As He is so are We

By Prophet Throne Hamici

CHRIST IN ME

In the letter to the Galatians chapter 2 verse, 20 Paul states that “ 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 the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Covid-19 has shaken the entire world and left many with unexpected challenges. Many questions are in the minds of individuals from every corner of the world in this season. Many people have lost their jobs, loved ones, marriages, and relationships have been broken. It is important, therefore, during these very critical and challenging times, to be reminded of the words of Paul, that Christ lives in us and we live by His faith! Once we meditate on that truth and accept it we will be able to find meaning in misery and purpose in pain.

CHRIST THROUGH ME

Saul’s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus transformed him completely, from a zealous Pharisee who persecuted the church to an Apostle who planted many churches and continues to inspire us even today. He went from a religious monument to a Kingdom movement that went through much persecution both internally and externally. Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, needed much help from God. He needed patience, resilience, endurance, long-suffering, etc. from God to continue his new assignment. All these qualities and characteristics were found in Christ who later became Paul’s life. As with Paul, Christ also lives in us and we live by His faith! Imagine that for a moment. The faith Christ had to raise the dead, heal the sick, multiply a meal, etc. That’s the faith we live by.

CHRIST FOR ME

Christ is the very expression of God Himself in us. The Greek meaning of Christ is Christos and in Hebrew Messiah, which is the anointed one. So if Christ is living in us and we are in Him then we are in the anointed One of God and the anointed one of God is in us! For that reason we need to see each other through those lenses, the Christ in you sees the Christ in me. It is towards that end that Pauls says in 1 Corinthians 6 verse17 “ but he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” Only the Christ in me can see the Christ in you. God created us in Him so that He could find Himself in us. The more mature we grow and educate our minds in, Him the more we will look and act and live like Him. As He is so are we! Now, imagine if a family, a church, a community, and a nation awaken to this reality. What would this world be like? Time for the manifestations of the Sons.

THE NEED FOR MORE THEOLOGIANS...

in today's world

In a time of crises, such as death, war or similarly the recent pandemic, we often start asking questions about our existence. What is the essence of being human? What is the purpose of life on earth? Do we live by fate or by the freedom of our choices? Is there a life beyond death? These are questions we have all asked at some point in our lives and that originally gave birth to Theology. Now more than ever theologians are of great importance in our chaotic world. Faith is a powerful force that influences many groups and individuals and informs our ways of being and progression through life.

Studying theology heightens our awareness and understanding of religious and spiritual perspectives by shining a light on the motivations of ourselves and others in a cultural context, making it an incredibly broad discipline. Developing through the churches, it has formed the foundation of many great universities, such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale, who owe a lot to the churches and their desire to train people within the Christian tradition. The modern institute is now set up to cover a wide range of disciplines and is no longer simply a discussion about God, but a discussion on how faith influences society and how our faith in God has been recorded in written traditions.

It involves history, psychology, sociology and text study, so in many ways explores what constitutes our current day reality. Cornerstone Institute, based in Cape Town also began by offering training to prospective ministers that were denied access to higher learning facilities in the early seventies. Having progressed over the past fifty years they have innovatively developed a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) in Community Leadership, which aims to provide access for Grade 12 learners to a degree programme. Equipping them with skills to be more effective leaders in the community, in the areas of psychology, church and parachurch leadership and community development, as well as offering a Higher Certificate in Christian Ministry. This shows there are many benefits of studying Theology that go beyond a better understanding of life. Gaining an appreciation for different perspectives is fundamental in any situation and theological grounding can inform and develop skills, life choices and leadership styles.

Theologians often go on to work in a diverse range of professions from psychology, law, journalism, teaching, community development and counselling. What sets Cornerstone apart is they give special attention to the relationship between theology and its cultural perspectives, particularly within a South African context as well as explore how theological discourse demands intellectually and practically rigorous engagement with a range of contextual issues in contemporary society.

Humans are social beings and are drawn to positive influence. How we act in public, amongst our colleagues, on social media and with our family and friends can impact on society in small but remarkable ways. By understanding and respecting differences and recognising the motivations of others, can invoke more empathy, which is why we need more Theologians in today’s world.