By Oluwatobiloba Gideon Oludayomi
I find myself, once again, thinking about the drama and the intense back and forth that sometimes looks like an outright attack on the Church.
At some point, I had to ask myself a question. I would like to ask you the same one.
Are you really ready for a godless society?
I have always spoken strongly about our tendency towards emotional extremism. In Nigeria, we often swing from one extreme to another. Sometimes we become so docile that we refuse to confront what is wrong. At other times we become so emotional that we lose balance, reasoning and restraint.
Neither is good enough.
There are things within the Church that should be questioned. There are abnormalities on the pulpit that should be challenged. There are leaders whose actions and teachings deserve scrutiny.
Jesus Himself did this. In Matthew 23, He spoke sharply to religious leaders who loved titles and ignored justice. So questioning religion is not new, and it is not unspiritual.
But there is a difference between cleaning a house and burning it down.
So, what does a society without restraint look like? We have already had a glimpse of it.
Remember the era of the loan shark invasion? People were desperate. Some individuals saw that desperation as an opportunity. Let us do a little arithmetic. Imagine a loan of fifty thousand naira at thirty percent interest for seven days. If that loan is rolled over every week, the interest alone is fifteen thousand naira weekly. Over fifty two weeks, that is seven hundred and eighty thousand naira in interest on a fifty thousand naira loan. That is an annual rate of one thousand five hundred and sixty percent.
The law intervened but it came late. What was missing early was conscience.
Now imagine a society with no moral restraint at all.
Imagine a society where the only question is, "What can I gain?" and nobody asks, "What is right?"
If you think that sounds exciting, try driving through Lagos with no traffic lights. Now remove the conscience too.
The Bible describes such a time in Judges 21:25 (NIV). "In those days Israel had no king. Everyone did as they saw fit."
Everyone did as they saw fit. That is the danger.
A Godly society is about people fearing God. When I speak about the fear of God, I am not asking whether you attend church every Sunday or mosque every Friday.
I am talking about something deeper.
It is the simple conviction that there is a moral standard greater than yourself.
That another human being is still a human being, even when you can exploit them. That having the opportunity to do something does not make it right. That power does not give you the right to oppress. That desperation does not make another person's vulnerability your business opportunity.
Proverbs 16:6 (NIV) says, "Through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided." Notice that it says avoided. Before it is punished, it is avoided. That is how a healthy society works. Most of us behave well, not because a policeman is watching, but because something inside us is.
Some of the kindest people I know do not attend any place of worship. I say this freely. My point is not about who is good. My point is about where goodness gets its standing. If there is no standard above us, then every standard is only a preference. And preferences change when money is on the table.
What is visible is often only a symptom. A scandal in a church is a symptom. A greedy preacher is a symptom. The real question is what produced them, and what will replace the values we are tempted to throw away.
Institutions can fail. Values should not be punished for the failure of institutions.
We need to be able to challenge religion where it is being abused without becoming hostile to godliness itself. A society does not become better simply because it becomes less religious.
What we should desire is a society where religion produces character. Where spirituality produces responsibility. Where the fear of God becomes real regard for human life and dignity.
Micah 6:8 (NLT) puts it simply. "He has told you what is good, and what does the LORD require of you? To do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
And Proverbs 14:34 (NLT) says, "Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people."
Here are a few things any of us can do this week.
1. Criticise with a solution. If you challenge a leader, also name what good looks like.
2. Separate the person from the principle. A bad pastor does not make honesty a bad idea.
3. Practise restraint privately. Do one right thing today that nobody will ever know about.
4. Ask the right question before you act. Not "Can I?" but "Should I?"
So, the next time you join the criticism, ask yourself this.
Are you challenging the things that are wrong within religion, or are you unknowingly celebrating the disappearance of the moral values you may one day need society to have?
Because whether we admit it or not, a godless society is not something any of us should be eager to experience.
I would love to hear from you. Where have you seen the fear of God protect a person, a business or a community? And where do you think the Church must honestly do better? Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let us think together, not shout at each other.
* * *
Oluwatobiloba Gideon Oludayomi is a life coach, a practical writer, and a versatile entrepreneur creating wealth solutions through agriculture, real estate, and enterprise. He is the Convener of the Dominion Guild Network, an ecosystem of high value individuals, young and determined to becoming an empowered generation. He is the author of 'Build It to Last', 'I Thought I Married a Wife' (a novel), and 'Practical Love.'
