By Michael Adekoya – “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?” Matt. 5:47.
LA COSMOPOLITE at Concert Saint Pierre Julien EYMARD
Dear Reader, I was inspired to write this week’s article by the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide morning devotion booklet (Living Water) topic of 1st September 2018. You need to ask yourself sometimes what is there in your life that marks you as a child of your Father in heaven? Are you really different in character, words, deeds and attitudes from the world around you?
My friend, you may ask what I meant by that. Let me give some examples, the way of the world is to defend yourself; the way of Christ is to deny yourself. The way of the world is to hate your enemies; the way of Christ is to love your enemies. The way of the world is to get everything you can; the way of Christ is to give everything you can. The way of the world is to look out for yourself; the way of Christ is to look out for others. The way of the world is self-esteem; the way of Christ is God-esteem. The way of the world is to expect repayment here and now; the way of Christ is to seek treasure in heaven.
My friend, I ask you again, are you following the way of the world or that of Christ? What makes the Christian way of life different from all others is self-denial. Self-denial begins in the way you relate with God. You don’t base your relationship with God on any of your own qualifications. Such as I attend Church services daily, I fast weekly, I pay my tithe monthly, I was born in the Church, I am a Child of Pastor, I have a Christian name, I am this, I am that, I do this or I do that. The same way the followers of man-made religions think that their standing with God depends on their own goodness. But the Christian is different. You are right with God when you deny your own merit and base your confidence only on Christ – Phil. 3:1-9.
Also once you belong to Jesus, self-denial also shapes the way you relate with others. The old self tells you when someone hurts you, you hurt them back. But you deny yourself: you choose not to seek revenge or to fight back, even if that means more suffering. And in denying yourself, you find yourself and your true identity. You realise who you are: You are a child of your Father in heaven. You are a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are different from unbelievers. Jesus said, ““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matt. 5:43-48
In the Church today, we lay much emphasis on the way people dress and we liken and limit our difference to the people of the world only the way we dress. My friend, dressing like the Prostitutes, Jezebels and Delilahs are not good and Biblical – 1Tim. 2:9. I agree that there must be difference in the mode of our dressing from the people of the world as Children of God. But my friend, that’s just one aspect, the main area of our difference should be in our character, attitude, disposition, behaviour as well as in our thinking. If we are not in any way different in these aforementioned areas of our Christian lifestyle, well we are hypocrites, we are not genuine followers or bonafide Children of our Heavenly Father.
My friend, if you do an eye for an eye like the people of the world, if you are revengeful, unforgiven, self seeking, domineering, love those who love you, hate those who hate you, embezzle money that belong to several people or seeking for promotion at the expense, hurt and pain of others, you are not like you Heavenly Father, but like the other “father” the Devil. Anyone who claims to be a Child of God with those attitudes and character is a “bastard”, needs to repent and follow the ways of the Heaven Father you claim to belong. Once again, my friend are you really different? Not in your mode of dressing alone, but also in your character. Also if you claim to be a child of God, let it reflect in your mode of dressing as well. My friend, are you really different? If your answer to this question is negative, please do the needful.
