Offerings and Givings.

OFFERINGS AND GIVINGS..
Offerings and giving or offertory as they're called in other places, is one of the most controversial subjects in the Christian religion . Agnostics, apostates, apologetics, clergy and the general public (Christian believers) don't seem to agree on how and why it should be done.


I don't wish to delve so much into HOW. I want to concentrate my energies on WHY. There's a notion generally held in the contemporary Christian community that offerings are a means of getting God's blessings. Nothing can be further from the truth. Offerings are a requirement of the law of God. Offertory is a sign of obedience to God's law and not a conduit to His blessings. Blessings are a consequence of overall obedience the Law of God.
 
Offerings are a form  of worship and we don't worship God so that He blesses us; we worship Him because He's God and He has commanded that we do so. The second and third commandments...
2 "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
4 "You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, Ex 20:2-5 (WEB)


Offertory is not a give and take affair with God . It ain't a do me I do you game. NO. You are not doing God a favour when you give to Him. You're appreciating His goodness towards you. You give and worship Him because He has done you a favour already- not so that He can do you one. You give because you LOVE Him. He doesn't have to reciprocate or pay back. You're the one paying back by obeying his command.


Yes, I have read this; =>=>Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in this," says Yahweh of Armies, "if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a BLESSING, that there shall not be room enough for. Mal 3:10 (WEB)
Now, this verse can easily give a contrary message especially if it's read in isolation. It can connect offertory with blessings from God. However, reading the whole chapter says something else. Take verse 7 for instance: =>=>From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my ORDINANCES, and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says Yahweh of Armies. "But you say, How shall we return?' Mal 3:7 (WEB)

The word ordinance means statute or law(especially written law). The emphasis of this chapter is on keeping fidelity to God's law. The context of this chapter shows that the emphasis is on keeping the ordinances. Giving is one of those ordinances.  The chapter speaks against perjury , sorcery, adultery, oppression among other ills, which is in and of itself testament to the fact that God is calling His people to obey His statutes among which giving is.

Notice also that the word blessing in verse 10 is in singular form which points to the specificity of the massage and context and the particular blessing associated with acting on or obeying God's command.


When you give therefore, do not say, “Lord, I give to you so that you bless me.” Instead say, “Father, I bring to thee that which is yours already. I pray Oh Lord, that you may receive it for I know its value ain't anything you.” Many a Christian these days give and quickly move to demand for God's blessings regardless of whether God has accepted what they give or not.


One may argue that this is an enormously academic approach to the Word of God but ain't knowledge the foundation upon which Faith is built? WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE BELIEVE; WE BELIEVE BECAUSE WE KNOW. Belief is not founded on mere thought but on knowledge.

This Article is not talking about SACRIFICE. That's a different subject altogether and sacrifice doesn't serve the same purpose as offerings.

Feel free to differ. I'd love to know some more and your inputs and corrections are most welcome.


CAUTION: Sieve this message carefully. The Writer(Fred Nyankuru) not a theologian.

#Wisdom from Fred Nyankuru’s Pamphlet.