Revealed! THE WORLD AND YOU

THE QUESTION IS OFTEN ASKED, what should be the relationship of the followers of Christ with the world system?

So many have tried to withdraw entirely from the systems due to the fear of being corrupted.

Moving around town some months ago, on the streets of Ilorin, Kwara State, I was especially drawn to the various business enterprises around town, but most especially the big eateries. I do not really know the owners of these enterprises but one thing I’m sure of - they are patronized by Christians as well.

CHRISTIANITY IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH INFERIORITY

The mentality of a consumer is so rampant in the Christian faith – some of which sprang from the idea that since Jesus is coming soon, we need not invest in something that would be of lasting value. It is disheartening to hear these same teachings from most of the pulpits. This has made many believers limit themselves in what they can achieve.

WE ARE NOT HERE TO SURVIVE

So many just live to get by. Investing in lucrative businesses or starting up a large firm to some is synonymous to the love of the world and money. The irony is that the same sets of people envy the individuals who are really gaining grounds via their investments. They are recognized especially when they make a special donation to the church.

How are we to live apart from the world? Does that mean separating ourselves from it altogether? Definitely not! Since that would also mean leaving the earth completely, not partaking in the education system, health care, recreation and much more.

Christ says as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. The same can be said of the church in this dispensation. As long as the church is in the world, she is the light of the world. I would like to make this dimensional.

On the one hand, the church as the body of Christ, group of believers, having a meeting place in a locality should be able to win the vicinity for Christ. The impact of the Church should be so much felt that even unbelievers would run in there to be saved. The sick in the vicinity should be rushed in there for healing – not because the building is housing the anointing but because there are men and women of the new creation resident in the building per time.

On the other hand, the church as individuals should move out into their places of work, firms, and institutions of learning to impact – not necessarily quoting scriptures but living the life in the scriptures.

A follower of Christ practicing medical science should have a different touch to his profession.

I know a family friend who is a medical practitioner – working as an employee in a private hospital. He does his job well professionally but aside that, he believes in the miraculous. At times when I pay him a visit, I am always thrilled to see so many patients waiting to see him exclusively – not because he is the best doctor at the hospital but because he has brought the kingdom life into the hospital.

Now, I can say he is in the world but not of the world, that is, not dependent on the world system. His hope does not rest entirely in the efficacy of medical science. Little wonder why he prays for his patients even before he administers any form of treatment or medication.

"Neither do men light a candle and hide it under a bushel but on a candlestick."

The devil has successfully made us belief that we cannot overcome the world; hence, we should hideaway in anticipation of the coming of Jesus. This would really have not been an issue if we were taken up immediately we became re-created – but we are still here. Our children would still be here. Politics still affects us on the short and long run.
Our presence here should add meaning to life generally.

So much impact is made on the youth via learning institutions these days that we cannot afford to fold our arms and watch how the events will turn out. Atheism is growing so fast that it is crumbling the belief system of many, especially university students.

Some atheists are currently canvassing for the deletion of theology from the university curriculum claiming it is denying the intellectuals of maximally utilizing their reasoning capacity. If they would be successful, then we can equally await a gradual degradation of what it really is to be human.

How can we define humanity outside of divinity?

We lose the notion of who we are when we discard the personality of our creator. A product cannot entirely understand what it is meant for unless the manufacturer is consulted. The manufacturer is not thinking about what the product can or will do because that to him is in his past.

The world system should be infiltrated.

We need kingdom men and women who would rise up and be salt indeed to this degraded world. The follower of Christ is not created to be a consumer. We are creators, originators. Life flows out from us. We do not live by worldly standards for we know that our stay on the present earth is for a while – we are here on a mission.

We dare to move into the systems and influence it.

We dare to make his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

(culled from the book, 'Gaining more Grounds)