Nana Yaw Aidoo
A few years ago I was at a funeral of which I very well remember. The man who preached was an Assemblies of God “pastor.” I haven’t seen a man mesmerize a crowd with oratory, the way this man did. Truth be told he was fantastic. But he was a dangerous speaker because he taught a false plan of salvation. After preaching, he offered an invitation to all who “attend church but haven’t given their lives to Christ.” He was going to teach them what to do in order to have their names written in the Book of Life. Who would balk at such an idea? Then I heard him tell all who desired the gift of salvation to lift up their hands and say a prayer after him. What I saw reminded me of these great words of inspiration, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
At the funeral, my mind went back to the most important Jewish Pentecost Day in history, a day in which people were likewise taught how to give their lives to Christ and to have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. When the reality of their sinful conditions hit them, the men and women who heard the first gospel sermon asked what to do in order to be saved (Acts 2:37). Simon Peter, an apostle, one who had been with the Lord, one who had been given the keys to the Kingdom (Matt. 16:19) and was filled with the Holy Spirit replied; “Repent ye, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).
Of paramount interest to me is the fact that this apostle upon being asked what to do to be saved neither requested the audience to raise their hands nor asked them to say a prayer after him. “Couldn’t he have done that?” “Why didn’t he?” should be the questions on the mind of every seeker after truth. The audience having been exhorted to “be saved from this perverse generation” (Acts 2:40 NJKV) heeded the words of the apostle and were baptized (Acts 2:41), just like he told them to. Why they did not lift up their hands and say a prayer in order to “be saved from this perverse generation,” if that were God’s plan for saving man, is a question for the sages.
At the funeral however, this great speaker taught a false plan of salvation and deceived many into thinking they were saved when they were not. I could only shake my head in sorrow. “A little learning” they say “is dangerous.” There was no light in this “pastor” and there is no light in anyone who does not speak as God’s Word has spoken, irrespective of how sincere he is (Isa. 8:20).
And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Cor. 11:14-15 NKJV).
Indeed he was a great speaker—but a dangerous one.
