Shanna Duck "Let a search be made in the royal archives..." Ezra 5:17 NIV

One thing that may be different on this site is that many of us are VERY serious about rightly dividing the Word of God and we love truth without distortion, human tradition, or anything that might confuse. 

Firstfruits is a case where the literal meaning of a Biblical word has been changed to a modern concept. This substituting of one word for another is called the fallacy of equivocation. 

If you research the term, firstfruits really has nothing to do with money. Firstfruits were literally the first of the produce of plants or trees or livestock (including wool and yes, winel) that came from the Promised Land. God asked the Jewish people to give the firstfruits of the land to Him, because He had given them the land to begin with. These firstfruits were then distributed to the Levites/Priests who did not have a share in the land and depended on these supplies. (Neh. 12:44) So, biblically, firstfruits do not appear to have been money; they were produce tied to God's gift of the land of Israel and they had a specific charitable purpose. 

Ask yourself: would your church be pleased if you LITERALLY followed this command and brought some wool, wine, grain, vegetables, or figs to the sanctuary? 

Sadly, many Old Testament words and commands are honestly being used to MANIPULATE Christians into giving money to churches that are already functioning and looking more like worldly palatial country clubs. I have recently heard of a case where a church refused to give charity to a poor woman with children (a member) without proof that she had paid her tithes! This is the low, Mammon-driven, money-hungry state of some of our churches, and it needs to exposed for what it is. If a Christian demands to worship in a marble-floored palace entertained by a music program that costs tens of thousands of dollars while elderly members of that church can't afford their medicines, something is SERIOUSLY wrong. 

Instead of thinking about "firstfruits," just give. Give as God leads you, as long as you are also supporting your family. Give you money, your talents, and your time. If there is one constant other than God Himself, it is that there is no shortage of suffering in this world. God can bless the widow's mite you can afford or your donation of millions; He has a place for both. Support your pastor and church in a respectable manner, and then use the Charity Navigator or word-of-mouth to help others. Some poor working person has a car that needs to be fixed, or some widow can't pay her propane bill, and every teacher can tell you about children who don't have coats and shoes. If you can't give money, then God will show you a place where you can hammer in a loose nail, help a new mother get some rest, or make a quilt for a preemie baby. There are many opportunities to spread the Love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

January 23 2014 • 10 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Johnnatta Giles Spirit Filled Christian

The income you worked for.

January 17 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report