The Burkina Faso National Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Osmane Patinde Zabre, has called on Christians to pursue godliness as they await the imminent second coming of Christ and his judgement of mankind.
He indicated that godliness is living an exemplary Christian life through which unbelievers can be convicted to the saving knowledge of Christ.
“We cannot give to the world what we don’t have. We are called to set our light to shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our father which is in heaven (Mt. 5:16),” he stated. He added that Christ will definitely return to judge humanity of their deeds and that godliness would be a critical indicator on judgement day.
Apostle Zabre, who is an Executive Council Member and Chairman for the West African Francophone Bloc of the Church, made the call when he delivered a paper on: “The Local Church Upholding the Value of Godliness,” on Friday morning at the Heads’ Meeting of The Church of Pentecost at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Gomoa Fetteh, near Kasoa.
He noted that the local church should not be a religious fraternity that would be complicit in all manner of things, saying, “Conversion without conviction means nothing. The church must be the epicenter of godliness and righteousness.”
He indicated that godliness implies a devotion to God which ultimately leads to a life pleasing and acceptable to Him. He added that godliness can be viewed as the quality or practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God as set out in the Bible.
“There is no higher compliment that can be paid to a Christian than to call him a godly person. He might be a conscientious parent, a zealous church worker, a dynamic spokesman for Christ, or a talented Christian leader, but none of these things matters if, at the same time, he is not a godly person,” he pointed out.
The Burkina Faso National Head also observed that members of the local church ought to be the salt and light of the locality within which they exist.
“As salt is a preservative against corruption, light is to expose corruption. Our good works must show the world the way of godliness as against their ungodliness,” he stressed.
He further indicated that godliness is a requirement of grace and a Christian principle manifested in power given by God.
According to him, godliness comes with persecution, sufferings but the Lord God shall rescue believers from them.
He concluded by saying that knowledge of God, transformed life, the love of God, and the power of the cross are the brook of godliness that all believers should yearn for to lead godly lives.
PENTECOST NEWS