Instant things: The evil among us

The Standard, Sunday, 10 October 2011

While most Zimbabweans welcome the easy availability of places of worship much seems to be at stake as confusing teachings abound. One priest remarked that many a preacher today have taken the Cross from Christ and are offering something that is

contrary to the teachings of the Bible. Who said Christianity is problem-free gospel? Our pastors are telling us that when we join them we will be rich, diseases will disappear; suffering is no more and whatever we want we will get.

This is just as good as taking the cross from Christ. Christ says whoever wants to follow him must take up the cross. When Paul faced a terrible illness, he prayed and fasted for the ailment to go. The answer from God was, “My grace is sufficient”.

Many a Christian is disappointed for life because they are lured to our churches for healing and do not understand why when that does not happen. God sustains us even in our infirmities. I am not in any way saying God does not heal us.

We live in an age of quick-fixes. We are used to instant coffee, instant pudding, instant love, instant healing, and instant riches, quick-quick and so forth. The church has been caught up in this as well. This is our enemy, the evil among us and the cancer of this generation.

Many a home today has hordes of pieces of cloths which are for different purposes. We are told when you have headache just wet the cloth and put it on your head and the pain disappears.

When you want a certain type of car just take the cloth and wipe it and you will get a similar car. How different is this from voodoo religion? Are we really happy to get things such simple?

Yet the scriptures are very clear; we will eat out of our sweat. We have to toil for our food. It is commonly known that what comes easily also goes just as easily. We all need riches but we have to work for them and not just to wish for them. As preachers, let us teach our people to be workaholics. We need to create a work ethic for which Zimbabweans are known across the world.

To a greater extent missionary education and Christianity taught us to love work. This is what we, as modern day preachers, should concentrate on. There is no need to deceive each other as we try to win more members to our side.

Let us preach a gospel that makes people become resourceful so they gain things by honest means and hard work.

Rev Dr Levee Kadenge