Christians: Watch out for the firstfruits scam19 pastors are already salivating, waiting to rob you of your complete January salary.

By Femi Aribisala
Jesus says: “Is it not written: ‘My home will probably be referred to as a house of prayer for all nations’? But you might have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Mark 11:17)

This statement was true in the time of Jeremiah, who wrote it initially. It was true in the days of Jesus, who quoted Jeremiah. It remains true right now, confirming it as a phrase of God. Jesus says: “Heaven and earth will move away, however my phrases will certainly not move away.” (Matthew 24:35).

The churches, at this time’s so-called houses of God, are veritable dens of robbers. Their kingpins are their highfalutin pastors and bishops. These women and men specialize in hypnotising unsuspecting Christians so as to rob them of their hard-earned monies.

Be warned! They are planning to steal from you in an enormous means this January.

Regulation and beauty

Beneath Moses, God instituted the regulation of “firstfruits.” This was a part of the help system established for the Levitical priesthood who were not given any land in Israel.

“The clergymen, who're Levites- certainly the entire tribe of Levi- are to haven't any allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall reside on the offerings made to the Lord by hearth, for that is their inheritance. They shall haven't any inheritance amongst their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 18:1-2).

As the identify implies, firstfruits are the produce of the land of Israel, which was God’s present to the Jews: “Once you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, you then shall convey a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.” (Leviticus 23:10).

Nevertheless, Christians will not be beneath the Regulation of Moses however beneath God’s grace. (Romans 6:15). However, modern-day Christian pastors are nonetheless laying claim to firstfruits from members of their congregation.

John says: “The regulation was given by way of Moses; grace and fact came by means of Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17). When Jesus fulfilled the regulation, he declared on the cross of Calvary: “It is completed.” (John 19:30). Accordingly, Paul maintains: “Christ is the top of the regulation.” (Romans 10:4). Why then are pastors determined to deliver again the outdated regulation of firstfruits via the backdoor?

Jesus says: “He who doesn't enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other means, the same is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1).

Deceived-deceivers

The Jerusalem Council, convened by Jesus’ apostles to determine the appliance of the Regulation of Moses to Gentiles, ended up by sending the following edict to all Gentile Churches: “It appeared good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no higher burden than these crucial things: that you simply abstain from issues provided to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. In case you maintain yourselves from these, you will do nicely.” (Acts 15:28-29).

Word that this doesn't embrace giving firstfruits to clergymen. Neither does it even embrace giving tithes to God. “For on the one hand there's an annulling of the former commandment due to its weak spot and unprofitableness, for the regulation made nothing good; then again, there's the bringing in of a greater hope, via which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:18-19).

However, money-grubbing pastors cherry-pick features of the regulation for Christians to obey. They do that for deceitful achieve; with a view to extort cash from the members of their congregation. But: “You'll be able to’t decide and choose in this stuff, specializing in holding one or two issues in God’s regulation and ignoring others.” (James 2:10). Furthermore, you aren't allowed to subject God’s regulation to self-serving distortions.

Counterfeit firstfruits

The true and unique firstfruits have been crops and livestock: “You're to provide (the clergymen) the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and oil, and the primary wool from the shearing of your sheep.” (Deuteronomy 18:four). However the counterfeit firstfruits of at the moment’s mercenary pastors is money, cash and nothing but cash.

Firstfruits are specifically “the firstfruits of the land.” (Deuteronomy 26:10). This ties them to the land of Israel and makes them inapplicable to the land of Nigeria. It also means they can't be re-conceptualised because the firstfruits of your salary. God gave Israel the land: he didn't give them any cash.

Jews who merely possessed the timber and not the land have been exempted from offering firstfruits as a result of they might not say: “Behold, I have introduced the firstfruits of the land which you, O Lord, have given me.” (Deuteronomy 26:10). Jews who lived beyond the Jordan couldn't convey firstfruits because they might not recite the scriptural words of the service saying it was from: “a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Deuteronomy 26:15).

How then can Nigerians deliver firstfruits to God from Nigeria? It's merely inconceivable!

True firstfruits have been collected every year on the harvest. At the moment’s counterfeits are collected firstly of the yr in January. True firstfruits have been only a small portion of your complete harvest: “The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall convey into the house of the Lord your God.” (Exodus 23:19). Counterfeit firstfruits are the complete “harvest.”

Counterfeit first-fruits was outlined as a Christian’s first salary after leaving faculty and securing gainful employment. However some pastors soon realised this solely provides them the correct to the salary of their congregants once and for all. In order that they now insist that, because the January wage is the primary wage of the yr, counterfeit firstfruits have to be given yearly, and have to be your complete January wage of their hoodwinked parishioners.

Witchcraft

Accordingly, 419 pastors are already salivating, ready to rob Christians of their whole salary this January. They've been busy, laying the inspiration for this grand larceny; extolling at every alternative the “blessings” of giving counterfeit firstfruits. Equally essential, they've been placing the worry of the satan in Christian hearts; telling them of the dire consequences of refusing to simply accept this daylight theft.

Pastor Paula White, religious advisor to Donald Trump, president of the USA, lately declared that, once you don’t give firstfruits: “whether via ignorance or direct disobedience there are consequences.”

Don’t fall for this type of witchcraft until you need to reside in penury throughout February. In contrast to the Levites of previous, right now’s pastors are far richer than the typical members of their church buildings. So don’t give them your cash. Keep in mind: “He who provides to the wealthy, will surely come to poverty.” (Proverbs 22:16).

Firstfruits are anathema to the New Testament. In the present day, the harvest is not of crops however of souls. The redeemed at the moment are God’s firstfruits. (Revelation 14:14). James says: “Of (God’s) own will he introduced us forth by the word of fact, that we could be a sort of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18).

So if your pastor is already waxing lyrical concerning the want for you to give him your complete January salary as firstfruits, don’t mince phrases. Shout to his face: “Ole! Thief! Barawo! Jaguda pali!”

Isaiah says: “They're as grasping as canine, by no means glad; they are silly pastors who only take care of their own curiosity, every making an attempt to get as a lot as he can for himself from each potential supply.” (Isaiah 56:11).

The publish Christians: Watch out for the firstfruits scam appeared first on Vanguard News.