The Diocesan and Missioner, Diocese of Lagos, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Rt. Rev. Dr Humphrey Olumakaiye said that no virus or any form of the disease can be contracted in the church of God. He made this known in a statement made available to ACNN TV in Lagos on Tuesday.
Bishop Olumakaiye noted that even when members used the same cup for Holy Communion, they could not contract any disease, nothing that the principle was beyond tradition, saying it was divine.
“Without any iota of doubt, we are sure that no virus or any form of the disease can neither survive nor be contracted in the church of God, not even when we use the same cup for Holy Communion; this principle exceeds tradition, it is divine. Remember the charge that Jesus Christ gave us that ‘whenever we do this, we do it in remembrance of Him.”
“One very important thing about that ‘Him’ is that ‘He took up our infirmities (sickness, diseases, etc) and carried our sorrows’ Isaiah 53:4 & Matthew 8:17 so that we will never be sick or be threatened by the prevalence of any disease again. Jesus Christ took it all. Believe it!
He however added that in obedience to all laid down protocols of wearing nose masks, regular washing of hands, physical distancing and so on, our churches have made adequate preparations. In all of these, let the joy of the Lord be our strength, because that is what we will be spreading and not any virus.
Bishop Olumakaiye also commended the efforts of the government (Both at Federal and State level) in curbing the spread of coronavirus, and noted the effort of health workers for their sacrifice for taking the pains to stand in the gap.
He said the church was the hope of the common man, because “when every other thing or method fails, the church of God, where God’s holy altar is, cannot fail.”
Meanwhile, Bishop Olumakaiye urged everyone to seek the face of the Lord in this trying times, noting that the almighty God had done it before.
“As we congregate in our churches, let us humble ourselves with the assurances that it is only God that can help us. Pray, seek God’s face and turn from our wicked ways so that the Lord will heal our land of this pandemic.
“He is able. He has done it before. He can and will do it again. I can assure you that now that the church is gathered like the people of Judah in II Chronicles 20:4, the God of our fathers will come to our aid. Let us, therefore, focus on God’s greatness and we will know that He is greater than any virus,” Bishop Olumakaiye added.
See Press Release Here: Lagos Press Release
I find it unsettling that, given that the Church is the Body of Christ and not a building, that a Bishop nonetheless would think this about a virus. Perhaps Holy Spirit will protect us from common colds, terrorist bullets even, as long as believers gathered in faith of God’s protection in “God’s House”?
Nay, this is the thinking of the colonial empire Church which has embraced myth, legend, anti-rational thinking and unChristian practices.
I pray for all who are influenced by this false teacher.