Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has apologised for his previous statement suggesting that Christians who fail to pay tithes might not enter heaven.
Addressing a youth gathering at the RCCG Youth Convention on Thursday, held at the Redemption City along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Adeboye admitted that his earlier claim was a “mistake.”
He made it known that the Bible postulates peaceful and holy living as the true prerequisites for salvation.
“I apologise for saying, ‘If you don’t pay tithe, you might not make it to heaven.’ I’m sorry, that’s wrong, and it’s not in the Bible. What the Bible says is, ‘Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God,’” he stated.
Adeboye further explained that it is possible to be both right and wrong, drawing an analogy from his background in science. “For years, we believed light travels in straight lines, but later discovered it moves in waves,” he said, suggesting that limiting tithe to 10% is akin to sticking with outdated knowledge.
The cleric illustrated his point with the story of a man who pledged N3.5 million during a fundraising event at a Kenneth Hagin conference.
Upon learning the man’s business success was built on a 90% tithe, Adeboye said, “From that day onward I have been increasing my own steadily. I’ve not reached 90 per cent yet, but I’m far from 10 per cent. It’s wrong for me to say you should be paying only 10 per cent.”
He noted that 10% should only be a starting point for new believers, and expressed hope for a future opportunity to explain the matter in greater detail.
