Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. Romans 15:28-33
“Paul makes use of a figure from tenant farming. When the tenant farmer delivered the harvested fruit to the owner, it was marked with the farmer’s seal as identification. Realizing the importance of this collection, Paul wants it to be known as coming from the churches founded by his labors in the Lord’s farm. Paul implies that he is still under suspicion in Jerusalem. This prompts him to ask the Roman Church to pray for three things in 15:30-32: that no danger might befall him from unbelievers in Judea, that his collection may be received in the proper spirit, that he might eventually come to Rome with a joyous heart.”
William Bicksler in A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (Oak Ridge: Holy Fire, 2005) 297.
Paul’s ultimate aim was to bring God’s people together with this effort. Some Jews had not welcomed these Gentile believers, so Paul was hoping this collection would win them over. This fruit demonstrated the authenticity of the faith of the Gentile Christians. It was bagged up with a “seal” to communicate the integrity of the process. Doing it this way would build trust between the givers, the couriers, and the recipients of the giving.
Today, giving projects that support God’s work around the world must likewise be handled with integrity. For a modern example from the USA, the ECFA seal sends a message to givers and recipients of giving that the collecting and spending of ministry funds has happened with integrity. Hopefully with the launch of AfCAA this week in Kenya, the same confidence will be nurtured among givers and recipients of giving all across Africa.
Does your church or ministry have a seal on the gifts it processes?
In these five countries, God has raised up peer accountability groups with such seals: the USA (ECFA), South Korea (CCFK), the Philippines (CCTA), Australia (CMASC), and Africa (AfCAA). The seals of these five groups remind people that giving is the fruit of God’s work in the lives of people. The seals declare that giving is handled with integrity, and they enhance trust between givers, ministry workers, and the recipients of giving.
If you want to know how your organization can join ECFA or one of these other groups, email me at gary@ecfa.org. I dedicate about one-quarter of my time advancing the faithful administration of God’s work globally in my service with ECFA as International Liaison. I do this because it aligns with my life mission of encouraging Christian generosity. These peer accountability groups give people confidence to give generously in these countries.