Dear Apostle Dr Abel Damina,
I wish to address you today as a fellow labourer in the vineyard of our Lord Jesus Christ, motivated by a sincere desire for unity and truth. (John 8:32 - "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free).
I am Prince Ebitimi Weigha, a Professor of Biblical Exegesis and a proud member of the Association of Christian Theologians (ACTS), Thinking Hat, and the Bible Research Institute (BRI), respectively. A theological forethought, from this academic and pastoral vantage point, I extend a hand of fellowship to you.
My purpose is not to provoke but to appeal to your theological conscience concerning your recent teachings, particularly your public claim that Jesus Christ is "not better than you" or any believer.
Consider the wisdom of the Warning of Untamed Speech (1 Samuel 2):
In 1 Samuel 2:3, the Spirit of God reminds us through Hannah:
“Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed".
When Eli’s sons corrupted their priesthood, their core flaw was a lack of reverence for the divine, a presumption to handle holy things while dishonouring God’s unique sovereign position. To claim parity with Christ under the guise of "New Creation realities" veers dangerously close to the arrogance warned against in Scripture.
While the New Testament affirms that believers are co-heirs with Christ and that His Spirit dwells within us, it never diminishes His unparalleled supremacy, preeminence, and divinity. He is the Vine; we are the branches. He is the Creator; we are the redeemed. To declare that He is "not better than you" suggests a forgetfulness that He is the Sovereign Master who has purchased us.
The Exegetical Error: Eisegesis vs. Exegesis
Using isolated verses to undermine Jesus’ absolute supremacy is a dangerous misinterpretation, an approach the Apostle Paul fiercely condemned in Galatians 1:7-8:
“Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed”.
A gospel that is no gospel at all, but a perversion meant to throw believers into confusion.
When text is ripped from its historical, grammatical, and literary context, it ceases to be Scripture and becomes a tool for eisegesis, reading one's own preconceived biases into the Word. To equate the believer's spiritual position in grace with the ontological status of Christ is a severe hermeneutical ERROR. We must let the text speak for itself through rigorous exegesis, honouring the intent of the inspired authors.
Scriptural Refutations of Christ’s Preeminence
To align our theology with sound biblical doctrine, we must submit to the weight of undisputed New Testament witness:
The Law of Preeminence (Colossians 1:15-18; "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. 16. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers: all things were created by him and for him. 17. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence").
Paul explicitly states that Christ is the image of the invisible God, the prototokos (firstborn) over all creation, denoting His supreme rank and sovereignty, not chronology. Paul concludes in verse 18—"that in all things he might have the preeminence." If Christ holds preeminence in all things, no human, regardless of their redemption status, can claim parity with Him.
The Divine Hierarchy (Hebrews 1:3-4; "Who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4. Being made so much better than the angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they"):
The writer of Hebrews declares that Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His hypostasis (substance or essential being), upholding all things by the word of His power. The text explicitly says He has “by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they".
He sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high, a position reserved for Him alone.
The Name Above Every Name (Philippians 2:9-11) proclaims that "God has highly exalted Jesus and given Him a name above all others. Every knee in heaven, on earth, and beneath will bow at His name, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father".
When we distort Scripture to elevate believers at the expense of our Saviour, we betray what it truly means to preach Christ, we end up preaching ourselves. Throughout Church history, creeds have fought fiercely against such errors.
Lowering Christ to the level of man echoes dangerous heresies like Arianism and Adoptionism, which stripped Jesus of His divine nature and unmatched status.
The Nicene Creed (A.D. 325) affirms that Jesus is of the same essence as the Father - Homoousios: "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God". He exists in a divine category no created being can ever occupy.
The Chalcedonian Definition (A.D. 451) declares that Christ is fully God and fully man, two natures in one person, without confusion or alteration. Ignoring this historic orthodoxy by saying Jesus is "not better than you" undermines the core of Christian faith. We share in His inheritance by grace, but we do not share His divine, self-existent nature.
A Call For Humility And Proper Perspective:
Dr Damina, the grace message reveals mankind’s fallen state and God’s incredible unmerited favour. It was never meant to elevate human ego to the point of claiming equality with the Son of God. Remember the solemn warning in 1 Samuel 2:30: 'Them that honor me I will honor, and those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed '.
Measuring Our Revelation Against "Another Gospel"
Remember the powerful warning from the Apostle Paul in Galatians 1:6-8. He cautioned a passionate church that was swiftly turning toward what he called “another gospel", a distorted version that is not truly gospel at all, but the work of those seeking to twist the message of Christ.
Paul's stance was clear: even if an angel from heaven preaches a gospel different from what was originally delivered, let them be corrected. Genuine apostolic reformation does not aim to dismantle biblical orthodoxy to establish a personal theological domain. Authentic growth in Christ brings warmth, healing, and spiritual stability, not environments of derision, pride, or alienation.
A Call to Loving Restoration
Beloved Dr Damina, the church does not need endless cycles of contentious deconstruction. It needs living water that heals. If Eli’s house serves as a cautionary tale, then 1 Samuel 2:35 offers hope:
"And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind..."
May your influential platform, bold voice, and deep knowledge be used solely to usher souls into heaven, uplift the brokenhearted, and uphold the pure simplicity of Christ’s finished work. Let truth be spoken, yet always in unconditional love, wrapped in reverence for the global body of believers.
As a fellow scholar and brother in faith, I urge you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, to revisit your hermeneutics. Let us return to a theology that humbles itself before Christ instead of vying for a throne beside Him. Humble yourself, Doctor, so that Christ alone may be magnified. The flock watches, the academic community notes our actions, and the Master assesses our service.
"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear". (1 Peter 1:17)
Shalom, for peace!
Wait for Dr Abel Damina response in a minute
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