THE CHURCH IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY (18)

T

he Defender of Faith

"Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." - Hebrews 12:14

I remember the time I lost while defending God. I wish I could recall those moments and lay myself at the feet of the Master, quietly and intently waiting for every instruction. I wish I had patiently waited on God and never spoken any word or acted in any way without His counsel. But I failed. My mouth was ahead of my heart. I hardly listened but was very swift to speak.

Oh, I remember the years when I would castigate anyone who took recommended medication or went to the hospital, deeming them as lacking faith. I made those who were sick understand that every illness is an affliction from the devil. I shed tears when I reviewed my stance on women wearing trousers or jewelry as being daughters of Jezebel. A brother who wore jeans was not serious about his Christian life. Nothing should stop you—not even your esteemed work—from attending every church service. I used to think that anyone who didn't speak in tongues had not been redeemed and needed to rededicate their lives to Jesus. Indeed, when I was a child, I acted like a child. I thought as a child. I wish I had become a man now so that I could put away childish things.

Recently, I visited a great pastor in République du Bénin who also works with the Wycliffe Bible Translation Association in translating a Bible into a regional language. He told me, “Friend, do you know that there are nations where Christians do not read the Old Testament because of the sensitivity of its contents?” I nodded my head and remembered that the Bible says there is no salvation except in Jesus Christ. When you take a portion away from any Old Testament writings, some pastors and their esteemed ministries would dissolve into thin air because they carry only the message of rule, order, cultural supremacy, and condemnation. Their bases for collecting money, cursing anyone who touches the man of God, permitting divorce and remarriage, and pastors having multiple wives are all hinged on Old Testament stipulations.

Brothers, do you know there are tribes today that do not wear clothes but walk naked? There are tribes that must wear rings in their noses. There are groups whose men tie wrappers instead of wearing trousers. I guess some of us, with our ignorant and thin 'faith,' defending doctrines, would fizzle away if we were to work in another tribe. Most of our doctrines center on "don’t wear this," "don’t eat that," "men must not wear women’s clothing," and a host of others. Surprisingly, pastors and Christians who claim to have seen many Christians who wear jewelry or use hair extensions not making it to heaven are just daydreamers because the gospel of salvation is not predicated on mundane and transient things.

I have spent a significant portion of my life defending and attacking what God has sanctified and called holy. I have failed to realize that the Bible enjoins me to pursue peace with all men. I have chosen to walk with my own myopic understanding of the gospel of salvation and condensed it into my own narrow comprehension. I have discarded those whom the Lord has appointed me to guide towards salvation, instead showing them only the superiority of my culture and understanding. I have ignorantly discipled some to think narrowly without the grace to have a larger heart to accommodate others with their frailties and deficiencies. I have turned away individuals seeking salvation by giving them rules instead of introducing them to Jesus. Like Peter in Acts 10, I have resisted God's warning of not exalting my own perspectives above His purpose. I have taken on the role of the Holy Spirit in condemning others.

Thanks be to God who brought me to the path of mission to the unreached and other people groups. I learned that men are not saved by rules and principles but by the light found in Christ. People are limited by their understanding and the light they have. Anyone who refuses to hear God constantly will be limited to the previous light they possess, which is not enough to enlighten others.

For this gospel of the kingdom to reach nations and languages, we must choose to follow others in peace. We must be open to God and never close our hearts to His voice. As shepherds, we must remove our indispensable sandals if we are to approach the holy mountain of God.

If God is to take us beyond our territory and use us for several nations and kingdoms, then we must learn to become everything to everybody. Like Apostle Paul, we must adopt this habit:  

"To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some." - 1 Corinthians 9:20-22. 

We can do all of this while maintaining the sanctity of the Bible, compromising nothing, but only relinquishing our pride and personal interpretations of Scripture. Our aim in doing this is simply:  

"Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved." - 1 Corinthians 10:32-33.

Brothers and sisters, if you desire to be used of God with the aim of traversing many nations and kingdoms, languages, and people, then you must allow God to prune and refine you into His likeness, where the salvation of men is more important to you than your esteemed cultures.

Stay blessed and remain faithful.

Peter Abdul-Razaq OLAYINKA  

A serving missionary with Living Grace Christian Missions, Ilara.  

WhatsApp: (+229) 94139130  

Mobile: (+234) 8066540987, (+234) 7084504532  

Email: peterrazaq@yahoo.com  

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