Welcome to our little chat about tithing or God's grace . I was watching Christian television the other morning and listening to what they were implying. They were talking about the parable of the widow's offering and making it sound like Jesus was just so pleased with the fact that she gave all she had to live on. After I finished stabbing myself in the eye with a fork I thought to myself, don't these so called men of God know how to meditate the word.
You never and I mean never lift a verse out of it's setting. Jesus always taught in whole subjects. The key is to find the beginning of the subject and then find the end. Perhaps part of the confusion here with the widow's offering is that most modern translations put a sub heading right in the middle of this teaching as though Jesus had changed the topic which he clearly had not.
Here is how it should read: Luke 20:45 While all the people were listening Jesus said to his disciples, " Beware of the teachers of the law. They walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the market places and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They DEVOUR WIDOW'S HOUSES and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished and most severly." As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. " I tell you the truth" he said " this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." Some of his disciples were remarking how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with the gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said "As for what you see here not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down."
As you can see the beginning of the topic is the teachers of the law (or the religious hypocrites of the day). He then points out how proud they were and how they DEVOUR WIDOW'S HOUSES. How do they do that you ask? Jesus looks up into the temple to show you how she just put her last two small coins into the offering and now she has nothing to live on. In other words they taught her a doctrine that she needed to give BIG even all her living. In other words she just gave all her rent money or all she had to live on. Kind of like what we hear on Christian TV today. Does it sound to you like he is endorsing giving all you have to live on or is he REBUKING what is going on here?
The reason I know he is not pleased is the very next thing he says is" do you see this temple". All this is going to be torn down. Or in other words I am changing this whole religious set up! No it doesn't sound like he was pleased with what he just saw at all. It's amazing what you can discern when you start at the beginning of a topic and follow it to the end.
Furthermore there is no doctrine in the old testament that says that the financial burdens of the temple should be carried on the backs of widows. Also in many places in the new testament Jesus councils us to give to the poor. Not take the last few dollars they have. How could Jesus possibly be saying that he recommends what they taught this poor widow to do. He would be contradicting himself.
No clearly to me this is a recommendation of what not to do. Beware of teachers that teach you false doctrine! Our giving should be a fruit of the grace and abundance he has poured out on us. If we are hard pressed financially God is totally there and will take us back to abundance by his grace and grace alone. NEVER do we need to give what we don't have to somehow BUY God's favor. It has already been provided for us through Jesus. Stay tuned for part 3.
Trinity 5 7 God's Grace
The fact of the matter is still that everything you hear on Christian television says that it is according to your tithing and how much we give which causes you to prosper." If you don't sew you won't reap" is what they try to say. The trouble is most of the scriptures they use are being lifted out of thier setting making them say something that they are not at all talking about. They also use mostly old testament scriptures which were directed to servants of God who weren't born again. God treats his sons and daughters who have the nature of Christ in them a lot different than his old testament saints who had a death nature.
The first point you may want to consider is what Jesus said in Matthew 6 "look at the birds of the air; they don't sew or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they." He went on to say "look how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith." He then went on to say "seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
In case you haven't heard you are now a joint heir with Jesus. We are no longer under the supervision of the law. Paul spent most of his time in the new testament writing about this. You have access to all Jesus provided for you by way of the cross. When it comes to prosperity your foundational scripture should be 2Cor8:9 " For you know the GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor that you through his poverty, might become rich."
So what is the problem? Why isn't the body of Christ prospering the way it should? Why are we forced to finance the gospel with garage sales and bake sales and Hollywood has all the money to pump out whatever level of garbage they want?
I submit to you that lack of money is not the problem at all. How can I say that? Well because the word of God is true. The scripture I mentioned above means Jesus came to provide your prosperity on the cross and he succeeded. He did it once and the work was complete. Notice it doesn't say according to your tithing you might become rich.
So why aren't most of us walking in this truth? I think the reason is we are just flat out IMMATURE! We don't seek his kingdom first. We don't pray and submit to God in the area of our finances. Most Christians are in debt up to their eyeballs. Sadly we wouldn't even consider attending a budgeting class and yet managing your finances with Godly restraint is totally biblical. Does your church even have a budgeting class? Probably not because most churches are spending money on what they think is a good idea instead of what God has lead them to do. As a result they are also in debt up to their EYEBALLS.
The truth is God cannot pour out finances on Christians because they would spend it totally on themselves in a heartbeat. Even if Jesus did show up on a white horse with the golden wallet and say " I have come my child to get you totally out of debt" within a year most Christians would be right back in the same mess. No God is not out of money. Christians can't be trusted. Christians have itching ears when it comes to prosperity doctrine. We still are looking for our prosperity. It's time we grew up isn't it.
Our attitude ought to be how can I prosper the kingdom today because I know my father has all my needs met. This takes a willingness in prayer to change your heart and it's motive.
The more you pray the more the Holy Spirit will point out what you need to change. The answer most likely is not that you need to give more money. The answer most probably is that you need a relationship with God where you can hear clearly his counsel to you. Then respond to areas he is talking to you about. Some of us need to love our spouses more. Some of us need to care about our brothers more. Some of need to forgive someone..etc. I think you get my drift here. It is all about relationship with Jesus if we are ever going to be like him. God bless you as you consider these thoughts.
Lance Brown has sinced written about articles on various topics from Alternative Medicine, Global Warming and Nokia Phones. Great help with your home businesshttp://ezmakedollars.blogspot.com Free article writing teleseminarshttp://www.myarticleexpert.com. Lance Brown's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
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