Features
Correcting some doctrinal misconceptions
This week I have a very strong desire to talk about the things of God and therefore the Bible. There are a whole lot of misinterpretation going about in the world as far as the Bible, which is the Word of God, is concerned.
One of the easiest jobs that does not require a licence to get into, is the Pastoral vocation. In this country all you need is a loud voice and even if you do not have, you can seek the aid of a loudspeaker to preach.
Again, one does not have to sit for any exams and all you need to do is to talk to Headmaster of one of the numerous JHS, get a classroom, get a couple of young ladies who have melodious voices and you are good to go.
As a result, we have all manner of people with very questionable characters parading about as Pastors, a.k.a., Men of God. Again, because titles are not something we purchase, they pick all manner of titles after getting a few congregation and transferring the church from a classroom to a structure of their own.
Suddenly they become Bishop after initial title of Prophet and as someone said they butcher the scriptures like nobody’s business. We have an interesting country.
One of the misconceptions is the question of whether the Bible endorses the consumption of Alcohol or not. In the Old Testament which is basically a manual for the relationship between God and his people, Israel, drinking of alcoholic beverages was not forbidden.
However, there was a particular group of people, who were forbidden to consume alcoholic beverages. In Leviticus 10:9-10, God specifically gave a decree for the High Priesthood Order to follow that is, they were to abstain from alcohol throughout the generations.
When we come to the New Testament, the Bible makes it clear to us that, every believer is regarded as a High Priest and therefore a member of the High Priesthood order who are to abstain from strong drink, i.e. alcoholic drink.
A careful study of the Bible, leads one to conclude that Christians are to shun alcoholic drink because our bodies now houses the Spirit of God just like the Tabernacle in Old Testament so we should not contaminate it with unholy things.
There is another issue that raises a lot of argument in Christian circles. The issue of Tithe is a very topical issue that is gainng attention in this era if social media.
Some Christians believe that Tithe is an Old Testament thing and therefore should not be countenanced in the New Testament era.
To really understand what Tithe is, we need to go to Genesis 14:20 where Tithe originated. It was a sacrifice initiated by Patriarch Abraham that was motivated by the Spirit of God after God had given him a mighty victory in battle.
It therefore became a practice among the descendants of Abraham. God endorsed its observance after the Commandments were given to Moses and was among other reasons to serve as a means for taking care of the needs of the Levites the Priests.
In Malachi God instituted it as an ordinance for generations to come cautioning noncompliance and specifying blessings that will follow its observance. In the New Testament, it was mainly practised as an offering on a weekly basis by the early church and it was received by the leaders, every first day of the week according to 1 Corinthians 16:2.
I intend to periodically attempt to address certain issues that appear controversial in the Bible gradually, we shall have a clearer understanding to enrich our knowledge of the Bible.
NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’
By Laud Kissi-Mensah