“O foolish Galatians,
who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes
Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only
would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the
hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now
made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? If it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the
Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or
by the hearing of faith?” Gal. 3: 1 – 3.
God has a purpose, a blue print, for every life. There is a
particular vocation, which at best is fitted for every person. Whatever God’s
plan for a person’s life may be, whether it is to minister or to work in some
field, it is important that he/she finds God’s will. This postulation by the
great man of God Gordon Lindsay is same for every ministry or church which God
calls and to say the least for those who call themselves or are set up for
altruistic reasons, they should have a vision and vehemently stick to it till
the end.
There is a danger when a Christian or church or ministry begins to
develop worldly thinking patterns. This is subtle and insidious: the loss of one’s
first love for Christ or the loss of one’s divine imperative, mandate or vision
from the Lord and returning to the love of the world or adopting the ways and
patterns of the world. If the Christian or ministry or church continues in this
trend, that is, the loss of spiritual vision and the substitution of earthly
values, the line between a consecrated life and a worldly one gradually becomes
instinct. Imperceptibility, but surely, the Christian or ministry or church outlook
in life and the Christian walk or work changes.
Gradually,
there is a re-evaluation of spiritual values. Little by little, they explain
away their Christian or divine experience verbally or by their actions or
inactions. For example, what anathema was before is now allowed; truth now
stands on its head; righteousness is perceived as extremism and discouraged;
and justice is always a still born that must be quickly dumped in the refuse
dump and many more ancient landmarks that are removed – often in the name of
modernism and advancement.
When
this is the case, the individual or organization is no longer the same. Satan
has achieved his purpose. Unfortunately, this is the bane of Christendom – much
start in the Spirit but end in the flesh – they progressively become carnal,
defocused and worldly. The Christian or ministry or church gets out of the will
of God, lose their privileged and prized place in the purposes of God and at
the end God doesn’t reckon with them anymore because they have disappointedly
incurred His wrath.
Arguably, on a closer look and for a keen
observer, this is the story of many of the churches in the body of Christ. An example is this church which has
successfully put on the garb of elitist and prides itself in having many
branches in many nations of the world was established in the nineteen fifties
and originated from Nigeria. The saddest part is that often the individual or
organisation is not aware of his or their deterioration or that his/her life or
ministry or church has moved out of the mainstream of God’s will. Eventually,
they will know it, but it may be too late. May
God help us always to keep our first love, and never step down to a lower
plane. May God grant that when this life is over, each of us will have made the
right decisions. May we continue to be faithful and committed to God, the
heavenly call and vision, in order that it will be consistent with a true
Christian walk or profession, in Jesus’ name.
God bless His true children. Amen. Maran’atha.
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