Category Archives: Church

Love of God and its Counterfeit

Posted by Nov 15, 2015 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism, Youths Leave a Comment
Love of God and its Counterfeit

Love of God is the basis for our salvation from eternal punishment. But it is painful that some preachers monetised the Gospel to present a counterfeit love of God to people. You don’t have to pay a single cent to enjoy the love of God….

 
The love of God is available for sinners to repent from their evil lifestyles. And it is also available for the believers to sustain their fellowship in Jesus Christ. God is love and it is dangerous to take the love of God for granted?

 
My concern is that the love of God suffers abuse by a lot of ‘lazy Christians’ who find it stressful to study their Bibles. Their careless lifestyles confuse many new converts that join the church.

Beware of preachers who tells you that anything goes in the presence of God’s love. How could genuine Pastors preach to you that the love of God permits you to do ‘anything’ you like?

 
For instance, one of the top five most influential Pastors in America preached a “Brand New” sermon series in February this year. Andy says that it doesn’t matter what the congregation believe as long as they love.

 

He claimed not to water down the love of God, but his explanation does not guide the listeners to holy lifestyle in Jesus Christ. Andy gave the listeners the impression to do any worldly action as long as they love their neighbours. This is one of the reasons the love for God is growing cold in the Christendom.

 
Romans chapter 12 verse 1 and 2 says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

 
Charles Stanley is a Pastor with a great influence in America and beyond. You have to be very careful with his counterfeit preaching on the love of God. Charles says: “The Bible clearly teaches that God’s love for His people is of such magnitude that even those who walk away from faith have not the slightest chance of slipping from His hand. Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy”.

 
This strange teaching on love of God from Charles encourages the listeners to engage in sin with the assurance of not missing heaven. Unfortunately, this ‘new teaching’ was embraced by a lot of preachers in America and other continents.

 
This ‘new teaching’ of the love of God contradicts the Bible, but it is unfortunate that large crowd is embracing it. You can’t disobey God’s rules in the Bible and have any guarantee to enter heaven.

 
The book of Hebrew buttress this in chapter 6 verse 4 to 6: “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

 
This false teaching about the love of God is synonymous to someone telling you that the President of your country loves you. So, when you break the law of the land, the police will not put you into prison. But, you shall be given a wonderful reward for the crime you committed. Where is it done on earth?

 

Realities of the Love of God

 

• Love of God Saves You from Dying in Sinful Lifestyle

John chapter 3 verse 16 says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Thus, believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Bible and you would be saved.

 

• Love of God will Discipline You

God does not want you to live your life carelessly. So, He wants you to obey the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Bible. 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 says: “Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action).” (AMP)

 

• Love of God in Your Life will Save You from Eternal Suffering

Your suffering (endurance) on earth due to persecution of the gospel, poverty, sickness, etc. does not underestimate the love of God for your life. Jesus says in John chapter 16 verses 33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

 

• Love of God is Not Partial
God loves both the believers and unbelievers. His love to the unbelievers is not to continue sinning. Love of God to the unbelievers is to make sure that they hear the true Gospel and repent from their sinful lifestyles.

There is impartial judgment in the love of God. He will separate the obedient children from the disobedient ones. Read details in the book of Matthew chapter 25 verse 31 to 46 “…All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats…”

 
The love of God is available for your righteous stand in godliness. Thus, don’t be deceived by false teachings that encourage you to live your life anyhow you want it. Enjoy the love of God through the biblical rules, and not by the worldly (sinful) rules that surrounds you.

Forgiveness: How to Forgive and Forget

Posted by Nov 8, 2015 Holy Word, Church, Family, Podcast, Youths Leave a Comment
Forgiveness: How to Forgive and Forget

Forgiveness is the ability to heal a wounded heart. To forgive and forget an offense involves an emotional process, and it is not an instant event.

Doctor Saima Noreen and his team at the University of St Andrews carried out a related research and their outcome suggests that forgiveness facilitates forgetting. The research found that individuals are more effective at suppressing items of information associated with memories for offenses they have already forgiven.

Fred Luskin, a psychologist reported that in careful scientific studies, forgiveness training has been shown to reduce depression, increase hopefulness, decrease anger, improve spiritual connection and increase emotional self-confidence.

Research also shows that people who are more forgiving report fewer health and mental problems, and fewer physical symptoms of stress.

There are various offenses such as cheat in the marriage/office, fraud, lies and so on. These offenses might not have the same hurtful size, but God wants you to forgive every offender.

Everyone had once offended the Lord, but He forgives us and forgot our past sins. The forgiveness of the Lord made us Christians today! So, the Lord made forgiveness a mandatory trend for every one of us.

Matthew chapter 6 verses 14 & 15 says: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

3 Rules of Forgiveness for Reconciliation

Forgiveness is not an action you do in haste or under pressure. You must find out the details of the offense, and the intention of the offender.

Jesus gave the rule of forgiveness in the book of Luke chapter 17 verse 3 & 4 says: “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

1. Criticize your Offender
It’s sinful to keep malice with your offender. Ephesians chapter 4 verses 31 say: “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice”.

So, the first step towards forgiveness is to call the offender, and criticize the offense through the word of God. Read the Bible passage that condemns such offense to the offender.
You might be going through a serious pain, but you must be strong to explain the scriptural implication of the offense to the offender.

2. Confirm Offender’s Repentance
The offender that deserves forgiveness and reconciliation must feel bad for committing such offense.

For instance, a rude son offended his dad by joining bad boys to steal on the street. The action of this boy brought a public shame to his father. Having rebuked the boy, the confirmation of his repentance was to renounce his bad gangs, and join the group of God-fearing boys.

3. Forgive your Offender
Forgiveness might not be easy in some heart-breaking offenses, but it is safer for you to forgive the (repented) offender.
Matthew chapter 18 verses 15 says: “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

Forgiveness that deserves reconciliation is a two-way process which involves; repentance on the side of the offender and to forgive on the side of the offended person.

There are some occasions where the offender will not be remorseful for the offense committed. It would be impossible to reconcile with such offender. Don’t allow the bitterness to stay in your heart forever. The best options are forgiveness and prayers for the stubborn offender (who might be your enemy).

How to Handle Forgiveness without Reconciliation

Jesus explained the scenario in Mathew chapter 18 verses 16 &17:

• “But if he (offender) will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established’.

• And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector”.

Benefits of Forgiveness

• It restores hope for the offender.

• Forgiveness relieves the heart of the offended person.

• To forgive and forget offenses will give you a healthy heart that is free from bitterness, anger, stress and hypertension.

• The more you forgive, the lesser your risk of losing heaven…

Antichrist: Secrets of the antichrists against Christians

Posted by Nov 1, 2015 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism, Podcast, Word of Faith , , 4 Comments
Antichrist: Secrets of the antichrists against Christians

Antichrist is a commander who has battalions of soldiers called the antichrists. The Antichrist is planning a coup to overthrow the salvation of Jesus Christ in the life of the Christians.
There is a lot of news flying on the media as regards the identity of Antichrist. Some said it is Pope Francis, while some versions said President Obama is the Antichrist. Hmm! The next breaking news on Antichrist might be one of my uncles in the Government…
Do not be confused by the ‘super’ mathematicians who are too curious to interpret the prophetic messages of Antichrist in the Bible.
Let’s take the subject of antichrist from its simpler terms. Antichrist is an organization controlled by Satan, and the major ambition of the antichrist is to deceive people.

The primary aim of the Antichrist is to present himself as a better messiah. The antichrist is discouraging the Christians and the world from practicing holiness.

Antichrist and antichrists

There are two categories of people involved in the satanic organization I called antichrist. The first alphabet (A) is used as the distinguishing element.
First John chapter 2 verses 18 says: “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.”
a) Antichrist is the devil incarnate that would become the world leader.This Antichrist will control the economy and governance of the world. The book of Revelation chapter 13 verses 7 and 8 explained the action of Antichrist: “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

 

b) The antichrists are the people preparing the way for the Antichrist, just like the way John the Baptist prepared the way for the arrival of Jesus Christ. Second John chapter 1 verse 7 says: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”
Presently, the Antichrist has not come, but the antichrists are fully in operation.

Seven Works of the antichrist in the Christendom

The antichrists are not ghost but they are brilliant and wise people controlled by evil spirit. Antichrist (as an evil organization) has its best performance in the aspect of deceit.
Let’s read the remark of Jesus to the Pharisees who were the first set of antichrist in the book of John chapter 8 verses 44: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
1. The antichrist intensified their efforts when the soldiers watching the tomb of Jesus were bribed, and compelled to spread the lies that Jesus’ corpse was stolen. The book of Mathew chapter 28 verse 12 to 15 says: “When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.”
The deceitful works of the antichrist made majority of the Jews to lose faith in Jesus Christ.
2. Another successful work of the antichrist is the misconception of the scriptures in the church. One of the deceits established by the antichrist is that God does not care about what you do with your body. (Misconception of Romans 8:10 is one of their quotes).
The antichrist (who claimed to be Pastors) in most churches had been able to deceive a lot of Christians to do whatever they like to their body. The antichrist gives false teaching to the Christians that God is only interested in their spiritual life.
But the antichrist preachers will not quote places like first Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19 and 20: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
You can hardly distinguish some Christian women going to the church from worldly women going to the disco party. Antichrist had successfully established provocative dressing styles, tattoo, cosmetics and various forms of worldly fashions to the midst of the Christians.

 

3. The antichrist penetrated the Christendom by attending the various school of theology and became Overseers/Pastors of many churches.

 

4. The antichrist does not preach messages that would change the heart of sinners to genuine repentance. And the true Word of God cannot be found on their pulpit.

 
5. The antichrist deceived a lot of Christians that the fastest way for prayers to be answered by God is through speaking in tongues. I was shocked when I discovered that most of the theology school has a course study called; speaking-in-tongues. The student-pastors were thought how to speak in tongues? Abomination!

 

The antichrist had used the false teaching of speaking in tongues to cause serious disorderliness in most churches. Church members not led by the Spirit of God were forced to open their mouths to say rubbish. Speaking in tongues is not what your Pastor will instruct you to do, it is a divine gift controlled by God.

 

Read first Corinthians chapter 14 for more details… “If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.” (Verse 27 & 28)
Anyone that asks you to do anything contrary to this instruction is an antichrist.

 

6. The antichrist knows that a typical human being does not want to be guided by the law. So, they pretend to be a loving Pastor who knows how best to interpret the Bible. The antichrist discourages the Christian not to subject themselves to any rules in the Bible.

 

The antichrist will preach to you to accept Jesus as your savior, and he tells you to live your life anyhow you want it. This had been a spiritual trap that had made a lot of Christians to be lukewarm. Do not be ignorant of God’s judgment to the lukewarm. Revelation chapter 3 verse 16 says: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

 

When Paul said we are no more under the law, he never preached to us to live a careless and unguided life. He told us we are no longer under the law of sacrifices practiced in the Old Testament, because Jesus had accomplished such on the cross. Romans chapter 7 verse 7 says: “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.”
Don’t be deceived by the antichrist, the rules giving to us by Jesus Christ in the New Testament must be obeyed.
7. The antichrist ruling the Catholic Church dropped the second commandment of God in their catechism to allow idolatry. You can’t worship two masters.
It is not safe to worship God, and bow for the statue of Mary or whatever name given to an idol or image. Revelation chapter 21 verses 8 says: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death”.
The secret of the antichrist is to make sure that everyone is judged, and cast to lake of fire. If anyone discourages you from obeying all the instructions in the New Testament, then such person is an antichrist.
God is not wicked. But He has set a rule of holiness for us to obey; anyone that disobeys is not fit to inherit heaven. If we are careful to obey the constitution of the land to avoid imprisonment, then why do we put up a debate on obeying the instructions of Jesus?

 

Technology is good, but the antichrist is using it to steal the precious time of the Christians so that lesser time will be available for personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Be careful with the time you spent on your social media.
Antichrist and Satan want every human being to join them to their eternal destination (lake of fire). So, they want to make sure that sin abound in our midst. If we allow sin to control our lives, then God will have no choice than to send all sinners to lake of fire.

The grace of God for you is not a license to live a careless life (Romans 6:1&2). You can always escape the deceits of the antichrist if you read, and obey the Bible with a humble heart.

Is the Grace of God Enough to Save Us?

Posted by Oct 25, 2015 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism, Podcast, Word of Faith , , 2 Comments
Is the Grace of God Enough to Save Us?

Grace of God is a special help to save us from any trouble of life. I experienced a remarkable grace of God many years ago in the Polytechnic. I had a terrible illness during my final examination. And I used all the drugs prescribed by the doctor, but none could cure the illness. I was unhappy, because I might fail the exams and suffer an extra year in school.

On the third day of the exam, I could not leave my room because I had no energy to lift myself. I did not have the imagination of going to the grave, but I saw death staring at me.
I cried out to God with all my strength for His mercy and grace. And a wind of healing blew into my room, and I was healed miraculously through the power in the grace of God. This grace of God marked the turning point of my life to become a genuine Christian.

 

How true is the Grace of God?

• Noah enjoyed the Grace of God
The grace of God had been available since the beginning of the world. Noah and his family were the first to enjoy the grace of God. They were saved from the first destruction of the earth. Genesis chapter 6 verse 8 says: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

• Lot acknowledged the Grace of God
Lot did not support the sinful lifestyles of his neighbor. And he was saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah through the grace (favor) of God. Genesis chapter 19 verses 19 say: “Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life…”

• Moses saw the Lord through the Grace of God
Moses was one of the few prophets who saw God and the grace of God upheld him from dying. Exodus chapter 34 verse 5 to 9 says: “Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there… So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped… I have found grace in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us…”

 

Grace of God is real and abundant in our generation through Jesus Christ as written in the book of John chapter 1 verse 17: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Am happy we are not under the sacrificial law of the Old Testament. Grace of God is enough to save us through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. And His resurrection is the power that seals our salvation into eternal joy.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the power of sin dominated the heart of man. But, God chose to give us a permanent deliverance from sins by releasing abundant grace to our generation.
Whosoever belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ will enjoy the grace of God. John chapter 3 verse 16 says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The grace of God is the ticket you need to embark on the holy journey to heaven.

 

What are those things the Grace in Christianity can’t do?

1. Grace of God is not a license to live like the worldly people.
Romans chapter 6 verse 1 and 2 says: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
2. Grace of God does not stop you from obeying the instructions of Jesus Christ in the Bible.
Jesus says in Matthew chapter 7 verse 21: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
3. Grace of God is not a Robot
I always felt uncomfortable when some ‘Christians’ told me that they were praying for the grace of God to take away the hard-to-leave sins in their lives. Unfortunately, I discovered that the hard-to-leave sins are worldly actions they love to do.
Don’t give the excuse of lack of grace for your continuation in sinful practices. You might be sitting on a gun powder! Romans chapter 6 verses 14 and 15 say: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”

 

The grace of God will save you from eternal condemnation if you surrender your life to Jesus.
Grace of God is the favor you receive from God to find it possible to live a sinless life. Grace of God cannot control your choice of living, because God respects your power of choice in life.

Please, I want you to run away from any teaching that abuses the grace of God. The grace of God in you does not give you the access to live a lawless and careless life.
Bible says we are no more under the law but grace. Yes! The Bible is referring to the customary and sacrificial laws of the Old Testament. Grace of God does not exempt you from obeying the instructions of Jesus in the New Testament.
The grace of God is available for everyone on earth. If you want to enjoy the grace of God forever, then give your body, soul and spirit to Jesus. Read the Bible daily, and practice the Word of God. Put your faith in Jesus Christ, and the grace of God will save you forever.

Is Tithing for the Christians?

Posted by Oct 18, 2015 Church, Gospel Evangelism, Podcast, Word of Faith , Leave a Comment
Is Tithing for the Christians?

Tithing was initially practiced by Abraham when he gave Melchizedek a tithe of the goods he recovered from the war. (Genesis 14:17-20). The Lord gave the law of tithing to the Israelite, so that they can imbibe the habit of giving to the needy. (Numbers 18:26)
I chose to write on tithing, because of the growing numbers of new converts in the church whose faith had being affected by the exaggerated teachings of some greedy Preachers. Tithing has nothing to do with your salvation in Jesus Christ.

 

What does the Bible Say about Tithing?

God adopted the strategy of tithing as a way of establishing abundance in the temple, and as a source of help to the poor Israelite. The Bible explained the full details of how tithing should be done in the Old Testament.

 

Deuteronomy chapter 26 verse 12 to 15 says: “When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year-the year of tithing-and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, then you shall say before the LORD your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them…”
If you had spent more than three years in a church that believes in tithing, then the Pastor must not collect your every third year tithes from you. You are to share the tithing as described in Deuteronomy 26:12-14. Any contradiction to that law by anyone is a sin.
If you worship in a church which is under the law of tithing, then don’t allow greedy Pastors or false doctrines to put you into trouble. You must follow the law to the letter by sharing your every third year tithes among your pastor and poor people in your area.
The Bible also mentioned the importance of tithing in Malachi chapter 3 verse 10a: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house …”
God does not eat human food, but He does not want the Priests and their family to die of hunger in the temple.

 

The Promises of God to Tithe Givers

God understands that tithing must come from a joyful heart. So, He chose to reward every tithe giver as a way of encouraging them to do more.

Let’s read the promises of God to tithe givers in Malachi chapter 3 verse 10b -12: “…And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts…”

Tithing in the New Testament

My careful study of the Old Testament shows that tithing had been the major source of income for the priests. The tithes from the successful farmers are also the source of help for the poor in the community. I searched the New Testament to find out if tithing is a continuous law for the Christian, but I noticed something more interesting than tithe.
Tithing in the Old Testament was a peripheral of the act of giving generous offering in the New Testament. Jesus Christ did not give any teaching on tithing, unlike other commandments recorded in the book of Mathew chapter 5, 6 and 7.
Jesus made a reference to tithe when He scolded the Pharisee for practicing tithing without a righteous lifestyle. Mathew chapter 23 verses 23 says: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”

 

 

Generous Offering is more valuable than tithing

Tithing is giving one-tenth of your income. But, generous offering is giving more than one-tenth of your income. Jesus Christ did not frown at tithing, but He teaches generous offering.
Thus, tithing is a prerequisite to generous offering. Mark chapter 12 verse 41 to 44 says: “Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrant. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; “for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
Another teaching of Jesus that supersedes tithing is written in the book of Luke chapter 6 and verse 38 which says: “Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
So, about the new rule from our Lord Jesus, if you give one-tenth of your income only, then the measure of your reward is limited. When you give half of your income, then your reward is more than the tithe giver. The more you give for God’s mission, the more blessings you will receive from Him.
The Apostles of Jesus did not generate income for the early church through tithing. Their financial source was through generous offerings and not tithing.

A true instance can be seen in the book of Act chapter 4 verse 32 to 37: “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common… Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
Every Christian of the early church was not under the law of tithing, but they contributed more than tithe of their earnings.
The request of Paul to the Corinthians shows that tithing was not a form of raising money for the spread of the Gospel. 1Corinthians chapter 16 verse 1 and 2 says: “Now about the money being collected for the Christians in Jerusalem…On every Lord’s Day, each of you should put aside some amount of money in relation to what you have earned and save it for this offering…” (NLT)
I always feel uncomfortable when I listen to some Pastors who lay too much emphasis on tithe as the source of blessing to the congregation. Your greatest blessing is from the measure and quality of your offering.
God will never force you to give a specific amount of money in this generation. He expects you to give as much as you can freely release from your heart.
The first act of giving recorded in the Bible is offering and not tithing. I got this fact in the book of Genesis chapter 4 and verse 3 to 5: “And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering…”
Many years ago, I gave all my income for the sponsor of an evangelical trip to a remote village. And I was overwhelmed by God’s multiple folds of blessings in my life. So, I chose not to stop giving generously to evangelical trips.
Tithing is not sinful, but Jesus Christ expects Christians to do more of generous offering. The cost of spreading the Gospel across the world is more expensive than the running cost of the temple (in the Old Testament). Thus, give more than tithing so that the Gospel could spread all over the world, and the measure of your blessing will be great.