“It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him, if we deny him, he also will deny us. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” – 2 Timothy 2 : 11-13(KJV).
The word of God is complete. When we are dealing with God it is foolhardy to think or assume that we can deceive God. The scripture says; “Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap – Galatians 6:7(KJV). The law of procreation requires that like begat like. In as much as you cannot plant yam and harvest rice, or a goat giving birth to a cow, so also you cannot sow in unrighteousness and expect to reap righteousness. It is on this premise Paul the Apostle made the above exhortation. Serving God is likened to sowing and reaping. This is well elucidated in Psalm 126: 5-6(KJV); “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
It is incontestable that if we die with him, we shall rise and live with him eternally. Christianity is dying to live, suffering to reign. Jesus himself said in Matthew 16:25(KJV); “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it”. Losing one’s life is not about the physical death, though it is part of it, but denying one’s self of comfort and worldly pleasure for the sake of serving God. Forfeiting a deal with very fabulous cash earnings on the ground of righteousness. Refusing to be in an association of highly connected persons in order to maintain your Christian sanctity. Standing for truth in the presence of fatal opposition. The degree of our love for God is a determining factor on how far we can go to defend God’s cause. The love for God compelled Apostle Paul to pass through severe persecution. The love for God emboldened the three Hebrew children to face up to Nebuchadnezzar. Until one dies to self he cannot be productive in bearing fruit in God’s vineyard. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” – John 12:24(KJV).
In our Christian journey we must get to that point where we die to self in order to be productive in fruit bearing.
Prayer: Father fill me afresh with the spirit of love that will increase my zeal to work tirelessly in your vineyard.
Joel Ezeugo