Nigerian pastor, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, has come under criticism for preaching that giving a “first fruit” offering to the church can lead to the forgiveness of sins, even those committed by fraudsters.
Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, who leads Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, made the claim in a sermon he delivered to his congregation.
In a clip from the sermon, which has resurfaced online and attracted attention, he told his followers that their first income of the year should be given entirely to the church. According to him, doing so would not only bring about blessings but could also erase even the worst sins.
“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,” Fufeyin said while addressing his church members.
He went further to give an example during the sermon, suggesting that even individuals known for fraudulent activities could receive God’s support if they offered their first fruit.
“When God sees that this man 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,” he told his congregation.
The practice of giving a first fruit is based on the idea of offering the initial portion of one’s earnings or harvest to God. This tradition has roots in Old Testament scripture and is often seen as an expression of faith and gratitude.
However, Fufeyin’s interpretation, particularly his claim that this act can cancel sins, has drawn criticism from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
CAN described the teaching as “heresy” and said it was not only misleading but also dangerous, especially for individuals who might believe they can continue to live in sin as long as they give offerings at the start of the year.
Abimbola Ayuba, who is the National Director of National Issues and Social Welfare for CAN, said that such teachings are not recognized by the association and should be rejected. According to him, “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.”
He added that God does not approve of sinful behavior just because someone donates money or gifts to the church. “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.”
Bishop Stephen Adegbite, who is the chairman of CAN in Lagos State, also rejected the message in Fufeyin’s sermon. He said it has no basis in the Bible and challenged the preacher to back up his statements with scripture. Adegbite warned that this kind of message could make people feel free to continue sinning as long as they plan to give a special offering later on.
“He 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.
This is not the first time that Prophet Fufeyin has been the focus of public attention. He is often seen on social media sharing teachings and promoting products that he claims can solve spiritual, personal, and health problems. These products include oils, soaps, and perfumes, all of which he sells through his ministry. Critics have accused him of taking advantage of people’s desperation and using religion as a way to make money.
In 2024, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control began investigations into several of his products following claims that they could treat infertility and other health problems.
Despite repeated efforts by journalists to get clarification from Prophet Fufeyin on the comments he made during his sermon, no response has been received. Phone calls and text messages to his known mobile number were not answered. A call placed to the number listed on the church’s website was answered by a woman who declined to speak on the matter. She said, “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.”
