God Is Not Wicked

God is not responsible for the sufferings in the world (Psalm 145:9); Satan is the oppressor and Jesus is the Saviour (Acts 10:38). The natural laws were set aside by Jesus to bless humanity, and God is not the author of such problems (1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 25:8; 100:5). Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not afflict people (Luke 4:18-21). All authority was given to Jesus and then delegated to us so we can rule our world and deal with the devil (Luke 10:19). We have the ability to handle it, and blaming God shows ignorance of His plans for us.

According to 2 Corinthians 5:20, we are God's ambassadors and therefore gods. Psalm 82:5 shows that those who do not understand their identity as gods are walking in darkness and causing the foundations of society to shake. However, we do not have to suffer needlessly like ordinary men because Christianity is not a religion, but the life of God at work in man. Satan and his cohorts respond to our words, and we have the authority to put them under our feet because there is no authority except from God. We should not attribute evil acts to God, who is pure light and does not socialize with the wicked (Psalm 5:4). The devil's objective is to keep people in darkness, but Jesus came to give light and deliver them from bondage. Some people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19).

In John 8:1-11, Jesus confronted a group of people who were about to stone a woman caught in adultery. He challenged them, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." After they left, he forgave the woman and told her to go and sin no more. This story illustrates that God looks at the heart, not just appearances.

Similarly, in 1 Samuel 16:7, when Samuel was sent to anoint the future king of Israel, God rejected the physically impressive Eliab and chose the youngest and smallest, David, because He looks at the heart.

In Mark 7:1-23, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their emphasis on outward appearances and man-made traditions, and explained that it is the thoughts and actions of the heart that defile a person.

What defiles a person comes from their heart, not what they consume. God is concerned about our spirit. Jesus revealed secrets and had enemies. The law shows us our guilt and sin, but faith in Jesus justifies us. All have sinned and fall short of God's glory, but we are justified by grace through Christ's redemption. We cannot boast in works but only in faith. Through Christ, God offers mercy and salvation. Hallelujah! (Romans 3:19-28)

Without accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a person remains a sinner. The law shows us that we cannot earn righteousness on our own; our works are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). We are saved by grace alone. As the Apostle Paul said, trying to please God through the law did not work, but identifying with Christ and living by faith in Him brings true righteousness (Galatians 2:19-21). Through faith, we become God's children and share in the blessings of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14). Jesus came to redeem us from the curse of the law and to save and heal us. Those who walk in darkness should come to the light of Jesus. Saul, who persecuted the followers of Jesus, was converted after encountering Him on the road to Damascus (Acts 26:9-18).

The Lord associates Himself with man, and through Paul's conversion, He demonstrated that even those who once persecuted Christians can be saved. As Acts 17:28 states, in Him we live and move and have our being, and we are also His offspring. We have been forgiven and sanctified by our faith in Christ, which allows us to partake in divine life, according to Colossians 1:12. As believers, we are tasked with spreading the Gospel and bringing people to the light, just as God commanded the light to shine out of darkness (2 Corinthians 4:6). We are the lights of the world and children of light (Matthew 5:14).

Through Christ's resurrection, we have been born again into a lively hope, and the law of the Spirit of life is at work in us. The Gospel is the Good News that God is no longer angry at anyone and is inviting them to come and enjoy life in Christ (Matthew 11:28). We are to shun the barren pursuits of darkness and expose them for what they are. We have been called out of darkness into His marvelous light and delivered from the power of darkness. As Christians, we will face problems, but through Christ, we will live as kings in life.