At our last gathering, we fellowshipped on item ten of the responsibilities of leaders and workers: “Properly safeguard and sensibly allocate the various material items of the house of God (books, various equipment, grain, and so on), and carry out regular inspections, maintenance, and repair to minimize damage and waste; also, prevent evil people from taking possession of them.” Item ten’s fellowship was on the work leaders and workers should do and the responsibilities they should fulfill with regard to the various material items of God’s house, and at the same time, it exposed by comparison the various manifestations of false leaders. If leaders and workers fulfill the responsibilities they should and can in each item of the work of God’s house, then they’re up to standard as leaders and workers; if they don’t fulfill their responsibilities and don’t do any real work, then it’s quite clear that they are false leaders. With regard to item ten, false leaders of course don’t do a great job at the work of safeguarding and sensibly allocating the various material items of God’s house—those items aren’t safeguarded well, or may even not be safeguarded at all, and the false leaders make a mess of their allocation. They may not even take this work seriously at all. Though it’s general affairs work, it’s still a responsibility that leaders and workers should fulfill and work they should do. Regardless of whether they do the work themselves, or whether they arrange for suitable people to do it, and also carry out supervision, inspections, follow-ups, and so forth, in any case, this work is inseparable from the responsibilities of leaders and workers—they’re directly related. Therefore, when it comes to this work, if leaders and workers don’t properly safeguard and sensibly allocate the various material items of the house of God, they aren’t fulfilling their responsibilities, and they aren’t doing their work well. This is one manifestation of false leaders. At our last gathering, we conducted a simple exposure and dissection of the manifestations that false leaders display while handling this item of general affairs work, and we gave a few examples. If someone’s a false leader, then they absolutely have not fulfilled their responsibilities in this work, and the work they do isn’t up to standard. This is because false leaders never put effort into actual work—once it’s been arranged, they’re through with it, and they never follow up or participate in the work. Another main reason is that false leaders don’t understand the principles of any work they do. Even if they’re not being idle in their work, what they do is inconsistent with the principles and rules required by the house of God, or even entirely out of line with the principles. What does it mean to be out of line with the principles? Its implication is that they are acting recklessly, acting wildly based on their imaginings, will, and feelings, and so on. So, no matter what, there are two primary manifestations of false leaders when it comes to this item of the responsibilities of leaders and workers: The first is that they don’t do actual work, and the second is that they can’t grasp the principles, so they can’t do actual work. These are the basic manifestations. At our last gathering, we fellowshipped and exposed how the humanity of false leaders manifests in their handling of this sort of general affairs work. Even with this simple, single piece of work, false leaders can’t fulfill their responsibilities. They have the ability to do this work, but they don’t do it. This has to do with the character and humanity of people of this sort. What’s the problem with their humanity? Their hearts aren’t in the right place, and their character is low. We’ve basically finished our fellowship on the responsibilities of leaders and workers, the general principles, and the various manifestations of false leaders under item ten. Today, we’ll go on to fellowship about item eleven of the responsibilities of leaders and workers.

Item Eleven: Choose Dependable People Whose Humanity Is Up to Standard Especially for the Task of Systematically Registering, Tallying, and Safeguarding Offerings; Regularly Review and Check Incomings and Outgoings So That Cases of Squandering or Waste, As Well As Unreasonable Expenditures, Can Be Identified Promptly—Put a Stop to Such Things and Demand Reasonable Compensation; Additionally, Prevent, by Any Means, Offerings Falling Into the Hands of Evil People and Being Taken Into Their Possession

What Offerings Are

The content of item eleven of the responsibilities of leaders and workers is: “Choose dependable people whose humanity is up to standard especially for the task of systematically registering, tallying, and safeguarding offerings; regularly review and check incomings and outgoings so that cases of squandering or waste, as well as unreasonable expenditures, can be identified promptly—put a stop to such things and demand reasonable compensation; additionally, prevent, by any means, offerings falling into the hands of evil people and being taken into their possession.” What are the responsibilities of leaders and workers in this work? What’s the main work they’re to do? (Safeguarding offerings properly.) Item ten was about safeguarding and sensibly allocating the various material items of the house of God; this one is about safeguarding offerings properly. The various material items of God’s house and its offerings are somewhat similar—but are they the same? (No.) What’s the difference? (Offerings mainly refer to money.) Money is one aspect of it. How are the various material items of God’s house and offerings different in nature? Are books of God’s words offerings? Are the various machines used for work offerings? Are the various daily necessities God’s house buys offerings? (No.) So, what are these, then? In the house of God, all the books of God’s words, and all of the different sorts of devices required for its work that it purchases with money offered by God’s chosen people, including a variety of items such as cameras, audio recorders, computers, and cell phones—all of these are the material items of the house of God. Beyond these, tables, chairs, benches, food, and other such daily necessities are also the material items of the house of God. Some of these items are purchased by brothers and sisters, and others, God’s house buys with offerings; they’re all classified as the material items of the house of God. We fellowshipped on this topic at our last gathering. We’ll go on now to look at something important which we will fellowship on under item eleven: offerings. What are offerings, exactly? How is their scope prescribed? Before we fellowship on the responsibilities of leaders and workers, it is necessary to clear up the question of what offerings are. Although most people believed in Jesus in the past and have accepted this stage of work for several years, their concept of offerings remains fuzzy. They’re unclear as to what offerings really are. Some will say that offerings are money and material items that are offered to God, while others will say that offerings mainly refer to money. Which of these statements is accurate? (So long as something is offered to God, regardless of whether it’s money or any item, big or small, it’s an offering.) That’s a relatively accurate summary. Now that the scope and limits of offerings are clear, let’s accurately define what offerings are exactly, so that everyone may be clear on the concept.

On the subject of offerings, the Bible records that originally God asked man to offer the tithe to God—this is an offering. No matter if the amount offered was big or small, and regardless of what was offered—be it money or material items—as long as it was one-tenth of a person’s income that should be offered up, it was definitely an offering. This was what God asked of man, it was what believers in God were supposed to offer to God. This tithe is one aspect of offerings. Some people ask, “Does that one tenth only refer to money?” Not necessarily. For example, if a person harvests ten acres of grain, then regardless of how much grain there is, one acre’s worth of this grain ought to ultimately be offered to God—this one tenth is what people should offer up. Thus, the concept of “one tenth” does not just refer to money—it doesn’t just mean that when a person earns a thousand dollars, they must offer God a hundred—instead it refers to everything people obtain, which covers much more, including material things and money. This is what the Bible talks about. Of course, nowadays the house of God does not go by the Bible in so strictly requiring that people give one-tenth of everything they obtain. Here I am merely fellowshipping and disseminating the concept and definition of the “one tenth,” so that people know that the tithe is one aspect of offerings. I am not calling upon people to offer one tenth; how much people offer depends on their personal comprehension and willingness, and the house of God does not have any additional requirements with regard to this matter.

Another aspect of offerings is the things that people offer to God. Broadly speaking, this of course also includes the tithe; specifically speaking, apart from the tithe, anything that people offer to God falls into the category of offerings. A large scope is encompassed by things that are offered to God, for example, food, appliances, daily necessities, health supplements, as well as the cows, sheep, and so on that were offered on the altar during the Old Testament times. These are all offerings. Whether something is an offering depends on the intent of the offerer; if the offerer says this thing is offered to God, then regardless of whether it is given directly to God or placed in the house of God for safeguarding, it falls into the category of offerings, and cannot be arbitrarily touched by people. By way of example: When someone buys a high-end computer and offers it to God, it becomes an offering; when someone buys God a car, it becomes an offering; when someone buys two bottles of health supplements and offers them to God, those bottles then become offerings. There’s no specific, definite definition of what the material items offered to God are. In sum, it’s a very broad scope—it’s the things that are offered to God by those who follow Him. Some may say, “God is now incarnate on earth, and things offered to Him belong to Him—but what if He weren’t on earth? When God’s in heaven, are the things offered to Him then not offerings?” Is this correct? (No.) This isn’t based on whether God’s in a period of incarnation. In any case, so long as something is offered to God, it’s an offering. Others may say, “There are so many things that are offered to God. Can He make use of them? Can He use them all?” (That has nothing to do with man.) That’s a correct and incisive way to put it. These things are offered to God by humans; how He uses them and whether He can use them all, and how He allocates and handles them, have nothing to do with man. There’s no need to fret or worry yourself about that. In brief, as soon as someone offers something to God, that thing falls under the scope of offerings. It’s God’s, and it has nothing to do with any person. Some may say, “The way You’re saying it, it sounds as if God is forcibly claiming ownership of that thing.” Is that what’s happening? (No.) That thing is God’s, so it’s called an offering. People can’t touch it or allocate it at will. Some may ask, “Isn’t that a waste?” Even if it is, that’s none of your business. Others may say, “When God is in heaven and not incarnate, He can’t enjoy or make use of the things people offer to Him. What’s to be done then?” That’s easily taken care of: God’s house and the church are there to handle these things according to the principles; there’s no need for you to fret about it or worry yourself about it. In sum, regardless of how a thing is handled, as soon as it falls within the category of offerings, as soon as it’s classified as an offering, it has nothing to do with man. And because that thing belongs to God, people can’t do with it as they will—there are consequences to doing so. In the age of the Old Testament, at harvest-time in the fall, people offered up all sorts of things at altars. Some offered grains, fruits, and various other crops, while others offered cows and sheep. Did God enjoy them? Does He eat those things? (No.) How do you know He doesn’t? Did you see it? That is your notion. You say God doesn’t eat them—well, if He took a bite, how would that make you feel? Would that be out of line with your notions and imaginings? Don’t some people believe that since God doesn’t eat or enjoy those things, there’s no need to offer them? How can you be so sure? Do you say “God doesn’t eat them” because you think that He is a spiritual body and can’t eat, or because you think that God has His identity as God, He’s not fleshly and mortal, and He shouldn’t enjoy these things? Is it shameful of God to enjoy the offerings people make to Him? (No.) Is it out of line with people’s notions, then, or is it out of line with God’s identity? Which is it exactly? (People shouldn’t discuss this.) That’s right—it isn’t something people should concern themselves with. You don’t need to decide that God must enjoy them, or that He shouldn’t enjoy them either. Do what you should, fulfill your duty and your responsibilities, and fulfill your obligations—that will suffice. You will then have completed your job. As for how God will handle those things, that’s His business. Whether God shares them with people, or leaves them to spoil, or whether He enjoys a bit of them, or takes a look at them, this is not open to criticism, and it is legitimate. God has His freedom when it comes to how He handles these matters. It’s not something people should concern themselves with, nor is it something they should pass judgment on. People shouldn’t go arbitrarily imagining about these matters, much less arbitrarily pass judgments or verdicts on them. Do you understand now? How should God handle the offerings people make to Him? (He’ll handle them however He wants to.) That’s right. People who understand this in that way possess normal reason. God will handle these things however He wants to. He may glance at them, or simply not look at them or take any notice of them at all. Concern yourself only with making offerings when the time comes for that, and making offerings when you wish to, according to God’s requirements, and with fulfilling man’s responsibility. Don’t concern yourself with how God handles and treats such matters. In brief, it’s enough if what you do is within the scope of God’s requirements, in line with the standard of conscience, and in line with the duty, obligation, and responsibility of mankind. As for how God handles and treats these items, that’s His own affair, and people absolutely must not pass judgments or verdicts on this. You made a big mistake within just a few seconds. I asked you whether God enjoys or eats these things, and you said He doesn’t eat or enjoy them. What was your mistake? (Passing judgment on God.) It was making rash delimitations and passing rash judgments, and this proves that people still have demands of God inside them. To them, it’s wrong for God to enjoy these things, and it’s wrong for Him not to. If He does, they’ll say, “You’re a spiritual body, not a fleshly, mortal one. Why would you enjoy these things? It’s so unthinkable!” And if God pays no mind to these things, people will then say, “We’ve labored painstakingly to offer up our hearts to You, only for You to not even glance at the items we’ve offered. Do You have any regard for us at all?” Here, too, people have something to say. This is lacking in reason. In summary, what’s the attitude with which people should regard this matter? (People are to offer what they should to God, and as for how God will handle these things, people should have no notions or imaginings about this at all, nor should they pass judgment on it.) Yes—that’s the reason that people should possess. This has to do with items that are offered to God, which are also one aspect of offerings. The material items offered to God include a broad range of things. This is because people live in a material world, and in addition to money, gold, silver, and jewels, there are many more things that they consider to be quite good and valuable, and when some people think of God or they think about God’s love, they are willing to offer that which they consider precious and valuable to God. When these things are offered to God, they fall within the scope of offerings; they become offerings. And at the same time as they become offerings, it becomes up to God to handle them—people then can’t touch them, they are not under the control of people, and they do not belong to people. Once you have offered something to God, it belongs to God, it’s not up to you to handle it, and you can no longer interfere in this matter. Regardless of how God handles or treats that thing, it has nothing to do with man. Material items that are offered to God are also an aspect of offerings. Some people ask, “Can only money and precious gold, silver, and jewels be offerings? Say someone offered a pair of shoes, a pair of socks, or a pair of insoles to God—do they count as offerings?” If we go by the definition of offerings, no matter how big or small, or how precious or cheap something is—even if it is a pen or a piece of paper—as long as it was offered to God, it is an offering.

There is another aspect of offerings: material items which are offered to the house of God and the church. These things also fall into the category of offerings. What do such material items include? Say, for example, someone bought a car, and after driving it for a while, they felt it had gotten a little old, and they then bought a new one, and offered the old one to the house of God, so that the house of God could use it in its work. This car then belongs to God’s house. Things that belong to the house of God should be classed as offerings—this is right. Of course, devices and equipment aren’t the only things that are offered to the church and the house of God, there are some other things, too; this scope is fairly large. Some people say, “The one tenth that people offer of all they obtain is an offering, as are the money and material items offered to God; we have no objection to these being classed as offerings, there’s nothing questionable about this. But why do the material items offered to the church and the house of God also fall into the category of offerings? That doesn’t make much sense.” Tell Me, does it make sense for them to be classed as offerings? (Yes.) And why do you say that? (The church only exists because God exists, and so anything that’s offered to the church is also an offering.) Well said. The church and the house of God belong to God, and they only exist because God exists; there is only a place for the brothers and sisters to gather and live because the church exists, and all the problems of the brothers and sisters only have somewhere to be solved, and the brothers and sisters only have a true home, because there is the house of God. All of this only exists on the foundation of God’s existence. People don’t offer things to the church and to the house of God because the people in the church believe in God and are members of the house of God—that is not the correct reason. It is because of God that people offer things to the church and to the house of God. What is the implication of this? Who would offer things to the church lightly if not because of God? Without God, the church would not exist. When people have things that they don’t need or that are surplus to requirements, they could throw them away or let them go unused; some items could be sold, too. All these methods could be used to deal with these things, right? So why don’t people deal with them in these ways—why do they offer them to the church instead? Is it not because of God? (Yes.) It is precisely because God exists that people offer things to the church. Therefore, anything that is offered to the church or the house of God should be classed as an offering. Some people say, “I offer this thing of mine to the church.” Offering that thing to the church is equivalent to offering it to God, and the church and the house of God have full authority over the handling of such things. When you offer something to the church, it loses any connection to you. The house of God and the church will sensibly allocate, use, and handle these material items according to the principles stipulated by the house of God. So, where do these principles come from? From God. Basically, the principle for the use of these things is that they should be used for God’s management plan, and for spreading God’s gospel work. They are not for the exclusive use of any individual, much less any group of people, but are to be used for the work of spreading the gospel and for the various items of work of the house of God. Therefore, no one has the privilege to use these things; the only principle and basis for their use and allocation is to do so according to the principles required by the house of God. This is reasonable and proper.

These are the three parts of the definition of offerings, each of which is the definition of one aspect of offerings, and one aspect of their scope. You’re all clear on what offerings are now, right? (Yes.) There were previously some who said, “This thing isn’t money, and the person who offered it didn’t say it was for God. They just said they were offering it. So, it can’t be for the use of God’s house, and much less can it be given to God.” And so, they kept no record of it, and they used that thing in secret as they pleased. Is that reasonable? (No.) What they said is itself unreasonable; they also said, “Offerings to the church and to God’s house are common property—anyone can use them,” which is clearly unreasonable. It’s precisely because most people are fuzzy and unclear about the definition and concept of offerings that some base villains and some people with covetous hearts and improper aspirations take advantage of the situation and think about seizing those things. Now that you’re clear on the accurate definition and concept of offerings, you’ll have discernment when you encounter such events and people in the future.