If you are a Christian, what or who sets the agenda for your life? In other words what or who determines what things you should care and comment on? When you scroll down on social media platforms you will notice that many Christians simply regurgitate or follow whatever line has set up by the world’s media. A few days ago the main topical issue was the sentencing of Oscar Pistorius and this week it is the killing of Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana captian, Senzo Meyiwa.
I have no qualms with Christians commenting on either of these stories but I am appalled at the lack of Christian witness in many of the posts I make time to read. Our views on whether or not Oscar Pistorius should have been acquitted or given a longer sentence should never be informed by what the media feeds us but by our love for justice and righteousness. Justice and righteousness are pillars in God’s kingdom and should also be in our lives.
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God’s kingdom is not built on the idea of retribution or favouritism but on fair dispensing of justice which allows for a punishment that is commensurate with the offence committed. The offence has to be determined by a competent judicial system which is tasked to weigh the evidence presented. This process is not governed by emotions but by a desire to correct a wrong committed. The correction of the wrong also includes the restoration and reintegration back to society of the offender.
When evaluating these issues of justice many Christians unfortunately take their cue from the world and not from the Word. The world teaches moral relativism while the Word teaches moral absolutism. In other words wrong or right in the Bible is not determined by the opinions of people but by God. This important principle is missing in many posts commenting on Senzo Meyiwa’s death. It is a fact that this talented goalkeeper was killed while visiting the home of his girlfriend, Kelly Khumalo.
Meyiwa was a married man who was open about his adulterous affair with Khumalo. I personally opted not to comment on the circumstances surrounding Meyiwa’s death but I was appalled when I saw Christians taking a popular view that seems to justify adultery. There might not be a causal link between the adulterous affair and Meyiwa’s death but it is wrong to suggest that the adultery is inconsequential when a person comes up for scrutiny by God.
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Something else that disturbed me is the unprecedented pressure that the police are subjected to for them to get a breakthrough in Meyiwa’s case. There is now a reward of R250 000 for the apprehension of Meyiwa’s killers. Meyiwa’s death comes on the heels of the death of Olympic medallist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi in a car crash but has overshadowed Mulaudzi’s death because of how Meyiwa died. Meyiwa was murdered and so are 46 other South Africans who die every day.
South Africa’s murder average is 36.5 per 100 000 while the world average is 7.7 people per 100 000. The discussion about crime should therefore not occur only when it affects a well-known person. 16 000 are killed every year in South Africa and God is affected by each death. God does not treat the death of a famous person differently than that of an ordinary individual. If God hates injustice then why are we not touched by the same things that touch His heart?
Why does it have to take the death of Reeva Steenkamp for us to pay attention to issues of justice or the killing of Senzo Meyiwa to awaken us to the crime scourge? I think this happens because we have allowed ourselves to be seduced by the agenda of the world that sees one life as being different from another. Let me remind you that we are the light of the world and this means that our duty is to bring illumination to people’s paths. We should not just comment but we should bring Godly commentary on anything that is being discussed. We should not be trend followers but trend setters.
Thanks again my brother for an excellent article, insightful and prophetic in the biblical sense. What you have said won’t be popular with the masses and even some ‘Christians’, but our King’s glory is at stake here. Believers in general need to go much deeper with the Lord in these critical days.
Thanks Erroll. It’s time we put principle above populism.
Well said Afrika it is so good to hear a voice of reason amongst the hype
Thanks Kim
Excellent article – giving a true Biblical Christian perspective.
An excellent article – giving a true Biblical Christian perspective. Well done, Pastor Afrika!
Thanks Joan
Afrika,so True, what you have said.
Something most Christians shy away from is Discussing the Devil and all you talk about, is his handy work.the devil wants Christians to be led astray and sympathize with people who commit sin, such as murder and adultery and many others, because the more they accept and condone it, the more power the devil has to turn them from God.We need to realize there is a permanent war being waged,Good against evil.
What we see physically is not the half of it, the devil loves to work in the back round and suggest things to lead us astray.We need to stand up for what we believe in and stand against what we don’t believe. We must be careful following other peoples lives and start to live our own.
Afrika I take inspiration from your messages. keep it coming.
Thanks Dillon.
It is easy for us to be seduced by the enemy if we are not vigilant. We are the light and it is time we reflect that.
A voice of reason in the storm raging in this world today. I avoid commenting on these issues although to be honest I am often tempted. A very good article.
Thanks Stuart. It always tempting to try and fit in although we are called to stand out.
In relation to what you have said Afrika, I was reading in the paper today about the government suddenly proposing strong anti gun laws. My thoughts were’ It is not coincidence that this is being said after the death of the Bafana goalkeeper but it was just as important for all the other ordinary people who have lost their life through being shot.’ That is God’s value system but the world gets into a frenzy over the famous. Sad
I have just today Margaret that SAFA (South African Football Association) is beginning a campaign against illegal guns and wants to collect them and build a statue for Senzo Meyiwa, the slain Bafana Bafana goalkeeper. The whole thing shows that people lives are valued based on their social status. How many other people have died from gunshot wounds? If Senzo’s death is catalyst for a safer SA then that’s fine but if are just posturing then that’s sad.
Tighter gun laws will never take the guns away from the criminals; the big problem is the total breakdown of respect for the law. Consider the example of our president, members of parliament, civil servants, the police… If they have no respect for the law, will the citizens be any different. As for Christians; most so called Christians seem to be OK with premarital sex, many will hand over a bribe to an official – without a qualm…
Thank you for a well placed article Afrika. I believe this is one that needs to be shared, and Christians need to take heed. We are in the end times, it is duly time to start acting as if we recognise this, rather than personal criticism towards others, etc. As Christians we need to grow up, leave behind the things of children, name calling and blaming, see the biblical importance to respect the authorities put in place by an almighty God, understand submission, and above everything, learn that love is above all else, just as Christ has done for us. To follow Christ, means to oppose the ideology of the world, even if it means that we will be unpopular for it.
Indeed Arrie, it is time we become who claim to be, Christ’s followers.
Well said, sons of God aren’t cowards to speak the truth,Amen.
That’s right mfundisi Dayimani
Thank you for such a biblically and unbiasedly insightful article Mfundisi on this whole issue which has unfortunately become a charade (which is sad because someone’s life was stolen and ontop of that was he in right standing with God at the time of his untimely demise? Asazi). I chose to not partake in this whole saga because it was just appalling how the whole country behaved. Christians and non (if u will) alike. I am deeply disappointed by our behavior as a nation nje. From every way it was handled. I still have nothing to contribute to the ordeal and will remain so. This sheepish mentality. Let’s just continue praying for our nation.
Hello Africa, I was taken up by the first two sentences of your article. I think we have to face the fact that amongst the majority of Christians today, there are very few born again, spirit filled believers, hence the inability of the majority to show true discernment. Today’s modern evangelists and pastors are too quick to accept a little prayer as evidence for a committed life for Christ. No wonder the responses are so appalling! May the LORD Himself bless and strengthen you in the work you are doing.