In my part of the world, many
believers complain about believers, and definitely not without reason. Some of
the worst culprits are found in our midst which is indeed reason for worry. I
don’t know if it is the same anywhere else in the world but our story is bad. Though
a huge number of us are believers, terrible things are happening. Our lives do
not often bear evidence of the fact that we are believers and a lot of this has
been attributed to “foundations” i.e. how people got saved and what they were
taught as new believers; and maybe rightly so because people do “get saved” in interesting
ways and for interesting reasons around here. I am not by any means suggesting
that believers are perfect people; but they are people who understand that
value and partake of the benefits of Calvary and make this reality evident in
the way they live whilst taking on the responsibilities that come with electing
to partake of these benefits. They are responsible and also a people of
integrity because the Truth lives in them. Life is not about them and how they feel but
about The One who saved them and what pleases Him. Pleasing Him who saved them
is their life’s ultimate goal in every situation.
1 Peter 2: 5 “And you are living stones that God is building into His
spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the meditation
of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”
1 Corinthians3: 11 “For no one can lay any Foundation other than the
one we already have – Jesus Christ
One thing I have found from
reading the scriptures is this, a man is either a believer in Christ Jesus or He
is not - there is no middle ground. This is the foundation upon which our faith
rest. Accepting Christ as one’s personal Lord and Savior takes a decision; it
is not a process neither does He become your Saviour because you made a
decision to and actually became a better person. Without making that initial
decision, it is impossible to give one’s life a living sacrifice. The life of a
believer does not in any way suggest that the believer will always be nice in the
way man describes nice; Jesus Christ was often not the nicest of persons but He
always did the will of His Father which was always good. To walk with God
successfully, one must have a knowing that His thought toward Him are thoughts
of good so that even when His actions seem painful, you know it is for a good cause
otherwise you will leave Him. It is the same for everyone who chooses to do the
will of God, they will often not be the nicest of persons because like Jesus,
they are instruments in the hands of God to accomplish His will on earth. It
might take some time to realize that they meant well. To serve God requires us
to be of no reputation but we desire a reputation and followership. It is
impossible to submit to God and yet guard your reputation or care about appearances.
Death whilst yet living is impossible without the initial decision and
difficult even after the decision; but a must if we must remain believers. This
is the only way to be a worshipper. Worship is more than singing.
Romans 12: 1 “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to
give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a
living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the
way to worship him.”
Unfortunately, it becomes tough
to understand the need to remain dead with all the different sermons we hear
today. The devil is, like in the time of Adam and Eve, slightly twisting The
Word of God”, trying to make a sensible gospel out of the gospel that is
foolish to the wise and there are many wise in our midst so they gravitate very
easily toward this “very sensible gospel” which requires one to hold onto their
lives whilst yet remaining followers of Christ. This cannot be the gospel of
Christ who Himself laid down His own life that the purpose of God may be
fulfilled. Without death to self, we cannot please God. This new attack on our faith
deals with seemingly simple subjects like love, being judgmental and so on. It,
for example, describes a new kind of love that is so “flesh” and sensible that
it is exactly the same love that the world preaches - lust. This love has no Truth
in it so that it is not Christ out of it and so unable to release salvation so
that people remain bound; for only the “The Truth sets free”. This love makes
excuses for evil like jealousy, pride albeit subtle pride, and certainly
demands its own way. It never rejoices for truth but for its establishment of
its purpose and keeps record of wrongs. This is not the love that the bible
preaches so how then can people be set free? Even if one’s faith was
established on the right Foundation, you must guard what you believe and keep
checking over and over again that you still believe The Truth. It is so easy to
like Eve be carried away and not even know it. Moreover, no matter how bad our
Foundations may be, God loves man so much that He made room for us to start
again. You can rebuild it and if one has left the truth, they can be realigned.
My question is – what do you believe today? Selah.
Ephesian 5: 9 – 10
“Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God
will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in these things people do.
For once you were in darkness, but now you have light form the Lord. So live as
people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right
and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.”
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