Have You Heard Some Common Rumors Now in Nigeria?
(Mostly Along West of the Niger River)
E. O. AbimbolaIkare
Akoko, Nigera
The Centurion and also the enemies of Christ confirmed that Christ was truly the Son of God. Today to the west of the Niger River, denominational Members plus the followers of Mohammed (Moslems) are even telling among themselves and on behalf of the true churches of Christ, that if you will like to become their members, they preach among many things the following:
(1) Against human constitutions, creed books, etc. (but they take the Bible only as their catechism).
(2) Against using of instruments while worshipping; except fruits of the lips, voicing praises to God.
(3) Against drinking of WINE.
(4) Against marrying more than ONE wife.
(5) Against using church money to establish schools to teach subjects other than Bible knowledge.
(6) Against using church money to establish and build hospitals, orphan homes (the schools and hospitals are older than the church).
(7) Against taxation on members, but to give prosperously, only on the I st day of the week.
(8) Against delaying to baptize a believer but to teach, baptize, and teach on.
(9) Against sin secretly, openly, and also to the degree of exercising disfellowship of their members who will not repent.
But someone among the debaters quickly referred, "What of those churches of Christ in the Eastern regions of Nigeria that built schools and hospitals?" One of them (a non member of the church of Christ), still maintained and told the audience that wherever a person finds a church of Christ practicing anything stated above or anything you can not find done either with an example, command, or necessary inference from the Bible, it is not the true church of Christ but can be termed a counterfeit church of Christ which is not according to the pattern and plan, for their fruits will show what sort they are.
Note: From what we even hear from pagans about us which they heard formerly from us, we can firmly conclude the position of the gospel now in Nigeria. It will be a waste of time, money and effort for anyone to continue to the eleventh hour preaching in favour of the above points of error because they are not provable by the Bible when we "speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent" and "call Bible things by Bible names."
The people are all almost openly educated of the said church "Don'ts" and have brought up some names to describe the one true church of Christ and that counterfeit church of Christ. The Devil will bring imitations that will not stand the test. Watch them!
TRUTH MAGAZINE XIV: 5, p. 6
December 4, 1969
