BIBLE STUDY: WHY PEOPLE REMAIN POOR EVEN THOUGH THEY OBEY THE PRINCIPLES OF TITHINGS AND OFFERINGS? Dr. Josimar Salum
That is a very powerful question. Here are only four biblical insights and I could give you more.
1. PEOPLE TITHE AND GIVE, BUT NOT ACCORDINGLY TO THE SCRIPTURES.
“You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty.” Malachi 3:9-11 NIV
Any “church” (building, temple) according to God’s Word is not the House of God. The tithing is a tradition to resource the “churches.” But these churches are not the House of God. The Church, the people are the House of God. “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15
If there is a building to be maintained it should be done by contributions of the people or members of that community. There is no justification in the Scriptures that tithings should be collected to maintain a building or an organization that is not biblical. Tithing, however, is a tradition that helps the organization to be maintained and I believe that those who are part of it have the responsibility to do so.
The storehouse mentioned in Malachi 3 was the temple in Jerusalem that was destroyed in 70 DC. How can you today obey this commandment if no temple corresponds or substitutes the temple of Jerusalem? Even so, you don’t see any mention in the New Testament that Jesus disciples brought tithes to the temple of Jerusalem before it was destroyed.
Another point is that no child of God is cursed. No born again child of God can be cursed. It is impossible. People don’t obey other rules from the Law, but try to obey the rule of tithing! There is no way they can follow the Law 100%. Or that they should obey only one rule. Remember that if they fail in one point, they are guilty of all.
Only those people who remain
dependent of the Law are cursed. If you rely on giving tithes to be blessed you are deceived, because you are already blessed.
“For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”” Galatians 3:10-13
It is a must to say that those who preach the Gospel exclusively should live by the Gospel. The brotherhood should give generously to resource the minister of the Gospel, but if the community can’t and he can’t sustain his family he should get a job, because the responsibility to take care of his family doesn’t belong to the people of God, but is His.
There are those who preach the false gospel of prosperity saying should that people sacrifice and give everything to God. Is really God who requires that? In fact, the minister have more than enough while his people is perishing. This is iniquity and perversity.
Jesus called the religious leaders who exploited people “mercenaries”. According to Jesus they are the ones who came to kill, to steal and to destroy, not the devil, as almost everyone believes. It is not the devil who came to kill, to steal and to destroy, but all these mercenaries preachers. Wow! Read for yourself!
““Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand (and still almost everyone today doesn’t) what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:1, 3, 6-10 NIV
2. THE BELIEVER IN JESUS GIVES OUT OF GENEROSITY, BUT IS NOT BOUND BY THE LAW.
You see the first example of tithing in Scriptures In Abraham. But Abraham was not a tither. The Bible mentioned that he tithed only once, and even not out of his properties, but from the offal of war.
Jacob, the second time it’s mentioned in the Bible, promised God to give the tithe, but there is no mention in Scriptures he really did.
Tithe is prescribed by the Law. It was not even 10%, but more. To be discussed in another occasion. But let us assumed it is 10%). In Jesus perspective 10% is inadmissible. For Jesus, you lay down before him 100%. And you do, first, to take of your family, second, you do good to the family of believers and thirdly to orphans, widows and needy people.
People considered in need are not those who don’t want to work, but those who can’t work. You see people in needy on the streets, but the streets are dirty and nobody clean them. When there is work and you don’t do it because you don’t get a remuneration you are not needy, you are lazy.
“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:9-10
Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” Ephesians 4:28
3. THE PURPOSE FOR GIVING, NOT TITHING, BUT GIVING WHAT AMOUNT GOD PUTS IN YOUR HEART IS TO HELP THOSE IN NEED (THE POOR), WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.
“So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised (to help the believers in need). Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:5-15
And finally, why believers tithe and are still poor?
4. GIVING IS NOT GOD’S ECONOMY TO BRING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. WORKING, SAVINGS AND INVESTING ARE.
Three things to seriously observe:
1 - You can’t spend more money than what you earn. Debt is the worse way of life that leads to misery. In dealing with economy and finances your enemy number one is DEBT.
“The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. He who has a generous eye will be blessed, For he gives of his bread to the poor.” Proverbs 22:7, 9
2 - People think that giving will get them magically out of poverty. Many leave their children with hunger to sacrificially give. They don’t know the message of the cross. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32
3 - Why should you give anything to receive from God something in exchange? Who did entice you to believe that you can do something to God so He can repay you?
“I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High.” Psalms 50:9-14
Thanksgiving, a grateful heart and contentment are more pleasing to God than any amount of money you could possibly give.
4 - You give from the generosity of your heart! And you practice the law of sowing and reaping that even the unbelievers take advantage while believers don’t.
Sowing and reaping has nothing to do with ministries, or churches, or anything else but to what the Bible teaches. There are whole chapters on this, Isaiah 58, that goes with II Corinthians 9 and Mathew 25.
Do you want really to know how you can do something directly to God with any doubt?
“Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18:4-5
““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:34-40
#ASONE
No comments:
Post a Comment