1200 years after the life of Jesus (David Kimhi’s commentary on Psalm 27:13). There is no evidence that there was such burning rubbish heap near Jerusalem2. 
  • Even if the above was true, symbols are used to describe realities that are more intense than the symbol i.e. a precious diamond ring can be a symbol of love that is more precious than the diamond. In the same way, the descriptions of Hell describe a reality more intense, not less intense, than the words used.

Perhaps the reason so many people struggle to believe in the reality of Hell is that many people lack an understanding of the nature of sin and the holiness of God. A proper understanding of the reality of Hell would give Christians a better understanding of the nature of sin, and therefore encourage us to seek Christ’s mercy and go on to live holy lives.

Hell is Eternal

There are 2 camps that evangelical Christians fall into when thinking about the extent of eternal punishment. Annihilationism and Eternal Conscious Torment. I believe that only Eternal Conscious Torment is consistent with the full biblical teaching of Hell, but my aim in this article is not to expand on both views in detail. Instead, my aim is to show that Jesus teaches us something indisputable – Hell is not a type of second-chance purgatory for sinners but an eternal punishment for those who reject Christ in this life. 

Again, let’s look at the words of Jesus Himself:

“Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:44-46

And in the words of the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Apostle John:

“And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever… And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Revelation 20:10,15 

What we see here are very chilling words. I wonder, how could anyone proudly claim to be on a “Highway to Hell?” It saddens me to think about my loved ones that have died who, as far as I know, were not trusting in Christ. I choose to believe that everything God does is correct, and I live by faith in Him instead of faith in “what I would do if I was God”.

There is only one reason why meditations upon Hell can bring me even an ounce of Joy.

Hell is Avoidable

Jesus did not teach people about the fate of the wicked with no intention to offer the rescue plan from such a condemnation. 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

“That whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” We don’t deserve the forgiveness of God. But God’s lovingkindness motivated Him to offer the gift of eternal life if we simply believe in Christ and submit to Him (Romans 6:23). Christ takes what we deserve by dying in our place on the Cross (2 Corinthians 5:21) and instead gives us what only He deserves.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. No exceptions.

But how will they call if they haven’t believed? And how will they believe if they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

Romans 10:14-17

You are being sent.

Well firstly, you’re being called to repent. If you haven’t trusted in Jesus then now is the time. Let your experience of grace and gratitude to God spur you on to calling those who don’t know Christ to the same freedom, the same forgiveness and the same relationship with Him. As we better understand the subject of Hell, we better understand the subject of grace. Thank God for His mercy! Let’s continue to trust in Him for salvation, whilst we call on others to do the same.

References

1: Hell Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents Eternal Punishment (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004), 92-93.

2: “Gehenna: The Topography of Hell,” Biblical Archaeologist 49/3 [1986], 188-89

For more on the topic of Hell, listen to this this episode of #ThePulsePodcast

Religion Which Pleases God

Shumi Mararike
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Religion Which Pleases God
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“Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship.” Perhaps like me, you’ve said something reflecting the same sentiment, or maybe those exact same words when conversing with someone who tells you “I don’t think religion is for me.” Religion has received a bad rep, both inside and outside of the body of Christ. Yes, relationship is at the heart of Christianity and should be seen in our lifestyle, but we mustn’t do away with religion completely. There is a religion which pleases God, and it is described to us by the apostle James.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

James 1:26-27

Not Morality or Charity

The “religion” James is referring to is not a system of rules designed to obtain God’s favour. It is a religion based on relationship. The preceding verses make clear that this is an outworking of their faith (James 1:18), and a demonstration of what it means to be not only hearers but also doers of the word (James 1:22).

A Controlled Tongue

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 

James 1:26

James tells us that those of us with untamed tongues deceive ourselves. Our faith is not even being evidenced or worked out. It is of little value. In fact, he describes it as worthless. Ouch. Isn’t that convicting? Reading this verse alone triggered a highlight reel of the words which had come out of my mouth that very week. There were some words of encouragement and positivity. I could recall speaking words with good intent but delivered with the wrong tone. There were words of truth, but perhaps best left unshared; an unbridled tongue fails to demonstrate an awareness that not everything needs to be said. There was also slandering, gossiping, speaking lowly of some and mocking others.

King Solomon provided ample instruction highlighting the danger of the loose tongue (Proverbs 15:4; 17:28; 18:20-21). James has even more gut-wrenching words on this topic when he further explores the capacity of destruction held in the tongue and the speech which flows from it later in his epistle (James 3:1-12).

Some of you may be thinking “well thank goodness I don’t talk much and mind my own business!” But not so fast. Remember how Jesus told the listeners at the Sermon on the Mount how God is concerned with not only with the outward actions but also the inward condition of the heart? (Matthew 5:21-48). So even those words you didn’t utter but thought in your heart count. The outworking of our faith, the religion which pleases God is reflected in God-honouring speech and a tightly reigned tongue.

Compassion – helping the needy

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction

James 1:27

First-century Palestine is vastly different from our present day. One of the ways this is seen is in the socio-economic structures. Poverty remains a global issue today and is very close to home here in the UK. But during the time at which James wrote, the gap between the rich and the poor was even greater than it is today. Widows and orphans were the most destitute members of society. Thus, compassion was really displayed in the treatment toward these vulnerable people groups.

This is a call not only to meet their needs from a distance but also to sit with them; meeting with them in their affliction. With the Holy Spirit continually transforming us into the image of Christ, our hearts ought to ache at the sight of suffering. This was characteristic of our compassionate Lord who healed the sick and alleviated the suffering of the despaired. The good news should drive us unto good deeds carried out in compassion.

A Clean Life

…and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

James 1:27

Lastly, religion which pleases God is one where we keep ourselves untainted from the wickedness and filth of the world and its ways. We’re not to retreat from it but remain unpolluted from the perverse ideologies and influences which abound. This can be assessed by asking “Does my speech and conduct closely resemble that of those who don’t know Jesus?” “Are my passions and thoughts carnal?” Anything which mars our Christian witness fails to reflect our faith.

Not Exhaustive, But Sufficient

James did not intend to provide an exhaustive list of what constitutes “pure and undefiled religion”. Nevertheless, what he has shared with us is sufficient. We must assess ourselves and ask whether these characteristics are true of us, both internally and externally. They are quintessential in illustrating what it means to be not just hearers, but doers of the word (James 1:22), producing the fruits of the gospel we received by faith, putting its life-changing power on display for the world to see.

Why We Should Choose Our Words Wisely

Chude Obuaya
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Why We Should Choose Our Words Wisely

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The way we communicate is always evolving. This evolution seen throughout history is attributed to the change in people’s lives, experiences, and cultures. There are words that may have meant a particular thing in one generation that may mean a different thing in another. How does this affect how we communicate biblical truths in our ever-changing culture? Should we adapt and change the words the scriptures use to coincide with the changes we see in culture? Especially a culture that is increasingly anti-truth? I think the bible is clear. God’s word is eternal. The words in scripture don’t need to change, it is always us that needs to conform to what the scriptures say.

Words Matter

There are currently 171,146 words in the English language according to the Oxford dictionary and we use these words to express a variety of things from emotions to our ideologies. Words are so powerful that the Bible goes as far as saying that death and life are held in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). We cannot be careless with what we say, especially when we are expressing truth from the bible. Whilst we want to engage with the culture that we find ourselves in, we cannot and should not distort the truth to make it more acceptable. We also shouldn’t be ambiguous with the language we use to express a particular truth either. An essential component of being a Christian is being a truth-teller and an essential part of being a truth-teller is being clear.

The Problem with Ambiguity

In Ephesians 4, Paul outlines the work of the Spirit within the body of Christ and declares that God has appointed specific positions for the building and unity of the Church (Ephesians 4:11-12). Now depending on your theological position, some view what is commonly referred to as the ‘five-fold ministry’, as still in operation; while others view some positions as now obsolete. What can become an issue of ambiguity is when the positions outlined in Ephesians 4 are no longer defined by how scripture or church history has understood them but now becomes a matter of personal perception. For example, let’s take the position of an apostle.

The term ‘apostle’ comes from the Greek word Apostolos which means a messenger or one sent on a mission. This definition seems simple enough, and by basic definition, one could argue that Christians are ‘apostles’ in the sense that we are sent by Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit to be ambassadors of God (1 Corinthians 5:11-21, 1 Peter 2:9). However, of the 79 times that the noun form of Apostolos is found in the New Testament, 68 of these times, it is used to refer to the men that were appointed by Christ for the particular function of an Apostle in the Church. These commissioned men not only were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus, but they were also specifically called and empowered by Jesus to preach the gospel to all nations (Acts 1:21-22, Matthew 10:1-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16, Acts 9:15-17). What was associated with the New Testament apostleship was primarily direct knowledge of the Incarnate Word, which was accompanied by signs and wonders; with much of the new testament being written by Apostles (e.g. Paul, James, John, etc). So the question one must ask is, ‘Is it acceptable to use the term apostle to address present-day church leaders?’. According to the New Testament view of apostleship, one would disagree.

Is The Language We Use Helpful?

This article is not to attack those with the title of apostle, the purpose of this article is to provoke us to think about the language we use to express theological truths. Does the person you call an apostle fit the criteria that is outlined in scripture? Does the way that you proclaim the gospel match the way you see it expressed in the epistles? When you have theological conversations with people do they make much of your intellect or much of Jesus? The words we use matter. To quote theologian and apologist Lisa Fields, “it can make sense, connect with you emotionally, confirm what you always thought, and STILL not be true”. When expressing theological truths how we feel seldom matters, especially if how we feel will lead us to oppose what scripture says. Every careless word we speak, we will give an account before God for, even if we had good intentions (Matthew 12:36). So how can we be clear with our theological positions? Allow me to offer some suggestions.

1. Avoid trying to be clever or quirky when delivering the truth. Don’t compromise the truth because you want to be seen as cool.

2. Make sure you understand the truth that you’re proclaiming. As I was told at university, if you can’t explain your point to a 10-year-old, you probably don’t understand it yourself.

3. Pray. How often do we see this as a last resort? Pray before you speak. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your words that you will speak in such a way that will glorify God and not the depth of your vocabulary.

4. Read. I cannot stress this point enough. It is painfully obvious when people speak on things that they know little about. Take your time and read a wide variety of credible resources on any given topic to ensure a fuller, more robust understanding of the subject.

Finally, clarity in speech does not mean you will be accepted. After all, Jesus spoke clearly, and He was rejected. What it does mean is that when we speak people will listen. Whatever subject we speak on we want people to listen, all the more when we are proclaiming the gospel. So let us be people that endeavour to speak well, speak clearly, and speak truthfully.

Does My Behaviour Reflect Christ?

Oluwaseyi Sobogun
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Does My Behaviour Reflect Christ?

Why does it seem that the moment I say I am a Christian, I begin to feel all eyes on me? What is the difference between being me and being a Christian? The answer is Christ. There is something about the name of Jesus that causes people to sit up and pay attention. They want to see if our attitudes and actions match what we profess. We, as Christians, must understand this as an important part of preaching the gospel. Being a Christian is more than a nice title to add on our bios. It is saying, the life we are living is no longer ours, it is a life that is lived by faith in Christ, the Son of God, who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20). We are saying how we live our life demonstrates the gospel of Christ, it has eternal impacts. 

A Transformed Life

When we accept the saving grace of our Lord, we are changed into a new way of thinking. We begin working out salvation with ‘fear and trembling’ (Philippians 2:12), understanding what it means to be a follower of Christ. Salvation is not the end of the journey as a Christian, it is the beginning. Transformed by the power of Christ, we begin to live out our belief. Our old life is gone, and we are born into a new life (Colossians 3:3). The way we lived before our salvation fades away to reveal a new way of living.  As new creations, we are to do things differently, to think differently, to be different. We are not the poster boys and girls for perfect Christians, but we are called to be ambassadors for Christ. Ambassadors display actions and characteristics in line with what they represent. 

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:22-24

My Actions Matter

We are to lead lives that demonstrate the person of Christ, to show Jesus to the world. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden… so let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16).
Our lives should be a light leading to Jesus. To be a light can simply be not telling a lie to your parents or friends (Colossians 3:9), being kind to your co-workers, especially when their backs are turned (Colossians 3:8). It means choosing to forgive when others would choose revenge, not being ruled by anger but having a heart of compassion and most of all, choosing love, in a world that can be full of hate. It is turning the other cheek when others may throw a fist.

It is not conforming but rather submitting your heart and minds in obedience to God and His Word so that you may be transformed into a new way of thinking that aligns with God’s will (Romans 12:2), in order to be “renewed in knowledge according to the image of our Creator” (Col 3:10).

How Did Jesus Do It?

As Christians, we are called to love our neighbours as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:38). Jesus Christ embodied that to perfection, He is love. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Jesus was patient when teaching His disciples, taking time to explain the scriptures until they understood. He was kind when people followed Him around asking of his time even when He was busy. Jesus was never envious of the Pharisees or boastful about the crowds who came to listen to Him. Jesus could have been arrogant about the power He had, He is the Son of God after all, but He never used that against anyone or to elevate Himself (Phil 2:6). He was not rude even when people shouted insults and spat at him. Instead, he looked at them with compassion and forgiveness. Jesus never demanded His own way; He was doing the Father’s will. He went to the cross because that was what God had purposed for Him to face (Gen 3:15). When He cried out in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was not resentful when the plan did not change, He continued on the path set for Him, to Calvary (Matt 26:39). And even as perfect as He was, He never rejoiced in iniquity, instead, He rejoiced in the knowledge that He was on that very Cross to die for those who hated Him, including us. He bore the sins of mankind and took the wrath of God on our behalf so that we could be redeemed from the judgement of sin and be reconciled to God (Rom 5:8). Jesus never failed in His display of love towards us. Therefore, let us display this love to others, living to the standard of Jesus.

Love Like Jesus, Live Like Jesus

The Christian Life can be explained only in terms of Jesus Christ, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you – your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your sacrifice, or “you” anything – then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it.

Ian Thomas

The standard of Jesus is different. It is contradictory to the world because Jesus was not of this world. He calls us out of this world too, to not be conformed – but to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). We are to be holy as He is holy, which means to strive to love as He loved, give as He gave and share as He shared. Only grace and the Holy Spirit can truly help us reach this standard. We will never fully be like Jesus until the day He returns, however, whilst still living on this earth, we are to be the best examples of Jesus. So, whenever you introduce yourself as a Christian, see it as an opportunity to show Christ, making His name known and not your own. We must remember whose name has the power to save. 

Discussing the Role of Faith in Black Culture with Barclays

On Mission
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Discussing the Role of Faith in Black Culture with Barclays

As part of Barclays’ celebration of Black history month, Our God Given Mission was privileged enough to partner with The Barclays Black Professionals Forum and The Barclays Christian Forum to host a panel discussion event “Is faith still an important part of Black culture today?” This will be the first event of its kind for Barclays and will serve as a poignant moment in an unprecedented year, to reflect on the power of the Gospel message in the Black community throughout history to now.

Our Director, Mike Omoniyi was one of two people invited to speak on the panel regarding issues such as the relationship between race and faith, racism and the Church, justice and much more!

During the event, on a question about justice, Mike remarkably said:

“A question we must ask is: Does God care about justice?… Well, the Bible shows us that not only does He care about it, it is His nature. The question we must ask ourselves is what kinds of justice does He care about? Is it justice as we see it (on a human level)? Or does it have a more heavenly, ethereal quality that we have to work hard to understand? It is tempting to assume our natural proclivities on justice are right, but instead, we must take care to pause and ask for God’s perspective on what justice really is. After all, the Christian’s understanding of justice should be shaped and defined by God. As we do this, we may find ourselves seeing the world a lot differently…the more I press into God, the more I begin to see that these issues are not as black and white as many commentators would like to have us think.”

It was greatly encouraging to see people from such high positions and large spheres of influence demonstrate a strong willingness to grapple with these complex issues.

After the event, we received a flood of questions which we will be committing to answering through our articles, podcasts, videos and events.

Make sure to follow us across all our various social media platforms to keep up to date with all of the upcoming content!

God’s Faithfulness in Genesis

Shumi Mararike
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God’s Faithfulness in Genesis

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COVID-19 brought many restrictions upon travel, but not for me. I was determined not to allow the pandemic to ruin my plans. In fact, this summer I spent more time on the move than I had ever done. I journeyed from Eden to the Ur of the Chaldees, to Haran, to various different places in Canaan and Egypt – all in the space of two months! I spent July and August in the book of Genesis. As I traversed these lands there was one main theme which jumped out from the text: God’s faithfulness. His purposes will always be fulfilled. This was a narrative revealing His plan of salvation.

God Has a Plan

Genesis 1-2 detail God’s creative work and His mandate to humankind. All that He made and commanded to human beings was good – very good (Genesis 1:31). God and humanity were in perfect union.  But this harmony was destroyed as Adam and Eve gave in to the deceit of the serpent which brought sin into the world (Genesis 3:1-8). But, despite this, God had a plan.

So the Lord God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

Genesis 3:14-15

Here we have the protoevangelium – the first gospel sermon ever preached and how fitting was it that the preacher was none other than God Himself. He declared that the serpent would be a lowly creature, but powerful nonetheless (Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 5:19). He would be an adversary; in direct opposition to the Seed of the woman, desiring to eliminate her offspring through launching relentless attacks throughout the Old Testament and the Gospels. Nevertheless, God preserved the promised Seed who would strike the definitive blow and have the final victory over the serpent (Colossians 2:15) who will eventually be cast away forever (Revelation 20:7-10).

God’s Plan Involving Land, Seed and Covenant

So God has this great plan of redemption. He set to deliver a people in whom the promised Seed would be preserved for 42 generations by giving them their own land through the establishment of a covenant.

“Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3

Land, seed and covenant all intertwined. God repeatedly reaffirmed the Abrahamic Covenant with the other patriarchs (Isaac – Genesis 21:12; 26:3-4) and Jacob – Genesis 28:14-15), all whom were greatly flawed.

Perfect Plan, Imperfect People

Abraham – the father of faith. The one whom God made this covenant with and his belief was accredited to Him as righteousness (Genesis 15:5-6). His faith in God’s promise to Him (that his line of descendants would lead to the Messiah) was a clear display of justification by faith alone (Romans 4:1-12).

As righteous as he was, he was also a liar. His unbelief drove him to lie about the identity of Sarah as his wife before Pharaoh (Genesis 12:10-20) and the King of Gerar (Genesis 20), demonstrating a lack of faith in God’s protection for his wife and the promised Seed – twice! His unbelief also led him to consent to Sarah’s suggestion that they may have a child by Hagar, thus taking matters into their own hands rather than trusting God to deliver upon His promise (Genesis 16).

Isaac lied in more or less the same fashion as his father, lacking faith during his wife’s barrenness (Genesis 26:6-16). His preference for Esau over Jacob also caused him to ignore God’s plan for Esau to serve Jacob (Genesis 25:23). In Isaac’s actions, he was working in opposition to the will of God, a sin, to which God opened his eyes and he later repented of (Genesis 27:32-33; Hebrews 11:20).

Jacob was the man whose offspring would be the twelve tribes of Israel. (Genesis 49:28). He was assured by God that He would be with him when on the run from his brother (Genesis 28:15) and uncle (Genesis 31:3). But Jacob was a trickster – a deceiver by name and deed. He fooled his brother into selling his birthright over a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:24-29). He was also the protagonist in his mother’s plan to hoodwink the visually impaired Isaac into giving him the greater blessing he intended to give Esau (Genesis 27).

His life was marked by struggles which he aimed to overcome in his own craftiness and strength. It required God Himself, in the form of an angelic being, to wrestle with Jacob through the night, bringing him into a position of dependence and submission to God (Genesis 32:22-32). Jacob’s sons weren’t much better either.

Even in Evil, God’s Plans Prevail

The hatred and jealously of Jacob’s sons towards their younger brother, Joseph, drove them to sell him into slavery. (Genesis 37:4 and 28). Yet God used their sinful deeds to eventually bring Jospeh to a prominent position in Egypt. This enabled him to bring his family out of the famine in Canaan and into Egypt. Through this, God preserved His covenant people and the family line that would bring forth the Messiah.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 

Genesis 50:20

It’s especially remarkable to see how God mightily used Judah in His plan of salvation (see Genesis 34, 37, 38, 42-50 for Judah’s transformation). He was seemingly so far removed from God but chosen by the Almighty to be Jacob’s son from whom the promised Seed would be carried along generations as reflected in the blessing Jacob gave him (Genesis 49:8-10).

God’s faithfulness to His plan extends even further. In fulfilling His promise, He brought down His Son to be crucified for the sins of you and I in what was the wickedest act in the history of the world. As cruel as it was, God sovereignly worked through the willing choices of the Roman authorities and the Sanhedrin to bring His plan from the beginning was brought to its culmination at Calvary (Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27).

God is Faithful

God is faithful. He has gone to great lengths to accomplish his plan of salvation, which started with the Jews first and then Gentiles such as yourself and I (Romans 1:16-17). God’s plan for your salvation was proactive rather than reactive (Ephesians 1:4-5). He has loved you from the foundations of the world. He has predestined you to be adopted into His family before the beginning of time. Therefore, God will preserve you until Christ returns to bring your salvation to completion (Romans 8:29-30). What a faithful God we serve.

Don’t fall for the trap: Truth still matters

M.T. Omoniyi
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Don’t fall for the trap: Truth still matters

In my other day job, away from Our God Given Mission, I run a thriving and growing news network called Common Sense. In board meetings, we often beat out chest about not being beholden to one perspective but taking a holistic and panoramic view to current affairs. My role sees me hosting debates, conversations and panels with equally passionate actors from different political isles. In journalism, you’re rewarded for considering a range of political opinions. I routinely have to swim through emotions and rhetorical arguments just to get to the facts. It’s a worthy cause, often tiring, but worthy. Because of the sheer volume of takes and thought pieces online, the truth has become harder than ever to see. However, this doesn’t mean it’s not worth pursuing.

Oxford English Dictionaries designated “post-truth” as its 2016 Word of the Year. It’s actually not a new word, having been coined likely in 1992. But in 2016, it was used 2,000% more than in the previous years. According to Oxford Dictionaries, post-truth relates or denotes circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal beliefs. In other words, feelings and preferences matter more than facts and truth.

One key moment where this term reared its head was when President Donald Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, raised eyebrows by claiming that “truth isn’t truth” during a television interview. He was arguing that Mr Trump should not testify to the Russia probe, as he might be “trapped into perjury” at the time. He seemed to be saying there was no objective truth but that people could all have their own version. On another occasion when confronted with falling crime numbers, he replied that “people feel like it’s rising and that’s what matters.” These interactions encapsulate the sentiments of the term.

‘Post-truth’ is different to postmodernism. Where a postmodern person might say, “There is no objective truth,” a post-truth person might think “there is objective truth, but I don’t care because my personal feelings and preferences matter more.” Anyone who brings facts that challenge those feelings or preferences is labelled as a “hater” or something similarly derogatory.

One mode of post-truth is the “hard mode.” By this I mean there are those whose personal preference to have their social or political agenda is so strong, they’re willing to twist the truth or even spread falsehood to get progress for their agenda. This is much of what we see on social media today. The democratizing effect of social media means anyone can send their thoughts and contribute to debate with just a few taps on a phone. Exposure to such a large range of thoughts and noise contributes to the sense of malaise and apathy that grips this generation

Is It Worth it?

When Jesus said that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” he was perhaps saying one of the most profound things ever uttered in history. That’s not an exaggeration. In fact, there’s so much in just that phrase that one could write an entire book based on it (pun intended)!

Jesus linked truth with freedom. When we know the truth, we’re truly free. This is why the enemy makes it so difficult to find. That’s the first coupling Jesus makes. But just a few verses later, he makes another astonishing coupling. He says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Jesus said in verse 32 that the truth would set us free and in verse 36 he says that the Son sets us free. Coupling them together we see that the Son is the truth.

In the person and work of Christ, we see the truth that we’re made in God’s image meant to commune with God, that we’ve forsaken that purpose, but that in the Son, God has provided a way to restore our purpose. That truth sets us free to be who and what we were meant to be. This truth is worth pursuing and knowing, no matter the costs.

So is the pursuit of truth worth reading that extra article or investigating the biblical consistency of claims online, yes. Jesus clearly thinks it is. Social media may leave you pressed but don’t be crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). There is still value is seeking the truth. There is still value is pursuing clarity in Jesus

I’m Saved… So Why Do I Keep on Falling Into Sin?

Emmanuel Ayoola
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I’m Saved… So Why Do I Keep on Falling Into Sin?

I remember moving into my university accommodation in September 2014. “On fire for Christ”, having been a Christian for 2 years, I had plans to win the University of Birmingham for Christ! I decided to commit my time at university, and my room, into God’s hands. “This room will be a room of righteousness”, I declared. I thought that prayer would keep me for my entire 3 years at university.

It appeared to only keep me a few days.

By the next week, I had already brought home 2 women after nights out, had casual sexual encounters (triggering a relapse into watching pornography) and completely blew it. I’d been overcome by temptations that many people, including Christians, experience daily. This led to an almost existential crisis wrestling with the question “I’m Saved… so why do I keep on falling into sin?”.

Fast forward 6 years later, and thanks be to God, I’m in a completely different place. And I’ve also learned much about the Christian walk through trying to answer that question. As I seek to share my learnings, I hope that you will be given full assurance of God’s love, a joyful understanding of a Christian’s “battle” with sin and the motivation to walk in holiness.

Can I Stop Sinning?

All men and women are born in a state of rebellion to God. For the Bible nerds, this is what is called “Original Sin”. The teaching that because of Adam’s disobedience to God in the garden of Eden, all of us are born corrupt and prone to disobeying God ourselves (Romans 5:12).

Notice that you weren’t taught to lie, kick or bite as a child (Psalm 51:5). We are “fallen” from birth and by nature, deserve God’s judgement for our sins (Ephesians 2:1-3).

We are not called sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners.

BUT, here is where the good news of the Gospel comes in! If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we believe the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3), miracles take place (more than I can explain in this article, or a lifetime). A few perks of salvation are:

  • The penalty of our sins is forgiven (Colossians 2:14).
  • We are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).
  • We are promised eternal life (Romans 6:23).
  • We are dead to sin (Romans 6:2)

So What Does it Mean to be “Dead to Sin”?

Surely that must mean I am sinless now? Not exactly. Not yet, anyway. But you didn’t really need me to tell you that. Being “dead to sin” does not mean that Christians become sinless. If that was the case, the Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 1:15), the Apostle John (1 John 1:8-9) and James (James 4:8) wouldn’t refer to Christians or themselves as sinners! To be dead to sin means that sin no longer has jurisdiction over us.

For sin will have no dominion over you

Romas 6:14

Glory be to God! So now we who were slaves to sin can instead be slaves of a beautiful, perfect, loving saviour God. Hence Paul’s next instruction,

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Romans 6:12

This is why the New Testament is full of commands to love and forgive and abstain from sin. Because you now have the power to do so. You have the power to say “NO” to sin.

You are not dead in sin, you are alive!

So Why Do I Still Struggle?

Many have been surprised when they find themselves “struggling” with sin. If that weren’t the case, you probably wouldn’t be reading this article. Temper tantrums, lusting over the person you saw at the Christian BBQ and bouts of laziness plague many a believer. In these low moments, we can often question if we’ve even been saved in the first place. Or how God could love such a “wretch”.

Let’s not forget two ultimately glorious truths:

1. God did not die for the best version of you. He died for you, at your lowest moment and loves you in spite of your sin (Romans 5:8).

2. When a believer sins, Jesus stands up on our behalf and says “I know they fell again. But they’re mine. I gave them my righteousness, and I paid the price for their sin” (1 John 2:1-2)

As a believer, we should always have assurance. Not in ourselves, but in the faithfulness of God. We also need to understand our battle. Although we have been freed from a life of sin, we still wrestle against the urges and passions of our sinful nature (Matthew 5:28). Once, sin was what we loved. Now, sin is what we wrestle against.

Romans 7 is a perfect description of this battle. Paul, speaking as someone who “delights in the law” in his inner being (something only a Born Again believer could say), writes:

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Romans 7:22-23

There is a war going on. But not just any war. A war where the outcome has already been secured (Philippians 1:6). The fight against sin is not merely a miserable fight. It is meant to be a Spirit-filled fight for joy. Joy in Christ that surpasses anything that sin could provide (Hebrews 12:1-2). The fact that you’re struggling does not mean you are not a Christian. The reason you “struggle” is because your God-loving spirit is at war with your flesh (Galatians 5:17). The war between the flesh and the Spirit is very complex, which is why we need to constantly study the word of God to better understand our battle. Notice that this is in no way an excuse for lawless living. No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning, and no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him (1 John 3:4). We must be real with our battle against sin, but not give ourselves a false sense of security if we live unrepentant lives.

So, What Do I Have to Do?

The fact of the matter is, as John Piper puts it, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” We should reframe our view of “self-denial” or “killing sin” from a draining and joyless task to a pursuit of greater joy in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:13), God describes Himself as a fountain of living water in comparison to the “broken cisterns” of sin that “can hold no water”. By pursuing delight in Jesus, we will find it incredibly easier to “abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). As we enjoy prayer with the carer for our soul, we push away fear. As we see the beauty of God-given marriage, we overcome temptations to seek a cheap substitute through promiscuity, homosexuality, or porn. Consider the following commands given to us as Christians from the book of Colossians, chapter 3:

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the wrath of God is coming. In these, you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator.

Collosians 3:5-10

And instead:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Collosians 3:12-15

Imagine we all lived like this? Imagine the joy and peace we would have. Imagine the joy we would bring to our families, our friends, and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This process of continually training ourselves in godly habits is what we call “progressive sanctification” (1 Timothy 4:7-9).

When we lay down at night or go through the day tempted with sinful thoughts, He is calling us to fight by instead meditating on His beautiful commands (Psalm 1:1). Would we need these commands if we were not meant to engage in radical sin-killing, Holy Spirit empowered, joyful warfare? Of course not! But we must remember that as even as God commands us to strive for these things, He gives us the strength to do what He commands (Philippians 2:12-13).

Will I Struggle Forever?

The good news is that this battle will end. And those of us who trust in Christ will be victorious. There is no sin or struggle in God’s new creation. That means no tempting thoughts, no angry urges and no prideful tendencies. We will be “glorified” (Romans 8:30). The Bible tells us that death will pass away, and nothing unclean will enter Heaven (Revelation 21:27).

We, believers, will be given new resurrection bodies that will never perish or be corrupted (1 Corinthians 15:52).

In the words of Jonathan Edwards, an American preacher born in 1703:

“Even the very best of men, are, on earth, imperfect. But it is not so in heaven. There shall be no pollution or deformity or offensive defect of any kind, seen in any person or thing; but every one shall be perfectly pure, and perfectly lovely in heaven.”

Jonathan Edwards

So to the person “struggling” with sin, hold on. Don’t give up the fight. Fight the good fight of faith with joy (1 Timothy 6:12). Is it easy? Nope. Is it worth it? Heavens yes!

True Biblical Friendship

On Mission
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True Biblical Friendship

Joke: If anyone needs an ark, I happen to Noah guy.

Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man that has friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” There is a key to having loyal friends or making friends in the first place. You have to show yourself friendly.

Discussion

Is the narrative about male and female friendships true? Men make friends easily but it’s shallow? Women struggle to make friends but when they do its deeper?

With social media, friends are more common but more shallow?

The First Problem in the World Was Not Sin but Solitude

At each step of the way when God created the world, he pronounced that everything was “good.” But then once he created Adam, a statement startles us: something is not good. “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). This was before the fall — before sin had entered the world. Adam was not yet complete; he needed community. 

What does this show us? Although our deepest problems are sin and idolatry, our first problem was social isolation. Therefore, even today, in a world filled with society, Proverbs warns that the one who “isolates himself. . . breaks out against all sound judgment” (Prov. 18:1).

Friendship Is a Whole-Bible Theme

The Bible tells the story of the creation, fracturing, and ultimate restoration of true friendship—friendship with God and also with each other. In the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed the fullness of friendship. But their sin led them into hiding (Gen. 3:8), and we’ve been hiding behind our own fig-leaf masks ever since.

Yet God is restoring true friendship. He restores friendship with himself, as he did with Enoch and Noah, who “walked with God”—a Hebrew expression of friendship (Gen. 5:24; Gen. 6:9). Abraham was called “a friend of God” (Isaiah 41:8). Moses spoke with God “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex. 33:11). He drew near to all who called upon him with true faith.

Picking your Friends

First Corinthians 15:33 “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

We must choose carefully who are friends since “bad company ruins good morals” (1st Cor 15:33) and “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Prov 13:20). That’s because we tend to become like whoever we are around. 

If those are people who live in sin, then that’s what we’ll tend to do. It’s not guilt by association but sin by participation because James warned us that “that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). 

Solomon wrote about many friends verses a best friend in Proverbs 18:24 by writing, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”  

That one is worth more than many for that brother or sister in Christ knows not “to slander one another” or gossip (James 4:11) but rather, build up one another. There is no room for talking about your friends sins since “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends” (Prov 17:9).

How does “bad company” ruin the morals of others?

A Godly Friendship

There is nothing better than having a best friend, next to having a saving relationship with Christ of course, but we need friends and they need us. We’re made for relationship and when your best friend is a Christian, it can hardly get much better. Your friends will go out of their way for you (1st Sam 18:1-5). A friend loves you regardless (Prov 17:17) and loves you enough to tell you the truth, even if it hurts (Prov 27:6) and try to give you good advice because they’ll be honest with you (Prov 27:9). That’s why we must see the value in our godly friends and why, no matter what, we must never forsake them (Prov 27:10).

Refection

  • Why do we need friends?
  • What about having friends who are not Christian (2nd Cor 6:14-18; James 4:4)?
  • What’s the hardest thing you ever had say to a friend?
  • What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to hear from a friend?

Here are 4 characteristics of true friendship:

Unconditional love – A true friend loves at all times. Regardless of what you do, what happens, or where life takes you, a true friend loves at all times. On your worst day—when you aren’t even fun to be around—a true friend still takes you to lunch. (And likely pays.)

Unwavering support – True friends are in it for the long haul. Even when you’ve fallen—or agree with you completely—a true friend is in your corner. When you call—even when you’re in trouble—they come. True friendships may only be for a season. I have many of those. But if we run into each other again we pick up where we left off. Trust is already established. The relationship is just as strong. True friendships are consistent.

Willingness to challenge – Love and support is not ignoring the words you need to here. A true friendship makes you better. The Bible says “iron sharpens iron.” True friends will correct you if needed. Proverbs 27:5 says, “Better an open rebuke than hidden love.” Friends won’t let you injure yourself or others if they can intervene. They won’t remain silent with what you need to hear—and it will be shared in the deepest of love.

Full of grace – True friendship weather the sometime difficulties of relationships, forgiving when needed, and loving each other even when it hurts. A true friendship isn’t one-sided. Both friends are willing to lay down their life for the other. Grace is freely and generously given.

Why Christians should fight to #EndSars

Toye Akinoso
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Why Christians should fight to #EndSars
Prefer to listen? Listen here

The year 2020 marks one of the most historical periods in all of human history. This year, the rallying cry to the fight against injustice and police brutality galvanised an entire generation across the globe. The most recent being the #EndSARS movement. SARS (Special Anti Robbery Squad) is a police unit in Nigeria which was set up in 1992 and since their inception, the unit has been riddled with cases of theft, abuse, rape, extortion and extrajudicial killings. Amnesty International published a report detailing at least 82 cases of “torture, ill-treatment and extra-judicial execution” by the SARS unit between January 2017 and May 2020. Since this report, protest across the nation of Nigeria have begun as well as protests in Nigerian Communities round the world. SARS has since been disbanded and SWAT ( Special Weapons and Tactics) has been announced to “fill in the gap”. Although this seems like progress, many people in Nigeria fear that this is history repeating itself and thus, protesters have once taken to the streets to #EndSWAT.

To find out more about #ENDSARS, watch the video below:

Jesus sets our standard

Standing up against injustice isn’t a ‘political’, ‘liberal’ or ‘progressive’ thing, it’s a Christ-like thing. I have seen far too many evangelicals aim to divorce Jesus’s ministry from its cultural context. Jesus didn’t just share the Gospel in a vacuum but instead, He purposefully addresses the very specific cultural issues. Take the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), the healing of the leper (Matthew 8), Jesus’ ministry to the Gentiles and Jesus meeting the woman at the well (John 4). All of these stories (and I can spend the rest of the article listing more) aren’t just nice religious platitudes but instead, Jesus was intentionally addressing socioeconomic, political and racial and gender issues at the time and frequently came to the aid of those who were oppressed and abused. Jesus provides us with a blueprint to follow. As Stephen Mattson brilliant puts it:

Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Samaritan lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Children’s lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Gentile lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Jewish lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Women’s lives matter.”
Instead of saying all lives matter, Jesus said, “Lepers’ lives matter.”

Times like these are not when Christians should be quiet. We should not cower in fear but instead, our voices should be the loudest. Our hearts should break for the people in Nigeria at the sight of these atrocities and we ought to stand behind any movements such as #EndSARS and #EndSWAT which aim to fight the injustices which we see around the world. Moments such as these are when we should “speak up, judge righteously; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:9). We are called to be the voice for the voiceless and when we see evil, we expose evil (Ephesians 5:11). Jesus didn’t just preach a generic message of salvation and go home, He went above and beyond to meet the needs of the alienated and downtrodden. Furthermore, we serve a God who hates injustice,  “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord (Prov 17:15).To turn your back to the #EndSars movement is to turn your back to God’s calling and right now, Nigeria is crying out for justice louder than ever. We cannot and must not remain silent. We cannot look away. Therefore, we should stand united with the people of Nigeria against any form of police brutality and condemn these actions carried out by SARS.

The war beneath the war

As Christians, we believe that there is a war beneath the war for justice. We believe that the only solution which can bring about everlasting change is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, as mentioned in my previous article regarding social injustice, “when faced with injustice, the Christian response is not merely to bend our knee in protest but to also do so in prayer.  The battle against the injustices of the world is not fought solely by creating and signing petitions here on Earth but also making prayers of petition to Heaven“. As Christians, we care about all suffering, especially eternal ones. So in moments such as these, we must go into the world and seek to be light but we must not forget the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In these instances, we advocate for police reform and we also advocate for the Gospel message as we believe this is what will bring the change we want to see in the world.

So dear Christian, stand up and fight to #EndSARS. Peacefully protest, sign petitions, give to the causes fighting against police brutality and most importantly, pray. Pray that God, the lover of justice, in His sovereign power would move to relive the aches and pains of injustice in this world that have corrupted our systems. But above all pray that God, through this, meets people at their truest need- eternal relief, not just from the results of sin, but from sin itself through believing in the soul-saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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