THITHES: In whose interest?

THITHES: In whose interest?
Yemi Olakitan 


There have been many controversies on the issue of tithing in both denominational and individual point of views. While some say that tithing is a divine instruction of the New Testament aimed at blessing the givers others have claimed that it is a relic of the Old Testament designed to bless the clergy. It has also been said by many that tithing is the pathway to prosperity. Postponements of the faith movement such as Kenneth Hagen, Kenneth Copeland, E.A Adeboye, David Oyedepo, and Benson Idahosa have all taught the tremendous benefits of tithes payments. Is it a fact of reality or is it some Christian dogma, theology or actual reality that tithes open the way to financial blessings?  What really is the relevance of tithing to the believers and the church? More importantly, Are tithes payments truly biblical? Is it a relic of the Old Testament? Is it still relevant today? This and many other questions are answered through the scriptures and discussions with clerics and believers alike.
According to the Bible, tithing is generally defined as the tenth part of one’s income, profits, land or stock given to God and used to support the clergy or charitable cause. The custom of giving tithes reaches back to Genesis 14, where Abraham offered tithes of the spoils of the enemy to the royal priest, Melchisedech, so in Genesis 28, Jacob is recorded as giving a tithe of all his possessions to the Lord. In the time of Moses the payment of tithes was one of the laws of the Jewish people; made obligatory. The Hebrews were commanded to offer to God the tenth part of the produce of the fields, of the fruits of the trees, and the firstborn of oxen and of sheep (Leviticus 27:30; Deuteronomy 14:22). In Deuteronomy there is a mention not only of an annual tithe, but also of a full tithe to be paid once every three years. While it was to God himself that the tithes had to be paid, yet we read (Numbers 18:21) that he transfers them to the priesthood. In the book of Proverbs 3:10) the bible encourage believers to honour the Lord with the first fruits of their wealth. It also says, it is better to give than to receive. However, the verse most often cited in support of the tithe is from the Old Testament, Malachi 3:8-10:

8. ""Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, `How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. 10. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that you will not have room enough for it.

In a chat with Edmund Ike, a member of the Catholic Church he said, tithes in today’s Christian Church is meant to support the preaching of the Gospel since the Bible says those who serve in the altar should live by the altar. (1 Corinthians 9:13) Speaking further, he said provision of some kind had to be made for the ministers of God. In the beginning this was supplied by freewill offerings.  However as the Church expanded and it became necessary to make laws which would insure the proper and permanent support of the clergy, the payment of tithes was adopted. According to Ike, Tithing is an obligatory act of giving which supports the institution of the church and it not just a relic of the Old Testament scriptures. ‘‘Don’t forget that the Bible says,
we should give and it shall be given to us. Good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over shall men give unto us. Giving is a cardinal commandment of scripture and the Christian faith.’’
In another chat with Reverend Father Steven Akinsowo of Saint Peters Catholic Church, Langbasa, he said tithing is biblically correct. ‘‘It is an offering made in gratitude to God. It is like giving back to God from the abundance of all the things he has giving to us. Giving a tenth of your income to God is a very small; sacrifice compared to all the wonderful blessings he has given to us. In the Catholic Church we recognise tithing but we do not emphasize it like other churches do, in other denominations, people are persuaded. Tithe is to be given in absolute freedom. You cannot force people to know or accept God. You cannot coerce them. People are to give tithe if it comes from their hearts, if you obey the instruction to give, God will bless you.’’ he said.
In another chat with Senior Superintendent, Apostle C.A Bayode of the Cherubim and seraphim church, Ago Igbale, Ebute Metta, he said tithing is a commandment of the scripture. In the book of Malachi, God said the people should bring all the tithes into the store house of God. The tithes are not meant for the clerics alone, they are meant for the expansion of the Gospel and also for the poor. It should also be used for the orphans, the widows and the less privileged in the body of Christ.  Tithing is like medicine for money if the believers diligently do it. There is a promise alongside the commandment. It says, I will open up the floodgates of heaven. You will become blessed. Anything you lay your hands on will prosper exceedingly.  On the argument that tithing is a relic of the Old Testament, he said that Christ did not come to abolish the law but he came to fulfill it.’’  He however, warned that when people give tithes they should not give tithes to show off, they should give it to the Lord alone.

However, Roseline Ademola, a member of the Anglican Church in Lagos, said that Christ has already paid all the tithes and redeemed us from the law. Speaking further, she said that tithes is like placing the Christians under the law and saying the death of Christ is not enough which is some kind of heresy.  ‘‘There is nothing wrong if a Christian gives tithe willingly, cheerfully, without the burden of guilt been placed on him because the scripture says that God loves a cheerful giver. The problem is that so many pastors preach tithes as law quoting Malachi. They are in error because Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law. We are not operating under that Law, we are under grace. In Malachi, God was referring to the Jews and not to us. We are operating under a better covenant than they.  When you preach that people are cursed with a curse, that they are robbing God, unless they tithe, you are preaching a guilt based giving which is contrary to ( 2 Corinthians 9:7 ) which says,  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver’’  I do not believe in tithing, I believe in voluntary giving without the burden of guilt. Jesus paid all the tithes with his precious blood. I give as I have decided in my heart. It could be ten percent, it could be 20, it could be 50 or 100 percent but it is subject to my personal decision, not imposed,’’ she said.

A member of the Jehovah’s witnesses, name withheld, who spoke to P&W on the subject, said that tithing is being used to coarse Christians to give to the church authority. He said, ‘‘it is the clergy that benefits the most because they sit on the seats of the priesthood and collects the tithes. The apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:5 and 9 that every believer is a priest! Hebrews 5-8 also teaches us that Jesus is the only priest that we need. However the institutional church has borrowed from the Old Testament model of the Levitical Priesthood, thereby establishing a new priesthood that is separate from the rest of the body of Christ. This makes them collect the tithes. Jesus did not collect tithes, neither did the apostles.’’

Another believer, a member of the Global Church of the Living God, Deaconess Shola Abimbola, said ‘‘many testimonies abound in Christendom on the concept of giving, particularly tithing.  Many tithers have testified that God has blessed them financially through tithing, therefore tithing works. It is practical.  Furthermore, giving is a basic commandment of the scriptures and tithing helps the believer to cultivate a regular habit of giving to God for the support of his work.  Jesus said, when you give, you will receive. Tithing cannot be wrong. You see, without the commandment to tithe many people will not give, though you are free to give or not to give. Tithing helps; maintain the habit of giving as directed by the scriptures, so the issue of coercion is not there at all. The principle of choice is in place. I have been paying my tithes for years because tithing fulfills the law of giving and I can say, God has blessed me financially,’’    she said. 

The significance of Easter

The significance of Easter

Yemi Olakitan

Easter, like many of the major festivals of the Christian faith is one of the most popular holidays in the world. Easter is also very important to many Christians. However Easter has been argued in some schools of thought to be of pagan origin. Denominations such as the Seventh Day Adventist, The Jehovah’s witnesses have refused to celebrate it. However, Easter remain a global Christian festival that commands huge following. Pentecostal, Protestants and the Orthodox churches such as the Catholic Church celebrates Easter every year. Yemi Olakitan, Senior Correspondent takes a look at the issues. He examines the importance of Easter to the Christian faith as well as the origin. Should the origin of Easter dim its importance to the Church?  Is Easter still relevant today?

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Easter is one of the major festivals of the Christian church in which the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated on the third day of his Crucifixion. In the Christian calendar, Easter follows Lent, the period of 40 days before Easter. Easter is immediately preceded by the Holy Week, which includes Monday, Thursday, the commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples; Good Friday, the day of his Crucifixion; and Easter Saturday, the transition between Crucifixion and Resurrection.  Easter is perhaps the most sacred day in Christian history, Why, is Easter so important? In a chat Abiodun Davies, of the United African Methodist Church, (UAMC) he said, ‘‘there would be no such thing as Christianity if it was not for Easter. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the basis of everything in Christianity. Christ’s death allows us to be reunited with God.  His resurrection gives us hope that we too will live again, after death. The book of (1 Corinthians 15:13-17) says, “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).’’

Speaking further Davies said, ‘‘Easter is significant to the Christian faith because it refers to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, no matter what people say about the origin that remains in the past. Today, Easter is a celebration of our Lord Jesus. He died, he rose and we lived. That to me is far more important for a Christian to celebrate and remember.

According to the American Book of Days, Easter, has many traditions which are derived from folk customs. An example is the Easter eggs, which is said to have started in the 12th century. The Easter eggs is said to be popular among Christians in Europe and the United States. It is part of the celebration just like Christmas trees, Father Christmas, Christmas lights, decorations, and the exchange of Christmas gifts. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. One explanation for this custom is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the fast and eat them on Easter as a celebration. Easter egg hunts and egg rolling are two popular egg-related traditions. In the U.S., the White House Easter Egg Roll, a race in which children push decorated, hard-boiled eggs across the White House lawn, is an annual event held the Monday after Easter. The first official White House egg roll occurred in 1878, when Rutherford Hayes was president.

One of the denominations that rejected Easter are the ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’. In an official statement on Easter, It says  Easter is a pagan holiday and they prefer to observe the last Super instead, ‘‘we observe the  Memorial of Jesus Death as he commanded each year on the anniversary of his death according to the Bible’s lunar calendar.’’ —Luke 22:19, 20.

Pastor Paul Adefarasin, Senior Pastor of House on the Rock Church, during a communion service held at the Rock Cathedral, Lekki, in Lagos said he preferred to call Easter by another name, ‘‘Resurrection Sunday,’’  because of the origin.

Reverend Andrew Akinsuyi on the other hand said, ‘‘it is foolish to condemn Easter on the basis of customs which are clearly not related to paganism anymore. We should focus on the significance of Easter. Are we still pagans today? The answer is no. Whatever people use to celebrate Easter today is done in honour of Christ resurrection.’’ 

Reverend Father, Vincent Serpa of the Catholic, in a Church Question and Answer publication said, ‘‘First of all, who do you know that worships Christmas trees? Nobody that I know; that’s for sure! Just as people can be Christianized, so can their customs and celebrations. Christianity is a powerful thing because it is the power of God on earth. Catholic Christians have always believed this. So they Christianized trees at Christmas and eggs at Easter. Who remembers the Christmas tree or Easter as pagan things? One has to dig deep to find pagan worship in them. It is better to rejoice that they have become vehicles for celebrating the love of Christ.

In a chat with Bamidele Mathew of the Catholic Church, our Lady of perpetual Help, Lagos, he said, ‘‘people should look at the importance of the Easter festival today. It is possible that People were celebrating Easter to honour their pagan gods, many years ago. Today, it is no longer so. Easter is now a celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We should rejoice at this instead of focusing on history that has been buried by the truth and the light of Christ. There is nobody that celebrates Easter today in the name of paganism but in the name of the true risen Christ. This, to me, is more important than tracing the history of Easter. Its relevance, its significance, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus is what is more important and that is what Easter reminds us of today. Whatever it meant for ancient pagans no longer matters today, for Christians, Easter is the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection. The fact that when it was first celebrated the feast of the Resurrection coincided with pagan rites doesn’t mean it was derived from them. The Jewish Passover (on which Christ was crucified) also coincided with such celebrations, yet this didn’t mean it was pagan.’’   

In another discussion with the Venerable Thomas Adebayo Fagbayi of African Church Cathedral, Bethel, Broad street, Lagos, he traced the history of Easter to the Bible. According to him, the significance of Easter is far more important than its origin. ‘‘Easter is one of the Christian festivals in Christendom that is just as important as Christmas. If you look at Christmas as well, some people have claimed that Christmas is of pagan origin. This is foolish.  In the scriptures, you will see that the children of Israel celebrated the Passover which is a remembrance of how God delivered them from Death and bondage in the land of Egypt. God commanded them to kill a year old lamb and put his blood on the doorsteps so that the angel of death can pass over their homes as he goes about slaying their Egyptian enemies. They followed the instruction and they were delivered.

 The Israelites have continued to celebrate Passover to this day as God commanded them.

 Jesus Christ is the greater lamb. John the Baptist who was the forerunner of Jesus saw Jesus for the first time and referred to him as the lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. The one year old lamb which was slaughtered by the Jews symbolized Jesus.  If the Jews celebrated the Passover? Christians should celebrate the greater lamb who took away the sins of the world.  He was slain for our transgressions and his blood connects us back to God. He resurrected and he gives us hope of eternal life with him. Is that not worth celebrating? Do you know of anyone else who resurrected in the history of man?  This is why we celebrate Easter. At Christmas, we celebrate his birth and at Easter, we celebrate his resurrection. If some people celebrated Easter as a pagan event in the past, that is past. Today, it is no longer so, Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of the son of God, It is a celebration of life’’ he said.

Christian Dressing: What does the Bible really teach?

Christian Dressing: What does the Bible really teach?

Yemi Olakitan 

Should a woman wear trouser? Should a woman wear jewelry? Should a woman wear earrings? These questions are major controversy in Christendom today. To some denominations, the wearing of ear rings is enough to take a woman to hell fire. To some the use of any form of make up or hair attachment could earn a woman utter damnation in the presence of God. Are these the true teachings of the Bible or the mere doctrine of men?

The issue of how a Christian should dress, particularly a woman has become a major doctrine in Nigerian Churches. There are many denominations where a woman must dress in a certain way. There are also other churches where moderation is the key.  Preachers, evangelists often declare the immodesty of wearing these things by women. Churches such as Deeper Life Bible Church, Mountain of fire and Miracles Ministry and the Lord’s Chosen are among those that have promoted these doctrines.  However, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Winners Chapel, House on the Rock and many other new generation churches do not find these things inappropriate. In a chat with Revrend Andrew Akinsuyi of the Salvation Church of God Mission, he said, the scriptures often quoted in support of this doctrine are:  “(Deuteronomy 22:5).  "A woman shall not be clothed with a man’s apparel; neither shall a man use woman’s apparel: for he that doeth this thing is abominable before God. 1 Peter 3:3-4 3.   Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.  1 Peter 3:2-5 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.⁵ for this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, I Timothy 2:9: “In like manner also, that woman adorns themselves in modest apparel…”  While explaining these scriptures Reverend Akinsuyi said, these denominations wrongly interpreted the word of God.

 

 The word “modest” is defined in Collin’s English Dictionary as: 1. having or expressing a humble opinion of oneself or one’s accomplishments or abilities; 2. reserved or shy; 3. not ostentatious or pretentious; 4. not extreme or excessive, moderate; 5. decorous or decent. Therefore, God expects a woman to dress in a proper, well-mannered fashion—certainly not in a provocative, outlandish or excessive way. Christians are to be examples to those around them, living the pages of the Bible for those who never read them. Their appearance and actions should exude stability and good judgment.

 

The question about whether Christian women should wear pants or slacks is an issue that is raised about externals when the life of the child of God should rather be about a spiritual relationship based upon our position in Christ as believers. The obedience of a child of God is not measured by what clothing we wear but by our walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).
When looking at “doubtful things," we need to use Scripture in context for the principles that will help us walk as believers, which means considering the dispensation and the whole counsel of God and not taking passages out of context. There is a passage in the Old Testamentthat speaks about a woman wearing men's clothing: "A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this" (Deuteronomy 22:5). The context of this passage is the second giving of the law to the nation of Israel as they were poised to enter the Promised Land. Deuteronomy is an admonition not to live as a transvestite. This has to do with more than just clothing; it also speaks of a life that emulates in every way those of the opposite sex. Transvestitism was a practice of the Canaanites, and Israel was to consider it an abomination. We take a principle from this and apply it to our lives as believers, but we must use it in the context in which it is given and do so in relation to the dispensation of grace.

The Apostle Paul wrote extensively on the difference between the law and grace in Romans. We are not justified by our adherence to the law, but we are justified by faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-28). The believer in Christ Jesus is "dead" to the constraints of the law. "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code" (Romans 7:6). Therefore, a believer does not live by legalism, nor by license, but rather by grace.

What has that to do with a believing woman wearing pants? There is no biblical law that says what a woman should wear or not wear. Rather, the issue is one of modesty. Paul addresses the modesty of women in his first letter to Timothy. "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God" (1 Timothy 2:9-10). The Greek word translated "modest" is the Greek word kosmios, which is translated twice in the New Testament, once as "modest" in this passage and once as "of good behavior" in1 Timothy 3:1. It came to mean "well-arranged, seemly, and modest."

The word clothes is the Greek word katastole. The meaning of the word was "to send or to let down or lower." It was primarily a garment that was let down and in that day referred to a stole or a loose outer garment worn by kings and persons of rank. Since we know that Paul was not speaking to people of rank, the context here is simply modest attire, and it does not specify what that entails. Paul addressed this issue here because the women in the church were trying to outdo each other in how they dressed and the flashier the better. They were losing sight of the things that should adorn a godly woman—humility, sobriety, godliness, and good works. The words "dress modestly" are not used here in the context of specific garments, but rather to being clad in a modest covering. It should not be used to prove a prohibition against wearing pants (also see1 Peter 3:3-4).

So, the issue is that a woman should wear modest clothing. Whether or not that includes a pair of slacks should be a matter for the woman's own conscience before the LORD. If a woman allows her outward appearance to be the measure of her inward relationship with Christ, she is living under the constraints of legalism. Born-again women are free in Christ to wear whatever modest apparel they choose, and the only judgment they should be under is that of their own conscience. "Everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). We are not to allow our consciences to be dictated to by legalism and the consciences of others, but by our own relationship with Christ. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). God will take care of the outward woman if we walk in obedience in the inward woman.

Denominational-ism: For good or ill

Yemi olakitan 

      Christendom today has experienced denominationalism more than any other religion in the world.  According to the World English Dictionary, denominationalism is a sectarian spirit or policy or the division into denominations or sects. Denominationalism is the inclination of religious groups to experience schisms and separate into different groups over disagreements about doctrinal matters. In the Bible, it was the will of the Lord Jesus Christ that Christians should remain a united, indivisible unit, operating in love since love is the basis of the Christian faith.  Jesus prayed, ‘‘Holy Father; keep through your name those whom, you have given me that they may be one as we are. John 17:11. ‘‘I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in us , that the world may believe that You sent Me.’’ John 17:20,21.  However, over the years, Christianity has been divided into numerous denominations.  The questions arise; how beneficial is this to the body of Christ? Is the denominationalism the path of the Lord?  Shouldn’t all Christian denominations come together? What are the causes of denominationalism in a religion of love?

History revealed that in the first century, there was only one church, the Roman Catholic Church which was the earliest.  After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the Jewish Christian movement was scattered and under heavy persecution.  The Roman Empire legally recognized Pauline Christianity as a valid religion in 313 AD. Later in that century, in 380 AD, Roman Catholicism became the official religion of the Roman Empire. During the following 1000 years, Catholics were the only people recognized as Christians. Roman Catholicism was then, the only Christian denomination on earth. 

In 1054 AD, a formal split occurred between the Roman Catholic and other Orthodox churches. This division remains in effect till today. The next major division occurred in the 16th century with the Protestant Reformation under Martin Luther. Protestantism is one of the three major branches of Christianity, along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. It shares with all other Christians’ core beliefs in the doctrines of Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, the necessity salvation and the centrality of Jesus' death and resurrection.  Protestantism came from the split with Roman Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16^th century.  Led by Martin Luther, John Calvin and others, the reformers broke from the Roman Catholic Church due to abusive ecclesiological structures and theological differences. Protestants share an adherence to the centrality of scripture as well as a doctrine of salivation in Christ Jesus.

Different Protestant denominations have to varying degrees maintained or rejected Roman Catholic forms of worship. Anglican and Lutheran churches have maintained liturgies and rituals similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church, whereas other denominations, such as Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and United Church of Christ, have developed less liturgical forms of worship. Most Protestants practice baptism and communion as key rites of Christian initiation and ongoing devotion. Though originating in Europe, Protestant Christianity has spread all over the world through missionary activity and has members from nearly every country, race, and ethnicity.

 Those who remained faithful to Roman Catholicism believed that the central regulation of doctrine by church leaders was necessary to prevent confusion and division within the church and corruption of its beliefs.  However under the leadership of Martin Luther, the protestant movement also had disagreements on issues of doctrines and different denomination began to emerge as well. Today, Christianity has seen an outpouring of countless churches and denominations with different doctrines and practices though all believe in the Lordship of the Lord Jesus and the infallibility of the Gospel. 

In Nigeria alone, there are hundreds denominations as there are different faces of human beings. Every day, there is a massive proliferation of churches and denominations. People receive callings and set up their own churches in their living rooms, church movements had been created in shops. Why does this happen?  Why are there so many denominations? Why can't Christian groups simply agree to disagree and remain part of a single organization? Is this good for the body of Christ? Does it help the advancement of the kingdom of God?

      

In a chat with Pastor Dimeji Isaac of the Christ Temple, Lekki, Lagos, he said, social forces: class, racial and ethnic groups, regional divisions, and nationalism often lead to split in Christendom. According to him, it is good for churches to remain under one denomination, however, the differences in human outlook, the difficulty in administration and the stubbornness of people will make it difficult for Christianity to operate under one denomination. Speaking further, he said, ‘‘the main thing is that we are all followers of our Lord Jesus and we believe that the Bible is the word of God. These are the things that qualify one to be Christian. If we all obey the word of God and follow the commandments of our Lord Jesus, then it does not matter the denomination as long as Christ is preached’’ he said.

        Deaconess Shola Abimbola of the Global Church of the Living God does not share this opinion. According to her denominationalism is from the devil.  ‘‘We are serving the same God. Why should we be separated into different denominations?  Jesus preached love. It is clear from the scriptures that he wanted his followers to remain united as one. It is greed, individual ambitions, rather than the love of God that lead the Churches into various denominations, It is clearly not of God,’’ She said and she marveled at the number of denominations in Christendom today.   Deacon Ola Philip opined that denomination is not a barrier as far as we are serving the living God.   ‘‘When you look at it from the beginning, prophet- hood started from Noah, to Abraham  and the same God that called Moses, also called Samuel and they never  said the God that called them was different. They all came with harmonious teachings and that’s why the word of God is the same. In that sense denominationalism is not bad at all.

On the cause of denominationalism, he said, ‘‘Jesus said that in the last days, there will be many false prophets. They are all in town today. Each one of them called themselves Founder or General Overseer and brings up doctrines that suits them, that is why we have different denominations. Fake prophets contribute to denominationalism. Christ says that, there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.’’ Ephesians 4:4-6

In another chat with Pastor Tolu Fowotade of the Mountain and Fire and Miracles Ministry, he said that denominationalism can be beneficial. It is not a problem at all. According to him, the word of God is a mystery and it speaks differently to people with different meanings. According to what God wants to say to them and their level of relationship with him.  One denomination cannot help the advancement of Christianity.  Jesus had twelve disciples, they do not reason the same way. When the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, they were given diverse gifts and callings by the same spirit.  The Holy Spirit operates in different dimensions to different people and gives different gifts, different focus, and diverse operations by the same God.  This is why there are different denominations.  The word of God is so deep and full of meanings so denomination is not a problem at all. It is a reflection of the diversity of the gifts and callings of God’’ he said.

Speaking further, pastor Tolu said, ‘‘if a man of God is teaching a topic from the Bible, let’s say, he is speaking about the story of the woman with the issue of blood. He teaches the word according to the way the Holy Spirit lead him to teach it. Another man of God will pick the same topic and the same scripture and teach it from a different perspective and the congregation will still be blessed. Therefore, though the spirit is one there are diverse operations. It is not possible to operate under one denomination,’’ he said.  

Funmilola Jacobs of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, said, ‘‘denomination is unavoidable because Christianity has become the greatest religion in the world. It has spread farther than any other religion known to mankind. This spread could not have been possible without the efforts of different denominations, ministry, callings and missions in the body of Christ which are all working towards the same goal which is to spread the gospel and bring humanity into repentance. If we remove denominationalism from the history of Christianity, I do not think that we could have gone this far. Take Africa for example, it was the efforts of missionaries from various denominations such as the Catholic Church, the Methodist Church and the Anglican Church, the Lutheran Church all working in various fields that brought the light of Christianity to Africa. I don’t even think that one denomination is capable of taking the gospel to the whole world as Christ commanded. Denominationalism in my own opinion is the will of God as long as we all preach the Bible undiluted and stand under the Lordship of our lord Jesus. If we all follow is teachings and obey his commandments, then denominationalism is a blessing and not a course,’’ she said. 

Falling Under the Anointing: Is it Biblical?

Yemi Olakitan

‘Falling under the anointing,’’ one of the most puzzling concepts in Christianity today has remained popular in many Pentecostal circles, the late American Evangelist Kathryn Khuman described it as being ‘slain in the spirit.’  Many have asked why people fall down when some pastors touch them, blow on them or even get close to them.  

In Pentecostal circles, it is believed that the reason many people fall down is because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, which the Bible calls the anointing. An example of this is in the life of Jesus Christ himself, the phenomenon occurred in the garden of Gethsemane. A detachment of soldiers and some religious officials came to arrest Jesus. Jesus came out to meet them and asked, "Who is it you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied.   And when Jesus said, "I am he," the men fell (John 18:6).

In a chat with Reverend Father Francis Emene of the Saint Thomas Chapel, at the University of Lagos, he said, ‘‘there is an adage in Iboland, which says that those who are mechanics do not allow one to identify the madmen among us. This is because the madmen and mechanics all wear dirty clothes. The Bible says that in the last days, I will pour out my spirit; it also says there will be many false prophets. There are many men of God who operate the anointing of the spirit of God and there are many false, occult pastors as well, whether, they are Pentecostal or Catholic, they can be found anywhere. The bible says that the devil keeps transforming himself into an angel of light in order to deceive even the very elect, ‘’ he said.

Speaking further, Father Francis said, ‘‘people like things that are magical and phenomenal when a man of God acts like that, they say Oh! That man is powerful but the Bible says we should test all spirits.’’

 On the origin of the concept of falling under the anointing, he said, ‘‘when Jesus appeared to the soldiers who came to arrest him, he said, I am he and they all fell down. That is a classic example of what the power of anointing can do.’’

According to American preacher, Tom Brown the anointing is a tangible element that can be felt.  In the Bible, we see an example from the life of Jesus in the book of Luke chapter eight. There is the story of the woman with the issue of blood who suffered for twelve years. She went through the large crowds to touch the hem of Jesus' garment.

When she touched Jesus, He stopped and asked, "Who touched me?" When they all denied it, He exclaimed, "Someone touched me! I felt power has gone out from me" (Luke 8:46).  Jesus knew that power has gone out from Him? He felt it. According to Pastor Tom Brown, this means that anointing can be felt.  The anointing can feel like heat or electricity,

‘‘I have felt it on many occasions. Sometimes I don't feel it but others feel it when I pray for them. I remember several years ago, a young lady and I were discussing the Bible. The conversation was on divine healing. Later, she asked if I would pray for her sore knee. She lifted her knee in order to point out where the pain was. I quickly laid hands on her knee, prayed a short prayer and walked off. A short time later she came to me privately and said, "When you touched my knee something went inside of me and I became immovable for several seconds. What was that?" According to Pastor Brown, the girl was instantly healed.

‘‘I also believe that sometimes people fall down because they are preconditioned to fall down. They see others do it, so they do it also. I try to discourage this, because I want people to focus on receiving from the Lord, not on imitating the group. I do have ushers that catch people, and they are necessary for those who fall down out of psychological need. I don't want them hurt, but those who fall down under God's power do not need anyone to catch them. When our church first started, we met in a school gym, and one time I had everyone stand up, and I prayed a group prayer for everyone without laying hands on anyone. When I did, a woman fell down hard on the solid, wooden floor. You could even hear her head plop hard on the ground. People rushed to help her thinking she was greatly hurt, but when she stood up, she said she felt nothing—no pain. She describe to us, "I felt like I slowly floated onto a soft cushion."

Pastor Emmanuel Onoja of the Hope of Life Evangelical Church said, ‘‘there is a kind of misconception in it; people believe that it is until you fall before you are under the anointing. It happens when the Holy Spirit fall upon you, falling down, according to the Holy Spirit is not a major sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit.  The Apostles did not fall down at Pentecost at the Upper room when the Holy Spirit descended on them. The Bible recorded that they spoke in new tongues and those that were with them were amazed. I am not in support of pastors; laying hands on people and everybody will fall down, that looks like magic to me.’’

Speaking further, he said, during deliverance sessions, things like that can happen to the person being delivered. We understand that it is a deliverance session.  However, the person that falls down today should not be the person that falls down tomorrow. If it is deliverance and the person keeps falling under the anointing when will the person be finally delivered from the evil spirits?  Falling down is not a sign that someone is under the power of anointing.  It can be a deception. It looks like deception to me. All the healings that Jesus did which one of them happened that way? Why is it that people do not fall when Jesus was healing them? We did not read that Jesus conducted a service and people were falling under the anointing as he laid hands on them.’’

‘‘The example in the Bible when soldiers came to arrest Jesus and he said, I am he and they fell was a demonstration of power. To me, that was not falling under the anointing. Jesus was simply demonstrating that although they came to arrest him, he had the power to stop them if he wanted. When one of his disciples cut off the ear of one of the soldiers, Jesus put the ear back and healed the man. He said if he wanted to fight that he could have asked his father to send him angles. It showed that Jesus had the power to stop the arrest but he would not because he was destined to give his life in order to save humanity.’’

Speaking with Evangelist Ezekiel Keith of House on the Rock Church, Lekki, he said falling under the anointing is biblical because no one could predict how the Holy Spirit walks and we need to be careful about spiritual things.  The Holy Spirit walks in diverse ways to different people and no one could criticize the work of the Holy Spirit of God since it is God in action. In the Bible book of Joel 2:28 the Bible says, the Lord will Pour out His Spirit28  “And it shall come to pass afterwards,   that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,  your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. God had already told us that in the last days there would be diverse manifestations of the Holy Spirit of God so falling under the anointing is just one of them.

In another chat with Mrs Akpabio Eno of the Catholic Church, she said, ‘‘no one can question the Holy Spirit and no one can understand his ways. His ways are past finding out.  When it comes to spiritual things, I tend to be very careful because they are the things of God. One may be condemning something because they cannot understand it which is wrong. You see, the Holy Spirit is the power of God. If a person is touched by an electric current, he will feel it how much more; the holy spirit of God, people should be able to feel it when they are touched by it. This is why they fall under its power.’’