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Corruption Heart

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14 views3 pages

Corruption Heart

Uploaded by

helenarodrigues1940
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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This document was supplied for free educational purposes.

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A table of contents for the Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology


can be found here:

https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/articles_ajet-02.php
Editorial

CORRUPTION OF THE HEART


An AJET Editorial

The human heart is deceitful and corrupt above all things. This corruption is
seen in the way people behave and act, believe and think. Yet responses to a
question like, "How corrupt or corrupted is your heart?" will yield relative
answers, which are of no value in the kingdom of God.

The first article, by Dr. Keith Ferdinando, is a follow-up response to


Christopher Little's article which appeared inAJET22.2 2003. Those interested
in the issue need to read the original articles which appeared inAJET21.1 2002.
Otherwise, the focus in the present article is on a few critical and representative
issues only.

In the second article, which is a book chapter printed with permission from the
publisher, the author, Dr. Richard J. Gehman, explores the meaning of
Communion with the Dead according to the Scriptures. He concludes,
"'Communion of saints' in Scripture does not refer to any fellowship between
the living and the dead. Scripture nowhere suggests that the living and dead
fellowship together during Holy Communion. Nor can our unsaved ancestors be
included in the body of Christ." (p.l4) Believers cannot embrace a communion
with the dead if they want to be faithful to the Scriptures. When our loved ones
pass away into eternity they have been removed from any communion with the
living. This article is well researched; and those involved in theological
education need to read the book.

The third one, Portuguese Presence and Endeavours in East Africa, 1498-1698
is Part I of Prof. Watson A.O. Omulokoli's article (Part 11 & Ill will appear in
the next issue ofAJET). It provides background information on the explorations
and entrance of Christianity in East Africa by the Portuguese.

The fourth article by Kenneth L. Hall, discusses the importance of Fighting


Corruption in the Human Heart, which according to Jer. 17:9 is "deceitful above
all things, and desperately sick that none can understand it." Hall states correctly
that this corruption in the human heart is a sin, which began initially in the
Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Gen. 3: 1-6). This
inherited sinful nature has been perpetuated in the human race such that when
2 Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology 25.1 2006

we become Christians, we do not automatically stop sinning because the inner


disposition to sin is still there.

God's standard and expectation of pure living is required of all Christians. Since
man is unable to fulfill this standard of righteousness given by God on his own,
God himself has provided a solution in the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.

In providing implications for the modern African church, Hall says Christians,
in general, have not allowed the gospel to control every part of their life. This
lack of quality Christianity is evidenced by inadequate discipling and syncretism
-a mixing of Christian and traditional beliefs (p.57) and other vices. Fighting
corruption in the human heart then calls for us to keep our hearts vigilantly, put
away crooked speech and pursue a straight path for our feet (Proverbs 4:23-27).

Lastly, The Formation ofAfrican Evangelical Theology by Dr. DetlefKapteina


takes the reader into the history of African Evangelical theology since 1973. He
points out that the late Dr. Byang Kato was instrumental in those early
beginnings in addition to the historical framework of AEA structures and earlier
awareness of Christian Education concerns (p. 62). His conclusion captures Dr.
Kato's emphatic expression: "Let African Christians be Christian Africans,
which lays stress on biblical authenticity and priority for African Christianity.
This same expression has continued to be echoed by theologians since then, for
example, Dr. P. Bowers' emphasis on the word Africans, thus "underlining the
necessity of an indigenized Christian theology for Africa." (p. 83)

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