Subject: How are we to approach giving today?
Let me set the stage:
>We all know the scriptures which "tell us to tithe".
>We could be shackled with debt, but who asks or uses the bible to address that?
>We could be taking care of a sick mother, relative, needy neighbor, or ourselves have serious health issues.
>2150 vs on stewardship, and 500 on faith, 500 on prayer, yet 90% of the time money is mentioned it is about 10% of our money to be given to the church.
>Now, God designed human believers to work best in a community vs isolated, so Christ's church is a huge investment on his part, and something he deeply desires for us.
>Somewhere we need the lights on, water running, carpet cleaned, etc. so it is going to cost money regardless of where we meet.
As an approach to giving let's assume it is right to give, whatever that means to you and properly implemented, and that it pleases God and is part of us participating in His divine nature. Let's say also that >10% is something God feels is a reasonable amount of money we can use to practice being generous, as God is generous and he is our role model.
>Let's also assume 10% is within most peoples' abilities to budget, with some discipline to where they could still "pay the bills" and manage to live on 90% of their salary. Do not forget that investments, and planning ofr the later years in life must be taken into consideration That said, here are 5 possible basic areas to where we could give, in alphabetical order:
[1] Church
[2] Family [to include extended family]
[3] Friends
[4] Persecuted
[5] Poor [to include widows and orphans in their distress]
Check out the reasoning behind these 5 areas:
[1]Church: if we want to "keep the lights on", and pay someone to work fulltime in the ministry to serve the community then they need funding; otherwise it will crumble, and to meet corporately, one of us will have to provide a dwelling for most of the year anyway, so that's going to co$t one way or another .
The apostle Paul needed money from time to time during his travels so people gave to him on occasion. Otherwise he worked so I suspect he didn't require fulltime pay all the time. Other than that, there's just not a lot of strong implication from the NT that I can see pointing to a huge "thou shalt tithe 10% regularly" mentality. There are lots of Old Testament verses referring to the Israelites giving to keep the temple of God in repair and the priesthood taken care of [we can liken that unto God's temple if you like, which is the Church now], although it was a Theocracy at the time so the Priesthood had a solid structure that required lots of financing including sustenance and land. Is that how we want our modern day Christianity to be run financially? Perhaps the Catholic Church is closer to the OT pattern? Furthermore, what about all the references to giving to the poor, taking care of widows and orphans in their distress, taking care of the household of believers, taking care of our relatives and immediate families, and even giving to friends? More on that follows...
[2]Family: 1 Timothy 5:8 - "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." This includes brothers and sisters, and perhaps even in-laws. Remember too, "Honor your father and mother" - which implies not just saluting them, but taking care of them if needed. Look also at Mark 7:9-13: 9And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[c] your own traditions! 10For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,'[d] and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'[e] 11But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." Incredible verse!
[3]Friends: Luke 16:9 - "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." Pretty incredible, too. Who teaches this stuff? Who points out the myriad of ways to give financially?
[4]Persecuted: "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' [Matt 25]. According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith. Most martyrs suffer and die anonymously, unknown, forgotten, their deaths unrecorded except in heaven. - http://www.persecution.net/faq-stats.htm. The Voice of the Martyrs routinely has articles showing people imprisoned leaving their wives and children helpless, they are beaten, tortured, and killed. This happens often; it is disturbing to read about it in their montly publication. They need money.
[5]Poor: Proverbs 28:27 - "He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." Proverbs 19:17 - "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done." Not to mention all the "fly-babies" [lying on the ground hungry with flies swarming - disgustingly dehumanizing!]. Now, "who is the poor?" is a good question. Remember also when someone asked Jesus "who is my neighbor?" Note how he answered them, and consider how he might answer the other question. James 1: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
This is just the tip of the iceburg.
NOTE: this report doesn't yet cover whether or not someone is even financially healthy enough to give away chunks of money without first gaining a measure of control on their debt situation, and at least formulating an intelligent plan to manage their finances - something God is especially concerned about. We can discuss that aspect of our lives later. But, assuming we are able to give to some degree and our heart is in it let us consider the benefit of having an "exercise plan" if you will, regarding giving.
FINAL THOUGHTS: let's assume we wanted to give away a whole 10% of our salary to the 5 aforementioned areas. You can divide those areas evenly or in any proportion you want: most to the church, most to family, etc. If you do not want to give any, then I encourage you to return to the Bible to earnestly seek God's heart on the issue of giving. Then if you decide to start giving, bear in mind if you give at all it pleases the Lord. Whether you give away all 10% into which respective or collective categories is not the primary concern. Being able to give cheerfully to good causes and those in need - that is the good news. What % amounts would you consider to be reasonable for each of them?
