The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
Today is Tuesday, September 26th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Mark Christopher and presented by Yamikani Katunga.
Grace Under Fire: Determination During Christianity’s Decline!
In many African countries, if you were to throw a rock it would be hard-pressed to find the ground before hitting someone who professes to be a Christian. According to the renowned statistical data website, Satista, as of 2023 countries like Zambia, Seychelles, Rwanda, Congo, Namibia, and Lesotho boast over 90% of the population who claim to be Christians. Compare this to their latest available data on the top six states in America; Utah at 79%, North Dakota at 67%, Alabama at 63%, Louisiana at 61%, Oklahoma at 59%, and Mississippi at 59%. The trends of the Western world often act as harbingers for the future of Africa. What can we expect as we look at the landscape?
One of the implications of present-day headlines is that biblical Christianity has fallen out of favor in the west and western-influenced world. There is a progressive pathology taking place before our very eyes as the former Judeo-Christian ethic that once dominated the socio-cultural landscape has now been replaced with the capricious ethic of secularism. One social conservative commentator describes the progression of this transition we have witnessed over the last 40 years as follows:
First, there was what is called the Positive World where the Judeo-Christian ethic, which is generally linked to certain biblical values, was in vogue. This, while not entirely biblical, served as the binding address and deterrent for society and culture. This is a result of the gospel once having free reign and influencing regions impacted by the same.
This gave way to what might be termed the Neutral World from 1994-2014 where the world was basically indifferent to Christianity while becoming more tolerant and accepting of various forms of evil like the LGBTQIA+, Abortion, weakened deterrents to law and order, while expressing greater openness to drugs and drug abuse to name a few of the moral maladies.
From 2014 to the present, the Neutral World was replaced with the Negative World. It is during this phase of the socio-cultural shift that there is a pronounced negative view of Christianity. Morality and ethics are radically redefined and what is good now becomes evil. Isaiah 5:20 speaks to this new moral landscape as it reads, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” This results from the “reprobate mind” Romans 1:28 describes as God actively judges those who worship the creature rather than the Creator. The reprobate mind is one that is morally insensate and can no longer distinguish between right and wrong. It evidences an overarching spiritual condition that politics alone cannot solve because it is primarily a spiritual battle. The fourth and final phase of this moral and ethical declension leads to open persecution of Christianity from the world and apostate churches that have sold out to the culture.
Yet, all is not lost for the Believer in Christ. In the epistle of 1 Peter, Peter outlines a roadmap for living in turbulent times such as these. So, how does the 21st-century believer in Christ keep from losing his or her mind when seemingly everyone else around is losing theirs? How does one keep from going off the deep end without the aid of pharmaceuticals, alcohol, or denying reality? First and foremost, the solution is grounded in the salvation that one enjoys. The believer can look unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith by fixing their hope on the promise of the Lord’s reappearing at the end of the age! So, while it is easy to become distracted, discouraged, and preoccupied with things of this earth, we must not allow the issues of the day to consume us. As biblical commentator, Warren Wiersbe, so eloquently put it, “Christians live in the future tense; their present actions and decisions are governed by this future hope!” My prayer for all those who listen to this is that you may learn how to stand in Grace regardless of the news cycle. As Peter concluded, “… I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!” (1 Peter 5:12)
And that’s it for The Africa Review in Five on this Tuesday, September 26th in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe to the Missionary Minds podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts. I’m Yamikani Katunga. Be not weary in well-doing.