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GAFCON Chairman urges Anglican Evangelicals to be Steadfast Against Growing Western Apostasy
Nigerian Primate warns against compromise with a counterfeit gospel
By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
April 10, 2018
The Primate of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh took yet another swipe at Western Anglicanism with an eye towards the Archbishop of Canterbury, urging GAFCON followers to be "steadfast and immovable in the face of great pressures to compromise the unchanging truth of the gospel."
In his April letter, he urged faithful Anglicans to avoid the seductive calls to unity whether through money or unity which is based merely on shared history rather than shared truth.
He sent signals to American Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Canadian Archbishop Fred Hiltz that their interference in the Global South with money to buy allegiance and phony unity conferences designed to play down differences based on culture and opt for "good disagreement" is unacceptable.
"Some of you face challenges such as persecution, disease, communal strife and food insecurity. Some have to struggle with less physically threatening problems which can still be very hard as you are marginalized because of your faithfulness and those who were once friends draw back from you. But in all these circumstances the resurrection of Jesus from the dead assures us that despite the sins, confusions, suffering and setbacks that are part of our experience now, ultimate victory is certain," he wrote.
"By God's grace we shall not just stand, but flourish. Some of you may feel that you are weak and insignificant in your stand for orthodox faith compared to those who enjoy the favors compromise seems to bring, but we can have complete confidence that our work is not in vain if it is done in reliance on his resurrection power at work in our lives through the Holy Spirit."
It is this hope that sustains us for the long haul, he said. "Reformation takes time. It may be that we do not see the full fruits of the work God has begun through GAFCON in our lifetimes, but there is much to be thankful for and I am looking forward with great anticipation as we prepare to return to Jerusalem ten years after that moment when the Spirit of God first moved so powerfully among us. Already it is clear that attendance should be well in excess of Nairobi five years ago which is a great encouragement as we rededicate ourselves to the task we have taken as our conference theme, 'Proclaiming Christ faithfully to the Nations'.
"To see the Anglican Communion set free from compromise with a counterfeit gospel for obedience to our Lord's Great Commission is an inspiring vision and in Jerusalem we shall launch major new initiatives to equip Anglicans around the world to fulfil this mandate.
Okoh cited 1 Cor. 15:58 "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." Okoh urged strength to persevere and not lose heart in the face of discouragement.
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