AROME OSAYI: THE PECULIAR TREASURE WHO MUST NOT BE INSULTED (PART V)

“A Windbag in the Pulpit Is Still a Windbag”

By Akin Ojumu

In the preceding four installments of this commentary, we examined the extraordinarily over-the-top claims of Arome Osayi about his supposedly singularly unique and privileged relationship with Jesus Christ.

We examined the story of a young woman who allegedly became dumb for insulting him, his declaration that Jesus is jealous over him “badly,” and his astonishing insistence that he is a peculiar treasure specially raised to teach the nations the undiluted ways of God.

We also established that Scripture recognizes no spiritual aristocracy of preachers who are above correction, that God’s treasured people exist to proclaim His excellencies rather than their own, and that no human being is indispensable to God’s sovereign purposes.

Now, let us bring this examination to its logical conclusion.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SERVANT OF CHRIST AND A RELIGIOUS CELEBRITY

There is a fundamental difference between the biblical model of Christian ministry and the cult of personality that has overtaken vast sections of contemporary Christianity.

The biblical minister points away from himself. The religious celebrity draws attention to himself.

The biblical minister proclaims the sufficiency of Christ. The religious celebrity advertises his extraordinary spiritual status.

The biblical minister submits himself to the authority of Scripture. The religious celebrity claims private revelations that conveniently establish his own importance.

The biblical minister invites the examination of his teaching. The religious celebrity treats criticism as rebellion against God.

The biblical minister understands that he is a servant. The religious celebrity presents himself as an indispensable spiritual personality.

And where does Arome Osayi’s testimony fit within these contrasting models?

Consider his own claims.

He is different. 

He is a peculiar treasure. 

Jesus is jealous over him. BAAAADLY…BAD!

He has been raised so that nations might learn the ways of God undiluted. And a woman who allegedly insulted him supposedly lost her ability to speak.

These are not ordinary expressions of Christian humility. They are extraordinary claims of personal spiritual significance.

And they require extraordinary biblical justification.

A preacher does not become spiritually authoritative by repeating that God told him he is important. He becomes a faithful minister by accurately handling the Word of Truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

That is the standard.

Not personal charisma. Not theatrical laughter. Not spectacular stories of supernatural punishment. Not self-proclaimed spiritual exceptionalism. Not grandiose descriptions of one’s relationship with Jesus.

The standard is faithfulness to God’s Word.

THE DANGER OF EMPTY TALKERS IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

Let us consider the Apostle Paul’s warning to Titus.

Titus 1:10

“For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.”

The Greek word translated “empty talkers” is mataiologoi.

It describes individuals whose speech is vain, fruitless, or devoid of worthwhile substance.

A windbag is what we call it in contemporary English.

But Paul’s concern extended beyond the mere annoyance of listening to people who talk too much.

The empty talkers in Titus were deceivers who were disrupting the households of believers and teaching things they ought not to teach.

Their speech was not dangerous because of the verbosity. It was dangerous because it was spiritually destructive.

This distinction is important.

A person is not a false teacher merely because he speaks dramatically, laughs loudly, or uses extravagant language. The decisive issue is the content of his teaching.

Does it faithfully communicate the truth of Scripture? Does it exalt Christ? Does it preserve the Gospel? Does it reflect the biblical character of God?

Or does it replace the authority of Scripture with the spectacular claims and supposed revelations of a religious personality?

That is the standard by which Arome Osayi’s statements must be examined.

And it is difficult to see how the extraordinary account under consideration advances the faithful proclamation of the Gospel.

A yound lady insults Arome. She becomes instantaneously dumb. Arome considers allowing her to remain in that condition for fifteen years. Her speech was restored only after Arome begged and begged and begged Jesus with intensity. All because Jesus is jealous about Arome baaadly bad. And because Arome is a peculiar treasure sent to the nations.

What doctrine of Christ does this testimony illuminate? What biblical truth does it establish? What aspect of the finished work of redemption does it explain? What does it teach about justification by faith, sanctification, the sovereignty of God, or the sufficiency of Scripture?

The central message appears to be that Arome Osayi occupies an extraordinary position in the affections of Jesus Christ, and that criticizing him may attract severe supernatural consequences.

That is not the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. That is the gospel of glorification of the preacher.

A WINDBAG IN THE PULPIT IS STILL A WINDBAG

Let me conclude this five-part commentary where I began.

The English language offers many words for describing individuals with an inflated sense of their own importance.

Narcissistic. Egotistical. Arrogant. Conceited. Pompous. Smug. Megalomaniacal. Blowhard. Windbag.

Whether any clinical designation applies to Arome Osayi is not my concern, nor can such a diagnosis be established from a video clip.

My concern is the boastful, self-exalting theology conveyed by his own statements.

Here is a preacher who claims that a young woman became dumb for insulting him.

Here is a preacher who recounts entertaining the thought that she should remain in that condition for fifteen years.

Here is a preacher who says that Jesus had to be begged intensely before the woman’s speech was supposedly restored.

Here is a preacher who declares that Jesus is extraordinarily jealous over him.

Here is a preacher who announces that he is different, that he is a peculiar treasure, and that God has raised him so that nations might learn His ways undiluted.

And when asked for the authority behind these astonishing claims, the explanation is simply:

“That’s what God said.”

No, Mr! 

That is not how biblical Christianity works.

The authority of a Christian minister does not come from his extravagant opinion of himself. 

It does not come from stories of people supposedly suffering supernatural punishment for criticizing him. 

It does not come from his ability to claim private conversations with God.

And it certainly does not come from his insistence that he is a peculiar treasure.

The authority of Christian preaching rests in the faithful exposition of God’s written Word.

Everything else must be tested against Scripture.

Arome Osayi may regard himself as a peculiar treasure. He may believe that Jesus is jealous over him “baaaadly...bad.” He may consider himself specially raised to instruct the nations.

But none of those self-descriptions makes his claims true. And none places him beyond biblical correction.

The Apostle Paul’s warning about mataiologoi—empty talkers—remains profoundly relevant.

A preacher can speak bombastically, laugh theatrically, recount astonishing supernatural experiences, proclaim himself uniquely anointed, and declare that God personally revealed his extraordinary status.

But if his words cannot withstand the scrutiny of Scripture, all the religious excitement in the world cannot transform empty talk into divine truth.

A windbag does not cease to be a windbag merely because he stands behind a pulpit holding a microphone.

And spiritual arrogance does not become humility simply because the arrogant man claims that God personally told him how important he is.

The true minister of Christ does not point the Church to his own greatness. He points sinners to the greatness of Christ.

The minister of Christ does not demand that people recognize his special status. He declares the incomparable glory of the Savior.

The genuine minister of Christ does not boast that Jesus is jealous over his reputation. He rejoices that Jesus Christ has mercifully saved him from his sins.

The legitimate minister of Christ does not announce himself as a peculiar treasure who must never be insulted. He remembers that he is an undeserving sinner redeemed by grace.

And if Arome Osayi wishes to know what a genuinely Christ-centered minister sounds like, he need look no further than the words of John the Baptist.

John 3:30

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

That is the language of genuine Christian humility. That is the spirit of authentic Christian ministry.

And that is the lesson that the self-proclaimed peculiar treasures of contemporary Christianity desperately need to learn.

The Gospel is not about the greatness of Arome Osayi. It is not about the extraordinary status of a religious personality. It is not about how intensely Jesus supposedly protects the reputation of a preacher.

The Gospel is about the Lord Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Savior, who alone deserves the glory.

HE MUST INCREASE. WE MUST DECREASE.