God Winks, Angel Wings, and Other Tall Tales of the Faith
When I was in college a buddy of mine and I went to have dinner together at a Mexican restaurant. I have always loved Mexican food, and I was looking forward to my usual order of three tacos and one burrito. We enjoyed our meal together and then I returned back to my apartment to settle in for the night.
About an hour after I had settled in bed, I began to have terrible stomach cramps. I also noticed that I was sweating profusely, even though it was very cool in my apartment. I tried to get out of bed but noticed that I was dizzy. I had never felt this sick in my life. I managed to get to the phone and call my friend. I knew I could not drive myself to the hospital, so I call him to come and get me. I can recall my buddy picking me up in his car, but that is the last thing that I remember. I woke up three days later, still in the hospital.
The doctor told me that they had performed a spinal tap on me and many other numerous tests while I was unconscious. They told me that if I had not come in to the hospital when I did, I would have died. Apparently, one of the cooks at the Mexican restaurant forgot to wash his hands after he used the restroom. And when he made my meal, whatever filthiness was on his hands went into my food.
What was once a delicious meal of tacos and a burrito become literally uneatable when a foreign, contaminated substance was added to it. Do you know what the main ingredient in most rat poisons is? Wheat. Wheat is wholesome. Wheat is good and nutritious. But add just a little poison to that wheat and it becomes something totally different. What was once nutritious now becomes deadly.
King Solomon wrote, "Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor." Ecclesiastes 10:1. Perfume gives off a delightful smell says Solomon. But add a dead fly into the mix and what was once a pleasing arouma becomes an unbearable stench.
Unfortunately, the same thing is being done to Christianity. I once attended the funeral of a man who I had known for a few years. He left behind a sweet wife, two daughters and a few grandchildren. The funeral service began with a few hymns and scripture readings, so it was clear that the family professed to be followers of Christ. But what started out as a celebration of life that appeared to be pointing to Christ quickly turned into a train wreck of mysticism and folkish myths.
One of his relatives stood to give a speech. And this lady began by talking about her great love for Jesus and for the peace that the Lord gives in times of grief. Then she told the congregation, "I woke up to a God wink this morning." I immediately began to ponder where in scripture God winks were taught, but nothing came to mind. She then went on to say, "My daddy's favorite bird was a Red Robin. And this morning when I woke up, I looked outside of my window and saw a Red Robin singing sweetly on a nearby tree." She concluded by saying, "In my sorrow, that Red Robin was daddy's way of letting me know he is just fine."
This speech was met with applause from those in attendance and tears of joy. But what this lady did was corrupt the words of the Lord by added to it her own spin on how God gives comfort to those in grief. No where in scripture are God winks mentioned. And no where in scripture does the Lord imply that He will send our loved ones back in the form of a bird or even send a bird to give them comfort. In fact, scripture tells us the opposite. That after death, no one can cross over back to the land of the living.
Remember when Jesus told of the poor man Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had no love for the Lord, but Lazarus was a man of God. And when they died, Lazarus went to paradise (Abraham's bosom) and the rich man went to Hades to be tormented in flames forever. The rich man asked if he could be allowed to return just to warn his unbelieving brothers of the torments of Hades. And the rich man was told;
"And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’" Luke 16:26-29.
There is a great chasm between the afterlife and the physical world. And this is so that no one can cross back over from here to there. The rich man was told in regard to his unbelieving brother, "They have Moses and the Prophets." Plainly put, if the rich man's brothers want to know the Lord and escape the fires of Hell, they need to read their scriptures. Salvation does not come from the testimony of man, but from the supernatural regenerating power of the word of God.
Furthermore, God does not give comfort through sending a dead relatives favorite bird, or making their favorite song play on the radio. Ive had many people try to argue about this. They use their feelings, what they think, and their opinions as justification to hold on to strange beliefs. But one thing that they don't do is use scripture to promote God winks. Because there is no scripture that supports that belief. God winks are a fly in the ointment. They are as poison in the wheat. Because it attributes an act to God that God plainly says that He does not allow.
Some may say, "What is the problem with someone believing that God sent them a God wink if it brings them comfort?" The answer is that when we look for assurances outside of the promises of God's word, then we are basically saying that God is not enough to bring us comfort and peace of mind. It is saying that we need mystical fables to calm our souls, and not the fount of living water, which is Christ. It is as the Apostle Paul said in Romans, exchanging the truth for a lie. And lost men love a lie more than they love God.
Another closely related danger that professing Christians fall into in times of grief is thinking that God spoke to them outside of His word. They may flip on the television and hear something that gives a comforting thought, or a song on the radio that brings them peace. And they will say something like, "That was God speaking to me through that media." Even scarier, Ive known people who claim that God has spoken directly to them. It's not that I doubt their testimony. Because some of the people who have made such claims to me are God fearing people. But if they truly heard God speak to them verbally, it was not God. Because God has said through His word that in the last days (which began at the coming of Christ) God only speaks through His Son.
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe." Hebrews 1:1-2.
We have the words of Christ. There is nothing else needed. God is not giving new revelations. Many times in scripture, the Lord warns against adding to his word. If someone is truly receiving a new word from God, then it would need to be added to the Bible. Because God does not speak authoritatively in one place and not do so in the other. Again, for someone to say that God has spoken to them outside of His word is to say that the scriptures themselves are not sufficient or enough. As Justin Peters once said, "Do you want to hear God? Read His word. If you want to hear him audibly, read it aloud."
Lastly, in times of grief it is very common for professing believers to say things like this of their dearly departed loved one; "Well, Heaven gained a new angel, because daddy got His wings." This sounds nice, but it's not at all biblical. Angels are servants of God. People who are redeemed have a different title; children of God. Although we will serve the Lord, we are His family. His adopted children. His loved ones.
Furthermore the Scriptures give us a glimpse into the separation between children of God and angels in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostle Paul said of one of the duties of the children of God in Heaven;
"Do you not know that you will judge angels?" 1 Corinthians 6:3.
Paul does not elaborate any more on this subject. But it is clear that the children of God will in some way, have authority over the angels, serving under the authority of God. The belief that our loved ones become angels in Heaven is yet another poisoning of the wheat.
When we add to Christianity our own experiences, hopes, and beliefs that do not directly come from scripture, we no longer refer to the God of the Bible. The moment that anything extra-biblical is added to scripture, it is no longer Christianity, but mysticism.
The book of Revelation is full of many judgements that God unleashes upon the wicked and unbelieving world. Many of those judgement come in the form of horrible plagues. God will not be mocked or have His word changed in order to bring some form of temporary comfort that does not come from Him. And He gives this warning in Revelation to all who would add to His word.
"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book," Revelation 22:13.
No one would wear a perfume that had a dead fly in it. And no one would eat a meal that was contaminated. Why then would anyone want a gospel that had been robbed of its truth and power? Unfortunately there are many such tall tales and myths that Christians believe. But let the scriptures be your comfort, your security, and your source of how God brings comfort to His children. Because the comfort that comes from the Lord is rooted in what is true, not what is a lie.
About an hour after I had settled in bed, I began to have terrible stomach cramps. I also noticed that I was sweating profusely, even though it was very cool in my apartment. I tried to get out of bed but noticed that I was dizzy. I had never felt this sick in my life. I managed to get to the phone and call my friend. I knew I could not drive myself to the hospital, so I call him to come and get me. I can recall my buddy picking me up in his car, but that is the last thing that I remember. I woke up three days later, still in the hospital.
The doctor told me that they had performed a spinal tap on me and many other numerous tests while I was unconscious. They told me that if I had not come in to the hospital when I did, I would have died. Apparently, one of the cooks at the Mexican restaurant forgot to wash his hands after he used the restroom. And when he made my meal, whatever filthiness was on his hands went into my food.
What was once a delicious meal of tacos and a burrito become literally uneatable when a foreign, contaminated substance was added to it. Do you know what the main ingredient in most rat poisons is? Wheat. Wheat is wholesome. Wheat is good and nutritious. But add just a little poison to that wheat and it becomes something totally different. What was once nutritious now becomes deadly.
King Solomon wrote, "Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor." Ecclesiastes 10:1. Perfume gives off a delightful smell says Solomon. But add a dead fly into the mix and what was once a pleasing arouma becomes an unbearable stench.
Unfortunately, the same thing is being done to Christianity. I once attended the funeral of a man who I had known for a few years. He left behind a sweet wife, two daughters and a few grandchildren. The funeral service began with a few hymns and scripture readings, so it was clear that the family professed to be followers of Christ. But what started out as a celebration of life that appeared to be pointing to Christ quickly turned into a train wreck of mysticism and folkish myths.
One of his relatives stood to give a speech. And this lady began by talking about her great love for Jesus and for the peace that the Lord gives in times of grief. Then she told the congregation, "I woke up to a God wink this morning." I immediately began to ponder where in scripture God winks were taught, but nothing came to mind. She then went on to say, "My daddy's favorite bird was a Red Robin. And this morning when I woke up, I looked outside of my window and saw a Red Robin singing sweetly on a nearby tree." She concluded by saying, "In my sorrow, that Red Robin was daddy's way of letting me know he is just fine."
This speech was met with applause from those in attendance and tears of joy. But what this lady did was corrupt the words of the Lord by added to it her own spin on how God gives comfort to those in grief. No where in scripture are God winks mentioned. And no where in scripture does the Lord imply that He will send our loved ones back in the form of a bird or even send a bird to give them comfort. In fact, scripture tells us the opposite. That after death, no one can cross over back to the land of the living.
Remember when Jesus told of the poor man Lazarus and the rich man. The rich man had no love for the Lord, but Lazarus was a man of God. And when they died, Lazarus went to paradise (Abraham's bosom) and the rich man went to Hades to be tormented in flames forever. The rich man asked if he could be allowed to return just to warn his unbelieving brothers of the torments of Hades. And the rich man was told;
"And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’" Luke 16:26-29.
There is a great chasm between the afterlife and the physical world. And this is so that no one can cross back over from here to there. The rich man was told in regard to his unbelieving brother, "They have Moses and the Prophets." Plainly put, if the rich man's brothers want to know the Lord and escape the fires of Hell, they need to read their scriptures. Salvation does not come from the testimony of man, but from the supernatural regenerating power of the word of God.
Furthermore, God does not give comfort through sending a dead relatives favorite bird, or making their favorite song play on the radio. Ive had many people try to argue about this. They use their feelings, what they think, and their opinions as justification to hold on to strange beliefs. But one thing that they don't do is use scripture to promote God winks. Because there is no scripture that supports that belief. God winks are a fly in the ointment. They are as poison in the wheat. Because it attributes an act to God that God plainly says that He does not allow.
Some may say, "What is the problem with someone believing that God sent them a God wink if it brings them comfort?" The answer is that when we look for assurances outside of the promises of God's word, then we are basically saying that God is not enough to bring us comfort and peace of mind. It is saying that we need mystical fables to calm our souls, and not the fount of living water, which is Christ. It is as the Apostle Paul said in Romans, exchanging the truth for a lie. And lost men love a lie more than they love God.
Another closely related danger that professing Christians fall into in times of grief is thinking that God spoke to them outside of His word. They may flip on the television and hear something that gives a comforting thought, or a song on the radio that brings them peace. And they will say something like, "That was God speaking to me through that media." Even scarier, Ive known people who claim that God has spoken directly to them. It's not that I doubt their testimony. Because some of the people who have made such claims to me are God fearing people. But if they truly heard God speak to them verbally, it was not God. Because God has said through His word that in the last days (which began at the coming of Christ) God only speaks through His Son.
"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe." Hebrews 1:1-2.
We have the words of Christ. There is nothing else needed. God is not giving new revelations. Many times in scripture, the Lord warns against adding to his word. If someone is truly receiving a new word from God, then it would need to be added to the Bible. Because God does not speak authoritatively in one place and not do so in the other. Again, for someone to say that God has spoken to them outside of His word is to say that the scriptures themselves are not sufficient or enough. As Justin Peters once said, "Do you want to hear God? Read His word. If you want to hear him audibly, read it aloud."
Lastly, in times of grief it is very common for professing believers to say things like this of their dearly departed loved one; "Well, Heaven gained a new angel, because daddy got His wings." This sounds nice, but it's not at all biblical. Angels are servants of God. People who are redeemed have a different title; children of God. Although we will serve the Lord, we are His family. His adopted children. His loved ones.
Furthermore the Scriptures give us a glimpse into the separation between children of God and angels in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostle Paul said of one of the duties of the children of God in Heaven;
"Do you not know that you will judge angels?" 1 Corinthians 6:3.
Paul does not elaborate any more on this subject. But it is clear that the children of God will in some way, have authority over the angels, serving under the authority of God. The belief that our loved ones become angels in Heaven is yet another poisoning of the wheat.
When we add to Christianity our own experiences, hopes, and beliefs that do not directly come from scripture, we no longer refer to the God of the Bible. The moment that anything extra-biblical is added to scripture, it is no longer Christianity, but mysticism.
The book of Revelation is full of many judgements that God unleashes upon the wicked and unbelieving world. Many of those judgement come in the form of horrible plagues. God will not be mocked or have His word changed in order to bring some form of temporary comfort that does not come from Him. And He gives this warning in Revelation to all who would add to His word.
"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book," Revelation 22:13.
No one would wear a perfume that had a dead fly in it. And no one would eat a meal that was contaminated. Why then would anyone want a gospel that had been robbed of its truth and power? Unfortunately there are many such tall tales and myths that Christians believe. But let the scriptures be your comfort, your security, and your source of how God brings comfort to His children. Because the comfort that comes from the Lord is rooted in what is true, not what is a lie.
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