LET’S REASON TOGETHER!

BRIBERY: Are you involved?

In our contemporary society, bribery seems to be no more a vice, but a viable path to “riches”
and “success”. Many institutions that were known to stand against bribery have subtly and
cunningly become practitioners and promoters of bribery.Court of justice, church, the civil
service, uniformed organizations, academic institutions, village councils, youth organizations,
etc. are all in differing degrees plagued with bribery. In many hierarchies, both the governing and
the governed are involved in bribery. This socio-economic venom, bribery, has jolted families,
great men and women,organizations, states, governments, nations, churches into decadence of
diverse degrees.

Many people that involve in bribery by giving, by taking, or both, may not know that the act is
unwholesome and virulent. The creator, YHWH, clearly warns in Exodus 23:8 “Do not accept a
bribe, for a bribe makes people blind to what is right and ruins the cause of those who are
innocent”. When Samuel, a judge in Israel, accepted by YHWH, grew old, he made his two sons
– Jo’el and Abi’jah – judges in Beer-sheba. These sons of a disciplined judge (1Samuel 8:1,2)
were seduced by the love of money, they did not walk in the footsteps of their father, “so they
accepted bribes and did not decide cases honestly” (1 Sam 8:3).

Please note, there is no item in the whole world that bears the name ‘brib e’. The King
James Version of the Bible puts it this way: “And you shalt take no gift: for the gift
blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous’’(Exo. 23:8). In this
context,ipso facto, anything tangible or a service given or taken or agreed to give or take in
future, with the intention to pervert justice, either in the present or in future is bribe. And
the process of giving and taking of bribe is bribery.

Are you a judge? How do you handle and decide cases? Are you a lecturer in a University,
College of Education, Polytechnic, etc.? How do you judge students when you mark and grade
their assignment and examination scripts? What do you do with examination scripts? Do you
trade with the scripts or do you guard them as esteemed property of your institution? Are you a
military man or woman, a police man or woman? Are you in the customs, immigration, prisons,
etc.? How do you discharge your duties? Are you aware of the fact that whatever we do either in
public or in secret, in the day or in the night, the divine pen is recording, and that all our
activities, our actions, reactions, our “givings’’ and “takings”are laid barebefore YHWH, the
Creator? Are you a pastor? Do you preach the word of YHWH devoid of expectation of making
merchandize? Are you in a position to treat people’s files, be it in the civil service or in a private
organization?Are you a councilor, personal assistant or an adviser to any officer of any rank? Are
you a local government chairman, a member of Houseof Assembly or Representatives? Are you
a commissioner, a governor? What post do you hold and what position do you occupy. Do you
discharge your duties in the fear of YHWH who holds your breath in His hands, and who sees in
the dark as in the light? Do you allow bribes (gifts) in money and/or in service, to seduce you,
simply because you want “riches”, and to satisfy your lust? Listen to what the Almighty, the
Father of creation, says, “I, YHWH, search human minds and test human hearts. I treat each one
according to the way he lives, according to what he does.Like a bird that hatches eggs she has
not laid, so are those who get their wealth by unjust (dishonest) means. Sooner or later they will
lose their riches and, at the end of their lives, will become poor old fools”. Jeremiah 17:10-11.

Dear reader, it is not the desire of YHWH that we lose your riches in the prime of our lives. It is
not his desire that we become “fools” at the end. YHWH’s thoughts for you and I are “thoughts
of peace and not of evil, to give us an expected end.

Bribery in many instances, today, may bring riches, it may bring success, it may bring
promotion; think of the many things people are benefiting from involving in bribery. In many
quarters, in many organizations and many professions,this unwholesome practice, bribery,
hasreceived new names, or has been nick-named. To some(academic institutions) it is “sorting”,
to others it is “PR”-public relations, to many, it is “brown envelop”, to others, it is “kick back”,
in some sphere , it is “cot”, yet some refer to it as ‘tips’, some are comfortable with “pure water”,
many relax with bribe as “cola”,while some call it “recharge card”. Regardless of the name one
gives to a pig, and the glass house one keeps a swine, when let lose it is nothing but an animal
that wallows in the mire. Remember,“there is a way which seems right to a men, but its end is
the way to death”. Prov. 16:25.
To those that have resolved, and to those who will resolve to follow YHWH, to accept his words
and do them, to followYahushua the Messiah, who is the way, the truth and thelife, to abstain
from immoralities in all dimensions, and to say ‘No’ to BRIBERY, “Just as the mountains
surround and protect Jerusalem, so YHWH surrounds and protects his people both now and
forever. Psalm 125:2.“Even lions go hungry for lack of food but those who obey YHWH lack
nothing good” (34:10).

Many people think and believe that as times are harsh and hard, as schools fees are becoming
higher and dearer, rents are arbitrarily increased by house-owners, prices of food becoming
dearer each day, costs of living become generally high, if one does not help oneself through
bribes one may not survive. This is untrue. Some go along with the age-long Satan-given
consolation “God understands”(that is, God will compromise or will lower His standards). This
is erroneous. There is no time that YHWH had “understood” (compromised), he does not
“understand” (compromise), and will not “understand” (lower His standards).The creator says, “I
am YHWH, and I do not change”. Malachi 3:6.

In these hard and harsh times, in the face of very high costs of living, you may think, how can I
survive? The owner of heavens and earth, YHWHSabaoth assures you that you can survive if
you say and do what is right, if you do not use your power to cheat the poor and if you don’t
accept bribes. He charges you “don’t join with those who plan to commit murder or to do other
evil things then you will be safe; you will be as secure as if you were in a strong fortress. You
will have food and water to drink” (Isaiah 33:14-16).

YHWHbless you as you decide for Him!

By Ettah B. Essien,Ph D