Expressing concern over the rampant corruption in the country, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), emphasized that corruption has reached its peak because many Christians, who are meant to be distinct and set an example, have compromised their values.
During the sixth day of the church’s annual convention focused on the theme of ‘Heaven,’ Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye urged Christians to avoid a life of double standards. He shared a story about one of his spiritual daughters who was asked to inflate a N3 million contract to N33 million.
Pastor Adeboye highlighted the depth of corruption in Nigeria, attributing it to Christians failing to live as the distinct, godly people they are called to be. He remarked, “We talk about corruption in Nigeria. Why do you think corruption has become so deep? It is because we Christians, who are supposed to be peculiar people, are not making any difference. It’s so difficult to even know who is who.”
He emphasized that Christians must be as pure as light, visibly standing out as candidates for heaven in their behavior and character. He encouraged believers to remain uncompromised, even if it means losing out on promotions, stating, “The world will hate you because of your standard, because your standard is that of God.”
In recounting the incident, he explained how the woman was awarded a road contract in a Nigerian state and was shocked when asked to inflate the project cost from N3 million to N33 million. She refused, standing firm in her faith, and those around her were astounded by her integrity.
Pastor Adeboye also shared another story of a spiritual daughter who was given a contract to tar a road, only to find the road had already been completed. When she reported this, she was told to take the money regardless and give a cut to those involved. He stated that if Christians refused to compromise, even in difficult situations, corruption could be eradicated in the country.
Reflecting on his own experience, Adeboye revealed that he had recently been sober as he nearly lost God’s favor during the Friday Holy Ghost Service. He explained, “Holiness means total obedience to God. I have been sober since yesterday. It took special love that God did not knock me on the head. God wanted to talk, but I wanted to preach a sermon that I had prepared. He told me, ‘You have done fine enough.’ He wanted me to get out of the way. As He was talking, I was interrupting.”
