The Conspiracy of Silence in the Church 1

There are so many controversial issues in the Nigeria church and the country at large begging for clarity and direction. Surprisingly the church and the leadership is yet to present a strong biblically based position on most of these issues as it concerns not only the body of Christ in Nigeria but the entire Nation. It appears, there is an unconscionable and immoral lethargy. The world is waiting for answers from the church that should be the beacon of hope and direction to the problem of the Nigerian Nation. But it appears the much needed direction is not forth coming coupled with the fact that this generation is already experiencing what the bible refer to as the last days. As evidenced by perilous times. Men have become the lovers of their belly only, lovers of pleasure more than lover of God. Leaders of God’s people are becoming heretic, whilst the elect are being deceived in droves by false teachings and false prophets. The false prophets and fake teachers are having a field day, misleading, polluting and poisoning the heart of the gullible. It reminds me of the saying of the American Revolutionary, Edmund Burke “The Only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing” What is the conspiracy of silence? This is simply defined as the conspiracy not to talk about a situation, an issue or an event or a subject. To do justice to this discourse, there are some pertinent questions we must ask and also attempt to answer in the light of scriptures. BEGGING QUESTIONS “Judge or Judge not” what is the balance to this teaching? Are we permitted to speak as believers and church leaders against errors, false teachings and false teachers or prophets? If yes. Why must we speak against them? Are there implications for seating on the fence on controversial issues that requires clarity and judgement especially where many people are being misled? How will Jesus and the Apostle react to false prophets and their false teachings? Is it necessary to set up regulatory bodies for Christian Organisation? If affirmative, what are the core responsibilities of such an organization? BIBLE IS CLEARLY AGAINST THE CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE OR THE CULTURE OF MUTENESS Paul clearly instructed the church to judge the fornicator. (1Cor 5 v 1-7) It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us The word judge actually means to discern to distinguish, to differentiate. Refusal to judge between good and evil is either as a result of disobedience or simply put immaturity. Ability to discern and judge between good and evil is what the bible refer to as maturity. (Heb 5 v 14) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. John the Baptist called the Pharisees and Sadducees (Who were the religious leaders of his days) “Generation of vipers”, “Snakes” (Matt 3 v 7) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Jesus even went a step further in dealing with false teachers. He called them hypocrites, blind guides, whited sepulchures and generation of vipers. (Matt 23 v 23-34) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: Then again, he disgraced them and drove them out of the synagogue, for turning it to the den of thieves. (John 2 v 13-16) “And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise”. (Mark 11 v 17) “And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves”. Maranatha. Culled fromunmaskthetruthasitis.blogpot.com