Apostle Mike Etrue, Kaneshie Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, has urged Christians all over the world to eschew sin and lead righteous lives.
According to Apostle Etrue, who is also a member of the Church’s Executive Council, righteousness is the authority that every Christian must possess, adding that, without it, they cannot impose any power over their people.
Apostle Etrue, speaking to ministers and their wives at the opening session of the 2022 Ministers and Wives’ Conference yesterday at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC) at Gomoa-Fetteh, indicated that as people in constant relationship with God, Christians are expected to live lives that conform to God’s standards. God’s law, according to the Kaneshie Area Head, is the yardstick for measuring man’s righteous nature.
In explaining the biblical perspective of righteousness, Apostle Etrue stated that the Breastplate of Righteousness, a key component of the Armour of God, symbolises man’s moral character, which serves as the believer’s defence and protects their hearts from evil.
“We can protect our hearts by wearing the breastplate. Jesus Christ, our righteousness and sanctification, came to die as a sacrifice for our sins. Through Christ’s finished work, we have become righteous and have His righteousness and power,” he said.
He also stated that God’s Righteousness is derived from imputation, which occurs during one’s acceptance of Christ, and through impartation, stressing that, “One cannot claim to have God’s imputed righteousness if one is not living according to God’s standards.”
Apostle Etrue urged Church members and leaders to exhibit these three Kingdom of God values: Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost, in order to help them live righteous and upright lives in accordance with the principles of the Kingdom of God.
“The role of righteousness in transforming society is a matter of dying to one’s self-life,” he said while urging Christians to oppose morally wrong activities and lifestyles that contradict God’s laws.
Furthermore, while discussing the values of Noah, Daniel, and Job, who were all righteous men in the Bible, Apostle Etrue emphasised that righteousness is the authority that can set Christians apart in these modern times.
According to Apostle Etrue, Noah was a righteous man who lived in harmony with God despite the canker in society during his time.
“Also, as an administrator, Daniel distinguished himself in a foreign land, was faithful, and faced a great deal of opposition and persecution; as Christians, we must strive to distinguish ourselves and be found blameless,” he stated.
Apostle Etrue described Job as a good man who feared God. God, he stated stamped His authority on Job and challenged the devil about him.
“The Lord will stand for us if we have lived right with Him, and the tool required in working in God’s Power is Righteousness, which is our authority. If you can’t dispose of your way of life, you’ll never be able to possess,” he concluded.
This year’s gathering of Ministers and their Wives is being held at eight regional levels, with all 13 Areas in Accra meeting at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), Gomoa Fetteh.
PENTECOST NEWS