Easter is not just a ritual for Christian celebrations of the risen Christ but it is a significant time for reflection and a check on our attitudes if we are being fair to Christ’s massive sacrifices for us.
Isaiah 53:4-7 says “Surely our griefs He bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we esteemed Him stricken. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his way, But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, and yet He did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.
All His sufferings, pains, agonies, disgrace, and poverty were embraced because of His deep love for mankind. He never deserves all of these. It will therefore be wicked for Christians to go back to the very things for which Christ died. It is therefore significant to remind the over 70% of Christians in Ghana to lead a life of REPENTANCE after this Easter celebration, have a renewed mindset, and never go back to the very things that Christ suffered and died for. There should be a new relationship since the bloodshed on the Cross has brought us into a closer relationship with God.
Because of this, Christians should be serious and authentic: they should come out from the greed, corruption, and taking of bribes as if they don’t receive salaries and be content with what they have and receive; stop the nepotism, hatred, dishonesty, envy and all types of wickedness. Christians cannot claim to be praying and worshipping God when they consistently live a life of sin which is hypocrisy and makes the suffering and death of Christ on the Cross of no value.
This is the time for Christians to showcase the sincerity of their faith in Christ by being honest, hardworking, people of integrity, selfless in work both in public and private service and to show that they love the Lord Jesus Christ by loving their neighbors as themselves by bringing Truth to every domain of life. 1 Peter 2:24 says “And He bore our sin in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by his wounds you are heald Now, through the Resurrection of Christ, Satan and his agents have been defeated and finished. It’s time to have newing of mind and come out of the animistic minds that Satan is powerful and so duly recognized in all activities of Christians including their prayers and fasting. Yes, he is present but where is the Spirit and power of the resurrected Christ? Again death is finally defeated after the Resurrection! The one who holds the key to death and life is Christ. This time serious-minded Christians should not allow fake pastors and prophets to put fear into people for them to consistently live in the fear of death. Henceforth as people live right in Obedience to the Word of God, they can enjoy the liberties and abundance in Him through the Resurrection, mediocrity, laziness, corrupt practices of manipulation, cheating, taking advantage of people, especially the vulnerable, and thievery are to be removed from one’s life.
Christians should rather use their positions, offices, and influences to demonstrate their love for God as they give themselves to serve one another and mother Ghana🇬🇭 through sacrifices, selflessness, and working in excellence in their marriage and family lives, places work, businesses, social relationships to the glory of God. Ghana is blessed and our manpower needs and leaders should be made up of people who are godly and fear God to be a blessing for the Development and Transformation of our societies and Not selfish and greedy ones! Christians through the Resurrection power of the Holy Spirit should arise and come out of their Cathedrals, temples, and Churches and make the suffering and death of Christ more meaningful through our right godly mindsets and attitudes in our homes, workplaces, and market squares. Wishing you all a blessed and happy Easter!
Christopher Ampadu. Ph.D. is tthe the Executive Director of Africa Centre for the Study of Worldviews and Wholistic Development of Society.
Tel: 0208116443