What is God’s will for Christian giving?

What is God’s will for Christian giving?

As I have previously written, it is not paying the tithe, this was as Jesus had said was given to the Jews under the Law of Moses to do, not to the Church.  Jesus NEVER paid the tithe; neither did he tell his followers to do so! If anyone disagrees, show me in God’s word where the early Church received such a command. (For over 700 years the early Church did not pay the tithe, Paul never told them to do that!) It came later by the commandments of man, not God! I heard a Pastor speaking about those Churches that believe that Christians are to tithe, he said when they are challenged by others who correctly state that the Church is not under the Law, they then refer to Abraham who paid a tithe before the Law. The Pastor said that they tell their congregations that God requires them to pay the tithe and quote Malachi 3: 8 & 9 “Will a man rob God” and that if they don’t tithe they are under a curse! (Verse 9) The Pastor pointed out that they try to have it both ways, first they say the tithe was not the Law but use the Law in order to make the congregation pay the tithe. With these Churches it seems the focus is always about money and they always have a new project or need a bigger building. I wonder how many actually pay the tithe and that based upon the gross salary? I don’t believe many do therefore according to their own belief are put under condemnation every time they are asked for the tithe, even as Malachi wrote; “You are cursed with a curse”. I would advise those who wish to know the truth about the tithe to read Malachi, in verse 9 the Lord is speaking only to the Nation of Israel. I personally do not believe that any person who tithes is as Paul the Apostle wrote; “A cheerful giver” because the giving of the tithe is “Under compulsion” as a requirement of the Law and under a curse for failure to do so! Please read my link on my web page entitled “The best I have ever read about tithing”, there is an article written by a fellow Christian that will settle the question of should the Church pay tithes, it is titled “The tithe is illegal”. Check out the scripture below, it speaks volumes, the truth frees!

In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. 2-Peter 2: 3 NLT.

 

We know from God’s word that he wills that believers be persons with “Giving” hearts. This is a reflection of God their Father who gave the greatest gift of all, his only begotten Son to die for our sins. (John 3:16)

God is love and true love gives rather than receives. Now the real question for the believer is; who, what, when and how?

Jesus said; “Without me, you can do nothing”, he is the Vine, we are the branches!  (John 15).

Can we give our good works, money without him? Absolutely not! According to the word of God, all our good works done outside of his “Pre-ordained” works are “Filthy rags” in his sight!

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6 NASB.

At the judgment of all our works done as Christians by the Lord Jesus himself, only those “Pre-ordained” works will receive a reward as they are the works of God himself! The works that were done through the flesh will all be burned up. If all a believer’s works are burned up, he/she will be saved as though through fire.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or *bad. 2-Corinthians 5:10 NASB.

*The word bad actually means “Worthless”. This judgment is of works only! All the believer’s sins were paid for at the cross, never again to be remembered by God! Hebrews 10:17. When Christ died on the cross ALL our sins were future, there is no sin he did not die for. If we willfully sin while in this flesh we will be punished as a son, not as an unbeliever who will be separated from God forever.The Lord said this to King David and it applies to all believers, sons and daughters!

I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men. 2-Samuel 7:14 NIV.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned (Pre-ordained) for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT.

He works in us through the Holy Spirit to do his will, not ours, our Lord Jesus is the perfect example of this by saying; “Not my will Father but thine be done”.

The key is faith, every believer is given a “Measure” of faith and through obedience this faith will grow! The new born Christian is to study God’s word the Bible, not yield to sin but be completely devoted to Jesus, our first love! This will lead to becoming a “Mature” son who is led by the Holy Spirit, doing God’s perfect will through the good works HE had pre-ordained that you walk in them to HIS glory.

Your giving will be as the Holy Spirit directs you, your heart will be “Tuned in” as to who and when to give, and this too was pre-ordained by God.

These are the “Greater works that” Jesus said we would do, they are more in quantity, not in quality, in fact it is Jesus himself in us who does the works!

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2-Corinthians 5:20 NASB.

Jesus is doing the works through us and we are rewarded for them because of our obedience through faith, which is the ONLY way to please him!

Always remember that we are in a spiritual warfare against the flesh and its sinful lusts!  It is by walking after and being filled with the Holy Spirit that we will keep the flesh at bay along with its many lusts!

Believers should pray as Jesus said, to ask the Father for more of his Holy Spirit’s power,  those who ask will receive, this is the promise from him. Always remember believer, you do not know how to pray! But however feeble or weak you think your prayer is, it is brought before our Father through the Holy Spirit as a perfect prayer!

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; Romans 8:26 NASB.

My prayer for myself and for all those who read this message is that they would hear one day from the Lord Jesus himself these words; “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”, this to me would mean that we have obeyed him by doing HIS will and not our own.

Author Ken

May 2013