By this shall all men know
In the book of John 13:35, Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.” This kind of love is in very short supply in the world today. Divine love or agape love is a product of the Holy Spirit or manifestation, in the life of surrendered and committed believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We cannot say we have received the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and there is no manifestation of his presence in our lives. If we truly manifest Christ Jesus in our lives, by the presence of the fruit of the Spirit; there can be no law against us.
There are many ways to check the presence of God in our lives. You must be led by the Spirit of God: “And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom.8:9, 14). Also if you are truly his own and are led by his Spirit; there will be no room for prejudice or evil discrimination in your Christian life. And if you experience it, then you definitely need repentance fast. It is an evil imagination and work of the flesh, that should be dealt with immediately. For in Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus, (Gal. 3:28).” When you begin to get involved in prejudice or discrimination, remember Matt. 5:22, he who shall be angry with his brother, without a cause is in danger of judgment. You can find yourself angry or even hating a person because of his skin color, or language, indirectly or subtly within the heart. Only God knows; any of such can be rooted in pride that manifests itself in prejudice or/and discrimination.
Picture yourself as a person who claims he is led and filled with the Holy Spirit. If you are using prejudice or/and discrimination in judgment, based on the skin color or speech or language of a person, or their skill, race or nationality, tribalism, or family; you need to ask yourself, where is the Spirit of Christ in you? Is it the Spirit of Christ in you doing the evil of prejudice or/and discrimination or you? We all stand in danger of judgement if we practice or do such. If you have prejudice or/and discrimination, you truly need to wonder what spirit is leading you: Will it stand the test of love among believers in the Lord?
According to 1st John 2:15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” Prejudice or/and discrimination is all tied to pride. God hates the proud. Pride is of the same family root with what was found in Satan, when he was Lucifer, the covering cherub in heaven, and was cast out, (Ezekiel 28:1-19). Pride is always cast out; because God hates it. This pride extends it family tree, through prejudice or/and discrimination; through racism, nationalism, tribalism, nepotism, family superiority, level of education, social status and much more. Unfortunately, these are plaguing the church today, among believers hoping for rapture or translation.
This is not of Christ and should be repented of, if found in a Christian, in particular. According to Ephesians. 4:3-6, “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Here this message is concerned about prejudice or/and discrimination in the supposed body of Christ. You find prejudice or/and discrimination in the churches, in plain view as racism, (the white church and the black church, the Igbo church and the Yoruba church, the Ghana church or Korean and the Liberian or Nigerian church). You
wonder is God divided? Judgement will surely begin in the church and preachers/elders who condone or use such to advantage are in for a surprise. Speak all the tongue you want, the real evidence of the Spirit is the fruit. Prejudice and/or discrimination is a destroyer, more so with pride as the source.
Churches and members operating on the bases of tribalism, nepotism and family positioning or superiority are in danger of respect of persons. These tools of prejudice or/and discrimination are evil in the body of Christ. This is clearly not a manifestation of the leading of the Spirit of God, more so as the translation is very near. This may be a problem for you in the issue of translation if you don’t repent and be rid of this cancer in the church. Some will be taken and others left behind when the Lord comes for the translation. Only those who have made themselves ready will go; and some areas to take care of are pride, prejudice or/and discrimination: through racism, tribalism, nepotism, family superiority, favoritism and the like. Judge yourself, examine yourself and be ready. Be void of these little foxes that destroy the vines, (Songs of Solomon 2:15).
Remember, Rom. 11:29, “For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” That is one reason why many who have tasted of the power to come, when they fall away from the truth still continue to operate the gifts. Except they repent, they will be judged at the end. There is no generation as that of today; who love the way of the world than the way of the scriptures. For instance, according to 1st Cor. 12:28, “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”
We have bishops and deacons in the church according to the bible. But today, see what pride and covetousness has brought. The preachers no longer want to follow the bible pattern, but have traded the scriptural for the secular. They are neither interested in or satisfied with been called brother, pastor, prophet, apostle, teacher or evangelist, bishop or deacon. Some of them prefer the secular titles merged with the scriptural one. Especially, these days of honorary or online degrees that quickly give you doctor of this and that. So many preachers answer G.O. Dr, STJ; Engineer,pastor AW; Dr, Rev, senior superintendent BJ; Engineer Bishop NY; Attorney, prophet JK; Dr, chief, deacon LGF. Can you imagine apostle Paul , writing, Attorney, Apostle, Prophet Paul? All these are wrapped in pride. These things lead to lukewarmness in the church. But keep this in mind Rev. 3:17, “ Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Study Rev. 3:18, and see how to find a way out of this mess.
If I have wronged anyone and racism, tribalism, nepotism, favoritism and the like is the root cause of that wrong, Lord lead me in repentance and reconciliation. Lord show me my own prejudice and discrimination, so I can seek for repentance and your forgiveness while there is still time. We lose sight of the Truth of the Word of Go? that He created all men in his image. Why prejudice, Why discrimination in the body of Christ? God is watching and all will be judged for good or evil: And it must begin at the house of God, (1st Peter 4:17).
136 – By this shall all men know