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CHRIST-CENTEREDNESS

Photo by MBonsi Jude

It is amazing how the focus of preaching and teaching has changed over the years in Christendom. Most Christians today are taught (consciously or unconsciously) to concentrate more on their needs and personal gratification than on anything else. It is always all about what you can get and how you can get it. It’s all about who you are, getting your needs met and achieving your dreams.

Now, all of these subjects are relevant and it's important for us to be taught in these respects. God wants our needs met and our dreams fulfilled. And we need to know who we are if we are going to live the lives He has purposed for us to live. He delights in all these things being a reality in our lives. The Bible says that the Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant (Ps. 35:27); and in 3 John 2: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (NKJV).

The problem, however, is that we have given them a place and/or a coloration which are not God-ordained and differ from the Bible pattern. We have made them the focus of our spirituality. I have discovered that, first of all, focusing on these things will not improve the present state of the Church, and secondly, it generally does not yield the expected results. And even if it does, it carries very little eternal value because it was all founded on personal gratification and satisfaction.

You can talk about socio-economic affluence, personal development, successful family life, academic and intellectual dominion, and so forth, in a way that is Christ- and Kingdom-centered, and it will bear much fruit. But the sad truth is that most of the Church is spending time talking about these things following a pattern which is increasingly self-centered. And that's why there's little or no fruit at all – because the Holy Spirit doesn’t back selfishness and won’t help you fulfill your dream if it’s all about you– and the Church is growing weaker and weaker. Just look at a country like the United States where motivational speaking is more developed than in any other country in the world, and you will realize that getting people to focus on themselves always leads to failure! The American Church is not in a very good shape today, and all of this success talk will not make things better. It is Christ talk that will take the Church to her true destiny. So the Body of Christ in other parts of the world, and especially in Africa, should be careful not to emulate a pattern that’s not biblical. Again, I am not saying that those teachings are bad and should be totally discarded, for I benefit from them myself and also share them with other believers. We should only make sure we build everything on the foundation of Christ.

Read through the New Testament and you will discover that most of what we spend our time and energy talking and jumping about is given very little attention in the Scripture. Take the concept of material and social needs, for example. It will astonish you to know that the Holy Spirit always talks about it in passing (like: "by the way, concerning houses, cars, promotion, spouses and kids, don't you worry a minute, relax, for God knows you need those things") and then goes on with other more important things. There is something powerful the Apostle Paul said:

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 1 Cor 15:19

He is saying in essence that if being Christians, all we expect from Christ is having our earthly needs met, then we are of all men the most miserable! Or, if all Christ can give us is earthly, what's the use being mocked and killed for his sake? For unbelievers don’t care about Him and they have these earthly things (to the best of my knowledge, none of the ten richest people living in the world today is a Christian). So the purpose of my being in Christ is not the betterment of my earthly life or ministry. That’s just one of the added benefits, but it’s not the real thing!

Even exaggerated focus on your personality in Christ can sometimes lead to frustration, as it might cause you to become self-centered, being overly consumed with what He has given you and paying little attention to who He is. Believe me, many Christians have fallen into this trap without even realizing it. If you want to know how self-inflated and self-interested (please forgive me; I don’t mean to be offensive) your Christianity is, just ask yourself how much you know (or desire to know) Him right now. Do you really have (or desire to have) a living love affair with Him? If the answer is “no”, then you probably have relegated knowing Him to the bottom of your priority list. You think more about yourself than about God and helping other people? You can’t remember when last you prayed for someone else? Then, I’m afraid you might be missing the point of Christianity.

Jesus said: “one thing is needed” (Lk. 10:42). David said: “one thing have I desired of the Lord” (Ps.27:4). And that one thing is knowing Him. That’s what was lost at the fall and that Jesus came to restore. Jesus said in John 17: 3a: “And this is Eternal Life, that they may know you.” That’s the abundant life he came to give us: GOD and the knowledge of HIM. That’s our primary calling, and it should be our primary focus. That’s why the early Apostles walked in so much power and glory. The Bible says in Mark 3: 14 that Jesus called twelve to himself, that they might be with him. What for? To get to know Him better and to get an indelible personal revelation of Him that would later enable them to be unstoppable concerning their Faith and mission. Just look at the introductory statements in some of the epistles. Take 1John1 for example:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life -- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us -- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:1-3

These guys had a deep revelation of Christ (Life manifested). No wonder they could do all they did! Because they knew Him, they had more impact in a few decades than the modern Church has had in the last two or three centuries combined! The early Christians shook their world and turned it upside down! They walked in great holiness and power. They (except the Corinthians, as Bible students could argue) were healthier than most of us are today, in spite of poor hygiene. Many of them were killed, martyred because of their obsession with this Jesus-Christ who had given them abundant grace and truth. Remember this however: the first generation was sown as a seed so that the last generation may harvest a hundredfold of knowledge, power, holiness and glory. And this will not happen until we know Christ more than they did.

So, let’s take it all over: what’s the focus of Christianity? Christ. First of all this whole thing is named after Him. So really, He is the essence of it, “the Author and the Finisher of our faith”. The Church itself is built on the revelation of Christ. Remember what Jesus said to Peter, after the latter had told Him He was the Christ, the Son of the living God:

"Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt 16:17-19).

And Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians:

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 3:9-11)

These two passages unequivocally show us that the very foundation on which the Church is built is (the revelation of) Christ. That’s God's pattern for the Church and for our individual lives. Anything short of this is off target.

Therefore the number one characteristic of the Glorious Church that will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air is not financial prosperity, great miracles of healing, political power or great and diversified knowledge. The utmost characteristic of this Beautiful Bride is that she knows the Bridegroom intimately. My friend, remember this: the Glorious Church is a Church that is consumed with Christ; a Christ-centered, Christ-addicted, Christ-talking, Christ-living, Christ-sharing, Christ-overflowing Church. And so is the glorious believer. Personally, I am not impressed with anything anybody says or does if I don't see the love and life of Christ in it. I surely do respect all those who have achieved great things, but I’ve learnt (and am still learning) to be impressed only with what really matters to God. What’s more, I believe all the great achievements lose their value when compared to the greatness of knowing Christ. Paul said: “But what things were gain to me (my credentials and achievements before I got saved), these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things (my great feats as an Apostle in Christ) loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord … that I may gain Christ”. He had understood how worthless and vain achievements (including his great work for the Gospel and for the people of God) were, unless they were built on Christ, who is the only foundation of the Church.

Now, this is precious advice: whenever you realize that what you are involved in (be it an activity, an ideology, a doctrine, or a particular lifestyle) does not promote your relationship with God and your revelation of Christ, pause a little bit. Then reorient and refocus it on Christ. Even ventures that started in Christ sometimes get derailed over the years. That’s why the Bible in 2Cor.13:5 says to "examine yourselves, as to whether you are in the faith". Paul here is not saying that you should check whether you are still saved—for he was talking to people he knew to be believers, as the end of the verse clearly shows—, but rather whether you are still walking according to His pattern and for His glory. And the word "examine" in the original text (peirazo) means an honest and objective testing. Really, there comes a time in our lives when we must honestly and objectively examine ourselves and ask ourselves some serious questions: "Am I making spiritual progress?", "Is this strategy really working?", "Is my preaching producing strong Believers?", “Is this conference bearing fruit?”, “Is my conduct any different now than it used to be?”, “Do I only think about me, myself and I?”, “Am I putting God’s Word into practice?”, and so on. Once the questions are answered, genuine change occurs by the Holy Spirit and deception is overcome. So the examining is not for condemnation, but for transformation.

Finally, having said all the above, I want to further challenge you to refocus your life on the one thing that is needed by leaving you with a selection of Scriptures that speak much louder than the best of my discourses. They are presented here in their order of appearance in the Bible, so you won’t have to go back and forth trying to find them. Read them, meditate upon them and conform your ideas and lifestyle to them.

-          And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Cor. 2:1-2

-          For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 1 Cor. 4:17

-          What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. 1 Cor. 9:18

-          I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal. 2:20-21

-          My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you. Gal. 4:19

-          For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph 3:14-19

-          But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus… Eph 4:20-21

-          For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Phil 1:21

-          Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. Phil 1:27

-          But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Phil 2:19-22

-          But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ - and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Phil 3:7-1