Are misfortunes punishment for sinners?
Unlike other days of worship, the church is jam-packed today. Five days ago, a senior member of the church had escaped an armed robbery in which three people lost their lives.
The member is set to testify to the congregation today on how God saved his life. And it seems everyone, including non-members, has come to hear how it all happened.
“It was a very terrifying incident and I don’t know how to explain how it happened. But I know that God saved my life for a purpose,” says Limbani John [not his real name].
His testimony attracts hand-clapping and ululation, particularly among female members.
“Your faith saved you,” some Christians shout.
This is a typical scene in many churches whereby pastors invite members of the congregation to testify what the Lord has done for them.
In most cases, testimonies work to inspire and encourage members of little faith or doubting Thomases that there is ‘power in the blood of Jesus Christ.’
Therefore, Christians who give testimonies are those who have succeeded in one thing or the other.
But what misses in the testimonies are bad experiences of the calamities people go through.
That is why it is not common to hear a Christian testifying that God was strengthening him through a disaster such as loss of a job and opportunities, among others.
The question, therefore, is: are misfortunes a punishment for sinners?
“No! In fact, God commissions some misfortunes to befall believers to test and deepen their faith,” said Reverend Moyenda Kanjerwa of Blantyre CCAP Synod.
Kanjerwa argued that Christians who attach misfortunes and death in accidents to the work of Satan have a “shallow understanding of the scripture.”
Kanjerwa, who is deputy general secretary of the synod, said it is unfortunate that Christians fail to see “a blessing in calamities such as loss of jobs or road accidents where others have lost their lives.”
“Believers should be encouraged to give testimonies of all their life experiences because both the happy and sad moments give glory to God.
“If you read the stories of Job and Lazarus, you will note that God used disasters to purify his chosen servants. As such, we need to celebrate both the happy and sad moments with faith in him,” he said.
Austin Kachipeya, who was involved in a fatal accident on January 1 2011, agree with Kanjerwa.
Kachipeya, a journalist at MBC TV, said Christians need not fear to testify about the calamities they are going through because it could be God using them for his own glory.
“I survived that accident, but that doesn’t make those who died sinners. In fact, I believe that God uses accidents such as the one I got involved in to save his believers from witnessing his wrath when he comes to judge the world,” he said.
