Jesus is considered the epitome of human ideals, at the level of God’s image. His life was a demonstration of what it means to live fully human. The narrative of humanity’s fall began in the Garden of Eden, where an ancestor chose to follow Satan instead of God. It is believed that human dignity can be restored solely through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God’s perfection is reflected in the scientific and immutable laws governing the cosmos. One such law in the Garden was broken by Adam, enticed by the devil which would lead to his downfall. This breach doomed Adam and his descendants to a condition of mortality.
The name of Jesus is more of an institutional concept than a personal one. When discussing what occurs on Judgment Day, Jesus states that serving any of His brothers is akin to serving Him (Matthew 25:32-40). This implies that believing in Jesus doesn’t require interpreting everything in purely figurative terms. His name should be broadly understood and integrated into various aspects of true Christianity. The apostle Paul further emphasized this idea in his letter to the Corinthians when he explained the principle of resurrection.
“So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterwards the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man” (1 Corinthians 15:42-49 NKJV).
Adam symbolizes all of humanity’s sinfulness, while Jesus represents the redeemed. This distinction reveals two opposing principles: one associated with the “man of the dust” (Adam) and the other with the “man of the Spirit” (Jesus). These principles can be seen as institutional rather than merely personal. To truly love Jesus, one cannot selectively focus only on His personality while ignoring those who physically represent Him. Likewise, to reject sinful nature, one must also reject the lineage stemming from Adam. One’s love for Jesus should not be confined to the unseen while neglecting the seen. The apostle John further clarified this point.
“No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this, we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:12-21 NKJV).
The principle of brotherly love is a divine concept that signifies our unity with God. When someone professes belief in Jesus, they are affirming their identity as a child of God. It is important not to focus solely on the uniqueness of Jesus without also embracing the love he embodied. Those who identify as children of God should recognize that by fully embracing Jesus’ teachings, they are aligned with him. Jesus serves as the counterpoint to sinful humanity, and likewise, those who believe in Him represent a contrast to a sinful world.
In Jesus, we find a standard that defines what it means to be a child of God. This standard is upheld by believing in Jesus. But what does it truly mean to believe in Him? It is not about the physical representation of Jesus, whether depicted as black or white; rather, it is a principle rooted in His documented teachings. Therefore, believing in Jesus means adopting and practising everything He taught. Many of Jesus’ teachings may not seem applicable in everyday human life. However, a true believer in Jesus strives to achieve what may appear impossible.
A person who takes on challenges others deem impossible or foolish does so with strong conviction, inspired by Jesus’ teachings. This willingness may even lead to sacrificing their life, but they embrace this possibility, believing that losing physical life is a way to gain spiritual life. The term “believer” refers to someone who no longer fears physical death, as being a believer means being ready to give one’s life for Christ. Jesus taught that with faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing is impossible for such a believer. If nothing is impossible with God, the same holds true for those born of God. Embracing the teachings of Jesus is considered impossible for physical humans.
“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:21-25 NKJV).
The passage indicates that no individual can claim wisdom in divine matters and be counted among the children of God. It is reserved for those who embrace what the world considers foolishness, thereby gaining God’s unparalleled strength. The Jews are described as being blinded by their demand for a miraculous sign as a precondition for belief. They expected something majestic, not what they deemed contemptible, leading them to reject and crucify their Messiah. The Greeks, known for their philosophical and intellectual prowess, were also unable to grasp the simplicity of faith in Jesus. From a human perspective, their stance is comprehensible.
The key to understanding this concept lies in recognizing that physical humans are fundamentally different from God. In His physical form, Jesus exemplified this truth by willingly accepting crucifixion. Acknowledging this reality enables any human to embrace the possibility of sacrificing their physical body, following Jesus’ example. Therefore, seeking glory or admiration from other humans is contrary to the aspirations of those who wish to become children of God. This is why Jesus encouraged His disciples to rejoice in the face of persecution rather than in the praise of others.
The followers of God are often marked by their disregard for the physical body, frequently opting to forsake it in devotion to Christ. The Apostle Paul spoke of the importance of pursuing a path that diverges from secular values. This conduct is based on the belief that earthly life is contrary to divine principles. It is not possible to be devoted to Christ while seeking approval from the secular world. To live in this world as a child of God means to serve without anticipation of reward or acknowledgement.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:1-4 NKJV).
The term “Jesus” refers to those willing to let go of the prevailing norms of physical personality. In other words, the standard for gauging this is as follows: if my peers hold me in high esteem, there’s a good chance I do not belong to Him. Conversely, if my peers find me to be quite unusual and uncomfortable to relate to, it may indicate that I belong to Christ. This standard was established by Jesus Himself at the beginning of His ministry during a lecture to His disciples. What He said resonates only with those recognized as believers.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV).
Jesus addressed a gathering, preparing them to be welcomed as God’s children. If the world had cherished God’s children, the crucifixion of Jesus might have been averted. Before His crucifixion, Jesus alerted His disciples to the contempt they would face, akin to His own impending suffering. It is common for God’s children to experience rejection by worldly standards. Those who enter Christianity expecting worldly approval and affection often face disillusionment. Authentic Christianity appeals to those who understand it as a journey of sacrifice rather than attracting personal benefit.
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause’” (John 15:11-25 NKJV).
The message was addressed to those, who then were transitioning from discipleship to being children of God. With this change, they were being elevated from servants to friends, as he said, “No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not understand his master’s work; but I have called you friends, for everything I learned from My Father I have shared with you.” Yet, this advancement did not promise an easy path ahead. They would face challenges as severe, if not more so, than those Jesus encountered on the cross. Such trials were meant to elevate them to where Jesus stood, as children of God. The essence of faith in Jesus includes recognizing the call to emulate Him, even unto death, for those who believe.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99
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