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| President, CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor S.O. Oladele |
By Oluwagbenga Bankole
The President of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele, has emphasized that Christians who desire to be spiritually grounded must change their attitude toward the Bible and make it a top priority.
He urged believers to go beyond casual reading and commit to studying the Scriptures deeply and consistently, noting that intimate engagement with the Word of God is essential for building a strong and stable spiritual life.
Pastor Oladele made this call yesterday while ministering on the topic, “How the Bible came to us,” taking his text from John 1:14 at the 49th CAC Sunday School Rally, Western Bloc, held at Babalola International Memorial Miracle Camp, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State.
He further stressed that many people carry the Bible around today without knowing what the Bible went through to get to their hands.
He added: “The way we deal with the Bible is the way we’ve been dealing with all the gifts of God to us: Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Bible. It took God about 1500 years to compile the Bible. If it took God these years to bring the Bible to us, this means it’s not a book to be treated anyhow.”
According to him, the Bible is not a textbook of philosophy, noting that every philosopher who reads through it will discover that the wisdom of God is the greatest wisdom and that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. He also stated that the Bible is not a book of science, although science may be found in it.
The President explained further that the Bible is not a textbook on ethics, adding that some people try to read it as such. He emphasized that the Bible cannot be taken in part but must be accepted wholly, stressing that every word in it is beneficial.
“It is true that the Word became flesh, but this same Word has also become a book; it is now on papers and on our gadgets/devices. The Bible is that book that came to us from Israel and has now become a universal book,” he said.
The Clergyman noted that while the Bible might have been written in some languages and by some people, it has become universal, stressing that it cannot be described as Eastern or Western. He added that Christianity itself is not an Eastern or Western religion but a universal one.
Pastor Oladele stated that the misuse of the Bible by some individuals does not make it an Eastern or Western book, nor does it make Christianity a regional religion. He added that such misuse does not mean the Bible belongs to white people.
“This is why you should not think of leaving the faith when people say negative things to you,” he said.
Reflecting on history, he noted that before the Bible existed, the world was without it for about 2,500 years, pointing out that figures such as Adam, Eve, Noah, and Abraham lived righteously without having the Bible.
He said this would make judgment more significant today, as modern believers have access to the Bible yet fail to live accordingly.
“Today, we have 66 books in the Bible, yet we are full of revenge,” he said, adding that earlier writings from civilizations such as the Egyptians and Babylonians were filled with false ideas about God, heaven, man, and sin, leading to confusion.
Explaining the origin of the name “The Bible,” he said that in Egypt around 3000 BCE, the common writing material was papyrus, a plant from which paper was later derived. He noted that the inner part of the plant was called “Biblios,” which eventually evolved through languages to mean “The Book.”
“There are books and there are books, but this is THE BOOK. Whatever book you have in your library or study, the Bible is the Book of books,” he said.
He stressed the need for Christians to continually refer to the Bible as the final authority in matters of faith, stating that once it is cited, other issues should be settled.
“There is no single contradiction in the Bible. You just have to study the Bible properly; there are no contradictions in it,” he added.
Describing the Bible metaphorically, he said it is like a lion let loose, capable of defending itself regardless of criticism.
He explained that the Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments, representing the old and new covenants, and defined a covenant as a binding agreement involving two parties, where one holds supreme authority.
He emphasized that believers cannot selectively accept parts of the Bible, insisting that everything from Genesis to Revelation is meant to be accepted wholly.
Using the table of showbread as an illustration, he said its four legs symbolize stability, representing the Word of God.
He added that a person’s spiritual depth can be measured by their attitude toward the Word of God, citing how many followed Jesus when He broke bread but left when He began to teach deeper truths.
Pastor Oladele outlined three major dangers the Bible has survived: the attacks of its enemies, the neglect of its friends, and false or misguided interpretations.
He noted that while unbelievers are responsible for attacking the Bible, Christians are guilty of neglecting it and misinterpreting it.
“If we do not value what we have today, we will make nonsense of the efforts, blood, sweat, and toil of those who made the Bible available for us,” he warned.
He added that the Bible would ultimately outlive and judge those who oppose it.
The cleric further stated that any administration that does not place Christ at its center is bound to fail. He explained that the Bible came through divine revelation but was recorded by men, describing revelation as something beyond human discovery.
He described the Bible as a revealed book, noting that Christianity itself is a revealed religion and that God’s revelation through it is complete.
He added that between 30 and 40 writers contributed to the Bible over a period of about 1,500 years, with contributors from diverse backgrounds, including Moses, David, Solomon, Daniel, Nehemiah, Ezra, Ezekiel, and Paul.
Despite their different professions and eras, he noted that they all conveyed a unified message centered on Christ.