Why is money such a controversial roadblock to Christians?
In some church circles, tithing is controversial as speaking in tongues. The unknown or not understanding God’s promises and the continuity of scriptures is a perfect storm for not believing in the supernatural workings of God. Why should a Christian be concerned with miracles? Are miracles coincidence or proof of God? How is tithing connected to miracles? Is there a Divine hand in the involvement of lives that introduces evidence of a personal Creator?
What is a miracle? Simply put, it is the intervening of God in the regularity of laws that operate the universe. God created the routines of legislation in the hard sciences why can’t He intervene to create a miracle? Newton, as a young man imagined the world in the cup of his hands with all of its movements whirling about and surmised that the workings of the universe operate on mathematical laws set by our Creator. Today, we know them as Newtonian laws of gravity. Gravity, a brilliant discovery, which quantum theories have developed in moving force in subsequence years.
Why should a Christian be concerned with miracles? The purpose of tithing is to put God first in your life and to have Him intervene personally in your life. As mentioned above, a miracle is the intervening of God into the regularity of laws. Professor John Lennox stated Science and history are not the only sources of evidence for the existence of God. “Since God is a Person and not a theory, it is to be expected that one of the prime evidence for His existence is the personal experience.” When someone experiences a miracle it is God speaking, I Am. Even absolute laws that run the universe are necessary for verifications of miracles. Physical laws are beautiful. I might add, without moral laws, evil deeds would go undetected. Moral laws came from the mind of God; to make light of His creation is to laugh at Him.
Are miracles coincidence or proof of God? Einstein’s discovery E=CM2 in 1905 was equal to Newton’s discovery of gravity. It is worth mentioning that Einstein did not coin the phrase “relativity” he disliked the term; some unknown reporter put it the news as a “law of relativity.” After that, the phrase attached fashionably to intellectuals’ conversations.
Einstein’s equation was not relativeness, which is why he did not like the term. This newly discovered law was absolute; what was changing in his theory was, what individuals observed when mass was traveling at the speed of light. David Bodanis wrote, “It is the stuff of elasticity and plasticity at the speed of Light. Einstein’s special theory of relativity is astonishing because it makes extraordinary claims about the speed of light, the elasticity of space, and the plasticity of time.”
Why should a Christian be concerned with miracles? It is a manner of God revealing Himself to us personally. Christians’ without miracles or the belief miracles do not happen, themselves, are deists. To Christians who believe not in miracles of the virgin birth and the resurrection of Christ as historical events, undermine the Christian faith.
Secular scientists’ philosophy on the laws of the universe is a closed system. In other words, they believe these absolute laws, the mechanics of the operations of the world are closed to any outside intelligent intervention. Therefore, to them miracles are illusionary. Nothing created all of this, and nothing cannot intervene as a Benevolent agent. So they say.
Historical events, everyday life, laws and the testimony of millions of people speak otherwise of interventions by God. Professor John Lennox stated: “Laws give us only a universe of “Ifs and Ands”: not this universe that actually exists. What we know through laws and general principles is a series of connections. But, for there to be a real world, the connections must be given something to connect; a torrent of opaque actualities must be fed into the pattern.” How is tithing related to miracles?
There are economic laws that are absolute, but can God intervene and take a total of 2+2 and make it = 40? Does He desire to speak and why? The answer is in the Bible.
Before I continue, I want to address a common misguided belief amongst some Christians of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Some claim that the Old Testament laws ended. This statement is partially correct, but not accurate. What ceases was the rituals of the atonement of the shedding of animals blood. Jesus’ blood was shed once and for all. Of course, the civil laws of stoning and the like for transgressions have been altered. The 400+ Temple ceremonial laws that weighed the people down are not observed. However, the Decalogue and the principles of benevolence are eternal. Best summed up below.
Acts 20:27-36.
For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
“So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘ It is more blessed to give than to receive. ’”
In Malachi God stated “I change not; if the Old Testament principles ended, then, has He changed? He said, “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field…” It should be noted that only two interventions are happening in your life, either God is intervening, or Satan is intervening.
Did the Ten Commandments that are the foundation of civilized nations, end? I think not. Jesus Christ is the covenant of the Old and New Testament. Jesus introduced a fascinating fulfillment of prophecies about Him when He said, “this cup is my blood of the new covenant.” The New Covenant is to be observed in a new way, but the principle of the remission of sins remains constant. Since Christ is the new fulfilled Covenant, what are the characteristics of Him that we who believe in Him should resemble? Christ forgave us, should we forgive others? Christ extended mercy, should we do likewise? Christ had compassion on the hurting; do we feed the poor? Christ gave from His treasures; do we give to His church? By the way, these and more principles are eternal. Meaning these laws did not end. Christ quoted scriptures from every book of the Old Testament verifying the spirit of the Old Testament. A hallmark of righteous living is giving. Our whole life is one of giving. Miracles happened in the Old Testament; do you hold the position that miracles are not executed now?
The New Testament verifies the prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament strengthening the whole of scriptures. The principles of righteous living have never changed. The mechanical laws that govern the universe are absolute, but the Creator can and does intervene at times with undeniable evidence of His personal touch. Equally, His Spiritual regulations are eternal. They never ended in the wrapping up of the Old Testament, and they never will end. People in the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, had excuses for not following His ordinances. Why do we strain gnats at His ordinances that are evident?
Malachi 3:6-12
- Says the Lord of hosts.
- “For I am the Lord, I do not change;
- Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
- Yet from the days of your fathers
- You have gone away from My ordinances
- And have not kept them.
- Return to Me, and I will return to you,”
- Says the Lord of hosts.
- “But you said,
- ‘In what way shall we return
- “Will a man rob God?
- Yet you have robbed Me!
- But you say,
- ‘In what way have we robbed You? ’
- In tithes and offerings
- You are cursed with a curse,
- For you have robbed Me,
- Even this whole nation.
- Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
- That there may be food in My house,
- And try Me now in this,”
- Says the Lord of hosts,
- “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
- And pour out for you such blessing
- That there will not be room enough to receive it.
- And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
- So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
- Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
- Says the Lord of hosts;
- “And all nations will call you blessed,
- For you will be a delightful land,”
- Says the Lord of hosts.
In Malachi above, we see how God the creator of all laws, blessed Israel with everything good, commanded a spirit of giving via tithes and offerings. Does God need money? Is He a landlord demanding rent? God owns everything, so at the core of His commands for us, is a truth to create in us a spirit of benevolence to humble us so He can create and perform His word in our lives. And the miracle of His intervention in our lives consumes our very fiber leaving us amazed with a revelation of His goodness.
God says you have robbed Me. How? By not tithing and giving special offerings as he requested. This refusal to tithe is a serious breach of fellowship. Defrauding is the equivalent of robbery. Defraud is a deception to obtain favor or pretense to be something other than what you say you are. I can hear the thoughts of some of you as you read this: “This command is under the Old Testament Law for the nation of Israel, but now we are under grace redeemed from the penalties of the law. Giving today should be done freely without compulsion and cheerfully.” I agree. The spirit of giving cheerfully and freely was the same in the Old Testament as well.
In the New King James Old and New Testament records 796 verses on giving. The majority of these verses are reflecting the benevolent character of God how He is eternally giving. If, He is in us, should we give as well?
John 7:15-16
“ My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me.”
Whose glory are we seeking? Are we speaking of ourselves to have our glory or are we seeking His glory?
1Corthinains 15:40-49
There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies, but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life- giving spirit.
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
We are to bear the image of Christ. Christ gave His life! Should we not give Him our lives and be conformed to His image?
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The dollar bill is such a little thing, but causes anxiety for so many non-believing Christians concerning giving. Giving nothing or the leftovers you have to Him is not giving. I might add, I am not just talking about money, but giving Him the best in everything about our lives.
Luke 6:36-38
Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released: give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.
The above scripture is giving a description of a spiritual person. The below scripture is proclaiming His spiritual DNA in us as being one with Him we have His generous spirit. It is inconceivable to think Christians are not givers.
Acts 17:28-31
…for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring. ’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.
What connects our faith? Is it not the Godhead who intervenes into our lives? The universe without a personal connection becomes nothing but dust and mechanical laws. Without the intervening of miracles in a Christians’ life, it is nothing but empty words and false hope. Malachi above is God Himself intervening in our lives with miracles as we give Him our first fruits and offerings.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
To give means, you possess something to impart to assist the operation of the Kingdom of God. It is the soldier and bond slave of Christ that passionately are givers.
Matthew 22:27
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
You cannot love God with half of your heart. This verse is explicit in showing your love to Him in every extension of your life. That includes our wallets. Why is money such a controversial roadblock to Christians? Give cheerfully and see what the Maker of the Universe and the lover of your soul will do for you.
- Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
- That there may be food in My house,
- And try Me now in this,”
- Says the Lord of hosts,
- “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
- And pour out for you such blessing
- That there will not be room enough to receive it.
