12
A Man or Woman of God
| Bro Isidore Mwibeleca (Nyarugusu, Tanzania)
T
he Bible provides many instructions to
enable us to perceive in our mind a
picture of a man of God. Some components
that depict such a man or woman of God are:
➤
Growing in the Lord
➤
Self-examination
➤
Accepting our faults
➤
Breaking of bread
➤
Desiring Christ’s appearing
1) Growing in the Lord
It is important for us to assess whether we
are growing into the stature of Christ or
regressing. Sometimes it is difficult because
we find it hard to see our own failings when
we are what we have chosen to be.
There is a benefit for us to continually review
our lives, our thinking, our priorities and
what we do and deem to be important. We
need to be measuring ourselves by the heroes
of faith, mostly following the superlative
example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Daily
reading the word of God and seeking the help
of our Father in prayer, are crucial in the
need for growth in Christ. “But be doers of
the word and not hearers only, deluding
yourselves” (James 1:22).
2) Self-examination
Self-examination is one of the important
things we are called upon to do as believers
of Christ Jesus. It is good that we should all
be aware of, and sensitive to, exhortations
that touch upon known weakness and
failings. We find it hard to see ourselves as
others see us or, more importantly, how God
sees us. The problem lies in the flesh, the
heart, the mind of men, which is “deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked”
(Jer 17:9). Only God can, truly see us
because He knows our thoughts - He knows us
better than we know ourselves.
Therefore, as servants of the Lord, we must
recognise how deceitful the human heart is,
how prone to defend itself against criticism,
even when we know it to be justified and
true and we must also forgive and to learn to
ask for forgiveness.
3) Accepting our faults
A believer of Christ who practices self-
examination eventually accepts his/her
faults or sins. When we are under accusation
or allegation, we tend to become very self-
justifying and refuse to accept the guilt
before God for our real sins for which we
should feel guilty.
We should, of course, welcome constructive
criticism of our character and be thankful
that someone has been courageous enough to
speak with us about a fault or a sin. For many
times we become experts at diagnosing the
faults or sins in others whilst being blind to
our own shortcomings. This is not a charac-
teristic that we ought to have as a brother or
sister (Mat 7:3). Judgement upon our fellows
belongs to God who will determine who goes
on the right hand or the left. We need to be
more aware of personal weakness and sin and
learn to ask forgiveness. There is a responsi-
bility to speak to a brother/sister about a
fault or sin, albeit discreetly, all the time
being conscious of our own shortcomings. We
need to remember how frail we are, and that
we are utterly dependent on the grace of
God. For we ourselves are nothing and have
nothing (Job 1:21; 1 Tim 6:7). Pride and
selfishness come before a fall. We just need
to be spiritually attentive to fleshly desires
that can lead us astray and intoxicate us so
that we have a mistaken view of our own
importance. Paul the apostle calls upon us to
be “kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love, in honour preferring one
another” (Romans 12:10).
4) Breaking of bread
The memorial service is the most important
time in our week. The word of exhortation is
designed to prepare our minds to share in the
bread and wine - the symbols of the Lord’s
body and blood given for us (1 Cor 11:23-32).
Reflection and introspection is needed so
~ continued ...