“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” ( 2 Cor 5:17).
When Christian missionaries first came here in Africa they were aghast at certain cultural aspects they found being practiced, many of which they could blame on satanic worship. For example birth and burial ceremonies were often characterized with singing and drumming, while thanking or appealing to ancient pagan gods. Worse still, accompanied with hard drinking!
Concerned, missionaries advised converts to abandon almost all aspects of their tribal culture, labeling such as satanic. Actually, it was not the first time the issue of culture had come up. Early in the life of the church there was a case of Titus, a companion of Paul who was Greek, and was first circumcised to be considered a Christian convert, though it was not a practice common to his culture (Gal 2:3).
Elsewhere an event happened where Peter who had started to win disciples among uncircumcised Gentiles, upon seeing Paul, decided to withdraw and eat separately. But this upset Paul. “When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs! ( vv 14). Paul went on to add, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1).
Paul was making a serious point that our cultures should not be a stumbling bloc with following Christ. He gives us the answer, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me..” (Gal 2:20).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I am thankful for the Gospel of your son Jesus Christ, which has set me free from being chained to any law, for I am saved not by works but by grace, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
