- English By:
- Tòmíwá Olúyínká
- Yoruba By:
- Kelani Omótóyòsí
Written by Tòmíwá Olúyínká
In Nigerian culture, a King doesn’t just become a King even if he is born into royalty. There are certain rites he must go through before he is officially crowned one. When he completes those rites, he becomes a new man with a new identity that his community respects. Because of this, he abandons his old ways and adopts the mannerisms and thinking of his new self.
Newness in Christ is like that, too. Before Christ, you were ordinary. Death could hold you, sin could pull you in any direction, and you followed. In Bible parlance, you were a slave.
But God looked at you and knew a man created in His image could not be ordinary. So He gave you His son, and together with Christ, you received an invite into the most important rite of passage on earth — the death, burial and resurrection with Christ. Now, a new life is in you. (Romans 6: 4)
This means you are no longer a slave to sin. You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation. You have the life-giving Spirit.
Pastor Ayo Adebisi taught the church how we can walk in this reality, this new life, daily.
Firstly, you have to be aware of your identity. The weight of your past life should not be a burden on you. You must let go, because God has declared you forgiven; agree with him and put off the old ways. Most importantly, stay connected to Christ every day, renewing your mind with His words. This way, you’ll always have peace of mind, divine direction, and you’ll be transformed by the power of His Spirit.
When walking in the newness of life, you’re not just testing the waters; you’re fully in it. It means that every day you’re saying “no” to sin and saying “yes” to the Spirit within you because you know who you are.
Have you found yourself going back to your old pleasures? Do you feel like you’ve stopped walking in the newness of Christ? Is sin and past guilt making you draw away from Christ?
Your salvation has not failed. You do not need a new rite of passage. Christ has completed it. All you have to do is to clasp your hand in His and keep walking in the Newness of Life.
Experience the full sermon here.
Written by Tòmíwá Olúyínká
Written by Kelani Omótóyòsí
Ní àṣà orile ede Naijiria, ọba kì í di ọba, bó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé a bí i sínú ìdílé ọba. Àwọn ìṣe àti àṣà pàtàkì kan wà tí ó gbọ́dọ̀ la kọjá kí a tó fi adé dé orí rẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ọba. Nígbà tí ó bá parí gbogbo àwọn ìṣe wọ̀nyí, ó di ènìyàn tuntun pẹ̀lú ìdánimọ̀ tuntun tí àwon ara ilu rẹ̀ bọ́wọ̀ fún. Nítorí èyí, yi ó fi ìwà atijọ́ rẹ̀ sílẹ̀, yi ó sì gba ìhùwàsí àti ìrònú tuntun tí ó bá ipo tuntun rẹ̀ mu.
Ìgbà òtun nínú Kristi rí bẹ́ẹ̀ náà. Ṣáájú Kristi, o jẹ́ ẹniyan lasan. Ikú lè di ọ mú, ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ sì lè fa ọ sí ibikíbi, ìwọ náà á sì tẹ̀lé. Ní ọ̀rọ̀ Bíbélì, ẹrú ni ìwọ jẹ́.
Ṣùgbọ́n Ọlọ́run wo ọ, ó sì mọ̀ pé ènìyàn tí a dá ní àwòrán Rẹ̀ kò lè jẹ́ ẹni lasan. Nítorí náà, ó fi omọ rẹ̀ fún ọ, àti pẹ̀lú Kristi, o gba ìpè sí ìṣẹ̀lẹ̀ pàtàkì jùlọ lórí ayé — ikú, ìsìnkú àti àjíǹde pẹ̀lú Kristi. Ní báyìí, ìyè tuntun wà nínú rẹ. (Roomu ori kefa ese kerin)
Èyí túmọ̀ sí pé ìwọ kì í ṣe ẹrú ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ mọ́. Ìwọ jẹ́ olu-alufa, orílẹ̀-èdè mímọ́. O ní Ẹ̀mí tí ń fún ni ní ìyè.
Alufa Ayo Adebisi kọ́ ìjọ bí a ṣe lè rìn nínú òtítọ́ yìí, ìyẹn ìyè tuntun yìí, lojoojúmọ́. L’akókó, o gbọ́dọ̀ mọ ẹni tí o jẹ. Ẹrù ìgbé ayé rẹ àtijọ́ kò gbọ́dọ̀ di àjàgà lórí rẹ. O gbọ́dọ̀ yanda re, nítorí Ọlọ́run ti sọ pé a ti dárí jì ọ; gba pẹ̀lú rẹ̀, kí o sì fi ìwà àtijọ́ sílẹ̀. Pátáki jùlọ, máa bá Kristi wà ní ìbáṣepọ̀ lojoojúmọ́, kí o máa tún ọkàn rẹ ṣe pẹ̀lú ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀. Nípa bẹ́ẹ̀, ìwọ yóò máa ní àlàáfíà inú, ìtọ́sọ́nà Ọlọ́run, a ó sì yí ọ padà nípa agbára Ẹ̀mí rẹ̀.
Nígbà tí o bá ń rìn nínú ìgbe ayé tuntun, kì í ṣe pé o kan ń telè wò; o ti wọ inú rẹ̀ patapata. Ó túmọ̀ sí pé lọ́jọ́ gbogbo, o ń sọ ‘rárá’ sí ẹ̀ṣẹ̀, o sì ń sọ ‘béẹ̀ ni’ sí Ẹ̀mí tí ó wà nínú rẹ, nítorí pé o mọ ẹni tí ìwọ jẹ́.
Ṣé o ti rí ara rẹ̀ pé o ń padà sí àwọn ìfẹ́ ayé rẹ̀ àtijọ́? Ṣé o ń rí i pé o ti dáwọ̀ dúró nínú rírìn ní ìgba tiintun nínú Kristi? Ṣé ẹ̀ṣẹ̀ àti ẹ̀bi ìgbà àtijọ́ ń jẹ́ kí o yà kúrò lọ́dọ̀ Kristi?”
Ìgbàlà rẹ kò tíì kùnà. O kò nílò ìṣe ìgbésẹ tuntun kankan. Kristi ti parí rẹ̀. Gbogbo ohun tí o nílò ni láti di ọwọ́ rẹ mu kí o sì máa rìn nínú ìyè igba otun.
E wo iwasu lekun rere nibi.
Written by Kelani Omótóyòsí
