By: Albert B. Gran
This is a considerable study and an alternative where greater heights of interest, making Biblical perspective more interesting than ever before especially in the issue of giving tithes and offerings as a form of mandatory obligation required by many laymen in our times. Having been embraced in this traditional doctrine, they thought it's a noteworthy giving in this dispensation of grace correlating the inter-dispensation principle under the economy of law especially that which was stated in the book of Malachi 3:10
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
King James Version (KJV)
1 Corinthians 16
1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
3And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
4And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
5Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.
6And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.
7For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
8But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.
CONSIDERING POINT:
The main stream of this issue was whether or not Pastors were too abusive in their governing authority towards liberal givers. This is one of the most misapplied verse used to show comparison that Paul himself do the collection from the saints' liberality and a means to prove their love for the Lord.
The context of this set of passages were very clear to show the Pastors ignorance that giving is not really an abusive scheme for not meeting man’s responsibility for His own needs and the needs of his own house. The motive of Paul’s collection in this passage was not for the purpose to provide the needs of his own (Pastor) and escape the reality of his responsibility to feed his own family. However the real objective in this passage was to show response concerning the dire situation where it calls for material help such that they’re (Jerusalem Church) stricken by scarcity and deep poverty.
This has nothing to do with the issue whether a must responsibility for the members to let their Pastors escape from their respective task to rule his own house and such was an example of providing his own needs.
Giving from among liberal givers is a good thing only then the objective lies it under must not an excuse from among lazy Pastors to escape from their responsibility to provide the needs of their own house and family.
We didn’t deny giving in our respective ministries but we deny an abuse giving by letting the unsound teaching of denying the instruction whereby Paul called anyone to provide the needs of his own house so that he will become AN ELDER, bishop or traditional Pastor COUNTED OF DOUBLE HONOR.
Doing the contrary giving with the objective to deny the Pastor’s role for him to be counted of double honor IS DENYING THE FAITH and much to the point of counting him as an infidel.
1 Timothy 5:8
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Grace and Peace!
A triple AMEN!
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