Dear Bro Isaiah Onyetube,

A Message from My Heart

     I write in the presence of Jesus Christ our Lord, both yours and mine, who brings men out of the world of deceit and intrigues of men of darkened minds ‘into a large place’, nay, ‘a sea of glass’, where we may see eye to eye. I write to you, sir, ‘of the common salvation’, which was revealed and has ‘appeared to all men’ so that they, who once were alienated in the flesh from one another and ‘from the Father of lights’, may become related in the spirit.

     I’m happy to belong in the spotless body of Christ the Savior of the world, saved from my past shameful life of sin and assured of eternal life with the Lord and His holy ones, on account of the present life of faith which He has graciously made possible by dying on the cross, despised and rejected of men. He made a sacrifice of His body so that we may make a sacrifice of our souls unto Him. This thing is not hid, for it ‘was not done in a corner’ (Act 26:26); neither was it done ‘in secret’ (John 18:20). Therefore I rejoice in the light and desire that everyone would hold fast this confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end; since anyone who has tasted of the heavenly gift of light would have no pleasure in the fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness and shadows of mysticism. This is one reason I enjoy every aspect of the Christian faith and worship, unlike the secretiveness of falsehood and the furtiveness of the mystery religions of the world. The occult is full of mystical and unexplainable teachings and practices that keep its adherents in perpetual fear of the unknown and bondage of mortal men. But the Christian life is a way in which there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (wherein the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err). I will stand and remain in this clear unmistakable plain till Christ comes for me, with His rewards in His hand. Oh that blessed day! Now, no one can pluck me from this holy place, where I do abide in the realm of Father’s wondrous grace! Halleluiah! (John 10:28, 29).

     As I walked past a street that leads away from my new residence this morning, I stole another glance at a sculpture on the wall of an old building. It always makes me wonder. It is the moulding of a pregnant woman with a broken hind limb bound with bandage and what appears like sticks. I writhe with compassion for the multiple pains she goes through for the many years she must have been in that engraved condition of misery: pain in the mind, the broken leg that would not heal and the expected pains that accompany child conception.

     I write with particular interest for the condition of the church in Benin. This city has a history of how the devil has tried to frustrate the work of God that started before the Nigeria Civil War, through the missionary effort of late Brother Cecil Carver and His wife, Sister May Carver, when they met late Bro Titus Enu in 1965. A Bini native hijacked the work and brought forth a notorious daughter for Mystery Babylon. But I rejoiced when I learned that the church of God was still alive and well in this part of the world, in spite of the onslaught of the gates of hell. She lay like a pregnant woman, hopeful for safe delivery of ‘a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron’. I saw her and wondered and counted the cost to be one of hers. Selling my lot in the world I purchased a field of great treasure and my rejoicing was noised abroad. However, a lonely voice advised me not to be disappointed if I later discovered things contrary to my expectations in this visible land of songs. Yet I could not be persuaded that there was any chance that the pregnant woman could have a foot out of joint. How can stones of Babel be seen on Zion’s holy walls? God forbid! The church of God is holy and no spot does her robe retain. In the eighth chapter of ‘The Church of God- What it is and what it is not’, Bro D S Warner says: ‘There are no sinners in the church. But all sects are more or less filled with sinners. Hence, no sect is the church of God’. I believed I’ve come to mount Zion. I was so certain that I couldn’t find the mass of hypocrites whom I left behind in the regions of darkness here. In the last chapter of the same booklet our brother also says: ‘…the Word commands us to abide only in Christ and declares us “all one in Christ Jesus,” “one body in Christ,” by staying in Him only, in whom all Christians must abide, and in Whom there are no sinners, we are joined to all saints, and separated from all sinners, and stand free before God of the great transgression of sectism. Therefore, since every intelligent reader of the Bible knows that the Protestant sects and Romanism are not the church of God; that every sect corporation yokes together saints and sinners, which the Bible forbids; since the most bigoted confess that ‘the church [meaning the sect] will not save anybody,” and since Christ alone can save and keep us, and “we are complete in him,” why not abandon the sect and abide only in Christ, and His body the church? Since there will be no sects in heaven, why cling to them on earth? Why insult the wisdom of Christ by the imputation that the church He founded is not practical, and some man has, in these last days gotten up a better one, which you prefer? In the name of Jesus Christ, whose Word will soon judge us, we beseech all men to escape from all sin and sinners, from all sect clans, and sectish bands, and take refuge in Jesus Christ, and His own church, which is the “pillar and ground of the truth.’ Amen.

     I held on to my rejoicing until I first noticed some differences in doctrines and practices I read in the writings of pioneer brethren and those of the local church in Benin. At first I thought they could be ignored because they were insignificant. However, things have taken fundamental turns that will make keeping closed eyes and sealed lips on these differences equivalent to being appointed a ‘portion with the hypocrites’, who are only bold to judge those without and condone the ones within for committing the same offences (1Corinthians 5:12; Matthew 7:1-5). We lost our covering of immunity from criticism the moment we came out boldly to accuse others of being sects and sectarians. You cannot judge others and shy away or shield yourself from being judged; rather, we would only escape being judged by outsiders if we first judge ourselves and make room to be judged one of another. To tweak the holy scriptures (especially Ecclesiastes 5:6) to stop the correction of errors and falsehood in our midst can be likened to ‘a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint’, like our sculptured pregnant woman with a broken leg; how can she carry the weight of this pregnancy of so many years on ‘a foot out of joint’? Equity demands that we keep ourselves free from the traits that we think has made the nations of Christendom become Babylonians and formalists, or else we would not be justified to accuse them of what we ourselves do. I will make a little effort to make this point clearer in the following lines.

The Basis for Christian Unity

     In Bro Igbanibo’s welcoming speech for the just concluded camp meeting, he stated that ‘our unity must not go in form of the Nigerian popular slogan, “unity in diversity”, united as a geographical entity with diverse interests that would fuel crises in the face of the slightest provocation’. On the Sunday after the camp meeting, you mentioned in the local assembly the difficulty you encountered in your attempt to prescribe ‘the possibility for unity’ there. It also pains me that there still exists a needless controversy over what makes unity possible among believers. This, to me, may be as a result of the unclear definition of the type of unity intended by the advocates. If the terms are not made clear and various groups are being enthusiastically encouraged to unite, some of them would be wise enough to sit back and investigate the real intentions of the promoters of unity. For avoidance of doubt, there are different types of unity. If we are really serious about being one, we need to prayerfully consider what we desire to achieve and how we intend to achieve it. Are we interested in ecumenism? It is also a kind of unity, though it is ungodly. Do we desire a federation or a confederacy, with each group maintaining its identity and its general characteristics? Do we desire an amalgamation; that is, the uniting of denominations (so to speak), making one denomination out of two or more? Are we after an interdenominational fellowship among various groups? This is very common among modern denominations. It is an undenominational mingling, not on a denominational basis at all, but on a purely Christian basis in interdenominational activities. Although no one is advocating this method as the method of producing unity, it is being carried out with other purposes in view, co-operation being one of these purposes. The results being produced are neither the results of preaching unity nor of trying to organize for unity. They are the natural indirect fruits of the conditions being set up. Denominationalism fades into the background. Their differences are temporarily forgotten and through this mingling, becoming acquainted, sensing each other’s spirit, developing a common fellowship, a sort of real and true unity, which is always informal unity, is being produced very extensively. Nowadays, it is possible for an Anglican to mingle and fellowship with a Baptist and a Pentecostal with a Catholic; their doctrines don’t interfere with their love and unity. They may even inter-marry. But they are ‘autonomous’ in matters of doctrines. If this is the type of unity we desire we should not be shy about it, instead of following blind leads that deny the name but keep the nature.

     It’s not enough to amalgamate groups with different ideologies, where the loyalty of the individuals within the union lies heavily with the leadership of each uniting group. For example, except the elders in Benin agree with a doctrinal message presented by a brother or elder from Port Harcourt, the individuals in Benin may not comply with it. D S Warner speaks about a similar scenario in the eleventh chapter of his booklet quoted above. Here’s the excerpt: ‘Speaking of the church in various geographical localities, the apostle says: “So ordain I in all churches.” “As I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye [Corinthians].” It can easily be seen that if these New Testament “churches” were different sects, as we have today; one bishop could not give orders to them all. Bishop Simpson of the M. E. sect cannot issue orders over the U. B. Lutheran, Presbyterian, and other sects. He has no jurisdiction over them. So we see a vast difference between Bible churches and sect divisions. The former are all one in Christ. The latter are independent and separate schisms...’

     The proper unity is where individuals come out of other groups into one group. You don’t unite a group of local congregations. It’s the individuals that come together in Christ. Individuals in the various groups ought to be allowed to grow at their own pace according to the grace God gives them, instead of being subjects and loyalists to various leaders of sub-groups within a uniting group. The location of Individuals ought not to interfere with their faith, except the faith is not based on the Holy Bible.  The individual groups cease to exist in matters of doctrine. The locality should not be a dividing factor. It is only a geographical factor, such that if we were living, or peradventure relocated to live, in the same environment, we would not have a crisis of having different doctrines. Let’s assume that a brother from Port Harcourt (take for example Chinwendu and his family, assuming he’s married) relocated to Benin and had to fellowship with the church in Benin City. Would he have to throw away the doctrines he has accepted as biblical (take for examples, feet washing and the Lord’s Supper) in order to be united locally with the church in Benin? In my own case, having read D S Warner’s ‘The Church of God…’ booklet, I got interested and went online for more information. Being convinced that the Port Harcourt church were one in doctrine with the Faith and Victory Publishers, who are custodians of the Pioneers’ nineteenth century writings and teachings, I corresponded with them and I was referred to a church in Benin. After a short stay with the ‘Brother Imoni group’ I was not satisfied with some teachings there. I was later referred to Eguadase congregation on that account. Now that I have come to your midst, I have found contradicting differences between the two congregations. How do I fit in? I’m like a man who buys some packaged goods and finds out on opening the package that the description on the pack is different from the content of the pack. Who would be happy to find out that he has been deceived to think the church is one when they hardly agree on fundamental doctrines? If Benin elders are very sure that their doctrine is sound and that of Port Harcourt or any other congregation, for that matter, is not sound, then it is their duty to teach the ignorant party the correct doctrine of Christ, instead of keeping quiet in the General Assembly and going about their own separate business in a corner.

…A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

     The only basis for oneness among believers is the Christian life (the life of Christ) which every one of them possesses. The Christian life is activated in a man when the same Spirit that dwelt in Christ on earth is dwelling in him. When a number of persons living in a particular location at the same period of time have this same Spirit dwelling in them, they are united in fellowship with the Father and the Son. This fellowship is natural. It is called the ‘unity of the Spirit’, which we were admonished to endeavor to keep: being united with Christ makes us united with His body, the church. A life of sin rules us out of unity with Christ and His people. It is error to insist that we are one because we are having physical fellowship with one another. Fellowship is of the Spirit (Php 2:1). That a brother is physically present in our midst does not make him one with us. He’s only one with us if he is one with the Lord.

     We were taught during the camp meeting that erroneous doctrine is an incentive to sin. Therefore, having a clear doctrine that keeps the soul saved in the Lord is needful to preserve our much cherished union in Christ. We know that we all have individual differences which should not affect our union in Christ. Some may have better understanding in the faith than others. Some may have doctrines that are not sound and may not be accepted by others. But these differences do not hinder fellowship as long as there is a sincere willingness in the purified hearts of every one of them to ‘come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ’. Whoever thinks the ‘unity of the Spirit’ and the ‘unity of the faith’ are one and the same matter ought to have a re-think, because the apostle says we should endeavor to keep one till we come in the other. Although sin and carnality cause more division in the body than doctrines do, an erroneous doctrine naturally leads to the principle of sin. Therefore, whoever is saved from error is saved from sin (James 5:20). Knowing the risk of keeping false doctrines, every precious soul of God ought to seek to abide in the fullness of the knowledge of Christ and be cleansed from all errors and sins. On this subject, our beloved brother D S Warner said, ‘It is true that cleansing from error is not as instantaneous as from sin. But the pure in heart have perfect fellowship, even though all previously educated errors have not yet disappeared. There is therefore no real cause of division but sin.’ This stresses the need for forbearance where within the context of unity there exists some who have different understanding of the truth. But some seem to hide under this guise to continue with willful ignorance to make an excuse to stick to different doctrines in different congregations yet vying for unity in Christ. It is granted that two individuals may not see one thing the same way, but when attributes for individuals are transferred to groups, a ground of justification for denominationalism is produced.

     For years, we have held on to the slogan ‘…fellowship one with another…’ What kind of fellowship is that one, brother? For so many years, Port Harcourt and Benin cannot see eye to eye on the doctrines of Sanctification. Benin elders may be contented to assume a position that appears to be in a hurry ‘to agree to disagree, or to put on an equality truth and error.’ They would declare publicly in a cheerful and affirming voice, ‘you are very correct, but we’re all saying the same thing’, in order to achieve a kind of unity that tolerates and encourages a diversity of creeds and doctrines. But truth cries out in protest and calls attention to the unacceptability of such evil! We are clearly not saying the same thing if our statements do not agree. H M Riggle says, ‘Facts and truths are eternal principles. You cannot destroy a fact; neither can you destroy a truth. It may be possible for men, by their human reasoning and sophistry, to cover up and hide from the people the real truth, but this cannot erase it. It still remains the truth. It will stand forever. Again: Facts and truths never contradict. They never cross. A fact cannot contradict a fact. Truth CANNOT contradict a truth. All truth runs parallel. Any position or doctrine that is sustained by a single fact or truth is sustained by every other fact and truth, in the whole realm of fact and truth that has any bearing on the subject. Any doctrine or position that is refuted or contradicted by a single fact or truth is refuted and contradicted by every other fact and truth that relates to the subject’. Let’s examine these things in the fearful presence of God and end the game of deceit. It is a known secret that the Benin ministry believes itself to be the medicine for the church nationwide. They have it all and are not willing to change an aught of their doctrines in this move for unity. They have searched out the perfect doctrine, no matter what anybody says or thinks. They have been sent to help other congregations, not the other way round. Why do we seek unity with them with the intention to fellowship one with another so that the blood of Christ will make us one when we are unwilling to reason the scriptures together as iron sharpens iron? Are we hoping to deceive them into a social partnership that denies [or rather disregards] the true doctrine of Christ? While they hope that someday we shall come to understand with them and come in the unity of the Faith, we hold on to our own doctrine and are unwilling to show them our true position so we may discuss fruitfully.

     We must not continue to hold on to divisive doctrines while claiming to support the unity of the one body. This means we must make genuine efforts to be united in spirit and mind, which includes oneness of doctrines. I have witnessed series of services held before camp meetings and seminars with great efforts to prepare or rather harden the minds of local members against expected teachings from other congregations that contradict the creeds and beliefs of the local church. Resisting truths clearly proven by the scripture seminars after seminars and holding on to contrived unity cannot make us one before God. We must not continue to hide under the guise that different cultures will not allow for oneness of truth. The Bible is our rule of faith. It is the same Bible we use everywhere. Cultures do not change truth. D S Warner said, ‘One clear, unequivocal passage of Scripture is sufficient to establish any doctrine.’ The thought that we can be one even though we keep different doctrines is unacceptable to sound reasoning and foreign to the church of the first century. The letters to the seven churches in the second and third chapters of Revelation do not prove that local congregations are permitted to hold different doctrines. They only show our Lord commending some for doing right and condemning others for wrong. There was therefore one thing expected of all of them: to retain or return to the common salvation, and to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. There is only ONE FAITH (Eph 4:5). This is the unity (or oneness) of the faith we are to come in. Hear what D S Warner has to say about this (emphases mine): ‘Fellowship is of the Spirit (Phil. 2:1), and exists where heart-purity exists. It is the conscious blending of hearts filled with the same Holy Spirit. One may have been led into all truth, the other not. This does not interrupt fellowship. Nevertheless it is the duty of such as “know the truth,” in meekness to instruct others who do not. Ignorance of some truth does not destroy fellowship, but resisting the truth does, because it forfeits salvation. We must not sanction people’s errors, but if saved, show our love and fellowship to them, so long as they do not get the evidence that their wrong doctrines have become wilful, or they have in some way lost salvation. The fellowship ends, but love and kindness still continue in faithful efforts for their salvation. To ignore fellowship simply because of some doctrinal error is bigotry. To agree to disagree, or to put on an equality truth and error, is babel confusion. To know the truth is our privilege; to teach the truth our duty; but to have fellowship with the pure and upright of heart is an involuntary and spontaneous fact. Sects are the result of carnality. Nothing but perfect holiness destroys carnality, and thus removes both sectism and its cause. The fire of God’s love saves the soul, harmonizes all hearts that receive it, leads them into perfect and uniform obedience to all truth, and drives afar all who refuse to pass through its purging fire, and gain the plane of holy fellowship.’ We should endeavor to come in the unity of the faith.

Believe His Prophets, so shall Ye Prosper

     Here’s another fundamental difference Eguadase seems to be having with the rest of the church of God. We cannot talk about unity unless this is looked into. It may appear quite innocent and biblical to teach from 2Chron20:20 and command the church to ‘Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.’ But, this verse is easily removed from its context by deceitful teachers who try to put their followers in bondage, claiming to be the prophets that this verse enjoins them to believe. One now has cause to wonder whether any part of scripture enjoins believers to believe in prophets in order to prosper. Searching through the gospel, you would not find where Christ enjoined his followers to believe in any prophet, rather, we find warnings for us to beware of false prophets. Even the word ‘prosper’ used in that verse has nothing to do with the much touted sense of materialism. The right context was success in the battle the Jews were prosecuting at that time. It was a saying of King Jehoshaphat addressed to his subjects. Much harm is done to the verse when the statement is removed from its context. It makes people forget the real case. This is one of the way deceitful teachers make men forget God’s word. I am not saying that every mistake is deliberate. However, the error, whether by omission or commission, more often than not produces the same results. This is why they ought to be treated similarly. Every godly teacher ought to study to show themselves approved workmen who need not be shamed. When they are deficient, they should be humble enough to learn from those who are more knowledgeable.

     The only other time we hear a similar instruction is in John14:1, which says: ‘ye believe in God, believe also in me.’ In the Old Testament, even though God intended to have personal contact with men like He did with Adam, Abraham, etc, the Israelites couldn’t bear the terribleness of His voice and begged that an intermediary come between Him and them (Ex 20:19; De 5:5,25; 18:16; Heb12:19). That gave rise to the mediation of prophets. It’s not so anymore, because, ‘In times past the word of God came to our fathers through the prophets, in different parts and in different ways; But now, at the end of these days, it has come to us through his Son, to whom he has given all things for a heritage, and through whom he made the order of the generations’ (Heb1:1, 2 Bible in Basic English BBE). We now have direct access to God. There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1Tim 2:5) It is only in the walls of partition and darkness that a one man pastor tells his church members to believe in him in order to prosper. They want their members to remain babes and loyal to them and their authority. But true pastors after God’s heart encourage the young converts to grow to maturity in Christ to become like them so as to teach others. They don’t draw disciples after themselves but after Christ (Act20:30). Christ is the only master in the church. He’s our High Priest, our Prophet and our King. He does not share His glory with any man. His under-shepherds have no right to be ‘lords over God's heritage’. Their work as shepherds is no exaltation above the flock of God, but is metaphoric for their function of spiritual tending as ‘ensamples to the flock’ but ‘not by constraint’, and ‘neither as being lords over God's heritage’. It is similar to a player in a team who doubles as coach. One George Weah of Liberia played this role in international football some years ago. The pastors in God’s flock are also sheep like other members of the flock. The different offices in the ministry are functions and not hierarchical positions found in worldly governments. Christ has said it shall not be so among His church.

     Although, what we now have in churches is a government system that distinguishes and sets a pastor above the elders in a church, it has not been always so. Check the Bible. Get a verse that identifies a pastor in charge of a particular church. For instance, who was the pastor or bishop of the Corinthian church? Who was the bishop of Jerusalem or Antioch or Ephesus? The fact that we may have to put up with this unbiblical system doesn’t mean we must submit to the tyranny that is usually associated with the one man show. This was how the popes of Rome ruled their subjects with threatening of hell and physical death if they resisted. They had to believe in the prophet whether he was right or wrong. He’s answerable to no man but God. They must follow him sheepishly or else they would be guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and become an Anathema forever!

Mt 20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

 Mr 10:43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:            

 Lu 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

     We are called to serve, not to be reverenced. We should see ourselves as nothing before God. If a brother corrects our erroneous teaching, we should not perceive him as a rival, seeking to unseat us from our posts so that he may take our place. We have no such posts among us. It is in the walls of partition where the light of truth has not enveloped that men fight for pre-eminence.

     The office of a prophet in the church of God is not the same as that of the Old Testament. It’s not proper to mix-up these things. Their altar and tabernacle was of the earth. So was their administration.  But ‘We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle’. To prophesy is to foretell or to forth tell the word of God. This is the same as inspirational preaching. A preacher who is inspired by the Holy Spirit prophesies when he speaks ‘unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.’ (1Cor.14:3)

     It is common for the denominational clergy to ascribe to themselves attributes of the kings and religious leaders of the Old Testament, expecting the congregation to owe them like submission. They compare their office to that of Moses or King David, and keep sleepless watch for the Miriams and Absaloms who seem to be eyeing their seats. Their messages are centered on warnings to keep the followers’ allegiance at a secured level. “Among the saints, it shall not be so!” No earthly master do we know; Christ alone is Lord! All we are equal in His sight when we obey His word. Like Moses, Christ alone is our great Prophet. Like David, only He is king in this kingdom of ours.

More False Doctrines

     Another practice by the ministry that leads to error in doctrine that I, who am but the least in Eguadase, have observed, is that they are bold to speak loudly where the Bible is silent. In the past I was carried away with your teachings on most subjects. I had no church of God background. It is after my dream of recent that I started checking to unlearn things I learnt from you. In that dream, I was with a brother from another congregation. We were both listening to you. While I was admiring your style of preaching, the brother looked unhappy and whispered to me that the teaching was poisonous. But space will fail will to enumerate the various doctrines that set your group apart from churches of God of all time and all places. I’ll briefly mention a few, hoping that you will prayerfully consider them, if by any means we might all ‘be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light’.

“Let the Woman Have Power “over” Her Head”

     It is very sad to think that we can still love each other and have a form of unity while holding doctrines that keep us at each other’s throats, fighting and mocking behind the back. The Mystery of darkness is not that insincere. They own their differences without pretence. The names of their denominations bear no pretentions to their doctrines. Their creeds are clearly spelt out. Any new comer in their midst knows what to expect. He would not be shocked by their unbiblical practices since he is aware beforehand by the name and creed the denomination subscribes to. Why should one come to a church of God gathering and be faced with ridiculous teachings that find no base in the word of God, or that comes as a result of tweaking a clear verse, which may be attributed to poor understanding of language. Such deficiency could be understandably surmounted when the ignorant party is open to correction and willing to learn from those who are more enlightened. A case that comes to mind is the doctrine about plaiting of hair. I remember when efforts were made to justify plaiting the hair by use of a tweaked verse. I could not bear the constant preaching that ‘the woman ought to have power OVER her head; therefore no one should seek to know how she or her husband wants her to maintain it since it is covered from view. She has power over her head!’ This seemed to me to be a poor understanding of 1Corinth11:10. I wanted to comment on it but since we were not allowed to ask questions, I requested for a private audience with you to discuss it. I then showed you that the correct rendering of the verse is that ‘the woman ought to have power ON her head’ (the word ‘power’ being representative of a veil or covering, in sign that she is under the power of her husband). Instead of disputing the issue with me or showing me a better understanding you had obtained on it, you readily agreed that you meant to say the same thing I said. But I made you see that I and the rest of your audience understood you to mean that the woman had a right to do whatever she pleased with her hair, as it relates to plaiting; at least two of your followers have used it that way in argument with me. I was surprised by your denial and great display of humility that day. You even went further to suggest that I should make the local church know the right rendering of the verse, but I turned down the request and suggested that you make the correction known by yourself. But till date, it seems the correction has not been made, although you do not make mention of the verse any more. Your congregants still believe in that twisted version. Since they would not take my word over yours, I couldn’t show them this point without appearing to be casting doubts on the pastor’s ability to teach the truth to his local congregation. That the pastor didn’t want to personally make the correction known to the church even though he avoided repeating the error may be evidence that he doesn’t want to appear wrong before his own church. Therefore, instead of sacrificing the pastor’s integrity for the truth, the church would remain with a distorted version of God’s word.

     This is just one out of the many but avoidable errors that I have come to face in your midst. It is sad that they are too numerous and complicated to handle, though much of it could be amended if there was a right spirit in the ministry. But that is what seems to be missing. Every service is full of boastful testimonies of being the only right church in Nigeria with a perfect doctrine and the medicine for the church in Nigeria. I have been having a hard time coping with people who separate themselves as having greater sanctity and a wisdom and peculiar doctrine, distinct from others, praise themselves and mock others. Like what occurred on Sunday, 7^th September, 2014, after the camp meeting, when Bro Goodluck came out to praise the local church for their impressive showing during the camp. He raised objection to the teaching by Bro Oke on plaiting of hair. His testimony visibly had the blessing of many of the local congregants. He mused that the Eguadase brothers did well to obey their rule on shaving the beard, and in the same breath cautioned that the local elders do a careful consideration of the aspect of plaiting of hair so that the local church is not put in bondage. I was surprised to hear this from the same Bro Goodluck Omozeze, who in a conversation with me after the very teaching at the camp meeting affirmed what you testified in agreement with the teaching that day. When Goodluck asked me rhetorically whether I don’t know the position of the Eguadase Street Elders on plaiting of hair, I told him bluntly that their position is very unsteady. It is a known fact that most of the Benin sisters do plait their hair, the pastor’s claim notwithstanding. It is also a known fact that the pastor and elders of Benin support plaiting one time or another, the Benin Church pastor’s open acclamation in support of Bro Oke’s message notwithstanding. His proviso that women use oil to enable easy combing appears to be what led some sisters, including my wife, to use a prescribed hair cream which included a “relaxer”. Bro Francis Egwu told me he had to put down his feet at that time that his wife would rather plait than perm her hair. It was painful that my wife was misled by those who ought to show her the right way of adornment that pleases God. When many godly sisters realized that the cream prescribed to them altered the nature of their hair, they had to stop using it. Some however went back to plaiting. My wife chose to consult some sisters from Port Harcourt who were keeping the Bible doctrine of not plaiting the hair, yet had long well kept natural hair. They taught her the way it is done. She has since been keeping it that way to the glory of God, and a testimony for those who argue that the African woman cannot keep long hair without plaiting. But the conscience of the people who led those women to use creams that changed the natural texture and color of their hair ought to prick them to repent for the error.

     It is amazing how a clear Bible verse can be so hard to accept after so many years of reasoning together, whereas, an elder in the local congregation can take it upon himself to enforce the observance of a rule of shaving the beard which does not have a clear New Testament endorsement. That the young congregants will readily obey this man, while putting away what is clearly written in 1Tim 2:9 and 1Peter 3:3 is a marvel to me because it smacks of the same ‘man rule’ which we condemn in the denominations.  One cannot be silent about these things and remain honest and saved. If we find it so difficult to accept the doctrine of plaiting the hair as found in the scriptures, how can we have any scriptural ground to outlaw the wearing of gold in our midst, since it is also not condemned plainly anywhere else in the whole scripture? This matter demands our thoughtful and honest consideration.

     It may also be useful to recall how you readily and openly accepted Bro Oke’s teaching on hair plaiting in the camp meeting, although you added a slight modification which was immediately and publicly objected by Bro Chinwendu, giving no room for any stealthy alteration.  One has cause to wonder why you were in such a hurry to show that you agreed with the teaching, which your local congregants know quite well you don’t support, even though no one requested to know your position on the matter. With all clearness of reason, sir, your teaching on plaiting of hair is very different from Bro Oke’s, except it has changed. Men of great intelligence who are desperate to preserve their influence on their followers when their integrity and stronghold are being attacked do the same thing. We should not be so desperate for ‘unity’ that we employ subtlety. Bro Warner warns that ‘To agree to disagree, or to put on an equality truth and error, is Babel confusion.’ Sir, may I say with all brotherly love that you did not need to rush to show your agreement with his message publicly. We all know what you teach on the matter. Your claim notwithstanding, it is a fact that Eguadase sisters still adorn themselves outwardly with plaiting of hair, and there is a want of effective teaching to change that. The sisters in Eguadase who still act contrary to Bro Oke’s teaching on hair plaiting should have been allowed to receive the message that was meant for that effect, since such kind of teaching is not common in Benin congregation. There was a need to allow the local brethren prayerfully consider whether the message agreed with the word of God. Coming out to moderate a clear message is a way of standing between the one who had just delivered the message and the people to whom it was delivered. There would have been no need for such intervening moderation after the message if the message was well delivered and if the flock was truly led by the Holy Spirit who leads to all truth. This mediation, which is very common in our local gathering, is very unnecessary and time consuming. A Spirit-led audience is matured and intelligent enough to test the teaching like the Bereans did after Paul’s teaching. They didn’t need their local pastors or elders to moderate the teaching of Bro Paul for them; neither did they need an elder like Bro Christian Elui to go round and enforce the compliance. They had the Holy Spirit within them to fully persuade them. This is what the local congregants need. If you were really in agreement with Bro Oke’s teaching, you will prayerfully change your teaching on the subject before the local church because it is quite different. I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not.  Let Eguadase brethren know the real dangers of striving with their maker when they alter the work of His hand. It’s not what you say but how you say it. The understanding of your audience is that you do not support the teaching of the Port Harcourt brethren on 1Tim2:9 and 1Pet3:3.

Is Satan Real or Not?

     I have found out that the modern doctrine that denies the definite person of Satan comes with a cult that broke away from Alexander Campbell’s church of Christ. The cult which was founded by Dr. John Thomas, who was born in England in 1805, is named Christadelphians. These people believe that there is no literal, personal devil or demons. They regard the devil as simply the personification of evil. Eph 2:2 states that the prince of the power of the air is the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. This shows that such a personal spirit exists. One of the most serious aspects of this denial is that it completely undermines the reliability of Scripture. How are we, for example, to understand the temptations of Jesus? Are we to think that the writers of the Gospels were wrong when they indicate that Satan actually spoke to Jesus and tempted Him? The Christadelphian's rejection of the existence of Satan demonstrates their contempt for the Scriptures; for the Bible clearly reveals that the devil is an evil spirit who literally exists. The book of Job speaks of Satan in terms of a real spirit who spoke with God, and accused Job of only loving God for what he could get from Him. Who can read the book of Job and not conclude that there is a personal devil? According to the Bible, Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by Satan, during which time Satan actually spoke to Him and tempted Him to do evil. The Bible records that Jesus conducted a conversation with Satan. It is obvious that the Christadelphians do not take the teachings of Scripture seriously, but distort them to fit with their own theories. The Bible leaves us with no question at all regarding the reality of the literal existence of a spirit being called Satan. By their denial of the personality of Satan, the Christadelphians demonstrate how little regard they really have for the integrity of God's word. And it might interest you to note that this kind of teaching is strange among the other congregations of the church of God, except Eguadase, in Benin.

     On this, Adam Clarke says: ‘It is now fashionable to deny the existence of this evil spirit; and this is one of what St. John (Re 2:24) calls “the depths of Satan”; as he well knows that they who deny his being will not be afraid of his power and influence; will not watch against his wiles and devices; will not pray to God for deliverance from the evil one; will not expect him to be trampled down under their feet, who has no existence; and, consequently, they will become an easy and unopposing prey to the enemy of their souls. By leading men to disbelieve and deny his existence, he throws them off their guard; and is then their complete master, and they are led captive by him at his will. It is well known that, among all those who make any profession of religion, those who deny the existence of the devil are they who pray little or none at all; and are, apparently, as careless about the existence of God as they are about the being of a devil. Piety to God is with them out of the question; for those who do not pray, especially in private (and I never met with a devil-denier who did), have no religion of any kind, whatsoever pretensions they may choose to make.’

“The Children Born in the Church Are Holy”

     There was an opportunity for truth to triumph one evening fellowship, when Sister Ngozi Egwu inquired whether there was any other work required of children born in the church for the salvation of their souls, apart from obedience to their parents? The Pastor affirmed the doctrine of Eguadase church that every child born physically into the church is holy, citing 1Cor7:14, which say: ‘For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.’ The plain testimony of Scripture stands out in clear teaching that the righteousness of a parent is not transferable to their offspring (Eze 14:16, 18, 20). How come the teaching of the pastor declares the children born by members of the church already saved by virtue of the condition of their birth? When Paul said that the children of a believing spouse are holy and clean, he did not mean that the children do not have sin dwelling in them prior to repentance and salvation, like every other human before redemption. His point was to rule out discrimination against the children and separation or divorce on account of the unconverted condition of an unbelieving spouse or parent. The children have grace to be won to Christ by the Christian parent, the same way unbelieving husbands are won while they behold their wives’ chaste conversation coupled with fear. An unbiased consideration of 1Cor7:14 will reveal that the sanctifying of the unsaved husband or wife by the saved spouse is similar to the sanctifying of their children. If therefore a teacher claims that this verse declares the children holy on account of their parents’ faith, it therefore follows that the unbelieving spouse is holy and saved because their partner is a member of the church of God! That would mean that people would not need to repent and be converted if they are either born by holy parents or their marriage partner is a true Christian. Strange teachings of demons from the pit of hell cannot be worse than such a doctrine! We should avoid teachings that hinder true repentance in the hearts of our children. They need teachings that will make them anxious to love God with a pure heart fervently and anxious to make no compromise with ‘inbred Canaanites’: but will make them wish for the extermination of every evil from their heart. Hence they would be willing to receive the most humiliating and sin killing truth. They will not only suffer the loss of ‘right eye’ and ‘right hand,’ but for Christ's sake, freely bring the ‘old man’ to the cross, that the whole body of sin might be destroyed. How needful it is for the old rugged cross to be presented to the young and tender eye of their minds, with the spirit of grace and of supplications, so that they may be able to look upon Christ who was pierced; and so that they can mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn! The whole local church indeed needs messages that will make us sorry and sorrow to repentance. Such godly sorrow is what will work repentance to salvation not to be repented of. Before we can even talk about sanctification or a second work of grace, we need to start from this first work of justification, which every man born into this world must receive from God before they can have be reconciled to Him.

Therefore being justified by faith,

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom ALSO (a second work) we have ACCESS by faith into THIS GRACE

Wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

(And in this second grace)

The peace of God, which passes all understanding,

Shall rule in our hearts

Keeping our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

     The above lines clearly show The Bible Doctrine of the Second Work of Grace. I believe it is clear to all whose hearts are open to receive it from the Lord. Any contrary definition of the second work that is alien to the Holy Bible, being invented and cunningly devised by mortal men is as worthless as ‘profane and old wives' fables’.

     How can the first lines in the sixth chapter of the book of Hebrews which adjoins us all to go on to perfection, be tweaked to mean we should no longer preach salvation messages? It is not only painful that an organization that claims to be ‘church of God’ does not only consider the message of salvation as unnecessary for Sunday sermons as well as the regular making of ‘altar calls’, but that this people should put in its place teachings that feed the mind but not the soul, being mainly centered on meat and drink, earthly living, morality, and financial security is, to say the least, appalling. The primary purpose Christ has built a church on earth is for the Salvation of the souls of men from sin, so that all may be partakers of eternal life with the Father. This ought to be paramount, and not pushed into oblivion by material doctrines, in the heart of any pastor that is truly called of God. It certainly upsets me to see a new member come and leave our midst without getting a true picture of the church which Jesus built. Opportunities come and go, yet the armies make no effort of advancement to gain more territories for the great King and His kingdom. Evangelism is relegated.

     We claim to follow D S Warner’s teachings, whereas, we reject his teachings, especially that of a second work of grace which severed his place in the Winebrenner church of God where he had worked as a minister. Who will agree that two congregations are one when one preaches that Christ saves from all sins and perfects the soul here on earth, in line with D S Warner’s teachings of ‘A Second Work of Grace’, and the other may appear to agree but with the same breath gives a different interpretation of the ‘Second Work’ which seeks to deny and obviate the extermination of the works of the flesh, such as pride, anger, lusts, etc, in man? The preaching of the message of salvation is ‘not yea and nay’. It should be as convicting and clear as daylight or else the soul would be beguiled by the tempter who is ever ready to repeat what was done in Eden’s Garden. It is not enough to argue that preachers of ‘a second work of grace’ should prove it by their work instead of their word. The testimony of the Holy Scriptures is ‘a more sure’ proof (2Pet 1:19). Although the testimony of the preacher is an indispensable added asset, the need for clear preaching of a complete cleansing from the sinful nature of man cannot be dismissed because many a witness of a sanctified experience have come short of the expectation. If scriptural proofs make it imperative for Christians, then it must be an experience worth desiring. D S Warner opens the preface of the ‘Bible Proofs for A Second Work of Grace’ with the following words: ‘The church is God's appointed means of saving the world. But perfect holiness is her normal condition. And holiness is only attained by a definite grasp of faith, and it cannot be thus appropriated until presented to the mind in a definite form. Having, therefore, a clear conviction, that upon the preaching, and testimony of entire sanctification, as a distinct experience, subsequent to justification, more than upon all else besides, depends the salvation of immortal souls, the safety of converts, the purity and consequent power, peace and prosperity of the church, and the glory of God: and perceiving that this "second grace" is the ultimate end of Christ's death, and the great burden of the apostolic ministry: I was constrained to dedicate, forever unto the Lord, all the energies of my being, for the promotion of this great salvation.’

     Why do some labor to disprove scripturally established truths? Why do they cast doubts on God’s word because of some men’s testimony? Bro Warner says, ‘in vain all your attempts to deny it-you only thereby publish your sad want of it. "Forever, oh Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."’ It is a fact that most of the people who oppose the truth of second grace really know next to nothing about it. If only they would search for this truth with a willing heart instead of approaching it with hyper-cynicism, they would joyfully receive the blessed peace of God that passes all understanding. The experience of perfect love for a heart purified cannot be received by the scoffing and double-minded. The message of entire sanctification is not made appealing to the heart ‘under the generalizing preaching of the present day, [in which] no further application of the blood of Christ is pointed out to meet the deeply left want of perfect heart purity. And the great day of reckoning will disclose the solemn fact that thousands have turned back to the double bondage of Egypt and are now eternally lost, who, with definite teaching in the way of holiness, would have been washed in the Redeemer's blood, had their "fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."’ Faith comes by hearing. D S Warner also says he perceived ‘that it was for want of someone to "give the trumpet a certain sound," or set forth perfect holiness as the privilege of all Christians, attainable now, by a definite act of faith [that the experience seems unattainable]. In order to experience either justification or entire sanctification these blessings must be presented to the eye of faith as a definite object of pursuit.’  One church of God condemns Babylonian priests for preaching what it calls a sin-you-must gospel, in which it is argued that no one is without sin. Yet another ‘church of God pastor’ shows with his teaching that the basics of human nature are the same whether you’re born-again or not. He argues that people don’t change. Does this not amount to confusion? Is it not clear to an honest mind that the teachings of both congregations are different? You will say we all have individual differences. That is why the denominations can pretend to be individual members of the one body of Christ and branches in the True Vine. In truth, Christ relates with us as individuals and not as groups and denominations. Therefore, groups that have no recognition in heaven ought not to divide the saints on earth. The saved souls ought to have spiritual fellowship with themselves without the needless mediation of groups and group leaders. Pastors with parochial inclinations in matters of doctrines cannot pretend to be vying for unity when they yet hold to their different characteristics. If true unity must be achieved individual members of the various groups must be allowed to interact with one another without prejudice to the local pastors or leaders of thoughts in the uniting groups.

     The teaching that Job’s kind of trial cannot happen to a believer is common among Word of Faith movements. That James 5:11 compares the endurance of saints to the patience of Job does not deter their position. These are such who are not bothered by evidences. It’s important to note that apart from Eguadase, no known church of God of all time agrees with them on this.

Angels and Ministers

    According to Acts 23:8, the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit. But Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.’ (Mt 22:29, 30) From His response it is clear that there will be angels even in the day of resurrection. Yet you have preached several times that the ministry of angels ceased after the church of God was established and confirmed. I do not know where this doctrine comes from. Was the angel who opened the prison door for Peter in Acts5:19 a human agent? What about the ones who spoke to Philip and Cornelius in Acts 8:26 and 10:3 respectively? The Bible seems to be silent on this, but not the Eguadase ministry which is determined to replace the all angels in the New Testament era with human ministers. The difficulty you are having trying to interpret Hebrews 1:14 which declares the angels ministering spirits (instead of human beings) is not unnoticeable. You have even gone a step further to teach without offering a single scriptural proof that the angels were created after the fall of man. When first I countered that statement with Job 38:7, which indicate that angels were singing and rejoicing at the creation of the earth ever before man was made, you stopped making the claim until some years later. I wonder what has given rise to the resumption of this unscriptural claim. Peradventure, it is thought that the new brother has now been brain-washed to accept whatever comes from the lips of the prophets like the older members do. For avoidance of doubt, I still stick to the scriptures only, not ‘having men's persons in admiration because of advantage’!

144,000 and Soul Sleep

     The teaching that first aroused my misgivings about the credibility of your doctrines was your handling of a Sunday lesson on the “Wheat and Tares” which contradicted what is written in the Bible Study Lessons we use as manual. Also your take on the 144,000 virgins in the book of Revelation was quite surprising. It is similar to that of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. It supports the ‘soul sleep’ doctrine which Brother Warner labored to contradict in his book ‘What is the Soul?’  I had to give you a copy of the writing of DS Warner after the message, hoping you’d be corrected. But I’m not sure you read it, because you have since not changed your opinion about ‘soul-sleep’. I felt great compassion for you that day when you stated that Christians who have died after the early apostles are presently sleeping in the grave, waiting for the coming of Christ. You hold that only 144,000 Christians of the 1^st century are in heaven reigning with Christ. Whereas, F G Smith in the Revelation Explained stated that the number 144,000 is symbolic and not literal, “showing that the church before the end is to be perfect and complete.” The number 144,000 is a multiple of 10 and 12 which represents perfection and completion respectively. Amazingly, you scoffed at teachers who quote FG Smith’s book instead of depending on the Holy Spirit. If the ground you expect your teachings to be accepted by the church of God is because you are an elder, F.G. Smith is also an elder inspired of the Spirit of God for the church of God worldwide.

Lesson Learnt Yet?

     When during a minister’s meeting on June 1, 2013, Bro Osi Ogbonnaya of Onicha congregation observed that some points raised in the course of discussions had not been treated, citing an instance of the accusations leveled against Bros Emeka and Isaiah, Bro Barth Nwachukwu explained that there was no need to stress the matter because it was obvious that everyone had learnt one lesson or another in the course of the discussion. He made an appeal that everyone should follow issues that advance peace rather than dissenting matters. He as well as the rest of us hoped you had learnt some lessons from the proceedings. Much of the issues appear to have been swept under the carpet because the ministers were visibly reluctant to dishonor you before the people. Some of the pertinent questions that should have been asked there are whether it was true that you really taught and said the things the Ebonyi brethren accused you of. If you really taught such doctrines, the next line of question would have been whether the doctrines were right. If they were not right, one would then wonder if you have repented of them and renounced them publicly. The same line of questioning will also go for the past teachings against caring for family relations who left the local church; university education for the girl-child; of denial that mosquito is the carrier of malaria parasite; of the Ebola Virus Disease, among others.

Power and Might

     Lastly, I’ll talk about the use of physical force. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. A body of teaching that denies the existence of spiritual wickedness to wrestle with will definitely be left with a battle with flesh and blood. This is largely reflected in the demonstrating, during your preaching, of past bravado in physical combats in the Nigeria civil war as soldier on the side of Biafra and valiant deeds elsewhere, which used to be amusing to me the manner it still amuses the local congregants. It no longer makes me laugh because I can now see hidden in the expressions, an encouragement for violence. It is no wonder then that reference was made to Paul’s fight with the beasts at Ephesus as justification for an apparent loss of temper and aggressive behavior between you and the Okike brothers during a ministers’ meeting in Benin a couple of months ago. It reminds one of a tale that an elder among us beat up his wife one night in the presence of his children. It was his unbelieving neighbor that revealed this embarrassing news. He said he was disappointed to see an elderly man raise his hand against his wife. He was not very particular with the point that the elderly man was a Christian, let alone the fact that he was of repute in a much celebrated church of God congregation. His only concern and consideration was the age of the man, wondering how he must have been when he was younger. Another concerned neighbor confirmed the scandal when he publicly condemned another act of violence a few days later in the residence of one of the elder’s children who is married, saying that the son must have learnt it from his father. This was a compound where some efforts had been made to bring the outsiders to the knowledge of Christ and the church of God. The people we desire to call out of Babylon would now become bold to refer to our church members whom they know. This makes it hard and confusing for an honest heart to stand up for the preaching against the denominations.

     I pray always for God to make the true church visible to the eyes of men in this city. There is no real sign that the wounds of the broken feet of sculptured pregnant woman is healing. The balm seems to be ineffective. There are also reports of pockets of physical aggression among highly rated members. These things always end up being wrapped in silence, with the aggressive party shielded from open rebuke especially when they are of note among the elders. As I put these things on record, I’m not unmindful of the likely response I may get from some quarters. But I must not fail to show that human history is full of how organizations of men use physical force to maintain order in their gathering. The church of God in the New Testament lacks examples of such things. The servants of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle and patient unto all men.

Finally

     I do hope I’ll not become an enemy for sharing this truth. I have no deliberate intention to hurt you or anybody, for that matter. I was afraid to share my heart, but the Lord says: ‘Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace.’ Acts 18:9

‘He that speaks truth shows forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.’ Proverbs 12:17

‘I find it impossible to avoid offending guilty men, for there is no way of avoiding it but by our silence or their patience; and silent we cannot be because of God’s command, And patient they cannot be because of their guilt.’ Martin Luther

‘Wait not until you are backed by numbers; the fewer the voices on the side of truth, the more distinct and strong must be your own.’ Channing

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company [or their church], and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Lu 6:22

     I love the heavenly church of God, the mother of us all; and I am persuaded that neither death, nor life shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I write these things that she might be purged of every spot and wrinkle; healed of every infirmity, and be the body of the Lord Jesus Christ indeed, and not just in name. I love you and all with you; and I want us all to be together in heaven, even if I be forcibly separated from the visible local assembly at Eguadase Street, by the power and acts of mortal men.

Brother Eric Okhuakhua