The compulsion to hate is as strong as, if
not stronger than the compulsion to love. Every one of us would be ready to
hate as long as he has something to hate. Yet the impulse to hate is reined in
by obedience to Christ who commanded us to love our enemies, and to love our
fellow men. But this obedience is impossible to achieve by human strength
alone, and is a work of the Holy Spirit who resides in the believer. You have
travelled quite a distance in your walk with God. Others have not. That is
simply the difference.
Christians, by virtue of being Christians,
or by virtue of being baptised and confirmed, do not automatically put on a
garb of righteousness. Merely reading the Word of God, or listening to a
charismatic preacher does not transform a person into a practising Christian.
People who follow the teachings of Christ are those who are in love with Christ
to the extent that they do not value anything else. They are also people who
understand the deep truth in the teaching of Christ and appreciate the
importance of following it. Such a love for Christ is a work of the Spirit, and
is given automatically to some people. Others labour to follow Christ, usually
in vain.
You can live with Christ, and still betray
Him. Judas has proved that already. You can fraternise with Christ, and still
be found wanting in faith and grace. The apostles have proved that. What made
the same disappointing apostles the pillars of the Christian faith is the
transforming work of the Spirit of Christ. It is not by might, nor by power but
by His Spirit. And His Spirit does not transform everyone who claims to be
Christian, simply because most claims are not true.
That most Christians are judgemental,
intolerant and hateful should not come as a surprise. They are either ignorant
of the teachings of Christ, or are unmoved by them, as the Spirit is not at
work in them.
Therefore the greatest challenge for a
practising Christian is to persevere in faith, despite the little inspiration
that can be derived from fellow Christians. Ultimately he or she lives to
please Christ, at the cost of everything else.
- Samuel Godfrey George
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