The Untrue Gospel

Late yesterday evening, I had a chat with a couple of friends about bible teachings and the misinterpretation flooding many churches today. If there is one thing most african churches are famous for, it is the prosperity gospel. After that discussion, I was inspired to share my thoughts on certain beliefs born-again christians harbour in their hearts that are untrue.

• The 'time-limited, cash-limited blessing' Gospel: I have been shocked beyond redemption at a few churches where the pastor announced the need for a 'timely donation'; I call it that because this donation has to be done within a matter of seconds. In a particular church in London, a pastor called out for donations of 500 british pounds from 10 people, to receive a huge blessing in a week's time. More than 10 people rushed out! 250 pounds followed and the amount decreased until it was lowered to 50 pounds. By then, the podium was filled with people eagerly waitingg to receive God's blessings in one, two, three or four weeks, depending on the amount they donated. Dear christian, Jesus never said your blessing is directly proportional to the amount you give X the time you give it. In other words, blessing is not equal to amount x number of seconds it takes to rush forward to give it. Giving to God should come from your heart as a show of appreciation of what he has done for you. God doesn't need your money to beautify His home. He is not a minister giving out contraacts on a 'first come, first serve' basis. He is God and He will bless whoever he wishes to bless; all you have to do is make your ways pleasing to Him. 

• The 'Healing' Gospel: This is one that is very controversial amongst staunch christians. Many will not dare step in a hospital for a check up even if something indescribable is bulging out of their necks; some do not allow for blood transfusion for family members losing blood, nor do they allow for any form of surgery because, according to them, it is against God's law. can someone please show me where that is in the bible because i am yet to come across it. Jesus did not at any point tell us not to go to hospitals; knowledge and wisdom come from God; without them, we wouldn't have doctors equipped intellectually to save lives. Stop punishing your self unnecessarily. If you have a persistent headache, go see a doctor. Jesus won't ask satan to build you a house in hell fire for seeing a doctor. Whoever says healing through the hands of a doctor is incomplete has never walked the silent halls of an Intensive Care Unit where many family members gather around their loved ones, unable to speak but hoping God would hear the prayers in their hearts. There are more sincere prayers in the halls of hospitals than there are in most churches on sundays! 

• The Denial Gospel: It seems churches these days are into promoting denial rather than acceptaing and facing adverse circumstances. They believe saying what's actually wrong with you is a negative confession that will quickly be established by the demons lurking around. When we have a headache, we refuse to accept it, when our finances are in the red, we refuse to admit it, when things are tough, we don't like to admit it and think of ways to handle the situation. Instead, we carry on in denial "Life is great" "I'm rich", "i have nothing to worry about". OK, I believe you are trying to express your faith but please be aware that the expression of faith should not open the floodgates of denial and avoidance of responsibility. Faith is believing God will calm the raging storm; it is not acting like there is no storm at all! I once read a funny encounter by a lady who had entered an elevator and asked if the occupant was going down; the occupant belligerently declared for all to hear "I'm not going down in Jesus name!!!" That had me rolling on the floor with laughter. Hilarious much! 

• The No- Suffering Gospel: "Christians are not made to suffer!" "Christians must prosper!" "If you are suffering, you are not serving God!" PAUSE..... Where on earth did this come from? Yes! We serve a LIVING GOD that can do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine but did he tell us we will have no trials? NO! If anything at all, we were warned in John 16:33 but we were also assured in the same verse that our God has overcome the world! Even in 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul made it clear that God will not let us be tempted beyond our ability. He did not say we won't be tempted. Sometimes, 'suffering' is a way of God trying to teach you, to mould you into the kind of person he wants so when your blessings come, you'll be able to handle it. When times are tough, don't go and crucify yourself because you believe you have fallen out of grace. Glorify God through it and put the devil to shame!