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TruthTalks: Choose This Day

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In what has been described by almost all political pundits as the most important in South African history, the 2024 election needed to be discussed, so this is what Dr Christopher Peppler does by looking at what the bible, and Jesus say about elections, voting, and politics. We dive into the many reasons why your vote matters, as a Christian and as an ambassador of Christ!

Read the original post here or simply click on the play button below to listen to the TruthTalks audio podcast now.

See you at the voting stations South Africa and please PRAY!

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Choose This Day

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MY APOLOGIES TO INTERNATIONAL READERS, BUT THIS ARTICLE IS MAINLY FOR SOUTH AFRICANS

In just days from today, registered South African voters will make their way to their designated station and make their mark on three ballot papers. Almost all political pundits have billed this 2024 election as the most important in South African history. The 1994 election ended nationalist apartheid and opened the vote to all citizens. That election was certainly historic, but this 2024 election is monumental. Why? Because not only do we stand at the very edge of a social and economic abyss, but we also cast our vote for either Democracy or Marxist Socialism.

Why This Election is so Important

This might sound to you to be overdramatic and overstated, but consider the following: Most analysts predict a coalition government as the most likely outcome of the elections. The African National Congress (ANC) will likely remain the major party with 37% – 42% of the vote. To form a government, they’ll need to partner with a party or parties holding around 20%. There are two main options: an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) combination (around 24% together), or a Democratic Alliance (DA) and Inkatha (IFP) and the balance of the Multi-Party Charter (MPC) combination (around 32% together). These two options represent different ideologies: Radical Socialism/Marxism (EFF and MK) and Conservative Democracy (DA and MPC).

Why do I contend that the one grouping represents Marxism and why is this such a problem for the nation? Well, here are some of the main negative features in the manifestos of EFF and MK:

  • Expropriation without compensation resulting in the nationalisation of land throughout the country. Not only would this remove the rights of individuals and corporations to own what they have paid for and developed, but it would also present the single biggest obstacle to international investment.
  • The nationalisation of banks, insurance companies, mines, the Reserve Bank and so on. This would place huge power and control in the hands of the government and individuals and clans within the government.
  • The change of the system of law from Anglo/Dutch to Traditional African Tribal. I see this as negative and not just different: Anglo-Dutch law is practised by all Western first-world countries, codified and standardised, with a hierarchical system in that it has appeal and high courts, and a focus on individual rights. Moreover, in South Africa, it is subject to the National Constitution as interpreted by a Constitutional Court. Traditional African law, on the other hand, is limited to some African nations and differs from country to country and even tribe to tribe, not codified and standardised, is more oral than documented, has no system of higher or appeals courts, more focused on group cohesion than individual rights, and not subject to the national constitution.
  • A conversion from a constitutional democracy to a system where the Parlament reigns supreme over even the courts of law. The sheer weight of the number of parliamentarians loyal to particular political parties would determine law and practice within the nation and not even the highest court would be able to annul or alter such promulgations.
  • A change to the Pension Funds Act so that their immense funds are used for ‘national development’. This would essentially steal the hard-won pensions of millions of people and reduce all pensioners to the lowest common denominator of quality of life.
  • Scrap the Independent Examinations Board for schools. This would mean that all learners in the nation would be subject to a woefully deficient and abysmally low standard of education. This would have profound effects on the development of the next generations and the wealth and future of the nation.
  • Open all borders to allow free movement of people across Africa. Just consider the migration problems we currently experience in the nation and the problems in countries such as the United Kingdom and the USA.
These changes would lead to a flight of capital and skills, causing a dramatic negative effect on foreign exchange rates, food insecurity, business, inflation, and so on. In the absence of a viable tax base, the government would probably print more and more money resulting in runaway inflation and failure to service national debt. It is no wonder that some have called this toxic combination of ANC, EFF, and MK the Doomsday Coalition.

Alternatively, an ANC, DA, and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) (and balance of the MPC) coalition could lead to a slow but positive turnaround, if radical opposition parties don’t make the country ungovernable. Of course, five years as a junior partner to the ANC could discredit and all but wipe out the DA. However, here is a thought to consider: If the ANC only gets 37% of the vote then the DA, or Multi Party Charter, only needs 38% to have the right to form a government. This would position the ANC as a minority party and provide the DA and its coalition partners with greater power and a more favourable public profile.

So you can see that in this election the forces of radical ‘transformation’ (Marxism) are aligned against the forces of conservative democracy, with the ANC straddling the fence with one foot on the conservative side, but the bulk of its body falling over onto the radical side. Who wins and who loses will make a huge difference to the future of the nation and the well-being of all South Africans.

A Day of Individual Choice

The numerous polls in the last months presented different scenarios and outcomes. However, all that counts, literally, is that on election day each person registered to vote makes their mark according to their convictions. If all registered voters vote based on their conviction, rather than tradition, apathy, or race, then anything is possible.

Let me present two scriptural texts for your consideration:

  • Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”.

The call of God through Moses was to the people of Israel to choose between their redeemer God or the gods of the nations around them. That was the specific context of the passage, but the principles presented apply to all God’s people of all ages.

On the 29th May 2024, all citizens of South Africa who registered to vote will have to choose between life and death, blessing or curses. No matter what they profess, the Doomsday Coalition leaders do not honour the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, and Paul. They honour no god but their self-images which they have projected into society. They do not value biblical ethics or morality and their agendas are for self-enrichment and power. Opposed to them are political parties that either openly or tacitly honour God and seek to implement biblical values into society.

There may be obtuse arguments for Africanisation versus Westernisation, but when you strip away the rhetoric and protestations it all comes down to opposition to the God of the bible and his values. Note again the words of Moses, “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him”. Note too the fact that the choice we all must make affects not only ourselves but our children’s livelihood and wellbeing, both physical and spiritual.

  • 1 Timothy 2:1-4 “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”.

Paul was not instructing that the Jesus followers he was writing to should only pray for Christian national leaders. At that time there were no Christian national leaders because the governments of the day were firmly in the grasp of pagans. He presented the idea that we Christians should pray for all those in authority. Why? So that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. And if we are to pray and intercede then it surely follows that we should act accordingly.

Our action at this time is to vote for what we believe pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

What  Jesus and the Disciples Said

I wrote about the 2024 election in August 2023 and included a brief analysis of what Jesus and his disciples said concerning the interface between a life of faith and political and economic realities. Here is what I wrote:

It is true that Jesus did not seem to concern himself with the politics of his day, but he did have something to say that points us in the right direction today. Peter and Paul then expanded on this in their letters.

Luke 20: 20-26 (Matthew 22 and Mark 12) records one of the best-known sayings of the Lord Jesus. The Pharisees tried to trap him by asking if it was right to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus asked for a Roman coin that bore Caesar’s image and said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s”. The Creator made man in his own image, and so Jesus was saying that humans should give themselves to God whose image we bare. However, Caesar’s image was on the coin so they should give that to him. A brilliant response indeed, but we should not focus on his allusion to the image of God to the extent that we miss the implication that Jesus was endorsing the Roman governmental right to what it was due.

Paul wrote that ‘Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities…’ (Romans 13:1). He then explained why and added, ‘Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour’. (Romans 13:7). He also wrote to Titus instructing him to, ‘Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good.’ (Titus 3:1).

Peter’s teaching on the subject is probably the most succinct of all: ‘Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour the king’. (1 Peter 2:13-17)

The Lord Jesus, Paul, and Peter were positively interacting with the subject of politics and by so doing were giving us direction as we too interact with the politics of our nation today.

Two Final Injunctions

My concluding plea in the August 2023 article was that everyone legally able to vote should register to vote and actively support members of the MPC. However, the time has long run out to register. Now, all that remains is for each of us to vote according to conviction and a sense of the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In previous elections, many people, although registered, did not vote. The two main excuses were, “The ruling party are so dominant that my vote won’t matter”, or, “I am making a statement of objection by not voting”. Neither of these reasons has any merit whatsoever. These elections are going to be close … very close. Your vote will matter and the statement you will make by voting is “I care about the future of my nation, my children, and the generations to come.”

Yet, one other thing is vital at this time and that is to PRAY. Let me return to a text I cited earlier in this article, 1 Timothy 2:1-4 ‘I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth’. So the call is to pray and to vote.

There is a reason why God instructs us to pray for those in authority in the context of the crucial election before us and it is this: We cannot fully conceive what God can do in a day. Despite the polls and despite the politicking, rhetoric, and even cheap tricks, it is what happens on the 29th of May 2024 that matters. On that day the Lord can change the nation and express his influence through millions of people. If we pray for this and hope for this, then when it happens, only one name will be raised up in thanks and adoration. That name will not be your name, my name, or any politician’s name; that name will be … JESUS!

The two things we can all do to influence the destiny of our nation is to pray and vote … SO PLEASE PRAY and PLEASE VOTE according to your prayers.

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TruthTalks: 2024

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How do you feel about 2024?

In this fascinating TruthTalks episode, Dr Christopher Peppler talks us through 2024 and what to expect.

 

If you would prefer to read about it CLICK HERE or otherwise click on the play button below to listen to it now.

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As always, please write, email or send us a note via courier pigeon ;P  we always appreciate hearing from you. Until next time, Admin

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2024 featured

2024

2024

I saw a cartoon the other day depicting a group of people peering fearfully around a corner towards a door marked ‘2024’. One of them was timidly poking the door open with a broomstick. I can’t reproduce it for you without infringing copyright and I was loath to even mention it because of the negative message it conveys. However, I think it puts the situation well because we have to face facts; our global and national situation is predominantly ‘negative’. I want so much to be optimistic as I peer through the slowly opening door of 2024, but I cannot.

It is better to face reality head-on and with open eyes, as we trust God to walk with us into the future.

There is every indication that 2024 could be a pivotal year for the world in general and South Africa in particular. What happens outside of my country will continue to affect us here at the tip of Africa, but it will also affect many of us personally through our family and friends in other parts of the world. However, I will only comment on the global situation in as much as it is likely to affect South Africa.

2024 Globally

It is obvious to anyone even vaguely politically, economically, and environmentally aware that the world is on an accelerating downward escalator.

Global warming, whatever its causes, has passed the critical point where the rate of change moved from rapid to exponential. Last year was, so say the experts, the hottest year in recorded human history, and there is no reason to think that this year will not be even worse. With this change come droughts, extreme weather conditions, and disruption. Food becomes scarcer and more expensive and people die or try to take over someone else’s patch of more productive land. The world population is on the move with emigrants and refugees swamping more stable and prosperous nations than the ones from which they are fleeing. This brings with it huge social and political instability and stress. War borders are expanding outwards threatening to engulf many nations. Ukraine and Russia continue to fight it out in the bloodiest of ways while nearby nations tremble at the negative prospects that threaten them. Israel fights a survival death-battle, while the Arab world tries to convince us that it is the Palestinians who are facing genocide. And, all the while North Korea eyes South Korea waiting for a time to devour it and China eyes the South China Sea territory with equally hungry eyes.

All this casts a huge stress on the rest of the world. Moreover, to top it all off the USA, the world’s last traditional superpower, is facing a contentious presidential election that could even further divide and destabilise. And my poor country, the tarnished rainbow nation, faces its own day of reckoning.

2024 South Africa

South Africa’s only contributions to the world crises seem to be to side publically and noisily with Hamas and the Palestinians, vote for the United Nations condemnation of Israel, and take Israel to the World Court of Justice for committing genocide. This does not help us as a nation in any way that I can see. On the contrary, it antagonises our major trading partners and investors without any noticeable recompense from China, Russia and the Arab nations. So, it looks like we will be facing our own meltdown without international support.

Sociologically, we have over 45% of the population surviving on state aid (social grants), a shrinking tax base unable to maintain this, and an exhausted national debt limit. About 40% of the population earns an income from formal employment, the murder, death, and rape rates are probably the highest in the world, corruption is endemic, and the roads, railways, and harbours are broken! Food prices are through the roof, housing prices slumped in most suburbs, and electricity supply has been cripplingly problematic … and so on.

On the political front, we have a national election that will take place sometime this year where the possible outcomes are all potentially momentous in one way or another. If the ANC retain 40% plus of the vote it is more than likely that they will be able to cobble together a coalition government with a few small parties or the EFF (Horror!) Whatever the constituency of this coalition, they will still be the majority and controlling party … and the slide into a failed state will no doubt continue. If the opposition Multi-Party Charter coalition wins 51% plus then things will at least have a chance of changing for the good, although the first few years will most likely be characterised by power plays between member politicians … but perhaps not. In the first scenario, we will plunge further and more rapidly into social and economic ruin, and in the second scenario, we will stop the plunge to destruction and even slowly turn the graph upwards in a growth trajectory. Both of these possibilities will mean that we the citizens will be facing years of uncertainty, threat, and hardship. Not pleasant to contemplate or accept but probably inevitable.

But, hold on Chris, aren’t you looking at the glass as half-empty rather than half-full? No, I am seeing it as a quarter full at best! We face that reality. OK, but what of the possibility of spiritual revival?

2024 Revival

I am one of those people who believe that we are yet to have the greatest revival in history.

God sends revival not as a reward, but as a response to the desperate spiritual need of the church and society.

The darker the day, the more we should expect the light of Heaven to break through. However, something that history has taught us is that although revivals come suddenly they tend to start locally and then slowly spread to other parts of a nation and then the wider world. Many folks think that if we in South Africa were to experience revival today, then everything would change overnight. This just does not seem to be realistic. John Wesley’s Methodist movement was a revival that some historians hold that it saved England from experiencing a French-revolution-type social uprising. This is probably true, but it did not all happen in a moment. John Wesley was a prolific preacher, addressing crowds twice a day almost every day of every week. In 1739 he preached his first open-air sermon, in 1741 he preached regularly in South Wales, in 1747 he preached (42 times) in Ireland and in 1751 he ministered 27 times in Scotland. That covers a period of about 12 years. It did not happen in a day!

The heart of true revival is that it does not only stir the emotions of crowds, but changes the lives of individuals. Those men and women go on to plant churches, influence business, and participate in government. The combined and accumulated effect of all this is a revival fire that transforms nations.

So, would revival change South Africa and other countries? Yes, but it will most likely take quite a bit of time. That then begs the question, ‘What should we do in 2024?’

2024 Individual Response

I don’t suppose there is much in this article that most of you do not already know, and the same applies to this final section. However, these three practical and personal suggestions bear repeating. We need to know and live out these things if we are to thrive in 2024.

  1. Strengthen relationships with Jesus, family, friends, and church: Strengthening the relationship with the Lord Jesus should always be a priority, but never so much as now. It is he who said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) In addition Paul wrote: ‘God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6) Then the next most important relationship to strengthen is with spouses, children, parents, and extended family. Friends, true friends, are rare and valuable, and we need to be a friend and receive friendship in these times. Then there is the church, your local church, which could be an extended family for you.
  2. Pray, expect revival, and submit everything to God: Pray alone, in groups, or as part of a congregation. Pray in tongues in the spirit. Expect revival at any time: if we do not expect it then we may not perceive it. I recently heard a church historian saying that we often only recognise revivals in hindsight. That is a little sad because it says a lot about the lack of response to revival when it comes.
  3. Vote: I have written about this recently HERE, but let me repeat this: ‘If we do not democratically remove the current  government from power in the soon-coming general elections, then almost everyone, except them, fears that we will plunge over the edge of the abyss into the horror of a Failed State. All citizens of South Africa, whether Christians or not, need to vote’.

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On the brink

TruthTalks: On the Brink of an Abyss

On the brink

What do you do when you realise your homeland is on the brink of an Abyss?

How do you deal with it as a God-fearing Christian? Do you:

 

  1. Keep out of politics (it’s not your place you know)
  2. Pray quietly
  3. Listen to this TruthTalks podcast and then galvanize.

I hope you chose number 3 😉 Click on the play button below to listen now or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from. Alternatively, click HERE to read the original post.

TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.

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About Me

My name is Christopher Peppler and I was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1947. While working in the financial sector I achieved a number of business qualifications from the Institute of Bankers, Damelin Management School, and The University of the Witwatersrand Business School. After over 20 years as a banker, I followed God’s calling and joined the ministry full time. After becoming a pastor of what is now a quite considerable church, I  earned an undergraduate theological qualification from the Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa and post-graduate degrees from two United States institutions. I was also awarded the Doctor of Theology in Systematic Theology from the University of Zululand in 2000.

Four years before that I established the South African Theological Seminary (SATS), which today is represented in over 70 countries and has more than 2 500 active students enrolled with it. I presently play an role supervising Masters and Doctoral students.

I am a passionate champion of the Christocentric or Christ-centred Principle, an approach to biblical interpretation and theological construction that emphasises the centrality of Jesus

I have been happily married to Patricia since the age of 20, have two children, Lance and Karen, a daughter-in-law Tracey, and granddaughters Jessica and Kirsten. I have now retired from both church and seminary leadership and devote my time to writing, discipling, and the classical guitar.

If you would like to read my testimony to Jesus then click HERE.