Don’t be Alexander the Coppersmith in Church’ – Bishop Emmah Isong tells Christians
The Evangelist News Edition, May 3, 2023. By Obong Akpaekong
Christian faithful in the country and around the world have been warned not to conduct their lives like the biblical Alexander the coppersmith.
Emmah Isong, the presiding bishop of Christian Central Chapel International, CCCI, in Calabar, Cross River State, issued the warning on Tuesday during the opening session of the five-day International Promotion & Leadership Conference 2023, which held in the church auditorium.
Bishop Isong said although Alexander the coppersmith was a rich and prominent member of the Church, his actions and general outlook were not in the interest of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Reading from 2 Timothy 4:14-15, the bishop said that the coppersmith’s activities were known to be contrary to the progress of the gospel, while he also did evil things to apostle Paul, who asked God to reward him according to his works.
“Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou aware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words”, the bishop read to conference participants.
He lamented that in today’s church setting, there were many like Alexander, who opposed the word of God and the leadership of the church in secret and in the open. These, he said include critics of the Church leadership, those who live in hypocrisy and those that stir up strife and divisions in the body of Christ.
The Alexanders, he said are proud, selfish and disrespectful. Isong said that many of them quarrel and decide to leave the church or withdraw their support of the work of God, adding, “but the work of God still continues to prosper.”
Isong said in Bible history, Pharaoh did not allow the children of Israel to go from Egypt; Herod, murdered John the Baptist; David had an arch enemy in King Saul and so on, but that God never allowed such enemies to defeat His people.
Bishop Isong however, made Alexander the coppersmith a prayer point and led the conference participants in prayers against their perceived enemies, those opposing the work of the Church, the good health, business, careers, families and other endeavours of believers.
