Whom Does God Use?

Whom Does God Use?

There are words, expressions, sayings that we use without paying much attention, without being aware. We say them just as they come to our mouth, as we feel them from within. I am not writing my text dwelling on periods, commas, the grammar of the language. But I will dwell on the meanings that words awaken in the human mind. These words become very effective in the human mind. If the words that come out of our mouth had no importance, proverbs like “the tongue has no bone but it breaks bones” would not have become famous. Indeed, in the Gospel the apostle James says the following about the importance of using our tongue:

Consider: though ships are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are turned wherever the helmsman's heart wishes by a tiny rudder. Likewise the tongue too is a tiny member of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider: a tiny spark can set a whole forest ablaze. The tongue too is a fire, a world of evil among the members of our body. It defiles our whole being. It sets ablaze the course of our living, itself set ablaze by hell. (New Translation, Holy Scripture, James 3:4-6)

By all this, our tongue is not merely an organ of flesh; because, by its means, words come out of our mouth, it is for this reason very fitting that we dwell on the importance of words.

The apostle Paul too, in his letter to the 1 Corinthians (14:10-11):

“Perhaps there are a great many kinds of sounds in the world, and none of them is without meaning. So then, if I do not know the meaning of a sound, I will be a barbarian to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me,” he says.

After this very explanation of Paul, we must all accept that the words used carry meaning, and ought to. We too must know this. They can carry such great meaning that by the word that comes out of our mouth we become guilty or righteous. Can we say that politicians and lawyers possess the ability to use these words most nimbly? Surely, even if there is no such rule, it is at least certain that these two classes must be very meticulous in using words. This rule, however, holds for everyone. There are people with the ability of speech, and they are persuasive. Sometimes these people, solely because of their ability of speech, can draw millions of people after them. Others are gifted in writing. In their writings they can express very beautifully what they wish to tell, and can easily enter the minds and hearts of the reader. Is it not said of them “he is a good writer”? All this stems precisely from this art of using words.

In the problem that befell the first humans Adam and Eve too, it was because Satan, with words used very carefully, with care but insidiously, became effective in their minds and hearts. This effect, in turn, would drag all humanity along after it. In short, we must accept that words, that sayings, possess a power that can destroy our life.

In connection with the heading of our subject, the words to use, to be used, are also not seen as very good in relations with people, on whatever matter it may be. Even for the owner of a workplace to say, of the people he employs for a salary — and even paying a very good salary — “I use these people,” is a disrespectfully stated expression. While there are a host of ways of expression such as these work for me, they are employees in my work, or my workers, my officials, to say “I use these people” is not nice. Here the word “use” comes to a negative meaning. In any case, use can never have a good meaning or effect upon creatures possessing intelligence.

Alongside all the religions, sects and organizations that claim they themselves are used by God in person, this is also something many a person believes about himself, from within. That is, many a person believes he is used by God in person. In fact, while no one welcomes being used by another, why is this word “use,” when it is by God, looked upon with a good eye?! And yet, when we read all the Holy Writings, God's using anyone does not appear. This expression is never used. That He commissioned His prophets, commanded them, made them intermediaries, sent a message through them as envoys — yes; but a word under the heading “He used” we have found neither in the Quran nor in the Holy Scripture.

Why is it that, while this situation is not welcomed when it is done by any human being, we say: “But it is God who is doing it”?! God's using people is in fact a teaching contrary to the features of God presented in the Holy Scriptures. God created people and His angels in the heavens, giving them free will. In every matter, whatever it may be, in everything that is in keeping with His will, God extends, and has extended, His helping hand to people. But He does not use their free will. That would mean His going against His own principles.

Such a way of expression is in fact for the purpose of saying: “We are God's slaves, He does to us what He wishes, even uses us.” And it is done by saying: “By this we are humbling ourselves before Him,” and it is in this way thrust into people's minds. Do we suppose that by this we are being humble? No — on the contrary, by this we are humbling God. In any case, to use and to be used debases both sides. If God is using, a meaning comes out as if He had need of the person He uses, and by this God is belittled. The person who is used — and him too God created — by this, the person's free will, abilities, common sense and the like are debased, reduced to nothing. And the evils, the filth he does are charged to God. God neither did such a thing to the human being He created, nor does He want it to be done.

When we look at Adam and Eve, at the first humanity, whom we all know, we see that it is so. The events that took place between Adam, Eve and Satan, only in the garden of Eden, in paradise, are the very first proofs. God, in His judgment among only these three persons, gives just penalties. When he ate of the forbidden fruit, how does Adam defend himself? Let us open the Holy Scripture and follow how these things were. Upon God's saying: “Did you eat from the tree of which I told you not to eat its fruit?” in Genesis 3:12b Adam answers:

“The woman you put at my side gave me the fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

In fact, beneath this answer lies this defense of Adam's: I am not guilty, the woman you gave did this to me. And by this a meaning of expression comes out as if God had given Adam something very bad. That is, in fact God too is guilty!

What does the woman, that is, Eve, say? Again in Genesis 3:13:

The LORD God asked the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman answered, “The serpent deceived me, that is why I ate.”

Astonishing — among these two persons there is no guilty one at all! Everyone is guilty but these two are not. Their defenses show this. Although more than six thousand years have passed in between, has humanity changed? Unfortunately, if it has changed, it has changed in an even worse direction. Did these defenses save them? No. Besides, if God were using them, would their disobedience to Him even be in question?

Without touching on the whole history of the Holy Scripture, let us come to our day. In our time too, humanity, religions, organizations, sects claim: “God uses us,” “We are God's only channel on earth,” “If you are not together with us, you cannot be saved,” “Only those who are within us can possess this hope of salvation.” Even many who pass as religious scholars are of the belief that both the good and the bad are used by God. In any case, that is the meaning that comes out of this word “being used.” As if God has taken the strings in His hand and is making us, humanity, the puppets, dance.

If someone called devout commits a crime, this becomes “Satan made him do it.” If he has done good works to be boasted of, this time it becomes “I did it, God used me.” If you notice, the person takes no guilt upon himself, but takes the glory. Does this situation not resemble the story of Adam and Eve?

Let us give an example. Let these again be the Jehovah's Witnesses. Let them not be angry at the examples I give about them. In fact this situation is both because of the things they claim and because I know them well. They have been proclaiming for about a hundred years, door to door all over the world: “God uses us and we are the only channel God uses on earth.”

The Witnesses at one time awaited that the end would come in the year 1914. The end did not come. Later this date was thrown to 1918. Again it did not come. 1925, 1935, 1975 — at these dates too they awaited. These dates and the mistakes they made are in fact of no importance to us at all. But by throwing out from among themselves those who did not believe in these dates, they indicate the existence of another thing they hold very important; that is, that they possess authority over people. The one who does not bow they throw out. And at that, saying you can never again be saved! We read it from the court records. Many of the Witnesses who lost their confidence because of these dates abandoned their organization. Well, what did this organization do? Did they say we made a mistake, we apologize, we were wrong? No. On the contrary, they defended themselves as follows:

Some put themselves into great expectations on the matter of the dates. Because what they hoped for did not come about, they abandoned God's only organization on earth. God, by this means, permitted them to be tested. And those who fell from this test, by sifting them, He cleansed His nation.

Again, if you have noticed, in these explanations of theirs they themselves have no fault at all. The wrong dates they proclaimed, they try to make appear as though “God wanted it” for their testing. And those who left because they could not remain faithful are characterized as those who could not pass through the sieve. They themselves are spotless!

Do you now understand a little, at least, why the religious organizations say “God uses us”? By this they are in fact using people. And their defenses are always like those of our forefather Adam and Eve. This time by saying: “God tested His nation.” Come, let us read the Holy Scripture to see whether this matter of testing is so.

Let the one who is tempted (tested) not say, “God is tempting (testing) me.” For as God is not tempted (tested) by evil, so He Himself tempts (tests) no one. The Gospel, James 1:13

And they, in their explanations, did they not wish to say, “God tested His nation with a lie”? Like Adam's saying: “The woman you gave at my side told me to eat, and I ate.” All the responsibility is God's!

This situation is the same as schoolchildren saying, when they get a bad grade, “the teacher gave it,” and when they get a good grade, “I got it.” Either they say God uses us and take the glory, or they say “Satan made him do it” and in no way wish to accept the guilt. In our view the Witnesses are no less ill-mannered on this matter than the other religions! For they too bring a stain upon God's name in the same way.

Apart from these we have related, there are also those who have themselves used voluntarily! They say: “You think in our place, make decisions, and again you believe for us. We believe that we will be saved by your means”! This too is voluntary slavery done to people in God's name. The aim is to flee from responsibility, nothing else. Their saying, too, “If we are not there you cannot be saved at all,” is not in vain. These religions are, as Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, said, “as if a collection of companies selling tickets to go to heaven.” And people seem very pleased with the ticket they have bought. In our view, more accurately, they do not wish to see any other remedy. This is always a lazy feeling of getting something ready-made. The thought: you do everything in my place, buy the ticket too, and let me enter heaven! Yet, to expose the falseness of the promises of these fraudsters who promise salvation, what does God say? Through the prophet Ezekiel:

The LORD spoke to me as follows: “Son of man, if a land acts unfaithfully toward me and sins, and I stretch out my hand against that land, deprive it of every kind of food, send famine upon it, and destroy people and animals; even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, Job, were in it, by their righteousness they could save only their own souls.” Thus says the Sovereign LORD.

“…Or if I send a plague to that country, and to cut off man and beast from it, pour out my fury upon it in blood; though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, says the Lord Jehovah, as I live, they would save neither son nor daughter; by their righteousness they would save only their own souls.” Ezekiel 14:12-14 and 19-20

Astonishing — all these precious prophets cannot save even a single soul other than their own. And yet these modern and also ancient religions of our time can say, “Do not be afraid at all, cling to me, you can enter heaven only by my means.” And Jesus the Messiah:

“Leave them; they are blind guides of the blind. If a blind man guides a blind man, both fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14) — are these not words said exactly fittingly for just these?

Well, how will these who say “use us” defend themselves?

Whoever Adam and Eve tried to throw the guilt upon, this did not save them. The interesting aspect of the business is that, if there is a guilt at hand, somehow it is always: “Not I, he made me do it,” but when there is a good deed, one boasts saying, “I did it”! If, when there is a guilt, one does not want to have a share in the penalty, then when there is a good thing too, should one not have no share? And is this not logical and just? The one who encourages, who pushes to the crime, perhaps surely exists, but that person still cannot say, “I am wholly guiltless.”

Another question is: «Did God not use Israel, His nation, so that it might be an example to the whole world and to fulfill His purpose?» In the moral collapse in the promised land, did He not again use Israel to destroy those idolatrous nations? Let us see what God says about this subject. And let us pay particular attention to the words God used meticulously. In the Holy Scripture's book of Deuteronomy, or the Repetition of the Law, it is written thus:

The LORD's loving you and choosing you was not because you were greater than all the peoples; for you were the fewest of all the peoples; but because the LORD loved you, and wished to keep the oath He swore to your fathers, the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand and delivered you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Deuteronomy 7:7-8

God here does not say of Israel “He used,” He says “He chose.” Is this a difference? Of course! When one is chosen for a task — whether it be a person, a society, a nation, a party — this is an honor, a glory given to him. At the same time it is a responsibility. If that responsibility is not fulfilled, if one does not behave worthily of it, this is the fault of that chosen one. The chosen one has not behaved worthily toward the one who chose him. It means he has misused his trust and his good intention. But when the word “being used” enters into the business, a different situation and thought emerges. The one who is used, while fulfilling that task, that responsibility, saves himself from giving account for all the wrongs he will have done. He wishes to emphasize that he is a slave under orders. For instance, he says, “God used me.” Is there anyone who can call God to account?! Did you notice how cunning the tactic is? As I said, this type of people are always ready to take the glory that will be given to them! But in all the filth they do they are guiltless! They themselves have no guilt, for they have been used. How insidiously people can use words when they want to. Need we say that Satan is a master at dominating our minds? This too generally happens by means of masterfully chosen words.

Think of a work you have done. Let it be very, very valuable in that work. Whomever and for whatever you have done it, with what eye would you look upon the person who commissioned you saying, with very good intention, about that work of your success: “I used him”? We cannot say that anyone would look upon it with a good eye. Why? Because, even though what you did was perhaps in return for a salary, for money, even though you carried it out using that person's means as a tool, his saying about you, “I used him,” reduces you to zero. All your abilities, your initiative, your knowledge, your education, your love, your thoughts, your concerns, your efforts, your good intention, your will — all of them, all that you used for that work — mean zero.

A person uses a tool. A hammer, a pickaxe, a pen, a shovel, a computer, a car, an airplane, a ship, etc. None of these have the human-specific qualities, features we counted above. A person uses these tools, and it is the person who is praised and worthy of praise by this. Even with whatever valuable tool we have done our work, still it is the human being who made that tool, and by its means he is praised. That is, what is praised is that person's knowledge, ability, capacity, the will he possesses, his thought and his effort. Because the lamp lights in the dark — especially if it comes on exactly on time — we praise its light. But the aim is to praise the person behind that light, the one who invented it. Otherwise the lamp, the car, the hammer are lifeless things. These have no will, no powers of thinking and intelligence, no loves, no hatreds, no efforts, no feelings. In short, in a thing a person does, whatever the thing done may be, it is a product of that person's foolishness or of his mind. Or it is a product of his error, his ill intention, or of his attention, his good intention. What I wish to say is that, whatever a person's deeds may be, even if a host of effects and factors come in between, they belong to that person himself.

A gifted person can show his gift in a work he has entered. Indeed, that workplace may even have been an opportunity for bringing out his gifts. But for the person who gave that work opportunity to say nonetheless “I used him,” trying to take upon himself all the glory due to that person's gifts and capacity, is nauseating. It may be that, had those opportunities not existed, that person would not even have been aware of the gifts he possessed. Whatever the case, that gift still belongs to that person. For both sides, for people — apart from tools and equipment — to attempt to use one another is a very great ill-manneredness and shame. The things that may be used by people can only be tools and equipment, but they must never be a human being.

I write this business thinking about matters supposedly always done with good intention. Otherwise we all already know and understand the meaning of the saying “he misused.” So then, if this being used means reducing to zero a person's intelligence, his personhood, his ability, his free will, his feelings, why do people, and most of all religious institutions, organizations, say “God uses us”? And boastfully at that! Do not we too, ordinary people, see being used by God as a thing to boast of? Have we never been in this passion? Indeed, many who pass as religious scholars wish to emphasize that the good and the bad, the right and the fraudulent, are all used by God. According to them, God is always doing these things and having them done. For the meaning of the word is such that it is to make a person's free will and all the things a human being possesses appear as if they did not exist, or as if he could not use them himself. A person falls into a state like a hammer, wood, a nail. In any case, only these are used, and our limit of use should remain with these.

Well then, is a human being never used? What does that mean? Of course he is used, and humanity unfortunately strives to do this with great pleasure, and every day. Whether with sweetness or with bitterness, with beauty or with ugliness, with money or for free, with love or with hatred, or with whatever it may be, people have expended, and do expend, very great efforts to use one another. This is in fact a sign of a lack of love, it is egotism, it is conceit. Alongside this there are also people who take pleasure in having themselves used. In fact both are a situation God does not welcome. For this reason I take up the subject most of all from the angle of its being in God's name.

“God uses me, and I use you.” With this acrobatics of words the religionists have destroyed many people, have stolen them from God and driven them away. In this business of exploiting and riding on people's backs, the devout do it by introducing themselves under a humble business-card name such as: “the faithful and discreet slave class, your servant brothers.” And yet, while a general, a commander, a minister who has nothing to do with religion and the like, or whoever holds any responsibility, does his work taking refuge in his own rank, the devout merely use God like a rank. Though it comes out of their own mouth, as a final word they say, “This is God's word.” In Matthew 7:15 Jesus the Messiah:

“Beware of false prophets; they come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves” — did not say this in vain.

And yet the thing God always expects from people is: using the free will He gave us, to love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and our strength; and to love people as ourselves. Mark 12:29. We must do this ourselves. Otherwise no one can do it in another's name. Those who say, “We too encourage our brothers to do the same,” are making encouragements for them to be slaves to themselves, not to God. And what meaning is left to free will? Can another think for us, can another speak for us, can another believe for us? Is it with these that we will come before God? With what face?

As we said, we could not find even one verse about God's using anyone. But God does command us to use all the values He gave us. Using your will, your heart, your mind, your strength, your abilities, your words, etc. — do my will, He says. However low or high a class, knowledge, abilities and race you may be counted in this world, in the place that appears in the new translation of the Holy Scripture as the Repetition of the Law, in Deuteronomy, chapter 30 verses 11-14, God Himself says thus:

For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, nor is it far from you. It is not in the heavens, that you should say: Who will go up to the heavens for us and bring it to us and make us hear it, that we may do it? Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say: Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and bring it to us and make us hear it, that we may do it? But the word is very near you, that you may do it; it is in your mouth and in your heart.

If you have noticed, God wants us to use the things we possess. He does not say, do not worry at all, I will use you. Nor does He say, use one another. No, and again no.

I wished to emphasize, by means of these pages, that with the ill-mannered ascriptions, always in vain, of “God uses me, or us,” we will gain nothing but God's wrath.

Finally, to those who suppose they will be saved by going after these organizations, religions, sects and their like, the Quran makes a very beautiful prophecy:

After the matter is finished and done, Satan says: “God promised you the truths. I too promised you, and I did not keep my word. In fact I had no authority over you at all; I only called you, and you obeyed my call. Do not reproach me. Reproach yourselves. Neither can I help you, nor can you help me. I do not acknowledge your former associating me as a partner. Truly, for the deviant there is a bitter torment.” Surah Ibrahim (14), verse 22. (Osman Nebioğlu translation)

Is Satan telling a lie here? According to these words, who else is guilty?