Conformity To The World, A Danger To The Church – Bishop Ikeakor

Conformity to the world has been described as a very potent danger to the church and Christians all over the world.

This view was expressed by the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Amichi, The Rt. Rev’d. Ephraim Okechukwu Ikeakor.

Bishop Ikeakor said this while delivering his Presidential Address at the 3rd Session of the 4th Synod of the Diocese of Amichi held at Ebenezer Church, Unubi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

According to Bishop Ikeakor, “conformity to the standard of the world is a very deadly spiritual virus ravaging and destroying Christianity and the Church. We are instructed by the Apostle and Elder John in 1 John 2:15, ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.’ The most dangerous and poisonous spiritual concoction any Christian can take is to combine the love of Christ with the love of the world at the same time.”

While dwelling on the synod theme “Do not be conformed to this world”, Bishop Ikeakor remarked that there are two standards that are operational in the world, the standard of God and the standard of the world. He identified vengeance, enmity, killing, sexual perversions as acceptable norms in the world but noted that they are in contrast to God’s standard which includes love, forgiveness, righteousness and holy living.

Bishop Ikeakor regretted that in many cases, the modern-day church has deviated from biblical standards and resorted to copying the world; a situation he said has left so much damage on the church. He said that the loss of spiritual authority evident in the church today is one of the dangerous effects of conformity to the world.

“Like the sons of Sceva, the world and evil spirits are boldly asking Christians, and Gospel Preachers, ‘Jesus I know, Paul I Know, but who are you?’ How often have men of God in this Country decreed that one president or governor will die within few days, and nothing happens? This is a practical demonstration of loss of Spiritual authority because of conformity to the world. Samuel, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, Apostle Peter, Paul etc maintained high level of spiritual authority because they refused to be conformed to the standard of the world.

Bishop Ikeakor said that God’s urgent demand on the church today is for a radical return to biblical Christianity in order to be prepared for the second coming of Jesus Christ and be strong enough to resist the assaults of the enemies of the church.

“God is in dire need of radical and unapologetic Christians who are ready to even pay the supreme price in the maintenance and defence of sound Biblical Christianity and Biblical orthodoxy. The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is quite at the doorsteps. The New World Movement has perfected their agenda against Christianity. Can you be counted among those who will stand with God’s agenda of pure and unconformed Christian message and lifestyle.”

“Let us stand with Christ, Prepare for persecution, rejection and deprivation as we oppose and confront the satanic cultures of this world, with heaven’s cultures of righteousness, holiness, forgiveness, and genuine love of Christ. The time to resist, and desist from conformity to the world is now, or never.”