Christian Holiness: A review of the Church of Nigeria Bible Study Outlines for 2005
By Peter Onwubuariri
CONN/010106
Abuja, January 5, 2006- Henry Ndukuba, the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Gombe declared in the preface of the Bible Study Outlines for 2005: “God is holy, we his children, must be like him, Perfecting holiness in his fear. In 2005, the pre-matins bible study outline used every week in the Anglican churches in Nigeria sought to unravel how a church that is increasingly being overrun by worldly standards can attain holiness?
In the foreword to the invaluable study guide, the leader of the Nigerian Anglican congregation, The Most Rev Peter Akinola acknowledged that the subject of holiness had become embarrassing and unpopular. For the 61-year old Primate of All Nigeria, who has spent nearly 4 decades as a church worker, he has seen the balkanization of the Christian faith in contemporary Nigeria.
He says on the subject of holiness: “For holiness, when properly addressed, is that aspect of godliness that rebukes most of our present preoccupation with idolatrous materialism, immorality, corruption and injustice- preoccupation that epitomizes our hedonistic humanism.
The General theme of Christian Holiness which preoccupied the Bible Study outline was divided into 10 sub-themes including definition of holiness, the holiness of the God head, the holiness of God’s word and the holiness of the Church. Other sub-themes include holiness, worship and service, holiness and Christian virtues, impediments to holiness, evidence of holiness of life and consequences of un-holiness.
For a study that began by inviting believers to be holy, it concluded with a warning on the consequences of abandoning holiness.
The last study on December 25th 2005 entitled ‘Profanity leads to Spiritual Death’ drew the attention of the congregation to Romans 1: 28, as the memory verse- “ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;” NKJV
When the Bishop Ndukuba led Spirituality Committee of the Church of Nigeria prepared this module in 2004- 12 months ahead- they never suspected that a detestable law that gives homosexuals and lesbians the liberty to be ‘married’ would be in place in England by the December of 2005. They also did not forecast that more church leaders in that part of the world would lend support to it.
For Anglicans in Nigeria, who made out time to attend the pre-matins bible study on December 25, amid the Christmas day celebration, they must have had the opportunity to answer questions like: 1. Is homosexuality supported by God? (Lev. 18:22, 20:13, Rom. 1:27-28) and 2. Why do some Church leaders support it? ( 2 Cor. 3:14-15, Rom 11: 8-10, Ps 69:23, Isa. 6:9-10)
At the core of the 52 week study manual was the challenge for Nigerian Anglican to be informed and practical Christians. A group of gifted servants, working under the auspices of the Spirituality Committee of the Church of Nigeria, discerned the need of the society and worked creditably to meet those needs by presenting in one volume- a weekly guide to attaining holiness through a disciplined study of God’s word.
Frankly speaking, for most easy church-goers, the theme of Christian holiness may not have been a popular topic as the year began but for those interested in a closer walk with God, through the abiding presence of his Word, the Church of Nigeria Bible Study Outlines for Year 2005 provided a companion to approach the glorious company of God’s divine presence.
The theme of the Bible Study Outlines for the year 2006 is Christian Service. And as the Primate succinctly says ‘‘A Christian should be an example in service to God and to his fellow men”. The 2006 edition like its predecessor is rich with bible references to beautifully explain every topic, idea, question and meditation.
Title of Book: Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Bible Study Outlines for the Year 2005; Publishers: Concept Publishers; Pages: 60 pages;
(Church of Nigeria News)
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