Would He Do It Again?
“Something greater than the temple is here.” — Matthew 12:6
Some of what I see in the name of Christianity today makes me wonder whether Jesus would recognize it.
Multiple offerings. Endless “special” collections. Constant fundraising dressed in different names. Promises of miracles tied to financial giving. Fear, guilt, and emotional pressure replacing cheerful generosity.
Sometimes I ask myself:
Has giving become an act of worship, or has worship become a strategy for giving?
Jesus did not say,
“My house shall be called a fundraising center.”
He said,
“My house shall be called a house of prayer.” (Matthew 21:13)
Then He added:
“But you have made it a den of robbers.”
Paul taught:
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
If people are manipulated through fear, guilt, or promises of guaranteed prosperity to part with their hard-earned money, is that truly biblical giving?
I sometimes describe such practices as “OBT”—Obtaining By Tricks: using spiritual language to influence people into giving beyond what they have freely decided in their hearts.
If that description is unfair, then Scripture will expose it.
But if it is accurate, then perhaps Jesus’ question is not for the money changers alone—it is for every generation that risks turning God’s house into a marketplace.
Not every church is guilty of this. But every church should be willing to examine itself in the light of Christ’s words.
What would Jesus overturn if He walked into our churches today?
#Christianity #BibleStudy #Faith #Church #TruthMatters #MercyOverSacrifice #HouseOfPrayer #jollyonyeka
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