Family

Jesus rebuked the religious institution of his day for claiming that 'giving to God' came before the responsibilty to look after our families.

Mark 7:9-13

9 He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  10 For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'  11 But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban " — ' (that is, a gift to God),  12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,  13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do."     NKJV 

Honor of parents includes the responsibilty to provide for support for needs if required. This priority from God is confirmed by Paul.

1 Tim 5:4-8

4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God………

8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.   NKJV

There can only be ONE first obligation. Just as the Jews of that day used ‘corban’ as an excuse not to care for family FIRST so today much of the organized ‘church’ worldwide uses the false teaching of people being required to 'give to God' first ...ie as ‘first-fruits' or 'storehouse money tithing’ which is NOT a scriptural teaching or a New Testament practice. The outcome of this deception is to cause people to break the fifth commandment.

 

Our Bills

Do we pay our debts before we give to the church?

Not paying your bills means you are effectively stealing from people. You have taken an item or a service and have not paid for it! This is to break the eighth commandment!

The money you owe them is NOT yours…it is theirs!

Rom 13:7-8

7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.    NKJV

 

Sadly many christians and churches worldwide do not have a good testimony when it comes to paying their bills because they have not been taught to or fail to address this priority! They are often deceived into giving this money to their 'church'!

  

The Poor

The next priority we have is to express the love of God to the POOR

The mistake of the rich man was to step over the poor man Lazarus  .....and this was also the mistake of the Levite and the priest.....religion and 'church membership' will not save you if it has not transformed your heart towards the poor and needy.

Matt 25:44-45
'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'  45 Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' NKJV

Jesus here defines how we see Him ....and how we give to God....we give to the POOR!

 

The collection referred to in Acts and the Epistles was for the POOR

Rom 15:25-26

25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.    NKJV

1 Cor 16:1-3

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2 On the first day  of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. 3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.    NKJV
 

This collection was NOT for tithes as claimed....but freewill giving for the poor. Each person was to 'lay something aside' for the starving saints in Jerusalem. The parallel would apply today....lay aside from what God has blessed you with and provide for the NEEDY yourself. Do not to bring it to 'church' and thereby abdicate your personal ministries!
 

Gal 2:10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.     NKJV

This was demonstrated by what the priority was for the early church.. feeding the poor and needy wherever they encountered them! The word ONLY clearly demonstrates that there was no other REQUIREMENT related to giving...such as to give to church organisations to pay salaries to ‘pastors’ or to build buildings. 

Heb 13:15-16
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.    NKJV

God is NOT pleased when we give to churches before we look after the needy....the only sacrifices and offerings we are to make is in giving to the POOR  ...ie .      

 

James 1:27
27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.      NKJV

1 John 3:17
17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?   NKJV
  

Giving money to most churches to help the poor is in most cases extremely inefficient.....on average in excess of 95% of it is consumed as an overhead (ie buildings, salaries and utilities).....and very little actually finds its way to supporting missions and the poor!

  

Hospitality to Itinerant ministers

There is no scriptural support for a 'located' minister to be paid a salary. The wages Jesus spoke of which the itinerant apostle or preacher should receive are defined as hospitality...ie eating and drinking and staying with those you minister to only. No one in the bible was ever paid a salary by an organisation to preach or carry out a ministry. The wages Paul received when he was itinerant would only have been when he was not able to work and be self-supporting as Jesus had instructed (Acts 20:35) and then only those Jesus said the worker was worthy of...ie provisions. Jesus also told his disciples that they could not serve God and mammon. A ministry cannot be the same as a job you are paid to do, that would make one a 'hireling'. (Zondervan Bible Dictionary)

Matt 10:7-10
7 And as you go, preach, saying,'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'  8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,  10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.    NKJV
 

In this the 'first mention' of a worker (clearly being one who was sent out...or an apostle) being worthy of reward, the 'wage ' is clearly defined by Jesus. This requires future references to the workers wages to be interpreted with this intent in mind unless they clearly teach otherwise (which they don't). We will examine this separately in detail under the heading "What the bible really says about....Paid Ministry"

 Matt 10:42

42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water  in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."    NKJV

1 Cor 9:13-14
13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. NKJV

'Even so' limits the wages to the like of food and drink which was offered on the altar. Money was NEVER placed on the altar!
  

Gal 6:5 - 6
5 For each one shall bear his own load.      ie we should ALL be self supporting where possible

6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.   NKJV

 

Heb 13:2

Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. NKJV
 

3 John 5-8

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.    NKJV
 

1 Kings 17:8-9

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."      NKJV

 

NOTE that it was only to a travelling prophet who himself was starving …and then STAYED around to see her NEED met!

The widow provided FOOD for the prophet ....not money!

   

Church organisations

There are NO New Testament scriptures requiring or even commending the giving of money to institutional religion or religious organisations.....be it for resident ministers salaries or the building of buildings.

(If I am wrong please show me which scripture I have overlooked....but only after you have read Mat 17:24-26 'the sons ARE free')

This leaves the church to rely only on the realm of 'free-will giving'. If God's children cannot or will not freely give to support a perceived 'vision' or goal then their response must be accepted.

 

Matt 10:8

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give 

2 Cor 9:6-8

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.   NKJV
 

God's people are free to sow into the work of God as they feel led and are able.....WITHOUT COMPULSION ..and WITHOUT CONDEMNATION if they do not give!

 

Will God bless you if you give?....yes.....but NOT to make you 'rich' but specifically to enable you to KEEP GIVING!

Will God bless you financially if you do not give?.....YES!

 

Rom 8:32-33
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
NKJV

God gives because of HIS grace and LOVE towards us....and NOT because we 'earn it'