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RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread

 
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RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/9/2005 7:21:23 PM  1 votes
kmangel


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I think if a person is questioning where money is being spent, it may be God calling that person to get involved in those money areas. How often I hear people complain about one thing or another in church. It may very well be things are not as they should be. I catch myself if I complain about something now, because if it's bothering me, it may be God's moving me to speak up and dig in to help in that area. If there's not enough or too much of anything, get involved and let God work through us to make a difference.
Post #: 26
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/10/2005 12:06:04 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ABConversation
Perhaps it was the peoples' heart of Christ that justified building. I hope their intentions were to bring glory to God, which is what we should do always.


Good intentions:

1) do not make for an obedience servant, and
2) are not a suitable substitute for obedience.

quote:

Perhaps this was an avenue to bring a disconnected generation into a comfortable environment in which a believer is now able to preach the Good News.


Well, this all is some fine sounding justifications for breaking away from the authority, commands and examples of scripture, but in the end, we're still faced with the harsh realities of God's word where it says in Prov. 14:12, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

quote:

On another note, there are some who want to praise God with the organ, others don't. Some still go to the organ playing church and there are some who unfortunately don't go at all. But if they can find a church opposite of the organ playing type and that's their flavor, so be it; as long as it stay Biblically taught.


I don't recall any mention of an organ in John 4:23, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." That sounds more like a way of life than it does about tools, instruments, methodologies, or anything else man has concocted from his own imaginations.

HK
Post #: 27
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/10/2005 10:37:33 AM   
museltof

 

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Tithing?

Its appropriation (mis-appropriation?) by just about every false teacher means that bone-fide Christian churches should now separate themselves from this practise.

You say it is biblical? But so are animal sacrifices and concubinage - but our Lord wants us to learn discernment.

Here is an article which sums up this whole thing:
The Truth about Tithing
Post #: 28
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/11/2005 9:09:21 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ABConversation

To justify tithing to a church, it is like paying membership dues. Once you become a member you are obligated to give 10% to the church to pay for it's inefficient ways of handling the moeny (too much overhead, like paying bills and not going to where it should go, i.e. poor). If this is the case, it is better not to become a member of church, since anything you give is from the heart.


Organized religion isn't representative of the Church. There exists no parellel between today's system of institutional "church" orgainzations and the NT texts. The Church exists in spite of institutional organizations, not because of them.

HK
Post #: 29
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/11/2005 9:30:18 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: kmangel

Are you in a community of believers?


Every day, although not within the context of institutionalized community. Putting the terms "institutionalized" and "community" together is a bit of an oxymoron, kind of like saying "true lies".

quote:

I think God allows us to worship Him outside of organized religious establishments,


Worship, according to God's word ("spirit" and "truth"), is a way of life rather than a religious exercise.

quote:

so I am curious where you meet with other believers.


In homes mostly. Sometimes even outdoors.

quote:

You believe God led you out of one place. If that is true, then I believe He also was leading you to another. Where did you find yourself?


In the wilderness...the very place Jesus walked and lived. It's in this place that I've discovered the true depths of my faith, and the hidden sin that needed to be weeded out of my life. Religion has a tendency to give one a false sense of security in shallow spirituality. The Lord helped me to recognize that the stirrings in my soul were rumblings of a desire for something with far greater substance and depth.

quote:

Do you collect money in your group? How do you determine the amount to collect?


The need is what determines how, what, and how much is given.

quote:

And how do you determine where to spend the money?


Spending money is a completely unknown concept to us. Meeting in homes, or in parks, in the country, at the lake, or wherever else we decide to meet, we're free from communal real estate, buildings, and their inherent financial burdens, we have no such worries. We maintain the simplicity of which Christ exemplified. The desire for large numbers of people in one place isn't wrong in and of itself, but it almost always creates a sense of need for ecclesiastical fetters that generally lead to religious bondages that find themsleves to be antithetical to biblical commands and examples.

HK
Post #: 30
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/11/2005 12:56:54 PM   
shouldknowbetter

 

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museltof,

Thanks for posting the link, it's a very good article.

heavenskeys,

quoted:
"Worship, according to God's word ("spirit" and "truth"), is a way of life rather than a religious exercise."


Amen, and I think many people miss that "way of life" and just put on thier religion Sunday morning and then take it off again Sunday night. They complain about those others working on Sunday while eating lunch at thier local restaurant after Sunday service. Talk about so and so backsliding because they were not present this morning, etc, etc, etc... All the while content with the feeling that thier tithe and attendance has justified them and/or made them right with God somehow. And the worst part is they are completely ignorant of thier own condition.
Post #: 31
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/11/2005 5:31:01 PM   
Psalm22


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Seconding SKB on both the thanks for the link and his comments on "way of life" (something I'm guilty of & need to work on).

_____________________________

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Rev. 22:17
Post #: 32
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/12/2005 12:55:43 AM   
servant316

 

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I don't see the false prophets out there stating that you shouldn't pay tithes. However, I do see them proclaiming prosperity to every Christian and all we have to do is plant a seed and God has to give us money.

If anyone would like a good bible study on tithing you can go to

http://home.att.net/~christopher316/

It is a free bible study with all of the tithes mentioned in it. The regular tithe, 2nd tithe, 3rd year tithe and also the tithe to the Aaroni Priesthood. If a person really wants answers to this teaching, then this would be a good place to start.
Post #: 33
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/12/2005 10:32:04 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: servant316
http://home.att.net/~christopher316/

It is a free bible study with all of the tithes mentioned in it. The regular tithe, 2nd tithe, 3rd year tithe and also the tithe to the Aaroni Priesthood. If a person really wants answers to this teaching, then this would be a good place to start.


That study didn''t deal with the fact that the tithe went for the meeting of needs rather than real estate and buildings. No teaching is complete if it fails to deal with the governing examples and commands surrounding a practice. Organizational church institutions are dead wrong in what they're doing with the tithe, and have been doing for many centuries.

HK
Post #: 34
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/12/2005 11:02:42 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: servant316
If anyone would like a good bible study on tithing you can go to

http://home.att.net/~christopher316/


Here is a quote of question #2 from that study:

quote:

Question 2

Of all the spoils of war, what percentage does the bible state that Abram is to required to give to Melchizedek?


The answer to this question, of course, is ZERO. The text speaks of absolutely no requirement for Abraham to hand over a tenth of someone else's property. He did that freely. I wonder how many people automaticallt assumed 10% as their answer.

I've heard many a tithe teacher point at Abraham's handing over a tenth of the spoils as an example, in principal, for us today. These same people, of course, fail to carry this practice of "principal making" to its logical conclusion. The imagry of that situation with Abraham is tainted with other surrounding facts that render the accepted principal derived from that saga to be severely lacking in application.

For example:

1) It makes most people uncomfortable to be told that Abraham gave a tenth of other people's property.

2) The spoils were never his property to begin with, especially when one considers his purpose for going after those kings was to retrieve his nephew Lot.

Most assume that spoils of war always belong to the victor. This may be true if we were talking about raiding Vikings, or some other war-like culture. Instead, we're talking about Abraham, who was a man of great virtue and moral stature. Who among you, with a clear conscience, would keep another's property as your own if you found or retrieved it? And yet most would assume the worst about Abraham for the sake of supporting a principle doctrine that has no genuine roots in the text soil from which it was allegedly plucked.

No man today is of the priesthood of Melchizedek. We all, as followers of Christ Jesus, are priests unto the Most High God. So I would again have to ask why anyone would think to use Genesis 14 as their apologetic for handing over the primary portion of their goving to organized religion?

HK
Post #: 35
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/12/2005 11:07:33 AM   
4theLord


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I understand that the American culture, as hard as it sounds it is build on the value of money possesion.Maybe even church is affected by the "money possesion" value.

The tithe should be given every month.It is something that pleases God.

Let me share my testimony. When I was a student I was worried that the time that God was asking was too much as a sum and I wouldn't have much money left for myself. HE kindly showed me to not worry how much the tithe, He will care alwayes for me.

I know that as long as I praise and honour Him with my tithe He provides for me .

I have never been in want of a job or money. God has taken care of me all this years and I am sure He will always be the same for me. I am thankful for everything. The reason I give my tithe is that all that I have comes from Him.
Post #: 36
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/13/2005 7:27:02 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: 4theLord

I understand that the American culture, as hard as it sounds it is build on the value of money possesion.Maybe even church is affected by the "money possesion" value.


As long as we understand that there is a big difference between what you call "church", which really is just organized religion, and the Church, which is all those who follow Christ Jesus.

quote:

The tithe should be given every month.It is something that pleases God.


For those who wish to give a tenth to meet the needs of fellow believers, this is good. For those who give it to church organizations, this is not always good when the tithe is abused by paying for expenses of the institution. Giving to organized religion is not giving to God. Giving to meet the needs of your fellow believers is giving to God.

There is strong emotion that giving to church organizations is giving to God. This is not spoken in the Bible. The Bible teaches that we should first meet needs, and everything else is second. Strong emotion does not always mean that it is God who speaks. God never speaks that which is different to His Bible.

HK
Post #: 37
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/13/2005 8:02:46 AM  1 votes
Eutychus


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HK, since it is the members of my church which decides how monies received are disbursed, we individually and corporately bear the responsibility of stewardship. Each month we receive a report of how every dollar is used and anyone involved is held accountable. IOW, I'm not putting money into a black hole and trusting to the good intentions of a mysterious group.

_____________________________

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Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." -John 6:29
Post #: 38
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/13/2005 8:56:39 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Eutychus

HK, since it is the members of my church which decides how monies received are disbursed, we individually and corporately bear the responsibility of stewardship.


Actually, this is equally true of those organizations whose leadership makes those determinations. The congregant members can't honestly point an accusing finger at their organizational leadership when they alone are responsible for giving to what they knew was abusing it.

quote:

Each month we receive a report of how every dollar is used and anyone involved is held accountable. IOW, I'm not putting money into a black hole and trusting to the good intentions of a mysterious group.


I'd say that it's more a matter of ignorance than it is about it being mysterious.

HK
Post #: 39
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/14/2005 9:12:12 PM   
double

 

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ShouldKnowBetter
quote:

The {tithe} or money is just a heart test that the majority of us fail.
Jesus said that where your treasure is, there your heart is.
If your heart is in God, your resources are there.
If your time is at the lake and not the church, that's where your heart it



Ladies and gentlemen he put it straight to the point. Soooo either your going to be obey the word or do the opposite ? why stress, or question it?
Post #: 40
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/14/2005 9:40:30 PM   
shouldknowbetter

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: double

ShouldKnowBetter
quote:

The {tithe} or money is just a heart test that the majority of us fail.
Jesus said that where your treasure is, there your heart is.
If your heart is in God, your resources are there.
If your time is at the lake and not the church, that's where your heart it



Ladies and gentlemen he put it straight to the point. Soooo either your going to be obey the word or do the opposite ? why stress, or question it?


That not my quote....

I agree that following or trying to follow the Word is important. By following we walk the right path, set our efforts to those project and task that will succeed. By going against God Wisdom we set ourselves up for failure.

The key is to understand God Wisdom first. Then we can follow.

If the statement to follow Gods Word means to proclaim that we should be circumcised, present out first born male child to the church and pay the redeeming price for them, not eat unclean foods, tithe, etc.. Then my friend we don't understand Gods Wisdom any more than the Pharisees that Jesus himself rebuked. Pharisees lost in following the letter of the law and blind to the truths contained therein. A false religion and faith, preverted to faith in our own works and abilities to follow.

Servant316,

Thank you for the link to the study on tithes. It was pretty much ground I'd already covered but still it helps to review and get someone elses incite on a topic. No study can cover all the angles but it did do a good job of sheading light on what the tithe was. Once we know what it was we can use that knowledge with the rest of God Wisdom to see the true picture and path.
Post #: 41
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 5:29:15 AM   
4theLord


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quote:

heavenskeys
As long as we understand that there is a big difference between what you call "church", which really is just organized religion, and the Church, which is all those who follow Christ Jesus.


I give my tithe to the church where I go because I call it the "House of God". What my church does with my income is their responsability before God.God will see and He will judge how they have behaved cause everything that is collected in the church is given under God.

I give it to God freely. If someone comes to me and needs help from me I will give that help to him.

If we want to discuss about the church organisation then this is another topic and a long one. I attend an Assamblies of God church and there are many things that I do not agree but I like the message preached and the worship.
I try to be part of the body of Christ and what happens behind is God's deal.

We are not to judge where does the tithe goes. It is not our responsabilty.What you give in the name of God, let God take care of it. Yet every year in our church we have a report where does the money goes.
Post #: 42
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 9:41:20 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: double

ShouldKnowBetter
quote:

The {tithe} or money is just a heart test that the majority of us fail.
Jesus said that where your treasure is, there your heart is.
If your heart is in God, your resources are there.
If your time is at the lake and not the church, that's where your heart it



Ladies and gentlemen he put it straight to the point. Soooo either your going to be obey the word or do the opposite ? why stress, or question it?


You missed the point.

HK
Post #: 43
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 10:00:09 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: 4theLord

I give my tithe to the church where I go because I call it the "House of God".


Would you mind explaining, for all our understanding, how a mere label, "House of God," serves as an apologetic for going against biblical examples and commands? We are the House of God, not a pile of sticks constructed by the hands of mere men. Please clarify.

quote:

What my church does with my income is their responsability before God.God will see and He will judge how they have behaved cause everything that is collected in the church is given under God.


Really? What about stewardship? That's a two-way street. I don't see how anyone can think that they can so eaily escape personal responsibility for the mishandling of what you give. You freely choose to give to organized religion, which is known for its historic abuses of the primary portion of believer's giving.

You can't give a child a stick of dynamite, and then try to walk away from your own responsibility for that child blowing himself up.

quote:

I give it to God freely.


How is giving to organized religion synonymous with giving to God?

quote:

If someone comes to me and needs help from me I will give that help to him.


Primarily or secondarily?

quote:

We are not to judge where does the tithe goes. It is not our responsabilty.What you give in the name of God, let God take care of it.


This clearly goes against the grain of our responsibility for exercising our God-given reason, responsibility, and discernment. Even Paul himself comanded that we "prove all things." Who taught you the concept of blind trust of mere men? I can defend the fact that we are not to walk through life with such blind, misguided and misplaced faith. You can close your eyes to your responsibility to the poor and the servant of the Lord, but that will only serve as a bad example to your children and to others around you

quote:

Yet every year in our church we have a report where does the money goes.


You might want to educate yourself by studying the OT tithe, and how 100% of it went for the meeting of needs, not real estate, lawn care, buildings, progams, etc. Again, the Bible clearly stands in the way of this attempt at rewriting its stated message in relation to our giving.

HK
Post #: 44
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 10:03:42 AM   
heavenskeys

 

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Many like pointing at, and praising, the widow who gave the two mites, which was all the money she had. That's a good sentiment, but sentiments are mostly meaningless and empty if not subject to biblical exmaples and commands.

That dear woman is the object of much speculation. It would have been nice to know more about her, but we're told nothing. What we are told in the text draws our eyes to the Master Himself rather than the widow, and what He was trying to say about the imagry before Him. (She was giving into the temple treasury, not the tithe. Just wanted to cut that off at the pass before anyone made that blunder.) It was about proportions more than it was about anything else, as is evidenced by His words.

What I'm driving at is this: I could praise that dear woman with the most lavish and articulate words and flare, but to her, my praises amount to nothing. She received praise from the Most High, which has infinite value to her, and carries an infinite weight of meaning and truth. In other words, she received infinitely more than she could possibly have ever given of her material things. Remember proportions: She gave all she had, but received infinitely more, even if she had been the richest woman in all the world and given it all. That accolade was of a worth beyond any measure.

Religionists focus on other mortals, elevate those mortals upon pedestals to be bowed down before and praised, which is idolatry. Those who are truly spiritual focus on the Master Himself. He is the only Source of affirmation and praise that carries any genuine, lasting worth that is infinite rather than fleeting.

HK
Post #: 45
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 12:46:43 PM   
silvrstridr


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My pastor gave a lesson on tithing this weekend. Breaks down like this.

With ANY money you earn (actual GREEN):

This is how we should be living, biblically (approximately):

Taxes 28%
Giving 10%
Savings 10%
Lifestyle 52%
Debt 0% (can be used, but should be paid off at the end of the month)

This is how most of the US lives:

Taxes 28%
Giving 0-2%
Savings 0-2%
Lifestyle 20%
Debt 48%

Pretty sad huh? What's even sadder, is it doesnt matter if you are a Christian or not, the stats are the same.

_____________________________

We are here on Earth, only to love one another, and bring them to Christ. Nothing else matters, so why argue about things that don't matter?
Post #: 46
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 1:25:30 PM   
silvrstridr


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Heres the link to listen to the sermon if you want: http://www.clcdayton.com/Media/MediaManager/08142005_Audio.wma

When you download it, zoom to around -31:30 (if using winamp), or about 15 minutes into the sermon (if using media player).

You might need to right click = save as, to play the file.

_____________________________

We are here on Earth, only to love one another, and bring them to Christ. Nothing else matters, so why argue about things that don't matter?
Post #: 47
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 3:36:30 PM   
heavenskeys

 

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Many pastors within organized religion, and even mission boards, some more legalistic than others, are guilty of both subtle and not so subtle forms of intimidation of their congregations and supporters. Knowingly or unknowingly, they use the Word of God deceitfully. By misinterpreting the Scriptures, they urge their people to do something contrary to sound doctrine. A perfect example is how they apply the Biblical account of the “widow’s mite.”. Misinterpretations of Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 20:45-47 and 21:1-4 create guilt for not handing over the primary portion of their giving into the institution, and sometimes persuade individuals and entire congregations to give beyond their means to a system of religion that routinely abuses their giving. This approach, giving motivated by guilt and/or fear, is a direct contradiction of Paul's doctrine of giving in the NT in 2 Corinthians 8:5-15.

Using the Mark and Luke passages of the widow and her gift as illustration, some preach, "You haven't given anything until you give sacrificially." Others state, "Give till it hurts," which suggests that God is not pleased with believers unless they're suffering. What a misrepresentation of the grace of God! Because of these and similar tactics, the church of Jesus Christ has become known as money grubbing. And unbelievers have found another excuse to ignore God. "All they want is my money." Sadly, all too often their complaint is accurate.

The context of this biblical account of the widow who gave her last two mites is not meant to teach sacrificial giving. In fact, the Lord’s real point is virtually the antithesis of how the passage is usually treated. The Lord here teaches about the crime, one of which any false religious system is guilty, of having no particular interest in the welfare of the individual, but a great deal of interest in exploiting the giver for the system's own survival and gain. A brief exposition of Mark 12:38-44; 13:1-2 will demonstrate this point.

The context is critical to a correct interpretation of this passage. Jesus was in the Temple teaching. He had been talking about the character and the conduct of the scribes. The scribes mentioned in the gospels were, at that time, professional scholars in the interpretation of the Old Testament. (They had no role during Old Testament times having come into being during and after the Babylonian captivity.) They were usurpers who took upon themselves the responsibility of interpreting the Old Testament for the people. Since the priests from the tribe of Levi were God's ordained teachers of Israel (Deuteronomy 24:8; 33:10), the scribes of Jesus' day were self-appointed leaders of a superficial and apostate religion; superficial in that it emphasized only the external show of religion, and apostate because it had long since left the true purposes of the Word of God.

Jesus' opinion of the scribes can be seen in His own discourse concerning them:

“And He said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the market place, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.” (Mark 12:38-40)

Two very important points need to be made from the above text. The Greek words blepete apo ton grammateon are literally translated “you see from the scribes,” interpreted: “you see with understanding by the way they dress, want to be noticed, how self-centered, and self-important the scribes are.” The Greek word "apo," from which the word “from” is translated, means “away from,” “turn your backs on them.” This is the alternative to practicing their religion. Our Lord was teaching that God's people should not follow the way of the scribes and their teachings. The authority of the scribes should be rejected. In addition, they were guilty of shameful conduct: “They devour widow's houses.”

Now, Jesus continued His condemnation of the scribes by the graphic illustration in verses 41-44. Jesus was sitting opposite the trumpet-shaped chests into which the people threw their temple offerings, not the tithe. He observed how the people cast money into the treasury, and the “rich cast in much.” Then He continues, “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing” (v. 42). The text reveals the difference between what the widow offered and the offering of the rich. “Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury...all her living” (Mark 12:43b-44b). The rich would not miss what they gave, but the poor widow had given away all her living. She had given all she had to an apostate system of the temple worship of the Jews, while the promised Redeemer sat but a step away.

Unfortumately, there's a chapter break at this point in the narrative, which interrupts the flow of this narrative, both here and in Luke's gospel. The context continues in Mark 13:1-2 as one of the disciples, obviously not understanding Christ's lesson, urged the Lord to observe the impressiveness of the outward appearance of the temple buildings surrounding them. At that point, Jesus prophesied the destruction of the false, religious system the poor widow had contributed her all. “Jesus said: Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2b). The buildings of the Temple area, with all their splendor, along with the corrupt religious system centered within them, would be destroyed, and those who had rejected their Messiah in favor of the false religious system would perish with it. Jesus' prophecy came to pass in 70 A.D. when the armies of Rome, under Titus, leveled Jerusalem and the Temple area, thus destroying the arena for the Jew's false religious practices.

The most pathetic part of this account is that the misguided widow could have had eternal life had she turned from the false, put her money in her pocket, and embraced the Savior, who was sitting nearby, observing.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matthew 23:37-38)

The tragedy of life is always that Jesus is so near with the gift of life, but people seek either to buy or to work their way into heaven.

The widow gave all she had under the misguided impression that she was serving God. This is why the Lord said (v. 40) that the scribes were guilty of devouring widows’ houses. The scribes, with no apparent pangs of conscience, actively promoted the kind of misguided, and sometimes even extreme sacrifice exhibited by this poor widow. And Jesus clearly is teaching that the coercions and intimidations practiced by the scribes were evil. A further irony--the most tragic of all--is that the scribes of Jesus' day promoted such a heretical doctrine while this unfortunate person, as well as the rest of the nation of Israel, headed for destruction.

In conclusion, we can observe the following:

* Jesus teaching his disciples. (Luke 20:45)
* The context is a discussion of the superficiality and malpractice of the scribes
* The account of the widow's mite was an observable demonstration of one method whereby the scribes devoured widow's houses
* The religion she supported was replaced by the gospel of grace. The temple and system to which she gave was destroyed in 70 A.D., and was replaced by the Church of Jesus Christ
* All her sacrifice was for nothing
* The widow could have received eternal life freely, then and there, if only she had turned to Jesus
* Preachers who would follow the example of the scribes are not true to the Word of God
* Only a false, uncaring religious system would absorb believer's primary giving for its own sustenance and gain, and ask members who cannot afford it to donate to their cause
* The widow's mite does not teach giving: A better application would be, ”Look out for the "pastors" and bishops right here and nowi, in our own time”
* If the work is of God, God will supply: if it is not God's work, let it die apart from false teaching and false practice
* Do not give if it hurts; God doesn't want or need that kind of giving

HK
Post #: 48
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/15/2005 6:05:21 PM   
P31W

 

Posts: 1814
Joined: 6/13/2005
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silvrstridr,


Man talk about an emotional roller coaster! I started out dancing and singing and ended up repenting and crying!

I like the way he summed it up. If Jesus is not Lord over your stuff then he is not the Lord over anything.

Is this your pastor? You are very blessed if he is. You can tell his true heart for the Lord and his congregation.

Thanks for the sermon. I know God spoke to many people through this sermon.
Post #: 49
RE: Tithes and Offerings - One Stop Thread - 8/16/2005 3:26:40 AM   
4theLord


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Joined: 5/11/2005
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@heavenkeys

You are challenging me to study the Bible in this topic. I still do not agree with you.But I have taken your comments seriosly.
When I finish my study I will reply.

Let me do a question to you.

How should the gift of giving should be practised by christians on their own church ?

< Message edited by 4theLord -- 8/16/2005 4:26:08 AM >
Post #: 50
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