South Africa Unequally Yoked in BRICS?

Scripture sounds a very clear warning about Christians forging alliances with the ungodly. To do so is described as being unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2Co 6:14-18)

South Africa purports to be a largely Christian nation. Various national surveys have reported that between 68 and 80 percent of South Africans are self-professed Christians although there is still significant and sustained syncretism with African Traditional Religion amongst many. Of course, one needs to realize that many are nominally “Christian” merely by birth or heritage and not by spiritual rebirth. In spite of this, the history of the nation has been profoundly shaped by this Christian heritage. Prayer and the Biblical principles of forgiveness and reconciliation played a huge role in the smooth transition of the nation from its apartheid past to being a truly inclusive democracy. The nation celebrates its religious freedom and its unity in diversity and loves being hailed a “rainbow nation”.

Unfortunately, in the interest of promoting trade and mutual financial benefits, South Africa has formed an alliance known as BRICS with four other nations. BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Three of the nations in this alliance have very dubious track records when it comes to religious freedom and human rights whilst Brazil is the only one that could perhaps pass as being Christian.

Brazil

This is the way that Wikipedia describes religion in Brazil: “Christianity is the largest religion in Brazil with Catholics having the most adherents. Brazil possesses a richly spiritual society formed from the meeting of the Catholic Church with the religious traditions of enslaved Africans and indigenous people.” This doesn’t sound to me like Christianity in its purest form. Fortunately, Protestant Evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatic churches have made significant inroads recently.

Russia

When it comes to Russia, I could write all day… The Russian Kremlin and particularly its current President Vladimir Putin, has a terrible track record of human rights abuses. Anyone who opposes the atheistic and godless regime is likely to be eliminated. There is no press freedom and Russia’s so-called democratic elections are a sham. Putin and other members of the Kremlin have openly proclaimed their desire to wipe the country of Ukraine off the map. In their so-called “special operation” in Ukraine they are systematically and indiscriminately destroying everything in their path: hospitals, schools, kindergartens, residential suburbs and of course some military installations. The Russian military and by implication Putin and the Kremlin is guilty of heinous war crimes. It is to South Africa’s shame that she is aligned with such a wicked regime and that she has not taken a strong stand against the war in Ukraine. Instead she advocates a negotiated settlement to the war with a country whose leaders unashamedly lie through their teeth.

India

India under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party has become increasingly intolerant of other religions besides the Hindu faith. Modi has expressed his desire to transform India into a truly Hindu state. As a result, there is no longer religious freedom in India and Christians, Muslims and followers of other religions face increasing persecution. Churches and Mosques are being destroyed or burned down as well as the homes of many Christians and Muslims. There are five main gods in Hinduism but also many thousands of other lesser gods, so many in fact, that it is even confusing to Hindus. As a tourist I have visited a Hindu temple and have witnessed the frenzied worship of some of these grotesque idols. Let us not forget the first of the Ten Commandments…

"You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me…” (Exo 20:3-5)

China

China’s human rights record is as dubious as that of Russia’s. There is no press freedom and any form of opposition to the ruling regime is mercilessly dealt with. So-called democratic elections are a sham as only certain candidates are authorized by the state to stand for election. We have also recently witnessed the arrest of the editors of a number of media outlets and police brutality in dealing with pro-democratic protests in Hong Kong. Although China professes to allow religious freedom, the reality is far from this. By the grace of God, the underground church behind the “bamboo curtain” continues to flourish in spite of vicious persecution. Muslims too are persecuted – China is busy re-programming the minds of predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in special camps set up for this purpose. Like Russia, China is keen to expand its influence and realm and has its eyes set on annexing Taiwan to become part of the greater China.

South Africa

What should South Africa do? In my opinion, the blessing and the favour of God over our nation is far more important than any deals we could broker with the BRICS nations. There are many examples in the books of Kings and Chronicles of how the nation’s trust in God led to victory and blessing, whilst alliances between God’s people and ungodly nations angered God and led to Judah’s demise. Here’s an interesting snippet from Jehoshaphat’s life. For most of his life he pursued God and he and the nation were greatly blessed, but in his old age he suffered a lapse in judgment:

Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness. He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade. (2Ch 20:35-37)

King David said the following:

I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked. (Psa 26:4-5)

It is my sincere prayer that South Africa’s leaders will not sit with deceitful men and will refuse to consort with the wicked. May they heed the Lord’s command to, “come out from them and be separate”!