The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines the word “anathema” as “a thing or an idea which you hate because it is the opposite of what you believe”. Notice the use of the word hate. Something that is anathema is hated, and the definition explains why-it is the opposite of what that person believes, which means there is no room to reconcile that thing or idea with what is believed. The thing or idea which is anathema is not just different from the viewpoint of the subject, it is opposite thereto. It is like light and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell, God and Satan, peace and war, prosperity and poverty, living or dead etc. Anathema signifies such an extreme from the subject’s viewpoint that there is no room for reconciliation!
Now what does all this have to do with anything? Why are we trying to write a thesis on such an obscure word-“anathema”? Well because I suddenly found that God has such a strong view on some thing that he actually declares it anathema! Well that is for those who believe the Bible to be the word of God, and written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In rounding up his first epistle to the Corinthians, Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 16: 22, (KJV) “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.” At first, I simply did not understand what this verse was saying. I had a sense for the dictionary meaning of “anathema”, but what was the word “maranatha” doing right after it? And is this verse using “anathema” in its dictionary meaning? That calls for an investigation, doesn’t it?
Checking out a cross reference linked to “anathema” takes us to 1 Corinthians 12: 3 where the verse says, “…no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed…” and in the margins, there is a note that the word “accursed” means the same as “anathema”. Trouble, Trouble!!! For the man who doesn’t love Jesus Christ that is! We can now read our original scripture to be saying, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed”. The Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary confirms this interpretation. It explains that “anathema” is the transliteration of a Greek word that means “accursed” or “separated” and could also refer to someone “devoted to destruction” or “false beliefs”. The New King James Version of course makes everything clear, “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed…” it simply says.
So what was the word “maranatha” doing in the verse? Let’s read the whole verse in the Amplified Version-“If anyone does not love the Lord (does not have a friendly affection for Him and is not kindly disposed toward Him), he shall be accursed! Our Lord will come! (Maranatha!)”. Hmmm. The MacArthur Study Bible confirms a view that “accursed” means “devoted to destruction” and explains the verse as “Paul perhaps appeals for the Lord to take away the nominal, false Christians who threatened the spiritual well-being of the church. This was also an expression of eagerness for the Lord’s return”. The word “Maranatha” according to our Nelson’s Bible Dictionary is an Aramaic expression meaning “Our Lord Come!” and the contextual meaning is that “Our Lord is coming soon, and he will judge all those who do not love him”
What should all these mean to us? Do I love the Lord? Do you? Are we sure? How can we be sure of our love for him? Can we risk God considering us anathema to him? Accursed? Devoted to destruction? Separated from him? It is not a risk worth taking. The ultimate test of our love for Jesus Christ is; do we obey his commandments? “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” (1 John 5:4).
Monday, September 22, 2008
Faith to please him
The book of Hebrews is believed to have been written by Apostle Paul in Rome around 68AD along with Galatians and the second book to Timothy. One of Paul’s objectives under the guidance of the Holy Spirit was to confirm Jewish Christians in the faith; to confirm to the Jews that prophesy had been fulfilled concerning the Christ that was to come. Not surprisingly considering this objective, the book focuses heavily on faith, and in chapter 11 we see Paul declare his faith and remind the Hebrews about the faith that their fathers-Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, and others had lived by with conviction and with passion.
In verse 6, it is made clear why Paul harps on the importance of faith as he declares, “But without faith it is impossible to please him…” The Bible Scholar, Dake commenting on this verse emphasizes the absolute necessity of faith, and actually describes it as “the secret of pleasing God”. If Paul and Dake are to be believed, faith is the secret formula, the foundation, the route to pleasing God, and as we shall later see, to obtaining a good report, not just from men, but like the fathers of our faith, from God and generations of believers to come. Why is it impossible to please God if you do not have total, absolute, complete faith in him and his word? The second part of verse 6 shows why- “…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently serve him”. Indeed the very first verse of chapter 11 describes faith as the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.
In short, the only reason a man will obey God’s commandment not to steal, kill, hate his brother, serve other Gods, commit adultery or why he would repent from such actions, and worship God in truth, loving his fellowman, accepting and preaching the true gospel of Christ without personal motives, making worthy offerings to God and paying his or her tithes, not fearing principalities and powers, not doing evil even in secret places, etc is that he totally and completely believes in the existence, power and sovereignty of God and that God’s word and promises will be certainly be fulfilled. He must believe in the reality of heaven and hell, in the certainty of the victory of light over darkness, in the truth of the second coming of Christ, in the certainty of a day of judgment. Otherwise why will you refuse that bribe, or that temptation, or that portion of the king’s meat?
Let’s go back to the biblical examples of outstanding faith in Hebrews 11. In verse 4, we are reminded of Abel, who offered a “more excellent sacrifice” because he gave of the “firstlings of his flock”. It appears to me that God had regard to Abel’s sacrifice rather than Cain’s because Abel did not take God for granted and took care to give of the firstlings of his flock, “and of the fat thereof” (see Gen 4:4). Why did Abel bother? By Faith! Why did Enoch so please God that God decided that he should not see death? Because he had faith in God. The one I find most interesting is Noah. If we were around at the time of Noah and saw him suddenly building a great ark, what would we have thought of him? If we had asked him, Mr Noah, why are you building this great ship and he answered that God warned him of a mighty flood to come, would we not have laughed at him and called him a fool? Would we have thought he was not “reasonable”, not a “practical” Christian? Would we have wondered if Noah was not taking this thing to an extreme?
How many Noahs are we criticizing today, simply because God has spoken personally to them, and they have chosen to obey the word of God rather than do as the world is doing? Alas, Hebrews 11: 7 testifies of Noah that, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Note that the things Noah was warned about were not seen AS YET, still he moved with FEAR, and as a consequence saved his household. He did all this only because he believed every word that God had uttered to him, without an iota of doubt.
Of course we know about Abraham’s many acts of “stupid” faith, as it would have looked to curious onlookers-when he was called departed from the land of his fathers and went out, “not knowing whither he went” (Heb 11: 8) or when he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac upon God’s instruction even though he had waited until old age before Isaac was born. If Abraham told you of God’s promise that he would be a father of a generation at the time he was yet to have neither Isaac nor Ishmael, would we not have laughed him to scorn? If God told a sister that she would have four children and she was already thirty-eight years without a husband, would she still believe? What has God told you that is yet to manifest and you are beginning to wonder if God has not made a mistake? A wife or husband? The fruit of the womb? Healing? Protection? Great prosperity? A call to ministry? A new beginning? Restoration? Promotion? Can you, like Abraham believe in the evidence of things not seen? Can you like Noah believe in that which as yet, had not happened?
Can you like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, “…not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them…”? (Heb 11:13) Consider Joseph who we are reminded in verse 22 on his death bed, gave instructions to his children concerning the returning of his bones to Israel. How come he was so certain that indeed over four hundred years later his bones would be returned to the land of promise? We see this great testimony of faith and faithfulness in Gen 50: 24-25 where the bible records that when Joseph was 110 years old spoke to his descendants on his death bed saying, “…God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob….God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence”. It is amazing as we see in Exodus 13:19 that the faith of Joseph was rewarded many years later-“And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.”
Or Moses who chose to suffer affliction with the children of Israel, rather than enjoy the pleasures of Pharaoh’s household (verse 25) and esteemed the reproach of Christ above the treasures of Egypt (v.26); or the children of Israel who “passed through the Red Sea as by dry land; which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned”; or Rahab, Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel and the prophets all of whom along with the other fathers of faith we have discussed “who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Heb 11: 33-34). This is the testimony of which we are called to inherit for being in Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3: 29). Will this be the testimony in heaven and generations to come concerning our faith? Does our faith please God?
Opeyemi Agbaje
In verse 6, it is made clear why Paul harps on the importance of faith as he declares, “But without faith it is impossible to please him…” The Bible Scholar, Dake commenting on this verse emphasizes the absolute necessity of faith, and actually describes it as “the secret of pleasing God”. If Paul and Dake are to be believed, faith is the secret formula, the foundation, the route to pleasing God, and as we shall later see, to obtaining a good report, not just from men, but like the fathers of our faith, from God and generations of believers to come. Why is it impossible to please God if you do not have total, absolute, complete faith in him and his word? The second part of verse 6 shows why- “…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently serve him”. Indeed the very first verse of chapter 11 describes faith as the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”.
In short, the only reason a man will obey God’s commandment not to steal, kill, hate his brother, serve other Gods, commit adultery or why he would repent from such actions, and worship God in truth, loving his fellowman, accepting and preaching the true gospel of Christ without personal motives, making worthy offerings to God and paying his or her tithes, not fearing principalities and powers, not doing evil even in secret places, etc is that he totally and completely believes in the existence, power and sovereignty of God and that God’s word and promises will be certainly be fulfilled. He must believe in the reality of heaven and hell, in the certainty of the victory of light over darkness, in the truth of the second coming of Christ, in the certainty of a day of judgment. Otherwise why will you refuse that bribe, or that temptation, or that portion of the king’s meat?
Let’s go back to the biblical examples of outstanding faith in Hebrews 11. In verse 4, we are reminded of Abel, who offered a “more excellent sacrifice” because he gave of the “firstlings of his flock”. It appears to me that God had regard to Abel’s sacrifice rather than Cain’s because Abel did not take God for granted and took care to give of the firstlings of his flock, “and of the fat thereof” (see Gen 4:4). Why did Abel bother? By Faith! Why did Enoch so please God that God decided that he should not see death? Because he had faith in God. The one I find most interesting is Noah. If we were around at the time of Noah and saw him suddenly building a great ark, what would we have thought of him? If we had asked him, Mr Noah, why are you building this great ship and he answered that God warned him of a mighty flood to come, would we not have laughed at him and called him a fool? Would we have thought he was not “reasonable”, not a “practical” Christian? Would we have wondered if Noah was not taking this thing to an extreme?
How many Noahs are we criticizing today, simply because God has spoken personally to them, and they have chosen to obey the word of God rather than do as the world is doing? Alas, Hebrews 11: 7 testifies of Noah that, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Note that the things Noah was warned about were not seen AS YET, still he moved with FEAR, and as a consequence saved his household. He did all this only because he believed every word that God had uttered to him, without an iota of doubt.
Of course we know about Abraham’s many acts of “stupid” faith, as it would have looked to curious onlookers-when he was called departed from the land of his fathers and went out, “not knowing whither he went” (Heb 11: 8) or when he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac upon God’s instruction even though he had waited until old age before Isaac was born. If Abraham told you of God’s promise that he would be a father of a generation at the time he was yet to have neither Isaac nor Ishmael, would we not have laughed him to scorn? If God told a sister that she would have four children and she was already thirty-eight years without a husband, would she still believe? What has God told you that is yet to manifest and you are beginning to wonder if God has not made a mistake? A wife or husband? The fruit of the womb? Healing? Protection? Great prosperity? A call to ministry? A new beginning? Restoration? Promotion? Can you, like Abraham believe in the evidence of things not seen? Can you like Noah believe in that which as yet, had not happened?
Can you like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, “…not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them…”? (Heb 11:13) Consider Joseph who we are reminded in verse 22 on his death bed, gave instructions to his children concerning the returning of his bones to Israel. How come he was so certain that indeed over four hundred years later his bones would be returned to the land of promise? We see this great testimony of faith and faithfulness in Gen 50: 24-25 where the bible records that when Joseph was 110 years old spoke to his descendants on his death bed saying, “…God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob….God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence”. It is amazing as we see in Exodus 13:19 that the faith of Joseph was rewarded many years later-“And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.”
Or Moses who chose to suffer affliction with the children of Israel, rather than enjoy the pleasures of Pharaoh’s household (verse 25) and esteemed the reproach of Christ above the treasures of Egypt (v.26); or the children of Israel who “passed through the Red Sea as by dry land; which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned”; or Rahab, Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel and the prophets all of whom along with the other fathers of faith we have discussed “who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Heb 11: 33-34). This is the testimony of which we are called to inherit for being in Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Gal 3: 29). Will this be the testimony in heaven and generations to come concerning our faith? Does our faith please God?
Opeyemi Agbaje
No Shaking!!!
I always assumed the phrase “No Shaking” was invented by some political godfather, some motor park chieftain, labour leader, student activist, or other rabble rouser confident of his survivalist skills. Then I saw this quote in Hebrews 12: 27-28, “Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear.” Surprise, Surprise! Did God invent the phrase? Now naturally I had to read this bible verse more closely. What is the verse saying? Are there some things that can be shaken, and those that cannot be shaken? What are the ones that can be shaken, and which are the ones which can’t be?
Since I saw the quote above in a New Kings James Bible, I turned to the Amplified Version to get a detailed view. The Amplified Bible said, “Now this expression, Yet once more, indicates the final removal and transformation of all (that can be) shaken-that is, of that which has been created-in order that what cannot be shaken may remain and continue. (Ps. 102:26.) Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm and stable and cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship, with modesty and pious care and godly fear and awe.” Since there was a reference to Psalm 102:26, I quickly checked that out as well, also in the Amplified-“They shall perish, but You shall remain and endure; yes, all of them shall wear out and become old like a garment. Like clothing You shall change them, and they shall be changed and pass away. But You remain the same, and your years shall have no end. (Heb. 1: 10-12.)”
Another cross reference to Hebrews, so I checked out Hebrews 1: 10-12, “And (further), You Lord, did lay the foundations of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but You remain and continue permanently; they will all grow old and wear out like a garment. Like a mantle (thrown about one’s self) You will roll them up, and they will be changed and replaced by others. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end nor come to failure. (Ps. 102: 25-27.). In Hebrews 1, Apostle Paul was clearly referring to Jesus Christ, our Lord. In verse 2, he had said, “…in the person of a Son, Whom He appointed, Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds…”
What is the meaning of all this? What are the things that can be shaken? Things which were created! That includes Satan, doesn’t it? Of course, Lucifer was created, so he will be shaken away. What of your human and spiritual enemies? Those who have sworn that you will not achieve your destiny, except over their dead body? Of course, they too were created and would pass away? The MacArthur Study Bible explains this verse thus, “Everything physical (“things…being shaken”) will be destroyed; only eternal things (“which cannot be shaken”) will remain. So what things cannot be shaken? Our faith in Christ is not physical! Our salvation is not physical. The power in the blood of Jesus is not physical. Our promise of eternal life is not physical. Our victory over the kingdom of darkness is not physical. God’s covenants-of protection, provision, deliverance etc are not physical. His grace, his forgiveness, his mercy, his compassion, his restoration all of which never fail are not physical. So they can never be shaken!
Why is this so? Because our God himself cannot be shaken. He was, is and will for ever be. Like the beautiful song says, “Ancient of days, as old as You are,,….You will never change!”. Another of my favourite songs based on Isaiah 25:1 declares, “…Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” How can he that created the earth and fixed its beacons as he liked, be shaken? Surely, Never! That is why verse 28 counsels us to relate with this God who has given us an unshakeable faith with awe, reverence and godly fear. So next time, the devil and his agents come and threaten you at night or even during the day with fear, death, destruction, or any other attack, tell them, No Shaking!!!
Opeyemi Agbaje
Since I saw the quote above in a New Kings James Bible, I turned to the Amplified Version to get a detailed view. The Amplified Bible said, “Now this expression, Yet once more, indicates the final removal and transformation of all (that can be) shaken-that is, of that which has been created-in order that what cannot be shaken may remain and continue. (Ps. 102:26.) Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm and stable and cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship, with modesty and pious care and godly fear and awe.” Since there was a reference to Psalm 102:26, I quickly checked that out as well, also in the Amplified-“They shall perish, but You shall remain and endure; yes, all of them shall wear out and become old like a garment. Like clothing You shall change them, and they shall be changed and pass away. But You remain the same, and your years shall have no end. (Heb. 1: 10-12.)”
Another cross reference to Hebrews, so I checked out Hebrews 1: 10-12, “And (further), You Lord, did lay the foundations of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish, but You remain and continue permanently; they will all grow old and wear out like a garment. Like a mantle (thrown about one’s self) You will roll them up, and they will be changed and replaced by others. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end nor come to failure. (Ps. 102: 25-27.). In Hebrews 1, Apostle Paul was clearly referring to Jesus Christ, our Lord. In verse 2, he had said, “…in the person of a Son, Whom He appointed, Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds…”
What is the meaning of all this? What are the things that can be shaken? Things which were created! That includes Satan, doesn’t it? Of course, Lucifer was created, so he will be shaken away. What of your human and spiritual enemies? Those who have sworn that you will not achieve your destiny, except over their dead body? Of course, they too were created and would pass away? The MacArthur Study Bible explains this verse thus, “Everything physical (“things…being shaken”) will be destroyed; only eternal things (“which cannot be shaken”) will remain. So what things cannot be shaken? Our faith in Christ is not physical! Our salvation is not physical. The power in the blood of Jesus is not physical. Our promise of eternal life is not physical. Our victory over the kingdom of darkness is not physical. God’s covenants-of protection, provision, deliverance etc are not physical. His grace, his forgiveness, his mercy, his compassion, his restoration all of which never fail are not physical. So they can never be shaken!
Why is this so? Because our God himself cannot be shaken. He was, is and will for ever be. Like the beautiful song says, “Ancient of days, as old as You are,,….You will never change!”. Another of my favourite songs based on Isaiah 25:1 declares, “…Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.” How can he that created the earth and fixed its beacons as he liked, be shaken? Surely, Never! That is why verse 28 counsels us to relate with this God who has given us an unshakeable faith with awe, reverence and godly fear. So next time, the devil and his agents come and threaten you at night or even during the day with fear, death, destruction, or any other attack, tell them, No Shaking!!!
Opeyemi Agbaje
Ready to go higher?
Most members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) will by now be familiar with the phrase, ‘Come Up Higher’ as it was the theme of the recently concluded March Special Holy Ghost Congress held from 6th to 8th March 2008. Our General Overseer (G.O), Pastor E.A Adeboye anchored the ministration on Friday 7th on the scripture in Revelation 4: 1-“After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” The Amplified Bible translates this last sentence as “…Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future”. As Daddy G.O explained, God is setting an open door before us; he is promising to open the heavens before us; he is promising to open every door that had been previously closed against us; to set us free from every prison, poverty, bondage or limitation; he is releasing showers of blessings, because when the heavens open to a man, blessings, favour, promotion, honour, glory and restoration are what follow; and when he opens that means we can walk into our breakthrough as no man or power can close a door that the Lord himself has opened.
As I meditated further on this matter however, one thing occurred to me-this statement ‘Come up Higher’ was an invitation, and not a command. God himself is inviting us to come up to a higher level, so we can see and take hold of the marvellous things he has in store for us. But he will not force us higher, except we accept the invitation. Notice that he didn’t say, “Go up Higher” which might be interpreted as an instruction or command. Of course even if it was an instruction, God usually leaves us free to choose to obey or not, and receive the consequences of obedience or disobedience of his instruction. But in this case, it is an invitation, not an instruction. Each of us must decide whether we want to accept the invitation. In making this decision, we will examine the nature of the invitation. First who is this God who is asking us to ascend higher? Gen 14:18 calls him the ‘most high God’. Gen 14:22 calls him the ‘possessor of heaven and earth’. He is the one who told Abraham, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen 15:1). He is ‘the Almighty’ (Gen 17:1); “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46: 1); he is “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Rev 1: 8) A wise man will carefully consider any invitation that comes from such a source!
If we receive an invitation from a President, Governor, Minister or Commissioner, Ambassador or any other powerful human authority, we would usually hasten to accept in the expectation that we can benefit in one way or the other from these princes and kings. How much more the person who created all Kings and Princes? Remember Psalm 146: 3-“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help”; Doesn’t it make even more sense to accept the invitation of the Lord who can turn the mind of the King in your favour or against you. According to Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will”. He is the only one who can truly promote and establish a man-“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” (Psalm 75:6-7). He is the only source of true security. Psalm 91:1-3 which we all know declares boldly that, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” No matter what the devil and his agents do, surely I will never depart from under the shadow of this awesome God. What about you?
Another question a reasonable person would consider in deciding on this invitation is, what has happened to those who have accepted previous invitations from the same person? What for instance happened to Simon called Peter who accepted an invitation from Jesus Christ who is son of God, and his brother Andrew, and indeed all the other disciples who followed him? (Mathew 4:18-20) Well they became fishers of men. Can you imagine how many fishermen were on earth in the days of Christ? They must have been many even in Israel. Certainly all over the world there were many fishermen. But today we continue to read only of Simon Peter who became the rock upon which Christ built the Church (Mathew 16:18). How about Abraham? He also accepted the invitation from God to get out of his country and kindred, and father’s house and go to an unknown place which the Lord was to show him. (Gen 12) Well Abraham became a father of many nations, and today all of us partakers of the salvation of Christ are descendants of Abraham. How about Daniel who accepted God’s invitation to live righteously and never defile himself? (Daniel 1:8) Well God brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince (Daniel 1:9); God gave him wisdom and understanding than all the magicians and astrologers (Daniel 1:20); God revealed the deep and secret things to him (Daniel 2:22); and God preserved Daniel in the lion’s den, gave him victory over his enemies and prospered him (Daniel 6). There are of course many other examples we can cite in the Bible, but the story is the same-all those who accepted God’s invitation were honoured by God above their peers.
But is there a price to pay, when you accept God’s invitation? It is also a reasonable question to ask. Are there any sacrifices? Are there any costs? In Luke 14:28, Christ himself confirmed that we must count the cost before accepting his invitation. He said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” Clearly there are sacrifices-liberties forgone, sins repented off, restitutions made, persecutions endured, trials and tribulations sometimes, just like the disciples, just like Abraham and Daniel endured, but there is victory through it all. Abraham had to give up the known for the unknown. He was even willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Daniel went into the lion’s den, ready to die in the faith; the disciples endured persecution and martyrdom; Joseph had to deal with envy from his brothers and blackmail from his master’s wife; Job lost almost everything before God restored him, but they all had great testimonies in the end.
Even in these times, God is still inviting us his children-to salvation for those who are yet to know him; to holy and righteous living; to manifestation of his power; to a higher level of service; to evangelism and love for our fellow men; and happily he still rewards us with blessings of favour, provision, security, restoration, promotion, victory and at the end of our journey on earth, eternal life. Will you accept his invitation?
Opeyemi Agbaje
As I meditated further on this matter however, one thing occurred to me-this statement ‘Come up Higher’ was an invitation, and not a command. God himself is inviting us to come up to a higher level, so we can see and take hold of the marvellous things he has in store for us. But he will not force us higher, except we accept the invitation. Notice that he didn’t say, “Go up Higher” which might be interpreted as an instruction or command. Of course even if it was an instruction, God usually leaves us free to choose to obey or not, and receive the consequences of obedience or disobedience of his instruction. But in this case, it is an invitation, not an instruction. Each of us must decide whether we want to accept the invitation. In making this decision, we will examine the nature of the invitation. First who is this God who is asking us to ascend higher? Gen 14:18 calls him the ‘most high God’. Gen 14:22 calls him the ‘possessor of heaven and earth’. He is the one who told Abraham, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward” (Gen 15:1). He is ‘the Almighty’ (Gen 17:1); “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46: 1); he is “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Rev 1: 8) A wise man will carefully consider any invitation that comes from such a source!
If we receive an invitation from a President, Governor, Minister or Commissioner, Ambassador or any other powerful human authority, we would usually hasten to accept in the expectation that we can benefit in one way or the other from these princes and kings. How much more the person who created all Kings and Princes? Remember Psalm 146: 3-“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help”; Doesn’t it make even more sense to accept the invitation of the Lord who can turn the mind of the King in your favour or against you. According to Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will”. He is the only one who can truly promote and establish a man-“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” (Psalm 75:6-7). He is the only source of true security. Psalm 91:1-3 which we all know declares boldly that, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.” No matter what the devil and his agents do, surely I will never depart from under the shadow of this awesome God. What about you?
Another question a reasonable person would consider in deciding on this invitation is, what has happened to those who have accepted previous invitations from the same person? What for instance happened to Simon called Peter who accepted an invitation from Jesus Christ who is son of God, and his brother Andrew, and indeed all the other disciples who followed him? (Mathew 4:18-20) Well they became fishers of men. Can you imagine how many fishermen were on earth in the days of Christ? They must have been many even in Israel. Certainly all over the world there were many fishermen. But today we continue to read only of Simon Peter who became the rock upon which Christ built the Church (Mathew 16:18). How about Abraham? He also accepted the invitation from God to get out of his country and kindred, and father’s house and go to an unknown place which the Lord was to show him. (Gen 12) Well Abraham became a father of many nations, and today all of us partakers of the salvation of Christ are descendants of Abraham. How about Daniel who accepted God’s invitation to live righteously and never defile himself? (Daniel 1:8) Well God brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince (Daniel 1:9); God gave him wisdom and understanding than all the magicians and astrologers (Daniel 1:20); God revealed the deep and secret things to him (Daniel 2:22); and God preserved Daniel in the lion’s den, gave him victory over his enemies and prospered him (Daniel 6). There are of course many other examples we can cite in the Bible, but the story is the same-all those who accepted God’s invitation were honoured by God above their peers.
But is there a price to pay, when you accept God’s invitation? It is also a reasonable question to ask. Are there any sacrifices? Are there any costs? In Luke 14:28, Christ himself confirmed that we must count the cost before accepting his invitation. He said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” Clearly there are sacrifices-liberties forgone, sins repented off, restitutions made, persecutions endured, trials and tribulations sometimes, just like the disciples, just like Abraham and Daniel endured, but there is victory through it all. Abraham had to give up the known for the unknown. He was even willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Daniel went into the lion’s den, ready to die in the faith; the disciples endured persecution and martyrdom; Joseph had to deal with envy from his brothers and blackmail from his master’s wife; Job lost almost everything before God restored him, but they all had great testimonies in the end.
Even in these times, God is still inviting us his children-to salvation for those who are yet to know him; to holy and righteous living; to manifestation of his power; to a higher level of service; to evangelism and love for our fellow men; and happily he still rewards us with blessings of favour, provision, security, restoration, promotion, victory and at the end of our journey on earth, eternal life. Will you accept his invitation?
Opeyemi Agbaje
The blood of Jesus
Every culture and religion appears to recognize the spiritual power inherent in blood. Traditional religionists when they have a “client” with a small spiritual problem will ask him to sacrifice a chicken. When the problem is bigger, they may demand a goat, then a cow, then seven cows, and some allege that the sacrifice may even rise to require human blood in certain contexts. In some cultures for instance, the death of Kings is accompanied by burying some of his chiefs, citizens or strangers along with him. Of course, the physical always mirrors the spiritual, so medical doctors will confirm that when a life is drained of blood, it dies. Whenever there is a serious medical emergency, a blood transfusion may be one of the actions a doctor will take to restore life when it appears to be slipping away.
In the Old Testament, the Jews demonstrated a strong understanding of the power inherent in the blood as a means of sacrifice and atonement. Apostle Paul recounts this history very brilliantly in the ninth chapter of Hebrews. Paul writes about the old testament meaning and significance of the blood (referring to the first covenant) and contrasts the physical sanctuary of the Jews (he calls it ‘worldly’ or ‘earthly’) with the sanctuary in the hearts of the new testament Christian built by the coming of Christ who built a “greater and more perfect tabernacle” not with human hands, but through his own divine spirit. But first, Paul graphically depicts the layout and purpose of the old sanctuary of Jewish worship so we can understand the reason why Christ’s blood was shed.
He describes the outer sanctuary, behind a first veil, called the holy place which had a lamp stand, a table and the sacred bread. Then there was a second veil behind which was a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies. This had a golden altar of incense, the Ark of the Covenant given to Moses, which contained a golden jar which held the manna, the rod of Aaron, and two stone slabs of the covenant bearing the Ten Commandments. There was the mercy seat and the two cherubims which were the symbols of glory. The priests enter regularly into the outer sanctuary, but only the High Priest enters into the Holy of Holies and even he does so only once a year, and “never without taking a sacrifice of blood with him, which he offers for himself and for the errors and sins” of the people. The blood is that of one goat while the priest symbolically transferred the sins of the people to a second scapegoat which was sent into the wilderness.
This Old Testament practice was an imperfect foretaste of the perfect sacrifice that was to come. The annual ritual of taking the “blood of goats and bulls” had to be repeated every year. The High Priest who went into the Holy of Holies, was himself human and subject to sin, and needed himself to be purified. It was possible even for the High Priest, if his atonement did not please God to die right there. He would have to be pulled out in this tragic eventuality and I suspect the succeeding High Priest would have been filled with mortal dread as he entered to perfect the people’s sacrifice! But for the mercy of God!!!
So there was need for a better and perfect covenant. Against this background, it is easy to appreciate why that sacrifice had to be offered by the son of God, who was himself sinless, so he would not require atonement for himself-“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect sacrifice…” One can then understand why his blood had to be shed, because “Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission”. And there was need for an eternal sacrifice, not one that would be repeated every year, and who better than Christ who “through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God…”
By Christ’s death, his new testament came into force (for a will and testament as the lawyers will tell you comes into force only after the death of the testator), and he has become the mediator, negotiator, intercessor for the redemption of our transgressions. Unlike the high priest of old, he is not entered into a physical holy of holies, but a heavenly one to intercede with God for us. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9: 28)
Opeyemi Agbaje
In the Old Testament, the Jews demonstrated a strong understanding of the power inherent in the blood as a means of sacrifice and atonement. Apostle Paul recounts this history very brilliantly in the ninth chapter of Hebrews. Paul writes about the old testament meaning and significance of the blood (referring to the first covenant) and contrasts the physical sanctuary of the Jews (he calls it ‘worldly’ or ‘earthly’) with the sanctuary in the hearts of the new testament Christian built by the coming of Christ who built a “greater and more perfect tabernacle” not with human hands, but through his own divine spirit. But first, Paul graphically depicts the layout and purpose of the old sanctuary of Jewish worship so we can understand the reason why Christ’s blood was shed.
He describes the outer sanctuary, behind a first veil, called the holy place which had a lamp stand, a table and the sacred bread. Then there was a second veil behind which was a tabernacle called the Holy of Holies. This had a golden altar of incense, the Ark of the Covenant given to Moses, which contained a golden jar which held the manna, the rod of Aaron, and two stone slabs of the covenant bearing the Ten Commandments. There was the mercy seat and the two cherubims which were the symbols of glory. The priests enter regularly into the outer sanctuary, but only the High Priest enters into the Holy of Holies and even he does so only once a year, and “never without taking a sacrifice of blood with him, which he offers for himself and for the errors and sins” of the people. The blood is that of one goat while the priest symbolically transferred the sins of the people to a second scapegoat which was sent into the wilderness.
This Old Testament practice was an imperfect foretaste of the perfect sacrifice that was to come. The annual ritual of taking the “blood of goats and bulls” had to be repeated every year. The High Priest who went into the Holy of Holies, was himself human and subject to sin, and needed himself to be purified. It was possible even for the High Priest, if his atonement did not please God to die right there. He would have to be pulled out in this tragic eventuality and I suspect the succeeding High Priest would have been filled with mortal dread as he entered to perfect the people’s sacrifice! But for the mercy of God!!!
So there was need for a better and perfect covenant. Against this background, it is easy to appreciate why that sacrifice had to be offered by the son of God, who was himself sinless, so he would not require atonement for himself-“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect sacrifice…” One can then understand why his blood had to be shed, because “Almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission”. And there was need for an eternal sacrifice, not one that would be repeated every year, and who better than Christ who “through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God…”
By Christ’s death, his new testament came into force (for a will and testament as the lawyers will tell you comes into force only after the death of the testator), and he has become the mediator, negotiator, intercessor for the redemption of our transgressions. Unlike the high priest of old, he is not entered into a physical holy of holies, but a heavenly one to intercede with God for us. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9: 28)
Opeyemi Agbaje
The Christian Marathon
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” Hebrews 12: 1-3
The passage above is written against the background of the preceding chapter in which Apostle Paul had reminded the Jews about previous “witnesses” of old-in chapter 11, we recall Paul had spoken with passion and erudition about the faith of Enoch, Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Moses and others who as the Amplified Bible explains have “borne testimony to the truth”. Having reminded them about their history and inheritance, one which as followers of the faith we now share as spiritual children of Abraham, Paul proceeds to describe the Christian journey using the metaphor of a race. He talks about a “race that is set before us”. Why does Paul describe our faith and walk with Christ as a race? What is the nature of this race?
Again the Amplified Bible talks about “the appointed course of the race that is set before us”. So there is a race, and it is not a spontaneous, unregulated race, in which there are no lanes, judges, starters, guidelines and a specified course. There is an appointed course, a defined course for every Christian and the Bible encompasses the rules and regulations governing the race. Indeed the New International Version talks about “the race marked out for us”. So we are not free to run “as we like”, or “anyhow” otherwise we may be disqualified from the race much like an athlete who jumps the gun, crosses into another competitor’s lane or drops the baton. The race must be run strictly in line with the principles laid out in the originator’s manual, in this case, the Bible.
There are many types of races-the one hundred metres dash, and the other short (or relatively short) distance races such as 200, and 400 metres races. These sprints are dependent on strength and speed. There is a variant of the 100 and 200 metres races that has hurdles right in the athletes’ path and the victor is expected to run, and jump over the hurdles at intermittent points on the track. Then there are the middle distance races-400, 800 and 1,500 metres races. These ones begin to require in addition to strength and speed, also endurance and perseverance. There are some other really long distance races-the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 metre races-the type the Ethiopians, Kenyans and other Eastern Africans are used to winning. There is the steeplechase, in which there are all sorts of obstacles in the way-water, hurdles etc. And then there is the decathlon and hepathlon-races which combine so many other activities-throwing the javelin, jumping, running and all. And then there is the marathon.
Now imagine a marathon that is say over 100, 000 metres. You are required to run as fast as possible, but you must also run “with patience” because the course is long and winding. Imagine that there are hurdles just like in the 110 metres hurdles; there are pools of water like the steeplechase; there are sand pits like in the long jump; there are high bars like in the high jump; there are very high barriers for which you need a pole vault; there are even boxing rings on the way in which you must “fight” and resist the “fiery darts” of the enemy; in short a race that is a synthesis of all types of races-the sprint, hurdles, decathlon and marathon. That is the nature of the Christian race. You can only run such a race with speed, endurance and with patience. Indeed the Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary describes a race as “a contest that involves speed and endurance”. And you had better follow all the referee’s instructions so that at the end of it all you are not disqualified like those who are found to have used illegal steroids in secular sports!
Now that we understand the nature of the race, it is easy to understand why Paul counsels that we “lay aside every weight” before proceeding with the race. Imagine a serious competitor in the Olympics whether in the sprint, jumps or decathlons who decided to wear a heavy piece of jewellery or other adornment. His failure is guaranteed! And that is irrespective of his skill, speed, strength or other abilities. When Paul speaks of “weights”, what does he have in mind? Dake interprets this to mean laying aside whatever is hindering Christian progress. The Amplified Bible talks about every encumbrance. In short, anything-pride, conceit, anger, envy, hypocrisy, ignorance, legalism-anything whatsoever that gets in the way of our faith. Indeed the Macarthur Study Bible interprets Paul as speaking about the outward things in the Levitical system that ensnared and impeded the Jews from a true knowledge of Christ-the spirit of religion.
And then the Christian must lay aside every sin that so easily besets us. Paul speaks to the individual here. What is the sin that so easily besets each of us? Love of money and covetousness; the pleasures of the flesh and the opposite sex (or also the same sex); the desire for power and control; gossip and backbiting; various forms of wickedness and unbelief. Let each man and woman sort out their salvation with fear and trembling! In the Bible apart from Hebrews 12, there are other references to races, including Ecclesiastes 9: 11 (…the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” This reminds us that running the race cannot be with our own strength, but to seek the grace and favour of God. That is why Paul asks that we look only unto Jesus, who is the author (source, beginning, origin, designer, cornerstone) and finisher (end, perfecter, glory, rewarder) of our faith.
But then like all races, there are prizes to those who successfully accomplish the race and complete the course. In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul had written, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” That is why in 2 Timothy 4: 7-8, he declares, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day…” Paul had completed his own marathon-a course marked with afflictions and victories; persecutions and testimonies; torments and rewards; but at the end of it all, he was able to complete his course, and to receive his prize. His course is different from yours or mine, but the principles are constant, and they are contained in the Bible.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” Hebrews 12: 1-3
The passage above is written against the background of the preceding chapter in which Apostle Paul had reminded the Jews about previous “witnesses” of old-in chapter 11, we recall Paul had spoken with passion and erudition about the faith of Enoch, Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Moses and others who as the Amplified Bible explains have “borne testimony to the truth”. Having reminded them about their history and inheritance, one which as followers of the faith we now share as spiritual children of Abraham, Paul proceeds to describe the Christian journey using the metaphor of a race. He talks about a “race that is set before us”. Why does Paul describe our faith and walk with Christ as a race? What is the nature of this race?
Again the Amplified Bible talks about “the appointed course of the race that is set before us”. So there is a race, and it is not a spontaneous, unregulated race, in which there are no lanes, judges, starters, guidelines and a specified course. There is an appointed course, a defined course for every Christian and the Bible encompasses the rules and regulations governing the race. Indeed the New International Version talks about “the race marked out for us”. So we are not free to run “as we like”, or “anyhow” otherwise we may be disqualified from the race much like an athlete who jumps the gun, crosses into another competitor’s lane or drops the baton. The race must be run strictly in line with the principles laid out in the originator’s manual, in this case, the Bible.
There are many types of races-the one hundred metres dash, and the other short (or relatively short) distance races such as 200, and 400 metres races. These sprints are dependent on strength and speed. There is a variant of the 100 and 200 metres races that has hurdles right in the athletes’ path and the victor is expected to run, and jump over the hurdles at intermittent points on the track. Then there are the middle distance races-400, 800 and 1,500 metres races. These ones begin to require in addition to strength and speed, also endurance and perseverance. There are some other really long distance races-the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 metre races-the type the Ethiopians, Kenyans and other Eastern Africans are used to winning. There is the steeplechase, in which there are all sorts of obstacles in the way-water, hurdles etc. And then there is the decathlon and hepathlon-races which combine so many other activities-throwing the javelin, jumping, running and all. And then there is the marathon.
Now imagine a marathon that is say over 100, 000 metres. You are required to run as fast as possible, but you must also run “with patience” because the course is long and winding. Imagine that there are hurdles just like in the 110 metres hurdles; there are pools of water like the steeplechase; there are sand pits like in the long jump; there are high bars like in the high jump; there are very high barriers for which you need a pole vault; there are even boxing rings on the way in which you must “fight” and resist the “fiery darts” of the enemy; in short a race that is a synthesis of all types of races-the sprint, hurdles, decathlon and marathon. That is the nature of the Christian race. You can only run such a race with speed, endurance and with patience. Indeed the Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary describes a race as “a contest that involves speed and endurance”. And you had better follow all the referee’s instructions so that at the end of it all you are not disqualified like those who are found to have used illegal steroids in secular sports!
Now that we understand the nature of the race, it is easy to understand why Paul counsels that we “lay aside every weight” before proceeding with the race. Imagine a serious competitor in the Olympics whether in the sprint, jumps or decathlons who decided to wear a heavy piece of jewellery or other adornment. His failure is guaranteed! And that is irrespective of his skill, speed, strength or other abilities. When Paul speaks of “weights”, what does he have in mind? Dake interprets this to mean laying aside whatever is hindering Christian progress. The Amplified Bible talks about every encumbrance. In short, anything-pride, conceit, anger, envy, hypocrisy, ignorance, legalism-anything whatsoever that gets in the way of our faith. Indeed the Macarthur Study Bible interprets Paul as speaking about the outward things in the Levitical system that ensnared and impeded the Jews from a true knowledge of Christ-the spirit of religion.
And then the Christian must lay aside every sin that so easily besets us. Paul speaks to the individual here. What is the sin that so easily besets each of us? Love of money and covetousness; the pleasures of the flesh and the opposite sex (or also the same sex); the desire for power and control; gossip and backbiting; various forms of wickedness and unbelief. Let each man and woman sort out their salvation with fear and trembling! In the Bible apart from Hebrews 12, there are other references to races, including Ecclesiastes 9: 11 (…the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” This reminds us that running the race cannot be with our own strength, but to seek the grace and favour of God. That is why Paul asks that we look only unto Jesus, who is the author (source, beginning, origin, designer, cornerstone) and finisher (end, perfecter, glory, rewarder) of our faith.
But then like all races, there are prizes to those who successfully accomplish the race and complete the course. In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul had written, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” That is why in 2 Timothy 4: 7-8, he declares, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day…” Paul had completed his own marathon-a course marked with afflictions and victories; persecutions and testimonies; torments and rewards; but at the end of it all, he was able to complete his course, and to receive his prize. His course is different from yours or mine, but the principles are constant, and they are contained in the Bible.
The faith to receive
Our General Overseer, Pastor E.A Adeboye, has declared 2008 as the year in which The Almighty God has decreed new things in our life. Daddy G.O has repeated over and over again the words of Isaiah 43:19, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Can we comprehend the scale of the Lord’s proclamation in this verse? When God does something that is new in the life of a brother or sister, that means if they were previously unmarried, they would find their own God-chosen life partner; if they were childless, they would have babies; if they previously lived in a rented apartment, they would buy or build their own; if they had a house in Lekki, they would have one in London or New York; they would be lifted up in ministry; they would excel in their professions or businesses where they used to be average; in short the Lord will do something in their lives, that would give them a new and glorious testimony.
Moreover Pastor ID has assured us in City of David that this year, all prophesies of God concerning us will be fulfilled. That means that our set time, the appointed time in which God will do a new thing in our lives; in which God will take us to the next level has come (Psalm 102:13). But even though once God speaks, it is done, men need faith to receive. The Webster’s New International Dictionary defines faith as, “belief without evidence; confidence; trust…allegiance; faithfulness, truly, honestly”. The same dictionary also includes “belief in God, the Bible” as meanings of faith. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary on the other hand, says ‘faith’ is “trust in subject’s ability or knowledge; trust that subject will do what has been promised …strong religious belief”. In the Old Testament, the word translated as “faith” is ‘emunah’ meaning ‘certainty and faithfulness’. In the New Testament, it is ‘pistis’ meaning ‘firm persuasion or conviction’. These give us an idea of what we must do to receive the promises of God. We must be certain that what God has promised concerning us shall, will, must, come to pass, because God is faithful and true. We must have the full conviction and be firmly persuaded that this year, God will do a new thing, indeed many new, good and excellent things concerning us, in 2008. According to Romans 4: 20-21, (speaking concerning Abraham)-“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”
There are several dimensions of faith. Faith leads to TRUST ( 1 Cor 2:5; 1 Cor 15:14; Phil 1:25)- If we have faith in God, we will trust completely in his promises; It implies TRUSTWORTHINESS (Rom 3:3; Gal 5:22)-if we trust in God, that is because we believe he is worthy of our trust. But we would also want to be worthy of his trust since trust is reciprocal; faith implies FIDELITY (meaning loyalty, faithfulness, accuracy)-God is loyal to his word, he is faithful and just (1 John 1:9), but we will also be faithful and loyal to his words and to his commandments. We will also have knowledge concerning THE FAITH, because we can not exercise faith in that which we do not know (Gal 1: 23). We would “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2: 15). Most importantly faith manifests as OBEDIENCE. The well-known story of Noah and the building of the Ark, was according to one notable Bible scholar (Dake), “an example of perfect obedience”.
There are other well-known Biblical examples of faith manifesting as obedience-even when it looked foolish or stupid so to do. We know of Abraham who was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God’s word (Gen 22: 1-18) even when he had waited until old age before his wife Sarah bore him Isaac. He believed God’s promise that he would be a father of nations even when men would have laughed at any such notion. Hebrews 11: 1-40 in that brilliant exposition on faith, tells us “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Now that is opposite to human understanding. In the courts of men, the evidence of things not seen, would be deemed inadmissible evidence-hearsay, uncorroborated, unreliable-but not in the courts of God. As Christians, like Noah, Abraham, Sarah and others, we believe the word of God, even when we have not seen the physical manifestation, but we have the firm assurance that whatever God has decreed concerning us, is exactly that-a decree, and is settled in heaven, and will manifest imminently before the eyes of men. Amen.
Faith is the active ingredient in all miracles, as clearly demonstrated in the ministry of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In Mathew 4: 24, “they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy…” because they had faith that he would heal them, “and he healed them”. The disciples followed him because they had faith in his promise to make them “fishers of men”. The Leper of Mathew 8: 1-3 believed that “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” and “immediately his leprosy was cleansed”. The Centurion believed Christ could heal his servant by merely saying the word (Mathew 8: 5-13), and so it was done unto him; the woman with the issue of blood believed that all she needed do was to touch the hem of his garment, and her faith made her whole (Mathew 9: 20-22); Jesus cautions us not to be of little faith, and not to doubt (Mathew 14:31) so that we can receive that which he has promised, because he is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12: 2) for our hope is both sure, and steadfast (Hebrews 6: 19). We must believe in order to receive.
Opeyemi Agbaje
Moreover Pastor ID has assured us in City of David that this year, all prophesies of God concerning us will be fulfilled. That means that our set time, the appointed time in which God will do a new thing in our lives; in which God will take us to the next level has come (Psalm 102:13). But even though once God speaks, it is done, men need faith to receive. The Webster’s New International Dictionary defines faith as, “belief without evidence; confidence; trust…allegiance; faithfulness, truly, honestly”. The same dictionary also includes “belief in God, the Bible” as meanings of faith. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary on the other hand, says ‘faith’ is “trust in subject’s ability or knowledge; trust that subject will do what has been promised …strong religious belief”. In the Old Testament, the word translated as “faith” is ‘emunah’ meaning ‘certainty and faithfulness’. In the New Testament, it is ‘pistis’ meaning ‘firm persuasion or conviction’. These give us an idea of what we must do to receive the promises of God. We must be certain that what God has promised concerning us shall, will, must, come to pass, because God is faithful and true. We must have the full conviction and be firmly persuaded that this year, God will do a new thing, indeed many new, good and excellent things concerning us, in 2008. According to Romans 4: 20-21, (speaking concerning Abraham)-“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”
There are several dimensions of faith. Faith leads to TRUST ( 1 Cor 2:5; 1 Cor 15:14; Phil 1:25)- If we have faith in God, we will trust completely in his promises; It implies TRUSTWORTHINESS (Rom 3:3; Gal 5:22)-if we trust in God, that is because we believe he is worthy of our trust. But we would also want to be worthy of his trust since trust is reciprocal; faith implies FIDELITY (meaning loyalty, faithfulness, accuracy)-God is loyal to his word, he is faithful and just (1 John 1:9), but we will also be faithful and loyal to his words and to his commandments. We will also have knowledge concerning THE FAITH, because we can not exercise faith in that which we do not know (Gal 1: 23). We would “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2: 15). Most importantly faith manifests as OBEDIENCE. The well-known story of Noah and the building of the Ark, was according to one notable Bible scholar (Dake), “an example of perfect obedience”.
There are other well-known Biblical examples of faith manifesting as obedience-even when it looked foolish or stupid so to do. We know of Abraham who was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God’s word (Gen 22: 1-18) even when he had waited until old age before his wife Sarah bore him Isaac. He believed God’s promise that he would be a father of nations even when men would have laughed at any such notion. Hebrews 11: 1-40 in that brilliant exposition on faith, tells us “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. Now that is opposite to human understanding. In the courts of men, the evidence of things not seen, would be deemed inadmissible evidence-hearsay, uncorroborated, unreliable-but not in the courts of God. As Christians, like Noah, Abraham, Sarah and others, we believe the word of God, even when we have not seen the physical manifestation, but we have the firm assurance that whatever God has decreed concerning us, is exactly that-a decree, and is settled in heaven, and will manifest imminently before the eyes of men. Amen.
Faith is the active ingredient in all miracles, as clearly demonstrated in the ministry of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In Mathew 4: 24, “they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy…” because they had faith that he would heal them, “and he healed them”. The disciples followed him because they had faith in his promise to make them “fishers of men”. The Leper of Mathew 8: 1-3 believed that “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean” and “immediately his leprosy was cleansed”. The Centurion believed Christ could heal his servant by merely saying the word (Mathew 8: 5-13), and so it was done unto him; the woman with the issue of blood believed that all she needed do was to touch the hem of his garment, and her faith made her whole (Mathew 9: 20-22); Jesus cautions us not to be of little faith, and not to doubt (Mathew 14:31) so that we can receive that which he has promised, because he is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12: 2) for our hope is both sure, and steadfast (Hebrews 6: 19). We must believe in order to receive.
Opeyemi Agbaje
The Ultimate Strategist
In the last four months or so, I have written articles strictly on business strategy. Every week as I wrote about business, the question continued to return to me-Is there more to success in business than some strategy principles? Is there an X-factor which academic theory, management experience or the human mind can not account for? This week, I write not about business strategy, but about the ultimate strategist-God. He describes himself in the first and last chapters in Revelation. In 1:8-he says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord; which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” and in 22:13 he says simply, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”
Talking about him, Revelation 4: 11 says “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” In Gen 1:17 when he appeared to Abram, he described himself as “the Almighty God”. In Gen 35:11 he said the same to Jacob, “I am God Almighty…” The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote in 9: 11, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” Psalm 75: 6-7 says “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another”
The only thing they don’t teach in you in business schools is the place of the Almighty God, by whose Grace man stands. What the Bible calls “grace”, we call in strategy, “timing and windows of opportunity”, strikingly similar to what was called “time and chance” in Ecclesiastes. Some call it luck, or connections, or positioning or whatever. When we teach about Vision, God taught it first, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” in Proverbs 29:18 or “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it would surely come, it would not tarry” in Habakkuk 2:3, a counsel that reminds one of the need for strategic discipline-firms (and individuals) continuing on a strategic path with discipline and commitment until the strategy comes to fruition.
Ephesians 3:2 talks about “the dispensation of the grace of God”, Ephesians 2:8-10 says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”. Every intellect, every good looks, every academic or professional brilliance, every gift of speech, every “good” and “perfect” gift is from the Lord. The Bible says in James 1:17 that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” Even the “power to get wealth” is given by God. “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day”-Deut 8: 18.
In slightly different language from business school language, God teaches about environmental scanning, or industry and competitor analysis or indeed strategic planning. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”-Luke 14:28 In the specific case of competitor analysis, God like most strategy writers adopts the paradigm of warfare, “Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth (hear, hear…even God talks about consultants!) whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand”-Luke 14:31.
God also taught about delegation, empowerment, organizational structure, leadership recruitment etc. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.”-Numbers 11:16-17. Jesus had the twelve disciples and sent out the seventy. Even in heaven, God Almighty had the three archangels to oversee the multitude of angels.
The parable of the talents is about resourcefulness. The man who traveled into a far country in Mathew 25:14-30, being the investor or shareholder, and the servants with five, two and one talent, the Managers. The principle God laid down in that parable is Return on Investment. It is not the absolute numbers that matter, but the relationship between the amount invested and the returns in percentage terms. If I can write about God in my column once a while I better do it, if in your case you have a pulpit you’d better use it for God and not for self, if it is money you have you better give some. God will check, not the absolute numbers, but the relationship between the returns and the talents he deposited!
Finally one of my convictions about competitive advantage is that there is a correlation between intangibility and sustainability of sustainable advantages. My point being that tangible or physical advantages tend not to be sustainable, while intangible factors like competences, brands, culture, “software” tend to endure. It was interesting the other day when a student pointed out (as if I didn’t know) that he wasn’t surprised at my hypothesis, because the bible already said so! In 2 Cor 4:18, the Bible said, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Men are congenitally tactical-always acting short-term. God is the ultimate strategist-always playing for the end-game.
Postscript-Aketiya Esene (RIP)
This article is dedicated to Mrs Aketiya Esene. She was in the ADC plane that crashed in Abuja on October 29, 2006. I saw her that morning on the Third Mainland Bridge. She sped past me in her little car, and waved enthusiastically at me. I wondered where she was going in such a hurry. I waved back, and even when she was out of sight, I waved again. Now I know why. She flew to Abuja on ADC, I went on Virgin Nigeria.
Talking about him, Revelation 4: 11 says “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” In Gen 1:17 when he appeared to Abram, he described himself as “the Almighty God”. In Gen 35:11 he said the same to Jacob, “I am God Almighty…” The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote in 9: 11, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” Psalm 75: 6-7 says “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another”
The only thing they don’t teach in you in business schools is the place of the Almighty God, by whose Grace man stands. What the Bible calls “grace”, we call in strategy, “timing and windows of opportunity”, strikingly similar to what was called “time and chance” in Ecclesiastes. Some call it luck, or connections, or positioning or whatever. When we teach about Vision, God taught it first, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” in Proverbs 29:18 or “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it would surely come, it would not tarry” in Habakkuk 2:3, a counsel that reminds one of the need for strategic discipline-firms (and individuals) continuing on a strategic path with discipline and commitment until the strategy comes to fruition.
Ephesians 3:2 talks about “the dispensation of the grace of God”, Ephesians 2:8-10 says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them”. Every intellect, every good looks, every academic or professional brilliance, every gift of speech, every “good” and “perfect” gift is from the Lord. The Bible says in James 1:17 that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” Even the “power to get wealth” is given by God. “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day”-Deut 8: 18.
In slightly different language from business school language, God teaches about environmental scanning, or industry and competitor analysis or indeed strategic planning. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”-Luke 14:28 In the specific case of competitor analysis, God like most strategy writers adopts the paradigm of warfare, “Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth (hear, hear…even God talks about consultants!) whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand”-Luke 14:31.
God also taught about delegation, empowerment, organizational structure, leadership recruitment etc. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.”-Numbers 11:16-17. Jesus had the twelve disciples and sent out the seventy. Even in heaven, God Almighty had the three archangels to oversee the multitude of angels.
The parable of the talents is about resourcefulness. The man who traveled into a far country in Mathew 25:14-30, being the investor or shareholder, and the servants with five, two and one talent, the Managers. The principle God laid down in that parable is Return on Investment. It is not the absolute numbers that matter, but the relationship between the amount invested and the returns in percentage terms. If I can write about God in my column once a while I better do it, if in your case you have a pulpit you’d better use it for God and not for self, if it is money you have you better give some. God will check, not the absolute numbers, but the relationship between the returns and the talents he deposited!
Finally one of my convictions about competitive advantage is that there is a correlation between intangibility and sustainability of sustainable advantages. My point being that tangible or physical advantages tend not to be sustainable, while intangible factors like competences, brands, culture, “software” tend to endure. It was interesting the other day when a student pointed out (as if I didn’t know) that he wasn’t surprised at my hypothesis, because the bible already said so! In 2 Cor 4:18, the Bible said, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Men are congenitally tactical-always acting short-term. God is the ultimate strategist-always playing for the end-game.
Postscript-Aketiya Esene (RIP)
This article is dedicated to Mrs Aketiya Esene. She was in the ADC plane that crashed in Abuja on October 29, 2006. I saw her that morning on the Third Mainland Bridge. She sped past me in her little car, and waved enthusiastically at me. I wondered where she was going in such a hurry. I waved back, and even when she was out of sight, I waved again. Now I know why. She flew to Abuja on ADC, I went on Virgin Nigeria.
The Story of Christ
St. John’s gospel starts with the words, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” (John 1: 1-2) When God contemplated the creation of man, he said, “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness…” (Gen 1: 26) When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and he imposed punishment on man, God provided a hint of the salvation to come, promising that the seed of the woman will bruise the head of Satan. (Gen 3: 15).
More than seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, Prophet Isaiah prophesied of his coming, “ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever…” (Isaiah 9; 6-7) He also hinted in Isaiah 53:5 of the ordeal Christ will pass through on earth and the price he would pay for our sins, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Prophet Zechariah prophesied of his riding into Jerusalem on an ass (Zechariah 9:9) and that he would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11: 12-13) over 500 years before his birth. King David writing 1000 years before Christ, in Psalms 22 and 34: 20 alluded to his trials, the parting of his garments and casting of lots upon his vesture, but that through it all, “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken”. Micah proclaimed over 700 years before his birth, concerning Bethlehem, that “…out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2) God promised Abram in Gen 12:3 that “…in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
All this prophesies concerning Jesus came true! The gospel according to St. Luke traced his genealogy in Luke 3:23-38 from Joseph to David, to Abraham, to Noah and right up to Adam. Most of us are familiar with the story of the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Christ. The gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John with differing emphasis present details of the story of Christ-how Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary informing her that she was “highly favoured” and “blessed” among women; “And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David”; how he was born in a manger, in Bethlehem; how the wise men (shepherds) visited to worship him.
Before he commenced his ministry, Jesus was baptized in River Jordan by John the Baptist, and then the Holy Spirit descending upon him like a dove and a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And then he was tempted. The temptations of Christ remind us of the things Satan continues to tempt man with even to this day-feed your flesh rather than the spirit; just worship me and I will give you power, wealth and the kingdoms of the earth; and okay if I can’t get you in other ways, I can provoke you to tempt the Lord your God and try to claim glory and power for yourself. Thank God, Jesus being “full of the Holy Ghost” rebuffed him, but trust the ever-unrelenting Satan, in spite of this failure, he only departed from him “for a season”!
Jesus went on to call the twelve disciples, turn water to wine, purify the temple; he ministered all over Judea, Galilee, Capernaum, Samaria calling people to the Lord, healing all manner of sickness and disease, saving, comforting, blessing the poor, those that mourn, the meek, those who thirsted after righteousness, the merciful, poor in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness sake; he healed lepers, the blind, the lame, he cast out demons, rose up Lazarus from the dead, he fed the thousands with only seven loaves of bread and a few little fishes, he calmed the storm and stilled the winds, he blessed the little children, he taught them and revealed the deep mysteries of God through parables and scriptures, and he showed an example of service by washing the feet of his disciples.
In all that he did on earth, Jesus was driven by compassion for man, and the desire to do the will of his father. When he looked upon the multitudes, he was moved with compassion, and said “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few” (Mathew 9: 37). After the death of John the Baptist, he retreated to a desert place but the multitudes again followed him, and when he saw a great multitude, he “was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick” (Mathew 14: 14) He himself explained it, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days…” When Jesus saw the funeral procession of the widow’s son, Luke 7: 13 records that “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not” And raised her son from the dead.
When his parents looked for him in the temple, Jesus rebuked them saying, “How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2: 49) In responding to Satan’s temptations, he relied on the will of the Father-“That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God”; “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve”; “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Luke 4: 1-13) He predicted his coming death and resurrection, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9: 22) but he had to do the will of the father. Even as he knew the hour was near, and he suffered in agony, yet he submitted to his Father’s will, “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.”
And in the end he was betrayed by Judas, denied three times by Peter, he was mocked, smitten, blindfolded, struck, blasphemed against, accused before Pilate who found no fault in him. But he had to be killed, nailed to the cross between two thieves in order that the will of his Father be done. But on the third day, as he himself had prophesied, he arose and appeared again to the disciples. And gave all Christians the injunction to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Mathew 28: 18-20)
More than seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, Prophet Isaiah prophesied of his coming, “ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever…” (Isaiah 9; 6-7) He also hinted in Isaiah 53:5 of the ordeal Christ will pass through on earth and the price he would pay for our sins, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Prophet Zechariah prophesied of his riding into Jerusalem on an ass (Zechariah 9:9) and that he would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11: 12-13) over 500 years before his birth. King David writing 1000 years before Christ, in Psalms 22 and 34: 20 alluded to his trials, the parting of his garments and casting of lots upon his vesture, but that through it all, “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken”. Micah proclaimed over 700 years before his birth, concerning Bethlehem, that “…out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2) God promised Abram in Gen 12:3 that “…in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
All this prophesies concerning Jesus came true! The gospel according to St. Luke traced his genealogy in Luke 3:23-38 from Joseph to David, to Abraham, to Noah and right up to Adam. Most of us are familiar with the story of the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Christ. The gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John with differing emphasis present details of the story of Christ-how Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary informing her that she was “highly favoured” and “blessed” among women; “And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David”; how he was born in a manger, in Bethlehem; how the wise men (shepherds) visited to worship him.
Before he commenced his ministry, Jesus was baptized in River Jordan by John the Baptist, and then the Holy Spirit descending upon him like a dove and a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And then he was tempted. The temptations of Christ remind us of the things Satan continues to tempt man with even to this day-feed your flesh rather than the spirit; just worship me and I will give you power, wealth and the kingdoms of the earth; and okay if I can’t get you in other ways, I can provoke you to tempt the Lord your God and try to claim glory and power for yourself. Thank God, Jesus being “full of the Holy Ghost” rebuffed him, but trust the ever-unrelenting Satan, in spite of this failure, he only departed from him “for a season”!
Jesus went on to call the twelve disciples, turn water to wine, purify the temple; he ministered all over Judea, Galilee, Capernaum, Samaria calling people to the Lord, healing all manner of sickness and disease, saving, comforting, blessing the poor, those that mourn, the meek, those who thirsted after righteousness, the merciful, poor in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness sake; he healed lepers, the blind, the lame, he cast out demons, rose up Lazarus from the dead, he fed the thousands with only seven loaves of bread and a few little fishes, he calmed the storm and stilled the winds, he blessed the little children, he taught them and revealed the deep mysteries of God through parables and scriptures, and he showed an example of service by washing the feet of his disciples.
In all that he did on earth, Jesus was driven by compassion for man, and the desire to do the will of his father. When he looked upon the multitudes, he was moved with compassion, and said “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few” (Mathew 9: 37). After the death of John the Baptist, he retreated to a desert place but the multitudes again followed him, and when he saw a great multitude, he “was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick” (Mathew 14: 14) He himself explained it, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days…” When Jesus saw the funeral procession of the widow’s son, Luke 7: 13 records that “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not” And raised her son from the dead.
When his parents looked for him in the temple, Jesus rebuked them saying, “How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2: 49) In responding to Satan’s temptations, he relied on the will of the Father-“That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God”; “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve”; “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Luke 4: 1-13) He predicted his coming death and resurrection, “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9: 22) but he had to do the will of the father. Even as he knew the hour was near, and he suffered in agony, yet he submitted to his Father’s will, “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.”
And in the end he was betrayed by Judas, denied three times by Peter, he was mocked, smitten, blindfolded, struck, blasphemed against, accused before Pilate who found no fault in him. But he had to be killed, nailed to the cross between two thieves in order that the will of his Father be done. But on the third day, as he himself had prophesied, he arose and appeared again to the disciples. And gave all Christians the injunction to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Mathew 28: 18-20)
The Significance of Easter
This is the week of Easter variously referred to as the Holy Week, or the Passion Week. Indeed some days ago, I came across a beautiful literature which called it, “8 Days that Changed the World Forever”. Whatever it is called, it is Easter, rather than the more popular Christmas that defines the Christian Faith, for faith in Christ rests on the events that characterised those critical eight days-The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem; the teachings at the Temple in Jerusalem, the Last Supper, his travails in the Garden of Gethsemane and the denial by Peter; and the climax-his crucifixion and resurrection for which Good Friday and Easter Sunday are today celebrated all over the world.
As a little child, I never could understand why they called the day Christ was so brutally killed on the cross a ‘good’ Friday, and I believe I tormented many adults with persistent questions in that regard. If Jesus was such a good man, who came to the world to save us from sin, and to heal and preach, how can it be a good day the day he was murdered? I don’t think any one quite persuaded me with the answers they attempted to give, and in the end, I guess I just gave up, and concluded that the world did not understand the difference between good and bad! Well today, knowing that but for that death, there could not have been a resurrection; knowing that but for the manner of his death, the scriptures would not have been fulfilled; and but for his resurrection, the Christian faith would have been basically pointless, I now fully understand.
The story of those marvellous eight days is well known, but still remains an epic of courage and sacrifice. The story which is included in the four gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John is of a Christ who knew and indeed predicted several times his imminent betrayal and delivery to the Gentiles, his scourging and mocking and his eventual crucifixion and yet walked steadfastly towards the cross, in order that he may do the will of God, and thereby fulfil his mission of creating a permanent plan of salvation for man. As he drew near to Jerusalem, at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, he instructed them to fetch a donkey upon which he rode into Jerusalem. His disciples put their clothes on the donkey, and many laid their garments on the floor, while others cut tree branches and all proclaimed, “Hosanna…, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”
He went into the Temple and chased out the commercial people who had taken over the House of God (perhaps if he came into some of the Temples of the world today, he would have to repeat this purification rite) and healed the blind and the lame; he cursed the unproductive fig tree (oh that we may be productive with the talents he has deposited in us); he preached about faith, told them several parables and taught them; as usual he criticised the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious men of the day, and condemned them as hypocrites who “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in”-in Jesus’ view they merely prevented many from worshipping God, while not worshipping him themselves (how many of us would Jesus condemn as Pharisees if he came into the Church today?).
In a sense, Jesus was a revolutionary, a non-conformist who challenged the powerful people of his time, and these can be vengeful, unforgiving and violent people, as they indeed turned out to be! It is not usual in today’s theology to stress this attribute of Christ-the disdain with which he related to the Pharisees and Scribes, his total lack of sycophancy and double-speak, his firm renunciation of those who had turned the house of prayer into a den of thieves, his often undiplomatic but truthful assertions of his kingship and his courage and boldness at his subsequent trial. Today, Jesus would have been accused of a lack of wisdom!
In those last days, he instituted the Holy Communion, the breaking of bread, and drinking of wine in commemoration of his new testament, a rite which remains a cornerstone of the Christian faith till this day. He foretold of Peter’s denial and then the end game (as his persecutors imagined) began in the Garden of Gethsemane. Christ was heavy and sorrowful even as the moment of his death approached. He declared to his disciples, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death…” and prayed asking the Father to “…if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” but yet submitted to the will of God, “…nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” It was while this ordeal lasted in the Garden that Judas one of the twelve disciples who betrayed him for money led in the soldiers, chief priests and elders who seized him and led him to the cross.
The rest of the story is of course well known-his trial before the High Priest and before Pontius Pilate, the governor. In one of the most amazing turns, the people were so hateful of Christ that they preferred the release of a notorious prisoner, Barabbas who had robbed, raped and killed to Jesus Christ who had not killed anyone, who had only healed the sick and even raised up the dead to life. The extent of that self-destructive hatred illustrates how far the world can go in spiteful wickedness even till this day, and was a classic case of cutting the nose to spite the face. They insisted that Jesus must be crucified, while Barabbas be released. And he was led to Golgotha, bearing his own cross, with a crown of thorns on his head, and they spit upon him, mocked him, and crucified him, with the inscription, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS”-a prophetic statement which they thought they were making in jest. But then, the scriptures had to be fulfilled. Jesus had to die, in order that he would rise again, and give the millions, indeed billions who are called by his name a hope of salvation and of eternal life.
Those events gave rise to the Christian faith subscribed to today, by a large proportion of the citizens of the world, and a major social and spiritual influence even on those that are non-adherents of the Christian faith. Can you imagine what may have happened if Jesus had chickened out of his divine mission and had turned away from Jerusalem or recanted before the High Priest? What if Judas had not betrayed Christ? Could the story had evolved differently-perhaps the High Priest or Pilate could have ruled in favour of Jesus, or perhaps the people realising the terrible crimes that Barabbas had committed, had asked for Jesus’ release instead of the vagabond. But then, if all those had happened, a great world faith would not have been birthed. Jesus would have ended up a great prophet like Moses, Isaiah, Elisha, or Jeremiah. Any concept of eternal life, salvation by the blood of Jesus, divine healing or resurrection will be non-existent or simply fanciful. There would not be Good Friday or Easter Sunday.
As a little child, I never could understand why they called the day Christ was so brutally killed on the cross a ‘good’ Friday, and I believe I tormented many adults with persistent questions in that regard. If Jesus was such a good man, who came to the world to save us from sin, and to heal and preach, how can it be a good day the day he was murdered? I don’t think any one quite persuaded me with the answers they attempted to give, and in the end, I guess I just gave up, and concluded that the world did not understand the difference between good and bad! Well today, knowing that but for that death, there could not have been a resurrection; knowing that but for the manner of his death, the scriptures would not have been fulfilled; and but for his resurrection, the Christian faith would have been basically pointless, I now fully understand.
The story of those marvellous eight days is well known, but still remains an epic of courage and sacrifice. The story which is included in the four gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John is of a Christ who knew and indeed predicted several times his imminent betrayal and delivery to the Gentiles, his scourging and mocking and his eventual crucifixion and yet walked steadfastly towards the cross, in order that he may do the will of God, and thereby fulfil his mission of creating a permanent plan of salvation for man. As he drew near to Jerusalem, at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, he instructed them to fetch a donkey upon which he rode into Jerusalem. His disciples put their clothes on the donkey, and many laid their garments on the floor, while others cut tree branches and all proclaimed, “Hosanna…, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”
He went into the Temple and chased out the commercial people who had taken over the House of God (perhaps if he came into some of the Temples of the world today, he would have to repeat this purification rite) and healed the blind and the lame; he cursed the unproductive fig tree (oh that we may be productive with the talents he has deposited in us); he preached about faith, told them several parables and taught them; as usual he criticised the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious men of the day, and condemned them as hypocrites who “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in”-in Jesus’ view they merely prevented many from worshipping God, while not worshipping him themselves (how many of us would Jesus condemn as Pharisees if he came into the Church today?).
In a sense, Jesus was a revolutionary, a non-conformist who challenged the powerful people of his time, and these can be vengeful, unforgiving and violent people, as they indeed turned out to be! It is not usual in today’s theology to stress this attribute of Christ-the disdain with which he related to the Pharisees and Scribes, his total lack of sycophancy and double-speak, his firm renunciation of those who had turned the house of prayer into a den of thieves, his often undiplomatic but truthful assertions of his kingship and his courage and boldness at his subsequent trial. Today, Jesus would have been accused of a lack of wisdom!
In those last days, he instituted the Holy Communion, the breaking of bread, and drinking of wine in commemoration of his new testament, a rite which remains a cornerstone of the Christian faith till this day. He foretold of Peter’s denial and then the end game (as his persecutors imagined) began in the Garden of Gethsemane. Christ was heavy and sorrowful even as the moment of his death approached. He declared to his disciples, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death…” and prayed asking the Father to “…if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” but yet submitted to the will of God, “…nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” It was while this ordeal lasted in the Garden that Judas one of the twelve disciples who betrayed him for money led in the soldiers, chief priests and elders who seized him and led him to the cross.
The rest of the story is of course well known-his trial before the High Priest and before Pontius Pilate, the governor. In one of the most amazing turns, the people were so hateful of Christ that they preferred the release of a notorious prisoner, Barabbas who had robbed, raped and killed to Jesus Christ who had not killed anyone, who had only healed the sick and even raised up the dead to life. The extent of that self-destructive hatred illustrates how far the world can go in spiteful wickedness even till this day, and was a classic case of cutting the nose to spite the face. They insisted that Jesus must be crucified, while Barabbas be released. And he was led to Golgotha, bearing his own cross, with a crown of thorns on his head, and they spit upon him, mocked him, and crucified him, with the inscription, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS”-a prophetic statement which they thought they were making in jest. But then, the scriptures had to be fulfilled. Jesus had to die, in order that he would rise again, and give the millions, indeed billions who are called by his name a hope of salvation and of eternal life.
Those events gave rise to the Christian faith subscribed to today, by a large proportion of the citizens of the world, and a major social and spiritual influence even on those that are non-adherents of the Christian faith. Can you imagine what may have happened if Jesus had chickened out of his divine mission and had turned away from Jerusalem or recanted before the High Priest? What if Judas had not betrayed Christ? Could the story had evolved differently-perhaps the High Priest or Pilate could have ruled in favour of Jesus, or perhaps the people realising the terrible crimes that Barabbas had committed, had asked for Jesus’ release instead of the vagabond. But then, if all those had happened, a great world faith would not have been birthed. Jesus would have ended up a great prophet like Moses, Isaiah, Elisha, or Jeremiah. Any concept of eternal life, salvation by the blood of Jesus, divine healing or resurrection will be non-existent or simply fanciful. There would not be Good Friday or Easter Sunday.
The inflitration of the Church
In the early days after the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, the immediate lot of the Christians was persecution-intense persecution. Stephen and James were executed. At the height of Nero’s persecution, Peter was killed. Apostle Paul who had himself been a persecutor-in-chief of the Church before his conversion was imprisoned, beaten and eventually church historians record that he was executed between AD65-68. Martyrdom was the ‘trophy’ of many of the early Christian fathers. Ignatius was scourged and tortured and his flesh was torn apart with hot pincers and then lions were released to devour him. When Polycarp refused entreaties to denounce his God, he was taken into the arena and burnt alive. As the flames enveloped him, the old Bishop took off his garments and looked up to heaven, praising God and thanking him that he was found worthy of the cup of Christ.
In this climate of persecution and martyrdom, there was no incentive except to those who were ready to die for their faith to claim to be Christians. Only an insane person would so claim if he was not completely yielded to the gospel of Christ as the consequences were so dire and terrible. The population of the Church was not large, but the heart of every single one in their company could be presumed for God. Not surprisingly, the Bible records that the early church was filled with power, and with love. “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul…And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was with them all” (Acts 4:32-33). The Church endured varying degrees of persecution for many years-until an emperor became a Christian!
Constantine became emperor of Rome in 306. In the course of one battle, he saw a cross of light in the heavens, with an inscription, “By this sign conquer” and that night, Christ appeared to him. Of course he won a complete victory in the campaign. From that point, Constantine effectively supported Christianity and ended the persecution of the church. He abolished state sacrifices, favoured the church, instituted freedom of religion, and returned the properties of Christians hitherto confiscated. He enacted laws based on Christian morality and vested the church with financial and material support. Clergymen occupied important state positions and churches were erected on the sites where martyrs had died. Of course, when a king belongs to a group and favours it, many would be attracted to it, and not necessarily for the same reasons!
Geoffrey Hanks writes in ‘70 Great Christians’ that “Because of the preferential treatment of the Church, Christianity became fashionable. Many pagans started to attend church and became nominal members, perhaps to enjoy some of the benefits Christians had gained. Correct doctrine became more important than right behavior, and there was a lowering of moral standards…formalism in worship appeared; priests repeated set prayers and the congregation listened to a performance…a form of ritual gradually crept into services, replacing the simplicity of earlier years. The Church responded by allowing Constantine to exercise spiritual authority.” So while Constantine ended the persecution of the Church, and ushered in a period of peace and stability, his reign signaled the beginnings of a pattern that has manifested to this day. Constantine was baptized towards the end of his life, and spent the rest of his life wearing his baptismal robes. He died in 337 at the feast of Pentecost with great grief all over the world.
The ‘King’ brought Christianity to Nigeria. There was a conjunction of some sort between the colonial authorities and the European missionaries. Like some have written perhaps skeptically, the British came with the “Bible in one hand and the gun in the other”. After the initial resistance to the white man’s faith, pragmatic natives would soon notice that there were many benefits to be gained from conversion-education for your children, jobs in the civil service, a new status in society (especially for those who may have been previously unimportant)etc. While many were convinced by the gospel many others had no doubt simply made a sensible decision. Not surprisingly most natives took the Christian (and other foreign) faiths and kept their traditional gods and religious practices by the side. Like the Yorubas unabashedly proclaimed, “esin kan ope kawa ma soro, awa o soro ile wa o!” (No religion can stop us from worshipping the gods of our land, we will worship our gods).
The Scripture Union (SU) phenomenon largely founded in the universities and schools introduced a new dimension however, of faith based not on pragmatic compromises but based on adherence to the word of God. Of course SUs were not popular and were regarded in the 1960s and 1970s as extremists, fundamentalists who were being unreasonable. Parents, including nominally Christian ones begged their children not to join the SU. The SU phenomenon did not adopt modern marketing and branding strategies, offered no commercial or social benefits (except of course fellowship with the brethren), and demanded strict moral standards. Many did not find it attractive! The Pentecostal movement was the inheritor of the SU mantle, but perhaps the time was now right. Many were now second and third generation Christians who had come to know God better, and their traditional gods less. Education was more widespread and the international evangelical ministries were more organized. Social, economic and political uncertainty was also higher.
With the increasing spread of the Pentecostal Church in Nigeria, the adversary changed his strategy. Seeing the Church can not be stopped, he decided to fight the church from inside. Many have joined the church who are not of God. Many may have risen to leading positions in Gods house, who are agents of the other side. Of course that is the nature of warfare, espionage, intelligence and workers of evil will learn from their master, the devil who fought God from right inside heaven! Christians must be vigilant. The Bible warns us that in the last days many will come claiming to be of him. God says we should test every spirit. And says by their fruits we would know them. Is their fruit manipulation, mischief, propaganda, wickedness, politics and deceit? Or is it love, holiness, truth, compassion, encouragement? Test every spirit. I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
In this climate of persecution and martyrdom, there was no incentive except to those who were ready to die for their faith to claim to be Christians. Only an insane person would so claim if he was not completely yielded to the gospel of Christ as the consequences were so dire and terrible. The population of the Church was not large, but the heart of every single one in their company could be presumed for God. Not surprisingly, the Bible records that the early church was filled with power, and with love. “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul…And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was with them all” (Acts 4:32-33). The Church endured varying degrees of persecution for many years-until an emperor became a Christian!
Constantine became emperor of Rome in 306. In the course of one battle, he saw a cross of light in the heavens, with an inscription, “By this sign conquer” and that night, Christ appeared to him. Of course he won a complete victory in the campaign. From that point, Constantine effectively supported Christianity and ended the persecution of the church. He abolished state sacrifices, favoured the church, instituted freedom of religion, and returned the properties of Christians hitherto confiscated. He enacted laws based on Christian morality and vested the church with financial and material support. Clergymen occupied important state positions and churches were erected on the sites where martyrs had died. Of course, when a king belongs to a group and favours it, many would be attracted to it, and not necessarily for the same reasons!
Geoffrey Hanks writes in ‘70 Great Christians’ that “Because of the preferential treatment of the Church, Christianity became fashionable. Many pagans started to attend church and became nominal members, perhaps to enjoy some of the benefits Christians had gained. Correct doctrine became more important than right behavior, and there was a lowering of moral standards…formalism in worship appeared; priests repeated set prayers and the congregation listened to a performance…a form of ritual gradually crept into services, replacing the simplicity of earlier years. The Church responded by allowing Constantine to exercise spiritual authority.” So while Constantine ended the persecution of the Church, and ushered in a period of peace and stability, his reign signaled the beginnings of a pattern that has manifested to this day. Constantine was baptized towards the end of his life, and spent the rest of his life wearing his baptismal robes. He died in 337 at the feast of Pentecost with great grief all over the world.
The ‘King’ brought Christianity to Nigeria. There was a conjunction of some sort between the colonial authorities and the European missionaries. Like some have written perhaps skeptically, the British came with the “Bible in one hand and the gun in the other”. After the initial resistance to the white man’s faith, pragmatic natives would soon notice that there were many benefits to be gained from conversion-education for your children, jobs in the civil service, a new status in society (especially for those who may have been previously unimportant)etc. While many were convinced by the gospel many others had no doubt simply made a sensible decision. Not surprisingly most natives took the Christian (and other foreign) faiths and kept their traditional gods and religious practices by the side. Like the Yorubas unabashedly proclaimed, “esin kan ope kawa ma soro, awa o soro ile wa o!” (No religion can stop us from worshipping the gods of our land, we will worship our gods).
The Scripture Union (SU) phenomenon largely founded in the universities and schools introduced a new dimension however, of faith based not on pragmatic compromises but based on adherence to the word of God. Of course SUs were not popular and were regarded in the 1960s and 1970s as extremists, fundamentalists who were being unreasonable. Parents, including nominally Christian ones begged their children not to join the SU. The SU phenomenon did not adopt modern marketing and branding strategies, offered no commercial or social benefits (except of course fellowship with the brethren), and demanded strict moral standards. Many did not find it attractive! The Pentecostal movement was the inheritor of the SU mantle, but perhaps the time was now right. Many were now second and third generation Christians who had come to know God better, and their traditional gods less. Education was more widespread and the international evangelical ministries were more organized. Social, economic and political uncertainty was also higher.
With the increasing spread of the Pentecostal Church in Nigeria, the adversary changed his strategy. Seeing the Church can not be stopped, he decided to fight the church from inside. Many have joined the church who are not of God. Many may have risen to leading positions in Gods house, who are agents of the other side. Of course that is the nature of warfare, espionage, intelligence and workers of evil will learn from their master, the devil who fought God from right inside heaven! Christians must be vigilant. The Bible warns us that in the last days many will come claiming to be of him. God says we should test every spirit. And says by their fruits we would know them. Is their fruit manipulation, mischief, propaganda, wickedness, politics and deceit? Or is it love, holiness, truth, compassion, encouragement? Test every spirit. I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
The Blood and the Life
An English Language Dictionary describes “blood” as “the red liquid that flows through the bodies of humans and animals”. The word can describe a type of blood (“cold-blooded”, “blue-blooded”), family origins (“noble blood”) or it can describe relationships (“bad blood”, being after somebody’s blood, “blood is thicker than water” etc). A medical dictionary provides more detail-“A fluid that runs throughout the body by way of the arteries, veins and capillaries…composed of serum or plasma, red cells, white cells, and platelets. Plasma …carries the blood cells and transports nutrients to all tissues…also transports waste products resulting from tissue activity to the organs for excretion. Red cells give colour to the blood and carry oxygen. White cells aid in defending the body against infection. Platelets are essential to the formation of the blood clots necessary to stop bleeding.”
In short, without blood there cannot be life. Leviticus 17:11 indeed says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” African societies lay great spiritual store on blood. If there is a small problem, they shed the blood of a chicken. If the problem is slightly bigger, they use a goat. If it’s a major issue, they use a cow and if the problem persists they use seven cows. Apparently African spiritual practice recognises a link between the quality of the blood and the resolution of spiritual matters. When there is a big need for propitiation, they may even use a human being! The traditional African society was not alone in recognising the redeeming value of blood. In Biblical Israel, when God was taking the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity, the final act of Passover as the Lord slew the first born of the Egyptians was based on blood. Exodus 12:13 says, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”
The children of Israel shed the blood of animals in presenting different types of sacrifice to their God, Jehovah. When there was need to recompense sin, the Isrealite was commanded in Leviticus 4:32-34, “And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish….And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereat at the bottom of the altar.” It could be a peace offering as described in Leviticus 7: 29-30, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, he that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the Lord shall bring his oblation unto the Lord of his sacrifice of his peace offerings. His own hands shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord.”
It could also be a trespass offering-“And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering…And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot” (Leviticus 14:12-14). Blood could also be an instrument of covenant. After the Lord had delivered the children of Israel from Egypt, he gave them diverse laws and ordinances through Moses. In Exodus 24:7-8, after Moses read the laws of God to Israel they pledged obedience to God. Moses sealed the covenant between God and Israel with blood. “And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.”
The Israelites could simply sacrifice to Jehovah to release blessings and the favour of God upon themselves, the famous sacrifice of King Solomon in 1 Kings 3 being perhaps the most notable example. Solomon is recorded to have gone to “the great high place” in Gibeon (according to Dake, this was one of the most prominent places of sacrifice in Israel at the time) and shed the blood of “a thousand burnt offerings” upon the altar of the Lord. Dake suggests that given the greatness of Solomon and his royal magnificence, the 1000 burnt offerings were likely to have been bulls rather than lambs, goats or rams and estimates the value of that offering at $325,000 excluding flour, wine and oil for each sacrifice. Solomon’s extra-ordinary offering led God to ask him, “…Ask what I shall give thee.”
The Israelites believed that animal blood could take the place of a sinner’s blood in atoning for sin, the sin of Adam having merited and brought death upon mankind. In the New Testament, Hebrews 9:22 asserts categorically, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” And so in Israel, the High Priest would go into the Tabernacle on the annual Day of Atonement, and enter into the “Holy of Holies” and offer an innocent sacrifice unto the mercy seat on top of the ark of covenant, and thus obtain mercy from God for Israel for the next one year. (Hebrews 9: 1-7) But then God did not like this temporary arrangement. If the High priest was not clean, he would sometimes die in the Holy of Holies. The children of Israel were certain to sin again before next year and the annual atonement would become a hollow ritual-“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year” (Hebrews 10:3) God purposed to create a more enduring arrangement.
And so Christ came as a permanent High Priest to offer an eternal sacrifice for man. Hebrews 9: 11-14 says, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Jesus declared in John 11:25 that He is “the resurrection, and the life…” and indeed rose on the third day after his crucifixion and Apostle Paul prayed in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” That is my prayer for all the readers of this column and my family and I this Easter. Happy Easter.
In short, without blood there cannot be life. Leviticus 17:11 indeed says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” African societies lay great spiritual store on blood. If there is a small problem, they shed the blood of a chicken. If the problem is slightly bigger, they use a goat. If it’s a major issue, they use a cow and if the problem persists they use seven cows. Apparently African spiritual practice recognises a link between the quality of the blood and the resolution of spiritual matters. When there is a big need for propitiation, they may even use a human being! The traditional African society was not alone in recognising the redeeming value of blood. In Biblical Israel, when God was taking the Israelites out of Egyptian captivity, the final act of Passover as the Lord slew the first born of the Egyptians was based on blood. Exodus 12:13 says, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”
The children of Israel shed the blood of animals in presenting different types of sacrifice to their God, Jehovah. When there was need to recompense sin, the Isrealite was commanded in Leviticus 4:32-34, “And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish….And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereat at the bottom of the altar.” It could be a peace offering as described in Leviticus 7: 29-30, “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, he that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the Lord shall bring his oblation unto the Lord of his sacrifice of his peace offerings. His own hands shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord.”
It could also be a trespass offering-“And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering…And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot” (Leviticus 14:12-14). Blood could also be an instrument of covenant. After the Lord had delivered the children of Israel from Egypt, he gave them diverse laws and ordinances through Moses. In Exodus 24:7-8, after Moses read the laws of God to Israel they pledged obedience to God. Moses sealed the covenant between God and Israel with blood. “And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.”
The Israelites could simply sacrifice to Jehovah to release blessings and the favour of God upon themselves, the famous sacrifice of King Solomon in 1 Kings 3 being perhaps the most notable example. Solomon is recorded to have gone to “the great high place” in Gibeon (according to Dake, this was one of the most prominent places of sacrifice in Israel at the time) and shed the blood of “a thousand burnt offerings” upon the altar of the Lord. Dake suggests that given the greatness of Solomon and his royal magnificence, the 1000 burnt offerings were likely to have been bulls rather than lambs, goats or rams and estimates the value of that offering at $325,000 excluding flour, wine and oil for each sacrifice. Solomon’s extra-ordinary offering led God to ask him, “…Ask what I shall give thee.”
The Israelites believed that animal blood could take the place of a sinner’s blood in atoning for sin, the sin of Adam having merited and brought death upon mankind. In the New Testament, Hebrews 9:22 asserts categorically, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” And so in Israel, the High Priest would go into the Tabernacle on the annual Day of Atonement, and enter into the “Holy of Holies” and offer an innocent sacrifice unto the mercy seat on top of the ark of covenant, and thus obtain mercy from God for Israel for the next one year. (Hebrews 9: 1-7) But then God did not like this temporary arrangement. If the High priest was not clean, he would sometimes die in the Holy of Holies. The children of Israel were certain to sin again before next year and the annual atonement would become a hollow ritual-“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year” (Hebrews 10:3) God purposed to create a more enduring arrangement.
And so Christ came as a permanent High Priest to offer an eternal sacrifice for man. Hebrews 9: 11-14 says, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Jesus declared in John 11:25 that He is “the resurrection, and the life…” and indeed rose on the third day after his crucifixion and Apostle Paul prayed in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” That is my prayer for all the readers of this column and my family and I this Easter. Happy Easter.
If Jesus were bon today!
I don’t mean the second coming of Christ-the question is what if the birth of Christ had happened today, in the twenty-first century rather than over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. What if he had been born today in Lagos, Enugu or Jos rather than amongst the Jews? Would we have received him differently than the Jews did? Wouldn’t we have crucified him just like they did? Would the “Pharisees” and “Sadducees” of our time have acted differently from those of the time of Christ’s first coming? Would the trial and mob lynching of Christ have taken a different course if it occurred today? I do not think so, and I will paint scenarios based on current day practices of how the story may have turned out.
First many in the church today are so pre-occupied with gossip, slander and wickedness that if Mary the mother of Christ had the virgin conception today, she would have been the subject of malicious and salacious gossip. “Sister Mary has committed adultery oh!” The evidence of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures would not come into the equation. No body will pray, read the scriptures or even ask poor Sister Mary for her own account. She would be condemned and perhaps the world would have missed the opportunity of recognizing that the king that was prophesied had come while the masters of propaganda who are numerous in the church turn her into the subject of their “holy gist”.
And then Jesus was born in a manger! Of course we would all declare that our God is not a God of poverty! The expected saviour, just like the Jews expected should be born in St. Nicholas, or the National Hospital or perhaps the mother ought to have traveled to New York or Paris to have him. But to be born in the midst of donkeys and hay-God forbid! Of course even if the three wise men from the east follow the stars diligently until it leads them to that Bethlehemite-like manger, today’s wise men would immediately turn back and search in more prestigious locations for the messiah. The place must be a fine sanctuary in Ikoyi, Victoria-Island, Lekki, Ikeja etc, or perhaps the chapel in Aso Rock! And who was his father-a carpenter? Can any thing good come out of Nazareth?
Jesus suddenly one day started preaching, and calling the twelve disciples. How many today will have answered the call of a poor carpenter’s son to leave all and follow him? He had not gone to believer’s class, worker’s training, bible school etc. He had not been ordained, except of course by the Holy Spirit itself. But like somebody said, if God were to withdraw the Holy Spirit completely from this world, we wouldn’t notice. Today’s Christians figure everything out for themselves. Like they say, we apply “wisdom”! Jesus would have been challenged-“who ordained you?”, “I became a minister before you!”, “I am your senior in ministry”. Today’s church is pre-occupied with hierarchy and position and would have dismissed Christ as an upstart!
Like Herod, we would have tried to kill him, not to present gifts like the three wise men. When Jesus called the disciples, perhaps only Judas would have answered, recognizing the commercial opportunity! And of course, the saviours of today will not say anything to offend the powers that be. They would apply wisdom. They would not offend the Pharisees, Sadducees or other principalities and powers of their time. If anyone did, we would accuse him of pride and arrogance, and undiplomatic behaviour. His followers will immediately desert him in favour of a more conciliatory pastor. His miracle of feeding the thousands with one basket of fish would not have impressed us. Can’t he give us good jobs, cars and fine houses instead of some miserable fish!
The followers of Christ today will try to bribe him. They would employ sycophancy and “eye-service” and try to turn him into an earthly king. They will encourage him to commercialise his ministry. If he refuses their satanic entreaties, his senior ministers will defect and form their own churches and become very rich-on earth. Judas will not have betrayed Christ for only thirty pieces of silver! He would simply set up his own church! The sisters in the church will have seen several visions with the “spirit” revealing to many of them that Jesus was supposed to be their husband. Unlike Mary Magdalene, Martha and her sister Mary, and all the other sisters of the time of Christ, today’s sisters will “ask for more!”
And when the trials of Christ commence, in order that he can fulfill the will of his father and accomplish his mission on earth, we would say like the friends of Job that he should check himself, it is due to his sins, such trials cannot happen to a child of God, he must have done something wrong. Alternatively it is household wickedness, or witchcraft in his family, or perhaps a generational curse. He would need to go for deliverance! Of course there is wickedness and witchcraft in the world, even in the church-that is not new. In the time of Job, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” (Job 1:6) I have personally beheld with my own eyes four sisters-a pastor’s wife who was herself a pastor, the head of the choir, a deaconess and a leading usher performing satanic rituals in church, while innocent children of God were praying. I saw them and they saw me, but they are too far gone!
If Jesus came today, who will be the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes? Who will be the principalities and powers? Who will be the ones to oppose him? Will they be found in the Church or outside it? Would Jesus call many of us Pharisees if he came today? Jesus condemned the Pharisees for “laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). Would he say that of us? Would Christ rebuke us as “An evil and adulterous generation seeking after a sign?” (Mathew 12: 39) Would he see us like the Pharisee who stood up and declared himself righteous unlike the “extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican” or like the publican who prayed “God be merciful to me, a sinner” (Mathew 18:9-14).
And then Jesus was humiliated, brutalised, treated with extreme wickedness, condemned before Pilate, the Jews preferring a notorious thief and criminal, Barrabas to be released to them rather than Jesus the Messiah. He was mocked, beaten and killed at 33 years of age, nailed to the cross. We would have questioned whether that could be the will of God. Why should a Christian die at 33 years of age? It does not accord with our normal expectation of how our King and Saviour should die, but praise the Lord; he rose on the third day conquering sin and death and giving us hope of salvation. I pray that the peace and blessings of Christ will abide with us all. Amen.
First many in the church today are so pre-occupied with gossip, slander and wickedness that if Mary the mother of Christ had the virgin conception today, she would have been the subject of malicious and salacious gossip. “Sister Mary has committed adultery oh!” The evidence of the Holy Spirit and the scriptures would not come into the equation. No body will pray, read the scriptures or even ask poor Sister Mary for her own account. She would be condemned and perhaps the world would have missed the opportunity of recognizing that the king that was prophesied had come while the masters of propaganda who are numerous in the church turn her into the subject of their “holy gist”.
And then Jesus was born in a manger! Of course we would all declare that our God is not a God of poverty! The expected saviour, just like the Jews expected should be born in St. Nicholas, or the National Hospital or perhaps the mother ought to have traveled to New York or Paris to have him. But to be born in the midst of donkeys and hay-God forbid! Of course even if the three wise men from the east follow the stars diligently until it leads them to that Bethlehemite-like manger, today’s wise men would immediately turn back and search in more prestigious locations for the messiah. The place must be a fine sanctuary in Ikoyi, Victoria-Island, Lekki, Ikeja etc, or perhaps the chapel in Aso Rock! And who was his father-a carpenter? Can any thing good come out of Nazareth?
Jesus suddenly one day started preaching, and calling the twelve disciples. How many today will have answered the call of a poor carpenter’s son to leave all and follow him? He had not gone to believer’s class, worker’s training, bible school etc. He had not been ordained, except of course by the Holy Spirit itself. But like somebody said, if God were to withdraw the Holy Spirit completely from this world, we wouldn’t notice. Today’s Christians figure everything out for themselves. Like they say, we apply “wisdom”! Jesus would have been challenged-“who ordained you?”, “I became a minister before you!”, “I am your senior in ministry”. Today’s church is pre-occupied with hierarchy and position and would have dismissed Christ as an upstart!
Like Herod, we would have tried to kill him, not to present gifts like the three wise men. When Jesus called the disciples, perhaps only Judas would have answered, recognizing the commercial opportunity! And of course, the saviours of today will not say anything to offend the powers that be. They would apply wisdom. They would not offend the Pharisees, Sadducees or other principalities and powers of their time. If anyone did, we would accuse him of pride and arrogance, and undiplomatic behaviour. His followers will immediately desert him in favour of a more conciliatory pastor. His miracle of feeding the thousands with one basket of fish would not have impressed us. Can’t he give us good jobs, cars and fine houses instead of some miserable fish!
The followers of Christ today will try to bribe him. They would employ sycophancy and “eye-service” and try to turn him into an earthly king. They will encourage him to commercialise his ministry. If he refuses their satanic entreaties, his senior ministers will defect and form their own churches and become very rich-on earth. Judas will not have betrayed Christ for only thirty pieces of silver! He would simply set up his own church! The sisters in the church will have seen several visions with the “spirit” revealing to many of them that Jesus was supposed to be their husband. Unlike Mary Magdalene, Martha and her sister Mary, and all the other sisters of the time of Christ, today’s sisters will “ask for more!”
And when the trials of Christ commence, in order that he can fulfill the will of his father and accomplish his mission on earth, we would say like the friends of Job that he should check himself, it is due to his sins, such trials cannot happen to a child of God, he must have done something wrong. Alternatively it is household wickedness, or witchcraft in his family, or perhaps a generational curse. He would need to go for deliverance! Of course there is wickedness and witchcraft in the world, even in the church-that is not new. In the time of Job, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” (Job 1:6) I have personally beheld with my own eyes four sisters-a pastor’s wife who was herself a pastor, the head of the choir, a deaconess and a leading usher performing satanic rituals in church, while innocent children of God were praying. I saw them and they saw me, but they are too far gone!
If Jesus came today, who will be the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes? Who will be the principalities and powers? Who will be the ones to oppose him? Will they be found in the Church or outside it? Would Jesus call many of us Pharisees if he came today? Jesus condemned the Pharisees for “laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:8). Would he say that of us? Would Christ rebuke us as “An evil and adulterous generation seeking after a sign?” (Mathew 12: 39) Would he see us like the Pharisee who stood up and declared himself righteous unlike the “extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican” or like the publican who prayed “God be merciful to me, a sinner” (Mathew 18:9-14).
And then Jesus was humiliated, brutalised, treated with extreme wickedness, condemned before Pilate, the Jews preferring a notorious thief and criminal, Barrabas to be released to them rather than Jesus the Messiah. He was mocked, beaten and killed at 33 years of age, nailed to the cross. We would have questioned whether that could be the will of God. Why should a Christian die at 33 years of age? It does not accord with our normal expectation of how our King and Saviour should die, but praise the Lord; he rose on the third day conquering sin and death and giving us hope of salvation. I pray that the peace and blessings of Christ will abide with us all. Amen.
Culture versus Religion
An interesting discussion is going on in Ogun State. A bill recently introduced in the state house of assembly, proposes to allow traditional rulers to be installed and buried according to their personal religion rather than according to ancient customs. As is proper in a democracy, the lawmakers have visited the headquarters of the four divisions of the state-Sagamu, Remo; Abeokuta, Egba; Ilaro, Yewa; and Ijebu-Ode, in Ijebu to sound out the people, traditional constituencies and religious groups on the bill.
Expectedly the discussions have been passionate and controversial. In my home town Sagamu, both the local Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Islamic community, according to reports, supported the bill. Not surprisingly the representative of the traditional institutions, the Olisa of Makun, Sagamu opposed the bill, saying “Tradition must not be discarded at the altar of civilization” and reminding the lawmakers and others gathered that the Christian and Muslim religions were foreign to Africa. He of course did not mention that electricity, modern medicine, television sets, motor vehicles, aero planes, secondary schools, newspapers, beer and coca cola, and modern governments and democracies were also foreign to Africa. I’m sure we can list one thousand other things which the esteemed Olisa and his household avails themselves of, which certainly will have been strange to his ancestors!
The discussion in Sagamu was more civil than in Abeokuta, where the representative of the Muslim community, Dr Lateef Adegbite, according to media accounts was almost assaulted by a traditional chief “who was apparently all along boiling with anger over Adegbite’s submission got up from his seat, rushed, pushed and snatched the microphone from Adegbite’s hand. The Muslim and Christian leaders present immediately rushed to protect the NSCIA scribe” The Muslim leader who incidentally as Seriki of Egba is also a highly placed traditional chief had made the points that the bill was long overdue; that the previous practice was understandable when Egba societies were mono-religious and mono-cultural; and that today 98% of Egbas were either Muslims or Christians who deserved the freedom to practice their religion.
In response to Chief Adegbite’s “blasphemy”, the Apena of Egba informed aspirants to the traditional institution that they had the option of either complying with traditional rites or to forget their ambition. He vowed that the Egba kingmakers would not sit by and allow the erosion of Egba traditions. However the traditionalist position turned out to be the minority sentiment in Egba as the representative of Egba Christians, the Anglican Bishop in supporting the bill, called for an end to barbaric practices inherent in certain customs and traditions.
In Ijebu-Ode there was a consensus in favour of the bill by all three constituencies. Our Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, strongly supported the bill arguing that the age long procedures (which I’m told include some truly dreadful practices) infringe on the fundamental human rights of the affected monarchs, and is therefore unconstitutional. True section 34 of the 1999 constitution upholds human dignity and prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment; section 38 guarantees freedom of religion, including the freedom to change one’s religion; and section 42 prohibits discrimination on account of one’s religion. In addition, section 20 directs the state to protect only those cultures which “enhance human dignity” while section 23 includes “religious tolerance” as a national ethic.
This matter brings to life the issue of the boundaries between culture and religion. In traditional African societies those boundaries were very unclear. Religion itself is often an aspect of culture, especially as those societies were typically mono-cultural and mono-religious. In today’s world where there are multiple religions the distinctions between what is tradition and matters of faith must be more clearly drawn otherwise what results is a whole sale alienation of individuals and groups who may be interested in their culture and tradition, but are excluded due to fundamental inconsistencies with their faith. I consider myself to be one such person. In any event the debates and tensions brought to light by the on-going discussions in Ogun State are timely and inevitable, and in my view healthy.
To some extent the traditionalists have a point. Why should a purist Christian want to occupy a traditional stool or chieftaincy which represents in a sense a priesthood of another faith, which is inconsistent with the Christian faith? Can it not be argued that the only priesthood a Christian should be interested in is that of Christ? Does the Bible not assure the Christian in I Peter 2:9 that, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”. Arguably this excellent royal priesthood supersedes any thrones or powers of the earth and those thrones are perhaps even inconsistent with the faith?
But then Obaship as presently constituted in Yorubaland is not just a religious institution. If it were solely and exclusively an agency of Ifa worshippers, we could ignore it and leave it to its adherents, just like the Moslems and Ifa worshippers do not have to have anything to do with the Provincial Pastor of say the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Sagamu, Remo. Obaship has received the sanction of the state, is backed up by laws and state institutions, has territorial jurisdiction and exercises authorities over all citizens in their territories whether Christians, Moslems or traditional worshippers. To that extent therefore, all are stakeholders in the institution. In that wise, we can actually rephrase the issue differently from how the Apena of Egba cast it and say that the traditionalists have the option of removing Obaship from every recognition of state and the law, otherwise the only sustainable course of action is to open it up to all religions. You can not approbate and reprobate. Indeed section 10 of the constitution prohibits the adoption of any religion as state religion!
Indeed the bill should be extended to include removal of traditional practices from the selection of Obas. As we all know, the notion that Obas are presently selected by Ifa is a notorious fiction. How many Obas can truly claim to have been so selected? The reality of today is that Obas are institutions of state selected and sometimes deposed by the government of the day. Culture is evolutionary, not static.
Expectedly the discussions have been passionate and controversial. In my home town Sagamu, both the local Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Islamic community, according to reports, supported the bill. Not surprisingly the representative of the traditional institutions, the Olisa of Makun, Sagamu opposed the bill, saying “Tradition must not be discarded at the altar of civilization” and reminding the lawmakers and others gathered that the Christian and Muslim religions were foreign to Africa. He of course did not mention that electricity, modern medicine, television sets, motor vehicles, aero planes, secondary schools, newspapers, beer and coca cola, and modern governments and democracies were also foreign to Africa. I’m sure we can list one thousand other things which the esteemed Olisa and his household avails themselves of, which certainly will have been strange to his ancestors!
The discussion in Sagamu was more civil than in Abeokuta, where the representative of the Muslim community, Dr Lateef Adegbite, according to media accounts was almost assaulted by a traditional chief “who was apparently all along boiling with anger over Adegbite’s submission got up from his seat, rushed, pushed and snatched the microphone from Adegbite’s hand. The Muslim and Christian leaders present immediately rushed to protect the NSCIA scribe” The Muslim leader who incidentally as Seriki of Egba is also a highly placed traditional chief had made the points that the bill was long overdue; that the previous practice was understandable when Egba societies were mono-religious and mono-cultural; and that today 98% of Egbas were either Muslims or Christians who deserved the freedom to practice their religion.
In response to Chief Adegbite’s “blasphemy”, the Apena of Egba informed aspirants to the traditional institution that they had the option of either complying with traditional rites or to forget their ambition. He vowed that the Egba kingmakers would not sit by and allow the erosion of Egba traditions. However the traditionalist position turned out to be the minority sentiment in Egba as the representative of Egba Christians, the Anglican Bishop in supporting the bill, called for an end to barbaric practices inherent in certain customs and traditions.
In Ijebu-Ode there was a consensus in favour of the bill by all three constituencies. Our Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, strongly supported the bill arguing that the age long procedures (which I’m told include some truly dreadful practices) infringe on the fundamental human rights of the affected monarchs, and is therefore unconstitutional. True section 34 of the 1999 constitution upholds human dignity and prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment; section 38 guarantees freedom of religion, including the freedom to change one’s religion; and section 42 prohibits discrimination on account of one’s religion. In addition, section 20 directs the state to protect only those cultures which “enhance human dignity” while section 23 includes “religious tolerance” as a national ethic.
This matter brings to life the issue of the boundaries between culture and religion. In traditional African societies those boundaries were very unclear. Religion itself is often an aspect of culture, especially as those societies were typically mono-cultural and mono-religious. In today’s world where there are multiple religions the distinctions between what is tradition and matters of faith must be more clearly drawn otherwise what results is a whole sale alienation of individuals and groups who may be interested in their culture and tradition, but are excluded due to fundamental inconsistencies with their faith. I consider myself to be one such person. In any event the debates and tensions brought to light by the on-going discussions in Ogun State are timely and inevitable, and in my view healthy.
To some extent the traditionalists have a point. Why should a purist Christian want to occupy a traditional stool or chieftaincy which represents in a sense a priesthood of another faith, which is inconsistent with the Christian faith? Can it not be argued that the only priesthood a Christian should be interested in is that of Christ? Does the Bible not assure the Christian in I Peter 2:9 that, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”. Arguably this excellent royal priesthood supersedes any thrones or powers of the earth and those thrones are perhaps even inconsistent with the faith?
But then Obaship as presently constituted in Yorubaland is not just a religious institution. If it were solely and exclusively an agency of Ifa worshippers, we could ignore it and leave it to its adherents, just like the Moslems and Ifa worshippers do not have to have anything to do with the Provincial Pastor of say the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Sagamu, Remo. Obaship has received the sanction of the state, is backed up by laws and state institutions, has territorial jurisdiction and exercises authorities over all citizens in their territories whether Christians, Moslems or traditional worshippers. To that extent therefore, all are stakeholders in the institution. In that wise, we can actually rephrase the issue differently from how the Apena of Egba cast it and say that the traditionalists have the option of removing Obaship from every recognition of state and the law, otherwise the only sustainable course of action is to open it up to all religions. You can not approbate and reprobate. Indeed section 10 of the constitution prohibits the adoption of any religion as state religion!
Indeed the bill should be extended to include removal of traditional practices from the selection of Obas. As we all know, the notion that Obas are presently selected by Ifa is a notorious fiction. How many Obas can truly claim to have been so selected? The reality of today is that Obas are institutions of state selected and sometimes deposed by the government of the day. Culture is evolutionary, not static.
Be not conformed to this world
INTRODUCTION
The mission of the Christ Redeemer’s Friends Universal (CRFU) is one I very much share and believe in-To witness Jesus Christ to people in the top echelon of society, people in government, commerce and industry; to destroy the darkness at that echelon of society; and to positively impact our world. The topic I have been asked to speak about very much fits with the CRFU vision, and is a theme I have personally spent time thinking and researching about –“Christian Ethics and Values: Challenges for Christians in Government and Politics”.
It is interesting that the CRFU President mentioned that the two persons considered to make this address were Mrs Oby Ezekwesili and myself-interesting because apart from Oby and I being both ministers in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), we were actually born again around the same time and were in the same workers group in Freedom Hall, a workers group that chose the name “Government” which has turned out to be somewhat prophetic as both of us ended up in government.
THE SALT OF THE EARTH
When I was appointed Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, it was an appointment I was not expecting. Indeed rather than vote in the election preceding my appointment, I had spent the day at the camp, and had never met the person who emerged as Lagos State Governor. After my appointment, I occasionally found myself in company I might otherwise not have chosen. One particular day after being immersed in, and forced to inhale cigarette and tobacco smoke by some attendees at a meeting I was present in, I asked myself what I was doing in such company. But then, the Holy Spirit ministered to me, “How can you be the salt of the earth, if you are not in the stew?” Since then I pondered more carefully over the question implied by the theme of this talk-“How can Christian values co-exist with the terrain of politics and government?”
However it is important to note that it is not enough for someone appointed to government to simply claim to be a Christian. There are many in governments all over the country who describe themselves as Christians, but are not fulfilling the commandment of God to be the salt and light of the world. Today there are all manners and shades of Churches just as there are many shades and colours of Christians. The more important consideration is if these individuals bring genuine Christian values into government and influence others rather than being influenced by unbelievers in government. I once had an interesting experience with a Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) delegation who while visiting the Lagos State Governor asserted that things would have been better in Lagos if Christians were the majority in the Lagos cabinet. Upon counting however it became apparent that there were far more Christians in the cabinet in Lagos than Muslims. Perhaps the real point may have been that the Christians were no different from the non-Christians in terms of impact on society.
LESSONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
How come there are very successful non-Christian countries like Dubai, China and Japan and there are countries like ours which in spite of our large Christian population continue to suffer in poverty and corruption. Even churches are sometimes not run properly. It is because these countries have adopted Christian principles and transplanted them into their societies. They may not go to heaven because the bible says “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3), but if they order their societies after the principles of God, their societies may prosper. The principles of God are universal. The improvements in England and the rest of Europe were directly attributable to the protestant reformation and the examples of the puritans and Quakers who began to apply the principles of the gospel in business and politics. This laid the foundation for the Industrial Revolution. Some historians record that 75 percent of the people responsible for the industrial revolution were born again Christians. In short, the Bible is the most important book for development. Accounts of 17th Century London were no different from the picture of poverty, depravity, squalor and want as one may paint of Africa today. It was the so-called protestant work ethic (“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise”-Proverbs 6:6), a mind frame towards investment (the Parable of the Talents-Mathew 25), a culture of credit (“The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again”-Psalm 37:21) etc that transformed the Englishman and consequently transformed their nation. Behaviours regarding timeliness, a full day’s work for a full days pay, honesty, productivity etc all came from the Bible. The Emperor of Japan went to Europe to study why Europe was developing, took these principles and they have worked for them. Same for China, South Korea, Dubai, Singapore etc. Why not Nigeria?
WHY IS THE NIGERIAN CHURCH NOT TRANSFORMING NIGERIA?
Romans 12:2 enjoins the born-again Christian, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” The church must not conform to the world. How can we be the salt or the light of the world if we conform to the world, rather than influence the world such that eventually like in these societies, the world conforms to the will of Christ? How can Christians be the salt of the world when they accept aspects of our culture which contradict the gospel of Christ? How can we transform our world when we indulge in a culture of consumption rather than investing, sowing and reaping, as preached in the scriptures? How can we transform our society when we partake in a culture that spends massive resources on funerals but will not help someone trying to start a business? Can a Christian who himself pays or receives bribes transform unbelievers? How can we transform our society when many Christians believe the values and principles in the Bible are unrealistic and not sensible? How can Christians transform this society when we are not prepared to pay the price? Nigeria will not change except Christians take the lead and live according to the words and spirit of the gospel.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN)
* Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice since 1999 is a Pastor in RCCG and a Christian Role Model. He delivered this address (as transcribed by the CRFU President, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje) at the First Quarterly Forum of CRFU Lekki Province 20 on May 13, 2007. The CRFU is a Ministry established by our General Overseer, Pastor E.A Adeboye to evangelise decision-makers in our society.
The mission of the Christ Redeemer’s Friends Universal (CRFU) is one I very much share and believe in-To witness Jesus Christ to people in the top echelon of society, people in government, commerce and industry; to destroy the darkness at that echelon of society; and to positively impact our world. The topic I have been asked to speak about very much fits with the CRFU vision, and is a theme I have personally spent time thinking and researching about –“Christian Ethics and Values: Challenges for Christians in Government and Politics”.
It is interesting that the CRFU President mentioned that the two persons considered to make this address were Mrs Oby Ezekwesili and myself-interesting because apart from Oby and I being both ministers in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), we were actually born again around the same time and were in the same workers group in Freedom Hall, a workers group that chose the name “Government” which has turned out to be somewhat prophetic as both of us ended up in government.
THE SALT OF THE EARTH
When I was appointed Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State, it was an appointment I was not expecting. Indeed rather than vote in the election preceding my appointment, I had spent the day at the camp, and had never met the person who emerged as Lagos State Governor. After my appointment, I occasionally found myself in company I might otherwise not have chosen. One particular day after being immersed in, and forced to inhale cigarette and tobacco smoke by some attendees at a meeting I was present in, I asked myself what I was doing in such company. But then, the Holy Spirit ministered to me, “How can you be the salt of the earth, if you are not in the stew?” Since then I pondered more carefully over the question implied by the theme of this talk-“How can Christian values co-exist with the terrain of politics and government?”
However it is important to note that it is not enough for someone appointed to government to simply claim to be a Christian. There are many in governments all over the country who describe themselves as Christians, but are not fulfilling the commandment of God to be the salt and light of the world. Today there are all manners and shades of Churches just as there are many shades and colours of Christians. The more important consideration is if these individuals bring genuine Christian values into government and influence others rather than being influenced by unbelievers in government. I once had an interesting experience with a Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) delegation who while visiting the Lagos State Governor asserted that things would have been better in Lagos if Christians were the majority in the Lagos cabinet. Upon counting however it became apparent that there were far more Christians in the cabinet in Lagos than Muslims. Perhaps the real point may have been that the Christians were no different from the non-Christians in terms of impact on society.
LESSONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
How come there are very successful non-Christian countries like Dubai, China and Japan and there are countries like ours which in spite of our large Christian population continue to suffer in poverty and corruption. Even churches are sometimes not run properly. It is because these countries have adopted Christian principles and transplanted them into their societies. They may not go to heaven because the bible says “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3), but if they order their societies after the principles of God, their societies may prosper. The principles of God are universal. The improvements in England and the rest of Europe were directly attributable to the protestant reformation and the examples of the puritans and Quakers who began to apply the principles of the gospel in business and politics. This laid the foundation for the Industrial Revolution. Some historians record that 75 percent of the people responsible for the industrial revolution were born again Christians. In short, the Bible is the most important book for development. Accounts of 17th Century London were no different from the picture of poverty, depravity, squalor and want as one may paint of Africa today. It was the so-called protestant work ethic (“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise”-Proverbs 6:6), a mind frame towards investment (the Parable of the Talents-Mathew 25), a culture of credit (“The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again”-Psalm 37:21) etc that transformed the Englishman and consequently transformed their nation. Behaviours regarding timeliness, a full day’s work for a full days pay, honesty, productivity etc all came from the Bible. The Emperor of Japan went to Europe to study why Europe was developing, took these principles and they have worked for them. Same for China, South Korea, Dubai, Singapore etc. Why not Nigeria?
WHY IS THE NIGERIAN CHURCH NOT TRANSFORMING NIGERIA?
Romans 12:2 enjoins the born-again Christian, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” The church must not conform to the world. How can we be the salt or the light of the world if we conform to the world, rather than influence the world such that eventually like in these societies, the world conforms to the will of Christ? How can Christians be the salt of the world when they accept aspects of our culture which contradict the gospel of Christ? How can we transform our world when we indulge in a culture of consumption rather than investing, sowing and reaping, as preached in the scriptures? How can we transform our society when we partake in a culture that spends massive resources on funerals but will not help someone trying to start a business? Can a Christian who himself pays or receives bribes transform unbelievers? How can we transform our society when many Christians believe the values and principles in the Bible are unrealistic and not sensible? How can Christians transform this society when we are not prepared to pay the price? Nigeria will not change except Christians take the lead and live according to the words and spirit of the gospel.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN)
* Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice since 1999 is a Pastor in RCCG and a Christian Role Model. He delivered this address (as transcribed by the CRFU President, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje) at the First Quarterly Forum of CRFU Lekki Province 20 on May 13, 2007. The CRFU is a Ministry established by our General Overseer, Pastor E.A Adeboye to evangelise decision-makers in our society.
A Silent Church: Wisdom or Compromise
If my people that are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and I will heal their land… II Chronicles 7:14
God has not changed, He cannot change. A few years ago, He said to me that “the covenant will not fail on my side!” ….so why is Nigeria still in shambles? Why is everything going the other way? Why are most of our politicians so greedy? Why is the leadership so far from the people and yet are so set on perpetuating themselves? Why is the economy the way it is? …Sometimes I get so weary, I get tired, I cry, I do not know what to say or do.
In the midst of all the rot and degradation is a Church….what Church is this? Is this the Church that Jesus built or had in mind when He laid down His life…I wonder?
The gubernatorial elections took place last weekend and in many states there were credible allegations that the ruling party rigged the elections to ensure that it returned to power…against the will of the people. The incumbent President who has continuously informed the country in particular and the world in general of his anti-corruption war is a member of this party that has subverted the will of the people. What manner of anti-corruption drive is this? In the last few days, the last iota of respect I had for the President has dissolved, it is completely gone and now I have no regard for a man who speaks from two sides of his mouth. A man who says he loves Nigeria more than we all do but is part of a whole machinery that subverts the will of the people. If the elections were a reflection of the will of the people, why would there be fightings and rancour in Ondo, Edo, Kano, etc. All these musing and I tire…I get weak.
In the midst of this, there is a rumour going round that the price of petrol is about to be increased by over 50% from about N65 to N100. How in the world can anyone contemplate this? It shows absolute contempt for the electorate. It is the height of wickedness. This will be the final tightening of the noose on many. In a country where many live in abject poverty, where people can barely afford the essentials, where luxuries are not on the mind of many or where eating 3 times daily is simply a luxury majority cannot afford, how do you explain this.
I am sitting at my desk in the office typing this as I cannot get my self to do anything else…these were the last thoughts on my mind last night and it brought tears to my eyes. Most mornings on Falomo Bridge or Awolowo Road, Ikoyi there is a group consisting of 2-4 people, one with some physical disability or cancerous growth or the other and the others collecting money for his medical care. This is in addition to the painful sight of children hawking in the morning of a school day. A friend’s mother has been at one of the biggest teaching hospitals in the country for about 6 weeks awaiting a much-needed surgery but because all their generators are not functional and of course PHCN can not be relied upon to supply power, she’s still waiting...I wonder…
The selfishness of many and the desire to just achieve a good life for one’s self and family have blinded the eyes of many to these issues. People who ought to be concerned are immune to them, they have “bigger issues” to worry about like how to make more money, buy the latest cars, build bigger mansions/churches, bla bla bla.
Then my boss tells me about some Christian breakfast meeting of professionals (bankers specifically), many CEOs of banks and other big corporations attend because of course they are “Christians”. What manner of Christianity? Many of these people perpetrate all sorts of less than godly or righteous activities in their companies. Several stories abound of these companies that are headed by “Christians” that are involved in downright fraudulent activities… How do you reconcile this? Can a Church that is filled with people like this change a nation?.
In the midst of this rot, how can it be said that a Church exists in this same land. If I was not a Christian (thank God, I am), I can not be convinced to become one, at least not by what I see or hear of “Christians”. I am born again, washed by the blood, a firm believer in Christ and His tenets.
I am not only a Christian, I am proud to be one and proud of the one who bought me with a price. I love Him so dearly and this places a great demand on me to do things right. Like any other human being, I do not always get it right but I constantly aim to “die daily”. My love for God is what drives me to the state of being weary of a Church that is immune to the travails of the people in its environment. Jesus was always moved with compassion towards people and he always sort to provide a better life.
Today, we have Churches that focus on casting out demons and binding witches that chase people. Is this not a focus on the wrong issues? Most of the time, are the witches or the perceived attacks from them not just a reflection of the poverty in the land. So, a child dies in a teaching hospital because of lack of equipment and possibly power, and the parents are convinced that it is some family member who is behind it. Or indeed there is a witch (who became a witch because of poverty anyways) who envies his neighbor and can’t understand why she is not doing well while the other party is and so actually sets about doing evil to the neighbor. If the witch had good economic capacity, what are the chances that she’ll be involved in witchcraft? Sometimes I wonder at the lack of ability of the Church to tie all these factors in and see the obvious.
So, if it’s not the witch chasing Church, it is the Church that does not demand any righteousness of its congregation but only teaches them about how God is able to bless them with things they did not work for or make them great beyond their imagination. I wonder… the Church is FAILING. The Church is either not conscious of the issues in its environment, or is aware of them and is playing the ostrich or knows the issues but simply has no ideas of what can be done. In my view, considering the intellectual capacity of people in Churches today, the first and second options are the most likely. The Church today comprises the “elite”, top industry leaders, political leaders, etc. Consequently, my submission is that the Church is FAILING in its responsibilities of a watchman.
Indeed, if God has said that the covenant will not fail on His side and Nigeria is the way it is today, then we as the Church of God in this land are FAILING. Indeed we are failing God and the nation.
What we ought to have today is a Church that is angry because it is only anger against the system that can produce change. As long as the Church is having dinner with the same people that subvert the will of the people, then there can be no change. As long as we permit these people in our midst without telling them outrightly that the wages of their sin is death, there can be no change. As long as the bank directors who mastermind fraudulent activities Monday through Friday are called deacons or even pastors, there can be no change. As long as we see witches and wizards as our problem, there can be no change. In my view, I do not think Elijah was having tea with Ahab….far from it; he was calling down judgment on him for his wicked ways!. I do not think Jeremiah just sat in Church and told people that God was going to bless them in the midst of unrighteousness... he told them they would have to face the judgment of God for their sins.
So why then do we have the Church in Nigeria indulging in these things, shouldn’t we have a voice that speaks categorically against unrighteousness. How is it possible that the Church of God would be so complacent in an environment like this, it is simply not conceivable! If we would want God to count us as generals in His army in this time, we have to arise out of our lethargy and take responsibility for our Land. Nigeria will NOT change if we do nothing about it, because the ultimate responsibility for any land is on the Church. No government or group of people has what it takes to change a country; only the Church has been given that role. So, are we going to let this noble responsibility that God has placed on us to bring change in our country pass us by or are we going to stand up to be counted?
So where do we go from here? We need a Church that speaks unequivocally against unrighteousness. A Church that excommunicates or by other means, disciplines its members that are justly indicted of wrong doings, be they bank directors, public servants, business people or politicians - a Church that does not tolerate unrighteousness. A Church where everyone knows that like the bible says “some things should not be heard amongst us!”.
Someone once said that there are 3 things a Church can do to improve society:
• become a part of government (Daniel, Joseph, etc);
• place demands on the government to do what is right (Elijah in the days of King Ahab, Nathan in the days of King David, etc); or
• play the role of government (Jesus Christ – compassion, health care, etc; the Apostles – care for the needy, widows, etc).
In my view the Church should do all 3. Hitherto the Nigerian Church has focused more on playing the role of government, building schools, orphanages etc. While this is good, it cannot get us to the Promised Land. We need to begin to place a demand on government to do what is right and insist that the government sees us as a constituency that cannot be bought and which would insist on the right things being done. We must have a voice for the sake of the millions without a voice in this society. The just concluded elections is a case in point, the CAN/PFN could have had observers at the polling stations and at the end of the election made statements on how the elections fared. This would give the Church the opportunity to condemn the conduct of elections in States like Ondo, Edo, and Kano where there were serious incidences or credible accusations of mass rigging and demand a re-run if need be!.
There are several other things that can be done but the starting point is to create a Church that is angry and which will not continue to condone or even aid and abet corruption and unrighteousness. Every member of the Church of God in this country should be passionate and driven to see change. Enough of non-challance, enough of me and my family alone, enough of the feeling of inability to bring change...Enough!
The whole idea of this is not to judge anyone but hopefully to wake us up from our slumber. There is a lot we can do, so let us stand up and do something. Darkness covers Nigeria today and gross darkness covers the people, it is time for us to arise and shine for our light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us.
Yemisi Akinbo
April 2007
God has not changed, He cannot change. A few years ago, He said to me that “the covenant will not fail on my side!” ….so why is Nigeria still in shambles? Why is everything going the other way? Why are most of our politicians so greedy? Why is the leadership so far from the people and yet are so set on perpetuating themselves? Why is the economy the way it is? …Sometimes I get so weary, I get tired, I cry, I do not know what to say or do.
In the midst of all the rot and degradation is a Church….what Church is this? Is this the Church that Jesus built or had in mind when He laid down His life…I wonder?
The gubernatorial elections took place last weekend and in many states there were credible allegations that the ruling party rigged the elections to ensure that it returned to power…against the will of the people. The incumbent President who has continuously informed the country in particular and the world in general of his anti-corruption war is a member of this party that has subverted the will of the people. What manner of anti-corruption drive is this? In the last few days, the last iota of respect I had for the President has dissolved, it is completely gone and now I have no regard for a man who speaks from two sides of his mouth. A man who says he loves Nigeria more than we all do but is part of a whole machinery that subverts the will of the people. If the elections were a reflection of the will of the people, why would there be fightings and rancour in Ondo, Edo, Kano, etc. All these musing and I tire…I get weak.
In the midst of this, there is a rumour going round that the price of petrol is about to be increased by over 50% from about N65 to N100. How in the world can anyone contemplate this? It shows absolute contempt for the electorate. It is the height of wickedness. This will be the final tightening of the noose on many. In a country where many live in abject poverty, where people can barely afford the essentials, where luxuries are not on the mind of many or where eating 3 times daily is simply a luxury majority cannot afford, how do you explain this.
I am sitting at my desk in the office typing this as I cannot get my self to do anything else…these were the last thoughts on my mind last night and it brought tears to my eyes. Most mornings on Falomo Bridge or Awolowo Road, Ikoyi there is a group consisting of 2-4 people, one with some physical disability or cancerous growth or the other and the others collecting money for his medical care. This is in addition to the painful sight of children hawking in the morning of a school day. A friend’s mother has been at one of the biggest teaching hospitals in the country for about 6 weeks awaiting a much-needed surgery but because all their generators are not functional and of course PHCN can not be relied upon to supply power, she’s still waiting...I wonder…
The selfishness of many and the desire to just achieve a good life for one’s self and family have blinded the eyes of many to these issues. People who ought to be concerned are immune to them, they have “bigger issues” to worry about like how to make more money, buy the latest cars, build bigger mansions/churches, bla bla bla.
Then my boss tells me about some Christian breakfast meeting of professionals (bankers specifically), many CEOs of banks and other big corporations attend because of course they are “Christians”. What manner of Christianity? Many of these people perpetrate all sorts of less than godly or righteous activities in their companies. Several stories abound of these companies that are headed by “Christians” that are involved in downright fraudulent activities… How do you reconcile this? Can a Church that is filled with people like this change a nation?.
In the midst of this rot, how can it be said that a Church exists in this same land. If I was not a Christian (thank God, I am), I can not be convinced to become one, at least not by what I see or hear of “Christians”. I am born again, washed by the blood, a firm believer in Christ and His tenets.
I am not only a Christian, I am proud to be one and proud of the one who bought me with a price. I love Him so dearly and this places a great demand on me to do things right. Like any other human being, I do not always get it right but I constantly aim to “die daily”. My love for God is what drives me to the state of being weary of a Church that is immune to the travails of the people in its environment. Jesus was always moved with compassion towards people and he always sort to provide a better life.
Today, we have Churches that focus on casting out demons and binding witches that chase people. Is this not a focus on the wrong issues? Most of the time, are the witches or the perceived attacks from them not just a reflection of the poverty in the land. So, a child dies in a teaching hospital because of lack of equipment and possibly power, and the parents are convinced that it is some family member who is behind it. Or indeed there is a witch (who became a witch because of poverty anyways) who envies his neighbor and can’t understand why she is not doing well while the other party is and so actually sets about doing evil to the neighbor. If the witch had good economic capacity, what are the chances that she’ll be involved in witchcraft? Sometimes I wonder at the lack of ability of the Church to tie all these factors in and see the obvious.
So, if it’s not the witch chasing Church, it is the Church that does not demand any righteousness of its congregation but only teaches them about how God is able to bless them with things they did not work for or make them great beyond their imagination. I wonder… the Church is FAILING. The Church is either not conscious of the issues in its environment, or is aware of them and is playing the ostrich or knows the issues but simply has no ideas of what can be done. In my view, considering the intellectual capacity of people in Churches today, the first and second options are the most likely. The Church today comprises the “elite”, top industry leaders, political leaders, etc. Consequently, my submission is that the Church is FAILING in its responsibilities of a watchman.
Indeed, if God has said that the covenant will not fail on His side and Nigeria is the way it is today, then we as the Church of God in this land are FAILING. Indeed we are failing God and the nation.
What we ought to have today is a Church that is angry because it is only anger against the system that can produce change. As long as the Church is having dinner with the same people that subvert the will of the people, then there can be no change. As long as we permit these people in our midst without telling them outrightly that the wages of their sin is death, there can be no change. As long as the bank directors who mastermind fraudulent activities Monday through Friday are called deacons or even pastors, there can be no change. As long as we see witches and wizards as our problem, there can be no change. In my view, I do not think Elijah was having tea with Ahab….far from it; he was calling down judgment on him for his wicked ways!. I do not think Jeremiah just sat in Church and told people that God was going to bless them in the midst of unrighteousness... he told them they would have to face the judgment of God for their sins.
So why then do we have the Church in Nigeria indulging in these things, shouldn’t we have a voice that speaks categorically against unrighteousness. How is it possible that the Church of God would be so complacent in an environment like this, it is simply not conceivable! If we would want God to count us as generals in His army in this time, we have to arise out of our lethargy and take responsibility for our Land. Nigeria will NOT change if we do nothing about it, because the ultimate responsibility for any land is on the Church. No government or group of people has what it takes to change a country; only the Church has been given that role. So, are we going to let this noble responsibility that God has placed on us to bring change in our country pass us by or are we going to stand up to be counted?
So where do we go from here? We need a Church that speaks unequivocally against unrighteousness. A Church that excommunicates or by other means, disciplines its members that are justly indicted of wrong doings, be they bank directors, public servants, business people or politicians - a Church that does not tolerate unrighteousness. A Church where everyone knows that like the bible says “some things should not be heard amongst us!”.
Someone once said that there are 3 things a Church can do to improve society:
• become a part of government (Daniel, Joseph, etc);
• place demands on the government to do what is right (Elijah in the days of King Ahab, Nathan in the days of King David, etc); or
• play the role of government (Jesus Christ – compassion, health care, etc; the Apostles – care for the needy, widows, etc).
In my view the Church should do all 3. Hitherto the Nigerian Church has focused more on playing the role of government, building schools, orphanages etc. While this is good, it cannot get us to the Promised Land. We need to begin to place a demand on government to do what is right and insist that the government sees us as a constituency that cannot be bought and which would insist on the right things being done. We must have a voice for the sake of the millions without a voice in this society. The just concluded elections is a case in point, the CAN/PFN could have had observers at the polling stations and at the end of the election made statements on how the elections fared. This would give the Church the opportunity to condemn the conduct of elections in States like Ondo, Edo, and Kano where there were serious incidences or credible accusations of mass rigging and demand a re-run if need be!.
There are several other things that can be done but the starting point is to create a Church that is angry and which will not continue to condone or even aid and abet corruption and unrighteousness. Every member of the Church of God in this country should be passionate and driven to see change. Enough of non-challance, enough of me and my family alone, enough of the feeling of inability to bring change...Enough!
The whole idea of this is not to judge anyone but hopefully to wake us up from our slumber. There is a lot we can do, so let us stand up and do something. Darkness covers Nigeria today and gross darkness covers the people, it is time for us to arise and shine for our light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon us.
Yemisi Akinbo
April 2007
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