Student Post: Nabalende Lynda (St. Bernard)

Nabalende Lynda
Uganda Christian University

Of Gregory, Bernard and Wycliffe who would be best equipped to advise the church and the governmental leaders in Uganda today? Why?

In my opinion, I would choose Bernard as the best equipped for such advice because of the following reasons:

Bernard addresses the day today activities and the constraints that are taking place in the church and government leaders and how they have thrown away their responsibilities and he is not happy with them. He first acknowledges the supremacy and the universality of the laws but declares that their fiduciary and ministerial character must bee bounded by faith and righteousness, to bring good order not only in the church but also in governments.

The fact that leaders both in the church and government use their positions for their own financial gain, he poses a question to tem from the Holy Scriptures that ‘did Paul in his slavery aid men in the acquisition of mere financial gain? Yet his time was characterized by all kinds of people as those we are facing in Uganda today that would do any thing to get the kind of authority that Paul had. But he did not do it any way and provides a solution that truly shows that, this man for whom life was Christ and death was gain, made himself a slave to win more for Christ and not to increase the profits of avarice.

Bernard still wonders whether it wouldn’t be much more worthy of the apostolic office to be much more beneficial to a person’s own conscience and much more fruitful to the church of God if the different persons sited in these offices would listen to more of Paul’s statements like, ‘you were bought at a price, do not become the slaves of men’ 1 Corinthians 7:23 because he is one of the land mark leaders that the world has ever had.

Bernard still writes his advice to the church and governmental leaders based on scripture as pointed out earlier. He rages them to be wise and this not only applies to the leaders but also the people like us who will follow in the footsteps of these leaders. He quotes 1 Corinthians 6:5 in response to what the apostle thinks that, ‘is there no wise man among you who can judge between brothers?’ he also says that shame on us who let those who despise the church most to judge it. He believes we are the successors of Paul and we are usurping a contemptible office and wondering what is becoming of us. That is why he quotes a bishop who says, ‘no one who fights for God entangles himself with the secular affairs.’

I couldn’t agree with Bernard more, his ideas are the ideal advises to our church and government leaders. It cannot go without notice that our leaders in Uganda know what they are supposed to do in these circumstances and in case there are any who do not know, they do not want to hear it and the people they are supposed to serve end up being compromised.

That is why Bernard posses a challenge to us Christians to uphold the purpose of God and remember tat if we are given the right in heaven to even judge the angels in heaven, are these worldly things worth fighting for.

He challenges us lawyers to make it a custom to become involved in only cases where it is absolutely necessary (and this will not be in every case) and decide them carefully but briefly and to avoid frustrating a d contrived delay. He gives an example of a case of a widow that requires my attention like wise a case of a poor man and those who have no means to pay.