How has humanity through various religions tried to deal with the sin issue?

About 80% of religions around the world are represented by Christianity, Islam, Hindus, Buddhist, and the Jewish faith, however, sin is not a commonly known term in some of these religions.

The Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism don’t have a sin discussion. In Hinduism there are many gods that can be worshipped.The gods don’t have the attribute of holiness; hence sin is not an issue. They believe in karma which is the law of cause of effect (what you do will be repaid in good or bad). Hindus believe in reincarnation. They believe that there is a continual progress towards something. You should try to do better and be reincarnated at a higher level than before. There is no concept of heaven or hell just continual progress to become better from one life to another.

The Buddhists focus on self-effort. They must rid themselves of anything that causes aggression or negativity in them. God’s existence is not relevant. Buddha is revered by some to be a good teacher and by other sects to be their savior (the one who was truly enlightened). Both religions don’t know a God who has a personal interest in their lives.

Hindus and Buddhists both use meditation in order to rid their minds of clutter and anything else that is harmful to their path and to come to greater enlightenment. The religions are more philosophical in nature by encouraging/inspiring people to do better by looking within.

The god of Islam is an impersonal god but he has many defined laws/requirements. Those not following the rules can have grave consequences. Islam is a religion, which has a strong political and governmental element to it. In order to truly establish Islam, the government must be a theocracy, so the rules can be enforced not only at home but also in schools, in business places, and through the government. This will allow the people to be held accountable in every sector of society.

The concept of free will does not exist when it comes to choosing your faith. Those who are born a Muslim are expected to stay a Muslim or else they have committed a religious crime! While the desires of God are much more defined in Islam, he is still a distant God and man tries to please him by great self-effort and striving to follow all the rules.

The Eastern Religions were in existence prior to  Christian beliefs, so they don’t necessarily refute Christianity or support it except for their own beliefs of who God is or is not. On the other hand, Islam came into the picture 600 years after Christ’s coming. Islam does not hold to the concept of sin. Those born in a Muslim family are of the seed of Ishmael (Abraham’s son) who are believed to be God’s special people. Muslims are responsible to see to it that they are following the requirements of the law to ensure they have a place in paradise. However, the only true guarantee of paradise is if individuals are martyred for their faith especially in a Jihad (holy war)!

Islam believes in Mary who conceived as a virgin and brought forth Jesus. It believes Jesus was a good prophet and a teacher. However, Islam believes that God sent a substitute to die in place of Jesus. This undermines the entire Christian faith which is established on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

The above faiths bring up the following questions for me:

Do you have to follow the rules perfectly to make it to heaven? If you fail to follow the rules perfectly, does God grade by curve? What are the rules to get reincarnated to a higher level? If there is no defined God, who defines the rules for reincarnation?

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.

The scripture tells us God started the line of humanity by creating Adam & Eve (See Genesis 1-3). They were not just creatures like all other species that God had created. Adam & Eve were created in His image. That means what we see in ourselves is a reflection of a God who made us.

Our desire for intimacy and relationships is a reflection of a God who passionately wants to have a relationship and intimacy with us. We desire to be loved and respected. God commands us to love and honor Him. We like to have ownership and authority in our spheres of influence; God reveals His authority and ownership in our lives and those around us.  God’s revelation of Himself is magnificent in different seasons of our lives. If you are a parent, we are faced with the unescapable fact that all our  dreams and desires for our children are a reflection of God’s purpose and desires for us and for our children!

God placed Adam & Eve in a beautiful garden full of abundance. Adam & Eve walked with God, and there was no ambiguity in hearing God or understanding His desires. He gave them the charge to be fruitful and multiply. He gave them permission to enjoy everything in the garden but not to eat of the fruit of the tree of good and evil. Satan deceived them, and the one thing God asked Adam & Eve not to do, they chose to do it. Adam & Eve distrusted God by taking matters in their own hands. This resulted in sin entering the world.

Adam & Eve’s innocent nature became infected with the deadly disease of sin which separated them from their loving/respectful relationship to a holy God. This caused fear and insecurity in their hearts that they didn’t have prior to sin. They feared God’s punishment, so they tried to avoid punishment by hiding from God. When they got caught in sin, Adam blamed God, and Eve blamed the serpent for her sin. In the process, they lost the intimacy they had with God, and it damaged the trust and unity Adam and Eve had between each other.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6: 5-8

Over time, man’s wickedness grew so much that God chose to use Noah to start all over again. Noah and his family were the only ones saved from the flood by entering the Ark. God still desired a loving and holy relationship with His humanity. As a result, He called Abraham and made a covenant relationship with him and his descendants. Later on, He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses in order to teach His laws and boundaries to humanity. However, the entire Old Testament describes a pattern of repentance, short-term obedience, and compromise which eventually led to more rebellion towards God.

How has humanity tried to solve the problem of sin and what is the solution to this problem? I will share about this in the next devotionals.

I watched a documentary called “Expelled” about a month ago. Richard Dawkins who is an atheist was asked the question (paraphrased) “What if you die and find out there is a God. What if He asks you what have you been doing with everything I gave you and the millions of dollars you made out of writing your book? What are you going to say to God?”.

Richard Dawkins quoted Bert Russell by saying: “Sir, why did you take such pains to hide yourself!?”.

The response made me sad because that’s not true. God doesn’t want to hide but desires to reveal Himself to us. There are many including myself who will testify to a powerful and loving God touching our lives and revealing himself to us.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

The scripture tells us about God’s desire to reveal himself to humanity.  God’s creation speaks of His awesome power and amazing creativity. Adam & Eve were created by God and in His image. God walked with them in the cool of the day because He created them for a relationship with Him.Those who are true believers have their own personal testimony of how God took great pains to show Himself to them and pull them out of darkness, despair, and bondage. We have millions of men and women throughout centuries who have seen the hand of God in their lives, families, communities, and nations.

Unfortunately, science dabbles with understanding God on its own terms. It has to have tangible and repeatable proofs before something is considered  to be true scientifically. Our big and amazing God will not fit in their box and neither does He intend to. As a result, an atheist can believe that God has gone to great lengths to hide himself while the Bible tells us that the entire creation speaks of the glory of God and His handiwork!

In the same documentary, they discussed Darwin’s theory of evolution which he wrote in 1959. One scientist was asked to compare Darwin’s understanding of cell structure during that time to our current understanding of cellular structure. The scientist told the reporter that if Darwin’s understanding was as complex as a Buick, then our current understanding of molecular and cellular structure is as complex as a galaxy. What if Darwin lived in this era? Would he have made the claims he made about evolution if he had the current knowledge of human body?

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 2 Peter 3:8

Science has and will continue to discover more and more about creation, galaxies, and the human body. Just because we don’t know something today scientifically it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. It may just be that we haven’t discovered it yet. Maybe someday science will have to admit based on all the evidence of  intelligent and intentional design that there must be a designer! The good news is that we don’t have to wait for that “someday”. With faith we can believe in a God who is invisible, and we can actually surpass one thousand years of scientific discovery by allowing God to reveal himself to us in one day! 

In the last devotional, I shared about evaluating our friendships based on scripture to ensure that they do not become toxic to us or those around us. In this devotional, I am going to share the characteristics of good friendships that can fulfill God’s purpose in our lives.

Be a good friend

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Sometimes people pray for years for good friends, but they seem to struggle finding one. They have a good idea as to what they would like to see in a friend, but somehow it doesn’t translate into reality. If people evaluated themselves based on the criteria they set for others, they would be in a better position to find and/or attract the right kind of friend!

If we are looking for a giving and available friend, then we need to be giving and available. If we value reliability and consistency in a friend, then we can’t be flaky with others. If we desire to have a trustworthy friend, then we need to be trustworthy by being honest and forthright.

Purity of heart

He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend. Proverbs 22:11

A King will have to be choosy in picking his friends for there will be many drawn to him for wrong reasons. The type of friends a king chooses for himself will have some important and valuable qualities that we can learn from.

A king appreciates someone who loves a pure heart because that kind of person chooses not to have ulterior motives. A person with a pure heart is determined not to manipulate the king because of his/her proximity to the king!

The scripture in Matthew 5:8 states,

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.”

A person with a pure heart has an intimacy with the Lord that others don’t have. These individuals are more focused on pleasing God than pleasing men; this would include not flattering the king. What you see is what you get with the pure in heart; there is no duplicity in them. Additionally, people with pure heart can see and hear the Lord clearly, and they are not afraid of being the bearer of unpopular news. As a result, they are trustworthy because they are not politicking for king’s favor!

Grace on the lips

People who are pure in heart don’t busy themselves with talking badly about others for they are gracious with their words. You don’t sense bitterness or criticism in their conversations. They are hopeful people.

My Grandmother was a woman who had grace on her lips. If we were upset with someone, she would never marginalize our feelings, but she would not nurture our offenses either. She always hoped and believed the best in people, and as a result her words about others were gracious.

Gracious words are important to anyone and especially to a king who carries a great burden and responsibility for the well-being of others. A good and courageous king wants to know the truth at all times. However, it is more palatable to hear it from someone who can handle bad situations with great grace. A friend who uses soft words to calm a tough circumstance is very valuable. Gracious words maintain the respect and honor of the king in times when he may be pressed from different directions.

A person who has a pure heart and gracious lips has integrity in delivering truth in such a way that it is not offensive but effective in benefitting the king as well as the kingdom. That’s the kind of friend that anyone would love to have in life!

Praise God for good friendships that become a conduit for a worthwhile change and maturity in our lives!

Friendships are a great blessing from the Lord.  To have people who love and care about us is a great privilege. When friendships are healthy and Godly, they are life-giving and edifying, but when friendships become fleshly and carnal, they can wreak havoc in people’s lives.

The challenge with any relationship is that it is ever changing, and as a result we need to discern the quality of the relationship. Some friendships can start very well and go on for years healthy and strong but due to circumstances or change of heart turn toxic and ungodly. On the other hand, a friendship can begin rocky, but over time when each person is willing to take responsibility for his or her own actions, the friendship can become stronger and richer.

The scripture has great wisdom to share with us in the area of friendships. It gives us insight into healthy friendships versus unhealthy friendships. In this devotional, I will share some of the elements that make a friendship unhealthy.

A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends. Proverbs 16: 28

Spiritual Commentators

When we are in a friendship that each person finds the freedom to talk with no restraint and share anything about anyone, that’s a carnal and toxic relationship. These kinds of relationships have no problem being their own self-appointed spiritual or life analysts where each person feels the freedom to share their commentary about other people’s affairs. Individuals can be very comfortable to step outside of their boundaries into someone else’s. This is dangerous and ungodly, and it will cause division!

Whisperers

The scripture has something to say about whispering in each other’s ears. Whispering in each others’ ears has to do with keeping something private or secret. If the majority of what we share with our friends is in the form of whispering, then the relationship has become perverse, and we have allowed inappropriate conversations to rule our friendships.

Protectors

One of the tricks of the enemy is that he brings a person into our life who acts like he/she cares about us by reporting everything they see or hear in order to protect us from the bad guys. In reality they just want to be the only ones staying close to us by putting doubt in our hearts towards others. We have to discern those spirits and not give them room to make us paranoid about people or think that we need someone to protect us from harm.

The Lord is our protector, and we don’t have to rely on man to do that for us. Jesus wasn’t worried about Judas, and He even chose to call Him friend. He wasn’t looking for armor-bearers naturally or spiritually. Peter tried to protect Him by cutting off the solider’s ear who was trying to arrest Jesus. However, Jesus rebuked Peter for doing that. God’s people should be discerning but not paranoid because that will attract a certain kinds of friends around us.

If we have a need to protect others, we should ask the following questions, “Besides loving this person, what is my true motive in protecting them?”, and “What’s in it for me?”.  There may be times that the Lord is going to ask us to do it for a specific purpose. However, it will be His leading not our compulsion to jump on the opportunity to address an issue!

Pattern in relationships

It is wisdom to watch our friends in how they relate to others. Some individuals have  a pattern of having issues with variety of people. Most of the time they blame others for people’s immaturity, jealousy, and so on. We should watch out for these kinds of friends. We can’t just protect friends or agree with them because they treat us well. It’s best to stay objective enough to help them see their issues. Otherwise we haven’t been a good friend to them, and they will eventually treat us like they have treated all the other people.

These are important principles that we can put to work in our lives and teach them to our children, so they can be wise in forming their relationships with others.

In the next devotional, I will share the characteristics that makes healthy friendships.

As we are moving into holiday season and are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, it brings us to a time of evaluation. We look back at the past year and remind ourselves at the weeks and months that have transpired.

Some of us have new jobs, new homes, a brand new baby, or moved into a new neighborhood. Others have developed new relationships, have settled into a new church, or they are exploring new areas of education and training. Some have experienced frustrations, setbacks, disappointments, or confusion in one or more areas of their lives. The past year could have been a difficult year for those who lost a loved one. Life is a package of ups and downs!

I am reminded of Paul’s words penned while he was in midst of life’s challenges:

Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. Philippians 4:11-13 (MSG)

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Regardless of our circumstances, God is still in control and He holds our life and our future. When we have plenty, we praise him. When we are need, we still praise Him. When we are making progress, we praise Him, and when we have a setback, we praise Him. When things go our way, we praise Him. When things don’t go our way, we still praise Him. In everything we give thanks because He is worthy to be praised. Nothing catches Him by surprise; He is true, faithful, and unchanging. He is the one we can truly rely on 100% of the time, and He will not let us down.

We desire to know His will in every situation, but we always know that in every situation it is His will for us to thank Him. We praise Him because we know in every situation we have an opportunity to know Him better, and we also have the opportunity to become more like Jesus!

Life can be hard at times, but we know that there is a higher purpose than what we see with our natural eyes. We praise God for his grace that gives us the ability to overcome every obstacle including overcoming ourselves which most of the time is the biggest obstacle!

Today take the time to praise Him regardless of your circumstances and allow God to take His rightful place in your heart and in your life!

What do we do when the leaders’ lives don’t match what they claim?

The first challenge is that the majority of people would not address an issue in a leader’s life because they don’t want to be dishonoring to the individual. The second challenge is that people in a leader’s circle are either too close to see everything objectively, or they don’t want to lose their personal privileges. Sometimes it looks as if the system has a gridlock!

God holds His leaders accountable

The good news is that God is still on the throne and He has a plan. First and foremost the scripture tells us that leaders will give an account to the Lord for their leadership (See Hebrews 13:17).

The laws of sowing and reaping are always in operation

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:7-8

If a person sows in the flesh, over time he/she will see the fruit of the flesh. On the other hand, those who sow in the spirit will reap good fruit.

God is not pleased by those who offend the younger in faith

Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Luke 17:1-2

The Lord entrusts His sheep with His leaders, and He expects them to treat the flock right and take care of them properly. A leader can never get away from being accountable to God!

In the natural, if we drive fast or run a traffic light, we may or may not get caught by a policeman. If we don’t see any sirens behind us, we’ll have a sigh of relief that we have gotten away with that trespass. In the spiritual realm it is actually the opposite. If there is a trespass, 9 out 10 times, we will not get punished right away, but it doesn’t mean that God ignored the issue. God gently brings people and situations into our lives to help us get it right and repent from our wicked ways. God gives us time to change. However, at some point, if we continue to mishandle our position or God’s people, the ax will come down, and it will surprise some!! No one can mess around with God’s business and think that they can get away with it!

Our part is to pray

In addition to trusting God and honoring the leaders, we need to pray hard!

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16b (NIV)

Praise God that prayer is our position of power. God hears the cries and prayers of a righteous person!

Our first prayer should be along the following line: “Lord if this is my preference or my issue, please reveal it to me and change my heart about it.”

The second prayer should be along the line of: “Lord, if this is your burden on my heart, I will continue to pray and ask you to change hearts, breakdown strongholds, and open eyes. Bring about the change and restoration in this person’s life and in the church atmosphere. Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

If this is really God’s burden for the body, there is much at stake. It is not just the leader’s life, but it is also all the other people who are watching, learning, and impacted by the person.

Lord, we need your provision of patience, wisdom, and grace today to handle these tough situations the right way! In Jesus’ mighty name we ask. Amen!

It’s painful to see a believer’s life not matching up their words. What are we to do without being trapped by their sin/issue?

Pursue Restoration

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.  But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Galatians 6:1-5

The truth is that we will see believers trespass in their walk with God. No believer is immune from it including ourselves. The trespasses will sometimes be gross sin like adultery, lying, stealing, cheating, etc. However, most of the time, the trespass will be subtler than that. They could be issues such as: being indifferent, harsh, gossipy, rude, flaky, demeaning,  non-communicative, being competitive, etc. Sadly, it’s the subtle issues that affect relationships frequently and kill them quietly! We can’t ignore trespasses, but we can’t be shocked or appalled by them either.

God’s priority for us is to pursue restoration! Before a trespass is addressed, the scripture instructs us to examine ourselves and ensure that we don’t have a self-righteous attitude. Sometimes it’s easier to point the fingers at others than to deal with our own issues. We don’t want to deceive ourselves about our true condition and miss the log in our eyes!

Restoration is a process by which we are bringing something back to it’s true/original condition. My husband and I are going through a kitchen restoration. We have been in a repair phase for the last three months due to a water damage in the kitchen wall. The process of removing the old damaged cabinets looked a lot different than installing the new cabinets. The old ones were yanked and torn by using saw and hammer along with a whole host of other ferocious tools. On the other hand, in installing the new ones, things were done more carefully. The new cabinets were gently moved and accurately placed in their proper position. Then they were nailed down precisely where it was necessary and appropriate.

When God calls us to restore, He desires for us to look at the person/situation with the eyes of vision and hope. We are addressing someone who is valuable to God, and we get to build them up and see them restored. This will help us not to go into the situation with anger or frustration but have God’s heart for the person.

The enemy does not desire restoration but destruction! He is always at work to steal, kill, and destroy our relationships and cause division in the body. There is a battle going on, and we need to make a conscious decision as to whose side we are going to take. If we choose God’s side, then the Spirit must lead us and some things will have to die in us. If we choose the way of the flesh, we will feel great/affirmed temporarily, but the end result will be death/division in relationships.

The greatest difficulty in this area is when those who are in positions of leadership are the ones who trespass. I will share about this important issue in the next devotional.

Praise God for the Bible which provides many benefits in our lives including teaching us to build our lives right. Unfortunately, many times we use the Bible to measure other people’s effectiveness in building their lives right, and we miss the main purpose of the Bible!

We need to handle the Bible properly in order for it to produce the effect that the God desires in our lives. This book is so powerful that it can cut people and create great harm if mishandled!

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Matthew 7:15-17

One of the things that the Bible instructs us to do is to examine other people’s lives and see if it produces the fruit the scripture describes. The Lord encourages us to do that, so we can be wise in how we relate to others. The danger comes when we take it a step further, and now we are offended by the person whose life does not match up with the fruit we desire to see in their lives.

Honestly, I have been guilty of this offense many times. I don’t understand how one can claim, teach, and encourage others to live a certain way, but their own lives suffer in the same areas that they are proclaiming truth to others. It is a difficult and painful thing to see. However, offense is not the answer!

Offense only traps us and affects our relationship with the Lord. The offense eventually causes hardened hearts towards others and God. If Offenses go unchecked, they can cause broken relationships, and they will eventually lead one away from the church and even the Lord. This can all happen in the name of fruit inspection and being spiritual!

Is there someone whose Christian life is offensive to you?

I will share more on this in the next devotional.

Love Others-What is the impact of loving others on us?

Loving others will cost us something. Jesus didn’t ask us to just tolerate people or be nice to them. He asked us to love them. That’s a lot of work. First and foremost, we need to put aside our indifference towards others. Secondly, we have to develop a heart of compassion and care for others not in the name of doing ministry but to be Christ’s representatives.

We live in a world that is full of darkness and selfishness. The flesh is always after self-preservation, but it cannot be so for the people of God. God’s love is a graceful covering over the entire earth. However, He does more with those who are willing to follow Him. The Lord shows us His love to make us secure in Him, so we don’t have to live a life of self-preservation but a life of self-sacrifice!

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)

The Bible calls us peculiar people. We are peculiar because we don’t live for “self” anymore. We are called to be concerned about someone else’s welfare even when that person has ill-will towards us. That is a peculiar action that can only be done by the power and the grace of God!

Love is the most vulnerable place to be with someone. It takes a risk to love people especially those who don’t care about us. True love demands that our hearts stay open towards another person and stretches us to hope again. Love does not give up. Genuine love comes from the heart of benevolence and benefit towards another person. Godly love doesn’t get offended when the other person doesn’t respond the way we hope.

I was recently challenged by the Lord to give up something for someone that I love very much. However, this person can be very indifferent and aloof. My conflict was that I didn’t want to make the sacrifice if they weren’t going to appreciate it. The reality is that the Bible doesn’t guarantee that our love will be appreciated or reciprocated.  If that’s our expectation, we will become very stingy lovers!

The good news is that God changes us from the inside out when we love others as ourselves. The kind of love God is asking us to give to others will soften us, stretch our patience, and make us rely more deeply on the Lord.  One of the greatest acts of violence against our old nature is to love someone who will not love us back!

Loving our neighbor as ourselves is a great vehicle to develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. If we never had to live/work with a difficult person, how can we grow in patience in our lives?  How can we develop self-control if there aren’t people who push our buttons? If we never felt unappreciated and unloved, how can we establish faithfulness in the midst of disappointment?

The two greatest commandments challenge us in two directions. Loving God will challenge us to live righteous/holy lives. Loving others as ourselves will demolish self, and it will protect us from self-righteousness! Praise God for His wisdom!

Who do you need to love better?