It is often said, rightly, that the whole purpose of our being is so that we may know God, through whom and for whom all things exist, and to enjoy Him forever, in an intimate experiential and mysterious way. Apart from this, we live for nothing else.
Yesterday I watched the NTV program On the Spot. It was, by all means, an excellent initiative, and I am thankful to Mr. Kamara and the NTV management for providing such a platform. I believe the intention was to offer clarity on issues surrounding the fast metamorphosing face of evangelicalism in Uganda.
This year the evangelical community celebrates 500 years of the reformation, since Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the door of Wittenberg, protesting against doctrinal and moral corruption in Vatican. Although Luther never intended his invitation to the students to discuss the questions he had raised in his Theses to be divisive; this is what nonetheless happened, courtesy of the newly invented printing press in Germany.
Central to Christianity is the doctrine of regeneration, or being ‘born again’. To be a Christian, one must be born again. Jesus, in his conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 emphasized that without this, no one can ‘see’ or ‘enter’ the kingdom of God.
A topic of significant importance is what should be the believer’s proper attitude to material wealth. Some say we should seek for them, others say not. Some suggest that we are called to material abundance, while others maintain that that could be a fatal exaggeration.
It is impossible for those who see themselves as gods to not have a human-centred view of life. For a man to see himself as a god, he must have such an inflated view of himself and a deflated view of God, a reversal of the reality of things, ‘for there is none like the God of Jeshurun.’ This man-centred view of reality is humanism; it is what is called anthropocentrism.
The death of Christ for the redemption of humanity is the Gospel that rejoices the hearts of the redeemed. Through this sacrifice, believers enter the Trinitarian fellowship.
In my previous article entitled ‘Why Cults Thrive in Uganda,’ I highlighted the conditions that make it possible and easy for false teachings to prosper in this land. Notably, I made mention of the lamentable lack of biblical teaching on the pulpits, as well as media platforms.
Brother Habakkuk is a tired man. He ministers during the ‘death throes’ of the nation of Judah that has repeatedly refused to repent. He has lived righteously and sought to engage his generation with God’s message but seems to see no fruit. He is weary, frustrated, and discouraged. So Habakkuk decides to ask God questions, in chapter 1, many questions which really are one: why is God silent when the wicked devour the righteous? (1:2,13). Why?
The sweet assurance of God’s superintendence and sovereignty over all affairs of the world is peace to those who trust in Him. The world with all its brokenness can be a source of despair for those whose heart is not rested in the knowledge that God is good, even in my suffering.
