PASTOR OLUWASEYI OSANYINBI
MATTHEW 5:13-16
If there is true Christianity in Nigeria, many things will automatically fall in place. Unbelievers will get to follow Jesus with little or no effort. The nation will be in order by default. Your light is equivalent to your good works. It is equivalent to your manifestation. We are not expected to shine in the Church; we are expected to shine in the world. By virtue of being Christians, we are naturally expected to be light and leaders in the world.
Aside getting us ready for heaven, the Church is meant to equip us as light so that we can shine in the world. If you are not shining, something is sure wrong. As lights, we are meant to show the world the way to go at every point in time. We are expected to be salts. Salt kills germs and preserves things. When we step somewhere, we should exert influence, not by asserting ourselves but by living right so much that Christ can be seen in us. By our makeup, we are expected to be problem solvers and solution providers. We have the mandate to stamp out darkness and rottenness in the world. We must ensure that the people under our spheres of influence are exposed to God’s righteousness judgement. By looking at us, they should be able to live right.
LUKE 16:8; HEBREWS 1:9
It is very pathetic that the children of this world are wiser than the children of light. The children of light always seem clueless oblivious of the tremendous wisdom they have access to. Any man that does not have the light is corrupt and salt is needed to preserve him. However, many salts are afraid of engaging the world in its corruption. Salt cannot preserve food without engaging with it. God needs practitioners of the faith not mere believers. Practitioners must engage corruption despite the fact that there will be reactions.
Anytime we shine, we threaten darkness and the reactions will not be pleasant. Jesus chased away buyers and sellers in the temple; so many of us cannot be that daring today. Phinehas stayed God’s judgement on Israel by thrusting two fornicators through with a javelin. We have to make up our minds to stand for God always. If we are ashamed of God here on earth, He will be ashamed of us in His Kingdom. We will never be like Jesus if we are afraid of confrontation. We will be charged for treason if darkness thrives under our watch.
Jesus was called a friend of sinners whereas he did not soil himself with sin. He engaged sinners without sinning. We must find the place of that balance. We must follow God knowing the standards of righteousness. We must lay emotion aside in our walk with God.