I and my husband had a wonderful discussion with a couple yesterday and we talked about so many issues affecting Christianity today. Once again, we realized as I have always talked about here the need for balance in Christianity. What we have obtainable in our time, is actually the experience of two extremes. On one side of the divide is the sect that teaches a lot about Christian living, character, godliness, righteousness etc. what we notice in this set of people is that they are so heavenly conscious and their relationship with God has a direct impact on their way of life. They have understood that we are pilgrims on earth and we should have little or no emotional attachment to wordly possessions. However, we notice sadly that they know little or nothing about the power of God that is able to change the circumstances of their lives. So they may be going through difficult situations for years without a change though their faithfulness to God would never wane. Those around them though they commend them, are hardly drawn to their “God” of today who would allow them suffer in penury, sickness etc with the hope of a heavenly promise.
On the other side are the Christians who understand grace, faith, and the power of God etc. They know they have received the dynamic ability of God to cause changes in their lives; they are men of faith who through powerful confessions of the Word, lay hold of the promises of scripture and see it produce results in their lives. They understand new creation realities; dominion etc and miracles are part and parcel of their lives. However, these set knows next to nothing about Christian character and living. Here you see the highest levels of moral decadence, a high abuse of the term grace, people that speak in tongues one minute and the next they are fighting and using abusive words on neighbours and colleagues. Little wonder that Benny Hinn actually preached and said healing evangelists usually backslide so fast and he has come across so many that have fallen from faith.
I’m not condemning anyone. I have been at the two worlds personally but my hearts cry for a long time has been “balance”. I want to be taught about the power of God and see the signs that the scripture said SHALL follow the believer in churches, as well as be a Christian whose life reflects the gospel of Christ.
Later in the evening, during bible study with my Oga Prince, we felt we had made a scientific discovery and we felt like shouting “EUREKA’. God finally opened our eyes to see what we have been searching for and this forms the basis of our devotion. Can we please open to 2 Peter 1-3:10
”v.3: According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue”- This verse is very clear. We have been given everything that pertains to life and godliness.
“v.4: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”
verse 3 and 4 is very exciting, however, we realize from verse 5 that our enjoyment of verse 3 and 4 is hinged on the verses following it.
“v.5 -And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge”
We are told to add to our faith virtue. Virtue here actually means strength, power, excellence. The power that actually left Jesus when He healed the woman with the issue of blood. Furthermore,we are to add to virtue knowledge. Knowledge of God, His word and our rights as Christians.
From this verse, we find the 2nd set of Christians I described. They understand faith, power, knowledge etc. however, this is not enough.
“v. 6-And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7-And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity”
These two verses now describe the first set of Christians. They have self control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity which is love. But they lack faith, power and knowledge and that’s why though they are good Christians, they don’t understand the miraculous to a large extent.
“v. 8-10- For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9-But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10-Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall”
These verses make us understand that we must have these qualities in TOTALITY if we desire to be fruitful. We do not have the luxury of picking the ones we want at the expense of the other. If we lack even in one of these, our election is not sure and we are therefore blind. If we want to be sure of being fruitful Christians without backsliding or stumbling, we must diligently develop these qualities because verse 10 is very clear. It states that we shall never fall if we have these in our lives.
Don’t be a good, self controlled, patient, godly Christian exhibiting all the gifts of the spirit and be ignorant of God’s word due to lack of knowledge or be deficient in faith or know next to nothing about the resurrection power that is at work in you as stated in Philippians 3:10 and Eph 3:20.
Don’t also be an “I know who I am” Christian that fights with the usher because he directs you to sit in a place you don’t like (This girl has been there hehehe) or be one that cuts corners at work or is involved in some fraudulent and ungodly activities.
We need to seek grace to be balanced Christians. The world is awaiting the manifestation of men of this sort. Men full of power and the word but are still so spirit controlled that everyone aroundthem can testify about the saving grace of Jesus. Men that that their lives alone preach Christ in all His fullness. Disciplined and godly Christians at work that others notice and respect but at the same time so full of the anointing that all the sick people at work know to stop by their desk for a word of prayer and the office management just like Potiphar understands the blessing they have by virtue of his presence in that organization.
Christian lifestyle alone cannot preach the gospel because the scripture is very clear that if the signs are not following you, you do not believe because Mark 16:17 is very clear “These signs SHALL follow those who believe”. However, the miraculous without Christian character, discipline and godliness sends out an offensive odour to those around us. We need the totality of 2 Peter 1:5-7.
HELP US O LORD!!!
- Daughter of Zion
the Christian life comes with a balance. John 8.32 says you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free hence if the gospel i received is not whole i cannot enjoy perfect liberty from the yokes of bondage for scriptures say be not entangled with the yokes of bondage but walk in the liberty in which Christ has set you free. my freedom in Christ is as a result of my receiving in my hands the full package.
ReplyDeletesigns and wonders is a component part of the package i received. my life must be a wonder and a sign to the perishing, persons must see me and see Christ reflection in me, my life must unveil revelations about the risen Christ, my life must be loaded with events that show his timely plus glorious interventions at critical crucial crossroads of my life and all this along with other things Christ has set in motion for me must be available and real in me for me to say i am whole, i am complete in Christ
Thank you for you comment. Indeed, signs are wonders are part of the packages.
DeleteMay God continue to help you to know who you are in Christ.