Bible is not written for our mortal needs

Is the bible written to make us feel good about ourselves?

We all have needs, be it psychologically or physiologically. We do what it takes to meet our needs, be it for ourselves, our loved ones, or even friends. We want stay in the course of bliss and comfort, and will do what is needed to stay on that course.

When we feel sick, we go to the doctor. When we need legal advice, we go to a Lawyer. When we are hungry, we go to a restaurant. When bored, perhaps one might hit the Cinema or hang out with friends in a club. We go to school to get education. We go to the supermarket to get groceries. We go to the library or bookstore to satisfy our intellect.

What if somebody comes to you and offer you a one stop solution to all these? He promise you that if you believe in him and follow him, you will not only have eternal life, but you will also enjoy prosperity, divine health and protection for your entire mortal life. And because he loves you so much, you will enjoy success in your career, and all your Rockstar dreams will come true. Wouldn't you take it?

Is the bible written for the purpose of pampering our self esteem? Did God spoke to the prophets so that people can feel good about themselves? Did the Apostles taught the early church to excel in personal success? These themes are nowhere to be found in the bible, yet preachers today are enticing their ever-growing congregation with the greatest lies ever told.

Will God provide?

Is God concerned about our needs? Well, I couldn't think of a better example than the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew Chapter 5 and 6, after giving instructions that are even harder to fulfill than the 10 Commandments, Jesus explained best about how God provides for our needs.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

[First of all, Jesus started off with this by saying, DO NOT WORRY. It means, don't even think about it, let alone be anxious about it]

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

[He further illustrates how God will take care of those who belong to him.]

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

[Solomon is the richest man on earth. Jesus is giving a comparison, that those who trust in his providence are better off than those who put their trust in worldly wealth. ]

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Is the ultimate aim of this Sermon teaching us that everything will be alright and we just live life to the fullest? Is Jesus teaching us to claim every blessing and success by the blood of the lamb?

Verse 32 says, it is the PAGANS who seeks after these things. Which means today, if you are feeling lousy because your colleagues are getting more bonus than you, or you are feeling the bite because your business rivals are prospering more than you, or you are simply jealous over someone more good looking than you, or have a better family life than you; you are thinking like a PAGAN. The Bible says, covetousness is idolatry (Col 3:5, Eph 5:3).

Well, we can say, we are all humans, it is our fleshly nature to react to disparity in processions. While it is one thing to acknowledge our shortcomings and our need for a savior, it is another erroneous extreme to teach Christians that they can name and claim everything that they desire. Teaching the congregation to visualize their dream car and calling it into existence, is exactly corrupting the righteous blood of Jesus with principals of the Pagans described in Matt 6:32.

That is why in Matt 6:33, Jesus calls us to seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added. Which simply means, understand the word of God and do it, and God will take care of the rest. That is why in verse 25, Jesus says, "Do Not Worry", because he will provide for those who obey his words.

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Does God want us to feel good?

The gospel is never about feeling good. In fact, being a Christian is a miserable process. The bible describes the Christian walk as a life of struggle :

1. Paul Struggles with Sin, and yet he Loves the Law of God.

Romans 7:14-24

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

2. Paul warns Timothy about Persecution for the Godly.

2 Timothy 3:10-17

10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

3. Paul encourage Timothy to Endure Hardship

2 Timothy 2:1-6

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crownexcept by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

4. James urges the church to be joyful in persecution

James 1:2-7

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

5. After describing the saints that were martyred for their faith in chapter 11, the author of Hebrews went on to encourage the early church to press on with their faith.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hope of Glory

God never promised a smooth sailing, success driven, happiness laden life on earth. In fact, every prophet who stood up for the word of God was stricken and persecuted, some to death. All of the Apostles (less John) died of terrible deaths for the sake of the gospel. Though not all Christians in the early church were martyred, but the Apostle's teaching always centred around enforcing sound doctrine and living Godly lives.

The bible does offers comfort for the afflicted, and it is always about the reward at the end. The prophecies given to Isaiah and Jeremiah always points us to the hope at the end, the Millenial Rule of Christ and Eternal Life. Paul's message of comfort to the Thessalonians is no exception.

1 Thessolonians 4:13-18

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Compare this message of comfort, to the message to the faithful remnants of Israel during Isaiah's time.

Isaiah 11:10-12

10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush,[b] from Elam, from Babylonia,[c] from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. 12 He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.

Jeremiah 31:7-9

7 This is what the LORD says: “Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say, ‘LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’
8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north and gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return. 9 They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

This message is given to the faithful remnants of Israel, very much like the faithful Christians in the New Testament Christians of the early church. The gospel is not given for those who choose to live a life of Sin, but for those who choose to live a Godly lifestyle, despite of their shortcoming. Their comfort, and the "feel good" factor, will be Eternal Life at the end.

Romans 2:6-8

6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.