There comes a time, in future, that the sons of God will be revealed. Christians are as many as satisfactorily comfortable with those calling themselves Christians. This is despite the fact that there is a lot of confusion and misunderstandings of what Christianity entails. Paul stated that there would be a time that the sons of God would be revealed. However, the multitudes of Christians, as known to exist in the world, do not represent God’s children.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” (Romans 8:18-19 NIV)
Paul’s statement reveals that true Christians are classified as those not having a good time on earth. Nevertheless, the persecuted ones are promised future glory, which signifies the reality of Jesus’s glory, at His second coming. Ordinary Christians, as currently known to be, in their great numbers, will not be among those that Christ calls His brothers. See (Who are the brothers of Jesus?)
There is a peculiar factor in Christianity, describing the existence of God’s Spirit in one. It is a question of how to receive that Spirit, and being certain of possessing it. After having received God’s Spirit, the person becomes content, and unwavering in pursuing God’s will. This was allegorically revealed by Jesus, in His conversation with the Samaritan woman, at the well:
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:10-14 NIV).
After having received the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to remain a victim of whims of falsehoods in Christianity. At the point of conversion, most people get fixated on those having helped them to see the light. They fail to perceive the significance of baptism in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. This is often mistaken with the idea of Trinity. However, the terms, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, simply signify the flow through which the truth is portrayed.
Everything emanates from the Father, accessed through the services of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is received after the convert would have grasped the significance of Jesus’s teachings. Anyone attempting to come in between, seeking to influence the believer, would be a charlatan.
Any fault, at the judgment, for individual Christians, would, actually, be a failure to appreciate the significance of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. That believer would be behaving like those that Paul and Barnabas contended with:
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” Barnabas, they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.” (Acts 14:11-15 NIV).
Those people got excited about the works of the apostles. They did not have the idea of conversion through the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Paul and Barnabas were simply the instruments through which Jesus was working. As a human being, Paul could say things that deviate from Jesus’s teachings.
However, when aware of the significance of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, one cannot be misled. One cannot be detracted from the truth that flows from the Father, through Jesus, before accessing the Holy Spirit. Jesus sought to clarify the point that any other informant would be out of the equation.
This has got nothing to do with the idea of three gods in one. The Son and the Holy Spirit, are facilities through which a convert becomes God’s child. In other words, Jesus made it clear, stating that those abiding by His teachings would be the ones guaranteed to receive the Holy Spirit. Having become God’s child, the convert would no longer be in need of another person giving instructions.
Like Jesus, before the crucifixion, that person takes instructions, directly from the Father. In actual fact, the Father dwells with him/her, as to not need someone to superintend in his behavioural patterns. Authoritarians clearly violate Jesus’s instructions, yet calling themselves “Christians”.
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:8-12 NIV).
The above Scripture testifies to the significance of baptism through the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. A person baptized in that reality, cannot then expect some Bishop to bellow instructions at him/her. However, as a newly converted person, the person would need counselling, at his own determinism.
He gets guidance from those established in the faith, but without losing focus on who would be in charge. In the world of authoritarianism, ordinary people cannot fathom taking instructions directly from God. They hold onto the idea of idolatry, as manifested by those making gods out of Paul and Barnabas. Ordinary people feel good when worshipping God through another fellow human being.
All deceptions come through other fellow humans, rather than through God. This describes how the first Commandment is violated; “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). However, there are special reasons why Christianity is not popular. God never intended that truthful information should be that common. Anyone embarking on truthful programs can never be popular.
There is a special reason why most people get repelled by the teachings of Jesus. Salvation is accessible to those willing to believe and apply everything that Jesus taught. Many people pronounce belief but are unable to apply everything that Jesus taught. They cherry-pick Scriptures, according to their denominational leaders’ dictates. They are free to call themselves “Christians,” although not authentic, as stated by Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17 NIV)
There is no trace of favouritism, where others are saved, while the rest are condemned. The observable, but most strange phenomenon, highlights those rejecting the offer of salvation. Such people listen to charlatans while shunning the truth. There is no reason to despair over such people.
They would be fulfilling the aspect of counting the costs, necessary for their disqualification. This saves them from the danger of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. Those taking comfort in worldly things are well-known by God.
They were just as plenty, even during the time of Jesus, who appeared not worried about them. Jesus was never obsessed with bringing multitudes to salvation. To the Pharisees, Jesus stated something, chillingly inviting seriousness in Christianity:
Jesus said, “For judgment, I have come into this world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” (John 9:39-41 NIV).
Jesus sought to protect such people, by preaching to them in parables, rather than directly giving them the secrets of the Kingdom. I used to bother myself, over such a phenomenon, especially to do with those of my close friends and relatives.
This was before it dawned on me that darkness also carries safety. Rather than accepting Christ without counting the costs, according to Luke 14:31. The truth is now in the public domain but treated as unimportant.
When studying human behaviour, one can realize that it is pride that prevents people from accessing the truth. This could be mistaken for judging. But clearly, there is an element of truth in that some people seem content in protecting their ego, at the expense of losing eternity. This is sad but apparently true. When considering the fact that those people appear as displaying their desire to be in God’s Kingdom.
I fully understand their obstinacy. How can it be possible for one with a PhD to swallow his pride, in order to renounce a doctorate thesis and show respect to an uneducated fellow? Being honoured by others, in this world, is considered cherishable. In fact, most scholars engage in studies, solely for that purpose.
There is no way I could not have behaved similarly, had I fallen into that trap. One hopes that those theologians would renounce obstinacy, when given another chance, in their next life. Most people, although, sincere in desiring to follow Christ, find what Christ teaches, to be unreal.
The package of Christianity is inapplicable to ordinary people. One would need to forsake everything of this world, to become His follower. The real problem starts with ignoring Scriptures, like Luke 14:25-33, revealing the importance of Jesus’s teachings.
When able to understand these mysteries, one cannot entertain naivety and vanity. There is no need to grant credit to those used to reveal the truth. God deserves credit in everything, regardless of the instruments used. There is no need to worry about scoffers. Otherwise, what John wrote would be untrue:
“They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:5-6 NIV).
No one should claim credit for helping others to understand God’s mysteries. Those benefitting, have the right to decide what to do with the information. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are responsible, in concurrence with the Father. At conversion, that person becomes God’s child, and God knows fully, what to do with that person, without anyone’s involvement.
Anyone’s willingness to be used by God in revealing these mysteries does not necessarily deserve a higher status in this world. For those not aware of what to do after being convicted with God’s word, the answer is found in the following Scripture, after Peter’s sermon:
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38 NIV).
The Holy Spirit, having been received by the individual, means that God would be dwelling in that person. This is just as the Holy Spirit dwelt in Jesus and His disciples. There is nothing difficult for that individual, except allowing Jesus to do God’s work, according to God’s will. There is no need for Christians to give each other credits.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” (Romans 8:18-19 NIV)
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. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.
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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