
What if the Christian life came in packages to suit different people’s needs and preferences, just like businesses offer plans to suit different pockets and preferences? DSTv, for example, offers Premium, Compact, Compact plus, Yanga plans among others. Netflix offers Mobile, Basic, Standard and Premium plans so everyone can hopefully find a suitable plan and watch their favourite movies and series. If mankind is smart enough to know that there are varied needs and capacities, why wouldn’t the all-knowing God have customized solutions or bespoke plans for the Christian life. Maybe we could have Christian life – Pro Max edition, Premium edition, Basic edition, and Lite edition. We can throw in a Standard edition also. I reckon we would encourage the men and women of God to go for the Premium edition or Pro Max edition because of the responsibilities involved. Those Christians who always want to make the rest of us appear like carnal people would surely be using the Basic or Standard edition while the rest of us will be okay with something light and grab the Lite edition. At least it still comes with a lot of the basic features like going to church on Sundays and some allowance for carnal living. It would also be best suited for those who are not able to commit fully to the demands of the Christian life. How convenient that would be, for us to be able to choose the Christian life that suits our preferences. We would even have the option of an upgrade or downgrade to other packages at our convenience. Isn’t God so loving and accommodating, can’t we see that? Lite edition Christians would be looking out for special promos where they can enjoy the benefits of the Pro Max or Premium edition without any additional commitment. Yes, everyone loves special offers.
Jesus said “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24). Those words don’t have any criterion, meaning it applies to everyone that comes to him. No wonder he urged his disciples to count the cost and be sure that they really wanted to follow Him (Luke 14:28). I believe Jesus is saying, you are either following me or you are not. You are either with me or you are not. I am either your Lord or not. There are no middle grounds, no compromises, and no waivers. An essential attribute of the Christian life is commitment to life in Christ, living life on His terms and not ours. Commitment to Christ is a lifelong, deliberate and conscious venture for the child of God. If you are a Christian, it means you have sold your life to Him and have decided to love Him with all your heart, your soul, all your strength and with all your mind. It means He is the number one priority in your life and every other thing about you revolves around Him.
God has only one package for us – one that requires absolute commitment from us and offers us the abundant life. The same package is available to the bishop and the new believer. Its responsibilities are the same for every child of God and so are its benefits. …Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life (Matt. 19:29).