A Way of Life

One of the most beautiful things to behold is a newly baptized Brother or Sister coming to make things of God’s Truth their way of life. The daily reading of the Bible becomes a habit, firmly embedded in the daily routine of life; contact with other believers, by letter or meeting, means that slowly the convert’s social network becomes focused on other Christadelphians rather than on the words of others, a result worldly friendships and habits gradually fade away. Prayer becomes a regular part of life – morning and evening and before meals. Slowly there is the courage to preach the Gospel to others. In particular, a way of thinking develops that is centred upon the Father and His Son, which subconsciously gives priority to their things rather than those of this life. These changes are the natural outcome of the new focus. They simply happen as a way of life develops that is based around spiritual things. Sadly, not all who are baptized make this change; their belief continues to consist, as it did at baptism, of accepting the truth of certain correct propositions about doctrine, but somehow the things of the Spirit fail to take over. And for all of us, we can find ourselves not living the spirit of the Christian life, but rather seeing our relationship with God in terms of certain specific actions or beliefs which we have adhered to and have felt comfortable with – and nothing more. The fabric of our daily lives and thinking can be sadly unaffected by the high things to which we are called, so that our religion becomes a matter of external action rather than the possession of a spirit of life from which all our devotion naturally and joyfully springs.

Godwin Mugasi (Mbarara, Uganda)