Thursday, March 28, 2024

Migration and Christian Living IV

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The Examination

Last Sunday’s article sparked a lot of interesting comments and we thank the Lord that people are able to express themselves concerning how they felt about the article. Allow us to clarify the fact of going back home, in order to maintain fervency in our faith. This has very little to do with geographical relocation, even though it is part of the process, but has to do with the environment. If you noticed in the previous article, the phrase was ‘may be’ and not a command for anyone to go back but to make a personal decision after self examination.

We do not believe adults must do things just because they were told to but evaluate by themselves with other people’s advice (Proverbs 15:22). One can advise but ultimately the final choice must come from the person who has to make that choice. Every person’s will, must be respected just as God respects our choices. Otherwise we would all be zombies or robots. God loves us too much to treat us that way. The choice of going back rests solely in each one of us after we examine ourselves and if that decision will contribute to the well being of our faith, so be it no matter the cost. We have seen families who have made similar hard choices in order to preserve their family welfare because of family being important to them.

We do not expect anyone to foolishly pack their bags and head for home because we said it. Remember the Bereans from the last article. We need to ask ourselves the questions: Is this something for me? Will this benefit my faith? Let us not be side tracked. The issue is not about going “back” but the preservation and fervency of our faith.

The Bible encourages us to do self examination in 2 Corinthians 13:5. The thing about us human species is that we find it easier to examine and judge others than ourselves but here the Bible encourages us to turn the torch on ourselves like the Psalmist (Psalm 139:23-24). It is possible to lose our first love for the Lord (Revelation 2:4) and so we need to be honest with ourselves when it comes to faith, seeing that faith is something eternal.

If we really are serious about our faith, we must guard it jealously and so the need to make sure nothing snatches it away from us. We thank the Lord for His Grace that keeps us from falling, but we need to strive to enter in at the strait gate (Luke 13:24). Let Jesus find faith on earth when He comes (Luke 18:8).

Bishop Jeston & Rev. Charity Katebe

16 COMMENTS

  1. I missed last week’s article too but I think I am able to connect from today’s and get the message. I totally agree with the Bishop & the Rev.

  2. GET RELIGION OUT OF THIS PLACE! religion only fosters zealots who think they talk to god!what a load of BS!ask him on how to improve lives,OK?keep your faith in your chest,

  3. Is it true that the spiritual environment in Zambia has changed to that of lukewarmness and chasing after riches? It is more appropriate for people to seek the Lord where they are? Deuteronomy 30:11 – 14 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

  4. I think Bishop you need to learn how to differentiate between Biblical commands which we should obey and Opinions parading themselves as biblical commands, yours is in the latter. In theology circles they call it Eigesis i.e making unrelated scripture conform to one’s own opinion. The idea of fervency of faith through change of environment is a fabrication of your own imagination and has no scriptural grounding. The idea of moving around because you think the devil is in the west and not in africa is frankly not plausible. If you are even to check scripture critically to see of any of the prophets or disciples moving around running from the devil environment in fact most of them lived and preached within the same evil environments.

  5. . IF your opinion was right we would have seen prophets and disciples telling people to go back to Jerusalem the holy city but theres no evidence of that. If you are to even further look at scripture om it’s opinion of environments and if they affect salvation you’ll see what you are saying is ridiculous. Acts 7:49 states Earth is YHWH’s footstool, now if I am to ask you what part of the footstool would anyone occupy to as you put it have fervency of faith? Further again if you look at matthew 24:26 applies beautifully to your idea of environmental fervency which shows the messiah knows no geographic location he only knows the ones that belong to him regardless of location. Remember the regathering will be from ALL NATIONS not only zambia

  6. Finally in my own opinion I think the things you have seen in America has clouded your vision and you have become nostalgic about your home country. In becoming nostalgic you assume the wrongs in the west are somehow less or not present in Zambia hence why you have created such an erroneaus doctrine of environmental scriptural fervency. You need to be honest wit yourself zambia is not yerushalayim if anything the only difference is zambians are discreet and not open about their evils unlike in the west were they are open. YHWH blessed most in the diaspora so as for them to help others back home. You can take a true believe and put him amongst evil people if his relationship is strong theres nothing those evil people can ever do to him. Faith is not strengthened by moving around

  7. #4 Ngwa-ngwazi what type of Zambian are you who has no respect for Godliness? As far as I’m conceerned, most Zambians would never say anything negative against the Faith unless they have (IMO wrongly) adapted themselves to the western scientific worldview.
    You might aswell consider avoiding the Lifestyle thread but don’t put us to the test us because we KNOW what we believe. For one thing, you better change your attitude before it takes something awesome in your life to make you discover that GOD IS REAL. After all a lion does not need to roar in order for you to know that it is a lion.

  8. Nice exoltation.

    Ngwangwazi,you are just about to border on blasphemy .I urge you to change your approach by the mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ.

    SLUMDOG…Couldnt agree with you less…a very healthy view point.Keep it up.

  9. good one ngwangwazi at least there are 2 of us here who believe in action instead of just sleeping and saying “it’s all God’s will so there’s nothing I can do I might as well go to the pub and get a hule”

  10. If we replace “fervency of faith through change of environment” with most other topics in Slum dog ‘s comment “The idea of fervency of faith through change of environment is a fabrication of your own imagination and has no scriptural grounding” sums up of most of Zambia’s emerging Bishops/Pastors/Prophets/Reverends (whatever Title is in fashion now) teachings. Unfortunately, most of the flock having poor understanding of the scripture is so gullible and eager to believe in anything that it has become the norm. Initially the trend was (still is) to emulate the west because the west was perceived as being blessed since it was doing well economically hence the rapid growth in American style evangelism – prosperity gospel. This type of evangelism settles very well with these leaders…

  11. since it excuses their financial excesses at the expense of their followers.
    Now as Slum dog pointed out we have a theologian in the diaspora disillusioned with what the west really is starting a new trend!
    Digressing a bit here, the myopic view of equating material prosperity, encouraged by the prosperity gospel, with faith is flawed and can only make sense to someone who is incapable of assimilating information that is easily in today’s IT world. Under this theory, how does one justify the success of whole nations such as China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, etc were Christianity is almost none existent? If one has lived say in America, one can see why people in the US can see things this way because they believe theirs is the greatest and most successful place in this world! There are…

  12. some common elements about successful nations. The desire of the citizens to build their nation on their own, the sense of pride and willingness to make themselves a better society! We can declare Zambia a Christian nation and prey day and night but if the people would rather be abroad or rely on aid, we as a people shall not develop. Now does that mean we not blessed?
    This is why, I would rather contribute to the tradition churches for they, in most cases, really do what Christianity should be all about. One wonders what the state of education would have been take away the Catholic, Seven day, etc churches!

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