Restitution Is A Necessary Act Of Righteousness
Restore what you have obtained in a false way,
that the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit
shall fill your heart and life.
For you are the sons of the living God.
And do not take whatever that does not belong to you.
By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze
What Is Restitution?
Restitution means returning what you have obtained in an unjust way, by cheating people or God. The Lord expects you to serve Him with a conscience and life devoid of offence toward God and toward man. Therefore, you have to take corrective actions over your past life, according to the word of God in the Scripture.
For example, many people did not pay their tithes or offer first fruits because their church did not teach them about tithes and first fruits. Now that you have known about tithes and first fruits, you have to start paying or offering them. And if possible you can repay for the previous omissions by gradual refund.
Why Restitution Is Important
Angels will deny you entry into the kingdom of heaven if you fail to restore what you obtained in an unjust way. The worst is when you willfully refuse to restore what does not belong to you. Going to confession is not enough. And the best confession is going to the person you offended and asking for forgiveness.
How To Perform Restitution
Restitution involves:
- Settling your differences with those offended by you.
- Paying back your just debts.
- Returning stolen property.
- Apologizing for lies told, false claims, fraudulent acts.
- Dissolving your unscriptural marriage union.
- Given up false certificates, oaths and affidavits.
- Where you can no longer pay back, go to the person offended and ask for forgiveness.
- Refund salaries paid for absent days or months.
- Return office or company materials taken without permission.
- Stop telling co-workers to write you name in the attendance register, as if you are present at 8.00am, when you are not even in the office.
- Return money collected on the behalf of ghost workers.
- For those who collect monies apart from the amount approved by the government. For example, collection of N20 by the police, collection of extra money as an agent when you are already being paid by the office, collection of fuel levy by tax agents, etc.
- For those who are not paying their tithes, start now to pay tithes. And if possible, refund previous tithes that were not paid. The same thing applies to first fruits, harvests, etc.
Restitution Is A Law
1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed. 3 If the sun has risen on him, there shall be guilt for his bloodshed. He should make full restitution ; if he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the theft is certainly found alive in his hand, whether it is an ox or donkey or sheep, he shall restore double.
5 "If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed, and lets loose his animal, and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own vineyard.
6 "If fire breaks out and catches in thorns, so that stacked grain, standing grain, or the field is consumed, he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution .
Exodus 22:1-6
9 "For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor. 10 If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies, is hurt, or driven away, no one seeing it, 11 then an oath of the LORD shall be between them both, that he has not put his hand into his neighbor's goods; and the owner of it shall accept that, and he shall not make it good. 12 But if, in fact, it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to the owner of it. 13 If it is torn to pieces by a beast, then he shall bring it as evidence, and he shall not make good what was torn.
Exodus 22:9-13
Jesus Laments Because People Not Practicing Restitution
Jesus told me this in tears, "Even workers are going about without doing restitution. I have made up My mind from the ages that no sin will enter heaven.”
Why is Jesus particularly concerned with workers? It is because the workers have no reason to give for not performing restitution. The workers earn salary, out of which they can pay their debts. The same thing applies to all who have money-making ventures.
Some Scriptural References
14 "Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he hath robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live." Ezekiel 33:14-16
3 "But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife." Genesis 20:1-18
7 "And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, for as much as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:7-10
34 "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke 21:34-36
That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requires that which is past." Ecclesiastes 3:15
3 "Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before His anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness."
1 Samuel 12:3-5
"And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."
Acts 23:1
"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men."
Acts 24:16