The first amendment to the Constitution of the United States says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Among other freedoms, this amendment gives us what is often referred to as the "Freedom of Religion."
         I am glad to be an American for several reasons, but one of them is this religious freedom that we enjoy. We are free to serve and worship any "god" that we want to, and we are free to do so however we see fit. This is a great freedom that the Constitution gives us. But my question is: Does God give us this freedom? Has God given mankind the freedom to choose who and how to worship? Let's give this matter some serious consideration.
          In answering this question, the first thing we must realize is that God's authority overrides man's authority. (Authority being "the power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action or make final decisions," Webster's New World Dictionary). Romans 13:1-2 says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves." This passage is talking about our government and the governing authority of man. As you can see, whatever authority man has comes from God - so there is no way that it can be above God's authority.
         When man authorizes something it is binding so long as it doesn't contradict God's will. The apostles were commissioned by Christ to spread the gospel throughout all the world (Mark 16:15). But it wasn't long before Jewish leaders commanded them to stop spreading the gospel. For all practical purposes, the preaching of the gospel became illegal. To which "Peter and the other apostles answered and said 'We ought to obey God rather than men'" (Acts 5:29). Man doesn't have the right or power to cancel out God's will.
         There are areas in which God's word restricts us. Regardless of what laws we want to pass - if God has said "No", then "No" it is, and there is nothing we can do about it. Let me give you some examples. It is legal in this country for a woman to kill her unborn child. A mother goes to jail for drowning her five children in a bathtub, but nothing would have happened to her if she would have aborted them before they were born. What's the difference? The Bible says "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). Either way, they are murdered. Our constitution gives us the freedom to live homosexual lifestyles if we so choose, but God's word still condemns the practice. (Leviticus 18:22; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). In many places you can legally dress, talk and act however you want to. But the Bible calls upon us to be holy in all our behavior (1 Peter 1:15-16).
         You see, there are several areas in which man has legislated freedoms where he had no right to do so. The freedom of religious belief and practice is one of these areas. I am thankful that I have the political freedom to worship and serve God in the way that He sees fit. Man gives me the freedom to choose if and how to worship and serve God. But God does not give me that freedom.
         In John 4:23-24 Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." We are not free to choose how to worship God. We must worship God in spirit and in truth. We worship God in spirit by worshipping Him with out hearts and minds involved - not just going through the motions. We worship God in truth by worshipping the way God's word tells us to. Jesus said to God, "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17). We must worship the way God's word tells us to worship. We are not free to decide our religious practices. God's word has already decided them for us.
         Ephesians 4:4-6 says, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." The number "one" is exclusive. It leaves no room for choice or freedom. There is "one body," which is the church (Eph. 1:22-23). We are not at liberty to "join the church of our choice." Jesus built only one church (Matt. 16:18). There is only "one faith," which is a body of doctrine. There aren't "many faiths" to choose from, as some claim. There is only one.
         There is "one Lord." We must realize that Jesus is Lord over His Kingdom - the church. The Kingdom of God is a Monarchy, not a Democracy. Our country is ruled by the people. The church has a King! We are spoiled to live in a Democracy, to have freedoms. But it hinders us somewhat when we come to God's Kingdom. We don't know how to live under the rule of "one Lord." We are used to having our own way, voicing our opinion and having majority rule. But, none of this goes in God's Kingdom.
         Not only are we a people who are used to freedom, we are also a very rebellious people. An attitude arose in the 1960's in which people began to rebel against authority. These people have had children, and many of them have this same attitude. Some are even worse than their parents' generation. "We are free to do what we want," "No one is going to tell me what to do," "I live my own life by my own rules," etc. Now, many of these people want to practice a religion, that is, they want to have a relationship with God. But they just aren't able to grasp the fact that Jesus is in complete control. God has all authority, but to them authority means nothing. Authority is something to be rebelled against, not submitted to. Jesus tells us to deny ourselves and follow him (Mark 8:34). Many find this impossible - not to mention unthinkable. So, we relish in the idea of "Freedom of Religion." Freedom - that's right up our alley.
         As I said before, I am so thankful for the "Freedom of Religion" that the Constitution assures me of. I do not want my government deciding if I can worship, who I can worship and how I can worship. My purpose has not been to knock this freedom. However, I want you to see that God has not given us the freedom to choose how to best serve and worship Him. We must do it God's way.

         The March 25, 1991 issue of the U.S. News and World Report devoted several pages to the subject of hell. Some statements from the article are significant: "By most accounts hell has all but disappeared from the pulpit rhetoric of mainline Protestantism" (U.S. News and World Report, March, 25, 1991, p. 56).
         Martin Marty, University of Chicago professor, said, "Hell has disappeared and no one noticed…if people really believed in hell, they would not be watching t.v. preachers, they would be out rescuing the lost."
         In an article entitled, "Hell Is Still On Fire," Helen T. Gray of the Kansas City Star quoted from Robert Collins, A Southern Baptist preacher of the area, as follows: "Even among conservatives, hell in the last decade has undergone a gradual cooling. Some church leaders no longer preach or teach about it… It has become kind of a silent doctrine in the church… This has been done to make the church more acceptable to the baby boomers and generation X, which I think is tragic" (Kansas City Star, January 30, 1996, Helen T. Gray).
         It is important for us to recognize the truth that we must accept all of Jesus or we cannot have any part of Him. The same Jesus that offers us the great and precious promises of heaven is the same Jesus that said: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). The apostle Paul wrote the following: "…the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven… in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of His power" (2 Thess. 1:7-9). Let us notice what the Bible has to say about the subject of hell.

Why Does Hell Exist?
         Sir William Blackstone said, "Law is a rule of action. In the fourth or vindicatory part of law consists the main strength or force. Where there is no law there can be no violation; where there is no penalty the law is null and void. The principles of right and justice must have a penalty behind them."
         Why is there a hell? 1) If there is no hell or penalty, there is no law. 2) If there is no law, there can be no sin. 3) If there is no sin, there is no moral or spiritual responsibility.
         Many in our time feel that the Bible's teaching about hell is antiquated and such teaching, quite frankly, is met with a certain amount of disdain and abhorrence. Yet, if there is such a place, we are compelled as Christians to warn the lost of their condition outside of Christ. We can, however, receive great consolation in the realization that none of us has to go to this awful torment. Every sinner who is lost to hell walks over the crucified body of Jesus and tramples the "blood of the covenant" with no concern for his or her own soul. Everything that divine love and human suffering could do to redeem a lost people has been done (John 3:16).

The Nature of Hell
         Hell Will Be Eternal - the same word that describes the existence of God and the Holy Spirit describes the duration of hell (Matt. 25:46). This will not be temporary torment, but everlasting.
         Hell Will Be Dark - because God will not be there. There will be no hope for the future and no opportunity for change, for our destinies will be sealed (Matt. 25:30). Hell will be a place of darkness because It will be the abode of sinners (1 John 1:5; Rev. 21:8).
         Hell Will Be A Place of Fire - "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name" (Rev. 14:11).

Why Is Hell Described As It Is?
         These are all descriptive terms to represent to the human perception and mind the awfulness and terror of the punishment awaiting those who do not obey Jesus Christ. The Bible describes heaven as having "streets of gold," and "gates of pearls." Certainly, we understand that this is figurative language of heaven. In like manner, God is unsparing in His use of every concept and term possible to describe the terror of hell.
         The term "Gehenna" in the Greek us used to describe this place, but why? The valley of Hinnom or Gehenna, bounds Jerusalem on the south below Mount Zion, and is the place which is so often mentioned as the setting of the awful idolatrous rites practiced by the apostate kings before the idol Molech. When King Josiah at last succeeded in overthrowing the idolatry, he defiled the valley by casting into it the bones of the dead, the greatest of all the pollutions among the Jews. From this time on, all the dead refuse of Jerusalem was cast into it and the combustible parts of it destroyed by fire, which was kept forever burning.
         In the time of Christ, the festering bodies of criminals according to the barbarous fashion of execution then prevalent, were cast into this terrible valley and the smoke of their ever burning fires carried this horrid stench mingled with the smell of dead swine. To the Jew the name "Gehenna" would provoke within him the most profound sensations of disgust. Jesus is using the term to express the nature of the place for which the lost are destined.

Who Can Save Us?
         It is true that each of us deserves hell because of our sins against the Lord (Rom. 3:23; 6:23), but the wonderful truth is that no one has to go to hell. We can lay hold on eternal life through faith in the divine Son of God, Jesus Christ. God is gracious and merciful and wants to save us, but He gives us the choice! Listen toPaul: "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Rom. 5:6-9).

- The Preceptor, March 2001

         First Chronicles thirteen gives a record of David's attempt to bring the ark of God into Jerusalem. What began as a celebrated and monumental event resulted in Uzza's sudden and tragic death. "And when they came to Chidon's threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God" (vs. 9-10). This passage teaches us some important lessons about our service and responsibility to God. Those who are interested in pleasing God with their lives need to consider the following points:
         1. Respecting God's Authority. We don't hear much about God's authority, but its importance is taught in this passage. Authority is defined as "the power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action or make final decisions" (Webster's Dictionary). God has this power. Simply put, God has the right to tell us what to do, the right to expect us to do it, and the right to punish us if we don't.
         Concerning the moving of the ark, David consulted everyone except the One he should have - God. "Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, 'If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us; and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul'" (vs. 1-3).
         It wasn't wrong for David to move the ark. The problem was that David moved it the wrong way. God had told the Israelites how He wanted the ark moved. The Levites were to carry the ark by hand with poles through the rings (1 Chron. 15:2; Num. 4:5-6). When God specified the Levites, that automatically ruled out any other person. When God specified that the ark was to be moved by hand, that automatically ruled out a cart pulled by oxen. We know that we can't add to or take away from God's word (Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19). We must be careful to respect God's authority.
         Notice that David's plan "was right in the eyes of all the people" (v. 4). All the people liked the idea, but God didn't. Uzza's death is a testimony to that fact. It isn't important that things sound good to us or look right in our eyes. What matters is that we do things the way God has told us to. This is how we respect God's authority.
         2. The Danger of Neglect. There was a reason the Israelites had a problem moving the ark. David said that they had not inquired at it since the days of king Saul. It had been so long since they had done anything with the ark that they had forgotten how to move it.
The same thing can happen to us. If we neglect to read the Bible like we should we will forget what it says and allow our lives to be directed by other influences. If we neglect the regular assemblies of the church, we will miss out on an important source of encouragement. If we neglect to pray to God as we should, we will begin to drift away from God. All of this will result in our lives not being right with God. And a real danger is that some will neglect God for so long that they won't care to come back at all!
         3. Sincerity Alone Isn't Enough. We can't doubt David's sincerity. He and the people were doing what seemed right to them (v. 4). They used a new cart to carry the ark (v. 7). This was done in honor of the occasion. They worshipped God as they were moving the ark (v. 8). Uzza tried to keep the ark from toppling over (vs. 9-10). He cared about what happened to it. And notice that David had an extremely emotional reaction to what happened. "David became angry" (v. 11), then "David was afraid" (v. 12).
         They were sincere, but that didn't change the fact that they did something wrong. It is important that we be sincere in our worship and service to God. But we must understand that sincerity alone is not enough. We must obey God.
         4. Ignorance Is No Excuse. We understand this. The laws of nature do not respect a person's ignorance. Ignorance of the laws of the land will not guarantee an acquittal. Why would it be any different with the law of God? It isn't!
         David was obviously ignorant of God's instructions concerning the moving of the ark. Uzza was as well. But that didn't change the fact that they did something wrong. God is a merciful God, but His mercy can't allow Him to overlook sins - even if they are committed in ignorance.
         "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). Ignorance did not help Israel, it lead to their destruction. God has revealed His will to us through the Bible. We are responsible for knowing it and doing it.
         5. God Honors Obedience. God wants us to respect Him and obey His will. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all" (Eccl. 12:13). Regardless of how disobedient we may have been in the past, if we will repent and obey the Lord He will accept us. When David sought out the Lord's will and did it, God respected it and the ark came safely into Jerusalem.
         Conclusion: We must learn these lessons if we are going to serve God acceptable and find favor in His sight. We must be ever mindful of God's law and respectful of His authority. The covenants that God has made with man have changed, but these principles have not.

"THE CHURCH IS FULL OF HYPOCRITES"
by Heath Rogers

         "I'm not going to church because the church is full of hypocrites." Chances are, we've heard someone use this complaint as an excuse for not going to church or becoming a Christian.
"Hypocrite" is an ugly word. It refers to someone who is pretending to be someone that they are not - in short, someone who is lying. No one likes being around a hypocrite. So who could blame a person for not wanting to go to a church if it is full of hypocrites? This excuse may sound good, but I have some problems with it.
         For one, most churches that I have personal knowledge of are not full of hypocrites. They are full of good people who are trying their best to do what they believe is right. No one is perfect. Good people make mistakes from time to time. And any sensible person knows that a lack of perfection is not hypocrisy. If, in fact, a church has hypocrites among their membership then they have a serious problem that they need to address immediately. Christians are to let their light shine both as individuals (Matthew 5:16) and collectively as a church (John 13:34-35, 17:20-21). When they don't, problems like the one we have in mind can arise (1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Timothy 5:14, 6:1).
         Second, even if it was true, and all the churches were full of hypocrites, that would not change a person's need to become a Christian! My sin is not anyone's hope. If my conduct or teaching misleads someone, I will have to answer for that in judgment (Matthew 18:6-9; James 3:1). But my hypocrisy does not release any one of their obligation to obey God. We are not made righteous in the eyes of God because we have found others worse than ourselves to judge ourselves by. Regardless of what others do, we are responsible for our own salvation (Philippians 2:12).
         Third, the person is looking at the wrong source. We can't learn about Christ by studying the faults of others. We learn of Christ by studying Christ.
         Finally, does the person who uses hypocrisy as an excuse not to go to church follow the same rule in other areas of their life? Hypocrites can be found everywhere. The presence of hypocrites will not keep them from going to work or school, it will not keep them out of the grocery store or the shopping mall, it will not keep them out of the bank or hospital, it will not keep them from going to the movies or to a sporting event. Is the church the only place that hypocrites can be found?! No. But chances are it is the one place that these folks don't want to be found. And that's the real issue.

         Just as we are concerned about growth in the physical realm, we need to be concerned about spiritual growth. One way in which we can see if we have matured as a Christian is to look at our ability to discern between good and evil. The writer of Hebrews said, "For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil" (Heb. 5:12-14). After a reasonable period of time has passed, we should have grown to be able to partake of the meat of God's word. He went on to say such individuals should be able to "discern good and evil," seeing they have had their senses exercised by the continual use of God's word. If we will continually use God's word, we will develop the ability to discern between good and evil.
         Every day we are called upon to make decisions. Therefore, the ability to discern between that which is good and that which is evil is important to the child of God. As we read the pages of God's word, we see principles set forth which can guide us when making these decisions. Learn these principles well and you will be able to "discern good and evil."

Does it Protect Your Identity as a Christian?
         When trying to decide if something is right or wrong, first ask yourself these questions: Does it destroy my identity as a Christian by causing me to be regarded as of the world? Does it classify me with Satan's realm of sin instead of Christ and the church? God has always required His people to maintain a separation from Satan's realm.
         We can see this principle taught in 2 Corinthians 6:17: "Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you." Paul also taught this principle in Romans 12:2: "And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
         Whenever I become so much like the world people cannot tell by the way I live and by what I do whether I am a Christian or not, then God will not accept me as His child. Our life must always be a living demonstration of the will of God, rather than a living demonstration of the will of Satan. Therefore, any activity which would cause us to be considered of the world is wrong since it destroys our separation to the world.
         This principle alone would show us such practices as social drinking or the modern dances are activities we should not participate in, since those are activities associated with living for ourselves rather than living for Christ.
         So the first question to ask when trying to determine whether an activity is right or wrong is: "Does it destroy my identity as a Christian?"

Does it Violate Your Conscience?
         Note Paul's words in Romans 14: "14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean". V. 20 - "Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence". V. 23 - "But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin".
         In Paul's day some believed it was wrong to eat meats which had previously been offered in sacrifice to idols. Paul showed it was not wrong (cf.1 Cor.8:8). However, it was wrong if that is how they viewed it in their own heart. Likewise today there may be many things which fall into the same category.
         When we have a question about a particular activity, rather than asking someone else what they think about it, ask yourself what you think about it. If it is an activity which you believe in your heart to be wrong, then you cannot engage in that activity without violating your conscience and thus committing sin.

Does it Lead Others to Sin?
         Notice this principle in 1 Corinthians 10: "24 Let no man seek his own, but each his neighbor's good. ... 28 But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: 29 conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience? ... 32 Give no occasions of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God: 33 even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved." Also note 1 Corinthians 8:13: "Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble."
         If we are children of God and we care about what is right, we cannot have the attitude we don't care what effect our actions have on others. If we do anything that would cause another to violate their conscience, we sin.

Does it Harm Your Body?
         If we have obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ, our bodies belong to the Lord. Paul said, "Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body" (1 Cor. 6:19,20). We should use our bodies to God's glory rather than His reproach. Paul also said, "Know ye not that ye are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye" (1 Cor. 3:16,17). We cannot engage in any activity which will prove destructive to our bodies.
         By this principle we can quickly see what is wrong with smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs. They are destructive to our bodies and, therefore, things we should not participate in.

Does it Conflict with Your Duties as a Christian?
         We do not have the right to put ourselves under any circumstance, form any kind of alliance, put ourselves into any sort of a position where anyone or anything can interfere with our duty to God, because our service to the Lord must come first.
         Jesus said, "But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt.6:33). Nothing is to come before our service to the Lord.
         Paul said, "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier" (2 Tim. 2:3,4). A soldier in the United States military must put his service to his country first and all other interest and business must be placed second. Nothing less is expected of those who are soldiers of Christ. We must have our mind focused on His service at all times (cf. Col. 3:1,2).
         Therefore, any activity or situation that prevents us from fulfilling our responsibilities as a Christian, is an activity or situation we cannot participate in.

Does it Create an Excessive Appetite for Things of this World?
         We are not to live our lives after the flesh, seeking only to satisfy the appetites of the flesh. We are to live on a spiritual basis, focusing on things above. That's what Paul said in Colossians 3:1,2: "If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth." In Titus 2:12 Paul tells us to deny ungodliness and "worldly lusts." This would include not only lusts of a sensual nature, but also lusts for material things in general.
         Some years ago a sister in Christ told my wife everyone has a right to, and deserves, a nice carpeted house, a new car, and lots of nice clothes to wear. It was apparent she had an excessive appetite for worldly things.
         If we want to please the Lord, we will avoid anything that will cultivate in us an excessive desire for things of this world.

Does it Place You under the Evil Influence of Others?
         The apostle Paul said, "Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33). We need to be careful about the influences which are being brought to bear upon our heart and life, careful we are not submitting ourselves to influences and associations which will destroy us and bring us into captivity to sin. Our children are often under many pressures to do wrong because of their choice in friends. As adults, we are often in similar situations with those we choose to associate with. In such situations it is not a question of whether they will have a negative influence on us, it is only a matter of how quickly their evil influence will bear its evil fruit in our own lives.
         If the activity or relationship we are contemplating will put us under the influence of those who are evil, then we should choose not to participate.
         If we will read and study God's word daily, these principles will become a part of us. The daily choices we face will then be much easier to make.

- The Voice of Truth, Green Bay, WI, 9/2/01

WHAT ABOUT TITHING?
by Heath Rogers

         When we talk about giving, the subject of tithing sometimes comes up. Tithing is the practice of giving a tenth of one's income or property as an offering to God. While it is almost always associated with the religious practice of the Jews, tithing was practiced by many ancient nations. The Egyptians, Syrians and Babylonians and used it primarily as a mode of taxation.
         There are examples of tithing in the Bible that pre-date the Law of Moses. In Genesis 14:18-20, Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe of all he had obtained in battle. Jacob promised to give a tenth of everything he received back to God (Gen. 28:22). The practice of tithing was commanded to the Hebrews and regulated through the Law of Moses (Lev. 27:30-33). The purpose of this tithe was to meet the material needs of the Levites (they received no land inheritance, but rather served God on behalf of the people), strangers, orphans and widows (Deut. 26:12-13). Tithing was an expression of gratitude and an acknowledgment that everything on the earth was really God's.
         Tithing appears in the New Testament, but there it only refers to its usage in the Old Testament or current Jewish practice. A change in giving practices took place when the church began. Christians were commanded to give: "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" (1 Cor. 16:2). The New Testament contains no command for Christians to tithe. They were free to give the amount they wanted.
         Should Christians tithe today? Tithing is a part of the Law of Moses that was done away with on the cross of Christ (Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:14-16). The person who returns to the Law of Moses for authority for one religious practice is obligated to accept the entire law (Gal. 5:1-4). Christian giving has to do with attitude, not a specified amount or percentage. "But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:6-7). We are told to give as we purpose in our heart. The amount we give needs to be a reflection of how we feel we have benefited from God's rich blessings.

TOP      BACK