AFRICAN PLUME

“How We Got the Canon of Scriptures” By Akin Ojumu This commentary series is an attempt to clear some of the confusions I have observed among my Christian friends with respect to the difference between the Canon of Scriptures and the various Bible translations and the resulting Bible versions. The meaning of the Canon of Scripture is the subject of today’s iteration of the commentary series. In subsequent installments of the commentary, we’ll discuss the evolution of the translations into English of the Bible. The difficulty in determining the biblical canon is that the Bible does not give us a list of the books that belong in the Bible. Determining the canon was a process conducted first by Jewish rabbis and scholars and later by early Christians. Ultimately, it was God who decided what books belonged in the biblical canon. A book of Scripture belonged in the canon from the moment God inspired its writing. It was simply a matter of God’s convincing His human followers which books shou...

“Stick to Scripture, and You Won’t Fall into Error” By Akin Ojumu Scripture is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith, doctrine, and conduct. The LORD God is a God of order and not of confusion. The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture. He inspired men to write what He put in their hearts to write.  2 Peter 1:20-21 “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation. For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” Scripture is the inspired written Word of God given to us so that we may know Him, His will, and purpose. Scripture is the final authoritative source of the TRUTHS of God and about God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be comple...

By Pastor John MacArthur | Monday, January 8, 2024 It is easy to feel inferior to someone who knows something you don’t – especially when they hold information that you earnestly desire. For centuries, religious mystics have been working overtime to insinuate that the church suffers from the same kind of information void, supposedly a void that only they can fill.   When the apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the church in Colossae, the believers there were being intimidated by people who claimed to have a higher, broader, deeper, and fuller union with God than Christ alone could give. They were the mystics. They claimed to have interacted with angelic beings through visions and other mystical experiences. Paul said of them: Colossians 2:18–19 “Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit tog...

By Akin Ojumu Scripture is sacred. It is the reason we call it the Holy Bible. We must endeavor, at all times, to keep it holy and pure, and not defile it with strange fire of the imaginations and lofty opinions that proceed from the human mind. 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” Innovation in the interpretation of Scripture is totally forbidden by God. Using creative and human ingenuity to discover the meaning of Bible texts is prohibited. It is a grievous sin to take the Word of God, twist and distort it, just so to make it fit our lived experiences. What the Bible commands is that we fit our daily realities within the boundaries of God’s Word. 2 Peter 1: 20-21 “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by ...

“Apprentices of Witches & Sorcerers in the African Church” By Akin Ojumu I wouldn’t be surprised if my African brothers and sisters who read this commentary series conveniently assume the posture of the proverbial ostrich. It is not inconceivable to imagine that they will try and convince themselves that the open and enthusiastic embrace of New Age occult practices is limited only to Churches in the Western World.  To entertain such a thought, that this is “Oyinbo” people’s problem and not a global phenomenon, can only mean one thing; you’ve not been paying attention. You don ’ t have to be a seer, or peer into the wizard ’s orb,  to see what ’s staring you in the face.  Just take a look around you. Evaluate the practices of your own denomination or parish. Examine the teachings of the preachers you trust and look up to. Probe the customs and rituals promoted by the powerfully anointed men and women of God you revered. Compare what they teach with what the Bible actua...

“New Age Occult Invasion of the Church” By Akin Ojumu Ever since Adam and Eve were evicted from Eden and direct communication with YAHWEH was terminated, humans have resorted to all sorts of vagaries to reestablish what they lost. In an attempt to restore and reestablish fellowship with God, the world has turned to heathen augury, divination, sorcery, soothsaying, and witchcraft. As it’s always the case, the ways of the world always find its way into the House of God. Sooner or later, abominable practices of the heathen eventually become integrated into the liturgies of the Church. When the high walls of Scripture that shield the Body of Christ from invasion are breached, heathen customs are bound to pour in. Today, church folks everywhere openly embrace and enthusiastically practice divination, sorcery, and fortune-telling. Interpreting omens, consulting with conjurers and mediums, seeking guidance from necromancers, and making inquiries of the dead have all become acceptable Christia...