We all know that we have sin in our life that others are not
aware of. It is one reason why so many people are fearful to make judgments
about what is sin and why it is wrong. They believe that because they have not
rid themselves of sin, “Who am I to ‘judge’ another person?” Therefore, when
calamity strikes our lives or we just can’t seem to get ahead in life we run
into that person who will suggest that, “You must have some hidden sin in your
life that needs confessing to God.” After all, you must have sin in your life
to have such trouble going on. And since we have sin in our lives, we say to
ourselves, “Yeah, they are probably right and I better ‘get right with God’ or
else things will stay the same or get worse for me.” This is the type of faulty
thinking that permeates the Body of Christ; believing God enters our lives and
afflicts us because of our sins and bad choices. When Job was suffering his
affliction, he had just finished speaking about his troubles and how he felt
about them. His friend Eliphaz was responding to Job when he said, “Think how you have
instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have
supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now
trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are
dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope? Consider
now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever
destroyed? As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow
trouble reap it. At the breath of God they perish; at the blast
of his anger they are no more (Job 4:3-9).” When I read this I see almost a
sarcastic attitude of Eliphaz towards the plight of Job. It is as if he is
telling Job, “Weren’t you supposed to be this great guy who helped so many? Now
look at you. You must have some unconfessed sin in your life; otherwise you
wouldn’t be suffering so much.”
How many Christians have an “Eliphaz” in their
lives? It could be their pastor, a member of their church, a friend or even
their own conscious. When you combine poor teaching and discipleship with the
fact we will sin, to some degree, until the day we die, you end up with a
multitude of Christians living joyless and fearful walks. What is worse is that
because of this they are set up to be manipulated and controlled by those
wanting to take advantage of them. This happens because what is the first thing
those suffering will say to themselves if they don’t have their mind renewed
with truth? “I must not being praying enough, asking forgiveness enough, going
to church enough, giving enough and on and on and on.” In other words, “If I am
not a perfect Christian in thought, deed and speech, God is going to make my
life miserable.” But, we know Job’s plight was God allowing Satan to test him
because Job was “blameless
and upright, a man who fears God and
shuns evil (Job 1:8),” not because of sin in his life. It is
the same with Christians. God sees us as “holy in his sight, without
blemish and free from accusation (Colossians 1:22)” because of
our faith in Jesus Christ. You have sin in your life, but God is not punishing
you for it. Instead of being lied to by your “Eliphaz,” approach your God and
rest in His truth.
The Presence of God
Have you ever been driving down the street and seen a church
marquee that read, “Come in and experience the presence of God”? It makes you
think that if you are a Christian and not in church you can’t experience the
“presence of God.” Maybe it is just me, but what most people say is the
“presence of God” is simply an emotional experience they claim is God. For
example, one of the leaders at a previous church I attended got up in front of
the group and said, “Let’s give God a clap offering” as if the Lord was about
to walk out from behind the curtain. Then, when the response did not meet his
liking, he threw a guilt trip on the group by saying, “Is that all you can give
God? He got you through the week. You can do better than that.” Of course,
nobody wants to “upset” God in “His house” so everybody clapped harder. Combine
that type of manipulation and a passionate sermon that raises the adrenaline
and you have the “experience” that is said to be the “presence of God.”
Therefore, if you feel good and get your blood flowing at church, God has
“arrived.” I know that goes on all the time in many churches. But there are two
things wrong with the idea that you must go to church in order to be in the
“presence of God.”
“The God who made
the world and everything in it is
the Lord of heaven and earth and
does not live in temples built by human hands (Acts 17:24).” The Bible is clear
that God does not dwell in temples, or churches or anything else built by human
hands. That may have been the case is in the Old Testament, but no longer.
Therefore, how can you be in His presence inside a church building if He does
not live there? Fact is you cannot. “Do you not know that your bodies are
temples of the Holy Spirit, who
is in you, whom you have received from God (1 Corinthians 6:19)?” I guess this
question asked here must be reiterated. Do you not know that your bodies are
temples of the Holy Spirit? Christians do not go to church to be in the
“presence of God”. Christians are the Church and are in His presence every
moment of the day because His Holy Spirit is present in our bodies! If you are
in the “presence of God” at church it is because you are there and He is in
you. What is truly sad is that every Christian knows these verses, yet many
still perpetuate the error that the “presence of God” is found by attending church.
I don’t say these things to stop you from attending church. I say these things
so you will know the truth about what truly defines Church and how you are in
the real “presence of God.” If you are in Christ, God is in you and you are in
His presence. Wherever you go, He is there.
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