ByFemi Aribisala The armed robber takes your money from you with a gun in his hand: the pastor takes your money bybrandishing a bible.

Jesus berated the mercenaryreligious leadersof biblical days. He told them: “‘It is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” (Matthew 21:13).

This word remainspertinent to pastors in the churches of today. They come up with all kinds of schemes designed to squeeze money out of their church-members. They search the scriptures, looking for quotable quotes that can be used to make merchandise of men. Some of their favourites are those scriptures dealing with giving first-fruits to priests.

Fleecingthe flock

Those monthswith names ending with “ember” in English are sometimes referred to as the “ember” months. These include September, October, November and December. Strictly-speaking, October does not fit thisbill; otherwise it would have been called “Octoember.” Nevertheless, it is conventional also to include it as one of the “ember” months.

In these months, there is a definite change of emphasisin the messages preached bypastors in many of today’s new generation churches. If you have been payingattention, you would have noticed this already. In the “ember”months, pastors start to talk repeatedly about the need to give “first-fruits;” laying down the foundation for a major robbery routinelyplanned for January.

In the Old Testament, first-fruits were required to be given to priests. Ezekiel says: “The best of all the first-fruitsand of all your special gifts will belongto the priests.” (Ezekiel 44:30). This scripture is seized on bytoday’s money-grubbing pastorswho now insistthat the “first-fruits” of all the membersof their congregation must be handed over to them.

This is disingenuous because, in the New Testament, there is actually no longer an exclusive priesthood. Instead, Jesushas made all believers: “kingsand priests to our God.”(Revelation 5:10). But thisfact is conveniently ignored by today’s first-fruits collectors.

First-fruits were given to priests because they were not allowed to own landed-property in Israel. God said: “I am to be the only inheritance the priestshave. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.” (Ezekiel 44:28-29).

However, the pastors of today are men of means and property owners. In no way whatsoever do they fit the bill of a people without inheritance who only have God as their possession. Indeed, some of today’s mega-pastors are multi-millionaireswho drive around with bodyguards in a cortege of Jeeps and even fly around in private jets.

Fruitsof money

As the word indicates, first-fruits were strictly-speakingagricultural produce. Moses says: “The firstof the first-fruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.” (Exodus 23:19). This shows first-fruits were crops. Indeed, money was never regarded asfirst-fruit in the bible; neither was it ever paid assuch.

However, today’s pastors would not find it funny if you were to bringyour first-fruitsto them in bananas or pineapples. First-fruits are now only acceptable in cash or cheque. If you ask why, don’t be surprised if you are told that: “Money is the answer to everything.” (Ecclesiastes 10:19).

Scripturally, first-fruits were only required from Jews livingin Israel because God gave them their land. First-fruits were inapplicable to Israelitesliving in foreign lands. This also means first-fruits are inapplicable to today’s Christians who are mostly non-Israelisand do notlive in Israel. Nevertheless, pastors hoodwink Christiansby claiming there are special blessingsattendant upon givingfirst-fruits to pastors anywhere.

In biblical days, first-fruits were not required from those in non-agrarian trades, such as carpenters or fishermen because these professions were not tied to the land. However, today’s opportunist pastors collect first-fruits from anybody and everybody.

It should be clear from the foregoing therefore that pastors who insist on collecting first-fruits in the churches of today are nothing but thieves and robbers. The armed robber takes your money from you with a gun in his hand: the pastor takes your money by brandishinga bible.

Bonanza

It used to be the case that first-fruits were defined asa Christian’sfirst salary after leaving school and securing gainful employment. But some pastors quickly realised that this only gives them the right to a Christian’s salary once in a lifetime. Therefore, this soon became inadequate, leading to more ingenious and more financially lucrative biblical “revelations” about first-fruits.

Many pastorsnow insistthat since the January salaryis the first in the year, it legally fallsunder the definition of first-fruits. Therefore, they now require that all church-goers hand over to them their entire January salaries in the name of first-fruits. This makes the first-fruits boon far more profitable than the tithe; which is just atenth of the Christian’s salary. Moreover, the tithe is nominally given to “the church.”The “first-fruits” is a far more rewarding scam because the money is specifically addressed to the pastor.

If this “godliness” is taught effectively, a pastor can make abundle of money at the beginningof every year. Just do the maths. Imagine a situation where the pastor gets the Januarysalary of every single member of his congregation. Depending on the size of hischurch, he can getin one bonanza enough money to last him alifetime. Is it any wonder, therefore, that pastors are very zealousin preaching about first-fruits in the “ember” months?

Many even refuse to be limited to their churches. Turn onto Christian television such as the TrinityBroadcasting Network in the “ember” months, and you are likely to find Paula White or Steve Munseyextolling the blessingsof giving first-fruits. Of course, the first-fruits must be sent to them and to no one else.

Comeuppance

In one of Nigeria’s big churches with a large branch-network, the pastors were making a killing collecting first-fruits. But one of them used the money to put up achurch building. Thiswent a long way to endear him to his congregants. Other pastorswho had nothing to show for the first-fruits theycollected became concerned that the pastor would soon bring them into disrepute. So they decided to take “appropriate” action.

They reported him to the General Overseer of the church. Histransgression was that he put up an entire church building single-handedly. So doing, they claimed, he prevented others from getting blessed by not takingcontributions from them. The General Overseer wondered where he got the moneyto erect the entire buildingby himself. So they told him the money came from the first-fruitshe collected from his church-members.

The General Overseer became even more curious. Just how much first-fruit were these pastors collecting? He was astonished to discover the sums involved. It was unacceptable that such lucrative businesswas taking place in his churches without due recognition for his position. Therefore, he fired amemo to all his parishes: henceforth, all first-fruits must be forwarded intact to headquarters.

However, his memo backfired. Thereafter, hissubordinate pastorsnoticeably lostall interest in collecting first-fruits. “Let everybody shout hallelujah.”

“They are greedy dogswhich never have enough. And they are pastors who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for hisown gain, from his own territory.” (Isaiah 56:11).

Source: Vanguard

[Chorus: Prince Ital]
Love for dem dat steal in the name of da Lord
Dem a tell nuff lie but holdin my bird in a cloud
Usin de name of de Lord in vein
While de people in de ghetto, feel nuff pain.

.......... Tupac

if you really wanna serve God, pray for God to take you to the right place and not a business hall.

please, also write how our leaders in government take our money. thanks

[Tupac]
The preacher want me buried why? Cause I know he a liar
Have you ever seen a crackhead, that's eternal fire
Why you got these kids minds, thinkin that they evil
while the preacher bein richer you say honor God's people
Should we cry, when the Pope die, my request
We should cry if they cried when we buried Malcolm X
Mama tell me am I wrong, is God just another cop
waitin to beat my ass if I don't go pop?

Religion is Good but people Ve become gullible with every word that cone out of a pastor either right or wrong.
Pastor fat with your money and you lean with d stipend left of what you gave d pastor, what are you ?
YOU ARE A FOOOOOOOOOL