None shall appear before me empty - Staying away from church

Friend: ha! How come you didn’t go to church today? Where is your church?

Brother: some 5 houses away.

Friend: how come you didn’t go to church?

Brother: I don’t have offering money to drop o.

Friend: so is that why you didn’t go?

Brother: how would I have gone? Our pastor showed us that scripture says none shall appear before God empty, and I don’t want to violate God’s law as the week is yet fresh.

Friend: (amazed at the response) what is this I’m hearing?

But this isn’t a funny story, it’s serious! That brother is a typical example of many people today. All work days they are at workplace, at Saturdays at party(s), but Sunday; they are absent from church leaning on the excuse that they don’t want to ”appear before God empty”. Hmm!

Let’s see the base of that scripture. Your pastor could not be implying that you shouldn’t come to church if without a money offering. Ignorance is serious.

Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: AND NONE SHALL APPEAR BEFORE ME EMPTY:) Exo 23:15 

But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem [him] not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. AND NONE SHALL APPEAR BEFORE ME EMPTY. Exo 34:20 

Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: AND THEY SHALL NOT APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD EMPTY:  Deut 16:16 

Thank God you have seen the scriptures yourself now! Now I will show you how to keep this commandment, because, if you offend in one point, you are guilty of all.

1. You are to go to church only three times a year. THREE TIMES IN A YEAR shall all thy males appear before the LORD (Deut 16:16)
2. It is an injunction for only males. Three times in a year shall ALL THY MALES appear before the LORD (Deut 16:16)
3. The offering being referred to isn’t money, but lambs, goats etc. offering on your firstborn, firstfruits etc.

So your pastor must have only meant that you should imbibe the habit of giving, as it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35), and not actually legalising the practice of “no money, no blessing”.

Oh how that brother have just missed the blessing of fellowshipping together with fellow saints! You don’t sin because you attended a church program without dropping money offering, No! Afterall, the blessings were freely given of God. Love makes us donate towards the furtherance of the gospel. I think a brother like that should rather have his needs supplied. He should be placed on a salary scale by the same church rather than being levied and excommunicated for his penury sake.

Church is glorious! Please never miss the next gathering of holy brethren at the next meeting day. The Lord commands the blessing, life evermore (Psalms 133:3)

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