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Why We Can’t Wear Facemask In Church — Rev. Chris Okotie

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Members of the Household of God Church will not resume service next Sunday, August 9, despite the reopen­ing of churches by the Lagos State government, because the church considers the wearing of facemasks or shields in church as unbib­lical.

This is the argument of Rev. Chris Okotie, the Shepherd Superintendent of the Oregun, Lagos-based church.

The Lagos State gover­nor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, announced earlier in the week that worship centres would reopen from Friday, August 7, 2020.

He said, however, that while worshippers were expected to observe all the standard safety guidelines, including social distancing, wearing of facemask or shield, washing of hands, attendance was pegged at 50 percent capacity for each worship centre.

In a special, 28-min­ute broadcast sent via WhatsApp to his church members, Rev. Okotie said although he accepted the imperatives of the safety precautions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 vi­rus, the wearing of mask or face shield was unacceptable.

Citing various Bible ref­erences, the pastor said for Christians to wear any type of mask or face shield to church was to reintroduce the veil which was torn the moment Jesus died on the cross.

He said, with the tearing of the veil, there was no lon­ger separation between God and his people, warning that wearing masks would reverse the order, which was unacceptable.

He said he didn’t initially discuss the mask in his broadcast on the COVID-19 mystery because he was waiting for its full manifestation, adding that he decided to speak out now because the mask is now graduating into a face shield, which is a veil.

“When a man is standing before God in church wearing a shield or mask, he is denying the finished work of the cross,” he said, adding that most Christians do not understand the implications, thinking it is just a medical requirement.

According to the Reverend, if a believer wears the facemask, he denies the efficacy of the word of God; and as such, he would not allow members of his church to do that, which is why the Household of God Church won’t resume service.

Rev. Okotie said that for the church to resume, the altar had to be in order.

“Before we offer our sacrifices and lift up holy hands before God, we must make sure that everything is decent and in order,” he insists.

independent.ng

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