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In the First Chapter of his Second Epistle, Apostle Peter warns us of false teachers. It is worth repeating the 21 verses in its entirety:

1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

12Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

13Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

14Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

15Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.

16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The capacity for autonomous decision-making, or free will, is a fundamental divine endowment and a foundational principle substantiated by theology, philosophy, and human experience. This freedom serves as the essential impetus for love, morality, personal development, and existential significance. In its absence, human aspirations would lack meaning.

From a theological standpoint, free will facilitates authentic love and relationships. If one posits a Creator characterized by love, then for such love to be genuine, the recipient must possess the ability to either accept or reject it. Love that is coerced is not love but rather programming. By bestowing humanity with free will, God assumed the risk of rejection and the emergence of evil in the world. Nevertheless, this risk imbues the choice to love and worship with significance.

As Augustine of Hippo suggested, God values free beings more than flawless automatons. The gift lies in the power to make choices, thereby enabling a genuine relationship with the divine. Furthermore, free will underpins morality and justice. The concepts of right and wrong, praise and blame, and accountability are contingent upon it. We do not condemn natural disasters or commend machines because they lack moral agency. Our sense of justice—embodied in legal systems and moral judgments—rests on the belief that individuals possess the capacity to choose differently.

Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, encapsulated this divine spark: “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space, we have the power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.” This “space” is where moral action transpires. A Creator who imparts moral law without the freedom to adhere to it would create a paradox. The gift is the capacity to become moral agents and co-creators of an ethical world. This freedom propels human growth and progress. A predetermined existence cannot evolve.

The endeavor to choose wisely—favoring knowledge over ignorance, courage over cowardice, and creation over destruction—cultivates character and advances civilization. Every scientific breakthrough, compassionate act, and social reform originates from conscious choice. This aligns with traditions that regard humans as “co-creators” of Earth. While raw materials are provided, we possess the freedom to construct, innovate, and learn from errors. This power enables us to participate in the creation of our world and our souls.

The “Problem of Evil” argument posits that free will is the source of human suffering and injustice. However, this objection underscores the reality and potency of free will. Eradicating evil would necessitate the elimination of free will itself, and with it, the potential for authentic love and virtue. The gift is so profound that the Creator accepted its potential misuse to preserve a world where true goodness could exist.

In conclusion, the freedom to choose transcends a mere psychological faculty; it is a divine endowment of immense value. It renders love genuine, morality significant, and growth feasible. It endows us with the dignity of agency, transforming us from puppets into genuine partners in existence. While this gift entails responsibility and the risk of failure, it is this risk that imparts eternal significance to our virtuous acts, expressions of love, and triumphs. Thus, the freedom to choose is the foundational gift that renders all other spiritual and moral gifts possible.

The Day of Atonement is profoundly significant in Christianity. The rituals Aaron had to perform on the Day of Atonement are described in Leviticus 16. They included entering the Holy of Holies, offering sacrifices for himself and the people, and the symbolic act of laying the sins of the people on a live goat, which was then sent into the wilderness. The ultimate act of reconciliation with God for our sins was performed by The Lord Jesus Christ,

“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 KJV

“And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2 KJV

Jesus is the perfect High Priest who entered heaven itself, securing eternal redemption for believers.

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” Revelation 5:9 KJV

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:12 KJV

“Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.” Hebrews 13:12 KJV

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22 KJV

Christ’s work cleanses believers and restores their relationship with God, achieving true “atonement.”

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 KJV

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22 KJV

Atonement <=> Salvation: Part of God’s “Plan

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11 KJV

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6-11 KJV

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2 KJV

For Christians, the Day of Atonement is not a festival to be observed with fasting and ritual but a truth to be lived out.

Why does this matter, and what should we, as Christians, do?

1. Because Jesus has entered the true Holy of Holies in heaven, we can approach God with confidence and full assurance of faith without needing any other mediator.
2. The complete removal of sin through Christ is not just a legal pardon but a call to a transformed life. As God’s people, cleansed and forgiven, believers are empowered to live obediently and in holiness.
3. The Day of Atonement was for the entire nation of Israel, highlighting the collective responsibility for sin and the communal experience of forgiveness. This serves to remind the Church of its call to be a community of grace, bearing one another’s burdens and practicing forgiveness.

THE EVIDENCE of eternal life, the deferred if ultimate prize of the Blood that Jesus shed on the Cross is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith. In other words, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).

It is hollow for a Christian to say that they have eternal life, yet they do not demonstrate righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. As is written, “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Isaiah 32:17 KJV

If a professor looks like a Christian, walks like a Christian, talks like a Christian, thinks like a Christian, and eats like a Christian, then they are probably a Christian.

Brethren, let us live and walk by the Spirit, for as the scripture reminds us:

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. | For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heaven: | If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. | For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. | Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 5: 1-5 KJV

Disclaimer: An earlier version of this Blog appeared in the “Know the Truth and Be Set Free Series”

Christians rarely, if ever, impute selfish motives to Abba, and certainly that is not the intention here. However, I intuitively understand that having One Beloved Son is unbearable for a loving Father.

Now, we know from scripture “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 KJV

For all the preaching I have listened to and heard since I was brought forth from my mother’s womb, a greater weight is placed on the verbs ‘love’ and ‘gave’ followed by the subject – ‘His only begotten Son’ and predicate i.e., the sinful ‘world’ (or peoples) that needed saving substituted for complete ruin more or less in that order. The emphasis might vary depending on the leading of the Holy Ghost. But generally, it tends to fit in this mould.

John 3:16 is considered the “heart of the Gospel of Salvation” or simply the Gospel in a nutshell. It perfectly balances God’s initiating love and sacrifice with the necessary human response of faith. It offers hope, defines grace, and reveals the heart of God for humanity. And so, it is a useful starting point of the God-man reconcilement after the Fall[out]. Essentially, it summarizes the entire Biblical narrative in one verse.

The question or enlightenment sought here is what does John 3:16 tell us about the character and heart of God the Father?

I have researched and learnt that three things are revealed:

· God is fundamentally loving and personal,

· God is generous and self-sacrificial (“he gave”), and

· God’s desire is salvation, not condemnation (as reinforced in the following verse, John 3:17)

For the remainder of this article, I will dwell on the first point. It is not in contention that God is loving. In fact, we know according to 1 John 4:12bi, “God is love” (KJV). At the same time Adonai is selfless and personal. We know this because ‘He gave His only begotten Son.’

From here most preachers of the Word naturally move on to the preposition ‘whosoever believeth in Him should not perish’. However, and this is a crucial point, whereas most preachers understandably emphasise not perishing linking it to the salvation, i.e., the subject, the aspect of faith or belief in the Son of God tends to take a backseat. Here, we argue that believing in Jesus was so personal to God the Father as it was the harbinger and guarantee

of present and future obedience grounded on faith that He would offer His Son as a perfect sacrifice. “That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15 KJV), just as His Son had.

As already noted, God is fundamentally loving. He loves His Son. But not unlike His friend Abraham, “the father of multitude”. As is written,

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So, Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;” Genesis 12: 1-4a KJV.

Jesus Christ’s ministry and mission follow a similar pattern, beginning with the calling (who shall go on our behalf); obedience (here I am, send me LORD), and promise (I will bless or give). The parallel between Abraham, “the father of faith” and Jesus “the better Abraham” include the assurance that God would bless those who bless, the promise that through Abraham’s offspring – the entire world would be blessed – which is widely believed to refer to Jesus Christ, and the promise of a great nation, which is correctly interpreted as the nation of Israel (read the Church).

Based on the foregoing, it can be concluded that God’s love for His Son is concordant with His love for the world and for humanity. As His only begotten Son, God’s heart for many sons materialised through giving His only Son to redeem many sons and for Jesus, His only begotten Son to bring everything into completion. Thus,

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: | Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: | In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: | Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: | For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:| And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. | And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. | For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; | And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.| And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled | in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:” Colossians 1:12-22 KJV.

Amen.

Full Disclosure: Some of the motivation for writing this article was a conversation on learning the character of God I earlier had with Elder Eddie Smith. I am solely responsible for the views and accuracy of the material presented here.

Although the Church (with capital “C”) is a unit (i.e., it is universal), it’s localness has profound significance suggestive of the genius of The Master Builder, Who, as is written, says “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church [with lower case “c”]; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18 KJV

This congregational aspect of the church allows for accountability. A keen reading of the rich history of the church shows that gifts were given to and for the edification of the local church.

James, Jesus’s own brother and leader of the council of Jerusalem writes, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” James 5:14 KJV

Acknowledgement: An earlier version of this piece appeared in Know the Truth and Be Set Free Series

[Part One]

“Created in the image of God” is arguably the most sophisticated concept anyone can encounter in the Bible.

What does it mean ‘to be created in the image of’ The Almighty God; Bread of Life; Divine; I Am; The Alpha and Omega; Rose of Sharon; Truth; Word; Very God; Yahweh; Master; Highest Priest; Eternal; Elohim; Creator; Chief Cornerstone; ad finitum?

First, it could mean man’s intrinsic nature and character reflect Godliness. Hence, the idea of a “fallen man” makes a clear distiction between the original, God’s-creation; and the corrupt, evil and fallen man, Satan’s imitation.

Clearly, fallen man does not represent the image of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit. Alluding to this, in answering a bewildered Nicodemus Jesus responds; thus, “Verily, verily I say unto thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3 KJV

It is obvious from the above that the Fall included man loosing power of sight, which can only be restored through a radical renewal and tranformative process involving Justufication, Sanctification, and Redemption (JSR) for him to be able to see his perfect image again.

Relatedly, is the notion of taking your cross and following Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. With the righteous declaration that “I Am the way and the truth and the life,” (John 14:6) read together with “No one comes to the Father except through me,” the path to man’s restoration in the image of God is predetermined.

The implication is, worldly notions such as ‘seeking the truth’ or the ‘purpose of life’ are hollow lies of our “adversary the devil, [who like] as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8 KJV). Therefore, “be sober, be vigilant” (ibid.).

Secondly, it can mean that man is supposed to have chemistry with God. Hence the Levitical command, “… ye shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).

Acknowledgement: First published by the author in the Truth and Be Set Free Indeed Series.

To be continued ….. [Part Two]

The world offers finance, status and fame as pathways to independence and “freedom”. By grace, God offers eternal life and true freedom through faith in Jesus Christ alone expressed through His Body – the Church. These are the stuck choices we all face, the inner tension as it were. The cardinal rule of God’s Righteous Law says: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24 KJV

Acknowledgements: This piece was first published in the “Know the Truth and Be Set Free Series.”

Shalom Shabbat!

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 NIV

Over the course of the last several Sundays, the above verse found in Apostle Paul’s epistle to the church in Galatia has been referenced from the pulpit during Sunday sermons at my local church – Northside Community Church in Harare.

Coincidentally, it is the scripture verse that the Lord put in my heart during my water baptism. We were required to cite a scripture as soon as we came out of the water. And I remember reciting verse two of the twentieth chapter of Galatians.

Today, the Holy Spirit again quickened the same verse in my conscience as I laid inside the chamber of an MRI scanner. While it is no doubt one of my favorite verses, I now have better intuition of what it means.

As a believer, disciple and born-again follower and Ambassador of Christ and the Kingdom of God, I have no identity of my own. In other words, I was buried with him by baptism into death and now walk in newness of life having been raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father.

Some would say that is only positionally true. No, it is the truth. It is reality. And what is even more remarkable is that even the Registrar of Death and Birth in the country where I was born (Kenya) has not clue that the Kenneth Odero who was born into sin in Murang’a died, was buried and rose again. The evidence? There is no official record of death against my name, except in Heaven.

It is not only that I died, but as is written in Colossians my life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is my life, appears, then I also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:3-4 NIV paraphrased)

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8 NIV). Therefore, I can never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14 NIV)

Brethren, let us examine yourselves to see whether we are in the faith; test yourselves. Is Christ Jesus is in you?

The WORD challenges us (Romans 6:13) not to offer any part of ourselves to sin as an instrument of wickedness but rather offer ourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of ourselves to Him as an instrument of righteousness. Amen

“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ● Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 KJV

This was “The Call” to fallen humanity made by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, Immanuel, Redeemer, and Friend, to you and me.

True spiritual freedom begins when you and I individually respond positively to Jesus’ Call.

It is often said that the greatest aspiration for humans is “freedom” (liberty).

The Irishman George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), for instance, is remembered for his famous quote, “liberty is the breath of life to nations.” Similarly, the Indian lawyer Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, fondly remembered as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), stated, “freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”

The kind of Freedom God calls us to is entirely different from the type referred to in the above quotes. It involves “coming” to Jesus, “laying down” your heavy load, and “taking up” His burden.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring the Word to your remembrance, and that you will (by grace, through faith, in Jesus alone) henceforth live to experience True Freedom.

Here’s a decree written on the table of your heart: “If The Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36 KJV