Collecting ... For The Saints
(Today's message I'm turning over to Ron Graham, a frequent contributor to the Rapture Ready pretribulation website ... but never mind that, I'm posting here because as I was reading it really caught my eye -- that and I still HAVE my eye too! One big bugaboo people within and outside the church have with that place with that steeple, with the "bride of Christ", is regarding money; sounds like most of life, but again never mind that. Toward the end something I read that I've rendered here in caps stood out. I'm printing about half of Mr. Graham's article here, the full item is at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/g266.html and I think you'll find it as enlightening and thoughtful as I did. Stay awesome! -- David)
...The correct interpretation of 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 indicates that the collection Paul requested was not something he admonished the parishioners to repeat every week. It was a onetime blessing for the saints in Jerusalem collected from the assemblies in Galatia and Corinth. Paul made it clear he intended to send one of the brothers of the Corinth congregation to Jerusalem with this one time offering. That was it. Paul never says bring your tithes every Sabbaton [the original rendering of our word "Sabbath" -- David] so we can build new beautiful buildings, pay pastoral salaries, pay for grounds upkeep, musical instruments, stages, lighting, sound systems, and all the rest of the entertainment specialties that people seem to need today. These verses have been used to accommodate the hierarchy (the clergy) for hundreds of years, but as I’ve just demonstrated this was clearly not God’s intent.
Please don’t misunderstand my intentions with this commentary. I’m only trying to give my readers a clearer picture of the correct interpretation when it comes to tithing – from scripture. There are many pastors who are under extreme pressure from their board of directors to squeeze more from their congregations in regards to funding. In most cases these funds are not used to help the suffering brethren but, as I’ve already mentioned, to add sources of entertainment or pay for overhead to an already bloated building fund.
Supporting others in need through our own abundance is exactly what Jesus teaches us in the parable of the Samaritan. Almost immediately, as Jesus begins this parable, He uses the word compassion. However, He never mentions that this Samaritan was under orders from his pastor or anyone else to help the man who had been attacked by thieves. The parable tells us that the Samaritan purposed in his own heart to help this man. Instead of passing by, Jesus showed that this Samaritan loved this man with a sacrificial love. He didn’t wait to be asked; seeing the need right in front of him was enough to compel him to action. He also gave freely of both his time and his resources. He didn’t filter his giving through a “benevolence” fund or send it to a charity where most of the funds were siphoned off for administration purposes, but shouldered the responsibility himself. By laying out this parable, Jesus was attempting to answer the question “Who is our neighbor?” What we come to understand from this parable is that everyone is our neighbor. We should have compassion for our fellow man, no matter who that person may be.
“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” James 2:15-16. In many cases we pray for the hungry, naked, and destitute but give them little if anything at all to eat, cover themselves with, or help them pay their monthly heating cost. If we are of no help to others what profit, or what benefit, is it to them? Here’s a suggestion. Look around your own community or congregation and see who is in need, then help them directly. Even if you want to stay anonymous there are ways to accomplish that also.
ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU THAT IF YOU DON'T TITHE YOU CAN'T BE BORN AGAIN IS MISTAKEN. Many in Christian leadership continually insist that the members of their congregations who don’t tithe are standing against God’s precepts. Jesus Christ is our Saviour and He is our King, and a King doesn’t tax his own children. We’re free to give as we prosper and as we purpose in our hearts.
“…so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7. The Greek word “lypē” is translated into our English word “grudgingly”, and it means: sorrow, pain, grief. We aren’t to be in serious state of wanting ourselves when we give because then we will be giving grudgingly. The Greek word “anagkē” is translated into our English word “necessity” and it means: imposed either by the circumstances, or by law of duty regarding to one’s advantage, custom, argument, calamity, distress, straits. In other words, no one should be provoking us or brow beating us into giving or tithing. Clearly when we give we are to give out of our love for someone else – God says give cheerfully, joyfully; when we do so we honor God pleasing Him in love.
God bless you all, Ron Graham
...The correct interpretation of 1 Corinthians 16:1-3 indicates that the collection Paul requested was not something he admonished the parishioners to repeat every week. It was a onetime blessing for the saints in Jerusalem collected from the assemblies in Galatia and Corinth. Paul made it clear he intended to send one of the brothers of the Corinth congregation to Jerusalem with this one time offering. That was it. Paul never says bring your tithes every Sabbaton [the original rendering of our word "Sabbath" -- David] so we can build new beautiful buildings, pay pastoral salaries, pay for grounds upkeep, musical instruments, stages, lighting, sound systems, and all the rest of the entertainment specialties that people seem to need today. These verses have been used to accommodate the hierarchy (the clergy) for hundreds of years, but as I’ve just demonstrated this was clearly not God’s intent.
Please don’t misunderstand my intentions with this commentary. I’m only trying to give my readers a clearer picture of the correct interpretation when it comes to tithing – from scripture. There are many pastors who are under extreme pressure from their board of directors to squeeze more from their congregations in regards to funding. In most cases these funds are not used to help the suffering brethren but, as I’ve already mentioned, to add sources of entertainment or pay for overhead to an already bloated building fund.
Supporting others in need through our own abundance is exactly what Jesus teaches us in the parable of the Samaritan. Almost immediately, as Jesus begins this parable, He uses the word compassion. However, He never mentions that this Samaritan was under orders from his pastor or anyone else to help the man who had been attacked by thieves. The parable tells us that the Samaritan purposed in his own heart to help this man. Instead of passing by, Jesus showed that this Samaritan loved this man with a sacrificial love. He didn’t wait to be asked; seeing the need right in front of him was enough to compel him to action. He also gave freely of both his time and his resources. He didn’t filter his giving through a “benevolence” fund or send it to a charity where most of the funds were siphoned off for administration purposes, but shouldered the responsibility himself. By laying out this parable, Jesus was attempting to answer the question “Who is our neighbor?” What we come to understand from this parable is that everyone is our neighbor. We should have compassion for our fellow man, no matter who that person may be.
“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” James 2:15-16. In many cases we pray for the hungry, naked, and destitute but give them little if anything at all to eat, cover themselves with, or help them pay their monthly heating cost. If we are of no help to others what profit, or what benefit, is it to them? Here’s a suggestion. Look around your own community or congregation and see who is in need, then help them directly. Even if you want to stay anonymous there are ways to accomplish that also.
ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU THAT IF YOU DON'T TITHE YOU CAN'T BE BORN AGAIN IS MISTAKEN. Many in Christian leadership continually insist that the members of their congregations who don’t tithe are standing against God’s precepts. Jesus Christ is our Saviour and He is our King, and a King doesn’t tax his own children. We’re free to give as we prosper and as we purpose in our hearts.
“…so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7. The Greek word “lypē” is translated into our English word “grudgingly”, and it means: sorrow, pain, grief. We aren’t to be in serious state of wanting ourselves when we give because then we will be giving grudgingly. The Greek word “anagkē” is translated into our English word “necessity” and it means: imposed either by the circumstances, or by law of duty regarding to one’s advantage, custom, argument, calamity, distress, straits. In other words, no one should be provoking us or brow beating us into giving or tithing. Clearly when we give we are to give out of our love for someone else – God says give cheerfully, joyfully; when we do so we honor God pleasing Him in love.
God bless you all, Ron Graham
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