It was Edmund Burke who said an event has occurred upon which it is difficult to speak, but impossible to silent . This perhaps explains the reason why my fingers trembled as I reached for my pen to write this piece and as I shrugged off the usual reluctance I have for getting publicly involved in matters that bother on religion in general and Christianity in particular. On one hand I would rather keep mute and pretend not to observe the things happening under my nose because of the sensitivity of the subject and the ease with which I can easily incur the wrath of God and man. On the other hand I feel silence at this point in time would not be golden at all. So friends, readers and countrymen lend me your time. I have come to bear my mind and not to condemn, judge or exonerate anyone. I am not a bible scholar and I would not parade myself as one for that would be tantamount to impersonation. I try to read Gods word daily, so it is safe and fair to say I know a thing or two. I may not know where, but I know it is written that after his ascension into heaven, the early disciples behaved so much like Christ and as such they were all called Christians by non disciples. Numerous citations abound of how these early Christians lived in one accord and shared things in common. When Jesus prayed to the father and said Lord make them one as we are one, he probably was not referring to the early church because they were already one. Perhaps he had a premonition that there would be so much discord, rancour, acrimony, animosity and divisions in the later church. I can not put my finger to it, but for so long I have been wondering when, where and how things deteriorated to this level. There is only one Father, one Son and one Spirit. So it defies logic that there are many conflicting doctrines and creeds or are we no longer children of the same God? Charles Brent said The unity of Christendom is not a luxury, but a necessity. The world will go limping until Christs prayer that all may be one is answered. We must have unity, not at all costs, but at all risks. A unified Church is the only offering we dare present to the coming Christ, for in it alone will He find room to dwell. I was taken aback late last year, when a prominent preacher claimed that a particular set of Christians would all go to hell. I could not stop asking myself when,how and where he got access to the Book of Life. I was troubled to my bones and did not bother to read all he had to say,for I have come to understand that everyone has a right to be heard but not everyone has a right to be taken seriously. But before we cast our stones on him, let us examine ourselves. Are there not times we feel holier and more righteous than others simply because we belong to a particular denomination and observe man made doctrines that are not essential to salvation? Have there not been times that we saw others as sinners just because they indulged or failed to observe things our pastors admonished us to abstain from or observe regardless of what the Bible says? I had always thought that the Bible and not man was our point of reference. It is quite unfortunate to see the extent to which we have elevated our fellow men to demi gods. It is however more unfortunate to see how these daddies in the Lord have abused this misplaced reverence to sow seeds of discord amongst brethren. Never in the history of Christendom has relationship be more strained among us than now. So I beseech you my brethren, let us put aside discrimination and remember than individuals and not denominations would enter heaven. The time has come for us to do away with trivialities and emphasise the things that matter. So when next you chose to look down on the other man from another denomination, remember that it is only those that confess with their mouths, believe with their hearts and endure to the end will be saved, and not necessarily members of your denomination. Udom Ndinanake udomndi@gmail ©2014
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 12:37:24 +0000
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