“Extortion turns wise people into fools: And bribes corrupt the heart” –Ecclesiastes 7:7.
Now that should be pretty clear to even a primary school student. But just to remove any uncertainty, let’s provide some definitions. Extortion: using one’s position of influence or authority to demand favours or money unlawfully. Bribery: offering favours or money to influence others unlawfully.
The extortioner demands; the one bribing offers. The first compels others against their will. The second willing gives in order to obtain his own will. Extortion and Bribery are really terrible twins.
Let me illustrate. The professor demands sex from his female student or he will not grant her a passing score: That is Extortion. Conversely, the student freely offers to have sex with the lecturer in order to obtain a high mark in his course: That is Bribery. Becoming clearer? Consider these further.
In the office of the Federal Minister of Internal Affairs, an inquirer is told by the clerk at the desk that the Minister is not on seat. Naira passes between two hands. The clerk then “checks” with the P.R.O. and announces, “Oh, he has just returned to his office; you can go in.” Extorting Bribes.
At the MVD office the clerk is awakened from her slumber at the desk in order to file a routine request. “There’s a N1,500 processing fee for that.” When a receipt is requested, the reply is: “We don’t issue receipts for those small amounts.” Stacks of dusty paperwork testify to those who did not comply.
“Park well!” Road Safety forces you off the road into their tangled spider-web of imaginary regulations. “Where is your approved red reflective triangle affixed to your boot? Your tires are 1 cm too shallow for safe travel. There is a pit on your windscreen.” The next vehicle overloaded with passengers and goods, smoking, and barely able to move, places N100 into an awaiting hand without even stopping.
The contractor submits his carefully prepared bid along with his brown envelope of “appreciation.” The bid includes kickback for the minister awarding the contract. Everyone is happy. Extorting Bribes.
Extortion and Bribery are evils that the God of Truth will never bless or approve of. “Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and demand payoffs. Therefore the Lord Almighty declares, ‘I will avenge Myself on My enemies. I will turn My hand against you’” –Isaiah 1:23-25.
“In you they take bribes to shed blood; you are loan racketeers taking excessive interest. You have made unjust gain of your neighbours by extortion everywhere. You have forgotten Me and never even think of Me and My commands, says the Lord God” –Ezekiel 22:12.
“Their homes, enriched through bribery, will burn” –Job 15:34. “The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom: Extortioners will not inherit the kingdom of God” 1 Corinthians 6:10. Repent or perish.
Who then will be qualified to enter that holy place? “He who walks honestly and righteously and speaks with sincerity; he who refuses to profit by extortion and stays far away from bribes” –Isaiah 33:15.
“The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice” –Proverbs 17:23. And should you do, you will also be taken away “with sinners whose hands are dirty with wicked schemes, whose hands constantly take bribes” –Psalms 26:9,10.
Extorting Bribes makes otherwise sensible people into fools, corrupts their heart, and destroys all sense of justice. Nothing can be normal and right when these are practiced. They corrupt the ones who demand them, those who give them, the ones who receive them, and the people who tolerate them.
In all of the Bible passages cited, those people claimed that they were the people of the God of Truth: the Holy One. But they were self-deceived; no true believer can practice Extorting Bribes.
And their rulers led the way. It is systemic in the so-called church of our generation. “Men of God” use their positions of authority and oppressive rule to Extort money from congregations under threats of cursing. They and their “church” will refuse “proper” burial of members who fail to meet their demands.
Congregations bring their “seed-faith” offerings, firstfruits, and prophet’s gifts in order to Bribe the God of heaven to receive their longed for “breakthroughs” and obtain lustfully pursued “prosperity.”
“Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live” –Proverbs 15:27.
Root and branch alike are fools and corrupt. No heaven awaits those Extorting Bribes.