The Jesus Image Controversy

Jude 3-4

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord [a]God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This write-up is in response to the video of famed Prophet Adom Kyei Dua in which he claims that in the next 500 years, his image will be used to replace that of Christ which is in circulation.

I am writing because necessity is laid upon me to defend my faith in Christ and to expose that which seems to be Christianity but is definitely NOT. The purpose of this write-up is not to attack anyone but intended to help the unsuspecting believer navigate the times in which we are where not all claiming to be sent by Jesus are indeed his messengers and not every place named a church is one. Jude 3-4 is clear and instructive in exhorting every true believer in Christ to contend for the faith earnestly.

Well, first of all that image in circulation as the picture of Jesus Christ is not his real image but that of an actor (Henry Byron Warner) so to aspire to have one’s image replace that is really inconsequential.

That said, the statement of Prophet Adom Kyei Dua raises serious concerns and must be looked at to save many who believe innocently. I am compelled to write this not for the matured believer but for those who are not yet deeply rooted in the knowledge of Christ and may easily be swayed by any wind of doctrine or false prophets who appear as wolves in sheep skin.

What is wrong with such statement?

First of all, no true believer in Christ would ever exalt themselves above anything Christ. The name Jesus is to be hallowed and revered. It is the heritage of the Christian bequeathed to us by God, as Phil 2:9 states that therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that is above all names and at the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.

The act of elevating even your image must not cross your thought, let alone proceed out of your mouth. It is akin to Lucifer saying He will exalt his throne above that of the Almighty and was brought down in judgement (read Isaiah 14:12-14). One thing that has brought down many men of God and people of power is the desire to be worshipped and fame.

Remember the tower of Babel ended because the motive was to make a name for themselves. Equally, Herod was struck by an angel when he began to accept worship on the day he was to execute Peter.

The work of the Holy Spirit In the believer and the church is to testify not of Himself but Christ and to give glory to Him. Jesus said when the Holy Spirit comes, He will glorify the Son and testify of the Son, read John 15:26, 16:14. If one is indeed operating by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they testify of Christ and glorify Christ, not of themselves or anyone.

Similarly, most of the songs sung in their church services praise the prophet and do not point the flock to Jesus. This is certainly not Christianity, and clearly typifies a cult. Ran dear Christian, ran for you are not in a church! Psalm 103:7 says He made known His ways to Moses and His acts to the children of Israel.

It is obvious that most people who have been ensnared to this place and the likes are after the acts but not the ways of God as God’s ways are revealed through a relationship built over a period and from the wells of intimacy. This is the function of discipleship.

It must indeed be noted that problems like these points to a serious failure of the present day church to disciple new believers so they will go on to maturity. That said, the Bible is clear in stating that  the responsibility of one’s salvation is personal, thus work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Another claim of the prophet is the fact that no man of God ever to have risen in Ghana has gathered crowds the way he has been able to. This is not an indication that God is with a man of God or endorses what he is doing.

Let us be very careful. When God calls a man, he gives him an assignment. Not every man of God will have crowds. Remember, when Moses had to raise leaders, there were captains of 30, 70, and hundreds. So let’s be careful. Secondly, not even miracles, prophecies, and others are evidence of God’s presence or approval of a man of God. Read Matthew 7:22-23 below:

Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Conclusion

In concluding, let us pursue the knowledge of the word of God, in it, we will understand the ways of God and not be swayed by any wind of doctrine and the crave for miracles.

Let us guard our salvation and seek God, His Kingdom and its righteousness and all other things shall be added unto us. We must also understand that many like these will rise because we are in the last days.

Two of the numerous evidences of the last days is the upsurge of many false prophets (Matthew 24:11), and a second being that people will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires and will turn their ears from the truth to myths, (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Source: Richard Gyasi Kwaa