It’s A Crooked Generation: Don’t add to the trash

Blessing and favourare what differentiate two individuals. In life height, education, exposure, wealth, connection, beauty, physique, spirituality, boldness, gentility, among others are never life. Two persons that attended the same school, with equal intellectual ability, may never end up the same way. One may become successful, while the other may end up as nobody depending on the opportunities and grace open to them.

Every generation comes with its challenges and uniqueness, which most times have striking similarities with the past. In Acts 2:40, the apostles challenged the Church: “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation.”

Peter’s sermon as seen reveals man’s moral responsibility and response to the grace of God. Man, created a free moral-agent, has a will to either do good or evil.

Ephesians 2:8 said: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself; it is the gift of God,” this does not remove man’s responsibility to surrender to God’s salvation plan. God is the one who saves, not because we have decided to be saved, no! Even though, we have surrendered to God, it is He who can save us.

Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
What God require of us in other to receive His saving grace is;1Timothy 4:16: “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will both save both yourself and those who hear you.”

The duty of every Christian is to understand that our response to divine plan for our salvation is important. The world is under an evil influence, so try, and “save yourselves” from such an influence of evil. In other words, we must use all effort and diligence to keep ourselves from the opinions, plans, designs and feelings of evil. By yielding to God, we can separate ourselves from all that walk contrary to God’s plans for us, and are wedded to sin or marked for ruin.

A Crooked Generation Indeed!
Crookedness refers to the means by which people accomplish their objectives—doing whatever it takes to get what they want. Shortcuts to success are applauded. Some even boast about how they circumvent the law. While perversion refers to the way people distort the truth even in Church. God’s children may sometimes get hurt by the crooked behaviour and distorted thinking of people.

But they are called to be “blameless and harmless” and to “shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Our duty is to show the world a different way of living.
A generation that have corrupted themselves; they made themselves not to be God’s children, because of their blemish; perverse and crooked way (Deut. 32:5).
Characteristics Of This Generation (2Tim 3:2-9; Rom 1:18-32):
They love themselves rather than God.
They love money and can do anything and all things to get it.
They are arrogant and proud.
They have no regard to human life.
They live like beast.
They suppress the truth for unrighteous’ gain.
They know much of God, but have little or no God in them.
They dishonour their bodies among themselves.
They are rebellious to God and Authorities.
They claim they are wise.
They mix truth with lies.
They are sexually depraved.
They disregard values.
They are into forgery.
They increase their deception and cover their evil continuously.
They are always learning, holding programmes, but it does not reflect in theirlifestyles.
They have no regard for elders.
They judge relationship with God by prosperity.
They assume faith, Church, God and true knowledge to be scam.
They value artificial to nature and dishonour nature to gain artificial prosperity.
Don’t Add To The Trash(Matt. 5:13-16)
Darkness is stronger when light is extinguished. When evil thrives and there is nothing contradicting it; a crooked way is normalised. Don’t add to the trash.

This generation is crooked no doubt, everyone seems to be cut up in its web no doubt, and the question is:
• Is there any hope of a better world?
• Are there still remnants whose garments are pure?
• Can anyone be in this crooked generation and remain straight?
The answers to the above questions are the choices we make;the Church being amidcrooked generation should not add to the trash. We are here to clean up the mess and not to add to it.

It is reported that in Nigeria there is a very big gap between the rich and the poor. Due to this, there is space in politics for richer people to manipulate results and candidates. The BBC station did an article in February 2019 detailing how much of the effect ‘godfathers’ can have on electoral outcome. For example, it was reported that: “They are political sponsors, who use money and influence to win support for their preferred candidates.” It is explained that these ‘godfathers’ groom a candidate that they trust to implement the policies they want.

• Venerable Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector,Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State (08035413812)