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Alive in Christ.

REFLECTION

Strong faith is the theme for our reflection. Faith is defined in Hebrew 11:1 as “…the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The faith of a believer maybe strong or weak depending on the foundation or the source of his or her faith. Jesus certainly is the foundation or source of a strong faith.

Paul identifies things that makes a believer’s faith weak or ineffective. A believer’s faith becomes weak when he or she is taken “captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8) In other words, you cannot be a Christian and still dwell on worldly traditions and philosophies instituted by human beings and ascribed to other lesser spiritual beings. There many ways some Christians in the name of culture and traditions participate in pagan practices, hence partially holding believes that they had hitherto been rescued from through baptism and regeneration in Christ.

My dear friend, Paul explains the reason for which we must have strong faith only in Christ and nothing else. In Christ ” ….you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:11-16). Put in another away, our faith must be strong in Christ because He is the foundation of our faith and the source of our salvation.

The Advent season offers us another chance or opportunity to reflect on our faith in Christ. We are greatly encouraged by Paul that we have fully “received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6). Shalom.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, make our faith stronger in an era of temptations and tribulations so that we may continually embrace our salvation even as we await your second coming. Amen

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)