By NEIL DUMAS

Minister of Music, First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Tex.

(Published in Baptist Progress, January 17, 2007)

The term, “offering,” has become somewhat of a joke both in and out of church circles. If you are in the circle, the joke is something to the effect of, “you know, we can’t meet without taking an offering.” If you are out of the circle, the joke is very sarcastic and it is to the effect of, “you ministers, all you want is people’s money.” It’s sad that such a great term has to be abused. Our offerings in worship are given to our Lord. Our attitude in giving them should be with grateful hearts.

Tithes and offerings are both biblical terms relating to the need for sinners to repent of their sins, acknowledge God as the Provider of all, and to enter into fellowship again with God. There were many different types of offerings including the sacrifice of animals, giving of food and  giving money. As time marched on, the “humanness” of both the sacrifice and the tithe increased. By this, I mean the more man participated in giving tithes and offerings, man either became somewhat numb to what was going on or he decided to take it to greater and greater heights. Both results were a disappointment to God.

Can you imagine giving an offering and doing it without any sentiment of thankfulness? Can you imagine becoming so involved in “the act” that you even tithed on the herbs you had used in seasoning food? So often, we humans either become anesthetized to what we’re doing by forgetting why we’re doing it, or we become actors on a grand stage called planet earth. It’s like we enter the doors of a church and all of a sudden we start speaking Shakespearian English. We pray using words that we normally do not use any other time unless we live in a Quaker village. Do we really believe others are benefiting from observing this production?

It can be just as debilitating to offer something without being sensitive to our motivations to give. We have so much. God has been so good to us. What will it take to get our attention in either case? At the risk of upsetting a multitude of people on both sides of this issue, I would like to offer to all the following Scripture references. Many will claim the verses are being taken out of context and therefore are not applicable. Let’s look at them in order to see a bigger picture of what God is looking for in His worshipers. We may not be living under the Levitical Laws anymore but the principles of worship have not changed at all. Let’s ask ourselves if we are guilty in any way of neglecting or hiding our true sentiments in worship.

Upon leaving the ark, Noah immediately offered a sacrifice to God. Genesis 8:21 states, “And the Lord smelled a sweet savor...” I do not believe it was the burnt meat that smelled so good to God. I believe it had everything to do with Noah’s heart. He was truly thankful for being saved from the flood.  He acknowledged God as being both Provider and Protector. II Corinthians 2:15 tells us, “For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.” Paul even used a similar phrase in Philippians 4:18 when he wrote, “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice  acceptable, well-pleasing to God.”

From the law of Moses came a command for God’s people to repent of their sins by sacrificing. Not just any animal would be acceptable to God. Leviticus 22:22 tells us, “Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord.” God expects His people to acknowledge Him as supreme. He states in Malachi 1:14, “But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” Isaiah 1:11-16 brings even more light to the subject. “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with it; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil.” It is possible that God’s people today are just as guilty as God’s people of the Old Testament when it comes to offering to God vain attempts in worship. Our offerings of praise and
worship should be with passionate hearts. Being lukewarm will not be acceptable (Revelation 3:16). A pure heart like the widow who offer her mite (Mark 12:41 - 44) will be acceptable.

A pure heart like the publican who cried out to God rather than the Pharisee who offered ceremonial platitudes will be acceptable (Luke 18:9 - 14). Meditateon Malachi1:6-14, and allow the Holy Spirit to bringdiscernmentaboutyourpersonalworship. Fornow, we’ll finish with Amos 5:21-23.“I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs: for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.” How does your worship smell? Do not be a deceiver but rather a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9) and take every aspect of your worship seriousl.y