Une Vie de Grâce

This article is in French only.

Exhortation sur les œuvres de la grâce.

Considérant d’une importance capitale la pratique de la vie chrétienne, j’ai souvent abordé les chrétiens avec cette question: ‘Jésus Christ est-Il votre Seigneur?’ Tout chrétien, sans hésitation, répond par l’affirmative. Mais, plus tard, pendant l’entretien, je soulève la question du Seigneur lorsqu’Il demanda: “Pourquoi M’appelez-vous Seigneur, Seigneur! et ne faites-vous pas ce que Je dis?” (Luc 6:46)

Je dois avouer qu’en voyant le mépris avec lequel de nombreux chrétiens reçoivent les choses profondes de l’Evangile du Christ (Jean 8:31-32), il m’arrive souvent de me demander si nous ne sommes pas de ceux qui n’ont pas reconnu le Seigneur, lorsqu’en tant que Parole, “Elle est venue chez les siens, et les siens ne L’ont point reçue” (Jean 1:10); ou de ceux qui ont eu la grâce de Le recevoir et de croire en Lui, et de qui les écritures parlent en ces termes: “Mais à tous ceux qui L’ont reçue, à ceux qui croient en Son nom, Elle a donné le pouvoir de devenir enfants de Dieu, lesquels sont nés, non du sang, ni de la volonté de la chair, ni de la volonté de l’homme, mais de Dieu”? (Jean 1:10-13)

S’il n’y a pas de moyen d’échapper à la question du Seigneur! Lui répondra-t-on: Seigneur, pourquoi veux-Tu que nous fassions ce que Tu dis? As-Tu oublié Ta propre parole qui dit que “c’est par la grâce que vous êtes sauvés, par le moyen de la foi”? (Éphésiens 2:8)

Comme si nous ne savions pas que la grâce produit des œuvres, allons-nous argumenter devant le Seigneur en ajoutant: “Or, si c’est par grâce, ce n’est plus par les œuvres; autrement la grâce n’est plus une grâce”? (Romains 11:6, 6:1-2)

Au Seigneur de répliquer: Aviez-vous reçu Ma grâce en vain? (2 Corinthiens 6:1) Que dit donc Ma parole dans Tite 2:11-12?

Et à nous de lire: “Car la grâce de Dieu, source de salut pour tous les hommes, a été manifestée. Elle nous enseigne à renoncer à l’impiété et aux convoitises mondaines, et à vivre dans le siècle présent selon la sagesse, la justice et la piété…”.

Est-ce le cas pour ce qui te concerne?

Nombreux sont les chrétiens qui pensent que les œuvres de la grâce, c’est de nous remplir des biens de ce monde et de nous permettre de patauger dans nos péchés tout en s’assurant que l’étiquette de notre salut n’y reste pas. Mais, étant venu pour nous sauver de nos péchés (Mathieu 1:21), le Seigneur a mis Sa grâce à notre disposition comme un véhicule qui, progressivement, nous éloigne des choses que Dieu déteste et nous rapproche de Sa sainteté. C’est en cela que le salut est un don de Dieu; car ce n’est pas par nos œuvres que nous sommes sauvés ou que nous ferons ce que dit le Seigneur: C’est par la grâce au moyen de la foi. Et le signe que nous avons cette grâce et cette foi, ce sont les fruits de l’Esprit que nous portons.

Bien qu’ayant plusieurs fonctions dans la vie de l’homme, la grâce ne sous-entend pas une vie de libertinage, de détachement au Commandement du Christ, lui attribuant d’avoir excusé nos péchés passés, présents et ceux qu’on meure d’envie de commettre. Elle est avant tout le moteur pour la transformation d’un pécheur en un saint. Et cette transformation est une réalité (2 Corinthiens 5:17). Certes, on ne s’attend pas qu’un homme soit juste (Romains 3:10, 23, 7:18-19), mais qu’il soit saint (Ephésiens 1:4-6, 1 Pierre 1:15); et la sainteté, c’est l’inclination par l’Esprit Saint à haïr le mal et à aimer le bien (Romains 12:9, Hébreux 1:9, Psaumes 97:10, Proverbes 8:13).

Peuple de Dieu, ne recevons pas la grâce de notre Père céleste en vain (2 Corinthiens 6:1) et ne limitons pas ses œuvres à des choses et au bien-être que nous jouissons d’elle! Car, la preuve de la grâce, source de salut, n’est pas dans la satisfaction de nos désirs mondains (Matthieu 6:31-33), mais dans notre disposition à vivre selon le Commandement de Jésus Christ, notre Seigneur. C’est là les œuvres fondamentales de la grâce: que nous renoncions à l’impiété et aux convoitises de ce monde et que nous apprenions à vivre dans le siècle présent selon la sagesse, la justice et la piété; que nous soyons transformés et que nous puissions discerner la volonté de Dieu (Romains 12:2).

Peuple du Dieu vivant, je vous en conjure, voyons la manifestation de la grâce de Dieu dans notre disposition à accomplir de bonnes œuvres! Recevons la grâce de Dieu dans son intégralité! Car au jour du jugement, de nombreux chrétiens se verront chasser de la face de Dieu en dépit des prophéties, des miracles qu’ils se disent opérer par le nom de Jésus (Matthieu 7:22-23).

Bien-aimés, que la grâce de Dieu abonde dans nos vies et nous emporte dans une communion profonde pour la gloire de Son Royaume et pour le bien de Son peuple!

Que Dieu vous bénisse! Amen!

WHY HAS THE WORLD ACCEPTED CHRISTIANITY

 Why Has The World Accepted Christianity

 Aren’t People Supposed To Fight It?

I wish America had really been able to walk in peace with Christianity, as many claim, because this would have been a good example for the whole world to follow. In fact, American Christianity is the same version that the world, especially Africa, has imported and it is widely accepted in that one of its main components, which constituted an offense to the world, has been removed. Grace and truth both came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17), yet the world rejected truth for fear that its evil works would be revealed (John 3:20).

Please understand that it is out of love and with a heart full of passion for our faithful walk with Christ that I write this. Truly, it is hard to say this, but for the sake of our freedom (John 8:32), we have to know that the reason why Christianity is widely accepted today is because the world has acquired a counterfeit version of it; a Christianity which, for fear of being offensive, has chosen to suppress the Truth of the Kingdom (Romans 1:18-19), to hide sin behind the pulpit and to “appoint for salvation” them that walk on the broad way of destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). A Christianity which, for the majority, preaches a gospel of enjoyment, of wealth and prosperity, of distraction and of deception (Matthew 15:8-9, 24:11, 24; Galatians 1:8-9; 2 Corinthians 11:4) while fastening the hearts of men tight to the lusts of this world (1 John 2:15-17), thereby closing  before them the gate of Heaven (Matthew 23:13-14). Test today’s Christianity with the True Gospel of Christ (repentance, faith in Christ alone, love, service, holiness above all other things) and see if the persecution spoken of in the Scriptures will not rise, most of which stemming from established religious systems which have always been hostile to the true teachings of Christ and His followers (Galatians 4:16).

Don’t you remember what happened in the days when the True Gospel of Christ was preached? How the religious people and rulers of this world treated faithful followers of Christ? Which word of caution did we receive from our Lord with regard to our relationship with the world (Mark 13:13, John 15:18-25, Matthew 10:22)? What does happen, even today, to those who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12)?

Preachers who have adopted the so-called “gospel of love”, also known as grace preachers, and who believe that our declaring of the Whole Counsel of God is motivated by pride and not by love and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:27, 2 Timothy 4:1-2), please visit back what happened in the days of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ and see if your preaching is worthy of Him who was persecuted and crucified for His message of love and truth (John 8:40, 7:7). Don’t you know that you should not separate truth and love; that love that lacks truth is nothing else but a pretext for selfish ambitions? We need to learn to declare the truth in love and to love in truth, but let us endeavour above all to preach the Whole Counsel of God and to refrain from selecting scriptures in the effort of seeking to please the hearing of men (2 Timothy 4:3). I plead with you, ministers of God, that we follow the example of Christ Himself and the Apostles, to be faithful servants of Christ (Matthew 25:23, 1 Corinthians 11:1). For, we do not answer to man but to God in this matter; yea, we should not seek to tell people what they want to hear, but what God wants them to hear.

The Gospel of Christ, the nucleus of the Christian faith, is a threat to the world that would not part ways with sin. It is hated by men because it speaks the truth and denounces sin (John 3:19-21, 7:7). Yes, modern Christianity is widely accepted because it does not teach the Whole Counsel of God, but selected scriptures to make the people happy: it teaches another gospel (Galatians 1:8-9, 2 Corinthians 11:4). Indeed, the world cannot handle the True Gospel of Christ Jesus; it is too hard for them (John 6:60, 1 Corinthians 1:23). That’s why the established religious systems and rulers of this world make every effort to suppress it and mock and even threaten and persecute faithful servants of Christ. This is not something new, history will tell you more. And, hadn’t men changed the message of Christianity, it would have still been fiercely hated today. I do not encourage you in that neither do I say this to condemn you; but, I seek to wake you up to the light of the truth so that, together, we may walk back in the path of salvation and righteousness in our Lord and saviour, Christ Jesus, in the midst of hatred and rejection (Matthew 5:10-12). Remember what 2 Timothy 3:12 says; the world will never accept those who are truly in Christ.

But, you “[my] Beloved, don’t be surprised at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. But because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of His glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified”. “If one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don’t obey the Good News of God? “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let them also who suffer according to the  will of God in doing good entrust their souls to Him, as to a faithful Creator”  (1 Peter 4:12-14, 16-19).

May the God of mercy enlighten your understanding of His grace and love and bless you through Christ Jesus, our Lord! Amen! Venu20140902

  

ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING ABOUT SALVATION?

Are we missing something?

About Salvation

Important: Please make the effort to read the Bible references provided as this will help clarify the points made. Please also note that most of the things that we have heard about salvation in our churches are true. I am, in this article, dealing with the things that we might not have heard or rarely hear.

1.    Introduction

– Who then can be saved? The disciples asked.
– With man, said Jesus, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:25-26)

The Scriptures teach us that we must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ to be judged for the things that we had done in our earthly body, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10, Hebrews 9:27), and also that vengeance will be inflicted, in flaming fire, on those who do not obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). The Bible also tells us that we have all sinned and that the wrath of God is against men for their ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 3:10, 23; 1:18).

With all these charges upon us, who then can be saved?

2.    The meaning of salvation

Before we answer the question above, let us be certain that we clearly understand what it means by being saved. Salvation is deliverance from sin and, therefore, from the subsequent wrath of God and the punishment that is rightfully reserved to the ungodly in the eternal fire of hell (Matthew 1:21, Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).

But it seems that today, almost all Christendom has agreed to a more relaxed meaning of salvation; preferring to keep sin, yet wanting to be delivered from the consequences of disobedience to God. Many have come to believe that a continuous life of sin does not affect our relationship with Christ and have found ways to accommodate sin in their lives and the lives of their followers, having misquoted the Scriptures and rejected verses that do not support their theories. But, if Jesus is truly our Lord, wouldn’t our deliberate disobedience towards Him demonstrate that we are not His servants and that He does not Know us (John 10:27-28, 1 John 2:3, 5:3)? Didn’t Christ Himself question His Lordship over the children of disobedience when He said: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say (Luke 6:46)? You see! You are not any servant of God and are not saved, when you rebel against Him and wilfully disobey Him (Hebrews 10:26-29). That makes you His enemy (Luke 19:27, Philippians 3:18).

Let no one deceive you, the wrath of God is reserved for the children of disobedience (John 3:36, Colossians 3:5-6, Ephesians 5:1-9). Yes, them that act in that manner, the Lord will reject in the day of judgement saying: I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:23).

By this, we should also understand that the sinner’s prayer, which I describe as man’s strategy to get pass God’s righteous judgement for sins and to be counted worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, might not be the plan of God for salvation. So, let us carefully examine the Scriptures and find out what they actually say about being saved.

3.    Who then can be saved?

According to the Scriptures, salvation is impossible with men. It is so expensive that no man’s effort or riches can afford it. For that reason, our God, who so loved the world, freely gives it to whoever believes in His Son (John 3:16, 18; 16:16). Salvation is in Christ alone: To be saved, you need to believe that Jesus is Lord and that He died for your sins. Faith in Christ Jesus is what is required in order to be justified in the day of judgement and to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:18, Romans 3:22).

Truly, whoever believes will not perish but have everlasting life. But, what it entails to believe is, I suppose, the biggest question that today’s Christianity will have to answer. Believing in Christ implies that we also follow Him and obey His commands. For, as we are guided by what we believe, walking contrary to the commandments of God and not feeling any remorse about it, is certainly the proof that we do not truly believe (1 John 2:4-6). Don’t you know that salvation is a journey? Yes, a walk that begins when we enter the narrow gate; continues through the restricted path and ends when Christ returns (Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 13:24-28)? If you truly believe, the Spirit of God shall dwell in you, keeping you in the path of salvation and performing through you the walk of faith, the works of a living faith (James 2:14-26, Philippians 2:13). And, these include repentance from sin (Acts 3:19), baptism (John 3:3-8, Romans 6:3-4), abiding in Christ (1 John 2:6, John 15:10, Ephesians 2:10), etc. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father” (Matthew 7:21), Jesus said. Do you see by this that believing is not simply what you thought it was? And, knowing that the demons also believe and even tremble with fear (James 2:19), what then does it serve us to have faith which lacks works (James 2:14)?

4.    Do we then have to work for salvation?

We must be very clear about this: Salvation is free. It is a free gift from God; it is not earned with our works. We are in no way saved by the things that we do. We are saved by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5). Good work is but the consequence of salvation, the product of the saving faith (Titus 3:8). It is the evidence that we have received the grace of God, and that not in vain but unto salvation, and also that our faith in Christ is indeed alive (2 Corinthians 6:1, James 2:14-26). When a person actually gets saved, he becomes a new creature who naturally and gradually desires to walk with Christ, to do the things that are pleasing to God. This is not on his own; but he is guided by the indwelling Spirit of God, who produces in him the desire and the power to do the will of our Father in Heaven (Philippians 2:13, Galatians 2:20).

It sounds like believing is more than work, doesn’t it? Where is then the place of grace? Would you ask! Most certainly, salvation is work, but definitely not ours (John 6:28-29). It is the Work of the Cross producing in you the faith that makes you acceptable to God; a person cannot even believe except by God’s grace (John 6:44, John 6:37). Faith is born of grace. Was it man’s personal effort or his own decision to believe, many believers would have ‘grown’ their faith to become bigger than a mustard seed! It is God who gives faith by the manifestation of His Holy Spirit (Romans 12:3, 1 Corinthians 12:7-9). In short, salvation is the supernatural work of God in us through the Spirit of His Son. It starts with grace and ends with grace; work is but the consequence of salvation: A born again person does good works not in order to be saved, but because he has been saved. And, that not by his own might, but by the Spirit of God working through him that which is pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:21, Ephesians 5:8-10).

5.    Examine yourself!

Saved but no personal relationship with Christ? Saved but no visible sign of the Spirit of God working through you? Saved but still enslaved by sin and behaving as though everything was normal? Brothers and sisters, please examine yourselves to see if you truly believe (2 Corinthians 13:5). For, true faith is the key of salvation. Was Abraham’s faith, by which he was qualified righteous before God, empty of works (Galatians 3:6)? No, the saving faith would lead you to do something as it made Abraham obey God even when he did not know where God was sending him (Hebrews 11:8, James 2:14). Therefore, let us now ask ourselves which work our faith performs through us! Is it ‘continuous deliberate sin’ in order that grace may abound (Romans 3:8; 6:1-2, 1 John 1:6-7)? Did Christ pay the price for our sins so that we may freely continue to sin (John 8:11)? If we have truly accepted the hand of Christ to save us from sin, how can we still live in bondage to it (Matthew 1:21, Ephesians 2:1-5)? Wasn’t our ‘old man’ crucified with Him (Romans 6:6-7, 18, 20; John 8:34)? I do not mean, by this, that a born-again saved Christian does not sin; no, no one is without sin (1 John 1:8, Romans 3:10). But, how repentant are you when you realise that you have ‘missed the mark’? Is the Spirit of God so present within you to convict you so that you would run to Christ for mercy (2 Corinthians 7:10-11, John 16:8, Galatians 5:16) like King David did when he exclaimed: “Lord, have mercy on me: for I have sinned against You” (Psalm 41:4)? Does the Work of the Cross produce in you the desire to repent from an unrighteous way of life and does the Spirit of God convict you of righteousness so that you may see the need to live a life worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:10)? Do not be deceived, a dead faith is like a broken key; it will not save you (James 2:14, 17).

6.    Know Christ and let Him know you!

Brothers and sisters, I did not write this to make you sad or to deny the freedom that you have in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Galatians 5:1), but to make clear to you the way of our salvation. I have declared this truth to you with the hope that the Lord Himself may touch your hearts and draw you to His Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (John 6:44). For, the grace of God, by which we have been saved, was revealed with the intent that we may live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2:11-15). Having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should do (Ephesians 2:10), how can we reconcile salvation with a kind of life that is spent on the broad way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-23)? Don’t you know that you are children of God, predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ, called to be holy (Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 1:13-16)? Why would you be deceived, and believe a lie, and reject the truth by which you have been justified and embrace unrighteousness with them that perish (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12, 1 Corinthians 15:33-34)?

Separate yourselves, I urge you, from the Gnostic doctrines, which have legalised sin among believers, leading them to eternal damnation (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22). Make yourself known to the Lord; He will save but those whom He knows (Matthew 7:21-23). Seek the LORD while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near (Isaiah 55:6). For, how can you believe in whom you do not know? Search the Scriptures for yourself and have the true and intimate knowledge of God and of our Saviour, Jesus Christ through whom the secret of eternal life was revealed. “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

Now, how do you know that you know Him? – 1 John 2:3

“May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word!” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). Venu20140812

Note: “These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in Him” (1 John 2:26-27, John 14:26). I exhort you also, brothers and sisters, to find a good church that you may share and build yourselves up in the fellowship of them that love the Lord, to the glory of His Kingdom (Matthew 22:37-39, John 13:34, John 14:15, 21, Acts 20:26-27)

A CALL TO CHRISTIAN LIVING

A CALL TO CHRISTIAN LIVING

An Exhortation to Christians

Are you a Christian? I usually ask as I go about my evangelical duties.

Sure, I am! An ordinary Christian would reply. (This is, in most cases, based on the fact that s/he once accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, even though, in reality, s/he might have no relationship with Christ).

I usually continue by saying: Well, I used to be a Christian too and even sang in a choir in one of the big churches in the country, but I am now learning to become a true Christian. This is because I realised that the Christianity that I followed was far different from the one that is spelt out in the Bible. The Bible’s Christianity is concerned with the Gospel of Christ but, when I went to church, I heard preached a gospel that was focused on me: they will say things like “you are going to buy a new car, you are going to build your own house… Hearing all these promises did not satisfy my needs; my soul was still thirsty for something it was lacking. I was not spiritually fed. And because of this, I visited various churches, but, everywhere I went, I heard the same gospel preached and this left me starving. Our Lord Jesus, in the Scriptures, instructed that we “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to [us]”. Modern churches have reversed the instruction of our Lord giving precedence to other things, and neglecting almost entirely the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. Please understand that I am not here to judge anyone, but a burden has been put on my heart to proclaim the truth of Christ, and to bring Christians, including me, to embrace the true teaching of the Gospel. These modern churches have preached a reversed gospel and attracted many people who have no interest in God except to use the name of His son Jesus Christ as a currency to acquire some of these other things that were promised to those who seek God: and these things have become the subject of modern churches preaching (money, cars, houses, visa, spouse…). Hence, many are those who go to the house of God solely for the purpose of satisfying their own selfish desires. Considering the warning of our Lord concerning the wolves that will invade the gathering of His people, I realised that this was it; that something was wrong with our ordinary Christianity which, it seems, is now led by wolves who have accommodated goats in the house of God. I am very certain of this fact since it is no coincidence that at the end, the many that will be told by the Lord “depart from me” are those who profess to be Christians while walking in darkness (1 John 1:6, John 8:12). These people will try to remind the Lord saying: “didn’t we prophesy in Your name, in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many mighty works?”, but the Lord will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work iniquity’ (Matthew 7:21-23). Is that the case in your own Christian life? Does God know you to be a Christian?

A Smile & Silence: This is the response I have from most ordinary Christians

You see, Christianity is not about me, Christianity is not about you, but Christianity is about Christ. Christianity is not about us having all our desires and lusts met; it is not about the preaching of promises which God is not even aware of; it is not about a gathering of people who have nothing to do with the Kingdom of God and His righteousness but use the name of Christ to partake of the promises which are not rightfully theirs. Christianity is about Christ; it is about Him being glorified in our lives. I always tell people that we live to become Christians; yes, to be conformed to the image of Christ; to take the likeness of Christ; to become like Christ. Is that the case in your own life? Well, that was the reality in the life of the Disciples of Christ who were first called Christians in the city of Antioch. They lived differently from the people in that city and their activities and character could only be traced in the teachings of Christ. That is the reason why they were singled out and called Christians, which mean followers of Christ. But, can someone look at your life, the way you live, and call you a Christian? Do you think that the people of Antioch would call us Christians, if they were to resurrect today and see our way of life? No! And if they wouldn’t, what do you think God will say? There is no need, my brothers and sisters, to deceive ourselves that we are Christians if we do not bear the evidence of discipleship (John 13:35, John 8:31, Luke 14:33). The evidence of our following Christ is seen in the eye of the world when we truly are Disciples of Christ; that is, when we live to be conformed to the image of Christ. Let us leave it to pagans to call us Christians, as we focus on our mission to make more disciples and become one ourselves (Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:19-20). To the extreme, we should wait until someone observes our life and calls us Christians, as was the case in the city of Antioch, before we even consider ourselves to be one. For, Christianity is a way of life whereby an individual grows to become like Christ. And, this is made possible, not by our own strength, but by the work of the Holy Spirit that is driven by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus. We cannot cheat on God; people should not call themselves by the name of Christ when they engage in things that are contrary to the will of the Father; they are filled with envy, jealousy, hatred and selfishness; they tell lies, they commit adultery and they have no love for one another; they visit fetish priests, they steal and kill, yet they are in the church. Is that what you call Christianity? No, a true Christian lives to please God (Colossians 1:10-12); he desires to do the things that honour God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Christians are not those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour with their mouth alone (Matthew 15:8-9, Luke 6:46), but those who do the will of the Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21); those who have repented and continue to repent from their sins in addition to accepting Christ not only with their mouth but also with their life (James 1:22). What about you? Do you do the things that please God as is the practice of those who believe in Christ (John 12:46, John 15:4)?

Ordinary Christians’ belief:

I am just a sinner saved by grace. We are saved by grace and not by works! (Titus 3:5, 2 Timothy 1:9)

I know that it is by the grace of God that we are saved, not by our own work (Ephesians 2:8-10). Yes, but what is grace? Is it a lens that blinds God’s eyes with regards to our much enjoyed sins? Is it a towel soaked with the blood of Jesus which we carry and clean ourselves with as we walk miles and miles of our life in sin? Or is it a permit for us to live a sinful life and do the very things that benefit satan and yet consider ourselves to be born again and saved Christians? Do you even know what you are saved from so that you would not fall into it again? Do you really believe that you can continue to live a sinful life and to do the very things that God hates if you are truly a Christian? No! Except you have your own meaning of Christianity that is different from the Scriptures’. For, Christians are first and foremost Disciples of Christ; which implies that they believe in Christ Jesus and seek to live the way He does (1 John 2:6), that their life is guided by the teachings of Christ and this is evidenced by the fact that there must be signs of regeneration in their lives and the grace of God is given for that reason. Yes, Grace is the power by which the work of the Spirit of God in us becomes possible (Titus 2:11-14). The grace of God is likened to the sap that flows from the most profound and unfathomable roots to hold the branches joined to the vine (John 15:5). Don’t you know that? We would all be dry dead and lost if not for God’s grace which is available to us through faith in Christ. We are not saved by our own work but by the work of the Spirit of God in us (). And, unless there is evidence of the Spirit of Christ working in your life, you have received grace in vain and that can neither save you nor make you a Christian (2 Corinthians 6:1). True Christians cannot abide or remain in sin because of Christ who lives in them (Galatians 2:20, 1 John 3:9); they are known by their fruits: Yes, Christians must bear the fruits of the Spirit as a personal evidence of the truthfulness of their testimony (John 15:8, John 13:35, Galatians 5:22-23). I am not judging you, neither am I demanding an answer from you. I just want to urge you that you examine your own lives if there is any sign of the grace of God being manifest in you through the work of His Spirit. For, the Spirit of God would create in us the desire to abide in God’s word; He would convict us of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:8). Do you experience that in your life? Do you thirst for a personal relationship with God or are you only interested in His provisions? Do you yearn for God?

Longing for Christ, an essential component of the Christian life

Our duty in becoming Christians is our choice to surrender our lives to the control of the Holy Spirit  (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) and the evidence that we have made that choice is seen in that we continually seek to walk with Christ, that we yearn for Him (John 8:31, 1 Corinthians 15:2, John 15:10). This yearning is the work of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:15) which enables us to do the things that we cannot do in our own ability (Philippians 4:13). Repetition being the mother of all learning, let me say this again: This work is made possible by the grace of God through faith. Grace must produce in you a longing for Christ, if you have not received it in vain. In a situation that this is not a reality in your life, I would urge you to make a choice today to believe in Him and to humble yourself before the Lord and cry out to Him so that He may fashion your heart to accept Him and that He may produce in you the will and the power to live for Him (Philippians 2:13), to reject the sins that you enjoy doing and love the precepts of God that you naturally hate (1 Corinthians 2:14). For, Christianity describes a relationship between the Master, Christ, and His disciples whereby the disciple surrenders his life to his Master and truly seek to live like Him and for Him (Luke 6:46). In other words, Christianity is a way of life that gradually changes us into the image of Christ; it is devotion to Christ made possible by the enabling grace of God that flows through a heart that has chosen to humble itself before the Lord and that is given to continually yearn for God as a manifestation of the indwelling Spirit. Let us therefore humble ourselves before the Lord and go down on our knees and cry out to God so that He may draw us to His Son and incline our heart to love His Word and to abide in it (John 6:44, John 8:31). For, in that we are identified as Christians.

A Call to True Discipleship

This is my urge and my prayer for you; that you may take your Bible and find out for yourself if this inverted gospel of prosperity and good life, that have become the message of Christianity today, is meant for the people of God (Matthew 6:31-32). Yea, I pray that the Spirit of God may speak to your heart so as to lead you to learn more about our Lord by constantly reading the Scriptures – knowing that the things of God are understood through His Spirit, always seek God’s help before reading His Word. I pray, brothers and sisters, that we commune with Christ by meditating on the Word and continually conversing with Him through prayer; that we obey His commandments and have the same love for our neighbour as He has for us (John 13:34-35); that we seek His glory, because our life finds meaning in Him. It does not matter how much material wealth you possess or how many people you have under your control; without Christ, you are nothing. Let us therefore make it a priority to know God and serve Him, for this is the greatest achievement one can have under the sun. Let us seek to become true Disciples of Christ, for they are the ones the world called Christians.

And, please do not be ashamed of the Gospel of our salvation (Romans 1:16). Our Lord Jesus found it necessary to make His followers fishers of men (Matthew 4:19). This implies that it is your duty, if you are a Christian, to proclaim the Good News of Christ, to share this truth, if you believe it, with your relatives, your friends, your colleagues, your neighbours and anyone else as led by the Spirit of God. This in order that the Christian Web may expand and that we may be able to fulfil the mission that we have received from God; that is, to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) – and this, starting with our own self.

May the Lord of Glory bless you as you continue in His truth! Venu20140228

IS GOD ALL KNOWING & ALL POWERFUL?

Is God All Knowing & All Powerful?

A colleague once asked me these two questions as formulated below:

1. If God is all knowing ….. then he knows that a person “A” will end up in hell or heaven…… if it’s hell, why create that person?

2. If God is all powerful….. and will destroy lucifer in the end….. why not spare us all this trouble now?

This is how I answered:

My dear friend … I see your questions to be related as they are both centred on the nature of God and His inevitable reward at the end of days (2 Thessalonians 1:8). However, I am much worried that we might be in the process of beginning a discussion that will lead nowhere. This is because most of the time we, human beings, question God’s nature and His ability to be who He is and to perform judgement, discussions end without getting either party anywhere closer to salvation. I believe that most of the questions that we ask about God can only be well understood and answered when we have had a long walk with God, to follow the road that leads to His Kingdom and Righteousness. That is to say, when we get closer to God, we understand many things that we believe to be without answer; for, He is the answer (John 14:26).

I should be honest to inform you, before attempting to say anything, that I have not had a long walk with God and that the little knowledge I have of the Scriptures is the basis of what follows. I also would like to advice that we ask ourselves a few questions to ensure that we are not battling on things that are not part of our business as far as salvation, which is also the ultimate goal of our life, is concerned. These are: How are these questions related to our salvation for which we should spend even our last breath to pursue? What do we expect to gain at the end?

Let me also be careful to reaffirm that I am limited in my knowledge of God and that I can consequently only provide an imperfect answer to your questions. Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. And He truly is; so, let us humbly follow Him for a better understanding of these questions. Let us not be deceived! Even the best theologians or philosophers would only get us lost in their explanation of the questions that you have asked.

God is who He is; Man’s Knowledge of God is Limited! I long ago had trouble understanding the Christian doctrine that holds that God is all knowing until I accepted the truth that God always provides us with the necessary tools and answers to help us on the road to salvation; that is, until I understood that He is most concerned with our salvation and would provide us with all that it takes to achieve this purpose in our life (John 3:16). But, we, human beings, are often too busy running after the things that we think we need and, because of that, we end up missing the purpose of life. Do we know why we are here on earth, before we even start questioning God on such issues? Why do we, humans, always spend time wrestling with ourselves on issues that have nothing to do with our duties and responsibilities here on earth? We spend time on things that are above our level of understanding? Nevertheless, it is needless to say that there are stages to man’s understanding of, not only the things of God, but also of this world. Therefore, necessity there is that we first understand the basic concepts of God before trying to understand the deep things of the Father. As a matter of fact, one would not replace a baby’s milk with solid food, unless one wants to choke it. That is not done. Neither can we expect a kindergarten child to solve a problem meant for high school students (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). But, if you would like to know, the answers that I will hereby attempt to give, starting with your second question, are in no way closer to solid food, they might have some imperfections; our perfect God has the answers.

Is God all powerful…? The Ancient Greek aphorism “Know thyself” can also be applied in the Christian faith as this leads us to a better appreciation of the power of God. Knowing ourselves places us in the position to better understand God. In fact, I think that the questions at hand will hardly come from a person who, by God’s grace, appreciates the magnitude of the pettiness of creation before the ALL POWERFUL GOD.

Being more informed on the power of God than I am on the type of knowledge referred to in your first question, I will say: Yes, God is all powerful … and He will destroy lucifer in the end! But “why not spare us all this trouble now?” Because that will benefit neither us nor His Kingdom (It will be easy to understand this if we understood the purpose of life). For instance, how many of us have our parents allowed to suffer, when we were younger, the trouble of having to wake up very early in the morning just because we had to go to school? Can we see the benefit yielded? God does not spare us now and allows these troubles for so many reasons which find reason in love. One of these reasons is illustrated by the fact that life is like a school where we are away from our parents in order to learn things that prepare us for the future. Some challenges that we face in life are opportunities to reaffirm our faith in Christ and put into practice the knowledge that we have acquired. Facing these troubles is similar to sitting an exam after we have studied the topic upon which we are tested (1 Corinthians 10:13). These topics or troubles are well orchestrated to teach us to be of good use in God’s Kingdom of Heaven where we are destined to go (if we pass our exam). Our parents, even if they could, would not allow us to head the family business without prior training. Again, remember the valuable lessons we learn through suffering (Romans 5:3-5). There is a reason for our suffering; God loves us and sees us through every difficult time; we just need to pay attention to find out that He has been with us all along. Deuteronomy 31:8 is still true in our days; God will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

For more information on the reason why God does not spare us now, please read my post titled “Why Does God Allow Evil?”

Is God all knowing? This is a question that has caused much ink to flow and there have been countless theological discussions on the issue. Being related to a person’s freewill, Moses Maimonides, a preeminent medieval philosopher, formulated an argument regarding this, in traditional terms of good and evil actions, as follows:

… “Does God know or does He not know that a certain individual will be good or bad? If thou sayest ‘He knows’, then it necessarily follows that [that] man is compelled to act as God knew beforehand he would act, otherwise God’s knowledge would be imperfect.…”

What do you say? Is man compelled to act as God knew beforehand he would act? Does our perfect God have an imperfect knowledge? Or is there anything that man’s reasoning cannot comprehend about the nature of God (Job 37:5)? Theologians being divided on the topic, I would advice that you consult God Himself for a first-hand demonstration of the circumference or boundaries of His knowledge. But, let us ask ourselves first if this is really essential to our salvation. For, God will surely reveal to us whatever pertains to our salvation.

God, I believe, is all knowing [1]. Does He therefore know if a person that He is about to create will end up in hell? Knowing that God is also a loving Father and hell is a terrible place; I would say that God will not do such a thing. But, then follows the question that denies God’s all knowing nature, because, some will say, people will not end up in hell if the Holy God knew their destiny beforehand. Now, shall we engage in a discussion that will take us nowhere (1 Timothy 6:20–21) or shall we surrender to the fact that man’s knowledge is limited at this point? And this, maybe because salvation has nothing to do with us having the answer to this question or because we are not at the level [2] to understand this. There are areas of knowledge that are a prerogative of God, one of which is the day and hour of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, which even the angels of heaven have no knowledge of (Matthew 24:36). Is this question one of them? Can we understand the things of God if His Spirit has not revealed them to us? As human, we can never fully understand God; our intelligence is like a speck of dust before God’s wisdom (Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 11:33), the things of God are understood through the Spirit of His Son. Therefore, kindly follow Him, if you think that the answer to this question is capital to your salvation. Follow the way that leads to the Father; He is the answer. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). He alone has the perfect knowledge to give you a perfect answer.

To make it short, let me confess that my explanation here is nothing near to God’s perfect answer; I have only provided the path to understanding the deep things of God. It is ours to walk in and know Him. Yea, we must follow the Lord Jesus Christ if we want to know the things of His Father. His Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10, John 16:12-13). But, let us above all understand that God is more concerned with our salvation and that He will provide us with all the necessary answers to get us there.

God is all knowing & all powerful. To find out for ourselves, we must necessarily follow Christ. May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7)! Venu20130619-Updated20131130

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[1]   Psalm 44:21, Hebrews 4:13, 1 Corinthians 2:10, Psalm 147:5, 1 John 3:19-20, Psalm 139:4

[2]   Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding. Martin Luther

LIVE TO GLORIFY GOD!

Live to glorify God!

I was asked whether the selfish and evil behaviour of people in our surroundings, at work places or in the world is just human nature.

I replied saying: Yes, it is human nature at a very low and immature level.

All humans are called to grow in the knowledge of God, which makes them better beings that will be useful to the Kingdom of Heaven. I believe that the reason why we are here on earth is to be trained so as to remove all ungodliness from our lives in order to be prepared for the life that is to come. In this present life, we are supposed to live for Christ and like Christ through Whom and for Whom all things were made (2 Corinthians 5:15, John 1:3); yes, to live to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Only then will our selfish and evil characters be washed away from us.

As a fellow sinner, beneficiary of the grace of God unto salvation, called to proclaim the Good News of Christ Jesus, I plead with you that we may encourage one another to live for the glory of God; for, this is the way our mission on earth will be fulfilled: we are not of our own, we are Christ’s. And, for that reason, our lives should be spent to please Him; we should put it in mind to always question ourselves in the following manner before we do anything: Is this the will of God? Or does this glorify God? We should be bold enough to resist evil and seek to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 12:2, Romans 8:29). For, saved are them that do the will of the Father that is in Heaven (Matthew 7:21, Luke 6:46), they are known of the Lord. In fact, the Lord calls them brothers, sisters and mothers (Matthew 12:50). Does it mean anything to us to have such a close relationship with the Lord Himself? If yes, let us then consider it vital to do the will of His Father that is in heaven. What is then the will of the Father?

The will of the Father. As Christians, we must be familiar with the truth that “God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The fervent desire of every true Christian is to have eternal life with God our Father in His Kingdom and that is also the very thing that God wills for His children: the will of God is that we be saved. And the price He paid for that is immeasurable; He suffered His only begotten Son to go through the agony on the Roman Cross and die just for you and I to be saved. This truth has become unmoving for many people, but I pray that we believe in it because there is no other way our life can be covered by the price of our salvation unless we believe. Yes, just believe in Christ Jesus and we shall be saved; this is the condition for salvation. That’s easy, some will say, just to believe in Christ and I will be saved? Yes, just believe in Him and you shall be saved. But, what does it mean to believe in Christ? Is it the mere fact, as it is the practice in many Christian churches today, of publicly declaring Christ as Lord and Saviour, and continuing to live a sinful life in the name of grace? Is that how we demonstrate our faith in Christ? Can we truly confess Jesus as Lord and continue to do the things that are contrary to the will of His Father (Romans 10:9, Luke 6:46)? Don’t we know that the Lord will judge us, not based on what we said with our mouth, but, according to the will of the Father that we had actually done? Haven’t we read what the Lord said to the many that believed to be saved yet worked according to their own evil heart (Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 25:41-45)? On what basis were the few qualified as saved according to the will of God? Is it not by work (Matthew 25:34-40, James 2:14-26)? Please relax, it is not our own work that save us, but if the Holy Spirit of God truly dwells in us, this will result in good works. Yes, His work through us is the evidence of grace (Philippians 2:13, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 5:16, Titus 2:11-14). Should we, in our ‘born-again’ state of life, work iniquity? Some may still want to justify themselves by saying: what is then the place of grace? Isn’t salvation a free gift from God? Isn’t it the work of the undeserved grace of God?

The work of grace unto salvation. Salvation, it is true, is by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not at all by our work (Ephesians 2:8). It is true that our righteous acts are like filthy rags before God; yes, salvation is the gift of God (Isaiah 64:6). But, what shows that we have really received the grace of God unto salvation when it is not manifest in our life through the good work of the Spirit? What shows that we believe in Him when we act contrary to His will and do the things that benefit the devil for most part of our life? Please understand that I am not professing salvation by our own work. Salvation is the work of God’s grace. The grace of God is manifest in our lives as God works in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13). It is not by our own might, but by the work of the Spirit of God that we are able to repent from our sins. We cannot do good by ourselves but the grace of God, through Christ, empowers us to do all things (Philippians 4:13, Titus 2:11-14). What do we think we received God’s grace for? Is it for us a permit to sin without fear of condemnation (Romans 6:1)? Would the grace of God encourage us to hate our neighbours, to lie, to steal, to kill, to fornicate, to commit adultery? Is it the manifestation of grace that allows our women to dress licentiously? Would we think that we are covered by the grace of God unto salvation when we knowingly engage into sin? I love you brothers and sisters; that is why I have to tell you the truth: our continuing in sin is the proof that either we have not received the grace of God or we have received it in vain; and this will cost us salvation and make us an enemy of God. (2 Corinthians 6:1)

I plead with you; let us seek the glory of God in our lives! Let us pray that God may help us to resist evil and to live for His glory! Let us pray that God may draw us to His son so that we may see and clearly understand that our lives are meant to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness above all other things! Let us pray that God may empower us to live for His glory; because His glory is our benefit; His glory is our strength; His glory is the reason why we live!

Let us grow in the knowledge of God so that we may understand His glory and live for Him, for this is the essence of our mission on earth. Let us focus on the glory of God, so that our selfish and evil character may be washed away from us; for the glory of God is the light that purifies our life into taking the likeness of Christ. It is our salvation, which is made possible by the grace of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. Let us seek the grace of God, for it is the power that enables us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13). Let us receive the grace of God, so that we may live to glorify Him; the glory of God in our life is the sign of His grace, not of our might.

God loves us and His grace is before us. Let it be manifest in our life in order to create in us the desire and the power to live for His glory. May the Lord God bless us and enable us to life for Him! God bless you! Venu20101111

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW EVIL?

Why does God allow evil?

This thought was put down after listening to a rather confusing explanation of the above question by some pastor that gave me the impression that God was a miserable being who took pleasure in tormenting His creation to prove that He is the mighty one. That being far from the truth, I believe in Christ Jesus, my Lord, that God, being greater than we can imagine, would not be desperate for our attention. As a loving Father, all that He does, whether we consider it good or bad, He does for our good (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28): He allows evil for many separate reasons which are all directed towards our good and the glory of His Kingdom. I have suggested the following categories of events to explain, based on the limited length of my understanding of God’s issues, the different causes of our problems, while relying on God’s grace to provide appropriate answers and to discover and apply the solution required for our endurance (John 16:33).

1. The Manifestation of God’s Work. Sometimes, bad things happen to the creatures of God in order that His work may be manifest in the lives of His people as He delivers them from their situations (John 9:1-3). This event is intended to create awareness of His presence, His ability and His disposition to answer all our questions and satisfy all our needs, so that we may put our trust on Him. This is supposed to help deepen our love for and commitment to Him, since the knowledge that we have a powerful Father makes us fearless of the world (Isaiah 59:1, Psalm 23:4, 23:1, John 16:33). David did not fear Goliath, for it was evident to him that the power of God, who had delivered him from the paw of the lion, would be manifest as he stood before the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:50). Throughout his life, he always remembered what the Lord had done and this made him confident in the power of God to deliver and provide (1 Samuel 17:37)…

2. The Making of a Disciple. He also allows evil in the life of His children to make them stronger (Romans 5:3-4, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:15-16). In order to equip us with the necessary tools needed for our walk with Him and the fulfilment of our mission on earth, God often allows difficult times, which we must consider to be a training time. During these times, we learn so many valuable lessons that help shape our life in the likeness of Christ. We are exposed to the fire that separates gold from extraneous matter to purify us. This is the making of a disciple, a period of strong winds where our faith is tested, a time where we are required to use the knowledge God has given us (1 Corinthians 10:13), in order to draw even closer to Christ who intends to make us perfect and complete servants of God; His Disciples (Colossians 4:12).

3. The Saddest Fact. Many other times, bad things happen to God’s creatures just because they have to grow in the midst of evil until the end of time. This is also for the good of God’s people (please read Matthew 13:24-29, 36-43 before you continue). God could have decided to send His angels to uproot the darnel weeds (children of the evil one) from the face of the earth with the risk of sacrificing the growth of some good seeds (children of the Kingdom)[1]. But, because He loves each one of His children so much, He suffers them to grow together. Growing in the midst of evil also strengthens informed and sincere children of God as this leads them to focus on Him alone. Being aware of the fact that the field has been corrupted with bad seeds (John 12:31, 1 John 5:19, Revelation 12:7-9, 12, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Luke 10:18), they know that they have to deepen their roots, not in this visible world, but into the unseen Kingdom of Heaven through faith in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:20, John 15:19, Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15). During our stay in this world, we are to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 10:38, Habakkuk 2:4). He that endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew 24:13).

4. The Rebellious Child. Some other times, God allows evil to happen to His children in order to lead them back to Himself (Luke 15:11-32). He made us and knows that when we separate ourselves from Him, we head towards evil (Deuteronomy 5:29). So, in order to teach His children this lesson, He often allows bad things to happen to them. By experience, I have learnt that the further I distance myself from God, the more evil I meet on my way. He knows what is best for His people and allows the devil to go about his business in order to bring back those who have crossed away the boundaries of the shadow of God’s wings so that He may keep them safe. Discipline can also be learned through bad things (of the category of the saddest fact explained above) that serve as an example for those who witness such events. These sad experiences are aimed at inflicting fear on the hardened heart in order to lead them to repentance (Luke 13:1-4). The discipline of God is intended to bring us back in line with His will; it is the expression of His love for rebellious children; to lead them back Christ, the Saviour. (Also see ST 216, It is our Own Making, Venu20130715).

5. The Great Punishment. This is the expression of the wrath of God awaiting to be inflicted on the unrepentant sinner after death. You better get right with god before you arrive at his court room (Luke 12:58-59).

This being my own attempt to explain the things of God, based on the grace and knowledge I have of Him, please note that it belongs to God alone to provide an exact answer to the posed question according to His will. Man’s responsibility being his willingness  and readiness to learn the revealed truth of salvation and, by grace, walk in accordance with the precepts of God. May the grace and mercy of God, through Christ Jesus our Lord, abound in your life in order that you may desire to learn the essential truth of salvation and live by it. God bless you! Venu20130903

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[1]   Some children of the Kingdom have taken the likeness of the children of the evil one. For that reason, God has allowed for time so that, as they grow, His angels will be able to identify them when they have repented (2 Peter 3:9, Mark 13:22)???