0.4 C
New York
Sunday, February 9, 2025

Rev Eric Xexemeku: The church giving again to society



I would like to begin off with this humble caveat that this piece is not meant to stoke any theological debate or controversy, in particular if it threatens or offends your viewpoint or social conscience, but only to deliver to our interest the stark real truth that the Church Universal or the Local Church does much more than using (I guess the suitable word is ‘receiving’) tithes as the entire world and the ‘simple’ have been manufactured to think.

The disagreeable surprise handed down by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) these very last few months is unparalleled in the background of mankind. This obstacle has noticed tremendous powers helpless and defenceless even as they do their finest to totally reverse the outcomes of this invisible enemy.

It is also apparent that faith-dependent organisations like church buildings and other spiritual organisations have not been spared the results of this pandemic. It is in the gentle of this that we have found spontaneous response from the Mainline, Pentecostal, Charismatic and other Christian religious groupings attempting to deliver reduction in many kinds to their associates and even the common public who are adversely impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown.

We appreciate and commend all public-spirited folks and church buildings for accomplishing their incredibly finest to give out their ‘widows mite’ to alleviate the sufferings of the needy and the susceptible amongst us, specifically these in the house of faith.

At this issue, the natural unanswered problem is: why this outpouring of guidance and love by the Church to its customers? I guess the normal response is: they can come to feel the discomfort of their associates and humanity.

I dare say devoid of any equivocation that most of these church buildings funded or are still funding these initiatives from their meagre profits in the sorts of tithes and offerings which have been fulfilled by steep opposition and hijacked by anti-church crusaders who look at it as an Old Testament spiritual apply or basic principle, which is inapplicable in New Testomony period.

Interestingly, if the opposite was the circumstance in the encounter of present-day happenings, trust me, these similar crusaders would have been shouting from high heavens all in an obvious try to give the church a undesirable news for shirking or abdicating its accountability to assistance customers.

Also, I am tempted to securely conclude that it is the ‘meat or food’ in the home (church) by way of the tithes and offerings the church received as stated in Malachi 3:10, which is what is enabling the church do what it is carrying out now. Is it not awesome the concerted effort and hard work of governments and nations all-around the environment, together with ours below in Ghana, has assisted to mitigate the discomfort of the needy with bailout offers coming from the taxes of the similar individuals?

Even though tithing or very first fruits is mathematical in conditions of percentages in the Outdated Testament, I have appear to comprehend that tithing under grace, for that subject the New Testament, is even significantly more in which Jesus requested the younger abundant ruler (Mark 10:17-2228-30) to go market all he experienced and appear observe him. As a result tithing in the New Testomony is about supplying all to God and not about percentages dependent on your love and motivation to Him, which was considerably greater than the prerequisite of the regulation.
In the Early Church we see examples like Barnabas and other folks who laid their choices at the toes of the Apostles as recorded in Functions 4:34-37, which was an great case in point of how persons gave to God, because they observed them selves as stewards of what they owned. They gave to aid eradicate poverty in the early church – none lacked.

From the scriptures, you will often see how God instructions His individuals considering that the Previous Testomony time to exhibit their love and be of immense assistance to humanity, primarily their group.

I conclude by expressing that if serving to the needy in the church or the susceptible in modern society is not an Previous Testomony principle or exercise, then tithing or giving Are unable to be an Aged Testament thought or exercise possibly.

Let us go on to give to the church to enable her to fulfil her mandate below on earth.

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will establish My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail towards it.” Matthew 16:18

I thank you and question for kingdom blessings for you for producing time to examine this piece.

*****

The writer is a Reverend Minister with ICGC Open Heavens Temple, East Legon, Accra, Ghana

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Stay Connected

0FansLike
0FollowersFollow
0SubscribersSubscribe

Latest Articles