GOD AND HIS NEW GENERATION (ECCLESIA NO. 1 EDITORIAL)

Peter, the apostle, provided a concise description of Christians as he penned his first epistle when he wrote, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9 KJV). How do we show forth His praises? Simply, as Jesus said, by being careful to observe all that He has commanded us (Matt. 28:20). When this happens, what do we have? We come forth as His disciples. This, in a nutshell, describes our purpose and calling as Christians.

Christianity today has become an all-comers affair with individuals and denominations determining their own benchmarks and, quite unfortunately, pushing these to God for His acceptance. How far can we go with such a mindset? Any diligent observer who evaluates what is commonly available in the light of the Scriptures knows that we are at the dangerous edge of a precipice and only God can redeem us.

So far have we departed from God’s standards and so lost are we without being aware that today, there seems to be no better words to precisely describe our state than the  words God put in the mouth of His prophet, Isaiah: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hos 4:6 KJV). Most Christians would find such a description startling when they consider how hard they are serving in different capacities in their churches and the excitement they go away with each time they leave Church services.

Certainly, in the midst of all the cacophony of noise and excitement, there are still many who sense that something is wrong or missing; that Church is not what it is supposed to be. Among this league would probably be relatively older Christians who had a taste of more impactful Christianity in the 1970s and 1980s.

Mercifully, God is raising a remnant company; infusing them with light, commitment and a new understanding. The work of this company may as yet not be obvious but as they continue in obedience, they will become the channels of a new dawn that will come upon the entire Church. This is why we must refuse to despair for the simple reason that our God is on the throne. The hope therefore is that like-minded God-seekers would join our efforts as we trust Him to do a new thing not only in our lives but also in the world.

There is no doubt that we are at the last days when a mighty outpouring of the Spirit of God is expected to break out in a major revival that takes the gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth. If we return to God and determine to position ourselves in Him, would He not consider us part of His end-time company?

With these words, I welcome you to the maiden edition of Ecclesia, a magazine aimed at encouraging Bible-based Christianity and the precepts which make us fully rounded disciples of Jesus based on patterns enunciated by Jesus and given effect in the early Church by the first disciples. This maiden edition focuses on Nigeria - the nation that God has zeroed His eyes upon as a vibrant part of His move - and current Nigerian issues. Many of the writers are however matured Christians who either do not want visibility or desire to remain anonymous so that the glory that ought to go to God does not come to them. It is our hope that you enjoy your reading, spread the word and arrange to have subsequent editions. Thanks and shalom!

 ROTIMI AJIBOWO