The Ordinance of Firstfruits (3): Debunking A Rather Dangerous Myth

The Ordinance of Firstfruits (3): Debunking A Dangerous Myth that It Does Not Matter

For on My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel,” says the Lord God, “there all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, shall serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the firstfruits of your sacrifices, together with all your holy things. – Ezekiel 20:40

The second myth of the firstfruits doctrine which we debunk today is the notion that it does not matter if you do not give it, or that it is not important and you can do without it. This is a very dangerous assumption to hold.

Perhaps the critics of firstfruits might have derived their stance from the criticism of how materialism has influenced the church to the point that not a few clergies live extravagant lifestyles, while the majority of the congregation live in squalor. The pushback against firstfruit can also be another way of denouncing the undue emphasis placed on giving and sacrifice in the church, which further puts the laity under much stress and pressure.

Giving of firstfruits remains a divine ordinance. It did not originate from man. It is not a fancy dogma devised by some bad actors in pastoral offices. God Himself ordained it, and He still expects it. Although, with God, nothing is really enforced, as He has made humans a free moral agent with the power to choose what to do and what not to do.

Notwithstanding, that the ordinance of firstfruits is misconstrued, miscommunicated, misinterpreted and wrongly applied does not make it less a divine ordinance. Therefore, it is in the interest of anyone who claims to love and worship God to observe this ordinance.

Modern-day Christians boldly claim to be the Israelites of today while also appropriating the divine promises decreed upon them in the Bible. Therefore, if we desire to enjoy the blessings and benefits of being part of the commonwealth of Israel, we should not shirk from fulfilling the obligations required of them as well.

Even though God will not compel you to observe an ordinance, firstfruits or otherwise, there are consequences for disregarding His injunctions. Just as we have seen when considering the ordinance of firstborn, an entity that you do not give a firstfruit on is prone to struggle and stutter. The same way we have seen that firstborns who are not consecrated to God or redeemed tend to struggle, the same principle applies to a job, a business, a trade, an investment, or other means of value that you do not give a firstfruit on as at when due.

Let us look at a scriptural reference that spells out the implication of this below. Please read it carefully:

For if the firstfruit is holy, the lumpis also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. – Romans 11:16

If you flip this passage, it will read that if the firstfruit is unholy or defiled, then the rest of the proceeds from that line will assume the same defective identity as well. Of course, there will always be an exception. But then, none of us can claim omniscience to know which that would be, can we? Therefore, by consecrating your firstfruits, you not only honor God, but also insure the wellbeing of the subsequent proceeds from the line that yield the fruits. Neglecting to do this also has its own implications.

Cain might have been an example of someone who violated this ordinance. While the Bible does not specifically say that he did not offer the firstfruits of his harvest to God, we can infer from the details provided about Abel’s own offering that Cain did not do the same; hence, his being rejected:

And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering…  – Genesis 4:3-5

From this passage, we can infer that God does not have much respect for non-premium offerings. He is the ultimate, and He deserves the best. Offering a portion of your first proceeds is a way of showing your reverence to Him (Proverbs 3:9).

Thankfully, we now know that giving firstfruits does not mean emptying your bank account or signing off the entirety of your earnings to the church or the pastor. So, it should no longer be a struggle to comply.

To be continued…

You Will Succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:

• The Ordinance of Firstfruits (2): Debunking the Myths
• Understanding God: He Starts Afresh
• We are Nothing Without Each Other
• What to Give up for Lent
• Working in A Call Center, Trusting God

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