IS SALVATION STILL FREE?

"Fine buttered bread!!" Echoed a woman hawking bread from afar. You decided you wanna have some taste. "Give me #70 own madam" you said with your eyes rolling to the deep and winking to the breads and your mouth salivating. You were about to collect your bread when she said "butter how much?" Hmmm, you thought the butter is inside the buttered bread why should you buy butter again?

The above scenario I painted is synonymous to the question that if salvation is free why should we pay for it? I couldn't help myself but to sit down quietly in the midst of noisy activities going down in the church service as usual. Everything was usual save my spirit. 'Why?' That was the question that popped up as I sat down quietened in scour of the 'why'!

The church I went to was not the regular church I attend but I do worship there once in a while. No no, my spirit's WHY was not specific to that church alone but to all churches to fairly say.

WHY is salvation free and we are still being asked to pay for it? TITHE as instructed in the Bible by God is to be paid no doubt. OFFERING on the other hand is not obligatory and it is by virtue of willingless acceptable (oh yea, everyone accepts that). But after all these, the church still manage to either indirectly or directly ask from her members; Building Offering, School Offering, Welfare Offering, Stadium Offering, Evangelism Offering, Prayer City Offering, Self-pledge, and the list goes on, Jesus!!! I still wonder why such churches have not added Pastors' Salaries Offering to the list. Little wonder some people's notation that Church establishment is the most lucrative business in Nigeria after politics.

The original idea of evangelism is either jettisoned, shelved or seen as a tertiary assignment by most churches and rather embrace preaching to the choir, only few takes evangelism as it were. Holy Bible reveals Jesus Christ the author of our faith never evangelised to enrich Himself and so was the apostles which faced the evangelism squarely. They neither brainwashed nor compelled people to pay into the church treasury or their own.

Afterall I asked myself all the Tithes and Offerings, what are they being used for? Some churches accounts are richer than some countries' combined, yet we know and we preach that this world is coming to an end soon when no stone or money would be spared from destruction but the church keep saving the money or if it's not being saved, what is it being used for? To pay ministers salaries? We are always busy axing our politicians but what about the churches that earn without obligation to pay tax, still the church finds it difficult to contribute to the community as a role model. We need cancer special hospitals in this country for example, why can't the church be inspired to establish one in the stead of universities. The door of the churches rarely slam 'GBA!'(take) but often 'MUWA MUWA!'(bring bring).

Now the church wants to build another house of God, the congregation would be asked to contribute directly or indirectly to the project from the foundation to the roof setting up a building committee to that effect with most likely prayer that "God will build your own house too". The church wants to establish a university which in their minds is part of God's work(evangelism you call it?). The church members would be asked to contribute to the project from the substructure to the superstructure, and after completion, those members will still have to pay a huge sum to enroll their children in such school, some cannot even afford it.
A project that is jointly built should be jointly owned but I doubt this is the case here. Then I ask myself where is the profit being generated from such establishment going to? The church treasury? The pastor's or God's account?

I see the tithe and offering enough to do whatever is necessary in the church which primarily should be evangelism and welfarism. Every other money should be willingly given by individuals as directed by the spirit without being asked either directly or indirectly. The pastors and G.Os shouldn't make members contribute to their own personal business in disguise.

Love of money indeed is the root of all evil and we should be wary of that. I am not oblivious of the fact that some churches preach only prosperity when the Word of God crystal clearly asks us to seek first the kingdom of God and that everyother things shall be added. It must be however added that I'm neither against the church nor pastors being rich but how such money flows is very important.

Indeed people perish for lack of knowledge but many fall for they refuse to apply such knowledge which is wisdom.I hope I Will find the reason to my WHY, till then Tbluez says Shallom!

My heart my church. Ojediran Tolulope signs out!!!