“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits... So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit…Thus you will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-20).
This post was written originally (here) I loved the truth in it and decided to repost It here. Please read and understand.
I begin this blog by apologising to all my Nigerian brothers and sisters for its title. At first sight it is rather offensive, but I hope that as you read on you will see why I elected to still use it as a title. As nations or tribes or social groupings we take on a certain characteristic that is not true about each person in the group but which we come to be identified with. Hence, Paul could write, “One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:12-13). In the same way, we tend to (rightly or wrongly) identify Americans with arrogance, Kenyans with marathon running prowess, West Africans with fraudulent activities, Afrikaners with racism, etc.
I have just returned from a consultative meeting in South Africa where the first day was spent surveying the spiritual state of the countries in the southern African sub-region. Central to all this was the state of evangelicalism in all these countries. Nation after nation reported on the arrival of “Nigerian religious junk” that was changing the landscape of what there once was of evangelicalism. One or two of the countries were blessed exceptions. Evidently, this junk originated from mega-churches in the USA and then found ready soil in West Africa, and especially in Nigeria. Having given it an African flavour, it is now being exported across Africa at a phenomenal rate. (Continue reading)
When the context of a thing is removed, it becomes a pretext. A pretext meaning a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason (google it). This definition will help in understanding where i'm coming from and where i'm going to.
Modern Christianity especially in Pentecostalism here in Nigeria and also in the world at large, is characterized by preachers and teachers quoting the bible out of context; out of the original meaning and intent the writer had in mind and this is done in order to justify selfish points by whoever is misquoting that scripture at that time or probably just a sheer misunderstanding of the Bible. This issue of misquoting the Bible is a very grave thing as heresies and blasphemies have been proclaimed intentionally and unintentionally because of misunderstanding or sheer neglect.
A good example of something i've heard is this; Someone said masturbation is not a sin and was asked why? and he said the Bible said so. hmmmm... He was asked where in the Bible was it said and he said "The bible said whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all thy might..." So, he implies that if your hand should find that place, c'mon give it all you got... LOOL!!! :) That's the sickest thing i've ever heard. It is funny to hear such but this stems up from the ideas that preachers have infused in us by heavily nailing Jesus back to cross via the scriptural backing they give to certain statements.. I'm very sure you have heard a lot of em if you are like me.
The solution: We all should try as much as possible to understand the scenario, the Who, When, What and To Whom of a particular scripture. Do not rely on "My pastor said this, my Pastor said that" people have eaten grass due to such. A lot of Emphasis has been put on reading the Bible, which is fine but more should be put on reading the Bible within its context.
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