Nigerian Electoral Predictions and the Need for Caution
As Nigeria prepares for the next presidential election scheduled for February 25th, 2023, there has been an assortment of predictive prophecies surrounding the election’s outcome. While it is normal for people to make predictions about such results, it is essential to approach these predictions cautiously, especially when they are specific and can potentially influence the electoral process.
In random order, the three leading contestants for the Nigerian presidential election are Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu, and Atiku Abubakar. There are varieties of predictions about who will win the election. Some prophecies suggest that Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, will win the election. In contrast, others predict that Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State, will be the next president. There have also been predictions that Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, will emerge as the presidential election winner.
One of the significant variations in these predictive prophecies is the level of specificity provided. Some predictions have been specific, stating the exact margin and geo-distribution of victory for a particular candidate. Some others have been more general, saying that a specific candidate will win without providing further details about how they will win or what events will transpire during the election. Some predictions have wavered significantly in a very confusing manner in the last two years, with the same prophet throwing up different shades almost weekly.
Another variation is the credibility of the sources of these prophecies. Some prophecies come from well-known religious leaders or respected political analysts, while others come from unknown individuals or groups with no established track record of accurate predictions.
Regardless of the variants in these predictive prophecies, it would be wise to approach them with restraint. Predictive prophecies can sway public opinion and produce a self-fulfilling prophecy, especially when influential religious leaders make them. People may act on these prophecies, believing based on the words of a particular pundit that a specific candidate will win, leading to a sense of certainty that can affect the election’s outcome.
Predictive prophecies can also create a false sense of assurance or anguish, depending on the prediction’s outcome. Prophecies that predict a particular candidate’s victory can lead supporters to become complacent, believing their candidate will win regardless of what they do. However, if a prophecy predicts a candidate’s defeat, their supporters may lose hope and hesitate to vote, believing their candidate will not win. Some of these prophecies can even prepare the ground for chaos with the supposition that the process rigged out a predicted winner.
While it is understandable that every preacher with a prominent platform has gone prophetic, particularly about the direction of the upcoming presidential election, it is essential to approach these predictions cautiously. Predictive prophecies can be influential and create a false sense of inevitability or hopelessness, negatively affecting the electoral process. Instead of looking around for pundits to suggest who you should vote for or expect to win prophetically, it is better to participate actively in the electoral process by knowing as much as possible about the candidates and making informed, unbiased decisions based on apparent issues or personal conviction or leading. Such an approach can ensure that the coming election is transparent and truly democratic and that the people elect the best candidate as Nigeria’s next president.
The Christian Faith is not Political. Not at all.
The Christian faith is not political. Not at all.
Christians can participate in politics. The faith however has no business with politics. It will be smearing on our mission when we make that mistake.
Would you organize a bloc against those you are assigned to win?
The lane or the course of the Faith is to make disciples of all nations, anything beyond this can be injurious to the great commission when we think it will help
The best we can do is to represent Christ well if we have opportunity there. We can’t make politics His business. His kingdom is not of this world.
This extra curricular takeover stuff is only part of the human horizon. It is man flexing himself. The Lord did not feature politics in the agenda we call the great commision.
It is spiritual to train believers to hear God and make the right decision; it is human and manipulative to artificially force a Christian political bloc. To do that is to put the cart before the horse of our mission.
Making disciples
Teaching them to observe Christ’s commands.
This is the major reality in Christian horizon.
Efforts to help the mission with politics is only humans attempting to help God.
Selah!
To Curses or To God and The Word of His Grace?
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Acts 20:32 (NIV)
The Old Covenant came with blessings and curses; the New comes only with blessings.
As ministers of the New Covenant, the calling is to lead God’s people with God’s word [in response to the assignment, “Feed my sheep”] and not with curses. It is either the Word or nothing. The rebuking aspect of the ministry has no business with curses.
The word of God teaches, rebukes, and corrects. We set for the people the boundary of God’s will with these.
When we still set boundary for people with curses alongside the ministry of the word, we should be sincere that something apparently is still wrong or missing.
- Human nature is either still prevailing, and/or
- We cannot totally and confidently commit the people we have taught to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build them up and give then an inheritance among those who are sanctified [by the word].
- Our estate of leadership is more important to us than the people.
The ministry of the New Covenant is 100% spiritual. Wherever the word prevails, it transforms.
When the priority of the people is charted to respect boundaries set with courses, the word has not prevailed over them and neither can curses transform them or take them into their high calling in Christ.
‘Christian’ Is Now a Generic Label’ – George Barna
Stephanie Martin’s recent article, as published on churchleaders.com, titled with a quote from George Barna – ‘Christian’ Is Now a Generic Label’ – raises serious concern for contemporary Christianity.
She wrote…
According to a new report from Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Center (CRC), just 9% of self-identified American Christian adults hold a biblical worldview. Even fewer (6%) hold a biblical worldview and consistently apply biblical principles to their lives.
The CRC says findings from its latest American Worldview Inventory show the need to nurture what the center calls “integrated disciples” of Jesus. “‘Christian’ has become somewhat of a generic term rather than a name that reflects a deep commitment to passionately pursuing and being like Jesus Christ,” says CRC research director George Barna. “Too often, it seems, people who are simply religious, or regular churchgoers, or perhaps people who want a certain reputation or image embrace the label ‘Christian,’ regardless of their spiritual life and intentions.”
Self-Identifying as Christian Isn’t Very Telling
Of the 2,000 U.S. adults surveyed, 69% self-identified as Christian. Yet of that group, 72% say people are basically good, 64% say all religious faiths have equal value, 58% say people can get to heaven by performing good works, and 57% believe in karma. The broader group of self-identified Christians also tends to reject several biblical teachings; for example, only 46% say God’s plan for marriage involves one man and one woman, and only 32% say premarital sex is morally unacceptable.
About one-third of survey respondents identify more specifically as either born-again or evangelical Christians. “Despite using different terminology to identify themselves,” Barna says, “self-identified born-again and self-identified evangelical Christians possess nearly identical views on most of the beliefs evaluated.” Yet even among those believers, 62% say the Holy Spirit is symbolic, not real; 61% say all faiths are equally valuable; and 60% say people can get to heaven by performing good works.
Only the 6% of “integrated disciples” can be described as having a biblical worldview, says Barna. These believers “assimilate their beliefs into their lifestyles” and most closely reflect “biblical principles into their opinions, beliefs, behaviors, and preferences.”
Almost all (99%) of integrated disciples “believe that the Bible is the accurate and reliable words of God, believe that God is the all-knowing, all-powerful, and just Creator of the universe who still rules,” and “say they have a unique, God-given calling.”
Takeaways of These Findings
Inventory results show that U.S. adults tend to “dilute and distort the cultural understanding of what constitutes Christianity,” Barna says. Labeling people broadly as Christians becomes problematic for politics, for example. “Political polling, in particular, may mislead people regarding the views and preferences of genuine Christ-followers simply based on how those surveys measure the Christian population,” he says. Integrated disciples who truly possess a biblical worldview tend to be more conservative than the broader group of self-identified Christians.
Len Munsil, president of Arizona Christian University, says survey results emphasize the urgency of training young Christians in integrated discipleship. And outreach opportunities abound, he adds. “Fragments of biblical truth are still embraced by the overwhelming majority of American adults, which means that each of the estimated 176 million self-identified Christians has a starting point of belief that can be built upon and refined into a mature, consistent biblical worldview.”
TO DECREE OR TO PRAY?
Job 22:28
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee:
and the light shall shine upon thy ways. KJV
Job 22:28
What you decide on will be done,
and light will shine on your ways. NIV
We have corrupted the art of prayer. When we should sue on a matter in prayer, we arrogate to ourselves making decree concerning them.
Jesus, as the Son of God, shouldn’t even have prayed at all while he was in the flesh, if it is the we way we arrogate these things to ourselves these days.
Maybe He should have made decrees against Rome, when He was here. That was actually what the people expected of His Messianic responsibility. That was, of course, not the reason He came.
You shall decree things within your sphere, not beyond your sphere. When a government issues a decree, it is with immediate effect. If it issues a decree and it is still not effective afterward, it is making itself a joke.
Sovereign exists, not to sue but to command. However, when you have authority above you and you are not primate over all things, you must learn to separate between what you command and what you sue to higher authority.
.
Why do we bastardise the use of words and go all over the palace decreeing everything. It is arrogant when we do not know what is within our sphere. A government doesn’t decree beyond its boundary.
The pulpit cannot decree against governmental stipulations. If the government is wrong, we file the case to God, not to issue parallel decrees and fire people up in arrogance against civil governance.
At the time when the opposition from sinners is rife, the scripture teaches us to run our race with carefulness and not to fight their contradictions (Heb 12)
Why do we teach people to run around ejaculating I decree and declare on same matter for years with no effect, on matters that should be commited to God.
We do not ask questions when Christian leaders make decree (on matters they should pray about) and it is still pending years after.
Being charismatic should not mean being arrogant.
When believers pray, according the Lord, it should be to ask for the will of God to be done on earth as it is in heaven. He alone is our Sovereign.
The theology of kingdom mentality would be violating divine eschatological arrangement if it is not understood as submission to Him in this age.
We need to check the context of “we shall reign over the earth .. ” before we run with every wind of doctrine.
The early church respected governmental authorities; prayed for the government; and taught the people to submit to rules; not as those in bondage but as those who are free.
Christian leadership is not in any way parralel to civil governance. Christian leadership is not ruling and dominance. It is impunity when we misrepresent our Lord and His teachings.
I have my fears these days when pastors are now being represented or treated as Royals over Church Nations and worshipped beyond due respect. Prominence is not parralel to governance. If it is interpreted that way, it amounts to lawlessness.
Soul winning and discipleship tripled when the church began to be controlled by the state and were largely forced to go underground somewhere in Asia.
Our liberty shouldn’t be abused because we are in a free state. The exploits of the church in terms of the objectives of the great commission is more prominent in states where there are restrictions.
Thank God for free states.
Matthew 10:16
“I am sending you out like SHEEP among wolves. Therefore be as SHREWD as snakes and as INNOCENT as doves.
His SHEEP are SHREWD while maintaining their INNOCENCE.
Methinks civil reactions may in certain ways conflict with the great commission.
We change the world now; not through decrees from the pulpits; or civil actions from or outside the Church; but by serving in obedience to the great commission; to transform societies and not landscapes; by changing lives
The influence of Christ in the days of His flesh was in the lives He changed and in the godly examples and instructions He gave
Bless your church Lord and build it your own way.
THE CHURCH IS NOT ON A LOCKDOWN. IT CAN NEVER BE.
When pastors are far from the reality that members live in, they will pontificate on issues that have little or no effect on themselves.
I drive to church in a car that is air-conditioned and that does some filtering to the air before it gets to me and I consider it as grossly inhuman to have no consideration for the risk that my members will go through to get to church in public facilities with those who care less for their own safety?
This is the extent it gets after testifying to the people of the divine health we have enjoyed for decades while we covertly undergo health check annually. Many of them cannot imagine that the leader that is immuned to ailments does health check.
This is how far it gets when we tell them that the Lord who has been our keeper will keep them also but we move around with the security of an army that can serve at war front.
If we are angry because churches cannot meet, it is not about the church (the people) because they can meet in the homes, it is about ourselves.
There is still balm in Gilead, I cannot deny. Whatever happened however in pre-covid19 situation where not all were healed and we used hospital.
If we are angry because public meetings are under ban, what happens in the nations where public religious gathering, as part of an intentional move against the church, has been banned?
Playing god in human affairs is an insult to our God. ‘I am he‘ is one the end time phenomena that Jesus said we should watch out for.
We haven’t seen trouble and we are crying wolf. What will happen when real conspiracy as Christ said we should expect happens.
Some day, none of the stones of our physical buildings will remain on each other, as they will be of no use while the church continues.
We have preached for ‘here and now’ too much that we cannot stand any threat to the earthly investments.
At the time when the Spirit and the bride should be saying “come Lord Jesus”, we are still busy prophesying ‘the coming wealth’.
This has been done for decades that the church looks forwards to more money than to the coming of Him that is coming for those who love His appearing.
If we cannot meet in the homes without feeling frustrated and support such meeting with the nascent technologies, it is because we have been building vanities that cannot stand in the time of crises.
May be we are the god for the people and apart from us they can do nothing. Why must temple meeting be compulsory when synagogues are possible in neighbourhoods at a time like this.
Thank God for the necessary mega buildings; however, the current situation is a prophecy that glory in them is vain and that one day they shall become unnecessary and unuseful.
The temple and the homes must go hand in hand. The real church however is not the theater but the fellowship in the homes.
We have been so inundated with celebrity ministry that the normal has become the new abnormal of the last days.
God is not angry with the lockdown, his church marching on. The comfort of faith that we have been used to and our ego are the oppressor of our minds.
Let’s go ahead and canvass for the lockdown on markets and for the opening of Church meetings since the church can answer to much more than food.
The churches and the mosques are restricted from public meeting, victim mentality says it is an agenda against the church. May the real agenda never come? What will be the song at such time?
It would have impressed me more if the concern is because of the inability to run public gospel crusades.
True Christianity can cope with simplicity of ministry.
Channels for frequent communication has not been locked down. Media has not been locked down. Homes have not been locked down.
The church is still and will always be marching on, even if things are worse than this.
Don’t Be Unsettled by Conspiracy Theories.
The manifestation of the expected head of one world government is under lockdown actually since the first century. His manifestation will not happen untill the Restrainer has been taken away.
The theory about a particular person being the agent that God is using to delay the one world government is so speculative.
The word of God is that you shouldn’t be unsettled by the conspiracy theories. You should rather focus on being ready for the gathering of God’s people to their Lord who is coming for them.
At a time the theory was “do not collect bank card”.
Along the line, it was “do not join the Facebook as it is being used to gather data for the antichrist..”
Then in a rather quiet manner, it was “this BVN is what the prophecy was about as you would not be able to transact without it in the nearest future”, more so that it compulsory for everyone.
The list and the theories continue.
When universal is (symbolised by 666 in the Bible) arrives, it will not be an advice, not shall it be a suggestion. The government that will give it will be in place and not in theories.
Rather than being unsettled by the theories, expect the Lord’s coming, like a thief in the night.
GOT NO BUSINESS WITH SPECULATIONS. 2Thess 2:1-17
Speculations Abound Out There These Days Powered More by The Ongoing Global Crisis.
This is exactly what happens once there is a major novelty or even crisis. Such speculations and educated and/or uneducated guesses only promote confusion and fear, one of the tools which the devil uses to steal, to kill, and to destroy.
The surprise is how believers also follow the trend instead of choosing to be stabilised by the word/will of God. If we are not to be easily unsettled or alarmed by the prophecies, words, and/or letters alleged to be from God and are not, how much more should we be careful not to be unsettled or alarmed by such speculations and guesses as are currently trending.
Trending currently are facts and speculations concerning the COVID 19; concerning the 5G technology; and concerning the end time politics with President Trump being a key figure.
It becomes necessary to take the attention of God’s people away from the nascent speculations allay their fear and encourage their devotion to the word and the will of God.
What do we need to know and how do we need to live in such times?
WE NEED TO KNOW THAT ….
… The Focus of Believers in The Last Days Should Be the Coming of Our Lord and Our Being Gathered to Him. 2Thess 2:1a.
He is coming back again, whether it looks like that or not, whether we believe it or not. He is coming as He promised, same way as He departed this world. He is coming like as the thief does in the night. He is coming to gather to Himself: His own; Those who love (earnestly looking forward to) His appearing: Those are prepared and ready. This should inform how we live, how we speak, and what we do.
We need to be careful about what we give attention to. We need to be careful not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by non-biblical teachings/speculations. 2Thess 2:1b. COVID 19 is a fact but we do not live by the details around it beyond being careful to curtail it’s spread. The 5G tech revolution is a fact; that technology is useful in the now is a fact; that it’s nature of tech comes with health challenges is a fact. That the stage is fully set for a takeover for a one world government is speculative. That COVID 19 lockdown is to accomplish that is speculative. That the antichrist will appear after Trump administration in a few years is speculative.
… We Need to Be Careful Not to Be Deceived.
The day of the Lord will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed. The antichrist might wield much power on earth when the time comes, he will yet not be absolute for he is doomed to destruction. His operation will be to oppose and to exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped. He will set himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. This particularly refers to the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem, the worship in which will indicate the re-enactment of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy.
While the world is preparing the ground for the appearing of the antichrist by technological advancement, watch out because the church is also preparing that ground through excessive lust for power; over-assertion of self in the sense of ‘I am he’; pointing people to personal calling than to Christ; empire building tendencies than pointing people to the kingdom that cannot be shaken; etc.
… The Appearing of The Antichrist Is Being Restrained.
Some specific events will precede his manifestation, and till then he’ll continue to be restrained. WHAT is holding him back so that he may be revealed at the proper time was known in the first century, according to 2Thess 2:6, whereas it is being highly speculated today.
That President Trump is the force that is preventing the one world government and the so-called illuminati conspiracy is a superfluous speculation. Lots of such speculations have been there in the past and they fell like a pack of cards. Subtly touted in the past were some notable world leaders.
The identity of the one holding back the manifestation of the antichrist has in biblical discussions ranged from the Roman Government, to Archangel Michael (because of his protection of the Jewish nation, and to the person of the Holy Spirit who continue to work in and through the church until the times of the gentiles are completed. The Holy Spirit fits more as a non-material person (what and He)
The secret power of lawlessness was already at work as far back as Paul’s time, predating those being touted today. Paul even wrote that, “… THE ONE WHO now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, ….”
… The Lord Is in The Charge of The Process and The Time, And That Human Conspiracy Cannot Usurp His Power nor His Schedule (Ps 2:1-8).
The manner of the coming of the lawless one is not limited to the current trend.
It will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie. He will use all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.
His Subjects Shall Be Those Who Are Perishing. Those who have refused to love the truth and so be saved. Those who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. Those who by their preference for lie will be aided by the sending of a powerful delusion by God so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned
This should command calm and peace in the heart of believers.
WE THEREFORE SHOULD …
… Always Give Thanks To God: for we are loved by the Him; for He had chosen us as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth; for He has called us to this through the gospel, that we might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
… Always Stand Firm.
… Always Hold Fast to The Teachings Passed to Us, according to God’s word.
………………………………
We Therefore Give Thanks to Our Lord Jesus Christ And to God Our Father, for loving us and for giving us eternal encouragement and good hope by your grace. We pray that You will encourage our hearts and that You will strengthen us in every good deed, in Jesus name. Amen.
The Doors of the Church Can Never Be Shut
The door of the church can never be shut. The church is not the building, it is the people.
They met where they had access to in the first century without erecting any building.
The gap between the practice (tradition) of the church and the teaching if the church (scriptures) must be bridged.
While we thank God for the building, we must also recognise that as the day approaches the church (the people) should be helped to separate the essentials from the non-essentials.
If the buildings are shut down even with the backing of the law, the church will only get more powerful.
The virility and the visibility of the church is not in the buildings, it is in its spiritual impact. It is not in the transformation of landscape, it is in the transformation of lives.
Reading Richard Wurmbrand books (https://amzn.to/2V0qUM9) in the 80’s made me to know that there is a reality beyond the comfort we fight for; and that without formal buildings the church can thrive. The exploits that happened even behind the iron curtain made me to know that the gates of hell can never prevail against the church.
If all you have been exposed to is the stained glass windows and the luxury of meeting place; if that is what we think makes for worship; if we consider that comfort is what Christianity is all about, we are very well deceived. Tradition is rather controlling.
Read about the church in China and you will be truly educated. More people have come to the Lord after the public meeting came under the control of the state and the real church went underground.
The luxury and the gratifying teachings we have established as standards were not in consideration even in the early church. Comfort has made sermon subjects that should be unpopular with the church rather popular.
If we think straight, we have lots if questions to ask. It is excesses or tradition that normalised the thinking that it is a ministry when it hasn’t built a structure and a church when a structure has been erected.
True standard is seemingly veiled.
Paul trained some people in the school (Hall) of Tyrannus and they turned the subcontinent upside down. Most of the churches were in the homes and within the community. The church was more organic and less institutionalised.
It needs not be in Jerusalem nor in a special building. God is Spirit and His worship happens in spirit and in truth.
Let’s get real. The doors of the church can never be shut.
#selah
TO BE SILENT ABOUT THE ILLS IN THE CHURCH IS NOT CHRISTLIKE
#MattersArising
Unless some errors are corrected, the next generation may be on the road to another dark age, if the Lord tarries.
I was with my ministry mentor years back and i enjoyed the private time with him discussing ministry matters. I can’t remember what led to it, but we discussed ministry issues as per immorality.
He was shocked when I mentioned names from the 70s who were great but had compromises on moral issues. I mentioned how it affected them seriously.
He was shocked that I know about them and I reminded him that I am pastor’s son.
He even quipped about the scarcity of historical records about the exploits, the errors, and the effect that errors (sin) had on the lives of those anointed persons in the history of the Nigerian church. He believed that it needed for the subsequent generations to learn from.
It reminded me of Robert Liardon’s God’s General Series that acquainted us with the Dane and the challenges of some late famous ministers. It is a taboo and anti-Christian to write such records in this part of the world
In those days, one of them was so impactful that even the great Idahosa interpreted for him at some point. When morality issues happened, he was called out. When de did not budge, his associates left him.
He was a colossus, yet not invincible as not to be challenged.
The error that made immorality to thrive in CHRISTIAN leadership today began from a little after then. There was an explosion in the country. More anointed men arose. With it was the teaching that made anointing to be worshipped more than God. Reference would be made to how Miriam suffered for speaking against MOSES. It was forgotten that MOSES only broke the policy of marrying outside the community of the Israelites, not that he sinned per se.
Teaching was used to place people under bondage. Today when a man of God is wrong, people keep quiet fearing for their lives and for the generation after them.
It was an heretic teaching. It was a scam. With it was the mind game that subjugated people and that truly affected those under such pulpits.
With such teachings and with the experience of those who don’t know what they should know and who suffered being cursed by the anointed or by the teachings fed to the psyche, in agreement with the global heresy so related, the church celebrated anointing plus sin in the pulpit. The anointing makes them sacred and untouchable even with their abominable practices of iniquity.
Such doctrine was a scam. That is why today, the church cowers and celebrate even when sin is obvious. They forgot that Jesus said he will reject many who despite their great work practise iniquity.
Sin also thrive in the pulpit, because we only discuss positive things. Jesus rebuked sin. The Apostles did the same. We think we should only discuss grace. So grace teachings, while we continue in sin, has messed up things in the church.
Where they will not thrive with sin in those days and would have to withdraw from the pulpit to sort things out, we continue in sin today, lacking in rebuke, lacking in discipline, and without Godly repentance (as if Paul did not teach repentance), for the climate allows the shinning stars who lack in remorse to continue to radiate grace plus sin.
Don’t pin this on the current saga please. This is just a matter that arise from it. I speak as someone who is aware and who has withdrawn from having teeming relationship with ministers. Too may things are wrong.
It is the mind games and the intimidation that make young ministers to celebrate the anointing of of the dirty hands behind the pulpit. It is the quest to make it, no matter what, that makes you to know and to continue to draw from corrupt pool.
You are not concerned about your soul, you only want the anointing. So it gain the anointing with the corruption. It is well covered and you know how to do it.
Lie thrives behind the pulpit. The prophetic scam is all over the place like rain water. Stone are being tuned to bread – the anointing is being merchandised while we continue to celebrate it. You fear and honour the anointing of the corrupt. No problem.
Jesus said in Matt 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
He also said in Matt 7:15-20
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
BY THEIR FRUIT (their lifestyle which doesn’t reflect the fruit of the spirit) YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Yet, we think we should overlook their lives and just concentrate on the anointing, respecting them for their anointing.
Paul’s said in 1 Co 5:1-6
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate:
A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. AND YOU ARE PROUD!
Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?
[in essence, he is saying “deal with the charismatic man who indulges continually in sin, for it is wrong to be proud of him].
For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this.
So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, SO THAT HIS SPIRIT MAY BE SAVED ON THE DAY OF THE LORD.
[we however think and teach that everyone will be safe on that day, their sins notwithstanding].
YOUR BOASTING IS NOT GOOD – [your pride in the charismatic Corinthian sinner is wrong].
Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? – when you allow such to continue to operate, you promote the spread of sin in the church.
So when you advise that the church should look beyond the consistent sin and the continual wrongs of the anointed and just draw from their anointing, you are promoting the spread of sin in the body and proud of the man whose soul might not be safe on that day. The practice of sin by the anointed may not affect everyone; it will definitely affect more because of their influence and example.
The problem is not just in the practice of sin in the pulpit, it is also in the gospel methodically repackaged to service itchy hears.
Paul spoke about itchy hears and the preference for certain kind of teachers.
In 2 Tim 4:1-5, he wrote:
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom,
I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
[Note that ministry is not just for encouragement – which is the popular duty today]
For the time will come when PEOPLE WILL NOT PUT UP WITH SOUND DOCTRINE. Instead, to suit their own desires, THEY WILL GATHER AROUND THEM A GREAT NUMBER OF TEACHERS TO SAY WHAT THEIR ITCHING EARS WANT TO HEAR.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, DISCHARGE ALL THE DUTIES OF YOUR MINISTRY.
[If ministry is not prepared to be apt, in season and out of season, to correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction, it is not faithfully discharging all the the duties expected]
The trend today is the proof that the warnings of Paul are real.
2 Tim 3:1-5.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, BOASTFUL, PROUD, ABUSIVE, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, UNHOLY, without love, unforgiving, SLANDEROUS, WITHOUT SELF-CONTROL, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER.
[Denying the power of godliness is not the absence of the miraculous, but the want of the proof of transformation].
Have nothing to do with such people.
The popular opinion today is against this last line and that is why people thrive with immorality. When the church detests it, the spate of scandalous practices will reduce.
It is time to part ways with the brainwash and the extreme teachings that honour anointing without holiness.
It is time to speak not against persons, but against issues that are inimical to sanctity and true health in the body.
TO BE SILENT ABOUT THE ILLS IN THE CHURCH IS NOT CHRISTLIKE.
God bless the church.