HOW would you relate with God the Father and Creator if He wasn’t sincere and God of integrity? Surely God Jehovah is dependable, trustworthy and faithful. Would you appeal to Him if He is the author of good and evil? Imagine if He would answer you by disaster after asking for peace! It is, therefore, logical that, God has attributes that humanity can relate with Him and appeal to Him in confidence and assurance of good treatment. Remember we want to establish if it is God who sent COVID-19.
devotion column:Erasmus Makarimayi
Before I delve much and deeper into the question at hand, let me clear off religious errors and misrepresentation of God. I think you have heard believers asking God to intervene in their circumstances. Songs to this effect have been produced. God does not have to intervene in the affairs of believers because He lives and abides in them. He is aware of everything because He is omniscient or all knowing. Oftentimes believers gather for church service and start praying by asking for God or the Holy Spirit to come down and be with them. Where will He be rushing from to come to you? Hear the words of Jesus in John 14:20, “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” The writer of Hebrews buttresses in 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Please be sober and diligent.
I make a special plea to musicians who want to sing Gospel music to be knowledgeable of the Gospel of Christ. By virtue of the power and influence of music, you would not want to misreprent God and mislead. There are so many songs that are labelled as Gospel which have nothing to do with Gospel music. I ask you again please, please don’t defile the Gospel of Christ. Please check my writings on this platform on this subject to understand what really is Gospel music. You probably have heard people using Job to wrongly establish that God kills. Job 1:21 reads, “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Surely God isn’t a murderer. Please remember the words of Jesus in John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” God is a life giver.
Still on Job, a verse down, the Bible clarifies in Job 1:22, “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” We are careful not to be foolish concerning His Word. Furthermore Job Himself confesses in Job 42:5 (Message Bible), “I admit I once lived by rumours of you; now I have it all firsthand — from my own eyes and ears!” While I and preachers present the Gospel, God or more clearly God in Christ isn’t heresy or rumour, but a revelation. Matthew 16:16-17 record, “[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. [17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” May I make a special appeal to those intending to preach the Gospel. If you don’t have the revelation, please don’t hurry yourself, get guidance and counsel.
We also have to be clear that we are now under the New Covenant, a subject that I have extensively written on on this platform. For the difference between the Old Testament and New Testament, please consider Apostle Paul’s instruction to Timothy seriously in 2 Timothy 2:15 (New International Version), “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” The Gospel of Christ has to be handled carefully or rightly divided. To those who struggle with the dividing line, let us look at Hebrews. Hebrews 1:1-3 (Amplified) state, “[1] In many separate revelations (each of which set forth a portion of the Truth) and in different ways God spoke of old to (our) forefathers in and by the prophets, [2] (But) in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time (He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order] [3] He is the sole expression of the glory of God (the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine), and He is the perfect imprint and very image of (God’s)nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down on the right hand of the divine Majesty on high,” Please take note that the prophets had portions and not the entirety or fullness of truth. The full revelation of God is Christ. Theologically and doctrinally, we cannot build sound biblical teaching on portions of truth, but the whole truth. Please chew this, I am back in the next instalment.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
