Nowadays, our societies’ values have changed so much that “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” which are all fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), seem to have disappeared. Go to a school, you see young impatient children trying to teach their teachers. Go to a home, you see young people who know better than their parents… and obedience has deserted. Go to a church, you see church leaders who preach what they know the members want to hear or members who leave or rebel because this or that does not suit their immediate needs… authority is certainly not something they want to hear about, expect from their boss, because the boss pays them a salary to do a job! My brother, my sister, as a Christian what do you do when you see such things? Do you compromise because it’s better not to take a stand? Do you close your eyes, because it is none of your business? Do you recognise yourself or someone in such a behaviour? As Christians, we have responsibilities: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26). Every good work a believer does has eternal benefits that the Lord Himself guarantees: “I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done” (Revelation 22:12).
We are all aware that the words INSTANTLY, EXPRESS, FAST-FOOD are now the master words. That is why people want instant attention, instant service, instant results, instant satisfaction and instant food… and sadly enough instant results in our spiritual lives. My friends, God is an instant God, but He does things on His agenda, not ours! Besides, He is not a man to be fooled. We may fool ourselves and the others, yet and still we need to be truly regenerated, by dying to ourselves, which is the true essence of our Christian life, as we take up our cross and follow Christ. Yes, dying to yourself is part of being born again because your old self dies and the new self comes to life (John 3:3-7), so that we can start the process of sanctification that last throughout our lives. Therefore, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). In other words, we should no longer conform ourselves to the world’s fast-food Gospel that only looks at the promises of God but instead seek to live a life that pleases God through the full Gospel that looks at the promises and the obedience to God’s commands! Yes, let’s keep in mind that our Lord Jesus does not compromise with lukewarm followers who try to live partly in the old life and partly in the new life: He says He will spit them out (Revelation 3:15-16). My friend, dying to yourself is not an option for a Christian; it is a choice that is leading you to eternal life.
If you don’t recognise yourself in this exhortation but know someone who seem to fit in, exercise your responsibility as a Christian by trying to win them back to the Lord’s full Gospel with the assurance that any good work you do for the Lord is not in vain. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.
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