The Commodity of Our Trade

The word "commodity" stands for a "useful thing", especially an article of trade. In the household, there are commodities like pots, pans, etc that are very important and useful. In business, there are also useful things that a trader displays to his customers that make him different from others, unique and trustworthy. By commodity of trade, we mean those things that are employed to see to that we progress in life, whether in business, at home or in ministry.

Progress is indispensable in every aspect of life, whether spiritual, physical, material, economic or social. It is also necessary for the success of any human endeavour that has some set target to be achieved. In our Christian race, the Bible sets out the required standard of life as exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ (John.13:14, 15). Every true believer therefore should seek to be like Jesus (our model) in faith, love, humility, meekness, patience, kindness, understanding, purity, power, etc (Mtt.10:25; 1Pt.2:21), and. any person, who is thus seeking, should determine to improve day by day.

Just as a businessman or a householder tries to see that his business or home progresses on daily basis, God also expects every Christian to progress in ministry without fail. In business, the owner tries to provide or supply quality products at the right time to his customers in order to win their confidence and friendship. He tries to understand his customers for who they are, and they equally do the same to him, so as to maintain good customer relationship. Also, since truth is the basis of every trust, business owners do all they can to tell their customers the truth to make them have confidence in them and their products.

In the same hand every Christian is positioned by Jesus Christ as a channel of blessing to all people through whose godly characters others will be attracted to the things of God. Through the Bible, He set out the standard for every Christian and by implication, every believer in Jesus Christ should seek to be like Him in faith, love, humility, meekness, patience, kindness, understanding, purity, power, etc (Matthew 10:25; 1 Peter 2:21). This daily improvement is known as progress. One is said to be making progress in any endeavour when, in that endeavour, one is advancing, improving, moving forward or becoming better.

In other words, spiritual progress is improvement or advancement in spiritual life i.e. one becoming better in faith, righteousness, love, humility, prayer, intercession, evangelism, follow-up and in other aspects of spiritual life, with the scriptural standard in view. And God, through the various letters of Apostle Paul to the Churches, has enjoined us to ensure that we are making progress in our spiritual lives (2Cor.9:10; Eph.4:15; Col.1:10; 1Thess.3:12; 4:1; Heb.6:1; 2Peter 1:3-8). All articles or commodities of our trade in Christianity are necessary for progress, both physical and spiritual. In subsequent articles, I will be bringing out the facts one after another for proper understanding.