1 Peter 1:17-19
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
Recently, in Kenya, there has been a resurgence of African Traditional Religion. The call and push to go back to the religion and ways of our forefathers has been loud and strong. In fact, some of those who have led in these religious rites have been notable Christians and elders in the church. But the question that we must seek to answer is whether there is validity in the claims that have been made by ATR proponents. Is it true, for example, that we face much of the issues that we face because we have failed to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors? Did our forefathers know and experience a better spirituality than us?
The apostle Peter, in our text today, says the exact opposite. His claim is that the ways of our forefathers were futile and, in fact, we needed to be ransomed from them. This means that the religion of our ancestors was useless in bringing us to God, and we needed to be rescued from such empty rites. And the price that was paid for our rescue was expensive – the very precious blood of Jesus Christ. How then shall we spit upon such a great sacrifice by going back to the very things that we were saved from? As the author of Hebrews would warn us:
How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation… (Hebrews 2:3)
Reflections
1. In your opinion, is there any valid claim made by the proponents of African Traditional Religion?
2. What are some of our cultural practices that seem innocent on the face of it but are religious in nature?
3. In view of today’s devotion, how then should you order your life?
