OF CHEAP GRACE, UNHOLY DATING, CASUAL S.X, AND A GENERATION
Many Christians think sleeping with the person you have made a commitment to marry is right. Casual sex is thus welcome and permissible.
The numbers of so called Christians who have been trapped in this is so great.
In my years of counselling, the numbers of Christian couples marrying as virgins is decreasing â and no, it wasnât sex before they became born again, it is sex as believers â sinning saints.
In some churches persons are thought that it doesnât matter what you do with your body, your spirit is what counts â you can never lose your salvation, and no one teaches them self restraint, crucifying of the flesh, breaking free from temptation, lust and addiction â rather what we have is a kind of laissez-faire behavior when it comes to sexual immorality.
Bonhoeffer calls this kind of âgraceâ Cheap Grace, when we pick and choose what we want to obey or what we want to disregard, forsaking confession and repentance for whatever makes us feel good.
IN 1 Thes 4:3, âFor this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immoralityâ
The Greek for âsexual immoralityâ is not adultery. Itâs sex outside of marriage. You might find the word familiar: porneias. Itâs where the word pornography comes from, and itâs also rendered fornication in the English translations. To be blunt, this means Godâs command is that we keep sex within the confines of marriage.
Scripture is clear for the person who follows Jesus, whether you like it or not, that His will is for us to live holy, pure, dedicated lives. If we are shamelessly pursuing sexual sin, then dismissing it as nothing at all, we have disregarded the outrageous grace Jesus gave the adulterous woman. Weâve only heard the âneither do I condemn you,â and plugged our ears to Jesusâ very clear words of sinning no more.
Paul is also very clear. Hereâs a sampling:
âWell then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?â Romans 6:1-2, NLT.
âRun from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.â 1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT.
âBut among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for Godâs holy peopleâ Ephesians 5:3 NIV
NOT EVEN A HINT. Matt 5:28
And as Jesus said, looking lustfully on someone is also sin. We must flee that as well. Not toy with it. Not entertain it. Not think it over. Not flirt with it. But flee.
I wholeheartedly believe the hook-up culture is not for people who say they follow Jesus. We cannot expect God to casually overlook our sin in this area. By justifying our behavior, or pointing only to culture and saying, âWell, everyone else is doing it,â by so doing, we call the cross ridiculous. We shun the Holy Spiritâs ability and availability to help us stand up against temptation. We trample on the beautiful grace Christ has won for us. And we prove that our true allegiance is to ourselves, our desires, and not to Christ and His kingdom.
Sex is designed for marriage. It is unwholly suited for any other context.
In Christ,
Fisayo Adeniyi
Some years ago, I was having a conversation with a lady in my service year, and I said to her, I love you, and that is why I can never sleep with you, and if anyone really loves you, they wouldnât sleep with you. She looked at me sternly â âHow can anyone says they love me and not sleep with meâ. I WAS SURPRISED.
This generation sees sex as nothing yet complains when they are cheated on.
This generation wants boundary free sexuality, and nags that someone doesnât honour their boundaries.
They say, sex is how I express my love and freedom, and yet they end up bound to the passions.
They say sex is physical and not emotional, and yet they get emotional when they are cheated on.
They claim they are the âFree Generationâ, yet they are the most bound generation ever.
We live in a time of zero moral values.
We are taught to refuse being guilt tripped not to explore your sensuality.
We are told that if you have feelings for him, then you can give yourself to him.
We are told that sex is nothing but a gift, and you can choose to give it to whoever you please.
Donât be angry that you have sex, embrace it, it is part of your discovery.
So, you can meet a guy today, and yet today you have sex with him.
You see it in movies every day, but you also see it around you.
Before, it used to be about the guy taking advantage of the lady or messing her up.
Today, it is about FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS.
They are both enjoying themselvesâŠthey both are using themselves. They are hip, they are just having funâŠ
But how wrong, we are!!!
We live in a time that biblical truth and recommendation are seen as obsolete and impractical, we are a people of our own making. We do things our way, we want things our way, and we throw tantrums when things donât pan out the way we want. Yet we refuse the tried and tested wisdom of scriptures.
âCan a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?â Pro 6:27-28.
I WILL STILL HOLD ON TO THE TRIED WAYS OF SCRIPTURES. I hope you will too.
In Christ,
Fisayo Adeniyi
GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.
Who could have taught that from death, life will come forth. It is the way of God. He is a God of awesome mystery.
If Satan had known, he wouldnât have allowed this to happen. NO!!! Satan wouldnât have signed up on this.
But he thought he was winning, he thought that was how he was going to destroy the Christ, but he was mistaken. It worked out as God planned it.
Dear friends, if you love God and you are doing your best to walk in line with His will, everything is working out for your good.
Maybe itâs heartbreak, betrayal, financial loss or a dream that seems so lost and finished. Like the disciples, you may feel: âITâS OVER. NOTHING WILL CHANGE.â But hey, God can take what looks destroyed and turned it to your testimony.
Sometimes God allows what looks like a defeat to birth a much excellent victory.
What the enemy meant for evil, God will use it for your glory.
Stay in faith, follow Godâs wisdom and surrender to His will â for this is not the end.
âBut we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God [c]ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.â 1 Cor 2:7-8
In Christ,
Fisayo Adeniyi
LETTERS TO YOUNG MINISTERS
OF MINISTRY, DISRESPECT OF GOD AND PROFANE FIRE
Some years back, I sat down with an MoG, and he began to share with me the things he was going to do in ministry. He was pretty excited about all of it. Then I asked, âAre you sureâ, and I was undone by his answer, âMe, that I am wiseâ. Oh, mine!!! For what has this got to do with anything.
Today, he pastors a church, and I still wonder, how much of what He does comes from God - maybe none, because HE IS WISE!!!
As much as I will like to think, he is an exception. He isnât. Many ministers, plan, devise and strategize without God. They see what someone is doing, and they start doing it. Little wonder, our landscapes are covered by the same kind of programs and deliveries. The Lord is not being consulted as it concerns His sheepfold. And thatâs not just unwise, IT IS ALSO A DISREGARD OF GOD.
Now, that leads me to PROFANE FIRE - of course you remember the story of Nadab and Abihu. They lost their lives because they offered profane fire. The word profane in the English Dictionary means socially offensive, vulgar or irreverent language used to show disrespect particularly towards religious or sacred matters. But again, thatâs not entirely what the scriptures say about this episode in Leviticus, yet it offers a clear clue, the Bible says they offered sacrifices, ââŠWHICH HE HAD NOT COMMANDEDâ. Lev 10:1.
Now, thatâs profanity in Godâs sight - DOING WHAT HE DIDNâT WILL OR COMMAND - ITS A DISRESPECT OF GOD.
They offered a sacrifice not commanded by God. Intentions do not matter - what matters was - God didnât command it. And He wasnât going to approve it. It was an IRREVERENT ACT. It was a disregard and disrespect of God and His sacred things. How sad! A people died for doing what isnât in the will of God.
Perhaps Nadab and Abihu were seeking menâs validation, perhaps they were looking for more, or they wanted to make a name for themselves. Whatever it was - it was PROFANE FIRE. The Bible says and the Lord consumed them for it. How much PROFANE FIRE ARE LIT AROUND OUR ALTARS AND MINISTRIES? How much of things do we do that Yahweh didnât instruct?
Anything done in ministry without Godâs commandment is illegal and illegitimate, and no illegality can ever become legal with Him. We must stop doing ministry as if we are the CEO, or the Chief Shepherd. No, we are not. We are only under shepherds - doing the will of Christ.
Oh, Nadab and Abihu must instruct us. They entered into profanity, after the events of Godâs glory. Just after the glory had manifested in Leviticus 9. After such an anointed and glorious meeting, they brought profane fire. Oh, that teaches us, we can go from holy to unholy, glorious to inglorious, and from regard to disregard pretty quickly.
Itâs disrespectful, irreverent and dishonorable to do ministry without the express instructions of God. The head of the church must be allowed to lead His church. I hope you get the gist, ministry is not manâs idea, itâs Godâs. He that calls, must also lead and direct; and you cannot claim to love the sheep more than the chief shepherd.
It is fitting to end this treatise with the sacred words of Yahweh to Aaron the High Priest,
âBY THOSE WHO COME NEAR ME,
I MUST BE REGARDED AS HOLY;
AND BEFORE ALL THE PEOPLE,
I MUST BE GLORIFIEDâ Leviticus 10:3
Your Greatness is Assured,
Fisayo Adeniyi
LETTERS TO YOUNG MINISTERS
THAT JOSHUA MAY NOT FAILâŠ
The world is quite a complex place.
I mean Joshua was fighting a battle, yet the outcome wasnât dependent on his skills, maneuvers, and competencies, it was dependent on certain men far away. It was dependent on the men who were not in the war. IF MOSES, HUR AND AARON FAILED - JOSHUA WOULD FAIL IN HIS ASSIGNMENT.
Oh, we are living in such interwoven complexities. Our races are not just solely ours, they affect the outcomes of others, and that really makes me tremble. Knowing that I am running not just for me, but for tens and hundreds of Joshuas. That if I fail in upholding the banner of Christ, they may fail in their outcomes.
I hope the imperative is clear, there is a Joshua who is running, watching, fighting and his outcome is totally dependent on you dear Man of God. So, you canât fail him. You canât have a moral failure. No, you canât let down your guard. You canât fight with the Hurs, and Aarons the Lord has sent to you.
Dear Minister, you canât permit sexual immorality.
You canât fall into the trap of envy.
You canât pull others down.
You canât and shouldnât manipulate people to submission.
You canât keep modeling wealth, lights, and showmanship to them.
You canât through dishonest means gain wealth.
You canât compromise the standards of Christ.
You canât via teachings reduce others to nothing.
You must exemplify godliness.
You must teach the truth of Godâs word.
You must raise godly people.
You must work with others. You must accept the help of others. You must celebrate others. You must!!!
Oh, a generation is watching.
We canât afford to lead them wrongly.
They cannot fail because of us.
They must be taught right. We must stay as godly examples. We must influence them well.
For they are seeing patterns.
They are noting our ways.
They are copying models.
And their VICTORIES IN THE COMING DAYS IS AFFECTED BY US.
Oh, we must learn to live lives bigger than us.
Here is my counsel, DEAR MOSES, AARON AND HURâŠas it concerns working together - If we refuse to work together, we refuse the glory and the victory. Nothing great happens except through the instrumentality of unity.
A ministry and unit that will progress must have leaders that embrace the vision. People who have learned to prioritize vision over feelings, purpose over comfort, and unity over pain.
Aaron and Hur knew their assignment - they upheld the hand of the leader. Moses accepted their help, he allowed them to thrive by accepting their help. Dear leader, God may have called you alone, but He knows you canât do it alone. So he will send men and women of grace your way.
Dear Moses, your associates are as important as you. Celebrate them. Rejoice with them. And let them thrive. Hallelujah!!!
May we all be godly examples, and may generations that follow gain victory through and because of us. Amen!
In Christ,
Fisayo Adeniyi
DONâT BUILD A BABEL MINISTRY
I recently remembered a conversation I had with a friend some years ago, he said, âI donât have the call of God, but I understand the thriving model of churches. I can do it. All I need is some monies in seed investments, and I will get a hall, lights, sound system, audition for the best assortment of musicians, and embark on city wide marketing - âSOMETHING GREAT IS BEGINNING BY GODâ. I laughed, it isnât that easy. He said it is. I shook my head in disbelief. I am thankful, he didnât do it.
Today, how many âSOMETHING GREATâ is beginning in the name of God? Maybe we need to really ponder about it. We cannot have these loads of ministries, all commissioned by God, and still be one of the most corrupt nations on the earth. It is either, many are not commissioned, or many that are commissioned have abandoned the tenets, ways and teachings of Christ.
Ministry is commissioned, ordained, and directed by God. Anything outside of this, cannot be from Him. No!!! We cannot make God approve what He didnât commission - it doesnât matter how much we try.
That leads me to BABEL. Babel was a creative work, a beautiful edifice. Looking from the outside, you would be thrilled by such a monumental feat. Yet, there was a problem- PURPOSE WAS WRONG. For the people said,
COME LET US BUILD OURSELVES A CITY.
LET US MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES. (Genesis 11:4).
The problem here is apparent. God was not in the equation, self was.
How many today are driven by THE BABEL SPIRIT? How many have been taken in the pursuit of self glory? How many wake up chasing a name for themselves?
Today we have lots of gimmicks on attaining success. We tell ourselves it is in order to reach more people for Christ. But we refuse to do a proper diagnosis on ourselves. We are chasing us, and not Him. Like my friend postulated, âWE ARE ALL BUILDING SOMETHING GREAT FOR GOD, BUT FOR MOST PEOPLE, GOD IS THE ADDENDUM. We dress it up in His name, but He knows nothing about itâ. It is the grave error of visibility and method driven Christianity.
Many times we try to cover our SELF-DRIVEN AMBITIONS AND ASPIRATIONS with religious togas, as if by so doing, it will become legalized by God. To BE SURE, IF GOD WAS NOT THERE AT THE BEGINNING, HE WILL NOT BE AT THE MIDDLE OR THE END.
We must be reminded of the outcome of Babel, the LORD CONFUSED THEIR LANGUAGE AND SCATTERED THEM. Maybe the disagreement and infighting we see are signs, maybe the lack of unity are signs, maybe the lack of societal impact of holiness and piety are signs. Maybe!!!
It is my call, THAT WE RETURN THE CHURCH TO THE CHIEF SHEPHERD AND THAT WE DO HIS BIDDINGS AND HIS BIDDINGS ALONE. Letâs leave BABEL GROUND, LETS GO TO ZIONâŠMay we all swear allegiance to the Chief Shepherd of our soul, and the overseer of our faith. Amen!
MARANATHA!!!
Your Greatness is Assured,
Fisayo Adeniyi
THE PROBLEM IS NOT JOHN MAXWELL, IT IS LACK OFâŠ
Some days back, I came upon a post advising young ministers to steer clear of books by John Maxwell, because it lacked certain things, and it will fail to prepare them for practical ministry. Now, I DISAGREE.
Listen dear folks, No one book apart from the Bible can prepare you for all of ministry. Itâs the reason I advise, that believers read it daily.
However, all books share principles, but principles must be applied in context - that is WISDOM. Our lack of contextual learning is a big problem for us as Africans, we can be knowledgeable, we may be able to cram principles and formulas but until we understand all LEARNING HAPPENS IN CONTEXT, we shall still be gasping for innovation and development.
Now back to John Maxwell, his books shared mainly on Leadership, and mostly the principles can be found in the Bible - The wisdom writings, Pauline Letters, and in the leadership of Christ. So, you couldnât say a book is irrelevant because you spoke of a scenario, and you thought it was lacking in addressing the matter - thatâs oversimplification.
We must learn to take principles, and adapt it in our context. That is wisdom. Letâs consider an example, The Law of Sacrifice - how does this apply in my context? What am I expected to do? What can I do differently? How can I model this in our ministry, business and life. That is contextualization. Until you contextualize knowledge and information you will not get into wisdom.
Letâs stop reading for reading sake. Letâs convert information to wisdom. No book, no author is paramount to success in ministry. None!!! Only the Bible is. My advice, Get wisdom, get understanding.
Take for instance the issue of betrayal in ministry - was anything wrong in the leadership of Christ? Or was His knowledge limited? Was he a terrible leader? I believe the answer is No! So how come Judas, his ministry treasurer sold him out.
No matter what we say, certain things can never be prepared forâŠonly the Holy Spirit can help in such things. And no book was meant to replace Him.
My advice, read up on many authors, stretch your mind, develop your soul, feed your spirit. If you need answers in an area, read up in that area.
Dear young man, donât be simple. To say, that JOHN MAXWELLâS book hasnât helped the church in her leadership and management in the last decades is just not the truth. Most Pastors and Church Leaders will testify of thisâŠ!
Selah!!!
In Christ,
Fisayo Adeniyi
We have a value problem in this country.
We have failed to define what true success is to this generation.
We only respect money, fame and material resources.
Then we act shocked, when someone defrauds another; or does indescribably evil thing to get money.
From the palace, the religious centers, to schools, to homes - our collective failure stirs us in the face.
No country is built without values.
No home is built without values.
No society is built without values.
We are our own enemiesâŠ.
This is what happens when we give best students - N50,000. And we give the best showman N100,000,000.00
Itâs what happens when the retiring director gets a wall clock to time down his life, and a fraudster has audience with people in authority.
Things are getting worseâŠwe have lost our moral compass!!!
MARANATHA!!!
@LinkedIn Hello @LinkedIn admin.
My account has been restricted for a while now and I am finding it difficult to get that sorted. I will appreciate some help. Thanks
I went back to Luke this morning just to revisit the story of Christmas⊠and Luke 2:7 hit me like an arrow to the chest:
âShe gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.â
We romanticize that line so much that we forget how brutal it actually is. If the gospel narrative is true, then thatâs not a cute nativity detail. That is the most explosive statement in human history.
The God who created galaxies entered His own creation⊠and there was no room for Him.
No royal welcome, no palace, no safety, no honor, not even a bed. He comes into the world He made, and the doors are closed in His face.
This is the single greatest scandal of Christianity: God doesnât supervise salvation from a throne. He steps into it. He doesnât arrive in glory. He arrives vulnerable. He doesnât come intimidating humanity into submission. He comes as a child who canât even hold His own head up. If you were inventing a religion, this is not the story youâd write.
Luke is quietly showing something staggering about Godâs character:
He wins, not by force, but by love.
He saves, not by domination, but by self-giving. He comes close, not as a King demanding space, but as a Savior entering even when there is âno room.â
And that manger isnât sentimental. Itâs confrontational.
It confronts our pride, cos humanity has always had space for power, wealth, celebrity, and status⊠just never space for God unless He serves our plans.
It confronts our illusions of strength cos God is showing that real power isnât the ability to crush. Real power is the courage to empty yourself for the sake of others.
It confronts religion, cos God bypassed temples and elites and arrived where animals feed⊠then announced His coming not to emperors, but to shepherds.
Luke 2:7 tells us who God is.
He is not distant, He is not indifferent, He is not cold sovereignty. He is the God who chooses weakness so He can stand with the weak. He is the God who walks into human pain instead of observing it from afar. He is the God who would rather be rejected with us than reign without us.
If this verse is true, Christianity isnât just another belief system. Itâs a radical claim that the deepest power in the universe is love; not might, not fear, not spectacle.
So yes⊠this verse broke me today.
Because if this is who God is⊠then hope isnât sentimental. Grace isnât theoretical. And Christmas isnât âcute.â
Itâs God stepping into history quietlyâŠ
exposing us gently⊠and saving us completely. Luke 2:7 isnât a childrenâs story. Itâs a revolution.
Merry Christmas đâ€ïž
I KNOW YOU ARE CALLED
But the Pulpit is not the place for establishing certain virtues. Certain struggles and weaknesses must be fixed in the times of discipleship not while you are in FUNCTIONAL MINISTRY.
So you have issues with LUST AND WOMEN, stay in the pews.
You have issues with MONEY, stay in the pews.
You have issues with PRIDE, stay in the pews.
You have issues with OBEDIENCE, stay in the pews.
You have issues with SUBMISSION, stay in the pews.
You have issues with STAYING IN THE WORD, stay in the pews.
You have issues with ACCOUNTABILITY, stay in the pews.
I am not saying you are not called, and that you will not fulfill your ministry. I am saying, hold on. Train, learn, prayâŠdonât destroy Christ's work because of your weakness and struggles. Submit under someone, learn, become.
For, IF THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS DELIVERS AND LIBERATES, I THINK IT SHOULD START WITH YOU.
OF MINISTRIES, BRANCH CHURCHES AND ASSOCIATE PASTORS
I write this with a heavy heart because I know this is not the way of God. I have been inundated with calls, cries and demands of lack from associate pastors. Pastors sent to plant churches in cities without financial aid or help; carrying heavy burdens and pressures. And my answer is, WE CAN DO BETTER.
Our paths in ministry should be getting better. The models of the sons should be better than that of the fathers. Because the Fathers did it that way doesnât mean itâs the biblical model or that itâs the best method. If we must plant churches, we must think of the Shepherds.
I know you started by faith. But now that Faith has delivered the Kingdom, must everyone go through that process. Who bewitched us that it is not ministry EXCEPT it is hard. That learning only comes through suffering, and that faith only comes in the pit. This is NOT THEOLOGY. IT IS TRADITION. And it should stop.
You are the sent man concerning the work. It goes without saying, that God will send more of the financial resources to you. And you must cater for your people. You MUST. You have all things and abound. You are doing well. Yet your associates cannot pay school fees, health bills or even accommodation. This is not Christianity. This is wrong. Very wrong.
I have met children who hate ministry because of the things their parent went through, while the children of the G.O were probably schooling abroad. Yes, they may not have your faith, but if they are working under you, itâs your responsibility to cater for them. Stop paying your full time ministers monies that can buy a bag of rice. Stop. Itâs either you sack them or you pay them more.
Dear Pastors why are we all so bent on starting expressions and branches. Truth is we all are not called to it. Many are doing it, because itâs a thing to do. Or because they want to speak of having several expressions. We must reevaluate our values.
A generation is bent on correcting the Doctrines of the Fathers, but are doing worse in practical Christianity. Most of Paulâs letters concluded with practical instructions. Itâs time we do better. We must do better. We canât keep treating people like ânothingsâ because they have the call of God. Being called into full time ministry isnât a crime. Itâs an honour to serve the King, and Aaron must ensure to share of the things of the altar with the children of Levi.
Grace to you!!!
In Christ,
Fisayo Adeniyi
https://t.co/osjggWcTQs
@Revvolutionizer@UtdKobi We should have two players competing for a position. Amad and mbeumo can compete. We still need to get a midfielder to take out casa from that position. And Dorgu can play LB please. Dalot should be exiled. He is not Manchester united standard. Shaw can stay till Licha is fit.
I love đ«¶ this guy.
Interviews that helps and lessons in minutes. This is how I take breaks.
Go online and watch just one of his videos per day. It helps in mind-shiftâŠ.notice how he always ask about the role of faith in wealth building.
Donât buy the lieâŠFaith is key!!!