For many years formal and nominal Christianity prevailed in most of our chuches (and still do). Many went to church but still practiced their old religious beliefs. As soon as they exited the church door they went back to their idols, believing they had given God His dues,”now let’s give our ancestors theirs.”
The popular statement from many nominal Christians then was: “Christianity does not prevent or forbid us from performing our ancestral rites or rituals.” So there was a category of those who claimed to be Christians but still practiced their ancestral rituals outside or away from the church. They visited native doctors, sent money for rituals etc. A form of Christianity that has no relationship with her Lord and Savior.
In the 70’s – early 90’s when more people started getting truly converted the new converts knew what true conversion was. They knew what it means to become a follower of Christ. They came to Christ and denounced such practices. It was all and only about Jesus.
Today the Church is progressing to synchrentization! Some of our local, cultural religious beliefs have crept into the church. Those beliefs are being Christianized and given Biblical foundations!
The name of Jesus, His blood, His word and the power of His Spirit are no longer sufficient for us, we must have something more tangible, we must add some form of ritual to our prayers!
There are some churches and ministers encouraging unbiblical practices to solve people’s spiritual problems. They tell people to : Take a bath at a particular time. Put some water outside under open heaven so that dew of heaven can fall upon it. Bath with the water, drink some of it. Buy soap and sponge for a spiritual bath and prayer. Pray and fast for certain days without seeing the sun. Pray stark naked at a particular time. Make certain confessions at certain times in the middle of the night etc. All sorts of rituals prayed in the name of our precious Lord.
Synchretism is eating deep
into many of our churches
Pastor, prophet, evangelist or whatever name you call yourself doing such abominable practices in the name of our precious Saviour, you are already under God’s wrath – REPENT.
Brethren, all these are abominations in God’s sight. This is not Biblical Christianity. I have heard ministers tell people, “speak to your offering” or “send your offering on errand.” It is no longer an offering to God beloved, it is a cultural belief, not Christianity. The money you are giving to God have already been sent on errand, or spoken to, to bring you good fortune like people do at native doctor’s!
It was not like this 3 decades ago. Now our churches are filled with all these synchretizations. We have many preachers encouraging such damnable practices, these mix ups.
Many Christians are ignorant and gullible , believing whatever any preacher says as long as it’s done in Christ’s name and a few Scriptures are quoted to back up their practices.
Times are tough. Things are hard. And when people are faced with problems that look insurmountable, having prayed and fasted with no visible changes, they start going from one church to another and come across preachers giving them rituals.
Some say defensively “oh it’s because this is Africa, in our culture, there are people practicing witchcraft, using charms and so on. “
Oh brethren, it’s true, these things are real. But as Christians Jesus is our culture. The Bible is our culture! The Bible tells us: “But you have not so learned Christ”(Eph.4:20). We don’t need to go back to our former religious or cultural rituals in order for us to overcome witchcraft and demonic powers!
The name of Christ , His blood and His word is sufficient. His name is the name above every other name; At the mention of His name every knee must bow! His word is sharper than any two edged sword. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. (Phil.2:10, Hebs. 4:121, John 4:4, Rev.12:11.). Do you believe these?
People fall into rituals because they do not know God nor His power! (Mark13:24).
The reason we are not experiencing God’s divine intervention like in the early days is because many of our churches have lost their power and authority. And this is not because God or Christ’s name have become less powerful, nor has the devil gained extra power than he had when God created him.
We lost power and authority because:
*the Holy Spirit can not remain in most of our gatherings. God’s presence has left many of our churches as a result of our backslidings and unrepentant sins. God’s Spirit has been grieved.
*We have lost our consecration to God and separation from the world.
*We have many unconverted and backslidden preachers in pulpits today who are misleading the flock.
*Many people are coming into the church who are not truly converted because messages about sin and repentance are seldom preached, such messages are now deemed old fashioned. Many of these unconverted people are ordained leaders and workers in most churches.
Many are coming into the church
who are not truly converted because messages about sin and repentance are seldom preached.
If the Nigerian church will go back to her days of innocence and purity, when Jesus was all we needed and wanted, when we were so in love with Him above all else. If we would repent , put away all our idols, the Holy Spirit will come back into our churches, all the so called spiritual problems making Christians run helter skelter will be solved by His presence, not by the rituals being propagated.
Church, God has been so merciful to us. He has been faithful and patient for so long, patiently waiting and calling us to repentance. The Nigerian Church has passed her days of infancy. God will no longer tolerate many of what He did in the past. It’s time for us to grow up and forsake all these terrible ways and turn to Him with all our hearts. We must go back to our Bibles and begin to seek our heavenly Father”s face once again.
We are warned:
“Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines” (2 Cor. 13:9).
If a preacher gives you rituals ask yourself these questions: is this Scriptural? Is this a New Testament doctrine? Did Jesus or His Apostles teach this?(Eph.2:20, Matt.28:20 ).
We have many unconverted and
backslidden preachers in many pulpits today
Brethren, let’s lay all these false doctrines down. Time is running out. Let’s get back to our Bibles – God’s holy word. The name of Jesus, His blood ,His Word, His indwelling Spirit is sufficient for us, no matter the challenges – witchcraft, demonic powers, financial needs – you name it . His name has not diminished in power. We are the problem, not Him. Our Lord is faithful. He tells us: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. And l will be found by you…” (Jer.29:13).
“We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. ‘ (2Cor. 4:2).
The next time I read a blog, Hopefully it doesnt fail me just as much as this one. I mean, Yes, it was my choice to read through, but I actually thought you would have something useful to say. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something that you could fix if you werent too busy searching for attention.