Christianity is about restoring humanity to the original state intended by God at creation. This is an enormous challenge that’s unlikely to appeal to a world on a misguided path. Jesus faced strong resistance, not from deliberate malice, but from the belief that the status quo didn’t need change. The teachers of the law became the main opponents, convinced they were already right with God, unaware that the physical nature had to be transformed for humanity to truly align with Him.
Jesus often highlighted the contrast between the values that drive the world and the principles that define God’s Kingdom. He urged people to stay connected to the true source of life by living out His teachings. It is easy to become entangled in the confusion created by tradition and powerful systems, which leave people vulnerable. Life can sometimes feel like a trap, but one of its greatest strengths is the ability to distinguish truth from lies.
In Zimbabwe, some of the most pressing challenges arise from questionable occult influences that have crept into Christianity. Many people place more trust in these influences than in reason—a reality clearly seen in some of the prominent white‑garment Madzibaba sects. It is surprising how even highly educated individuals are drawn to such beliefs, where mystical miracles often appear more compelling than logic. While a lack of education might seem the obvious cause, even those with advanced degrees in education engage in Spiritism. Ignorance remains a major barrier to progress.
Without self‑awareness, people born into a confused world tend to follow whatever the crowd believes. Many see God as separate from themselves, yet Genesis 1:27 declares that humans are made in God’s image. This truth is clear to those who sincerely seek Him. Such individuals can enjoy a close relationship with God because His image is reflected in their very being—a reality affirmed in the New Testament.
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19‑20, NIV).
Scripture teaches that humanity’s original identity was found in God, but this was lost in the Garden of Eden. Jesus came to restore that identity to those willing to return, though it requires the difficult choice of giving up everything we hold dear. Helping someone who is deeply confused can be tough, since identity is such an intrinsic part of who we are.
The moment we see God as separate from ourselves, we lose touch with our true identity and become spiritually adrift. Genesis 1:27 points to the “I AM” within each person—the reflection of God—which is the starting point for renewal. Those who live in lies cannot truly appreciate being identified with God.
Many assume that God values submission to human authority above all, but the Bible shows that Jesus never bowed to such authorities; He followed only His Father in heaven. With that mindset, it becomes easier to avoid being led astray by corrupt leaders who pose as Christians. In a deceptive world, goodness is often misdefined as obedience to false authorities. Humanity’s pull toward idolatry is unmistakable, just as the Israelites once demanded human leaders instead of submitting to God.
They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you” (1 Samuel 8:5‑8, NIV).
Human suffering persists as long as idolatry remains. Today, modern forms of idolatry can be seen in mystic Spiritism. Many people mistakenly link godliness with mysticism—a belief not unlike that of the Baal‑worshipping Israelites. The Prophet Elijah faced great challenges when dealing with such unbelievers.
“At noon, Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention” (1 Kings 18:27‑30, NIV).
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:6‑8, NIV).
Many Zimbabwean Christians proudly describe their nation as prayerful, having prayed for leaders like Mugabe and now Mnangagwa since 1980. They often see these leaders as gifts from God while avoiding personal responsibility. The issue is not prayer itself, but rather which god they are addressing—many seem unaware of the true God.
Like the followers of Baal, they believe they have God’s favor while backing corrupt leaders. Just as Baal’s worshippers condemned Elijah for speaking the truth, the same happens today when leaders are idolized under the pretense of honoring God.
Perhaps the rarest and most dangerous challenge is urging people to embrace being God‑like—a truth that nearly cost Jesus His life. Though unpopular, Jesus stood firm in this reality, a message still rejected by those who have yet to discover their true identity.
“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?” (John 10:33‑36, NIV).
For those who sincerely want to follow God, the first step is to understand that knowledge comes before redemption. For instance, Jesus gave Christians a model for prayer, often called the “Lord’s Prayer”—a title given out of piety, yet intended for it to be ours. It might have been described that way to honor God while avoiding a direct identification with Him. Jesus never explicitly claimed this as “His” prayer, but offered it to us to adopt as our own.
Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, but this prayer does not align with the beliefs of those who follow theologians’ ideas—claiming Jesus is part of a Trinity instead of being one of us. In Jesus, we have a brother who showed us the way to the Father, the one true God of the universe.
“The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God” (1 John 3:8‑9, NIV).
Possibly, many theologians believe the phrase “because they have been born of God” should be removed. Born of what, exactly? Seen as blasphemous, this could even lead to expulsion from a denomination. Their concern makes sense—how could someone of poor character claim to be born of God?
This idea seems intended to elevate Jesus as holy while casting His followers as unholy. It stems from a lack of understanding of one’s identity as a Christian. The very foundation of Christianity lies in the identity of Jesus, and no other Scripture in the Bible so clearly defines the identity of God’s Church as the following:
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah” (Matthew 16:13‑20, NIV).
In a patriarchal society, there is often an assumption that God values obedience to other people above obedience to Him. Yet God clearly stated, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Jesus set the example by never placing anyone’s authority above that of His Father. The apostle John echoed this truth as well:
“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world, we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:17‑21, NIV).
Rather than focusing on personalities, it’s important to recognize that it’s the lies that have dragged our country into such a shameful state. Leaders were never meant to be idolized—not even parents. That is why Paul tells children to obey their parents in the Lord (Ephesians 6:1). Parents should not be followed when they go against God’s laws. Zimbabwe’s downfall lies in submitting to an unprincipled government, with many appearing more comfortable with lies than with truth.
I once blamed the opposition for the 2013 election mess, but looking back, the real issue is that the public is more at ease with deception than honesty. If Morgan Tsvangirai had refused to take part in what was clearly a sham election, it would probably have ended his political career—people would have turned against him for standing for the truth.
That is why, in 2017, crowds marched hoping for change by unconstitutionally removing Robert Mugabe. It is baffling how a nation of highly educated, self‑proclaimed Christians can be so easily misled. Ordinary citizens shy away from taking responsibility in governance, preferring instead to pile all the blame on ZANU‑PF. It is important to grasp exactly what Christ meant when He gave the following instructions to His disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:13‑15, NIV).
If Christians do not open themselves to change, the country will continue down a path of human suffering. Too many people find comfort in believing that peace comes from conforming to falsehood rather than truth. Those who choose to live apart from God should turn back before it is too late. You cannot truly be Christian while standing for what is false.
It’s easy to see why sticking to falsehoods can feel safer—challenging lies often means being seen as an enemy. The recent removal of Jessie Majome from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission is a clear example. Even though her report confirmed what was already public knowledge, some still accuse her of defying “authority.” Instead of seeing God as the ultimate source of truth, many “Christians” regard Mnangagwa as the true “authority,” worthy of honor.
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.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
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