Sun, Nov 30th - 1:08PM
The
Bible is inerrant. It interprets itself, backs up itself and authenticates
itself. The whole of scripture serves God’s purpose. Every believer must obey
God to read, search, learn, teach and obey the Bible. There can be no unity in
the body without the correct understanding of and obedience to scripture. Certainly
problems arise when some Christians do not understand the difference between
Law and Grace. Those who believe in tithing or the giving of ten percent of
income, often argue amongst themselves if it should be before or after taxes. The
most used example to enforce tithing is Malachi 3: 8 Will a man rob God? yet ye rob me. But ye
say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9Ye are cursed with
the curse; for ye rob me, even this whole nation. 10Bring ye the whole tithe
into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now
herewith, saith Jehovah 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]. Tragically
some believers become so gripped in the false belief that they can be cursed to
such a degree they become shamanistic searching for ways to break various
curses found in the Law. Giving out of
fear of a curse is bondage. No one can be a cheerful giver fearing for their
lives. All
Christians are under Grace, not Law. No Christian need ever fear being cursed:
Galatians 3:13-14 (MSG) | In Context | Whole Chapter 13-14
Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it
completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, “Cursed is
everyone who hangs on a tree”? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to
the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And
now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham’s blessing
is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God’s
life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it. Because of Lord Jesus Christ, His people are forever BLESSED. For this cause and a multitude of so much more, brethren let us give thanks and praise offerings to Him alone. Christians
should give to the best of their ability to support the work of the Lord. The
Bible tells every Christian how to give: 2Co
9:7 Every
man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or
of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. What
a difference in giving between Law and Grace!!! It is true that God does not
change but He has done a new thing through His Son and sole Saviour, Jesus Christ who has given us the New
Covenant of Grace. The Bible makes it absolutely clear that no one can please God
through obeying the Law. Gal
2:21 I
do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then
Christ is dead in vain. Gal
5:4 Christ
is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye
are fallen from grace. 1Ti
1:9 Knowing
this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and
disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for
murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, The
Bible is clear, God forbids the mixing of Law and Grace. There is no options or
plan B about this. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church and we obey Him out
of love. He is truth, the way and the life. God’s way is the only right way and
the only right way is God’s way. No Christian should be surprised that we still
need to grow in Grace in our living and understanding.
Under the Law men were bound by fear, bondage,
and curses. Under the Grace of the New Covenant we are set free by the love of
Jesus Christ AND BLESSED. Therefore our giving is as we each purpose to give out of love,
and is solely between us and Him not men. Those who wilfully reject the Grace of Jesus Christ and falsely claim salvation through the Law cannot be considered Christians at all. love serola
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