Ponder On Your Answer

       If you are asked right now, at this moment, Who is Jesus Christ to you and why are you following Him, would you have an acceptable answer? Not acceptable to me of course, but acceptable to the Lord, bearing in mind that our approval is not of any man but of God: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God…” (2Timothy 2:15a). Friend, whether we like it or not, we would have to answer these questions truthfully on our life’s journey. Even right now, without you verbally answering, the way you live reveals the answers and points to your proposed eternal destination; proposed because, if the answers should change along the line from the right one, the eternal destination will change as well. However, the desire of God is for us to love Him by obeying ALL His commands, and to live our lives accordingly: “…If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23).  Such a life declares the glory of God and showcases His handiwork to a dark and dying world on a daily basis. Such is able to do this because Christ lives inside of him: “When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and knew that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).  

        Nicodemus, the Pharisee (a seemingly good man, but honest enough to know he was not on the right track), came to Jesus at night, when no one will see or recognize him; to ask who He truly was. Nicodemus agreed, like his colleagues and so many today, that this Jesus is a great man, a great teacher and a miracle worker. He believes that no one can do what Jesus was doing without the backing of God. This is the state of so many today. No matter how the world spins it, history has it on record that Jesus truly lived and truly died, that He was a great teacher and a miracle worker. If the foregoing is all that you believe and stand for, then you are yet to understand Who He truly is and why He came. It is not enough to mouth the answers, but the answers must be tangible and visible for all to see: “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed, and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life” (1John 1:1). These answers must be personal and real to you, not what people had said about Him, but what you have come to know by experience. No wonder He asked His disciples: “’But you,’ He asked them, ‘Who do you say that I am’” (Matthew 16:15)?

        Beloved, no one doubts that you know the person of Jesus. In fact, the principles you live by, He taught you; and you have experienced firsthand His miracles in your life and the lives of those around you. This is not enough! He must be more than these to you for you to be His! There are so many that bear His name but do not know Who He truly is and why He came. For instance, if you are still toying with the things of the world: A bit of darkness here and there as long as you are not hurting anybody, you are yet to know Who He is and why He came. Because if you know, you would realize that you do not own your life and cannot live it to please anyone else but Him. You will equally understand that, like with all borrowed things, you will give an account of how you lived the life you had been given when you return it. Have you not considered that if our life is ours to live as we please, why then do we have to account for it? This means there is a marking scheme and a cut-off mark (standard) for pass! It then follows that we have the responsibility to make sure we attain the cut-off mark (standard) when the owner comes for an accounting! Beloved, except Jesus Christ lives inside of you, it is impossible to make the cut-off mark: “For in Him we live and move and exist…” (Acts 17:28a). It must be IN HIM, there is no other way. If you claim you are in Him, there cannot be room for darkness no matter how minute! 

        In conclusion, beloved, Jesus Christ is at the door of your heart knocking and speaking to you to open it. If you obey His voice and open the door, He will come in and He will dine with you and reveal Himself to you: “…And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him” (John 14:21b); “Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). God bless you as you gaze into the mirror of God’s Word and adjust accordingly!