ROADMAP TO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH (PART 2): What is all these nonsense about?
WRITTEN BY: MICHAEL O. ODU
A wise man once candidly opined that “there is always nonsense before sense.” Do you agree? I quite agree and I will tell you the reason for this.
We are stuck in an age of great greed ever. None like it yet and the self-centeredness of humanity is coming to the saturated point of climax. This innate and inherent propensity crates no room for common sense thus making it look like its not sporadic (common). We can deduce therefore that common sense is not common since it’s not found I common places and a times lost among the knowledgeable and wise. It’s not found in common places and faces in other words.
This was what thus informed the sub-topic: WHAT IS ALL THE NONSENSE ABOUT? This leads me to the discourse.
Three major FAITHS or RELIGIOUS persuasions revere MONOTHEISM in its absolute entirety. In predating order it ensues thus: JUDAISM (so termed by the Jews or the Israelites), CHRISTIANITY (the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets in the Judaic dispensation), and ISLAM (the way of peace as received by the Holy Prophet Mohammed SAW). All three are same brothers from the same origin who are at variant opinion which led to parting on diverse liturgy, sacraments of worship and need I mention more for the sake of words, time and space? However the onus of the assignment here and beyond is to bring out what God laid on my heart so as to make all concerned fruitful in understanding. The first understanding is that they are all brothers fro the same family tree. One progenitor is responsible for all of them and he is the progenitor of their faith – Father Abraham. None can deny the cardinal importance of Abraham to their belief or faith as fundamental to their creed. If there is this denial, there will definitely be a wide vacuum which absolutely relegates that religion or faith to doctrines of legends, fables or myths – worse than the philosophies of Men.
That being well established, Abraham had two sons – Ishmael (meaning: the Lord heard and called Ismail by the Muslims in Arabic) who was born by Sarah (which means Laughter) called Izak or Isak by the Arabs or Muslims was later born to Abraham by Sarah (Abraham’s Wife). These two sons in their lifetime had twelve or sons princes each. Isaac had twin sons; Esau and Jacob of which Jacob was later divinely renamed Israel (which means – the prince with power both with God and with Men Genesis 32:28). He was the one instrumental in having the twelve sons who later became tribes from Isaac’s lineage. The tribeship only became possible as they grow into a Nation. They would perhaps have had slight variation in their Hebrew language else why the use of the WORD TRIBE. Is it just for difference of identity?
Now Ishmael also had his twelve sons who were later referred to as THE TWELVE PRINCES OF ARABIAN PENINSULA (Genesis 25:12-18). It was from this growing Nations of Arabs that the Holy Prophet Mohammed SAW emanated from as an indigene about 500 years after the CHRISTIAN FAITH was in existence and powerfully growing. Without doubt was driven by inquisition and not poverty or frustration as a growing young man. At twenty five years of age he was already a wealthy man through marriage to a widow of forty something years of age. He was against the pervading idolatry, anarchy, decadence, lawlessness, corruption and oppression of the under-privileged in the vicinity at large as a whole. He got vexed against this barbaric lifestyle of the Arabian Peninsula at that time. More vexing was the concentration on it to his gross observation everyday since it was close to his environs. His inquisition is that there must be more to life than just eating, drinking, enjoying yourself, having retinue of servants at your beck and call, and there is so much imbalance and inequity amongst his people. He resolves to find a way out of the garbage enveloping his people. This acted as impetus in seeking God’s face more and more and one day the message of ISLAM was brought to him as a revelation by the Angel Jibril which is called in Hebrew, Gabriel. According to the practitioners of the faith, Islam means PEACE: Thus the way of peace was born. Thus far the point has been far buttressed that Abraham is the father of our faith. This fatherhood is entrenched in the factual truth that the covenant God made with him as one who believe Him to the absolute binds us all whether as JUDAISTS, CHRISTIANS, and OR MUSLIMS (MOSLEMS). Do we all agree? If you don’t, then this is the GREATEST problem the world is facing today – variance of opinion. What is all the nonsense about? Now behold the agent of change and the agents of confusion.
Let me begin with a close look at the issue mentioned from above about agents. A close scrutiny will reveal to you that those who cause this rancor are those who are worshippers of God for remote self-aggrandizement of all sorts. This is devoid of whether they understand the Holy Scriptures well enough or not. It has nothing to do with it because we have all witnessed well informed minds becoming clever devils in our past and recent history. These genres of people are present in all three religious persuasions, voicing and lecturing what they do not properly know; let alone understand. When you get to understand a thing, you become WISE, which is being able to use knowledge positively. We need to understand these mischief makers for us all to approach them either two ways just as 2 peter 1:18-21 and 2:1-22 describes and not leaving out Jude 1:3-25. They gave vivid light to how we should handle selfish double dealers in our religious persuasions.
The three major monotheistic religious persuasions also agree on the authenticity and divinity of the TORAH 9the patriarchs, the Law, and the prophets)! Father Abraham was a prophet (Genesis 20:7). All the three of the persuasions agree to this fact as the Muslims all call him Anobi Ibrahim. Islam is especially an offshoot of Judaism fundamental principles. It’s a major influence on it. However, has anyone ever bothered to search out the true intention and longing of God our maker (Proverbs 25:2)? Where are the spiritually unbiased searcher and researchers of our time?
Back to my previous point above. The point is: All three persuasions agree and practice the Torah. If you disagree, PLEASE DON’T BOTHER TO GO READING DOWN ANY FURTHER. I BEG YOU IN GOD’S HOLY NAME IF YOU REVERE HIM. Reason is that there will be no basis (foundation) for the understanding to be fruitful enough to grasp THIS UNITY OF THE FAITH ROAD MAP. Reference will be made to the Torah which is also known to Christians as THE OLD TESTAMENT. Are we ready? Here we go!
In the Book of Psalms chapter 40:6-10 it was recorded that it was spoken of by the prophet about the MESSIAH (Hebrew word for GREAT SAVIOUR) as coming to carry out the greatest assignment ever. In the Book of Hebrews 10:1 and 5-10 the Holyghost inspired writer was confirming the intents of God as fulfilled; however, people need to understand the prophecy before being aware of its fulfillment. So if the Messiah was predicted as coming, why entertain the variance among our brothers. We allow this variance due to bellyaching mischief makers who do not understand what they practice or are into it for greedy selfish reasons to divide us and knock us off course. Only Holy Scriptures can interpret Holy Scriptures for clarity and vivid understanding (Peter 1:20-21). Every statement herein made has its authentic proofs in counter religious practices that are Judaism and Islam. 1 Peter 1:10-20 said that even the prophets that were used to prophecy longed and wished for the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy in their time, thus they were eager to see it. Verse 20 of the same chapter said that “it was fore-ordained to be from the foundation or before the foundation of the world” which is something to meditate on. Please meditate on it so that you will be rich in all understanding. Those who do not have understanding will be ignorant and sin against what they do not know. I am so far endeavouring to dissect this to you prayerfully.
Psalms 40:6-10 is not the only scriptural passage enlightening us about the person, divinity, and authenticity of the Messianic coming as a physical personality. Psalms 22 and Psalms 50:5-15 sheds more light on this. Verse 15 of the same chapter 50 of Psalms says that He will deliver you when you call on Him in the day of besieged trouble (salvation – only the Messiah which means GREAT SAVIOUR can save or bring salvation). It’s the same word known as ‘to deliver’ or ‘deliverance.’ Micah 6:6-15, especially 6:6, 7 drives my point home in this discourse. Isaiah 1:11-31, Jeremiah 6:19-23, Amos 5:21-27 are other scriptures relevant. Please read meditatively. Truth has never sunk deep into people’s hearts by haste. So I am not hasty.
From the last few scriptures if you read it and it’s a must read if you must understand what we are talking about, the Messiah’s coming for His universal assignment was in prophecy as scripture documents yet still rejected even in the prophecy. This was the rejection by the Jews and not only the Jews but the whole human race and whosoever still reject Him. This was what the Holy saint Stephen was explaining to them in Acts 7:1-60 till the Jews acted stiff-necked and then dragging him outside stoned him to sleep (death). The scriptures said he slept as they stoned him to death and he prayed God not to put the sin in their account. He saw where he was going. Heaven opened and he saw Jesus Christ standing by the right hand of God and then his face shone like an Angel’s. They saw all these as he was explaining to them but yet acted foolishly. How are we any better today as many as are still stiff-necked? The murderous spirit took the better part of their reasoning - Religious bigots and fundamentalists. Are we going to keep killing ourselves from today? We have to be careful of them and expose them. Stephen was stoned to sleep to eternal life. He was falsely accused of a preconspired blasphemous charge in ACTS 6:7-15 just to shut down the move of God. Please read and see what ignorance has been causing us all and the reasons behind it most times.
Consequences followed the rejection of the Messiah (SAVIOUR). They felt the Messiah is an earthly inclined to salvage them from the jaws of their colonial masters – THE ROMANS. They felt that God’s way is their way thus their reaction to Stephen comes up in their character. It is the battle of supremacy so to speak: The ideology that they belong to God through a covenant with their Fathers. They believed that no other race has this privilege forgetting what God told Abraham in the Torah in Genesis 12:1-3. God is the God of all and wants Mankind to be reconciled to Him. Thus He had to design a proper plan and perfect way to make this a reality so that we can live a life pleasing to Him. They obviously forgot or decided to forget to take that page along from God’s perspective thus they never saw a clear picture but themselves alone in the eternal plan and purpose of God. Premeditation and prejudice precedes alienation from God. So regardless of the manifestation of the PROMISED AND PROPHESIED MESSIAH IN THE TORAH, as spoken by the prophets in Isaiah 11:1-5, Isaiah 9:6-7; they were still stubborn about their ways. It grew into their avid thirst for freedom and deliverance from their colonialists and oppressors (Roman Imperialism), was the fuel acting as impetus for their engine. Obviously this was not God’s divine plan. In fact it will limit God’s plan for the entire Human Race to a local Israel and God in His infiniteness cannot be localized to a race since he’s the “God of all” Job 12:10. Israel as a Nation was blinded by their earthly quest for deliverance at that time, whereas their real deliverance known to God and all mankind’s disease as well is oppression from sin, rebellion against God, and the covenant. So their ultimate sin still plaguing them now is the rejection of the Messiah. Its nothing but rebellion for the promise of God foretold and they are to face the proper penalty. And not only them but all who do same. Through prophecy it was foretold from the infinite realm that as a RECONCILIATION OF ALL MANKIND through the Messiah. The Jews missed this and the blessing ensuing from accepting it. That’s why the western world will continue to give them disguised freedom from the Middle East tussle. They are bureaucratically and diplomatically exploited. If this is their temporary punishment, then how much more those who reject the Messiah again.
So clearly if you are following this journey, God’s plan through Abraham was beyond his descendants called the Jews or Israel (Genesis 18:17-19; 12:3; 22:15-18) God reiterated this covenant to his son Isaac (Genesis 26:4,5) and likewise Isaac’s son Jacob in his time of distress Genesis 28:13-18, God reiterates, that means it’s a serious issue (Psalms 62:11). It’s for your sakes I make references to the scriptures because I am addressing a wide audience and not all are Bible scholars. It’s the word of God and not mine. I’m pointing the Way for us all totally believe whatever God’s divinely inspired plan is in His word and what it says. That the planned purpose and intention of God will be scuttled or halted is absolutely impossible because once God make a covenant or promise which is to Father Abraham that “in you will all the nations of the earth be blessed,” as seen in the preceding scriptures precisely Genesis 12:1-3; He makes good His promise. PLEASE READ THOSE SCRIPTURES IF YOU HAVE NOT. In John 12:35-41 references were made as prophecies from one of the most illustrious prophets of the Bible in the Old Testament which we call the Torah; Isaiah was being fulfilled in the very presence of these folks in Isaiah 53:1, 6:10. In John 13:18 is the fulfillment of the Psalms 41:9 and 55:12-15 were some example of fulfilled scriptural prophecies as regards the Messiah. There are people who choose to be adamant which make them fall in the class of those who fulfill Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10 in our time. Please choose not to be in this class. I choose not to be in this class and I implore you to believe in the absoluteness of the Holy Scriptures. Please read John 5:37-47, Deuteronomy 18:15-22; everything the Messiah spoke and was also foretold came to pass. It will be requited as judgement for those who do not hearken to and believe in it! Come to think of it, is it difficult to believe? For example, don’t we believe in our parents when they tell us something as children? Was it hard? Did we have to check their integrity, honesty, loyalty, truth, sincerity even if they are sincerely wrong at times? We still believe them absolutely. Then why is it hard to believe these scriptures that are for those who find themselves in this status. Why oh?! Why?! Why should it be hard to believe the perfect?
The sweetest plan of God the Father of Light and Glory, the Father of all flesh and God of all spirits has for us is that through the Father of our Faith Abraham; the Messiah will come forth. It will culminate into the fulfillment of the God’s purposeful agenda making Him sovereign using the words of His servants. That was why He used the Torah as a witness through the Jews. The Jews attempted to make this purpose their exclusive inheritance led to the downfall of Jerusalem by A.D 70 as foretold by the Messiah Himself 40 years before the event. Nobody stands in GOD’S way because He is loves mankind to much 1 John 4:1-end, Psalms 8:4-9, Psalms 95:7-11. Besides His order is Mankind after our being cut off from Him due to SIN. From this you have clearly seen that God’s Way of reaching out to us back after the fall of Mankind into sin is RELATIONSHIP by RECONCILIATION AS AGAINST religion (which is Man’s way of trying to get to God or Divinity). We are the ones who need Him always and He knows that He is the one with the perfect design for us. That’s why a renowned wise man Dr. Myles Monroe once submitted about God’s Government or Kingdom during one of his teachings: “I am not religious, but I am related to my Creator.” Are you related to your creator or you are religious?
The PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE consequences of our variant ways of interpreting our tenets, creeds and Holy Scriptures will be answerable by us all. What we will all answer for at the last day of resurrection is the same thing we are all striving for: TO PLEASE GOD! The approved way? If we want this done, then being religious is not the way out, cause it has caused more havoc from dogma than good over the centuries gone by. The commandment of LOVE is the key. That is the only way we can please God (John 4:8, 3:15-17, 2:4). If you love God you will overcome his commandment summarized as LOVE (DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9). Love is the KEY and that’s what the Messiah came to do so as to reconcile Mankind back to God and Godly passion, pleasure and principles.
JUDAISTS, CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS all believe in the Messiah and His coming to the earth for this major assignment. Reason is that I believe that no monotheistic relationship with our Father God can be complete without the undeniable belief, agreement and followership of the infallibility of what has been thus discussed so far. In recent times I overheard an Imam charging his followers or listeners that if they don’t believe in the infallibility and divinity of the Messiah (SAVIOUR) who happens to be Jesus Christ, their faith and salvation is incomplete because the Holy Prophet Highly endorsed and honoured Him in all ramifications. This gladdened my heart a whole lot that our unity of the faith may come in a way not regimentally acceptable to the present belief system. It has just begun. The Al Quran documents Him as Isa. John 1:11-13, says as many as either received Him or believe in Him, He gave them power to become the sons of God. He gave them power to be saved from all depriving situation because he that has the power of God is saved. Just believe my dear readers. It’s easy to believe as much as breathing is to living. As easy as getting hungry and drinking water; just believe for your sakes. None of the three religious belief systems deny the Messiah. His assignment is for us to live in LOVE (John 3:16). This is God’s will for us all. If we learn to live in love of ourselves every passing day we will walk in RELATIONSHIP which is being related to Him and ourselves; and well relatable to ourselves as well. The world will be in harmony. It’s very possible for with God nothing shall be impossible. This is the world that we can create rather than variant opinionated attitudes by same brothers (relatives).
Finally, in every generation and national life over the ages, God sends a witness for Him to be fully justified though he can do as He pleases as we find in Psalms 135:6. Notwithstanding, He sends His Holy Apostles and Prophets as a witness against any generation and dispensation (Luke 11:49-54, Matthew 23:31-39). It is my utmost prayer that my readers and listeners will not get to be on the wrong side of God in judgement (Read 1 Timothy3:16, John 1:2,14). God be with you all to the end in Jesus name! AMEN!
My authority is the Word of God.
My authority is the Word of God.
“EVER PRESENT TRUTH OF GOD FROM HIS SCRIPTURES!”
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