FOREWORD & PREFACE TO SAINTS MADE MERCHANDISE

FOREWORD

M

y dad makes some profound statements as he comments on the teaching of almsgiving, offerings and tithes. Some of his statements may sound as if he is entirely against tithing or prosperity, but that’s not his intention. His main concern in this book is the motive behind our giving. We should bring our tithes to the house of God simply because we fear and obey God. Every Christian must understand that we are blessed so that we can become a blessing to the world. As God increases you materially, don’t focus much of your attention on those material possessions. Have a mind-set of wanting to give more to His work, feeding more of the hungry, clothe more and more of the naked. Just use your blessings to touch the world around you. You are blessed to be a blessing.

(Munashe Soka, author of ‘The Hidden Man of the Heart’ & Son to Abraham Soka)

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PREFACE

I

 note with great concern the commercialisation of the gospel of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. What once was given to us to freely pass on to others who in turn would continue the cycle freely in others is fast being incorporated into the world of commerce. The old time servant of our Lord and a brother of James urges us to earnestly defend the faith that was delivered to the saints once. Paul also says we have one God and one faith. It is the duty of every saint to defend this faith because evil men and seducers have clandestinely sneaked into the church. Satan has so cunningly infiltrated these vile men and women into the church in a manner that many sincere followers of our Lord never anticipated. Some sincere and upright men and women of God never noticed this infiltration and in good faith and trust have aided the infiltrates in their wicked mission. The good news, however, is that some have taken note of the infiltration and are now earnestly contenting for the faith.

    Paul once warned that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Of course he was making reference to a little pride and the same is also true concerning a little heresy that often spoils good doctrine whenever it is applied to sound teachings. Satan knows this very well and has of late been adding a little leaven to good doctrine with the sole aim of bringing the teachings of the Lamb of God into disrepute. The doctrine of our Lord and saviour is perfect and entire wanting nothing but the author of every evil is consistently and constantly portraying the opposite picture by polluting it with some doctrinal yeast. Some of our members indeed sometimes fail to detect the leaven and energetically and ignorantly teach the leavened doctrine. Such doctrine ceases to be the doctrine of Christ the very moment impurities are added. Any additions to or subtractions from the doctrine of Christ are rebellious acts that attract the full penalty pronounced in the book of Revelation. It is refreshing, however, to note that others from our numbers have taken note of the leaven and have stood up to fight for the faith. True they may be few as has been the case throughout history and they constantly receive ridicule in abundance yet they are in the victor’s camp.

    I have for a considerable period raised pertinent questions and objections concerning the so called ‘Prosperity gospel’ or ‘the give and become rich doctrine.’ This, as we all know, is a doctrine supposedly built on the foundations of the good and sound doctrine of tithes, offerings and alms giving. I do not in any way object to the sound Biblical doctrine but I do strongly disagree with the manner propagators of the Prosperity gospel teach tithes and offerings. The teachings are conducted and published everywhere in a way that leaves a lot to be desired. Various portions of the Prosperity Doctrine are taught in a way that contradicts great and essential portions of the Bible.  The sound doctrine of Christ does not and never will ever contradict itself. If contradictions are noted eyebrows must be raised. In borrowing the Lord’s wisdom let me here state that a kingdom at war against itself is bound to fall. Would Christ indeed, being Lord of Lords and king of kings, ever contradict himself? If your answer is that he is at war with himself then our faith is in vain because his kingdom will not last. But if your answer is ‘NO’, then whose doctrine of monetary gain have we been exposed to which often contradicts the very teachings of Christ. Could it be the doctrine of Christ, of men or of the devil?

    The Master once said that we could not serve two masters, God and money. Does the money doctrine you receive make you seek to serve God or mammon? Paul also spoke of apostles who do not serve God but their own bellies. Who do you serve? If you are a servant of either money or your belly you certainly cannot serve the God and father of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ and whatever doctrine you teach is not of Christ but of another. One old man once said to me, ‘it is easy to serve gold thinking that you are serving God,’ how right he was. God is not gold and gold is not God – the two are different.

    In days of old the church used to take care of widows orphans and the destitute but it appears as if it has of late become the obligation of the poor to take care of the church. Today if a poor widow does not throw her last cent into the offering bowl she is branded a miser and an infidel. Some teachers are so extreme in their wayward teachings such that they label the poor soul one who is cursed by God. They discourage members of their congregation from assisting the poor fellow saying it is not wise to invest in a curse but whatever they intent to give the poor cursed destitute must be given to the work of God. You have guessed right, that work of God is indeed the minister’s latest automobile or sixth mansion in some up market Harare low-density suburb. Others are not that radical but believe that multi-million dollar auditoriums are more important than the poor, who like themselves, are created in the image of God. The money the church would have used in feeding and clothing the poor is often diverted to the building of ivory towers. The argument they advance is that if sinners commit sin inside expensive and state of the art buildings nothing can stop believers from worshiping in similar structures. Since when did sinners become our standard bearers? May be I got the Lord wrong but I still believe that he said, ‘go and teach all nations,’ and not go and build better buildings than unbelievers. Stephen was a member of the feeding committee and not that tasked with matching the world in showing off our wealth. Simple and safe buildings that provide the necessary shelter and protection are not sinful to God so why worry about multi-million dollar structures.

    The problem with the modern day church is that the mark of a true believer is financial prosperity quite contrary to the mark in the early New Testament era when the mark was righteousness and loyalty to the Lord. Barnabas never sold his field so that he would in return get ten more farms but so that he would share the proceeds from the sale with the poor of his congregation. Today we give so that we may reap material prosperity. The Lord says do not mind worldly riches yet we say, ‘just confess wealth and you become the richest person in society.’ Somewhere the Bible says that filthy riches ensnare but we say that wealth is the answer to all our woes. Moses taught tithing in a manner that promoted the fear of God yet we tithe in order to bribe God. It is now common to hear comments such as, ‘if you want to make money just form your own church.’ Where are we really heading?

    The purpose of this book is to return to the Bible and rediscover the old time doctrine on tithes, offerings, alms and prosperity. More time and space will be devoted to what the Bible teaches rather than what it is meant to teach by those who are money hungry. It will not point a finger at who is distorting the faith but at which impurities have been added to the sound doctrine of our Lord. My aim is not to criticize but to correct. So let us journey together through the pages of this book and I hope you will enjoy the journey. Welcome aboard.

 

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Abraham Soka