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Speech by Premier at the Gospel Commemoration Anniversary: 50 years of evangelism
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 EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
SPEECH BY PREMIER STOFILE
 AT THE GOSPEL COMMEMORATION ANNIVERSARY
50 YEARS OF EVANGELISM
 ON 21 OCTOBER 2000



One of the most outstanding features of the Xian faith is belief in the purpose of God for creation. Christians believe that there is a 
divine purpose that directs all reality towards a final goal. The events of history are not arbitrary, but episodes in the unfolding of 
Gods plan. By way of explaining that goal and plan of God and His faithfulness to its fulfilment, Isaiah describes as the second exodus. 
God, moved by compassion and righteousness, responded to the cry of the oppressed slaves of Israel in Egypt and led them to freedom and an 
open future. This way Isaiah gives a balanced description of the power and mercy of the only true God. This gives force to Isaiahs 
proclamation that every power in the universe was obliged, whether knowingly or not, to contribute to Gods redemptive plans (Is 46-55).

But the Scriptures do not pretend that all is always well in the relationship between God and humanity. Sometimes there is transgression on 
our part, there is selfishness, greed and even obstinance.When such negative situations arise, God punishes us using even other nations to 
mete out his punishment.In the case of the Israelites, he used the Philistines and even the Romans.And the children of Israel became 
captives of other nations. They were oppressed and tortured by the Gentiles. But of course the purpose of God for creation went beyond just 
the Israelites.It is a glorious picture of salvation that reached the furthest corners of the world, even the South African corner of the 
earth. (Is 45:68). But the story of transgression and punishment is not the last word in our relationship to God.

God the Universal Creator, while not yet acknowledged by all as Lord, will, through the faithfulness of His believers be recognised. When 
that happens, the human family will be reunited so as to live in peace as God had intended from the beginning. But this is 
conditional.First, the people of God must be released from sin.Isaiah is very strong in stressing the importance of the political freedom 
of the Israelite slaves as a component of the fulfilment of the plan of God. But Isaiah stresses the fact that the sinners themselves are 
unable to achieve the spiritual atonement. They need the Servant of the Lord, the one God chose for this task to be accomplished. (53:9-
10). (Sinless though He was,He was crushed by God with pain and death to make His life an offering for sin).

We share the experience of the Jewish exiles in a number of respects. Like them we have gone through unprecedented suffering and 
oppression.In fact, its after-effects are still with us to this day.Just like the Jewish exiles, political change broke upon our lives at a 
rate that startled the world and dazzled many a South African. We are tempted to run for shelter by appealing to the things of old.We are 
admonished to replicate the past. But the Bible warns us as it did to Israel:Do not remember the former things; or consider the things of 
old.I am about to do a new thing (43:18-19).

The section of the Bible that is more detailed in dealing with the NEW THING is the New Testament. It is the section that does not only 
remind us of the past.It actually reveals to us what is in store for us in the new dispensation. What we reap when we believe in Jesus as 
the Saviour Son of God. Those who are one with Him in the Spirit are called the children of God. They live a true life that overcomes 
death, as the Crucified Christ overcame it in the Resurrection. This true and full life is not yet fully grasped in its fullness. The fact 
that we are still members of an earthly community limits our grasp of this new life. But the Bible assures us: we are more than 
conquerors, through Him who loves us. For neither death, nor life, not angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor 
powers, nor, heights, nor depth, nor anything else in ALL CREATION, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our 
Lord. (Rom 8:36-39).

Rom 8:16 amplifies this as follows:Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory God will give us later. This is a powerful and 
difficult to comprehend type of message. The flesh we are tends to opt for the easier and nihilist message that says: no amount of future 
glory can undo the moral injustice of communal and individual suffering. But such a message is not in the scheme of things as planned by 
the Almighty God. The end is about victory rather than defeat. Analysed from the heart and understood from daily experience, this message 
of ultimate glory is hard to comprehend. But so was the experience of the exile Jews. Such was the experience of the Disciples of Christ 
after the Trial and Crucifixion of the Lord.They were totally disillusioned.Their enemies gloated and felt victorious.

The Book of Revelation was written under similar circumstances of demotivation and hopelessness. But John does not only say to his readers 
your distress will not last long, so hang in there, No. He says instead: your life is part of a story, a story that began before you were 
born; a story that will come to a worthy conclusion.The Christ who will return is not a newcomer who finally arrives at the end of 
history.He is the one who exercises the kingly power of God. He is present with his churches during their time of trial. He is with his 
people in the historical crises of the world.He guides us through life to the fulfilment of Gods purpose for living.

A popular name given to that future dispensation is The New Jerusalem. This has nothing to do with the restoration of the earthly kingdom 
of David, as the Jews wrongly believe. The New Jerusalem is not the eternal establishment of an oppressive hierarchy.It is, rather, the 
final identification of the economy, human freedom and autonomy.

The world is Gods creation, it is loved by God and will be redeemed by Him. Christians are called upon to love too and participate in its 
redemption. This is derived from the self-giving love of God made manifest and real in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
This life is also made manifest in Gods people. The Church must give direction to the life of the people of God.We have a responsibility. 
God watches our every move and responds, always with love. His victory is not our defeat.It is the victory of us all.We must live 
responsibly, act responsibly.Always with love and hope.

ROLE OF THE CHURCH [Is.40:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:19]

The churches can play a role in the reconstruction of South Africa. The prophetic mission of the church cannot remain only at the level of 
criticism.It must go beyond that. The hungry must be fed and the wounded must be healed.Our people are poor and hungry. Their spirits are 
terribly wounded.

The church can assist our people to get to grips with reconciliation and nation-building. We would be nave to think that the TRC has 
achieved that.Indeed the process has many flaws. Reconciliation is fragile and vulnerable and needs to be nurtured. No institution is 
better placed than the church for this.

The basic religious insights and discovery contained in 2 Cor. 5:19, it seems to me, are that in Christ, believers of Jewish and of Gentile 
backgrounds can live together in peace as a new community. Hostilities are being overcome.None of the two communities are expected to give 
up their traditions in this new community. On the contrary, the broadening of the nation of people of God so as to embrace people of all 
backgrounds happens in line with the most precious promises which God has given to the people of Israel (Gal. 3:6  14 esp. V.9).

The church as the new community is expected to be an alternative society, anticipating the healing of humanity and all of creation.

Reconciliation implies the removal of hostilities and the restoration of fellowship, of peace. Through Christ we are placed in the midst of 
the struggles and strife that disrupt human life and undermine human dignity. We are assured that even there, reconciliation is possible. 
This is so because of the reconciliation of humans and the cosmos which has already been achieved in Jesus Christ. The church is enjoined 
to invite all people to avail themselves of this reconciliation and to live it in real life.

This message of the Church as the alternative society that must implement reconciliation is a very provocative one.It obliges the church to 
practise the participation of all its members in the sharing of her resources in its whole life as well as the life of the community of 
which the church is part. Yes, the church is not OF the world. But she is IN the world.This message places on the church the obligation to 
take up the struggle against ALL structures and practices of irreconcilability in her own life and society. This pertains to tensions 
arising from different cultural, religious, political and economic injustices and disparities. This message is bound to involve the church 
in conflict and even hatred and persecutions.

But the church must obey God rather than man.The church is intended by God to give hope to the whole human community and to creation. The 
proclamation of the Gospel (Good News) must be related to the ministry and message of Jesus.I like the summary of this ministry and message 
as it is found in Luke 4:18-21. [freedom to prisoners, relief to the poor, healing to the sick and joy and new life to all marginalized 
members of the people of God.] At the same time Jesus relied on his followers as the Jubilee people to implement the kingdom of God on 
earth as it is in heavens and thus give hope to the world. People who have all along been treated as objects are now subjects and are 
custodians of the destiny and authors of their history.

The challenge of HIV/AIDS is posing a real threat to the African continent and particularly to South Africa. There is a real danger that 
generations of our people will be swept out of the face of the earth. But the government is pushing scientists as hard as it can to 
identify a remedy for the scourge.Indeed the whole world is working feverishly through its scientists to defeat the HIV/AIDS. Our people 
need help. But they also need hope. The Church cannot believe that the God of Love will simply wipe out the whole of creation. Neither will 
God stop punishing our sinful ways.Just as scientists were produced that defeated the small pox, polio, etc. God will produce a virologist 
that will save His people from HIV/AIDS.In the meantime we must educate society about HIV/AIDS and how to assist those already affected.

Involvement in the struggle for economic and social justice is therefore an integral part of the life of a believer who lives in fellowship 
with the risen Lord. Every day the Christian is to draw strength from the amnesty brought about by God through Jesus Christ. Every day the 
believer is enjoined to pass on this amnesty to fellow human beings.

Again the Church is better equipped to explain the deeper meaning of Amnesty. Whilst the evil-doer is forgiven, the deed itself is not 
forgiven. As such there can be no amnesia or forgetting of the evils of the past. The memory of the offence is retained in order to avoid a 
repetition of the offence. This way human dignity is protected. The church can play a big role in the fight for the restoration of human 
dignity, the rebuilding of the moral fibre of society, in the socio-economic reconstruction of our society and in reconciliation and Nation-
building programme of our country.

CONCLUSION

In 1985, the Kairos Document had this to say: to develop&#133;&#133;.an alternative biblical and theological model that will in turn lead 
to forms of activity that will make a real difference to the future of our country. We believe that this task is as urgent to the church 
now as it was then.

The message of love among neighbours can only mean something when it is translated into acts of justice in our lives. For love is the 
reverse side of justice and Human Rights is the end product. The affluent white families belong to the same faith and denominations as the 
Black poor. As such,the church (if we take it in its broader meaning than just leaders and the institution) is well-endowed to make a 
difference in our societies.

REV. M.A. STOFILE
 PREMIER : EASTERN CAPE

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