SETTING OFF FOR A NEW WORLD?
Have you ever dreamed of a new world? It would be a world where there is peace and justice for all. It would be a world without pain or death, where there is joy and dignity for everyone. Many men and women cherish such hopes. People even have a name for that world. We call it 'heaven'. But can such a world be found?
The desire to make a better world has shaped the outlook of many people - teachers, doctors, politicians - of good intent as they have set out on their careers. Yet though there have been great advances through technology and medicine, a new world of joy and justice - heaven on earth - always eludes us.
But the Bible tells us that there is such a new world to be found. In the Scriptures we are told that though our present world is spoiled by selfishness and decay, one day God will remake the whole universe. It will be a world which will surpass our most treasured hopes. Here is one Bible passage which describes something of this new world: 'Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: 'Now the dwelling of God is with men and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Revelation 21.1-4).
Yet the question arises: 'Can this be true?' It seems so unlikely to the eyes of our present cynical society. Can we really take seriously the idea of God's new world?
What evidence?
There are many lines of argument which give credence to the idea of heaven. For example, some thinkers reason that the very intensity of our desire for a better world points to the reality of that new world. 'Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. People feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as marriage. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.' (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).
Our hope of a new world is actually founded on the nature of God. When asked a trick question by the Sadducees wishing to discredit belief in the idea of resurrection and eternal life, Jesus accused them of ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God. He quoted God's word to Moses at the burning bush: 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' Jesus drew this conclusion: 'He is the God of the living, not of the dead. You are completely wrong!' (Mark 12.24-27).
Yet, of course, God gives us more weighty evidence even than the words of Jesus. In the most momentous event of history, God raised Jesus from the dead on that first Easter morning. The tomb was empty. The disciples, fearful because of the crucifixion of their teacher, were filled with courage and joy when they met the Lord Jesus alive from the dead. Eternal life is real. The New Testament explains that the resurrection of Jesus is 'the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised' (1 Corinthians 15.20). Our hope is not for a vague survival in a world of spirits, but for resurrection to a glorious new world through Jesus Christ. God is able to do this.
Some people might say that although these promises of eternal life are attractive, they were made so long ago and nothing seems to have happened and therefore we can discount them as being irrelevant to our modern world. 2,000 years does seem a very long time. But we should not think that God's promise is empty. The New Testament writers themselves indicated that the wait could be long. 'You must understand that in the last days scoffers will come . . . they will say 'where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation' . . . But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance ' (2 Peter 3.3-9).
The gift of God
We set out on the road to that new world as we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts. Heaven is not attained by our efforts. It is a free gift from God. 'The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.' (Romans 6.23).
It is a free gift, the Bible tells us, so that no one who gets to heaven can boast about what they did to get there. All the glory goes to God. Once we have received God's free gift of salvation, we will want to live holy, loving lives, because our destination is a holy place of love. 'In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him' (2 Peter 3.13-14). Have you come to Jesus Christ and received the gift?
THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE
God has no needs that I could ever be required to satisfy, God has no deficiencies . . . he is complete in himself.
The upshot of this is that we can picture God as a mountain spring, not a watering trough. A mountain spring is self-replenishing. It constantly overflows and supplies others. But a watering trough needs to be filled with a pump or bucket brigade.
So if you want to glorify the worth of a watering trough, you work hard to keep it full and useful. But if you want to glorify the worth of a spring, you do it by getting down on your hands and knees and drinking to your heart's satisfaction, until you have the refreshment and strength to go back down in the valley and tell people what you've found. You do not glorify a mountain spring by dutifully hauling water up the path from the river below and dumping it in the spring.
God is like a mountain spring, not a watering trough (Psalm 36.9). And since that is the way God is, we are not surprised to learn from Scripture that the way to please God is first to come to him to get and not to give, to drink and not to water.
My hope as a desperate sinner, who lives in a Death Valley desert of unrighteousness, hangs on this biblical truth: that God is the kind of God who will be pleased with the one thing I honestly have to offer - my thirst. God is delighted not by the resourcefulness of religious bucket brigades, but by the bending down of broken sinners to drink at the fountain of grace in Jesus Christ (Revelation 22.17). 'From of old no-one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.' (Isaiah 64.4).
In other words, this unspeakably good news for helpless sinners - that God delights not when we offer him our strength but when we wait for his - is based firmly on a vision of God as sovereign, self-sufficient and free. If we do not have this foundation vision of God in place when we ask how we can please him, it is almost certain that our efforts to please him will become subtle means of self-exaltation, and end in the oppressive bondage of legalistic strivings.
John Piper, Minneapolis
from his book The pleasures of God, published by Multnomah Press.
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET
Unethical businesses often advertise low-priced products to get consumers in the door. Once in, the customers are subjected to manipulative sales tactics designed to get them to leave with something other than what they came in for.
This bait-and-switch tactic is also characteristic of dangerous religious groups (DRGs). Over and over the New Testament warns us not to fall victim to spiritual leaders who describe themselves as something they are not, as they try to 'deceive . . . with persuasive words' (Colossians 2.4).
Trustworthy leaders realise that they have no higher calling than to point others to the Christ of the Bible. They make it clear that our only hope of salvation is found in his death for our sins, in his resurrection from the dead, and in his return for his own. Genuine representatives of Christ are not occupied with anything or anyone who has superseded the Son of God. Their focus is not in politics, education, activities or buildings, but rather in the One who alone deserves first place in our hearts and lives (Revelation 2.1-7).
Don't expect false teachers to deny Christ 'up front'. Few leaders of DRGs want to be known as enemies of Christ, and few want to believe that they are. Look instead for the switch. Look for the eventual, gradual transfer to the leader or organisation and away from Christ.
Word of God to word of men
Here are some examples of how this works:
1. A college student got involved with a group of people whom he is convinced represent the true family of God. He believed they have been raised up in the last days to preach the pure, uncompromised Word of God.
He knows his Bible far better than any of his old friends. He seems to have a Bible verse for everything. What he doesn't realise is the extent to which he was given the switch. The switch was so seductive that he doesn't realise that many of the Bible verses he is using have been pulled out of context. They have been carefully selected by his teachers to support the group's doctrine.
2. Another former member of a religious group didn't discover the switch until after getting involved in the group's headquarters. He says: 'My main questions came when I was working at their headquarters in New York. I started reading Romans and Galatians, by themselves, without their books . . . So when I started reading Romans and Galatians alone, it dawned on me that there was this talk about living by the Spirit and freedom and following God in a personal way as opposed to rules and structure and law. Then I discovered that there were other leaders who were also coming up with some of the same conclusions in their research - that there were differences between the Bible and the organisation. And these men eventually started getting thrown out because there was a lot of paranoia. If anyone disagreed with the main leadership body - even in the slightest - they'd panic and the witch-hunt would start.'
3. Yet another former member of a DRG says: 'I was very impressed when I first joined the group because they kept emphasising that we could do any kind of research or ask any kind of question we wanted to have answered. Everything was open and above-board. But after I was in for a few years, I discovered that wasn't the case. People who questioned their leadership or authority were thrown out. They were treated like evil people. They were slandered. There was no freedom to ask questions once you were a member, once you were in. They demanded absolute loyalty to the leadership.'
From separation to isolation
DRGs often follow a pattern of self-imposed isolation, fence-building and burned bridges. The process moves from that which is biblical to that which is dangerous.
The Bible does not show the Christian community as being isolated. It's always out in the world, though separate from the world. The Bible speaks of being separate in the sense of apart from the sins and spirit of the world, but not physically and socially separate from the community.
In the beginning, the DRGs say: 'Come out and be separate', which appears to be scriptural. In the beginning, the group is taught to see the errors of traditional churches which so blur the line between the world and the church that no clear distinction remains. New converts rightly learn that God's people are to be different - distinct and identifiable.
In time, however, DRGs emphasise separation not so much to protect the group from error as to make sure they don't see the light. One former DRG member relates this kind of mind-control and 'information management' when he says: 'One of the ways that they control you is through isolation of information. You're not supposed to read certain things. Especially things from ex-members of the group. That is 'apostate literature'. That (they tell us) is hate literature. So . . . (through) information control . . . they isolate you from certain types of involvement in groups and friendships. They isolate you in their own little world with their five meetings a week. They tell you how to think and what's right. They tell you that if you leave, your life is going to fall apart and you're going to lose God in your life.'
Again, in the beginning, such separation sounds logical, biblical, and necessary to protect the group from being pressed into the mould of the existing social order. Yet, in time, a subtle switch often occurs, and the isolation is used not to protect the group from error, but from the truth.
Right separation involves a separation from the sins of a society, not from society itself.
Salvation to false trust
Some organisations announce that the world is coming to an end and you had better repent. It appears that this group must have it all together and knows the answer. People come to this group with a desire to escape the coming judgment. However, a switch has occurred. Instead of experiencing the confidence that salvation is a gift received by grace through faith in Christ alone, the group members had unknowingly accepted a different gospel. They freely quote that 'faith without works is dead', but somehow missed the logic of the apostle, who just as forcefully reasoned: 'But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness' (Romans 4.5).
Such groups are right about our need for repentance, obedience and sacrifice. But they are desperately wrong about trusting your salvation to works through their particular group.
Looking back, one former DRG member says: 'Salvation within this group is based on works. So it's a feeling that you're pleasing God by doing all these good things. But the assurance I have (now) is the assurance of who Jesus is and that I will spend eternity with him, not because of what I've done or because of what I do, but because of whose I am, because he has paid the price of my sin, and that because of his love, I'm one of the chosen ones adopted into his family.'
Coming out
One mark of a DRG is the power it holds over members whose better judgment tells them they need to get out. One former member says: 'It took me months to get up enough courage to say: 'I'm leaving'. This is wrong. It's going against my conscience. I've got to get out of here - regardless of the consequences.' And I had to do some serious praying because I was afraid. I was afraid of losing everything. There's no other place to go. They quoted John 6.68 (where Jesus asked his disciples if they were going to leave him) and Peter said: 'There's no one else to go to but to You, because You have the words of life.'' But when they say that we can't leave the group because there's no place else to go, and there's no life outside the organisation, then they have put the organisation in the place of Jesus.
THE WITNESSES IN THE HOLOCAUST
Jehovah's Witnesses suffered greatly in Germany during Hitler's reign. Many ordinary men and women gave their lives for their allegiance to the Watchtower, and are to be saluted for their courage and endurance.
The Society's history book, Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, seeks to document what went on during this period. But some of the facts have remained unknown to many people.
The documentation for the following information came from an article written by Dr. James Penton in the Spring 1990 issue of The Christian Quest publication. James Penton is probably the best historian of the Watchtower Society.
1933 gathering
Few Jehovah's Witnesses, if any at all, know about the attempted compromise. It came about in an effort to stop the Third Reich from banning the work of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany. A convention of 7,000 Witnesses gathered in Berlin on April 25 1933, to adopt a Declaration to be sent to Hitler and officials of the German government.
This was not a Declaration of denunciations, but was filled with compromising and anti-semitic statements. Some may say: 'Many people and religious groups compromised with the Nazis, so why pick on the Watchtower Society?' The reason is that the Watchtower has condemned, without mercy, other religions for their compromises with Germany as if the Society had stood alone in a firm and uncompromised position. But this wasn't the case.
Massive persecution
Within days of the Declaration being sent to officials and a special letter to Hitler, a massive wave of persecution came on the Witnesses. Today there are some copies of the Declaration in existence, but the Society has shifted the blame for the compromising statement on to the Branch Overseer at the time, Paul Balzereit (see the 1974 Yearbook, pages 110,111).
A former Branch Overseer of Germany, Konrad Franke, who was present at the 1933 convention, gave some lectures in Germany in 1976, where he testified to the compromising words of the Declaration. This document is available in German as well as English.
Konrad Franke said that Brothers Rutherford and Knorr visited the Branch, then left a few days before the convention. When they all arrived at the convention in Berlin many Witnesses were shocked to see the Swastika flags decorating the hall. The meeting then started with a song that had a well-known patriotic melody. This likewise confused the attendees. The Declaration that Rutherford had prepared was approved, and everyone was to send copies of it to lawyers, judges, mayors, etc. Franke sent out 52 letters, and within a few days found himself in a concentration camp (Dachau was established on March 10 1933).
The Declaration
Under heading of 'Jews', the Declaration said: 'The greatest and most oppressive empire on earth is the Anglo-American empire. By that is meant the British empire, of which the USA forms a part. It has been the commercial Jews of the British-American empire that have built up and carried on big business as a means of exploiting and oppressing the peoples of many nations'.
Under the heading of 'Our literature', it said: 'It should be borne in mind that in the British empire and in America the common people have suffered, and are now suffering greatly, because of the misrule of big business and conscienceless politicians, which misrule has been and is supported by political religionists.'
'The present government of Germany has declared emphatically against big business oppressors and in opposition to the wrongful religious influence in the political affairs of the nation. Such is exactly our position. (italics added).
'Instead of being against the principles advocated by the government of Germany, we stand squarely for such principles, and point out that Jehovah God through Jesus Christ will bring about the full realisation of these principles' (italics added).
Letter to Hitler
As to the letter sent to Hitler, you can read similar talk. As an example: 'The Watchtower Society is and in the past has been, outstandingly friendly to Germany. For this reason, the President of the Society and seven members of its Board of Directors in the USA were sentenced to 80 years' imprisonment (really, seven were given a 20 years' sentence, not 80, and one a 10-year sentence) because the President refused to use two magazines . . . for war propaganda against Germany' (italics and brackets added).
'The administration of our Society not only refused to participate in the horror propaganda against Germany, but it took a position against it . . . as expressed in the Declaration - that Bible students (Jehovah's Witnesses) are fighting for the same high, ethical goals and ideals that the National Government of the German Reich proclaimed regarding the relationship of man to God' (italics added).
'Respecting the purely religious and political goals and objectives of the Bible Students (JWs), it can be said that these are in complete harmony with the similar goals of the National Government of the Third Reich' (italics added).
But it didn't work
Well, all this compromising talk didn't work. Why not? Rutherford's anti-Semitic comments didn't impress the Nazis because C.T. Russell, the Society's first President, was well-known as a pro-Zionist. Judge Rutherford supported Russell's position for a while. He indicated this in his book Life (1930), but then withdrew the book from circulation in 1932 when he changed his doctrinal view. Rutherford was known to have made anti-Semitic statements. Many of these statements are in his book Enemies, published in 1937. But the official pre-Rutherford position of the Society has never been against any race.
As to the Society 'always being friendly to Germany', the Nazis knew well Rutherford's position in the past. They knew he had encouraged people in the June 1 and 15 1918 issues of the Watchtower to join other Americans in praying for Allied victory over German 'autocracy' and to buy war bonds.
In her book The Nazi State and the New Religions, Dr. Christine King, on pages 151 and 152, says regarding the 1933 Declaration: 'The document is a master of its kind and worthy of the other four sects (Christian Socientists, Latter Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventists, and members of the New Apostolic Church) all of whom supported, in one way or another, the Nazi state.'
Cover-up
The Society has gone to great lengths to cover-up this episode regarding the 1933 Declaration. Even in the light of Dr. King's statement and some old German JWs who remember what happened, the organisation came out with an article in the June 1985 Awake! Entitled 'Nazism rejected - by whom?' (p.10). After blasting the Catholic and Protestant clergy for supporting the Nazis, the article said: 'However, there was one group in Germany that courageously championed Christian principles. That group was Jehovah's Witnesses. Unlike the clergy and their followers, the Witnesses refused to compromise with Hitler and the Nazis'. It must be stated here that even though some clergy may have compromised, many clergy and lay people in both Catholicism and Protestantism died fighting against the evils of Hitler.
To wrap this up, one thing is sure. Jehovah's Witnesses in Nazi Germany, like Konrad Franke, did stand fast, and did not compromise. However, we can't say that for the Society's leadership, the so-called 'faithful and discreet slave', who tried to crawl into bed with the rulers of the Third Reich, and when rejected, turned on those who succeeded.
WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?
Here are some of the things the New Testament says:
Ephesians 1.7
'In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.'
Philippians 2.9
'Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.'
Colossians 1.15-17
'And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible . . . all things have been created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.'
Hebrews 1.3
'And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.'
Colossians 2.9
'For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him, you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.'
John 1.1
'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.'
Romans 8.14
'For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.'
1 John 3.24
'And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us.'
John 5.22-24
'For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father . . . Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.'
John 1.12
'But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.'
Titus 2.13-14
'We wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.'
SOUTH SEA SACRIFICE
The brief life of John Williams, whom God used as a missionary martyr to the South Sea Islands.
He was born in 1796 in what was then a quiet country village called Tottenham near London. His mother was a Christian, but his father wasn't and the boy followed the father.
Aged 12, he was forced to leave school and start a seven-year apprenticeship as an ironmonger. During this period he mixed with a gang of rough characters who wasted their time hanging around the London streets drinking too much.
Then on January 3 1814, when he was 18, he was doing the usual thing, hanging around City Road, London, with nothing to do and a lot of time to do it in, when the wife of his master passed by.
His friends were late so she had the chance to talk to him. She was heading for Whitefield Tabernacle near City Road and invited him to come. He tried to wriggle out of it, and hoped his friends would show up and give him the excuse he wanted, but there was no sign of them. Finally, he said he would come just this once. By God's grace, his conversion was complete before he left the service.
Before many months had passed, he had broken completely with the world and was known as an ardent Christian. He became a Sunday School teacher and a visitor of the sick.
News of Tahiti
It was at Whitefield's Tabernacle that he first heard about the South Sea Islands. News was given that the King of Tahiti had become a Christian and there was a need for missionaries.
When he was 20, a lot of things happened. He got married; he was ordained and he applied to the London Missionary Society. Late in 1816 he set sail for the South Seas.
About 20,000 miles later, he arrived in Tahiti, one year to the day after he had sailed. This was not the world of modern communication and medicine. This is sacrifice with a big 'S'.
Anyway, Williams learned the local language in ten months instead of the expected three years. Instead of using grammars and dictionaries, he evidently learned by a conversational method.
He made his base in the Society Islands which had been discovered by Captain Cook. Here he showed that he was a real DIY missionary. He built his own house with seven rooms - and all the furniture in it too. Next, he built a simple 16' long boat so that he could reach a nearby island.
After one year, he built a chapel for the converts. It opened in 1820 with 2,400 natives attending the service. Williams organised these people into local churches. Every congregation was linked to all the others with something a bit like a synod which met regularly. In one of these meetings in the chapel, he baptised 500 natives at one time.
But as in all Christian work, success stirred up opposition. An elaborate plot to murder him was thwarted, and when his wife heard the details, she gave birth prematurely to their second child - who died within 24 hours.
In Samoa
He was always keen to visit as many islands as possible. You can imagine the use he would have made of a helicopter! By 1830, when he was 34, he decided to go to the eight Samoan Islands, but there was no ship big enough to go the 1,800 miles. It took Williams three months to build a ship of 80 tons which he named The Messenger of Peace. This in itself was a major achievement, but it was nothing compared with his achievements in Samoa.
Soon after dropping anchor, the local king was aboard the ship and, with curiosity, took down a brass blunderbuss which had been loaded with eight bullets. After examining it, the King pointed it at Williams and was about to pull the trigger when a friend realised what was happening and stopped what would have been an awful accident. As a biographer commented: 'We are all immortal until our work is fully done.'
By 1832, we find 700 Samoans assembled for worship on the Lord's Day. A great deal of Williams's success was the result of using native evangelists and teachers. After being away 18 years, he now decided to visit Britain. He and his wife did much deputation work and he wrote a book called Missionary enterprises in the South Seas. As interesting as Robinson Crusoe, said someone who read it. After four years, he was determined to return.
There was an emotional farewell in Whitefield's Tabernacle. In his message he spoke almost prophetically: 'The perils that await me are great. I may not come back again.'
Back in the South Seas with new missionary recruits and printed Scriptures in the native language, he now wanted to go to the New Hebrides which were 600 miles away from his base in Samoa.
In 1839, he set off for the New Hebrides. Traders had got to the island of Eromanga first. They were after sandalwood which brought great profit. To get it they had treated the natives wickedly, and when Williams and his friend, Harris, came ashore they were attacked with clubs and spears, killed, and later eaten.
John Williams was 43 years old.
News travelled so slowly that it was to be four months before Mary Williams knew she was a widow.
Before that century was finished, Eromanga had so many converts that John Paton could call it 'the Christian island'. This sacrificial life leaves us with a challenge which doesn't need to be spelt out
D. J. Stephens
PEACE WITH GOD
My parents were Jehovah's Witnesses and I remember being told that we were different and that only those in Jehovah's organisation would be saved when Armageddon came. At that young age I really couldn't fully comprehend all that that meant.
My elder brother, Andy, had a congenital heart defect and when he was eight years old he required major heart surgery. Immediately upon hearing this news, the brothers and sisters at the Kingdom Hall reminded my parents that he must not be given a blood transfusion under ANY circumstances. As directed, my parents requested that the surgeon not use blood during the operation and he agreed, unless it was absolutely necessary. The operation went well; Andy survived and without the use of a blood transfusion. By this time though, the relationship between my parents and the other Jehovah's Witnesses had become so stressed that my parents felt unable to continue attending the meetings. Some time later Andy needed to have another operation, this time much more serious than the first and this time a blood transfusion was unavoidable. They agreed to the transfusion but even so, what they had believed for a long time was not about to change over night. They knew that Jehovah God didn't allow 'cannibalism'. Thankfully, again Andy survived.
I was left confused but happy that my brother was okay. Here we were doing what seemed to be the right thing to do, but it wasn't right according to what was taught by the Watchtower.
My opinion of God then began to change. From acceptance, then to questioning, then to hatred and finally to denial. After all, how could God put so much pressure upon my parents through "His" organisation, after all the work they had done for Him? Why had He allowed them and Andy to suffer so much? After a few years though I concluded that the reason God didn't care was simply because there was no God. Life was just what I could see and touch, nothing more.
Searching
I found myself searching for answers in life, but no matter in which direction I looked I found few. I needed something bigger than myself that wasn't open to human interpretation and certainly not with any set of rules imposed by an organisation. This seemingly logical approach really didn't help though. I became disheartened.
That is until one day a friend of mine at university who I knew was a Christian invited me to go along to church. I agreed to go simply out of interest. I had known this friend for some time and like other Christians I had met, I felt something different about her, though I couldn't put my finger on it, a kind of peacefulness perhaps. The service was different to what I had expected but there again there was this something different, only this time from the whole congregation, never had I felt so welcome.
After a couple of months I was sure that this was right but I still didn't really feel different, I still felt that I was lacking that something which everyone else had - and I wanted it!
It all seemed so simple, there was no aid for interpreting the Bible, no works necessary as a prerequisite for salvation and not once did anyone put down any other Christian denomination (all of which I was taught in my youth). In fact there was only one thing-the sincere worship of God. I learned that the only thing I was required to do to be saved and to be at peace with my creator was believe on His Son the Lord Jesus, who shed his own blood for us, and repent of my sinful nature.
Asking for forgiveness
At a service one Sunday, an offer was made to pray for those who felt they needed forgiveness if they came up to the front of the church. I decided to go up to the front and was prayed for and at the end of the service we left the church. After this I felt very strange, this feeling I cannot describe fully but it lead me to pray, not just as it had been prior to that night by bowing my head and saying Amen at the appropriate point. This time I sat at home and prayed for the first time and asked for forgiveness. A couple of days later I realised that I felt different somehow, it was then that I realised what had happened, I knew I had been given that something that I was looking for-peace with God.
The God I thought I knew as a youngster was not God. The true God is a God of grace and love.
Derek Hawyes
Various
Home
Archives
Subscriptions
Adverts
Find a church
About us
Contact us
Site Map
Printable