Professor Emmanuel Martey, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana on Sunday cautioned Christians to make straight paths for Jesus by correcting the misconceptions and false impressions that people can only succeed in life through corruption and immoral practices.

“Bribery and Corruption hinder people from approaching Jesus. We have so many examples of men and women mentioned in the Biblical Hall of Fame Hebrews Chapter 11, who succeeded not through unethical and dishonest practices, but through faith in God,” he said

The Moderator gave the warning when he preached the sermon during the dedication service of the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church Building at Dansoman, on the theme: “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us”.

He said Christians should throw off things that hinder them from living effective, productive and victorious lives that would lead them to the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus.

“Let us run from bribery and corruption and other forms of sin that so easily entangle us and imprison us so that we do not lose focus of the salvation and the development goals that lie before us” he said.

He cautioned preachers to lead morally upright lives as John the Baptist, “John the Baptist was a great and faithful preacher, he did not preach what people wanted to hear as some preachers do today, he was not swayed by popular opinion in what he said, he was not like a reed or a branch of a tree that is shaken by the wind moving, his yes was yes”.

Prof. Martey said John the Baptist rebuked people for their sins, and called for repentance, he did not shower praises on Kings just for favour, adding, the church must not fail Ghana. The church must not preach what corrupt people want to hear, or to make them feel good and continue with their corrupt practices to ruin the nation.

He explained that John the Baptist was not a luxurious preacher who wore the most expensive dress or wanted every model of the latest cars in ride or in jet airplanes to fly in as some preachers do, adding that, he did not eat at the most expensive hotels or restaurants, “to maintain such an extravagant life style, you will by all means have to steal”.

The Moderator noted that, thieves are also found in the church, and they include Pastors, Catechists, Elders, Treasurers, Directors, Ushers, and group leaders, among others, “The Presbyterian Church of Ghana, as a Bible believing and practicing Church will not condone corruption, but will deal decisively with all fraudulent acts”.

He said all the people at the time of John the Baptist knew the kind of dress he wore and food he ate, “we are not saying Ghanaians should eat locust and wild honey or put on camel’s hair, what we mean is that John was a simple man, faithful and sincere preacher who genuinely pointed people to Jesus. Most preachers today are like sign posts which never reach where they are pointing or directing people to go”.

Prof Martey congratulated members of the church for their deep sense of commitment, perseverance and devotion to the Lord, and prayed that the good Lord would solve any problem brought before him at church by people.

Reverend Nii Noi Odonkor, Ga Presbytery Chairperson said the church must earnestly seek renewal in its congregation, “no doubt, this calls for a deepening spiritually of all members and an improvement in their spiritual lives and work outside the confines of the church”.