The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has said that marriage is a covenant and a three-way relationship in which the couple is accountable to God who acts as the principal witness.
According to the Chairman, God takes particular interest in everything that goes on in a marriage, therefore, Christian couples should honour Him by staying faithful to their partners and making their marital union successful.
Apostle Nyamekye made this passionate call yesterday when he addressed ministers and officers of the Medie Zone as part of the ongoing Nsawam Area Apostolisation at the Medie Central Assembly church auditorium at Medie.
Speaking on the topic: “Raising Family Altars To Strengthen The Local Church: Lessons From The Puritans” with references to Malachi 2:13-16 and Jeremiah 29:23, the Chairman explained that marriage is the oldest institution on earth.
He explained that the fact that the holy estate predates the Christian religion indicates that marriage is for all people and not just Christians, adding: “You do not necessarily have to be a Christian in order to enjoy a successful marriage.”
Apostle Nyamekye, however, noted that Christian couples, who work hard on their marriages, are at an advantage simply because the holy estate was instituted by God, their Father, and also receive support from the Holy Spirit.
He noted that marital union of a male and female (as biologically defined) forms the base for every family, and the family remains the foundation of society.
Reading Malachi 2:15, he stressed that God’s purpose for instituting marriage is to raise godly offspring. “When two Christians walk to the altar to be joined in holy matrimony, Heaven rejoices because their union is strategic and God expects godliness and godly offspring from them,” he said.
The Chairman, therefore, advised Christian parents to endeavour to raise their children in the fear of the Lord and leave them a legacy of godliness and guarantee generational blessings.
To raise godly offspring, Apostle Nyamekye stressed the need for Christian couples to have a Puritan view of marriage and family life. He revealed that the Puritans saw family life as a calling and regarded the family as a Church and a seminary.
“They saw the family as a household involving every individual living in the house, and not just the spouse and children. To them, God is the father of every member of the household, so they are all brothers and sisters in the Lord,” he explained.
Apostle Nyamekye said that one surest way for parents to raise children in the fear of the Lord is to raise family altars (home worship) in their homes. To hold effective family devotions, the Chairman advised Christians to schedule a convenient time suitable to all family members, teach (rather than preach) the word of God, and to endeavour to hold meetings consistently.
He also advised Church leaders to make quality time for their spouses and children and to help build their spiritual life.
PENTECOST NEWS