| Would
pastors today allow people to feel "good" about selling lands and houses,
then giving the proceeds to
help the poor?
The patterns and
traditions of our Christian culture do not necessarily please God.
"Do not conform
any longer to the pattern of this world,
His love in our hearts keeps expanding our ability to love others as Christ loves us. Practice makes perfect.
OTHER ARTICLES WHAT IS
OPEN
ARMS
|
The Bible conveys
God's desire for us to give. There are references on this subject
scattered liberally through the whole Bible.
In the New Testament Paul, Peter and others
speak of a higher level of understanding about giving. The
difference in the two testaments can be summed up this way:
All that we have belongs to God. Our lives, our time and our money are no longer really our own. God has given us His best. Our acceptance of Christ includes self-denial. We are to take up our crosses daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). There is a total giving up and a turning over of our lives into His able hands. Someone who does not understand this, or who has not totally given himself to God might feel good giving 5%, or 10% of his hard earned money to God's works – to the church or to other ministries. The early accounts of scripture that talk about money, show that those people measured their generosity differently. "There were no needy
persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands
or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the
apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. "
"Each man should give what he has decided
in his heart to give, [TO THE NEEDY] not reluctantly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound
to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you
will abound in every good work."
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