Enduring truth in the New Year (2)

Many religious teachers, preachers and leaders are trapped by their own ideologies because they hold on to trending traditions in their country, community and denomination. They are trapped and do not know how to be free. Thus, they continue in their habits, while their hearts condemn and remind them of their hopeless state. To break free, such people must understand that their allegiance is to God alone and not to traditions. They must shun the reaction of pretenders in religious traditions.

“Then came his disciples, and said unto him, knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?” The preacher’s message can never offend those who want to repent and get to heaven. Even when it condemns their allegiance to traditions and the position they hold, they are not offended because their goal is to get to heaven. Only the unrighteous religious people are offended when they hear the convicting word of God. We can get good examples from two personalities in the Bible — Zacchaeus and the woman who committed adultery. They were not offended even when they were openly accused of their sins because they wanted salvation and a change of life.

Similarly, the disciples were not offended when Jesus rebuked them for their proud and selfish dispositions. He said to them, except they are converted and become as little children, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. If we desire to get to heaven, the truth about salvation and holiness will not offend us. In fact, we should constantly engage in rooting out all the so-called religious plants in reprobate trenches around us.

Every religious person, preacher, idea or principle that contradicts the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Christ and make the church nominal and prayerless “shall be rooted up.” We must be firm in our convictions and remain steadfast in the God’s kingdom. This is the only way to avoid experiencing the recompense of people who remain rigid in their transgression.

There was a case in the Bible of the Ephraimites, who like the Pharisees and other traditionalists, remained adamant and rigid in their transgression, despite several warnings from the Lord. As a result, God gave up on them. This New Year, we must not give God any reason to give up on us. For then we would be like the religious, rigid leaders of Christ’s days who are described as “blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Eventually, the Lord will reject them on the final day. But we must commit ourselves to cultivating great faith for total transformation through the truth that we are hearing.

Faith is important if we must experience total transformation. The woman of Canaan whose daughter was grievously vexed with a devil manifested great faith, “and her daughter was made whole.” If we demonstrate unwavering faith in Christ, we shall also reproduce great result in our lives and ministry. We will scale through all tests of guided faith against all hindrances.

The woman of Canaan came to Jesus for a definite purpose. “And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, send her away; for she crieth after us.” She did not allow the actions of the disciples to hinder or discourage her from achieving that purpose. As believers, we must not allow difficulties, negative situations or actions of people that may arise in the course of the year, to dissuade us from serving the Lord or achieving our purpose in life. We must face the future with the tenacity of guided faith with humility.

Despite the actions of the disciples and the response of Jesus, the woman of Canaan still “worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” She was not discouraged by Christ’s response. Her response reveals a humble disposition. She said: “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” She responded with humility and got what she wanted. We ought to have respect for leadership and the people who the Lord has ordained and placed over us. If we have the right attitude and disposition, the Lord will grant our desires. We will experience the triumph of great faith in the heart.

Christ could not overlook the great faith in the heart of the woman of Canaan. “Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” If we come to the Lord this year with great faith and without any distraction in our heart, He will grant our petitions.

• Further reading (King James Version): Matthew 15: 3, 6, 9, 12-14; Matthew 15:2, 3; 23:25,28,33; Matthew 15:4-6; Galatians 1:14. Galatians 1: 23, 24; Romans 12:1,2. Matthew 15:12; Galatians 4:16; Matthew 15:13; Hosea 4:17; Matthew 15:14; Matthew 15:21-28.