ABSTAINING FROM EVIL

A primary school teacher once asked his pupils for the synonym of evil, he got a chorus answer -'bad', 'wicked', 'devilish', 'dreadful', 'painful' etc he asked further if someone could describe  the word 'evil',one of the pupils got up not having a word of expression grinned and frowned deeply then said 'something very very baaaad'. 

This is just a human view point,what about God's,ponder on this.
Men do evil when they are subtly deceived by the devil through his multifaceted wiles and schemes and for some their consciences have been seared with a hot iron and so habitually do evil.

Evil in its simplest  form is the opposite of good while good itself is anything worthy of commendation because of its inherent moral value and beneficial external effects.

Worthy of note first of all is that, evil can never be good, evil proves harmful always,causing great loss and suffering.  Evil can be traced to the devil,infact the world is said to lie in the power of the evil one (1Jn5;19,Eph 2;2),the devil with his various schemes subtly deceives men to do evil,scriptures refer to him as the deceiver of the whole world (Rev12;9) though some men habitually disobey God because they have seared their conscience with a hot iron,nevertheless the devil is the source of evil which he introduced at the fall of man.        

In shedding light on this topic it would be necessary to take a look at the position of the christian as it concerns this world,evil and the devil.

This world in context does not just talk about the physical earth but a system,an order an apt and harmonious arrangement being referred to in the Greek as the word "cosmos". That the devil reigns over the system of this world is clear from bible (Jn12;31,Jn14;30,2Cor4;4),when Adam and eve were deceived and made a choice for the devil they lost dominion and the devil began to reign in the affairs of this world (Rom6:19),this is evident throughout the ages until the advent of Christ Jesus. The christian is one who has been delivered from the meshes of the fallen world,through his faith in Christ Jesus he has experienced a rebirthing from God (Jn1;13) and he is no longer a natural man but posseses a new nature which empowers him to live above evil.   

The christian though in this world is no longer of the world that is though living in this world is not part of the fallen world system,he has been redeemed but lives in it as a stranger and an ambassador for Christ and handles the world as his field of service.

Living in this world however one is faced with varying situations and circumstances that puts one in positions of either obeying God or responding positively to our natural apppetites or the flesh.      

To abstain from evil therefore is to actively hold oneself back from evil,this requires a deliberate step of knowing the will of God,identifying a potential pitfall and refraining from the path of evil with an intention to obey God.When the devil brings those evil suggestions to our minds,instead of brooding over them we should rather take a position for Christ and completely avoid such compromising situations,it could come in the form of undefined relationships,ungodly associations,harmful exposures like obscenity,pornography or bad habits as anger,malice,addictions or things generally which are not convienient,evil does not usually present itself as so,but as one tows its path it reveals itself and brings unpleasant consequences.

Obedience is the key to abstain from evil, a life completely governed by God evidenced through the leading of the Spirit is one who abstains from evil.When evil suggestions flashes our mind let us know like in the temptation of Jesus that the christian's allegiance is solely to God and our response is to obey him and fulfil his will.THIS IS THE WAY TO ABSTAIN FROM EVIL.

IN THE EVIL DAYS (Eph 5:16, 6:10-18)

When we see a scripture like Eph 5:16 which describe the days as evil, and Eph 6:13, which talks about the evil day, it begs the question – “What are the evil days?”  From scriptures, the days we live in are the evil days. The days are evil because of the evil world system orchestrated by the Devil, which is against the cause of Christians and Christianity. It is a major cause of the antagonism, battles, temptations and contrary situations and several challenges that assail us on several fronts. If there is anytime we need to walk as believers circumspectly, it is the days that we live in – for scriptures tell us how to walk in these evil days (Eph 5:15-16].

There could be a tendency to see the things that happen to us as accidental. But it is key for us to know that nothing happens to us by accident. As believers our lives and the circumstances that we face are predicated on God’s purpose, such that even when we face contrary situations, God’s purpose is to bring out the best in us. There is a perspective to adopt when we face situations in life, whether good or bad. It is important that we have a proper approach to facing the things that come our way. An understanding of the way the world system functions is strategic, if we are not to focus on the wrong things. For example, there is a tendency to focus on people who we consider enemies and situations, without looking beyond them to the real cause – the world system and its wiles orchestrated by the Devil.

Ephesians 6 speaks of the wiles of the Devil. This connotes subtlety and deceitfulness. The system of this world operates in such a way that you are ensnared and taken unawares before you realize it. For example work is legitimate and bible encourages it, but there are some work places and demands which could constitute a stumbling block to our spiritual progress. There is a way to work and a way not to work. A backslidden state could gradually creep in when because of work demands a believer does not have time for study of God’s word, prayers, fellowship. Alternatively, it could be through wasting time on fleshly pleasures, films, internet and other things which we fill our minds with, which affects our thought life and decisions and reactions to circumstances beyond what we realize. These are some of the subtle means the Devil uses which we are often unaware of. Doubtless, the Devil is a great schemer, but for God through His Spirit within us, we have the greatest edge we ever need. To stand against the wiles of the devil in the evil day, Bible instructs us to put on the whole armour of God (Eph 6:11).

The instruction about putting on the whole armour of God in Ephesians 6:11 is prefaced by the charge for believers to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might in Ephesians 6:10. This is instructive as it emphasizes the God-factor as the key to our triumph when faced with challenges of the evil day. When you see your strength in the living God you can counter and overcome whatever wiles come your way. Your confidence should be in the Lord, knowing that all power is in His hands (Mt 28:17). Focus should therefore never be on the wiles, on a sin problem, but on the Lord. Furthermore, the responsibility of putting on the whole armour of God is on the believer, not on God or of the pastors. It is something which the believer must do himself. It must also be something that must be done on a continual basis.

Before examining the pieces or constituents of the Christian armour, it is important to see the emphasis that scriptures put on the word, “stand”. Thrice in Eph 6:11, 13, and 14 the word is repeated. In essence it is a war won by standing – standing in the faith.

Elements of Christian armour

Truth [Eph 6:14]:  The state of the heart answering to God's truth; inward, practical acknowledgment of the truth as it is in Him: the agreement of our convictions with God's revelation. Secondarily, it involves truthfulness, sincerity, straightforwardness (Col 3:9, Eph 4:25). Without truth we cannot stand against the wiles of the Devil.

Breastplate of righteousness [Eph 6:14]:  The breastplate protected the heart of the Roman soldier. In the same way, we are to allow the consciousness of the righteousness we obtained in Christ pervade and guard our hearts

Gospel of peace [Eph 6:15]: The same way the shoes of the Roman soldier protected his feet, and gave him surefooting, we are to allow the gospel do the same for us. The gospel breeds confidence, assurance and peace, irrespective of whatever circumstances we find ourselves (Rom 8:37-39)

Shield of faith [Eph 6:16]: This essentially speak of allowing trust and confidence in the ability of the living God be act as a shield of defence against the assault and wiles of the Devil, much the same way the shield of the Roman soldier was his defense from the fiery darts (arrows) of the enemy. We should let our faith/trust be in God. You know your trust is in God when a situation threatens to overwhelm you, but you are quick to rely on God alone, and not on anything external. We should realize that trust in the living God will never fail. Man could fail, but He that believes in Him will never be put to shame.

Helmet of salvation [Eph 6:17]:   The head is a critical part of the body, and the helmet offered protection for the head of the Roman soldier. For the believer, against the wiles of the Devil, and in spiritual warfare, salvation should play the critical role of the helmet. Consciousness of the integrity, security and reality of our salvation is an extremely potent weapon of defence against the wiles of the Devil.

The Sword of the Spirit [Eph 6:17]:  The weapon of offense, attack and advancement of the Roman soldier was the sword. In a spiritual sense, the equivalent for the believer is the word of God. This brings to the fore the importance of consistent study and application of the word of God. It programmes us to react appropriately when the wiles come, as they inevitably always do

Conclusion

If we are to stand in the evil days that we live in, we should learn to rely always on the strength of the Lord and put on His armour at all times. Finally, we should also bear in mind that it is our responsibility and not God’s or any other person to equip ourselves with that armour at all times.

KNOWLEDGE FOR PROGRESS

The world can be divided into two broad categories, using knowledge as a parameter – those that know; and those that do not know. Christianity is primarily about knowing. In the mundane, what makes someone better, what gives an edge or superiority is usually the insight, understanding or knowledge he possesses. This is why they say knowledge is power. If you are ignorant, you are marginalized. Ignorance is not an excuse. Knowledge places you above the rest. Little wonder Moses desired to know God’s ways, while all the other Israelites knew were His acts (Ex 33:13). He understood the fundamental importance of the knowledge of God. The bible places a high premium on knowledge and the Church must never desist from this biblical prescription – that is why churches that recognize this always recommend that Christians should know.

Some, perhaps due to disillusionment with those possessed with great quantum of knowledge, not living by it, erroneously  endorse ignorance. Ignorance is however never a viable alternative. Some express similar sentiments and even downplay knowledge citing scriptures, “knowledge puffs up but love edifies”. In other words, they say that love is what matters, and not knowledge. However, the Bible actually indicates that knowledge is the bedrock of the expression of Christian love (Php 1:9). The antidote to not living by the knowledge we are possessed of it is to know it better, and encourage people to live by what they know. When it comes to Christianity the fallacy that “what you do not know cannot kill you”, does not hold water. For even in the world, such reasoning is flawed. It does not make sense for a person with HIV that makes this kind of statement would pay for it with premature death. What has accounted for the extremely lower deaths from HIV and infant mortality in developed countries, relative to underdeveloped countries is one crucial factor – KNOWLEDGE. They did not choose to be ignorant about those diseases, they sought knowledge applied the knowledge and were able to bring it under near total control in terms of deaths. Knowledge is key to life – not human knowledge, but divine knowledge. This is knowledge that is therefore being advocated for Christian progress.

The knowledge of God differs from human knowledge (Is 55:8), in addition, it is superior to human knowledge (Is 55:9), and far above the knowledge of man, whether it is science or philosophy. It is different and superior to knowledge acquired from the several manmade religions of the world, including the so-called “Christian religion” (for Christianity is not a religion). Even man’s knowledge that there is a God (called general revelation), as revealed in creation and described for example in Rom 1:18-19 is not divine knowledge. The knowledge of God is not obtained from school or by smartness, but that which has been revealed by God in His word, as evaluated through the lens of redemption. This knowledge is the key to our Christianity (Rom 10:12-15). If we do not know God or seek to understand Him, there can be no true progress in Christianity. No knowledge, no progress! It is knowledge (of the truth) that separates the believer from the unbeliever, as believers are regarded as those that KNOW THE TRUTH/GOD and have accepted/obeyed/believed the gospel, while unbelievers are described as those that DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH/GOD or have not accepted/obeyed/believed the gospel (1 Tim 4:3,  1 John 2:13-14,20-21, 2 Thes 1:8). This is why salvation is described as knowing/ or coming to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4, John 8:32).

God revealed himself in nature (General revelation; Rom 1:19-20), but He has now revealed Himself in Christ Jesus (i.e special /divine revelation, John 1:18, Heb 1:1-3). Generally, every type of knowledge is ultimately from God, for example, science tests nature – but nature itself comes from God. Science is not necessarily anti-God. Branches of science such as Philosophy and Astrology (‘i.e studying the moon) are however, clearly anti-God and not from Him. However, the knowledge that is being emphasised as being key to progress is divine knowledge – the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus (John 14:6, Jn 8:32). It is not the knowledge of religion, for knowledge of religion is not from God (Acts 17:21-24). It is the knowledge of God revealed in Christ that saves (Acts 10:1-6,32-33,[Cornelius and family], Eph 1:12-13, 1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pt 1:3), and that fosters growth (Col 2:6-7). This is what believers should pursue and grow in an understanding of with a view to making progress.

A quest for knowledge is crucial to good Christianity (Col 3:9-10). Faith is not a leap in the dark. It does not defy logic. It might not agree with human logic, but it is always in tune with spiritual logic. Faith is also not anti-knowledge like some assert. On the contrary, there is no real faith outside knowledge (Rom 10:11-15).A man cannot be saved outside the knowledge of the gospel (1 Cor 15:1-2). In the same measure a Christian cannot make progress without knowledge, and that is why believers are exhorted to crave for (1 Pet 2:2: like a baby for its mother’s milk) and grow in knowledge (2 Pet 3:18). Many times laziness is an obstacle to this. Consequently, the bible sometimes associates laziness with ignorance – on that reasoning it can be said that laziness is not unnecessarily unwillingness to DO, but unwillingness to KNOW. As Christians and students of the word, we should seek to know and understand.

In Ephesians 1:17-18, Paul emphasised the place of knowledge in the life of the Christian in his prayers for the Ephesian church. It was his desire and prayer that in view of their blessedness in all its variegated facets such as election, predestination, adoption into sonship, acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, inheritance, salvation, sealing (Eph1:3-14) that they had an attitude of “spirit of wisdom and revelation” in the knowledge of God as revealed in Christ(Eph 1:18). The word, ‘spirit’ as used in the foregoing phrase does not mean the Holy Spirit, or the recreated human spirit, but an attitude. Without that attitude, the knowledge revealed and taught by Paul will be mere positional or theoretical truths, without any practical effects. We cannot live outside an understanding of the knowledge of God revealed in Christ Jesus. We cannot please God outside knowledge. The gap between being a Christian and living, walking in the benefits, and making progress in Christianity is knowledge (Col 1:9-12, Philemon 1:6). Whatever we know as accurate knowledge of God in the light of Christ, His person and work, we should know it more, and better.

The church today is no longer functioning properly in the proper position God placed it. The church is distinct from every other body/organization on earth, because it is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). Rather than upholding and preserving the true knowledge of God, it has become a place where human knowledge is being proclaimed. It has become the place where management, business principles, self-help, metaphysical concepts and human motivational principles not anchored in God’s word are dispensed. This ought not to be. What gives the church its distinctiveness is the knowledge of God revealed in Christ Jesus. A man cannot know God without Jesus (John 14:6), who is the image of God and revealed God to man (Heb 1:3, John 1:1,14-18)- and without the knowledge of God He gave to humanity.  This should be the forte of the Church and what it should proclaim always – the knowledge of God.

The knowledge of God essential for progress is not mere casual knowledge, or a ‘my-pastor-said’ kind of knowledge, but knowledge matched by insight, understanding and borne out of a personal conviction (Acts 17:11-12 John 4:39-42).  This knowledge has benefits, three of which will be highlighted below.

THREE THINGS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD WILL DO

1. It establishes our hearts in grace (Heb 13:9): To be established by grace is to be established by truth – the truth of God’s word in Christ Jesus. That is why we see that when the word “grace” is seen is scriptures, the word “truth” is sometimes annexed to it (John 1:17, 2 Pet 3:18). Receiving the grace of God in vain as seen in 2 Cor 6:1, in the light of the foregoing is being a recipient of God’s grace as believers but lacking the requisite understanding or knowledge to make progress in it. Knowledge will stabilize our hearts in the grace of God and guide us. That was why Jesus’ heart was fixed, while the disciples were not when the storms beat violently against their boat.

2. It answers the question “why”:  This is a difference between Christianity and the religions of the worlds. Religion is blind, and demands action without giving a rationale. Christianity, in stark contrast gives us a rationale for the conduct or action expected of us. Sadly, religion has crept into Christianity, for many Christians do things without having a rationale for it. Knowledge tells us why – why we should pray, give, come to church, serve, etc, and by giving us the rationale it helps keeps us stable.

3. It renews our minds (Rom 12:2): Knowledge changes what and how we think (our outlook to life) and brings it in tune with God’s outlook. It enables us to think the way He thinks, and see life and things from His perspective, and not from human or worldly perspective. For example, when we renew or minds through knowledge, we see why we should not retaliate, or repay evil with evil and leave vengeance to God instead (Heb 10:30, Rom 12:19) while relating well with those that hurt or hate us (Rom 12:14-21,1 Pet 2:18-23, 3:9). Vengeance may mean God repaying the enemy (Heb 1:13, Heb 10:13, Rev 6:9-11, 11:18,20:4: the death of Jesus will be avenged!). When God avenges, many times it vindicates the believer. However, God’s vengeance may mean also God occasioning repentance on the part of the enemy (Rom 12:20), like the Centurion at the foot of Jesus’ cross and Paul on the road to Damascus (Mt 27:54, Acts 9:1-8).

HOW TO GET KNOWLEDGE?

1. Reading: The same Paul that prayed that the Ephesians should have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God (Eph 1:17) , also underscored READING as a key to acquiring knowledge (Eph 3:4). Reading cannot be substituted with Christian movies, Christian novels, conferences, tapes, or prayers. The Greek word for ‘read’ as, used in the original is ‘anaginosko’, which means “to know again”, to know with certainty or know with understanding. You should ask questions on what you read with a view to understanding and getting insight. Your must read your bible. When the questions of life arise, they do not ask you what your pastor said, rather it challenges  the knowledge in your heart on the issue. To respond appropriately, you need to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Col 1:9-10), which makes reading crucial.

2. Considering (2 Tim 2:7): This means to think or meditate about what we read. We must ask ourselves about the meaning of what we read, and think of applications to our lives. That is what would enable us act on God’s word and make progress (1 Tim 4:15)

GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

These were the words spoken by the angel some thousands of years ago. His task was to announce the birth of a child. His mere appearance and then the message he brought were captivating for his audience of shepherds in a field. Soon enough a choir of angels would burst out in joyous song ascribing glory to God (Luke 2: 10-14).

What made the angels rejoice? What was so special about that night?

Centuries after that memorable day, the whole world still celebrates. Santa Claus. Christmas trees. Boughs of holly. Red and green coloured decorations. Gifts and cards. Hampers. New clothes and shoes for the kids. These have all become the hallmark of our Christmas celebrations.

Sadly, not many realize the essence of that original night. More saddening is the fact that a large number of people have not experienced the impact of that unique time in history. But what made it extra-ordinary?

‘For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a SAVIOUR, which is CHRIST the LORD’ (Emphasis mine)

That child wrapped in swaddling clothes was the Lord Himself come to earth in the fashion of men (Philippians 2: 7 & 8). The very Creator had chosen to reveal Himself in the form of the created (John 1: 3 & 14). That was a miracle and a wonder to behold indeed (1^st Timothy 3: 16).

Christ was born to accomplish one purpose and one purpose alone: He was born to save us from the clutches of sin and from the hold of the devil, to reconcile us to God and make us sons of God (Matthew 1: 21, John 1: 12, Colossians 1: 20).

Before He came, all people in every place and every age stood condemned and by nature remained powerless to break free from the firm grasp of death and sin (Romans 3: 23, Ephesians 2: 1-3). Godless and hopeless, blind and weak (Ephesians 2: 12, 2^nd Corinthians 4: 4, Romans 5: 6). That is how humanity is without the work of our Saviour Jesus. But we thank God that Jesus has redeemed us.

Have you my friend experienced the liberation Jesus brought? Are you reconciled with God yet?  Do you still wallow in the miry mud of sin’s dreadful hold?

Here and now there is still an open invitation for you. Anyone that receives the offer will not be turned away. It is not a call to a religion or a sect. This is about a transformation, a miracle of inner recreation that God Himself accomplishes in everyone who believes.

Make this day a special one. Allow God do a unique thing today in you. Accept our Lord’s offer of salvation, believe in His completed work and in prayer to God declare your acceptance and conviction.

Its good tidings of great joy indeed!  

TOO BUSY TO HUG?

Boye muttered some words, “God please let it be a beautiful day and thank you for the night” That was all the prayer he made as he put on his shirt and knot his tie. He rushed out of the house into the rowdy, noisy and busy street hopping from bus to bus with his mind on nothing else but work. So mush in a hurry as he took the stairs leading to this personal office which he shares with a colleague. All he did was to say “hi” casually to some people on the way. This routine lifestyle continues from Monday to Friday every week and on Saturday he is even busier preparing for the week. So, he is left with Sunday most of which he spent resting apart from the 8^th through out the 11^th hour( time for church service) which he sees as his only opportunity to worship God—Moment he cannot trade for any thing for he enjoys the fellowship of God and other brethren.

     One Monday morning, he hurries again into his office and there he sat when the news came that Mr Sabastain-his partner in the office died over the weekend - “Impossible!” Boye exclaimed “What happened? He asked Clara his secretary who related the story to him.

“The growth finally killed him” she answered “What growth? Boye asked. The  growth on his back” She paused a little with a questioning look on her face, hesitated a little and then continued  “That which makes him sigh painfully whenever he is hugged” she replied. “Oh, that’s true, I never really hugged him” Boye replied in shame. Bowed his head a little and looked out through the office window lost in his thought. In regret, he began to talk to himself “What a wasteful use of my time? For time spent on anything else than on showing love to others is but waste“Hmmmm” he sighed

Perhaps, if Boye had made out just a little time for his friend, maybe he would have known the solution to his problem. Maybe he would have referred his friend to someone who could help.

Maybe through the sharing of the word his colleague would have been healed- and saved too, maybe just maybe...

Understanding what it means to be BORN AGAIN

What does it mean to be born again? Jesus came to His own, and His own did not receive Him, but as many as received Him, He gave power to become the sons of God ( John 1:11-12).This is what the new birth is all about – receiving Christ and being made a son of God. This becomes a reality for the MANY that receives Him.

Receiving Him, connotes believing in Christ. Believing is what is required for a person to be born again. This is unacceptable to many who coined the concept of “easy-believism” as a way of denying that faith alone is sufficient to be born again. They ascribe a role to human works in the new birth, even erroneously citing James 2:17, 26. However, James was not describing HOW to be born again/saved, or that works is the means of gaining God’s approval. Rather, James was simply declaring that the person who claims to believe/have faith in God, not backed up by good works possibly has nor really believed in God (is not really saved). Believing on the name of Jesus is therefore not easy-believism but God’s own sole prescription for the new birth(John 1:12). It is BELIEVING on His name that makes men become His sons (Jn 1:12-13).In our day, we often hear the question,” have you received the Lord Jesus?” or have you received Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour?”. Not many think about what exactly it means. Receiving Christ (John 1:12) means believing in Him and the outcome of this is being born of God (John 1:13). The man born again has been begotten of God. He has been born of God. God gave birth to Him (John 1:13).

The new birth speaks of activity on the part of God. It is not something you did/do, but something God does. Being born again has been cheapened because of the wrong tendency of thinking it is something man does. A drunkard, chain-smoker becomes born again and people laugh heartily and derisively, not believing such a change can occur, simply because they attribute being born again to human effort, and not what God did.  When believers do not understand something it is like a fantasy to us. Our involvement will be very minimal and shallow. Until we know what it means to be born again we would not live a good Christian life and make the most of what we received. We will not understand that a man that is backslidden has not lost his salvation. We will not understand that for a person to lose salvation the process that brought us faith – the new birth - has to be reversed. Naturally speaking when someone gives birth to a child, that birth cannot be reversed. Therefore if at some point a time a father disowns his son, or vice versa, that can never reverse or annul the fact that the father gave birth to that child or break the bond between them. The same is true about the man born again. That you are not living a good Christian does not mean you have lost your salvation. God is not as fickle as we are. The new birth cannot be reversed.

The new birth is NOT repentance.  We remind a man of his sins, smoking, womanising, and tell him that Jesus is coming soon and that he should repent. A man can repent/change his ways without necessarily be born again. It cannot also be the same as repentance because repentance had always been available before Christ came (Is 1:18-19). Christ came to give us life – to give us a new nature through the new birth. This is much more than repentance. It is the new birth that gives power (authority/ability) to become sons of God. This counters widely held sentiments that everyone in the world is a son/child of God. Although everyone in the world is a creation of God (Acts 17:29), only those who are born again are his sons/children( John 1:12-13).

THE NEW BIRTH REPRESENTS ACTIVITY ON GOD”S PART

The new birth is something God does. 1 Pet 1:3 reveals that God is the one who has begotten us (given us new birth). The new birth is the work of God. Faith is merely the channel which shows man’s readiness for God’s work of begetting us (Jn 1:12).

How does a person get saved/born again

Rom 10:5-10 reveals how a man gets saved/born again. It speaks about BELIEVING with the heart and CONFESSING with the mouth (Rom 10:9-10) Some try to cover all the bases by asking about the dumb who cannot speak. The question is an attempt to challenge the issue of confession. Yet nobody will dare ask about those who do not have a heart to challenge the issue of BELIEVING. All these try to complicate issues and introduce something possibly not in the contemplation of Apostle Paul. In any event, the place of believing is not the physical heart that pumps blood. Believing is something that happens that cannot be seen by man, but which triggers a confession that is not necessarily verbal, though most times it may be, since it is the easiest way to express what is in the heart. That confession testifies to the world (not to God) that that such a person is saved, though the emphasis is on believing

With the heart man believeth?

What is man expected to believe? Can we assume that anybody that responds to an altar call is saved, even though he may never have heard the gospel, or does not understand it? The Ethiopian Eunuch had probably been reading the scriptures for a long time but never understood what he read (Acts 8:32). There was something Phillip had to give him an understanding of before he could be saved. Phillip did not explain prosperity, healing, marriage, financial breakthrough, spiritual warfare, deliverance to him. On the contrary, he preached the gospel/the finished work of Christ/Christ to him. When this is not preached to a man and understood, how can such a person be saved? The problem we have is that most people who claim to be Christians are not because WHAT THEY HEARD when they answered an altar call was not the gospel about Christ, His death, and resurrection, and the life he bestows on whoever believes. As far as Bible is concerned a man is not saved except he has heard, understood and believed that. A look through the book of Acts will confirm that this was what the early church preached everywhere they went. This does not mean an altar call cannot be made after a sermon on marriage, healing, or whatever message; but before the altar call, sufficient time must be used to explain the gospel. From Acts 8:36, it is obvious the Ethiopian Eunuch had understood believed, and wanted to be baptized. Acts 8:37 confirms he believed.

What did he believe? He believed what Phillip had told Him about Christ. We learn from that story that when a people gets born again, often times it may not be in response to an altar call. The Eunuch believed there and there in his heart and got born again without Phillip making any altar call.

Rom 10:13-17 also reinforces the importance of a man hearing the gospel and getting saved. Rom 10:13 declares that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This does not mean merely calling “Jesus” or saying “Jesus is Lord”, the calling upon the name of the Lord that leads to salvation is within the context of hearing the gospel, understanding and believing in it (Rom 10:14-17). It is possible to for someone to hear and be well-acquainted and yet not be saved, like King Agrippa (Acts 26:28), because of not being fully persuaded or obeying (believing) the gospel (Rom 10:16). Never be intimidated by a man’s outward religious outlook or garb, but you should inquire if the person has heard, understood and believed the gospel. Nicodemus, the priests in Acts 6:5, and the Jews are also good examples of people who were religious but were not saved, because they had not heard the gospel (Acts 6:6, Rom 10:1-4,John 3:1-18). Cornelius was “prayerful”, “feared God”,” “gave alms” but was not saved  until he heard (understood and believed) words from the mouth of peter (the gospel) through which he and his family were saved (Acts 10:1-6,30-33,36-44, Acts 11:14-17). Peter was not sent to lay hands on them, make an altar call, or preach a message on healing, financial breakthrough, or management principles, which in contemporary times we feel is more effective techniques of getting someone saved,  but to tell them words by which they were to be saved (Rom 1:16). People can get born again, even before the end of a message if they have heard and believed the gospel. The story of Cornelius and his family is a good example of this (Acts 10:43) – they did not even respond to an altar call or confess with their mouth. They simply believed while Peter was yet speaking

What being born again is not

The new birth is man accepting God’s offer on God’s terms. It is not Man thinking up his own way to the Father like the Prodigal son in Luke 15:17-19. At best the parable of the Prodigal son illustrates repentance and God’s love and attitude towards sinners. It is not an accurate depiction of the redemptive work of Christ or the new birth. Many that claim to be born again never heard the gospel, but responded to an altar call motivated by desire for healing, promises of riches, etc, as such they are not born again. Thereafter they start struggling and we do not see a change in their lifestyle and we wonder why. It is probably because such a person has not encountered the power of the gospel which makes him born again and has the potency to transform his lifestyle.

CONCLUSION Being born again not only means a person has been given the authority to become a son/child of God, but also implies ability to stand as a representative of Jesus Himself. Men, no matter their status in life would always need the gospel of Jesus because of this. This is the more reason we should see it as a privilege and huge responsibility to be entrusted with heralding it (Eph3:8,2 Tim 2:8-10, 1 Tim 1:12).

CHRIST on the Streets

How God the father anointed Jesus of Nazareth who WENT ABOUT doing good and healing them that were oppressed of the devil because God was with Him! (Acts 10:38).

Jesus while He was on earth always “reached out” to the people. In Luke 5:31-32 it says “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
His horizon was towards the lost, the oppressed, the poor, the guilty, the stray, the sick and the sinners. In the church of today, most Christians have forgotten that Christ came to save sinners. As far as they are concerned, the thugs, the area boys, the gangsters, the hoodlums, the ghetto boys, the club guys, prostitutes and the like do not need to be saved because they are lost already and hope has been given up on them. However, Christ came to save the lost. CHRIST WAS FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE TYPES OF PEOPLE MENTIONED ABOVE AND WAS ALWAYS ON THE STREETS DOING HIS FATHER’S BUSINESS! Matthew 18:11, “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost”.
The Grace Community Church has caught this vision and has been running with it of recent.

  Here are some accounts:


On Sunday the 6th of February 2011, the outreach team of TGC led the church to the streets of Moyo Agoro in Ogba, Lagos state. There was a live performance anchored by Emeka Nwanze and Kehinde …… (Kenny Dude) with the music band. The gospel music was electrifying and caught the attention of the whole neighbourhood. Tracts and evangelism materials were shared and there was one-on-one ministration to passers by. There was a voters’ registration poll beside the location and the participants paid full attention. Eventually, there was a sermon by Sister Bimpe Williams. The street crusade was rounded off by Brothers Dike Obi and Kunle Popoola. The impact was really felt on that street but beyond that, only God can really tell the extent to which lives were affected.


Early one Sunday morning in January 2011, Brother Kunle Popoola and Pastor Sammy Nwanze were driving past the Idumagbo bridge at Lagos Island and they saw a crowd of youths playing football on a wide expanse of land beside the bridge. Suddenly, it occurred to them that they could be reached out to with the gospel. They prayerfully prepared for it and eventually chose a Sunday morning to go there.
If not for the boldness which the Holy Spirit had given them, their hearts would have been in their mouths as they walked into the midst of vicious street boys with hard faces. These boys had no source of livelihood and had in most cases resorted to crime and violence for their subsistence. Some of them played football believing that they could develop a career in it and eventually move to Europe. In some parts of the field, there was a smokescreen created by the Indian hemp and cigarettes of these hoodlums. As the brethren proceeded, there were expressions on their faces of the hoodlums ranging from curiousity to suspicion. Could these brethren confront them? Yes! They broke the ice and preached Christ to them. They were all captivated as a football match was eventually converted to a fellowship. There was a prayer session; but some of them began to express their feeling of disgust and wanted to cause pandemonium. There were now two parties – for and against. Those that showed interest told the other party, “Do you want us to die in these our ways? Are we going to smoke this thing (Indian hemp) for the rest of our lives?” I am glad to tell you that was not their last visit and today, that place is a missionary site with short Sunday services scheduled to commence soon. The quantum of work is expanding by the day and has even been extended to the fishermen and traders in that vicinity.
In view of this ripe harvest, labourers are needed for the work. Do you want to follow Christ to the streets? You can volunteer today! Contact the following people:

Ayo Adeoye                     08058606664
Dike Obi                           08027339188
Samuel Nwanze              08027339569
Kunle Popoola                 08023543349

CALLED BY PURPOSE

One of the most profound truths that every individual needs to realize is that the purpose of mankind can be found only in God. A godless person, group, society, nation or concept cannot exist without a meaningful purpose. By meaningful purpose I refer to the original intention of God for man: we can always define our self-suiting purpose or vision to any course under the sun, but that cannot substitute for the original, God-given basis why we are here in the first place. It follows therefore that once we take God out of the picture then there is no reason to assume an original intention, since our existence must have been accidental. Like one Bertrand Russell, an atheist rightly pointed out “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless”.

The aim of this write-up is not to argue for the existence of God. The Bible is clear on the fact that only a fool says there is no God (Psalm 14:1, Romans 1: 20-22). And in the words of Apostle Paul:

 1 Corinthians 8:6 (KJV)
⁶ But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

As believers what defines us is the acceptance of Jesus as being the Savior of mankind according to the scriptures. In other words, we are not Christians because we have some earthly affiliation to the orthodox religion called Christianity (in any shape, form or fashion), nor are we Christians because we attend a church or read the Bible. What makes us Christians is the fact that we have come to the realization, acceptance and personal belief in the person of Jesus as the Savior of the world.

Now what has that got to do with the issue of purpose? Remember I said godlessness intrinsically implies purposelessness. Godlessness is the state of man without a cordial relationship with God. Ephesians 2 describes the Gentiles as people “without a hope or without God…” Man lost cordiality when Adam sinned and threw humanity into a spiritual tailspin. The Bible says through Adam sin entered into the world and death by sin (Rom 5). Since then God started implementing his eternal plan not only to restore man to the state of cordiality He originally shared with him, but much more to introduce man into an eternal purpose to which He called him. Cutting the long story short, through the mediatory role of Jesus, we become recipients of the purposeful life in God. Paul describes this phenomenon in a most interesting way:

 2 Timothy 1:8-10 (KJV)
⁸ Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; ⁹ Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, ¹⁰ But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

In other words we have been saved by virtue of the grace and PURPOSE of God, and not by virtue of our own works and purpose. This also means that we received a new purpose at salvation – God’s purpose for our lives. There is a new life, a new direction, a new purpose which is revealed to us in the gospel of Jesus.

What is this purpose exactly? Again God does not leave us in the dark as to the reason why He has saved us. Apostle Peter says:

 1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light

In a nutshell, we are to reveal God’s glory. Having become partakers of His own nature and glory, we naturally reflect the glory of God! (2 Peter 1:3). Our eternal destinies are inherently interwoven with worshipping the God of heaven and earth. By ‘worshipping’ I do not refer to singing and dancing or even praying in church, but I refer to the statement of Jesus about those who worship “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) which refers primarily, to a state (of being born again) and by extension to the things we do that emanate from this state. Thank God by virtue of the life and the Spirit of God in us we are pleasing to the Father. Before we cry “Abba” we are already accepted in the Beloved! God has fashioned us in such a way that we are suited for His own purposes. Paul says:

 Ephesians 3:9-11 (KJV)
⁹ … the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: ¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, ¹¹ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord

Is it not amazing that we are the very demonstration of God’s many-sided wisdom? We indeed have come into the real life – the life hidden with Christ in God! (Colossians 3:3). We are free from the hold of spiritual death, purposeless, mundane life. Ours is a life of godly adventure and exploits. We have what it takes, because it’s not about who we are in the flesh but about the new nature and ability we have within – the Seed of God

What then? Beloved, it’s time to stop looking at yourself as an ordinary person “just like the rest”, in a rat race, seeking to find a focus in secular world that offers nothing of eternal significance. The purpose we have is for now and for eternity. Let the exploits start now! Begin to see yourself in the light of WHO you are in Christ, and not what you are by virtue of some physical, social, or any other secular attributes. The way forward is to start acknowledging “every good thing that is in you IN Christ” (Philemon vs 6); “looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). You are specially created, specially crafted, and called, according to divine purpose!

THE CONCEPT OF PROVIDENCE, FAITH AND PREDESTINATION

God is in control! There’s an active effort by Him to make all things work together for our good!

Highlights of PART 1 - The CONCEPT OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE (Rom 8:28)

Providence can be said to mean the foreseeing care and guidance of God over the creatures of the earth and human affairs. In other words, it is God’s wise directing of the affairs of the earth. The closest word to ‘Providence’ is ‘provision’, means to take care of something; to see to something. The concept simply means that God in His divine benevolence in control of the affairs of the earth.

The concept of divine providence is one of the fundamental concepts lost in Christianity. Paul, affirmed the concept of providence as something commonly held amongst them, a firm conviction, assurance or confidence that God was in control of affairs and worked [good or bad] all things together for their good! This is encapsulated in Rom 8:28 –31, and was even summed up in their greeting –“GOD FOR US”.

A distortion has gained momentum in the world on the issue of control, sadly perpetuated by the faith movement and others in charismatic circles. Three possible spheres of control: [1] YOU in control; OR [2] Nothing in control - and that things happen by CHANCE, ACCIDENT, or LUCK, OR [3] God is in control. These three are mutually exclusive – if one is true, the other two are false. The biblical view from the story of Joseph and all that happened to Him is that God is control. The series of events that happened to Him, which eventually culminated in the preservation of the nation of Israel, from whom the Messiah came, admits no other conclusion than that God is in control – the unseen Hand orchestrating all things.

There is nothing that takes place on the earth aside God’s control. If anything can operate outside His control, then He is not God. Even if people are unwilling to ascribe to God this control, because of the disasters and evil that occur in the world, none can dare say that He had no power to prevent them. So in such circumstances, it can be concluded that he permitted it. The reasons may be incomprehensible to humanity, but nonetheless, his control is indisputable.

Everything you are, have, your family, advancement, progress in life, achievements, you owe it to God’s providence, not your intellect, hardwork, wisdom, or power, since there are many that are better than you in these qualities, and yet may not have the same achievements or success.

This concept is first seen in the story of Abraham in Gen 22, when God asked him to take his only son Isaac for sacrifice. Abraham was sure of the provision of God when his son asked him for the sheep for the burnt sacrifice Gen 22:7-8. From that episode, the word JEHOVAH JIREH emerged, which is popularly said to mean GOD OUR PROVIDER. But the original meaning of JIREH is ‘see’. So the concept of JEHOVAH JIREH means God would decide and see to the issue based on His determination and foreknowledge. God sees to the situation irrespective of you; God taking care of the situation even before you find yourself there!

2 Concepts that illustrate this are: The concept of sustenance of creation; and the concept of concurrence.

The concept of sustenance of creation -The Hebrew word for creation is ‘bara’, and it means to create and preserve. God creates and preserves what He creates. God didn’t just create the earth, He created it and He sustains it.  The earth keeps revolving round the Sun because of this, because He is in control. God put gravity their within the context of His plan. It illustrative of God’s providence that He sustains whatsoever He creates [ Philippians 1:6, Acts 17:25-28]

The concept of concurrence - We as human beings have a free will and make our decisions based on that. However, the things we do based on our seemingly free will fall in line with God’s plan. It’s like two rivers coming from two different directions, meeting at a point, and from there going in the same direction. This explains the concept of concurrence. Even your sins, mistakes, wrong decisions and choices, may attract consequences, but do not ultimate frustrate God’s purpose and plan. Judas betrayal of Jesus did not. The Jews killing of Jesus did not – it all fell in line with God’s set purpose [Acts 2:23,4:28,13:27

These two foregoing concepts are vital in understanding the concept of providence i.e God ultimately being in control and constantly working out all things for our good. The system of the world today has tried to replace the knowledge of God with chance. But there’s nothing like chance in the dealings of God! Chance is a probability, a mathematical concept and doesn’t have power to do anything! Nothing happens outside of God’s control. You are not in control. You do not determine what happens to your life. In whatever situation you are, find out the reason why God will have you be in that situation and make the best of it.

The concept of providence is fundamental to us as believers and we must therefore imbibe it. As we live our lives, we must know that God is ultimately in control and that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose!