Marriage and Divorce

The best way to actually discuss the issue of divorce from the point of a Christian is actually to see how God and Jesus taught about the issue of marriage. As divorce is the anti-thesis of marriage, a study of the institution of marriage would put divorce in a light that most people would not have seen.

If we are in the position of counseling some couples, with me mostly for my parents unfortunately, it is very easy to get into the arguments of details of what and why it has happened; and if the reasons are good enough, the motion of divorce usually pops up when it seems things are not moving forward.

Before I go into this, we must understand the nature of our Father in Heaven, of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit that dwells in us as a guarantee of the redemptive work of our Lord.

This verse sums it all up.

Dear friends, let us (agapao) love one another, because (agape) love comes from God. Whoever (agapao) loves is a child of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

So what is love? (taken from http://www3.calvarychapel.com/redbarn/terms.htm#L)

Love - The ancient Greeks had four different words we translate love. It is important to understand the difference between the words:

1. "Eros" was one word for love. It described, as we might guess from the word itself, erotic love. It refers to sexual love.

2. "Storge" was the second word for love. It refers to family love, the kind of love there is between a parent and child, or between family members in general.

3. "Philia" is the third word for love. It speaks of a brotherly friendship and affection. It is the love of deep friendship and partnership. It might be described as the highest love of which man, without God's help, is capable of.

4. "Agape" is the fourth word for love. It is a love that loves without changing. It is a self-giving love that gives without demanding or expecting re-payment. It is love so great that it can be given to the unlovable or unappealing. It is love that loves even when it is rejected. Agape love gives and loves because it wants to; it does not demand or expect repayment from the love given. It gives because it loves, it does not love in order to receive. According to Alan Redpath, we get our English word agony from agape. "It means the actual absorption of our being in one great passion." (Redpath) Strictly speaking, agape can't be defined as "God's love," because men are said to agape sin and the world (John 3:19, 1 John 2:15). But it can be defined as a sacrificial, giving, absorbing, love. The word has little to do with emotion; it has much to do with self-denial for the sake of another.

So the love of the verse (agape) is the love that was spoken of in 1 John 4:7-8. It is a love that demands nothing in return and to love without condition and without limits and most stunningly of all, to love independent of feelings (emotion). This is the love that our God has given to us and He would like to see being shown among the believers. Such love is even needed for marriage on top of Eros love.

So we now know the type of love God gives, so we should all see Him in such perspective in all His actions even in the act of giving in marriage. The typical example would be Adam’s hunt for a mate (Gen 2: 18 -23). Note that it is God’s initiative to create a mate (not slave not servant and definitely not a worker) for Adam. A mate and matelot in French is “the person with whom you lift sacks which are too heavy to be lifted by one man alone.”

I think the story of how Isaac finds his bride is a reflection of God’s love for man (Gen Chapter 24). If we look at Abraham as a type for God, Isaac as a type for Christ and the servant as a type for the Holy Spirit, then it is easier for us to see who Rebekah is, the church. So the story shows God actually let the Holy Spirit to find the Church as a partner to Christ. And so, since God values marriage, He would also have a hand in finding our life mate, as He has done for me.

So in the same sense, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and also our mate for life, are persons who help us to lift the burdens of life which are too heavy to be lifted alone. This was given by God because of His agape love for us all; no wonder the institution of marriage is highly regarded by God and is a gift that should be highly prized.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Gen 2:24

But from the beginning of the creation, Male and female made he them.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife;

and the two shall become one flesh: so that they are no more two, but one flesh.

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Mar 10:6-9 (Matt 19:4-6)

For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church. Eph 5:31-32

Interestingly Paul has likened the relationship of the church with Christ is the same as the relationship between wife and husband (as shown in Genesis 24). If the relationship with God with Abraham is a covenant, our relationship with Christ is a new covenant, then the relationship of husband and wife is also a covenant.

Definition of Covenant: meaning a solemn contract, is the customary word used to translate the Hebrew word berith (ברית, Tiberian Hebrew bərîṯ, Standard Hebrew bərit) as it is used in the Hebrew Bible.

bərit: A treaty made with an implication of serious consequences for not fulfilling a covenant.

Now did we all not say our marriage vows in front of our friends and family?

“I, (Bride/Groom), take you (Groom/Bride), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.”

Or from the book of Hosea 2:19-20,

(Hosea 2:19) And I will take you as my bride for ever; truly, I will take you as my bride in righteousness and in right judging, in love and in mercies.

(Hosea 2:20) I will take you as my bride in good faith, and you will have knowledge of the Lord.

The book of Hosea speaks his experience with an unfaithful wife as God has with Israel. However, he sticks with his wife as evidently spoken above and would receive her back if she repents. This speaks of God’s love for sinners as well since He sticks out His neck on the cross while we were still sinners.

The above is a covenant and in biblical definition, it has serious implications for not fulfilling a covenant. As God has cut covenants with Abraham (e.g. Gen 9:9) and to us who believe in Christ (Heb 8:8), God will see covenants between His creation as unbreakable as well.

Imagine if through the book of Isaiah (54), God has already promised the covenant of the new via the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (that we are given blessed life made righteous through the blood, healed through the torture of the body) was not given because of God has broken His covenant with us. Would not that be cruel?

Therefore it is easy to see why God is so against the breaking of marriage.

Malachi 2:13-16

This is another thing you do. You drown the LORD's altar with tears, weeping and wailing because he no longer accepts the offerings you bring him.

You ask why he no longer accepts them. It is because he knows you have broken your promise to the wife you married when you were young. She was your partner, and you have broken your promise to her, although you promised before God that you would be faithful to her.

Didn't God make you one body and spirit with her? What was his purpose in this? It was that you should have children who are truly God's people. So make sure that none of you breaks his promise to his wife.

"I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel. "I hate it when one of you does such a cruel thing to his wife. Make sure that you do not break your promise to be faithful to your wife."

God says it so clearly “I hate divorce” and worse of all, divorce is a cruel thing and is a broken promise of being faithful. And by divorcing, the Lord does not accept the offerings (in new living translation, by not accepting the offerings it is the same as being abandoned by God). My understanding of this issue is that by divorcing for any reason is an act of unfaithfulness no matter what the heart is saying except for the reason of adultery.

Jesus also supports the same view when He says that what God has joined should not be separated by man. This one statement shows that God is in the act of bringing two persons together, and I believe for believers and non-believers alike. So the act of divorce as done by man, is tantamount to eating the forbidden fruit since it is going against what God has done or commanded.

In that case, why would God support divorce through the Law of Moses as the Pharisees have pointed out? Jesus says it very plainly that it is because of man’s hard heartedness (stubbornness, sin) that Moses allows it. Jesus then goes on to teach that if divorce is done through reasons other than the act of infidelity, then the former partners are actually committing adultery by remarrying.

Other verses that supports the teaching of Christ and how marriage should be dissolved under what circumstances:

Dt 24:1-5

Mathew 5:31-32

Mark 10:2-10

Romans 7:1-3

1 Corinthians 7:39

Now the Lord has put it very clearly through the Law of the Old Covenant that adultery would be how God would see of divorced people who have remarried if the reason for divorce is not adultery. And also the ONLY reason to remarry is when either of the spouses has died.

The following verse shows the consequences of sexual sins.

Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God's Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves---none of these will possess God's Kingdom. Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Someone will say, "I am allowed to do anything." Yes; but not everything is good for you. I could say that I am allowed to do anything, but I am not going to let anything make me its slave. Someone else will say, "Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food." Yes; but God will put an end to both.

The body is not to be used for sexual immorality, but to serve the Lord; and the Lord provides for the body. God raised the Lord from death, and he will also raise us by his power. You know that your bodies are parts of the body of Christ. Shall I take a part of Christ's body and make it part of the body of a prostitute? Impossible! Or perhaps you don't know that the man who joins his body to a prostitute becomes physically one with her?

The scripture says quite plainly, "The two will become one body." But he who joins himself to the Lord becomes spiritually one with him. Avoid immorality. Any other sin a man commits does not affect his body; but the man who is guilty of sexual immorality sins against his own body. Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God; he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory. (1 Corinthians 6:9-20)

Before someone says I am condemning those who has divorced and remarried and thus has commit adultery, Paul has this to say in verse 11…we have sinned as those who have sinned sexually, are cleaned, made holy, being redeemed from the effects of sin and have being made righteous in God’s eyes because of the work on the cross. Because of this, we should not be condemned as we are not appointed for wrath and thus is able to live the life that God meant to be as victorious Christians.

Let’s look at John 8, the famous scene when the power of the letter of the law is shown together with the Grace of forgiveness from our Lord Jesus Christ. If you read the passage, Jesus was shown to stoop down, and with his finger wrote on the ground which is made of stone in the temple. There is significance in this as this very act of writing with the finger on stone is shown prominently on Mount Sinai and also when God write on the wall of the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.

(Exodus 31:18) And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

(Daniel 5:5) In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

So what Jesus was trying to do for the Pharisee to see, that He is the one who wrote the Law of Moses. And with the implication of the Law, the death of an adulteress (where was the one who has committed adultery with her?) is demanded. However this picture of Christ shows who we are, in the new covenant of the cross, which we are not condemned and free to go our way and sin no more.

So adultery can be graciously forgiven as do all other sin if we let Jesus be our mediator in front of God.

Before I go on, I think a quick read of 1 Corinthians chapter 7 is needed. Although Paul preached throughout that marriage should not be considered, a very good part of the reason for this is that the church was taught that the Lord is coming back and all believers should be focusing on doing the Lord’s work. Verse 26 put the word “crisis” as also “distress”, “trouble” or “necessity” through other translation so there may be a hint of church persecution as well.

However, Paul did mention in verse 36 that to marry so that sexual sin is not committed is not a sin at all. Paul also know that in verse 7 that marriage is a gift of God which I have shared earlier and special gift is also given to single-hood (Mathew 19:11).

Read 1 Timothy Chapter 5. In this letter, Paul says that widows who are young should remarry to avoid sexual sins.

In short, marriage is the Lord’s gift, our spouse is our Lord’s gift and these gifts are unmerited favour (the meaning of ‘grace’) given to us. Secondly, the vow of marriage is also a promise by two persons to be together despite the circumstance of life. Honestly, I think even the act of adultery is also part of that promise. When we meditate on the wedding vows, both secular and religious, we should see that the vow “for better or for worse” should mean anything good and bad.

And married couples should give respect to each other, husband should love their wife as Christ love the Church and wife should submit to husband as church should submit to Christ (Eph 5).

So with all that has being said about marriage, then we can subjectively see the issue of divorce. This is my view about the issue.

· As Christ has loved the church and has promised His love through the work on the cross, so we as spouses should also do the same for their husbands and wives.

· As Christ has poured out His love despite all circumstance, even unto death, then we as His children should hang on to the promise of marriage despite the circumstances, until death or rapture. This is to show God’s true Agape love.

· Divorce is a solution not because God wants it but He acknowledges it that a spouse does harm their spouses because of sin.

· The only sin that can only demand divorce is adultery.

· Remarrying is only for those whose spouse has passed on since their vows ends when death occurs.

Now if any couples who divorce for differences of opinion or other reasons speaks of only one thing: selfishness. It is selfishness that causes differences in opinion, mismanagement of funds to buy stuff that one likes, to do things despite knowing otherwise about the partner’s views etc. So when you think about it, the reasons we divorce is something that can be cured by curing our selfishness, which is also the root of sin.

The only one who can heal selfishness is through the cleansing of the Lord’s blood. For the Lord sacrifice his life unselfishly, His gracious gift of love and blessings will help us to become lovable in our lovers eyes, to be understanding as Christ has been patient with our sins, to do things for our loved ones without the need for acknowledgement since Christ has sacrificed Himself without our appreciation.

I also received a word from a book that Malachi 3 has said about tithing and offerings should be set aside for the Lord, so as to test the Lord for Him to provide protection in everything that a believer holds dear. I believe sincerely that this also meant the marriage is also protected by God.

In my earlier posts, I have said that the tithe and offerings do have it uses on top of the principle of respecting God for giving back what was originally His. And one of the uses of following the principle of tithing is first of all, be freed from the love of money and subsequently once freed from the love of money, given the new ability to be generous even unto your spouses and wife, thereby being healed of selfishness/hard heartedness.

What I am trying to say here is that any troubles within the marriage can be solved by Christ if both spouses allow Christ to work within them to solve the troubles. This can only happen when we understand and acknowledge our wrong doings that causes the rift, to ask for forgiveness, to accept the gift of righteousness and lastly, allowing God to meddle with our domestic warfare to bring about shalom peace.

Therefore, divorce is tough before the coming of Christ because man’s heart is sinful. However with Christ’s coming and with the Holy Spirit dwelling amongst us and most important of all in us too, we got a powerful helper in all of us so much so that divorce is an option that should not be mentioned at all. By going to the lawyers meant that we put God’s power at a level that is less than all powerful, that we did not put all positive expectation of good (the definition of hope) because we do not know Jesus’ heart or we do not know the gift that was given to us by God.

The battle of the spouses can be stopped by the Prince of Peace, therefore to meditate on the solution of divorce is not given enough time for our Sha’Shalom to work in our lives. Meditate on God’s goodness and power knowing that such power can change the situation.

I always like to quote this prayer

“God grant me the wisdom to change things when I can, to rest on your power when I can’t and to know the difference between the time to do and rest.”

To divorce is to lean on our own understanding and thus it is an act that is detrimental to all involved and definitely not the will of God.

However, for a divorcee to marry, from what I was being impressed upon by the Lord, though wrong is a better good than to go into sexual sin when one cannot control sexual desires. However as Paul has said, it would be better to stay unmarried so that one could concentrate on serving the Lord but if the body is weak then it is better not to stay unmarried.

In Summary we should do all we can to stay married because of the revelation of marriage and our spouses as a special gift of God. Since God is all powerful, reliance on Him would solve the problem if everyone is able to let Him do His job. If divorce is inevitable, the only reason to do so is because of unfaithfulness. In the same breath, for the spouse who stayed faithful during marriage but remarry after divorce is also guilty of the same sin. However, to remarry so that sexual sin would not control one’s life, it is better to re-marry but this would be the last resort.

All things being said, we are already God’s new creation through the forgiveness of sins because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus and together with the forgiveness of God, comes the blessings of God in all areas of our life especially Shalom/Salom peace. When we receive Shalom, we also receive peace, safety, prosperity, well-being, intactness, wholeness, security, satisfaction and contentment. And since my wife and I are one, when we receive Jesus, we receive shalom and thus we shall be whole, as one body in Christ Jesus and one body as a married couple.

Furthermore, a quick look at Matthew 18:19-20

Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

(Matthew 18:19-20)

If you have realized, if TWO agree something on earth, Abba in heaven WILL do whatever is asked by the TWO believers! Amazing, that means each and every Christian couple is an extremely powerful entity indeed!

Before I end, I should share what has happened to my own family. As the years go on about my parents problems, because of fatigue and certainly out of frustration, I made suggestion of divorce to my mother. However, by God’s hands, my mother faced some problems at work and dad did help out so the issue was put off.

During this time, I did think about the whole thing and when an opportunity was given to me to research on this subject, I take it as a direction from God to know more and then to ask for the right things for my parents. I come to realize that all who mediate positively in confrontation are called sons of God. So I decided to seek His power and love to solve this once and for all.

Therefore preach peace, receive peace and marriage is and will be a blessing for all.

Astalavista Baby Jesus

You gotta love this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEnNr9AXZfY

Boy, makes you wonder what will happen if someone like the terminator can go back to Jesus' time on earth and save Him? The clip is so good and best of all it actually shows the Grace of Jesus! When Terminator shot Juda not once, not twice but thrice and Jesus kept resurrecting Judas until He got fed up with the shooting!

One scene about Terminator asking Jesus killing is wrong, I really like that because deep down, we are asking why we need to adhere to the 10 commandments when no one seems to be following it. My previous posts did say something about law so I won't go there. But really, we got a lot of 'whys', guess we need to wait for the Lord to answer us when He comes for us.

We Christians are not without humour too!

Ian McKellen Quote on Bible

"I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer at the front, saying "This is fiction." I mean, walking on water? I mean, it takes an act of faith" Ian McKellan.

Sometimes I wonder should I smile or should I be angry. Here is one man who acts in The Da Vinci Code movie as Leigh Teabing (yes I read the book just in case you are wondering), giving his take on one of the most telling episodes on the deity of Christ. This is also the same man who acts as the Grey/white wizard in The Lord of The Rings.

I like to point out that LOTR is written by JRR Tolkien, a catholic and a contemporary of CS Lewis, famous among the public for the Narnia books, but to me, his thoughts on Christianity in "Mere Christianity", is my favourite.

So acting as the wizard in the movie actually speaks to me of Christ, the sacrifice for the fellowship when facing the demon in the caves, fell with the demon into darkness (hell) and the "resurrection" in the third installment of the trilogy speaks of the risen Lord. I really wonder if Ian knows that.

Now he says the Bible is full of hogwash because it is fiction.

I turned to Psalms 39 and the very first verse, God spoke! (By the way, the Lord lead me to this chapter without prior knowledge of the verses within....trust me, I am not a walking bible)

" I said to myself, "I will watch what I do and and not sin in what I say. I will curb my tongue when the ungodly are around me."

Wow..power to the nth degree! We need to watch what we say, really...

Compared to DVC's sources and the Bible sources, the result is pretty clear...the bible is reliable through historical fragments, archaeology, and non-biblical texts. The writings of the church fathers shows that the bible verses are already in circulation way before the council.

There are also other ways to believe in the existence of God besides using the bible as a witness. For example...our body, our intellect, our sense of right and wrong. Do such things appear through evolution?

Can we make gold out of thin air (i wish)? If not, then how can this world form without a source or reason and thereby able to evolve without a start? Big Bang? How do you know is a bang? How can anything survive an explosion? let alone survive in extreme heat?

Do one know why lightning exists? We do not find it necessary yes? Why do trees appear as they are? How do we decide what trees looks nice and what isn't? How come we can decide on things...what makes us know that one thing is desirable and the other is not?

If we cannot answer everything, what makes us so sure that walking on water is impossible? What makes us so sure that things are to be what they are to be, just because they are 'tested' as such to be in such and such a manner?

If we can look at ourselves and make decisions based on crap facts, is it no wonder that this world is in such a mess? Therefore, man has to know that we cannot know all things, therefore we cannot make conclusions on ALL things. We can conclude on some, but definitely not all because our experiences and knowledge do not give us enough evidences to conclude otherwise.

For example, some say there is NO God....wow....HUGE statement. Why? There are pain and suffering everywhere which points to a non-existent God....wow...Now how can you be so absolutely sure when you are firmly planted on earth and have not even stepped out into space to start the hunt for God? Oh....Habbard see only stars and there's no heaven.....Is God physical? No..so are you able to transcent into the spiritual to know that God is not in the spiritual realm? You cannot? So can we absolutely conclude that there is no God?

If we cannot conclude, then it can only show that God indeed can be a real person and that God is EXTRA-ordinary, and SUPER-natural since nothing in the ordinary can describe God .

How do we know? He has touched millions upon millions of people, healed them and make them whole not just physically but spiritually. If Jesus can be beyond the physical, then the natural is easily subdued.

So can Jesus walk on water? Why not? Because He is God true and true therefore He is SUPER-natural (above nature) and EXTRA-ordinary (beyond ordinary).

So do I need an act of faith to believe that Jesus did walk on water? A quick look at myself and the world can conclude that what Jesus says about us is true, what He said about the world is true, therefore He is true. If so, since Jesus is God and thus Super Natural, therefore water which is natural can be walked on by someone who is super natural. If He has shown that He is true, then faith can be a small as a musturd seed because truth has no place for faith since truth is already being proven.

Faith is needed for the future, not for the past; for the present witness the past in order for us to face the future with Hope.

God's Plans

Jer 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Isaiah 55: 8-11 "It is the same with My Word. I sent it out, and it ALWAYS produces fruit. It WILL accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it."

Now the Lord says that His plan is to help me in all ways and not to harm us, to give us a positive expectiation of good for the future. Why this will come to pass? Because what the Lord says always happens, will accomplish what He set it out to do, PLANS to PROSPER us and to prosper us EVERYWHERE. This is the benefit of being God's children. Time to rest in His Promises because IT WILL HAPPEN.

What is Success?

What we do equals to success? What is success?

I no longer had confidence that blindly climbing the ladder of success was going to lead me to better and better places. I needed to know where "success" was taking me, and perhaps even more importantly, where it was stopping me from going. I realized then that if I couldn't take my soul along on the journey, then no matter how far I got, it was ultimately a dead end.

http://www.aish.com/spirituality/odysseys/Keeping_Shabbos_in_Hollywood.asp


Today was one of those days when you are reminded that you are not doing enough to earn your keep in the company. It is one of those days when you thought you have done enough for the company that you worked in and then life's just throw a spanner into the whole thing and it just point to the fact that things are actually not going your way.

So in my mind comes the thought of when success is going to come my way? When fresh graduates are earning on average $2500 and to add salt to the wound, I am a Masters student. So what did I get so little? Did I value myself too low? Did I do something wrong?

Now. Here's the key word...DO...and also another key word Success. What is exactly do we mean by success? Why do we want to succeed in life? Who determines the level of success?

Why would people pay millions of dollars to buy a car that could speed at 300km/h but could only drive max 90km/h on the roads?

Some answers:

* So that I want to know that I have arrived.
* So that I can feel good.
* So that I can flash my status to other people.

But on serious thought, what is the underlying motive to be the top? To be successful? To be seen, to feel and to make a statement points to one thing, the rush of excitement when people sees you as good or better than them.

I agree with David above, that we need to know where success will lead us to or even prevent us to do something meaningful. Success means too many things to too many people but in materialistic Singapore, the word success means alot more than 5Cs now. I personally think that success has to something to do with the frame of mind we want to be in, that is to be fulfilled. I guess fulfillment is the key word here to effectively describe success.

But to add, if you count the number of 'I' in this post, how many? That's how we see ourselves, that we who are mortal can do a lot more if we allow the 'I' to be Christ. In that way, we can be like Christ, and allow God to describe the type of success that God wants each and everyone of us to have, in accordance to His plan for us (Jer 29:11)

Megachurch Association: No Joke!?

Brother Chris K has shown me this letter from the so called Megachurch Association

http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=293

Before anything happens, it is a satire so it is not true. But it really calls into attention what is of God and what is not.

Seriously...i can only say, not all Mega Churches are as spiritual ignorant as them, and not all traditional churches are weak too. Since the body of Christ has to be made perfect, therefore we are imperfect but we do have the Holy Spirit in us all. The issue is: Are we listening? Are we testing what was said to what was written?

Jesus did preach about false messiahs and preachers in the end times. So this is another 'storm-warning' I come from a Mega Church but that does not mean my church subscribes to their teachings...far from it! Do ONLY size speaks of true teachings? No...size is an indicator but true teaching can only sense through the spirit.

Do people worship differently? True as well so let not form but the heart to be judged...and that can only be done by Christ.

Ah. Such is the con of man....

A Stingy God We Have?

That is, the tithe is not of the law...the law reflect the importance of tithe and thus was included but Jesus still says what He says (render to Caesar what is his and to God what is God's) despite Him knowing of the redemption of the cross. If Jesus already know that His work on the cross would stop fulfill all laws including the tithe, why oh why did He need to say that since He will give on the cross all that WE would have given and MORE?

No. The work on the cross would fulfill all the moral and ritual obligations of the Law, but the tithe is to give God what is His, it is not a question of morality but of honour and respect; not an act of the flesh, but an act of the heart. Therefore, we must see tithe as something more of an obligation. There must be a reason why it is there in the first place and despite all the teachings of us being redeemed from the effects of sin, why does the issue of tithings keep coming up?

Ever wonder why Churches are not victorious in a lot of ways and one of the area is in the area of finance? Ever been in a church that kept asking for multiple offerings and givings in one single day?

It may sound like a tit for tat kind of argument but why would some churches blossomed spiritually and subsequently blossomed in other areas as well?

My church new creation church started off poor but they asked for Wisdom, and they got the Grace message and from the Grace message, understand the significance of the tithe and offerings, and also understand that wholeness is given in every area of a believers' life, "unfortunately" for some, that includes wealth as well.

The wealth we are to gather is for the glory of the church through the generous giving to the poor.

If we are to preach that offerings/givings are the only means without the knowledge of the 10% then the body of christ will no doubt stop giving if the flesh of man have a say.

That's the reason why, to give the 10% is such a struggle for many as it is the anti-thesis of the nature of man, that is to keep 100% if possible.

And one of the ways to let go of the struggle is to group the act of tithing as part of the law that Christ has covered.

As Abraham was made righteous because of the Grace of God, and He made the tenth offering from such a position (that he is righteous because God sees him as righteous), then we who are in Christ made righteous are in the same position of Abraham, with promises of Abraham given by God...if we claim God's promises to Abraham through grace, ain't the teaching about tithing, the act of willingness to give AFTER blessings are given to be followed as well?

Put it another way: If Abraham is righteous without doing anything and yet he still tithe, then why we who are made righteous through Christ has to be any different?

Another precursor of the law on tithing is seen in the Garden of Eden. Adam & Eve are allowed to eat from ALL trees, even including the tree of Life EXCEPT for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Isn't that a picture of a tithe since that's what God wants perfect man and woman to do?

If God allows the Tree of Knowledge to be present, there has to be a reason.

The Reason: So that we can exercise our choice. So that we can exercise the choice to honour God. So that God can show the devil that despite the choice, we still choose what pleases God: That shows that our love for God IS REAL.

That's why Job was tested because Satan says that The Lord has excluded all bad things (build around a hedge) so that the only way Job can act is to honor God. Job is tested not just on his faith but also his choice under duress.

Now we are made Holy through Christ and thus is more perfect than Adam and Eve and definitely Abraham, so we are also under the same reasons to give to God what is His too.

A lot of people are harking to the days when the church of Acts are manifesting miracles. And one of the fruits of such strong presence of the Holy Spirit is the generous giving to the poor.

How can a poor church give to the poor? So a church that is rich in the word of Christ will also be rich in other areas so as to be a blessings unto others. And the key to it all is in the act of tithing.

Like I said, if you feel that what I wrote above is wrong then I have no objections. However, if you look at some churches that grows and grows, not just amongst the young but also the old and learned, you can see that their teachings is one that empowers the flock, that make the flock appreciates the work of the cross, thus be able to understand the reasons behind the act of tithing, and thus will give willingly and generously their 10% (some even more!) and offerings because of thanksgiving.

And if their teaching is not of Christ,then the fruits of the Holy Spirit would not be there as well. But the same church that was being accused of prosperity preaching (they teach that the prosperity of the believer is given because Christ is poor on the cross), are also the one that gives generously to the society as a whole.

We all must understand that, we must first see ourselves as redeemed from the effects of sin which is death FIRST, then the discernment of the Holy Spirit will help us to accept the teachings on tithing and its blessings.

Just to share, when I went back to some of my old churches/congregation, all I saw was just superficial friendship amongst brothers and sisters, that the membership of 200 is a miracle and that the offerings from the church should be small! But such examples speaks of a small God and not a big God who creates the heaven and the earth (since the Heaven and the Earth is SO BIG).

In contrast, New Creation Church, have a membership in the thousands (last count 12000 + regular attendees/non-members), have financial resources to support ministries in Israel, India and many parts of the world; broadcasts recorded services to Uganda (Africa), sermons in CDs and tapes are sent in the thousands to a myriad of places, donations in the millions to people including Muslims, starting a NKF dialysis center in Bukit Batok ... all to the Glory of God!

Let me say that I am not boasting in the flesh but that this boasting can show the might of the Lord, that may bring the good news to the world.

Which church is the good steward of the Lord? And this is the same church that teaches the sanctity of the giving of tithing!! If the tithe is wrong, then the giving should be wrong as well since we can give in other ways. But if the teaching is from the Lord, the works of the Lord will be shown brightly so that we might be the salt of the earth, the light on the lampstand.

Let those who has eyes let them see, those who have ears let them hear.

Of Grace and Tithe, Never the Twain Shall Meet?

Seems like I would like to add somethings with regards to Chris' response. I understand where he is coming from through the whole email although there's one sentence I am not very comfortable about "We are not saved by keeping the law but saved to keep the law."

Even though we are saved so that we can keep the law in its essence is true since Jesus is in us who has fulfilled the law and God sees Jesus in all of us, therefore we are already justified in God's eyes no matter what we do. However it is a thin fine line when we start to shift from knowing that the law was kept through Christ and then we are to keep the law on our own.

I have done a little Q&A with regards to Law & Grace though I must say the emails do show that the fellow brothers and sisters who respond to the email do understand the differences. If you find the Q&A useful please pass it around.

Note: I am using NLT bible.

Q: Why is the Law given to us?

"God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were" Romans 5:20

Q: Why do we need God's undeserving favour (Grace)?

"So just as sin ruled over people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful kindness rule instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom 5:21

Q: So do we still practise law then?

"Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead you are free by God's grace." Rom 6:14

Q: Since we already have eternal life and free through Grace do we have the license to do what we want to do?

"Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?" Rom 6:2
"Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master. righteousness (right- standing with God)" Rom 6:18

"But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life." Rom 6:22

Q: You said we could do things that lead to holiness through Christ but how come I keep doing the same old (sinful) things? Am I saved or not?

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirrit has freed you through Christ Jesis from the power of sin that leads to death." Romans 8:1-2

Q: Is there anyway for me to do good while not focusing on the law since we are already redeemed from it?

"through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." Romans 8:13-14

In summary, we are redeemed by Christ, so the work of fulfilling the law is already done through the cross, and for us to live within the law is to be led by the Spirit. If we are to work our way to salvation through the law, we are actually rejecting the work on the cross. We are to rest so as to let the Holy Spirit work through us, led by Him and we are rightfully called the Children of God.

And with regards to tithing, I also used this verse to support it.

Matt 22:21
"give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God."

Since this passage deals with taxes (and thus money..since Jesus asked for the Roman coin), then the reply will be directly related to money as well.

If money belongs to God, no wonder God says we have stolen tithes and offerings from Him in the book of Malachi 3:8.

By the way, tithe means a tenth...so to me there's no way to give whatever the heart is willing to give unless it is above the 10% since the meaning of a tithe is so clear.

And also, the tithe is instituted BEFORE the law as can be read from Genesis 14:20 when Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth (tithe) of what he has gathered from his raid.

Since the bible also says that Jesus priesthood comes from the line of Melchizedek (not Levi which is after the law is instituted), the tithe is given to Jesus before the law.

My stand on the issue is this:

• We are saved by God through Christ and not law so we are already eternally saved. We can now look forward to being Royal Priest in heaven.
• The tithe is instituted by God to bless us and redeem us further from the curse of the earth so that we can be blessed by Him on earth prior to Rapture.
  
• It is also to give Honour to God for the money and riches of the earth belongs to Him and the return of the riches of earth is to acknowledge the rightful owner.
• Of course I already shared why the 10% is needed so that, in my own words, to condition us to let go and let GOD.
• I think once we know the true meaning of the tithe, then we should give the tithe with utmost sincerity and full understanding. I think those with full understanding will give out of thanksgiving and with trust in His ability to look after us according to the plans He has laid for us Jer 29:11.

Those who understand and yet do not give is still not under condemnation since the grace of God is more than sufficient. However, I can only say that by not giving, we are only letting ourselves missed out on better things God intends to as He blesses us with more things.

One can still give less than the 10% as God will understand but it is not in the spirit and true meaning of the word 'tithe'. If that's the case, do not call it a tithe but an offering. Do note that the promises of God relates to BOTH tithes and offerings in the book of Malachi.

I guess those who have eyes, let them read.

Do We All Love Money?

"The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain. (1 Timothy 6:10)"

The love of money is the root of all evil. I understand this verse totally BUT we as Christians should also be wary of the other extreme, that is to condemn wealth to a point that having wealth is seen to be having sin.

And the next thing we should meditate about is why do we succumb to the love of money in the first place? Answer: Fear of tomorrow, and that fear leads to worry and worry leads to work of the flesh and the work of the flesh leads to the love of money and materialism. So the only cure for that fear is to understand the love of God and His power of providence through Grace so that the fear will have no hold on us.

Having wealth is NOT a problem when one is constantly being covered by the blood of Jesus and understand totally the heart of God. That is why, Abraham is blessed, Joseph is blessed, Isaac is blessed, David is blessed, Solomon is blessed with riches because they know their God despite their short-comings. Their wealth is in the end, used for blessing others: Abraham for giving tithe to the Priest of the line of Melchizedek, David/Solomon for building the temple to name a few examples.

Therefore, having wealth is also a key to understand God's heart through generousity as with all brothers and sisters who are in the position of power and wealth to bless their workers with physical and financial well-being through the work place.

I firmly believe that true riches is when we know how God treats us as His children and will discipline us first before giving us the wealth to be a blessings to others. That's why tithing, blessing financially challenged people through offerings or other methods and giving to charity is important as this is to train the heart to let go in order to let in God's blessings.

A lot of friends do think that the issue of tithing is under law and since we are under new covenant it is not important. However, the institution of tithing is before law and is used by God to train us in handling precious things on earth so much so that the Lord is always first in our lives.

Once we are trained, then God has no issues in blessing us abundantly (Mal 3:10) because He knows where our heart is so that even the love of money will have no hold on us and instead we will rely on God for our well being then we shall not worry about tomorrow.

Be Blessed because our Lord is Gracious unto us who believed in Him

The Gnostic Empty Clang

If the Gnostics is not able to take over Christianity in the first century, what are the differences that we have today that would make the Gnostic Gospel successful now?

If my God is God of yesterday, today and forever and will never change, what would a heresy do to an all powerful God?

Here , as brother Soo Inn has pointed out, is that our Churches are not teaching that flock well enough to know the real from the fake, the truth from the lies. And worse of all, do not know the true Character of Christ and the truth of our salvation and what salvation has brought us all in terms of spiritual and physical benefits. Once we understand the true Jesus and has a continuing relationship with our Abba in heaven through Christ, then we are standing upon the spiritual rock.

After some discussions with friends we have come up with some questions to the 'Christian Doubters' that will help answer those questions about Gnostic belief. I do hope this would help in the discussion of the Gospel of Judas/Mary Magdalene/Thomas. Once we understand what the Gnostics holds true, then DVC would have no hold unto the true belief of the salvation on the cross.

• If we are of Christ, and since the Holy Spirit is promised to us all and dwell in us, then why should we need to have 'special knowledge' to gain heaven?
• If Jesus is good, why would He ask of His disciple to do something that is commonly known as a bad thing?
• And if betrayal is a bad thing, how could one gain heaven from doing something evil?
• If Jesus gives the act betrayal approval , by the belief that God is just, He has to put all sins and all behaviour of disrepute to be grouped as righteous acts.
• If all sins are deemed to be righteous, then why would Jesus has to sacrifice in the first place since all the things we do, do not go against the Holiness of God?
• If the above point is true, then not withholding lust to have a child with Mary (no prove that Jesus is married) should be made righteous yes? So why are we so against pre and extra marital sex?
• If Jesus do have a family on earth, then He is not what He claimed to be since the Will of God is to save humanity and not to start a family. He is putting physical need first instead of spiritual need which goes against Gnostic teachings (Gnostics says physical is evil and spiritual is good) By the very act of having a family even within the sanctity of a marriage means Jesus is not claiming who He should be in the first place and doing things that is not consistent with His mission.
• If Jesus did start a family, so His act on the cross would bring destruction to His young family since the environment that Jesus is in 'man-centric' and without His presence, His child would be greatly disadvantaged. If Jesus did what He did with Mary and yet still sacrifice on the cross, would that make Jesus an irresponsible man?
• If Judas knows that the act of 'betrayal' (Judas could not have betrayed Jesus if he is under instructions to do so....so in that sense, he is not betraying but actually following orders) would lead him to heaven, then why would he be so guilt stricken so much so he has to throw the money back to the High Priest and then commit suicide?
• If normal Christians need to know 'special knowledge' to gain heaven, that means they do not always have 'revelation' on the way to heaven. If that is so, why would Christians of all ages, including our age, willing to die for their testimony instead of giving Jesus up? If the martyrs do so with joy and with numerous miracles happening to Christians, then 'special knowledge' is not needed which means the Gnostics had it all wrong all the while!
• If we believe DVC claims on the truth through the Gnostic Gospels, then everything they claim about the legitimacy of the Bible should hold true as well. However, if they are false, then the rest of the claims on DVC should be held in contempt too and should be investigated. And if the god of DVC and the Gnostics is true, then I would rather not have a part with a schizophrenic god who do not know good from bad. And worse still, asking a disciple to do a dirty deed so that one can ascend to heaven is despicable.

As apostle Paul has so eloquently put "But I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent. You seem to believe whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. But I don't think I am inferior to these "super apostles" I may not be a trained speaker, but I know what I am talking about. I think you realised it by now, for we have proved it again and again." 2 Corinthians 11:3-6

If Paul in his time is already battling such heresies and as has proved that it is a heresy again and again, then why would we need to prove it so many times since? The problems lies with our mis-understanding of our loving Abba God who created all things for our benefit, who sacrifice His Son to give us all good things. All these nay-sayers of our true Yeshua will "get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve." 2 Cor 11:15

More fittingly is that Paul did tell the believers in 2 Thessalonians about the deception of our times in the last days "He (as in the evil one) will use every kind of deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them." (2 Thess 1:9)

Although this passage talks about the end times with the Anti-Christ's way of deceiving the remnants of Earth's inhibitants after the rapture, the Gnostic gospel and the way the 'truth' was disseminated now resembles greatly about how falsehood is going to be spread in the end times.

Because I see this as a sign of the end times, I hold unto God more because this is what that has predicted. And since we are not appointed to God's wrath, that means our blessed hope is coming soon.

The Da Vinci Bomb & The Gnostic Gong

Makes you wonder isn't it?

a) Davinci Code
b) Gospel of Mary and other Gnostic Gospel
c) Gospel of Judas

Why would all these come during the last 6 decades after the find of the Dead Sea Scrolls? Seems like the devil thinks that the Dead Sea Scrolls lead legitimacy to the Bible we have on hand, he need to come out with these to debunk the faith.

Watched National Geographic about the said Gospel. The whole presentation is so screwed towards the authenticity of the find but they never mentioned the truth of the contents. If I find an old story book that is 100 years old physically that does not mean that the content is true.
But this is what the program is telling the viewers.

One thing to note is that the Gospel of Judas is written in the second century, too far away from the actuall events. Even if the find is not the original and could point to the earlier date of the source, the same could also be said of the 4 gospels we now have. It is commonly believed that the earliest manuscript of the 4 Gospels is between 70 to 100 AD. Using the same argument, the source of the 4 gospels could be earlier and therefore more accurate! So no matter what happens, the 4 Gospels that we have are real and since it is written during the lifetime of the eye witnesses, the gospels can be easier verified by them...however I do not think the same can be said of Gospel of Judas.

Other evidences shows why Gospel of Judas is not probable. Why? If Jesus did promise Judas that by betraying Him Judas would be greatest amongst the disciples, Judas would be more than happy to betray Jesus. And if Judas did receive such instructions, would he be so remorseful that he has to kill himself? If through your boss' instruction you did something right would you feel guilty? No! definitely not! So in the same way, if Jesus tells Judas to do a wrong thing (betrayal) it only goes to show some characteristics of Jesus:

• He is not a morally right person. By asking someone to betray another person, it means Jesus condones the act of betrayal.
• Jesus is unfair or he is not just. By giving Judas (or Mary) 'special' knowledge, He would have deprived all of us Christians the true way to heaven. Jesus already said He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him. So by special knowledge we are to be make Jesus teaching untrue. Which also means that Jesus sacrifice on the cross is not worth it in the first place.
• The Pharisees gaved Judas reward for the betrayal. If it is God's instructions why would Judas be so guilt ridden that he wants to return the money to them?

The whole thing started from greed, which turns to condemnation, then guilt and ends in suicide-death. I firmly believe that it is NOT Jesus' wish for His disciple to betray Him (read:Mark 14:21) .Jesus rather that Judas is not born for this very reason. If Jesus promises heaven to Judas for betraying Him, then this announcement at the last supper would not make sense at all!

The Bible already showed that it is not the prefered way God the father to rain down bad things on us human beings. Just read the account of Abraham and God arguing about the fate of the Sodom (Gen 18: 16-33). God says for the sake of ten righteous men, He will not destroy the city. Ten out of the potential tens of thousands in a city! So why would Jesus, who do what the Father wills, make use of His disciples to do bad things?

Jesus is not in the business to do bad to people, let alone instigate another person to betray Him! If we allow ourselves to believe that Jesus asked Judas to betray, then this kind of Jesus I rather not believe in. It shows that He uses the 'dark side' to reach His aim and also has no supernatural power so much so He has to ask Judas to do just that.

Let us be steadfast in our faith and see the circumstances why all these things comes at this time, especially during the time of physical turmoil as well (earthquakes, terrorism, tsunami, social unrest etc etc). Whatever the Lord has predicted, it has come true for there are wars and rumours of wars. And there are anti-christ elements trying to debunk the truth in the Gospel.
Get ready to beam up to heaven really soon.

Of Bird Flu & Vitamin C (as in JC)

Despite everything we do in life, it is God who prolongs a person's life. It is not His plan to cut short any of our lives. Jer 29:11 tells us God's plan for the Jews and indirectly for us as well. So what's the point of having a short life when we cannot enjoy God's plan to the fullest?

Isaiah Chapter 53 verse 10 " But it was the Lord's good plan to crush him and filled him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have multitude of children, many heirs (those who receive Christ are called heirs according to the promise given to Abraham). He (the believers) will enjoy a long life, and the Lord's plan will prosper in his hands."

So it is said that God's plan for us is to prosper us and part of that prosperity also includes long life. LONG LIFE! Through the finished work on the cross we shall have long life!

Jesus wants to give us healing see Isaiah Chapter 53 verse 5
(NLT) "But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!"

Or the more common version "By His stripes we are healed!!!"

He was flogged, he was wounded for our transgressions. So because of our sins He took the physical abuse and in turn, healed us through the punishment. What a divine exchange! How presumptious of us believers who accepted the work on the cross to put faith in the world's vitamin C...we should have the ultimate vitamin C that the world has no claims to....Our Vitamin Christ!

Do not get me wrong. I do take Vitamin C because this body is given to the Lord and I am a steward of the body. However, the moment when the hope of healing is based on worldly remedies alone only serves to put us on the equal footing with the unbelieving world. We have the promise of God of healing through His son, that is the healing of both spiritual and mental, then will come the healing of the body. Jesus heals those who believes in Him, He cannot impose on those who do not believe him (read: Matt 13:58).

I also personally believe that the discover of medicine is the work of God for prolonging life therefore the medicine is to help on top of believing God for healing. Of course God heals miraculously as well since I have seen it work during my church service and I recovered from my knee reconstruction much faster than anybody else (my cousin's boyfriend took a few months and I walked around 1 month after the operation without aids)

We should look to divine intervention in our health and our healing when sickness strikes. I believe our sickness comes from stress, from condemnation of not doing enough so that we work more, do more. But once we put our faith and our hope in Jesus' provision, our El Shaddai, then the stress would have no hold on us, and if no stress took hold on us, then we are set up by God to receive divine health!

Fear is the root of all evil for fear cause us to do more, to make schemes so as to protect our well being and our influences. Fear causes us to view others with ulterior motives. Fear causes us to stop believing in our Father's unseen power but to based on our efforts which we can feel. If we cannot even add one more hair to our head, what's more our efforts to create a peaceful existence on earth?

As we remember our Lord's sacrifice on the cross this Friday, pause and think about the things Jesus has done in order for us to enjoy life to the fullest for He came not to be served but to serve. To serve us with what? Did we think about that? What should He served us with so that we can enjoy life? In one word: "Shalom".

Be Greatly Blessed, Highly favored, Deeply Loved and May you all live to be 120~!

To Have The Best Expectation from The Lord

Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I totally agree with Brother Soo-inn that we as Christians are not of this world and thus we are always will be at logger heads with the powers of this world. However the bible did teach that
who that is in us is more powerful than the one who is in the world

• God has plans that are intended for our good (Jer 29:11)
• If God is for us who can then be against us? (Rom 8:31)
• We can do everything through Christ (Philippians 4:13)
• Lastly, Joh 16:33 these things I have spoken to you, that in me ye may have peace (eirene), in the world ye shall have tribulation, but take courage--I have overcome the world.'

e-irene: i-rah'-nay - means peace (literally or figuratively); by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.

Brother Soo-inn wrote: "Jesus stated in no uncertain terms that those who choose to follow Him must expect to be persecuted (John 15:18-21). The apostle Paul stated it equally clearly (2 Timothy 3:12)."

I agree totally with him that we as Christians should not expect a life akin to a bed of roses but will be fully persecuted by others through words or actions and even to the point of death. However by God's undeserving provision of goodness to us all (the meaning of Grace), we are able to overcome through God's promises of His strength manifested through us who believed in him to overcome the evil of this world.

If that's the case, then we should have hope (elpis) since Christ has died for us on the cross, so believers should have a positive expectation of better things to come.

elpis

el-pece'

Fromἔλπω elpō which is a primary word (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstract or concrete) or confidence: - faith, hope.

The word 'hope' usually should have the underlying meaning of positive outcome but because of our careless use of the word 'hope' in our daily conversations, the true meaning is thus lost, giving it a word of uncertainty.

Example: Are you sure that we are going to get a car park space here? Ans: I hope so.

But a close examination of the word 'hope' in the bible is more of a positive note and we who are of the people of the book, should understand what the word 'hope' should bring us, a positive expectation of good forthcoming from a good God.

Therefore, my email is to say that despite the prosecution, despite the problems in our lives, we are to hang on to hope and then faith in better things to happen

To Tithe or Not To Tithe...That Is The Question

Regarding the Dispatch on "Don't Buy a Lie" and "A Question of Ownership" there's this intrinsic link I wonder if the rest of the brothers and sisters saw it.

Truth:

a) God is out to bless us even before the 1st coming of the Lord

b) After the 1st coming of the Lord, the work on the cross and the subsequent arrival of the Holy Spirit, God's heart of blessing us tremendously still stays albeit a lot more now than ever because of the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of curses of sin.

c) If the book of Deuteronomy is the truth then shows even more of God's unchanging character of generousity. If He can give His son and the Holy Spirit, then what's to Him to bless us with earthly things (on top of relationship and spiritual blessings?)

Fact

a) We Christians are living under the curse that we already have the power to escape from because of the Lord's work on the cross

b) We choose to hang on to our possessions even when the result of offering our possession to God means more blessings from Him. As in the second dispatch "A Question of Ownership" has pointed out.

Do We want to be Blessed in Every Area of our Lives?

From the email "A Question of Ownership":

"Otto realized something each of us must realize: To gain your life you must lose it, along with your possessions. It was only when he gave all his possessions to God that he became free from them. God measured back to him manifold once He had complete ownership."

I firmly believe that the above truth is easily shown in Malachi 3:8 as well. Although the subject matter is on tithing and offering, isn't it true that tithes and offerings comes from our possessions as well? We must understand that the tithes and offerings are from the fruits of our labour that means our salary and we should honor the Lord with our salary and then He will cause the Heaven to bless us extensively (Mal 3:10-12).

In the same way, Malachi did tell us that we are curse with a curse Mal 3:9. Sounds familiar? Being poor is a curse? So the way out of that curse, is to honor God with tithes.

Now a lot of people are saying about the law of tithing is abolished because the Lord has redeemed us from it. But the very first example of the tithe comes from Abraham so it is before the Law (actually tithing can also be seen in the garden of Eden. You may have all the fruits except from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil..which is the symbol of the 10%?). So it is wrong to associate the mandate of tithing with the law of moses even if the law stipulates tithing as well. Moses' law recognises the truth of tithing and reflect it in the law but it does not mean the law is above tithing since it is before tithing

We are not forced to tithe but tithing has its advantages

a) It forces us to let go of our possessions

b) It allows us to free from worry about our possessions

c) It reflect God's role in our lifes, His provision for our lives and reliance on Him

d) It allowed God to bless us even more (remember that love of money is the root of all evil)

e) Frees us from the snare of our love of money

I think it is time that we are to pry away from the love of money and use money as a tool instead being a slave to it. Use money to honor God and the very first act should be the tithe then offerings.

Do think about your attitude towards money when you find excuses not to tithe.

Of Living Body of Christ

If you can allow me to share, please bear with me on my views. I do not know if I am qualified to talk about churches in general but I feel that after being in a traditional Church and school for nearly 8 years followed by 5 years of non-denominational church in both Singapore and Melbourne, Australia, I can make some comments.

Reasons why Churches are Dying: We Do Not Understand Who We Are and What We Have in Christ

We do not know who we are in Christ from God the Father's perspective and the lack of knowledge of the inheritance that the sacrifice on the cross has brought us who trust in Jesus.

I feel that being in some churches, the emphasis is on doing, without knowing why we are doing.

I categorise it as maintenance faith with reason.

What I appreciate in growing, vibrant churches is that they constantly upheld Jesus' work on the cross in a loving way. They hark on the good promises of God, who we are in God's eyes, the Grace of God and also the love of God. A lot of people commented that pastors should emphasize instead the judgement of God using the law as the basis of teaching so that people would behave within certain boundaries, sometimes to the fancy of the church elders and leadership.

However, Jesus come to give us an easy yoke to carry and with a light burden (Matt 11:30) but are our church leadership's teachings easy to carry? My observation is that the more we preach on law, the more the people have to oblige to do the will of the church (which is not necessary the will of God), and as more of the same people come to realise they cannot fulfill the demands of the church, they will fear for their salvation and do more (became a vicious cycle) and eventually quit church altogether.

Let me share with you a story. A brother I knew came to Singapore and attended my church. He, from a conservative church, saw a scantily clad (in his opinion) lady going to church and say that the woman did not respect the church. What I saw instead is the brother's lack of respect of the woman's love for God's word (for she is in church) and also the person of who the sister is (who Jesus has reside in her heart).

I agree sometimes outward appearance says something about our inner self but NOT everything about us. A critical heart, trained by law, focus on the negative whereas a humble/grace changed heart focus on the positive, which is the heart of Jesus.

If we are not to preach law, then we should preach its direct opposite: Grace!

Definition of Grace: the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God

God's Grace in giving His Son and Jesus' Grace in giving us IMPUTED righteousness through His Sacrifice on the cross. And Righteousness according to the Bible brings about favour and blessings!

Psalms: 1:6; 5:12, 14:5; 34:17,19; 37:17,39; 92:12; 97:11;

Prov.10:3,6,7,11,16,20,21,24,25,28,30,31,32

and most important of all, imputed righteousness is not earned. But our churches are demanding their congregation to do earn righteousness by their own strength.

Think about it. If we are able to be righteous before God, then what is the need for Jesus? If Jesus came to give us righteousness, then we ought to know what righteousness should do to and for us: to give us favour and blessings!

But He also come so that He may give us peace. But just only peace as in our normal sense? No! Much much more!

John 14:27 " Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

The word 'Peace' here is the word 'Shalom'

Strong's Concordance 7965 - Hebrew Shalom ..... A word study in the New King James version for SHALOM says: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.

NOTE: REAL Hebrew meaning of Shalom peace as in John 14:27 is not confined just to peace but also Prosperity, Wholeness, Health and REST(and much much much more)!

So did the Churches that are dying today received the true meaning of Shalom that Grace of Jesus has gave us? Obviously no.

I feel so sorry for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that are in Churches who did not inherit Jesus' promises to us just because they hear so much about the so called "PROSPERITY GOSPEL".

The Gospel that I now preach is the true gospel of Grace that not only give us righteousness but also give us shalom peace that is not of this world. And since shalom is given to us, then prosperity is God willed! Full stop! No more arguments. The improper accusation of prosperity gospel to deny God's Children their true inheritance not only go against God's promises for us but also rob the true Church the power of Shalom peace in other areas such as health, tranquility and REST! Isn't that the reason why Jesus tells us in John 14:27 that our hearts would not be troubled or afraid?

If we have shalom peace and righteousness of God in our churches:

• We would have enough testimonies to share about Jesus and thus have powerful outreach to people who need to know Jesus
• We would have powerful worship services that sings with the true feeling of gladness and thanksgiving in our hearts.
• We will meet the true need of the saved and unsaved people, spiritually (peace), physically (health) and financially (prosperity). Of course most importantly, already being right with God!
• We will serve the church joyfully because we understand that God first served and love us without regret and without repayment (His Agape Love)
• We can become better people because we are protected and trained by God without worrying about us being right with God.
• We can sponsor more charities, can build physical churches, help the needy because we are blessed financially.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, now is the time to proclaim God's goodness, His Love instead of sin and His Blessings instead of His Judgement.

For we who are in Christ are Greatly Blessed, Highly Favoured and Deeply Loved!
Be Blessed and Proclaim that You have received Shalom Peace!

Wilson Wong

ps.

"Unless the Lord builds the house,. they labor in vain who build it. Unless the
Lord guards the city,. the watchman stays awake in vain." Psalm 127:1.
Before we accused big churches are huge because they preach prosperity gospel, please answer the follow questions:

a) Psalm 127:1. If something good prospers, it is of God. Financial blessing by itself is good, therefore it is from God. It is how we treat mammon (money) that speaks of evil or good (use the money to sponsor terrorism). So if the church that proclaims Jesus is King grows big, is it from God?

b) Are the people who attend the church money minded or are they balanced, have joy and peace? Do they openly share their joy?

c) Is your accusation of the church comes out from the feeling of jealousy or pride? (Read Gen 20)

d) Does a successful church support the devil or restraint his influence?

I think the answer is clear. Don't judge if you do not like to be judged lest the things you accused are of and from God Himself.