“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.” (2 Corinthians 8:1-7 ESV)
Now, I believe that the context here is that of financial giving to the church, although it does not have to be limited just to that subject. But the church spoken of here was the collective body of Christ throughout the city of Corinth, and the money was for the needs of the saints, and perhaps also to help supply financial support to those who ministered the word of God full-time. But this was not money given to build large edifices as houses of worship, nor was it for building decorations and furnishings, etc.
So much money today, which is being collected from the people, is going for the support of these huge buildings and properties and furnishings and electronic equipment, and for their upkeep, and for advertising and marketing, and for pastors’ huge salaries, and for their large homes and properties and automobiles, etc. And all that is such a waste, and while the poor get even more poor, and while the rich keep getting richer. And while the preaching of the gospel keeps getting more and more suppressed.
I grew up in the gatherings of the church, and I was taught from early on that I was to tithe 10% of my income to “the church.” And that is something that I practiced and that my husband and I practiced for many, many years. But then, for about 7.5 years, we had a ministry to college age adults out of our home, and we were feeding them every week, and we were teaching them the Scriptures, and we were providing for them musical instruments to play, etc., and that was all coming out of our own pockets.
And then we began to look at where our 10% was going that we were giving to “the church” (institutional market-driven churches) which was going for fancy furniture for the church staff and for unnecessary electronic equipment, and for all sorts of marketing and such, and fleshly stuff which had nothing to do with the preaching of the gospel and ministering to the true needs of the saints. And so, at that time, we took 5% from what we were giving to “the church” to minister God’s grace to these young people.
Now, not everyone is going to agree with me here on this, but I believe the 10% tithe was Old Covenant, and under the New Covenant we are to give freewill offerings, but it appears to me that these offerings are to be for meeting the needs of the people, especially the needs of the poor. They are not to support huge properties and buildings and fancy furnishings and marketing junk. They may be to help support those who are ministers of the gospel full-time, but even there the ministers should have modest homes.
For the money given should be for the advancement of the gospel (the true gospel, though, not the diluted one), for Bibles for people, and for feeding and ministering to the truly poor (but not for freeloaders who are lazy and don’t want to work). For if we are truly giving to the Lord and to the work of the ministry, his ministry, then the money should be given for spreading the full gospel message (the whole counsel of God) and for ministering to the saints of God who are truly poor, and for helping to support biblical teachers.
For, the temple of God is now Jesus Christ. And we who believe in Jesus Christ with genuine God-persuaded faith in the Lord, are the body of Christ, his temple. God now dwells within us, via his Spirit, so we the people are the church, not these buildings called “church,” and not church denominations, and not these not-for-profit corporations under the state (state churches). So, church is not somewhere we go. We the church go to various places where we meet together as the church, the body of Christ.
And the New Testament church met in people’s homes and in the temple courts which were open to the Gentiles, at least until that temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. And the church in Corinth or in Ephesus or in Rome, etc. were the church in those cities. For there is only ONE CHURCH, the body of Christ, comprised of all who are of genuine faith in Jesus Christ. We are those who have died with Christ to sin and who’ve been raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as servants of righteousness.
So, when you think of church, don’t think of buildings, for the buildings are not the church. So we don’t give our money to buildings unless we need a place to meet with one another, but these buildings should be very basic, and not fancy, and not expensive, but modest, and they should be used more than once a week, and they should be used to share the gospel (the whole counsel of God) and to minister to people’s real needs and to feed the hungry and to teach the Scriptures and for prayer and not for the big show.
So, the bottom line here is that, if you are going to give your money to the work of the Lord, make sure that it is for the work of the Lord according to the Scriptures and not to build earthly kingdoms of humankind and to support their marketing schemes. And if you are going to contribute toward your pastor’s salary, make certain where that money is going, and that he is working for the Lord, in truth, full-time, like Paul did, and like the other NT apostles did, and that he is not getting paid to charm people and to entertain them and to win the world to their worldly gatherings.
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Hymn lyrics by Anonymous/Unknown
Music by American Melody
“For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you” (2 Co. 13:4 NASB).
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Ks49apflE
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