CHRISTIANITY, CHIEFTAINCY AND POLITICS IN GHAN

CHRISTIANITY, CHIEFTAINCY AND POLITICS IN GHANA

Yaw Sarfo Kantanka is generally known as a person of good character in that he does not smoke, steal and that he is morally upright. The forty-year old graduate of a Ghanaian university is diligent both in all his private affairs and public engagements. Besides, Yaw is highly admired by both the young and old at his residential area. No wonder his constituents once impressed on him to vie for a parliamentary seat. But Yaw steadfastly rejected that idea because he felt that that is not a place for good people like him. Before then, he had in different occasions rejected a request from his extended family members to serve as the head of their family, and a sub chief in their traditional area. Surprisingly, Yaw had never prayed into any of these issues to know God’s will as it relates to him.

I recently had an opportunity to interact with Yaw at a leadership conference. He said among many other things that he detests chieftaincy and partisan politics because they are not for good people. Surprisingly, Yaw was convinced of electoral victory for his preferred parliamentary and presidential candidates. He destructively criticized certain political leaders. Besides, he appealed to me to pray for the peace of Ghana and all facets of leaders in the country.

Light glows best in gross darkness. A good soldier is usually known in the midst of an intense battle; a good lawyer is usually known by her advocacy and persuasive styles in a knotty dispute; a saviour of any people is only known after dying to save their lives; and a real servant of God maintains his beliefs and faith even in a burning furnace or lions’ den! John C. Maxwell believes that “the leaders who make the greatest impact are often those who lead well in the midst of uncertainty”. Andy Stanley, another excellent leader and communicator, explained, “Uncertainty is not an indication of poor leadership. The nature of leadership demands that there always be an element of uncertainty…” Therefore, a real Christian should be able to exercise any forms of authority and still remain incorruptible. Being a Christian is not a title; it is a character!

Christianity, chieftaincy and partisan politics are strong forces insofar as Ghana’s positive growth and development are concerned. A closer study of the Bible reveals that God is a family, and His key focus is Christ-centered nation building. God used the family of Abraham to raise the nation of Israel. Chieftaincy is also vital in raising and preserving kingdoms. God used kings such as David and Solomon to govern Israel. In addition, the British were wise enough to embrace the fact without Indirect Rule, their dominance on Gold Coast Ghana would be a naked dictatorship of which fierce resistance or apathy would have occasioned.

Moreover, partisan politics is a vehicle to wheedle ideological influence which is the main essence of leadership. Thus a true political leadership enhances nation building. God for instance used Joseph and Daniel to respectively shaped nations of Egypt and Babylon. Yet some self-professed Christians perceive chieftaincy as a reserve of idol worshippers and the uneducated. And partisan politics as a dirty game which should only be played by dishonest idiots! This sounds like setting up a committee comprising dogs to formulate and implement moral policies. Praying for such dogs will do little. Don’t get me wrong; it is good to pray for our leaders and nation. But it is highly hypocritical and contradictory to pray for the flourishing of something you think is evil. Is it not the case that all authorities are ordained by God?

“All that is necessary for the victory of the evil,” in the words of Edmund Burke, “is that the good men do nothing”. For Roland Mensah, “If Christianity is the motivating factor in our lives, then it should affect our societal relationships, our view of the political system and our commitment to redeem the society in which we live. We should become involved, concerned about, and dedicated to, the principle of orderly change within our governmental system”. Martin Luther says, “If our (Christians) speaking fails to address the precise point at which the world of our time aches, we are not really preaching the Word”.

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of If You Think of Your Opposition You Lose Your Position.

richardobengmensah@gmail.com

THE PATH OF LIFE

THE PATH OF LIFE

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death –Proverbs 14:12 (NIV).

RYWA is a youth-focused movement which seeks to raise real readers, right writers, and real leaders for an improved society. Professor Antobam was once invited to deliver a keynote address at its annual YES gathering at KNUST. He however could not honour the invitation on the ground that he could not get his favourite means of transport – by sea! Surprisingly, Professor Antobam had all along thought that he could travel to Kumasi by sea.

There is always the right way to every destination. You either use that way or you get lost! For instance, one can mainly travel from Accra to Kumasi either by air or land, never by sea! Similarly, there is only one path to real life. One cannot reach the destination of real life by merely travelling by air, land, or sea. Losing the track of this path is to walk on frustrated paths of life. The signposts on frustrated paths are death, deceptions, destructions, dissatisfaction, doubts, failures, frustrations, thievery and all manner of wickedness. On the other hand, the signposts on the path of real life are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In sum, the path of real life is full of joy and real pleasure. Life valleys, mountains and crookedness cannot sabotage this kind of joy and pleasure.

The path of life can only be known at God’s presence. David prayed in Psalm 16:11(NIV), “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand”. Thus real joy and eternal pleasures of life are enveloped in God. The gates and courts of God’s presence are only accessible by thanksgiving and praises. And the path to these gates is owned by Jesus Christ. To walk on this path demands that we become the sheep of Jesus so that he can usher us to God’s presence.

The path of life is full of eternal pastures, peace and overflowing prosperity. Those who truly walk on it never want anything in life. David walked on this path and later testified in Psalm 23 as follows, “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”.

The path of life can only be shown (Psalm 25:4) by Jesus because God has accredited its licence to him. No wonder he is the only person in history who has been bold enough to declare that, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” - John 14:6-7. It is only through Jesus that we can enter the gates of God’s presence (John 10:7-10) because he is the good shepherd. As the good shepherd he only shepherds sheep, never goats. Goats unlike sheep walk on different paths of life with the aim of seeking God. But they never get to know Him. The only way to know God is to know Jesus; knowing Jesus is equal to knowing God. We can only know Jesus when we become his sheep (disciple). A real disciple of Jesus totally depends on him for everything. Do you depend on Jesus for everything?

Richard Obeng Mensah, co-author of 37 Benefits of Reading. borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?

WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?

“…And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” – Acts 11:26(NIV).

The terms believer, Christian, and disciple have one thing in common; relationship. Despite this, they have some striking differences although each one leads to the other. For instance, believing births a person into a family; an intimate relationship with the head of that family makes that person a disciple of the head of the family; and that disciple while fulfilling his assignments as Jesus did is christened as a Christian by others. Thus a disciple of Jesus who executes her divine mandates is usually referred to as a Christian by other people. At what point then can a disciple be referred as a Christian? Till we see Christ in that disciple. A certain philosopher once said, “I will become a Christian the day I see one”. Thus a real Christian is Jesus in the flesh (visible Jesus). That person is like a written letter, the content of which is Jesus!

Christianity is all about relationships; it is never a religion. The relationships are two-fold:  absolute love for God, and qualified love for one’s neighbours. In other words, a person who desires to have a fruitful relationship with God must love Him with all of that person’s heart, might, and soul. Besides, that person must love his neighbour as himself. In Christianity, there are levels of relationships with God – believer (childhood), disciple (adulthood), and Christian (epistle of Christ). However, each level of the relationships must be founded on Jesus Christ.

God gives power to all persons who believe in the name of Jesus and receive him to become His sons (John 1:12). The power denotes the leadings of the Holy Spirit; become indicates a process and sons signifies maturity. Thus believing Jesus births a child of God. This child must grow in her faith in God through Jesus Christ in order to become a daughter of God. A real daughter or son of God must be lead by the Holy Spirit in every aspect of that person’s life. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” – Romans 8:14(KJV). All persons who are truly led by the Holy Spirit primarily seek to expand God’s kingdom on earth. They have also totally surrendered to the directions of the Holy Spirit by crucifying their personal desires. Thus a son of God becomes a disciple if that person takes up his cross (God-given assignment (purpose)) and follows Jesus Christ always. Following Jesus requires that that son must abide in God’s Word (John 15). The Word of God is thus the standard for everything that son does. This son then becomes a disciple of Jesus. Real disciples of Jesus are called Christians by others; but Jesus calls them friends! Besides, Jesus sees obedient disciples as his brothers and sisters.

A “born again” person is not necessarily a Christian! Similarly, a Law student is not a lawyer; he is only a potential lawyer. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote, ‘…Through Christ, a repentant humanity may yet receive God’s GIFT of His Holy Spirit. To Nicodemus Christ said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”…Jesus explained, “That which is born of the flesh IS FLESH, and that which is born of the Spirit IS SPIRIT” (John 3:6). Man came from the ground. He IS flesh. Jesus was not talking about another physical birth or experience of conversion in this life – but about a spiritual birth…This Spirit-begotten Christian now has, conditionally, the PRESENCE OF ETERNAL LIFE-GOD LIFE-within him(or her), but He is NOT YET born an immortal SPIRIT BEING-not yet composed wholly of SPIRIT. He is now an heir of God as the son of a wealthy man is the heir of his father-but NOT YET “born again” –NOT YET an inheritor or a possessor. But IF His Holy Spirit dwells in us, God will, at Christ’s coming back to Earth as King of kings, “quicken” to immortality our mortal bodies BY His Spirit that dwells in us (Rom. 8:11; 1Cor. 15:49-53).’

Truly, ‘Satan has managed to deceive most of fundamentalist Christianity into believing they are already “born again” on accepting Christ. But just as in human reproduction when the HUMAN characteristics of form and shape and the human body and brain gradually begin to form during the period of gestation, so now the RIGHTEOUS and HOLY CHARACTER of God begins to take form and GROW”. This means that becoming a real Christian is not a sprint but a marathon. A believer of Jesus Christ ought not to just end at conversion but must be nourished and fed on God’s Word always. Besides, there must be continual and earnest prayer. These enhance the growth and character development (the fruit of the Spirit) process of that believer. Armstrong added, “Yet much of this spiritual character development comes through the Christian fellowship with other spiritually begotten people in God’s Church. Further, just as the human physical embryo and fetus are given physical nourishment through the human mother, God’s Church is the spiritual MOTHER of its members”.

A believer does not become a Christian merely by a passage of time and experience in Christianity. Jimmy Carter, before he became the 39^th president of the USA, was caged in this deception. He once confessed, “…I was asked by my denominational leaders to go on a pioneer mission effort. On the telephone, I said, ‘What am I supposed to do? I don’t know anything about mission work’. They said, ‘You just have to be willing, for a one-week period, to give your life completely to God, with no strings attached.’ Carter paused, smiled, and then resumed a serious expression. “At first I said, ‘Well, that’s easy.’ And then I reflected that, although I had been a Christian for thirty years, I had probably never given my life to God with no strings attached for even fifteen minutes.” The pause was even longer. And there was no smile. “And I went off on this mission later on and got a new perspective for Christianity, what it meant, in a personal way.” This means that a real Christian is a disciple of Jesus Christ who has wholly given his life to God with no strings attached for even a second! Are you a real Christian?

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of Persecutions are Promotions.

borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com