“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 (NIV)
When Christian missionaries first came here in Africa they were aghast at certain cultural aspects they found practiced, many of which they could trace to satanic worship. For example birth and burial ceremonies were often characterized with singing and drumming, while thanking or appealing to the gods. All these were also accompanied with hard drinking.
In their zeal missionaries advised converts to abandon almost all aspects of their tribal culture, as satanic. It was a controversial position. Does becoming a Christ follower mean abandoning one’s culture.
Actually, it was not the first time the issue of culture had come up. Early in the life of the church an incident arose where the Apostle Paul had to confront Apostle Peter on matters of culture. Converted Jews had taken after their culture of circumcision as part and parcel of being a Christian. Titus, a companion of Paul who was Greek, was first circumcised to be considered one, though it was not a practice common to his culture (Gal 2:3). Once Peter who had started to win disciples among uncircumcised Gentiles saw Paul, he decided to withdraw and eat separately. 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). He brought to his attention that that “a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ..” (vv 15).
Paul was making a 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..” (vv 20).
Being fixated with one’s culture is certainly not the path to salvation. Maybe there are certain aspects in one’s culture that must be dropped as satanic. Maybe there are those that should be retained as holy. But the point is culture is not what gets one to heaven. As Paul advised, “know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (vv 16).
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 cultural inhibitions, for I am saved not by works but by grace!
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18/04/2024 - 19/04/2024 All day“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-7).
Once a certain gentleman saw a small mount of soil rising in one of his sparsely used bed rooms in his country house. He went back to the city unbothered. Upon his return he was shocked to find that what was once a small soil mount had grown into a huge anthill almost blocking the entrance. How did it get this big!” he whistled with disbelief.
Anyone who has leveled anthills knows that you need to dig up one down to the very bottom and seize the queen ant. So, in this case, it meant he had to excavate to the very foundations of the house. It was a costly venture involving destroying much of the original infrastructure.
So, what had begun as a small foothold in his house almost caused the gentleman to lose his entire beautiful country house. After all was done, he regretted why he had not attacked that small mount of soil the day he had spotted it but then ignored. He would have saved himself all this huge cost.
When the Bible cautions us, “and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27), it is not speaking of some big and overwhelming sin that is gripping a believer. Just as with that soil mount a foothold starts as a small poisonous seed dropped into one’s life appearing harmless at the start. But ignored it gradually grows into one huge tree with deep roots that to uproot it a life may go with it altogether.
For Believers there are all kinds of footholds. It could be unwholesome little talk spaced with curses. Sometimes it is occasional dabbling into harmful alcoholic beverages or dangerous drugs. There could be that small habit of helping oneself with company funds against policy. There is also that seemingly innocent peep into porn sites, after all, no harm!
Ignored, the once small foothold gradually extends into one huge and terrifying mountain, not that easy to level as it now completely controls its victim. To level it down would come at such a stiff price. For this reason, do not take lightly any temptations that come your way. The moment you give the devil an inch you are in for a long ride!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I pray to guard myself against any foothold the devil might trap me with, to live a victorious life in Christ, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
