It is a tug of war

There is indeed a tug of war, but it is NOT as Paul McCartney put it (in his 1982 album of the same name); it is NOT a tug of war to try to outdo or outscore one another.

It is a tug of war alright, but is NOT about Paul before salvation
No, Romans 7:14-24 was NOT a painting of a life of the Apostle Paul before salvation. It was an illustration by Paul, using his own experience of life as a believer, of what it was like to live a Christian life. It was his attempt to stress that we MUST WILL to follow the ways of God despite having entered into salvation. It was NOT and it is NOT “Abra-cadabra, and you now (upon born-again) automatically follow all the ways of God”. Nor is it “voila or presto and your will is perfectly aligned to that of God - no more struggle!”

Romans 7:14-25, 8:1-15
Romans 7:14-25 - 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.

17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.


Romans 8:1-15 - 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

The above passage is indeed a long passage; but really, to do meaningful study of the Word, often it is necessary to look at big chunk of scriptures at a go, for Bible authors, such as Paul, wrote with great flow, often with singular theme running over many verses and chapters.

3 grounds it was NOT a flashback
A number of people have argued that Romans 7:14-24 was a flashback by the Apostle Paul of the time he was NOT a believer yet; and so, such people are arguing that Paul was talking about the struggles in him before he became a believer. In isolation, perhaps, one could say that, but if one reads the verses following, which was a continuation of the same theme, in Romans 8:12, we find the answer that Paul was NOT doing a flashback.

In fact, the present tense used for Romans 7:14-25 already painted to us a picture that Paul was NOT doing a flashback, for NORMALLY, if it were a narration of the past, past tense would have been used by the author.

Let’s us look at what Romans 8:12 said.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it (Rom 8:12).

Remember now, this epistle of Paul was written to the believers in Rome, and in Romans 8:12, we read that Paul used the word, “brothers”, meaning he was referring to the Roman believers. Paul said, “we”, meaning, the Romans believers and himself (Paul), in other words, believers generally, have an OBLIGATION {or be a debtor to, KJV}. Now, if Romans 7:14-25 was a flashback, about Paul’s life and struggles before becoming a believer, then accordingly, Romans 8:1-11 must be referring to the change upon and after salvation or born-again. Indeed, Romans 8:1-11 was talking about what happens upon salvation or born-again, and post born-again. But was Romans 7:24 the question Paul posed before his salvation, and Romans 8:1-11, the answer to that question, we have to determine.

In brief, there are 3 grounds for NOT believing that Paul was doing a flashback:
1. Present tense used
2. How Paul was before conversion, and how he was being converted
3. If sinful nature is NOT relevant or dead, why talk about obligation to it

The first is clear-cut, and has been explained above; we will look at the remaining two grounds.

Have you forgotten how Paul was and how he was being converted?
Now, how was Paul converted? People who argued Romans 7:14-24 was a flashback erred on NOT taking into account how Paul, previously known as Saul, was converted and the kind of life he was having before conversion. Paul did NOT hear the Gospel, felt somewhat convicted, but continued to do the evil of persecuting the believers, and then one day, on hearing a good preaching, accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Saul’s conversion was NOT the run-of-the-mill conversion.

Below was how Paul had narrated his past, before believing and how he became converted:

Acts 22:3-10 - 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. 10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

Even when Paul was testifying before King Agrippa, he gave a similar account; here is a part of it (Acts 26:15-18):
15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
This was what Paul told King Agrippa concerning what he, Paul, had been doing most zealously before his supernatural encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus:
9 “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them. (Acts 26:9-11).

I submit to you, Paul, before conversion, did NOT struggle the struggles painted in Romans 7:14-24. He was deceived and in deception, he thought he did right, and he, before he became a believer was bent on persecuting believers, and was so obsessed with it that the Lord said Saul was persecuting Him, the Lord Himself! The sentiment expressed by Romans 7:24 – “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” could NOT have been that of Paul’s before his conversion. His conversion was one of those “you have no choice”, so to speak; God had chosen him, he “could not” refuse. Rather, the sentiment expressed in Romans 7:24 was that of a man, truly had had experienced God, and understood his own utter wretchedness despite having been born-again. Romans 7:14-24 could NOT be a flashback of Paul’s condition before conversion, rather it was a speaking of the struggles that he, Paul, still had to put up with, to pursue the course that the Lord had designated him to take, as he himself had testified, before King Agrippa (Acts 26:15-18), above.

[Added 27/07/2011: The Apostle Paul also exhorted, in Gal 5:13, 16-17, BELIEVERS to live by the Spirit, and NOT to gratify the desires of the sinful nature: 13 YOU, MY BROTHERS {cap, mine}, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Gal 5:13) 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (Gal 5:16-17 – notice the similar fashion of expression of the struggle – the tug of war!)]

Some misconceptions
It is a misinterpretation and a lie, on the part of many overly grace preachers and believers, that the Apostle Paul taught perfection (righteousness and all) upon born-again or salvation. All over, in many epistles of Paul, he wrote about the need to grow and mature. This passage of Romans 7:14-25 was one such admission of even himself still needing to put up with battling against that which Satan had stacked against Man. The above text of Acts 26:15-18 recorded for us what Jesus had taken hold of Paul, and in Phil 3:12, we read Paul expressed his imperfection and the right posture of a believer –

Not that I {Paul} have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me (Phil 3:12).

Some argued that it is preposterous to say, the God-appointed Apostle Paul was still so unspiritual, and he did what he had NOT wanted to do, and did what he hated to do (Romans 7:14-15) even after he was born-again. What these people did NOT realize was that those words were a lamentation of a contrite heart of a mature believer. A mark of true growth in a Christian life is increased sensitivity to sinfulness; NOT only the person leaves sin, he abhors it, just as God would. Here is NOT the place to elaborate on “You are a new creation upon born-again”, but central to this new creation fact, is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and as a believer continues to be increasingly yielded to the Holy Spirit, his sensitivity and abhorrence of sin increases, and his awareness of his own utter carnality or wretchedness increases.

How could Paul, while saying he was unspiritual, said the law is spiritual (Romans 7:14)? In fact, 2 verses earlier, in Romans 7:12, Paul said, “the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good”. This is again another mark of maturity, and a more mature believer knows that he can get to understand God a little more through His many precepts, and appreciates what the psalmist said in Ps 119:104, that “Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” Again, it is misinterpretation, and by many, to say Paul taught that laws (commandments, precepts) are NOT important or irrelevant to the Christian’s life.

We come back to Romans 8:12 – about obligation
In Romans 8:12, Paul said that we, believers, have an OBLIGATION {or be a debtor to, KJV}, but it is NOT to the sinful nature, and it is NOT to live according to it. If sinful nature was NO longer an issue, why would Paul have talked about the possibility of believers (including himself) having an obligation to it? If sinful nature is non-issue or completely done away with, upon born-again, why talk of obligation to it. Very obviously, Paul was NOT talking about, before salvation sinful nature was an issue, and after salvation it was a non-issue or dead. Paul did NOT say, “Abra-cadabra, you are born-again, sinful nature no more; or voila or presto, now you automatically sin no more.” Worst still, some believers actually believe they cannot sin (impossible to sin; erroneous interpretations of 1 John 3:9 & 1 John 5:18a – those interested, can read my separate article – “Please, 1 John 3:9 does not mean a believer cannot (unable to) sin!”).

It is precisely because there is still the sinful nature still operating and the Holy Spirit operating, that we, believers, have to choose. If sinful nature is no longer operating in a believer, then there is no need to choose. Paul was painting a matter of choice; don’t believe, see what the subsequent verse, Romans 8:13 said:

13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,

Now, some people still insist on saying Paul was painting the picture generically, meaning if a person, if he decides NOT to be born-again, then he is making the decision of living according to the sinful nature, he will die, but if he decides to be born-again, he will live. If we look at the verse in isolation, yes, that is a possible interpretation, but we have just looked at the verse before it (v12) and we read loud and clear, who Paul was talking and referring to, “Therefore, BROTHERS, WE have an obligation ….”. Yes, believers, including Paul himself. In fact, the “For” at the start of verse 13, is the same as the conjunctive, “since”, meaning verses 12 & 13 are to be read together. In other words, verses 12 & 13 could read like this:

Therefore, BROTHERS, WE have an obligation, but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it SINCE if you live according it, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,(Romans 8:12-13 joined and rephrased, substituting “since” for “for”)

If you still insist to think that Paul was addressing the believers, but NOT that they, the believers, were posed the choice, but rather non-believers had to decide, then let me tell you it was unlikely that Paul or for that matter, any man writing to instruct another, to instruct on non-existing scenario. It is as good as we, telling our sons this: “Son, tonight, when you sleep in the park (camping), and when a dinosaur comes into the camp, you are to pretend to continue to sleep and not move, so that the dinosaur will think that you are dead and will not eat you up.” The boys will say you are crazy, for there are no more dinosaurs! If sinful nature is dead, do you think Paul would say, “BROTHERS, WE have an obligation … not to the sinful nature”?

People are just kidding themselves if they think upon born-again, sinful nature is dead, and Satan is dead. The overall counsel of the Word did NOT paint such pictures as sinful nature is dead or Satan is dead or if you are a believer, it is now alright for you to give in to the sinful nature in you (exercise NOT self-control), because you are now a born-again.

What really is that tug of war?
For a believer, 2 “parties” are operating in him; one, Iniquity or Sin or sinful nature (this is NOT the mere act of wrongdoing, but it is in the like of iniquity {“evil”} of Eze 28:15, KJV) which we all inherited from the Original Sin (from the Fall), and two, the Holy Spirit {I tell you a revelation: even the Apostle Paul interpreted the relevant verses of Eze 28 as depicting the fall of Lucifer (aka Satan) – read 1 Tim 3:6 if you do NOT believe!}. Before conversion, a man is a slave to Iniquity or sinful nature; the man has almost no means of resisting, for Satan who replicated Iniquity into Man, has authority over all unregenerate men (or men NOT born-again). At conversion, God put His Holy Spirit into the person, and the born-again man has the Holy Spirit indwelling him. At the Fall, Satan replicated Iniquity or sinful nature into Man, at born again or salvation, God put a deposit of His own Spirit (also called the Holy Spirit or Spirit of Christ) into Man. Jesus, the Son of God, has defeated Satan (but Satan is NOT dead), and wrestled back, that authority over Man which was lost in the Fall of Man, in the Garden of Eden.

Because, in the first place, God created Man with free-will, even when Jesus had wrestled back that authority, God only held it until a man gives his life over to Jesus. God gave that authority back to the man entering into born-again. It amounts to God saying to the man, “Now, so-and-so, Satan no longer has authority over you. That authority over your life is now vested back into your hand. You, once again, have free-will, to decide if you will obey me, God, and live, or if you still want to choose to re-give that authority to Satan, all over again, in which case, you will die.”

Now, that Satan, has no real authority over a believer does NOT mean that he has no more powers; there is a difference between authority and power. Against a believer, unless he has re-given the authority to Satan, Satan has NO authority over the believer, even though he, Satan, has powers. What it means is that as a believer, we can refuse Satan, and he cannot exercise authority over us. But he, Satan, has powers (NOT yet removed from him) to tempt a believer, to deceive a believer, even powers to perform signs and wonders and miracles. To level out the playing field, in fact, more than level out the field, so to speak, God put His Spirit to indwell you upon your born-again, even as Satan had Iniquity (or sinful nature) indwelled you.

There is a war on, a war between God and Satan (lopsided, nevertheless, a war), and there is a tug of war within us, and that is between the dictates of the Holy Spirit and that of Iniquity or sinful nature. But because God did NOT take away a believer’s free-will, we have to choose which side of the tug of war we are on, to follow the dictates of the Spirit of God against the misdeeds of sinful nature or to still choose to allow ourselves to be enslaved by the sinful desires of the sinful nature, even though we are freed at born-again. Isn’t that what Romans 8:12-13 is painting to us?:

Therefore, BROTHERS, WE have an obligation, but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it SINCE if you live according it, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,(Romans 8:12-13 joined and rephrased, substituting “since” for “for”)

Why an obligation? Because Jesus died to set you and I, believers, free from the slavery of sinful nature. Indeed, we, believers, have an obligation to the Spirit of God, and to live by it (Him); and it is only by the Spirit we can put to death the misdeeds of the flesh (sinful nature resides in the flesh), and live.

Verse 14 (of Romans 8), i.e. the next verse, went on to say that those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Why did Paul said that, when the Holy Spirit already adopted our spirits as sons of God? The answer is this (another revelation!): God adopts us, that is His part; when we allow ourselves be led by His Spirit, that is when we are acknowledging God as our Father. Isn’t it also so, for the human father and son? A man begot a son, the son did no part, but we know, that son, acknowledges the man as his father when he allows himself be led by that man.

Indeed, there is that tug of war within every believer, a pull from the Father of perdition through Iniquity or Sin or sinful nature, and a pull from the Father of Heaven through the Holy Spirit. At the base of it all, love is a choice (that’s another revelation for some). Your choice is your love. Do you choose your Creator? Do you choose the One who first loved you by giving of His Son to die on your behalf? Do you choose the One who adopted us first, as sons of Heaven? Often not easy, even Paul experienced that, yet which side are you on? Do you pull to the tune of the Holy Spirit, or to that of Iniquity?


Anthony Chia, high.expressions – Fear not Iniquity or sinful nature or Satan, for you and I have received NOT a spirit of timidity but a Spirit of sonship. He, who is in us, the Holy Spirit, is greater than he who is outside us (in the world), Satan {from 1 John 4:4}. The Holy Spirit is in us, but Satan is NOT, if you permit him NOT. Only Iniquity or sinful nature is in us, but we have God in us. Amen.

PS: We can put to death the misdeeds of sinful nature. Sinful nature dies only when we die, for then the body is no more, until replaced by an incorruptible body.

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Hide NOT under filthy rags (Part II)

PART II

This is a 2-parts article. Part I turned out to be more or less, a teaching, although articles I put under my blog heading of “Concerning my `little ministry’” should generally be testimonial or journal in nature. It centered around “That we sin, no excuse for NOT working”. This part, below, is both reflective and journaling.

Unusual altar call responses?
When I started on this 2-parts article, I had wanted to journal my “little ministry” happenings. I make it a point to reflect on the “ministry” every few months. There was an initial quietness, after the period covered by the previous article, “Lord, what are you saying in these?”. The excitement came in March 2011 in church weekend services. I wouldn’t really say it were highly unusual responses to “altar calls”, for in my church we saw huge turnouts at the front of the sanctuary (“altar area”) from time to time. But it is unusual in the sense that it has been a long time since we had one, without outside “famous” speaker on the pulpit. I mean it is generally true that a prophet is without honors in his own “town” or congregation (Mark 6:4) but there are temporal exceptions (which I will elaborate later). So, if suddenly, there is an unusually large response to an “altar call”, it sometimes can indicate a fresh move of the Spirit of God. Such happened in 2008, on multiple church services, when words of knowledge and prophecy were given, by seemingly ordinary pastors and church members, including myself; particularly when it was almost by myself, for then, I knew, it had to be the Spirit of God moving in the church sanctuary, for I was a nobody.

Prophet without honors in his own congregation – temporal exception
You want the temporal exception I referred to? Yours truly was the example. Really, I was a nobody in my church until that time (2008). It was a phenomenon few could ignore. I would give words of knowledge on sickness, mostly, and we would see many people come to the altar area for ministry. Actually, I became rather famous, and many wondered, and until very recently I still have people stepping up to me and asked if it was correct that they did NOT notice me serving so prominently in the years previous to the more recent ones (I have been with the church for more than 20 years). I remember back in 2008/2009, I even had an occasion, an older lady member came up to me and asked me if I was a watchman; apparently, she was thinking that as a watchman, I was assigned by God to sit tight and watch, and did so for a long time, and when the time was right for me to act, I would come forth, and even the church leadership would defer to the desired move of the Spirit, and allowed the light to be cast on me. But of course, I am NOT aware of any such watchman commissioning.

Reflection continues, but I boast NOT
The Lord forbids I boast in myself, it indeed had nothing to do with my worthiness, and neither did (and do) I call myself a prophet. It was all the grace of God, who carried me in my affliction, in His most unique manner by projecting me to serve Him. It was an impossible thing, made possible by Him, by His granting of favor through the Senior Pastor of the church. I recognized it as His work yet I must still salute my Senior Pastor (who is retiring this year or next), for His courage to be bold for the Lord, and his humility, and his acceptance of me. Apart from the watchman thought, there were those in church who thought I was about to enter the church as staff or pastor, for they saw the favor and liberty I enjoyed with the church leadership. Some even thought I was related to the Senior Pastor, still others commented I looked like him. I even had an ex-pastor from another church, who could not help, but expressed that he thought I must have been the 2nd man in the church, from what he observed of the proceedings in church services and where I usually sat. Also, I have members kept calling me pastor, although I tried to explain that I was NOT one, and was NOT a staff of the church. But it was all great honors God gave through men which I deserved them NOT; in fact, it was that I was in need of help, and the Lord helped me by having me help, so how could I deserve any of it. But I have tasted His goodness, and want to continue to function for Him.

A good rub-off has been on my children; both my kids have been serving in the church Sunday Schools for several years now. Their father’s fame did spur them on, too, and today both of them lead worship in the church’s 8.30 am Sunday School.

So, really, there was a fresh move by the Lord some 3 years ago, and it was a move in the supernatural even though I knew then, the call was to have more of the believers in our church to serve God in one way or another. It took quite a while for the entire church staff to embrace the supernatural heartily; meanwhile, more had joined the rank of “active servicemen” for the Lord. Over time, I saw my Senior Pastor openly endorsed and encouraged that we are to serve despite our problems and afflictions of life. I saw him encouraging serving the Lord beyond the 4 walls of the church, and it matters NOT if none of those saved or helped, actually culminated into our church, so long as they culminated in the church of God (and that is maturity).

Fresh move?
So, was there or was there NOT a fresh move of the Spirit in my church in March 2011? There was a weekend in that March whereby, in altar calls, many members of congregation responded to the calls and came before the Lord in the altar area (others, at their seats) with observable manifestations of the Spirit, which included speaking in tongues, impromptu singing in tongues, alternating with singing in English, most fluently, I must say (definitely authentic), words of knowledge and prophecy. There appeared to be a drawing near to God. There was manifest presence of God; perhaps, even some influence on demonic spirits, I believe; but there was NO clear observable demonstration of the power and authority of God, in breaking of bondages, of ill-wills, healing of the sick, and deliverance.

A level-change might be coming
I believe it was NOT that there was a separate move of the Spirit, but rather a possible level-change coming. My own experience with the moves of God with an individual is by levels. Perhaps, it is the same with the body corporate. We go from “glory” to “glory”, so to speak. From one level, we move to another level. Perhaps, how fast we break levels depended, among other things, such things as how yielded we are to God, how faithful we are to the things entrusted, and our foundation built. The move, in my humble view, was still part of the same seen 3 years ago; only that perhaps there is a desire of the Lord to bring it one notch up. If one calls such, as a revival, there was really NO clear observable demonstration of the power and authority of God in those areas I mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Was there a stifling of the move of the Spirit? I cannot put a finger on it; but if the next time I come across such, and I am in a position to influence, I will argue for giving of slack, to usher in God’s move of power and authority.

I am NOT saying we let people prophesize anything they like, but we should be bold to call for the sick, the badly sick, the ones in afflictions and bondages, and those who are in need of breakthroughs, to come forward, and we call on the name of God to heal and set people free. I would argue for us to be prepared to be a fool for the Lord. It is NOT a time to “play it safe” and box God. We should NOT decide God is only ministering inner healing but NOT physical healing, repentance but NOT deliverance, cleansing but NOT empowering. My point is that if there is indeed a big move, God would actually want to be touching many people, and different people could be touched in different areas NOT necessarily related to one another. Yes, common themes of holiness, righteousness, forgiveness and repentance, and restitution even, are usually present in revivals, but we should signal liberty and diversity for the Holy Spirit.

I believe it has taken the church 3 years to reach a degree of yielded-ness to God, to be faithful to the things entrusted (such as word of knowledge, gift of healing, etc), and to have our foundation strengthened. Perhaps, the Lord was saying, “let see if they can take it to the next level”. How we responded was crucial, but we can be still responding; the window is NOT necessarily closed. This brings me to the 2 visions I had for that weekend concerning the church.

The parking lot vision
This vision released on the 8.30 am service of Sunday, 27 March 2011 went like this: I saw a parking lot compound, and I saw cars. Being a parking compound there were lots and there were cars. Cars were of different makes. What was interesting was that there was no one around, meaning I could see no men or women, only cars. Yet the close up scene was cars being reversed into parking lots, all by themselves. My interpretation was this, that there were no men or women seen in the compound, was because we, the church members, the believers, were the cars or vehicles, more correctly, the vehicles of the Lord; and it was the Lord who was parking the vehicles, each into the lot that He so decided. The lot space denoted our place, where the Lord wants us to be placed, so that whenever He wants to use one of us, we are at the exact spot, and He can use us. So, the question posed to the congregation was this: “Are we prepared to be at where the Lord wants us to be?” The Lord cannot use us if we are NOT found at where he needs us. It calls for conscious mindset on the part of the members or believers to say to himself or herself that he or she is at a particular place or setting or doing particular ministry in anticipation of the Lord’s move involving him or her. Be willing and be expectant.

Cookies at the end
This vision was given out at the 10:30 am service of the same day: In this vision, what I saw was a way, a concrete way. There was a barrier in front of the way, but when I stared at the barrier more intently, I saw it broke away. What became visible was a long narrow way, and still looked like a concrete way. One could see far ahead, and frankly speaking I was about to say there was nothing there, for I could see it all, just a narrow concrete way, like one was in a big drain. Anyway, I traced along, suddenly, at the end there was a turn, a sharp turn. Right before my eyes, after the turn, was an area with stacks and stacks of cookie jars with all kinds of cookies in them. Then, one of the jar caps got spun open. This was my interpretation: a way might have opened up in the spiritual realm. The barrier giving away perhaps indicated that there would be (or has been) a breakthrough in the spiritual realm. Yet, things do NOT come straight away; the goodies are still some distance away, in fact NOT immediately visible. Perhaps, pressing in and perseverance are needed. We need to stay the course, for a season, and NOT give up, or we will miss the goodies. The cookies represented the anointing, the empowering, the healing, deliverance, salvations and goodness of God.

Has anything happened since that March 2011 weekend?
Soon after that weekend, the church had, for one service, Patricia King, of Extreme Prophetic Ministry, speaking from the pulpit. Although we were told by the church that there was no salvation, my review of the full video of the service showed that Patricia King counted up to 5 salvations (and mentioned about ½ a dozen). In that sense, it was NOT true that there was no salvation, but rather it was that the new believers did NOT came forward to the front, despite call by the Senior Pastor over the pulpit, and the pastoral team had NOT the opportunity to take down details of the persons. If I could recheck the video, I wondered if the church leadership did go through the service recording. To say administratively, the church was unable to secure details of salvation is one thing, it is altogether another, to say there was no salvation.

Salvation cases did not come forward, but many responded
But many people did go out to the altar area though, in fact, it was packed, and it was NOT surprising, for a famous speaker taking the pulpit. Along with a lady, who in recent days, had been used of the Lord in giving words of knowledge, mostly in healing, I was asked by my Senior Pastor before the start of the altar calls, if we had any words of knowledge. I stood up and told him that there were and they were on healing, and he signaled to release them. It took a while before I had had the chance to speak over the mike; and I was at the usual mike for words of knowledge. Meanwhile, some words had been given, and many people had gathered at the front; finally the Senior Pastor signaled that I could release my set of words, I did so, and then it was followed by the lady I mentioned. Because of space constraint, I moved myself to the central aisle instead of staying at the sanctuary front. 2 or 3 persons came to me for ministry for healing. One of them subsequently expressed she felt certain sensation gone down a part of her body when I prayed for her.

The surprising bit
However, to my surprise, the following week I was told, the pastoral team, without the Senior Pastor, when discussing about absence of salvation cases in that service by Patricia King (but it really was NOT that there were no salvation cases, but rather the lack of securing the names and details), had hinted one of the problems was that “unrelated” words of knowledge such as the healing ones got in the way, and suggested instituting new control measure. My checking of the video recording, on top of the my above explanation that I was approached by the Senior Pastor, revealed that everything was done according to procedure and under the supervision and direction of the Senior Pastor that morning. The only one word released, NOT from the usual mike for words of knowledge and prophecy (guarded that morning by the Senior Pastor), was a word released through the mike of the worship pastor, which the worship pastor had permitted it. That was a surprise, and if at all, that exception should be examined (but I am NOT saying any inappropriateness in that, for it was the worship pastor who gave of her mike). I honestly must say, I did NOT feel very good hearing the church leadership speaking out disappointment over that Patricia King service, with hints of error on the part of members of congregation whether in terms of their inappropriateness of release of words of knowledge/prophecy or their contribution to the church’s inability to secure salvation (actually particulars thereof). The point was that Patricia King herself, together with the Senior Pastor gave a number of words (and there was nothing wrong for that occasion) and many responded, as the Holy Spirit convicted, and as such one should NOT fault the people.

I have since spoken to the pastor next in line to take over when the Senior Pastor retires, that there was indeed procedure as far as the release of words of knowledge and prophecy is concerned, and it was NOT broken. As for myself, I do note flow of the Spirit, and submit to authority, and on that occasion, released words, called on by the Senior Pastor. I sounded my caution that we should NOT stifle the Spirit of God, especially if we thought there was going to be a “fresh move” of the Spirit. It took 3 years to get to where we are; a curb, where it is NOT necessary is likely to kill the spontaneity of the release of the words of knowledge and prophecy, and the ministry of ministering to people in church services.

On the plus side, the recent Easter and Resurrection Weekend (in April) brought over 100 salvations from the various cell-group and ministry cell level outreach gatherings. Some of the over 100 salvations also came from the Resurrection Weekend church services (I played no DIRECT part in these, just in case some thought I was boasting; put here for record purpose).

On my personal level side, concerning my helping in the altar ministry, in the church services, releasing words of knowledge and prophecy, and praying for those in needs, after the 2 visions released (given above) and the words given during the weekend Patricia King visited, I believed until the time of writing of this article, I have NOT released further words. There were times I had no words, and there were times I had, but the occasions for release were NOT there. It is of course, my desire, which I believe, does mirror that of the Lord, at least for this season, that, ministry time continues to be provided for, in the church services.

Flesh vs Spirit
Even after some years of moving a little in the supernatural, I still feel IF we do NOT consciously effort to move in the supernatural, we will very quickly settle back into the natural. If the occasions for supernatural are NOT made available, it may make it harder for us to fight the reversion to the natural. Many people in my church, since 2008, have experienced moving in words of knowledge with visions and pictures and all, but many of them did NOT move more than a couple of occasions. Why? In part, I believe it was because they effort NOT to continue; when they had NOT the experience, they eager for them, but when they had experienced it, they paid attention NOT to the demands of the Lord, of the need to be sensitive, paying attention to the Spirit of God, even making the necessary sacrifice, and would rather revert to the natural. The Apostle Paul painted for us (Rom 7:14-24), a tug-of-war resulting from the pulls of the desires of our sinful nature and that of the Spirit. Common sense tells us that in a tug-of-war, if you effort NOT, you lose because you get pulled over! (There is a separate tug-of-war article coming. Watch out for it!).

With or without word of knowledge I still minister
Words of knowledge and prophecy aside, I continued to minister prayers for people in services; and I must say, after a lapse of several months, I have recently back to seeing people getting slain when I prayed for them. It is NOT that people need to be slain to mean that they had been ministered or healed by the Lord, but I generally ministered with no formal feedback, and sometimes do like to know that the anointing of God still “comes through me”; and the Lord does encourage. But of course, I repeatedly remind myself that I do NOT pray to slain but pray that people get healed and get ministered. Frankly speaking, although it was my Senior Pastor who allowed me to minister in services, my position was and is established NOT by men, for I am a member of congregation ministering among pastors, I do NOT and cannot insist I pray for one, if he feels he should be prayed for, by a pastor. In that sense, the Lord has to establish me to serve Him; and may I always remember to walk humbly before Him, and before His anointed servants.


Anthony Chia, high.expressions – Lord, clean hands, pure heart I have NOT; yes, I still struggle, you know that. Yet, you used me for your glory, and it has been a privilege and honor to have served you by just making myself available for you. May you help me in my struggles, and clean me, a filthy rag, as you use me. Amen.

PS: I understand that a reasonably sized church in leadership transition does have adjustments for many, and can temporally be a little "unsettled". Lord, I forgive all, and you know I do care for the flock of the church because you caused me to care. Forgive me for the things I have omitted to do that you wanted done, and for any overstepping of boundaries on my part.

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Hide NOT under filthy rags

PART I

As I write, this article turns out to be a 2-parts series. Part I has come to be more or less, a teaching, although articles I put under my blog heading of “Concerning my `little ministry’” should generally be testimonial or journal in nature. This part, centered around “That we sin, no excuse for NOT working”, is of itself NOT devoid of link with the “little ministry”, as you shall see. Part II of this article will be both reflective and journaling.

Journaling is good
More than 3 months have passed since I last wrote about my little ministry; the last article being, “Lord, what are you saying in these?” I have just re-read that article, and it is indeed good for me to go over the things the Lord had done through me, my thoughts and promises to the Lord. Christians should do some kind of journaling, so that they do NOT go through life forgetful of the workings of the Lord for them and through them, and their words given to their Lord. How many of us already forgotten this year’s resolution we made at the start of the year concerning our walk with the Lord? It is through the re-read that I have just done, of the last article, that I remember that I pledged to be abandoned to the Lord this year.

We are soldiers and servants of God
As Christians, are we clear that when we gave of our lives to the Lord, Jesus Christ, we are all enlisted into the army of God, and are part of the wider spiritual war that has been going on? We are all soldiers of the Lord; but are you functioning as a soldier? Or are you a MIA (missing in action)? Or have you mutinied? Or are you just adopting the layback attitude, and always saying, “Lord, NOT me, send him, and him, and him; just do NOT send me!”?

That we sin, no excuse for not working
Be careful NOT to adopt the attitude of saying, “But my works are like filthy rags to the Lord, and so, I should stop doing them. Anthony Chia (or any other) is different, what he does pleases the Lord, let him do it.” Yes, there is a verse in the Bible that mentioned works (NIV) being filthy rags, but we have to understand what God was driving at, there.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; (Isaiah 64:6a, NIV). No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins. (Isaiah 64:7, NIV)

During his time, Isaiah said, no one called on God’s name or strived to lay hold of God (so sad, a state), for God had hidden His face from them. The people were wasting away because of their sins. This was a time period when the people of God sinned greatly before God (see Isaiah 1:2-4), so much so, that God “put His presence far” from the people of God. God would turn away His face when the people prayed to Him; He would NOT even listen to them! – see Isaiah 1:15 {God DID hear, but did NOT listen to them – there is a difference between the two}.

The Israelites then had become like one who was unclean (like a leprous person, greatly feared and ostracized) and all their righteous acts (including good works) were like filthy rags.

First view – before salvation, unrighteous, therefore filthy rags
There are 2 ways of viewing the scenario painted by Isaiah. One is that before salvation, we are all unrighteous, and so, any good works are also unrighteous, all are like filthy rags.

Generally speaking, it is of course, right to say if one is unrighteous, nothing truly righteous can come from him. The use of leprous person as an analogy was meant to portray the pervasiveness of the “unclean-ness” of the unrighteous person. Or in terms of a rag, if the rag is already filthy, how can it be used to make clean the surface it passes over! (Actually, the KJV used “all our righteousness are as filthy rags”, and NOT “our righteous acts are like filthy rags”).

If one subscribes to this rendering, then in his view, he may think that if one has become a believer, he is righteous, and so his acts are righteous, and therefore, his good works will NOT be filthy rags. If one looks at the matter like that, no believer can hide behind the filthy rags excuse, and NOT work for the Lord (Of course, “work” here does NOT mean one has to go into full-time work for the Lord). But I do NOT like this view (that it necessarily was referring to “before salvation”, and perfection was assumed upon born-again), for it implied that I, a believer, can NEVER be unrighteous, even if I disregarded the Word of God.

2nd view – we sin, we become unclean, filthy
The 2nd way of viewing is that Isaiah was NOT directly correlating the matter to salvation; all he was saying was that when we are in sins, and have become unclean, all our righteousness are like filthy rags. In fact, the KJV rendering of the verse has NO acts in it:

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; (Isaiah 64:6a, KJV)

This view is superior for a number of reasons: One, the Isaiah 64 passage was NOT on righteous ACTS/WORKS of the Israelites {Now, there are those who believe the olden use of righteousness in the KJ version meant righteous acts; nevertheless, it is the heart-condition that God looks at, acts are just observable manifestations thereof [Mat 15:8, Isaiah 29:13a, Mark 7:20-23]}. Two, Old Testament (OT) scriptures did NOT generally painted the picture that all of the righteous acts of all OT people (including the likes of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, David, etc) were filthy rags, despite Jesus was NOT yet manifest in their time to grant them salvation. Three, in the New Testament (NT) we read of this, in the Book of Acts, in Acts 10:31, Cornelius, a non-believer, a Gentile, but one who was devout and God-fearing who prayed and made much gifts to the poor, his prayers were heard by God, and his gifts were remembered by God. God sent the Apostle Peter to his house and he and his household were saved as a result. Cornelius’ good works were before his salvation, and God weighed them in.

Fear of God, an important key
You have to consider for yourselves, what Jesus said in Mark 7:20-23, whether He was only saying them as applicable to non-believers or it was generally applicable to all men (NOT just unsaved), when his disciples asked concerning the “clean and unclean” parable He gave, in answering the Pharisees and Sadducees. In Mark 7:20-23, we read this:

20 He {Jesus} went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”

I believe Jesus was referring to ALL men, and reality bears up to that. Many believers, and that is including myself, are NOT of totally pure hearts, and it got nothing to do (almost all the time) with whether or NOT they were born again “properly” or NOT. It is a matter of our fear of the Lord or lack of it, despite us being already born again.

I believe, apart from whether or NOT one is saved, God does look at whether or NOT, one is fearing Him. In a nutshell, if one is fearing God, one takes care to subscribe to 1 Pet 1:16 (or Lev 19:2) –

For it is written, “Be holy because I am holy.”

In elaboration, David who taught on the fear of God in Ps 34, said to note the followings, on our part:

1. Keep our tongue from evil, and our lips from speaking lies (Ps 34:13).
2. Turn from evil and do good (Ps 34:14a).
3. Seek peace, and pursue it (v14b). {The peace here should be interpreted in the context of the verse of turning from evil and doing good. The Jews then, relied on the Law, but today, we, Christians, have the Word, and laws written in our hearts}.

Those interested, can read my exposition of Ps 34 here: Ps 34 – I will teach you the fear of the LORD. It is interesting that David gave the last verse of that psalm (Ps 34:22a) as this, remember now that David’s era was before Jesus’ 1st coming:

The LORD redeems his servants;

In that article on Ps 34, I said that David did NOT “out of the blue” switch to another group of people, when he was talking about the righteous (Ah! Anyone in OT ever righteous? – more, in next para.). In fact, I believe he was, by verse 22, saying that only the righteous were the true servants of God. In other words, righteous ones of God do NOT contribute nothing, do NOT do nothing, of no fruit acceptable to the LORD – righteous ones bear fruits, and so, are the servants of the LORD. What did the verse (v22) said about what the LORD would do for his servants? Yes, He would redeem His servants. So, don’t you think we should be servants of the Lord, even if you have entered into the redemptive works of the Lord, for full redemption is yet to come?

As to the argument, if salvation was NOT being pointed to, could OT children be able to serve God in any acceptable manner? I submit to you that we need to understand there are 2 dimensions of righteousness; One, being the passive or imputed righteousness, and the other, the active righteousness. The OT children of God, Israelites then, they did NOT have the passive or imputed righteousness (of Jesus), but they were expected to have the active righteousness, although too many failed God too miserably. Those interested on an exposition on the righteousness of OT people, can read my separate article - Anyone in OT ever righteous since Jesus was not yet manifest then? In the article, I stressed that, it was whether or NOT one was in agreement with God and flowed with Him that mattered, in considering whether or NOT one was righteous. This was the case for the OT people, for they, IN THEIR TIME, had NOT the means (Christ Jesus) to “buy” them out.

Conclusion on Isaiah 64:6a
It is really NOT necessary to say that “the filthy rag” condition in Isaiah 64:6a was referring to the fallen state of men (from Original sin), although we can apply a similar analogy to the fallen state of men. The Isaiah’s scenario could stand (and I believe it is the correct position to take), as giving us a picture that, the Israelites then had so greatly sinned, that God described their condition (due to their doings, NOT as inherited) as filthy rags, nothing to do with the Original sin, as such. Isaiah made it very clear, in verse 7 (Isaiah 64:7), that God hid His face from them, and “made them waste away” because of THEIR sins. In other words, the Israelites then sinned and they did NOT address their sins, and had NOT yet receive the forgiveness from God (please, forgiveness did NOT always have to do with Jesus; He was NOT yet made manifest then). Throughout the OT, we read that God used men and women (with Original sin unaddressed; none had his Original sin addressed) (Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, David, and many ordinary men and women), and they served God. Yes, the thrust of those few verses of Isaiah 64 was that people of God then had sinned greatly and were NOT repentant.

Salvation a MUST, but works is part thereof
Sure, salvation through Jesus is a MUST for all, who want to have eternal life, but serving the Lord is part of that salvation, and one cannot say that he is saved, but He is saved, NOT to serve the Lord or to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 (KJV) said this: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” The Apostle James posed you this question: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?”(James 2:14) You are redeemed, imputed righteousness, NOT to just bask in grace, but to be servant and soldier of the Lord.

I sin and therefore, NOT righteous, so I cannot serve, right? Wrong. Even the OT people of God could be forgiven by God and served Him, why can’t you and I repent and ask to be forgiven by God and serve Him? Isn’t it just a lame excuse to say that since I sin, I am unrighteous, a filthy rag, and so, my service or works cannot be acceptable to God, and so, why bother? Be careful now, if we are NOT forgiven, as we would like to claim (to avoid serving), how are we to get to Heaven? We cannot say we are forgiven (enough) to go to Heaven, but we are NOT, for works! We cannot argue we are righteous enough to go to Heaven and at the same time argue that we are NOT, to work for God! Ah! Do NOT be nonchalant about going to Heaven. If you love God, you should want to get to Heaven. Do you NOT know that you pain the heart of God that you want to “perish” in Hell?

Can God say our works are like filthy rags?
Sure, God indeed can; we have read that He did just that, in Isaiah 64:6, and like I implied, filthy rags can be applied to believers, like you and I. When God said it to me, an individual, it is one thing, but when it is said that God said it to a church, it is a BIG thing, especially if it is said that ALL the works of a church are like filthy rags. Such a word of prophecy is either NOT from God or the church concerned had become like the leprous person.

There are really only 2 options for such a church, one, to note that the prophecy was mis-delivered by the “prophet”, or two, go do “soul-searching” before God. Even as an individual needs to journal his walk with the Lord, the church must maintain a journal of sort, and it is the church leadership’s responsibility to review such a record of what God had been doing for the church, through the church (through her many ministries), saying to the church, and what the church had done for the Lord, and her words or promises given to the Lord, to access the credibility of such a prophecy is from the Lord.

In assessing the credibility, the leadership should take into account, if the church has been committing grave sins (idolatry, sexual impropriety, injustices, oppression, stumbling people, dishonesty), for a start, in regard to her clergymen; has been doing things without going before the Lord to see if they were in line with the wishes of the Lord. A point to note is that one of the redemptive works of the Lord is “works redemption”, and so, generally speaking, the lack of works is more prevalent than God’s complaining about too much works from His people. Of course, of the many things we do, the pertinent question is whether we regarded them unto the Lord (Romans 14:6); if they were NOT, they counted NOT.

Are you doing your own things? Are you doing sinful things? All of them, you camouflage under the guise of works of the Lord? Unless, it is really bad, I do NOT think that God would say to a church that ALL her works are like filthy rags. It is more likely that God will specify particular areas or sets of works rather than ALL works. The basis of my saying that, is that, I believe in a God who primarily wants to encourage his children towards the right direction (and to do good works, is in the right direction), and it is inconsistent with that spirit of encouragement and the redemptive works of our Lord, to, on a blanket basis, thumb down ALL good works, unless indeed the leaven has worked too pervasively through the “bread”. If the church has indeed reached this stage, then she better be on her knees, day and night, pleading for mercy and restoration from the Lord.

Why this subject
The reason I wrote at some length on the above subject is because such a word of prophecy had been released against a church, and I was present in the church. It set me to think, to consider, and to assess, for I am part of that church (member only). It would be a shame if the church leadership does NOT take a serious view of that word of prophecy, but I am NOT here saying that she does NOT. Because of what I do in church, I count myself as being covered in the prophecy; and on my own part I must assess the truth of the prophecy, especially against sets of words released in past few years concerning the church, and that which I believed the Lord had impressed upon me concerning the church for the last few years. I have to ask myself if what I have been doing in church, a filthy rag to God. Then I think about what went through the minds of the few thousand members of the congregation on hearing or knowing about the prophecy. Many of them were serving, one way or another; did they just brush it off? No, they could NOT do that, for 1 Thess 5:19-22 said this:

19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

For those who did NOT (brush it off), how have their hearts sunk? The Lord was purportedly said, to have despised their good works. While I do NOT agree with the interpretation of 1 Cor 14:3-4 to mean New Testament prophecies cannot admonish or rebuke, the word released that “all the works of the church are like filthy rags” surely did NOT edify, rather it was so discouraging, unless the church has indeed become leprous.

Harvest is plentiful, workers are few
On the contrary, the more universal lack in the current age was the desire of fellow believers to engage in good works for the Lord (The harvest is plentiful but the labors are few, is always true; with greater world population, greater is the labor required).

One reason, the lie of good works pleases God NOT
There are a number of reasons for scarcity of workers, but I will only touch on one; and that is, that we think we can please God NOT, with good works.

I am NOT talking about those who think that God is already pleased with us, and nothing we do can please Him any more than He already is; this category of believers encourage just basking in grace, and they have to answer to God themselves.

I am referring to believers who feel we can please God NOT, with good works, because we feel we are NOT “fit” enough. Just look at how God grants salvation to people, all kinds of people; how God enlisted people into His army (you are enlisted the moment you are born again), all kinds of people. Do you think God is trying to fight the massive spiritual war with a few elite marksmen? I do NOT believe the word of God tells us that if you are NOT that sharp shooter, you are NOT to join in the battle. Sure, if you are a lousy shooter, you may NOT want to be a sniper, but maybe you have brute strength, and you can dig a few trenches; then go dig trenches in the battle. Sure, if it is war, we just cannot do our own things, but I am NOT saying you are to do your own things; in fact, you can’t, in war, you and I have to obey the Commander of Host. There is a place for snipers and there is a place for trench diggers.

But we are talking about a spiritual warfare and godly matters, sins or sinfulness matter, right? Yes, but who does NOT sin at all? If the Lord, now, says, “Those who did NOT sin and will NOT sin, come with me to the battlefront”, do you think any can step forward? The Lord knows, but it does NOT means He is saying it is ok to sin. But He nevertheless enlists His people to be His soldiers. Jesus is NOT going to have any active soldiers if everyone hides behind or under a filthy rag. At the same time, as we serve, we adopt this attitude in 1 Cor 10:31 (KJV) – “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” We go into active service, and in our service, we do all to the glory of God. We try NOT to sin, and we try NOT to shame God, but to glorify Him; but we can only try (make the choice and effort in it), we are NOT the Commander of Host, He is. We may fail to glorify God in our trying, but we sure are NOT glorifying God without trying.

My take, He uses them as He cleans them
Sure, wisdom must be called into play in execution, but it is my belief that all believers can serve; the sick can serve (it is wrong teaching that the sick should NOT pray for another sick, mind you there are believers believing that!), the afflicted can serve, the ones with struggles can serve, the poor can serve, and so can the rich, all can serve, and should serve. Few know my affliction, and I serve in my affliction, and the Lord sustains. In this era of the Lord’s favor, God is cleaning filthy rags, NOT discarding them; He can clean them, and He uses them as He cleans them. The question is only one of whether or NOT you are willing to make the choice and effort in it. [Added 1 June 2011: I am NOT saying that we should all just ignore the need to be holy or be complacent that we have a holy God. In fact, we need to cleanse ourselves of ignoble to serve God - Please read my separate article, "You must choose to cleanse yourself from ignoble"]


Anthony Chia, high.expressions - And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds {works} (Heb 10:24). For Jesus has given himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14).

[Added 05 July 2012: For part II, go here: Hide NOT under filthy rags Part II]

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Did God create evil?

Preamble: For this article, I ask that readers do NOT put any of their comments on this blog. Instead, please email to me. The reasons are these: 1. This is a highly controversial topic. 2. It can be very confusing too. 3. There are various assumptions and definitions that people adopt to argue their cases, even though the short answer is either a “Yes” or a “No” 4. A “Yes” may be a correct answer, even as “No” can possibly be a right answer, too, depending on how you arrived at your conclusion; the Lord knows, and He shall weigh your thought processes.

Another point is that the view expressed in this article, does NOT represent the view of any body, church or otherwise, which the author is part of, or is affiliated to; it is solely a personal view of the author.

Article’s key verses – Isaiah 45:7 & Eze 28:15
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things (Isaiah 45:7, KJV).

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee (Eze 28:15, KJV).

Contexts of verses
The context of Isaiah 45:7 is this: This was a prophecy whereby God spoke, through prophet Isaiah, concerning His faithfulness that He would, in the exile to come (Judeans would be exiled to Babylon), He would be using King Cyrus of Persia as His shepherd (Isa 44:28), His anointed vessel (Isa 45:1) to capture Babylon and to allow the exiled Judeans to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple of God (subsequently to be destroyed by the Babylonians). This was despite Cyrus did NOT acknowledge Him, and God said He would be using Cyrus still, to free his people, and in the process, enabling him (Cyrus) to receive honors; it was all because His faithfulness towards corporate Israel, His servant, His chosen nation. In this foretelling, Isaiah spoke about how God was making revelation about Himself to Cyrus, and verse 45:7 was one such verse.

The context of Eze 28:15 is this: From Eze 28:11-12a, we know that it was to be a lament concerning the king of Tyre:

“The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says:”” (Eze 28:11-12a)

Of course, here, the words were given by the LORD Himself. But immediately, from verses 12b-14, the narration was definitely NOT referring to a man:

'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you:
ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones (Eze 28:12b-14).

He was a model of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. He was in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned him, ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. He was an anointed guardian (chief) angel ordained by God; he was on the holy mount of God; he walked among the fiery stones. Surely, he was NOT a man.

There are people who argue that the passage was a figurative description of King Tyre, but you can see for yourselves that even if one uses the beauty of a butterfly (just an example) as the metaphor for a man (ok, maybe a woman), the butterfly, in the first place must be, as described (with beautiful colored and patterned wings, and most elegant in its form, etc). Just as the butterfly was NOT imaginary or a fake, the creature of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, who was in the garden of Eden of God; most beautifully adorned with previous stones, anointed and ordained of God as a guardian angel, and walked on the holy mount of God, was NOT imaginary or a fake; I believe Lucifer (aka Satan) was being described.

Without going at length, the “fallen-ness” predicament, that all of men are facing, started with Lucifer; he set the precedent, and all fallen men are reckoned or counted with him, the fallen Lucifer or Satan. Lucifer fell first, and from that incidence, a precedent, demanded by holiness, kicked in. So, here, in this Ezekiel passage, King Tyre was reckoned with Satan, and so, in the lamentation by God, God spoke of the fall of Lucifer, first, before He connected it back to King Tyre (in vv 18 & 19; v20 onwards was about Sidon).

Expounding Isaiah 45:7
The phrase, “God created evil” can be seen in Isaiah 45:7.

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and CREATE EVIL: I the LORD do all these things (Isaiah 45:7, KJV).

First, I believe people should NOT read too much into the present tense used. There are those who argue, because they see the tense used was in the present form, they conclude that God did, does and continue to do evil. If we apply it to “evil” then we must apply it to “light”, “darkness” and “peace” as well. We all know that light was already created. God said, “Let there be light”, and there was light (Gen 1:3-5). Are we to think that God is making more “light” every now and then?

Second, there are those who argue that we are NOT talking about “light” as in the “light” bulb or the “light” of the sun, nor “darkness” was referring to “darkness” as in pitch black dark room with no light. Arguably, they were saying, “light” means, just to quote a catch-all word, “goodness” or “good”. If it were the case, “darkness” must mean, all the “badness”, isn’t it? The issue with this argument is this, “Whatever that is good, pure, praiseworthy, they argued, it is covered in the “good” or “light”, but moral evil, sin or wrong are argued to be NOT in the “bad” or “darkness”. Extending it to “peace” or “prosperity” or “well-being” and the many other words one can chuck into the Hebrew word, “Shalom” (H7965), and “evil” or “disaster” or “calamity” or “distress” and again the many other words one can fit into the Hebrew word, “Ra” (H7451), the proponents argued moral evil, sin or wrong CANNOT be part of what we are talking about. Not many people can stomach this, arguing that, the proponents, without support, were simply insisting God could NOT do bad things, particularly morally wrong things and sins, and so, are simply substituting less offensive or mild words into the verse while insisting that the verse was in present tense (active particle). The point is that if one insists on interpreting the verse on the basis that God cannot do bad things, then one has to back it up with scriptures to show that indeed God cannot do bad things, in other words, letting scriptures to interpret scripture.

As I have said above, the context was, God was making a revelation of Himself to Cyrus, and verses 5 & 6, before this verse 7, both have this - “there is no other (God)”. In other words, God was stressing to Cyrus, despite he did NOT acknowledge Him, there was really no other (God).

I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, (v5) so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other (v6).

So, what God wanted to say to the Persian King, Cyrus, was that he shouldn’t be believing there was another (god). It is believed that, in those days, some, in Persia, believed, the “good” was controlled by one god, and the “bad”, another. God was saying, no, there were no separate gods. The LORD was and is the only God, author of the creation; and after that, He was and still is in charge, and so, He then said verse 7 –

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things (Isaiah 45:7, KJV).

So, we have now fully understood the intent of verse 7; the question still remain as to whether or not, verse 7 was pointing to “evil” was created by God, or God was, is and will be creating “evil”.

Now, it is one thing to say that God is an author of creation, and after that, He was and still is in charge, it is another to say that God is still forming (those arguing for active participle) the light, and creating darkness, making peace, and creating evil.

As a “statement of fact” about Himself, the latter (active participle), sure did NOT fit in, as least in my understanding of God. It is like now, here we are, in the sanctuary of my church, and I pray for a sick to be healed by God, and He heals him, and, for another person nearby, God just inflicts him with a sickness; or God grants one with wisdom, and zap another’s mind and made him stupid. Similarly, God grants shalom to one, and for another, torments him with distress or disaster (all are His people or children)? Also, this interpretation makes the verse sounded like saying, “I kill people, you-know!” without qualifying that you are the death-convict executioner; you will frighten the hell out of people! I do NOT think God intended it to mean he is habitually doing all of that.

I submit to you that it was because God was saying, after creation, He was and is still in charge, and was/is the only one in charge, that the present tense was used. This means that one can simply read the verse in the past tense. One can just go a little further in the same Isaiah passage to verse 18, and find that for the same Hebrew words, such as yatsar (form), bara' (create), `asah (make, do), even with same tense guidelines given in the Strong’s Lexicon, Bible translators simply translated them in the past tense. Why? Just because they saw the presence of the words, “heavens” and “earth”!

For this is what the LORD says — he who created (bara') the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned (yatsar) and made (`asah) the earth, he founded it; he did not create (bara') it to be empty, but formed (yatsar) it to be inhabited — he says: (Isaiah 45:18).

What is my point? My point is that Isaiah 45:7 should be interpreted literally, to mean God was saying He formed the day (light), and created the night (darkness); He made peace, which was that which was agreeable to Him (divine peace means that), and created that which was NOT agreeable to Him (evil); He, the LORD, did all those things, and He was and still is in charge. It is only in the sense that all of creation is still sustained by God, that, at all, active participle tense can be said to be applying to Isaiah 45:7, but it is NOT in the sense that God is forming more light every now and then.

Yes, by the above paragraph, I have ascribed my meanings to the various key words: light, darkness, peace and evil. I have chosen the physical darkness meaning, instead of the metaphorical meaning (“bad”), for “darkness” (choshek, H2822). Accordingly, the light was also the physical light, and NOT “good”; the opposite of “light” is “darkness”.

What is shalom? Peace, yes, but when does one truly get shalom? We get shalom when we are in full agreement with God. Just think about it; was there NOT shalom when creation was done (by God); there was shalom, not just for Man but for entire creation, until Satan came along, and successfully tempted Man in the Garden of Eden. If shalom or divine peace comes with full agreement with God, then righteousness was implied. In other words, God made “righteousness” even as we said He made “peace”. What is the opposite of “righteousness”? Yes, it is “unrighteousness”. How would one describe “unrighteousness”? NOT in agreement with God; and what is that? An iniquity or disobedience or sin. When did God first create righteousness and iniquity? Was it in the Garden of Eden? No, I believe it was earlier! This is where Ezekiel 28 must be brought in.

Relevance of Ezekiel 28:15
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee (Eze 28:15, KJV).

Remember, we have, in the earlier part of this article, established that Lucifer (aka Satan) was being referred to, in this verse 15. Satan was perfect in all his ways from the day he was created, meaning Satan was created righteous.

The Godhead, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, must be in perfect agreement with one another, and therefore, each is righteous relative to one another. Righteousness, apart from that within the Godhead, without created creatures has no meaning, for righteousness is about in agreement with God; when there is no creature, there is none to agree to God. In this way, we can understand that righteousness, apart from that within the Godhead, came into being on creation of creatures by God, and since we know NOT other knowledge other than angels were created before Man, righteousness can be said to come into being with the creation of angels, and if we take the creation of Lucifer (I believe Lucifer was NOT just a chief angel, but THE chief angel) as representing the creation of angels, righteousness with God acquired meaning with the creation of Lucifer.

Now the verse said that Lucifer was perfect in his ways from the day he was created; this means that he was created righteous, and continued to be righteous, and in full agreement with God – there was no unrighteousness or no iniquity or evil ever existed. By the way, evil, ra`(H7451) of Isaiah 45:7, can mean that which is in vicious disposition against God (or God’s holiness); in simple terms, a wrong, iniquity or evil can give rise to that disposition. I am NOT saying that evil is a person or being, in the same way, we do NOT say the holiness (of God) is a person or being, but it is something so much integrated into the nature, that holiness is inseparable from God, and evil, from Satan. This evil or the term used in Ezekiel 28:15, “iniquity” (`evel, H5766; meaning unrighteousness, wrong or injustice), God said, came into being, and become inseparable from Satan, the moment Lucifer turned unrighteous against God. How did it happen, how did Lucifer turn unrighteous? Verse 17 of the same Ezekiel passage gave us the answer; God said this, of Satan:

Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings (Ezekiel 28:17).

With this understanding, righteousness and iniquity (or evil) were NOT created at the same time, although the stage was set at the same time, when free-will was given at creation by God. In a sense, it is NOT wrong to say that evil was created by God; but it did NOT come in the manner that God created the good camp, and God created the evil camp. It is NOT even the case of God created an evil angel, Satan, in the first place; when God created Satan as Lucifer, the latter was created perfect in all his ways, completely righteous. It was Satan turning from agreeing with God (righteousness), and becoming proud before God that evil was born or got created. Alright, it was relative to holiness of God that evil was of meaning, and so, it was also NOT wrong to say that it was the very opposition to God’s very nature that created evil. But was God to be blamed for His very nature, and decision to grant free-will to His creatures? I do NOT blame God for that, do you? Is God morally culpable if a man abuse his choice? Or would you rather be a robot?

Even as God was speaking to Cyrus, who was going to be raised by Him as a redeemer, a kind of shadow Messiah (Isaiah 44:28 – 45:1), God was probably remembering how iniquity entered his creation in the first place, for these verses, subsequent to Isaiah 45:7, were so pointing to the circumstance of how Lucifer fell:

8 “You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it. 9 “Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd {pottery piece (fragment)} among the potsherds {pottery pieces} on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’? (Isaiah 45:8-9).

It was unrighteousness that brought about the creation of iniquity or evil, and it was Lucifer NOT wanting to do as God desired, “quarrelling with his Maker”, that iniquity or evil was given life through Satan. Here, God was expressing his desire even as He was “commissioning” Cyrus to be His redeemer. God was lamenting on those who had gone astray. God’s prescription was righteousness; righteousness to rain down from heavens, righteousness to grow on earth; salvation could only come through that. God’s warning was the same, quarrel NOT with your Maker, God Himself, agree with Him, and agree to His ways. He is God, we are His creation, He is the potter, we are the clay; we do NOT go against His wishes, thinking that we know better. That would be pride and that would corrupt any wisdom that we might have, and we would be guilty of the same that Lucifer was guilty of.

Conclusion
1. Can this NIV version of Isaiah 45:7 – “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things,” be allowed to stand? If you subscribe to this (including it being in the present tense), you have to be sure in yourself, that despite God’s creating darkness and disasters against you, He still has your best interest at heart. You have to believe those darkness and disasters (against you) are for a good reason. There are scriptures, and some are scattered all over in this article, that give us assurances of God’s goodness towards His children.

2. In any case, Isaiah 45:7 should NOT be taken to mean God is going round doing good AND bad; granting peace AND creating disaster to His children. Please do NOT use this verse to support good and evil that we are experiencing are ALL coming from God.

3. Isaiah 45:7 was meant to say to Cyrus that there was no other god, beside the LORD; there were no separate gods for the good and the bad (Please, Satan is NOT a god, he is a spiritual being, a fallen angel, but NOT a god). Creation was by the LORD, and He is still in charge. And so, very simply, ONE way of interpreting Isaiah 45:7 was to say that God formed the day (light) and created the night (darkness), and He created with shalom given through righteousness, and He created evil through lapse of righteousness, on exercise of free-will, on the part of His creation.

4. Ezekiel 28:15 clarified that God indeed created Satan righteous (and other angels and Man, too). Evil or Iniquity (I prefer to capitalize the “i” to differentiate it from subsequent mere iniquities or wrongs) was created with Satan refusing to agree with God’s wishes. Pride and the consequent corrupted wisdom became the downfall of Satan (Eze 28:17). Evil was given life in Satan (and in Man, with the Fall of Man). – this is the important thing to take away with this article.

5. The creation of evil by God was NOT a direct one. Evil or Iniquity became found in Satan, on his first going against the desire of God (Eze 28:15, 17). Evil or Iniquity also got “ingrained” into Man when Man similarly, first, went against the wish of God, by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, on the instigation of the fallen Lucifer or Satan.

6. Now, it is true that, just as holiness is the very nature of God, evil had become the very nature of Satan. What Satan had done subsequently was he had replicated the evil nature of his, into Man, at the Garden of Eden. The unregenerate man is therefore counted or reckoned with Satan.

7. Therefore, if at all, God could be said to have created evil, it was when Lucifer fell; even then, I will argue that God did NO evil. God NEVER do evil, NOT so much as the definition of evil is relative to God, but indeed God is good, and is good all the time. What this means is that His thoughts and actions towards us are NEVER evil; the KJV version of Jer 29:11 said it well - For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Some more scriptures to show indeed God is NOT evil, are given at my sign-off below) We may NOT understand some of the things that happened to us, but that does NOT mean that God intended evil for us, his children. Frankly speaking, many of us do NOT know what is important to us, but the Lord does, and it is NOT even necessarily tied to this earthly life. We often have limited knowledge and understanding of the good intentions of God.

8. Judgments and chastisements of God are NOT evil in the eyes of God. If you cannot accept that, it is most likely that you may think that God can be evil at times. Lam 3:33 said that God does NOT inflict willingly. Please seek to accept that.

9. Can God use evil? Yes, God can use anything under the sun, on earth, above the sky, under the seas or in Heaven. God can use evil spirits, evil or wicked people, even bad things, but for His children, He uses them only according to Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

10.Ultimately, God is holy; this means that evil is opposed to God, and one cannot expect God’s longsuffering to continue for all eternity. A time will come when judgment is made, and those failing to pass the judgment will have to live apart from God, in the burning lake of fire in Hell, where Satan, and all those reckoned or counted with him will go.


Anthony Chia, high.expressions – God is holy (Rev 4:8; Isa 6:3); He is NOT evil; there is NO evil whatsoever in Him (Ps 5:4); He cannot think evil or act evil (Job 34:10, Ps 89:14a {NIV},Deu 32:4); He may make use of evil but He uses it for our good, never evil; evil cannot even tempt God (Jas 1:13); He chastises, but it is NOT evil, BUT there is eventually a punishment-in-finality from His righteous judgment, and we have to face that. We are to live our lives to pass that final judgment if we indeed do love our God, in return, for He already first loved us.

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Sickness, good? Nay

In my separate article, “Sickness and God”, I expounded on my understanding on, whether or not, sickness is from God, and expressed that, the stand to take is this:

“Sickness can be from God {as in, it can be possible}, but ALMOST ALWAYS, sickness is NOT from God.” Or

“Sickness GENERALLY does NOT come from God. If you are sick, and if God does NOT answer you, saying the sickness you are suffering, is from Him, you can take it that it is NOT from Him.”

This being the case, can sickness be good? How come there are Christians attributing goodness to sickness?

Distinction between true and truth!
Was Miriam, Moses’ sister, made leprous by God? Yes, that was true. Does that mean that sickness comes from God? No, to say whether or not, sickness is coming from God is stating a matter of truth; and it is NOT truth that sickness comes from God. God chastises His children is a truth. God chastises with sickness is NOT truth, but God chastises with sickness sometimes, is true. A truth is always true, but a true incident does not make a truth. God is good, is a truth, and it is always true; and because of that, God’s chastisement is good, is a truth, a chastisement by God, with sickness, is good, is also a truth. But sickness is good, is NOT truth.

Look beyond what is used
Is “sickness, as chastisement (from God), is good”, a truth? No! The chastisement is good, but sickness is NOT good! God uses something, NOT good, to bring about good; God uses sickness, something NOT good, to bring about a good.

Romans 8:28 says, in all things, God works them for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. The “all things” here, obviously included good things, neutral things, and bad things as well!

Also, we read in 1 Cor 1:27-29, these:

27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. (1 Cor 1:27-29)

There are many examples of such actions of God in Scripture; God used a piece of wood to make water drinkable in the desert (Ex 15:22-25), a prostitute (she lied) to save Israelite spies in Jericho, a little shepherd boy with a sling to slain a giant, even Satan to inflict Job, etc. Did God use sickness on His children before? Yes (some examples are in the article, “Sickness and God”). Can God use sickness on present day Christians? Yes. Must He use sickness? No.

Well, a piece of wood is neutral, but we did NOT read of God saying prostitution or lie is good, or boy better than man (suggesting we stay as a boy, and NOT grow up) or Satan is good; No, no way. Sickness itself is NOT good, it is bad. We should call a spade, a spade. So, sickness is NOT good, and we say sickness is NOT good. We should NOT go round, saying sickness is NOT bad; chastisement of God is NOT bad; it is good, but NOT sickness! We should be very clear in our mind on this.

Inflict and allow, NOT the same
In the article, “Sickness and God”, the discussion was confined to direct infliction of sickness by God on an individual. Now, if I am overseeing a couple of kids in a room, and I take out a knife and thrust it into the tummy of one of the kids, it means I inflict the kid with a knife. But, if I see a kid taking a knife and wanting to thrust it into the tummy of another kid, and I do NOT stop the former, I am allowing the infliction to take place. Still, I did NOT inflict, the kid did. Now, in the sense that God is omnipresence and omniscient, we can say that He allows everything that goes on, to go on - He is omnipotent, all powerful, if He wants to stop or prevent anything, He can. But we do NOT say God inflicted it or caused it, when He merely did NOT intervene in what was going on.

So, almost always, when someone is sick, it is NOT that God inflicted him with sickness, but it is God allowed it; He did NOT intervene to prevent it or stop it. What is allowed to happen, taken to the broadest dimension, included everything under the sun, so to speak, and therefore, we really cannot say, since it (sickness) happened, it is allowed by God, and since God allowed it, it (sickness) MUST be good, since God is good, is correct. Please, what He does NOT intervene, and so it happens, does NOT mean it is good, be it sickness, accident or calamity, it is NOT necessarily the will of God.

OK, but what if He inflicted it?
First, God is NOT a lunatic (and that is a truth), and so, He does NOT, for no realm or reason, inflict His children. From the article on “Sickness and God”, we know, almost always, sickness if inflicted by God, it was for chastisement, and chastisement is either to reform or punish. Whether it is to reform, or to punish (punish itself, can be argued still further, to reform, or punish, in finality, as in physical death {man’s perspective, no reform possible when one is dead}, or eternal death {God’s perspective, punishment-in-finality – be thrown into the burning fire of Hell}), punishment itself, is NOT good, be it sickness or 13 strokes of the cane. God’s reforming us is good, but sickness is NOT good; 13 strokes of the cane are NOT good, either!

Do you ever wonder why we pray?
How many people’s lives are contorted because someone carelessly said, the bad thing that happened to them was the intended will of God (just because it happened, and is equated to God’s intending it)? If we tell a kid of 6 years old, whose his father has just died of a tragic road accident or cancer, that, it is all the will of God, we are going to distort the image of God in the heart of that kid terribly; he probably hates God for a long time, if not, for life!

If your thinking is this, “If a bad thing happened to us, that it happened, it meant God intended it or inflicted it, and so, it MUST be good, for God is good”, why do you pray? You might as well NOT pray, for based on the logic, NOT praying is good, for, purportedly, it is in line with the will of God. It is, by NOT confusing the “bad thing”, whether it is sickness or accident, with the chastisement of God, that, we can lift up any meaningful prayer to God. We thank God IN our hard circumstances, we do NOT thank God FOR our hard circumstances – think about that, there is a difference! (The common rendering of Eph 5:20 as “giving thanks always FOR all things …” is NOT quite the correct rendering, even though I am NOT expounding it here).

Sickness, NOT a gift from God
Suppose you are sick, and let’s say for a moment, your sickness was directly inflicted by God, do you say, “Thank you God, for this sickness; what you give me must be good, so I shall not ‘complain’ about this sickness, but love it, because it is from you.”? No, do NOT confuse sickness or any other bad thing as a gift from God. Scripture said that a gift from God is always good. Sickness is NOT good; it is NOT a gift from God. A gift from God is always something good God gives you without you meriting it (or having worked for it); so how can sickness be a gift, do NOT thank God for the sickness; thank God for chastising you.

For Rev 21:4, many interpret it to say there is no sickness in Heaven, why? It is NOT written in there as such, but by “like association” we believe sickness was included there. What is the “like association” there? In brief, it is the “NOT being good or NOT good”; sickness gives rise to pain, sorrow, crying, even death, these elements were all listed there in the verse.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away (Rev 21:4, KJV).

If at all, sickness is inflicted to you by God to reform you, do you think the purpose is so that you settle into the pain, sorrow, and crying all the time? Such an infliction, is the case, only in punishment-in-finality, but we are NOT there yet, we are NOT at the End Time judgment.

If it is not punishment-in-finality, how should we view it?
Sickness as punishment (rather than reformation) was already rare in Old Testament time (there were, you can read from the article, “Sickness and God”, but few); it, in New Testament time, would be even rarer, for New Testament era is the era of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:19). So, if it were to reform you, you are NOT to settle into your pain and sorrow, and thank God for it, rather you are to seek God concerning the reformation; be reformed, and be willing to seek the Lord to heal you. Do NOT settle into your sickness (do NOT acquiesce to sickness), that does NOT glorify God at all (but of course, we are talking about the rare instance of you, if ever, been inflicted by God as chastisement).

Case of sickness NOT from God (which is almost always, the case)
If you are sick, and if you think your sickness is inflicted by God, pray, and ask Him. When that is done sufficiently, and He does NOT answer you that your sickness is from Him, you just take it that it is NOT from Him, and when it is NOT from Him, of course, you can ask Him to intervene, and to remove the sickness from you.

A basis for asking
The redemptive works of Jesus did include (apart from spiritual and works redemptions) a physical redemption or redemption of the body, albeit NOT necessarily both immediately full and effectual (Those desiring understanding in the redemptive works of Jesus, can read my separate article, “The works of redemption by our Lord”).

Even though Jesus had NOT come to do away with the secondary punishments on Man nor to grant eternality to our CURRENT physical body, while He has become the propitiation for sins for all men, He has also demonstratively announced through His workings of signs and wonders and miracles, including healings and deliverances, that God does care about the earthly living of His people, including if they are in afflictions, whether in sicknesses or otherwise.

FULL redemption of the body, although, will NOT manifest in this earthly life, we can still ask for God to bless our body and heal our sicknesses. Although God has NOT made any UNCONDITIONAL promises, ensuring our good health and long life, we can still ask God to heal us and grant us long life, as we live out the redemption that He is doing in our lives; only perhaps, we should ask ourselves what we are doing with our lives and bodies, which are no longer ours (1 Cor 6:19-20).

Sickness, glorifying God? No
This is clear to me:

1. We do NOT glorify God, when a sickness is NOT from Him, and we say it is.

2. We do NOT glorify God, when we thank Him for any sickness (whether from Him or NOT).

3. We do NOT glorify God, when we settle into the sickness if indeed (rare) He inflicted the sickness.

4. Any infliction of sickness on us (unless we are God’s enemy), does NOT glorify God; His healing of us, after our reformation, does, when we are a testimony to His healing.

5. That we are sick does NOT glorify God, but His healing of us does, when we are a testimony to His healing.

It is a misconception to regard sickness as bringing glory to God (unless the afflicted is God’s enemy!). People misinterpret such Scripture passages like John 9:1-3 – Jesus healed man, blind from birth, and John 11:3-4 – Lazarus’ sickness.

Firstly, nowhere in these NT passages on sickness and healing, was there mentioned God inflicted the sicknesses to the individuals, at best, the sicknesses were allowed to happen in the individuals; at best, the sicknesses provided the opportunities for God to glorify Himself. God is good, and therefore, CANNOT be a sadist. Secondly, since the sicknesses were NOT inflicted by God directly, what credit or glory could there be had, for God, in they being sick or remain in sickness? None. Rather, it is their healings by the power of God that brought glory to God, when they became testimonies of God’s divine healing (Luke 5:24-26, Luke 13:12-17, Luke 18:35-43, Acts 4:21-22).

Perseverance in sickness, doesn’t that glorify God?
What about perseverance in sickness; does it NOT glorify God? Sure, perseverance, longsuffering or patience is a fruit of the Spirit which we are to bear, and that is a good thing, and does glorify God, but it is the perseverance that glorified God, NOT sickness. As a fruit, perseverance is to be developed over a believer’s experiences of all sorts, including trials, crises, hunger, and persecutions, etc. It is how the believer carries himself and handles things in all such circumstances of life that determine whether or NOT he glorifies the Lord; it is NOT any of those circumstances themselves glorifying God. For example, persecutions of Christians, is NOT good, it does NOT glorify God when wicked men chopped off the hands and legs of Christians. Do stricken poverty and hunger glorify God? Of course, not. Just as we do NOT welcome persecutions, and the rest, we do NOT welcome sicknesses; we should want to come out of persecutions, and likewise, sicknesses. If we can function still in our persecutions or sicknesses, imagine how much more we can move towards works redemption, the Lord is working in us, when persecutions and sicknesses are lifted. A relevant question to ask ourselves is, “Will we do more, when we are no more afflicted?”

[Added 31 May 2011: There is a valid point that persecution and sickness are to be handled differently. Still I do not think it is right to tell people to welcome persecution, but if it does befall you, you have to face it with a different attitude to that of facing sickness. Very briefly, for sickness, the Apostle James' call reflected the attitude:

14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; (James 5:14-15a)

For sufferings for Christ or the Gospel, we are to persevere and rejoice:

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Peter 4:12-14)

Other scriptures on sufferrings from persecution, saying of the same attitude, included Col 1:24 (of Paul's suffering for the Gospel),Matt 5:11-13 (of believers, because of Christ), Rom 5:3-4 (produces perseverance, character and hope).]


Anthony Chia, high.expressions – Sure, God, IN all things, including bad ones, works them for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose, but we do NOT thank God FOR the bad things, we thank Him for working them for our good. We thank God IN all things, we do NOT thank God FOR all things, for NOT all things are gifts of God! {Over and above all things, be thankful always, to God the Father, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ (Eph 5:20) – this is the proper rendering for this verse}.

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