With this context in mind, the obvious question is, what is faith? The amazing news is that God does not leave us to grope our way to the answer. Instead, right at the beginning of the chapter, he provides the definition, which reads, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Not only does God define faith, but he also provides real-life examples to drive home the point. The world often characterises faith as irrational or a leap into the dark, while some Christians make it so subjective that it often appears as a mystery. But that is not how the writer of Hebrews approaches the topic. Faith can be examined independently and objectively to determine if it is biblical.

Against this backdrop, I now focus on examining what is characterised as faith in many Christian circles in Ghana today. As a people, Ghanaians are very religious. According to government statistics, nearly 70% of the population identify as Christians. It is not an exaggeration to say that there is a church within 500 meters in all the major cities of Ghana, and most are packed on any given Sunday. As I survey the Ghanaian Christian landscape, a question that continues to linger in my mind is, how does the faith of the average Ghanaian Christian compare with the biblical faith described by the author of Hebrew?

The Nature of Biblical Faith

In Hebrews 11:1, we read, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Two things stand out in this definition. First, there is an assurance of things hoped for, and second, a conviction of things not seen. Christians have certainty and assurance of what they hope for, but the verse also emphasises that the conviction of these things is not seen. There is a ‘futureness’ about what Christians look forward to.

This is even made more apparent when we consider the writer’s commentary on these heroes of faith. In verse 13, he writes,

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”

Again, in 39-40, he notes, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

How come all these great men and women of faith did not receive what was promised? Is it that God lied about his promises, or did they not have enough faith to obtain them? At least, that is what we are made to believe by some so-called “Men of God.” If you have faith, you should receive everything you want from God, thus turning ‘faith’ into a magical currency that might sway God’s hand. Neither position is tenable because it is not for nothing that Hebrews 11 has been described throughout the ages as the Hall of Faith – the men and women spoken about were real heroes of faith. And we also know that God can never lie. Therefore, the only position we are left to amend is our own understanding of what it means to have faith.

In verse 6, the writer states, “whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists.” This statement is quite profound because it teaches us that the starting point of biblical faith is not man but God. It is a belief in a sovereign God who accomplishes everything in accordance with his own purposes and timelines. Unfortunately, for many within the Ghanaian Christian community, the starting point of faith is not God, but their individual felt needs. God only happens to be the divine genie who exists to grant their wishes.

This is a far cry from the examples we see in Hebrews 11. Whether it was Noah, Abraham, Moses or Rahab, their faith was undergirded by a belief in the sovereignty of God. Each example paints a picture of submission to God’s agenda, not their own. They had a deep sense of assurance that God would do what was right for them. There was no doubt, but there was equally no presumption on their part that God must do what they want at all costs. Unfortunately, in many Christian circles in Ghana today, faith is seen as an end in itself. The way it is exercised is more akin to magic than biblical faith.

The Nature of Magic

The etymology dictionary defines magic as the “art of influencing or predicting events and producing marvels using hidden natural forces,” also “supernatural art,” especially the art of controlling the actions of spiritual or superhuman beings.” Unlike biblical faith, which has God as the starting point, in the case of magic, the starting point is the individual who wields power or control over the actions of the supernatural being.

As I observe and listen to many Christians in Ghana, it’s sad to say this is the understanding many people have about faith. Some go to the extent of claiming that God has no control over things that happen on the earth, because he has given that control to man. In some Christian circles, the Bible functions as a book of spells. Once a person can locate the right verse and repeat it multiple times, God is bound to grant whatever wish the individual has because he [God] has promised. The power lies with the individual, not with God.

But that is very different from the examples we see in Hebrews 11. In the case of Abraham, the writer tells us,

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:8-10)

We see in these verses that the power did not lie with Abraham, instead, he submitted himself to the will of God to the extent that he left his country and kindred – a very comfortable life, to go and live in tents in the wilderness. Again, this is very different from the popular teaching that if we have faith in God, we will receive whatever we wish for.

The truth is that sometimes, the exercise of biblical faith is rather an embrace of hardship, as we see in the case of Moses. The author tells us, “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).

In both the case of Abraham and Moses, faith was not like magic. They did not call the shots, and they did not presume to control the outcomes. Instead, they entrusted themselves to the providence of the sovereign God, who does whatever he pleases (Psalm 115:3). This is why the “name and claim” mantra cannot be described as exercise of biblical faith but an attempted magic, because within that framework the sovereignty lies with the individual rather than God.

This also accounts for the reason why there are so many unconverted people within our Ghanaian churches. These folks come to church not because they believed the gospel – God sending his Son to save mankind from their sin – instead, they come because they have a wish that needs granting. They have tried various options, but none have worked. And someone has told them to try Jesus. They would not necessarily describe themselves as Christians, but if they must, to have their wishes granted, so be it. Christianity is just another option they are trying out. This kind of approach is magic, not Christian faith. Therefore, you may want to examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). 

Right Approach to God’s Promises

At this point, I am sure many well-meaning Christians will be going gung-ho, ready to fire a barrage of verses which clearly promise that if we have faith, we will receive whatever we ask for in prayer (Matthew 7:7; 21:22, Mark 11:24; 1 John 5:14). But before you fire, I beg of you to hold for a second, and grant me a last request. Would you please attempt to reconcile the above verses with Hebrews 11:13 and Hebrews 11:39-40? Perhaps, you may also wish to consider the cases of Jesus in Mark 14:35-36 or Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.

The point is this: there is a right way to approach the promises of God. There are three considerations I believe we should keep in mind when we approach the promises of God. I have already touched on one of these earlier: the fact that the starting point of our faith should be God, not our felt needs. Like Jesus, when we entrust ourselves entirely to the sovereign will of God, our uttermost desire and prayer will be for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). If the desire for your wish to be granted is greater than your concern for God’s will, there is a great chance your approach to God’s promises is wrong.

The second consideration is closely related to the first one. Everything God does, he does for the glory of his name, including the fulfilment of his promises to us. Therefore, you must always ask yourself, if God were to grant my heart’s desire, would it lead to the furtherance of his glory or the advance of my own pride and reputation? It doesn’t matter what verse you are quoting; if the motive of your prayer is to advance your own glory, God is not bound to grant that request. In James 4:1-4, the author tells his readers that God does not grant wishes with wrong motives regardless of what Scripture verse you back them with.

This is why biblical faith is utterly distinct from magic. With magic, it doesn’t matter who wields the wand; as long as they recite the correct incantation and have the right ingredients in the potion, an individual will get their wish, but not so with Christianity. I know there are those who would point to examples of people who supposedly have “named and claimed” God’s promises. I do not presume to offer an explanation to every such instance but suffice to say, God, in his common grace, causes his sun to shine even on those who do not believe (Matthew 5:45); therefore, receiving a good gift from God doesn’t necessarily mean an individual was exercising biblical faith.

The third and final consideration we should keep in mind is that true and ultimate fulfilment of God’s promises will not be in this broken world. This is the truth the author of Hebrews wanted his readers to keep in mind when he wrote, “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

That is the conclusion of the matter. The men and women who exercised the greatest level of faith in the history of Christianity did not receive what was promised because all of them, like Abraham, were “looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” So, I encourage you to “look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

The post The State of Christianity in Ghana: Is This Faith or Attempted Magic? appeared first on TGN.

I am sure some new believers grapple with the brokenness of this world and perhaps, in their quiet moments, wonder why there is so much pain and suffering in the world when the Bible speaks so much of a powerful and omnipotent God. Can’t he stop all the carnage and make everything right? I’m sure there are well-meaning people with such a genuine question. However, in my experience, this question doesn’t often come from a place of faith, seeking understanding. Instead, it often comes from those who have scores to settle with the idea of God and are looking for evidence to reinforce their viewpoint. It is because of this that I find Proverbs 19:3 so apt.

“When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.”

At the core of our depravity as human beings is the tendency to blame someone else for all our problems. I don’t need to prove the validity of this statement because each of us is a walking proof. We blame our friends, parents, teachers, siblings, or neighbours for all the mishaps in our lives. When something goes wrong in our lives, the first thought that runs through our mind is, “whose fault was it?” It is the same logic behind the question, “if there is God, why is there so much evil and injustice in the world?”

The Legitimacy of the Question

From the face of it, it sounds like a legitimate question. At least there is an acknowledgement that there is evil in the world, and someone should be doing something or should have done something about it. In this case, that someone is presumed to be the God of Christianity; otherwise, he is not God or powerful enough. As legitimate as that question may sound to some people, I do not believe it is. The right question should be, why is there so much evil and injustice in a world that looks so beautiful? That is the real question that needs to be answered because the existence of evil in the world is not proof against the existence of God; instead, it only proves his existence.

This is because even for those who seek to deny the existence of God, there is a deep acknowledgement that this is not how the world is supposed to be. But even so, a more fundamental question is, why would a non-believer feel so strongly about good and evil anyway? After all, if everything is random and there is no divine Creator, why do they care? It’s all a matter of the survival of the fittest; “eat or be eaten” is the name of the game. But that is not how even the average atheist views life. Despite their godless worldview, they somehow acknowledge that there is good and evil; the standard by which they arrive at those categories is still a mystery to me.

Why is There Evil in the World?

But for the Christian, the present state of the world is not at all a mystery. Scripture is very clear on where we came from as humans, why we are where we are, and the solution available to those genuinely looking for answers. When one considers the current state of the world, it is tough to conceive that there was a time in history when God saw everything that he had made and exclaimed, “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). But, yes, there was such a time when man flourished because he lived under God’s rightful rule and authority. That is why the right question is not, “if there is God, why is there so much evil and injustice in the world?” But instead, “how did such a once very good world become so evil?”

Genesis 3:1-15 explains in detail how we got to where we are today. Yes, God did create a very good world; however, when man used his freewill to reject God’s rightful rule and authority, the world was plunged into its present chaos and predicament. From Ukraine to Gaza, Somalia to Myanmar, Libya to Haiti, and Nigeria to Venezuela, what we see in our world today is because God has withdrawn his presence. In simple terms, evil could be described as the absence of good. That is precisely where the world is today. When God withdraws his presence or hides his face, the result is evil. We see this teaching in countless places in the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 31:17; Ps. 30:7; Isaiah 59:1-2; 64:7)

This is why Proverbs 19:3 is instructive: “When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.” In our folly, we have abandoned God’s design for marriage and wonder why divorce and domestic abuse are increasing. We have thrown God’s blueprint for parenting out of the window and replaced it with our own clever ways of rearing children, and yet wonder why depression among teenagers is on the rise. We have replaced God’s idea of community with a self-centred individualistic approach to life and yet wonder why loneliness and suicide are so rampant. We fill our minds with violence and sexual images through our inordinate consumption of mindless entertainment and wonder why war and sexual abuse are ravaging our world.

But we should make no mistake: the fact that God has hidden his face does not in any way suggest he is no longer in control over what happens in the world. He will forever remain the sovereign Creator and Ruler of the world.  Instead, hiding his face is a sign of judgment, the full outpouring of which would be at the end of the age against the world and its system that continues to reject his authority. The chaos and upheavals we see in our present world are only a faint echo of the full judgment that is yet to come (2 Peter 3:9-13).

God Indeed Has a Solution

Behind the question, “if there is God, why is there so much evil?” is the posture that sees God as a divine maid with a mop in hand who goes about cleaning up the mess we create as humans. On the one hand, we have rejected his design and blueprint for life, yet, on the other hand, we have the guts to ask why he is not cleaning up after us. And we get mad and vindictive if he doesn’t clean up after us. We have removed all the guardrails but still looking to be kept safe. This is precisely what the wise man was talking about: “When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD.”

But the good news is that God is a good God. In his mercy and kindness, he has not left us to our own evil devices. He is making a new world, one that is far better than this one. In Revelations 21:1-4 we read,

“then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

This present broken world is not all that there is. A new one is coming where the question will no longer be asked, “if there is God, why is there so much evil?” Because God will not withdraw his presence; in fact, he will be in the midst of the city, and anyone who makes it into that world will gladly and joyfully submit to his rightful rule and authority. “God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

You, too, can be part of this new world. You can find out how in this article.

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14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world … 17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. (Galatians 6:14, 17)

Paul’s great aim in this epistle to the Galatians is the defence of the gospel. The core of this gospel, which he expounds throughout the book, is the fact that we are justified (meaning, ‘made right’ with God, or counted ‘as if we have never sinned’) through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross alone, apart from works (anything we ever did or will ever do).

The recipients of his letter—the Galatian church—had been led to Christ through Paul’s preaching (we see this in Gal. 4:13) and the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. As Paul recounts, they had begun their Christian journey well, having put their faith in Christ (see Gal. 3:2) and been filled with the Holy Spirit (see Gal. 4:6). They consequently walked in step with the Spirit, outworking what He worked in them at their conversion, even in the face of persecution (Gal. 3:28-29).

But then, a faction of the Jewish Christians, who regarded the Levitical laws of the Old Testament as binding on all Christians, came to the Galatian church, preaching what Paul calls ‘another gospel, which is no gospel at all’, and were leading some members of the congregation astray.

In Apostolic Astonishment, Paul retorted:

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:6-9)

What was the content of this ‘other gospel’? Essentially, these Jewish false preachers were telling the Galatian Christians that faith in Christ alone was not enough to save them; they needed to keep the Jewish laws, specifically those regarding circumcision, or else their Christianity wouldn’t be complete. To which Paul responded:

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

(Gal. 5:2-3)

Isn’t Paul being a bit too harsh? Is one small compromise such a big deal? Indeed, it is! Any attempt to add to the finished work of Christ on the cross is a slap in the face of Jesus, as it suggests he wasted his time going to the cross – we are well capable of achieving our own salvation without his help.

Paul encouraged the Galatian Christians not to allow themselves to be enslaved again under a set of rules (5:1). Faith in Christ means we are free from the ‘curse of the law’ (3:13). Practically, this means we live by faith in Christ for every aspect of our Christian lives. We no longer rely on our own strengths or abilities. We derive our strength and worth from the finished work of Christ on the cross.

In the cross:

1) We have total forgiveness for our sins (2:16). We owed a moral debt we could not pay. Christ paid the debt, and thus, our slate has been wiped clean and our sins ‘blotted out’ (Isa. 43:25, 44:22; Mic. 7:18-19; Heb. 8:12, cf. Jer. 31:34)

2) We have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven (Gal. 3:29). As an initial deposit and foretaste of what is awaiting us in heaven, God has given us His Spirit as a guarantee (Eph. 1:14)

3) We have become heirs with Christ – meaning we share His life and righteousness and have become members of God’s family. We are His royal sons and daughters (Gal. 4:7)

4) We are filled with God’s Spirit and can call God ‘Abba, Father!’ (Gal. 4:6). We are no longer slaves to sin but have become God’s children. We don’t have to prove ourselves to our Father; this is the critical distinction between a ‘son’ and a slave. Father loves us just because He loves us, in spite of us.

As Paul comes to the end of his letter, where we pick up our opening passage, he recaps everything he has been telling the Galatian Christians. He encourages them to put no confidence in the flesh but fully and only trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross. His summary statement, found in Chapter 6:11-17, can be summed up in this way:

“Boast in the cross!” “That is all that matters!”

Paul makes a similar conclusion to his letter to the Philippians. In the final chapter, he writes,

“Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—”

Paul uses the same root word (kauxáomai) translated as ‘boast’ in our opening passage. Thus, to boast in the cross is the same as to glory in it. This is contrasted with putting confidence in the flesh, which here represents ‘works’ or our own efforts, strength, abilities or merit.

Practical implications

What does it mean to boast or glory in the cross? Strong’s Greek Concordance defines kauxáomai as “living with ‘head up high,’ i.e., boasting from a particular vantage point by having the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter”. Strong provides the word’s etymology, as likely derived from the root, auχēn (“neck”), i.e., what holds the neck up high or upright. Thus, to boast or glory in this context refers to living with God-given confidence.

In light of Paul’s teaching in Galatians, I suggest the following practical applications of boasting in the cross.

1) Daily living at the foot of the cross

To boast in the cross means recognising that so far as my efforts didn’t save me, neither can they add or take from my salvation. It is very easy to mentally assent that we’re saved by grace through faith alone yet live as though our salvation depends on our works. Living by faith means daily living at the foot of the cross, drawing from the power of Christ already at work within us (see Ephesians 3:20) to live the Christian life.

The questions below offer a quick test as to whether we’re walking the talk so far as living by faith is concerned.

a) Do you feel the need to ‘prove yourself’ to God so He doesn’t regret saving you?

b) Do you pat yourself at the back for being a ‘good person’, e.g., ’a good giver/tither’, ‘good husband’, ‘good father’, ‘good child’, or whatever else you hold yourself to be good at? Or you reckon that you are what you are solely by the grace of God?

c) Do you find yourself thinking God’ owes’ you certain blessings because of your obedience or service to Him in one way or another?

d) What is the first thought that comes to mind when you consider people whose lives are contrary to the gospel – for example, that drunk or addict in your neighbourhood? Do you find yourself thinking, ‘I thank God I’m not like that’?

2) Treasuring Jesus more than anything in the world

Is Christ your greatest treasure? To Paul, having Christ was everything. Even if living a gospel-centric life meant he would be persecuted, he didn’t mind. He was content to ‘bear on his body the marks of Jesus’. Boasting in the cross means being able to say with Asaph, “Whom have I in heaven but you, and there is nothing on earth I desire besides you” (Ps. 73:25), and with the hymnist, ‘Sɛ me wɔ Yesu a, me wɔ ade nyinara, sɛ Yesu bɔ me a, ade nyinara abɔ me” [If I have Jesus, I have everything, if I lose Jesus, I have lost everything]. Is Christ enough for you? Would you be content if God never did anything else for you after the cross?

In the same breath that Paul said he boasts in the cross, he added, “by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”. In other words, nothing in the world was worth comparing to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ via the cross.

3) A life of devotion to Christ

Jesus said that those who have been forgiven much love much (Luke 7:47). Glorying in the cross means that we henceforth live every moment of our lives with the cross in view. To Paul, that meant being branded for Christ! He declares, “From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Gal. 6:17).

Isaac Watts, in his classic hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, writes:

When I survey the wond’rous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but Loss,
And pour contempt on all my Pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

In the final stanza, he avows:

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Watts is right. A true appreciation of the cross will culminate in only one response: a life sold to, enamoured, and entranced by the One who loved us and gave Himself for us that we might be forgiven.

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No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’

John 6:44

Why are you a Christian? What led you to place your faith in Christ Jesus? Consider the reasons that come to mind in response to this question. Is it your eloquence in speech or your ability to absorb vast amounts of information? Maybe your talent lies in evaluating options and reaching correct conclusions through analytical prowess. Could it be that your moral compass is finely tuned? Has your passion for evangelism played a role in your considerations? Where do you place your grounds for boasting?

The pursuit of self-aggrandisement, which characterises the present era, is far from a recent phenomenon; its origins trace back to the Garden of Eden. The temptation to become “like God” (Genesis 3:5) emerged there and escalated in successive generations to the construction of the Tower of Babel, a testament to the human desire to “make a name for themselves” (Genesis 11:4).

Adam’s rebellion against God’s design didn’t merely introduce sin into the flawless creation; it brought with it the inescapable shackles of death (Romans 5:12). This transgression expanded from an individual act to a universal condition, linking humanity inexorably to sin and its consequences.

The question of why one chooses to be a Christian, therefore, rapidly escalates to a cosmic scale. The Apostle Paul aptly conveys this enormous scope in his declaration, “You were dead in the trespasses and sins…, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:1-3). This sweeping indictment leaves no one unimplicated. All humanity is found wanting before a God who is holy to the highest degree.

Having established this overarching context, let’s now ground ourselves in a biblical perspective to further explore this question. From the lofty heights of divine judgment, we shall delve into the Scriptures for enlightenment and understanding.

Let us not forget the unequivocal sovereignty of the God portrayed in the Bible—the triune God, the one and only God. He reigns with unparalleled supremacy and possesses absolute power and authority. As stated in 1 Timothy 6:15-16, He is the “King of kings and Lord of lords,” existing in an unapproachable light and possessing eternal immortality. As Psalm 135:6 affirms, God executes His will according to His own pleasure, exercising dominion over heaven, earth, seas, and all depths. It is this God to whom Paul refers when he declares:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”

Ephesians 1: 3-6

This passage unravels a mind-bending reality, granting us a glimpse beyond the veils of time itself. It shatters the boundaries of our finite comprehension, revealing God’s sovereign hand in selecting specific individuals for redemption and everlasting life. Astoundingly, this divine choice was made before the creation of the world, magnifying the eternal expanse and timeless essence of God’s redemptive masterpiece.

The truth of Election underscores the need to quash any tendency towards boasting in any aspect of our salvation. There is absolutely nothing that we can contribute to this equation except our guilt and sin. It is an undisputed fact that even when presented with every opportunity, sinful man remains incapable of choosing God. The idea that man contributes to his own salvation (as advanced in altar calls and other Armenian propositions) is an affront to the holiness of the God who chooses us. The nature of salvation is completely monergistic, where it is solely initiated, sustained, and ultimately fulfilled by God. Sinful man does not possess even the slightest ability within himself to choose a holy God. Importantly, it is crucial to understand that God’s choice of individuals for salvation was not contingentupon Him foreseeing who would choose to believe in Him. God’s divine election was not an act of God peering down the tunnel of time, discerning those who would willingly follow Him, and then making His choices based on that foreknowledge. Rather, our Lord Jesus Christ declared,

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:25:30

Know for certain that, if indeed you are a Christian, it is crucial to acknowledge that your faith does not stem from any inherent qualities or accomplishments within yourself. No amount of talent, zeal, eloquence, ethnicity, or social status can claim credit for bringing you even a single step closer to receiving God’s grace. You were not halfway up the ladder and then God did the rest. You were not partially on the path to salvation, waiting for God to fill in the gaps. Nor were you treading water in a vast ocean until God tossed a lifeline in your direction. In reality, you were utterly devoid of God and devoid of hope. You were deemed as worthless, lacking understanding, burdened with shame, cursed, and comparable to an open grave (Romans 3:10-18). But, as Martyn Lloyd–Jones famously said, “BUT GOD… These two words, in and of themselves, in a sense contain the whole of the gospel“:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:4-7

The profound truth of God’s purpose in Election serves as a powerful force to obliterate any inclination towards pride and boasting. Moreover, it should ignite and propel us in our evangelistic endeavours. Armed with a proper understanding of God’s sovereignty and His divine Election, individuals need not be gripped by fear of failure or pursue boundless success. Instead, our aim should be unwavering faithfulness in obeying our Lord’s command to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Instead of seeking within yourself for the reasons behind your faith in Christ, turn your gaze outward towards God.

In closing, consider the second verse of the great congregational hymn, “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” by Edward Perronet:

“Ye chosen seed of Israel’s race,

Ye ransomed from the fall,

Hail Him who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all.

Hail Him who saves you by His grace,

And crown Him Lord of all.”

The post Ordo Salutis: Election appeared first on TGN.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Galatians 5:17 KJV

Tug of War! That’s the first thing that came to mind when I read this text. I trust you know what a Tug of War is? It is a sport where two opposing sides are at each end of a rope, with a line drawn and they are struggling for dominance to pull the other team across the line to win the game. If you consider the text again, a picture of a tug of war is plainly painted. In every Christian, there is an intense ongoing battle between the desires of the indwelling Spirit of God in the believer and their sinful nature for dominance. It is a tug of war.

The phrase “lusteth against” simply means the flesh, our sinful nature, desires things that are against the Spirit’s desire. You will notice the text also speaks of the Spirit having desires that are against the desires of the flesh: “and the Spirit against the flesh.” Notice what the next phrase also says: “these are contrary one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Do you see that? These—the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another. In other words, the flesh opposes the desires of the Spirit, and the Spirit opposes the desires of the flesh.

The Desires of The Flesh

Though Christians are “washed…justified… sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV), we still live in a sinful world and a sinful body with residues of the sinful nature hanging around waiting to strike at the least opportunity. We live with an ongoing battle with the desire to sin. Often, unfortunately we actually do sin. If not regularly. So, there is a battle for dominance over the believer: “So that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

The desire of the flesh is to sin; indulge the old nature and please ourselves.. Regardless of how long you have been a Christian, you can testify to this sad reality.. You have the indwelling Spirit with new desires according to the new nature, but sin still lingers on with its desires according to the old nature. And both are opposing each other, so that you will go along with their desires.The desires of the Spirit of God in you won’t permit you to succumb to the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the flesh are opposing the desires of the Spirit. As long as we live in this fallen body, in a fallen world, we would have sinful desires –indwelling sin–to deal with. Consider the words of Charles Spurgeon:

“When we believe in Jesus Christ all our sins are pardoned; yet the power of sin, albeit that it is weakened and kept under by the dominion of the new-born nature which God doth infuse into our souls, doth not cease, but still tarrieth in us, and will do so to our dying day. It is a doctrine held by all the orthodox, that there dwelleth still in the regenerate, the lusts of the flesh, and that there doth still remain in the hearts of those who are converted by God’s mercy, the evil of carnal nature…”

Do you deny this? Can you honestly say this is not true of me? Look back your life just in the past hour? Consider the thoughts that may have run through your mind. And even, if possible, consider what you are thinking about while reading this article? Now the desires of the flesh are what lead to actual sins. The desires come, we don’t do anything about them, we follow them through, then boom, we sin.

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death

James 1:14-15

Now, nobody can read what goes on in another  person’s mind. But those desires manifest by the way we live our lives. Paul calls this “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21). You may argue “I do not do these things”. What we must understand is that the list in Galatians 5:19-21 is not the list of all sins in the world but a fair representation of almost everything. The phrase “and such” is like our modern use of etcetera.

Winning The Tug of War

Dealing with the desires of the flesh means checking and bringing your sinful desires under the control of the Holy Spirit. It means not fulfilling or giving in to your sinful desires.

This I say then, walkin the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5: 16

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Galatians 5: 24

In verse 16, Paul is saying “do not fulfil the desires of the flesh.” In verse 24, he says “crucify the flesh”. Kill it. Deal with it. Don’t let your sinful desires master you. This is theologically called mortification of sin, that is killing sin. The prominent English theologian, John Owen, stated it this way:

“Mortify: put to death; a metaphorical expression, taken from the putting of any living thing to death. To kill a man, or any other living thing, is to take away the principle of all his strength, vigour, and power, so that he cannot act or exert, or put forth any proper actings of his own; so it is in this case. Indwelling sin is compared to a person, a living person, called “the old man,” with his faculties, and properties, his wisdom, craft, subtlety, strength; this, says the apostle, must be killed, put to death, mortified,—that is, have its power, life, vigour, and strength, to produce its effects, taken away by the Spirit“

Hear what Scripture says on the matter.

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do MORTIFY the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Romans 8:13

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 John 3:9

A superficial reading of 1 John 3:9 may suggest a Christian cannot sin. But that will go against the teachings of Scripture. Already John has addressed the sin of believers in 1 John 1:8,10. So, “cannot sin” here simply means doesn’t make a practise or habit of sin.

How Do We Deal With The Desires of The Flesh?

It’s A Work of The Holy Spirit!

Dealing with the desires of the flesh is not mere character modification. It is not simply stopping to do the things you used to do. It is more than that. It is an inner work of the Holy Spirit.  When we become Christians, a monumental change occurs. Our heart is transformed, and new desires are implanted in us. Desires to obey God; to live holy lives ;to be conformed to the image of Christ; to forsake sin and embrace holiness.

Salvation does something to our soul. It reaches down into our hearts and changes our dispositions. We who once didn’t love God, begin to love him. Our sins become repugnant and revolting to us. We yearn to live our lives to please God. These new yearnings are all a work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. The Holy Spirit works in us to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). Notice, there is a constant comparison in this text between desires of the flesh and desires of the Spirit. Paul speaks of the works of the flesh in vv.19-21, then contrasts it with the fruit of the Spirit in vv.22-23.

The Holy Spirit is constantly at work in us to produce these holy desires. This work of the Holy Spirit in us is theologically called sanctification. The Westminster divines articulated sanctification in this way:

“Sanctification is a work of God’s grace, whereby they whom God has, before the foundation of the world, chosen to be holy, are in time, through the powerful operation of his Spirit applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them, renewed in their whole man after the image of God; having the seeds of repentance unto life, and all other saving graces, put into their hearts, and those graces so stirred up, increased, and strengthened, as that they more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life.”

Note, “That they more and more die unto sin, and rise unto newness of life.” This simply means we are growing in holiness. We are having a distaste for sin. Sin is not having dominion and victory over us any longer. Look at the definition of sanctification again: “through the powerful operation of his Spirit applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto them, renewed in their whole man after the image of God”

The first thing to note in this journey of dealing with the desires of the flesh is that, it is a work of sanctification God applies to our hearts through the operation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s desire is to sanctify us and conform us to the image of Christ so that we become holy (2 Corinthians 3:18).

A look at the texts (Galatians 5:16;18;25) shows that this is all the work of the Holy Spirit in us. As Christians, our desire is to be holy, please God, and be honest in our dealings.  The desire to avoidsin is not something we produce by ourselves. These are desires according to the workings of the Spirit of God. “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13). God the Holy Spirit is at work in you dear believer: “not by might nor by power but by my Spirt.” (Zachariah 4:6)

The Cooperation of The Believer

If dealing with the desires of the flesh is the work of the Holy Spirit in us, does it then mean the believer is passive? There is nothing left for the believer to do? No! The believer actively engages with the Holy Spirit. The believer yields to the Holy Spirit.

The believer responds outwardly to God’s inward work of grace.

You will notice right from the beginning of Galatians 5, the believer’s active involvement is stated. Paul outlines certain responses the believer must have toward the work of Christ: “Stand fast, be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage… don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” in verse 1; and, “use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another,’ in verse 13.

J.I Packer, in his book concise theology, says “God calls his children to sanctity and graciously gives what he commands.” In the same verses where we see the work of the Holy Spirit at work in the believer’s life, we see the necessary cooperation of the believer with the Holy Spirit: “Walk in the Spirit” (v.16); “Led of the Spirit” (v.18); “Led” of shows that “we follow”; “Live in”, “walk in” (v.25).

All these are verbs calling us to do something. We are not passive in the work of sanctification. “Walk in…live in…” These verbs are a picture of an ongoing process. It means that you and I must not become stagnant in our Christian walk. We must grow. We must mature. And how are we going to do this? Brethren, there is nothing new here that I will propose. Avail yourself to the ordinary means of graces God has given us to grow. Pray often, repent daily, fellowship with the saints, study and read your Bible regularly.

If you are walking in the Spirit, then you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh (v16). That is, you will not give in to the desires of the flesh. This is an active process of choosing obedience over disobedience. Again, Look at verse 24. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires. This basically means we have tamed the flesh. We have put it under control. We have killed it. Victory comes through death.

The Consequences of Not Dealing with The Desires of The Flesh

If there is no evidence of you dealing with the desires of the flesh and nothing about your Christian life shows the fruit of the Spirit, there are two possible options.

Firstly, you might not be saved. If you are giving in to the desires of the flesh joyfully, it may be a sign that you are not saved. I am drawing this inference from verse 24. If you are not dealing with the desires of the flesh, then you may not belong to Christ since “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires.”

Secondly, you are not growing. You truly may be a believer, but not putting in the necessarily spiritual disciplines to deal with the desires of the flesh. The common means of grace are at your disposal.

Do you find yourself dear believer in a tug of war over your sanctification? Be encouraged. The Holy Spirit is on our side. Victory is ours in Christ alone. The flesh shall not have the final say. The flesh shall not win

Notes:

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It is an encouragement and a source of great pride whenever I hear about the growth and advance of the gospel across the continent. All over the world, Africa is touted as the continent with the fastest-growing number of Christian converts. I praythat this growth will be accompanied by growth in personal holiness and depth of understanding of God’s Word.

I address this letter to you, saints, for two reasons. First, it is the pattern we see in Scripture. The apostle Paul, in almost all his letters, did not address the pastors or overseers in the churches, but the members of the church. He believed that the members were the true guardians of the truth and purity of the church.That is why in Galatians 1:6-9, his frustration was not with the false teachers but the members of the church:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”

The second reason why I have addressed this letter to you, saints of the church in Ghana and across Africa, is because false teachers have crept into the church. In the early days of the rise of ‘one-man’ churches—independent churches planted by individuals—around the 1970s, there was much speculation about whether these teachers were intentionally spreading false teachings or if their errors were simply a result of ignorance.Over the years, it has become increasingly evident that these false teachers are not ignorant of the truth but willfully deceiving others for their own gain. Paul spoke of such people in Romans 16:18, “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” It is futile to address them since they have no desire to change their ways. It is incumbent on us to grow in our discernment as believers, to recognise and avoid these harmful teachings that undermine our faith and bring disrepute to the name of Christ.

The Bible teaches that on the last day, everyone will give an account of themselves to God (Romans 14:12). This will be an individual affair, which means each of us must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). The more reason why we cannot leave our faith in the hands of others, especially pastors who care more about the “seed” we sow into their ministries and the size of their congregations than where we will spend eternity.

As we work out our salvation, we must bear three key principlesin mind. 

Don’t Assume Your Faith

According to Paul, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10). It is very clear from these verses that no one is born a Christian, and neither can the faith be inherited. Christianity is not like Islam, where one is born into the faith. Each of us must individually repent and put our faith in Christ Jesus.

As a people, we are so religious that there is a tendency and temptation to assume the Christian faith. Unfortunately, many of our pastors contribute to this confusion. I was once part of a church for two years, and throughout my time there, no pastor spoke to me about how I came to faith and the fruit I had borne after that. I remember one Sunday after the church service, all visitors who wanted to join the church were invited to remain behind. One of the ministry leaders spoke briefly about the process of becoming a member. Our photos were taken, and ID cards were issued. That is how I became a member of that church. No questions asked if I knew the gospel, believed it or was baptised as a believer. It didn’t matter which church I had attended and why I had left it. Perhaps, it may have been because I was disciplined. But none of that mattered.

This starkly contrasts what we read about Jesus in John 10:14, where he said, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” The Greek word, poimen, translated as pastor,can also mean shepherd. Therefore, every pastor is an under-shepherd of Christ (1 Peter 5:2). They are representatives of Christ in their shepherding responsibilities. This means Pastors must know their members, and their members must likewise know them. Sadly, in most mega churches today, the shepherds do not know who the sheep are; the sheep have never interacted with the shepherds. Therefore, it is unclear how these shepherds intend to give account for the sheep they don’t even know (Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17).

Moreover, the New Testament makes it clear the church comprises people who have repented of their sins and put their trust in Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-37). To that end, it is the duty of the pastors or elders of a church to act as the doorkeepers and lead the congregation in ensuring that whoever enters the local church has a credible profession of faith. Unfortunately, not many churches exercise this watchfulness. As a result, many churches in Africa are filled with people who are not saved. It is no wonder there are so many people in the church, yet the continent is known for corruption and all kinds of ungodliness. Some of our churches are more anti-gospel outposts than the pillar and buttress of truth they are meant to be (1 Timothy 3:15).

If you are part of a church where no pastor has ever spoken to you about your faith or how you came to know Jesus Christ; and the fruit you have borne subsequently, you are likely not in a healthy church. And in the case throughout your Christian life, your profession of faith has never been examined by any church, you should approach the pastors of your current church and ask them why no one has ever asked you about your faith. In any case, Paul’s advice to you would be to “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourself” (2 Corinthians 13:5). I strongly recommend you read this article on God’s love; it will help you in your examining process.

Your Allegiance Should Not be to Your Pastor or His Churchbut to Christ.

When Jesus declared in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He meant it, and he is doing that all across the world. From Asia to Europe, Americas to Africa, wherever the gospel has been preached, it has borne fruit and the church of Christ is being built. This universal church, the Bible teaches, is the body of Christ.

Sadly, in Ghana and across Africa, churches have become personal properties of Pastors. It is their pictures that are on the signboards. In many places, the personal brand of the pastor is more popular than the name of Christ. If you are in a church where the preacher’s name is more known than the name of Christ, you should know you are in an unhealthy church; and leave as quickly as you can.

Over the years, many Christians in Africa have become more discerning and are beginning to ask questions. However, I continue to hear stories where members feel they have no alternatives, so they stick it out in these unhealthy churches. In other cases, members feel so loyal to the “Man of God” that even though they know something is not right, they feel they cannot leave because they would be branded as disloyal.

One truth we should firmly hold on to as Christians is that the church belongs to Christ; therefore, our loyalty must be to himand not to any particular individual. If you discover that your church is unhealthy and you cannot effect any change, you should strongly consider leaving. By God’s grace, there are many relatively healthy churches springing up. We should fervently pray that God, in his kindness, will raise more of such churches. However, even in cases where there are no viable options, you should pray for the courage to start a gospel-centred Bible fellowship which could eventually covenant as a church,

In Ephesians 3:10, Paul said, “Through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” This means inasmuch as a true and healthy church is a powerful gospel witness, a bad church has a powerful destructive effect on the advance of the kingdom of God. As a matter of truth, some churches in Ghana and across Africa must close for the advance of God’s kingdom and his glory. Therefore, being part of a bad, unhealthy, anti-gospel church may display loyalty to a human being, but in the long run, you are doing damage to the advance of God’s kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Examine Yourself to See If You’re Bearing Fruit

In John 15:16, Jesus told his disciples and, by extension, all his followers, “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” As Christians, we are in the fruit-bearing business. According to Jesus, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:19-20).

As Christians in Ghana and across Africa, we must constantly examine ourselves to see if we are bearing fruit and what kind.Each of us – not the usual pointing at the other person, must look ourselves in the eye and ask whether we are bearing abiding fruits; because it is illogical that the continent with the highest rate of Christian numerical growth would also have the highest level of corruption. In Ghana, for example, more than 70% of the population professes to be Christian, with the majority of this number in church every Sunday, yet the country is plagued with thick darkness.

In Galatians 5:22-23, apostle Paul lists “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” as the nine-part character traits produced by the Holy Spirit in every Christian. The effects of these fruit are not confined to the four walls of a church building. As we live our lives in the public square, evidence of these fruits would be seen in how we work, study, lead our families and raise our children as Christians (James 2:14-17).

It is not loving or faithful for a Christian politician entrusted with a public office to take for themselves resources belongingto the state. It is not kind, good, or faithful for a civil servant to take bribes irrespective of whether their pay is adequate. It is not a display of love that, as a trader, your goods are priced to take advantage of unsuspecting customers. The sad irony is that many corrupt officials and business people profess to be Christians and regularly attend church.

The state of Christianity on our continent is a colossal anti-gospel witness. One of the most striking truths in physics is that regardless of the thickness of the darkness, a single matchstick can dispel it. Therefore, if Christians are the light of the world as described by Jesus in Matthew 5:14, how is it that our continent is languishing in so much darkness when the majority of us claim to be Christian, unless it is the case that many of us hold an appearance of godliness, but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5)?Even though Africa is touted as the continent with the fastest Christian growth rate, sadly, the growth is cancerous. As Jesus rightly said, “You will recognize them by their fruits.” The fruits many of us are bearing indicate we do not belong to Christ, andthe warnings of Jesus in Revelation 3:1-2 is timely for all of us, “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.”

Having said all this, I am also convinced there are many faithful saints on the continent because God always leaves himself a remnant (Romans 11:4-5). It is because of them the continent is not consumed. It is my prayer that “our God may make you [the remnant] worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

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“Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

He was manifested in the flesh,

vindicated by the Spirit,

seen by angels,

proclaimed among the nations,

believed on in the world,

taken up in glory.” – 1 Timothy 3:16

Right in the middle of Paul’s first letter to Timothy, we come across a verse that forms the very basis of our Christian faith; and reveals who Jesus is and His ministry as a whole. Christians over the years have had various confessions of faith deeply steeped in the Bible that we affirm and believe. Such confessions include the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Westminster Divines, etc. Paul here emphasizes the importance of what we confess: “…great indeed, we confess…” he says. Historically, Christian confessions span the 1st Century Church till now. The essence of confessionalism, an important aspect of our way of worship, is to ensure distortions against truth are corrected. They are also to build a solid defence for what we believe. It is a tragedy to believe what you cannot defend.

In our opening passage, Paul says that what we confess “is the mystery of godliness.” This simply means that what already existed is no longer hidden but has now come to light. This suggests that the person we are confessing existed, was kept secret (or not fully revealed), and is now made known to us. The confession Paul is referring to is more of a Person than anything else, referring to none other than Jesus, who is God and is the uncreated, formerly hidden, and now revealed. This is a confession in defence of the deity of Christ Jesus as God (His person) and His ministry (His work). This is the very foundation of our Christian faith.

What is this mystery of godliness? “He was manifested in the flesh…” Clearly, this alludes to the incarnation, or the act of God taking on human form and living among us. John the Apostle clarifies this when he wrote, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.’ Throughout the ages, false teachers have attempted to cast doubt on Christ Jesus’ divinity. According to the Gnostics, anything made of flesh is evil, so God cannot indwell flesh. Others contend that Jesus cannot be both God and God’s equal. Simply put, without the incarnation of Christ Jesus—God taking on human form—there is no Christianity. Every Christian should thoroughly grapple with and understand this fundamental truth to defend their confession whenever needed. In the Apostle’s Creed we affirm that ‘He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.’ 

The second confessional statement in this verse, Paul writes, “…vindicated by the Spirit…” In other words, the innocence of Jesus was affirmed by the Spirit. What does it mean to be vindicated? This speaks to the fact that all the wrongful accusations that sinful men libelled him with in order to have him crucified and buried were proved false by the Spirit. In other words, by being raised again from death by the Spirit, he was exonerated from all the fraudulent charges brought against him. Thus, His resurrection proves His innocence, Hallelujah! And so, the Apostles’ Creed rightly affirms, “He was crucified and buried; on the third day, he rose again from the dead.’ Our Saviour did not remain in the grave; the Holy Spirit vindicated him by resurrecting Him from the dead.

Thirdly, Paul writes that Jesus was “seen by angels.” The day of his resurrection is implied here, when the angels appeared to the early believers and confirmed Jesus’ resurrection. We can also connect this to the moment of Jesus’ ascension when angels reassured the disciples that he would return to judge the living and the dead. The Christian confession of Jesus as having risen from the dead was corroborated by angels who testified and worship him eternally.

Fourthly, Jesus is “proclaimed among the nations.” Christians all over the world preach Christ as the central figure in salvation since the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit entered God’s Church, up until the present. The message of salvation is Jesus; the gospel of good news revolves around Jesus. That is the only message we have for the world. It is the duty of everyone who professes to be a Christian to spread the Word about Jesus and make him known. Paul says “we have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). There is no other message of hope and salvation than that of Jesus; He is the Savior of the world.

Fifthly, we accept that with our hearts we believe, and with our mouths, confession in the finished work of Christ Jesus is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10). Jesus is “believed on in the world.” He is the solution to human depravity. The act of placing our faith in Christ Jesus moves a person from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Beloved Son of God. We acknowledge that we believe in God the Father as well as “in Jesus Christ His Son.”  It is believing in Christ Jesus that transforms and makes one a Christian.

 Finally, Christians believe that not only did Jesus resurrect from the grave, but he was “taken up in glory.” We affirm in the Apostles’ Creed that when He resurrected from the dead, ‘He ascended into heaven. And is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty…” This proves that all authority in heaven and on earth resides with Him. Jesus’ glorification confirms his authority over all.

In conclusion, confessions are a significant part of our worship and the defence of our beliefs. It behoves every Christian to rejoice in these truths and be prepared to make a defence whenever the occasion arises. Amen!

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“Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:26-27

Just the previous day, he fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish. For the majority of his followers, this was it—finally, a miracle worker who would solve their perennial food shortage issues. There was no longer the need to till the land. Who cares whether the rains come in or not now that the food-producing king had arrived?

This characterisation may sound condescending and simplistic, but it is not far–fetched when you consider the actions of some Christians today. I have been to churches where the average person was there not because Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”, but because of what they have heard he can do for them materially.

On April 6 2023, I came across a social media post attributed to the ministry of a prominent preacher with a large following. I want to believe this is not his real account and even if it’s not, it clearly tells what his followers believe. In the said post, 17 items had been listed from which followers could select one and they would have it by April 30 (don’t ask me, because I have no idea what was so auspicious about that date). The listed items ranged from cars to babies to visas. The most astonishing item on the list was number 11, Salvation. According to the post, salvation is one item among many that followers could simply pick from the shelf. No mention of repentance from sin, turning to Jesus, or God’s sovereign act in saving the lost. They could either choose a car, a visa or salvation. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Such is the state of Christianity in Ghana and many parts of the world today.

It is against this backdrop that Jesus makes his statement in John 6:26-27, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” Jesus knew why the throng was following him. It wasn’t because of his teaching or his impending death and resurrection and what that means for their eternal state; rather, it was because they ate their fill of loaves the previous day and had come for more. However, in verse 27, Jesus exhorted them to have a different mindset; he elevated their eyes and minds to that which is truly eternal. He offered them himself, the true bread that came from heaven.

I’m not sure why you are following Jesus, but his reproof in this verse is important for you too. One of our greatest deficiencies as humans is our inability to accurately diagnose our true needs. Perhaps this is why most of our problems remain: because we have not been able to accurately identify what will truly bring us joy and peace. Our felt needs are often not our truest needs. Jesus says, “do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life.” Your greatest need is not a visa or a car or a baby or even good health. Your truest need is peace with God through Jesus Christ.

If you don’t have that yet, then earnestly call out to God to have mercy on you and restore you to a right fellowship with him through his Son, Jesus Christ. If you have already accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then you have everything you need. Don’t let anyone distract you with cheap and fleeting substitutes. Your worth is not in what you own, not in skill or fame but in the fact that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Remember, he will never deny us what he knows to be good for us, and he will never give us what he knows will be harmful to us. That is the confidence we have in our Heavenly Father as Christians.

Most of those who followed Jesus back then thought their problem was bread, but Jesus would have them focus on their true need, eternal life. This understanding is what led Paul to say, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-9).

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