God’s not in Heaven: Damina and Adefarasin Collabo in Scripture Twisting

I can’t believe I composed the title above, so funny šŸ™‚ . Well, it isn’t my fault! It’s because of the video I saw recently on Youtube. Dr Abel Damina, an Akwa Ibom born preacher was invited to an House on the Rock 2016 conference and he said a lot of things that should not…

I can’t believe I composed the title above, so funny šŸ™‚ . Well, it isn’t my fault! It’s because of the video I saw recently on Youtube.

Dr Abel Damina, an Akwa Ibom born preacher was invited to an House on the Rock 2016 conference and he said a lot of things that should not be said or even believed as a Christian. To my surprise, the congregation was intoxicated and even Pastor Paul Adefarisin gave his unreserved approval – jumping to the rhematic twist.

I am writing this so that we can think through it as Berean Christians. We cannot become sound Christian if you do not study the Bible, pray and listen to good sermons. That is why we have plenty of churchgoers and few disciples. It is easy to shout “rhema!” thinking we have learnt something whereas we have learnt nothing. Do not absorb anything just because your Daddy GO says it.

Discernment, as Charles Spurgeon says, is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.

Some may say “Does it really matter? we are humans and are bound to errors. To err is human?” True and I am not trying to be critical or engage in error-picking campaign. I understand that there are minor things that we may disagree on. However, there are also major truths that we must not afford to let go. They may be small like the yeast of the Pharisees. Truth matters and it is essential to salvation. More of this in my conclusion.

So, follow me as I unravel and open up the shocking statements I heard. I will pick only three (3). Let’s go.

1. Funny: God is not in heaven

 

Dr Damina said:

“God does not live in heaven. That’s why your goal should not be heaven. If your goal is heaven, it’s a stupid goal….If there was a day when God created the heaven and earth, where was he before that day. Anywhere he was, that is where he is. Because he said I am the Lord, I changeth not. It is the man Jesus in heaven”

What shocks me is the extent to which charismatics/pentecostals go to arrive at their “rhemas”. When a man disregards other verses just to bring out a “rhema”, then something is wrong somewhere. Since God was somewhere else before creating heaven and earth, Dr Damina concludes, he’s definitely not in heaven since he cannot change. No scriptures to back up his assertion. Not one verse to prove this, yet, the entire congregation was mesmerized.

To answer him I will say firstly that God is everywhere. Heaven and Earth are inside of God. It is like a bucket inside an ocean. The bucket is in the water and water in the bucket. But if we are talking about the throne of God, Isaiah 66:1 says “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool”. Also, remember Jesus ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of God. And please, that God doesn’t change means that his character and personality doesn’t change. It doesn’t in anyway mean that God didn’t or doesn’t do new things. For example, God became a man 2000+ years ago, before then He had never become a man. Also, the bible records that God will appear on the great white throne to judge the world at the end of the world, there has never been anything of such and will never be thereafter.

2. The Gospels Misunderstood: Matthew to John is not part of the New Testament

Dr Damina said

“The Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke and John] are not part of the new Testament. That’s why if you follow the teachings of the Gospels on its own you can fall into heresy…Jesus himself placed a disclaimer on his teachings before he died… John 16:12…. what I really want to say I have not said it because you don’t have capacity.

 

Later

Matthew Mark Luke and John are historical books recording the humanity of Jesus Christ … Acts to Revelation is the New Testament

The above is the most shocking statement that I heard. For a man to say that the messages of Jesus – his birth, sermon on the mount, parables, miracles etc can lead to heresy is absolutely unbelievable. When the Gospels which is the heartbeat of the New Testament have been relegated, prepare for unlimited heresies.

The basis for Dr Damina’s statement above is John 16:12. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

Now, before we consider why his interpretation is poisonous, let’s see a corollary verse where Jesus says in John 15:15 that:

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

If we take these two Scriptures together, two things are very clear. While we know that it’s impossible for Jesus to say everything in his omniscience, there is a certain “everything” that Jesus has said. The “everything” needed to make “servants” become “friends”. In other words, everything concerning salvation. Also, we see that there are still many things Jesus would still say through the Holy Spirit. Therefore Dr Damina was wrong. Jesus did not say I have not said the most important things. Jesus did not say I have not said what I really want to say. Jesus only said I still have many things to say.

The other statement of Dr Damina that the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) on their own will lead to heresy, is to say the least, preposterous. If we follow Damina’s line of reasoning, whatever we find in Acts to Revelation is to be given higher prominence to what’s in Matthew-John. Whereas, the Scripture says nothing of such. Instead the Scriptures says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

3. The Old Testament Misunderstood: Angels & Prophets Dishonoured

Dr Damina said:

“So when we gather like this, an innumerable company of angels… they come with their biro and paper. When we start teaching, they start writing down “Ehen, is that what it means?” Because angels dont know. But angels can only know when sons are gathered because angels are servants. Angels cannot have secrets.

Another time, he said:

The prophets…they would prophecy ‘Thus saith the Lord’ and they will say ‘what are we talking about?’ God would say ‘it’s not for you. Shut up. Get out! Next….Your job is to prophecy. The people that own it, when their time come, they will understand’…1Peter 1:10

There is nowhere in the Scripture where such derogatory words were used to refer to Moses or the angels. Yes our days are better because of Jesus’s coming, there is the fullness of the Spirit’s presence but this is not a licence to speak derogatorily of prophets of old. Hebrews tells us that Moses was faithful in God’s house; chapter 11 of Hebrews sings of all the mighty acts wrought through the old saints and prophets and the suffering they shared. Because the prophets “inquired what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating” according to 1Peter 1:10 does not mean they did not understand. Neither does it place the prophets in an unspiritual state. In fact, the following verses tell us they knew they were serving us. This is something that should humble a genuine Christian. Instead, Dr Damina said they do not know what they were talking about and God would tell them to shut up. This is a blatant lie. They knew. Abraham knew. Moses knew. This is particularly written of Moses:

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward Hebrews 11:24-26

And to exaggerate the excitement of grace, Dr Damina boasts of even knowing more than angels in the quote above. Surely Dr Damina is not alone in this, he must have read it somewhere. As I have read that many men interpret Ephesians 3:10 that way.

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places – Ephesians 3:8-10

This Scripture is talking about grace. In fact, the main point of this Scripture is the fact that the church, that is, the Christians are saved for God to show His graciousness. In other words, the plan of salvation and grace has all been God’s plan so that he will show to heavenly beings His manifold wisdom. Let me show you two similar verses, one in Ephesians and the other in Romans.

Epehsians 1:3-6 says

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Why did God save us? Answer is to the praise of his glorious grace. Now let’s see Romans 9:23

in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—

We are saved so that God might display the riches of His glory. John MacArthur puts it this way “The whole plan of salvation is a revelation of grace. And it was done beforehand, not as an afterthought.”.

In directly addressing this issue, John Calvin says:

The inference which some draw from this passage, that angels are present in our assemblies, and make progress along with ourselves in knowledge, is a groundless speculation…Paul’s meaning is this: “The church, composed both of Jews and Gentiles, is a mirror, in which angels behold the astonishing wisdom of God displayed in a manner unknown to them before. They see a work which is new to them, and the reason of which was hid in God. In this manner, and not by learning anything from the lips of men, do they make progress.”

To conclude this section, the only time the Scripture warns us of the prophets and indeed anybody, is when we begin to equate the prophets with Christ. It is Christ alone. Christ is supreme and over all the prophets and angels.

In concluding this article, let me tell you that there are plenty different gospels in Nigeria now. Preaching the crown without the cross, they preach as Uncle Femi Adeleye says, a “gospel of champagne”. They are hyper-grace, always cooking up new rhymes and almost never read the scriptures that end with words like ‘suffering’. Yes they will talk about truths like perseverance of the saints (eternal security) because it is sweet and convenient but they neglect others that are not that convenient. It is the gospel without persecution. Beware! It’s either you take all of the Gospel or none of it.

Let me also warn you sternly to be careful of what or who you listen to. Dr Damina was not wrong in all that he said. There were some truths in it, but also some serious falsehood enough to damage you. In warning His disciples against false doctrines, Jesus warns us to be careful of the yeast of the Pharisee. Think well before you shout “rhema!”. And remember that the best of men are men at best.

Paul in Acts 20:29-31 says:

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.

Grace and Peace to you!

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19 responses

  1. Samuel avatar

    God bless you.

    1. Norman avatar

      Wow so profound, biblical accuracy is vital in the new testament.

  2. Royal prieshoos avatar
    Royal prieshoos

    Mr David, your problem is dat you have been so socked in religion that. You can’t see the truth even when it’s in your front. How can the birth and miracles be more important than the living Word of Christ revealed to Paul in the epistles, John 1:1 the Word was God, have you even wondered why John never started with story story, story of one virgin blah blah! Hebrews 4:12 the Word is living, not the stories of Jesus’ birth. Please read Ephesians, Romans, Hebrews and get the revelation of God’s Word revealed in Christ #Father.
    I’m an Assemblies so don’t think otherwise, when I hear Father’s word it stirs my spirit, as Christ is in me, we worship Christ in Spirit not in stories. Thanks

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Thank you Royal prieshoos for writing in.

      While I appreciate the fact that you commented, the Bible never gives us the right to regard some part of the Bible as living and others dead stories. To do that is to go against 2 Tim 3:16 which says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching…”. John 1:1 is as inspired as Mathew 1:1. Yes, one verse may say many things while others may say so little but it is not to mean that one is living and the other is a ‘story’.

      One thing you should never forget is that when Paul was speaking the living Word to the Bereans, the Bereans would check it against the Scripture. Did Paul blame them for checking the living Word against the Old Testament which contained stories? No, he did not. Instead he approved of it.

      Finally, I never said that the birth and miracles are more important than the living Word. What I want you to do is not to follow your emotions but to follow what the Bible says. Everything that a man of God says must never be believed simply because it stirs your spirit. It must ONLY be believed because it does not contravene the Scripture. That is the only way we can ever build a solid foundation in Christ.

      Regards,
      David

  3. Mr. David Towoju,You need help or else you will continue in foolishness thinking it is faith, you are held up in presumption thinking it is faith.Listen to Dr. Abel Damina you will get knowledge that will set you free. thanks

  4. pls bro, do not get confused, Abel Damina is Apostle Paul of our time, the word of God is mysteries and only one with revelation can interprete it. I have never in my life hear a preacher like Abel Damina. thanks and be blessed

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Hi Tom,
      Thanks for commenting and sorry for late reply. Now that I just ‘revived’ my blog, I decided to publish comments.

      What my article is trying to communicate is that whether a man is of God or not depends on his conformity to Scriptures.
      Follow a man of God only to the extent that he follows the Scriptures. Where he departs, please flee.

      It is very wrong and unbiblical to say that only those with revelation can interpret the Word of God. If that were so, Paul wouldn’t have told Timothy to study to show thyself approved…rightly dividing the Word of truth. He would have told him to get the revelation for interpretation. Paul would also have condemned the Beareans instead of applauding them.

      Bro Tom, anyone who’s saved has the Holy Spirit and he’s a spiritual man. That is what is called the priesthood of all believers and your pastors don’t want to preach that.

      Lastly, the mystery of the Gospel has been revealed through the coming of Christ and the teachings of the Apostles. I leave you with these two scriptures and a link for further reading. May God bless your heart.

      Ephesians 1:9

      null

      Ephesians 3:4

      null

      Please follow this link for further reading – https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/how-the-spirit-helps-us-understand

  5. Olumuyiwa Lawal avatar
    Olumuyiwa Lawal

    Thanks so much brother, I thought I was the only thinking this about Abel Damina, you even he is saying some truths, have you forgotten James 2vs10, to the man is a false teacher teaching demonic doctrines. In one of his message I listened to, he said JESUS Christ is not greater than we Christian, I was so shocked when I heard it. The thing that baffled me the most was that his listeners were were not in any way object or reject this fake or teaching of lies that are even apparent to see for babes in Christ, aaaaaahhhbhhhh, olagbara

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Thanks for commenting, brother.
      It is truly saddening. May God help our generation. If you are in search of solid biblical teachings, please visit:

      https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/
      https://www.desiringgod.org/
      https://www.gty.org/

      God bless.

  6. Thank you Mr David Towoju, I completely concur with you on the subject that a man of God is only a man of God to the extend of which he follows the scripture. I want to point something out here, if you just pick a statement from the full teaching of what has been said you will end up not connecting the full message. The rule of biblical interpretation is protest post-test contacts and situations, the same applies when you listen to a message too. I really appreciate your effort because we need people like you in our generation to keep us all in check.

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Thank you, Onos

  7. Joshua avatar

    Few days I heard some of my friends talk about this teaching so I thought to check it out, cause the preacher’s submission didn’t sit well with me. I’m glad you have done a great job of setting it straight. Thank you Mr David. More Grace to you.

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Thanks for your comment, sir.

  8. Ev. Jerry Samuel avatar
    Ev. Jerry Samuel

    just want to say More Grace, my brother

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Thanks sir.

  9. Very comforting to know that I’m in good company with many who truly contend for the faith and doing so without reviling or insulting authorities.

    I took on another Dr Damina’s messages at that conference where he demeaned the faith of the fathers and said the faith spoken of in Hebrews is not the faith of Christians.

    While I tried to engage him brotherly via his FB page, as soon as my comment started to get high number of reactions it was deleted and I was blocked.

    I tried several other channels to reach him to no avail before I was compelled to write a rebuttal just as you have done.

    More grace to you beloved.

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Thanks brother,
      It’s equally comforting to know that someone else did this. Let’s keep contending for the faith.
      Kindly share the link, I would love to read it. You may share it here or at dave[at]unzipped.com.ng

  10. ASIWAJU MONEHIN avatar
    ASIWAJU MONEHIN

    THANKS MR DAVID TOWOJU FOR DOING YOUR BIT ABOVE. I READ THROUGH YOUR SUBMISSIONS AND THE RESPONSES. PERMIT ME TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

    MAY I BEGIN BY LETTING US KNOW THAT WE CANNOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS TILE ON THE COVER PAGE ALONE, WE NEED TO REALLY READ THROUGH. SOMETIMES AGO, I SAW A BOOK TITLED “IF YOU WANT TO BE RICH AND HAPPY, DON’T GO TO SCHOOL”, I PICKED IT UP, READ THROUGH AND NOW UNDERSTOOD THE INTENTS OF THE AUTHOR.

    WHEN PEOPLE ARE QUOTED IN AND OUT OF CONTEXT, THERE BOUND TO BE SOME UNDERSTANDINGS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN THE EXTREME.

    #1. DR. DAMINA’S EMPHASIS IS NOT ON THE THRONE OF GOD PERSAY, HE IS ONLY POINTING BELIEVERS TO THE FACT THAT GOD IS NOT FAR AWAY LIKE MANY THOUGHT. HE LIVES IN THEM (US).Ā  BELIEVERS SHOULD STOP LOOKING AT GOD AS SOMEONE SITTING ON A THRONE FAR AWAY IN A PLACE WE’VE NOT BEING TO BUT CAN ONLY FATHOM AS PORTRAYED N SOME NOLLYWOOD MOVIES BUT TO SEE HIM AS GOD WHO IS WITH US AND LIVE WITH US. (1 JOHN 4, 2 TIM.1V14, ROM.8V10-20, 2 COR. 13V5, 4V6-7, GAL. 2V20, 4V19, COL.1V27, EPH. 3V17).

    #2. THE SAME WAY DR. DAMINO WAS PREACHING FROM A PERSPECTIVE, YOU ALSO ARE FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE. THE POINTS FROM THE TWO OF YOU CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT BE WEIGHED SIDE BY SIDE BECAUSE THE TWO OF YOU ARE TALKING FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES…DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. MAY I ASK, WHEN AND WHERE WERE THE FIRST SET OF PEOPLE CALLED BELIEVERS???

    QUOTING YOU: ‘ALSO, THERE ARE STILL MANY THINGS JESUS WOULD STILL SAY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT’…NOE THAT IS THE POINT. THOSE ARE THE REVEALED THINGS….THOSE ARE THE NEW TESTAMENT…AND IT STARTED WHEN, WHERE?

    NEW TESTAMENT IS NOT IN BOOK TITLES OR CHAPTERS, IT IS A SEASON OF LIFE, A DISPENSATION. THE TIME GRACE CAME TO FULLY REPLACE THE LAW, WHEN CHRIST WAS FULLY REVEALED. MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN…THE DISCIPLES WERE WITH CHRIST BUT CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN FULLY REVEALED TO THEM. LITTLE WONDER WE HAD A THIEF IN THEIR MIDST (JUDAS), A DECEIVER AND A LAIR (PETER). BUT AFTER THE HOLY GHOST CAME, THAT SAME PETER BECAME THE ROCK, DECLARING THE GOSPEL WITH BOLDNESS. (acts 4v13,31)

     

    #3. THE WAY YOU USE THE WORD ‘DEROGATORY’ WAS AS IF WE WERE IN THE LAW COURT. YOU NAILED IT BY SAYING”WE ARE IN BETTER DAYS”.

    ‘PROPHETS IN UNSPIRITUAL STATE??? YOU WENT TOO FAR, THAT WAS NOT WHAT HE MEANT’. THIS IS TOO MUCH TO THE EXTREME. MAY I ASK, WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL NOT USING PEUGEOT 404? NOBODY IS DISPUTING THE FACT THAT THE PROPHETS WERE GREAT BUT WE ARE GREATER IN CHRIST JESUS! MATTHEW 11V9-11, LK.7V26-28, MK.9V2-9….- THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM IS GREATER! I THINK THIS SETTLES THE ISSUE OF ANGELS MENTIONED.

    MOSES, DITTO OTHER PROPHETS, WERE LIKE A FAITHFUL OLD RETAINER IN A MIGHTY HOUSE; BUT JESUS IS THE ONE WHO BUILT THE HOUSE. MOSES WAS A SERVANT OF THE HOUSE, BUT JESUS IS THE FOUNDER AND HEAD OVER HIS OWN HOUSE HEB.3V6, EX.40V16…AND WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS…2 COR. 13V5, GAL. 1V15-16, GAL. 2V20, EPH 3V17.

    IN YOUR CONCLUSION, ‘THE SCRIPTURE ONLY WARNS US ABOUT EQUATING PROPHETS WITH CHRIST. CHRIST IS SUPREME’ THINK OF IT, THAT SAME CHRIST JESUS DIED IN YOUR (MY) STEAD, HE WAS CRUCIFIED IN MY PLACE, HE DIED MY DEATH……..WE (I) MUST BE OF HIGHER VALUE…OR WHAT DO YOU THINK???

    THINK ALSO, THE BEST OF MEN ARE MEN AT BEST….BUT WE ARE SPIRIT BEINGS…GOD’S IMAGE!!!

    And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; andĀ I pray GodĀ your wholeĀ spiritĀ andĀ soulĀ andĀ bodyĀ be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.ā€ (1Thessalonians 5:23)

    ā€œAnd GodĀ said,Ā Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing thatĀ creepethĀ upon the earth.ā€ (Genesis 1:26)

    NO MAN IS AN ISLAND OF WISDOM, WE LEARN EVERYDAY.

    THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS RARE PRIVILEGE TO LOOK DEEPER INTO THE WORD OF GOD.

     

     

    1. David Towoju avatar
      David Towoju

      Hello Mr Asiwaju,

      Thanks for your comments. You are actually right that it’s good to listen to an entire sermon before talking. I actually listened to the whole message.

      #1 Yes, I agree with you. If that was the essence of the message then there should be no issue at all. But that was not what I deduced from it.

      #2 I also agree with you that the New Testament is not in books or titles, it’s a dispensation. However, I disagree with any notion that the Scripture is not final or complete. Paul said: ā€œIf we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!ā€ (Galatians 1:8).

      #3 When I said the best of men are men at best, I did not say we are not God’s image. As a matter of fact, every human being is created in the image of God, whether saved or not. I am also not talking about our life when we get to heaven. I am talking about now, and our constant need for prayers. John Bunyan rightly said that prayer will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from prayer.

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