Book Title: Walking in the Newness of Life
Author: Bishop David Oyedepo
Book Pages: 254
Publisher: Dominion Publishing House
Reviewer: Suleimanu Usaini
Walking
in the newness of life in this generation and end-time is possible and a
reality because Jesus Christ made adequate provisions for us by His grace to
live in that realm. Jesus Christ did not only redeem man from his sins but also
gave him access to the reality of living a new life round the clock. The author
in this book strives to show the reader by the spirit of God how to walk and
live in the newness of life in this end-time. The author states “Jesus Christ does not only redeem us from
our sins, but also makes His grace to walk in the newness of life available to
us, by His Spirit and by the working knowledge of His word.”
The
reader is further made to understand that holiness is the pathway to walking and
living in the newness of life as the author asserts “...early in the
year 1997, I asked the Lord, ‘What is it that guarantees consistent and never
ending honour?’ He said to me, ‘Tell them, honour is rooted in righteous'." God
is committed to beautifying the church with honour and glory, but it is
demanded that the church first clean itself from every sin that easily besets it. God is also willing to visit the church with the Spirit of holiness, which
enables everyone to walk and live in the newness of life.
In
the opening chapter the reader is given an insight into the horrors of sin which
encapsulates every form of unrighteousness. Righteousness brings honour but sin
brings shame and reproach. The author posits, “Sin brings reproach, erodes
honour, terminates dignity, cuts down and bring low... The wages of sin is
death. Sin kills joy, destroys finances, the family, peace in the home, the
business, etc.”
Nonetheless,
the author exposes the likely agents of sin, which gives the reader much
insight not only into the effects of sin, but also into what are the things
that cause sin. The author categorized them into three: immorality, financial
corruption and rebellion. He points out that sin is in grades and the sin of
immorality is of the highest grade because it kills both the spirit and the
flesh. The second grade of sin that the devil uses as a trap in the end-time is
financial corruption. “The love of money is the root of all evil, and
covetousness is what gives it expression.” Rebellion is the third grade of sin
and it is a delibrate reaction by an individual or a group against order,
targeted at all forms of leadership.
Therefore,
we have a responsibility to fight sin in different shades and grades. The
author in the fifth chapter identifies some God-given weapons that the believer
can use to fight sin. The chief weapon is the Holy Spirit, because He is the
superior helper that God has provided for us to wage the war against sin. Some
other weapons include praying in tongues, crying ‘Abba Father’, the blood of
Jesus, the power of will and choice.
The
power of will and choice is very vital as that is the only way we can
consciously disconnect from sin, be eternally free from unrighteousness and
live in the newness of life. The author admonishes the reader to take an oath
of purity, because Satan has taken a vow to destroy believers by causing them
to fall victims of sin. Therefore, the believers also must vow to resist every
form of sin.
After
all is said, there are rewards for righteousness: where sin brings a curse,
righteousness brings blessings. There is abundant prosperity, promotion and
honour for the righteous. The author posits, “Righteousness is usually in
place wherever you see God’s blessings. While the wages of sin is death, the
wages of righteousness is life more abundant.”
