THE CHURCH IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY (8)

Between the Blood-Bought and Blood-Birth (Kinsmen)

WHILE HE yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Matthew 12:46-50.

Jesus was seriously engaged with His ordained assignment; leading and liberating men that they may from the kingdom of darkness into God's marvellous light. Then, His mother and brothers come to press on him to make him attend to their presumptuous pressing personal and family need at the expense of His eternally ordained assignment. After all, family ties and unity is better than attachement to any other work and association. Jesus' response to their presumed believe give precedence to what a Christian ought to follow today, "WHO IS my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother". 

Today, I have heard and witnessed several brethren who slaughtered the fellowship of brethren in order to please family/blood-birth ties. It doesn't matter to them whether their kinsman and children is right or wrong. What's paramount to them is the definition of the fellowship-- is it blood-bought( Fellowship through Christ) or blood-birth(kinsman)? To this end, many fellowship of brethren have been made to collapsed and brethren became suspicion of one another.

This was part of the issues during the early church of which the church fathers were compelled to contend with on several occasions. The church has to deal with the division between the Hellenistic Jews and Grecians Jews. It took the wisdom of God on the Apostles to quenched this prank of the devil aimed at destabilising the church. In the same vein, Paul chastises Peter on this hypocritical lifestyle:

BUT WHEN Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?" Galatians 2:11-14. 

The Jews never desired the gospel to reach the Greeks because they presumed that salvation is their birthright which cannot and must not be shared with others. 

In some nations and indeed the Western world, the cankerworm of Racism and Apartheid is ravaging the church to the extent that we have Exclusive White Church and Exclusive Black Church. Some Churches are culprit in preaching in favour of ethnic dominance and preference.

In some nations today (even among Christian folk), it is becoming increasingly difficult to preach oneness in Christ. But the Bible is very clear on this: 

FOR CHRIST himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. Ephesians 2:14-16

The teaching on the supremacy of race, tribe and ethnic group is nothing short of the devises of the devil to underplay the redemptive work of Christ. 

I have witnessed churches and church leaders fighting to enthrone their own blood in the leadership of the church even though such one doesn't merit it. It is disheartening to see churches emphasizing quota system in the choice of leaders. 

In Acts 6, when the Devil raised his ugly head against the church aimed at distracting the attention of the apostles and entrenched ethnic sentiments. The Apostles were wise in addressing this issue. So they said: 

WHEREFORE, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. Acts 6:3

The church was to look out for seven men: not of certain age. Not of certain culture and tribe. Men not based on their educational qualifications and exposure. They were simply to be men:

1. Of honest report

2. Full of Holy Spirit 

3. Of wisdom

No tribal or ethnic sentiment. They were to be simply SPIRITUAL MEN. 

Until we get this Biblical Principle correctly, the church will be groaning under avoidable pain of bad leadership. And members will be divided across the lines of languages, colours and ethnic sentiment. And this will make void the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. 

Rise up, O men of God!

Have done with lesser things.

Give heart and soul and mind and strength

To serve the King of Kings.

Rise up, O men of God,

In one united throng.

Bring in the day of brotherhood

And end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!

Tread where his feet have trod.

As brothers of the Son of Man,

Rise up, O men of God!

Peter Abdul-Razaq, OLAYINKA 

Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara.

WhatsApp (+229)94139130

Mobile no. +2348066540987, +2347084504532

peterrazaq@yahoo.com

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