A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY

As I write this the current milieu of much of Accra is that of despondency as we’re still in the throes of coming to grips with the recent twin disaster of fire and flood which resulted in massive loss of life and property. 

Amidst much of the palpable anguish and grieving is welcoming news of recuperating victims and also the much anticipated albeit belated implementation of actions plans that have seen many a day atop dusty shelves by city authorities in attempts to forestall a possible recurrence of flooding as we’re still in the early days of the annual raining season. There is also news of various groups and organizations working in concert to bring relief to the victims especially in the worst affected areas. Indeed there is much to admire in all these selfless acts of assistance in this time of difficulty.

In the midst of all this, my attention has been brought to one particular story about one lady’s “miraculous escape” from the inferno which many are touting as a modern day equivalent of the account of the biblical narrative of the three Hebrew boys in the furnace (see Daniel 3). I had initially picked up the story in the media but had brushed it aside as one of those numerous sensational fictitious stories that usually go viral on social media. However, I have been proven wrong as I was informed by a friend that the character in the said narrative appeared on one of the premier morning shows in Accra to recount her story. I have since been in discussions with him and have decided to pen down a word of caution as the narrative seem to paint a skewed picture of what being a Christian entails.

Firstly, I must state that I’m mighty glad about the fact that she openly professes her Christian faith and also that she attributes her narrow escape to be the result of the grace of God. I could wish for more of such testimonies as they are some of the ways to boost the faith of the saints by way of reminder that “the name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it, and is safe”. Indeed, Christians believe in a God who is more than able to keep his own because he neither sleeps nor slumber. However, I’m concerned about the, dare I say, embellished manner of the narrative as it seems to suggest, unwittingly perhaps, that once you’re a Christian, you are somewhat shielded from such gory loss of life.

The fact is, she was not the only person to have escaped the incident. There were a good number of people who also survived the incident, among whom are non-Christians. Another fact is, there were a number of Christians who perished in the same incident. This alone should be enough to shatter any such notion of Christianity being one’s sure bet to safety from disaster. My worry is that the manner in which many are hailing her escape reduces God’s providence to a mere protection against future loss. I am also concerned that another possible fallout from her story will be a perception of a lack of or weak faith on the side of those Christians who perished. This is most unfortunate indeed!

It is very disheartening to know that many are made to believe they automatically fly above all the besetting problems of life once they profess to be Christians according to a certain ‘gospel’ which unfortunately has spread very far and wide. Yet all one needs to do is simply take a cursory look at certain pages of the Bible to ascertain that that belief is patently false! Take the apostle Paul for instance; he was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, hungry, cold, and destitute(2 Cor.11:23-28). As my friend also noted, some of those who perished “might have probably prayed in the morning for safety before leaving home; yet they didn’t return. Has God abandoned them? Did their faith fail? No, death is inevitable. How we die has no bearing on our level of faith…” 

The obvious truth is, being a Christian in fact comes with its own set of peculiar challenges in addition to the routine troubles of daily life. But Christians take comfort in the fact that “nothing can happen to us by chance but only by the arrangement of our gracious heavenly Father. He watches over us with fatherly care, keeping all creatures under his control, so that not one of the hairs on our heads (for they are all numbered) nor even a little bird can fall to the ground without the will of our Father.” Article 13, Belgic Confession

In the meantime, we do well if we offer relief items to the victims of the flood and the bereaved families while keeping them in our prayers to God remembering that, we are to “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” May God grant us the grace to endure all the hardships in these trying times!

Soli Deo Gloria!!!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE REFORMED?

This is a question I have received on countless occasions when an opportunity has been presented to me to articulate my religious persuasions. One would think that given the umpteen number of time I have been asked this question, I should by now have a pithy answer I give to all such inquirers but curiously that is not the case. Sometimes, I wish that when someone asks me my religious affiliation, I could simply say “Christian” and that when they ask me my religious beliefs, I could simply say “the Bible.” Unfortunately, such simple answers are no longer sufficient because all sorts of people today claim to be Christians, and even Bible-believers, who are actually far from the kingdom of Christ. Liberals, cultists, and New Age syncretists all abound in the name in Christianity. Therefore, it has become necessary for some descriptive adjective that distinguishes one from broad Christendom.

Basically, when we speak of the Reformed faith, we are referring to the true Christian religion as it was recovered during the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Reformed faith holds to all the apostolic doctrines set forth in the Bible and given creedal formulation by the great ecumenical councils of the ancient church on such cardinal articles of the Christian faith such as the Trinity, the atonement, justification by faith, the virgin birth and the bodily resurrection of Jesus, his miracles and the inspiration of Holy Scripture.

Reformation Wall in Geneva

It is important to recognize that these doctrines have been variously misinterpreted by the several branches of the visible church. Which interpretations belong to the Reformed faith and which do not? The answer to that question can only be gained through careful study of the various Reformed creeds, confessions and catechisms. Aside the ecumenical creeds, the Reformed subscribe to what is popularly referred to as The Three Forms of Unity, comprising The Heidelberg Catechism, The Belgic Confession and The Canons of Dordt. In recent times, these confessions together with the Westminster Confessions are fondly called The Six Forms of Unity, whose purpose is to serve as a convenient summary of the church’s beliefs of the teachings of Scripture. Hence, it is no secret what the Reformed system teaches regarding any doctrine of the Scripture and makes for easy perusal to ascertain the veracity of our doctrines.

Another major distinctive of the Reformed faith is the utmost seriousness given to the Bible emphasizing its sufficiency for all aspects of the Christian faith and life, its inerrancy and thus necessity in coming to “that knowledge of God, and his will, which is necessary unto salvation”(WCF1.1). The Reformed system is also heavily God-centered with strong emphasis on his sovereignty and unfailing providence, all of which culminates in his glory, which is man’s chief end!

A lot more could be said about the distinctives of the Reformed faith but in conclusion, it can be said in summary that, it is the Christian religion in its most consistent expression. This is not to claim that others, who do not hold to the Reformed confessions, are not Christians. It is simply to insist that there is only one true religion and that the most consistent expression of it is the Reformed faith. “In other words we believe that Christianity comes to its fullest and purest expression in Reformed faith” as Loraine Boettner so concisely asserted!

Scriptures + Something More?

I was hoping to break my unplanned hiatus of about a year with a more sanguine post than this but I fear that was not meant to be for I’ve been jolted out of my silence by a growing canker among Evangelicals which ought to alarm any conscientious believer but alas, its infusion has been so subtle that it has crept in amongst us unawares! What I speak of is the increasing belief that the Bible alone is not sufficient for the Christian life.

I used to read about the spread of this belief from noted Christian authors and bloggers in the West which left in me the impression(and a false one at that in hindsight) that such phenomenon was way too far away--in fact near impossible--to occur among Evangelicals of my own home country where I assumed believers were of a more fervent sort than in the West. But how mistaken I have been; for my recent encounters with some believers of a certain theological persuasion has jerked me to the harsh realization that this incident is in fact too close to home than I had initially assumed.

You may find this hard to believe but it’s an unfortunate reality today. Of course, most Evangelicals would dare not admit it in such outright terms but often, their actions and utterances belie their profession. I cite one zealous young man in a recent discourse who asserted, “…if all I know about God is what I read in the bible sorry that won’t be enough for me.” In other words the Bible is insufficient hence he needs something more. And right there is the problem.

With this underlying belief of insufficiency, many like him have suggested we need the arts i.e. books, paintings, music, videos, choreography and what have you to make up for our Christian experience. Others still think we need visions and dreams and ‘still small voices’ to supplement the scriptures. This stance is most unfortunate indeed for when God, in his divine wisdom, has given us all we’ll ever need in his written word(which is a closed canon) and has further given us of his Holy Spirit to illumine and guide our hearts to the truth contained therein and to ever lead us on in our pilgrimage, we’re still craving something more. This in my view unwittingly depicts our gross incredulity at his unfailing promises. 

Oh how pitiable when men think they know better than the Almighty himself and have gone in search of strange voices, working up emotions into a frenzy in their meetings all in the name of God. They whip up sentiments to numb their sober minds into self-inflicted delusions and hallucinations, receiving revelations whose origins are thought to be celestial beings garbed in bright shiny garments like in many a children’s fairytales. Bingo, they’ve seen angels! Surely it must be, they insist!

Oh puny man, when will you learn that the scriptures are sufficient in and of itself and that all we’ll ever need on this side of eternity are recorded therein and that we’re only to heed those ancient words and live?

Oh puny man in search of sensual experiences and gratifications, when will you learn that the path you thread is a slippery slope into an endless abyss of folly, doom, and despair? Oh puny man, won’t you heed the ever true and unfailing words of scripture alone and live?

May be it’s time our pastors and teachers started shouting themselves hoarse in the congregation with ‘Sola Scriptura! Sola Scriptura!!’ but regrettably that won’t be, for they are the chief source of this canker! Nevertheless, we need to work harder at instilling the absolute certainty of the authority and finality of scripture alone as the only rule and guide to the Christian life!

As for me, my motto is Sola Scriptura…Always! May God have mercy on us all!

The Art Of Growing Old by Herbert Vander Lugt

One characteristic flaw of humankind is our tendency to take a lot of things for granted especially regarding the cycles of life. We typically assume that once a child is born, she will grow up sane and strong, attend school and graduate, get a good job and then marry and start her own family, then she’ll succeed in her career, grow old and eventually die at a ripe old age. This repetitive nature of certain events of this life is well documented by The Teacher in the book of Ecclesiastes who laments the utter futility of these cycles. They are all vanities he says.

Reality however has a way of yanking us out of this enshrined orientation of taking things for granted by the many failures and disappointments we encounter as we age. Yet, our grief from these heartbreaks could have probably been rendered more bearable had we be somewhat open-minded about life’s uncertainties.

The late author Herbert Vander Lugt in this short book, The Art of Growing Old, shares his experiences and that of other senior citizens on some of the possible pitfalls of old age and offers sound advice on how to deal with them. He notes an unfortunate pattern among many people especially those in their late forties and early fifties who are often forced to brood over the implications of their personal mortalities only when tragedies strike. He observes that, “the awareness of life’s brevity may come with a jolt when a person finds out he has high blood pressure or other physical problems that are usually associated with aging,” which statements rings too true!

The author observes that, many intentionally avoid discussing and planning for their old age because such inevitably must include debilitation and death, which themes are deemed too morbid and depressing, yet this ought not to be the case especially for the Christian. He asserts that “a Christian who properly faces the reality of departing this life, acknowledging it openly and cheerfully will not get sour on life or develop a fixation on death and dying.” Christians ought to be confident that when they depart this life, they are going to be with their Lord.

Even though death preoccupies the thinking and planning for old age, it’s not all about it. There are many positive benefits to growing old. Freed from the pressure of making a living or raising a family, we can use much of this time for personal growth and spiritual impact. For instance, the author shares the story of a man he personally knew whose joy seemed to abound after retiring because now, he had ample time to embark on evangelism and other missionary works. Apart from this, old age also affords one the quality time to spend with one’s grandchildren(kids always love their grandparents), ample time to volunteer for and support worthy causes, to coach and counsel young ones in their life decisions and so on.

As a relatively young person, I found The Art of Growing Old very helpful as I was opened to certain realities of life in a fresh way by the author’s measured tone in dealing with this topic which inspired in me a much welcomed sober cogitation.

I agree with Herbert Vander Lugt when he says that old age “can be happy and useful if we plan for the adjustments it will demand and utilize its new opportunities to glorify God.” Do give this book a read if you do come across it!

Book Review: CRAZY BUSY By Kevin DeYoung

“So much to do, so little time” is a sentiment that resonates with many of us because increasingly, it appears our duties and responsibilities are piling by the minute. Let’s face it; ‘busyness’ is the oft cited off the cuff excuse for our failure to perform a task.

One would think that with all the influx of easily accessible information and all our technological advancements and breakthroughs, our lives would be less frantic and less hurried, yet the converse appears to be the prevailing status quo. In fact, there are times that we absent mindedly wished there were more hours than the 24 in a day to enable us do just a little bit more. It makes one wonder, why is modern man so beset with busyness? Why does it feel like there is never enough time? Why are we so busy?

Thankfully Kevin DeYoung recognizes these tough questions and attempt to address them in his aptly titled book, Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem, and that’s what it really is, a BIG problem.

In this book, DeYoung offers readers a goodly dose of godly and theologically sound counsel with a healthy mix of common sense on how to deal with this canker of busyness. He shares his observations not as an indifferent bystander but as one who has had (and is still having) a firsthand experience of the effects of busyness, yet does so in a manner unlike your typical self-help books with their slick ’20 Ways’ or ‘7 Steps’ howtos.

In an era where it is usually deemed condescending for one to opine on a topic one hasn’t personally experienced, readers will find the author’s tone refreshingly personal and down-to-earth, one that anyone can well identify with for if anyone knows and have felt the overwhelming pull of busyness, DeYoung surely qualifies as one. He is a husband and father of five, a senior pastor, a prolific author and blogger and also currently pursuing a doctoral program. With each category cited above having its own accompanying challenges, he’s definitely got his plate full. Little wonder he readily admits that “more than any other book I’ve worked on, this one is for me.”

Crazy Busy examines the various forms busyness take in our lives while stealthily gnawing at the joys we have and proffer sound counsel on how to deal with them. Indeed, the author is right when he observed that “when our lives are frantic and frenzied, we are more prone to anxiety, resentment, impatience and irritability” which invariably affect those closest and dearest to us. Perhaps DeYoung may have been right when he asserted, “busyness kills more Christians than bullets.”

With mothers for instance, it looks like the house never stays clean. The dishes and laundry never seem to be done. The kids always needing our constant attention and especially the infant who never seems to stop crying and for the life of you cannot figure out what is wrong with her. And oh, you also gotta help the kids finish their homework. Then there is also that recipe that everyone is talking about which for some unknown reason you haven’t been able to add to your menu. And then there are Facebook friends and Twitter trends to catch up with…and on and on it goes seemingly ad infinitum until the point of despair when you begin to feel like you’re spiraling to your doom. These are more than enough triggers to make anybody go crazy. I agree with DeYoung that “busyness can ruin our joy.”

The bottom line is, we all have targets to meet and deadlines to beat and with our existing  state of affairs, it looks like busyness is here to stay but thankfully we have such useful tools like Crazy Busy to help us navigate those rough times before we are sucked into its resultant abyss of despair.

Readers will certainly find Crazy Busy immensely helpful. The question though is; will they make time out of their busy schedules to actually read it? I can only hope they do! 

Book Review: Tales From Different Tails By Nana Awere Damoah

Today is AU Day and perhaps, the only good thing about this day is that, it’s a holiday and it has afforded me the opportunity to read an African novel. And this one was certainly a fun read.

Tales From Different Tails is Nana Awere Damoah’s third book and is a collection of 8 short stories whose central theme could be said to be relationships. These stories hovered around motifs as bitter betrayals, cunning maneuvers, tenacious trust and loyalty among other such traits that are common to most relationships, all told in the quaint by-the-fire-side style of storytelling which always carries a moral lesson.

Any Ghanaian, especially those who have had the privilege of attending any of our ‘traditional’ universities and other tertiary institutions, will readily identify with the characters in these stories as a lot of the events Nana describe are still recurrent today. At least that was the case during my time at school. Brother Bazook (a character in October Rush) particularly touched a raw nerve as his depiction hit a little too close to home.

Nana employs a lot of local jargons like ogyacious, aponkye brake, tweah (which term has now attained international renown thanks to the infamous Gabriel Barima), toke, inte, among others. The one transliteration I found particularly humorous was attributed to Sulley Maame, the waakye seller, who sometimes sold her waakye on credit to loyal customers only to be “paid back at moon die,” to wit the end of the month. It is such jargons that gives Tales From Different Tails its quintessential Ghanaian feel.

There were points in the novel where I felt that the stories were “so real yet so fictitious” like Adadewa’s concocted lies against Kojo Nkrabeah. For instance, Akosua (a main character in Guardian Of The Rented Well) shared such striking similarities with the author that I couldn’t help but wonder if she was a replica of the author and that this tale was not a recounting of a real past incident in the author’s life…I guess I may never know!

The telltale title of this book coupled with its spellbinding stories offered me just the humor break I needed today and I betcha gonna enjoy it too…go grab your copy!

Book Review: The Magic by Rhonda Byrne

Not all that glitters is gold and not everything is actually what they appear to be. These trite sayings hit me with full force this week in the office when I picked up one of a set of books that was delivered to my boss to skim through. It may not be fair on my part to be reviewing this book since I didn’t read through to the end and in fact, I could not complete it because I decided not to do so and I’m mighty glad I didn’t. I found the content of this book too infuriating and couldn’t stomach all the regurgitation of New Age philosophy that’s been repacked and presented as novelty. This book I am berating is The Magic by Rhonda Byrne.

It was the title of this book, which I assumed to be a novel, that attracted me to pick it up to give it a read but how sorely I was mistaken. The Magic could properly be tagged the quintessential New Age book and like most books in this genre, it marshals an eclectic collection of quotes from all the major religions of the world to corroborate what the author considers “a great mystery revealed.” 

This “great mystery” we are informed is Gratitude and according to the author is the hidden secret behind the successes of all the major movers and shakers of the world both past and present and to buttress this point, Rhonda cites such noted religious leaders and authorities like Mohammed, Krishna and Jesus Christ who according to the author all practiced this secret of success.

Typical of most New Age books, this extensive collection of quotes is meant to achieve a certain kind of cross-over appeal that will gain the approval of all and sundry regardless of one’s (ir)religious background. However, it is this very sort of approach that I find most repulsive as it attempts to mimic some tenets of Christianity but actually ends up misappropriating them because it tries to please everybody, Christians and non-Christians alike, thus end up pleasing nobody especially conventional catholic Christians like me.

What was even more offensive yet unsurprising for me were claims by the author about some biblical characters she employed in her book often out of context. For instance, she says “King David spoke of giving thanks to the whole world, for everything between the heavens and the earth.” This quote is an example of the classic subtle subterfuge that is rampant in New Age philosophy and which many unsuspecting victims fall prey to.

Instead of saying David gave thanks for the world(in which case he’ll be giving thanks to another, presumably Yahweh), she says he gave thanks to the world(in which case the world is the deity to which David’s appreciation is directed. Little wonder New Agers often refer to the earth as ‘mother’). This simple change of proposition totally alters the meaning of the sentence and is likely to escape the uncritical reader and hence likely to be hoodwinked.

Another one of such quotes is this, that “Jesus said “thank you” before he performed each miracle.” This statement though superficially acceptable is very ambiguous as the “thank you” is addressed to no one in particular. This ambiguity syncs perfectly with New Ageism whose deity is an undefined amorphous force and is nothing like Yahweh of Christianity.

I suspect, however, that what gives The Magic its appeal is the fact that ‘gratitude’ is indeed virtuous and every religion teaches and encourages it among its adherents. Yet an even more appealing attribute of this book is its claim that gratitude is the panacea to every problem under the sun and the author assures it will achieve for the reader a healthy body, flourishing career, happy relationships and all other personal desires without breaking sweat! Who wouldn’t want that? And to achieve this, the book is divided into 28 daily readings with confessions and to-do activities that are designed to ensure readers “deliberately feel it [i.e. gratitude] as much as you can, because it’s the force of your feeling that accelerates the magic in your life.”

A lot more could be said about the book but suffice it to say this is not a book I will recommend to any of my Christian friends because it is bad in a not so obvious way which in my view makes it even more dangerous.

Christians, stay away from The Magic!