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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Christian Association of Nigeria has taken a swipe at the General Overseer of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, over his claim that giving a “first fruit” offering can wipe away sins, including those committed by fraudsters.

CAN described the cleric’s claim as “heresy,” warning Nigerians against being misled by preachers of “dubious theological background.”

Fufeyin made the claim while delivering a sermon at his church.

According to him, the first fruit brings miraculous blessings and forgiveness.

First fruit is the Christian practice of offering the first and best portion of a person’s harvest, income, or earnings to God as an act of gratitude and faith.

Rooted in Old Testament teachings, the tradition is believed to honour God with the first yield of one’s labour.

Popularly called Papa J by his members, Fufeyin has been a subject of controversies, particularly on social media where many of his teachings and activities have sparked widespread criticism.

The Warri-based cleric has been criticised for promoting and selling his miracle products, including special soaps, oil, and perfumes, which he claimed could solve various personal, spiritual and health challenges.

His critics have accused him of exploiting vulnerable followers by commercialising faith.

In 2024, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, launched investigations into some of his spiritual products over claims that they were capable of healing infertility and other medical conditions.

In a video circulating on social media, the cleric insisted that first fruit offerings carry such spiritual weight that they could override even the gravest of sins.

Although the cleric made the claim in a sermon he delivered in January 2022, the clip, which resurfaced online, has drawn criticism from many Nigerians.

The cleric, who was encouraging his members to come with their first fruits to the church, said, “Your first income, please let it pain you, try God with it. Not that there are no blessings in the year, but the first fruit that you carry once you give it unto the Lord, it breaks protocols, even your sins, it cancels them.”

According to him, just like Jesus Christ was offered as God’s first fruit for the redemption of mankind, believers who give their first earnings to God would also enjoy forgiveness and abundance.

“When God sees that this man (pointing to a man in the congregation) is a fraudster, called 419, but because of the first fruit, God said when He was at the place when the angels were ascending and descending, He said, I the Lord, God of Israel, God of Abraham, I’m surely behind you because of first fruit, that is the product of first fruit,” the cleric said to the cheering of his congregation.

But reacting to the cleric’s claim, the National Director of National Issues and Social Welfare of CAN, Abimbola Ayuba said God is not fraudulent, adding that He does not “share booty with crooks” or condone sin simply because of offerings given in church.

He said, “Heresy and false teaching. CAN does not join issues with people of doubtful theological background. CAN recognises approved speakers and men of God in the five blocs, which constitute CAN. It recognises sound theological teachings and respects the various do tribes of its members.

“CAN does not associate with persons of dubious background who manipulate innocent Nigerians and fleece them of their hard earned resources.

God is not fraudulent. He has more treasures than any one man. He has everything under his control. He is not a thief that shares booty with crooks.”

Also reacting, the Lagos State Chairman of CAN, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, dismissed the sermon as unbiblical.

He challenged Fufeyin to provide scriptural evidence for his position, warning that such teachings could embolden people to continue in sin with the hope that their yearly offering would absolve them.

“He (Fufeyin) is preaching out of context and he does not know what he is talking about, but we should not be disturbed by such preachers because the Bible says at end-time, there will be false teachers that are not called by God but they will say God has called them.

“He should let us know where God gave such instruction in the scripture that when you do that then your sins are forgiven, so you can go on sinning with the hope that you have something to give at the beginning of the year,” Adegbite said.

Efforts to get Fufeyin to clarify his claims in the sermon were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to his known mobile line were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.

When our correspondent called the phone number listed on the church’s official website, a female respondent declined to give a direct response.

“If what you see on social (media) is what you people want to believe, no problem. What you people normally do on social media, what they preach is different from what you people interpret, so if you want to know about the scriptures or whatever thing he (Fufeyin) said, you will come down to the church and look for the admin of the church and through the admin you will get to the media to get the real copy of the message,” the respondent, who refused to give her name, said.