Interesting isn't it? A collection being taken for the saints, plural, not the leaders(whatever you wish to call them)
As I appointed the assemblies of the galatian region, you do it the same way.
Verse 2: on the first day of the week let each one set aside with him/her self, storing up whatever he/she is prospered, so that whenever I come, collections might not be made then.
Each believer, as they are prospered-that's a personal decision based on each person's conscience, not a certain amount or percentage as under the law of moses-
Verse 3: and whenever I arrive, those whom you approve, through letters, I will send those approved ones to carry your gift to Jerusalem.
Now we see who the collection is being made for, the believers in Jerusalem. No set amount, just as each believer considers to have been profited. And it's to be done the first day of the week.
This subject of the gift for Jerusalem believers is dealt with in great detail in ii
Corinthians chapters 8 and 9. Too often these passages are latched onto by preachers who want the saints to give to the "local church." As Quiznos has pointed out many times, verses are taken out of context. I was raised in a "church" that taught "storehouse"(see Malachi) and "faith promise"(ii Cor. 8/9) giving.
As I have said elsewhere on here, God wants believers to give to other believers(Ephesians 4:28). But there is never an indication of salary or tithing. Those who teach and lead in the assembly (acts 20:33-35) are to set the example for other believers by working. There was no professional clergy in the New testament.
Too often the professionals called by various titles, make a living off of the backs of the people, instead of by the sweat of their own brow.
I was in a fellowship in Philadelphia which had 3 Elders, each taught, and each had a job.
The meeting of the saints was according to 1 Corinthians 14
Instead of the people giving freely to the needs of the Saints, they are placing the people under the law thru tithing, which Peter says is a yoke of bondage. The same principle can be made with circumcision.
Acts 15 verses 5 - 11
5 But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”
6 So the apostles and elders met to look into this matter.
7 After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
8 And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
9 He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
10 Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
11 On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”
Anytime we want to put people under any part of the law, then we put them back under bondage to do the WHOLE law,not just one part of the law.
Yes, we do not murder, or steal, or hate our neighbors, in order to become forgiven, justified, righteous, sanctified, or holy, we do not do these because we are already Forgiven, justified, righteous, holy, sanctified in Yashua, not by works of the law, but by FAITH in Messiah. It is FINISHED.
"Each believer, as they are prospered-that's a personal decision based on each person's conscience, not a certain amount or percentage as under the law of moses"
As I have said elsewhere on here, God wants believers to give to other believers(Ephesians 4:28). But there is never an indication of salary or tithing."
"Instead of the people giving freely to the needs of the Saints, they are placing the people under the law thru tithing,"
back to the Gospel now.
Sell what you have and give alms, for where our treasure is our heart is..
Luke 12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Exampled on a rich man, go and sell all you have, then would have treasure in Heaven, but he could not do that and then Follow Christ..
Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
All the Apostles/believers did sell and give all away, did not have treasure here, followed Christ..
Mark 10:28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
The scribe willing to foll,ow Jesus, follows knowing the Son of man had nowhere to lay His head..
Matthew 8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
The Kingdom of Heaven is this way for who finds the hidden treasure, sell all you have to bu that field..
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
Paul Apostle to the Gentiles suffered the loss of all things that he may win Christ..
Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Apostle Paul the same as Jesus had no certain dwellingplace, suffering following like Christ for us to reject all other examples and follow that way..
1 Corinthians 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
1 Corinthians 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
The believers did take the spoiling of their goods, as there is better reward in Heaven..
Hebrews 10:34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
"The bible teaches to be a cheerful giver. That means give from your heart! Not because someone told you to give."
to disperse abroad, give to the poor for his righteousness to remain forever, as we reap as we sow.
sow bountifully to reap bountifully, it is very set...
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
the bountiful eye is blessed giving their bread to the poor..
Proverbs 22:9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
instead of keeping our bread we cast it away in the waters to return one day at the end...
Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
when we water we will be watered, as by liberal things we stand (conditional)
Proverbs 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
Isaiah 32:8 But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.
When anyone witholds good they withhold more than is meet, they will be in poverty at this end, only scattering your wealth increases treasure for heaven..
Proverbs 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it
Proverbs 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
To not deliver anyone, is to expect God to render to every man according to our works.
To not give to one of the least of the ones in need, is to not give to Christ, and receive the same ways..
Proverbs 24:11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Matthew 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
If you want to know how the heart of the righteous works, it gives and spares not..
Proverbs 21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
to others who stop their ears from any cry of any poor, they also will cry to God but will nor be heard..
Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
no love of God is in anyone who shuts up their compassion from anyone in need.
Pity on the poor is lending to the Lord, you will receive the amount of mercy which you gave out..
God has judgement without mercy on all who show no mercy, it is mercy that rejoices against judgement of God..
1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
James 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
quiznoslittle has convicted himself from his own mouth as in every word he says along with moon,, he does not believe in forsaking all to be the disciple of Christ and moonlight agrees, no need to do anything as exampled in the scriptures, Christ means nothing He says to them:
Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:
17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.
20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.
23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, WHOSOEVER HE BE OF YOU THAT FORSASKETH NOT ALL THAT HE HATH, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; BUT THAT YE BE PERFECTLY JOINED TOGETHER IN THE SAME MIND AND IN THE SAME JUDGMENT.
Acts 2:44 And ALL THAT BELIEVED WERE TOGETHER, AND HAD ALL THINGS COMMON;
45 AND SOLD THEIR POSSESSIONS AND GOODS, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
Acts 4:32 And THE MULTITUDE OF THEM THAT BELIEVED WERE OF ONE HEART AND OF ONE SOUL: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but THEY HAD ALL THINGS COMMON.
33 And WITH GREAT POWER GAVE THE APOSTLES WITNESS of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL.
34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for AS MANY AS WERE POSESSORS OF LANDS OR HOUSES SOLD THEM, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 AND LAID THEM DOWN AT THE APOSTLES FEET and DISTRIBUTION WAS MADE UNTO EVERY MAN ACCORDING AS HE HAD NEED.
quiznoslittle/moon is mocking, as the Pharisees actions , see the answer of the Lord this person claimed to follow?
BEWARE OF THESE IN PRIDEFUL HIGH POSITIONS, LOVE FRIENDSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, TO SIT HIGH IN PRIDE AND WICKEDNESS UNCLEANED AND UNREPROVED
FOR PRETENCE THEY MAKE PRAYERS AND TALK ABOUT GOD OUT OF COVETTING HATRED.
THE RICH CAN GIVE ALL THEY WANT, BUT THE RICH NEVER ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
THE POOR WIDOW IS GODS EXAMPLE, THE TRUTH THE PRETENDERS CLAIM TO FOLLOW, WHO DESPISE ALL OF GODS RIGHTEOUS WORDS, WHICH THEY SAY EVERY DAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEE
THE POOR WIDOW GAVE ALL THE LIVING SHE HAD, IT IS WORTH MORE THEN ALL THE RICH WHO PUT IN, AS THERE AMOUNT IS INSUFFICIENT..
Mark 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
