Church Leader & Filthy Lucre

At all times in history, man has regarded his life and the life of society as intimately dependent on forces that lie outside his control – Providence. This view is as old as humanity itself. The complete secularization of social life is a relatively modern and anomalous phenomenon. Throughout the greater part of mankind's history, in all ages and states of society, religion had been the great central unifying force in culture. It had been the guardian of tradition, the preserver of the moral law, the educator and teacher of wisdom. In addition to this conservative function, religion also had a creative, compelling, dynamic function as energizer and life-giver.

Unfortunately, modern nationalism and secularism have altered all this, but they have done so only recently and superficially, or should I say hypocritically. The change which has occurred in the last few generations might be expressed in one word: muchness. Many changes of every different kind are taking place today, but the central change, which makes our age characterized above all others by change, is muchness. In the European and American, including some Asian parts of the world, a great abundance of new knowledge has made a great abundance of things available for man's use and a great many more people now fill up the countries and flow out over their borders.

This is happening in fulfillment of the prophecies of the Bible, which has to do with the bastard Church Age in which we live, and which is popularly known as the Laodicean Churge Age. Why is it a bastard Church Age? It is so because she had gained her independence from the Holy Ghost in the same way Nigeria gained independence from Britain. When writing this “divorced” and orphaned woman (because she went abhorring with the world and does not want to return to her spouse) the Husband said: “I know thy works that thou art neither cold not hot: I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, will I spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, miserable, and poor and blind and naked…”

This is the Church that is basking in the euphoria of free grace and would not submit to her husband who continues to plead that she returns in sackcloth and ashes. This big socio-political group called Christendom has since been lured and captivated by satanic politicians because of love of money and influence. In Nigeria these money-hungry men and women of God have gone to great extent to sell the Church of Jesus Christ to politicians for filthy lucre.

In some States of Nigeria, Christian leaders parading themselves as CAN and PFN Chairmen have wounded the heart of Christ and many Christians, lay hypnotized persons, and have followed them without asking questions. This is because they have never been taught the pure word of God, which would have made them to be rooted to be able to detect and separate chaffs from the wheat quite unlike the people of Berea (Act 17:11).

It is reported that in some States of this country, CSN and PFN leadership have formed unholy alliance with blood thirsty politicians with a view to mobilizing the churches to vote massively in 2011 for these inordinate politicians who are ready to do any damnable thing provided it serves their selfish ends. And so we have reports from Stats where governors, senators, representatives, chairmen and councilors are “Christians” who go about bribing churches and wooing pastors. As I consider this abomination in the Church, my soul yearns for the return of Charles Spurgeon, John Wesley, Martin Luther, John Knox, John Huss and many other captains of the Church in the olden days who knew the difference between religious or ecclesiastical authority and secular authority and who were not ready to compromise even on pains of death.

I am moved with pity for Christian leaders in Nigeria because having lost their bearings they are drifting without a rudder or compass, moving in endless circumnavigation. The saddest aspect of it is that they, like Satan, have decided to carry along with them millions of Christians who are equally blind.

Government was instituted by God and there is nothing bad about it except that it is essentially terrestrial while the Church is celestial. The point the Church has missed is that she is confused between government and politics. Another word for government is administration, but in the democracies, this administration is run by politicians who see themselves as ad hoc administrators and so they are ready to pounce on anything that will fulfill their selfish ambitions in government however illegitimate or immoral it may be. A situation where Church leaders (those wolfs in sheep clothing) go about mobilizing Christians willing or unwilling, for politicians for filthy lucre is an abomination before God. Let them go back sand read Church history and see what happened to the Church and those satanic and politically-minded prelates who sold the Church to political leaders because of money and influence.

Today we find politicians who have no integrity and other worldly; it can be rebuked for worldliness by the world. But we are in a society where the Church has no nerves to rebuke the world because she has been bought over. I cannot see the salvation of the Church in the hands of these religious and political leaders. This the Church should know. We have a duty to pray for government and our prayer points will depend on what is at stake. This does not mean that the Church should go about anointing democratic leader instead of allowing the electorate to do that with their votes since democracy is government of the people for the people and for the people with God having no portion in it. Ridiculously some Church leaders even go to native shrines to further 'anoint' politicians.

It should be known that Nigeria is not operating a theocratic or monarchical government where kings were chosen and anointed on the direct command of God. It should also be noted that Joseph in Egypt, Daniel and Modecai who became what may be regarded as prime ministers in the various countries they found themselves as slaves never got there through the ballot box; they never mounted the soap box to address the electorates. They had no party platform and there was no 'Maurice Iwu' to supervise the voting. Therefore, the issue of Church leaders anointing democratic leaders is a contradiction, illegitimate and highly immoral.

The Christian Association and Pentecostal Fellowship in Nigeria are leading Christians into full-scale apostasy and satanism. We have a duty to warn Christians, especially the sincere but ignorant ones, to go back to their Bibles in order to have taproots that will enable them to stand firm and earnestly contend for the faith, which once handed over to us, according to Apostle Jude. Those who go about “laying empty hands on empty heads”, according to Pastor Tunde Bakare, for a fee should under this: You cannot buy the Holy Ghost and you cannot sell Him.

Andy is of The Pilgrim Discipleship Movement, UYO, Akwa Ibom Email: [email protected]