Must I tithe a full 10%?

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Question: As much as I want to, I can't always give a full 10% of my income to the church. I feel bad about it but sometimes there is just not enough money.  How much trouble am I in?

Not much, depending on your attitude. The concept of tithing (giving 10%) is Old Testament teaching. There is nothing in the New Testament where God tells believers they should give 10% of their income to the church. The New Testament suggests giving by grace. We are to give freely as we have been given freely to. (see Matthew 10:8) This is an attitude thing. For some this will be less than 10% and for others, those materially blessed by God, the amount will exceed 10%. (see 2 Corinthians 9:7) I do believe the Old Testament tithing concept should be used as a guideline or a goal we should strive for even if we are struggling financially, but if you are truly giving what you are able you are making God happy. Remember, He knows your heart. More important than the amount of money you are giving is that you have given yourself to the Lord. Only then will you have a proper perspective on money.


RELEVANT SCRIPTURE:
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:12


Be blessed,
Wayne
http://www.Capstone-Ministries.org

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What is the gospel?

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Question: What is the gospel?

The word gospel, translated from Greek in the New Testament literally means "good news."  The gospel is simply the "good news" that Jesus the Lord, the Son of God, became a man so that He could die in atonement for our sins, then after being buried for three days rose from the grave forever settling our sin-debt before a holy God. Perhaps the best single definition of the gospel found in Scripture is the one above -- 1 Corinthians 15:3,4. According to this passage the "good news" has four components: (1) man is a sinner; (2) Christ is the Savior; (3) Christ died as a substitute for man; and (4) Christ rose from the dead. From the time of Paul, this is the "good news" he and others preached.  We are called to do the same.

Relevant Scripture
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3,4.


Be blessed,
Wayne
http://www.Capstone-Ministries.org


If you enjoy some of the articles posted here please subscribe to this blog via RSS feeds or email. Send your friends here too, and consider being a follower. You can subscribe and/or become a follower in the left hand column.

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