If we are truly wanting to be obedient to God, we cannot ignore the area of our finances. The Christian's view of their financial well-being and planning says very much about their faith and trust in God.
So...do you think this verse relieves all Christians from the burden of the infamous 10% tithe? Why did Paul feel the need (of course we know why, because of the Holy Spirit's direction) to advise believers that their giving was no longer to be determined by law, but by thier own individual determination ..."Each man should give what he has determined..."
In the Old Testament, the Jewish people had been instructed by Levitical law to give to God one-tenth of their gains, either in produce or livestock. Malachi 3:10 is the most famous verse regarding tithing..."Bring all your tithes into the storehouse..." and then the promise that is often quoted to entice people to do so...."prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
So are we to give in order to receive? I believe that if we have a heart for giving, then, yes, that is the case. When God knows our heart is set on distributing His blessings to those who we see in need, then He will continue to bless us in order for us to continue to be a blessing to others. But if we think we can give to God and He is going to give back to us just for our own personal enjoyment and pleasure, that I don't believe.
So that brings us back to the debate of tithing (generally interpreted as giving 10% of your income back to God) or giving as we determine in our heart to give.
Could it just be that, just as we talked about yesterday, as Christ-followers we are being asked to go beyond the letter of the law? We no longer should be counting out our contribution to make sure that we are giving the required 10%...we should be looking for ways to gift others with the blessings that God has blesssed us with, not even keeping an account of how much that may be. At times, maybe it's 10%...and then at other times maybe it's 50%, because we have seen a need that we are able to assist with and that the Holy Spirit is moving us to act on.
Could it be that it's not so much the amount, as it is our heart in the giving of the gift...cheerfully, never regrettably or reluctantly. Could it be that our giving might even be described as "joyful"? Don't you think that pleases God? When He sees His children truly giddy about being able to give to someone else what He has given them. That kind of excitement comes from no where else than God Himself, living within us.
So...do you think this verse relieves all Christians from the burden of the infamous 10% tithe? Why did Paul feel the need (of course we know why, because of the Holy Spirit's direction) to advise believers that their giving was no longer to be determined by law, but by thier own individual determination ..."Each man should give what he has determined..."
In the Old Testament, the Jewish people had been instructed by Levitical law to give to God one-tenth of their gains, either in produce or livestock. Malachi 3:10 is the most famous verse regarding tithing..."Bring all your tithes into the storehouse..." and then the promise that is often quoted to entice people to do so...."prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
So are we to give in order to receive? I believe that if we have a heart for giving, then, yes, that is the case. When God knows our heart is set on distributing His blessings to those who we see in need, then He will continue to bless us in order for us to continue to be a blessing to others. But if we think we can give to God and He is going to give back to us just for our own personal enjoyment and pleasure, that I don't believe.
Could it just be that, just as we talked about yesterday, as Christ-followers we are being asked to go beyond the letter of the law? We no longer should be counting out our contribution to make sure that we are giving the required 10%...we should be looking for ways to gift others with the blessings that God has blesssed us with, not even keeping an account of how much that may be. At times, maybe it's 10%...and then at other times maybe it's 50%, because we have seen a need that we are able to assist with and that the Holy Spirit is moving us to act on.
Could it be that it's not so much the amount, as it is our heart in the giving of the gift...cheerfully, never regrettably or reluctantly. Could it be that our giving might even be described as "joyful"? Don't you think that pleases God? When He sees His children truly giddy about being able to give to someone else what He has given them. That kind of excitement comes from no where else than God Himself, living within us.
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