Let us not be lone fighters, but accept help from our brothers and sisters. Together it is easier to achieve victory with Christ, District Apostle Patrick Mkhwanazi of South Africa explains.
Victory with Christ is not something we can achieve on our own. We are what we are through our upbringing by our parents and teachers, and through our friends. People need each other. The way a child behaves depends a lot on the parental home he or she grows up in. The same is true of school children. School has a shaping influence on them. We shape and influence each other.
Shaped by God, teachers, and the neighbour
I am reminded of what is written in Proverbs 27: 17: “People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron,” it says in the Good News Translation of the Bible. How does this apply to our faith? First and foremost, we have been sharpened and shaped by our heavenly Father, who has given us knowledge. The servants of God and our brothers and sisters contribute to our development as well. They teach, strengthen, and support us. Our victory with Christ—both present and future—will to a large degree be attributed to them.
In a similar fashion, we must teach others about the gospel and promote and strengthen their faith. This brings up a question. Are we generous or stingy when it comes to our faith? We must be generous with divine knowledge so that others can also experience victory with Christ. Perhaps we neglected to share our faith in the past. Let us make use of the opportunities that present themselves in 2016, especially with people who are in need or those who do not take matters of faith seriously any more.
Understanding victory and telling others about it
What is it that we share? What victory are we speaking about here? We must avoid strange doctrines and share the doctrine of Christ with others. And we must tell them about eternal salvation and the return of Christ, which we are preparing ourselves for. This is the defining characteristic of the bridal congregation. Victory with Christ therefore also means we understand the content of the victory we want to share in!
Victory with Christ is both journey and destination, and something we share with others. It is about us and our victory, and not about me and my victory. On the day of the Lord we will stand together, thankful for what our fellow brothers and sisters have done to help us experience it.
Photo: Oliver Rütten