August 12, 2016 by Jide Ajayi • Thoughts • Tags: bible reading, church •
Because this people draw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
therefore, behold, I will again
do wonderful things with this people,
with wonder upon wonder;
and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden
Is 29:13–14.
July 24, 2016 by Jide Ajayi • Issues, Life • Tags: The Things We Say •
There was a situation in which a passenger on a motorcycle felt that the driver of the car behind them put them at risk because there was an overtake attempt that was aborted. When the driver of the car finally drove up to and along side the motorcycle as it turned off to another part of the road, the passenger screamed out “may god forgive you”.
This is a very common saying in this society and context. It is a response to a perceived offense by someone who sees themselves as sincere and above spilling or spitting abuses. It is not uncommon for people who see themselves as godly and religious speaking this out whenever they feel they need to voice their discontent without being seen as vulgar or as sinners. To the offended, the action that has just taken place is something grave that has disturbed the receiver and God, and without reeling out abuses and curses as “sinners” would naturally do, it is then up to God to forgive the people.
The unspoken part of the message is “as I cannot forgive you”. It is then up to God to forgive you though it is me that has been offended, I see it that it is up to God to do the forgiving and not me.
In all honesty, it does not place the person in a better place. It actually accentuates the sinful nature of the speaker. The Lord spoke about forgiving one another when he taught the disciples that when they pray, they should ask for forgiveness from the father as they forgive those who trespass against them (Matt 6:12). If we feel we have been offended, we have the power to forgive and be done with it and understand that we have been forgiven much ourselves. This is what the parable of the unforgiving servant emphasizes.
We all have artifacts of legalism in us but while some are trying to move away from their legalism of “I behave therefore I am accepted” others dig deeper holes and secure themselves more and more in the mire of religiosity by manufacturing means and slangs and statements that on the face value without putting much attention sounds good until the statement is put before the mirror of the word and then its falsehood comes to light.
When next the temptation comes to us to say may God forgive you, let us train ourselves to truly forgive and say I forgive you except of course we have no desire to forgive but then, why involve God as he has already told us to forgive seventy times seven times.
June 1, 2016 by Jide Ajayi • Life, Thoughts • Tags: God, Grace of God •
How great are your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep!
The stupid man cannot know;
the fool cannot understand this:
that though the wicked sprout like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they are doomed to destruction forever
Ps 92:5–7.
Happy Reformation Day!
October 31, 2016 by Jide Ajayi • Issues, Life • Tags: 95 Thesis, Martin Luther, Reformation •
Happy Reformation Day!
This day, October 31 in 1517 brought forth an event that changed the world forever. On that day 499 years ago, a monk and teacher and professor of biblical studies posted the document he had worked on to be the basis for a debate as was the manner in those days for a matter to be discussed at the University by the supporters of the matter at hand. Normally, this would have been as normal as any other event but for two things. First the matter to be discussed which was the sale of indulgences by the Church to the people and the presence of the printing press.
On the matter of the printing press, this new technology was invented around 1440 [] and it was such a greatly received equipment as it simplified the manner in which books could be acquired and copies of documents could be made without paying skilled people to copy a small book for a huge sum. So on this day that the writing which contained 95 items for discussion (that is why it’s called the 95 thesis) was posted, people were able to make copies and distribute them rather quickly and so the document spread far quickening the interest of many people around. The issue then became an issue of The authority of the church rather than over indulgences. On the previous matter, it was commonly preached to the people that the purchase of indulgence guaranteed respite for the souls of their beloved in purgatory so they could purchase for their departed or for themselves.
As Luther was an academic, he set up this discussion to happen among fellow academics. These questions raised in this document brought more awareness to the issue and certain things that had become common place but found no place in the word of God.
Today is a day of remembrance and celebration of a man who stood for the word of God and with God and history was changed.
He did not find it easy and had his opposition, some were so disgusted by him that the declared “He alone is right”
Martin Luther wrote a lot of books and said a lot of things driven by his passion for the word of God. He was not perfect and none of us is but as much as he could, he spoke his mind and tried his best to align with the word of God.
Below are some of his words
“If anyone could have earned heaven by the life of a monk, it was I”
“Unless I can be instructed and convinced with evidence from the Holy Scriptures or with open, clear, and distinct grounds of reasoning…then I cannot recant, because it is neither safe nor wise to act against conscience…here I stand. I can do no other. God help me! Amen!
“These verses and others like them demonstrate that everyone is subject to sinful lust and must daily resist it. Although the struggle is neither pleasant nor relaxing, it is still a work that pleases God, and for us that should be consolation enough”.
Happy Reformation Day!