Oppression with Scripture: Malachi 3:8

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me.
But you say, In what have we robbed You?
In the tithe and the offering!”

There are many times that you can turn on the TV, the radio, and the internet and find many leaders, preachers, and ministries using Malachi 3:8 as the foundation for giving into their ministries.

A lot of them will take the scripture and harshly make the people feel as if they are cursed or God is angry with them. Makes God looks like he is some type of “mob boss,” and the church, is his collector.

I know that’s hard but its true and, it saddens the heart to see this in the body of Christ. Times are already hard and the people have enough worry and oppression to deal with from the government and society, let alone being brutalized within the body of Christ..

If we are going to teach on tithing and free will giving, shouldn’t it be done in a manner which is less brutal? You mean the only time we can get brutal with the word is when it comes to people giving and paying money? Can you imagine Christ going through all of the pain and suffering on the cross for us, and then turn around and curse someone for 10% of income? He said “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). He already owns the world, the earth, the people and everything in it (Psalms 24:1). He gave His life so that we can have eternal life.

It’s sad when the ministers of the lord will not preach against repentance and willful and intentional sin. Sure, we all are capable of sin, and all have come short, but you can’t walk with God with motives and intentions to live in sin. Somebody has to live and preach the word, or else God would not use man to deliver his word! But if the people fail to give or pay up with the money, “they are cursed and doomed to hell!” Well, the word of God is balanced! It is not one-sided. Not only when the need is felt to “scare or bluff” the people into giving, but leaders and preachers should teach and preach the truth all of the time.

Some will only “get at the people” with the word of God when its giving and sowing time! And then its because they are angry or using pressuring techniques to give. If someone still wants to be a Levitical priest, then see if they have the enough nerves to build an altar and present a sacrifice to the Lord on your behalf. Is not Christ’s work and sacrifice sufficient enough? Is he not our high priest?

Hebrews 10:12 says ..“but when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” Does God’s Word contradict itself? No, it does not! 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “You must each decided in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure, for God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

A person should want and desire to support and give, for the building up of God’s Kingdom! All ministries have needs. This is not saying, not to give accordingly to the Lord, but for those who don’t understand or know, teach them correctly, how to support and give into ministries, whose which are for kingdom building, and not for self-gain and personal “house building”! If God has started a ministry, there is no need to oppress people to support it! If the ministry is in severe lack for basic needs, then maybe God has not ordained the ministry. And besides, God provides and equips for every ministry which he establishes in His name! He will cause the people to give and bless financially.

Many times people are willing to give more than 10% from the heart freely and voluntarily, if there are no hidden motives or agendas.

So the next time a leader or someone use the Word of God to try and curse you, turn around and curse them for mishandling God’s people and money (Jeremiah 23)! If you are wrong, then so are they! That’s why study of God’s Word is critical and essential, so that no one is deceived on such matters (2 Timothy 2:15). If needed, one should do a complete and thorough study on Malachi chapter 3 real good, and you might just find out who the Lord is really speaking to in the scripture! (Malachi 3)… Ooooops

– by Geraldine Coleman

Geraldine Coleman: Is a teacher and educator and ministers to prisoners at a prison facility where she is an instructor.