I HAVE lived to see believers backsliding, and in extreme cases renouncing Christianity. Some insincerely tried Christianity and after a while, abandoned it after failing to get specified demands.
DEVOTION: Erasmus Makarimayi
There are others who bitterly hang around, having long since concluded that God doesn’t perform His Word as proclaimed by the Scriptures.
In a different corner, there are those who have given up on God and remain around for fear of reprisals from the same God they no longer believe and trust in.
These are those who have a wrong perception of God, as a hostile and harsh Master. They have since given up on life and wait for nature to take its course.
Rampant error in the presentation of the gospel has resulted in some believing in God based on false premises.
They have ended up unknowingly worshipping a god of their making. God is not bound to act who and what He is not. God of the Bible is sincere and never departs from His Word. Isaiah 40:8 establishes, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
Jesus reiterates in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
If you have trusted and believed in God on His terms — as founded in the Bible, then you’re standing on a sure foundation and you should never shake.
God cares for us. Isaiah 49:15 removes any shadow of doubt, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.”
One major reason why many are frustrated is lack of knowledge on salvation. This column has extensively covered this subject. Jesus came to solve the sin problem.
1 Timothy 1:15 settles, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”
Apostle Paul asks us to accept this truth. Because of what happened in the garden of Eden at the fall of mankind, sin caused death.
Human fellowship with God was cut off. Jesus came to reconcile humanity to God, thereby addressing all the consequences.
Some of the attendant consequences to the spiritual death are sickness, poverty and physical death (called sleeping for believers).
We, therefore, focus on the causes not symptoms. The lack of knowledge of this basic knowledge has led some to seek God to address the symptoms, so that they can go back to their wicked ways.
Jesus gives us life (eternal) and fellowship with God. This life carries abundance. John 10:10 tells us, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
This life restores us and addresses the consequences of sin such as hardship, sickness and poverty. We turn to God to get freedom from sin and enjoy life.
Believers are urged to appreciate that they have eternal life in Christ. Non-believers are dead and we need to reach out to them to be saved.
Sometimes we’re caught up in petty selfishness and are angry and bitter with God for allowing the unsaved to progress. God our Father is love.
Jesus advises us in Matthew 5:45, “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
This is a bitter pill to swallow for naïve believers. If a believer doesn’t plant, she/he won’t get a harvest. A non-believer who takes advantage of the rain and plants will get a harvest.
We’re, therefore, not jealousy, when God allows non-believers to prosper in this material world. His love will draw them to repentance.
Romans 2:4 observes, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
If you are saved, please remember that you were once lost. To the unsaved I say, please embrace the love of God. Please stand corrected and guided by Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
We will take it a notch higher next week as we look at some biblical case studies. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge. You’re going somewhere.
All Bible quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated. Feedback: [email protected] Fellowship with Pastor Makarimayi on Facebook and on www.twitter.com/PEMAKARIMAYI. Telephone +263 712 332 632
