Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:23 provide a clear framework for understanding Christian responsibility:
“These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
Though spoken in the context of tithes, justice, mercy, and faithfulness, Jesus made two things unmistakably clear. First, He affirmed tithing when He said, “these you ought to have done.” Second, He rebuked neglect of mercy and justice when He added, “without neglecting the others.” The problem was not giving—it was imbalanced obedience.
This teaching remains deeply relevant to today’s Church. Modern Christianity, particularly in its emphasis on tithes, offerings, seeds, and projects, has elevated institutional survival and expansion while human lives quietly decay. Giving has become the loudest drum in churches, yet mercy and justice—the very things Jesus weighted as “greater matters”—are often sidelined.
When giving sustains institutions at the expense of lives, something is fundamentally wrong. Mercy—defined as compassion, kindness, and practical care—and judgment—rooted in justice and fairness—are central to God’s expectations. Service to humanity is service to God. When this is absent, repentance is not optional; it is urgent.
Both institutions and lives matter, but Scripture is clear on priority. Jesus is coming back for people, not buildings. He said, “Let the little children come to me,” but concerning institutions He declared, “Not one stone shall be left upon another.” Institutions are not rapturable; souls are.
Yet many Christians appear more committed to maintaining structures than to rescuing people whose suffering is often linked to economic injustice, poor leadership, and systemic failure. To ignore these realities while celebrating religious prosperity is to contradict the mission of Christ—and to indirectly serve the agenda of the one who “goes about seeking whom he may devour.”
Consider this real-life illustration from a church within the Abuja metropolis.
On a regular Sunday service attended by fewer than 200 congregants, the pastor appealed for an offering to support the needy. The members gave, and the total amounted to just over ₦100,000, which was shared among the poor.
A few weeks later, the same congregation was asked to give an offering for “the work of God.” This time, the offering totaled ₦26 million.
The contrast is troubling. It exposes a gradual shift in Christian attention—from helping one another to sustaining institutions alone. Yet Jesus explicitly identified Himself with the needy when He said, “I was hungry, and you gave Me food.” Glittering church structures alongside neglected souls create frustration, and frustration often breeds crime, sin, and the very social evils the Church later condemns.
This is not an argument against giving to God’s work. Rather, it is a call for biblical balance. As Jesus Himself instructed:
“These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.” (Matthew 23:23)
As Christians give faithfully within their denominations, they must also give deliberately to neighbors, families, church members, coworkers, and those in genuine need. Any Christianity that preserves institutions while abandoning people has missed the heart of Christ.