Restoration Not Condemnation

RESTORATION NOT CONDEMNATION My dear reader, Please, permit me to share this personal experience with you. A sister in the Lord who was an executive member cum prayer warrior was caught in examination malpractice. After getting her out from the security detention, all the fellowship executive board seems to be interested in is to suspend her from executive board and prayer warrior’s meeting. My spiritual colleague and I planned visiting the sister so as to encourage her to pick up and move on but, she turned us down. She after all the embarrassment and shame decided to end the kingdom race. But, later I called her on phone and spoke with her at length on the danger of backsliding from her faith and she by God’s grace agreed to make atonement and continue the race. After some weeks I received news that the fellowship members are saying that I am encouraging sin. Beloved, if trying to restore a beloved sister who has fallen victim of the trap of the enemy mean that I am encouraging sin, so be it. Let us briefly look at what the Scripture has to say about this: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted”. Gal 6 Vs 1 (KJV) We have to remember that we are all vulnerable to sin. If we go to a backsliding person with the attitude that we are

way above him, he/she certainly won’t respond to our help. It was from experience that apostle Paul wrote: “For the good I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do”. Rom 7 Vs 19 (KJV) Sin has no power over us but we still have the capacity to sin within us. Someone who is already hurting is as fragile as a glass. He/she doesn’t need our condemnation but restoration. So, when a brother or a sister has been over taken by sin let those of us who are “spiritually sound” restore him/her in the spirit of gentleness, humility and love being mindful of our own faith. We are not commanded to condone sin but, we are commanded to love sinner. I have learnt how to pray for fellow brethren who are backsliding, facing challenges or are still struggling with one sin or the other because God has made me to understand that, it is best thing I can do for them. After all, I am not better than them either. Reading through the Nigeria daily news paper this morning at www.nigeriaworld.com I saw some disgusting article about Nigeria such as: Nigeria: 48 years of Toddling, Forty eight years of sporting disaster, just to mention but a few. I kept on wondering if this is all the writers can tell our dear country Nigeria at her 48th birthday. My dear reader, think of this; if you are the one celebrating your birthday, 48th birthday for that matter and all people and friends can offer to you are messages of criticism and condemnation, how will you feel? Would you

be encouraged to do better or be discouraged? Is it not even a great achievement for one to have survived 48 years of great challenges? How many of us instead of spending our time thinking of expensive words to use in criticizing and condemning Nigeria, have thought of what we can do to restore our dear country Nigeria from her “falling state”. While I encourage constructive criticism, let us be mindful of the way we criticize and call this great country Nigeria (GIANT OF AFRICA) names because Nigeria will directly or indirectly respond to what we say about her. Nevertheless, I must not fail to commend the articles of patriotic writers like: Monday Irem who wrote and I quote: Happy birthday, dear country at 48 “Nigeria as a nation-state is 48 years old since it attained independence on October 1, 1960, under the administration of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, when we were practicing parliamentary system of government. In 1963, Nigeria became a republican nation under the Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe administration. In comparing Nigeria with other countries that became independent at the same time we did, I dare say that Nigeria is doing better in all aspects. We should not think of what the country can do for us, but we should all think of what we can do for our dear country. Nigeria has all it takes to satisfy her citizens.

What makes Nigeria unique despite the political crisis are the human and natural endowments. We should realize that nobody will make Nigeria a beautiful country to live in except Nigerians themselves. Therefore, I implore Nigerians to halt unhealthy criticisms and rather campaign for the development of our dear nation. We should also use the available resources to improve the standards of the living of the citizens. The Federal Government should also focus on the problems of the Niger Delta region, with a view to solving them”.

God Bless Nigeria, God bless us all, God bless our leaders. PRAYER: God! Help us to understand more the principles of restoration and make us an instrument of restoration in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus name- AMEN This article was written by Bro. Ogugua Chinedu Emmanuel and dedicated to our country Nigeria on the occasion of her 48th birthday