The Act of Simony

There is no single denomination on earth today that is one hundred percent perfect in terms of doctrine.If you are looking for one that is perfect,you will have to wait till Christ comes back.If we agree on our imperfection,it opens us to correction, rebuke and critical appraisal.

Apostle Paul knew this when he advised Timothy:

Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

This means,Timothy being a young minister,could easily mislead those under his sphere of influence if he didn’t pay attention to both his life and his teaching.

In our days,it has become a fashionable and honourable thing to be called into ministry as a Pastor unlike in the past.Many young people now take up this responsibility.Therefore,Apostle Paul’s advice is obviously more important to this generation with young and vibrant ministers.

There is a teaching that has just been introduced into the body of Christ and it is spreading fast! I want us to look at it closely so that we can save ourselves and those that hear us.

The teaching is that when you give to the poor,you will become like them.But if you want to rise,you sow into the life of the rich! The proponents of this message use scripture like this:

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and he will repay you!-Prov 19:17

I am yet to see any solid biblical reference to support the assumption that giving to the poor will make one poor.Or that your rising is dependent on giving to the rich.

As an extension,they also believe if you want to be like a popular man of God,you sow into his life so that his anointing can be transferred to you because you rise in anointing by giving to the anointed.Bros ,where are you rising to? Are you not already seated with Christ in heavenly places?

Anyway no one can dictate who you give to: Either the poor or the rich, it is your decision and my job here is not to convince you to give to anyone of them.

The error in this teaching is this : It encourages many people to bribe their way up! They sow material gift into the life of someone higher than them to get spiritual position!

Is this right? Let’s turn our Bible to the Acts of Apostle Chapter 8.There was a man called Simon.He was a sorcerer.He was preached to and he believed the good news.He even started following one of the disciples.

Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw vs 13

This can definitely happen as well today.Brother A used to be a magician.He was preached to and he has just given his life to Christ.He joins the work force and he becomes the personal assistant to the Pastor.

Now imagine if Brother A listens to this viral teaching about sowing into a higher anointing to rise.He thinks the same way he can give money to get magical powers,he can also do the same to get spiritual gifts.Error!

Apostle Paul didn’t fall into that error.He called the bluff of Simon:

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God vs 18-21

The act of Simony is buying or selling a spiritual gift or position.It is coveting a spiritual endowment and getting it by sowing money into the life of the carrier.This act is now in the body of Christ.You want a particular spiritual office or gift,you bribe your way up by giving material gifts to your superior! And now ,among the Pentecostal churches,they have repackaged this by calling it ‘honouring the anointed’.

Of course you have to give honour to whom it is due,but when your motive of honouring your Senior Pastor with material gifts is for you to become a Junior Pastor or get one of his spiritual gifts,then there is a problem.

To save us from this error,whatever we do,let’s do it unto the Lord and not to men.It doesn’t matter whether the men are poor ,rich ,anointed or not.This teaching of sowing either to the poor or to the rich will lead many of our hearers into errors.This is what the Bible teaches:

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ-Col 3:23-24