Today’s Practice of First Fruits
I believe the concept of first fruit can be practiced today, but with the right heart and understanding.
Giving the first fruits is a declaration that says:
“God, I acknowledge that You brought me here. This is the first thing coming out of this new place You’ve brought me into, and I have brought it to honour You.”
Proverbs 3:9 (NIV) – “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops”.
Deuteronomy 26:9–10 (ESV) – “And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.”
READ ALSO: WHICH GOSPEL?
What Are “New Places” Today?
New places may be:
- A new job
- A business breakthrough
- A season of transition or independence, etc.
James 1:17 (NKJV) – “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV) – “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
When God brings you into a new place, giving your first fruit is a way of saying, “Lord, I know You are the one who opened this door for me.”
I was not forced; I chose to give everything. If someone else had decided to give only ₦2,000 out of their ₦10,000 salary, that’s perfectly fine. It’s not in the amount, it’s the attitude of honor.
What I did wasn’t wrong; it was meaningful. It was my way of saying: “God, I’m starting my career. I really need this money, but I honor You enough to give it to You at the beginning.”
Yes, God may still honor such extreme giving because of the faith it requires, but that does not make it His command. He blesses faith, not manipulation.
So, the first fruits are the first produce from a new field, or the first salary from a new job, and even then, the command was to bring some, not all of it (Deut. 26:2, 2 Chronicles 31:5, Exo 34:22-23, 26).
READ NEXT: FIRST FRUITS (PART 5)
