Fruitful Living
Living the transformed life (Part 1)
• The Bible reveals God’s truth
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. – Titus 2:11-14.
INTRODUCTION
Beloved in Christ I am writing to you today as the carrier of a message that is fundamental to our place as Christians in our society. I sincerely pray that after hearing this message, we will all be challenged to do more for God, for country, and for ourselves.
Living the transformed life as a Christian has everything to do with national development. I’ll tell you why.
The transformed life is a life shaped anew by God, to serve and fulfill God’s purpose for mankind. Living the transformed life is a process, a journey that we each embark on when we personally accept and invite Jesus Christ to become Saviour and Lord of our lives. Our lifestyles must reflect the God we profess and embrace.
Where do we start from? By examining and practising some principles that have been clearly spelt out for us in the Bible.
- Let’s Live an exemplary life no matter where you are: Philippians 2:15 advises us to ‘…become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world’.
This Bible verse is clearly telling us to do what is right whether other people are doing it or not. It is telling us to live differently, to strive to live above reproach, so that just as light drowns out darkness, our conduct shall be an example that others will be provoked to respect and to live by.
- Let’s Eschew self-centredness by looking out for the interests of each other: Philippians 2:4 tells us ‘Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.’
This is an indirect way of telling us to be selfless in all our pursuits. As humans, we are naturally prone to selfishness. It is this selfishness that makes us take decisions and carry out certain actions that only favour us even if they are detrimental to our fellow humans.
- Let’s not wait for the government to do everything: James 2:14-16 – “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deed? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”
There are some things we can do as individuals in our own small way. This, I believe, is intended to make Christians understand that using our resources to assist less privileged people in society is an opportunity for us to exercise our faith and to honour God.
- Stewardship requires faithfulness: Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful – 1 Corinthians 4:2.
Everything we have has been entrusted to us by God and as stewards, He expects us to be faithful in handling/managing what has been given to us. The first thing God entrusted to us from day one of creation was the earth.
- Let’s respect authority and national laws: 1 Peter 2:13- ‘Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor. Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.’
This scriptureencourages us to respect authority not just at face value but out of respect for God and hierarchies created to establish order in society. Respect for authority keeps us in check and forces us to exercise discipline in fulfilling our obligations (e.g. payment of taxes, pension contributions, etc.) towards the development of the nation.
- Let’s be content: Hebrews 13:5 tells us ‘Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have’ and 1 Timothy 6:6 says ‘Now godliness with contentment is great gain’. I may be wrong but I believe that contentment is the antidote to greed and covetousness which breed corruption in various forms and at various levels in our society. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious but there is a difference between being ambitious and being covetous. Most of the woes of our nation today could/would be avoided if Christians in diverse positions of authority, influence, and power remember this Scripture and pause in their excessive pursuit of material things. Let’s examine our hearts and our motives in our pursuit of money and material things. Are we seeking to acquire something or more of something because we truly need it or because we want to out-compete someone else? Are we living within our means or beyond it? Only we can truthfully answer these questions.
- Let’s eschew idleness: The Bible is clear on this. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 explicitly puts it this way ‘…if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.’ We all know from our basic economic lessons that employment drives productivity at all levels within the economy. If no one works, nothing gets done, nothing gets produced and revenue generation channels simply cease to exist. Working does not always require us to be employed by others. The fact that God has called us to live a transformed life is no excuse for us to spend 24 hours in church when we should be at our workplace offering our services and/or generating income/revenue. There is time for everything. Jesus Christ Himself gave us this counsel in Mark 12:17‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s’.
- Let’s pursue justice and fairness in all our dealings: God expects us to be fair, honest, and truthful in all our dealings.
Colossians 4:1 says “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven”.
To be continued!!
Stay blessed!
Please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sunday 5.30 am., Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays 5:30 am; and YFM 107.9 – Sundays 6.30am; for our Radio Bible Study as well as Sunny FM 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm. for Hymn and their Stories.
By Dr. Joyce Aryee, the author
“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; no one seeks God. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. For there is no difference.” — Rom. 3:10, 21–22 (NIV)
INTRODUCTION
We bring you this week the concluding part of “A Righteousness Revolution,” published last week. For ease of reference, we recap the last paragraph of last week’s article. Please enjoy and pass it on!
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 BECOME LIKE GOD IN CHARACTER
The whole concept can be summed up in the simple and astonishing statement that we are to become like God. Not like God in power; we can never aspire to that, although we can move in much greater power than many Christians have ever imagined. But like God in character.
We are to “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” — Eph. 5:24; the “new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” — Col. 3:10. “We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” — 2 Cor. 3:18. “When He appears we shall be like Him” — 1 John 3:2. We are to “participate in the divine nature” — 2 Pet. 1:4. We can have “the mind of Christ” — 1 Cor. 2:16; Phil. 2:5. (Emphasis added in each case.)
Adam and Eve were created in the image of God — Gen. 1:26. With Adam’s Fall, much of that image was lost. But with Christ’s sacrifice for us, those who accept Him as Lord and Saviour can be restored into God’s image.
“Just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man [the first Adam], so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven [the second Adam, Jesus Christ]” — 1 Cor. 15:49.
Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” — John 14:12.
We think of this (if we dare think of it at all) as meaning that we can heal, cast out demons and even raise people from the dead. It does mean that, and people who have faith in Jesus Christ are doing that now. But does it not mean more?
Jesus said that He did only what He saw the Father doing and spoke only the words the Father gave Him. Can we, should we, expect to do the same? He said, “I and the Father are one.” Can we expect this for ourselves? He said, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father” — John 14:9. Can this be said of us?
Paul told the Corinthians that they were “clearly an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” — 2 Cor. 3:3 (NKJV).
Is this not part of what it means to “be” His witness — Acts 1:8 — so that people can look at us and see Christ? We are to be witnesses by who we are, not just what we say. Jesus expects that there will be something different about us, that people will be able to look at us and know that we are His disciples — John 13:35.
He said of His disciples, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it” — John 17:16.
His demands are to imitate and model Christ’s behaviour and to be clear reflections of the Lord — Matthew 5:16.
ESTABLISHING OUR ATTITUDE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Writing from a prison cell in Rome, the apostle Paul wrote about the attitude a Christian should have: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” — Philippians 1:27.
He is telling us that no matter what unexpected disruptions, frustrations or difficulties come our way, we are to respond with a Christ-like attitude.
Paul later writes, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ” — Philippians 2:5. He also encourages us in Ephesians 5:1 to be “imitators of Christ as dearly beloved children.”
As children love to imitate what they see and repeat what they hear, we also are charged to imitate and model Christ’s behaviour and to be clear reflections of the Lord.
Jesus maintained a perfect attitude in every situation because He prayed about everything and worried about nothing. We, too, should seek God’s guidance about every aspect of our lives and allow Him to work out His perfect will without interference.
Jesus’ attitude was never to become defensive, discouraged or depressed because His goal was to please the Father rather than to achieve His own agenda.
In the midst of trials, He was patient. In the midst of suffering, He was hopeful. In the midst of blessing, He was humble. Even in the midst of ridicule, abuse and hostility, He “made no threats . . . and did not retaliate. Instead He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” — 1 Peter 2:23.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS: LOVING MUHAMMAD MEANS FOLLOWING MUHAMMAD
We say: “We love the Prophet.”
Alhamdulillah.
But the real test of love is not how loudly we shout when someone insults him.
The real test is: Do we behave as he behaved?
Allah says: “Indeed, you are surely of outstanding character.” (Qur’an 68:4)
And Allah says: “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.” (Qur’an 33:21)
Therefore, if we claim to defend Muhammad (pbuh) but abandon his patience, mercy, justice and wisdom, we must ask ourselves:
Are we really defending him or are we betraying his example?
AN INSULT DOES NOT MAKE A PRIVATE PERSON A JUDGE AND EXECUTIONER
This point must be understood clearly.
Islam has laws concerning crimes.
Islam has courts.
Islam has legitimate authority.
Islam does not turn every angry individual into judge, jury and executioner.
The Qur’an says: “O believers! Stand firm for justice.” (Qur’an 4:135)
And the Prophet gave severe warnings against unlawful killing.
He said: “Whoever kills a person under covenant will not smell the fragrance of Paradise.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, 3166)
Therefore, no Muslim should stand in a mosque and mobilize ordinary people to kill another person because of an insult.
That is not prophetic leadership.
That is not emotional courage.
That is not the Sunnah.
And it is certainly not a license for vigilantism.
If an offence has been committed, report it.
If a crime has been committed, let the competent authorities investigate it.
If punishment is legally warranted, let lawful judicial institutions determine it.
The Ghana Police Service has itself reminded religious leaders and the public that freedom of religion or expression cannot be used to justify inciting violence or encouraging people to harm others.
For Muslims, this is not merely a question of Ghanaian law.
It is also a question of taqwā (fear of Allah).
THE PROPHET TAUGHT US HOW TO SPEAK
Allah says: “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in the best manner.” (Qur’an 16:125)
This is the Islamic methodology of da’wah:
Wisdom.
Good counsel.
Best argument.
Not abuse.
Not threats.
Not mob action.
Not revenge.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN SOMEONE INSULTS THE PROPHET MOHAMMED (PBUH)?
Servants of Allah, remember these SEVEN STEPS.
1. PAUSE
Do not react while you are angry.
Allah praises those: “Those who restrain anger and pardon people.” (Qur’an 3:134)
2. VERIFY
Do not forward every video.
Do not believe every audio.
Do not react to an edited clip without knowing the context.
10 | P a g e
Allah says: “Then verify.” (Qur’an 49:6)
3. DO NOT RETALIATE WITH AN INSULT
Remember Qur’an 6:108.
We do not insult Jesus (Peace be upon him).
We do not insult Christianity.
We do not insult churches.
We do not insult the Bible.
We can disagree theologically while remaining respectful.
The author is the chief Imam of katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governance Exper
