Enough of the doctrines, let’s defend the christian faith by our behaviours

When the scriptures say by their fruits we shall know them, it was not pointing fingers at demons, witches and other principalities. Scriptures were actually pointing fingers at you and me: by our practice of the Christian values in the society, society shall come to know where we belong and come from. If our particular attitude points to God, others shall know; and if it comes from elsewhere, not in line with the original doctrine of God- the Torah, it shall also be known.

As for the Christian faith, the doctrines have spelt its dictates clear and they are sound. For scriptures have said, love thy neighbour as thy self. And this, Jesus set for us an example, his dying to hate on the cross and resurrecting love which in ages past has been crucified by those who loved society than those members who made the society. It is to this day that the love of Christ has conquered hate. The Christian doctrine henceforth is made clear and calls on you and me to do same. How do we do that? By our behaviours.

If atheists today are numbering higher and higher, we must ask ourselves the question of whether we have lived as Christ lived. The double lives of some of us Christians are what is creating the huge doubt for the coming to believe the existence of God. God exists, and no one consciously denies that fact. But the cardinal point to lead others who have in their minds some doubt of the belief in the existence of God which is the living of the Christian doctrines have been lost in the lives of many who call themselves Christians.

Why wouldn’t Wole Sonyinka have a high sense for tradition and belief in the worship of spirits and rejects Christianity? Isn’t it because he has not seen, if he has read about, some of his contemporaries who call themselves Christians, live those values?

For in the case of this highly respected academician and one who is seen to possess wisdom, know that there is a supreme being. He needs only one thing: “a rediscovery of his name and what he stands for.” This he has not seen in you and in me by the way we live. He has read the lives of Ambrose, Albert, Anselm, Ignatius, Origen, Mary, Joseph and Jesus. Yes, he has read all those in books. We cannot refer him to go and read about how we are living the Christian values in books. Ours are not written in books. He lives within our era and this is why we can make it easy for Wole Sonyika to come to accept that he is a Christian by just looking into our lives as mirror and get dressed as a Christian.

We call ourselves Christians but we live not even as traditionalist but something really awkward. We are mask during the day and only angels during church hours. Should we continue to live such lives, 'hide and seek' that kind of thing, who are we deceiving?

If a student tells the lecturer that he understands everything taught when actually he doesn’t, and when exams come the student fails, who has been affected? The student or the lecturer? If we live the ‘pilolo’ kind of game, and at the end have to face God, where will we belong? We must know that those whom we deceived by our ugly lives although we were Christians will per the judgement of God grant them pardon. However, their punishments that they were to face will be added to ours.

Not just for the purpose of escaping God’s punishment should we live the Christian values, but for the love of one another and for the love of one’s self, we should live the values of Christ.

How beautiful one looks when after a bath you put on your best garment. You step out of your apartment and the first thing you hear from your neighbour standing by the roadside is, wow! you looking just beautiful! What a great complement that is, and how these words work on your mind.

In the same way God would be so happy that an atheist will say to a Christian that this your behaviour in society, in the workplace, in your marriage, in the trotro car, in the cue and at the beach is beautiful! Bet me, that day, the angels and saints in heaven will forever sing an unending hymn praising God. And at least, you would have made God’s head too swell.

Before I bring my talk to an end, permit me to resound this warning to those of us who have taken upon ourselves the title of Christianity and practice ‘Humanity' that we stopped to showcase Christ. Live the Christian values in your behaviours and love your Christian values. Stay in touch always with the values of Christ.

The problems of the world today are numerous because fake Christians today are numerous. Don’t be a fake Christian!

I am your own brother, Emmanuel Graham Nyameke. My best wishes to Wole Sonyika, my teacher.