By Given Mutinta
SDA CHURCH ELDER AND MASTER GUIDE PRESIDENT HICHILEMA MUST OBSERVE THE SABBATH
President Hakainde Hichilema has publicly identified himself as church elder and master guide in the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church.
This role carries the weighty responsibility of exemplifying the church’s principles, especially the observance of the Sabbath.
The Bible says; Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8-11).
The Sabbath is observed from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, and is central to the SDA church faith, dedicated to rest, prayer, and communion with God.
However, the President does not observe this sacred period showing lack of consistency between his SDA church public claims and his activities.
For instance, rather than resting yesterday on Saturday as the Sabbath commandment prescribes, President Hichilema was in Solwezi, actively engaged in political rallies, roadshows, meetings and public address where he accused former members of parliament from his party, the UPND, of voting against Bill 7.
Some of these former MPs have denied his allegations, calling them untruths from a person they consider senior in society.
Within the SDA church faith, the Sabbath is not just a day off; it is a spiritual discipline that church elders like President Hichilema are expected to uphold visibly.
It symbolizes fidelity to God’s commandments and provides a time for spiritual renewal and community worship.
When an SDA church elder, especially someone in a prominent public office like President Hichilema, visibly neglects Sabbath observance, it is a breach of integrity and an erosion of the moral authority that faith leadership entails.
The concern here revolves around authenticity and leading by example.
The SDA church faith community looks to their leaders not only to profess belief but also to embody it through their actions
Thus, when an SDA church elder’s political obligations, not once but several times, encroach upon this deeply held SDA church practice, it is a serious cause of concern that signals hypocrisy – lack of congruence between President’s Hichilema’s word and deed.
Why is the SDA church quiet when one of its church elders and master guides openly abrogates the law of the Sabbath?