Renowned cleric, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, has enjoined religious
leaders in the country to commit all the resources at their disposals into
realising the goals of reaching the hopeless and those whose faith in the
saving power of God is ebbing incessantly.
He stated this in Oyo town at a forum.
Ladigbolu noted that regardless of the faults some people find with religion,
it still remains one of the fortresses where one can draw succour.
According to him, ‘’it is still the sanctuary where the hopeless receive the ministration of hope. The present global condition, in all its acutely disturbing realities, reveals a world in need of dire divine intervention.
” It is a world where human efforts are providing relief and peace are
increasingly becoming inadequate. The challenge, therefore, for those who bear the light of salvation is for them to reach out to the lost. This is one important
duty that Islam and Christianity demand of adherents’’
He added, ‘’for instance, the appeal for fund for the purpose of evangelism is a good opportunity to advance and populate the kingdom of God. Where you physically cannot reach the lost, your money can get there. I encourage us to give generously to his work, believing strongly that your labour of love is mot in vain’’.
While pointing out that the decision to accept the message of salvation is voluntary and personal, the Minister of God admonished that those who seek to bring others to the knowledge of God need not enlist the appurtenances of violence.
Said he, ‘’neither Quran nor the Bible encourages the deployment of coercion or violence as a means of evangelising unbelievers. Killing in the name of religion does not bring glory to God. It is against His command and will never receive His blessing. What God wants us to extend to unbelievers is love and the message of full and free salvation and not bodily harm or death’’.
Ladigbolu called on all believers to continue to seek the face of God for lasting peace in Nigeria, especially in the North-Eastern axis where life now appears short, brutish and nasty.
‘’Nigerians also have a duty to work for all that promotes peace and harmonious living. Religion need not be the leading cause of death within our borders. My administration in the state of Osun is fully committed to promoting religious harmony .That is the way to enjoy the dividends of good governance. And we thank God that peace subsists and all the antics of detractors to divide the people on religious grounds have failed.’’
