No Sanctification
When an Anglican couple realizes that they have been misled, they heartily embrace the truth.
I met Eli Mugisha eight years ago, when I needed a builder to do some small repairs at my home. He did good work, and I kept hiring him over the years when I needed things done. As time went by, we built a relationship. I learned that he and his wife Sharon had been active lay workers in their Anglican church for 30 years. Whenever he came to make repairs at my home, we would share a few thoughts from the Bible together. When he took his lunch break, we ate together, and before he left at the end of the day we prayed together.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Eli came by several times looking for work. “I have plenty of jobs that need doing, but I don’t have the money,” I had to confess. He would nod, then stay a few minutes, asking questions about Seventh-day Adventists’ faith and lifestyle, including health practices. We talked as time allowed, and at length I asked if he would like me to visit him and his family when we would have plenty of time to share the Word together.
We agreed to have a Bible study at his home every Sunday and Tuesday evening. After many weeks of Bible study, Eli’s wife Sharon testified that she had been misled in regards to her faith. Shortly afterward, Eli gave the same testimony. Ezekiel 20:12 especially convicted him: “Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” (NKJV). “This verse shows me that there is no sanctification when one doesn’t keep the Sabbath,” Eli said.
The morning after Eli confessed his new convictions, he and his wife took their church gowns and other church items to the priest and said, “We have found the truth. We are no longer members of your church. Please take what belongs to you and let us go. We no longer want to build our faith on the traditions of Rome.”
“I have heard that you want to be baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” the priest said. “If you want to leave your church because of baptism, I can also take you to the river and baptize you.”
They chuckled a little and said, “What about the Sabbath?” The priest bowed his head as if whispering a prayer, and the couple turned to go.
Eli and Sharon, with their three sons and two daughters, are now baptized Seventh-day Adventist members in a new Branch Sabbath School at Kijoronga. Their priest and the lay leaders from their former church have kept visiting them to win them back, but Eli and Sharon have stayed steadfast. They are active in their new congregation, and the whole family is full of joy.
Today, Eli leads a midweek Bible study with his new church family, using a booklet on the Seventh-day Adventist fundamental beliefs, in order to help them all be rooted and grounded in the faith. The older church members have been surprised by how quickly Eli’s family has taken hold of the truth and even mastered some of the songs in our hymnbook! Eli’s daughters have joined the district church choir. Eli has pledged himself and is praying for the opportunity to build a church for his congregation as soon they can acquire land to build it on. Until then they will continue meeting in homes or under a tree for their Sabbath worship.
Location
Uganda
Author
James Musinguzi is a retired pastor who is still active in evangelism and church planting.
How You Can Help
Pray for Eli and Sharon’s family as they faithfully obey the truth of the Bible.
Give. Needs in Uganda include new church buildings and church planter support. Send your gifts marked “Uganda Workers” or “Uganda Churches” to:
Mission Projects International
PO Box 151
Inchelium, WA 99138
To give online, visit:
www.missionspro.org/donate