First Fruits Offering: Should Christians Give It?

First fruit is a common phrase we hear as Christians. You may have heard about it in church, but don’t understand its concept.

In this post, we’ll explore what the Bible says about first fruits, so you become more informed on this topic. Let’s dive in.

What does the Bible say about First Fruits in the Old Testament?

In the old testament, God instructed His people to offer Him their first fruits.

We see this in several verses like:

Exodus 23:19

The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk. (KJV)

The chapter that explains the firstfruit offering is Deuteronomy 26. I advise you to read the whole chapter.

1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; (KJV)

 2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. (KJV)

Another scripture is Leviticus 23:10

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: (KJV)

Let’s bring it into context. God had delivered the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land; and here, God is saying when you sow in the land I have given you and you reap a harvest, bring a measure from that harvest into My temple. The purpose of this was to honor God for bringing them into the Promised Land. It carries no stated promise of future harvest or specific blessing (please note, every act of giving instructed by God carries a blessing because every genuine giver must receive a harvest of his giving; what I mean here is that God didn’t say bring the firstfruit into my house and you would always have a harvest like he did for tithe).

Second, the first fruit offering wasn’t about giving the entire harvest. In our world today, it also doesn’t mean giving your entire salary or income. It’s about giving a part.

What does the Bible say about First Fruits in the New Testament?

Now that we have established the origin, basis and method of giving the firstfruit, let’s see some bible verses about the first fruit in the new testament.

Romans 8:23

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (KJV)

Romans 8:16 

For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 15:20-23

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept….But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. (KJV)

Revelations 14:4

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. (KJV)

James 1:18 

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (KJV)

None of these scriptures refer to firstfruit as an offering to be presented; rather, they refer to first fruit as a description of an entity.

Law or Grace

Now, as redeemed children of God; we are not under law anymore but under grace. That’s because Christ has fulfilled the law, thus we are no longer under it.

Matthew 5:17 

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (KJV)

The law is not destroyed i.e. we won’t say it doesn’t exist but Jesus has fulfilled it what this means is that he has abided by all the law (he is the only one able to live without breaking the law) for us and in him we live under grace.

Romans 7: 6 

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (KJV)

We are called to serve now, not under the law but under the spirit. That means the law shouldn’t guide all our actions, but the Holy Spirit who leads in our hearts.

Some argue that the law is still in place and we should still follow it. Assuming this is true, does it mean we cherry-pick the laws to uphold?

If we pay firstfruits according to the law, should we also pay grain offering, sin offering, celebrate the feast of unleavened bread, feast of harvest, feast of in gatherings, etc? Why do we pay only first fruits and neglect other offerings? Aren’t they also commanded under the law? The book of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy are full of many laws that the Israelites lived by; should we pick and abide only by some?

The Bible says in James 2:10-12

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. (KJV)

So there you have it. We can choose to live under the law or under the finished work of Jesus when he carried the burden of the law and nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 2: 14 -20 (KJV)

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances

21 Touch not; taste not; handle not;

22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. 

Conclusion

Paying the first fruit offering isn’t giving of an entire harvest, salary, or income. It’s giving a portion or measure. While the Israelites practiced it as instructed, Jesus has fulfilled the law and thus it isn’t required of us under the finished work of Jesus. That said, you can still offer it of your own will and not under compulsion by the law or guilt. Deciding to give a portion or all of your income to God as a sign of honor is willful giving and is between you and God.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.