"Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart"
So, how did the old year end? About like it began. In the world, people are still being, uh, worldly. Oh, yes, and those purporting to be Christians are being worldly, also. Here’s a news brief from December 20, 2018 (in the Orlando Sentinel), which states that Catholic clergy in Illinois did “a woefully inadequate job of investigating allegations” of sexual abuse by their priests; in fact, in some cases, they did not investigate at all (A4). Everyone already knew how corrupt politicians were there, with four of the last ten governors being imprisoned; now the Catholic Church has been discovered to be filled with corruption. Isn’t there supposed to be separation between church and state?
On the same page, a headline proclaims that the United States Senate voted unanimously to make lynching a crime. How heartening to see bipartisan support for something! But isn’t it 50 to 100 years behind the times? The short article did not mention whether or not the bill included “high-tech” lynching.
John of God
Most Americans may have never heard of Joao Teixeira de Faria, also know as John of God. In Brazil he lives in the village of Abadiania and has a reputation for being a “faith healer.” According to the article in the Orlando Sentinel from December 20, 2018, he received international fame after Oprah Winfrey interviewed him. That show, “Do You Believe in Miracles?”, has been expunged from Oprah’s website.
John claims to be able to perform psychic surgery on patients. He also occasionally attempts actual surgeries “while the spirits of doctors or biblical figures are channeled through him, such as King Solomon…” (A6). He also tried to cure the sexual trauma women have received by raping them, according to a Dutch dance choreographer. 300 other women have contacted prosecutors, accusing him of abuse. Many people are angry with her and the other women; they think the women should keep silent because he is healing so many people. Have any of these people stopped to ask themselves if God ever worked through a sexual pervert? What is wrong with these people? He is not following God with this kind of behavior. People ought to consider such gross conduct a clue to his character.
The Bible describes the kind of person this fellow is in 2 Peter 2 and in the book of Jude. They have “eyes full of adultery,” and they also exhibit covetousness. Like Balaam, they enjoy the wages of unrighteousness (2 Peter 2:14-15). Speaking of greed, another story was published on December 23rd. Guess what was found when police searched the home of John of God? In a basement accessed by a trap door in a closet (no, this is not a fictional television plot), officers found about $300,000 worth of Brazilian currency, along with emeralds in a suitcase. What are the odds?
If nothing else, all of these “revelations” just help prove that anyone can call himself “of God”; but what do his deeds show? Joao is as full of corruption as any other con man. He has gained about all the reward he is going to get. The law will (hopefully) take care of him on earth, but if not, a higher court will grant to him the wages of his sins (Rom. 6:23). Jesus already showed His anger towards those making money from religion when He cleansed the temple. How must He feel about charlatans like de Faria who dupe others in the name of God for their own benefit?
Other Perversions
Two more stories of an unsavory sort were reported in the December 23, 2018 Orlando Sentinel. The first of these involves an individual who breached the public trust, since he worked for a Youth and Family organization. The 28-year-old has been charged with possession of and trading in child pornography, according to a news item on page B2. He admits he has an addiction. How do people get involved in such abominations in the first place? Why are they not repulsed?
On page B3 appears another sordid story. A Florida woman (whose age was not mentioned) has been sentenced to six years in prison for being sexually involved with a 17-year-old male she adopted. The lad said he didn’t think it was wrong since he was almost 18. Doesn’t anyone read the Scriptures anymore? Is God and His Word so removed from public view that people do not realize that such actions are not only illegal but immoral?
Mystery on Land and Sea
A 22-year-old man from Nebraska was aboard a Royal Caribbean Cruise. According to the Orlando Sentinel of December 20, 2018, he was served the equivalent of 30 drinks in a 12-hour period of time. He lost his balance trying to sit on a handrail, fell overboard, and drowned. The parents sued the Cruise ship for being served too much alcohol, but a jury ruled they were not negligent (A8).
Not negligent? Seriously? He downed six full-size martinis at a martini-making class. How is that not excessive? And the cruise line includes an all-inclusive drink package, although the details of that were not divulged. The cruise line argued that the man was the only one responsible for his death. To quote an oft-used phrase: “Ain’t buyin’ it.”
He certainly shares in the blame, but it is a fact that the first thing alcohol does is affect one’s judgment—probably especially after six martinis. His blame lies in taking the first drink and several after that. But at some point, everyone ought to see, as his parents argued, that he could be of danger to himself and others.
Because alcohol works that way—removing one’s common sense—tavern owners must be careful not to serve customers too many drinks in a short period of time; they can be held accountable. So why does a cruise ship bear no responsibility?
Another party at fault in this instance might be his parents—yes, the ones who sued. They were on board the ship. Why did they not insist that their son quit drinking? Since he was 22, they might not be able to keep up with him every minute, but they surely could have found him and tried to restrain him. And what about the “friend” who suggested they should both jump overboard? Surely, all can share in the guilt.
One other curiosity is that once ship officials knew someone had fallen overboard, they waited two hours to lower rescue boats. Do inebriated people float more easily than normal people? Yet the jury dismissed the cruise line of any responsibility.
2019?
These year-end news articles will probably not be any different for 2019. People will continue to get drunk, resulting in their own (or someone else’s) harm. Pornography will persist as a societal problem. Religious frauds will continue to abound, and gullible people will trust more in them than in the Scriptures. Despite all of the alcohol and now marijuana-related problems that society has, most still want the “freedom” to destroy lives. Years ago, the Supreme Court gave up on defining obscenity, and now profane language, as well as nudity, reigns in television, movies, and the Internet. The world will not suddenly say, “We’re foolish for behaving immorally; we ought to clean ourselves up.” Perhaps a few individuals will come to those conclusions—especially if they hear the gospel preached.
So, what do God’s people do in situations that they have so little power to bring about change? Job faced a severe personal crisis, in which all of his physical prosperity vanished in mere moments. His response proved to be most unusual. He worshiped God! Furthermore, he said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
It sounds like a cliché to say, “Continue to trust in God,” or, “Continue to have faith,” but that is what Job did. When he lost his health, matters got progressively worse, and he felt he was owed a reason for all his suffering (of course, none of us would), but he still maintained his faith. In fact, he insisted, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him…” (Job 13:15).
Are not these words similar to what Solomon would later write: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Pr. 3:5)? Wicked people will thrive in most cultures of the world. This problem will not end just because a new year has begun. Talk about things not going one’s way, how about the adversity Christians found in the first century? The book of Revelation declares that many of them suffered persecution and death. Furthermore, their world was probably morally worse than the one we live in. How did they not only endure but thrive in the process? They truly believed and trusted in God.
In the Old Testament, the glorious kingdom to come was prophesied for centuries, and the day the church was established some 3,000 were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. Undoubtedly, great rejoicing followed. But it was not long before the church knew that their enemies not only came from the outside world—but from within the body of Christ. They endured severe challenges from the Judaizing teachers and their false gospel (Gal. 1:8-9).
Paul warned those in Ephesus that even from among themselves—yes, from the very elders/pastors/bishops leading the church—would arise men to draw away people from the faith (Acts 20:28-32). John discusses antichrists who deny the Lord Jesus who saved them in the first place. Peter and Jude describe ungodly men persuading church members that it is all right to practice fornication and lasciviousness. Is it possible that sometimes Jesus just weeps? Can kings do that?
The kingdom as an ideal sounded so marvelous, but we find in it, instead of spiritually-minded people, those who teach error, those who insist that their opinions be adhered to, those who are worldly and carnal, those who promote. In the world we expect such awful behavior, but it is disappointing and discouraging to find it in the blood-bought body of Jesus Christ.
God’s patience is truly amazing. Consider how long He put up with Israel in the wilderness and for centuries afterward. Only a few times can the majority of the people be said to be faithful as a nation, and that condition was usually short-lived. Even after they made a golden calf while Moses was on the Mount receiving the Ten Commandments, God did not give them up. Even when they had determined to stone Moses and Aaron and Joshua and Caleb, He continued with them—through many more rebellions in the wilderness.
In Corinth a man was living with his father’s wife; how disgraceful it would be for any church to fellowship such a person and allow him to be considered a member of the bride for whom Jesus died. The evidence indicates that he repented, but how many have not? How many Christians have no compunction about dressing immodestly, taking the Lord’s name in vain, and engaging in even worse behaviors?
In the Lord’s case, we can only imagine that He concentrates on those with pure and honest hearts while working providentially to re-convert others. A righteous remnant always exists. As for us, well, the Lord knows the hearts of all and thus the true condition of the church. If He can still look forward to the future, so can we. All of the evil will one day be cast out, and the righteous will be rewarded. Until that day, we keep the faith.