The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Christians

  • Nigeria needs you, cleric tells Christians 

    The pastor of Christ Apostolic Mission Church (CAMC), Halleluyah Parish, Sango Ota, Mr Peter Shodiya, has urged Christians not to shun politics.

    Shodiya said genuine Christians’ integrity and expertise is required to sanitise Nigerian politics and steer the economy.

    According to him, the perception that ‘politics is a dirty game’ should not put off qualified children of God who desire a better country.

    Shodiya spoke in Sango on Tuesday at a conference to herald the CAMC Halleluyah parish’s 40th anniversary.

    He said: “I encourage Christians to go into politics; when you have Christians in politics, things will change.”

    The cleric stated that the anniversary celebration, which began yesterday, is a six-day event featuring sports, skill acquisition for women and youths, choir ministration, drama, orphanage visitation, launch of a new parish and harvest after party, among others.

    According to him, the visitation to Ijamido Orphanage Home, Ilo Awela Ota, was part of the parish’s corporate social responsibility.

  • Island Club seeks unity among Christians, Muslims

    The Island Club has called for unity among Christians and Muslims to ensure peaceful coexistence.

    The club’s Chairman, Olabanji Oladapo, made the call at the weekend at its annual Ileya dance in Lagos.

    At the programme, with the theme, 2018 Ileya Dance, Oladapo congratulated Muslim brothers and sisters for last month’s Ileya (Eid-el-Kabir) celebration.

    The club’s chairman said the gathering was meant to celebrate them by Christians and fellow Muslims.

    He added: “This gathering is a unifying factor for members as well as Muslims and Christians to celebrate and dance.

    “At this time, when religion is becoming a dividing factor in Nigeria, it is important to note that we are all worshiping one God and we all believe in Him.

    “Even though we have not seen Him, we must establish relationships with one another. We must agree with ourselves that we have to worship God and ensure peace among ourselves. Nobody is bigger than God.”

    Oladapo said the club would continue to provide conducive atmosphere for its members.

    He said: “At this programme, we have Christians and Muslims. In fact, Christians donated rams for this celebration. That shows how interwoven we are in the club as Christians and Muslims.”

    The club chairman urged political leaders to put the interest of all at heart, ahead of next year’s general elections.

    “They must believe that we have one country, which is Nigeria and everything they do must be to the interest of everybody,” he said.

    The special guest, Sir Kensington Adebutu, urged the club to improve the lives of membership and show more love to one another.

  • Should Christians be of the world?

    Christians have been chosen out of the world by Jesus Christ, who said they will therefore be hated by the world in John 15:19.

    Many believers in Christ have entangled themselves so much with various ungodly and worldly celebrations like birthday, Christmas, New Year, Easter, Valentine Day, which are not of the Father but of the world.

    All these ungodly celebrations were alien to the early militant church, which Christ left behind! For example, the two birthday celebrations mentioned in the bible were by King Pharaoh and King Herod, who were heathens (Genesis 40: 20-22; Mark 6:21,27).

    The word Valentine cannot be found in the bible. Therefore, Valentine’s Day and its celebration have nothing to do with the Christian faith. It is simply an erotic celebration amongst ‘lovers,’ inspired by the devil to gratify their fleshly lusts and carnality!

    Valentine’s Day or ‘lovers’ day is a contradiction of the true love of God. And many women are obsessed with Valentine’s Day celebration that they feel depressed if their husbands or lovers do not offer them ‘gifts’ on the day.

    The call by God to all believers in Christ is to come out of the world and its ungodly festivities and worldly celebrations. It is a call to come out of the captivity of Satan, who is the prince of this world and also a call to come out of the captivity of Mother of harlots (Revelation 18: 4-5).

    And if we must be sons and daughters of God, then we must obey this call and come out even as the Lord God commanded.

    “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughter, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6: 17-18).

    Ministers of God must have this spiritual understanding of the truth that the word Church is from a Greek word known as EKKLESIA, which simply means an assembly of people that are called out of the world.

    Should Christians be of the world? “But the natural (carnal) man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14.)

    “But the spiritual will discern the truth, because they are of the truth and they will hear the voice of the Spirit of truth and obey” (John 18: 37c).

    George, a member of Christian Gospel Church (The Truth Centre), wrote in from Benin via cgc.com.ng@gmail.com

     

  • Christians and men of God, learn of Jesus, the truth

    In Matthew 11:29-30, Jesus commands us to learn of Him because He is meek and lowly in hear. He says: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

    Being meek and lowly in heart is to be humble and submissive before God and to be modest and moderate. In Philippians 4:5,   Christians are advised to let their moderation known to all men for the Lord is at hand.

    Jesus, in His meekness, chose to ride upon an ass, rather than a horse in His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The yoke and burden of Jesus is exemplified by His humility and total submission to the will of His Father, and moderation in whatever He did.

    Even one of His disciples, Joseph of Arimathea, took upon himself the easy yoke and the light burden of burying Jesus, his Master, in a very simple way, even though he was a rich man as recorded in Matthew 27:57-60.

    To bury, actually means, by dictionary definition, to hide in the ground or to cover. And this was exactly what God did in burying Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5-6) and what that rich Disciple Joseph of Arimathea did to the body of Jesus.

    The sentimental reverence and unnecessary honour given to dead bodies by believers in Christ, is known as NECROLATRY, which is a branch of IDOLATRY. And the judgment of God upon idolaters, in this case, necrolaters, is stated in Revelation 21:8.

    Unfortunately all over the world today, especially in Nigeria, “dead” bodies have become objects of worship and admiration, even more than the living so much so that, there are always controversies, about who must bury, where to bury and how to bury, and most times, violence and threat to lives.

    One begins to wonder why so-called believers in Christ strive over dead bodies as unbelievers. There is a particular religious sect, who are not even Christians, that buries their loved ones, no matter how highly placed in the society, according to the doctrine of God.

    It is a big shame that those who profess to know Christ and even majority of our ‘Ministers of God’ encourage their members to give their loved ones a so-called “befitting” burial.

    It is unfortunate that many church leaders today have not been transformed by the renewing of their minds to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, concerning burials and so, they conform to the world contrary to God’s command in ROMANS 12:2.

    The major concern of true Christians, therefore, should be the eternal destination of the soul and spirit of their loved ones, whether they are in hell like the rich man, or they are in heaven, like Lazarus.

    Above all, they should also be concerned about the eternal destination of their own soul and spirit when they depart from this world! The conveyance of “corpses” from one place to another for burial especially to one’s native land is all VANITY.

    It is Satan’s heavy yoke and burden and it is the tradition in most tribes, which also transgresses the commandment of God recorded in Matthew 15:3.

    The body of Jesus was NOT conveyed to Bethlehem where He was born but He was buried outside Bethlehem. It is shocking to know that some believers in Christ, who are destitute of the truth, even make a “will”, requesting their “corpses” after death be taken to their villages for burial.

    Jesus Christ never made a “will” that His body be taken to Bethlehem, His birth-place. The place where the dead body of a loved one is buried, does not in any way, change the eternal destination of the soul and spirit of that loved one, either in heaven or in hell because Hebrews 9: 27 says it is appointed unto men, once to die, but after this, the judgment.

    What is worrisome is a violent situation in which most parents, even believers in Christ, demand for the corpses of their deceased daughters or sons who were already married before the demise of anyone of them.

    In Matthew 19:5, Jesus said the man, having left father and mother, shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh. Likewise the wife, as written in Psalm 45:10. It is therefore the divine right of the husband to decide how the late wife should be buried and where to bury her and the divine right of the wife to decide how the late husband should be buried and where to bury him.

    In GENESIS 23:14, it is recorded that Abraham buried his wife, without any strife from whatever quarters. And the only money spent in burying his wife was the price paid for the land, where he buried his wife. It did not incur any heavy financial burden.

    More worrisome is the psychological and in most cases physical trauma, inflicted upon widows and the fatherless children by family members especially of deceased husbands.

    This is a transgression of the commandment of God in Exodus 22:22-24, “Ye Shall Not Afflict Any Widow, Or Fatherless Child. If Thou Afflict Them In Any Wise, And They Cry At All Unto Me, I Will Surely Hear Their Cry; And My Wrath Shall Wax Hot, And I Will Kill You With The Sword; And Your Wives Shall Be Widows, And Your Children Fatherless.”

    George is a member of Christian Gospel Church, Benin City

  • Battle evils with prayers, Christians told

    The spiritual head of Christ Holy Mountain Lagos Apostle Sadiq Moses has enjoined Christian leaders to pray fervently for the country.

    He said the country was struggling to overcome evil men bent on destroying Nigeria.

    At a conference in Lagos, he said the killings across the country threatened the survival and unity of Nigeria, noting that government alone could not restore peace and stability.

    Moses added that his ministry was embarking on a crusade to meet force with force against the evil men, calling on notable Christian leaders to join him to free Nigeria.

    The cleric said the country would overcome the challenges if Christian leaders unite in payer to confront the demons masquerading as herdsmen, terrorists and militants.

    He said: “There is no doubt what is happening in the country is show of evil. If not for the prayer we have been undergoing the situation could have been worse.

    “Specifically, I have been devoted in prayer to God to save this country from bloodletting.

    “This informed the decision of Christ Holy Mountain to organise a crusade commencing from July ending.

    “The crusade would be inviting prominent pastors across the country to pray for the country.

    “What we do on this altar is what God ordained, we need to join hands to save the country through prayer.”

    He added: “The land is full of evil; the people have been detached from God and they enjoy doing evil. It is time to seek God in truth and honesty.

    “He is warning us to change our ways, I wrote about 40 pastors on the danger of not following the path of God and I think just a few acknowledged my letter. It is simply time to change our ways and do the right thing.”

    Moses said nations where injustice and oppression persist will not enjoy God’s favour.

    “This is not peculiar to Nigeria, it happened in the days of Noah. The Israelites suffered each time they departed from God but the moment they changed their ways and embraced God things worked out well for them.

    “The crusade I am talking about is not meant for senators, governors or politicians but the real men of God, who by their divine position will talk to God and He will listen to their supplication.”

     

  • ‘Christians should support, not criticise Osinbajo’

    Christians should support Vice President Yemi Osinbajo instead of calling for his head over the incessant killings in North Central, a church leader, Fred Obika, has stated.

    Obika told our correspondent last week that Osinbajo deserves the commendation, not condemnation of Christians across the nation for representing them well in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

    He spoke against the backdrops of recent criticisms against Osinbajo by several forces in the church, blaming him for not speaking up against the killing of Christians by rampaging herdsmen in the north.

    Some others have called for resignation of Osinbajo, a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for not allegedly doing nothing to stop the killing of Christians.

    But Obika said the Vice President has done nothing wrong to step down as a Pastor, saying he has been more than a worthy ambassador of the church.

    According to him: “As vice president and a Christian, he is seeing what he can do to ameliorate the sufferings of Christians. It may not be official.

    “He has done everything possible to defend his office judiciously. He has never seen anything wrong in his principal.

    “You don’t expect him to walk up to his principal and say ‘you are stupid. You are not defending us’.”

    Obika said Osinbajo has been working behind the scene to address the killings, pointing out he has not been sitting idly.

    Remember he is not the Commander- In- Chief of the Armed Forces. He is the number two citizen alright. He doesn’t have hundred percent control over the Armed Forces.

    “Do they want him to go to the president and say ‘my people are being killed, you are not doing anything and I am ready to fight you?

    “In their closed door meetings, he had several discussions with the President and they are working out things on how they can curtail the situation.

    “The President himself bleeds over the killing of Christians and the vice president is always there.”

    Obika stated killing of Christians is not peculiar to the current administration, recalling more Christians died under former President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian.

    He also pointed out former President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered the levelling of Odi in Rivers State without anyone accusing him of killing Christians.

    He said Osinbajo is still standing as a Pastor and Vice President, stating “Even in his tight schedules, he still finds time to go to other churches to preach.

    “He stands on their altar to minister. Before God and before man, he is still a pastor. Being the vice president does not stop him from practicing his pastoral thing.”

    Obika alleged critics of Osinbajo are probably those who he has refused to fund illegally as religious leaders.

    He called on Christians to always back those who are in public offices from the faith instead of attempting to pull them down.

    “A good child protects his father. He is our father as Christians in this government. We should all rally round him. We should support our own.

    “We should stop the attitude of pulling down those from our constituency. We mustn’t play into the hands of the enemies,” he appealed.

  • Clarion call on Christians

    Reviewer: Lampe Omoyele

    Title: Christians, Arise!’

    Author: Olurotimi Ajibowo

    Publishers:  Ecclesia Media International

    Pagination: 263 pages

    From the start, the contents of the book live up to the urgency projected by the title and subtheme and the urgency in the heart of the author. The author spends little time in stating the intention of the book, right from the dedication page which is to the Almighty God who inspired the writing and contents of the book. On the dedication page, the author says a prayer that indicates his desire for the book: that it would ‘rekindle the passion of all Christians to God and His precepts and that in His hand, it will be part of the instruments that will birth the revival that takes the kingdom to the entire world’. He reiterates the call-to-action in the preface and all through the book. The preface ends with the passage in Jude 3: that there is need for action, ‘to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints’.

    Before the preface, there are 2 pages of admonitions and Selah. The author uses Scriptures and a poem to lay the foundation for the urgency. For example, Joel 2:1: Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound the alarm in my holy mountain. And Isa 60:1: Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.

    This is a recurring pattern in the book, with each chapter starting with Scripture passages relevant to the contents of each chapter. The author copiously uses Scripture to make his case for Christians to arise urgently and fulfil God’s mandate to us here on earth.

    Chapter 1 is aptly titled The Need for action. Here, the author provides the context on the status of the church. His gifting as a writer comes into play with the range of vocabulary.  He writes about how Satan has achieved his purpose through his devices of ‘diversion, distractions and divisions.’ Business  activities without real values and productivity. The church’s focus on material things rather than true religion as James writes in his book. Compromise instead of living to God’s standards and promises,  Seeking first all other things, rather than the kingdom of God, turning Matt 6:33 upside down. The author does not absolve anyone, quoting Rom. 3:10-12. Though acknowledges that there is a remnant. At the end of this chapter, he points the reader to Jesus Christ, the Light.

    Having established the imperative for action in the first chapter, Chapter 2 focuses on contending for the faith, and is so titled. Here he highlights the need for personal commitment and responsibility. The need to study and not be ignorant. The need to watch and pray. As he does occasionally, whilst the rendition of most of the Scriptures is NKJV, occasionally other translations are used to make the point stronger e.g. Matt 26:41: AMP: All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. For each scripture used, the author attempts an explanation and link with the point he seeks to make. He also spends some space delving into church history and linking with present happenings

    Chapter 3, ‘Where are we? General matters’ builds on chapter 2. This chapter provides more background from church history and argues why Christianity is where it currently is. The author posits some factors such as abandoning the great commission,(Matt 28:18-20); division and lack of unity; denominationalism; establishing a new standard of ‘righteousness’ not direct from Jesus; man-made doctrines; motivational preaching and prosperity gospel. The promise of the gift without the giver.  Starting people on wrong footing and lack of proper discipleship. To quote a line from this chapter: ‘giving easy alternatives in sermons of comfort that promote epicurean lifestyles of success and convenience gospel.’ Wrong emphasis and bad fruits. The tithe debate. Matt 23:23. Again, he copiously quotes from scriptures.

    Chapter 4, builds further with ‘Where are we? Money and anointing’ and discusses in depth issues around money and giving. Building cathedrals versus building human beings. Asks direct and tough questions.

    Chapter 5: why we are where we are further highlights the current state of Christianity.  Chapter 6: Multitudes and disciples: highlights the need for growth and discipleship. Chapter 7: here comes Delilah: enumerates the pitfalls Christians face. Chapter 8: what manner of Christians? This chapter builds on Chapter 7. Chapter 9: what is our testimony? Chapter 10: the folly of nations

    Chapter 11: who is on the Lord’s side? Chapter 12: to the ends of the earth.

    One point to mention is that the book is well-edited and devoid of obvious typographic or semantic errors. The author’s writing gift shines through. Suggestion for a future edition is to consider reducing the number of chapters and pagination. Perhaps because of the burden in the heart of the author, he on occasion repeats the same point in different words in different chapters. In conclusion, Christians, Arise! is an auspicious book which I found convicting as I read through. It is indeed a timely call-to-action for Christians.

  • ‘Why Muslims and christians must co-exist’

    The former Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning, Francisco Abosede has said the society stands to gain a lot if Muslims and Christians co-exist in peace.

    He spoke at a Ramadan lecture organised Waka Club 1945 in Campos, Lagos Island.

    Abosede, who is the Chairman of the club, said it is compulsory for religious groups to work together.

    He said: “Society stands to gain a lot if we unite because we would have unity of purpose. Our minds will be clean to one another and we would work with ourselves to help the country develop. We would have patriotic Nigerians. We will be patriotic with Nigeria and Lagos state. Irrespective of our differences, there should be unity diversity,” he said.

    He said it is difficult to have religious crisis in Lagos Island because “both the Christians and Muslims are the same. There is a Church here. There is mosque. We are all members of the same family. You can’t divorce that. In Abosede family, there are Christians and there are Muslims even the Chief Imam has Christians in his family and you can hear the guest speaker. So, what binds us together is what we should emphasise on and that’s unity, cooperation, interrelationship not fighting against each religion.”

    The guest speaker, Alhaji Shakirudeen AbdulGafar a.k.a Mofesaye said humanity is one before Allah.

    “Allah says the honoured one before me is that person who has piety in him. So, He doesn’t discriminate whether you are a Christian or a Muslim. The only thing that differentiates us is our mode of worship.  That is why we have to come together to become one. Our coming together as one will allow the society to move forward because there will be no crises. We should try to understand ourselves better so that nobody will be able to disguise under the religion and create crisis trouble,” he said.

    Former Chairman of the club, Mr Kayode Tinubu, said there is a lot of benefit in our coming together.

    Mr Tinubu, who is the last child of Saka Tinubu, advised the youth to learn to crawl before that start to think of walking.

    “Nowadays, it’s so unfortunate that the youth are so impatient. But, also, all these issues depend on their parents. Most parents, is so pathetic, don’t care about nurturing their children again. If parents really take the upbringing of their children very serious, it will definitely have significant and positive impact on our society,” he said.

  • Why Christians and Muslims must unite

    Director, UFUK Dialogue, Mr Bilal Saglam, has stressed the need for Christians and Muslims to unite, noting that is the way to have peace as a nation.

    He spoke during an Iftar organised by UFUK Dilogue in Ikeja, Lagos.

    He urged both Muslims and Christians to understand, respect love and tolerate each other in every aspect of life.

    According to him, Ramadan means to understand and share what we have with others.

    “This is why we have organised this dinner to share what we have and what we eat with others. Islam means loving, understanding and respecting humanity. When we respect and love each other, the world would be a better place and we would have a lot of profit,” he said.

    He added that Islam is a religion of peace, noting that Muslims cannot be terrorists and terrorist cannot be a Muslims.

    “Boko Haram is not Islam; this people kill for nothing. He who kills does not know for what purpose he killed and he who was killed does not know for what purpose he was killed. I do not call Boko Haram Muslims, because in Islam, killings are not allowed. Our aim as an organisation is to bring Muslims and Christians together and share what they have with each other to ensure peace,” Saglam said.

  • Cleric: killings should draw Christians closer to God

    Spiritual leader and International Director of the Holiness Revival Movement, Pastor Paul Rika, has encouraged Christians not to be ashamed of the suffering and persecution they are passing through provided they are committed to God.

    “Those suffering according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good,” Rika said.

    The spiritual leader was in Taraba State during the weekend, training pastors and preaching the gospel to multitudes.

    He was invited to the crisis-torn State by the United Methodist Church, for its “revival programme.”

    Rika told our correspondent: “My counsel is: make sure you suffer for doing the right thing; suffer in righteousness; suffer because of the holiness of God.

    “Don’t suffer because of crime, sin or evil because you yourself have done wickedness to others.”

    “We are emphasising transformation of life, true repentance and righteousness before God.

    “As for healings and miracles, surely, they follow us as a shadow follows a person.”

    Rika was accompanied to Taraba State by some coordinators of the Holiness Rival Movement, including Pastor Philip Dzer, who is the Coordinator of Benue state.

    On violence, Dzer said: “These are signs that the end time is here: wars, killings and the children of God being persecuted. Though, as the bible says, no one knows the exact time,” he said.