TheCable

Some church elders say like Elisha and his master, Elijah, Pastor Enoch Adeboye paid great attention to his father-in-the-Lord and founder of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), the late Pastor Josiah Akindayomi.

On one of their many visits to the United States, years ago, one of the occupants of their car angrily challenged a careless driver of another car, making Pastor Akindayomi say, “sanctification!”

Sanctification seemed like a strange word in that context, but as Pastor Adeboye said at the plenary session on the third day of the church’s 2022 national convention, it is a key factor in our relationship with God.

The Cambridge dictionary defines sanctification as “the act of making something or someone holy”.

According to Pastor Adeboye, what Pa Akindayomi meant that day in the US, was the need for anger control and even elimination, as well as desisting from the use of foul language.

Known widely as a holiness church, led by a holy general overseer, RCCG has always stressed the importance of holiness, as Pastor Adeboye did on Wednesday.

The general overseer expressed concern over some persons who, after receiving salvation, skip the process of sanctification, to have baptism.

“Of what use is jubilee or salvation for a new beginning if it is not perfect, if it doesn’t last?” he asked.

“Everybody knows that wounds can heal, but almost immediately, the healed wound becomes a scar. So, if after salvation, you blow it, the jubilee can bring restoration but the scars may remain.

“When the blessings begin to flow in, don’t forget that it is God Who gives you power to make wealth.”

Citing the Solomon example, he said God blessed him greatly but he blew it by marrying women he was barred from and they led him astray. He added that in the end, Solomon’s enormous wealth amidst sin was vanity.

So, Pastor Adeboye admonished the congregation that even in our good moments, we must remember God and live in the ways of the Lord to please Him and not forget Him, because He is able to erase His goodness to us when we pay Him back with what he hates.

He added that the Almighty God who gave Solomon the kingdom is the same God who took it away from him.

The general overseer said naturally, man has a heart of stone, which is desperately wicked. So, to change the heart and make it acceptable to God, we necessarily have to undergo sanctification after salvation, before rushing for baptism of the Holy Spirit.

“If you ignore sanctification, as many people are wont to do, the blessings that come, could become curses. But with sanctification, whatever is in you, like anger and lust that will turn your blessings to a curse, will be removed,” he said.

“If you say you’re a good Christian but you’re not sanctified, you’re like a house without walls.”

Before the altar call for salvation, he cautioned that one cannot even begin to talk about sanctification if one is not saved; the reason one must surrender completely to God to enjoy perfect jubilee.

The sermon at the old auditorium, which was broadcast worldwide, started with a service of songs, which featured many choirs.

The general overseer, however, said the new auditorium will be put to use from Thursday, from where people could also watch the broadcast.

It had been earlier wrongly reported that the auditorium, popularly known as the arena, was used on Tuesday.

See photos from day three of the convention below.