I am sure you understand that I cannot answer every post and ever sleep. I realize that people are going to believe what they want to believe and they want to believe that they have no obligation to God when it comes to their money.

Regarding this post that says:

God says that the heart is the matter.

OF COURSE THE HEART IS THE MATTER. WHAT DO WE LOVE? OBEYING GOD OR OUR MONEY? WE CAN ALL SAY THAT WE LOVE GOD, BUT WHAT IS HIS CRITERIA FOR LOVE. NOTICE WHAT GOD SAYS:

1Jo 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

THEN YOU SAY

If you tithe and do it unto God, so be it. The Levitical ordinance of tithing, however is not a requirement today, as is no other ordinance or 'sacrifice' from old testament 'law'.

OF COURSE THIS IS TRUE. THERE IS NO LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD TO TITHE TO. THE SCRIPTURES SHOW THAT THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE LAW SO THAT THE TITHE GOES TO MELCHISEDEK--CHRIST

LOOK, I UNDERSTAND YOUR ANIMOSITY FOR THE BUSINESS OF RELIGION THAT IS FALSE TODAY, BUT YOU ARE THROWING OUT THE BABY WITH THE BATHWATER. YOU REJECT THEM, AS WELL YOU SHOULD, BUT DON'T REJECT GOD'S WORD. DON'T THINK BECAUSE YOU SEE THROUGH THEIR HYPOCRISY THAT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO CHANGE WHAT GOD HAS SAID.

Many stay away from God just because of this issue, "pay up or go to Hell" is what the godless hear. No one should feel that this is an absolute requirement, it's most definitely not. New testament church does not preach it in the bible, it's a twisting of words used to fuel 'big business' church and send more clones to Cemetary (I mean Seminary).

IF YOUR LOGIC WAS TRUE, THEN WE SHOULD SAY, AS SOME CHURCHES ARE SAYING, THAT YOU KNOW WHEN IT SAYS NO FORNICATION, IT JUST SCARES PEOPLE AWAY FROM JESUS. WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, SO WE JUST SAY, THE LAW IS DONE AWAY-- RIGHT?

Get freedom, choose Christ and grace, not self righteousness and law.

SEE YOU THINK THAT GRACE IS OPPOSED TO LAW. YOU THINK THAT ANYONE WHO KEEPS GOD'S LAW IS SELF RIGHTEOUS. BUT THINK. GOD'S LAW IS NOT SELF RIGHTEOUS. THE PHARISEES MADE THEIR OWN LAW IT WAS SELF RIGHTEOUS. YOU TOO HAVE MADE YOUR OWN LAW. YOU DECIDE, YOU ARE LIKE GOD. GOD SAYS TO TITHE, HE SAYS YOU ROB ME IF YOU DON'T, AND HE SAYS KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. YOU SAY, NO! YOU SAY THE FREEDOM CHRIST BROUGHT IS FREEDOM FROM KEEPING HIS LAW. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE FREEDOM CHRIST BROUGHT IS FREEDOM FROM SIN, WHICH IS BREAKING THE LAW.

Check the scriptures "in context" for yourself, stop letting the peddlers feed you lines. Catholisism is an extreme of this. Love Catholic people- hate the 'establishment'

YOU ARE AVOIDING THE CONTEXT. THE CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE IS DISOBEYING GOD IS SIN, AND CHRIST HAD TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR BREAKING THE LAW, AND HE SENT HIS SPIRIT TO ENABLE US TO KEEP THE LAW, AND HE MADE A NEW COVENANT THAT WRITES THE LAW IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS.

I AM NOT ACCEPTING SOME DOCTRINES THAT WERE PEDDLED TO ME BY MEN. I AM QUOTING THE SCRIPTURES GIVEN BY GOD.

By the way, please forgive the all caps thing. I am not yelling , I just don't know how to separate your stuff from mine yet.

Art

HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE RECOMMENDED ARTICLE. TO ME IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF PEOPLE WANTING TO BELIEVE WHAT THEY LIKE TO BELIEVE AND WHO WILL TWIST THE SCRIPTURES TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT. PLEASE LOOK AT SOME OF THE STUFF THEY DO IN THE ARTICLE THAT IS PRAISED ON THIS THREAD.

THE ARTICLE
You cannot ‘give’ to God.

GOD PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE WIDOW WHO GAVE TO GOD OF HER PENURY
GOD SAYS GIVE AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU.
GOD SAYS:
Mar 12:17 Render (give) to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and (GIVE) to God the things that are God's.

WE ARE TO GIVE GOD WHAT HE SAYS TO GIVE TO HIM

THE ARTICLE: MOCKING THAT ABRAHAM TITHED, SAYS:

The first thing you find is that the “everything” in question did not belong to Abram. It was the property of other people, including Abram’s nephew, Lot, who had been captured by the armies of several kings.

OF COURSE IT WAS THE SPOIL BELONGING TO OTHERS. YOUR WAGES THAT YOU GET ARE TAKEN FROM OTHERS TOO.

THE ARTICLE
Notice Abram’s statements in verses 22-24. He owned none of the property in question before the battle and, although entitled to the spoils as the victor, he refused to take any of it: “I will accept nothing belonging to you…” (v.23).
Abram gave away ten per cent of other people’s stuff, in a representative act of thanksgiving to God on behalf of some people who had been miraculously rescued from a life of slavery.

THE BIBLE DOES NOT SAY IT WAS AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING. WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD MAKE YOU THINK THAT WHEN THE NUMBER IS 10%. THAT IS NO ARBITRARY NUMBER --IT IS A TITHE AND IN FACT THAT IS WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS IT, NOT A THANKS GIVING OFFERING. THIS STUFF IS CRAZY MAKING--NUTS!

Gen 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

THE ARTICLE:
This was a once-only event.

NO ABSOLUTELY NOT. GOD'S LAW EXISTED BEFORE ABRAHAM, AND IT WAS KEPT BY ABRAHAM. NOTICE GOD'S COMMENT ABOUT HIM

Gen 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws

ABRAHAM KEPT GOD'S TEN COMMANDMENTS. HE KEPT THE APPOINTED DAYS, AND THE LAW OF TITHING.

THE SAME WITH JACOB, HE COMMITTED A TITHE NOT GIVE THANK OFFERINGS THIS ARTICLE IS TWISTING THE TRUTH -- CAN'T YOU SEE IT


THE ARTICLE:

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth” (Genesis 28:20-22).

“See,” they say, “tithing was a necessary practice way back in the days of Jacob, long before the Law was given.”

But read exactly what Jacob said in Genesis 28:20-22.

1. He made a vow, a promise (and there is no record in the Bible that he ever kept that promise.)

DON'T YOU SEE THAT THIS REASONING IS SICK? JACOB COMES BACK A RICH MAN FOR OBEYING GOD. THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF TRANSFERENCE. THE AUTHOR GOES BACK ON HIS PROMISES TO GOD SO HE THINKS GREAT HEROES OF FAITH LIKE JACOB DID TOO. IS NO ONE ELSE IS GETTING CRAZY OVER THIS EXCEPT ME?

THE ARTICLE:

2. It was a conditional promise. Notice the five conditions:
IF God will be with me;
IF God will watch over me;
IF God will give me food to eat;
IF God will give me clothes to wear; and
IF I return safely to my father’s house
(which didn’t happen until some twenty years later…),
THEN, and only then, can God have 10% of whatever He gives me.

If that is “tithing”, feel free to make a list of everything you want from God and — once you have received it all — start making your once-every-twenty-year payments.

THIS IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE'S TITHING. IT IS NOT GOD'S.
IN THE BEGINNING OF THE ARTICLE THE AUTHOR EXPLAINS CORRECTLY THAT WE CAN'T BARTER WITH GOD. THEN HE SHOWS JACOB BARTERING BECAUSE IT SERVES HIS PURPOSE. DO NOT TRUST PEOPLE WHO TELL YOU NOT TO OBEY GOD.

I BESEECH READERS TO CONSIDER HOW THIS IS TWISTED. GOD CAME TO JACOB FIRST. GOD TOLD HIM HE WOULD BLESS HIM FIRST. THERE WAS NO CONDITIONS THAT JACOB SET! READ IT:

Gen 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Gen 28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. Gen 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.

JACOB IS ONLY REITERATING WHAT GOD SAID TO HIM, HE IS NOT BARTERING WITH GOD ---HE IS ACCEPTING GOD'S PROMISE

Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: Gen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

GOD DID NOT MENTI0N ANY GIVING THE TITHE. JACOB KNEW THAT WAS THE AMOUNT BEFORE THIS TIME.

I CANNOT GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE ARTICLE, BUT THE TRUTH IS IT IS CLEARLY TWISTING SCRIPTURE TO WIN THE ARGUMENT. IF PEOPLE ARE NOT STUDYING THEIR BIBLES AND ONLY LISTENING TO WHAT THESE PREACHERS WRITE ABOUT WITHOUT CHECKING IT OUT, THEN YOU WILL BE MISLED.

PLEASE CONSIDER THE MIND SET OF THESE KINDS OF MEN. WE ARE TO GIVE TO THE STATE. WE ARE TO GIVE TO THE POOR. WE ARE TO GIVE TO OUR FAMILY. WE ARE TO GIVE TO WHOM EVER WE WANT. BUT --WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE TO GOD.

WE MUST OBEY THE GOVERNMENT, WE MUST OBEY OUR BOSS AT WORK, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO OBEY GOD.

GET THE POINT. THE ISSUE IS THIS. WE DO WHAT WE WANT AND GOD LOVES ME NO MATTER WHAT I DO. GOD ONLY CARES ABOUT OUR HEART, AND AS LONG AS WE LOVE HIM IN OUR HEART, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, WE DON'T SIN. THIS IS THE ANCIENT GNOSTIC THINKING, AND IT IS DEAD WRONG.

CHRIST STATES:
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND WHAT CHRIST SAYS NEXT

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

WHAT IS THE FATHER'S WILL? IS IT JUST TO HAVE NICE FEELINGS IN OUR HEART? OR IS THE FATHER'S WILL WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE SCRIPTURES?

CONSIDER WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE THAT CHRIST SPEAKS OF IN THE NEXT VERSE?

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

CERTAINLY THE TV GUYS, AND WITHOUT APOLOGY, I SUGGEST THE AUTHOR OF THIS ARTICLE.

WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE END? WHAT FRUIT IS GOD LOOKING FOR?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

THOSE WHO WORK INIQUITY WHICH IS LAWLESSNES WILL NOT BE IN THE KINGDOM. THEY CAN PREACH CHRIST ALL THEY WANT. THEY CAN SAY PRAISE YOU JESUS OVER AND OVER UNTIL WE SICK OF HEARING IT, BUT IT THEY DO NOT OBEY GOD, THEY WILL BE OUT

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE?

Art

A Change in Administration
Tithing was the system that God’s people had always understood and practiced from the beginning. Abraham tithed. Jacob tithed. It was never done away, but the administration of it was changed when God created the nation of Israel. At that time, He commanded that the tithe was now to go to the Levitical priests.


When, God shut down the nation of Israel by the destruction of the Temple and the subsequent end of the Priesthood, God made another change in administration of the tithe. He changed who would not receive them.

In the same way that there was a change in the administration of God’s tithe from the time of the Patriarchs to that of the Levites, there was also another change in administration of the tithe made with the birth of the New Covenant. This change is clearly spelled out in the book of Hebrews. Written in approximately 64 A.D., just before the destruction of the temple and dissolution of the priesthood, this book was produced to inform the Hebrews what would remain.
With the devastation of the Temple, the priesthood was scattered. Its ministry was terminated, and with it, the ceremonial washings and sacrifices came to an end. But what would replace that system? Jesus had said that the law would continue until the very heavens and earth were no more (Matthew 5:17-23). But ---what about the law of tithing?
With the ascension of Jesus Christ into the heavens to function as our High Priest, there were many changes. Access to the Father in the Holy of Holies was no longer denied to all but the High Priest. It was now accessible to all those who were reconciled to God through Christ (Hebrews 2:17-18, 9:1-8).
The ceremonial laws were a kind of schoolmaster to bring people to Christ. Now they were no longer necessary for those who believed (Hebrews 9:1-14). Christ had come, and such laws were now a distraction from the reality. However, the author makes it clear that the Sabbath would remain. As the more literal Revised Standard translation states:

So then, there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God; for whoever enters God’s rest also ceases from his labors as God did from his (Hebrews 4:9-10, RSV).

The scriptures make it plain that the Sabbath would remain, but what about tithing? Would it also remain? The author of Hebrews provides an explanation. He prefaces his answer with the fact that Jesus and Melchizedek are one and the same. In that context, the author of Hebrews writes:

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Hebrews 6:19-7:3).

Jesus Christ, who appeared to Abraham as the priest Melchizedek, is now our High Priest forever. The tithe has always belonged to Him. As the author records, Melchizedek took the tithe directly from Abraham:

Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises (Hebrews 7:4-6).

With the introduction of the Levitical priesthood there was the need for a change in the administration of the law of tithing. The Levites were given a commandment from God to receive His tithes for Him. And with Christ’s ascension to the throne of God as our High Priest, followed by the destruction of the temple and the abolition of the physical Priesthood, there was another change necessary in the administration of the law. The author of Hebrews states:

For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law (Hebrews 7:12).

What law is being spoken of? The law of tithing! But what is changed? Has the law of tithing been done away? Does it no longer apply? No! The law of tithing is not done away. The tithe still belongs to Melchizedek, but it is no longer to be paid to the Levites. It is administered today by His true ministers for the work of preaching the gospel.
When Christ returns to this earth, He will once again make a change in the administration of the tithe. Christ will restore again to the Levites their offices of service in His ministry. God prophesies:

And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them (Ezekiel 44:10-11).

At this future time, the priests will again be supported by the tithe. The tithe will still belong to Melchizedek, but it will then once again be administered by the Levites. The book of Hebrews makes it clear that God still expects His people to tithe today. In the Millennial Kingdom, the tithe will go to the priests who will serve at the temple, but today it is directed to the ministers of God’s Church today--not the tv pretenders.

Art

Regarding this statement:

"Jesus paid no tithe. He said, "render unto cesaer the things that are cesaer's. Pay your taxes."

Do you really think that Jesus said we should pay our taxes to man, and He did not think we had any obligation to God? Is man more important than God? Evidently.

To me, you do a terrible disservice to the people on this forum because you quote part of the scripture and not the rest. Thus you can mislead people.

Here is the entire verse:

Mat 22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

So, Christ said to give to Caesar what was his--taxes. But, He also said that we are to give unto God what is His--the tithers. In fact He says we rob him if we don't give them to Him. Are you sure you want to teach people to rob God?

On another level, you state that Jesus did not pay tithes. Of course He did. We have the example of Christ even paying the temple tax which he said He was not obligated to pay, but He did it so as not to offend (mat 17:24)

Think this one through. Christ had to pay tithes when on earth. If he did not pay them, He would have sinned. We would have no Savior. So, you can thank Him for paying His tithe.

Art

Hey JB it is you again.

I so strongly agree with you. We should never judge someone in anything. God is the Judge, not us. What they listen to is there business. What we listen to is our business.

Therefore, we absolutely must judge any music, tv, radio, and in fact everything we allow into our minds and hearts.

I remember working at a religious campus one day, and the music some of the workers were listening to was terrible. I asked them why they listened to this music if they were professing Christians. One of the people answered and said: "well I read a letter the other day where a man was speaking to the younger generation and complaining about their music." He said it was Aristotle who wrote the letter, and that every generation complains about the next generation's music.

I answered him saying yes, it is true, but it is true for a reason. Every generation is degenerating. Music in just one of the signs. This is the message of the empires listed in Daniel. The head of gold, the chest of silver, the thighs of brass, and the legs and feet of iron and mud. One point that can be taken from this is that every generation from the time of Babylon until Christ's coming is degenerating in character, but increasing in technology and military strength.

As the Scriptures say, as we near the end, evil men will wax worse and worse. Therefore, today, much of the music of our age is satanic. Many of the bands are avowed satanists.

For an example of the degeneration in music, in my day they sang song's like Oh mine Papa, to me he was so wonderful. Today, they sings songs whose lyrics say "rise up in the night and kill your parents." Eminem repeatedly states in one of his songs, "do exactly what the song says, drop out, take drugs, drink, and kill people."

There is a spirit behind the music. The devil was actually created with pipes and tabrets--percussion instruments (Ezek 28:13). He is a musician. (As Barry Manilow crooned, I've been alive forever. I am music and I write the songs.

Satan is the prince of the power of the air. He broadcasts his spirit of hate, anger, hostility, and evil. People who are angry tune in to his wavelength. They pick up on it, and some create songs inspired by him, some realizing what they do and others not.

We must judge what we allow in, and God gives us a yardstick to judge by. We can determine what kind of music we should listen to by the following standards:

Phi 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Does the music we listen to conform to God's standards?

Art

I wholeheartedly agree that ministers should not ask for money. It trivializes God and cheapens what is holy. God never says to ask for money. He is no begger. However, the reason that they should not have to ask is because they should be following the system of tithing that God set up so that they would not have to beg and by doing so, demean what is sacred.

Regarding this statement:

"I just wanted to set people free from this burdensome junk. Many people teach this out of passed down ignorance, but from Gods word and my own experience we all need to be free from this Laws control issue. Attacking the principal here, not the people that ignorantly follow it."

Are you saying that God's holy law is burdensome junk? Are you saying that His law no longer exists? Are you saying that people are ignorant for following what God has said to do?

By way of reminder, here are a few statements from the Almighty one:

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (to do it)
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Want to be least?

1Jo 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1Jo 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jo 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
1Jo 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Jesus tithed:

But, then what commandments is John talking about? New ones, different ones? No!

1Jo 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

Regarding the tithing issue, Jesus said to the pharisees that they tithed on minuscule things. Then He told them that they should tithe on these things, but they were not to omit the important part of the law, like judgment, faith and mercy.

How about at the end of the age? Does God expect us to tithe at the end of the age, nearly 2000 years after Christ died and rose again?

Notice the famous verse on tithing in Malachi. Is it speaking about old worn out laws? Is it speaking of things that were to be done away? Is it speaking of only the Old Covenant time? Or is it speaking of the end of the age just before Christ's second coming?

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Mal 3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

From this we see that the scriptures are speaking of Christ's second coming. They speak of His soon coming millennial rule. None of this occurred from His first coming.

Does He change? Does He require some to tithe and not others? Notice his words in this context:

Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

So, God does not change. His law of tithing does not change. It may be administered differently with the end of the Levitial system, but it is not done away or changed. In this context, God speaks of tithing, saying:

Mal 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

The people in the Old Covenant did not keep God's law. And, we still don't do it today. But, people ask what does God expect us to do in order to return to Him? God answers:

Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Do you think that God has no authority over our lives? Do you think we can do anything we wish and He accepts it? Does God have any authority over anything in our lives? Of course, He has complete authority over our lives, but only if we submit to his authority.

God never says we are free to break the law. He says that He came to make us from from sin, and sin is breaking the law (jn 3:5) He came to make us free from the penalty of the law.

Consider that after Christ returns, He will establish Jerusalem and there will be a temple built there. The priesthood will be reestablished and people will tithe (Ezek 40-48). What makes anyone think it is not required of us now? Abraham tithed, Jacob tithed, and when Israel was made a nation, the administration was changed to the Levites. Christ kept the law. He tithed, and when He returns the saints will be raised to rule with Him. They will teach the world God's way. Tithing will be a part of His ecconomic plan then, and used to support the priests in the millennium. But, for some reason, we think we will be in that resurrection, we will teach people to keep God's law then, but we don't have to do it now.

Doesn't work for me,

Have you ever considered the symbolism of the Sabbath and the preparation day? The Sabbath foreshadows things to come, Col 2. Thus, it is prophetic.

Man was created on the sixth day. The Sabbath created on the 7th day. Man was commanded to work and do all his labor for 6 days and to rest on the 7th day, the sabbath.

In that context, the scriptures state that a day is like a thousand years prophetically, Pslam 90:4, 2Pet 3. Thus the Sabbath foreshadows that there would be 6,000 years for man to do his own work, build his own governments and religions, then there would come the 7th, or last thousand years, the millennial rest of God.

This is when Christ returns and rules for a thousand years. It is called the "time of refreshing" and "His rest." It is the kingdom of God on earth.

Those who attain the resurrection will rule with Christ for this thousand year period (Rev 20:1-5. They will help spread the kingdom and the knowledge of God around the world until the earth is covered with it like the water covers the sea.

So, the Sabbath foreshadows that wonderful time. But, what about the preparation day? What does it foreshadow? God tells us that we are to prepare for the Sabbath. We are to be ready for it when it comes. The preparation day is there to remind God's people every week that they must prepare if they desire to be a part of that millennial kingdom.

Art

How about

Church parking only,

Here is one:

we do not forgive those who trespass against us!

Ok then, how about:

We are the lite church. We do not have lengthy sermons, we have shorter songs, and only 9 commandemtents.

Just wondering if anyone might possibly think that the sacred and Holy God, His plan for man, and His Church should be taken lightly, advertised with cute sayings, or exploited to get members into a church?

Its just a thought. Perhaps I am too serious, but what about something like:

The Bible has the answer to the question you are asking.

Why were you born--and--where are you going?

You were created for a purpose--do you know what it is?

Is your life really working without Him?

Do you want to know how to live?