by Eketi Edima Ette

It’s a trend I’ve been following for almost three months.

Every Sunday without fail, there’s someone calling out a pastor for something or the other. A little storm is stirred, people talk and posture for a week and then next Sunday, we’re back again. Cycle continues.

Before, I’d jump into the fray and argue till saliva finished in my mouth.

This year, nothing of the sort.
Rather, I want to say, dear Christians, get your houses in order. Don’t be distracted. Christ will return. When, we don’t know. But he will return. Live like he’s returning tomorrow.

Are you ready?
Share the gospel with another, often. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you. Live each day, knowing that this world isn’t all there is, that home is elsewhere.
Minimise arguments, many are baseless (I need to take a drumful of this particular advice).

Don’t apologize for being a Christian, for believing that Christ died for your sins and is the Saviour of your soul. Don’t doubt his power, even though the world is going to pieces around you.

Don’t be close-minded.
Question doctrines and teachings, run everything through the Holy Spirit and the scriptures. Don’t swallow hook, line and sinker just because someone said so.

Learn the art of listening to those who don’t believe, to acknowledge their point of view without getting into an argument or losing your own belief. I have learned many a valuable thing from an unbeliever, because of their detached perspective.

Know Christ for yourself.
I cannot overemphasize this. Many of us know about Christ; we don’t know him personally. We are going about with knowledge and personal experiences and perspectives of others, rather than ours.
Study the scriptures. Be friends with the Holy Spirit.
Failure to do this, is the reason many of us resort to verbal abuse, condescension and anger when our belief in him is questioned.

Know this.
The devil is angry that God gave you a second chance, something he didn’t get. It is something that marvels the angels, but angers the devil. He will do everything in his power to bring you down. So jealously guard the truth you know.

Don’t put people on pedestals.
They are people. Bound to fail, breach your trust, hurt you, etc. You will do the same many times in your life. Let them be human.
Without a pedestal, your heart will break less and your disappointments will be few. Be shocked, but recognise humanity for what it is and don’t be too hard on anyone.

Learn to extend grace to them, as you would like to be extended to you. And don’t be in such a fiery hurry to defend people, especially church leaders. Don’t get angry and curse.
Feel free to say you disbelieve, if accusations are tendered against them. But don’t swear on your life for another human being. I tell you, roofs and closed doors hide many unimaginable things.
Be careful what you allow to influence you. Guard your heart, ears, eyes and mind. You don’t want anything to filter in and rob you of truth.

If you don’t know, say you don’t know.
One of our constant struggles as Christians is in thinking that we can give an answer for everything. We end up quoting unrelated scriptures, lying or bluffing our way through.
Let me tell you: we don’t know everything. Don’t try to provide an answer for everything. You can’t.
Some things we will never know, and this has nothing to do with God working in mysterious ways.

Remember.
To love the Lord with all your heart, your soul and all your mind. Love your neighbour as yourself. Don’t pray for the destruction another.
Christ is love.
If your thoughts or actions towards another are of anger, resentment, hate etc, you’re not walking in Christ.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
That will never change.

Here, I end the sermon on Mount Zuma Rock.

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