<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Terming shopping on Sundays as totally against biblical teachings, Ao Baptist Church Association (Ao Baptist Arogo Mundang- ABAM) has appealed to all believers in Jesus Christ to refrain from it.<\/p>\n
In its executive committee meeting held on March 21 and 22, ABAM also resolved to instruct its member churches to give “sound biblical teachings” to all believers in this regard. And as it stood opposed to opening of Sunday market in the past, the meeting also reaffirmed its commitment to stand for the same cause, “which goes against God’s glory”.<\/p>\n
“Nagas should understand that it would be a curse not only for the individuals but for the whole State, if we fail to follow the teachings of the word of God, which has been observed since our forefathers’ time,” exhorted the association in a statement. ABAM pointed out that ancestors of Nagas had been holding different functions and feasts with devotion and religious fervour, adding those good traditions and culture lingered in “our hearts” till date as “we often talk about them, which our forefathers chose to venerate”. <\/p>\n
According to ABAM, when the gospel was preached to the people of Nagaland, all Nagas led by the Aos became followers of Christ, and feasts of yore, which were celebrated based on animistic religion, were obliterated. Yet, the concept of those celebrations remained in the mind, it added. Subsequently, believers lived their new faith in accordance with the teachings of the bible. And one of the legacies got from forefathers and still practised in a refined Christian way is the observance of Sunday, it pointed out.<\/p>\n
ABAM asserted that, as per records, people after professing the new faith were even barred from church membership not only for not conforming to the rules of “Sabbath Day”. As a consequence, they candidly complied and followed the teachings of Sabbath in those days and they could recognise the blessing of adhering to it in their lives, it claimed.<\/p>\n
Mentioning that though it was not clearly written as a law, Sunday was considered a holiday by most people of the world, ABAM pointed out that it had been observed and considered as the day for rest by both Christians and non-Christians. Thus, to take one day rest in a week was accepted as a human culture, it reasoned.<\/p>\n
Stating that it was through the teachings of Christianity that Sundays became more important and necessary and gave a new meaning for its observance, ABAM regretted that people very often indulged in many activities contrary to its true observance in present day world. It cited opening of shops and markets and Christians going for shopping as examples. <\/p>\n
Though the Churches and different organisations try to impress upon the people the culture of Sunday observance in accordance with the teachings of Bible, the association said it cannot bring the desired change as the people were very much “self-centred, selfish” and thought for self-gain only. <\/p>\n
ABAM emphasized that Sunday observance was important not only for the churches and believers, but for all citizens of Nagaland as Nagas are 100% Christians. “If shops are allowed to open in the State where people give the slogan ‘Nagaland for Christ’, what would be our witness for Christ to the world?” it asked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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