Article of Faith: Paying the price (1), By Femi Aribisala

The worst armed robbers of all are in the church.

Have you ever been to an expensive wedding that was a no-holds-barred affair? I am talking about that wedding in which a fortune was spent. The champagne was ordered custom-made from France. The wedding cake was a three-story building. Forget about the wedding but tell me, what happened to the marriage? One year later, they got divorced. What a waste of money. All that expenditure went up in smoke. You did not know that the best man was a divorce lawyer. 

Have you not noticed that the rich tend to be more security-conscious than others? Why is that? They have more to lose and therefore have more to protect. What about you? Do you have anything to protect? Have you received anything that you need to protect? If indeed the thief has come to steal, kill, destroy, what kind of security system do you have against the thief? Do you have anything worth stealing? The songwriter says: “Let the poor say that I am rich because of what the Lord has done for him.”

Your uncle gave you an exclusive car. It was a Lexus jeep, custom-made.  It was one of a kind. When they made it, they broke the mould. Everybody came and admired it. But what happened to the Lexus? Within two weeks, you had crashed it into the Carter Bridge. They had to use a chainsaw to remove you from the wreckage. What happened to the car? It was damaged beyond repair. Whose fault was it? Yours, because you despised, in effect, the gift of your uncle.

Grace of God 

The Bible tells the story of two women. Both of them were sinners: harlots as a matter of fact. Nevertheless, the merciful Lord who is not a respecter of persons, who makes the sun shine on the good and the bad, blessed them both with children. 

But one was careless with her gift, so careless she slept on her child and suffocated him to death. Afterwards, she envied the other for her living child and stole it. Her game plan was simple. Either I end up with the child, or neither of us would have a child. When the matter was brought before the king, she readily accepted his verdict to cut the child into two. She said: “Let it be neither yours nor mine.”

That woman was working for the thief. The devil has lost out. He lost his inheritance and was cast out of heaven.  But he is determined that you should also not come into your inheritance. It all depends on whether you know the value of what you have. 

It is only your virtue, so why is that man so determined to sleep with you and to defile you? It is only a birthright, so why is Jacob so determined to get it from Esau?

Despising the Grace 

Out of the blue, God sent Samuel to anoint David as King of Israel. God trained him for the assignment in the furnace of affliction. He was on the run for his life from Saul for years, with God as his only help.  But after David became king, he relaxed. He became careless. 

It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11:1).

What was David doing in Jerusalem? He was checking out the scenery. And he ended up taking another man’s wife and killing her husband.

In his carelessness, David trusted the wrong people. He lamented: “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalms 41:9).

In the end, David was nearly overthrown, not by the Philistines, but by his own son Absalom. In forty years, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 

Beware

Jesus warned his disciples:

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16).

David learnt his lesson. No more Mr. Nice Guy. On his deathbed, David planned the death of Joab and Shimei.

Salvation is free. The Bible says: “Freely have you received.” The kingdom of God is free. But please don’t get carried away with the freedom, or shall I say with the “free-ness.” Although it is freely given and freely received, you still have to work it out.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12).

The word of God says: “Build a wall, invite a burglar.” (Proverbs 17:19 MSG) Salvation is such a big gift that it makes you a prime candidate for armed robbery. Your salvation was announced on the airwaves, and the prince of the power of the air heard it. The men of the underworld were all waiting outside during the award ceremony. 

“We will see how you will carry it home,” they say. “We will see how you will enjoy it.” So although the gift was freely given, although you did no work to receive it, my friend you are going to have to do a lot to keep it and to enjoy it.

Christian Thieves and Robbers

Who are these armed robbers and where are they exactly? Listen and understand. The worst armed robbers of all are in the church:

Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (Mark 11:17)

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

It does not matter what part of town you live in. Jesus says the whole place is full of armed robbers. They have come to steal, to kill and to destroy. Therefore, you need to make some hard choices. 

You have just come into a complete set of the most incredible electronic system, with some cold hard cash thrown in for good measure. But the problem is that the whole thing was carried in the newspapers and on television. And the whole neighbourhood gathered when the trailer came bringing in everything. 

How are you going to enjoy the abundant life that Jesus has promised, in that particular neighbourhood? Will you save your life by returning the gift so that you can at least live in peace? Or will you receive the gift and get ready to fight for your rights?

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt 11:12)

The dress was so beautiful, so lovely. You’ve just got to have it. Until you found out the price. How much does it cost?  Five hundred thousand naira. 

Well it is not that good a dress after all. 

What if I buy it for you? 

Oh yes, please. 

I thought you said it was not good anymore. 

Well, I just could not afford it. 

Not exactly, you were not prepared to pay the price.  But you would not mind me buying it for you.

CONTINUED.

Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com