For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? ~ Psalm 6:5 KJV
I have heard so many of my fellow Africans dwell on the fact that before the Colonizers came to South Africa and many other African countries, we had our own unique religion. We were spiritual, we worshipped, we praised, we consulted and believed in a higher power. Some even question the truthfulness of the Bible, "If the white people who arrived with bibles in South Africa could do all the heartless things to Africans, why would they bring to Africa a religion that is actually good or works?" How can we trust that the very group of people who took away so much from our ancestors could possibly bring us something that would ensure we end up in Heaven/a better place after we depart from the physical realm?
I have come to realize that as much as many Africans have and will continue to receive the message of Christ, some are still holding on to the 'religion' of their forefathers/ancestors. They still indulge in the sacrifices to the dead and consults the spirits of the dead.
The psalmist David makes a remarkable statement in Psalm 30:9,
“What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness?
Contrary to the beliefs of some Africans, the bible hints that the dead cannot praise God. After-all isn't he the God of the living? He is. I have heard many say statements such as, "those who are dead are closer to God than us, so we pray to them then they will take the prayers to God" and even include the statement, "Even Jesus is dead so it's the same thing since you go to the father through him". But that is false, Jesus is risen, he is not dead.
As living Christians, we are in Christ and he is in us, we don't need anyone else to communicate to God on our behalf. Even Jesus himself said, he will not talk to the father for us, but that we will speak directly to the father, in his name.
At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you ~ John 16:26 KJV
Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf ~ John 16:26 NLT
I love how Isaiah 38:18 puts it;
For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. ~ Isaiah 38:18 KJV
May we remember those in Ephesus, who when they heard the gospel forsook all their gods to serve the One True, Living God. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray just as Paul ruined the businesses of 'shrine-making' back in Ephesus, today through preaching the gospel, may we also introduce light to the people in darkness. To defeat the darkness we simply have to turn on the light.
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