A popular Nigerian preacher has attracted some controversy for claiming that Jesus told him to stop preaching the message of grace. Doubling down on his assertion, he insists he’s been preaching Paul, and not the words of Jesus. He suggests Apostle Paul’s teachings aren’t divine. Such claims are alarming, emphasizing the need for discernment in choosing religious mentors. As business-minded Christians, we must tread cautiously, ensuring our spiritual guides align with biblical truth. This highlights the importance of critically evaluating teachings, steering clear of doctrines that deviate from the gospel’s essence. Let’s remain vigilant, anchored in God’s Word to safeguard our faith and integrity.
We cannot confirm the preacher’s subjective and personal spiritual experiences. It is not possible to objectively establish that indeed Jesus appeared to anybody. It could be a malaria induced hallucination for example. What we can do is evaluate and judge these utterances using objective sacred scriptures. We can confidently state that any Jesus who is opposed to grace cannot be our Lord Jesus from the Holy Bible. The Bible clearly states that “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). And we know that God is not the author of confusion. It stands to reason that this preacher is wrong. Simple.
Furthermore, if someone has preached grace out of balance, the solution is to study the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and retrain on the fundamentals of the faith. John 1:17 highlights the law, grace, and truth. It stands to reason that preaching grace without balancing it with truth and law will result in a problem. But attempting to discredit Paul’s apostolic writings would be heretical. Jesus never discredited the laws or the prophets. You need to be careful and deliberate about your allies in Zion. It is important to respect spiritual authority, but seek guidance from trusted sources.