CHRISTLIKENESS [BEING CHRISTLIKE]: IT’S ABOUT HAVING GOD’S APPROVAL AND NOT MEN’S APPLAUD [HYPER]!

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man APPROVED of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it” Acts 2:22-24.

There’s nothing as dangerous as endeavouring to win favour outside the context of anything that has a stand – an ethics and etiquette – that worth priceless. As I have said in some writ, when you take a text out of a context, it becomes a con – and we all know when someone becomes a con person, con artist, conman and such like, we all will naturally distance ourselves from anyone who is already known to be a con in such spheres of doing life except you share in such person acts of behavioural bargains. If we can be able to distance ourselves, how much more when such it’s in conflict with God’s Scriptural CONTEXT and INSTRUCTIONS to our doing life and living godly in Christ Jesus stead. Amen. And God does not share His glory with mortal men in their hyper and applaud:

“And Herod was highly DISPLEASED with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with ONE ACCORD to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, SAT upon his throne, and made an ORATION unto them. 22 And the people gave a SHOUT [APPLAUSE, HYPER], saying, It is the VOICE of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord SMOTE him, because he GAVE not God the GLORY: and he was EATEN of worms, and gave up the GHOST [DIED]” Acts 12:20-23.

There are many out there who will do anything outside the book to get the applause that men can give them to enable them outdo and undo others – and you can see it in places of doing life – workspaces, factory, business transaction, family circles, Church leadership position, government Offices and other expected civic places that’s – nongovernmental and many such like. For this kind of behaviour, Apostle Paul warned, charged and exhorted young Bishop Timothy, to note that leadership position for example it’s not for self-gains and should not be taken lightly; and people should not for any human reasons on selfish applause be placed in places they are not qualified to be otherwise it will undermine God’s authority and misplaced priority in honouring and magnifying God’s WORD that’s above all things as God had done.

“I CHARGE thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the ELECT angels, that thou OBSERVE these things without PREFERRING one before another, doing nothing by PARTIALITY. 22 LAY HANDS SUDDENLY ON NO MAN, neither be PARTAKER of other MEN’S SINS: keep thyself PURE” 1 Timothy 5:21-22.

“I will worship toward Your holy temple and praise Your name for Your loving-kindness and for Your truth and faithfulness; for You have EXALTED above all else Your NAME and Your WORD and You have MAGNIFIED Your WORD above all Your name!” Psalms 138:2/Amplified Classic Edition.

It’s of this emboldened spirit of getting God’s APPROVAL in all things in context and not just on somethings, that Apostle Peter was speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ in Acts 2:22-24. He was giving an admonishment about our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ – who is the author and finisher of our faith [Hebrews 12:2], and who is our God’s given and living example in doing God’s kingdom business in our earthly affairs [Hebrews 1:1-4], and by whom we ARE God’s ambassador on earth – to note how He ensured that He RECEIVED God’s APPROVAL and not men APPLAUSE, to do God’s given purpose and assignments in humanity [Luke 2:1-2, 14, 16-18, 22]. Jesus Christ cause in humanity was always to get God’s APPROVAL [intent] in every step because He knows, it must always be of the FATHER’S WILL to be done and not MEN’S WILL for egotism, self-gratification and self-centeredness and such like.

“. . . 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear WITNESS of me . . . 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him” John 10:22-38.

Apostle Paul had in his keen interest for us to live through God’s approval and signature in all we do to fulfil purpose and life, in CHRISTLIKENESS [BEING CHRISTLIKE. He then charged the Believers of God as you and me and as to Timothy, to endeavour to STUDY, to enable us get God’s APPROVAL [SCRIPTURAL CONTEXT] to a cause, so that we can be able to rightly apply the word of God appropriately in all matters of doing life and living godly. And to be embroidered to stand up against the enemy and cohorts voices when they show up too. For pure wisdom to do life and live godly is the application of knowledge. And where there’s no knowledge of a thing, it’s not only that IGNORANCE WILL PREVAIL, people will ABUSE PURPOSE of the intended. People had abused their relationship [spouses, children, family, friendship] for the lack of knowledge to the cause and context; people had abused position of leadership and authority for lack of knowledge of the context; people do evil and wickedness as abusers to undermine others especially toward the vulnerable and such like because of the lack of the knowledge to the context of the cause; you can name lots of places abuse have taken place or happening right now because of the stupidity and foolishness born out of ignorance to a cause [purpose] – and it’s all for the lack of wisdom – application of knowledge to such cause.

“STUDY to shew thyself APPROVED unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RIGHTLY DIVIDING [APPLYING, HANDLING] the WORD of TRUTH” 2 Timothy 2:15/Emphasis mine.

God wants us to live a life of CHRISTLIKENESS [BEING CHRISTLIKE], to enable us be His true ambassador for Christ. And being God’s representative on earth [Isaiah 45:11-12; Psalms 115:15-18; Psalms 8:4-8; 2 Corinthians 5:20], is not limited to a particular person or nation but to all who intend to do God’s purpose in RIGHTEOUSNESS; meaning those who wants to get on His APPROVED context and not in men trying to use UNRIGHTEOUSNESS to get His APPROVAL for their APPLAUSE. For Gods glory is not to be shared with men. This is the caution and exhortations that Apostle Peter gives of God’s openness to all as He’s not a respecter of men; while Apostle Paul also in a different respective context gave a dire warning to the Believers who wants to be on God’s good book and purpose not to dare God, by using the unrighteousness cause of men to an approval and signature to get God’s righteous approved cause.

“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS: 35 but in EVERY NATION he that FEARETH him, and WORKETH RIGHTEOUSNESS, is ACCEPTED with Him” Acts 10:34-35.

“For the WRATH of God is REVEALED from heaven AGAINST ALL UNGODLINESS and UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OF MEN, who hold the TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS . . . 32 who KNOWING the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have PLEASURE in them that do them” Romans 1:18, 32.

Therefore, knowing the danger and wrath of working through men’s crazy approval cause to make you feel important and good while you know you are going to face God’s wrath, why not today, even now, resolved intentionally and pragmatically, to do God’s approved purpose in context unreservedly, by STUDYING the WORD of God like the Berea Christian of Acts 17:10-12 and by taking up Apostle Paul exhortation to Timothy as written in 1 Timothy 4:14-17. These will make you to walk in wisdom – rightly applying the word through knowledge.

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto BEREA: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more NOBLE than those in Thessalonica, in that they RECEIVED THE WORD with all READINESS of mind, and SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAILY, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them BELIEVED; also of HONOURABLE women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few” Acts 17:10-12.

“But continue thou in the things which thou hast LEARNED and hast been ASSURED of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 and that from a child thou hast KNOWN the holy SCRIPTURES, which are ABLE TO MAKE THEE WISE unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All SCRIPTURE is given by INSPIRATION of God, and is PROFITABLE for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 that the man of God may be PERFECT [MATURE, COMPLETE, WHOLE], throughly FURNISHED unto all good works” 2 Timothy 3:14-17/Emphasis mine.

It’s my PRAYERS that you will not struggle in CHRISTLIKENESS [BEING CHRISTLIKE], as you do life by ensuring and assuring God’s approval is what’s always in your top heartfelt without men’s approval to your being God’s true Ambassador for Christ.

SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.

SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:

“You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance. 12 They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, And the little hills rejoice on every side. 13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; The valleys also are covered with grain; They shout for joy, they also sing” Psalms 65:11-13/NKJV.

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29 whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” Colossians 1:27-29.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ . . . 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain . . . 27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” Philippians 1:6, 21, 27.

“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians 2:1-11.

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” Philippians 3:1-15.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain” Galatians 2:20-21.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.

REV. CHUKIE MORSI