“We knew God before you”

“The gospel is so simple that small children can understand it, and it is so profound that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust its riches.” ‘Charles Hodge

“You can’t know God more than us, we were saved before you, we experienced his miracles before you and we were then like you now.” Worst of all …”you cannot teach us about God because we have been where you are, and you will find yourself where we are now”. I can attest that I heard the above statements countless times over the past years. At some point, it seemed as though knowing God and having a relationship with Him was a contest. Consequently, salvation was more of a sprint and the angels kept scores. There is nothing as worse as timing a ‘lesser person’s’ walk of faith and as a result this made me shy from testifying my experiences. Caught up in my feelings, one time a revelation came to me; the road to intimacy with Christ our Lord Jesus is an individual’s journey. Hence, to those that are called, chosen and believe in Him, He is a personal saviour. Thus, He stamps on it by telling Peter and the rest in Luke 18:29-30 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” I therefore believe that salvation is an intimate affair. Christ Jesus says “Come, Follow me.” To each of us, we have different trials, various needs, several difficulties and numerous struggles. Nonetheless, collectively we all meet at the cross. If salvation was based on who came first and so who is the greatest in the kingdom of God, then Grace and love would never apply. A child can be chosen by God as an instrument of choice for His purpose and not the parent who instructed him/her on the ways of the Lord. A congregant can display more faith than the preacher who stands on the pulpit every Sunday preaching to the congregation about the very same God. The scripture talks about Christians being like children. Matthew 18:3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. They are simplehearted and helpless. They trust their fathers for all the answers. So, whether you are a grown up or child, the kingdom of God has nothing to do with I knew Him first, thus I know Him better. I believe as it is in the scripture’s salvation is a gift Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Everything that I have come to be or to possess is not because I was/still is a ‘good Christian girl’; who exercised the fundamentals and the doctrines bestowed upon her ever since she was young. It had nothing with teachings of Christian formula that justified the means/end or equated to God’s blessings. Everything that I had before, today and in future, is attributed to the Faith I possess under the covenant of Grace. God’s work within us is different; hence, our unique giftings which results from the fruits we bear. When the Holy spirit is at work the question is in do you believe Him and are you serving Him? Its never about who ‘came first’ in His kingdom. David reminds us to testify of God’s goodness in Psalm 71:15-24 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long though I know not how to relate them all. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone. Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds. Even when I am old and grey, do not forsake me, my God till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honour and comfort me once more. I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you I whom you have delivered. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. Paul further reminds us that if we are to boast about our salvation then Galatians 6:14 May I 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.

So, to whoever believes that they know God better than others and that they have walked in the very same journey as others. Then, their faith dwindled and so will the rest of us. That’s okay. I am not at liberty to change minds or convince anyone, that’s the work of the Holy Spirit. I on the other hand will live a life exempted in Christ alone, I will testify and talk of his faithfulness.

The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me.

Psalm 116:6