Study to shew thyself approved unto God; a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15
It’s become a regular trademark – what the Bishop says or does is now prevailing against what God’s Word says. Consequently, our society is inundated with all sorts of fellows who parade themselves as people who have received the revelation to preach God’s word.
Bishop Daniel Obinim of God’s Way Church has been in the news for one reason or the other. Again, he got in the news for the wrong reason – he flogged two teenagers – they had fornicated.
He flogged them in the full glare of the congregation – what style of Church discipline? The purpose: to deter other teenagers or other adults from getting involved. God’s word on fornication is clear; it states, this is the will of God even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That everyone of one should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour. I Thessalonians 4: 3-4
Open rebuke style of discipline. Open rebuke can never mean open flogging. The word of God should be the correcting measure for such situations. Galatians 6: 1 -2 “brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Commentary on this portion of scripture states, “the thought is that of someone running from sin but sin, being faster, overtakes and catches him. But a Christian should restore him or her. The task of restoration is not to be undertaken by fledglings in the faith but by those who are spiritual, that is, the believers who walk by the Spirit and who are mature in the faith. Furthermore, this delicate work must be done gently and with the consciousness that no one is immune from falling into sin”. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by the Dallas Seminary Faculty, New Testament Edition, 1983)
Bishop Obinim needn’t flog these teenagers. Unfortunately, he did. The congregation looked on ignorantly. They were enjoying the scene, probably – “aha, yakye won”, to wit, they’ve been caught. Abuse thrives in the atmosphere of ignorance – like Hosea 4:6a, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The members of the church are probably ignorant in the matters of God’s Word and human rights, thus their cheers and laughter as their fellow human beings were humiliated.
Ignorance is a disease; however, its antidote – the consistent and continuous seek for the appropriate knowledge. Will Rogers, “everybody is ignorant, only in different subject”. This states that the human race can’t be knowledgeable in all things; in one area of life or the other an individual may be ignorant.
The Berea Christians in the Book of Acts were unique – the Holy Bible describes them in these words, “these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” Acts 17: 11.
Berea is now known as Veria or Veroia – a city in Macedonia, in modern day Northern Greece. It’s located 511 kilometres north-northwest of the capital Athens and 73 km west-southwest of Thessalonica.
Unlike the Bereans of old, Ghanaians have been described in these words: religious but ungodly. Godliness can be achieved through the study of God’s word consistently and prayerfully. The scriptures make us wise; it’s written by the inspiration of God and its deliberate study can be applied to all aspects of our lives, and this study makes us perfect on a daily basis.
It’s crucial too, that as Christians we must not limit ourselves to studying only the Bible. It limits our understanding of issues that confront us physically, socially, politically, economically and internationally. Our knowledge of the immediate and remote environment and God’s word affords us the opportunity to take decisions that pleases God and man – our utmost desire should be to please God rather than man.
Bishop Daniel Obinim and his ilk are flourishing because their followers are men and women who have neglected the most important aspect of Christianity – daily study of God’s word. We’ve an attitude that refuses to probe further. We hail any individual who comes along with pseudo solutions and accept these solutions hook, line and sinker. And this has permeated all aspects of our national lives.
God desires that we seek Him through persistent and consistent study of His Word prayerfully. Our society then will be able to know what God expects and then, we shall overcome the deceit of ‘Bishops’.