Fruitful Living
CHRISTIAN CONDUCT & LIFESTYLE – II
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You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:13-16.
INTRODUCTION
We continue this week with more teachings on Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. To receive the benefits of God’s kingdom, there are principles and standards by which God expects all Christians to live. We must be guided by God’s purposes and values and not by the ways and values of the world.
SALT OF THE EARTH
Jesus’ followers could easily relate to the properties and benefits of salt as described in Jesus’ metaphor.
1.Salt seasons and flavours food, just as Christians should enhance and favourably influence people and society around them.
- Salt is a preservative, just as Christians and the church should resist moral corruption and decay, preserving a godly influence on the culture.
- In addition, salt has healing properties, just as Christ’s followers must help bring healing to people who are hurting physically, emotionally and spiritually. Salt also creates thirst, just as Christians – through their good example – should create spiritual thirst or desire in others to know more about God.
Individual Christians and churches that lose these qualities will become spiritually “lukewarm” (unconcerned, unresponsive, lazy), a condition that suppresses or destroys the activity and power of the Holy Spirit. Without the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, churches will completely lose their effectiveness and will be rejected and “thrown out” by God.
As a result, these Christians who are not seasoned with salt will be “trampled by men”, which means they will end up giving in to the ways and values of an ungodly society. Taking this path will bring destruction in the end.
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE… THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS
In Jesus’ time, people used small clay lamps that burned olive oil drawn up by a wick. As Christians, we should be like these simple lamps, providing light in the spiritually dark conditions of this present world. Our lives should stand out from other people in society in a positive and spiritually enlightening way. After all, genuine faith in Christ cannot be hidden, but will be evident to those around us, many of whom are looking for direction and hope in their lives.
As Christians, we have the privilege of lighting the way to God by reflecting the life, love and light of His Son, Jesus. This happens not only through words, but often more effectively through actions. In order to truly show people who Jesus is and what He is like, we must follow His example and be among people as ones who serve. “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” – Luke 22:27.
We should actively look for ways to assist others and meet their needs at home, at school, on the job and in every aspect of life. By serving people, we reflect Christ’s humility and show His compassion. We break down barriers of resistance and opposition to the truth of God’s Word and the reality of Jesus’ life-changing power.
We can serve people through simple acts of kindness and by meeting practical needs. Of course, we must “always be prepared to give an answer” for the reason for our hope and the motivation behind our actions. But many people will not pay attention to the message unless it comes from someone who cares enough to meet their practical needs. For example, there may be times when we must give food for a person’s stomach before we can feed his or her soul. Or perhaps we need to help clean up a neighborhood before we try to help clean up the lives of the people living in that neighborhood. When you work against injustice, share food and clothes, help your family and anyone else who is oppressed, “then your light will rise in the darkness”.
Through practical service and loving interaction, we open the door to share the blood and true message of Christ. Then we will more likely be able to influence people to consider Christ’s claims, believe His Word and yield their lives to Him.
Stay blessed!
Matthew 6:33. Notice Jesus said, “His righteousness”, not our own righteousness. We have to seek and understand God’s righteousness. Isaiah 54:14 says, “Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.” God’s righteousness comes from God, not from within us. Humans cannot make themselves God’s righteousness, as all humans have sinned and are therefore inferior to God. God’s righteousness is a gift from God: “ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
Righteousness, or right standing with God, has been attained for us through the exchange Jesus made on our behalf. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. God’s righteousness is imparted to us when we are made a new creature in Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:17. This righteousness is a gift from God and undeserved by us: “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”- Romans 5:17
Through our faith in Jesus’ blood, shed to remit our sins – Romans 3:25, God imparts righteousness to us by His grace. We actually become a new righteous creation, fully identifying in Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension. This is the foundational miracle we need to understand and have established in our heart. All the other miraculous promises of God come the same way, by God’s grace through faith. Righteousness must be established in our heart for us to truly have faith to receive our rich inheritance in Christ. Jesus has been made unto us righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). We are now “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us”. – 2 Corinthians 1:20
Establishing our minds in righteousness
God expects that, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we will be radically changed. In Romans 12:2 He tells us, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
This transformation is to be a metamorphosis, of a magnitude at least comparable to that by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. He expects us to become totally different.
Scripture uses many different images to express the change that should occur: We become “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – 2 Cor 5:17. It is almost as if we become a new species. Scripture speaks of the “first Adam” who was earthly and fell into sin, and the “second Adam” (Jesus Christ) who was sinless and holy – Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor 15:44-49.
We are “made new in the attitude of our minds” – Eph. 4:23.
We “put off our old self” and “put on the new self” – Eph. 4:22,24; Col 3:9-10.
We “live by the Spirit” and not by the flesh – Gal. 5:16; Rom 8:13.
We become “instruments of righteousness” rather than “instruments of wickedness” – Rom. 6:13.
Each of these metaphors, in a different way, emphasizes the magnitude of the change that is expected. Each is dramatic and astonishing in itself; their cumulative effect is even more powerful. We are talking about a tremendous transformation. It should be visible to others, but its internal effect should be far greater than what others can perceive.
The goal of this transformation
What is the goal of this metamorphosis? Scripture states it in a number of different ways, which overlap and can be seen as different ways of expressing the same basic concept. Scripture often does this, because our minds are inadequate to comprehend, and our language inadequate to express, the full scope of God’s revelation to us.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
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Fruitful Living
Environmental Stewardship Is an Act of Worship: The Islamic response to climate change and environmental degradation (Final part)
The Role of Faith Leaders and the Way Forward
Addressing climate change and environmental degradation requires more than legislation, technological innovation, and financial investment. It also demands a transformation of attitudes, values, and behaviours. While governments formulate policies and enforce environmental regulations, faith leaders possess a unique moral authority to shape public conscience and inspire responsible stewardship. In Ghana, where religion plays a significant role in public life, religious institutions can become powerful partners in advancing environmental sustainability.
Islam assigns Imams and religious scholars the responsibility of guiding society toward righteousness and preventing harmful practices. Allah instructs, “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best” (Qur’an 16:125, Sahih International). This responsibility extends beyond matters of ritual worship to encompass every aspect of life that affects human wellbeing, including the protection of the environment.
Environmental stewardship should therefore become an integral part of Islamic teaching, preaching, and community engagement.
Mosques, as centres of learning and social transformation, have enormous potential to cultivate environmental consciousness. Imams can regularly incorporate environmental themes into Friday sermons, Islamic lectures, marriage counselling, youth programmes, and educational activities. Teaching congregants that protecting rivers, forests, wildlife, and public spaces is an act of worship that helps bridge the perceived divide between religious devotion and environmental responsibility. Such education can inspire lasting behavioural change rooted not merely in fear of legal sanctions but in consciousness of accountability before Allah.
Religious institutions can also lead by example. Mosques can organise community clean-up campaigns, tree-planting exercises, and public awareness programmes on sanitation and responsible waste disposal. They can adopt environmentally friendly practices by reducing unnecessary waste during religious gatherings, encouraging water conservation during ablution, and promoting the proper maintenance of mosque facilities and surrounding communities. These initiatives demonstrate that Islamic values are best communicated through practical action as well
as words.
Meaningful environmental protection also requires collaboration among multiple stakeholders. Government agencies should continue strengthening the enforcement of environmental laws while addressing corruption and enhancing institutional accountability. Environmental governance must be guided by transparency, fairness, and the consistent application of the law. At the same time, sustainable economic alternatives should be developed for communities that depend on environmentally destructive activities, particularly illegal mining. Investments in vocational education, climate-smart agriculture, responsible small-scale mining, and entrepreneurship can provide dignified livelihoods while reducing pressure on fragile ecosystems (UNDP, 2023).
Traditional authorities equally have an indispensable role to play. As custodians of customary lands, chiefs and community leaders possess considerable influence over land use and natural resource management. Their collaboration with government institutions, faith leaders, and local communities is essential in protecting forests, water bodies, and communal lands from unsustainable exploitation. Community ownership of environmental conservation initiatives often produces more enduring outcomes than enforcement measures alone.
Educational institutions should integrate environmental ethics into their curricula from the basic to the tertiary levels. Beyond teaching scientific concepts, schools should cultivate a sense of environmental citizenship, encouraging young people to appreciate the interconnectedness of ecological health, economic development, and human wellbeing. Parents likewise bear the responsibility of nurturing environmentally responsible habits within the family by teaching children the values of cleanliness, moderation, conservation, and respect for public property.
Individual citizens cannot be absolved of responsibility. The Qur’anic concept of Khalifah reminds every believer that stewardship begins with personal conduct. Conserving water, disposing of waste responsibly, planting and protecting trees, reducing unnecessary consumption, respecting public spaces, and reporting environmental offences are practical ways through which every Muslim can fulfil this sacred trust. Environmental stewardship is not reserved for governments or
environmental experts; it is the collective duty of every member of society.
The environmental challenges confronting Ghana should also be viewed as opportunities to strengthen national unity. Climate change, pollution, and environmental degradation affect people irrespective of religion, ethnicity, political affiliation, or social status. They therefore call for collective action grounded in shared values of justice, responsibility, and compassion. Islam’s
ethical framework complements national development efforts by reminding believers that service to humanity and protection of creation are integral dimensions of worship.
As Ghana strives to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection must cease to be regarded as a peripheral concern and instead become a national moral priority. The combined efforts of government, traditional authorities, religious institutions, civil society, academia, the private sector, and citizens can restore degraded ecosystems and build resilient communities. Through wise leadership, sound governance, and unwavering commitment to the divine trust of
stewardship, the nation can preserve its rich natural heritage for generations yet unborn.
In conclusion, protecting the environment is not merely an environmental obligation—it is an act of worship, a fulfilment of humanity’s divine trust, and a legacy of justice for future generations.
Thank you.
The author is Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governnace Expert
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