By Oyewole Sarumi PhD
“To thine own self be true,” says Polonius in Hamlet_
The most important thing in the life of a TRUE CHRISTIAN is Righteousness – being Christ-like – focus and complete attention on JESUS. Nothing else matters.
It is not PRAYER LIFE. Let me explain…
Several so-called believers can PRAY more than PRAYER, but their lifestyles do not reflect Christ because He’s not their FOCUS, but rather the pursuit of answers to their Prayers. That is the TRANSACTIONAL GOSPEL that the New Apostolic Reformations churches in the US and Africa have bequeathed upon us.
The next thing is TO KNOW WHAT God’s WORD says about CHRIST because from Genesis to Revelation is ALL ABOUT CHRIST. Not Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, or the Prophets – though they are the foundation that revealed CHRIST, they are not our FOCUS today. You may wonder why many believers are aliens to the Bible inclusive of a large percentage of pastors and ministers today.
And let the WORD guide your life always. Understand the descriptive verses and learn the requisite lessons from them. Know the prescriptive verses and conform to them as unto the Lord.
Today, every denomination has a Seminary or Bible College where they teach and indoctrinate members with their church doctrines. They call them bible doctrines because they are supported with biblical verses.. But the truth is that there is anything on earth today that you can’t find one or two biblical verses to support them – either descriptive or prescriptive. If the churches are discreet enough to do proper exegesis with some of their doctrines the nonsense we have on the pulpits today won’t happen.
Many Pastors don’t know that the CANON has closed, but we hear even many heads of churches opening the CANON and adding to it using African Traditional Religions (ATR) incursions and borrowing ACTS from Hinduism. Any new revelation outside the written Word is man-made and anathema! And due to our ignorance, we are all reveling in this nonsense, when we should all fall on our faces and plead for GOD’S MERCY.
Let me cite an example of how we add to the Canon of the scriptures. I recently watched a video clip online where a big pastor in Nigeria said categorically that the GOSPEL is like a supermarket or business opened for people to get their needs. He said further that it’s like having different shops selling spare parts, tyres, cement, etc., and customers come into the shops to buy whatever they want. I think his premise is on different callings for ministry, but his examples have no basis in the scriptures, as the GOSPEL is one… That Christ came, died, and resurrected for you and I to be delivered and saved from our sins. Period!
The next thing for a TRUE CHRISTIAN is WORSHIP and not PRAYER, not singing or clapping or blabbing in tongues!
True Worship FOCUSES only on JESUS. True worship doesn’t stir up emotions but helps you to develop a sobering spirit that is humbling throughout the day of one’s life. In this, you become the bearer of HIS PRESENCE which is the most important thing for true Christians!
Note that if you are found with ALL THE ABOVE, you will have a PRAYER LIFE that does not query God or make you BEGGARLY in His presence, but you’ll only have A HEART OF GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR HIS GRACE AND MERCIES. This kind of lifestyle is devoid of the spirit of CONSUMERISM that characterised our churches today. The Lord will weigh in quickly if we REPENT. But how can we repent if we don’t know that we are in the WRONG?
The next thing after this is DEMONSTRABLE CHRISTLIKE BEHAVIOURS. This is where the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT comes in. Yes, that’s where most of the things posted such as – INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY, NON-COMPETITIVE SPIRIT, COMPROMISE, HANDLING CRITICISMS, SHUNNING APPROVAL OF MEN, COMMITMENT IN MINISTRY, INSPIRATION, etc. come in. However, most of these are lacking today among us, the so-called pastors and ministers. Why? Most of us have been programmed to defend our churches, doctrines, and leaders rather than the entire Body of Christ!
There are too many MIS-NORMALS today in the Body of Christ. The main reason is the lack of institutionalized discipleship. All we have is emergency discipleship programmes. A wholly integrative discipleship is not a programme or an event, it is a lifestyle. The ability to make it a lifestyle is what’s lacking today in most churches.
The void created by the lack of strong discipleship makes most churches take solace in SALVATION BY WORKS as they enact many legalistic DOs and DON’Ts that make a mockery of the death and resurrection of JESUS.
They forget that we are not Christians by WORKS but by FAITH, GRACE, AND LOVE! Christianity is a RELATIONSHIP-based faith, not TRANSACTIONAL as many churches have turned it to. The fact is that our works are worthless and cannot replace any of the above. However, FAITH WITHOUT WORKS is dead! Not legalistic WORKS, but the works that contribute to the consolidation of the kingdom of God, not that of man!
There are many ACTS in our churches today that are packaging most of us pastors and ministers to become strong candidates for HELL AND ETERNAL DAMNATION unless we REPENT and stop playing church.
Several of us are involved in things that must not be named amongst unbelievers! Examples are monumental including class structures, favouritism, competition for power, position and mammon, godfatherism, bribery and corrupt practices, and outright falsehood in ministry which sometimes involves posting false figures of attendance, offerings, and other collections, etc. to headquarters of our churches. Why? Today’s church only promotes and recommends one based on the accomplishment of ABC (Attendance, Building, and Cash) and other sycophantic nuances. Hence, the onus lies on you and me not to PERMIT your church to send you to HELL as a result of service!
The key words in this short piece are KNOW THYSELF and let’s respond appropriately as the day draws nearer. Many are called, but few are chosen. Let him who has ears hear what this piece is saying to the body of ministers!
The time has come. Let’s stop playing church because on the last day, it’s YOU and you alone that will be accountable before God, not your church, congregation head pastor, or other colabourers! Everyone will stand before His Maker to render an account of their stewardship. And I think the time is running out!
The above message is not for everyone, however I think maybe a few will profit from the effort.
I come in peace!!!
Blessings 
