Satan’s chief ambition in this world is to assault human dignity. Early in His ministry, Jesus encountered that same destructive force when Satan confronted Him three times in an effort to undermine His identity and mission. The Gospels make clear that the adversary did not relent, seizing every opportunity to advance his cause—culminating in the agony of Gethsemane and the humiliation of the crucifixion. Jesus endured all this on behalf of humanity, showing what every person may face and, by following His example, can overcome.
Yet the most attention-grabbing things in our world rarely have anything to do with life-giving goodness. News outlets thrive on calamity; they fill their headlines with troubling stories because that is what keeps them in business. Witchcraft, corruption, rape, misogyny and every other evil dominate the news cycle, attracting far more interest than anything wholesome. The worse the news, the healthier the industry’s bottom line—editors and journalists know where their bread is buttered. What does this mean for ordinary people?
In boarding schools, those who openly read the Bible or pray are often mocked, while those steeped in promiscuity, drugs and alcohol are celebrated. Skipping class strikes some as clever; they discover amusement in wrongdoing rather than in good. This does not mean they cannot recognize goodness—it simply means that vice appears more alluring. I have met people who recall their troublesome youth with pride, as though wickedness possessed more charm than virtue, leaving behind a sense of hopelessness.
Human beings, made in the image of God, are essentially good, just as God is good. The Bible addresses human wickedness head-on, aiming to restore the dignity that was lost. Its stories trace a line of individuals who guide the way to righteousness, culminating in Jesus. Physically, Adam is regarded as the first man and, like other chosen ones, communed directly with God. His story unfolds in the first four chapters of Genesis. In the account of Cain and Abel, God appears to favor Abel, and Cain’s murder of his brother signals the erosion of human dignity.
Strangely, God did not protect Abel from violence, nor did He punish Cain immediately. After Abel came Enoch. Scripture says little about Enoch except that he walked with God, yet like others before him he stood apart and was likely unpopular among his contemporaries. Enoch lived far fewer years than most of his generation—much like Abel—as if this world was never meant for him. Scriptures reveal that God Himself determines the lifespan of those He sets apart.
Next came Noah, and for the first time God’s favor extended to the family of the chosen one, against the rest of humanity. Even so, Noah was probably disliked by his community. To those who embraced wrongdoing, Noah was an odd, outdated old man. Being associated with him back then might have been awkward, even though he was righteous and blameless. This reflects a timeless human tendency. Others may have appeared more devout, but they were merely variations of the same qualities that defined Noah.
Although Peter calls Noah “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), Noah never attempted to convert anyone. He simply obeyed God, building the ark exactly as instructed. If he preached at all, it was through his righteous example. Noah was not commanded to preach, and his actions were so unusual that ordinary people could not understand him. God’s chosen ones follow His instructions rather than inventing activities He has not commanded.
God did not shield favored Abel from murder, and Enoch’s life was cut short, yet Noah and his family survived to restart civilization after the flood—though wickedness eventually resurfaced among his descendants. The next of God’s favorites was Abram, later called Abraham. Like Noah, he was not told to preach, only to follow God’s commands.
Abraham was directed to a foreign land chosen by God. Ordinary human beings lived by their own standards: some chose extreme wickedness, others lived ethically, guided by God’s natural laws. Though not among the chosen, some still possessed a form of dignity that kept them connected to Him. For ordinary humans, lifespan depended on their degree of righteousness or wickedness—righteousness brought longevity, wickedness shortened it.
For God’s chosen, however, lifespan was determined solely by Him, even when He permitted their death, as with Abel. No one could harm them without His consent. Abraham’s story weaves throughout the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, eventually leading to the birth of Jesus. From God’s favored line came many others, including Moses. These figures were prophets—some not even recorded in the Bible—and kings were also numbered among God’s favorites, depending on the level of their relationship with Him.
Job, for instance, was one of God’s favorites though he was not descended from Abraham. This shows that such favorites have existed across history, even when Scripture does not name them. What sets them apart is a steadfast commitment to follow God alone. While others may choose to obey or ignore God’s laws and face the consequences, God’s favorites are not defined by those laws. Many Christians miss this distinction, often mixing the two groups together.
False teaching frequently arises from failing to separate God’s favorites from the generality of people made in His image. From Abel to John the Baptist, Christians are counted among God’s favorites—yet being a Christian is something greater than any who came before.
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist, yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11 NIV).
Christians are not separate from Jesus, but it is vital to define clearly what Christianity truly means. Confusion sets in when ordinary individuals are blended with God’s chosen. As humans, God does not view us all the same way—it depends on how we live and treat one another. The most important distinction was revealed by Jesus Himself:
“When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:38-40 NIV).
Clearly, those praised for their hospitality are not identical with His brothers and sisters—the ones helped by the righteous. The ones being welcomed are not Christians, for Jesus’ brothers and sisters are identified as God’s favorites. Being a favorite is not a matter of human choice; it is God’s choice, rooted in His knowledge of a person’s character. From Abel to John the Baptist, God’s favorites were led directly by Him. They did not choose God—He chose them. The same is true for genuine Christians from all backgrounds, beginning with the apostles:
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you” (John 15:16 NIV).
Being chosen is nothing to boast about, for it normally comes with a specific purpose. Unfortunately, even those who follow God can sometimes drift from godly principles. John the Baptist was greater than anyone before him, yet the manner of his death confuses those who do not grasp the difference between God’s chosen and ordinary people. Before the Holy Spirit was given, even the disciples struggled to understand these mysteries; expecting ordinary people to do so is unrealistic. Christians are urged to stay alert against the formidable enemy who never stops seeking to spread harm among God’s people. Jesus spoke directly to His disciples about this reality, pointing out their lack of awareness about the assault on human dignity.
Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. (Matthew 20:20-24 NIV)
The two brothers were full of passion, inspired by their mother, but they did not understand that overcoming sin is impossible without God’s help. Every person naturally leans toward sin, and those disciples had not chosen Jesus on their own. For most, godliness holds little appeal. Many churchgoers who appear devout—reading Scripture, attending services—are often driven by personal motives rather than surrender to God’s will.
While that may not be true of everyone, it applies to many. True Christianity is among the least popular ways to live, much like the days of Noah and the prophets who were ignored in their own time. It is not about labels like Methodist or Catholic; true Christians follow God’s direct leading. God speaks to them in personal ways, setting them apart, even though some demonstrate genuine commitment to His Word. This is why Jesus spoke in parables—to protect those unready from carelessly stumbling into the truth.
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (Mark 4:10-12 NIV)
Charlatans within Christianity attempt to alter the Scriptures as if to rewrite the Bible, yet they cannot grasp how or why “they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” (Mark 4:12 NIV). It seems God works with those who remain true to who they are, rather than those who pretend to be something they are not.
Paul was genuine in his mission to persecute the Church when God called him. Not everything is intended for everyone. The disciples did not recognize their unique calling straightaway and could have walked away, but they gave up everything to follow Christ—though Judas later failed. That is why Jesus spoke in parables, to safeguard ordinary people.
The true self He came to redeem is spiritual, and anyone unwilling to release their grip on material things cannot truly follow Him. This is why He warned against discipleship without complete surrender (Luke 14:25-33). The Church’s mission is to preach the gospel so that those who repent may be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. Yet a danger exists: if someone repents, receives the Spirit and later turns away, they invite condemnation. Jesus therefore urged counting the cost.
“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31-32 NIV).
What is ultimately sacrosanct is not the human person of Jesus in isolation, but the Holy Spirit. This is what Trinitarian thinking has consistently failed to comprehend. The Holy Spirit bears the divine image, an image restored to anyone who acknowledges being a child of God. To spurn God’s Spirit is to forfeit the chance of recovering one’s true identity—the very identity Adam and Eve lost in the Garden.
Without the Holy Spirit, a person might be safe from the risk of blaspheming Him. Without the Spirit, a person may be as good as any other creature in this world. But for those who have received the Holy Spirit, the Book of Hebrews issues a sober warning: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left” (Hebrews 10:26 NIV). This highlights a bigger disaster—the erosion of human dignity.
For many, what is wrong feels more tempting than what is good, and some are even ashamed to be seen holding a Bible. That is how deeply humanity has fallen from dignity. People who live unethically often feel more at ease around others who do the same rather than identifying with those who walk uprightly, making it hard to break free from sinful habits.
Only God’s grace through Jesus can truly save, as He works through those He chooses according to His will. Any other route to salvation will fail. This decline in dignity manifests as shame, pride, and fear. Shame and pride can be overcome through confession, while fear is defeated by knowing you are a child of God, safe in the redemptive work of Jesus.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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