In a post shared on social media, the Prophet stood firm on his stance, challenging conventional Christian beliefs and urging believers to study their bibles carefully.

He argued that the concept of sex before marriage being sinful is not a law given by God but rather a rule created by man.

Prophet Okose Emmanuel contends that many practices followed by believers today stem from human suggestions rather than divine commandments.

He referenced the topic of divorce as an example, noting that while God expressed a strong dislike for it, He did not entirely prohibit it.

The Prophet further criticized what he describes as a generation of “religiously confused leaders” who have passed on their confusion to their congregations, resulting in a mass of believers who, in his view, lack a clear understanding of biblical teachings.

Addressing the topic of love and relationships, Prophet Okose Emmanuel questioned the practicality of abstaining from sex before marriage when two people are deeply in love and share strong affection for one another.

He suggested that adhering strictly to the “no sex before marriage” rule does not necessarily prevent people from making poor marital choices, such as ending up with an abusive partner.

His comments have sparked widespread discussion, with some supporting his view as a call for reevaluation of religious practices, while others vehemently oppose his interpretation, labeling it as misleading and dangerous.

Despite the backlash, Prophet Okose Emmanuel remains resolute in his position, clarifying that he only considers having multiple sexual partners a sin.

She argued that, this age-old moral principle is causing significant problems for partners who are left unsatisfied in their marriage because they did not know their partners sexually before marriage.

Akosua Agyepong argued that, marriage is a substantial and life-altering commitment, adding that it is also the biggest investment in life.

In light of this, she stressed that, individuals must be sexual compatible before marriage.

Akosua Agyepong’s perspective challenges the traditional notion about pre-marital sex which has been echoed in religious doctrines.

While some have agreed with her, others are convinced upholding traditional values that advocate abstinence is the way to go.

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The new code, which also applies to foreign residents and tourists, bans cohabitation before marriage, apostasy, and provides punishments for insulting the president or expressing views counter to the national ideology.

“All have agreed to ratify the (draft changes) into law,” said lawmaker Bambang Wuryanto, who led the parliamentary commission in charge of revising the colonial-era code. “The old code belongs to Dutch heritage … and is no longer relevant.”

The world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia has seen a rise in religious conservatism in recent years. Strict Islamic laws are already enforced in parts of the country, including the semi-autonomous Aceh province, where alcohol and gambling are banned. Public floggings also take place in the region for a range of offenses including homosexuality and adultery.

The changes to the criminal code have not only alarmed human rights advocates, who warned of their potential to stifle personal freedoms, but also travel industry representatives – who worried about their potential effect on tourism.

In a news conference Tuesday, Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said it wasn’t easy for a multicultural and multi-ethnic country to make a criminal code that “accommodates all interests.”

What’s in the criminal code?

The new criminal code runs to 200 pages and has been years in the making.

A previous draft was set to be passed in 2019 but the vote was postponed after thousands of protesters, mostly students, took to the streets demanding the government withdraw it.

In a televised address at the time, President Joko Widodo said he would delay the vote after “seriously considering feedback from different parties who feel objections on some substantial content of the criminal code.”

Hamid from Amnesty noted there had been “no meaningful changes” enacted since 2019.

Under the version passed Tuesday, sex outside marriage carries a potential one-year prison term though there a restrictions on who can lodge a formal complaint. For example, the parents of children who are cohabitating before marriage have the authority to report them.

As well as introducing new offenses, the code also expands on existing laws and punishments. Blasphemy laws have increased from “one to six provisions” and can now lead to a maximum five-year prison sentence, according to a draft document.

Hamid said laws on insulting the country’s leaders and unsanctioned protests will have a “chilling effect” on free speech.

“The reinstatement of provisions banning insults to the president and vice president, the sitting government as well as state institutions would further create a palpable chilling effect on freedom of speech and criminalize legitimate criticisms,” he said.

Human Rights Watch Indonesia Researcher Andreas Harsono said the laws are “a setback for already declining religious freedom in Indonesia,” warning they could be misused to target certain individuals.

“The danger of oppressive laws is not that they’ll be broadly applied, it’s that they provide avenue for selective enforcement,” he said.

Hadi Rahmat Purnama, from the University of Indonesia’s law faculty, said the laws would be implemented after a transitional period of three years.

Foreigners and tourists

The laws are expected to trouble the business community, especially those who regularly host and cater for foreign nationals and tourists.

The island of Bali, for example, relies heavily on tourist revenue and is still recovering from the pandemic slowdown that kept travelers away.

Putu Winastra, chairman of the Association of the Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA) in Bali, told CNN the laws would “make foreigners think twice” about visiting Indonesia.

“From our point of view as tourism industry players, this law will be very troublesome,” said Putu, who questioned how the laws would be policed.

“Should we ask (overseas unmarried couples) if they are married or not? Do tourist couples have to prove that they are married?” he asked.

Putu said the laws could be “counterproductive” to any efforts to entice tourists back to the island.

“If these laws are really implemented later, tourists might be (subjected) to jail and this will harm tourism,” he said.

According to her, sex before marriage should be encouraged to avoid marrying the wrong partner.

The actress, who doubles as an evangelist, wrote: “Sex Before Marriage ( premarital sex ) makes it thoroughly difficult for you to extricate yourself from the Web and Strangle hold of an incompatible partner.”

Madam Eucharia, stating her reasons in a post shared on her Instagram page, supported it with Bible scriptures.

According to her, partners should have sex so far as there has been a proposal in order to assess if they are good in bed or not.

“What is this whole noise about no sex before marriage? How can someone, how can anyone say that someone should not indulge in sexual activities with someone who has already proposed?” she noted.

“The proponent of this whole wicked agenda of no sex before marriage must be completely out of their minds. If they are not out of their minds, how can they recommend such a wicked thing?
“How do I get to know if my intended partner is good in bed?” she added. She further indicated in an attached video that those who proposed the no sex before marriage principle are wicked saying “it’s not easy to stay and look at someone you’re attracted to and not go under the sheet.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Apostle Dr Eucharia Anunobi (@euchariaanunobi)

The Founder of the End-Time Revival Evangelical Ministry, Pastor Olakunle Beloved Jesukale, preached that sex, whether before, during or after marriage, is not a sin as it forms part of the urges of the flesh.

Speaking under the theme ‘The Real Gospel of Christ: Sex Before Marriage Is Not a Sin’, Pastor Jesukale preached that by the blood of Jesus, every action that has been categorised as sin, is no longer ungodly, including fornication and adultery.

The concept of abstinence, he said, is a “religious lie and a deception of the devil” that is not supported by the Bible.

If you are holding yourself from having sex because you want to do it after marriage, you are only hurting yourself for nothing. It has nothing to do with holiness and righteousness.

Sex before marriage is not a sin because of what Jesus has done on the cross. Jesus has died and there’s no sin anymore, he claimed.

Maintaining that his Ministry is certified by God, Pastor Jesukale averred that the understanding of the Word of God takes extreme grace that many are yet to receive.

In a video he shared on social media platforms, the cleric stated that any clergyman who preaches otherwise is a religious hypocrite who is the enemy of the finished work and is not real.

Religious persons, typically Christians have flooded his comment section with curses, threat and insults for what they say is a nonsensical preaching.