Misfortune, superstition, erroneous teachings

We humans have a desire for security and meaning. This is also derived from the fact that we, with the increasing duration of our lives, come to realize that we are barely in control of anything, yet still want to be of significance and want to be loved. When people do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they open themselves (in order to feel significant) to dubious doctrines, superstitions, religions, esotericism, self-discovering processes, ideologies, violence and also the occult. Never before have the possibilities and vast array of such things (in order to feel special, strong and secure) been so great and as seductive as in modern times. Many people search for meaning and content of life there where it is most definitely not to be found, namely in the world. Help and strength in supernatural things, sought (and ostensibly) found outside of the biblical God, are nothing other than superstition, seduction and a modern form of idolatry. Many also consider Friday the 13th as an unlucky day, or think that, if a black cat crosses their path in the morning the day is already lost. The worst and less humorous of it is that some people indeed take this very seriously and are always on the look out for misfortune and problems in order to, so to speak, catch the culprit in action. They run towards their own calamity. And then that which they feared or “believed” sometimes happens to them. More and more, the belief in a cold, ruthless destiny is propagated and mathematical probabilities are made into something mysterious. Honest work, faith and God’s guidance and protection hardly plays any role in society.

Unfortunately, there are also religious superstitions, which, for example, prohibit or reject certain actions on certain days. Like healing on the Sabbath (Mark 3:2-5) or that one should eat fish only on Fridays. Furthermore, that certain sacraments are necessary for salvation, or that only membership of a particular church or denomination leads to heaven. Ignorance and superstition was not only prevalent during the Middle Ages, nor the opinion that only extremely qualified people are able to read, understand and interpret the Bible. People who couldn’t have any knowledge of matter, would be considered false teachers and charlatans, such as shepherd (David), doctors (Luke), fishermen (Peter). Tax collectors (Zacchaeus), and especially children... Today astrologers, politicians, popes, gurus, false prophets and religious fanatics are guiding the course. And the more prevalent the chaos and misfortune in the world, the more active the superstition trade. The devil takes advantage of precisely this fear and dependence, to prevent people from belief in the grace, love and sovereignty of God (1 Peter 5:8). There will be many more misfortunes to come and the seductions will not decrease, the times will not improve. But, for us Christians, this is not ground to trust God less – quite the contrary! We certainly should not be indifferent to the events occurring in the world, however, we may take advantage of our sense of security and confidence in Christ, for inner peace. And certainly of prayer and intercession. The peace of God is higher than any reason (Philippians 4:7). And even if we ourselves are suffering, we can be a testimony to others if we remain calm and place our hope in God alone (1 Timothy 1:8). Then we will also experience that which is in line with our faith (Matthew 15:20) to the glory of God!

Jörg Bauer