The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, used a metaphor to highlight the idea of God as a consuming fire in order to express his reverence and fear for God. He pointed out that you’ll never find an example of a madman who got burned when he questioned whether there was one. He claims that even someone who is completely insane and may be acting irrationally would recognise the danger of fire. He makes the point that a madman would refuse to put his hands in the fire because his madness “does not reach that stage.”
Speaking in a video posted by RCCG, Pastor Adeboye begins by mentioning that he loves God, but he also genuinely fears Him. He acknowledges that some scholars and theologians might emphasise “reference” to God rather than “fear,” but he personally feels a deep sense of awe and respect for God.
According to him, “I’ve seen God in action. Believe me, honestly, I love him, but I tell you the truth: I fear him. No, I know there are Bible scholars and theologians who say you’re not supposed to fear God, but you’re to reference him. I said thank you. One of the names of God is the consuming fire. The Elders say even a mad dog would recognise fire. Show me one example of a mad man who got burnt, you’ll never find one. If somebody is raving mad, I mean, raving mad, all clothes gone, walking about the street naked, and then you say to him, Put your hands in fire, he’ll tell you my madness does not reach that stage. Ah, do you think I’m that far gone? The Bible says God is a consuming fire. You don’t toy with fire no matter your anointing because if you touch fire, fire will burn.”
