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Sharing Christ in a Non-Christian Culture

Shumi Mararike
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Sharing Christ in a Non-Christian Culture
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Secularism is on the rise. Hostility toward the Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to grow. Post modernism has had a cataclysmic impact on Western Europe, truth is no longer considered objective and absolute. What is the result? Scepticism toward any religion or worldview which claims to be the truth, refusing to bow the knee to subjectivity. Consequently, historic Christianity has been nudged out of the mainstream; we are living in a non-Christian culture.

Suppression of the Truth

This shouldn’t catch us by surprise. This cultural shift in the Western Europe has been in motion since the nineteenth century (subject to debate) and increased in velocity during the twentieth century. Paul’s epistle to the Romans traces the underlying issue further back than the nineteenth century, even predating the mid-first century Greco-Roman world in which he wrote. Humanity in its fallenness has been suppressing the truth since the beginning of time.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

Romans 1:18-19

How Do We Respond?

How is the Christian to navigate a culture which is resistant to their faith and made up people of who suppresses the truth? There are many possible responses but I’ve decided to narrow them down to three:

(i) Scold and Run

In all honesty, this is my reflex response. The state of our culture is a mess. Far too often I’ve viewed this as a licence to criticise and condemn rather than lovingly engage people with the Gospel. Just like every single believer God has saved by grace, I too was once like them. I formerly suppressed the truth of God, exchanging His glory for an incomparable image of my own choosing (Romans 1:22-23).

Romans 1:18-32 is universal. This was not a state into which some people were born into, but is the condition of the entirety of humankind. The only hope for this sorry state of affairs is the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit through the inherent, transformative power of the Gospel. (Romans 1:16)

Paul echoes the same message to Titus. We are to speak gently and kindly rather than throw insults. Be courteous and avoid quarrelling (Titus 3:1-2).

(ii) Accommodate the culture

To accommodate the culture is to deny that Jesus is the only way by which sinful persons may be reconciled unto God. Well this clearly isn’t an option either. Our options are whittled down to one.

(iii) Preach the Gospel

Irrespective of the cultural climate, our assignment remains the same. We have the great privilege of proclaiming the Good News. We can look to the example of Paul in the seventeenth chapter of Acts where he wonderfully modelled how to do so in a non-Christian context.

First century Athens was the intellectual hub of its day. It was a highly educated and cultured city, t home to Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Alexander the Great. Each passing day brought a new philosophy which captured the attention of the people. Nonetheless, Paul stood boldly and made an admirable evangelistic effort.  

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 

(Acts 17:16)

The Greek likens this provocation in Paul’s spirit to a feeling of being gripped in his intestines. There was an anguish stirred within the apostle’s soul, yet it didn’t drive him to hurl insults at the Athenians. Contrastingly, he engaged in persuasive dialogue with the Jews, Gentile sympathisers and those at the market place (v.17). Undeterred by the hostility, his subject matter was unchanged: Jesus Christ and the resurrection.

This climax of his visit was his address to the Areopagus at Mars Hill and how he masterfully witnessed before this crowd. Firstly, Paul acknowledged what was commendable among the Athenian people. In expressing “I perceive that you’re very religious” (v.22), breaking the barrier of hostility. He then proceeded to direct his challenge toward their own assumptions, revealing to them the falsity of their gods and the reality of the Creator, Yahweh (v.23-29) to whom they were all accountable. (v.30).

Paul then arrived at the crux of his message, issuing a call to repentance, casting the spotlight upon the person, work and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What a noble effort, tactfully meeting his audience at their level of understanding whilst faithfully declaring the Good News. You may expect such a presentation to be met with great applause and numerous listeners flocking to him, but this wasn’t the case. Some scorned him, some were intrigued and a presumably lesser number believed and became fellow disciples of Jesus Christ (vv.32-34). Nonetheless, it is an example to follow and implement as we interact with our own non-Christian culture

It won’t be easy

The task ahead is formidable. We must continuously pray for the lost, knowing that effective evangelism begins on your knees. Great boldness is required. Let us learn from the greatest evangelist this world has ever seen. Let us lovingly engage our culture, not scolding the people or their beliefs but bridging the gap in order to point the lost toward the Truth Himself, Jesus Christ.

Living Faithfully in a New Environment

Shumi Mararike
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Living Faithfully in a New Environment
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September is always a month of new beginnings. New schools, new workplaces, new environments. As we embark on these new journeys, we’re confronted with numerous challenges. One in particular seems to emerge wherever we go: how do we navigate these new spaces as Christians without compromising our faith?

Maintain your integrity

Integrity is undoubtedly one of the most admirable attributes a person can have. To be a person of integrity is to have a consistency between your morals and your actions, whether in public or private. There are few greater tests to our integrity than when we find ourselves in a new environment among a sea of unfamiliar faces. Will you dance to the tune of the culture or remain steadfast in your God-given convictions?

This became a dilemma for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego during the Babylonian exile. In possessing physical strength, skill and intellect, they were selected to be trained for service in King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace (Daniel 1:1-4).

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,

Daniel 1:8-9

The Babylonian’s attempts to lure them away from YHWH and their Jewish faith proved futile. No matter how great the food, education and new names they were given (Daniel 1:5-7), they remained true to their God and resolved to serve Him alone.

They declined the non-kosher foods before them (which had probably been sacrificed to idols), signifying a refusal to conform to the Babylonian cultural system. Their defiance demonstrated their willingness to live as God required of them as Hebrew men. They refused to compromise and chose the path of obedience toward God, knowing that this was for His glory and their blessing. To say yes to God and no to that which displeases Him is to express your contentment in Him.

Lawful but not helpful

With Daniel and the three Hebrew boys, their integrity was tested when asked to do things which God had explicitly prohibited. But what about those grey areas where scripture doesn’t speak directly on a matter? I don’t endeavour to present a list of some sort. This is because we mustn’t approach how we use our Christian liberty as a mere tick-box exercise. Rather than asking “How far can I get toward the edge of the cliff without falling off?”, we ought to ask some alternative questions guided by Scripture.

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

1 Corinthians 10:23

Why not ask yourself  “Does this edify me?” or “Is it profitable for my spiritual growth?” Will finding myself in certain environments and engaging in some behaviours facilitate my sanctification?

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 

1 Corinthians 6:12

“Is there a chance that this may become a habit I am somewhat dependent upon, or worse, enslaved to?” This all requires serious consideration and prayer so that we may be prepared when put to the test.

All this isn’t to say that we should flee from secular spaces, nor am I suggesting that fruitful relationships cannot be developed with non-Christians. That would be absurd. I say this to encourage us not to be satisfied with shallow, minimalistic Christian living whereby we blend in with the world without completely camouflaging with it. Carefully treading the border of that which is permissible and impermissible. God has called us to so much more than this.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 

Philippians 1:27

Although you may not be facing opposition as the Philippians were, you are accountable to God, your spiritual mentors and yourself. We must live in a manner that honours the Gospel. We must live as loyal, patriotic citizens of our heavenly Kingdom, sharing and living out the Gospel.

Living as Ambassadors

One of the worst things we can do is to run away from engaging with the community and people around us. This neglects our duties as ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Although we do not identify by the world’s systems and conform to its ways, we are to be the sweet fragrance of Christ – diffusing the Gospel that is a pleasant scent of joy and life to the believer but defeat and death to the unbeliever. We are to be a loving people representing our Lord as we share the good news. This is why Christ prayed that His disciples may remain in the world, protected from Satan, but not be of the world.

For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 17:15-16

Although we have a heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20a), we still have work to do in our schools, universities, workplaces or wherever God has placed us. Work diligently and to the glory of God honouring the opportunity He has given you whilst involving Him in all your labours (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:23). Let’s also live as people with integrity, not abusing our liberty in Christ, but being His Ambassadors who faithfully live for Him irrespective of where we find ourselves.

Have You Forgotten Who Your Father Is?

M.T. Omoniyi
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Have You Forgotten Who Your Father Is?
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It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of life. It seems we have been surrounded by uncertainty and speculation for most of 2020. It’s at times like this we have to cling to the promises of our Lord. Throughout scripture, we see His promises being fulfilled over and over again and yet, we seem to spend so much of our lives worrying about tomorrow. Matthew reminds us not to worry about our lives. Why does he do that; because he walked with Christ and knew first hand of His love for His children and His promises fulfilled. Today we need to rejoice in His promise of peace, even in this worried world.

This week, our political leaders gave us a sobering reminder that the R-Number (rate of infection) for COVID is not falling but rising and a second national lockdown may again be inevitable. We have been here before, however, this does not make this news easier to hear. After months of danger for some, pain, heartache, where many of us have been faced with the reality of mortality, it is understandable that we may wish this chapter to draw to a quick conclusion.

Man is Made for Trouble

As someone who works in the news industry, I consume a very large amount of news every day and every week. I obsess over the minutia and the politicking that surrounds current affairs. I get to see the brokenness of the world, up close, every day.

As I sat meditating over the weekend, I was able to zone out for a few hours, this is a luxury in my line of work. Whilst I did this, I looked at the last few months and concluded that the only way I could describe them was by comparing the months to a small boat lost at sea during a fierce storm. We have been chucked to and fro by the winds; moments of stillness abruptly heckled by yet more winds, waves and unrelenting dizziness. We have truly been through it these last few months. There was another man in the Bible who saw something similar.

Eliphaz, Job’s friend in advising him put it this way, ‘man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward’ (Job 5:7). Trouble is certain and uncompromising. Life is dangerous. There is nothing more certain than the fact that we are all going to die. According to Our World, Our Data: 1 billion people have died in wars over the years, 60 million people die every year, 15 million from heart disease, about 10 million die from cancer, 15,000 children die every day, 4000 die every day in car accidents. 50 million people died in the Spanish flu epidemic 1918 and in the Black Death during the 1300s, a reported 75 million people died. In John Kelly’s book, The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, where he explores some of the things people where going through as they sought to make sense of what was happening.

Here is what he said

“After watching packs of wild dogs paw at the newly dug graves of the plague dead, a part-time tax collector in Sienna wrote, ‘This is the end of the world.’ His contemporaries provided vivid descriptions of what the end of the world looked like, circa 1348 and 1349. It was corpses packed like lasagna in municipal plague pits, collection carts winding through early morning streets to pick up the previous day’s dead, husbands abandoning dying wives and parents abandoning dying children for fear of contagion, and knots of people crouched over latrines and sewers inhaling the noxious fumes in hopes of inoculating themselves against the plague. It was dusty roads packed with panicked refugees, ghost ships crewed by corpses, and a feral child running wild in a deserted mountain village. For a moment in the middle of the fourteenth century, millions of people across Eurasia began to contemplate the end of civilization, and with it, perhaps, the end of the human race.”

John Kelly | The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death

We can only imagine the terror that occupied the hearts of the people who were exposed to that. We can be thankful in the providence of God to be living in a time where we aren’t exposed to death and decay on this scale. What we face now would be considered in comparison to that, a very minor concern. And yet, because you have an entire world of people cut off from any eternal hope, everything becomes fearful to them. For those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who have no true hope after death, it’s reasonable to fear, it’s reasonable to be concerned about death and because they face, as we know, divine judgment and eternal punishment.

Who is Our Father?

But what about the family of God? How do we respond to these things? How can we be the rock and the safe place and the protector and the helper of those around us? How do we respond, and what is our perspective to be? As the UK faces another lockdown, what should our response be to these things? Was Job’s friend right? Are we just made for trouble? Should we just bite our lips, grit our teeth and brace ourselves?

The Word of God is clear on this, so I want to encourage you with some things from the Word of God. This is God speaking to us.

“The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble; and those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” –Psalm 9:9-10

“Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” – Psalm 32:5-7

“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.” – Psalm 27:4-6

“Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” – Psalm 32:5-7

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. But the Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” Psalms 34:17-21

“But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble.” – Psalm 37:39

“Because the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who take refuge in Him.” – Nahum 1:7

“I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the Lord, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.” – Psalms 34:4-10

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.” – Psalm 50:15

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” – Psalm 46 1-3

“My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.’ Behold, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness. I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest.” – Psalms 55:4-6

“Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” – Psalm 55:22

This is Our Father

This is the protection promised to God’s people, and God repeats it again and again and again in the Bible. When we come to the New Testament, Jesus demonstrates this same care and compassion for people who are afraid and scared in the first of the synoptic Gospels, Matthew, in chapter 6. The Lord is gathering a new people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people for His own possession, and to them, He promises blessings, blessings to the faithful. This is the new people, the people that belong to the Lord, and He makes promises to them, and part of the list of promises comes in verses 25-34 of Matthew 6.

Three times in that passage Jesus says don’t worry, don’t worry. He actually says, “Don’t worry, stop worrying, and don’t start worrying,” by changing the form of the verb. If you’re worrying, stop. If you’re not yet worrying, don’t start. And just generally, don’t worry, don’t be anxious.

Rather than focus on the times we are in, focus on the Father. God is your Father, and God takes care of those who are His own.

Does Science Disprove God’s Existence?

Shumi Mararike
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Does Science Disprove God’s Existence?

“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” This assertion was made in a petition calling for the removal of creationism from the Welsh curriculum signed by leading scientists, secularists and some ministers. Embedded within it is the idea that believing in a God who brought the world into existence gives way to ignorance and wishful thinking. There is a suggestion that you can’t arrive at this conclusion in a scientific manner. Newsflash: you can. As believers, we needn’t take a leap of faith and hope for the best when it comes to God’s existence explaining the origins of the world. There’s no need to wave our white flags to evolutionary theories. Take heart, Christian, you can use the same scientific tools of reason and logic to prove God’s existence to both yourself and sceptics.

The Shortcomings of Macro-Evolution

At times it feels as though evolution (specifically macroevolution) is inscrutable when called it into question. Well, it’s not even that, it’s inadequate in explaining the origins of life on earth. Macroevolution concerns large scale biological changes. Darwinists believe that all life is genetically related and we are all descendants of a common ancestor. This would require there to have been a single-celled organism which evolved over time, eventually possessing enough genetic information needed for a human being.

In his book Darwin on Trial, Philip E. Johnson launched a shattering critique on evolutionary theories, quoting many theorists themselves. Johnson mentions:

  • The limited range of genetic variation in each living thing. This seriously restricts the amount of variation that can be produced, posing problems for the extent of variation claimed to have taken place by many Darwinists.[1]
  • The vastness of mutations required to produce complex organs such as a human eye or a bird’s wing could not have occurred in small mutations accumulating over thousands of generations because the individual parts of the organs are useless unless the whole organ is functioning.[2]
  • The fossil records also undermine the credibility of macroevolution.[3]

Kofahl and Segraves calculated that the probability of life arising spontaneously (as affirmed in the idea that the single-celled organism developed overtime) to cover the whole earth is 1.2 x 10 -11  – a one in 80 billion chance.[4]

Attributing the complexities of biology to spontaneous generation is less rational than believing it is the work of a designer who brought the world into existence and sustains the precise conditions to prevent its destruction, thus preserving human life. We call this Designer, God.

Does God Exist?

St. Augustine of Hippo examined God’s existence by setting out four theoretical options for reality as we encounter it:

Reality as we encounter it is

  • an illusion
  • self-created
  • self-existent
  • created ultimately by something else which is self-existent

Reality is not an illusion, ruling out option one. Self-creation is false by definition. For something to create itself, to be its own creator and to be an effect that is its own cause, it must have existed before it existed. This violates the law of non-contradiction and also fails as an explanation.

This leaves the final two options: self-existence or creation by a self-existent being. There is nothing illogical with something that is self-existent and eternal – an uncaused thing.

Law of Causality

The law of causality is widely misunderstood. Though one of the greatest philosophers to ever live, John Stuart Mill erroneously defined it. According to Mill, if everything requires a cause, then God would require a cause, and whatever caused God would also require a cause. The classical (and correct) understanding of causality is that every effect must have an antecedent cause. What is an effect? – something that has been caused by something. Only things which are made have an effect.

So what does this mean for the Big Bang Theory? The Big Bang is often described as a point of singularity where all that existed was matter and energy in the universe (about 13.8 billion years ago). At some point, this point of singularity exploded, producing the matter and energy in the material universe today. However, this is implausible as revealed when we take a trip down memory lane into our CGP Physics textbooks. Newton’s First Law of Motion (inertia) states that an object will remain static or in motion, unless an external force acted/acts upon it. Moreover, the second law of thermodynamics demonstrates that everything is becoming increasingly disorganised, rendering it impossible that everything previously existed highly organised in a point of singularity. Before we ask “what caused God?”, we ought to ask “what caused the Big Bang?”

Back to the Law of Causality, only effects require a cause. This perfectly fits the mould of the Christian doctrine of creation. Unlike the universe, God is eternal and unchanging (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17), therefore not requiring a cause because He possess the power of being within Himself. This self-existent, eternal something must be personal. It must be an intelligent and personal being because unintelligible and impersonal beings cannot bring about something with the design such as the universe. This is how scripture describes God; a Being who is transcendental (in a class of His own) and immanent (personal and actively involved in sustaining the universe). This all lends itself nicely to St. Thomas Aquinas’ traditional proofs for the existence of God.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 3:14

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6

Belief in the God who created the world ex nihilio (out of nothing) is a more rational explanation for origins than any evolutionary theory. Let’s engage sceptics with this more credible explanation. But as we do so, we cannot forget to pray for them. God has as given us a general revelation of Himself through nature (Psalm 19:1-2; Romans 1:19-21) and the inner sense of God (Acts 14:14-17). It is sin which blinds people from acceptance of these truths (Romans 1:18). So we must continuously pray for unbelievers that God will open their eyes and soften their hearts to these truths, that He may save them from their sin by bringing them to believe in Him.

[1] Johnson, pp. 15–20

[2] 30. Johnson, pp. 32–44.

[3] Johnson, pp. 73–85,

[4] Kofahl and Segraves, The Creation Explanation pp. 99–100.

How to Deal with Academic Failure

Deborah Asamoah
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How to Deal with Academic Failure

In these past weeks, you’ve probably learned how crippling the education system has been to the hopes and dreams of your own, that of a student that you know, or even that of a young person that you love. If it has not been the disappointment and confusion of exam results, it has been the loss of securing a place at the university of your choice. To say that young people have been let down is an understatement. The Education Ministers have by and large put to shame the trust that students have put in the education system to benefit them.

And while you may still feel sore from being discounted by a system that should support you, your faith in Christ – counts you to be at better standing than others – even amidst failure.

Placing Your Hope on Vain Results

When we rely and place our trust on things that have the possibility to fail us, it is same as us resting our weight on a ‘leaning wall’ or a ‘tottering fence’ that at any time will ‘topple us’ and ’throw us down’ (Psalm 62:1-4).

When we place our hope in the hours that we spend studying for our exams, the hours we spend taking these exams, the moments we receive our exam results and university places instead of placing our hope in Christ, it becomes a vain hope. Vain because such hope becomes meaningless as we pass through life and worse when it can become a disappointment.

I don’t have to lecture you about disappointment, you already know what that feels like. You, as I have, still wince when you think back to the pain of results day and the heart sunken moment when you pulled that paper from the envelope and you saw 3 (or for me 4) letters that had let you down. A leaning wall, a tottering fence that gave way and let you fall flat on your face as you let those letters define you. Define your future. Define your place in society.

God Does Not Put Us to Shame

During times of uncertainty, we should not let the tottering fence or the leaning wall of our vain hopes define a future that God has defined for us. When all that we have worked hard for can be snatched away from us in a moment by the inequality of an education system, let our souls truly find rest in God who is our rock and salvation (Psalm 62:1-2). When the world thinks all hope is lost, you can take delight amidst sorrow knowing that even if everything is taken away from you pertaining to the body, the future of your soul is truly secure.

God is a fortress and a refuge during moments such as disappointing exam results but further than that He is a sure and firm foundation that we can rest our hopes, dreams, abilities and worth on. A secure place from which even during an assault on our academic aspirations we can join King David in saying :

Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God.

Psalm 62:6-7

Knowing that He has saved our souls through Christ, we should take hold of the reality that whatever befalls , our trusting in Him means that we will not be put to shame (Psalm 25:2).

 

What Do I Do If My Friend Follows False Teaching

Chude Obuaya
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What Do I Do If My Friend Follows False Teaching
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We are closer to false teaching and false teachers than we think. Jesus alerts us that both wheat and weeds will grow together until He returns (Matthew 13:29-30). Whilst false teaching and false teachers can appear very distant, perhaps they are closer to home than first thought. Although we would not like to think of our friends as false teachers or being affected by false teaching, what do we do if they are?

False teaching is pervasive

This point should not be taken lightly: false teaching is pervasive. False teaching isn’t as obvious as we would like. It won’t always be an obvious error; it will often be words that “itch the ears of the hearer” (2 Timothy 4:3). False teaching grips the hearts and minds of the hearer by using cunning words and deceitful schemes (Ephesians 4:14) and before too long, your heart is darkened, and you are none the wiser. It is very easy to be attracted to false teaching, after all, it’s by fabricated stories and flattery that hearts are deceived (2 Peter 2:3, Romans 16:18). As John Calvin rightly states, ‘the human heart is an idol factory’ and false teachers are eager to proclaim things that assist in the building of idols in the hearts of man. We incorrectly assume that people do not what to hear false teaching. The heart, apart from God, does not want God; therefore creates substitutes that will satisfy their lustful desires (Romans 1:21-25). Even as those that believe in Jesus, we are regularly called to be sober minded since the ‘devil roams like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour’ (1 Peter 5:8). So then what happens when our family and friends are drawn in by the deceitful clutches of false teaching?

Charitable, yet firm

Similarly, as Toye pointed out in the previous post on false teaching, an important distinction must be made. In the same way that not all errors are heresies, not all differences in doctrine are errors. Whilst we may be convinced that our theological positions have ‘gotten it right’ in correctly dividing the scriptures, we must be mindful that we do not discern truth through our theological tribe rather than the word of God. False teaching is a serious issue and not something to be taken lightly. We should not be nonchalant when approaching a friend or family member that may be indulging in false teaching, instead we should approach them with trembling and much tears (Philippians 3:19).

If we ascertain that a friend is believing something that is contrary to the scriptures we must be aware that their very soul is in danger. We must warn them firmly yet lovingly to ensure that they are receptive to the truth (Colossians 4:6, Ephesians 4:15). Paul exhorts to Timothy in his final letter that ‘For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passion,’. (Timothy 4:3), we cannot assume that our friends or family have accidentally received and believed false teaching. Whilst the naïve in heart are certainly vulnerable (Romans 16:18), we must know that others seek out teachers to satisfy their lusts (2 Timothy 4:3). The antidote for the naïve and the knowing is the same – sound doctrine.

Our only hope

Paul explains in Titus 2 how sound doctrine and sound living are inextricably linked. Before Paul states how men and women should behave, he states what they should hear – sound doctrine (Titus 2:1). Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Romans 10:17) and faith wrought by Christ produces right living (James 2:17). If we want our friends and family to hear us when we speak, they need to see how we live. We cannot be hypocrites. There is too much at stake. If you are trusting in Christ then your Saviour and your Lord has given you a cosmic imperative – love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31). And who is your neighbour? Everybody (Luke 10:25-37). When engaging with your friend who is believing false doctrine you are not trying to win points for your theological tribe. Instead, you ought to see an image-bearer who is being blinded by lies, be filled with compassion and seek to proclaim the truth that sets free (John 8:32).

Our response

How can we engage responsibly and with gospel fervour? I will offer some practical steps that may help us think through how we engage with friends and family members that are caught up in false doctrine.

  1. Make sure it is false doctrine – remember, if your friend disagrees with you theologically it does not mean that they are being deceived. We should be able to hold different positions on non-primary issues that are biblically rooted and still maintain unity.
  2. Be gentle – after confirming that it is false doctrine that your friend or family member is believing, be gentle when you confront them. Gentleness seems to be an undervalued fruit of the Spirit. In a time where rash words and quick reactions reign, let us mirror our Saviour in being gentle and perhaps God will ‘grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth’ (2 Timothy 2:25)
  3. Pray often – No matter the eloquence of our speech or the passion in our pleas, our many words cannot change the heart of those deceived, only God can. Before we engage in any discussion, let us be eager to go on our knees to intercede for our friends.
  4. Finally, be patient – God doesn’t operate on a human schedule. He is not in a rush and He makes all things beautiful in His time. There is no heart too deceived that can escape the saving hands of Jesus. Be patient. Persevere in prayer, in discussion, and in love. God has been so patient with us; how can we not extend that to others? (2 Peter 3:9).

With false teaching so pervasive, we must be vigilant. Let us pray that we will not be swept up by any doctrine that will draw us away from the beauty of Christ. We must be people of the truth, after all our Saviour is called the Truth (John 14:6). As we pray for ourselves and others, let us be rest assured that God is watchful over those who are His and nobody can snatch us from His hands (John 10:29).

Does My Life Have Meaning?

Shumi Mararike
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Does My Life Have Meaning?

Does my life have any meaning? If my life has meaning, where does it come from? You don’t need to have experienced an existential crisis to have pondered upon these questions; you only need to be human. Even where you may attach meaning to your life you may still feel within yourself that there has got to be “more” than your ascribed meaning grasps. However, if you believe that God created the world and everything in it, you have a more solid basis to establish your meaning upon in which your fulfilment and joy are maximised in the present whilst simultaneously dealing with that longing for “more”.

Created in the image of God

The power, creativity and beauty with which God crafted the world is majestically displayed throughout the creation account. On the fifth day, God created the animals of the air and sea (Genesis 1:20-25), followed by the land animals on the sixth. We then arrive at the pinnacle of His work: the creation of human beings.

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
    in the image of God he created him;
    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:26-27

God created humans with a uniqueness that separates us from the rest of creation. We are made in His image and likeness (the imago Dei). We resemble God in the immaterial sense. We share His communicable attributes, possessing personality, morality and spirituality, enabling us to fellowship with Him and reflect His glory. The entire world is God’s masterpiece, but humanity is the crown jewel of His creative work. The meaning we receive from being created in His likeness, surpasses anything we could ever attach to our ourselves. It is divine in its very origin, giving our lives inextinguishable and absolute value and meaning.

What are the alternatives?

Without the image of God, there is no objective meaning or value that is inherent in human life. This presents both rational and moral problems. Rejecting creationism and embracing naturalistic evolutionary theories means that all which exists is matter and nature. However, as human beings, we love and care for one another. We have a sense of morality and justice. Can this really be a result of natural selection which is essentially survival of the fittest? The impersonal and purely biological evolutionary explanations of how we came into being fail to account for the attributes above.

Even some secularists have concluded that the absence of an objective basis on which our meaning is grounded, which is compromised by naturalistic evolutionary theories, produces a meaningless existence. In light of this, French existential philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once said:

“I understand that life is meaningless, what I can’t understand is why I haven’t killed myself yet.”

Jean-Paul Sartre

Surely a better explanation seems to be offered in God creating humanity in His image, thus sharing these attributes with Him, the One who made them.

What about morality?

We all have an inner sense of morality. We’re outraged by injustices and evil. The evil, suffering and pain you and I feel doesn’t matter a thing if there is no objective morality; but we know they do matter. We believe in good and evil which in turn implies a moral law. For a moral law to exist, there must be a moral law giver (God), without whom there can be none of the above. Evolution fails to explain this because it fails to assume implicit worth for a moral law giver and the imago Dei.

There’s something within us that is dissatisfied with accrediting the fact that we love and experience love, to a trait developed by nature which the fittest displayed for the sake of survival and reproduction. Atheists such as Sam Carroll may raise the objection that we are simply reading the above onto the universe. But it’s less likely that we could successfully do so across the globe from generation to generation for over 2000 years. A transcendental reality in the being of God who created people with the same longing for that which is good, beautiful, true and moral whilst being all these things in His nature seems more plausible.

What about eternity?

At one point or another, we’ve all had that aching within us “there’s got to be more to life than this”. This longing for more within ourselves gives us a sense that all the world has to offer us doesn’t quite satisfy in the long run. Hedonistic pursuits where we jump from one pleasure to another prove futile as their gratification is temporal. This is because we all have a God-given awareness that there is something more than this transient world.

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

The God who made us for His pleasure (Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11), is the source of joy and fulfilment our souls are aching after because He personally imprinted us with His image. He desires to reconcile us unto Himself, delivering us from our sin and into relationship with Him as we stand before Him in the righteousness of His Son we receive by faith.

How do I overcome crushing temptation?

On Mission
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How do I overcome crushing temptation?

Did you know it was possible for you to overcome temptation? Even when it seems like its too much, God always provides a way to escape. In this episode, we discuss how to overcome crushing temptation

Join the conversation online using the hashtag #ThePulsePodcast

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Home Is Where The Lord Is: A Guide to Finding a Good Church

Deborah Asamoah
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Home Is Where The Lord Is: A Guide to Finding a Good Church

Walking into a new church for the first time can be daunting. You approach the door with clammy hands and a lump in your throat. Thoughts whizz back and forth in your mind like the Central Line during rush hour. Will they notice me when I walk in? Will I have to introduce myself or will they approach me? Will I like the worship songs they sing? Should I sit at the front where they can see me or should I find a seat at the back so I can be out of plain sight? Should I stay and speak to people after or should I leave early to avoid the awkward chit chat?

Reasons to Search

Maybe you’re looking for a church for the first time as a believer or leaving the church that you grew up in. Perhaps you moved country, city or area and you’re searching for a new local church to attend. You might be as I was, fed up with your current church situation – something just isn’t right and you can smell it from a mile off. Whether it’s the doctrine, the leadership or the church as a whole – there isn’t a Christ-centred approach to the way things are run and you are ready to leave.

You might be a recent convert from a different religion or spiritual practice. You may even be in the extreme category and you’re finally leaving a ‘cult’ and just want to find a safe, good church to attend. As you dread the long drawn-out process of searching for a new church and the possibility of falling victim to ‘church hopping’, you might be asking yourself the question, where do I even begin?

Pray

Prayer is one of the most undermined resources of the believer. Despite being one of the most impactful and effectual instruments in the Christian’s arsenal, many of us do not draw for it as regularly as we should. The implications of not finding a local church, let alone a sound local church, are major,  both to our spiritual condition and our ability to fulfil the purposes and commands that have been set out for us to do as part of the body. Therefore we cannot afford to depend on our own wisdom to guide us to a church that will enable the fruitfulness of both of these aspects. The wonderful thing about making prayer your first effort in finding a church is that it will never be in vain. The Bible speaks on both the assurance of having our prayers answered when we appeal to God in His will and also the vast access to God’s wisdom when we ask for it (1 John 5:13-15, Proverbs 2: 6-7). God not only invites us to ask for wisdom when making decisions but he stores up wisdom that he is waiting lavish us with, to help us make the right decision.

For the Lord gives wisdom;
from His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

Proverbs 2:6-7

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God–who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly–and it will be given to him.

James 1:5

So we must approach God’s well of wisdom, constantly, like a thirsty pilgrim who continually laps up the water in his palms to his lips knowing he needs energy for the journey ahead. We must saturate every thought and decision with prayer. Along the course of finding a church, we must consult God at every step of the way.

Research

It is important to have a clear definition of what it is that you are looking for. Therefore it is necessary to do your own study and research in order to be clear on what a healthy church looks like. The Bible gives both demonstrative and prescriptive examples of what a good church should entail. The book of Acts paints a beautiful picture demonstrating what church life should look like through the practical example of the early church. If you study closely at the life and times of these early believers, you will discover a useful framework to guide your decision making for finding a new church to attend

And they devoted themselves to apostles’ teaching and fellowship to the breaking of bread and the prayers

Acts 2:42

The first fundamental thing to look for when seeking a new church, is both the leadership and members’ desire and commitment to sound gospel-centred preaching and teaching and following the sacraments (i.e. baptism and Lord’s supper). A church, whose leaders are devoted to shepherding their congregants through the teaching of God’s word and whose members delight in sitting under such preaching and teaching and allowing their lives to be shaped and changed by it. Furthermore it is important look for whether the members demonstrate their commitment, love and bond to one another through regular prayer meetings.

All who believed were together

Acts 2:44

It’s also important to look for sense of unity in what the members believe and how they live their lives as a result of what they believe. This means that membership should consist of solely believers, even if unbelievers are regular attendees.

Day by day attending to the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts

Acts 2:46

Another thing to notice is the attitude of the members; do you notice the same faces who faithfully attend every service, every week showing a born again love and generosity to one another? Do they have genuine tight-knit relationships, sharing each other’s burdens and their possessions with one another?

Praising God and having favour with all the people

Acts 2:47

What reputation does your church have with the local community/unbelievers? Are they engaging with members of the local area/borough?

Asking for personal recommendations from Christians you deem as reliable and trustworthy sources, particularly those who you notice are mature and growing steadily in the faith, is a quick and easy way to find churches that you can check out.

Explore these churches’ websites. What is their statement of faith? What do they believe? What are their values? Does it place the Gospel at the heart of their beliefs and affirmations? Do they have a correct biblical understanding of God and salvation, i.e. a Trinitarian view, salvation through grace by faith alone etc?  Is the way that the church is set up and their practices, according to biblical command?

Examine

There is only so much that you can gauge about a church based on their website and testimonials. In order to get a better estimation of a church, attend their services.

Reflect back to your study of church examples in the Bible,  does the leadership, membership, teaching reflect biblical example? Take note of leadership – look for joyful leaders who are humble yet eager to cheerfully serve their members, exercising oversight not under compulsion but willingly, not for shameful gain but with genuine godly passion.

Fellowship – does it have a membership that loves the brethren, caring for one another and their needs? With humility, do they exhibit born again love? (1 John 3: 16-18, Rom 12:11-17). What is the spirit and life of the church? Is it one of intense joy? Even while being realistic about their problems and suffering are they are able to remain constantly rejoicing? Is it an environment where the members have their gaze fixed on eternity and are able to find more meaning and joy on the living hope that is to come rather than their present reality? (1 Pet 1:3).

Finally, do they welcome you well? Could you see yourself serving at this church? Is there an emphasis on the members maturing spiritually, discipleship and equipping the saints for the work of ministry?

Test the teaching – do they teach the whole counsel of God’s Word as being infallible? What do they teach concerning matters such as roles of manhood and womanhood, sexuality, race, sin etc? Do they preach and teach on these matters uncompromisingly from a gospel-centred lens?

Make a Choice

All while you are doing these things, be sure to remain prayerful and seek God’s Word for direction. Trusting God’s wisdom, make a decision, choose a good church and commit to it.

If you are searching for good churches to attend and would like some recommendations, be sure to contact the OGGM team through our social media platforms or via email at hello@ourgodgivenission.com. We are more than willing to help.

Is it Okay to Doubt My Faith?

On Mission
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Is it Okay to Doubt My Faith?

This weeks episode aims to answer one of the more deeper and personal questions. What do we do when we’re faced with doubts? Join us as we dive into what the Bible says about this … #ThePulsePodcast

Join the conversation online using the hashtag #ThePulsePodcast

Join the debate online by using the hashtag #ThePulse

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