True Christians are not of this world, just as Jesus was not of this world. From the apostolic age to this very hour, a clarifying line must be drawn: those who claim material blessing as a mark of God’s favor are either deceived or deceivers. After his conversion, Paul demonstrated a radical devaluing of the flesh, and the same holds for all true Christians. We are called to renounce everything and follow Christ—whose path leads to the cross.
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” (Philippians 1:20–24 NIV)
Paul’s words apply to all who have received the Holy Spirit. The purpose of remaining in this world is to exalt Jesus, and this is possible only when we invalidate our attachment to physical life. Though Christ has withdrawn from visible sight, He still dwells among true Christians—those who allow Him to live freely within them. Therefore, Christians are set apart from the world, even as they are observed by the world. Just as Jesus’ purpose was sacrificial, so too is the purpose of every true Christian. We own nothing except the promise of the Kingdom of God. As Christ lived solely to do the Father’s will, so the true Christian lives solely to do God’s will.
The comfort found within denominational structures that affirm one’s own understanding is no proof of being with God. When Jesus said that only a few would enter through the narrow gate, He made it plain that comfort cannot be the companion of those pursuing God’s Kingdom. The majority who chase comfort cannot be counted among God’s people.
Large crowds were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? … In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.” (Luke 14:25–33 NIV)
This teaching leaves no room for ambiguity. True Christianity begins with forsaking everything—including one’s own life—to follow Christ. It is spiritually reckless to call oneself a Christian while disregarding these words. Jesus drove the point home with the parable of a king going to war unprepared. The sobering outcome urges every would-be disciple to grasp the magnitude of the commitment. The love of Christianity is palpable across humanity, yet so is a vast deception within it—one that most do not recognize.
Jesus warned of precisely this deception, for those with ears to hear. It is dangerous to depend on human figures rather than on Jesus Himself. Anyone can be converted through anyone, by anyone. But what the convert does after baptism has nothing to do with the one who facilitated the conversion. Those called into Christianity take their instructions directly from Jesus. No go-between is needed. If a convert remains tethered to the person who led them to repentance, they risk violating the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
Jesus alone is the author and finisher of our salvation. Having been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a believer enters communion with Christ. Listening to any voice other than His is hazardous. Christianity is not a casual matter, nor something one adopts for lack of anything better to do. It becomes the thing—above every other dream or pursuit this world can offer. What that thing looks like depends entirely on God. It leaves no room for envying others or for being used as a utility by someone else who is likewise called.
Christianity must not be confused with the mentorship models common in denominational circles, even as Paul mentored Timothy. Though Jesus spent time mentoring His disciples, the coming of the Holy Spirit changed everything. While Jesus walked with them, the disciples remained as carnally minded as anyone else. Paul, notably, was not present when Jesus gave the definitive word on this matter:
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant.” (Matthew 23:8–12 NIV)
These are not idle words. Jesus was addressing those who would become His followers. No human leader is implied. Every Christian answers directly to Jesus. If I am given the gift of teaching, then Christ teaches through me. The error lies in fixating on my personality and assuming Christ cannot speak through such a vessel. Yet if the words spoken are His, why attribute them to me? Conversely, if Satan speaks through me, why assume it is still Christ? The voice of Christ is clear to those who know His words.
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing … And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:12–17 NIV)
Notice how individually focused this passage is. The word “whoever” signals that each person who hears the gospel must make their own decision, uninfluenced by intermediaries. People perceive things differently, but that does not alter the actual words of Jesus. The comfort cultivated in denominational worship carries with it a deeply deceptive line of thought.
Some preachers are more charismatic than others; some denominations appear more effective. None of that has any bearing on the person in whom the Holy Spirit truly dwells. After baptism, a true Christian ceases to evaluate according to individual personalities. That person is a child of God, who hears God speaking through whomever He chooses at any given moment. The disguise may be eloquence or appearance, but that deceives only those who lack the Holy Spirit—the Spirit who grants willingness to learn and change.
“When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom … I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. … My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” (1 Corinthians 2:1–5 NIV)
Paul was not the charismatic figure many imagine. His message was that people should listen to Christ, not to personalities. The question is never about the vessel being used, but about the source of the message. Some take it upon themselves to evaluate speakers as if that were a spiritual gift; I am yet to be convinced such evaluators are sent by God. If evaluation is necessary, it should consist of measuring words against the words of Jesus.
The great concern now is the deception that has infiltrated Christianity from the very beginning. After His ascension, Jesus is often treated as though He has left the scene. Yet He is as present today as He was in the first century. He uses the despised of this world, just as He Himself was despised. A true Christian need not wonder whether he or she is God’s child. If the thought of death brings trepidation and you are unable to advance God’s truth without fear, then you are not yet His. This is why Jesus insisted on counting the cost (Luke 14:25–33).
Likewise, if you are attached to a personality you consider your spiritual leader, you are not living as a Christian. It may not be wrong to appreciate someone who offers spiritual insight, but you must be vigilant not to idolize them. Many loved Jesus for what they could get from Him rather than for what He said. Those fixated on personalities may not be true Christians at all. Clarity is essential to avoid the deception that entraps the unsuspecting. Safety lies in knowing where you stand and deciding from conviction, not popularity.
The one thing Jesus cannot tolerate is the mixture of two opinions in one heart.
“So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” (Revelation 3:16–17 NIV)
Deception arises from listening to voices other than the voice of Jesus. A true Christian understands the gravity of being deceived. Why would anyone blindly follow a criminal simply because it seems fashionable? Jesus was unmistakably clear about deception. Claiming to be a Christian does not make one a Christian. The truth rests in whether a person adopts the words of Jesus or not. Those who belong to Him do not doubt their conviction.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21–23 NIV)
There is no mistaken identity between Jesus and His own. They know Him, just as He knows them. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20). Perhaps the most blessed Christians are those who have already died without abandoning the faith. Those still living can truly be said to be with Christ, yet they still endure the pangs of living in the flesh while being God’s children. The majority in this world fall into deception through the sweeping trends of false Christianity. True Christians are not anxious about the behavior of others, nor about whether people agree with them. Their anchor is Christ alone.
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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