The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has apologised for claiming that Christians who do not pay tithe will not make it to heaven.
The cleric who tendered the apology during one of his recent sermons, said he was wrong for making such a claim, noting that his claim is not in the Holy Bible.
The apology was sequel to his earlier claim that paying tithe, a common practice in many Christian denominations, involving giving 10 percent of one’s income to the church as a form of worship and obedience to God, was one of the prerequisites for going to heaven.
The statement attracted widespread reactions from many Christians.
However, Adeboye, in a video making the rounds on the Internet, said, “We need to be apologising for making a mistake, for saying that if you don’t pay tithe, you may not make it to heaven. I’m sorry. That is wrong.
“That is not in the Bible. What the Bible says is be at peace with all men and holiness, without which, no man shall see God. It is possible to be right and wrong at the same time. I may have been a scientist, so I know that.
“For years, we thought that light travels in straight lines but later, we discovered it is not straight as a road. Light travels in waves, going in one direction but in waves.
“It is wrong to limit you to 10%. At a time when some of you should be 20%, 30%, 40%, 10% should be for beginners. Giving should be violently.”
Tithing has been a global controversial issue as many Christians and Christian leaders in different denominations have contended the doctrine of tithing, giving different interpretations to the Biblical injunction in Malachi 3 vs 10 which says, “Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house…” and vs 8 which says, “Will a man rob God? Yet, you have robbed me. But you say, where have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.”