Inequality II: The Believer’s Growth
4 minutes read
In Year 1, Emma and Tochi both earn $40,000 each. Emma chooses to spend hers on things she enjoys without making any investments, while Tochi chooses to invest $2,000 in a bond with 0.5% interest per year. Suppose they both have a balance of $700 by January of the following year. Tochi has $700 plus her return on investment, which is $2,710, making her financial state better off than that of Emma's.
Would you say they are unequal given that they had the same opportunities?
One may argue that they are equal, given
that they had the same opportunities, while some others may say that they are
unequal because Tochi has $2010 more than Emma. Their financial status represents
the choices they made.
Whilst it may be
impossible to explicitly compare people’s life choices because not everyone has
the same opportunity, it is different in the kingdom of
God
In the kingdom of God, everyone has been given similar opportunities.
As we established in Inequality 1, God has no favorites, he only favors people.
When you become a Christian, an investment
(like Tochi and Emma's $40,000 each) is made by God into your life. He invests in you, His own
Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit bears witness in you that you are a child of God
and He testifies only about Jesus. (Romans 8:16-18, 1 John 5:5-12)
2 Corinthians 5:17 says,” This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” If you happen to be a new creation, (born again), just like a baby, you must grow up. Children tend to take up the characteristics and behaviors of their parents, similarly, when we become born again, we must learn to live like Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)
Are you a Christian if you don’t live like and for Christ?
God knew that we couldn’t live like Christ
by ourselves, and decided to invest in us, His Holy Spirit, who is our helper
(John 14:16). The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ, so he helps us live
like him. (John 15:26)
The same Holy Spirit that was deposited in Paul who performed numerous signs and wonders was deposited in us.
Are the days of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit gone?
Of course not!
In Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and they started speaking in tongues. With the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter preached a powerful message that got about 3000 people saved. Acts 2:17, says ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. So, now more than ever, is when He is meant to manifest Himself.
If so, then why don’t we see His manifestation as much as we did in the early church?
Because in the early church, the apostles were
willing to be used by God.
The question now is are we?
Case Study: Apostle Paul
Paul was so eager to preach the gospel that
he didn’t mind getting stoned, imprisoned, or flogged. He was willing to be
used by God, so much so that even when he knew he was going to be imprisoned
when he got to Jerusalem, he still insisted on going since the Holy Spirit sent
him (Acts 21:10-14).
Paul was a well-educated man, if he continued with the way he was going, he would have become a prominent Pharisee, but he laid it all down at Jesus’ feet.
What was Paul’s greatest motivation? Why did he give up his life and comfort for Jesus Christ?
We see the answer in Philippians 3:10 and Ephesians 3:17-19. It was His love for God which came about because of his knowledge of God.
Philippians 3:10 "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."
Ephesians 3:17-19 "Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
It is difficult to love, like, or live for
someone you don’t know, and that is why we find it hard to make ourselves
willing vessels for God’s exploits (Daniel 11:32).
We just don’t know God enough.
We need to get to know him for ourselves and we can only do that with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Immediately we became born again God
deposited His Spirit within us, not to remain dormant but active within us.
Just like Tochi who invested in the $40,000
she earned, we must invest in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, because
it’s only Him who can teach us how to be like Christ.
God has, as promised poured out His Spirit
on all people, but the question now is, what are we doing with His Spirit that
was given to us?
Going back to my analogy from the beginning, say two believers got born again in the same period. One invested in her relationship with the Holy Spirit, the other didn’t and this is evident by the way they both act- by their fruits, you shall know them (Matthew 7:16-20).
If in two years, the one who invested in her relationship with the Holy Spirit is used mightily by God and the other one is still struggling with sin,
Would you say they are unequal?
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Bibliography
Bible Gateway (1993) Bible Gateway. Available at: https://www.biblegateway.com/.
Really insightful.
ReplyDeleteWell done Chidera!