Spotlight 12/2020: Freedom, the greatest gift of God
Freedom is a free gift of God. But He does not impose this freedom upon us. He only liberates those who want it. This is the experience of District Apostle Edy Isnugroho (Indonesia).
I remember one Wednesday evening. After a service I held I noticed that a Priest—whom I knew well—had not attended. I was told that he had been sick for several weeks. I wanted to go and see him, but realising it was already very late, I became doubtful. But my heart urged me. So I called his wife on the phone and she immediately invited us to come. When I met him, he seemed very weak, nevertheless his face was radiant. He told us about the health problems he had been experiencing. He had gone to the doctor and had even been hospitalised several times, however, the doctors had not been able to give him a clear diagnosis yet.
What really worried him, however, was that he had become entangled in a strange teaching. He recalled: “The Evangelist told me that this teaching did not originate from the gospel of Christ and the apostolate. But I still felt that it was very true. Then the District Evangelist also reminded me, but I stuck with this teaching. I even thought they were following the wrong teaching.” He told us that he had pondered about everything, had prayed a lot, done some introspection, wrestled with himself, and looked back on his life.
He told us that he became a child of God as a baby already. “I was raised in the New Apostolic faith, then became an active youth. By God’s grace I became a minister, who served Christ for many years, and brought testimony to the people that as a New Apostolic I would soon have the opportunity to have fellowship with God at Christ’ imminent return.” He recognised that the Evangelist and the District Evangelist were right. He had experienced a crisis of faith, had gone astray, and repented. “And now you, my friend and Apostle, are here. God has sent you to help me at this late hour. Please pray for me that my sins will be forgiven and my soul filled with peace.” We knelt beside his bed, prayed fervently together, and prayed the Lord’s Prayer. Afterwards he said, “I’m relieved and so grateful.” Then we said goodbye and went home.
A few days later, we heard that the Priest had passed away. God had released him from his physical ailments, but above all from the strange teaching in which he had been caught up in.
Photo: NAC Southeast Asia