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Abstract

What classical Pentecostals appropriate that enables their unparalleled response to missions has been identified as the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This largely informs the emphasis placed on this pneumatic phenomenon. Believers are strongly encouraged to desire this unfailing grace bestowed by Christ. Often special meetings are organised to seek for this encounter usually through prayer with laying of hands of church leaders on those who seek this experience. The usual proximity for the practice and the various bodily contacts especially the imposition of hands of the minister of the baptism on the recipient has been limited by the present global pandemic. Within a pandemic in which medical sciences put restrictions on the means through which this central praxis of Pentecostalism is carried out, this important practice by which Pentecostals receive power for kingdom work faces crises. This study uses a mixed designed mostly within The Church of Pentecost (CoP) to show how the pandemic influences the baptism in the Holy Spirit with respect to the means by which the baptism is imparted by human agents. The study reckons that the pandemic had a negative bearing on this Pentecostal distinctiveness. It recommends that the Holy Spirit and Christ, the baptiser in the Holy Spirit cannot be undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic with its limitation on bodily contacts and its tenet of social distancing. Emphasis should be placed on other means of receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit by learning from the Bible and from cases mainly in the history of Pentecostalism in Ghana. This would enable the Pentecostal practice of the baptism in the Holy Spirit for continual Pentecostal power notwithstanding pandemics of this nature.

Introduction

Pentecostalism since its renewal at the turn of the 20^th century has grown to become a force to reckon with in world Christianity. The movement has been distinguished as a “third force in Christendom.” The Pentecostal movement has made incursions into diverse Christian traditions. Today, Professor Cephas Narh Omenyo could speak of “Pentecost outside Pentecostalism.” Dr. Alfred Koduah also talks of pentecostalisation of Christianity in Ghana. The Pentecostal fire keeps on burning its way into various Christian traditions and advancing Christian missions. With the realization by many scholars, both in and out of Africa that the heartland of Christianity has shifted from the West to the southern hemisphere, much of the growth is to be found within Pentecostalism. Thus especially in Africa, South of the Americas and Asia, Pentecostals are on the move preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth. In fact, they are giving hope to the Euro-American West due to their efforts in “reverse mission” to the Western places.

This fervency and committed response to missions is due to a distinctive experience with the Holy Spirit in which one becomes empowered for service. This is mainly based on Matthew 3:11; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5, 8, 2:1-18, 8:14-17 among others. This experience called baptism in the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues and operation in spiritual gifts has been the heartbeat of modern Pentecostals since the tail end of 1900. The dictum of belief in this regard goes like this, “that in the apostolic times, the speaking in tongues was considered to be the initial physical evidence of a person having received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.” The outburst of the Pentecostal movement really took off in 1906 and the movement knew no bounds since then.

This essay shall take a brief look into the Pentecostal teaching of Holy Spirit baptism, consider the praxis of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and its implication for the current global pandemic. Data were collected using written interviews of 7 classical Pentecostal pastors; the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 field statistical progress reports on the baptism in the Holy Spirit collected from 20 administrative districts of the CoP in the Greater Accra region; and by participant observation. These would be analyzed towards assessing the progress of the baptism in the Holy Spirit in the face of the COVID-19. The 2018 and 2019 reports would be compared to that of 2020, the year of the pandemic. Using cases from the Bible and church history, other means of receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit against the traditional practice of receiving the experience would be explored. These usual ways have been seriously compromised by the pandemic. I shall not delve into the history (emergence and progress) of the Ghanaian Pentecostal movement here. “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” and “Baptism with the Holy Spirit” have been used interchangeably in this essay.

“Second Blessing”

Pentecostal pneumatology is a fast-developing field of theology. This is partly as a result of the special attention given to the Holy Spirit by Pentecostals. It may seem at first sight that in salvation, Pentecostals place more importance on the Holy Spirit. Actually, Christ is the centre of Pentecostal teaching. As Keith Warrington, a New Testament scholar would put it, “Pentecostalism is pneumatologically Christocentric.” Dale Bruner’s assertion that Pentecostal theology is “pneumatobaptistocentric” is flawed. Pentecostal theological thinking revolves entirely around Christ through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit which is bestowed by Christ.

For Pentecostals, the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation does not end with the rebirth experience. Beyond conversion-initiation of a person into Christ, there is another experience with the Holy Spirit. This Pentecostal theology emanates out of the setting of the Holiness Movement in which spirit baptism was seen as a sanctification experience towards perfection in Christ. This baptism in the Holy Spirit took a new understanding in the classical Pentecostal movement. This overshadowed the erstwhile interpretation as sanctification. In the new understanding, the baptism empowers the disciple of Christ for ministry in the kingdom of God.

In salvation, the Holy Spirit enables the regeneration of a person who has repented, come into faith in Christ and confessed the Lordship of Christ. The spirit is bestowed upon the person to transform the person into a new creation. Subsequent to this is a post-conversion experience with the Holy Spirit. Here, the Christian noticeably encounters the Holy Spirit. This “second blessing” is a nerve centre of Pentecostal thought and practice. Pentecostals have lived up to expectation per their claim of power after this experience. How do they seek this blessing in practice?

The Pentecostal Distinctive Practice of Baptism in the Holy Spirit

In classical Pentecostal churches, special times are set aside for prayers to seek the experience. This is announced to the church earlier on. It is sometimes accompanied by fasting. Apart from these special times, baptism in the Holy Spirit may become necessary in any church meeting due to the leadings of the Holy Spirit. The church leaders may be moved to lead the church to pray for the experience. This Pentecostal practice is an automatic part of conventions, gospel crusades and rallies. These are reported on by church leaders to their immediate superiors. Those who do not have a show of an appreciable number of people receiving the baptism for the period under review are queried. The power that the experience brings and the accompanying evidence incites many people to seek the experience. In this practice, “tarry meetings” are used to engage the Holy Spirit in deeper depths. The mindset of Pentecostal Christians, their expectation and the consequent result are well captured in this Pentecostal classic by E. C. W. Boulton:

Tarry for the Spirit

He shall come in showers,

Energising wholly

All your ransomed power;

Signs shall follow service

In the Holy Ghost,

Then the Church of Jesus

Prove a mighty host

On, then, Church of Jesus,

Claim your Pentecost;

God shall now baptise you

In the Holy Ghost

The meetings proceed with relevant sermons expounding on the baptism. These sermons are usually accompanied by testimonies. The sermons are interjected with spontaneous singing and shouts of hallelujah. A key aspect of this ministration is to explain to the congregation that the baptism gives the Christian power to witness, and enables the Christian to live a holy and victorious Christian life. It is taught that the physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues or other languages. These tongues may be known languages as in Acts 2:4-12 or mysteries according to 1 Corinthians 14:2. The preachers with a certain kind of enthusiasm would inform the congregation that “your tongue would change when you receive the baptism.”

The sermon is followed by hot Pentecostal songs about the Holy Spirit amidst drumming and clapping. The way the singing is done in these services seems to suggest that it is in this ecstatic environment that the Holy Spirit moves and get people baptised in him. Was this the case in the upper room on the “Day of Pentecost?” The prayer leader in many instances would invite the congregation especially persons that are yet to receive the experience to leave the pews and move forward. This is usually to give more space for people to comfortably pray. Frenzied happenings are expected during the prayer sessions so space is needed. The people are instructed to queue up in an orderly manner. This is to allow the church leaders to move among them freely to minister the baptism. Those who have received the baptism are encouraged to pray for themselves and for the ones who now seek the experience. The seekers are, in many instances, urged to pray and also keep on saying “Jesus, Jesus” in anticipation of the baptism.

After much prayer the leaders of the church especially the elders go and walk among and people to pray for them. They go to impart the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This ministration comes in diverse ways. One would often hear the prayer leader say, “the elders would now come and lay their hands on you.” Laying of hands as a means by which the baptism is done is not exhaustive. Other actions are seen being used for the ministration. Key methods used include breathing on seekers, putting fingers in their ears, pointing a finger on the forehead, holding the shoulders with two hands, putting hands on the eyes, raising the chin, placing the hands over the ears, holding the hands, rubbing the face with the hands, and putting hands on the chest. Many fall under the power of the Holy Spirit with shouts, groaning and speaking in tongues.

Whilst we can say that all these resonate with African primal religion, it is found in classical Pentecostal “Holy Spirit prayer sessions” not only in Africa but in the West and elsewhere. When the Holy Spirit descended at the Azusa Street in the USA in 1906, similar scenes were witnessed. The media portrayed the phenomenon at Azusa as “general chaos and a weird babel of tongues.” In this case, it was not merely African spirituality that was in the background. This way of life is to be identified with classical Pentecostals no matter where they find themselves. These methods used in the Pentecostal practice of baptism in the Holy Spirit are opposed to the protocols of the present global pandemic.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Medical Sciences Concerns in the Pandemic

The current global pandemic has gravely affected our everyday life. In Ghana, restrictions were imposed on the usual church meetings. On March 15, 2020, the president of the republic, H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in an address concerning the fight against the pandemic, imposed restrictions on gathering including church meetings. The restrictions were eased in another address on May 31, 2020. The CoP for instance directed its churches to reopen for public worship starting on or after June 19, 2020. Thus for about 3 months, churches did not meet in the usual way.

Humans are highly sociable beings. Works that drive life require that we physically interact with one another. However, the means of transmission of the SARS-Cov-19 virus which causes the coronavirus disease breaks down the human social system. Perhaps, humanity would have to be thankful for the sophisticated tools of communication made possible by advanced technology. This has helped to alleviate the negative impact.

The virus gets into the human body via the mucosal lining in especially the eyes, nostrils, and mouth. These parts of the human anatomy are opened to the air. From an infected human, the air becomes contaminated with the virus through droplets. The structure of the virus enables it to attach itself to receptors on cell surface when it gets into the human body. It later penetrates the cell surface, replicates and multiply.

Considering how the COVID-19 virus is spread from one person to another, the various methods used in imparting the baptism in the Holy Spirit, as observed from practice, have been crippled. Medical sciences preventive measures of keeping a social distancing of not less than two arm’s length, not touching the eyes, nose or the mouth among other protocols eliminate the highly used bodily contact methods in the impartation. Meanwhile, these supposed means of receiving the baptism are deeply rooted in the minds of Ghanaian Pentecostals.

Data Analysis

7 classical Pentecostal pastors selected from 5 different administrative regions of Ghana; Northern, Eastern, Volta, Bono East and Greater Accra regions have been interviewed. The interview questions were 10 in all; 5 closed-ended and the other 5 opened-ended. All of them (100%) were very much aware of the COVID-19 protocols. Within this pandemic, all the pastors organised sessions of Holy Spirit Baptism. This points out the important place of the baptism in the Holy Spirit in Pentecostal thought and practice. All of the interviewees observed the protocols in their practice of the baptism. Classical Pentecostal church leaders are increasingly becoming considerate of medical sciences though divine healing is a centre of Pentecostal theology. They have rightly given a place for medical science in their doctrine of divine healing. In heeding the protocols, the prayers for the baptism were done by the leaders for the seekers from a distance. Concerning how the baptism was imparted, all the pastors responded that it was done by “praying for the seekers of the baptism from the platform as they [the seekers] stand in their pews.” 4 of the interviewees were of the view that the laying of hands impact on whether a person gets baptised or not. The other 3 responded otherwise.

From the year 2018, reports from 20 districts of the CoP that have been selected in the Greater Accra region, the cumulative number of persons who received the baptism in the Holy Spirit was 2707. In the year 2019, the reports from the same districts totaled 2688. This shows a reduction by 19 (0.7%) of the year 2019 figure against that of 2018. In the year 2020, these 20 districts show 1010 as the number of people who have received the baptism. Evaluating the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic-stricken year, against the year 2018, a reduction by 1697 (62.7%) is observed. A reduction by 1678 (62.4%) is also seen when the figure of the year 2019 is used for comparison.

There has been a very significant reduction in the number of persons who received the baptism in the Holy Spirit? Has the frequency of the baptism services reduced? Almost all the interviewees organised a few of the baptism sessions. They pinned this on the COVID-19 protocols. One of them responded that “We are mindful of the COVID-19 protocols and the fact that at times people will have to be supported by strong deacons to avoid injuries when they are touched by the Holy Spirit.” Also, can this be pinned down on the reduction in church attendance? To a very less extent, the restrictions to church meetings for some weeks would influence this reduction. However, this study realizes that the protocols accompanying this pandemic are a more significant factor. This suggests that if the parameter of church attendance remains constant, there would be a significant reduction in cases of the baptism. This would be due to the no praying very close to seekers, laying of hands, breathing upon seekers, and putting fingers in the ears of seekers by church leaders in accordance with the protocols.

The Practice of Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Cases in the New Testament and Modern Church History in Ghana

Cases in the Acts narrative that apprise the Pentecostal teaching of baptism in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues present with diverse circumstances under which the baptism takes place. In the first instance in Acts 2, it was within a corporate tarry meeting that the Spirit descended. In obedience to the instruction of Jesus in Acts 1:4-5 to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father God, the believers waited in prayer until they had the phenomenal experience. The immediate event which led to the baptism was most intriguing. A noise sounded like a mighty rushing wind was heard. They sighted what appears to be tongues of fire that separated and rested on each of them. It is recorded that all those gathered were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. Here, no hands were laid on the recipients of the baptism; not on their heads, shoulders, eyes, or any other part of the body.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit that took place in the home of Cornelius as recorded in Acts 10:44-46 presents with a similar case in which the family was filled with the Holy Spirit during Peter’s preaching. Apostle Peter did not use any special method that involves touching the recipients. Nevertheless, they received the baptism. To show that they have received the baptism, Peter in his narration of the event said, “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remember the word of the Lord, how he said, John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 11:15-16, NIV). Thus Peter connected the event at the home of Cornelius with the “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” word given to the disciples by Jesus.

In Acts 19:1-6, at Ephesus, Paul encountered a group of disciples who were not aware of the Holy Spirit not to talk of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Paul explained issues to them and placed his hands on them. This saw these Ephesian Christians speaking in tongues and prophesying. This case as well as in Acts 8:14-19 in which the Christians in Samaria received the Holy Spirit after Apostles Peter and John laid their hands show that laying on of hands is also a means by which baptism with the Holy Spirit can be ministered. But it is not an exclusive means, of course.

Many continue to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. Church history, globally and locally showed cases. An old Methodist preacher has this to say as captured in T. L. Osborn’s The Purpose of Pentecost: “We Methodists were praying together when we heard a noise, like the sound of a rushing wind in our prayer room, whereupon we gazed with wonder as cloven tongues of fire actually appeared upon our heads. In awe and worship of God, we were caught up in a heavenly atmosphere, speaking and singing in other languages.” This experience with the Holy Spirit was not made possible by the placement of hands on these Christians.

In the CoP, there have many instances in which people received the baptism with the Holy Spirit without the physical bodies of church leaders serving as bridges through which the baptism happens. John Mensah, one of the earliest healers in the CoP (then Ghana Apostolic Church) received the baptism which he very much desired during his personal prayers as recounted in volume 1 of A History of the Church of Pentecost. It is said that he personally fasted and prayed fervently for the baptism. His day of joy came one day when he woke up around 1 a.m. to pray. As he prays, he began to speak in tongues suddenly.

Opoku Onyinah, the 5^th chairman of the CoP also received the baptism through personal prayer. He narrated to me with joy how he got baptised as a young Christian. Then a Roman Catholic, he desired the baptism and got the experience eventually. He joined in a CoP prayer session during a time that Pentecostals would call “tarrying for the Spirit,” to pray for the baptism. He did not receive the experience immediately. He did not give up but continued his pursuit of the pneumatic encounter with fasting and prayer. On the last day of a seven-day fast, he went to a hide-out in a bush to pray. On his way to the place, he met another Roman Catholic who, like Opoku, was also seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He requested this person to join him to pray in the bush. The two found themselves in a time of prayer. During the prayers, as he puts, “my tongue changed and I began to speak in tongues.”

James Kwaku Gyimah of Akroso, Stephen Owiredu of Brekumanso, among many other cases indicate diverse ways in which the baptism can happen. Other ways include the prayerful reading of the Bible, praying for seekers of the baptism from a distance without any bodily contact, and listening to the preaching of the word of God.

It is evident from the above that in the practice of the baptism, the Bible and evidence from the continual work of the Lord in history show that Christ, the baptiser with the Holy Spirit employs varied ways to course one to get the encounter. The methods that have become popular and the norm in Ghanaian Pentecostalism have swept under the carpet, the other ways in which the Lord can deal with his people.

The laying of hands has been revealed in the Bible as a means by which graces can be bestowed; being in ordination or special blessings. The Old Testament presents examples of this. For instance, Moses laid his hands on Joshua (Deuteronomy 34:9). Some patristic theologians took up the issue of the Spirit being given through the laying on of hands. Tertullian, Cyril of Jerusalem, Athanasius, Chrysostom, among others. Cyril of Jerusalem for example indicated that power has been designated by Christ to the Apostles to convey the Spirit through the laying of hands. Athanasius held a similar view. The interest of the church fathers on this issue was largely in the area of who qualifies to lay hands. Meanwhile, the laying of hands in Ghanaian Pentecostalism has become a baptismal rite that one who needs a baptism in the Holy Spirit has to go through. This method as a means of imparting the baptism in the Holy Spirit emerged from the cases in Acts 8 and 19.

Other methods evolved from diverse interpretations of biblical phenomena and perhaps from African primal religious practices. For example, John 20:22 in which Jesus breathed on his disciples to receive the Holy Spirit is sometimes used to justify breathing on seekers of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, this act by Jesus does not define a format for the baptism. Putting fingers in the ears is understood by some who ministers the baptism as a way of getting the ears of the seekers opened so they could hear from God and speak mysteries. This may have been wrongly picked up from Mark 7:32-35. More so and here too, Jesus putting his fingers in the ears of a man to heal him of deafness does not define a pattern for getting the ears of people opened whether spiritually or physically.

Conclusion

This essay has shown that baptism in the Holy Spirit, a distinctive classical Pentecostal practice has been impacted negatively by the present pandemic. The study points to the normative use of bodily contact between church leaders and seekers of the baptism in the Holy Spirit as underlining this impact. These popular methods used to minister the baptism have been undermined by the COVID-19 protocols. The methods also put in oblivion other ways by which the Lord used to baptise people with the Holy Spirit. The other means of receiving the experienced must be explored and built up in the minds of Christians. The Christian must come to grips with the fact that the Holy Spirit per his ontological nature cannot be limited by time and space. He cannot be undermined by the protocols of the present pandemic. We can be immersed in unlimited ways into the Holy Spirit by Christ. Restrictions that the pandemic placed on other aspects of church life should not limit Christ, the baptiser in the Holy Spirit. Pentecostal power must be on the go within any pandemic that may hit the world.

He stumbled upon Jesus at the age of 18, while on his way to the movies in pre-colonial Ghana, something that was considered the epitome of worldliness at that time. And yes, despite his strict Methodist upbringing, after returning from school he was steep into the secular life. Smoking, drinking, bad companies, you name it. Besides, it was December 31st and who wouldn’t want to have good time?

But this night was different. He overheard a tall, slender Caucasian male preaching from Genesis 3:9. He screamed with a sharp Irish accent, “Adam, where art thou?” Then the call changed to “Joseph, where art thou?” He was Joseph, but the Irish man didn’t know him from Adam! The call echoed in his heart, after a short consideration he abandoned his friends and responded to the call to give his life to Christ!

The Irish man was Pastor James McKeown, the founder of The Church of Pentecost, the 18-year-old youth was the Late Apostle Joseph Egyir-Paintsil!

In a matter of days, he was baptized into water and later the Holy Spirit. Afterwards, “In his own words, quoting John Wesley, “My heart was greatly warmed.”

In hindsight, his heart was more than warmed, it was set on fire! He pursued the things of God with fierce tenacity! Shortly after the baptism with the Holy Spirit, he joined a prayer team called the “Bombing Squad!” A group, James McKeown took keen interest in, and not surprisingly, most of the young men in that team became prominent ministers.

Joseph was then called into full-time ministry at 21 years.

He became an apostle and the first general secretary of the Church of Pentecost at 23 years of age! The youngest person to serve in the position and the longest serving, holding the position for 29 years until his untimely death. By this, he laid a solid administrative infrastructure for the church; vestiges of which remain till today!

A handsome, sharp, and charismatic young man who knew his value and placed an outsized value for the things of God!

He travelled the length and breadth of the country to establish new churches and strengthen old churches. He did this mostly with public transportation. When he finally got a vehicle, it was a battered yellow Peugeot handed down after being used extensively. Due to financial constraints he had to make do with the vehicle!

The automobile was notorious for breaking down during long journeys. It broke down under torrential tropical rains causing Pastor Paintsil along with the few passengers to push the car over a mile!

When he preached, the heavens came down. A powerful charismatic young man who taught the word of God with power and clarity.

He was known for baptizing people in water and fire at the same time, as most of the people he baptized in water came out speaking in diverse tongues!

He had an incredible healing ministry. A child suffering from seizures was healed instantly under his ministration. Another child who had developed epistaxis, (nosebleeds) for 3 days straight was prayed for at the parsonage and received immediate healing!

He had a powerful prophetic ministry! In fact, after his death, James McKeown disclosed most pastors and apostles called under his tenure were called through prophetic messages delivered by Rev. Paintsil.

When a young military man, Felix Elvis Antwi stayed with him for 2 weeks on a military assignment in Accra, his life was transformed fundamentally. He recalled Apostle Paintsil waking up at 4:30am consistently on a daily basis, pacing his front porch while praying. His family would later join him at 5am for devotion!

After returning from work, late Apostle Paintsil will head to Labadi beach, yards away from his residence to pray some more! This prayer life, and commitment to God, left an indelible impression on the military man. When Felix got into ministry, he mimicked Apostle Paintsil’s pattern of ministry!

He also witnessed and emulated his love for his wife and the intentionality in his parenting. Again, traits the young military man replicated in his life!

He embraced the educated, and well-to-do, into the church which was predominantly for people on the lower end of socioeconomic spectrum at that time.

He chaired the first national conference of the Pentecost Students and Associates (PENSA) in 1980. 

He spearheaded the formation of Pentecost Fire as the church’s official mouthpiece and become the co-editor of publication.

He shared James McKeown’s vision of productive collaboration with other churches and was instrumental in forming Ghana Pentecostal Council (GPC).

Rev. Paintsil was a visionary who saw the church decades away and positioned her in the light of what he saw. He purchased prime real estate/lands for the residences of the Chairman and General Secretary, which continue to be used after over half a century.

Between 1953 and 1962, The Church of Pentecost hit its most tumultuous period. A portion of the African leaders planned a daylight coup against the founder, James McKeown. While James McKeown was vacationing abroad, a team comprising mainly of elders, impassioned by brewing nationalism of the time, plotted to wrestle the chairmanship plotted out of the hands of James McKeown and replace him with an African Chairman. Not only was Rev. Paintsil one of the most influential voices at the time, he was also a blood relative of Apostle Anaman, the deputy chairman and the proposed African chairman.

All eyes were on Rev. Paintsil as to where his allegiance will fall. Along with the attention came attacks, both spiritual and physical. But none of that shook Rev. Paintsil. He pledged his allegiance to the founder of the church and his God! He stood his ground and actively steered the church through this turbulent period. He was one of the founder’s most trusted confidants. The chaos and schism went all the way to the then President of Ghana who advised the name change. Rev. Paintsil was part of the leadership that rebranded the church from Gold Coast Apostolic Church to the Church of Pentecost. After the meeting, President Kwame Nkrumah, remarked to his cabinet, “this Paintsil man is very intelligent and hardworking, His church will succeed!” 

And yes, his church succeeded!

Today, the church he fought and toiled for is 3 million people strong, in more than 100 countries around the world and actively growing.

Exactly 40 years ago today, the world and The Church of Pentecost lost this preeminent founding father. A man among men, a person of unparalleled calibre, charisma, and grace. After a revelation of his passing in December, he addressed the whole nation of Ghana in February, and on this very day, March 22, 1981, at a prime age of 53, with a promising future ahead, he went to be with the Lord. Late Apostle Joseph Egyir-Paintsil has left a legacy that worthy of emulation by this and future generations. He has left behind a spiritual, ministerial and an administrative inheritance that will speak for generations to come!

The life of late Apostle Paintsil, is a reminder of how ready our God is to use all who avail themselves! The Holy Spirit is no respecter of persons, and He is no respecter of age either! A 23-year-old today may be considered an unsettled college graduate who needs another decade to decipher the direction of their lives. But 23 years in the sight of God can be an Apostle, manifesting all 5 ministering giftings, exercise multiple spiritual gifts, and build the administrative foundation for a church to thrive four decades later! 

Today we don’t only celebrate the legacy of Apostle Paintsil. We celebrate a God who can use anyone, of any gender, at any age for his own glory.

“Joseph, where art thou?” Samuel, David, Peter, Mary, Elizabeth, Beatrice where art thou?” God is calling, and He is ready to use you as His instrument for this and future generations!

God richly bless you!

By Samuel Antwi-Boasiako, MD

The Grace Movement!

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus global pandemic, individuals, societies, institutions, organizations and systems have had to necessarily adjust themselves to embrace another way of life. This is as a result of of the rates and spikes of infection and re-infection in different waves and variants across the globe with its associated fatalities and devastation to humanity in general. As of February 2021, over 111million people had contracted the virus with over 2.4million deaths. My heartfelt condolences to all who have lost loved ones not to talk of the untold hardships it has brought to our world today.

UK Nightingale Medical Director Dr. Vin Diwakar said, “I can tell you Covid-19 is a horrible, horrible disease that leaves so many including young people, breathless and gasping for life.” Dr. Stefan Nava at Sant’Orsola-Malpighi Hospital in Bologna, Italy after testing positive also said, “The disease taught us one important thing: Medicine is a probabilistic science, 1+1 may give you 3 because something unpredictable can really screw things up. It changed my life because I got the sense of being mortal.” My prayer! Oh Lord God of all creation, the universe, the Nations and humankind, please have mercy on us, forgive our sins and lift your hands against this plague that is still sweeping across the Nations and heal the Land for us in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today, some major cities in the world are still in some sort of total or partial lockdown with many more having to live with certain statutory restrictions for only God knows when. We have all been, thus, compelled to adjust, adapt or completely change our way of life and replace it with one termed as the “new normal”.

This lifestyle has, today, succeeded in transforming the socio-cultural settings of our daily lives. It is characterised by no or minimal physical contacts among persons and,  when it becomes necessary, the duration and time allotted have been cut substantially. Regular washing of hands, the keeping, and maintenance of best hygienic practices at the shopping malls, markets, schools, religious, and all other social gatherings have been the order of the day. Major church programs and activities are successfully being hoisted on virtual platforms. Financially prudent and efficient measures have also been embraced by individuals and corporate organisations to meet the difficulties of the times. The “new normal”, although challenging to keep, has brought entirely new perspectives to life which can be harnessed for one’s benefit. Revival is basically bringing back to life or a renewal of a system which is threatening to die off or lose its fervency, power and relevance. Instead of focusing on the discomfort the Covid restrictions, individuals, institutions and para-church  organizations should rather fish out the revival opportunities it offers.

God in times past, locked down one of His messengers with unprecedented restrictions in the belly of a fish for three agonising days and nights when He insisted on saving the people of Nineveh, which is present-day Mosul in Iraq (Jonah 1:1-17). Out of sheer disobedience, Jonah embarked upon a route and towed a particular line of action that was not going to inure to the benefit of the Lord’s vineyard business. God’s “new normal” was for the people of this great city who were perishing-bound to turn from their wicked ways and turn to Him through Jonah’s message. When Jonah attempted to resist this, God visited the shipping vessel with a violent wind until he was thrown into the sea. It was in this period of self-isolation and traumatic experience that he reconnected with God and accepted His “new normal” plan.

Jonah then called upon God for help and as part of his cry, said, “…I will look again toward your holy Temple.” (Jonah 2:4). He continued, “… what I have vowed I will make good….” (Jonah 2:9). After the prayer, the Bible says, “And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah unto dry Land.” (Jonah 2:10). God released him this time around to great Nineveh and not Tarshish, his familiar and comfort zone. At Nineveh, Jonah saved 120,000 souls who were bound to perish. According to Jonah 3:3, this city was so large that it took 3-days to go through it. It was, therefore, never a coincidence that Jonah had to be locked down for 3-days in the belly of the fish waiting on God for the Herculean task ahead of him and achievable in not less than 3-days. Though uncomfortable, it was a necessary evil for Jonah to stay in the belly of the fish for 3-days and 3-nights.

Even though the “new normal” the world and its socio-cultural settings are being forced to accept comes with many challenges, there are also an avalanche of opportunities God will use to His glory if only believers embrace them. Like Jonah’s case, is it not possible that the assignment ahead of us requires a total re-examination and re-alignments to God’s “new normal” according to His calendar of events? And which may not necessarily be the usual expectation? The more Jonah hid under the deck in the ship, the rougher and rougher the sea became (Jonah 1:11). Fighting the “new normal” will only result in more difficulties and frustrations. God had prioritised the salvation of the entire people of the city over Jonah’s prejudices regarding sinners.

Out of Jonah’s imposed restrictions in the belly of the fish sprout out the needed revival to possess the great city of Nineveh and its surroundings for God. As the greatest stakeholder of the vineyard business, the Lord Jesus would not allow any old-fashioned mentality, systems, and traditions that do not lend themselves to Spirit-directed improvements to stay in the way of the great awakening and revival in these last days. All humanly cast-in-stone practices that appear allergic to the Spirit’s move will have to give way to His “new normal”.

Similarly, when the Holy Spirit began taking over the territories of the Middle East region in the early days of AD 33, some of the religious zealots of the Mosaic laws determined to fight God’s “new normal” on many fronts. Led by the scribes, Pharisees, the high priest, and teachers of the law, a serious campaign was waged against the early church. As a result, many adherents to the “new normal” in Christ Jesus suffered diverse ordeals until the Lord placed Saul under a lockdown. As he was nearing Damascus to arrest the disciples, the Lord flashed a light from heaven around him, which caused him to fall on the ground. Like Jonah, for three days, Saul was blind and did not eat or drink anything. Saul began praying during this period, and he started seeing visions (Acts 9:1-12).

His lockdown restrictions turned him from a murderer to a Paul who shook the Greco-Roman jurisdiction to its foundations for Christ. Paul eventually became the apostle of the highest number of books that contributed to the canon of scriptures. Jonah’s “new normal” in the belly of the fish for three agonising days is what made him a hundred and twenty thousand souls winner. Israel’s “new normal” as a result of their 40-day lockdown in the valley of Elah and under siege by Goliath, the Philistine champion is what unleashed David who was to become Israel’s greatest king and warrior of all time. Joseph’s “new normal” when he was locked down in prison is what enabled him to become the prime minister of Egypt. What have you been seeing in this “new normal” way of doing things concerning the fallout of COVID-19? Are you concentrating on only the discomfort relative to the old manner of ways? Or you are still at a loss and sitting idle awaiting your usual way of life? As a believer, can you not see new and golden opportunities all around you? And for you to discern the times to be unleashed to your God-given potential?

Why not embrace it, be at rest with the new normal, and allow the best God wants to make out of you for your household, society, and the world at large? In any case, the more you fight this “new normal”, the more stressful it will impact your life. My deepest concerns and sympathies go out to all who have lost their jobs as a result. May the Lord make a way out to soothe the pain many are experiencing in these times. There are, however, many blessings that life in the “new normal” has brought to many individuals, households, organisations, and society.

Human and all material resources are under serious scrutiny. Procedures and processes are also being audited to eliminate all double handling for optimal operational levels across all sectors. Let us accept the “new normal” by seeking the face of God to discern the times, so we don’t fruitlessly wrestle it. By taking a sober Spirit-led reflection of your activities at the home, office, church, and your workplace, God can help improve your lot and bring the best in you. Let us also educate our households and constituents and calm their nerves, inspire hope and confidence in them to make every opportunity out of the times.

Embracing this “new normal” is what will enable us to employ all the tools in reaching out to the lost most cost-effectively as well as discipling the nations. On the third day, Jonah was vomited unto dry ground for his discomfort to cease. Paul equally received back his sight after the third day. Joseph became the prime minister in Egypt after his two years’ incarceration and Israel after forty days in the valley of Elah, saw their God-given and anointed king. The discomfort, pain, and anguish we are all experiencing today, courtesy COVID-19, will, therefore, be over sooner than later. Care must be taken not to allow it to pass by without catching every blessing, revival or renewal God has for us in the period. The church will come out more refined, purer, well-focused, efficient, and more effective than the pre-covid era. Christ insists, “I will build my church, and the gates of hades will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

By Pastor James Agyin Orhin

There is an emerging trend across the digital space, particularly social media and television, regarding what some people call the “Common Sense Family,” a movement that repudiates and ridicules Christianity under the guise of interpreting the scriptures. This movement is against biblical orthodoxy and seeks to sway the youth from total dependence on God’s objective Word and divine providence. Considering the alarming rate at which some people are buying into this ungodly ideology, there is the need to strengthen our faith in Christ and to respond promptly and intelligently to their activities. Our silence will encourage them to operate under the false impression that they were doing the right thing.   

The focus of this article, therefore, is to deal with this unchristian ideology and to forestall the inherent danger of it indoctrinating innocent people as well as its ripple effect on today’s Christianity. I intend to discuss the characteristics of common sense as against divine grace extended to God’s creation universally.  The problems and claims, biblical nature of God’s grace, and how Christians should respond to the whimsical effect of the common sense family will also be highlighted. While we do not intend to completely reject the application of common sense as a fundamental principle of society, the actual problem being addressed in this article is the position of the common sense movement that seeks to undermine the truth of God’s Word.

The Fundamental Concept of Common Sense?

The use of common sense indicates the practical judgement or rational thinking concerning issues that affect humanity on a daily basis. The phrase “common sense” originated from the reflection of Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) based on the scientific perspective in the use of the five senses (taste, sight, smell, touch, and hearing) in animals to develop their sense of thinking. This was picked up by various schools of philosophical thoughts, including some Christian philosophers, prominent among whom was Thomas Reid, the proponent of the Scottish Common Sense Realism. In his Essays on Intellectual Powers 4.6 (1785:412), Reid states that common sense is “necessary to all men for their being and preservation, and, therefore, is unconditionally given to all men by the Author of Nature.” From Reid’s reflection, one could say that he uses the concept of common sense not to argue against Scripture, but to support it, noting that it is given by God.

Others, however, who oppose the common sense philosophy criticise it as a simplistic interpretation of the phenomenon. Emmanuel Kant, in his criticism, says that, “seen in the light of the day, this (common sense philosophy) is nothing but an appeal to the judgement of the crowd-applause.” The lure of science and common sense influenced the interpretation of Christian doctrine during the years of enlightenment, with some cults holding on to the philosophy. It then became an agenda in later years for those who intended to undermine Christianity in favour of modern and post-modern ideologies. It became an excuse for sections of society to resist Christianity and to indulge in whatever they desired. While the scope of this article does not cover the exploration of, the Aristotelian theories of common sense, it intends to postulate the fact that the phenomenon of exploring common sense has been an age-long praxis in both academia and human development in general.

It is felicitous to say that common sense may not necessarily be an evil thing for humanity, because we are naturally prone to apply common sense in making decisions. However, it becomes a concern in Christianity if common sense is projected as a prevailing ideology independent of the biblical understanding of knowledge and wisdom, particularly when its application vehemently rejects the authority of God. The import of this view is that the knowledge and wisdom espoused may be rational, good judgment, and sound practical sense, and yet in complete disagreement with the precepts of the scriptures.

Sadly, the common sense family has subtly adopted logical, practical sense as their premise for the interpretation of the scriptures. However, Christians must not live by any concept of common sense that is independent of God’s grace as provided in His Word. For any attempt at such an unguarded lifestyle defeats the concept of obedience to God’s Word in its totality. Further, any rational thinking Christian must of necessity recognise and uphold the authority of God’s Word while at the same time speaking to the issues raised by those who implore others to undermine God’s authority.

The Common Sense Family

The proponents of the common sense movement constitute a group of avowed critics of the Holy Scriptures. How do they conduct their activities? Apart from distorting the scriptures through the prism of worldly “wisdom,” they also urge their followers to throw away their Bible and embrace “common sense” as a substitute for the scriptures. By their rational thinking, they reduce critical Christian doctrines such as the creation account, Jesus’ teaching on miracles, etc., to logic and fallacy.

The common sense family is like secular humanists, who think human survival can only be obtained through rational thinking and sound practical sense, in neglect of any aspect of religion, particularly Christianity. A cursory observation shows that the target of this “common sense family” is not all religions per se but Christianity. They mistakenly assume that their activities can pull down the architecture of Christianity, but that is not possible. The Christian church has survived the onslaughts of stronger ideologies than those espoused by the common sense movement.

The Cardinal Claims of the Common Sense Family

Four cardinal claims with their associated problems can be identified with the ideology and philosophy of the common sense family. Firstly, they base their ideology on human reasoning with its limitations. They think the Bible does not give space for a scientific and philosophical understanding of life, forgetting that humans by their nature can only interpret issues based on their experiences and knowledge, and do not always completely understand their environment or accurately predict the outcome of events.

Secondly, they claim the use of common sense, rational laws, theories, and interpretations are the fundamentals of a peaceful life. Yet, natural activities are not infallible as the Bible, because they may be based on human misconceptions and wrong interpretation of phenomena. Even when humans think they have it right with their intelligence, the flaws are still obvious. Thirdly, this ideology attacks issues of faith and proffers answers to unexplained issues that amount to fiction, though they denounce the objective nature of God’s Word and label it as fictitious.

Fourthly, their definition of what is good and moral is oscillatory and does not have any firm basis. They subject God’s Word to several interpretations, thus negating biblical orthodoxy and praxis to the realm of mere human reasoning. They use scientific approaches such as observations, experiments, and hypotheses to make their case against Christianity while the Bible deals with faith as a fundamental principle in its communication. Science and Scripture are, to some extent, at odds with each other because the Bible does not submit to scientific interpretation; it supersedes every knowledge borne out of human philosophy and worldview.

It is worth noting that while some scientists try to use science to disprove the scriptures, godly scientists argue that the inability of science to provide evidence for many things in nature, is real proof that science has its limitation while God’s supremacy over His creation is incomparable to anything. There are things that science and common sense can never understand in this world. The caveat is that Christians should be wary of any scientific knowledge and disposition that reject the authority of the Bible. Of course, those who study science and have encountered the Lordship of Jesus Christ do not repudiate the objective truth of the scriptures and that should be borne in mind in a discussion of this nature.

The Fundamental Belief of Christianity

Christians believe that the world is sustained under the impulse of God’s common grace extended to His creation. Writing on “The Goodness of God and Common Grace,” Storms (2020) defines ‘common grace’ as “an expression of the goodness of God, is every favor, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God; this includes the delay of wrath, the mitigation of our sin-natures, natural events that lead to prosperity, and all gifts that human use and enjoy naturally.” From Storm’s definition, the concept of God’s common grace gives us an idea of the goodness of God which is available for every person to explore.

God’s common grace in terms of rain, sunshine, prosperity, life, and natural resources is provided to all persons, irrespective of their religion, race, or culture (Matt. 5:45). This grace is for everyone and that is what sustains the world. While, rational thinking may be needed, to some extent, to manage prudently the resources contained in the common grace of God, it must not be the basis of repudiating the authority of God over His creation. Rational thinking, in this context, is not an end on its own, but a means to appreciating the goodness and favour of God as well as upholding God’s creation as stewards.  

It must be noted that God’s common grace is different from the saving grace in Christ. But what is clear is that it is not borne out of sound practical sense or the effort of humans. For a person to receive eternal life, they would need to accept the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6ESV). God requires that every person is introduced to His saving grace through His Son Jesus Christ and that is why Jesus keeps knocking at the door of every person’s heart: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20, ESV). The idea here is to draw a dichotomy between common grace and the saving grace of God. While God’s common grace is unconditionally for every person, His saving grace can only be obtained through faith in Christ. The essence of common grace offered to humanity is for us to appreciate God’s providence in the affairs of humanity and not the other way round by kicking God out of our way.

The salvation found in Jesus Christ is not only for our existence in this transient world but principally for our existence in eternity.  If all we need from the Lord is for our comfort and prosperity in this transient world, as is, unfortunately, being taught by the common sense family, then we agree with Paul that, “…If only in this life we have hope in Christ, we should be pitied more than anyone” (1 Cor. 15:19, NET). From this biblical passage, we are confronted with the question: What at all do we need by following Christ? Is it for earthly achievement or eternal gain? There are enough biblical passages to substantiate the claim that every genuine follower of Christ must focus on the eternal life in Christ as the main reason for their Christian lives.

Jesus queries: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” (Mk. 8:36-38, ESV). The import of this is that the life of a Christian is not necessarily dependent on the successes of this world, but substantially on the securing of eternal life in heaven. Those advocating the common sense family ideology may have to bear in mind that life without Christ can lead one to eternal damnation. Jesus clearly states that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36, ESV). Thus, the belief of Christians in Jesus as the Saviour and God’s Word as the foundation for victorious Christian living is not meant for the temporary and transient life of this world, but eternal life.

It is stated unequivocally that one can only access the eternal life of Christ by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. The belief in Christ is also appropriated by hearing and obeying God’s Word in its totality. Unfortunately, that foundation is what the so-called common sense family seeks to dismantle so that their victims “shall not see life” and be exposed to the eternal damnation in hell (see Rom. 8:1,2). In the book of Revelation, John states that those who do not believe in Jesus, whose names are not found in the “book of life,” will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-13). However, whoever repents of his sins will be saved (Ac. 2:37-38). If eternal damnation will be the predicament of the ungodly, it is a great disservice for a person if they allow themselves to be deceived to denounce Christ or repudiate God’s Word. The truth is that whether one believes in God’s Word or ridicules it, the judgment of God upon His disobedient creation is inevitable (see Heb. 9:27), so Christians should not allow any person to corrupt their faith.

Biblical Response to Common Sense or Rational Thinking

In the midst of the attacks on Scripture and Christianity, there are many passages in the Bible addressing the situation. In 1 Corinthians 3:19, 20, Paul says: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’;and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile”’ (NIV). Paul’s response to some crafty people in the church in Corinth who attempted to use worldly wisdom as the basis of salvation indicates that even way back in the first century, some people worked, just as the so-called common sense family in today’s world are doing, to undermine the authority of God’s Word. They lay premium on the use of rational thinking and intellectual ideologies to understand God without recourse to biblical principles of godliness.

The enthralling aspect of Paul’s response to these people is that there is a vast gap between earthly wisdom and godly wisdom; God’s Word can only be appraised and appreciated by Spirit-filled people. The procedure towards the obedience of God’s Word is neither by logical fallacy nor speculative interpretation of the Word. Whenever humans read their minds into Scripture, they either become confused or tend to mislead other people into embracing heresy, because the human mind, by its natural disposition, is corrupt and limited. Ignorance is an intrinsic characteristic of the human mind and cannot fully interpret even its own life situation, let alone God’s revelations. It is rather the overwhelming grace of God in a person’s life that is fundamental to their appraisal of God’s Word as the absolute truth and foundation for victorious Christian living.

Where do we go from here?

The phenomenon of false teachings and attacks on Christianity has always been a major battle of the Church and our forebears never rested in addressing that issue. They never allowed the enemies of the gospel to have their field day. Now it is our turn and the beaming light of the gospel must repel the billows of darkness. Responding to the trend and being resolute with our faith are essential factors in overcoming this situation. We cannot afford to be silent in such a time as this when ungodly people are twisting God’s Word to draw attention to themselves. For example, in the Bible, Mordecai admonished Esther not to remain silent when the Jews were under attack from the diabolical schemes hatched by Haman to destroy the Jews (Esther 4:14). When Esther accepted the charge and acted decisively, she was able to save Israel from destruction.

As Christians, we need to understand that we, and not any other agency, must always be ready to ruthlessly repel any ideological and philosophical attack against our faith. The church must be well-equipped with the Word of God to respond to the threats of emerging ungodly ideologies and philosophies. Much as we believe that the incessant threats of worldly ideologies and philosophies cannot, in any way, destroy the church, it is equally important to consider specific responses to any critical issue raised by members of the common sense family. Allowing them to perpetuate their falsehood over a long time may sound in the mind of some people as factual.

Christians who are adequately equipped should use communication platforms like social media, radio, and television that are used in churning out the falsehood to respond to them. The church should not be passive about the threats that this movement poses to its members. Christians must use every opportunity to address the situation by way of explaining how to address the ungodly agenda perpetuated by some people. May Christian apologists arise in defence of the sacredness of Scripture and against its subjection to science-based scrutiny.

All Scripture is Inspired by God

Apostle Paul notes that, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Tim. 3:16, NLT) in the sight of God. The reflection of Apostle Eric Nyamekye (Chairman of The Church of Pentecost) on this text enhances our argument that God’s Word is unique and can only be understood by inspiration from the Holy Spirit. He remarked during a broadcast on the Pentecost Hour series on Pent TV that, “There is nothing out there that can be compared with Scripture…. Scripture is good because it is worthy and genuine.” From the import of this observation, Christians need not strive for any other source of knowledge that contradicts God’s Word, no matter how philosophical it may appear. Chairman Nyamekye argues that the Word of God is good because it has been tested and tried on humans and every situation in the world and it has proven authentic and effective in totally transforming everything it encounters.

The understanding is that the Scripture is powerfully sufficient for the survival and development of humanity. There is no substitute for Scripture when it comes to the development of godliness. Stressing this, the Lord Jesus says: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (Jn. 15:7, NIV). The emphasis in this passage is the call to remain in God’s Word as the basis of tapping into the treasures of God. Remaining in Christ and His Word is the only certain ground to ensure that the Christian bears fruit, because without Christ we can do nothing. What can be so refreshing than this? 

A Charge to Keep I Have!

In spite of the responses of various Christians to false teachers, there is still room for more Christians to keep their charge as apologists – defenders of the faith. There is a charge for Christians to keep, which is the readiness to defend our faith in the Lord in order not to be misled by false teachers and their allies who seek to cause divisions in God’s Kingdom.

Let us examine how Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley, handled some challenges facing the Methodist Church at its beginning. Charles affirmed his call and commitment to the Methodist or Wesleyan tradition when some persons in England attempted to cause divisions in the Church. Instead of compromising his position, he was rather inspired to read Leviticus 8:35: “At the entrance of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night for seven days, performing what the Lord has charged, so that you do not die, for so I have been commanded” (ESV). The inspiration he drew from this Bible passage impassioned him in his defence of the church as a gatekeeper. He wrote the following song in response to the situation and also to affirm his resolve to fulfil the divine task given him towards the development of the church:

1. A charge to keep I have,
   a God to glorify,
   a never dying soul to save,
   and fit it for the sky.

• To serve the present age,
  my calling to fulfill,
  O may it all my pow’rs engage
  to do my Master’s will!

• Arm me with watchful care
  as in Thy sight to live,
  and now Thy servant, Lord, prepare
  a strict account to give!

• Help me to watch and pray,
  and still on Thee rely,
  O let me not my trust betray,
  but press to realms on high.

Author: Charles Wesley 1762

Charles’ position resonates very well with Peter’s charge for Christians: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV). As Christians, we have a charge to keep in obeying God’s Word, defending our faith in Christ; a charge to explain the reason for our faith, to witness about Christ to humanity, and to respond to the ploys of those who distort biblical orthodoxy for their personal reasons and interest. If their aim is to distort the biblical truths upon which the church is built, then their premise is wrong from the outset and it is our task to correct it and establish the truth.

Jesus’ statement in Matthew 16:18 does not only assure the church of its firm foundation but also sends a strong caution to those who rise against the church to understand that the foundation of the church is rooted in Christ Himself. He states, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18, ESV). Anytime people rise against the church, they forget this Scripture, living under the false impression that their schemes and orchestrations can overrun Christianity. But this is an exercise in futility. It is an impossibility, bearing in mind who they have to deal with.  Jesus Christ, as the owner and builder of the Church, is not a constitutionally-elected leader as we have in the corporate world; He is the sovereign God – the One whose grace and mercy sustain the entire world. His Kingdom rests upon His shoulders, and the living faith of the saints, the solid rock upon which His church stands, can never be destroyed. 

Mortal man must understand that, apart from this saving faith in Christ and His infallible word, all other grounds upon which we stand is sinking sand. We are not as strong as we think we are.  We exist only by God’s grace. The Psalmist says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it” (Ps. 24:1, NASB). Thus, whatever be the intention and modus operandi of enemies of Christianity, God’s authority over His creation and the church cannot be contested by any person – it is absolute and so is His Word.

Conclusion

Although the negative influence of the common sense family may have a toll on the lives of some Christians who are not immersed in the Word of God, it has been established that the threats are not new to Christianity, similar schemes of the ungodly ideology failed to prevail against the early church. The writer calls on Christians to know the angle from which every Christ-opposed ideology and philosophy emanates and to equip themselves to respond passionately and with conviction with the gospel, though with decorum and peace in order to win those destined to be saved.  

It has been realised in this article that the common sense movement does not even have the premise to judge Scripture so long as its proponents reject divine revelation and depend solely on science-based approaches and models. They have missed the argument from the start since the art of biblical interpretation must fundamentally recognise the authority of God. The Bible is irrevocably the unique sacred book by which we can get an accurate account of how God reveals Himself and His mind to humankind.

The premise of the Bible is divine and objective in its rendering. It does not derive from any human conception and contains the complete account of how God created the world and deals with those who believe in Him and those who reject His authority. The Scriptures are not just a collection of library books; they are sacred to the extent that they minister to the souls and hearts of people who access them. It is in the light of this that the discussion in this article calls on Christians to reject the fallacies and ideology churned out by the common sense family and to develop a theological response to affirm the authority of God’s Word.

Vincent Anane Denteh (Rev.)

Director, Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM)

Email: vadentcop@gmail.com

0555874497

© 2021

The world today is not like the one that God created in Genesis 1:31. Adam’s disobedience toward God brought about damning changes that affected not only each one of us but also creation itself.

From a garden of tranquillity where humans and animals coexisted in harmony, we were transitioned into a new world where we prey on each other. Furthermore, there is an increase in earthquakes and other natural disasters that continuously threaten life and property. But worst of it all is the animosity fueled by the differences in the cultures among the people of the world, which traces back to the story of the Tower of Babel in the Bible (Genesis 11:1-9).

This incredible story involves the people of Babel attempting to build a tower that would reach to heaven in direct contradiction to the command of God for them to multiply and fill the whole earth. To forestall this rebellion, God brought into existence multiple languages, thus, dividing humans into various linguistic groups that were unable to understand one another.

This is one of the saddest and yet most significant stories in the Bible. It is sad because it reveals the widespread rebellion in the human heart which resulted from the introduction of sin into our world. On the other hand, it also brought about the reshaping and development of all the cultures that highlights the differences among all the people of the world. Peace is, therefore, essential because it is the only means by which such different groups of people can coexist or cohabit in this world.

The question then becomes, how do you obtain peace in a world that is more opposed to good than evil, more divided than united, and more imperfect than perfect? It would, therefore, require a conscious effort of its inhabitants to pursue what is in the best interest of all. After all, we cannot do much about our differences, but we can make an effort to live in peace with each other when we value and appreciate our diversity.

In this regard, Ghana, a country that boasts more than seventy different ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, has been a shining example since its independence in 1957. Aside from the many blessings of natural resources and vast arable lands, Ghana is generally blessed with peace-loving people. For many years now, we have rallied around our Ghana flag and remained a united nation earning us the enviable accolade as the beacon of democracy on the African continent.

However, this has not come on a silver platter, rather, by a conscious effort by all and sundry to commit to maintaining peace, especially during the past seven presidential and parliamentary elections, which we have successfully organised in a peaceful, fair, and free manner with very minor security concerns.

As we head to the December 7 polls, we must not rest on our oars, but continue to remind ourselves of the need to maintain the peace in the country and consolidate the gains made so far in our young democracy.

As a very religious country, with Christians forming the majority of her population, the leadership of the various religious bodies ought to preach peace to their followers and insist on it. This, among other reasons, led The Church of Pentecost to introduce the “Agent of Peace” campaign in 2016 to drum home the need for the citizenry to be agents of peace before, during, and after the elections. This year, the second edition of the campaign was launched at the Burma Camp Worship Centre to raise more awareness on the need for peaceful general elections in order to maintain the tranquillity and stability of the country.

In her address, the referee for the electoral process, Mrs. Jean Mensa (Electoral Commissioner), who was the Special Guest of Honour for the event, assured the citizenry of her commitment to presiding over a free and fair election and also called on the Christian community to continue bearing her up in prayer for the enormous task ahead.

The “Agent of Peace” campaign is under the theme: “Seek Peace and Pursue It” (Psalm 34:17) and has since been replicated at the various areas and districts of the church.

The Christian population must therefore not relent but continue to pray into the general elections; consistently calling on our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, to look favourably towards our nation during this sensitive period.

The electorates, especially the youth, are also advised to pursue peace and not to allow ourselves to be used to disturb the peace of the nation. We are all entitled to one vote and so let’s be content with it.

We must not forget that, in the end, it is only one candidate among the lot who would emerge victorious. This means that the likelihood that many would be disappointed after the results is a reality, however, it is important to stress that, it is not so much about having our preferred political party or candidate in power, but accepting the choice and will of God for our country.

In a nutshell, a peaceful general election requires all stakeholders – religious bodies, security agencies, political parties, the Electoral Commission, and the citizenry – contributing their quota towards the electoral process.

So, let us seek peace and pursue it, because a victory for Ghana, is a victory for all.