"Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky watching everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever until the end of time! But he loves you. He loves you, and he needs money. He always needs money. He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all wise, somehow he just can't handle money"
~George Carlin~
I remember the promises. The promises of prosperity were I to endure a short period of doing without. It was for the good of the church, they said. And so I gave, more out of guilt than anything else. Not wanting to be the one who set the church back financially. It's been referred to as a "Tithing, or giving challenge." Basically, the flock is asked to faithfully give of their tithes with the caveat that if their conditions do not improve, or if they somehow suspect that their funds are not being used in a manner that they can request their tithes be returned. I call it a cry for help. Recently, pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church in Mt Juliet, Tennessee made such a request of his own congregation. The trouble is, someone in the congregation tossed a wrench into his plan and requested a return on their tithes as they suspected that they were not being used correctly. Well, pastor Locke did what any good church pastor would do, he refused the refund request! When I heard of this story, I immediately thought back to my days in the mainstream church and the times when the congregation was tasked with bailing the church out of one financial pit or another. Building repairs, overseas ministry trips, you name it. Under the guise of giving unto the Lord, we were asked to "Give until it hurts." In the end, we were told, God would bless us for our faithfulness. In the business world, this would be akin to a ponzi scheme of the highest degree. People involved would be tried and possibly convicted. But, when it's done in the name of the Lord it's somehow ok? How is it that we have resorted to betting on the favor of God? Are our prayers suddenly not enough anymore to request His assistance? Now it seems that the more we give, the better our chances of receiving Gods favor. I'm sorry, but that is not the God that I know and love. The Fathers love for me came unconditionally. I did not pay for my salvation, nor did I purchase the Fathers love in my own life. This has always been the free gift given unto us by the Father {Paul to the Romans 6:23}. The price that has been paid was paid by Christ Jesus on our behalf {Paul to the Corinthians(2) 5:21}.
For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting
Paul to the Ephesians 2: 8-9, Concordant New Testament
The catholic church instituted the practice of giving indulgences unto its members as "A way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for (forgiven) sins." These indulgences were often used as a way to finance the public good, including charities. Catholic teaching states that when a person sins they assume the liability of guilt and punishment for that sin. The practice of indulgences seeks to curtail this punishment. It is through the practice of tithing challenges that I see as modern day Christian church indulgences. Or, currying the Lords favor through financial gifts or our own works. But the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus that the favor of Lord is a free gift of God {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8-9}. When Jesus died on the cross, He took upon Himself the sin and punishment which had been meant for us {Pual to the Corinthians(2) 5:21}. Paul reminds us of this when he proclaimed that we are now "Dead, indeed, to sin" {Paul to the Romans 6:11}. Personally, I have not sat through a mainstream church service in many years. The last time that I did, I was reminded of the mainstream churches misguided teachings on sin. The pastor had just finished delivering his easter Sunday sermon of how Jesus had bled and died for the forgiveness of our sins. In the next instant, he asked the congregation that anyone with "Unresolved" sin could step forward to the altar and receive prayer for forgiveness of that sin. That was last time I walked out of a church. My relationship I now have with the Father has been possible only through the work of Christ Jesus within me {Johns Account 14:20}. This is the gift I have received.
~Scott~
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