Placebo Christian Life

       A young man was cut down in his prime by a drunken driver. His death was painful, as he left a young wife and two little children. During his wake-keep, everyone declared how good, generous, loving and religious he was. The minister concluded his message by declaring that though he didn’t have much personal contact with the deceased, but from all the testimonies given, he strongly believes that the deceased had gone to be with the Lord! This conclusion is what is usually arrived at when a person passes on irrespective of how such lived. Most testimonies are barefaced lies as you see relations, neighbors and colleagues wince when such accolades are passed. Question…do the deceased make heaven based on the testimonies people gave about them? According to the principles of the world, one should not speak ill of the dead. Thus, on that day, they are all seen as saints on their merry way to Heaven. If only that were true! 

       There is a reason why the Bible tells us: “It is better to go to a house where there is mourning than to a home where there is a party, because the living should always remind themselves that death is waiting for us all” (Ecclesiastes 7:2, GNB). There are great lessons to be learnt in such events. Our making Heaven is not based on the testimonies of those we had dealings with on earth but how we pleased God in these dealings; what were our motives; do our heart condition tally with what we portray on the outside? Friend don’t be deceived, a day of reckoning is coming; no amount of well 'intentioned' RIPs and great testimonies of men will sway the final destination for our souls. Jesus Christ gave a warning when He said: “For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20). What did He mean, you may ask? The Pharisees and scribes were hypocrites and false in their dealings. They had a reputation: “…On the outside you seem to be righteous, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:28). 

      Friend, the devil has no problem with you bearing a semblance of righteousness: Say the right things, preach God’s word, go for evangelism, prophesy, go to Church, be a Church worker and the likes. The problem he has is with you practicing what you profess! So many erroneously believe that because they do all these things and more, without actually living them, they are automatically sons of God on their merry way to Heaven. Unfortunately, the life they profess to have is not real but a placebo life in Christ. A Placebo Christian life is a simulated and an ineffectual life that deludes the person into believing that he is actually living a life of Christ! Such life will not lead the man to Heaven, rather make him a worthy candidate of hell! If your heart and mind does not tally with what you portray on the outside you are a hypocrite and the life you claim to have is a Placebo one: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). So many will arrive at the gates of hell arguing that they don’t deserve to be there because of what they had done: “On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’” (Matthew 7:22-23). 

       Friend, the greatest injury we can do to ourselves is to delude ourselves into thinking we are actually living the real life. A day will come when all masks of pretense will be stripped away and there will be no cheerleaders to cheer us on as we stand before the King of kings. It is time to do a re-check to make sure that the light we profess to carry is true and our lifestyles are in consonance with what we say and preach. God bless you!