DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: NOVEMBER 29 COMMONEST SIN OF CHRISTIANS (1) SCRIPTURE: JOHN 1: 46; 7: 41

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Apostle James in his Epistle spoke seriously on how hard it is for mankind to control the tongues. Using one’s tongue carelessly and unable to bridle it makes one’s religion worthless ( James 1: 26 ). To bridle the tongue means to keep it under control. The sin of using the tongue carelessly is seen by this devotional as the commonest sin of Christians. Amongst many uncontrollable sins are of the tongue, the specific one to discuss here is “prejudicial language.” Prejudicial language is criticism that deflates someone’s reputations. We humans do this easily by criticizing people. As read in John 1: 26, Nathaniel questioned if any good thing can come out of Nazareth on hearing that the Messiah was born in Nazareth. Against whatever opinion inferred on this Nathanael’s word, truth is, it bears derogatory meaning. Barnes’ remark in his commentary on John 1: 46 said that to be a Galilee or a Nazarene is a decided contempt.He referred readers to John 7: 52; where the Pharisees and the Jews refused Jesus as a Prophet since no Prophet had come from Galilee that Jesus came from

Some commentators said Nathanael expressed his surprise on Jesus’ humble birth in Nazareth because members of Judean elites in particular were unimpressed with Jesus seeing Him as a rural Galilean origin. Others said that Nazareth, at the time of Jesus’ birth was a very small town in Galilee with low population of less than 500 people and not adjacent to any major city. Therefore, is unthinkable for such a place to produce a Messiah. Accepted conclusion is that, there is prejudicial criticism here. We always judge people by the background of their birth, by personal appearance of people and by conceiving one is from a low-esteem background. Amongst Christians, the commonest sin committed is criticism. We criticize each other’s ministerial backgrounds. We criticize each other’s doctrines; we criticize each other’s ways of dressing. We most of the times, carry out these criticisms by what we think others appear to be.

*This devotional believes that ten out of fifteen Christians are guilty of criticizing others in negative terms. A denomination would condemn other denominations, through cynical observations that either their way of worship, biblical teaching, theological background etc., are at variant with the standard God prescribed for Christians. Take a seat with some Christians of same denomination for just twenty minutes, you will be amazed at the ways they destroy other members. Evangelism these days often no longer center of repentance but on wooing one in one denomination into the denomination the Evangelists belongs. A Christian will be heard telling those in another denomination that nothing good can come out their Christianity as long as they refuse to join them. Rather than preaching “Sound Biblical Message we preach characters and appearances of other Christians. We must at all times, decease from prejudging others while seeing ourselves the only God’s favourite Christians. Such behaviour is unbiblical. It bears semblance of pride, therefore, as good as any sinful act.

PRAYER:

HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, save me from criticizing other brethren with a belief in my heart that I am more of a Christian than them. Give me, instead an understanding that Jehovah my Father does not look at appearances but the heart content of people, in the name of Jesus!

bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch