This is the conclusion of earlier
essays that invited us to measure our faith by Mathew Chapters 5 and 6. We now
conclude with this measurement of our faith with some passages of Matthew
Chapter 7.
1. If
you assume that because you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and
Saviour then you will simply walk straight to heaven, then realise today that there
is a lot more to be done after your acceptance of Christ. Calling Him Lord,
Lord, obeying denominational dogmas and creeds, paying tithes, giving large or
tiny donations or even performing miracles in His Name are really not enough! Surprised?
We have to do the Will of the Father in addition
which means irrevocably ordering our thoughts, words and deeds towards that
which is good and pure in accordance with God’s Commandments.
Realise also
that there is no point in looking down on others who are not of your faith or denomination
as you are not in a position to judge whether or not they are in the Will of
the Lord which is the sole determining factor of their acceptance by the Lord
Who is the only Judge in this matter! And so we read in verses 21-23:
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in
heaven. 22 Many will
say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in
your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly,
‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
2. If
you are of the school of thought that salvation and redemption “is by faith
alone” then please read verses 24-27 which certainly enjoins us to put the
teachings of Christ into practice. We are to embrace His teachings and actually
build on it through our activities including what we think, say and do in our
everyday lives and not be under any delusion that we give our Lord any service
by the few hours of piousness performed when we are gaily dressed in Sunday
attire! Matthew 7:24-27 says:
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts
them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25 The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not
fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not
put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with
a great crash.”
May we receive the power to break
free finally from the shackles imposed by our indolence, belief in the illusory
wide and easy road which in fact does
not exist, false teachings, dogmas and earthly creeds and hold on only to the redeeming
and saving Truth now and at all times!
Sola Adeyegbe
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