By Zethu Zwane
Is God evil? I want to use failing at my calling to remind you that God is not evil. Instead we have free will and this free can be used for good and evil. Read this article on why you should seperate the actions of people from God. God did not make any of us puppets, meaning that your self will and actions including bullies and oppressors is just that; the actions of people. God is Holy Love and here’s why
I can’t escape this sentiment because I understand wholefully. Back when I didn’t have a personal relationship with God, it always angered me when experiencing harsh Christains. I’ve stood in a room with Christians who pray “Lord the economy is bad,” meaning the week was going to be bad.
Whenever they prayed this we knew that week we’d be kicked, punched, shoved, stepped on and spat on. I want to say with the utmost confidence those Christians are falling short of God’s Holiness. Yet this article is to show even in our unkindness, God judges, reprimands and saves those who choose Him.
Say to rebellious Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough of your detestable practices, people of Israel!
Ezekiel 44:6 NIV
I want to use my failure to demonstrate each decision was devoid God. Failing to choose God above all else shows that whenever you experience the worst in a Christian, you’re witnessing the person acting outside of God’s will. Their behaviour is a reflection of the areas that Jesus still has to heal within them.
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Acting on self will and quiting my calling
When I quit my calling to shield people, did you know people called me for a month asking me to protect them again? And adamantly following my own emotions, I repeatedly said no. They didn’t have the tools, resources and answers I had and yet I said no.
If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.
Proverbs 28:9 NIV
It’s important for me to highlight this failure because this act of selfishness is a SINGLE ACTION. Please allow me to repeat. My decision to stop protecting that group of people was a single decision devoid of God and had absolutely nothing to do with God.
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV
God is not evil; the choice I made was as wicked as the oppressive group I was confronting. Let’s call a spade a spade. It’s easy to justify my actions, but as long as it’s the same as theives, murderers in that it reflects darkness then we were the same. So far are you okay, or do you want me to list reasons why my betrayal doesn’t include God?
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
Jonah 1:2 NIV
Why my unkindness did not reflect God
- I magnified the spiritual warfare and not the tools, testimonies and shields God provided.
- I magnified the rejection due to my accent instead of accepting how God has equipped me to be successful regardless of social discrimination
- I magnified the abandonment as opposed to remembering those quiet moments when God covered me with holy spirit before bad news. You know there were times when the bullying intensified, but the holy spirit carried me in a cloud like blanket. Regardless of the peace and protection, with I quit.
- I chose to resent that I was shielding people who rejected me as the oppposition. In the Bible, God instructs you to ignore the opposition and the storm around you.
- I resented that I fought only to provide for them and gained nothing. Listen, at that point I had done this for a bit, and became tired. I chose to magnify my weariness and not the holy assistance God sent.
- I didn’t want to acknowledge the presence of God defending me, so I that I could shield others.
- I stopped acknowledging and accepting the power of God even when He came with such great force sweeping every oppressive move aside. There were odds mounting against me, yet God swept them away like a roaring flood. Still I chose to leave.
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Jonah 1:3 NIV
My selfishness is not God’s character
Tell me where is God in my decision? Did I say “God made me leave,” or did I say “God made me reject their cries? ” There’s nothing about God in my decision to leave others. God called me to bring hope by shielding people, and I chose myself. No matter the bullying, choosing yourself is rejecting God. Hope is about the community and you even if they reject you. God says anchor yourself in Him.
All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
Jonah 1:5-6 NIV
It’s moments like this when pastors in church say don’t look at the opposition around you. Don’t focus on your history of abandonment, failings or rejection; turn and banner around the Lord God Almighty. Banner around Jehovah Nissi. When you move away from your past hurts, you will remove disbelief and disobedience. See how we’re not puppets?
The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5 NIV
Again let’s call a spade a spade. How many can say they’ve failed Gid because they wanted to be accepted more than defend God’s will. It’s easier to reject the power of God when you’re outwardly suffering, but inwardly winning and seeing His glory.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
John 15:18-19 NIV
Part of your journey is realizing the power of God. Only then can you choose God regardless of the odds against you. Sometimes thes wounds of unkindness remind you why God is the best way.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7 NIV
The outwardly suffering is so crucial because outwardly the odds always looked like it’s over for me, yet angels upon protection came as a flood. You can read my internal struggles on why I quit, but today please recognize that anything evil, selfish, oppressive is devoid of God. That means any Christain who acts unkind is acting alone and God is no where near their filth.
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 NIV
I know God meets you in your brokenness, but for the sake of those who think God is evil, I want to emphasize that a person’s unkind actions is not God. You know what devoid is; it’s like outer space that is an endless darkness. Three months later, I realised my greatest failure. I carried that shame and guilt until God granted me the opportunity to see what He was doing when He first called me.
God is Holy and nothing else
I won’t talk about that today because I feel responsible to defend the God who defended me even when I ended up like Jonah! Like some of you, I’ve met Christians who pray before bullying you. I’ve met Christians who pray before stealing.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 NIV
I’ve met Christians who beat their wives and go to church. I’ve met Christians who have affairs; all this actions are rejecting God’s Holiness. Yet when you hold onto unforgivenss, competitiveness or resentment then you’re just like them. The Bible says you’re the same as the adulterer.
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
John 3:20 NIV
All this malice and bad behaviour is rejecting God. A lovely woman of God asked me to read John again, and I saw something different. John says people usually label criminals as the worst. Murderers and rapists are the scum of the earth and deserve hell. However God judges unforgiveness and unkindness with the same measure.
The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices.
Ezekiel 23:36 NIV
Unkindness is all the same to God
Similarly when ever anyone acts out of selfish ambition or unkindness, John would count their actions as rejecting God; they were without Christ’s light. We all need a harsh reality check because we’re not puppets. Own every failure in order to walk truthfully in light.
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Revelation 3:16-17 NIV
If you are unforgiving, resentful, competitive, oppressing your neighbour or those beneath you, you’re rejecting God. And if you don’t repent and change, God says there will come a time when you reach heaven and God will spit you out. God will not know you, and you will stay in darkness. My failures reflect all the areas I still needed to give God. That being said, will you seperate what people do from God’s character.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 7:21-23 NIV
God has nothing to do with “Lipstick wars,” we see in the workplace. How can a God who hates what is evil be the same reason for self will, or any oppressive and filthy action on this earth? I can’t speak for what you define as egregious acts of humanity. God loves and judges us all.
God is Holy Love and patient
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 NIV
He’s also patient with your changing, but He will reprimand you when you don’t change. Count yourself blessed when God disciplines you because that means He still has a plan for you. Look at 1st Samuel, 2nd Samuel, 1st Kings and 2nd Kings; isn’t God pressings against His people.
He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.
2 Kings 21:2 NIV
God sent so many warnings in the form of plagues or Prophets to move people away from their darkness? Take a look at the Pharisees; they hid Jesus grave even after a soldier reported that an angel had rolled away the rock and Jesus was gone. That’s all human behavior. Why didn’t they feel bad for killing God.
When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.
Matthew 28:12-13 NIV
They didn’t repent; yet praise God for capturing Saul’s heart and turning him into Paul. Saul laid down his past as a Pharisee. Then he preached the gospel and saved many gentiles. God doesn’t want what’s evil, so He does respond to injustice of all kinds.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
Acts 22:7 NIV
Due to God’s Holy Love, He’s also created a redemptive journey for each of us; including those with unforgivable actions. It’s just up to you whether you act like the Pharisee or turn away from what’s detestable in God’s eyes.
Although you reject God, He still loves you
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
Matthew 28:2-4 NIV
It’s out of love, His mercy and forgiveness that I’ve started the series God is Holy. This series describes His core nature; Holy Love, Holy Peace and so much more. I wanted to thank God that He saved me, forgave me and chose me to continue this calling. God is faithful even when we’re not.
Later on I wanted to retrace why I failed my calling, but when I hear that God is evil because of a Christian’s actions, I must defend God. He has been nothing but good and holy love toward you and those who disappoint you.
The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.
Psalms 11:5 NIV
Now to answer about devastation that happens as a result of oppressive places. I can only say from my testimony. I can’t speak for some of the heartbreaking stories we see across the world, but let me use this example to illustrate.
Before anything people will disappoint you
Recently there was a fortune teller shop that opened. Let’s say there’s a family that goes to this fortune teller. In that family are 2 Christains and a idol wroshippers. You know there’s plenty of times when God warns them that this path will lead to death.
“ ‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 19:31 NIV
In another Bible verse, it says because some of you are lovers of money, and as a result you will go down paths and stab yourself with disappoints. I want to emphasize this “stab yourself,” showing God is not in those decisions. Before we can even bring in the devil, there’s your heart.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:10 NIV
From your heart flows everything evil. That means when the family sees that their lives are becoming destructive, they still choose the fortuneteller. They refused to see God’s warnings. They refused to see that the plans lead to death, continues running like a blind fly swarming around rotting meat.
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
Titus 1:16 NIV
Were you born to eat rotting meat that spews worms and maggots? Then why continue walking down that path of death? Now this family instead of seeing God’s warnings, ram into a wall of deceit, lies and pain. They refuse to turn back even with the countless warnings. Worst yet is God sends someone, but that person as opposed to acknowledging and accepting God’s protection runs away. They exclaim;”Why should I help them when they fight back.”
“Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!
Ezekiel 14:6 NIV
God’s is searching
God is not only looking for people He will equip, He needs people who’ll also accept His authority. In the bible there’s over 3,000 people who were called and a third of them failed to reach the end. This shows how sensitive the christain life. It shows how sensitive the Christain walk.
Truthfully there’s still people, even after they fall, only want God for His good gifts. Who has chosen God just for His name and authority. Who has solely chosen God to praise and worship Him? We all fall short, still He loves us unconditionally.
Can I share that I was shielded by three people? My second shield said to me they saw the tears in my eyes and were taken 20 years back. Those years they prayed to stand up for someone, so that person never goes through what that superior went through. My second shield did this for me and that person defended me countless times.
Sometimes the best way to learn that God is Good is failure and seeing the amazing works of people. We all need that reminder that without God, the worst is more chaoctic. God is also more than your own understanding or feelings. This was true for me when God warned me not to leave; I received a quiet warning not to leave my position. Yet I chose to save myself.
Journey to change is not linear
I believe those people who bully, oppress, steal, lie and harbour unforgiveness are blind to seeing warning signs. God’s voice is quiet, and I’ve realised God doesn’t always repeat Himself. If you have the faith and trust, you wouldn’t second guess Him. It takes breaking away from certain beliefs to see Christ. Conversely the bible says that you’ve got viels over your heart and mind.
Similarly those bullies and oppressors have veils over their eyes preventing them from seeing their unkindness I’ve had bullies who for a split second looked at me like a human as opposed to someone to bully. Those split seconds count more than selfishness, unforgiveness or oppression. Those seconds is where you can turn to God as opposed to your beliefs.
This is the same for those who don’t repent. I want to apologise to you if you’ve experienced Christians who are blind and walking toward death. However, by not repenting and changing they’re showing everything that is wrong with the world. They do not have Christ in them.
Will you believe in God’s Holy nature?
Let me emphasise again; anything that is wrong is not from God. That person can walk into church only to realise they’re walking in darkness. And I pray they see their darkness now and not later. Yet this world is complicated. I love watching different cultural shows like K-dramas, South Africa and America dramas. I realised that we all tell God what to do about our evilness.
We justify why we’re unforgiving. We justify why we are bully oppress or gossip. We make gossip sound like wise words when it’s honestly an excuse to belittle someone. We cheat people of money, cheat the government and cheat small to big businesses. I watched this lady get sued by a big business for copyrighting. She claimed that she was the victim. How are you the victim when you’ve stolen the whole name, image and colour?
Don’t forget that big businesses were once like you and me; running our businesses in a basement or bedroom. Your thoughts, beliefs and emotions will drown you in the wrong decisions. Everyone has a cultural belief in hatred. Look at toxic dating. Yet if there’s anything you can learn from today it’s that all these people choose themselves or their group above loving people unconditionally.
for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.
Proverbs 24:16 NIV
There’s a reason why God says forgive those who’ve wronged you
Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer: “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’ ”
2 Samuel 24:11-12 NIV
I want to leave you with what God did for me after I got to hear about how He concluded my calling. He washed me, picked up and called me to grow. He spoke to me and said a “Righteous man may fall 7 times, but he will rise.” God wanted me to rise from my knees. I had been on my bed asking for His mercy. And He called me loved, forgiven and chosen.
Finally there was a time when the devil incited King David and caused David to sin against God. It’s when he counted his nations population. This verse has been the strangest verse I’ve read; well top 10. Why did God allow the devil to tempt David? It’s not like Judas where the devil entered him only at the permission of God.
So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
2 Samuel 24:15-16 NIV
Only when you read the bible do you that God will may tempt you to purify you. How else will you discern the devil if you don’t know and understand his schemes vs God’s voice. How will you overcome your own deceiving emotions and beliefs?
Once David realised his mistake, he called out to God. David said punish me Lord. The thing about wicked people is you’ll never know when, why or how they’ll turn to God. And Peay they turn unlike the Pharisees.
When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family.”
2 Samuel 24:17 NIV
Take ownership for your actions to see God’s glory
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Ephesians 4:31 NIV
How profound is it that David didn’t make an excuse for his actions. He didn’t say my servant made me do it, so punish them Lord. Doesn’t that happen; the global crash was pinned on a few powerless people but the real decision makers said nothing. They didn’t stand in front of you and me to apologise. Yet behind closed doors I pray and you should also pray that they see their darkness and ask for forgiveness.
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
1 John 4:20 NIV
The world can only change if more of us will knee to God and pray for forgiveness. Not only this but also forgive anyone who’s hurt you. When you hold grudges toward those Christian who hurt you, your actions are futile because it chains you in unforgiveness. Unforgiveness leads to selfishness like my past actions
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 NIV
Today I can speak with confidence of my failures because I am free. God laid His life on the cross, so that you and me are forgiveness. Will you turn and forgive? Will you turn and repentance honestly like King David?
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV
Have you not already seen in this world that wars are run because of some unforgiving action? Pray that God works in all those who hurt you and pray that you’ll also forgive them. Only then can you see that God is Holy Goodness and we need Him more than ever.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Matthew 18:21-23 NIV
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