"IT'S MY LIFE"

 

When I was a teenager, I enamored a pop song which was much celebrated at the time. It goes with the title "IT'S MY LIFE." That precisely defines the pulse of our depraved humanity. 

But after I became a disciple of Christ, I understood it's a lie to believe "IT'S MY LIFE." I realized, "IT'S NOT MY LIFE." 

1 Corinthians reveals who does my life belongs to. 

First, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 exhorts to flee from sexual immorality. And the reason it gives is that my life belongs to God who bought me with the blood of Christ Jesus. It says, "YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. for you were bought with a price." It's God's life. 

Second, 1 Corinthians 8:13 speaks about giving up eating certain food that causes a Christian brother in the church stumble. My Christian brother's welfare is more important than my personal pleasure. This shows my life belongs to the community of God. I am not my own. 

Third, 1 Corinthians 7:4 teaches that a Christian married couple must satisfy each other's sexual needs, "For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." This points out that I must give preference to my wife's needs over mine. I am not my own. I belong to her. 

You see, all the above Scriptures reveal that our life is not our own. God owns our life, and we belong to His community and our spouse. "IT'S MY LIFE" is a phrase that must never be uttered and lived by a Christian. 

Hearing this truth, one might wonder, "Then what about my joy and happiness?"

Remember, the most joyless people in the world are selfish people. True joy is not in living a selfish and individualistic life but in living for God and those He placed in our lives. Blessed is the one who lives accordingly. 

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You Are Not Created For Heaven

"I have put my faith in Christ Jesus, my sins are forgiven in Him, now I have the gift of eternal life, and therefore I am awaiting to go to heaven"—such is the tendency of many Christians.

Although the assurance of heaven to those who believe in Christ Jesus is true, this narrow perception has done immense damage to Christianity.

A lot of Christians' focus is on heaven while they live here on earth for themselves. Their excitement is all about the benefits of salvation for themselves—such as love, forgiveness, deliverance, peace, joy, blessings and heaven. There seems no great passion and devotion in them for the Lord Himself.

CREATED FOR THE CREATOR

It is necessary to understand that YOU ARE NOT CREATED FOR HEAVEN. The Scripture declares:

• "All things were created through him and FOR HIM" (Col. 1:16). 

• "FOR WHOM and by whom all things exist" (Heb. 2:10).

• "For from him and through him and TO HIM are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen" (Rom. 11:33).

• "Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and FOR WHOM WE EXIST" (1 Cor. 8:6).

• "Everyone who is called by my name, WHOM I CREATED FOR MY GLORY" (Isa. 43:7). 

• “The people WHOM I FORMED FOR MYSELF that they might declare my praise” (Isa. 43:21).

The Scriptures testify that WE ARE MADE FOR GOD AND FOR HIS GLORY. It is good to know that there is heaven for those who have faith in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. But we must know: WE ARE NOT MADE FOR HEAVEN. WE ARE MADE FOR THE LORD AND FOR HIS GLORY.

If we are created for the Lord, don't you suppose our lives must be lived for the Lord? Shouldn't we know and submit to His Holy Scripture? Must not the purpose of the Lord and His will be our own purpose and will? Shouldn't His glory be our goal?

REDEEMED FOR THE REDEEMER

Salvation is not merely about possessing heaven. It is God's restoration of our lives to live (on earth and eternally) for the purpose for which we were created, i.e. for the Lord's glory.

The Lord Jesus did not die on the cross to bring you just to heaven. He died so that He can bring you to God: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD" (1 Pet. 3:18).

God's passion and purpose for you is not to bring you to heaven, although there is heaven for those in Christ Jesus. God's goal for you is to bring you to Himself.

The Scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:17 is quite well-known, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." But here is a Scripture, just above two verses, which many Christians seem to have never read carefully in their entire life:

• "He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised" (2 Cor. 5:15). 

Read the above Scripture again and again!

What do you think is the meaning of these words spoken by the Lord Jesus to His disciples: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matt. 16:24).

When the Lord Jesus said, "Deny yourself," He meant, "Don't live for yourself." And when He said, "take up your cross and follow me," He meant, "Live for Me and follow Me at the cost of suffering and giving up everything." To follow Christ is nothing but to live for Christ. To become a disciple of Christ is to become completely devoted to Him. Doesn't He deserve this from us?

Paul well exemplified a self-denial and Christ-centered life in these words: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20).

Caution must be made here: We do not live for the Lord to earn salvation We live for the Lord because that's what salvation is. Sin has separated us from God, making us our own gods (Gen. 3:5). Salvation in the name of Christ Jesus is reconciliation to the only true God by whom and for whom we were created and redeemed. Blessed be HIS Name forever and ever.

ETERNAL LIFE IS ETERNAL JESUS

So may we not live for ourselves on earth while hoping for heaven. In fact, here is the truth for us to reflect upon—HEAVEN IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO LIVE FOR THEMSELVES ON EARTH.

Do you know what eternal life is? It is not just endless living all through the eternity. Listen to the Word of God, "The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us" (1 John 1:2).

The Scripture declares that eternal life is Jesus Christ. To have eternal life is to have Jesus eternally. And to have Jesus eternally is to know Him and to live for Him throughout the eternity, beginning from the time of our salvation on earth (cf. John 17:3). Heaven is all about Jesus.

Therefore, let our lives be marked on earth with a passion and devotion to live and die for the Lord and for His glory. Let us live for the One who made us for Himself and who redeemed us by His blood to make a people for His own possession.

HOW TO LIVE FOR THE CREATOR AND REDEEMER?

1.    Delight yourself in the Lord and find your utmost satisfaction in Him.

2.    Pursue intimate relationship with Him through prayer.

3.    Enjoy worshipping Him and thanking Him at all times.

4.    The Holy Bible is God's mind and will. Therefore, study it diligently to know His will and to understand His purposes.

5.    Obey God's commandments without reservations.

6.    Keep God's glory as your focus in everything you do.

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Is God Our Buddy? Giving God the Reverence Due His Name

We are exhorted in Hebrews 12:28-29, “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” In writing, “Let us,” the author of Hebrews includes himself in the exhortation.

We are told to worship God with reverence and awe. God is certainly our loving Father, but let us not forget the fact that He is also a consuming fire.

What is saddening to witness in our modern Christian culture is the decline of reverence and awe in our worship of God. If the President of our country attends our churches today, I'm afraid he will receive more reverence than God, the Maker of the heavens and the earth.

I am sure you will agree that we have become too casual and irreverential in our attitude towards God and worship of Him. In the past, people were too afraid to approach God, but today people have become too casual in their approach to God.

Some of the statements that are made in regard to God seem to stir up more casual tendency towards God. For example, some claim "God is my pal and buddy". They speak about talking to God like a friend. This sounds sensational, but is it reverential?

When the Scripture says that the Lord spoke to Moses as a man speaks to his friend, it is to explain the intimate conversation between them, not the attitude (Exo. 33:11). The very next chapter reveals, “And Moses quickly BOWED HIS HEAD TOWARD THE EARTH and worshiped” (Exo. 34:8). How reverential Moses was towards God!

When the Lord Jesus said, "I have called you friends, not servants," it is in the context of sharing His secrets with His disciples. Observe His words carefully, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (Jn. 15:15).

After the Lord Jesus made this statement, not a single apostle or Biblical writer addressed Him as ‘Friend’. All confessed about themselves as servants of God and Christ Jesus (Gal. 1:10; Col. 4:12; 1 Tim. 4:6; Tit. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:1; Jude 1:1). Even the Lord’s own brother, James, and His beloved disciple have acknowledged themselves as His servants (Jas. 1:1; Rev. 1:1).

I believe we must seriously devote ourselves to study the nature and attributes of God. The subject of “Theology Proper,” which speaks about the grand being and characteristics of God, is greatly ignored by believers today.

More than motivational sermons and blessings-oriented preaching, we need to know who God is and how majestic He is in His existence. This is especially needed in our generation as many have cultivated sentimental notions about God rather than reverential understanding of His nature and attributes.

Although it is true that God is our Father and that we are privileged to have intimate relationship with Him, which is due to Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross, we must also know that the Scripture exhorts us to revere His Name and worship Him with awe:

"Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!" (Ps. 96:9)

Before concluding my article, let me point out that when the author of Hebrews wrote to believers to approach boldly the Throne of Grace, it is to encourage them not to feel despised to come to God due to their weaknesses and failures. So he said, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

Later, the author of Hebrews exhorts, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28-29).

God is our loving Father, but let us also keep in mind—He is the Most High God (Ps. 57:2). He is worthy of our utmost reverence. So let us worship Him with reverence and awe.

______________________________

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God Doesn't Love Me.....

You did not misread. You read it right. I say again, "God doesn’t love me….."

When I think, if God really loves me, He will give me everything I ask for, then God doesn’t love me…..

When I think, if God truly loves me, He will not let me face suffering, then God doesn’t love me…..

When I think, if God really loves me, He will not rebuke me for cherishing sin, then God doesn’t love me…..

When I think, if God truly loves me, He will always immediately come for my rescue from troubles, then God doesn’t love me…..

When I think, if God really loves me, He will bless me with all the comforts of life, then God doesn’t love me…..

When I think, if God truly loves me, He will not discipline me, then God doesn’t love me…..

When I think, if God really loves me, He simply accepts me as I am with all my weaknesses and being happy with as I am, then God doesn’t love me…..

This is what I want to say—GOD DOESN’T LOVE ME ACCORDING TO MY TERMS AND EXPECTATIONS.

Many create their own opinions about how God should treat them if He really loves them, and then when He doesn’t meet their expectations, they question, “Does God love me? Does He care for me?” I say to them, “Yes, God doesn’t love you . . . He doesn’t love you according to your own terms and expectations.”

One of the biggest problems I see in us is this—we don’t want to allow God to be God. Nevertheless, if we desire to know God, we have to open ourselves to understand Him the way He revealed Himself to us in His word. God is love but the manifestation of His love isn’t always according to our expectations. God doesn't love us according to our will; He loves us according to His will.

This is what I have learned in my more than eighteen years of Christian life—the love of God is exhilarating and indescribable, and even hurting and incomprehensible. 

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God did not just say, “Ask and it will be given to you”; He also said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (Matt. 7:7; John 15:7). When we abide in God and His word abide in us, do we not ask according to His will, not according to our whim?


Many try to claim the promises of God without an abiding relationship with Him and without an obedient heart to His word. And when those promises are not fulfilled in them, they question, “Does God really love me?” God’s promises are not for those who live to gratify their selfishness. It is for those who seek to crucify their selfishness to walk in godliness.

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The Lord nowhere said, “If you follow me, you will have no suffering in life.” In fact, He precisely said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The apostles cautioned, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). 

Suffering has a special purpose in a Christian’s life. The Scripture says that it is through various kinds of suffering that our faith is tested, producing patience and maturity in life (James 1:2-4). In other words—no adversity, no maturity. God loves us to become mature and He has to allow us to walk through suffering. There is both joy and pain in Christian life.

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The Lord said to the Laodicean church, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent” (Rev. 3:19). Rebuke and discipline are the signs of God’s love for us in leading us to repentance. God’s love doesn’t spoil us in sin; His love sanctifies us from sin.

When we don’t repent of our sins, God has to bring a rod of discipline in our lives, leading us to repentance. This is a most painful experience to go through. For this reason, it is written, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:11).

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God did not teach us to pray for luxuries, but for our daily bread (Matt. 6:11). He did not encourage us to seek earthly comforts, but earthly contentment. It is written, "But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content" (1 Tim. 6:6-8).

Yet God did say about His kingdom and it is by seeking His kingdom that all our needs are met (Matt. 6:33). He also mentioned about heavenly riches and motivated us to seek them. And these heavenly riches are stored for us not by gaining riches on earth for ourselves but by giving them away to the needy (Luke 12:32-34). God's love encourages us to seek generosity with earthly goods, not earthly prosperity. 

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Yes, God does accept us as we are, with all our sins and weaknesses. But that’s not the end. When I see my child fallen in the mire of mud, I do accept him as he is. But what do I do later? I will make sure that he becomes clean from the dirt and stay neat.

Sadly, many just relish the idea of God accepting them as they are without any passion for godliness. They do all kinds of sins and rejoice saying, "God loves me as I am. He doesn't judge me. Hallelujah." No broken-heart over sin. No passion for holiness. They are happily deceived into thinking that God loves them as they are without seeking to obey the Scripture which says, “be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Eph. 5:1).

God does accept us as we are, not to remain as we are, but to become as He is. God accepts sinners to become saints, not to remain as sinners. He accepts me as I am, not to make me feel good, but to help me live godly. The purpose of God in choosing and accepting us as we are is to conform us to the image of Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:29).
 

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Finally, I am glad God loves me not according to my terms and expectations. He loves me the way He revealed Himself to me in His word. His love hurts me at times, but I know it never harms me. His love doesn't please my 'self', but it does builds my life. How great is His love! Blessed be His Name.

_________________________________________

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Becoming Conscious of God in Temptation

I opened the Holy Bible and read Psalm 139:23-24 to my kids—Joy and Joe. I explained to them the sinfulness of our heart and the need of God to transform it. My eldest son, Joy, turned the conversation to what he said to his friend. He told his buddy, “Our God is with us at all times. He is with us when we do family prayer; He is with me as I sit on the bench and write.”

Now Joy looked at me, expecting some appreciation for what he did. I commended him for what he said to his friend. Then I also told him, “God is with you even when you get angry; He is with you when you are quarreling with your brother.” When I said this, his faced turned down with a sense of uneasiness. He got the point.

Becoming Conscious of God in Happy and Difficult Times

I see at times that I try to become conscious of God during happy situations. I say, “God is so good to me. He has blessed me. He is with me and guides me always.” And rightly so, for the Scripture says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters” (Ps. 23:2).

Moreover, many times I claim God’s presence with me when I face trials in life. I encourage myself in difficult times, saying, “God is with me. He will set me free. His presence will go with me in darkness. He will never leave me nor forsake me.”

Truly, the Scripture gives so much assurance about God’s presence with me in difficult times. It is written, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Ps. 23:4).

However, what I find strange and puzzling about me is this—I don’t generally view this way or say the same things when it comes to temptations, such as enticing pleasures and provoking pressures.

Becoming Inattentive of God in Temptation

When I shout at my spouse, is not the God who is slow to anger watching me? When I wildly react to my friends or strangers, has not the Lord of patience kept His eye on me? When I subtly lie to others, is not the God of truth looking at me and hearing me?

When I harbor bitterness in my heart, is not the God who examines the heart seeing me? When I entertain immoral thoughts in mind, am I not watched by the Lord who knows all things? When I watch something evil and worthless, am I not still in His holy sight and presence?

This is what I observed about myself—when it comes to sin, I try to forget God or become unaware of His presence. But when it comes to troubles, I try to remember God or become more conscious of His presence. How I play with my sense of God!

Sin blinds me towards God-consciousness and makes me more self-focused—but that’s because I make a choice to become numb to God-consciousness by entertaining sin to take control of my life during temptation.

Becoming Conscious of God in Temptation

The Holy Scripture says:

• Job 34:21-22, "His eyes are on the ways of men; He sees their every step. There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide.”

• Jeremiah 23:24, “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.

• Hebrews 4:13, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

Dear friends, do we become conscious of God or know that God’s presence is with us when we are enticed by sin or indulge in sin?

I believe, as much as I live with a sense that God is with me, watching and knowing me, when I go through difficult times—if I live with the same sense when it comes to temptations, my life would become more holy and victorious. It is only a matter of choice—either to become conscious of God or ignore being aware of His presence.

The Lord who was with Joseph when he was thrown into prison, He was also with him when he was shut alone in room with Potiphar’s wife. Joseph knew this and he did not find it difficult to overcome the temptation he faced.

Every time I face a temptation, like Joseph, I need to make a decision to become conscious of God and say, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Gen. 39:9)

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When God Does Not Make Sense

Recently, in our training class, questions were raised from the Holy Bible about why God did certain things which seems unreasonable to our finite minds. No doubt we all find some incidents in the Scripture, leading us to question – Why God did that thing? How did He let that happen? How can He do that?

When people do not make sense, that is endurable, but when God does not make sense, it is quite troubling to our mind. Don’t we expect God to be the most reasonable being, I mean, according to our perception? What then shall we do when God does not make sense to us?

Here is one important lesson I have learned in life—when it comes to man, we look at his actions and understand who he is. But when it comes to God, we need to look at who He is and understand His actions. The Scripture makes it clear that we do not always comprehend His ways and cannot at all times trace His paths, for He is infinite and sovereign.

• As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9).

• Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! (Rom. 11:33).

• He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecc. 3:11)

Although His works and ways are incomprehensible to our finite mind, the Scripture makes it flatly obvious about who God is and how just He is in everything He does.

• He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He. (Deut. 32:4)

• As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. (2 Sam. 22:31)

• The LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him. (Ps. 92:15)

• Everything He does is right and all His ways are just. (Dan. 4:37)

• Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the ages. (Rev. 15:3)

Now this is what I have seen the devil working on many minds—when what God does do not make sense, he tempts us to doubt the goodness of God. When we try to understand God’s ways in the absence of His holy nature and good attributes, the devil grabs such endeavor to ruin our faith. O, how many have abandoned their faith as they yielded to the temptation of the Enemy whose sole aim is to use what people do not understand about God's actions and infuse doubts in them so that they would misunderstand God and turn their back against Him.

So, this is what I have learned—when what God does do not make sense, I simply have to trust who He is. This, I believe, is absolutely sensible. I do not have to understand the reasons behind everything He does. Am I not a mere man, whose understanding is limited and even flawed? But I know from the Holy Scripture—God is faithful and upright. His works are perfect and all His ways are just. He is a faithful God who does no wrong. Upright and just is He.

Come, therefore, let us trust the Lord, “for the LORD our God is righteous in everything He does” (Dan. 9:14).

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Can God Be Absolutely Loving Without Being Righteous?

For centuries, what stunned people, shook their hearts and moved them to tears is the scene of CROSS. The cross has become a sign of God’s ultimate expression of His love. Jesus Himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13). The memorable John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son….” Also, Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”



But why did Jesus have to lay down His life on the cross? Why did God sacrifice His Son for us? Why did Christ die for us, undergoing disgraceful and painful death on the cross? As we know, it is for the forgiveness of our sins. It is written, “For Christ died for sins once for all” (1Pet. 3:18).



But why did He have to do all this to forgive us? Could He not just declare forgiveness without having Christ die on the cross?



The Holy Bible reveals that God is righteous (Ps. 119:137). Can one be righteous without loving purity with perfect love and without hating sin with perfect hatred? Absolutely not! Because God is righteous, He perfectly hates sin, for sin is against His nature and attributes (Pro. 15:9, 26). And it is to meet the righteous requirements of God—Jesus had to die on the cross (Rom. 8:3-4). Everyone who sins shall die, for God is righteous; He hates sin and He ought to punish sin (Eze. 18:20a; Rom. 6:23). But God also loves us, so He poured out His wrath and curse upon Jesus, punishing our sin in Him and having Him suffer and die in our stead (Jn. 3:16; 2Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13).



Remember, without God’s righteousness the cross has no meaning and purpose. And without the righteousness of God, the full extent of His love could never have been manifested to us and comprehended by us. The price for our sin was so expensive—costing the life of Christ—because God’s standard of righteousness is high and perfect. O, the cross was the junction where the righteousness and the love of God fully met and kissed each other!



Here is my question: what really moves us—God simply declaring His forgiveness or the death of Christ on the cross for the atonement of our sins? Obviously, the death of Christ which gave us life! We could never have been amazed at God’s love if forgiveness was just a matter of declaration in words. It is the righteousness of God which showed God’s full extent of His love for us, the sinners. The complete expression of God’s loves was shown on the cross because it is there where God’s righteousness was fully satisfied.



Therefore, I believe, God cannot be absolutely loving without being righteous. How well it is asserted:

• Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you? (Ps. 71:19)



• Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. (Mic. 7:18)

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Treating Holy Spirit like Toothpaste

This morning, as my children were getting ready to go to school, my wife called me and told me to brush the teeth of Joe, my youngest son. Now this is what my kid does—he applies toothpaste to his brush, puts it in his mouth and just enjoys the taste. He simply keeps it over the tongue and doesn’t properly brush his teeth. His focus is more on relishing the taste of the toothpaste than on cleaning his teeth so as to protect them from germs and bacteria.

Well, don’t you think this is how we treat the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity? It seems many of us want to feel His sweet presence, enjoy His good blessings, experience His pleasant comfort in our troubles and do some fascinating things by His power. Although there is nothing wrong to expect such things, I am concerned that in our passion to relish His sweet blessings are we missing the supreme purpose of the Holy Spirit in us?

God’s purpose in sending His Spirit is not to lead us into all pleasure, but into all truth (Jn. 16:13). God’s aim in blessing us with His Spirit is not to revive our emotions but to reveal the glory of Christ Jesus in us (Jn. 16:14). God’s desire in having His Spirit dwell in us is not to enjoy ourself but to glorify Him (Phi. 3:3). God’s passion in giving us His Spirit is not to satisfy our wants but to sanctify our soul (Rom. 8:13-14).

Of course, we do enjoy the sweetness of His blessings but that is just the byproduct of sanctification, not the supreme purpose. Let us not treat the Holy Spirit like how kids use the toothpaste to enjoy its taste without allowing it to clean. Remember, the Holy Spirit is holy and His greatest passion for us is to make us holy by sanctifying us from our sinful passions and from the contamination of the world.

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Thes. 5:23).

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Who is this Most Controversial Person?

Who is this most controversial person? Who is this person about whom the world has diverse, conflicting views? I suppose, no issue has been as much studied and as much debated and as much reaped contrasting beliefs as the subject of ‘God’.

The question, “Who is God?” is the most important matter on the face of the earth. There are diverse views regarding who God is. Some argue, “There is no God,” i.e. naturalists claim the physical universe is all that exists. Some claim, “knowing yourself is knowing god within you,” i.e. self is god. Others say, “God is everything and everything is god,” i.e. they claim that god exists in idols, animals, and nature. Some propose, “God is a supreme power,” i.e. he is reckoned as an impersonal force.

Moreover, there are others who say, “God is someone who is extraordinary,” i.e. anyone who seems to be extraordinary—whether in knowledge, might, or in character trait—is seen as god. To them all who are unusually knowledgeable or mighty or morally good are seen as gods. Some assume, “There is one God but in many forms,” i.e. there are many demigods. Others state, “God is a mystical being incomprehensible to human beings,” i.e. skeptics say he is an unknowable being. Yet some contend, “God is a being separate and distinct from every created thing,” i.e. a transcendent one.

In this chaotic world where multiple religions, philosophies, and beliefs try to define God, we see that each gains a following, but, can all be right? Unfortunately, people are gullible enough to following anything without the careful examination that it requires. Some, in an attempt to bring unity in this diversity, say, “everything is right; nothing is wrong; there are different beliefs yet all roads lead to one God.” Though this seems appealing, it, in fact, is not reasonable and logically convincing. If one can propose that everything is equally true then it is quiet possible that everything is equally false.

Ignorance of the right knowledge of God is the greatest problem worldwide. An unsound perspective of God’s nature will undoubtedly lead to false conclusions and make anything a god. However, one needs to pursue the truth about the grand characteristics of God, which disqualifies all supposed gods for lack of genuine attributes.

Reason and common sense implies: Considering this massive universe, God must be the Creator of all existence. Everything man knows is finite, including himself, so a Creator God must be superior and Infinite. Man’s knowledge and power is finite, so the Creator God, who is greater, must be all-knowing and all-powerful. If man is a relational being, no doubt his Creator must be a personal rational being too (not necessarily having a physical body, but a capacity to feel, think, relate, desire and decide). Finite man is limited by time and space, but God, being superior, must be eternal and unbound by time and space. Finite man dwells in a world where good and evil conflict, but God dwells beyond those limitations and possesses the highest attributes like – the purest love, kindness, compassion, patience, righteousness, holiness and justice. In fact, He must be the ultimate truth.

Just think, no sane person can claim himself to be a doctor without studying medicine, an engineer without finishing engineering, a farmer without knowing farming. And no one can claim himself to be God without having the basic qualifications mentioned above. Sadly, man has become so self-centered that the magnificent knowledge of God has been blurred by his selfishness. We are living in an age where “knowing yourself” has become more important than “knowing God.” Man’s self-induced beliefs have blindfolded him from seeing the Truth as it is. But the lofty sense of who God is compels us to pursue the actual God who is superior to all.

Who do you think is perfectly qualified in your view?

There is one reliable truth where God has revealed Himself. This book has proven itself—historically, archeologically, geographically, scientifically, prophetically, internally (unity of the books), supernaturally and practically—genuine. And this Holy Bible speaks of the God who is Self-Existent, Creator, Infinite, Sovereign, Unchanging, Incomparable, Holy, Loving, Personal, and Eternal. Therefore, He alone is worthy for worship and obedience.

At one time the human race knew this God intimately, but through sin, all mankind became separated from God. Regretfully, man in his sinful state has lost the godly knowledge and relationship with this wonderful God. The evidence of immorality, violence, distortion of truth, deception, hatred, injustice, and selfishness in the world proves how blinded man has become to comprehend the knowledge of truth.

But what is the knowledge of the truth?

The knowledge of the truth is—all are sinners and thus separated from the holy God. Nevertheless, in His passionate love for mankind, God came as a man, who is called Jesus Christ. He suffered for our sins, shed His blood on the Cross and eventually laid His life for us. That’s not the end. He rose again on the third day to prove that He is the Savior of the whole world. He commanded people to repent of their sins and to trust in Him to save them from inner emptiness, spiritual blindness, and everlasting destruction caused from sin. If you will, call upon Jesus in your heart—who is your Creator, the Savior and your only hope. Reflect on this truth and make a good decision that matters for eternity.

References from the Holy Bible: Exodus 3:14; Psalm 71:16; 86:8; 115:15; 147:5; Hebrews 13:8; 1 Peter 1:16; 1 John 4:16; Isaiah 40:11; 1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 1:21; 3:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5; Luke 24:46-47. Romans 6:23.

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Who Created God?

Skeptics often argue, “If everything has a cause, then God, who is the so-called Creator of the entire universe, must also be having a cause. Therefore, who is the creator of God?” Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), a staunch atheist, insisted that if Christians want to be so adamant about pressing the causuality question in seeking a cause for everything, then the First Cause (God) must have also had a cause. He said his father taught him that the question “Who made me?” cannot be answered, since it is immediately followed by another question: “Who made God?”

The question, “Who created God” is an intriguing enquiry which begs a logical answer. There is no book on the face of the earth that handles this question so brilliantly like the Holy Bible. Skeptics must be careful enough to understand when it is said “FOR EVERYTHING there is a cause,” it means, “FOR EVERTHING THAT HAS A BEGINNING or FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAS COME INTO EXISTENCE or FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS FINITE, there is a cause.” The question demanding a cause perfectly applies to universe because it did not always exist; it had come into existence at a definite point of time; it had a beginning. Even the “Big Bang theory”, in which many scientists believe, confirms this.

God does not have any cause simply because He is neither a finite being nor did He come into existence nor had a beginning. The Holy Bible discloses the truth that God is Self-Existent (Aseity). God revealed to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Self-Existent does not mean self-caused, for to cause Himself to exist He would have to exist prior to His own existence. ‘Self-Existent’ means ‘God is existing by Himself eternally’. He is the Eternal One, i.e. He has no beginning and ending. It is written in the Holy Bible, “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Ps. 90:2).

Biblically speaking, God, by default, is the Uncaused cause of everything. He is neither caused nor a self-caused being. Unlike us the dependent beings, God is the Independent being. He no more exists as God if He has a cause. He is, in fact, the Ultimate Cause of all the effects. The Holy Bible asserts, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made” (Jn. 1:3). We bow before Him and worship Him because He is such an Awesome and Sovereign God.

Christian author and apologist, Ravi Zacharias, rightly stated, “God is the only being existent in this world, the reason for whose existence is in Himself; every other existing entity finds the reason for their existence outside of themselves. In that sense, God alone is perfect—His very existence is uncaused, He just exists.” Hence, the question “Who created God?” appears to be insensible, at least biblically. In the light of eternity’s definition that it has no beginning and ending, it is like putting an illogical question, ‘what is the origin of eternity?’

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