| Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Col 1:12)
No doubt we’ve all got different histories. Culture; described as a people’s way of life differs for each one of us. Various backgrounds. Sometimes however we fail to see beyond where it is we came from. This origin defines the core of our being. But it should not be so. The truth is no matter how diverse our culture may be all ends in that one man Adam. The one by whom humanity was brought into bondage. Today however I want us to reflect a little on how we seem not to go beyond the definition given to us by our earthly lineage. I know quite a lot of people who find it difficult to believe certain things the scripture says because truth is they always see everything from the view point of “this is where I came from”.
Dear friends, would you be as the legalistic Jews in Bible who Paul wept over because they found it difficult to accept the righteousness of God because of their culture built on the Law. Rom 10:1 – 4; Matt 15:6; Col. 2:8 Would you be as others who though realize they have been delivered from the powers of darkness yet find it difficult to walk free from the thought of ancestral curses? People who are forever held bound to illnesses and untimely death because of a fear taken away by the Cross. The question arises again friends that whose report would we believe? God’s declaration in love or the ugly picture the world tries to sell to us in a bid to make us walk short of who we have become in Christ. The Christian is a new man altogether. He is no longer defined in the physical because we know him no more by those terms. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God,… (2ndCorinthians 5:16 – 18a)
Christ came to save us from ourselves. Doomed to death we were but thank God for His mercy. When I see Christians held bound because of the thought that this is what my mom went through or Grandpa died because of so and so; this is what goes on in the town I came from. What I quickly settle in my mind is that this individual has not come to appreciate the new identity he has now in Christ Jesus. He is still walking in the mentality of the old man. The new man in Christ Jesus is not a myth. He is not a legend. He is real and this is who you are. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12 – 13)
He’s lineage and heritage is new. He is born of God and not of man. I love the way 2nd Corinthians 5:18a describes his newness. It says “all these things are of God”. Friends don’t be swayed into identifying yourself by the old man because the truth is you have been set free. Redeemed from the cords that once held you bound.Truly know we no man anymore after the flesh. Glory Hallelujah.
Dr bolaji akanni |
