Stubborn Christians

“BUT THEY refused to pay attention, stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry” (Zechariah 7:11-12).

We put on our best clothes to attend church meetings on Sundays and Saturdays. During praise and worship, we do all kinds of dance moves to thank God and express our gratitude to Him for His blessings, protection and guidance. Some dance to tease their so-called enemies or rivals while others do so to be noticed by their spouses or partners.

Many sit down to hear the Word of God preached and taught to them. And we pray everywhere with all prayer. The problem, however, is that the majority of us Christians refuse to do and obey the commands of God. We are very stubborn Christians with hardened hearts.  We disobey the holy commands of our God.

We behave the same way the congregation of Israel behaved toward the Word of God in the days of the early prophets. They would not gladly believe in God with all their hearts and obey His instructions even after seeing His great miraculous signs and wonders.

The people of Israel may not be blamed that much because they were not born again believers as Christians are. We are born again and so we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts; He helps us to obey God’s Word and bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fruitfulness, gentleness and self-control which form our Christ-like character.

Now, if we claim to have been translated from the kingdom of darkness into God’s glorious kingdom of light, thus qualifying us to be the light of the world, why then do we continue to be habitually stubborn and disobedient?

John, the apostle, wrote that the commandments of God are not burdensome for Christians (1 John 5: 3). Why then is it difficult for us to gladly do, obey and act the Word of God? Should it be taken that we are not sincerely born again or that we are simply stubborn and disobedient people?

You may ask: in what ways are we stubborn and disobedient? Firstly, has not our holy God commanded us not to indulge in sexual immorality? Yet, the majority of us do not obey Him. We commit adultery, fornication, incest, sodomy and even bestiality.

We also watch pornographic materials; indulge in lasciviousness, and engage in lustful conversations. Today, sexual relationships involving unmarried people seem to be sinless. It appears there is no fear of God in us anymore.

Secondly, we are commanded to forgive and love one another, but we refuse to forgive those who offend us and let go of the hurt. We habour bitterness and anger against God’s commands.

Thirdly, many pastors today do not obey the instructions of the Lord Jesus Christ to teach believers HIS COMMANDS (Matthew 28: 19- 20). They do their own things. Some teach accounting principles, psychological keys and motivational rules with little commands of Jesus Christ to spice them up.

They claim they want their members to prosper financially. Others tell stories about popular biblical characters like David, Job, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to excite people. They deceive unsuspecting believers with empty words.

However, there are a number of honest pastors who humbly obey the Lord; they win souls, baptize and teach them the doctrines and precepts of Jesus Christ. They preach the full gospel with an innate desire to get the flock under them to first know and grow in Christ, guide them to prosper financially and be in good health. Their primary purpose in ministry is to present believers mature in Christ on the last day.

Fourthly, Christ’s servants are instructed to, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay (Matthew 10: 8)? But what do we see and hear about this today? We see and hear ministers charging believers all manner of fees?

At a revival service in Kumasi, a few years ago, an Apostle ordered a sick person to pay Ghȼ5000 before he could pray for him. Was that not a rebellious act committed by a stubborn minister?

Finally, we are expected to read and meditate in the Word of God, but we disregard all of these things. You agree with me that we are very stubborn Christians. Stubbornness opens us up for satanic attacks and prevents our prayers from being heard.

It is high time all of us Christians repented of our stubbornness, pleaded God’s mercy and the blood of Jesus Christ in solemn prayers and return to Him with a renewed commitment.

By James Quansah