Kingdom dynamics

Yes He Can

By Abreham G.

Senator Barak Obama’s 2008 campaign slogan “Yes We Can” rallied people of all ages to believe again in the American dream – the political process, democracy, hope and change. Five years into his presidency, I doubt if today’s President Obama could be that optimist and inspiring.

This is not an article on American election or political process. It is rather a reflection on the possibility of walking according to the Christian ethos. Recently in our congregation, I delivered two sermons on biblical ethics. I knew from the get go that the issue is hot and so much can be said. So I limited myself to a chapter in Titus. I made comparison between Christ and Crete, a paradigm for Christian counter culturness. I entertained the possibility of walking like Christ in Crete, behaving Christian among Cretans.

I assume most people who care to read this article are burdened with the lack of heavenly flavor in Christian life and conduct. It seems we have become powerless against the rising waves of secularism and globalization, and the onslaught of the secular media and entertainment industry. Together they are deadening our conscience to the point of entertaining everything foul as normal. The line between what is and is not morally acceptable, in light of long held Christian doctrines and beliefs, is getting blurred. Because of the diverse temptations that are plaguing our souls, Christlikeness is proved to be an uphill battle. Now the question is, “Is it really possible to be genuine Christians, not a counterfeit?” “Why not” says Paul in Titus 2:11-14?

The coming of Christ ushered the age of grace, a breaking in of the other universe in to ours. God’s universe interlocked with ours in a celestial spiral because he chose to be part of us. The Son of God became the Son of man. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth. That is the “euangelion”, THE GOODNEWS we needed to hear. Among so many competing voices, heaven is whispering into our ears bidding us to wake up and be alive again. Its echo is reverberating throughout the whole world quickening the drowsy, sleepy, walking dead humanity. Through this good news, God by his grace pulled us out of our sinful, miserable, mundane existence. Grace, the gift of redemption, the possibility of getting a second chance, of making things right again. Yes, that is GRACE and it is REAL.

Yet there is this other side of grace that is rarely mentioned – a never ending pedagogy, a sort of heaven’s curriculum designed to turn sinners into saints. That is what Titus 2:12-14 announces. Grace as a curriculum teaches us to say NO for all forms of godlessness. Godlessness not as a lack of denominational affiliation, nor is it an abandonment of meaningless religious rituals. It is a lifestyle, a choice to move away from the Garden of Eden, the presence of God. It is a decision to set up our own little empires outside of the perimeter which God calls Eden. It is an attempt to deny God all claims in life. It is a bold step to set ourselves up as gods in the world of GOD. In short it is IDOLATRY!

Cheer up friends! Grace saves us in a way that proves its validity – not masking our wretchedness in a happy go lucky sort makeover. Grace rather makes possible a complete transformation of the entire WO/MAN. It does not only deconstruct our former self, it shows us a new way of living that is characterized by self-control, justice and hope. It makes us masters of the darker self, the self-centered self, the depraved self. It emboldens us to vie for justice, to practice it and die for it. It inspires us to hope for a better world, the final consummation of God’s kingdom/rule, the triumph of justice, the overthrow of death, the coming of Christ. Thank God for his grace!   

Finally, I want to salute someone who paid the highest price to make grace a reality, someone who was misunderstood for his vision of a new, changed, loving and caring humanity. He was motivated by nothing but love. He gave up his dear life in exchange for ours. He died that we might live. He was condemned that we might be declared just. He was rejected that we might be accepted. That was his sole mission in life. His name is JESUS. And it is my wish and prayer that his death on your behalf might count not for nothing.

He [Jesus] gave himself for us in order to rescue us from every kind of lawless behavior, and cleanse a special people for himself who are eager to do good actions

Tit 2:14 (Common English Bible)

“Grant to us, Lord, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee [you], may by thee [you] be enabled to live according to thy [your] will”

Taken from the Book of Common Prayer.