WHO IS A MAN GOD? - By: Yemi Saka

When on friday November 16 2012, my mentor & friend Mallam Nasir el-Rufai reposted and retweeted my post on the jet acquisition by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor on his wall, it went viral & we both came under attack for criticising a "Man of God".
The question is who is a man of God? I was forced to ask this question when my faith was questioned and was reprimanded for speaking evil of/or against a man of God. They were quick to cite a Bible verse "Touch not my anointed and do my Prophet no harm". Really, do Nigerians know who is a man of God?
As a Christian, what my Bible highlighted is contradictory to what we have in place in Nigeria. According to the gospel, in the book of 1 Timothy 6, while/when Paul was writing Timothy, in verse 11, he specifically refered to Timothy as a man of God; " You man of God".
In the book of 2 Timothy 3:17, man of God literally mean God's man. Someone who belongs personally to God. A man in whom God trust, and in highest sense owns or possesses.
This is not a man who belongs to the world. This is not a man who belongs to culture. This is not a man who belongs to board of a Church, denomination, association, or those who ordained him. As indicated earlier, this is a man who personally belongs to God. This is a very unique title.
It's a very technical title drawn from the Old Testament, in which it appeared in excess of 70 times. It only appeared twice in the New Testament.
A lot will quick to posit that with what I've said, and bearing in mind the number of churches and religious organisation in Nigeria, Men of God abound in this country. Why don't you all hold your breathe a minute, and not hastily conclude such.
"Man of God" is a technical term which is also defined as someone uniquely called to proclaim the Word of God. A man of God is equipped for this by all scripture. 2 Timothy 3: 1; " All scripture is provided so that the man of God can be adequate to do his work".
While it's true that all of us belong to the Lord in general sense, those that are men of God, in an elevated sense are given the deposit of biblical truth as a trust to be disseminated to people of God; i.e Spiritual order.
But there are men of depraved mind who suppose that godliness or religion is a means of gains. These are the people who realise they can make a lot of money through religion. They are in the ministry for money. They make a lot of money by telling people they can/will heal them. They also make money by promising people God in heaven and miracles. They make a lot of money by telling them they know the secrets of ages, and the truths of time and eternity. Promising and assuring people of divine lottery also is a money spinning antics.
How do you know a Man of God?
A man of God is identified by what he flees from, and what he runs after.
A man of God is someone which the temporal, transitory, and perishing things have no significance.
A man of God is he who have one dominating, driving compelling mandate, and that is to preach the Word, to be instant in season, out of season, constantly speaking for God, and constantly saying "Thou saith the Lord".
1 Timothy 6: 9-10 says " those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desire which plunge men into ruin and destruction, for the love of money is the root of all sort of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered off away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs; but flee from this things".
A man of God flees from sexual sin, loving money and all material things that go with it. A man of God flees from idolatry, and all the evil that are attached to self indulgence, self fulfilment, and self aggrandizement.
A man of God is also known by what he follows after. These are righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
With the highlighted triats, how many "men of God" do we have? How many of our private jets acquiring and flying, business owning, school owning, Banana Island residing, and properties acquiring Pastors are Men of God?
So to all that felt I attacked a Man of God, I only attacked and have been attacking Men of the World.
So it's safe to say what we have in Nigeria are "men of the world" not "men of God".

via: Nasirl El'Rufai