The Sowetan Newspaper recently ran the following article:
Babsy Mlangeni and his family have been left puzzled after Thobela FM “killed off” the legendary musician while he’s still alive and kicking. The 77-year-old musician’s world was thrown into turmoil on Saturday after the station allegedly declared him dead and paid tribute to him on-air, even going as far as playing his music during the segment. Sowetan understands that the station mistook him for his late uncle and anti-apartheid Struggle icon Andrew Mlangeni, who died last week. “As you can hear for yourself, you are not talking to a ghost,” Babsy fired. “I really don’t know what happened. I just assume that when they heard that my uncle (Andrew) passed away they just connected the dots because we share the same surname and we are public figures. “They didn’t try to verify from one of my peers, relatives or other media houses.” Sowetan has learnt that the confusion happened during the show Re Ka Kgona hosted by Kwetepe John Matlakala on Saturday between 2pm and 2.30pm. Contacted for comment yesterday, Matlakala put the phone down before Sowetan could get clarity on the matter. He did not respond to text messages. Matlakala on Sunday emailed an apology letter to Babsy and his family which Sowetan has seen. “I would like to apologise to Babsy Mlangeni and the family for the inconvenience caused by me about our legendary music icon Babsy Mlangeni; instead of stating the name Andrew Mlangeni, the former political and the veteran Struggle hero who passed on last week, I said Babsy Mlangeni,” Matlakala wrote. “I personally apologised to our Thobela FM programs manager Mrs. Florina Sebola. I am still going to apologise to Thobela FM listeners, supporters and followers of our legendary music icon Babsy Mlangeni.”
Are you able to picture this? “Dead whilst still alive”! This musician must have been horrified when hearing this news! Then it must have clicked and he must have smiled to himself!
While it was not true that Babsy Mlangeni was dead … many today are “dead whilst still alive”! Yes, we need to deal with this matter because it is serious. The majority of people upon our planet are “dead whilst still alive”. Yes … that’s right … I’m talking about the spiritually dead. Alive in the body yet dead in the soul! This is not some older, retired pastor saying things to stir your emotions. It is straight from the Word of God!
Look at these two passages:
Eph 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Col 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ.
We have been over this before, but it is necessary to refresh ourselves. As soon as our father’s sperm meets our mother’s egg and gels, a human is formed. Nine months later a baby is born. Because this baby inherits the father’s sinful disposition, he or she is a sinner in the womb and is therefore born a sinner.
Ps 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
No one escapes this. Those who don’t believe in God can’t protect their babies from inheriting the sinful nature, even kings or queens or princes or princesses. Even the wealthiest billionaires cannot put cash up front to prevent this transfer.
Ro 3:22 … There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God …
As you grow physically and develop emotionally and mature academically, your sinful nature also tends to develop and expand to the point where every part of you as a person is affected by the want to sin and rebel. By the time you are mature enough to be responsible for your conduct and behaviour, you find your desires, thoughts, needs and choices tend to follow a pathway opposite to what God requires.
Maybe the development into “mature sin” is because your parents do not model Christ or don’t have a relationship with Christ. They rebel against Him with their language, behaviour and choices … and as this is the example you see, you follow suit! By the time you are a fully-fledged adult, your soul is rebelliously dead “in transgressions” (Eph 2v5) and “dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature” (Col 2v13). “Every inclination of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil all the time” (Gen 6v5).
The picture is bleak … desperately bleak … and there is absolutely nothing you can do about your condition! Of course you can blame Adam … but would you have done any different in the Garden? Yet, there is a flip side! With the negative there is the positive. With the bad news there is good news. In hopelessness there is hope. Jesus’ mission plan to this planet was to rescue people like that … like you and me from our sin and wickedness and depravity. His rescue plan does not end at rescue though … it progresses to restoration and reconciliation. When He, through grace, saves a soul, that soul is forgiven and cleansed and justified before God. That’s restoration … but at the same time, He, through His blood sacrifice, reconciles you to His Father. You see, His blood covers you and removes your sin (all of sin and guilt) and when the Father sees you, He sees His beloved Son. It is as if Jesus stands between you and the Father with the Father seeing Jesus as He looks at you! Now you are alive in Christ:
Ro 6:11 … count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Now, you are alive and no longer dead whist alive! No longer spiritually dead and physically alive, but both spiritually and physically alive!
Dear God, thank you that whilst I was dead you made me alive through Jesus’ blood offering for me. Amen.