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Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has warned religious leaders, particularly Christians, to stop placing premium on benefits and rewards, especially on Christians in government and position of authority, as it makes national development suffer because the people’s mind will be soiled and unable to do what is right.

This is just as he called on them to preach and teach what he described as ‘real gospel’ in the interest of peace and national development.

He declared that the real gospel that transforms nations is not the message that places emphasis on riches and wealth without recourse to hard work and productivity.

Osinbajo stated these at the weekend while delivering a lecture titled: ‘The Christian Faith in the Political Struggles: A Case Study of Nigeria’, at the 68th anniversary and 58th Annual International Convention of The Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT).

According to him, many prosperous nations of the world have no natural resources while many nations with many national endowments are lurking in poverty “because people do not play according to the rules of hard work and productivity.”

He added, however, that “many countries in Europe and America that we seek to be like thrived based on the true gospel of Jesus Christ that was preached from the pulpit coupled with other virtues such as hard work, productivity, integrity and protection of the poor among others.”

He said many preachers do not care to question the source of wealth of their members but attribute almost any unexplainable wealth and riches to miracles, urging them to teach the right doctrines in their messages from the pulpit, such that the ‘Godly and Christians’ values’ to make a positive difference and impact on the people around them will take priority.

The former VP said: “The major responsibility of the church and Christians as a whole is to propagate the correct version of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is that correct version of the gospel of Jesus that transformed other nations of the world.

“The nations that we copy and want to emulate, whose developments we have seen-the nations in Europe, America-it is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the virtues of hard work, productivity, integrity, and protection of the poor preached from the pulpit that transform those nations.

“If we must transform and impact on our country as Christians and as a church, we must be mindful of the messages we preach, such that it will encourage and promote virtues of hard work, integrity, and productivity while also caring for the poor and needy around us.”