What Advantages Has The Christian?

Hello. It's my pleasure to again write to you.

Did you read my last article? Would you consider reading that first, as it would serve a prelude to this piece. You will find it on the blog site published article list, bearing the same title.

Alright, let's push this!

Having established last time that Christ affords the Christian liberation from the rule of sin over him and puts in him a new principle, that leads to him working righteousness; and that he is always at the door of the hearts of men, seeking to come into them and take reign in their lives if they will allow him. I have decided this time to carefully analogize this process so that the Christian can know in clearer detail what this salvation is about and how it really works.

When we accept Christ as our Lord, what we have done, using today's expression, is to have voted in His Government to lead our lives. In essence we have voted out Sin, ousted it's tenure and declared Christ, our new governor. You can also imagine this as a parent who changes his son's school to a better one because the son has not become what he desires of him by reason of attending the former school.

Now, Governments rule using systems, pillars, frameworks, principles, processes, patterns, as you may call it to effect their mandates. Similarly, schools have values, curricula, processes by which they mold students to become and fulfil their innate potentials.

To evince, for any democratic government to fulfil it's cause and be effective, it has to be guided by the rule of law - The government must be responsible, and fair. Political leaders must incline to transparency, honesty and accountability. When a supposed democratic states flouts the principles/values of the rule of law, and is inclined to corruption, nepotism, tribalism, and rule by camarillas, what events is a dismal state with failed and failing Institutions.

Similarly, when a child attends a school where teachers are irresponsible, not committed to empowering him for success, nor helping him realize his potential, but are busy bodies, delighting in setting tough exams that he cannot score good grades at and are also themselves morally inept. The result is that the child becomes a shame, nothing to be proud of!

When I was preparing to relocate to the UK and I began to prepare for job interviews, I came across a terminology called Clinical Governance. It soon became very clear to me why the healthcare system in the Western world is miles ahead of what we have in Africa where I come from. Clinical Governance operates on key pillars which are all taken seriously, and together ensure that it's aim of high quality healthcare is achieved. These pillars include: Patient and Public Involvement, Clinical Audit, Clinical Effectiveness and Research, Risk Management, Use of Information, Staff Management, and Education and Training.

Clinical Governance is the systematic approach by which healthcare institutions in this part of the world are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and ensuring high quality of care.

Now to bring it home, when Christians accept the Lordship of Jesus and God translates us from the Kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light - of his dear son. We are taken away from the school where Sin rules and away from under it's government. Old things pass away!

Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation - the old has passed; what has come is fresh and new!

The new has come! The implication of which is that we can now boast in the assurance of better outcomes! There is a new Government, we are in a new school!

We may have lived terrible lives until now, we may have really wallowed in the mire of sin and addictions, in the mud of recurrent failures, sadness, sorrow, despair, sicknesses, emotional pain, anger, hatred, and all that does not relate to love, joy and peace. But, I can however assure you that you are in the best place with Jesus. Under his government and in this new school, every thing becomes anew, and failure does not await us.

When we speak this way moreover, we say so reckoning that we shall now be subject to his government and the values/principles/regulations of our new school. This is really how we become, and see better outcomes! This cannot be lost on us as believers, lest we be as the Nations with failed institutions or Students who still wouldn't fulfil their potentials nor become the delight of their parents only because they are not subject to their new teachers.

We are now under a Government of Grace, and there are important Grace Pillars to reckon with.

Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Jesus. Why? Because the Law of the Spirit (Grace Governance) which produces this life in union with Messiah Jesus, has set me free from the Law (Government) of sin and death. (Romans 8 vs 1-2; CJB Paraphrased)

Let me digress a little so as to carefully not to read heretic to some here.

God loves us, while we were/are yet sinners. He died for us while we were destined for unpleasant outcomes. He also redeems us from the rule of sin and puts in us a new principle because He considers us righteous - We died with Christ in relation to our sin, and his spirit in us now gives us life / awakens us for (for the sake of ) righteousness.

While indeed, believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus makes us righteous before God - What this precisely means is that it puts us before God in the posture of men who will be subject to Grace Governance - which unlike the law is not just demanding, but far more empowering! So God can boast: Leave the rest for me, You are Justified! When we say Righteousness comes by Faith - Faith actually means submission under Grace Governance. When we back a government or trust the teachers of a new school, it includes that we trust their policies, frameworks and pillars for achieving set targets or desired outcomes.

We aren't saved from sin's grasp by knowing the commandments of God because we can't and don't keep them (Just knowing right or wrong is not empowering, the previously dominating sinful nature makes us weak), but God put into effect a different plan to save us (from sin's grasp). He sent his own Son in a human body like ours - except that ours are sinful - and destroyed sin's control over us by giving himself as a sacrifice for our sins. So now we can obey God's laws if we follow after the Holy Spirit and no longer obey the old evil nature within us (are subject to Grace Governance) (Romans 8 vs 3-4; TLB Paraphrased)

The Government of Grace is fully empowering to fulfil the righteous requirements of the law, and being subject to it means certain outcomes - No awaiting condemnation! It empowers using defined frameworks which are all found in the holy writ. The indwelling Holy Spirit in Christians uses this framework/Pillars and keeps us whole until the Christ will appear in the sky to take us to rule with him.

But Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness (Roman 8 vs 10, NIV)

The Spirit gives life for the sake of righteousness, and because God considers us now capable of obedience and wants to see us manifest this newness of living righteously.

Dear believer, let us hold fast this profession of our faith, and just as we have received Christ Jesus as Lord continue to live our lives in Him. We should beware that no one spoils or takes us captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition

or the basic principles of this world, rather than on Christ.

You can sing with me:

Mo dibo fun Jesu (I vote for Jesus)

Mo dibo fun Jesu (I vote for Jesus)

Jesu gba akoso (Jesus takes charge)

Aye mi dara o (My life turns for good)

Mo dibo fun J-e-e-e-e-s-u-u (I vote for Jesus)

In my next writing, I will begin to share about the Pillars of the Government of Grace, as the Holy Spirit inspires me.

God Bless You. Do vote For Jesus!