Sijo Chemmannur
Member
"He hath broken down the middle wall of partition" (Ephesians 2:14)
Many parts of the world are suffering from partition. Barriers of all sorts. Racial, religious, economic, ethnic, culture and even gender discrimination are surfacing up in an unprecedented way than never before. Development of ISIS (Islamic state), discrimination of people depending on their nationality and ethnicity proves the existence of big gigantic middle walls, which put partitions and barriers in the minds of people in the twenty first century. Most of the time the building blocks of these walls are made up of selfishness, which emerge as hatred and greed.
Selfishness originates from the love of the world. Scripture categorically denounced the love of the world. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Thus, selfishness is purely ungodly to a Christian. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit" (Philippians 2:3). Where there is selfishness; violence, extremism and fanaticism become ways and weapons of implementing evil doings. "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice" James 3:16). Jesus Christ tried to address this core issue of human nature and proclaimed that "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
What should we do about it? How we address it personally? An anonymous Christian thinker once said, 'Christian life is a relentless fight against human instincts'. Understanding the persona of Jesus Christ as a human being is an embodiment of God's fight against human nature in its flesh. It was an establishment of the ideology that once Jesus Christ dwells in us, there is a chance to fight against the human desires and attain the state of holiness before God. "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" (Hebrew 2:18). This is the assurance Jesus Christ gives us. He asks 'Are you tempted daily?, I have gone through it and succeeded. Follow me'.
Through the sufferings and sacrifice, Jesus Christ rendered an opportunity to be near to God and His nature rather than to be abide in the human nature. "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (Ephesians 4:14). The partition that separated human nature with the nature of God. He abolished the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace (Ephesians 4:15). We are becoming the partakers of God's house hold.
How we can afford partition among us? God propose a philosophical concept of world as a single big country. All people are its citizens with equal rights. Nobody is superior than the other. Let us imbibe the notion of Love over hatred. Let us start value others greater than ourselves (Philippians 2:3).
Many parts of the world are suffering from partition. Barriers of all sorts. Racial, religious, economic, ethnic, culture and even gender discrimination are surfacing up in an unprecedented way than never before. Development of ISIS (Islamic state), discrimination of people depending on their nationality and ethnicity proves the existence of big gigantic middle walls, which put partitions and barriers in the minds of people in the twenty first century. Most of the time the building blocks of these walls are made up of selfishness, which emerge as hatred and greed.
Selfishness originates from the love of the world. Scripture categorically denounced the love of the world. "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Thus, selfishness is purely ungodly to a Christian. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit" (Philippians 2:3). Where there is selfishness; violence, extremism and fanaticism become ways and weapons of implementing evil doings. "For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice" James 3:16). Jesus Christ tried to address this core issue of human nature and proclaimed that "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
What should we do about it? How we address it personally? An anonymous Christian thinker once said, 'Christian life is a relentless fight against human instincts'. Understanding the persona of Jesus Christ as a human being is an embodiment of God's fight against human nature in its flesh. It was an establishment of the ideology that once Jesus Christ dwells in us, there is a chance to fight against the human desires and attain the state of holiness before God. "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" (Hebrew 2:18). This is the assurance Jesus Christ gives us. He asks 'Are you tempted daily?, I have gone through it and succeeded. Follow me'.
Through the sufferings and sacrifice, Jesus Christ rendered an opportunity to be near to God and His nature rather than to be abide in the human nature. "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (Ephesians 4:14). The partition that separated human nature with the nature of God. He abolished the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace (Ephesians 4:15). We are becoming the partakers of God's house hold.
How we can afford partition among us? God propose a philosophical concept of world as a single big country. All people are its citizens with equal rights. Nobody is superior than the other. Let us imbibe the notion of Love over hatred. Let us start value others greater than ourselves (Philippians 2:3).
