TITHING: I LOOK FORWARD TO CHRISTIANS IMITATING ACTS 4, 34-35 - ANOTHER PASTOR REACTS.

A Nigerian Pastor, of the House of Destiny Christian centre, Pastor Bolaji Philips, has come out to wade into the controversy of tithing in Nigeria Christian Churches

The issue which has been generating a lot of controversy amongst Christians, specifically as Redeem General Overseer, Pastor E.A Adeboye was engaged in a war of words with OAP Daddy Freeze.

In the Pastors opinion, he said, "i look forward to a day where believers will grow to when we imitate those in Acts"

He then quoted  Acts 4:34-37, New International Version (NIV), which reads:

" 34 - that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales

"35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need".

Hear his the full statement culled from his facebook Posts:

For months, a trending issue that jumped to the fore especially among circle of Christians. Initially, it was interesting reading/watching comments/videos addressing the subject. I read up scriptural references that I wasn’t conversant with, with the eye of seeing new lights of God’s word.

I made one or two peripheral comments as intellectual contribution (not sides taking). But as it grew, some Christians on both sides of the divide became disrespectful and intolerant of each other’s view point.

All in the bid of wanting to be the right and correct point of view.

At this junction, I’d like to say something instructive about KNOWLEDGE

1. KNOWLEDGE IS PROGRESSIONAL
There’s no ALL-KNOWING-HUMAN, but all together know a whole lot. Meaning, no Christian group is the embodiment of Christian knowledge and correct, impeccable Christian doctrines. We all know some truths, but only those which has been taught, revealed, and exposed to us.

So, knowledge has no finishing line, it’s a continuous process we engage in from here and now, till after life on earth.

2. KNOWLEDGE CAN PUFF
True custodians of knowledge have learnt quickly on the tendencies of knowledge to make holders have an over bloated ego, thereby making them treat those without with less respect (it’s more of an attitude)
Funny enough, we don’t sometimes realize when we slide into the DISRESPECT-AND-LOOK-DOWN-ON-OTHERS-SYNDRONE.

The way we put out an information (whether correct or not) can either make someone feel stupid and angry, or eager to learn and change.

Every message has a spirit it carries: meekness or haughtiness. For those of us who have been there, will rightly understand how we have used sarcasm to make some persons feel stupid in the past.

Knowledge was given to advance your life and humanity, not to make others seem stupid.

3    DIVINE KNOWLEDGE (TRUTHS) IS EMBEDDED IN RELATIONSHIP.
THE BIBLE corroborates this point in many instances. Throughout the bible in a convincing manner, we see how God reveals and shares certain (privileged) information with certain persons based on how deep they walked with him, which generates a mood where he (GOD) becomes chattier.

That explains perfectly his peculiar relationships. His relationship with Abraham is so so different from the one he had with Jacob. He told Jacob things he didn’t tell Abraham, only for Moses to show up, and he decided to raise the friendship bar and almost became flippant, telling Moses almost all.

He said David was a man after his heart; David was the only king to perform duties exclusive to the priest (king Saul tried it, and he was rejected from being king). While one is tempted to say we have seen it all in God’s relationship with King David. Then there came along a certain young man by the name Jedidiah, who was “indulged” by God (my perspective). He was truly a beloved and friend of God, coincidentally, he was David’s son from someone else’s wife.

FAST FORWARD
LORD Jesus in Matthew 10:6 told his disciples “go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” and he reiterated it in Matthew 15:24 in response to the cries for help by the Canaan woman whose daughter was grievously vexed with a demon:”But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. Apostle Peter was part of those who heard him publicly and privately repeat that severally. So, that explains Apostle Peter’s attitude in ACTS 10:16, 44-48.

Lord Jesus later years would tell Apostle Paul(then Saul) in Acts 9 to preach to the same gospel to Gentiles, Canaan people, etc the gospel he at a point wasn’t sent to preach to them. from the fore going, one would with the privilege of hindsight see why Apostle Peter was right to have avoided preaching the gospel to Gentiles initially, and how he also initially avoided relating with them at Jerusalem( which Apostle Paul confronted him and accused him of hypocrisy)

If Apostle Peter wasn’t sharp and discerning in the spirit, he would have missed out on a great move of God.
Sometimes, we are all right in what we believe God told us. Let us allow God to judge the error and those in the  right.

MY TAKE
1. WE ARE ALL RIGHT
I have listened intently to both sides of the topic and more importantly, I have been at both ends in my walk with God as a believer. Meaning, I have at certain junctions not paid tithe and paid tithe, because of what I believed at different points of my Christian walk as a believer.
FIRSTFRUITS, TITHES, SEED FAITH, PROJECT OFFERINGS, PROPHET OFFERINGS, ETC., are all forms of giving, whether willingly, forced, or generously and cheerfully. Some  persons have learnt to be generous by practicing those listed above.

INNATELY, MAN WAS BORN SELFISH
ADVOCATES OF NO TITHES(in whatever form, men, institutions, etc), amongst many things, believe that you should be led of God per time, to give with love and not forced , coerced or otherwise. But interestingly, they also believe and preach generosity

THAT GOES TO SHOW THAT THE THINGS THAT UNITES US ARE FAR MORE THAN THE THINGS THAT SEPARATES US.

All believers (majorly) believe in giving, but differ in procedures and systems.
Let’s see 1 Corinthian 3:3-5
  1 Corinthians 3:3-5New International Version (NIV)
3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?
4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.
My take is that there is no need for vitriolic, divisive  and corrosive comments and counter comments. Because no group can or would win this tirade.
Our giving should be personal and as discreetly done as possible. Our loudness sometimes in argument can be a reflection of our inadequacies and deficiencies in character.
I am at loss at personal attacks on some servants of God in trying to drive home our points.  Why not drop our point and leave it for people to be led of God to decide which to choose.
Believers who pay tithe and those who don’t, are still saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter how highly placed or popular we are, none of us believers died for the church.

IN CONCLUSION
I look forward to a day where believers will grow to when we imitate those in Acts
Acts 4:34-37New International Version (NIV)
34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”),
37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

We should not wait to asked, before “sowing dangerous seeds”

As a believer, our goal should be to become better than whom we were yesterday.

Thanks for patiently reading

EGBERIFA!!!