Great Steemians, it feels good to get back here after a very long time. Since my break from the platform, I've noticed some great improvement which is healthy for "stuffs" that will last. To God be the glory.
I'm resuming blogging this year with a reflection over our faith in the messages (however) that we hear from God and how we accept and react to them. I'll use the words of the scriptures often to back my assertions, hope my non-Christian friends won't mind.
The intention is not entirely to convert readers to Christianity, but mainly to help them live the best life possible and make them whole in body, soul and spirit to the glory of God. I hope to do this daily or more often because just as food is fuel for our body, the gospel is also fuel for our spirit.
In order to do unbiased justice to the topic: "faith in the message", it is imperative to understand perfectly that faith is a supernatural gift from God Himself to mankind. Even the dictionary, though contemporary agrees with the fact when it defines faith as:
complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
Judging from our day to day life, we can agree that it takes only God's grace to have complete trust or confidence in someone or something of this present world. But it was not easier even for the disciples and others in the time of old.
Despite that Jesus Christ spent his entire youth age with His disciples, leading and teaching them the way to happiness through living quality life, we should understand there was fear and uncertainty amongst them just immediately after His death. We all have heard about that man named Thomas, most of us know the story. But it was not only him that doubted the message amongst the early Christians.
Saint Paul in his first book to the Corinthians (1Cor 15: 1-8) reminded the people of the message of their salvation which he once preached to them:
1 COR 15:1-8
I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,
of the Gospel I preached to you,
which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
Through it you are also being saved,
if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more
than five hundred brothers and sisters at once,
most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the Apostles.
Last of all, as to one born abnormally,
he appeared to me.
It was obvious at that time many were derailing from this teaching due to their diminishing faith in that message that Christ died for our sins, was buried, raised and appeared to many after His resurrection to confirm His promises and restore hope. And so many were not yet saved because they "believed in vain" according to Paul.
In order to have unwavering faith in Christ and His message so that all can be saved, Paul didn't relent to remind the people of these spiritual teachings. Jesus Christ himself in the book of John (Jn 14 : 6) managed to clear all doubt and fear in the minds of the apostles.
(Jn 14 : 6)
Jesus said to Thomas, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him."
Philip said to him,
"Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it."
"How can you say 'show us the Father'" was Jesus' response to Philip when he needed an assurance of eternal life after his life on earth, but one can tell he was speaking the mind of the other twelve.
Jesus was a bit disappointed at the question but did so well to erase their fears and re-instill in them the hope of salvation which they once believed. The promise of salvation was apparently redeemed in their life after "their message goes out through all the earth".
What crumbles our world today friends can be traced also to lack of faith! We've lost faith in our parents, governments, leaders, ourselves and even God. And so, we often times prefer to device our ways, set our standard, proffer our personal solution and live our lives according to our plans irrespective of God's ultimate plan for us all.
This act of insubordination has resulted in untimely deaths, incurable illness, killings, suicide, terrorism, addictions of all sort, ailing economy, bad leadership and worse standard of living in our world today, since no one is ready to believe in another person or system.
We are reminded once again that to have peace and rest of mind in our world, we need to look back and acknowledge the fact that Christ is the way, the truth and the life. He wants us to cast all our burden unto Him with absolute faith that even amidst all uncertainties, we shall excel.
This is the message: "that he suffered and died for our sake and by His stripes, we are healed completely"...but only by faith.
May the Lord God help us to remain steadfast in His message of faith and trust.
Thanks as you read and share!
I'm @tomfreeman!
APPRECIATION
I immensely appreciate the effort of "erudite" members of the @euronation family during my time off. Worthy to be named are @mike4christ, @jeaniepearl, @smyle, @sweetestglo-eu and @adoore-eu. You all catalysed my come back in more ways than y'all can imagine. Thanks for believing in me at times when i felt i'd let you down. You all rock!