Posts in category: Moving With Gs

Today, most of The Church of Pentecost branches all over the world are celebrating Pentecost. The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has charged Christians to return to the ‘Day of Pentecost’ which is accompanied by the manifestation and power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.

According to the General Secretary of the Church, Pentecost is the outpouring of the Holy Ghost with evidence in speaking in tongues, bearing fruit of the Spirit and operating with the gifts of the Spirit.

Celebrating the day, at the forecourt of the Roman Ridge Central/ English Auditorium of The Church, Apostle Kumi-Larbi spoke on the topic, “Experiencing Pentecost: Outpouring of The Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4; 19:1-7). He emphasized that the Pentecostal experience is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (or the baptism of the Spirit), speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.

He said that Pentecost Sunday, is a commemoration and celebration of the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the early church.

“John the Baptist, prophesied of the first Pentecost when he said Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi quoting from John 14:26, revealed that Jesus confirmed this prophecy of the Holy Spirit to the disciples. He indicated that Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirit, from whom they receive power to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:3-8).

“On the Day of Pentecost, just as promised, the sound of a violent wind filled the house and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them and all were filled with the Holy Spirit,” Apostle Kumi-Larbi stated.

The General Secretary further explained that Pentecost is not just a date that it commemorated, nor a historical event that lies in the past. According to him, Pentecost is happening right now in the lives of believers, adding that: “the promise that Jesus made to the disciples is the same promise he gives each one of us today. This is an event that has never stopped happening.”

Without the Holy Spirit, he, believed we will be trying to do things in our own strength, with our own ideas; however, with the Holy Spirit, we tap directly into the power of God, and that is how believers receive the boldness to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

He highlighted on the fact that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is talked about in at least two ways in Scripture.

The first one, he said, refers to the pouring of the Holy Spirit to indwell people, as prophesied in the Old Testament and fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost after Jesus’ ascension. The other way, he mentioned is the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit.

“God said to Israel, I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants,” he stated was predicted by Joel, and in Isaiah 44:3.

The General Secretary of the Church pointed out that in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was a rare gift that was only given to a few people, usually for specific assignments. Such individuals were Saul (1 Samuel 10:10), Othniel (Judges 3:10), Gideon (Judges 6:34), and Samson (Judges 13:25;14:6).

“At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers in Christ, and He came to stay. This marked a major change in the Holy Spirit’s work,” he stressed.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi further observed that there are five instances of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which are on the day of Pentecost: to Jews and proselytes in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-4); with the Samaritan believers (Acts 8:14-17); the Apostle Paul after he was saved (Acts 9:17-18); in the house of Cornelius and the believing gentiles (Acts 10:44-47; 11:15-17); with the believers in Ephesus (Acts 19:1, 2, 6); and with present believers (Acts 2:39).

He, then led the congregation in an intensive Holy Spirit prayers and impartation, which manifested in the speaking of tongues.

Present were Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi, wife of General Secretary of the Church and Pastor Clement Akyim-Gyimah, District Minister of Roman Ridge District.

‘Pentecost Week,’ was a week dedicated by The Church of Pentecost, worldwide, to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It began on Monday, May 30, 2022 and ended today Sunday, June 5, 2022.

PENTECOST NEWS

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has advised chiefs to live a life of integrity as gatekeepers of their communities.

Quoting the words of Dwight Eisenhower, Apostle Kumi-Larbi said that “the supreme quality for leadership is unquestionable integrity. Without it, no real success is possible.”

Speaking on the topic, “Chieftaincy and Integrity,” Apostle Kumi-Larbi defined integrity as wholeness, perfection, soundness, simplicity, completeness and sincerity.

The General Secretary was speaking at the ongoing 3^rd Royals’ Conference of The Church of Pentecost at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa-Fetteh, near Kasoa in the Central Region, on Wednesday, June 1, 2022.

This year’s conference is being attended by over 1,500 chiefs and queens and other royals drawn from various parts of Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso.

According to Apostle Kumi-Larbi, the Christian leader who has integrity is sound, reliable, trustworthy, and could therefore be described as dependable.

“Unfortunately, integrity seems to be a critical aspect of leadership which is mostly found wanting, both in the church and society as a whole,” he stated.

He explained that society is bedeviled with corrupt practices such as the multiple sale of land by some chiefs to prospective buyers.

Reading from Proverbs 11:3, he stated that King Solomon understood the importance of integrity, stressing that “the integrity of the upright guides them but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.”

According to Apostle Kumi-Larbi, corruption in society has resulted in some effects on the people, such as poor healthcare delivery, shoddy works, poor educational system, an increasing gap between the rich and the poor, and environmental degradation, among others.

He, therefore, urged the royals to be the accountable gatekeepers who would protect and ensure safety of their subjects in their jurisdictions.

Another issue that prevents chiefs from living a life of integrity, he said, was bribery and extortion. He explained that a bribe is “money, favour, or other consideration given in exchange for one’s influence against what is true, right, or just,” while explaining extortion as “taking money from someone by violence, threats, or the misuse of authority.” 

Using Nehemiah as a model of integrity, he admonished the chiefs to live exemplary lives as Nehemiah did.

According to the General Secretary, in Nehemiah 5:14-17, Nehemiah did not act like others as he refused to take advantage of the people. Instead, he lightened their burdens with the resources he had.

“Chiefs must maintain consistent lifestyle whether people are watching or not,” he said, adding, “Do everything without prioritizing personal gain, because it is an abomination for a king to do evil, for the throne on which he sits has been established in righteousness.”

The 3^rd Edition of the Royals Conference has been organised by the Chieftaincy Ministry of The Church of Pentecost, in collaboration with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM).

PENTECOST NEWS

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has urged health workers to see their profession as a call to serve mankind.

According to the General Secretary, health workers, especially nurses and midwives, must endeavour to treat every patient as their own relative, thereby providing the best health care possible to them.

“As understood by Florence Nightingale, nurses must see their work as a calling aimed to save lives,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi said this on Saturday, April 23, 2022, during the first matriculation and inauguration of Flosam Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Science, located at Suhum in the Eastern Region.

Speaking at the event, Apostle Kumi-Larbi said that despite the challenges in the health sector such as the low doctor-to-patient ratio due to limited health training facilities, nurses could offer their best for the country.

He urged them to work diligently in the fear of the Lord which, he believed, would help boost the confidence people have in the health sector.

He, however, called on the government to consider paying the allowances of nursing students in private schools just as it is done in public nursing schools without any discrimination.

“How can the government give allowances to the public sector nursing students, leaving out private sector students, while they are all trained to work at the same government hospitals,” he questioned.

Referring to Matthew 25:31-46, he reiterated that Christians are the light of the world, therefore, when the opportunity to help people comes forth, they should not relent.

He charged Christians to demonstrate godly characters wherever they find themselves.

“Work hard, be loyal, productive and maintain integrity at all times and places,” he noted.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi noted that there will be accountability for the resources God has given all persons on the day of judgement.

“For those who will use the resources for themselves will be classified as goats, while those who used it to help their brothers will be classified as sheep. These people will inherit Heaven. Therefore, we must use what we have to help others in order to please God,” he concluded.

Dr. Paul Doku, Vice Dean for the School of Nursing, University of Cape Coast, called on the government to support private nursing schools.

According to him, the private sector plays a critical role in employing majority of Ghanaians, therefore it is expedient for them to be supported.

He entreated health training and tertiary institutions to offer global and 21^st-century skills to their students. This, he said, will help them to be relevant in the global market as trends keep changing.

“Knowledge is good, however, knowledge without character becomes very dangerous. Therefore, you must remember the pledges that you have taken and inculcate them in your work. This will make you a nurse of good character who will be useful to the nation,” he pointed out.

On her part, Dr. Christian Asiedu, Founder of Flosam Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Sciences, said that the institution aims at preserving the core values that have sustained the institution while preparing its students for the future.

She mentioned that the school is strategically creating innovative programmes in science and the nursing profession at large with the aim of inspiring students to live and serve globally, while promoting the advancement of the nursing profession.

The grand ceremony brought together personalities from the health sector, Christian and other religious leaders, chiefs, the media, among others.

Flosam Institute of Nursing, Midwifery & Allied Health Sciences is a private health training institution accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana (NMC), and the National Accreditation Board (NAB). Being affiliated to the University of Cape Coast (UCC), its main aim is to train health professionals in Ghana and globally.

Report by Alex Nana Owusu Nkrumah.

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has advised people in positions of influence and power, particularly Christian leaders, to always lead by example in order to produce maximum effect.

According to the Chief Scribe, the actions of leaders speak louder to their followers than what they say. “For people to believe in what we say as leaders, we must first lead by example,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi said this at a graduation ceremony organised by the Shalom Worship Centre last Sunday for graduands of the “Shalom Workers’ College.”

In a sermon titled “Leading by Example: Mentoring and Discipling,” the General Secretary explained that Jesus demonstrated in John 13:1-17 how leaders ought to conduct themselves.

He said that Jesus did not just command His disciples to be humble, love and to serve each other, but He first demonstrated it to them by washing their feet with water, an act that was reserved for servants.

The General Secretary stated that bad leadership where leaders abuse their positions for personal gains, remains the bane of the African continent, saying: “Until we practice what we preach, our leadership would yield little or no results.”

Unlike Christ, he further explained, the Pharisees, who were the teachers of the Law, exhibited religious hypocrisy because they only reveled in the titles and positions accorded them but did not completely follow what they preached (Mathew 23:1-28).

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, therefore, admonished church leaders to do well to subject themselves to the very teachings they proclaim, bearing in mind that the members over whom they preside are observing their actions. 

He urged them to regard leadership as a responsibility to serve and not an opportunity to amass wealth for themselves.

Quoting Ezra 7:10, Luke 9:10, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 4:9, 1 Peter 5:3 and Acts 20:18, among other scripture references, Apostle Kumi-Larbi admonished them to be pacesetters and serve as role models for the followers. He also urged them to mentor young ones and grant them opportunities to also serve.

“Every leader must prepare for his or her exit by making conscious efforts to raise successors, who will take over from them,” he advised.

He, therefore, advised the graduands, made up of presiding elders, ordained officers, ministry leaders, Bible Study and Home Cell leaders etc., to do well to practice everything they had been taught.

He also urged them to be more than teachers to the members, but to “father” them and show genuine concern for their holistic growth, saying that: “Teachers just give information, but fathers pour themselves out.”

Last year, the District Discipleship and Leadership Development Committee (DDLDC) of Shalom Worship Centre organised the Shalom Workers’ College, a 40-week discipleship programme from February to November, to equip the adult youths to effectively influence every sphere of life with Kingdom values and principles.

The graduands, who had successfully completed the programme, were each presented a certificate of participation.

PENTECOST NEWS

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has described Easter as a season of “divine exchange” because it marks the defining moment when Jesus Christ exchanged His sinless life with the sinful nature of humankind by dying on the cross.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi said this yesterday when he delivered a sermon titled “Divine Exchange” at the Resurrection Sunday service held to climax the 2022 Easter Conventions of the Bekwai Zone (Ashanti-Bekwai Area) at the Methodist School Park.

Reading from Luke 23:18-23, the General Secretary recounted the events that led to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross.

He explained that in the above passage, Jesus, whom Pilate had found innocent of all charges levelled against Him, was crucified in place of Barabbas, a man who had been jailed for insurrection and murder.

“For three times, Pilate said he had found no grounds for a death penalty, but the crowd insistently demanded that Jesus be crucified. So, he released Barabbas, the sinner, and surrendered the sinless Jesus to their will to be crucified,” he said. 

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, however, explained that the death of Jesus in place of Barabbas was no mistake, but the deliberate plan of God to bear the cost of the sin of humanity, and thus, set them free in the process.

According to the General Secretary, the crucifixion of Christ for the sins of Barabbas affirms the doctrine of the “Substitutionary Atonement,” which posits that Jesus died as a substitute for sinners. 

Jesus did not only die for Barabbas because scripture is very clear about the fact that Jesus had to die for all people of all time for crucial reasons, he explained, adding, “Jesus died because of human sin – yours, mine and everyone else’s.”

Apostle Kumi-Larbi further stated that, beyond fully paying for the price of sin, Christ’s substitutionary work on the cross has broken the power of sin over believers and made them the righteousness of God.

“Therefore, in Christ, we have been forgiven, justified and sanctified; we have become the righteousness of God. Our former standing and status as people created in the image and likeness of God have been restored,” he stressed.

Having received a new life in Christ, the General Secretary advised Christians to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. He said that one way they can prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ is by living a changed life.

“As children of God, we are called to strive for holiness. We are to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. We should never imply an acceptance of sin, especially in our own lives. All we do should be consistent with what we believe and who we are in Christ,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, therefore, advised Christians to put to death their old practices and live up the new life they have received in Christ created to be like God in true holiness and righteousness.

“Jesus identified with our death so that we might be identified with His life. Likewise, He identified with our sin so that we might be identified with His righteousness,” he charged.

The General Secretary also warned believers of religious hypocrisy, where they claim or pretend to be followers of Christ but act otherwise. 

He bemoaned that, despite the proliferation of churches in Ghana, the country remains bedevilled with corruption and other forms of injustice.

He, therefore, urged Christians to set their minds on things above and strive to live above reproach in order to rise above the corruption in the land. He also urged them to be responsible citizens and contribute their quota towards nation-building.

PENTECOST NEWS.

Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, has emphasised that Jesus Christ endured the worst death possible in order to reconcile humankind back to God.  

According to him, the biblical account of the gruesome crucifixion of Jesus Christ recorded in Matthew 26:36–27:56, Mark 14:32–15:41, Luke 22:39–23:49, and John 18:15–19:37 should not be taken lightly, for it is a true representation of events that took place.

“It is important to note that Christ’s suffering—His passion—was real. It is not as though He simply appeared to suffer; He actually suffered and died,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi shared this on Friday morning when he spoke on the topic: “The Purpose of the Passion of Christ” at the Good Friday morning service of the Accra-Newtown Zone (La Area) of the church, as part of this year’s Easter Conventions.

Using Isaiah chapter 53, Matthew chapters 26 and 27 and 1 Peter 2:21-25 as his main Scripture references, the General Secretary explained that Jesus allowed Himself to endure pain, suffering and shame for the primary purpose of restoring the broken relationship between God and humankind.

He explained that when Adam and Eve sinned against God by violating His command, they lost the relationship they had with Him and this affected all humans after them. He said that for humanity to be made right with God, there was the need to pay the price of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23).

“The New Testament letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 9:22) states plainly that “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. One purpose of this letter was to explain that Jesus Christ was the very Son of God and that He gave His life’s blood for the remission of humankind’s sins,” he further explained.

He, therefore, reiterated that Christ’s sole motivation (passion) for going through the gruesome experience was so that humans would have their sins washed away, be forgiven, and be reconciled to their Maker.

According to him, “Jesus experienced genuine suffering when He was beaten and mocked; when the ‘Crown of Thorns’ was pressed on His head; when He was nailed to a cross; when He hung there and struggled to breathe; He endured this excruciating suffering to pay for our sins and save those who would trust in Him.”

Quoting 1 Peter 3:18 and 1 Peter 2:24, Apostle Kumi-Larbi said the fact that Christ was wounded for our transgressions points to the doctrine of the “Substitutionary Atonement,” which means that Jesus died as a substitute for sinners. 

“We deserved to be the ones placed on that cross to die because we are the ones who live sinful lives. But, Christ took the punishment on Himself in our place—He substituted Himself for us and took what we rightly deserved,” he stated.

The General Secretary further noted that the sacrifice that Jesus made on behalf of humankind makes the celebration of Easter very essential to all believers, stressing that Easter is the very pinnacle of Christian celebration.

He, therefore, called on all persons who are yet to receive Christ to do so so as to share in the His sacrifice of atonement. 

The death of Christ puts an end to the sin of mankind and in its place, the Lord has restored humanity to their rightful place as children of God, and also quickened within them a brand-new nature that can live a life of righteousness, he explained.

In concluding his sermon, Apostle Kumi-Larbi noted that included in the salvation package, is the deliverance from infirmities and diseases, because by the stripes Jesus sustained in His body, they (believers) are healed (Isaiah 53). 

He, therefore, urged Christians who are battling chronic diseases or conditions to have faith and appropriate this power of healing that has been made available to them through the Resurrection.

“The same blood that paid for our sins has paid for our healing,” he said.

PENTECOST NEWS

Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, has admonished Christians to desist from being hypocrites and rather stand by the truth as we seek the progress of the nation.

“The worst form of hypocrisy is the religious hypocrites who behave as hypocrites while claiming to be followers of Christ,” he stated.

According to Apostle Kumi-Larbi, the scribes were men who read and interpreted the scripture to the people, like Ezra. He said that at the time of Jesus, they were just interested in teaching and not practicing.

On the other hand, he noted that the Pharisees were a religious sect who attempted to strictly observe and keep the law. He further noted that during the days of Jesus, He observed that their type of “righteousness” was hypocrisy; they had an external observance of the law, were clean outside but rotten inside.

“Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of God (heaven),” he pointed out while quoting from Matthew 5:17-20.

This, he said today at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) – Tesano, at Tesano, during his ministerial visit to the church.

Speaking on the topic: “Righteousness, (the “if clause” in our relationship with God), A Prerequisite For Nation Building,” he said that the Bible’s stand of human righteousness is God’s own standard. He, therefore, said that our righteousness as Christians is never dependent on our setting or environment.

He iterated that when we become Christians, we are free, yet there is a prerequisite to enjoy the fruits which is by being righteous.

He stated that the Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behaviour, and every word. This, God’s laws, as given in the Bible, both describe His own character and constitute the plumb line by which He measures human righteousness.

“Without righteousness in our nation, we can have all the good laws, but can’t apply them. This is because we would lack men and women of character to ensure laws work,” he emphasised.

Reading from Romans 14:17 and Matthew 6:10, he noted that the kingdom of God is not about a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

He admonished Christians to be mindful in their associations and cautiously avoid affecting the weaker ones in the church with their behaviour.

Touching on hypocrisy, he explained that it is the act of deliberately pretending and giving false impressions over a period.

Quoting from W.W. Wiersbe, the General Secretary of the church said that: “…hypocrisy is lying to other people about our fellowship with the Lord”.

He added: “There are many ways we do this: preaching what we don’t practice, praying things we don’t mean, and pretending to do what we don’t do”.

He further encouraged Christians to turn around and live right to ensure prosperity in their lives.

“Wherever there is sin in the land, whenever there is sin in your life, be sure that God will punish,” he reiterated.

He urged that when we stand for the right things in the nation, prosperity will never be away from us and reproach would not be our portion.

Concluding his message, he charged Christians to hold on to the righteous scepter of God which is their authority in Jesus Christ, moreover, when they live right, God’s power comes upon them.

He made scriptural references from Joshua 1:8, Exodus 7:1, Deuteronomy 6:6-7; 8-29; 28:1-14, Joshua 4:14, Leviticus 20:10-21, Hosea 4:7-9, and Matthew 23:1-28 respectively.

Present were Apostle Prof. Peter Ohene Kyei (Retired), Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi, wife of the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Dr. Mrs. Abigail Kyei, Pastor Benedict Eghan, Personal Assistant to the Chairman and Resident Minister of PIWC-Tesano, and Mrs. Grace Eghan, wife of Resident Minsiter of PIWC-Tesano.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has challenged Christians to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, emphasising that true repentance must lead to a changed life.

The General Secretary said this today when he and his wife, Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi, joined the English and Central assemblies of the Achimota District to climax this year’s Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation).

Delivering a sermon titled “Righteousness and Justice,” Apostle Kumi-Larbi, who defines repentance as a change of heart that leads to a changed-life, explained that anyone who has genuinely repented from their sins and accepted Christ as Lord and personal Saviour must show forth their repentance by leading a life of righteousness.

“When it comes to godly living, most contemporary Christians are quick to say that the ‘Lord sees the heart.’ But it is not enough to say that. We must also live it out for the world to see that we have truly repented,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi explained that despite all the moral decay in society, God has provided redemption through the finished work of Christ on the cross and His resurrection. 

It, however, behoves humans to respond to the gospel message of Christ by turning from their wicked ways (ungodliness), to receive forgiveness of sin and the Holy Spirit in order to qualify them as sons of God with the capacity to live a life of righteousness and holiness, he added.

He said that God is righteous and, therefore, Christians, as subjects of His kingdom, cannot continue to indulge in ungodliness.

He identified Zacchaeus as a true example of repentance because he completely turned from his wicked ways when he surrendered his life to Christ (Luke 19:1-10). 

Elaborating on bribery and extortion, the General Secretary was emphatic that “the Bible is clear that giving or receiving a bribe is evil.”

He explained that bribery is money, favour, or other consideration given in exchange for one’s influence against what is true, right, or just, while extortion is taking money from someone by violence, threats, or the misuse of authority.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi further noted that God is just and shows no partiality (Acts 10:34), and He perfectly exacts vengeance against those who take undue advantage over others.

By His very nature, God is just in meting out rewards for righteousness and equally just in meting out punishments for evil and wrongdoing (Hebrews 6:10, Colossians 3:25), he cautioned.

“If God punished Adam and Eve for disobedience, Cain for murder, Sodom and Gomorrah for sexual perversion etc., then we must also expect to be punished for the same misdeeds (evil) that He has punished others for. This is because God is just, and a false balance is an abomination to Him,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, therefore, called on Christians, particularly Christian workers and members of the Church, to endeavour to uphold Kingdom values and principles such as honesty, truthfulness, hard work, diligence and contentment at the workplace as they seek to possess their spheres for Christ. 

PENTECOST NEWS.

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, says that the consistency in observing the commands of God (righteousness) is the mark of every true Christian.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi maintains that righteousness is what distinguishes Christians from the people of the world and that it is expected of every believer to lead lives that conform to God’s will.

“Consistently doing good deeds and doing right is the fruit of true sonship in Christ; it is the fruit that shows that Christ lives in us. One can, therefore, not claim to be in Christ without living a life of righteousness,” he charged participants of the ongoing National Officers’ Retreat (Apostolisation) at the Achimota Zone of the Achimota Area yesterday. 

In his presentation on the topic “Righteousness; The Authority of the Kingdom,” the General Secretary defined righteousness as the act of being aligned with how God ordained and sees things in the natural, moral or legal sense. 

“It also means acts, words, deeds, and attitude that are considered right,” he explained.

According to him, the primary reason why Jesus came to earth to die on the Cross was to make it possible for humanity to be restored to God’s righteous standards.

Quoting 2 Corinthians 5:21, he said that Jesus fulfilled all the righteous requirements of the Mosaic law and took the sins and curses of humanity upon Himself on the Cross. For this reason, God made Jesus who knew no sin to bear the sins of humanity so that they (humans) can become the righteousness of God in Christ. 

“Essentially, by this finished work of Christ, we have been imputed with God’s righteousness and have been empowered to live a life of righteousness in attitude, words and deeds,” he said.

Hence, it is unacceptable for any believer to indulge in unrighteous acts because through Christ’s vicarious death, believers have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness (in which they previously belonged) into God’s kingdom of light, he added.

“In the kingdom of God, the scepter, emblem, totem or symbol of authority is righteousness. That is why we the people of the Kingdom must love righteousness and hate evil (wickedness),” he said while referring to Hebrews 1:8-9.

He, therefore, reiterated that the greatest burden or preoccupation of every Christian must be to lead righteous lives.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi also urged Christians to guard their hearts against evil by putting on the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14).

“We must put on our moral character (breastplate of righteousness) which serves as the believer’s defense because it protects our hearts from evil,” he said.

He further explained that to protect one’s heart from evil is to be careful of where one sits, stands and walks (Psalm 1:1-3). 

He also advised Christians to be very cautious of the people they choose as friends and acquaintances, stressing that “The people you associate with will determine how far you go in Christ.”

Highlighting the significance of righteousness in nation-building, the General Secretary said that nations whose citizens lead lives that conform to the will of God are prosperous.

He further explained that it is not enough for leaders to enact laws for their respective nations, rather, what the world needs are leaders who pass right laws and apply them.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi, therefore, urged national leaders not to emulate the hypocritical behaviours of the Scribes, who only taught the laws, or the Pharisees, who were selective in the application of laws. Instead, he advised them to subject themselves to the laws of their nations and to put in place systems to ensure that other citizens adhere to them (laws) as well.

PENTECOST NEWS.

The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, has urged Christians to be righteous and just in their communities.

Speaking on the topic: “The Righteousness of God As it Relates to the Believer’s Salvation,” on Sunday, February 13, 2022, at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) in the Downtown-Ofaakor Area, Apostle Kumi-Larbi said humanity can only appreciate the righteousness of God by first reflecting on their depraved nature in the beginning.

“To understand God’s righteousness and how He saved and cleansed us, we must first understand where we were and how depraved humanity was,” he stated.

He revealed that the human heart was very evil before salvation, adding that, the Apostle Paul wrote Romans 1:18-32 to describe the depraved nature of the human heart before coming to know the saving knowledge of Christ.

“Before Jesus came, we were very evil,” he noted, stressing that: “Humanity had become godless and wicked and had suppressed the truth and the righteousness of God.”

He acknowledged that though God is loving, He does not spare anyone who sins but punishes anyone that engaged in any form of sin.

 “God will never apologize to anyone; He won’t spare you if you sin,” he told the congregation.

The General Secretary observed that in contemporary times, humanity has invented new ways of doing evil and cautioned that God will punish all those who engage in such acts.

He further explained that Jesus Christ is the believer’s righteousness and sanctification, and that He came to earth to restore humanity to God’s righteousness.

“Jesus came to destroy Satan’s works, sin, and the wrath and curses that come with it. God, the Father sent Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, to die for our sake so that we might be righteous before God,” he explained.

He urged unbelievers to accept Christ as their Savior, because without Christ, man is dead.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi iterated that before Jesus came to earth, humanity owed God due to numerous sins but Christ died to pay the debt freeing man from all forms of sins.

“When Jesus came to die on the tree, God accepted that sacrifice and cancelled all our debt,” he said.

Apostle Kumi-Larbi admonished believers to refrain from sin and put on the righteousness of God as a weapon against sin and be transformed into the image of Christ.

“Let’s go and exhibit the virtues of Christ. The Salvation of our society and communities is in our hands,” he charged Christians.

After the sermon, Resident Minister of PIWC- Downtown-Ofaakor Area, Pastor Isaac Annor, led the congregation in prayer.

Present at the service was Apostle Dr Benjamin Ali, the Area Head for Downtown-Ofaakor.

PENTECOST NEWS.