SLAVES IN THE HOUSE: THE BONDAGE OF THEFT

SLAVES IN THE HOUSE: THE BONDAGE OF THEFT

Jerry Adesewo

A pastor recently said something deeply profound that stayed with me: “Those who steal are slaves, because no child should steal from their parents.” It struck me immediately, not just for its poetic resonance but for its deep spiritual truth. Stealing, in any form, is not simply a moral failing or a criminal offence; it is an identity crisis. It reveals a heart that has lost its sense of sonship, a mind that no longer sees itself as belonging, as trusted, or as free.

When politicians and public servants steal from the coffers of the nation, despite their wealth and privilege, they are not powerful—they are pitiable. They live not as kings, but as slaves: slaves to greed, slaves to fear, slaves to a sense of worthlessness that whispers that what is legitimately theirs can never be enough. They steal not because they need, but because they are driven by a deep bondage of insecurity and spiritual poverty. And like all slaves, they must be delivered—or perish in their chains. This I will deal with in another article, for another audience and time.

Read Also: The Badge We Didn’t Ask For: Reflections on JP Craze

WHEN THIEVES HIDE BEHIND THE CROSS

Yet, if stealing from the nation is tragic, stealing from the church is utterly terrifying. It is one thing to dip your hand in the public purse; it is another to steal from the house of God, under the very eyes of the Almighty.

There are church treasurers and administrators who quietly divert offerings and tithes. Some do it subtly: pocketing “change” from project funds, inflating invoices, taking vendor kickbacks, and manipulating financial reports. Others are bolder: outrightly embezzling large sums, acquiring private assets through the generosity of congregants, or ghosting figures in church budgets.

Even more heartbreaking is when funds meant as ‘honorarium’ for Guest Ministers are split, with only half released and the other half “managed” by those in charge, as if they are doing God a favour. The Pastor went on to narrate how for years, he only got N50,000 honorarium from a particular church he ministered to at least once a month, as against N200,000 approved by the Church.

I have heard the story told severally—of how a brother, and sometimes even sisters, gather financial contributions from fellow brethren, in what our mothers of old will call, “Owo Oniru, Owo Alata,” only to vanish from the church without any form of explanation, without accountability, and sadly, without even a shred of remorse. What is even more disturbing is the air of entitlement with which they carry themselves, as though the Church owes them the very resources meant for the collective good.

These acts go beyond financial mismanagement. They are a betrayal of trust, a mockery of sacred things. They reduce the altar to a trading floor and turn God’s people into merchandise. The Apostle Paul was right when he said, “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), but what happens when that root grows and thrives right inside the temple?

We must understand that such people, regardless of their titles, seniority, or piety, are living in bondage. They are no longer functioning as sons and daughters of the Kingdom, but as orphans who think they must grab what they can before the lights go out. In their minds, the church is not a spiritual family; it is a business. And because they see themselves not as heirs, but as hustlers, they behave like hirelings who must steal to survive.

But hear me clearly: no true son steals from his father. No genuine daughter embezzles from her mother. To steal from the house of God is to declare independence from the God of the house. It is to say, “I do not belong here. I must take what I want, because I am not sure I will be taken care of.” That, my friend, is slavery, not freedom.

THE SPIRIT OF EASTER: A CALL TO REPENTANCE

As we stand in the light of Easter, the most sacred season of our faith, we must reflect deeply on what this season truly means. Easter is not about bunnies, new clothes, or fine feasts—it is about a bloody cross, a borrowed tomb, and an empty grave. It is about redemption from sin, restoration to sonship, and the resurrection of hope for all who repent and return.

This is the season when the slave is invited to become a son. Where the thief is offered mercy instead of judgment. Where Judas Iscariot, even after dipping his bread in the same bowl as Christ, might have found forgiveness had he truly repented. But alas, his guilt led him not to the cross, but to the noose.

We still see modern-day Judases—leaders who sell out their ministries for a handful of silver. Worshippers who think the altar is an ATM. Elders who come to church not to serve, but to scheme. Ushers who serve in the finance department only for pilfering purposes. But we also see modern-day Peters—those who, after falling, weep bitterly and are restored. Which one will you be?

It is time for the Church—yes, the global Church and every local expression of it—to clean house. It is time for ushers and stewards to resist the temptation to pocket what belongs to God, and for every member of the body to reject the lie that church money is “everybody’s money” and therefore nobody’s. It is God’s money. And God sees it all.

SLAVERY IS NOT OUR PORTION

From the pulpit this week, I speak not just to pastors and politicians, but to every believer who has ever found themselves tempted by what doesn’t belong to them. Stealing is not just a sin—it is a sign of bondage. You are better than that. You were made for more. You are a son, not a slave. You are a daughter, not a drifter. You belong to God.

If you have stolen from the church, repent. Make restitution. Come clean and let grace do what only grace can do. If you’ve stolen from people, remember Zacchaeus, who restored four times what he had taken. Christ called him “a son of Abraham” that day, not because he was perfect, but because he repented.

This Easter, may the light of Christ shine on every dark corner of your hearts. May every form of spiritual slavery be broken. May every thief find forgiveness, and every soul be restored to its rightful place in the Father’s house.

For no child should steal from their parents, and no Christian should live like a slave.

Happy Easter! See you again next week.

 

 

 

SLAVES IN THE HOUSE: THE BONDAGE OF THEFT