Should members give money to their church?

[nunatak]

I answered these questions somewere on the third page of 20 posts per page. Here is what I wrote:

Give 100% of what you purpose to give in your heart.

If you purpose in your heart to give 30 dollars a month, give 30 dollars a month... 100%.

If you purpose in your heart to give 60 dollars, give 60 dollars.

No Less than 100% of what you purpose in your heart.
................................................................

As to the how, the answer is give cheerfully.

I think this is the best answer so far.

 

[JerryL]

The topic is:

Should members give money to their church?

I don't see everyone strongly saying yes to that question do you.

I said yes many pages ago. All others and me are debating is, getting money for the church illegally by preaching tithes to Christians. Looking back through the posts I find that 100% of the participants are in favor of giving money to their church

 

[Aaron]

I said yes many pages ago. All others and me are debating is, getting money for the church illegally by preaching tithes to Christians. Looking back through the posts I find that 100% of the participants are in favor of giving money to their church

They're saying "yes, but . . ."

 

[standingfirminChrist]

They're saying "yes, but . . ."

Yes, but...
... not through tithes, but cheerful offerings.

 

[JerryL]

They're saying "yes, but . . ."

"They're saying yes but".....it's none of your business how much. Adjust your church's spending according to what you get.

 

[Aaron]

The fact of the matter is, that where a man's treasure is, that's where you'll find his heart. A man who gives a small percentage loves small; a man who gives a large percentage loves large.

I would say the widow had dire need of her two mites, nevertheless she gave out of her need because she had a great love for the work of the Lord.

 

[JerryL]

The fact of the matter is, that where a man's treasure is, that's where you'll find his heart. A man who gives a small percentage loves small; a man who gives a large percentage loves large.

I would say the widow had dire need of her two mites, nevertheless she gave out of her need because she had a great love for the work of the Lord.

It still doesn't make what people give your business. It also doesn't give you the right to preach a false doctrine to get the ante up. Adjust your church spending according to what gets given.

 

[Alcott]

The fact of the matter is, that where a man's treasure is, that's where you'll find his heart. A man who gives a small percentage loves small; a man who gives a large percentage loves large.

Alright... if a man loves the Lord with all his heart-- the greatest commandment, said Jesus-- and where his heart is there is his treasure; then if a man does not give EVERYTHING he has or earns to the work of the Lord [the church, by inference in your position in this thread], then he is defying the commandment to which all others are secondary... IOW he cannot be right with God.

So, if/when you get a paycheck, do you endorse it in its entirety over to your church?

 

[JerryL]

Alright... if a man loves the Lord with all his heart-- the greatest commandment, said Jesus-- and where his heart is there is his treasure; then if a man does not give EVERYTHING he has or earns to the work of the Lord [the church, by inference in your position in this thread], then he is defying the commandment to which all others are secondary... IOW he cannot be right with God.

So, if/when you get a paycheck, do you endorse it in its entirety over to your church?

Alcott, as always, when they can't defend their view, they resort to emotional tactics. "God can't build His church with His ways, he needs man's help."

This is just one more reason people are slowly but surely turning against "organized" religion, as is evident with the declining numbers across the board in all denominations.

 

[Aaron]

Alright... if a man loves the Lord with all his heart-- the greatest commandment, said Jesus-- and where his heart is there is his treasure; then if a man does not give EVERYTHING he has or earns to the work of the Lord [the church, by inference in your position in this thread], then he is defying the commandment to which all others are secondary... IOW he cannot be right with God.

So, if/when you get a paycheck, do you endorse it in its entirety over to your church?

The early Christians did just that. What I do or don't do is irrelevant. What is it that the Scriptures teach?

A man's love will determine where he puts his resources. That's a universal non-optional principle, and if you're feeling a twinge of conviction because I pointed it out, I'm delighted. :applause:

 

[standingfirminChrist]

The early Christians did just that. What I do or don't do is irrelevant. What is it that the Scriptures teach?

A man's love will determine where he puts his resources. That's a universal non-optional principle, and if you're feeling a twinge of conviction because I pointed it out, I'm delighted. :applause:

So if you give 23% of your money to the Lord's work and someone else gives 28%, that means they love the Lord more than you?

 

[Alcott]

The early Christians did just that.

Oh, they took their paychecks and endorsed them over to their churches?

What I do or don't do is irrelevant.

[profanity snipped - watch your language] What do yo do?

What is it that the Scriptures teach?

That it is the greatest commandment that you love the Lord with
ALL your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Do you love him with ALL your paycheck?

...and if you're feeling a twinge of conviction because I pointed it out, I'm delighted.

Then try real hard to stifle your delight, because I aint.

 

[Aaron]

So if you give 23% of your money to the Lord's work and someone else gives 28%, that means they love the Lord more than you?

What was Christ's comment concerning the rich and the widow when giving to the temple treasury?

 

[Aaron]

Oh, they took their paychecks and endorsed them over to their churches?

Have ye never read Acts 4?

[profanity snipped] What do yo do?

Well, it's plain to see where your heart and treasure lay.

 

[JerryL]

Have ye never read Acts 4?

Do you do it?

 

[Aaron]

Irrelevant. What saith the Scriptures?

 

[JerryL]

Irrelevant. What saith the Scriptures?

But..... do you do what "saith the scriptures" in this thing you are bringing up? It's very relevant, are you doing what you are insinuating others should do?


BTW, we don't speak "old english" in America anymore.

George Greene presents a full explanation of the Widow's Gift recorded in the Bible in Mark 12:38-44. This is part 1 of the lesson. A closer look at what Jesus said reveals that the widow was being plundered by religious leaders. The widow's gift is NOT an example for Christian generosity.«

There are two videos about the widow's mite at the link below.
More on the Widow's mite

 

[Aaron]

Excuse me. Didn't you emphatically state that it's no one's business what one or another does in this respect? Ah, yes, you did in post 205. But that was never true was it? It was only no one's business as long as you could wrest the Scriptures into saying that miserly giving was spiritual and generous.

Now you want to turn the discussion from what the Scriptures say toward me personally. Everyone who has interacted with me on this board will tell you that's an act of futility. I never make the discussions about what you do, or what I do outside this forum (unless you make a direct appeal to your practices in post). I always make them about what the Scriptures say.

So, back to my question. What saith the Scriptures?

 

[JerryL]

Excuse me. Didn't you emphatically state that it's no one's business what one or another does in this respect? Ah, yes, you did in post 205. But that was never true was it? It was only no one's business as long as you could wrest the Scriptures into saying that miserly giving was spiritual and generous.

Now you want to turn the discussion from what the Scriptures say toward me personally. Everyone who has interacted with me on this board will tell you that's an act of futility. I never make the discussions about what you do, or what I do outside this forum (unless you make a direct appeal to your practices in post). I always make them about what the Scriptures say.

So, back to my question. What saith the Scriptures?

No, I don't think it's mine or anyone else's business what you give. I was making a point. You keep telling that everybody should give all their money and you keep quoting the widow's mite and Acts 4. The point I was making, are you doing what you are insinuating that others SHOULD do? I don't want a figure. Just don't insinuate what others should do without first making sure you are doing the same. Back to my question. Do you do what "saith the scriptures" according to the widow's mite and Acts 4? Rightly dividing is not a common practice on this board. By not rightly dividing, I can come up with any number of wild doctrines.

 

[Aaron]

You keep telling that everybody should give all their money and you keep quoting the widow's mite and Acts 4.

I do? I think all said was that where one's treasure is, that's where his heart will be. (Actually I was quoting Jesus.)

It's a universal, non-optional principle. Your love for God will be reflected in your giving. It's as simple as that. And you're finding it hard to argue with. You're forced to go at me personally or find new meanings for Scriptures that are plain and straightforward.

I believe it was nunatak and Alcott who saw the implications of the principle and kicked against it directly.

Either way. I think I made my point. Didn't I say when I first became involved in this thread that you might prefer the tithe to the NT model?