A CHOICE FOR THE NEW YEAR

We ushered in the new year just a few days ago.  Hello 2026 and goodbye 2025. Now, at the start of the new year, it is a very good time to consider our spiritual condition and make some reflection.  

Before we were saved by obeying the gospel, Paul says, that we “were dead in trespasses and sins…that at that time you were without Christ … having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:1, 12). Now, we have the hope of eternal life (Titus 1:2). But the condition to inherit eternal life is that we need to be faithful till the end. Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Paul had fought for the truth, had not strayed from the course (the area where races are held) and fallen by the wayside, and had not fallen away. Paul encourages us to remain faithful, endure hardship, and finish our Christian race with steadfastness. The “crown of righteousness” given to us is simply a reward of eternal life.  

Paul likens the Christian life to running a race. What if we had fallen by the wayside and not finished the course? Peter has something to say regarding one who goes back to the world after they have been saved. He wrote, “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” (2 Peter 2:20-21). The people we encountered echo what Peter says here. 

Isn’t it common sense that one does not want to go back to one’s previous sinful life after having come to the knowledge of the truth? Maybe we need to take heed of Paul’s warning. Paul says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Does it tell you that you do not become confident in your faith, thinking that you are above temptation? Even if you are strong in the faith now, you can be overcome by sin. Remember, whenever you are overconfident, you are vulnerable to sin. Past successes do not guarantee future success. 

As such, it requires us to be humble and to constantly examine our spiritual state. Paul says, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV). Have you ever asked yourself if your life and actions are in line with the teaching of Christ? Or are you deceiving yourself that you are when in fact you are not? Ask yourself: Is your relationship with Christ genuine? Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). Do you reckon yourself dead to your past sinful way of life? Is Christ the source of your life, living and working through you? Is there any evidence of Christ living in you as manifested in your attitudes, actions and your faith?  

Now, how to tell if our faith is genuine? We all know that when life is good, we all seem to be faithful - faithful in attending services and Bible classes, active in church activities and doing benevolent works. We admit that God is good to us and it is good to be Christians. Maybe. But what about when you are grieved by various trials and when you are going through many tribulations? Will you start to doubt God and think if following Christ is really worth it? And what do I get out of this? 

We need to know the purpose of going through tribulations. Peter tells us the purpose of trials, “You have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). He says that God allows the trials in order to test the genuineness of one’s faith. By the way, genuine faith is far more precious than gold. Suffering is to refine one’s faith and when Jesus Christ is revealed, the one who has endured trials will be found worthy of praise, glory, and honour.

Of course, there are those who could not endure trials and fell away. Remember the seed sown on rocky ground in Jesus's parable of the Sower? What happened to them? Luke says, “But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away” (Luke 8:13). When faced with hardship, trial, or persecution, their shallow faith withered and caused them to abandon their faith. Maybe they have not truly counted the cost of discipleship. You see, genuine faith requires perseverance through trials, and a commitment to be faithful to the Lord.  

There is another group of believers who become unfruitful because of “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:22). Luke has it that they are “choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, they bring no fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14). The original word for “to choke” means “to suffocate." When one is suffocated, no oxygen can go to the brain, and one cannot think anymore! Maybe people left the church because other things had become more important than the church. Even for those who stay in the church, they are not bearing genuine spiritual fruit, because they are suffocated by worldly concerns. 

Jesus has something to say regarding believers not bearing fruit. In John 15, we learn that Jesus is the vine and believers are the branches (vs 5). The branch must bear fruit for God. If not, God will remove it (vs 2). What kind of fruit must one bear? This includes certain characteristics and good works which God has commanded us to produce. See for example, 2 Peter 1:5-8 on the Christian virtues. If these qualities are in one’s possession and one continues to grow in them, one will neither be barren or unfruitful. Also, see Colossians 1:10 where Paul says, “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” This refers to godly living, bearing fruit in all good works.

Jesus said, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (vs 6). One becomes unfruitful when the cares of the world, riches, pleasures of life, etc. choke the word. Then one stops to abide in Jesus and will be removed and burned. This happens on Judgement Day, when one will be cast out and burned. 

Thank God that we are reminded that there is another group of believers (who are represented by the good soil in the parable of the Sower) that “who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). The CSB renders it as, “who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.” To be the good soil, we must hear the word with an honest and good heart. Do not reject the word and receive the truth readily, just like the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). Be patient and do not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9). The fruit we must bear is obedience to the teachings of Christ. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Our top priority is God’s kingdom (the church) and living righteously. And labour abundantly for the Lord. “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). We need to persevere in our faith and service to the Lord, knowing that our labour has eternal value.

Which group of believers do we want to be? Everyone receives the same word, but the attitudes of our hearts might be different. To be the good soil or otherwise? The choice is yours to make. Joshua presented to the Israelites a stark choice before he died, “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell” (Joshua 24:15). We are encouraged by his choice and commitment to the Lord, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Ask Yourself:

1. What state was the Ephesian Christians in and the consequence of their state before they were saved? See Ephesians 2:2,12. Does this state apply to you before you were converted? Are you thankful that you are saved from the consequences of your sins?

2. What does Paul liken the Christian life to in 2 Timothy 4:7? Are you aware that you are in a race and there is a finish line for you to cross? Did you start well? Are you slowing down already?

3. In view of the message of this article, do you think you are on the right track, running towards the finish line of the course? Be honest with yourself. If you think you are not, what steps do you intend to take, starting from today, to rectify the spiritual situation you are now in? 

Suggested Answers:

1. They were spiritually dead in trespasses and sin, i.e., they were separated from God (Isaiah 59:2). The consequence is that they were without Christ, had no hope and without God in the world.

2. He likened the Christian’s life to running a race or competing in an athletic contest.