Increasing involvement of Nigerian youths in cybercrime and fraud, ritual activities, prostitution, human and drug trafficking, kidnapping, robbery and hired killings reveal the growing materialism of a significant number of Nigerian youths, including uncountable numbers of professed Nigerian Christian youths. There is the need to address materialism amongst Nigerian youths with special reference to Nigerian Christian youths. Paul’s moral instructions to Timothy are still relevant for Nigerian Christian youths to emulate. Therefore, this study employs a redaction critical method of biblical exegesis to interpret and apply 1 Timothy 6:6–14 to the problem of materialism amongst Nigerian Christian youths. This study finds that materialism amongst Nigerian Christian youths is consolidating negative implications to their spiritual lives, families, to the mission mandate of the church and to Nigeria as a nation. This study argues that Paul has shown a model of how a Christian youth ought to be guided with regard to material possessions.Contribution: This study explored the issue of materialism amongst countless Nigerian Christian youths that is consolidating negative implications to their spiritual lives, families, to the church and to Nigeria as a nation. The study recommends that Paul’s instructions to Timothy about godliness and love of money are still relevant for Nigeria Christian youths to emulate.

The compassionate-love Jesus feels moves him to solve the problems of the suffering. Hence, everything Jesus thought, said, or did in his mission to salvage humankind was motivated by compassionate love. Jesus demonstrated that his mission-mandate should be done on the platform of genuine compassionate love. That is why, in the gospels, he was described as always being moved by compassion. Jesus demonstrated that his followers are to carry on the mission-mandate of the church in compassionate love. But in this era, the church has undergone a paradigm shift from this model of Jesus’ compassion. The problem of the church being less compassionate is hindering the contemporary church from achieving mission-desired goals. Consequently, this article studies the concept of compassion as an underlying theme in the gospel of Matthew and its implications for the mission-mandate of the church in Nigeria. Through the application of the redaction-criticism method of doing biblical exegesis, the study found that the church in Nigeria lacks the model of compassion which Jesus exemplified.

Currently, there is a high rate of persecution unleashed on Christians worldwide with a special reference to Nigeria. Globally, Nigeria accounts for more than 70% of Christians being killed because of their identification with the Christian faith. This makes Nigeria one of the most dangerous countries for Christians. Employing the redaction method of doing biblical exegesis, this study explores and interprets the context of John 16:25–33 and applies its theological findings to the similar reality of Nigerian Christians being confronted with severe persecutions. This study argues that the lessons drawn from John 16:25–33 can equip Nigerian Christians to have the peace Jesus promised consolidated in their hearts as they are being persecuted because of their faith in him.Contribution: This study addressed the issue of the high rate of persecution being unleashed on the Church in Nigeria from the theological stance of John 16:25–33. The study recommends that the lessons drawn from John 16:25–33 can equip the persecuted Church in Nigeria to enjoy the peace Jesus promised the Church.