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Lurnay Tshabalala-Mavuso | Senior Reporter | Faith & Spirituality | September 09, 2024
GOD IS IN YOU IN AS MUCH HE IS IN ME. Christian faith is very much underrated and not loved by many because there is mainly not much understanding on what Christianity is and what it is that it truly requires from its people (believers and followers of Christ). There are many doctrines under the branch of Christianity and church culture too also plays a key role in promoting all the aims and objectives of living and leading a Christ-like life. However each and every church has their own order of doing things and applying the laws of God.
It is absolutely no dispute that we live in times and generations that are far different from the times of the bible, but as Christians or rather children of God, we are ought to learn and pick inspiration from the bible and from bible characters. Learn the laws of God from it and also learn from the lives, triumphs and mistakes of the bible characters, I believe that this would liberate us more in understanding fully what God wants from us and for us. In as much as there is so much literature and research written on christian faith, which at times argues or agrees with the biblical doctrine of Christianity, the bible continues to be our foundational tool in hearing the voice of God. It is the same tool that affirms us that we are MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE.
Now other churches will agree with this on a percentage of 10%, I say this because the word of God has been used to also mislead people and to make them believe in practices that are of religion than of having a relationship with God, which is what I believe christianity is. Religion is very much institutional in as much as it can be relational to the bible. Earlier in the morning I had a conversation with my dad about religion and what it is, we both came to an agreement that indeed religion is institutional because each and every religious organization or entity has its own ways of practice besides those that are in the bible. Yes we can never relive or re-enact the lives of bible characters, but it it would be better for religious institutions to transform lives through preaching a word of truth and personal conviction than that of institutional conviction which is infused with their own practices which at most times mislead children of God and they end up being back to what has imprisoned them before.
Religious institutions, with their institutional practices have continued to chase away children of God over the past years and generations. Which puts in mind the fact that many have died and they didn't receive eternal life through Christ Jesus, because religious institutions planted a seed of doubt and confusion in their lives through their practices and what they have been teaching to their members. What religious institutions should be striving for is helping children of God to connect with their maker on a personal basis and inspire them through the biblical inspirations by characters who seeked God's heart, kept God's command and characters who have displayed the true acts of repentance like Mary Magdalene who was re-named by Jesus after she suffered for a very long time. Such characters display what it means and what it is to be saved and transformed by Jesus for a better spiritual life and livelihood.
Which bring me to my last statement that, as the first chapter in the book of Genesis says, We are made in the image of God. This is what each and every follower and believer of Christ should always know that irrespective of our differences and uniqueness, we are made in God's image and we all have God living in us. If God wanted us to be the same, then we would all be each other's identical twin with identical behaviours, identical desires and genes and many other things, but because we are different, God called us to the world to serve and lead lives that would have many differences, but at the end of the day come to meet under the umbrella of being part of the body of Christ who saved us from our sins in the world. Sins that God our creator knew that we would commit and have before we were even born.
So my advice would be that, if you are a believer and follower of Christ. Strive to study the word of God and have a relationship with him personally, not quitting going to church of course but rather choosing and praying for better churches which will seek to help elevate the personal relationship you are building with your maker rather than confusing you and making you lose interest in having a relationship with God. God is very patient and he understands that you need time, strength and wisdom to understand his word and to fully commit yourself to allowing him to take charge and have his will be done unto your life.
YOU ARE MADE IN HIS IMAGE. REMEMBER THAT
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