Title 2018

This is a deep question many people wrestle with: If God is in control of everything, why do terrible things happen in the world—like deadly car accidents, plane crashes, natural disasters, or floods like those in Japan? If God is sovereign, why doesn’t He stop such tragedies?

The answer lies in understanding two important truths revealed in Scripture:

1. God is the rightful owner and ruler of the earth.
2. Satan has been given limited influence over the world system—but only for a time.

1. God Owns and Rules the Earth

From the beginning, the Bible declares that God is the Creator and Owner of the earth and everything in it.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
For He has founded it upon the seas,
And established it upon the waters.”
— Psalm 24:1–2

After Jesus rose from the dead, He declared:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
— Matthew 28:18

This means nothing on earth is beyond God’s power. He is sovereign over nature, nations, and every human being.

2. Satan Rules the Fallen World System

While God rules the earth, Scripture also reveals that Satan currently has power over the world system—not the planet itself, but the values, structures, and spiritual atmosphere of human society that rejects God.

During Jesus’ temptation, Satan offered Him the kingdoms of the world:

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’”
— Matthew 4:8–9

Jesus didn’t argue that Satan didn’t have this power—because in a limited sense, Satan does. The Apostle John confirmed this:

“The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”
— 1 John 5:19

So, God is the ultimate ruler, but Satan has temporary influence over the fallen world system that rebels against God.

3. The Earth vs. The World – What’s the Difference?

To understand this better, we must distinguish between “the earth” and “the world” as the Bible uses them:

• The Earth

This refers to the natural creation of God—continents, oceans, mountains, rivers, animals, sky, and everything physical. It is neutral and belongs fully to God.

• The World (Greek: kosmos)

This refers to the man-made systems of society—like governments, economies, education, entertainment, media, and culture—most of which have been corrupted by sin and are under Satan’s influence.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
— 1 John 2:15

Satan’s kingdom is based on pride, lust, greed, and rebellion against God. This is the system that will be destroyed—not the earth itself.

4. God Will Destroy the World System, Not the Earth

The earth will remain and be renewed, but the current world system—corrupt, unjust, and anti-God—will be judged and removed.

“And the world is passing away, and the lust of it;
but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
— 1 John 2:17

When Jesus returns, He will destroy Satan’s system and set up His own righteous kingdom on earth. This is the Millennial Reign of Christ, where He will rule for 1,000 years (see Revelation 20:4–6).

5. Why Does God Allow Tragedies and Disasters?

Though God is sovereign, He sometimes allows disasters as a response to human sin. Many of the tragedies we see—natural disasters, diseases, wars—are not because God is unjust, but because of the evil and rebellion in the world system.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
— Romans 6:23

“For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”
— Romans 8:22

When a society is full of violence, corruption, sexual immorality, injustice, environmental destruction, and rebellion, God may allow consequences—whether through judgment or by lifting His protective hand.

6. Call to Action: Live for What Will Last

This current world system is temporary. Its values and priorities will not survive God’s judgment. As followers of Christ, we are called to separate from worldly ways and live for His eternal kingdom.

“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”
— Colossians 3:2

We are living in the last days, and the signs of Jesus’ return are becoming more visible. This generation could be the one to witness the end of the age.

“Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
— Matthew 24:42

Examine your faith. Make sure your life is aligned with God’s will, not with the fading patterns of this world.

Conclusion

• God owns the earth and will ultimately judge evil.
• Satan temporarily influences the corrupt systems of the world.
• Disasters happen because sin has corrupted both people and nature.
• The earth will be restored, but the world system will be destroyed.
• As believers, we must focus on eternal things, not temporary ones.

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
— Revelation 21:7

God bless you.

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Question:

In Exodus 20:4, it says:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”

Does this mean that putting up a picture of Jesus at home is a sin?

Answer:

To get the full picture, we must read the verse in its full context. Let’s look at Exodus 20:4–5:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything… You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:4–5)

The commandment is not a blanket ban on images or artwork. Rather, it prohibits creating or using images in acts of worship, as idols.

In the Old Testament, God strongly opposed idolatry—the worship of created things instead of the Creator (Romans 1:22–23). The second commandment warns us not to make images for the purpose of worship, which was a common practice among pagan nations.

“Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man…”
(Romans 1:22–23)

So, the sin is not in having an image, but in bowing to it, serving it, or attributing spiritual power to it. God alone is to be worshipped (Matthew 4:10).

What About a Picture of Jesus?

If a picture of Jesus is used merely as decoration, or as a reminder of His life or teachings, and you do not worship it, there is no biblical command against that.

However, using such an image as a focus of prayer, or believing it holds spiritual power or presence, crosses into idolatry, which Scripture condemns.

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”
(1 John 5:21)

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.”
(1 Corinthians 10:14–15)

Practical Application:

If you have a picture of Jesus in your home:

• If it’s there for beauty, history, or inspiration—it’s not a sin.
• If it’s used in worship, prayer, or reverence—then it’s a form of idolatry, even if unintentional.

Some Christian traditions (e.g., Catholicism) use images or statues of Jesus, Mary, or saints in devotional practices. Biblically, this violates the Second Commandment. God is described as a jealous God, meaning He will not share His worship with any image (Isaiah 42:8):

“I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

If you’re involved in such practices, it would be wise to prayerfully reconsider and remove anything that might dishonor God or distract your worship from Him.

There’s nothing wrong with hanging a picture of Jesus—as long as it’s not worshiped. What matters most is your heart and the intention behind it. Worship belongs to God alone, and it must be done in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)

Let everything in your home point to the greatness of God—not replace Him. Use images wisely, never as a substitute for faith, and always keep your devotion centered on Christ alone.

Stay blessed and rooted in the Word of God.

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Question:

How is it possible for someone to cast out demons, heal the sick through prayer, hear God’s voice, speak divine revelations about others, and even uncover hidden things—yet still not make it to heaven or be raptured? Isn’t that a sign that God is with them?

Answer:

This is a deep but important question. The simple answer is this: spiritual gifts are not the same as salvation. Just because God uses someone to do powerful things does not mean that person is right with Him or guaranteed eternal life.

God, in His grace and sovereignty, gives many good things to all people—including the wicked. As Jesus said:

“He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
— Matthew 5:45

So, miracles, visions, or hearing God’s voice are not always proof that a person is spiritually mature or saved. Gifts of the Spirit can function in a person without the fruit of the Spirit being present (Galatians 5:22–23). A person may operate in gifts but still live in disobedience.

Spiritual gifts (like healing, prophecy, and miracles) are given by the Spirit as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:4–11). They are for the building up of others—not as proof of personal righteousness. A person can perform miracles and still have a heart that is far from God.

Consider what Jesus said:

“Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
— Luke 10:20 

This shows that the real cause for celebration is not power over demons—but having your name written in the Book of Life, which only happens through a genuine relationship with Christ (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 20:12).

Biblical Warning: Miracles Without Obedience

Jesus gave a serious warning about this kind of situation in:

Matthew 7:21–23 
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

This passage is crucial. It shows that doing ministry or miracles in Jesus’ name does not guarantee entrance into the Kingdom. What matters is doing the will of the Father, which includes obedience, holiness, and walking in love (1 Peter 1:15–16; John 14:15).

Old Testament Example: False Prophets with Real Signs

Deuteronomy 13:1–4 
“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
and the sign or the wonder comes to pass… saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’…
You shall not listen to that prophet… for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart…”

This teaches that even if someone performs real signs or wonders, if they don’t lead people to stay faithful to God’s Word, they are false. God may allow such people to function to test others’ loyalty to Him.

Spiritual Gifts Without Fruit Are Dangerous

You can have gifts—but without the fruit of the Spirit (love, patience, humility, self-control), those gifts can lead to pride, manipulation, or false security. That’s why Paul said:

“Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge… but have not love, I am nothing.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:2 

The true mark of salvation is not power, but transformation—a life conformed to the character of Christ.

The Two Builders (Matthew 7:24–27)

Jesus compares two people—both hear His words. One obeys, one does not.

• The obedient one builds on rock. When the storms of judgment come, they stand.
• The disobedient one builds on sand. When judgment comes, everything collapses.

This parable shows that the foundation of eternal life is obedience to Christ’s Word, not ministry success or supernatural gifts.

Don’t be deceived by spiritual gifts—yours or someone else’s. Gifts can be present even when the heart is far from God. What matters is abiding in Christ, obeying His Word, and living a holy life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
— Luke 10:20 

That’s the true goal—not just doing miracles, but being known by Jesus.

Be blessed and remain faithful to His Word.

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Question: In 1 Corinthians 15:29, Paul refers to people being baptized on behalf of the dead. Who are these people? Is the practice of baptizing others for the dead biblical and correct? I want to understand this better.

Answer: To understand this properly, we need to look at the passage in context. Paul was addressing the church in Corinth, where some doubted the resurrection of the dead. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 15:12-14

“If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching and your faith are useless.”

This shows Paul confronting those who rejected the resurrection, which is the foundation of Christian hope.

At the same time, some people in Corinth practiced baptisms on behalf of those who had died without believing or being baptized. According to early church historian St. John Chrysostom (4th century), there was a custom where a living person would be baptized “for” a deceased person to secure their salvation. This involved the living person lying over the dead body, and a priest asking the dead if they wanted to be baptized. Since the dead could not respond, the living person answered for them and then was baptized, believing this would save the deceased from eternal punishment.

Paul mentions this practice in 1 Corinthians 15:29

“Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?”

Paul’s point is to expose the inconsistency of those who deny resurrection yet practice baptism for the dead. Baptizing for the dead implies a belief in life after death and resurrection. This highlights that the resurrection is a critical doctrine in Christianity (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

However, Paul does not approve or practice this baptism on behalf of the dead himself, nor does he teach that true believers should do so. The phrase “those who are baptized for the dead” likely refers to a group outside orthodox Christian teaching.

This false practice was part of a broader problem in those churches, which included other erroneous teachings such as the claim that “the Day of the Lord has already come” (2 Timothy 2:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:2).

Today, similar misunderstandings exist in some churches, including the Roman Catholic teaching of purgatory. Purgatory is described as a temporary place of purification for Christians who die with unconfessed sins or incomplete sanctification. It is believed that prayers or masses by the living can help shorten this purification period, eventually allowing entry into heaven.

However, this doctrine is not supported by Scripture. The Bible states clearly in Hebrews 9:27

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

This verse teaches that after death comes judgment, not a second chance for purification or salvation through the actions of the living.

Praying or baptizing for the dead as a means to alter their eternal fate is a false teaching. It offers a false hope that people can be saved after death, encouraging sin and reliance on works instead of the finished work of Christ on the cross.

The Bible warns of such deception:

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
(1 Timothy 4:1)

In summary:

• Baptism is a personal act of faith and repentance, symbolizing union with Christ (Romans 6:3-4). It cannot be done on behalf of the dead.
• The resurrection of the dead is foundational to Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:17-22).
• After death, each person faces judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
• False teachings like purgatory and baptism for the dead distort the gospel and should be rejected.

Amen.

May God bless you.

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