In this message, Pastor Thamo uses a very conversational approach in sharing his heart on the way forward for 2021. He asked that we view 2020 as the year of preparation and recalibration, but in 2021 we are to become polished and refined in our ways as the Church of Christ. 2021 Must also be seen as the beginning of years in which the Gospel must be preached to the whole world. For this to happen every true believer must become a witness of Jesus Christ and of the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Pastor Thamo uses this session to describe the type of person or corporate man that will become a witness, by describing the Spiritual Man. The Spiritual Man is a man who is governed both by the Spirit of God and the Word of God. “God is raising up a corporate man who has the Spirit and the Word. And when those two come together, we refer to that as Christ in you, the hope of Glory ” (Colossians 1:27) Thamo Naidoo.
The Spiritual Man is a corporate man made up of individuals. At the individual level, the Spiritual Man lives in a human body. The Spirit Man is a completely developed person according to Luke’s description of Jesus’s complete development. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men (Luke 2:52 NKJV).
This portion of scripture presents to us the four quadrants of complete development.
– Jesus increased in wisdom – intellectually
– Jesus increased in stature – physically
– Jesus increased in favour with God – spiritually
– Jesus increased in favour with men – socially
This verse becomes the bedrock upon which we should pursue our own development, i.e. every Christian must develop their intellectual levels, they must also acquire sound social skills in order to reach people. Equally, we must ‘grow up physically’ which means to take care of our bodies in order that we are healthy, hygienic, and well presented in appearance. We must also be led by the Spirit of God and be governed by the Word of God.
In the weeks to come Pastor Thamo will further unpack these matters through apostolic instruction.