So yesterday was nice. Or, rather, I just think that I need to give an account of what was discussed during the Sunday Service message portion, versus what I plotted out in that extra-long article, Giving In Grace.
I learned that Pastora or Mama Nitz decided to approach what Andrew Farley grouped as Part 2 of his book God Without Religion, by giving a chronological account of the concept of giving and tithing – From the Old Testament, to the New. She placed emphasis on what Dr. Farley mentioned between Abraham and Melchizedek – or at least she pointed out that Abraham came before Moses, and the idea of tithing was already existent before Moses was ever even born, and more importantly, before the Law was given to Moses on Sinai.
Moses then came along, and the Law was given to him to disseminate to the Israelites – together with a provision regarding tithing, and how it was to be given by the 11 tribes of Israel, to the tribe of Levi, whom God assigned to be in full-time ministry; Emphasis on ‘full-time’ was made – these folks were going to be busy, and busy enough that they couldn’t make time to sustain themselves by working the land (and they didn’t have land, either).
Finally, to cover the Old Testament, Mama Nitz brought us to the famed Malachi 3:10, and pointed out, as I pointed out, that it shouldn’t be read on its own – the context was truly from Malachi 3:8-10. She brought up the point of how, in 3:10, the people were encouraged to give the whole tithe because they were being rebuked, in 3:8 of ‘robbing God’. I think the point she wanted to deliver here was more in the lines of, ‘God, who owns everything, cannot be robbed.’
She then topped it all off with how we were to give in the New Testament, and mentioned some of what Dr. Farley mentioned, namely how we now give in the New Covenant to fill a need, and also to take part in the spreading of the Gospel. She then discussed how the offerings we have been receiving ever since are what we spend to feed everyone after the service… and to cover some expenses of the volunteers. She then passed the mic to me.
I didn’t want to rain on her parade, instead acknowledged her intention to approach discussing giving from a chronological perspective. I wasn’t about to say my thoughts on it (how the Old Testament mindset of giving was), but I instead jumped right into the last parts, the discovery I made – you know, the one about the Offering Declaration we had coming from the Bethel website. I bashed on the point that we were making that declaration like we would pay in a fast food counter: Money up front, and we give our order, and expect it according to our preferences.
I called on all of us to repent. I had to clarify – there’s nothing wrong with our wanting stuff from God, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with us asking Him and consequently trusting Him to respond, according to His infinite wisdom and eternal power; However, I’m going against how we think we could pay or bribe God by giving Him our financial offerings, and saying what we want, expecting Him to give it to us according to our specifications. You could hear a pin drop as I was talking… and, well, I was expecting the awkward silence.
But I went on to finish by sharing what I wrote in the final portions of the article I wrote – that is, it’s not that we give and ‘believe’ God for heaven open, earth invaded, and so on. It IS about our remembering that, through Christ and His finished work, the heavens have been opened, earth has been invaded, the storehouses have been opened, etc. Also, it’s not longer about our giving in order for us to receive more from Him, even finances – No, on the other hand, it’s that we give in celebration of the financial windfalls, healing, or other temporal ‘blessings’ we receive.
After the service I approached some key folks, who said that they agreed with most, if not all I had to share. Jardine, in particular, called the message a ‘reset’ message for him. He did realize how the small change in verbiage in our Offering Declaration makes a huge difference.
Not all of the feedback was positive, though. I spoke to one of the more… well, let’s say analytical and vocal folks in the crowd, and she said that it’s a different story for her. She pulled up the story of Christ observing the offerings, and that of the widow who gave the two minas… before telling me about how ‘God told her’ to give everything she had at one point, even if it was money for food for her children – and, lo and behold, she was provided for.
Two points I made in response – (1) The account of the minas, in my point of view, or rather, as I’ve learned at another time, also from Dr. Farley; It’s not to tell us to watch our hearts when we give (as the widow gave ‘everything’ as pastors in the day loved to point out)… It just tells us how stringent the Law is and how it could not be compromised – nobody, not even widows, were exempt from the rule. Also, (2) as soon as she mentioned that ‘God told her’ to give all her money, well, I told her, I couldn’t go against that at all – it was her personal experience.
We apparently didn’t seem to have an appropriate ending to that conversation, as later in the evening, she sent me message after message regarding her thoughts on the matter. I’m only now going to be reading them…
…And I thought I’d be sharing her messages here verbatim, but I guess I’d rather not. I’ll just say that the overall point as I understood it is that she had a different perspective, based on her personal experience and, again, how ‘God told her’. I think the bottom line here is that I will not deviate from what we shared at the pulpit because we had our foundation on the Word and its context, versus her personal experience – and, in fact, if it was her personal experience she should probably keep it personal; ESPECIALLY if it’s a revelation of giving everything in your wallet under the guise of ‘sacrificial giving’.
I mean, to me it sounded like a more complex demonstration of proving ourselves to God, works more than faith. If people think that this is the ideal way of giving, then have at it. I personally want to give from the freedom we have in Christ – naturally. Cheerfully.
Exciting times ahead. I have Sister Winnie coming up next Sunday. I’ll do what I need to do regarding my own perspectives on Part III, in preparation for what she has to share.
With that said, stay tuned. God bless you.
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
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