Since the programme he promoted with a contemptible copy is now in the rearview, can we respectfully ask Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo if the alteration of Scripture was worth it after all? Was he able to pull off impressive participation and attendance with the shock effect of ascribing to satan what is explicitly Jesus’ praise? This is talking about the absurd paraphrase of Hebrews 13:8 into “Satan the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” in a publicity material.
Upon seeing the shocking flyer online, I remembered the song: “Almighty God, that is your name, you will never share your glory with any man…” Another old school song that was top of mind was: “You are the God that changeth not, you are the God that changeth not…” It’s disturbing to have this enduring and scriptural attribute of Christ being donated to the devil just to attract attention to a programme or teaching session.
To be clear, this intervention isn’t about one-upmanship or presenting as holier-than-thou. It is solely driven by the expediency of ensuring that Christians not so deep in the Word don’t run with a warped idea that would make them susceptible and vulnerable to the enemy. As a digital journalist, I’ve observed surfers unwilling to click on headlines because what they can read on the homepage already tells them what they need to know about the story. This has given rise to hollow headings that reveal nothing yet raise curiosity. Dr Okonkwo’s flyer may just be some form of clickbait, yet that’s going too far!
Let’s at this juncture sympathise with the man of God’s sensitivity to being corrected by ministers who can’t lace his boots in doctrine and theology. At the peak of his tattoo controversy, the Lead Pastor of David's Christian Centre felt insulted for being rebuked by junior ministers, stressing that “My junior can’t talk when I’m talking. There is a ranking in the spirit,sir. There are people you can’t correct. The scope of what they are handling, you can’t have a grasp of it… Some of the videos I saw about this my tattoo issue, it was only one or two ministers that were grounded and sound enough to understand it.”
Granted that that is the protocol in the Ekklesia, in the attention economy of the secular sphere, editorial marketing bounds creativity to propriety and standards. It puts the kibosh on wild campaigns and publicity stunts that defy decency and offend sensibilities. An untoward brand association is frowned upon, let alone a wholesale misrepresentation or devious depiction of a tagline. On the face of it, that controversial flyer arguably passes for counterfeiting and passing off - a deceptive practice in advertising where a business misrepresents its own goods or services as being those of another, usually a more established or popular competitor.
Without disregarding or undermining Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo’s long years of service in the Vineyard, evidenced in his monumental contributions to the Body through teachings, counseling, mentoring and literature, the Lord hasn’t stopped concealing certain things from the wise and learned, only to reveal the same to little children. (Matthew 11:25 NIV). This was what the Almighty did with Prophet Eli and Samuel. (1 Samuel 3:7-11)
No matter the resourceful cleric’s motivation or whimsical adaptation of Scripture, there’s no denying that his repulsive caption can provoke righteous indignation in those who live by the Word of God - especially believers whose hearts have been illuminated and previous worries or fears settled by their confession and profession of Hebrews 13:8. Imagine how conflicted or disgusted those who have obtained their miracles by meditating on that scripture would be by that copy. It is hoped that the presentation of satan as a perpetual entity doesn’t affect the faith of those who believe they have already overcome satan through their victory in Christ Jesus.
Christians believe they can weather whatever the future holds because they serve the God who lives forever. Attributing the same attribute to satan can be a major distraction. The adulteration we see in Pastor Kingsley’s flyer is a major contradiction of Praise songs with powerful lyrics like: “If he did it before, he will do it again… His name is Jesus, He’s a very great God!” “You’re the God that changeth not, you’re the God that changeth not...” “I know my Redeemer lives...”
Moreover, what that caption does is to clothe satan in a borrowed garb. How exhilarated he would be to be placed, nay, displace the Lord Jesus in His established literary environment - the absurdity of satan who is fighting tooth and nail to usurp man’s glory, being elevated to share the glory of God! There is no justification for that. If we sing that “God will never share His glory with any man (who He has made a god (Psalm 82:6) and sit in Christ in heavenly places far above principalities and powers (Ephesians 2:6), is it now the enemy that He will share His glory with?
The one who argues that it is quite a stretch to interpret the caption as giving God’s glory to satan should answer whether they won’t feel offended if their very essence is ascribed to another, especially one that is an anathema. They should also ask companies and organisations why they care so much about their identity that they copyright their brand names? Being the same yesterday, and today, and for ever is Jesus’s exclusive identity which must never be attributed to anyone, let alone the devil, no matter how good the intention.
That line is so synonymous with Jesus that James 1:17 reiterated it as: “with whom there is no variation or shadow of shifting.” It is with the devil that you find variations and shifting ground. It makes no sense for satan about whom John 8:44 says “When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies,” to be presented as consistent as Christ. This is what the DCC founder is making the shallow-minded to believe by importing satan into a sentence that is originally about Christ.
Fidelity is never in the nature of liars. This is why their brain works overtime as they try to devise and improvise new lies with which to sustain the ones previously told. Yet for all their troubles, they still won’t be able to acquit themselves as consistent. Now, compare their misery with the candid who speak without being mindful of what they said earlier, because there won’t be any contradiction or deviation. That is more like Jesus, whose words will never pass away even if heaven and earth do. Can we say the same about satan?
Note that while satan couldn’t retain his erstwhile enviable status as the morning star (Isaiah 14:12), Jesus has been critically acclaimed to be more constant than the northern star. (apologies to Shakespeare's Julius Caesar). As such, both can’t be used synonymously in any context, irrespective of the point being made.
You risk being floored and outfoxed by the enemy if you suppose satan to be the same today, yesterday and forever. Consider that his strategy in deceiving Eve (Genesis 3:1-7) wasn’t the same approach he used for the Master Jesus. Even in the course of that encounter (Matthew 4:1-11), how he went about the three episodes was markedly different. Not even the argument that the subtext is similar proves that his strategy is the same over the years. Given that with consistency comes predictability, if satan’s ways and ploys were habitual, 2 Corinthians 2:11 wouldn’t have warned the brethren about the perils of being ignorant of the devil’s devices.
VIS Ugochukwu is a Sage, Narrative Architect and Brand Strategist who can be reached @sylvesugwuanyi on X