THE IGNORANT CHRISTIAN -Min Awe Hilary

Some weeks ago, a Christian asked me a question, he said "Hilary, why are we having an increase in the number of various denominations worldwide, while evil is spreading its tentacles around the world?''. This question asked by this Christian is very valid, and it is one that should be treated as an emergency. One would have expected that the growth in various denominations worldwide and an increase in the index of Christian population, would lead to a sharp decline of all social vices, but unfortunately, this is not the case.

SO WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

While searching for the answers with respect to the earlier asked question, I discovered the missing ingredient whose presence proffers solutions to the question.

In the book of Mathew 19:4, Jesus Christ replied the Pharisees who were testing Him, by asking Him questions pertaining to the subject of divorce, and He answered them, saying "Have you not read? ". The Pharisees were experts in keeping the law and maintaining a high standard of religious piety ,but were still ignorant. This is the problem bedeviling the Church today, as we have a large number of ignorant Christians, who just bare the name "Christian", but have little or no knowledge about the core values of Christianity. Like the Pharisees, they understand Christianity as a religion which must be practiced by obeying Church traditions and listening to their pastors, while making no effort to establish a solid relationship with God, through the study and application of the word of God.

These set of individuals, do not see Christianity as a responsibility to study and apply the word of God for their daily living, hence their lives become malnourished, lacking the necessary qualities to qualify them as Christians.

" Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" - Luke 4:4 (NKJV)

The life of every believer should be a product of the word of God, which is the distinguishing factor between us (Christians) and the world, but for us to be a product of the word of God, we must study the word of God daily to show ourselves approved. God would not come down from His Throne to read the Bible to you or magically input it into your heart, because He has given you a will power to choose between life and death (Deuteronomy 30:19). When you do not study the word of God, your life becomes deficient in the word of God, hence the information gap becomes a breeding ground for the ''Old man'' which is the nature of sin to breed and manifest its fruits in the life of that Christian. 

Today we still have individuals who say they are ''Christians'' but still indulge in activities like looting of public funds in their various offices, sleeping with peoples wives, and our young daughters who are old enough to be their daughters, "Christians" who go to clubs every night and get soaked with alcohol, "Christians" participating in television shows like Big Brother Africa and entertaining the continent and everyone who cares to watch by having sex on national television, without regards to decency or making sure that the temple of the Holy Spirit in their lives is  not defiled etc. The list goes on, and this has made the world to down play the true meaning of being a Christian, as it now categorized as a religion, because we who are supposed to be the light of the world, have become sources of darkness in our environments and the world at large.

However, as believers we should not depend on our pastors preaching's alone, but we should develop a culture of reading the Holy Scriptures daily, because in it contains the model for Christian living. The more we study the word of God, the greater its impact on shaping our characters and behavioral patterns, thereby affirming the original meaning of the word Christian in our lives. It is the responsibility of every believer to study the word of God, that we may show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15). Our approval status is dependent largely on our ability to study the word of God, that our lives would be a true reflection of the word of God that we have studied.

However, being a member of a denomination, does not qualify you to be a Christian but elevates you to the status of a religionist, because it is only when you genuinely surrender your life to Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, while your life thereafter reflects the personality of Christ, that the name Christian becomes befitting. As believers, we must strive to perfection, by performing roles that God cannot do for us, and relying on God to perform roles that we cannot do for Him.

Moreover, an increase in the number of Christ like believers, would definitely lead to a sharp decline in criminal activities and all forms of social vices which currently poses a threat to decent living around the world. This is also a call to all General Overseers and Heads of various denominations worldwide, to focus less on building large cathedrals, while focusing more on teaching the undiluted word of God to their members. Bible study should be a core section in our services, while the church should also see it as its responsibility to monitor the spiritual growth of their members, in a view to harvesting more souls for heaven and building a better society.

God bless you.

 #TheMessenger