Sad to say, many churches preach popular opinion rather than preaching Christ Jesus as the only way of salvation! Instead of preaching the cross of Jesus, they preach in accord with the everchanging winds of manmade doctrine.

At Good Shepherd, we preach Christ and His cross for our salvation, and we teach and preach all that God reveals to us in His Word, the Bible!

Many church organizations and church bodies are ruled by political might when they should be ruled and governed solely by the Word of God.

It happens in local congregations and it happens in national and international church bodies. Decisions regarding doctrine, worship and mission work are determined by the group in power, whether that be a simple majority, a group of pastors or elders or a group of delegates. And whichever group has the political power wins and its favored doctrine and practice are forced upon the rest of the congregation or church body — that is, until another group gains the political might to change things.

In so many ways, congregations and church bodies are using political systems to rule and govern rather than letting God rule and govern by means of His Word, the Bible. They forget that the church is a theocracy with Christ as its head, while our civil governments are not.

While both the church and the state are ordained by God, there is a big difference in their purpose and function. The church was instituted for the eternal salvation of men. The state is for the maintenance of external righteousness and order among men in this world. The church preaches and proclaims the Word of God to bring men to faith and change hearts. The state enacts and enforces laws to curb and control men’s outward actions.

When Jesus asked the disciples who they believed Him to be, Peter replied: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16); and Jesus said that, upon this truth which the Father had revealed to Peter, Jesus would “build His church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (v. 17-18). Jesus also said: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

On the other hand, the Scriptures say of civil government: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil” (Romans 13:1-4); and, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well” (1 Peter 2:13-14).

While the state — civil government — bears the sword to maintain order, punish evildoers and wage just wars, the church is ruled by and proclaims the Word of God.

The Bible says: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16); and, “Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

In order that men might be saved, the church has been commanded to preach the Word of God and proclaim Jesus Christ crucified as the Savior of mankind. Jesus commanded His disciples to “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16; cf. Romans 1:16-17; 10:15,17).

To maintain civil order and righteousness in this world, civil governments have been given power and responsibility to enact just laws, punish evildoers (including the use of the death penalty), and to wage just wars (1 Peter 2:13-14; Psalm 82:1-4; Genesis 9:6; Romans 13:3-4).

As Christians, we recognize from the Holy Scriptures that no one can be brought to believe the Bible’s teaching, be brought to faith in Christ Jesus or be made a member of God’s heavenly kingdom through the powers of civil government (cf. John 3:3-6; 18:11,36; 2 Corinthians 10:4-6; Ephesians 6:10-18). Nor should the church expect civil governments to require faith or demand submission to church rites and worship.

On the other hand, neither does God give to civil governments the authority to dictate to the church what it may or may not teach or how it should conduct its worship and ministry in this world. And, when civil governments depart from their God-given duties and forbid what God commands or command what God forbids, Christians must obey God rather than men even if they must suffer the earthly consequences (Acts 4:19-20; 5:29; Luke 12:4-5; Daniel 3 and 6).

As a result of this distinction between the church and the state, Christians should never substitute for the ongoing preaching of God’s Word the enactment and enforcement of laws which can only regulate one’s outward conduct. And churches should never feel they have carried out their mission if only their political and moral views are accepted by civil governments and imposed upon the people.

In fact, since the church is ruled by the Word of God, it is never a satisfactory situation when only a majority of those associated with the church holds to the Biblical truth. The Bible urges the preaching of God’s Word as God’s Word until all, by the grace of God, come to know and believe the truth.

The Bible tells us: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). And the Bible tells us that this is accomplished through ongoing and faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word — not forcing people to believe (or compromising the truth) but allowing the Holy Spirit to work to create and strengthen faith in the heart which accepts all that God’s Word teaches (cf. 2 Timothy 3:14-17; 4:1ff.; Titus 1:9; Psalm 19:8; 119:105; Isaiah 55:10-11; John 6:44, 63; Romans 10:17; Ephesians 4:10-16).

My point in all this is simply to say that churches and church bodies err and come short when they seek to rule over their members (or over an earthly kingdom or nation) through the use of politics and political maneuvering and majority decisions. Such political rule can only affect outward actions. Rather, churches should faithfully preach God’s Word that God’s Spirit might change people’s hearts — bringing them to see their sinfulness and trust in their Savior and, as a fruit of that faith, to live for their God and Savior in accord with his Word.

There are questions which challenge faith but God’s Word has answers. Following are a few common questions people ask which challenge faith along with Biblical answers.

If there is a good and loving God, how could He allow so much evil in the world?

That is a question often asked by Christian and non-Christian alike, especially at times when loved ones die or terrible evils and tragedies occur.

Is there an answer? While the wisdom and workings of God are often hidden from our eyes, He has revealed to us in the Scriptures what we need to know.

First of all, God did not create evil and suffering and death. God gave life, both physical and spiritual, when He created man in His image and breathed into man the breath of life (cf. Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7); and, at the close of the sixth day, when God looked upon all that He had created and made, “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Evil, suffering and death entered into God’s creation when Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, doubted God’s words, failed to trust Him and disobeyed His command (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-24). And this evil was evidenced in their hiding from God, the murder of Abel, the wickedness and unbelief at the time of the Genesis Flood and in the evil and suffering which has continued down through the centuries — including the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, God’s own dear Son in human flesh.

How could a good and all-knowing God create a world in which He knew man would turn away and bring about such evil and suffering?

The answer lies in His wisdom and love and grace. Yes, He knew man would sin and He knew His creation would be ravaged by sin and evil, but He created man with a free will and with a knowledge of God and His ways. He created man with the eternal and gracious purpose to redeem us and give to us the everlasting joys of heaven in perfect fellowship with Him.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:4-7 that “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

If God is good and all-powerful, why would He not immediately put an end to the evil and suffering in this world?

To answer that question, we need to remember what putting an end to all evil would mean. It would not only mean the immediate judgment and eternal damnation of men like Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin, it would mean the immediate judgment and damnation of each and every one of us, for, as the Bible says in Romans 3:10-12, “There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Yes, God could immediately remove all evil from this world, but that would mean the eternal ruin of us all!

God will put an end to evil in this world. He has promised to do so. But the Bible also tells us “the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

So, God tolerates the evil in this world to give us and all mankind opportunity to hear the truth of His Word, repent of our rebellious and sinful ways and place our faith in Christ Jesus. This evil world goes on because God does not desire us to perish forever in the fires of hell. He longs for us to turn to Jesus for pardon and forgiveness and for life eternal in a new and perfect world He will create. But, in God’s time, this world will be judged and the evil and wickedness will be removed (2 Peter 3:10ff.).

And, finally, why would a good and gracious God allow His own people to suffer?

Though we may not fully see and understand God’s workings in this life, we are assured by Scripture “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 3:28).

We may not understand why God allows trouble and suffering to come. We may be grasping for an explanation when sickness comes, a loved one dies or a tragedy occurs. Yet, as believers, we know and believe that God is our loving heavenly Father and has our eternal good and the good of all God’s elect children in mind. We commit the keeping of our souls “to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19).

Remember, we so often see things only from the perspective of here and now in this life. God looks upon the things of here and now in this life with the perspective of what’s best for our eternal future.

And, yes, in this life we will suffer — Jesus, the sinless and holy Son of God, suffered more than all — but “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). We know and believe that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Life in this world is full of trouble and heartache. In addition to the sickness, pain and death which all face, there is the persecution and suffering which those who follow Christ Jesus can expect in this world from those who continue in impenitence and rebellion against the LORD God who created and redeemed them.

Before His betrayal, arrest and crucifixion, Jesus attempted to prepare His disciples for what lay ahead. They were about to witness His passion and death on the cross and all would look hopeless to them because of their unbelief and hardness of heart. Though they would see Him again, alive from the dead, He would no longer be present with them in the same manner as He had been over the months and years before (Cf. John 16:19-20). And they too would suffer much from the enemies of Christ as they proclaimed His Word and doctrine in the world (Cf. John 16:1-5).

Jesus did not want His disciples’ faith to be shaken and destroyed by what was to come. He wanted them to continue to trust in Him and have peace in Him. Jesus warned His followers ahead of time so that when all these things came to pass, they would hold fast to Him with the confidence that in Him they had forgiveness and in Him they had life everlasting in the mansions of His Father’s house (Cf. John 14:1ff.).

These words of comfort are for you and me too as we face tribulation and suffering in this world. We will face hardships and trouble. As Paul wrote, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). We should expect no less as we follow Christ and bear witness to the truth of His Word.

But though we must endure tribulation in this world, we can have peace in Christ Jesus. He has redeemed us from sin and death by His own innocent sufferings and death in our stead and He has risen again in victory. In Him we too have the victory. In Him we have pardon and peace – forgiveness for all our sins. In Him we have the assurance that we too shall be raised up unto life everlasting.

In the world we shall have tribulation. Being a Christian and follower of Jesus will not bring a life or ease and worldly peace, but we have peace in Jesus. We can be of good cheer whatever comes our way because Jesus, our Savior, has overcome the world. In Him we have the final victory. In Him we have the everlasting joys of heaven!

Remember, Jesus said: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of life You won for me by Your innocent sufferings and death in my stead. Graciously keep me in Your peace. Let me hold fast to You and Your Word and trust in You for pardon and life everlasting. Amen.