by Anjuwon Oluwole
About 45% of Nigeria’s population are Christians, and the bible makes us believe that Christians are the salt of the world. 72 million Christians out of 160 million is a significant number. With this amount Christians can turn around Nigeria positively. We can help build the Nigeria of our dream. The Nigeria our generations would be proud off. We can drastically reduce corrupt practices. We can stop nepotism. We can eradicate those negative things that tear Nigeria apart. But can the present day Nigerian Christian do any of these? Rather we seem to behave the opposite of been Christ like. Mahatma Gandhi was quoted as saying, “I like your Christ, and I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Conclusively, we need to earnestly do less religious things, but more of godly things, as doing so will help us in saving us from spending eternity in hell and help build a better Nigeria
The present day Nigeria nation is a conspiracy between our political and religious leaders. The latter isn’t supposed to join forces with politicians to milk us dry, but what we have is the opposite. Our religious leaders are to act as truthful advisers to our political leaders when they are going wrong. But very sadly, our Christian leaders are major players in this conspiracy against the Nigerian populace. Among the religious leaders, they seem to be leading in the conspiracy against the Nigerian populace. In recent weeks, our Christian leaders have been in the news for the wrong reasons and it might not be the last. Should we say Christianity is in trial in Nigeria or is God exposing the bad eggs within Nigeria’s Christian community?
Do I hear someone say this is sacrilege? Do I hear you say they are men of God, don’t talk about them? Do I also hear you say, that we should treat them as gods, as they are called by God? If our Christian leaders are going wrong, as its evident today, should we just leave them alone, or advise and correct them? We need to advise them fast or else, as God would ask us what we did to keep our brothers (leaders) from going astray. Do you think God would not ask us? I do know that everyone is responsible for his or her own sinful act, but I would like you to note that, it is a sin to encourage someone to engage in sinful acts or to act blind or deaf to your brothers’ negative action.
According to Matthew 22: 37 – 39, the greatest commandment according to our Lord Jesus Christ, it is to love God and to love our neighbours as ourselves. We would be acting against this commandment, if we decline to tell neighbours and friends, the truth either sweet or bitter. Being truthful to love ones is the foundation of love. This truth must be told. Unknowingly to many, we are encouraging our religious leaders to continue in sin, by not telling them the truth. We believe what they say, than what God says. We see them as God, rather than God himself. We look away when they go contrary to biblical dictates. All these are sin we are placing upon ourselves. We call anyone trying to advise or correct them various unprintable names.
Okay, is someone saying God says touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm. Very truthful, but it is only God who knows his true prophets and his anointed ones. However, all true Christians are God’s anointed ones. But for anyone to be a prophet (Christian leader), though a human being, he must be Christ like, so as to proof people like Mahatma Gandhi wrong.
According to Apostle Paul, the practicable attributes our Christian leaders must be above reproach, husband to one wife, have good reputation, sincere, not a lover of money among many others. Majority of our Christian leaders do not possess nor practice these attributes. It’s so sad that some Christian leaders would be preaching hate messages and inciting Christians against Muslims. Also some would covertly convert properties which are to be used for God work, into personal use.
As followers we know this, but we turn our back towards this. We make excuses for them on how and why they cannot follow the dictate of the bible. Would God listen to our excuses? Who is greater God or our Christian leaders? It so sad, that as Christians, we have been captivated with various forms of emotional appeals in forms of lies and fear. Emotional Appeal is not a tool to be use in religion. We need to speak up here on earth, as we won’t have the opportunity to do so on the last day, as our silence might count against us. Likewise, biblical verses are been used by some Christian leaders objects to instill fear and curses to stop Christians from advising.
As Christians, we need to practice Christianity, as stated in James 1:27, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. We need to deeply respect our beloved Fathers in the Lord, General Overseers, Pastors, Daddy G.Os, but also we have to point to their short comings. Someone could say what if they do not listen to us. I would kindly advise that Titus 3:10 describe what we should do when they do not listen to our advice.
We need to earnestly do less religious things, but more of godly things, as doing so will help us in saving us from spending eternity in hell and help build a better Nigeria
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