Dangerous arrogance

Zuma calls for a speedy Second Coming

2014-12-28 10:35

Durban - Addressing a group of elderly people at a Christmas gathering at his Nkandla homestead, President Jacob Zuma called on Christian priests to pray to God to send Jesus back to Earth because of the many sins in the country.

According to the Sunday Times, Zuma had been speaking off the cuff on Saturday and claimed there were many churches in the country “sinning too much”.

“The sins we have today are more than those that Jesus came to salvage. I ask the priests to ask God to send His son to come back again to cleanse our sins,” he said.

“He [God] must send him [Jesus] again. This time we won’t crucify him,” he added.

 

(Abstract from News 24)

 

Upon reading this news clip today I was left with a sense of utter dread at the arrogance and ignorance of Zuma’s dealing with God. His words show not only that he has no understanding of the salvation we have in Christ, but that he also has no idea of Who God is.

 

Pondering on this, I could not help to ask myself how many others do exactly the same. On a daily basis, people ‘deal’ with God in this way. 

 

• Some call themselves His followers but will also embrace beliefs such as reincarnation or Buddhism.
• Some will gladly embrace His ‘Christian principles’ into their school or institution or personal life yet vehemently reject Christ Himself.
• Many happily enjoy ‘Christmas’ and fun nativity plays and the like, but will have nothing to do with the God of Christmas.
• Sadly, many who also call themselves followers of Christ will continue to live a worldly life contradictory to His guidelines.
• Many preach and teach in His Name yet make reckless statements which they claim to be God’s truth.
• And many such as Zuma will just make statements that show that they have no idea…and don’t care.
  
  

I could go on with this list I suppose, but we should be careful to condemn the actions and words of Zuma and others as mentioned above, without examining our own hearts before God Almighty. It would do both sincere believers and non-believers good to meditate on the following Scriptures: 

 

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

(Galatians 6:7)

 

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

(1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

 

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”

(Matthew 12:36)

 

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.”

(1 Peter 1:16)

 

This past year, the Lord has allowed me to see in people, non-believers but even also in believers, teachers and preachers and even in myself the flaw of easy talking, making claims in the Name of God perhaps just too quickly showing that the fear of the LORD is lacking or starting to lack. I saw non-believers and new-agers laugh and mock at the idea of Christ; believers who have in fact become stagnant in their relationship with and knowledge of God make easy faith statements not backed by their lifestyle and I even saw those of us who have a passion to share the truth of Christ become so occupied with ‘fighting the good fight’ and ‘setting everybody on the right path’ that we lose contact with Christ and storm roll ahead, chopping off heads left right and center in and outside of the body of Christ.

 

Therefore, the above words of Zuma, though sending shivers down my spine, also act as a great reminder to enter the new year with humility before the One Almighty God; to be eager to learn from and listen to Him; to be patient in prayer before I do or say anything, especially and even regarding the smallest act of ministry, for God shall not be mocked.

 

In 2015, may we move and live and minister abiding in Christ and may His glory go forth unto the ends of the earth.

 

Best wishes for 2015,

Lize Dumon