CONVINCTION THE PATH TO TRUE CHRISTIANITY
Having considered the volume of activities within our campus, I came to understand that church activities gulps majority of our time but the effect of these activities are not visible in the way we relate with each other and the environment that we habit. Instead of increasing our moral standards, it seems the frequent attendance to church activities brings about a geometric increase in the rate of corruption, immorality, cheating, and other vices amongst students and lecturers. This syndrome is what makes me to ask questions like:
Do people who attend church activities everyday really understand the reason behind their existence?
Do people who are called Christians actually understand the true meaning of that name ‘CHRISTIANS’?
Do people who call themselves Christians have a personal conviction about whom or what GOD is?
The answers to the above questions should be given as individuals and not as a group and if treated with utmost sincerity, places us on a better understanding of what Christianity entails. The reason why this answer should be given as individuals is the lessons we derive from the death of our beloved ones for example when an individual dies the people who profess their undying love for this person during his/her lifetime do not enter the grave with the persons corpse, some don’t even like to see the person before he/she is buried while some engage in violent activities over the persons property without even remembering to offer prayers for the soul of the deceased as others will be struggling over a bottle of liquor at the graveside hence the way we spent our days on earth in pursuit of salvation serves as the major determining factor for the place our soul will stay after death.
Joshua told the people of Israel to choose which god to serve (Joshua 24:15) as they entered the promise land, because his household have chosen to serve the true GOD that delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery hence we are called to a life of commitment with GOD and this cannot be achieved if we do not define our purpose of becoming Christians in all sincerity. Providing honest answers to the following questions will help us to decide which god to serve, for those who have decided to serve the true living GOD as Joshua did, it will enhance their convinced nature as Christians and they are:
Are you a Christian by Accident?
Are you a Christian by birth?
Are you a Christian because you want to marry?
Are you a Christian because you want your business to progress?
Are you a Christian because you want academic success?
Are you a Christian because you want family breakthrough?
Are you a Christian because you want political power?
Are you a Christian because you want to be recognized by the clergy and the faithful?
Are you a Christian because you have looked through life and you came to believe that GOD exists and it is HE who brings the unequivocal objective of man to its true completion?
If we believe that we are Christians and co-heirs with Christ and understand the purpose of our existence on earth as service to God whom we see in our fellow human being and to do His will in order to reign with in heaven after death then we should decide from the depth of our being to serve God with all our heart, mind and will as the fathers of our faith in the holy scriptures did. In my belittled knowledge, I see the God of Christians as a mystery i.e. His ways are beyond human comprehension but with humility, patience and fervency in prayers you will get to understand his ways. The decision to worship and follow God entails that we stand firm in our faith and beliefs without compromise. Those who make commitment to worship God do so with firm reasons like:-
I believe God is the Almighty (Ps 29:10)
I believe that God is aware of everything that happens on earth because he created the world all that is therein.
I believe that God is capable of taking care of the problems of those who put their trust in Him (Ps. 91). There are a thousand and one reasons for being a child of God; yours will make great impact within you, if you will go to a lonely and safe environment to discuss your life with the one who brought you into existence (GOD) hence derive strong reasons with scriptural undertone as to why you chose to serve the true living God. These reasons can be your motto, vows or principles hence the driving force of your day to day activities. A survey on how you have kept to these vows, policies and principles rooted in the word of God should be done every night before you sleep and necessary adjustment made in order to better the following day then a complete self-examination should be done on our birthdays, feast days e.t.c to know how well we have been working towards achieving the will of God for bringing us into the world.
A convinced Christian is not a person who has everything working out smoothly for him/her, remember the scripture said ‘many are the trials of the just man but from them all the Lord will rescue him’. Christ also told his disciples ‘if any man wants to follow me, let him carry his cross and follow me’. As a convinced Christian no trial or temptation will befall you, if it is not destined by your Father in heaven remember when Pilate told Jesus during his passion that he had the power to set him free or hand him over to the Jews for crucifixion but Christ said ‘you have no power over me unless it is given to you by my Father in heaven’. However, you can be the architect of your own problems if you adamantly deviate from the commandments of God. As a convinced child of God you should be able to say no to immorality in all forms, corruption, cheating in examinations, bribery, envy e.t.c. and strive to actualize your goals through sincere and God-fearing attitudes. Those who believe in God do not manipulate peoples will with their intelligence because it is a capital sin and they do not yield to lecturers threat of sexual satisfaction and sorting in order to pass their courses rather with a firm faith such a person places his/her problem at the foot of the cross hence St. Paul admonishes us ‘brethren, never grow tired of doing what is right’ (2Thess 3:13). In whatever you do remember life is too short to be lived in sin and misery hence it will be treading on dangerous ground for someone to say, ‘I believe in God’ while he/she is still living with a man/woman in contrast to the sacrament of Holy matrimony and other vices. Real Christians are those that believe in the power of prayers which they make to God in all seasons of their lives since Christ enjoined us to pray always and not loose heart(Lk.18:1).
For those who want to make it fast in life without minding the consequences of their actions, I have this to tell you “there is more to life than increasing its pace” hence when you are in doubt do not act because the consequences of your action may keep you depressed, sad or psychologically distorted for the rest of your life or even death. We Catholics are opportuned to have men of great insight in psychotherapy, family life, knowledge of God e.t.c. as priests hence it will be in the interest of our salvation to consult them for better direction just as Tobith advised his son ‘ask advise of every wise person’(Tobith4:18).
The decision to serve God with ones whole heart, mind and body meets the utmost desire of a mans heart which is peace of soul. The desire for true peace has been implanted into our soul in the form of satiety and this satiety many people have misconstrued for the pursuit of power, wealth, pleasure e.t.c. but those who are true Christians fill this satiety with God. This is why St. Augustine said “our soul will not rest until it rest in the Lord”. This satiety of man when rightly filled with God gives man true peace, joy, and completes his understanding of life. The word of God is a strong tower for those who believe in God hence I advise every child of God to read the Holy Bible everyday especially in the early hours of the day in order to prepare you for any unforeseen circumstances within your daily activity.
Therefore, I urge you to decide today which God to serve because after death comes judgment, hell or heaven knowing that death is a necessary end which must come when it will come. I pray that the God who gives us peace make you completely his, and keep your whole being, spirit, soul and body free from all fault, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen(1Thess 5:23).
