I think what is most damning is the failure of the church, as Christ's body, to actually DO something constructive. There is a trend for Christians to become insulated from the world rather than heed the biblical injunction to "be in the world but not of it". This condition has come to be known as living in a Christian "ghetto". If one is not in the world, one cannot very well be the "salt and light of the world" that the Bible says they must be.
Here's a case study: Jack and Sally are married and live in a community that has a high percentage of Christian church attendees. Sally is a homemaker and home-schools the children. The children are doing well, even scoring well above their peers in standardized testing. Jack is a senior representative with a major Christian book publisher, working from home and occasionally at the office. He has to travel but not frequently— he can spend more time with his family than he could in most jobs. They are very active in their church. Their typical weekly schedule looks like this:
Sunday: At the time of the 8:30 AM service, Sally teaches a Sunday-school class for 11 year olds; Jack serves as an usher at the service. The kids have their own teen Sunday-school class. 10:00 AM; Jack and Sally meet and attend the second service. The kids go to the youth center where there is a service for younger folks. Afternoon: Sunday dinner with another church family (often). 6:00 PM- back to church for the evening service.
Monday: Special events as scheduled. Jack attends a weekly meeting of church members serving on the building program committee (no modern Christian church is complete without "the building program"). Sally does phone work for the women's adult Sunday-school classes.
Tuesday: At 7:00 PM volunteers meet at the church and get assignments for visitation-- calling at the homes of people who filled-in requests the previous Sunday and turned them in at the services. This lasts until 9:00 PM or later depending upon how long each visit takes.
Wednesday: Family dinner at the church at 6:00 PM followed by a prayer meeting with " praise & worship" music. This lasts until 8:30 PM.
Thursday: Everyone gets a night off. For the Smiths, this is family night and they usually watch a movie rented from the local Christian store or play a Christian-themed board game.
Friday: Special events as scheduled: Missions dinner, music department dinner, special prayer meetings, etc.
Saturday: Workday for volunteers to help with the food drive, paint scenery for the Christmas pageant, etc.
Here's the problem: All these events are wonderful but the majority occur at the church, usually for and by the church people. Jack and Sally spend their time with Christian friends, have only Christian activities and Jack even has a Christian employer. In short, they have been ghetto-ized. When do they get out on the street where Jesus did His work? How do they meet the world at its own level? If these folks remain in this self-imposed prison they cannot fulfill step one of Jesus' "Great Commission" which states: "GO into the whole world........"
I have seen many cases where the church's so-called 'outreach' consists of making the world come to the church building (or "campus", if I may use the newest trendy moniker) to participate in church activities. That's not what Jesus meant when He said, "go". The battle must be fought on the street, not inside the sanctuary. How can you rescue hostages who are still slaves to sin unless you go to where they are, do what you must to defeat the enemy, and gain the captives' release?
Jack and Sally and their brothers and sisters in Christ mean well and may well be devout Christians. Too bad the enemy has them trapped inside the church ghetto where they will do him very little harm.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Tithing Myth-- Part I
One Sunday in the adult Bible-study class I used to teach, during a lesson discussion about giving, one of the class members, a woman of some years and a church-goer for most of her life said, "we're commanded to tithe". For those who aren't familiar with tithing, in its simplest form it's the practice of giving 10% of your gross income to your church. God set this up as a requirement of the laws He gave to Moses. These laws are usually called the "Law of Moses" or just, "The Law".
Tithing was and is an Old Testament (OT) law and is never mentioned as doctrine in the New Testament (NT). In every instance where giving is mentioned in the NT it is always presented as an attitude of the heart and that heart's relationship to God.
"But wait a minute" you say, " What about Malachi 3:9"? Sorry-- God talking to OT people attempting to live under OT Law.
"Well, how about when Jesus said to the Pharisees that they were right for tithing to the last grain of their herbs even though He said they were wrong about ignoring the more important matters of The Law" (Luke 11:42).
Again, Jesus was talking to OT people still living under The Law of the OT times. Yes, He commended them for doing what was right, but under circumstances in effect at that time, i.e., The Law, which was rendered useless after Jesus. Mind you, It wasn't rendered void, but now God had come to man and offered the true path to salvation that The Law could never provide. Jesus is the complete fulfillment of the law, that's why Jesus said "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17 NASB)
"Okay then, what about when Jesus commended the widow for throwing her last two cents in the offering box at the temple?" (Mark 12:41-44)? Jesus made a point of calling on His disciples to take note of her action, then commended her to them for the attitude of her heart-- she loved God so much that she was willing to give Him everything and trust Him for her needs (we also need to take note of that).
Jesus answered a question about the most important commandment by saying " Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' " (Matt 22:37-39 NIV). He then uttered one of the most important statements He could have made to a Jew in those days-- "All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments "(Matt 22:40 NIV) meaning that those two summed-up the sacred writings of the Hebrews, which comprise what we call "The Old Testament" (or: Old Covenant).
In Acts 15, Luke wrote about an occasion when Gentile believers of Antioch were being told they still needed to follow The Law even though they had become Christians. This resulted in a meeting of the Apostles which came to be known as the "Council of Jerusalem". The Apostles sent word back to Antioch saying the believers would not need to be concerned with The Law except for four things:
1. Do not eat meat that was polluted by (offered to) idols.
2. Refrain from fornication (sexual immorality).
3. Do not eat the meat of strangled animals (such meat is potentially poisonous).
4. Do not ingest blood (life is in the blood and God forbids us to eat or drink it).
Tithing or any other type of enforced giving is not mentioned as a requirement in the NT. In Christ, all believers are the same, neither Jew nor Gentile. It then follows that only these four items retained from the old laws, considered church doctrine by the original Apostles, apply to the whole church even to this day.
In Part II we'll look at NT attitudes about giving.
Tithing was and is an Old Testament (OT) law and is never mentioned as doctrine in the New Testament (NT). In every instance where giving is mentioned in the NT it is always presented as an attitude of the heart and that heart's relationship to God.
"But wait a minute" you say, " What about Malachi 3:9"? Sorry-- God talking to OT people attempting to live under OT Law.
"Well, how about when Jesus said to the Pharisees that they were right for tithing to the last grain of their herbs even though He said they were wrong about ignoring the more important matters of The Law" (Luke 11:42).
Again, Jesus was talking to OT people still living under The Law of the OT times. Yes, He commended them for doing what was right, but under circumstances in effect at that time, i.e., The Law, which was rendered useless after Jesus. Mind you, It wasn't rendered void, but now God had come to man and offered the true path to salvation that The Law could never provide. Jesus is the complete fulfillment of the law, that's why Jesus said "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17 NASB)
"Okay then, what about when Jesus commended the widow for throwing her last two cents in the offering box at the temple?" (Mark 12:41-44)? Jesus made a point of calling on His disciples to take note of her action, then commended her to them for the attitude of her heart-- she loved God so much that she was willing to give Him everything and trust Him for her needs (we also need to take note of that).
Jesus answered a question about the most important commandment by saying " Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' " (Matt 22:37-39 NIV). He then uttered one of the most important statements He could have made to a Jew in those days-- "All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments "(Matt 22:40 NIV) meaning that those two summed-up the sacred writings of the Hebrews, which comprise what we call "The Old Testament" (or: Old Covenant).
In Acts 15, Luke wrote about an occasion when Gentile believers of Antioch were being told they still needed to follow The Law even though they had become Christians. This resulted in a meeting of the Apostles which came to be known as the "Council of Jerusalem". The Apostles sent word back to Antioch saying the believers would not need to be concerned with The Law except for four things:
1. Do not eat meat that was polluted by (offered to) idols.
2. Refrain from fornication (sexual immorality).
3. Do not eat the meat of strangled animals (such meat is potentially poisonous).
4. Do not ingest blood (life is in the blood and God forbids us to eat or drink it).
Tithing or any other type of enforced giving is not mentioned as a requirement in the NT. In Christ, all believers are the same, neither Jew nor Gentile. It then follows that only these four items retained from the old laws, considered church doctrine by the original Apostles, apply to the whole church even to this day.
In Part II we'll look at NT attitudes about giving.
The Tithing Myth-- Part II
Am I saying, "Thou shalt not tithe?" By no means. But understand this-it is not required and no-one should teach, require or enforce such a practice or belief. The Biblical teaching on giving is, as usual, very simple and very much a matter of the heart's attitude:
1. Give willingly. "God loves a cheerful giver" is a basic truth (2 Cor 9:7, also 8:12-and see item 3 below): this shows that you have the right attitude about God, His blessings to you, and about your fellow humans.
2. Give regularly. Plan to make giving a habit and part of your budget.
3. Give proportionately. "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have" (2 Cor 8:12 NIV, italics mine).
Someone who makes barely enough to live on and gives $5 a week, with a joyful spirit, is giving far more than someone who makes $1,200 a week and gives $100 just for the sake of "throwing something in the plate". If you have a hard choice between feeding your children or putting that money in the donation plate, by all means, feed your kids. BUT-- do some serious thinking and praying about adjusting your life-style, if possible, so you're not wasting money on worldly things. In other words-- make the wisest use of all God has provided (a principle called 'stewardship'), Then you can share and still have enough to live within your means.
4. Give generously. Jesus said (and He wasn't talking just about money)-- "For With the measure you use, it will be measured to you."(Luke 6:38 NIV). In Proverbs, 11:24 we read: "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty" (NIV). An often-cited example is the Dead Sea. It's dead because the river Jordan flows in at one end but nothing flows out. Put another way-- you need to be a channel for blessing to flow through. As God blesses you, so bless others. It all belongs to Him anyway and you should want to share His blessings with others. This can apply to any blessings, not just money.
5. Don't "give to get". Regardless of what some TV and other preachers say, God does not bless you just because you pump money into some cause or organization. Your attitude should be to give with a joyous heart motivated by genuine compassion and/or generosity and leave the rest to God (remember the widow's 2 cents?). If you seek to live for Him in all ways, everything else falls into place (Matt 6:33).
As Solomon would say: "Here is the conclusion of the matter" (Eccl 12:13b NIV):
* If you know that God is urging you to tithe, then follow Him and do it; then go the extra mile and add a gift on top of that if at all possible. Tithing is great, it's just the notion that it's required of Christians living under grace that is error.
* Get your priorities in order! You want to put $20 a week (or whatever) in the offering but don't know how you can afford it. Can you take your lunch to work instead of buying it? You can make sandwiches for a few days for the cost of one sandwich at the delicatessen. Do you need all those magazines, newspapers or junky snacks? Or one of the worst wastes-- can you cut out some services on your cable or satellite TV and go with something more basic? (How about eliminating TV altogether-your soul, mind, family and wallet will all be healthier and happier for it). Bottom line-if you want to honor God by giving, you will find the means and He will bless your efforts to do so.
If you find yourself in a church home where tithing is preached as a requirement, or they make you sign pledge cards or otherwise enforce giving--find a new church; they are violating scripture and may be teaching other doctrinal errors as well.
My personal opinion, however cynical it may appear, is that the ones who perpetuate the tithing myth are the ones who stand to gain the most from it. I have been clearly led by the Holy Spirit to give specific amounts at specific times and I did. Was I blessed? You bet your eternal soul I was! The question is one of attitude, (and in many cases, obedience) as usual. I like to give-- donations of money, time, goods, etc. I've still received more blessing than what I've given. You can never outgive God.
1. Give willingly. "God loves a cheerful giver" is a basic truth (2 Cor 9:7, also 8:12-and see item 3 below): this shows that you have the right attitude about God, His blessings to you, and about your fellow humans.
2. Give regularly. Plan to make giving a habit and part of your budget.
3. Give proportionately. "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have" (2 Cor 8:12 NIV, italics mine).
Someone who makes barely enough to live on and gives $5 a week, with a joyful spirit, is giving far more than someone who makes $1,200 a week and gives $100 just for the sake of "throwing something in the plate". If you have a hard choice between feeding your children or putting that money in the donation plate, by all means, feed your kids. BUT-- do some serious thinking and praying about adjusting your life-style, if possible, so you're not wasting money on worldly things. In other words-- make the wisest use of all God has provided (a principle called 'stewardship'), Then you can share and still have enough to live within your means.
4. Give generously. Jesus said (and He wasn't talking just about money)-- "For With the measure you use, it will be measured to you."(Luke 6:38 NIV). In Proverbs, 11:24 we read: "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty" (NIV). An often-cited example is the Dead Sea. It's dead because the river Jordan flows in at one end but nothing flows out. Put another way-- you need to be a channel for blessing to flow through. As God blesses you, so bless others. It all belongs to Him anyway and you should want to share His blessings with others. This can apply to any blessings, not just money.
5. Don't "give to get". Regardless of what some TV and other preachers say, God does not bless you just because you pump money into some cause or organization. Your attitude should be to give with a joyous heart motivated by genuine compassion and/or generosity and leave the rest to God (remember the widow's 2 cents?). If you seek to live for Him in all ways, everything else falls into place (Matt 6:33).
As Solomon would say: "Here is the conclusion of the matter" (Eccl 12:13b NIV):
* If you know that God is urging you to tithe, then follow Him and do it; then go the extra mile and add a gift on top of that if at all possible. Tithing is great, it's just the notion that it's required of Christians living under grace that is error.
* Get your priorities in order! You want to put $20 a week (or whatever) in the offering but don't know how you can afford it. Can you take your lunch to work instead of buying it? You can make sandwiches for a few days for the cost of one sandwich at the delicatessen. Do you need all those magazines, newspapers or junky snacks? Or one of the worst wastes-- can you cut out some services on your cable or satellite TV and go with something more basic? (How about eliminating TV altogether-your soul, mind, family and wallet will all be healthier and happier for it). Bottom line-if you want to honor God by giving, you will find the means and He will bless your efforts to do so.
If you find yourself in a church home where tithing is preached as a requirement, or they make you sign pledge cards or otherwise enforce giving--find a new church; they are violating scripture and may be teaching other doctrinal errors as well.
My personal opinion, however cynical it may appear, is that the ones who perpetuate the tithing myth are the ones who stand to gain the most from it. I have been clearly led by the Holy Spirit to give specific amounts at specific times and I did. Was I blessed? You bet your eternal soul I was! The question is one of attitude, (and in many cases, obedience) as usual. I like to give-- donations of money, time, goods, etc. I've still received more blessing than what I've given. You can never outgive God.
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