By Erasmus Makarimayi
Being sold a dummy is both embarrassing and painful. Without mockery intended, you may have seen or heard of sports people who went after a match to physically fight an opponent for embarrassing them in front of a packed stadium. However, the entertainment in sports are such dummies. You may wonder why rugby fans enjoy the sport with such undying passion. It’s the same thing with soccer supporters when they talk of dribbling wizards. I’m not on the back page today, let me get to the heart of the matter. Have you ever considered deeply if the “gospel” you believe is the truth. There are pseudo gospels and the devil and his cheerleaders are having a field day. Painful and regrettable.
Let me open it up. The gospel of Christ is of so much potency that superlatives cannot do justice to its depth. Apostle Paul starts it thus in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, New English Translation: “(12) Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? (13) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
“(14) And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty.
“(15) Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised.
“(16) For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised.
“(17) And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is useless; you are still in your sins.
“(18) Furthermore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished.
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“(19) For if only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone.” This is deep biblical talking.
The conclusion of the matter is the anchor of your faith. 1 Corinthians 15:20, Amplified, nails it: “But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (in death).”
If you grasp the word “But” in this verse and internalise it eternally, you are holding on to priceless truth.
Why do we see believers living under stress?
Some have committed suicide. On the same spectrum, there are some who are bitter with God for not fulfilling His part of the deal after they have given up money, cars, houses and much more material possessions for say a spouse. You know the so called name-your-seed. They see God as an unjust monster. (Please allow my language with reverence of God the Father.)
They say little knowledge is dangerous. God isn’t under obligation to do what He did not promise. Let it sink in; you cannot hold God to ransom for nonexistent premises.
When the Gospel of Christ doesn’t mean the Grace of God to you, think again.
Our salvation that came through the sacrificial death of Jesus is not a playing matter.
This means that those of us who minister should be certain of their conviction.
However this doesn’t exclude every other believer to know the truth with certainty because the Gospel of Christ is spread more by the so called ordinary believer.
You are not ordinary. Please remember also that false doctrine, heresy or doctrine of devils is spread more at the grassroots.
Let us bring this further home. There are followers who are sold dummies and march innocently albeit naively to the devil’s guillotine.
Time and time again their blind leaders leading the blind tell them that you are next for an earth shattering miracle or breakthrough.
Let’s dig deeper. Let us say there are 100 congregants and you all sow a seed for a season of turnaround. 5 come back with testimonies and the rest are told|: “You are next on line, celebrate other people’s miracles, don’t be jealous, yours is by the corner!”
Please hear me and hear me well. Is this of God whose other name is Love? God, our Father is gracious and doesn’t play games with us. He’s sincere and faithful to His word.
Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of world wasn’t spared from death, real death. Such is the sincerity of God.
Read well this apostolic warning in Colossians 2:8, New International Version: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
Hollow and deceptive; does it ring a bell? Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
