WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT EL-RUFAI'S LAW ON PREACHERS.

I have watched with keen interest the issues that have risen due to EL-RUFAI'S decision for every preacher in the state to have licenses, first, i wanted to condemn him, but i had to go into deep reasoning, then i came up with these: are the preachers in Kaduna really pastors or criminals in disguise? are the preachers in Kaduna still following the fundamentals set down by the early church fathers? are the preachers in Kaduna preaching to convert souls or to make profit?.

After these issues bothered me, i then carried out a quick research and i found out that Christianity being practiced in this country is a scam, then i realized, that 90% of Kaduna preachers maybe fraudsters or runaway criminals taking refuge in the city, then again, i decided to study the bible to know what the bible really teaches in such situations, and here is what i got.

In the book of Romans 13: 1-7, Apostle Paul gave a command to all Christians, asking them to submit themselves to constituted authorities, he said those who don't obey governing authorities have no respect for God.

The reason Paul commands the Christians to submit to the authorities is because civil authority is God's institution.

Here are other reasons:

A. Paul commands the Roman Christians to submit to civil authority because God has appointed that authority.

B. Paul commands Christians to submit to civil authority because the civil authorities will punish those who resist them and praise and do good to them that obey..

C. Paul commands Christians to submit to civil authority because of the punitive action of the state (i.e. wrath) and also because of conscience.

Read verses below:

13:1 Let every person be submissive to the governing authorities

13:2 For there is no authority except [that which is given] by God and those who are appointed by God.

13:3 Consequently, the one who resists authority, opposes the institution of God, and those who do so will receive judgment on themselves.

13:4 For, rulers are not a fear to good work, but to evil [work] Do you want to not fear the authority? Do good and you will have praise from it.

13:4 For it is God's servant to do you good, but if you do evil, then fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. For it is God's servant, an avenger to bring wrath on the one who practices evil.

13:5 Wherefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.

13:6 For this reason you pay taxes, for  [those in authority] are God's servants who persist in this very thing.

13:7 Give back to all people what is owed; taxes to whom taxes are due; revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due and honor to whom honor is due.

The problem in our country is that, people love making mountains out of a mole hill, and with such issue at hand, people who are bent on disintegrating this country have picked on the issue and politicized it to suit their personal gains and ferment more trouble.

Real Christians would never oppose this, if the preachers are sure of themselves, they would quietly get the license and stop making noise about it.

Thanks.

Bodmas P. Kemepadei is a scholar of Religion and cultural values.