WE HAVE A SIN PROBLEM
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2)
As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."...(Romans 3:10-12)
For the wages of sin is death...(Romans 6:23a)
... man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment...(Hebrews 9:27)
WE CANNOT EARN OUR WAY TO GOD
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:12-16)
GOD PROVIDES A SAVIOR: JESUS CHRIST
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14)
[Jesus]Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17)
God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the Righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit (1Peter 3:18)
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
THERE IS NO OTHER SAVIOR EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus replied: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.(Acts 4:12)
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. (Romans 3:21-28)
WE MUST COME TO GOD IN REPENTANCE & FAITH
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:21)
REPENTANCE: TURNING FROM SIN
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (Acts 3:19)
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. (Isaiah 55:6-7)
FAITH: TRUSTING IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST JESUS CHRIST ALONE FOR SALVATION
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16)
Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:16)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. (Romans 4:4-5)
The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. (Romans 10:8-11)
The Consequences of trust:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
The consequences of unbelief:
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. (John 3:36)
It is my prayer that God would grant you repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
TITHING IS NOT A CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
An Essay by Russell Earl Kelly, PH. D., March 05, 2006
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Introduction:
The following essay is a summary of my book, Should the Church Teach Tithing? A Theologian’s Conclusions about a Taboo Doctrine. The book itself is a greatly expanded version of my PH. D. thesis. I challenge Bible educators to be bold, to open up their seminary level research and to promote studies on this subject in the Masters, Doctorate and PH. D. levels. This doctrine is simply too important to ignore.
In many churches today the doctrine of tithing has reached the level of a modern scandal. While on the one hand, most seminary-level textbooks on hermeneutics and church theologians omit tithing, on the other hand, the practice is quickly becoming a requirement for church membership in the very denominations which insist on solid Bible-based doctrines. There is also increasing evidence that lay persons who question the legitimacy of New Covenant tithing are usually criticized as being troublemakers or weak Christians.
Modern Tithing is Based on Many False Assumptions
One denomination’s statement on stewardship is typical of what many others teach about tithing. It says that "tithing is the minimum biblical standard and the beginning point which God has established that must not be replaced or compromised by any other standard." It adds that the tithe is from gross income which is due to the church before taxes.
The following points of this essay contrast the false teachings used to support tithing with what God’s Word actually says.
Point #1 N. T. Giving Principles in Second Corinthians 8 and 9 Are Superior to Tithing.
The false teaching is that tithing is an assumed mandatory expectation which always preceded free-will giving.
Free-will giving preceded tithing. The following New Covenant free-will principles are found in Second Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9: (1) Giving is a "grace.” Second Corinthians, chapters 8, uses the word, "grace," eight times in reference to helping poor saints. (2) Give yourself to God first (8:5). (3) Give yourself to knowing God’s will (8:5). (4) Give in response to Christ’s gift (8:9; 9:15). (5) Give out of a sincere desire (8:8, 10, 12; 9:7). (6) Do not give because of any commandment to give (8:8, 10; 9:7). (7) Give even beyond your ability (8:3, 11, 12). (8) Give to produce equality. This means that those who have more should give more in order to make up for the inability of those who cannot afford to give as much (8:12-14). (9) Give joyfully (8:2). (10) Give because you are growing spiritually (8:3, 4, 7). (11) Give because you want to continue growing spiritually (9:8, 10, 11). (12) Give because you are hearing the gospel preached (9:13).
Point #2 In God’s Word, the Tithe is Always Only Food!
The false teaching is that biblical tithes include ALL sources of income.
Do not use Webster’s Dictionary! Use God’s Word to define “tithe.” Open a complete Bible concordance. You will discover that the definition used by tithe-advocates is wrong. In God’s Word “tithe” does not stand alone. Although money existed, the substance of God's "tithe" was never money. It was the “tithe of food.” This is very important. **True biblical tithes were always only food from the farms and herds of only Israelites who only lived inside God’s Holy Land, the national boundary of Israel.** The increase was from God's hand and not man's craft or ability.
There are 15 verses from 11 chapters and 8 books from Leviticus 27 to Luke 11 which describe the contents of the tithe. And the contents never (I repeat), never included money, silver, gold or anything other than food! Yet the incorrect definition of "tithe" is the greatest lie being preached about tithing today! (See Lev. 27:30, 32; Numb. 18:27, 28; Deut. 12:17; 14:22, 23; 26 12; 2 Chron. 31:5, 6; Neh. 10:37; 13:5; Mal. 3:10; Matt. 23:23; Luke 11: 42).
Point #3 Abraham’s Tithe to Melchizedek Reflected Pagan Tradition.
The false teaching is that Abraham freely gave tithes because it was God’s will.
However, for the following reasons, Genesis 14:20 cannot be used as an example for Christians to tithe. (1) The Bible does not say that Abraham "freely" gave this tithe. (2) Abraham’s tithe was NOT a holy tithe from God’s holy land produced by God’s holy people. (3) Abraham’s tithe was only from spoils of war common to many nations. (4) In Numbers 31, God only required 1% of spoils of war. (5) Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek was a one-time recorded event and Abraham moved often. (6) Abraham’s tithe was not from his own personal property. (7) Abraham kept nothing for himself; he gave everything back. (8) Abraham’s tithe is not quoted anywhere in the Bible to endorse tithing. (9) Genesis 14, verse 21, is the key text. Since most commentaries explain verse 21 as an example of pagan Arab tradition, it is contradictory to explain the 90% of verse 21 as pagan, while insisting that the 10% of verse 20 was God’s will. (10) If Abraham is an example for Christians to give 10% to God, then he should also be an example for Christians to give the other 90% to Satan, or to the king of Sodom! (11) Since neither Abraham nor Jacob had a Levitical priesthood to support, they had no place to bring tithes during their many moves.
Point #4 First-Tithes Were Received by Servants to the Priests.
The false teaching is that Old Testament priests received all of the first tithe.
The truth is that the "whole" tithe, the first tithe, did not go to the priests at all. Instead, according to Numbers 18:21-24 and Nehemiah 10:37, it went to the servants of the priests, the Levites. Next, according to Numbers 18:25-28 and Nehemiah 10:38, the Levites gave the best “tenth of this tithe” (1%) which they received to the priests who ministered the sin sacrifices and served inside the holy places. Priests personally did not tithe at all.
It is also important to know that, in exchange for receiving these tithes, both Levites and priests forfeited all rights to permanent land inheritance inside Israel (Numb. 18:20-26; Deut. 12:12; 14:27, 29; 18:1, 2; Josh. 13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7; Ezek. 44:28). The Levites, who received the first tithe, were prohibited from ministering blood sacrifices under penalty of death (Numb. 18:3). There is no continuation in the New Covenant of this ordinance.
Point #5 The Phrase, "It is Holy to the LORD," Does Not Make Tithing an Eternal Moral Principle.
The false teaching is that Leviticus 27:30-32 proves that the tithe is an "eternal moral principle" because "it is holy to the LORD."
However, tithe-teachers must ignore the stronger phrase, "it is MOST holy to the LORD," in the immediate preceding verses 28 and 29. This is because verses 28 and 29 are definitely not eternal moral principles in the church. In its context, the phrases "it is holy to the LORD" and "it is MOST holy to the LORD" cannot possibly be interpreted as "eternal moral principles." Why? Almost every other use of these phrases in Leviticus has long ago been discarded by Christians. Similar phrases are also used to describe all of the festivals, the sacrificial offerings, the clean/unclean food distinctions, the old covenant priests and the old covenant sanctuary.
Point #6 There are Four Different Tithes Found in the Bible.
The false teaching ignores all other tithes and focuses on part of the first religious tithe.
In reality, the first religious tithe, called the "Levitical tithe," had two parts. Again, the whole first tithe was given to the Levites who were only servants to the priests (Numb. 18:21-24; Neh. 10:37). The Levites, in turn, gave one tenth of the whole tithe to the priests (Numb. 18:25-28; Neh. 10:38). According to Deuteronomy 12 and 14, the second religious tithe, called the "feast tithe," was eaten by worshipers in the streets of Jerusalem during the three yearly festivals (Deut. 12:1-19; 14:22-26). And, according to Deuteronomy 14 and 26, a third tithe, called the "poor tithe," stayed in the homes every third year and was used to feed the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12,13). Also, according to First Samuel 8:14-17 the King collected the first and best ten per cent for political use. During Jesus’ time Rome collected the first ten per cent (10%) of most food and twenty per cent (20%) of fruit crops as its spoils of war. One wonders what "churches" are trying to hide when they only single out the one religious tithe which best suits their purposes and ignore the other two important religious tithes.
Another common error is to equate the tithe with the “first-fruit” or even the “best.” While the “tithe of the tithe” (1%) which was given to the priests was the “best” of what the Levites received, the tithe which the Levites received was only “one tenth” not necessarily the “best” (Lev. 27:32, 33). Also, while the first-fruit and firstborn of every clean animal was brought directly to the temple, the tithe was brought directly to the Levitical cities (Neh. 10:35-38). According to some historians, the first-fruit was an extremely small offering. Often an entire village’s first-fruit could be carried by one animal.
Point #7 Jesus, Peter, Paul and the Poor Did Not Tithe!
The false teaching is that everybody in the Old Testament was required to begin their giving to God at the ten per cent level.
In reality, the poor were not required to tithe at all! Neither did the tithe come from the results of man’s craft, hands and skill. Only farmers and herdsmen possessed what was defined as tithe increase. Jesus was a carpenter; Paul was a tentmaker and Peter was a fisherman. None of these occupations qualified as tithe-payers because they did not farm or herd animals for a living. It is, therefore, incorrect to teach that everybody paid a required minimum of a tithe and, therefore, that New Covenant Christians should be required to at least begin at the same minimum as Old Covenant Israelites. This common false assumption is very often repeated and completely ignores the very plain definition of tithe as food from farm increase or herd increase.
It is also wrong to teach that the poor in Israel were required to pay tithes. In fact, they actually received tithes! Much of the second festival tithe and all of a special third-year tithe went to the poor. In fact, many laws protected the poor from abuse and expensive sacrifices which they could not afford (see also Lev. 14:21; 25:6, 25-28, 35, 36; 27:8; Deu. 12:1-19; 14:23, 28, 29; 15:7, 8, 11; 24:12, 14, 15, 19, 20; 26:11-13; Mal. 3:5; Matt. 12:1, 2; Mark 2:23, 24; Luke 2:22-24; 6:1, 2; 2 Cor. 8:12-14; 1 Tim. 5:8; Jas. 1:27).
Point #8 Tithes Were Often Used as Political Taxes.
The false teaching is that tithes are never comparable to taxes or taxation.
However, in the Hebrew economy, the tithe was used in a totally different manner than it is preached today. Once again, those Levites who received the whole tithe were not even ministers or priests -- they were only servants to the priests. Numbers chapter 3 describes the Levites as carpenters, metal workers, leather-craftsmen and artists who maintained the small sanctuary. And, according to First Chronicles, chapters 23-27, during the time of King David and King Solomon the Levites were still skilled craftsmen who inspected and approved all work in the Temple: 24, 000 worked in the Temple as builders and supervisors; 6,000 were officials and judges; 4,000 were guards and 4,000 were musicians. As political representatives of the king, Levites used their tithe income to serve as officials, judges, tax collectors, treasurers, temple guards, musicians, bakers, singers and professional soldiers (1 Chron. 12:23, 26; 27:5). It is obvious why these examples of using biblical tithe-income are never used as examples in the church today.
It is important to know that Old Covenant tithes were never used for evangelism of non-Israelites. Tithing failed! See Hebrews 7:12-19. Tithes never stimulated Old Covenant Levites or priests to establish a single mission outreach or encourage a single Gentile to become an Israelite (Ex. 23:32; 34:12, 15; Deut. 7:2). Old Covenant tithing was motivated and mandated by Law, not love. In fact, during most of Israel’s history the prophets were God’s primary spokesmen – and not the tithe-receiving Levites and priests.
Point #9 Levitical Tithes Were Normally Taken to the Levitical Cities.
False teachers want us to think that all tithes were formerly taken to the Temple and should now be taken to the "church storehouse” building.
The “whole” tithe NEVER went to the Temple. In reality, the overwhelming majority of Levitical tithes never went to the Temple. Those who teach otherwise ignore the Levitical cities and the 24 courses of the Levites and priests. According to Numbers 35, Joshua 20, 21 and First Chronicles 6, Levites and priests lived on borrowed land in the Levitical cities where they farmed and raised (tithed) animals. And it is clear from Numbers 18:20-24, Second Chronicles 31:15-19 and Nehemiah 10:37 that the ordinary people were expected to bring their tithes to the Levitical cities. Why? That is where most of the Levites and priests lived with their families most of the time. See also Nehemiah 13:9.
Point #10 Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible.
The false teaching about tithes from Malachi 3 ignores five important Bible facts.
(1) Malachi is Old Covenant context and is never quoted in the New Covenant for the church (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28, 29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4). (2) In 1:6; 2:1 and 3:1-5, Malachi is very clearly addressed to dishonest priests who are cursed because they have stolen the best offerings from God. (3) The Levitical cities must be considered and Jerusalem was not a Levitical city (Josh 20, 21). It makes no sense to teach that 100% of the tithe was brought to the Temple when most Levites and priests did not live in Jerusalem. (4) In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food (Lev. 27:30-33). (5) The 24 courses of Levites and priests must also be considered. Beginning with King David and King Solomon, they were divided into 24 families. These divisions were also put into place in Malachi’s time by Ezra and Nehemiah. Since normally only one family served in the Temple for only one week at a time, there was absolutely no reason to send ALL of the tithe to the Temple when 98% of those it was designed to feed were still in the Levitical cities (1 Chron. 24-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5).
Therefore, when the context of the Levitical cities, the 24 families of priests, under-age children, wives, Numbers 18:20-28, Second Chronicles 31:15-19, Nehemiah 10-13, and all of Malachi are all evaluated, only about 2% of the total first tithe was normally required at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Both the blessing and the curse of Malachi 3:9-11 only lasted until the Old Covenant ended at Calvary. Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28, 29). “Cursed be he that confirms not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen” (Deut. 27:26 quoted in Gal. 3:10). And Jesus ended the curse. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree” (Gal. 3:13).
Today the very lowest income class pays the largest percentage to charity. Yet most remain in poverty. Neither the lottery, nor the tithe is a magic get-rich-quick answer to replace education, determination and hard work. If Malachi 3:10 really worked for New Covenant Christians, then millions of poor tithing Christians would have escaped poverty and would have become the wealthiest group of people in the world instead of remaining the poorest group. Therefore there is no evidence that the vast majority of poor “tithe-payers” are ever blessed financially merely because they tithe. The Old Covenant blessings are no longer in effect (Heb. 7:18, 19; 8:6-8, 13).
Point #11 Tithing is not Taught in the New Testament.
The false teaching is that Jesus taught tithing in Matthew 23:23 which, they say, is clearly in the New Testament.
The New Covenant did not begin at the birth of Jesus, but at his death (Gal. 3:19, 24, 25; 4:4). Tithing is not taught to the church after Calvary! When Jesus discussed tithing in Matthew 23:23, he was only commanding obedience to the Old Covenant Law which he endorsed and supported until Calvary. In Matthew 23:2, 3 Jesus told his followers to obey the scribes and Pharisees "because they sit in Moses’ seat." Yet He did not command Gentiles whom He healed to present themselves to the priests.
There is not a single New Testament Bible text which teaches tithing after Calvary – period! Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35 are not examples of tithing to support church leaders. According to 2:46 the Jewish Christians continued to worship in the Temple. And according to 2:44 and 4:33, 34 church leaders shared what they received equally with all church members (this is not done today). Finally Acts 21:20-25 proves that Jewish Christians were still zealously observing all of the Mosaic Law 30 years later –and that must include tithing—otherwise they would not have been allowed inside the Temple to worship. Therefore, any tithes collected by the early Jewish Christians were given to the Temple system and not to support the church.
Point #12 Old Covenant Priests Were Replaced by Believer-Priests.
The false teaching is that New Covenant elders and pastors are simply continuing where the Old Covenant priests left off and are due the tithe.
Compare Exodus 19:5, 6 with First Peter 2: 9, 10. Before the incident of the golden calves, God had intended for every Israelite to become a priest and tithing would have never been enacted. Priests did not tithe but received one tenth of the first tithe (Numb. 18:26-28; Neh. 10:37, 38).
The function and purpose of Old Covenant priests were replaced, not by elders and pastors, but by the priesthood of every believer. Like other ordinances of the Law, tithing was only a temporary shadow until Christ (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:13-17; Heb. 10:1). In the New Covenant every believer is a priest to God (1 Pet. 2:9, 10; Rev. 1:6; 5:10). And, as a priest, every believer offers sacrifices to God (Heb. 4:16; 10:19-22; 13:15, 16). Therefore, every ordinance which had previously applied to the old priesthood was blotted out at Calvary. Since He was not from the tribe of Levi, even Jesus was disqualified. Thus the original temporary purpose of tithing no longer exists (Heb. 7:12-19; Gal. 3:19, 24, 25; 2 Cor. 3:10).
Point #13 The New Covenant Church is Neither a Building nor a Storehouse.
The false teaching is that Christian buildings called "churches," "tabernacles" or "temples" replaced the OT Temple as God’s dwelling places.
God’s Word never describes New Covenant churches as "tabernacles," "temples" or "buildings" in which God dwells! God’s church, God’s dwelling place, is within the believers. Believers do not "go to church" -- believers “assemble to worship.” Also, since OT priests did not pay tithes, then tithing cannot logically continue. Therefore it is wrong to call a building "God’s storehouse" for tithes. (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19, 20; Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:21; 4:12-16; Rev. 3:12). For "storehouse" compare First Corinthians 16:2 with Second Corinthians 12:14 and Acts 20:17, 32-35. For several centuries after Calvary Christians did not even have their own buildings (to call storehouses) because Christianity was an outlaw religion.
Point #14 The Church Grows By Using Better New Covenant Principles.
The false teaching implies that principles of grace giving are not as good as Old Covenant principles of giving.
Under the New Covenant: (1) According to Galatians 5:16-23, there is no physical law which controls the fruits of the Holy Spirit. (2) Second Corinthians 3:10 says that the Old Covenant has "no glory" when compared to the "surpassing" glory and liberty of the Holy Spirit. (3) Hebrews 7 is the only post-Calvary mention of tithing and it is an explanation of why the Levitical priesthood must be replaced by Christ’s priesthood because it was weak and unprofitable. Study Hebrews 7 and follow the progression from verse 5 to verse 12 to verse 19. (4) The manner in which tithing is taught today reflects a failure of the church to believe and act on the far better principles of love, grace and faith. Mandatory giving principles cannot, has not and will not prosper the church more than principles guided by love for Christ and lost souls (2 Cor. 8:7, 8).
Point #15 The Apostle Paul Preferred That Church Leaders Be Self-Supporting.
The false teaching is that Paul taught and practiced tithing.
Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth. As a Jewish rabbi, Paul was among those who insisted on working to support himself (Acts 18:3; 1 Thess. 2:9, 10; 2 Thess. 3:8-14). While Paul does not condemn those who are able to receive full-time support, neither does he teach that full-time support is the mandatory will of God for advancing the gospel (1 Cor. 9:12). In fact, twice, in Acts 20:29-35 and also in Second Corinthians 12:14, Paul actually encouraged church elders to work to support needy believers inside the church.
For Paul, "living of the gospel" meant "living by gospel principles of faith, love and grace" (1 Cor. 9:14). While Paul realized that he had a "right" to some support, he concluded that his "liberty," or freedom to preach unhindered was more important in order to fulfill his calling from God (1 Cor. 9:15; 11:7-13; 12:13, 14;1 Thess. 2:5, 6). While working as a tent-maker, Paul accepted limited support but boasted that his pay, or salary, was that he could preach the gospel for free, without being a burden to others (1 Cor. 9:16-19).
Point #16 Tithing Did Not Become a Law in the Church Until A. D. 777.
The false teaching is that the historical church has always taught tithing.
Even in Acts 21:20-26, decades after Calvary, the early Jewish-Christians in Jerusalem were still zealously following the Old Covenant law and were still worshiping in and supporting the Jewish Temple. As obedient Jews, logic forces us to conclude that they must have still been sending any food tithes they had to the Temple system.
While disagreeing with their own theologians, most church historians write that tithing did not become an accepted doctrine in the church for over 700 years after Calvary. The earliest church fathers before A. D. 321 (when Constantine made Christianity a legal religion) opposed tithing as a Jewish-only doctrine. Clement of Rome (c95), Justin Martyr (c150), The Didache (c150-200), Irenaeus (c150-200) and Tertullian (150-220) opposed tithing. Even Cyprian’s (200-258) (rejected) introduction of tithing included distribution to the poor.
In fact, the early church leaders practiced asceticism. This meant that being poor was the best way to serve God. They patterned their worship after that of the Jewish synagogues which had rabbis who were self-supporting and usually refused to receive money for teaching God’s Word. See Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. II, 63, 128, 198-200; 428-434.
According to the very best historians and encyclopedias, it took over 500 years before the local church Council of Macon, in the year 585, tried unsuccessfully to enforce tithing on its members and it was not until the year 777 that Emperor Charlemagne legally allowed the church to collect tithes.
Conclusion:
In God’s Word, “tithe” does not stand alone. It is the “tithe of FOOD.” The biblical tithe was very narrowly defined and limited by God Himself. True biblical tithes were always: (1) only food, (2) only from the farms and herds, (3) of only Israelites, (4) who only lived inside God’s Holy Land, the national boundary of Israel, (5) only under Old Covenant terms and (6) the increase could only come from God's hand.
Therefore, (1) non-food items could not be tithed; (2) clean wild game animals and fish could not be tithed; (3) non-Israelites could not tithe; (4) food from outside God’s holy land of Israel did not enter the Temple; (5) legitimate tithing did not occur when there was no Levitical priesthood; and (5) tithes did not come from what man’s hands created, produced or caught by hunting and fishing.
I invite church leaders into an open discussion of this subject. The careful and prayerful study of God’s Word are essential for church growth. May God bless you.
(This article may be duplicated without permission.)
Russell Earl Kelly left the Baptist church and became an Adventist in 1972.He received a B. A. in Theology from Southern Missionary College cum laude in 1976.While an Adventist Russ served seven churches in Georgia,North Dakota, and South Carolina. Returning to the Baptist church, he still takes every opportunity to preach, teach and sing the gospel. After becoming legally blind in 1989, Russ completed his education with a Th. M.,Th.D., and finally a PH.D. from Covington Theological Seminary in Ft.Oglethorpe, in 2000.Russ has written two books, Exposing Seventh-day Adventism, Should the Church Teach Tithing? A Theologian’s Conclusions about Doctrine. Both can be purchased from most Internet book stores. Primary web site is
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com.
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Introduction:
The following essay is a summary of my book, Should the Church Teach Tithing? A Theologian’s Conclusions about a Taboo Doctrine. The book itself is a greatly expanded version of my PH. D. thesis. I challenge Bible educators to be bold, to open up their seminary level research and to promote studies on this subject in the Masters, Doctorate and PH. D. levels. This doctrine is simply too important to ignore.
In many churches today the doctrine of tithing has reached the level of a modern scandal. While on the one hand, most seminary-level textbooks on hermeneutics and church theologians omit tithing, on the other hand, the practice is quickly becoming a requirement for church membership in the very denominations which insist on solid Bible-based doctrines. There is also increasing evidence that lay persons who question the legitimacy of New Covenant tithing are usually criticized as being troublemakers or weak Christians.
Modern Tithing is Based on Many False Assumptions
One denomination’s statement on stewardship is typical of what many others teach about tithing. It says that "tithing is the minimum biblical standard and the beginning point which God has established that must not be replaced or compromised by any other standard." It adds that the tithe is from gross income which is due to the church before taxes.
The following points of this essay contrast the false teachings used to support tithing with what God’s Word actually says.
Point #1 N. T. Giving Principles in Second Corinthians 8 and 9 Are Superior to Tithing.
The false teaching is that tithing is an assumed mandatory expectation which always preceded free-will giving.
Free-will giving preceded tithing. The following New Covenant free-will principles are found in Second Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9: (1) Giving is a "grace.” Second Corinthians, chapters 8, uses the word, "grace," eight times in reference to helping poor saints. (2) Give yourself to God first (8:5). (3) Give yourself to knowing God’s will (8:5). (4) Give in response to Christ’s gift (8:9; 9:15). (5) Give out of a sincere desire (8:8, 10, 12; 9:7). (6) Do not give because of any commandment to give (8:8, 10; 9:7). (7) Give even beyond your ability (8:3, 11, 12). (8) Give to produce equality. This means that those who have more should give more in order to make up for the inability of those who cannot afford to give as much (8:12-14). (9) Give joyfully (8:2). (10) Give because you are growing spiritually (8:3, 4, 7). (11) Give because you want to continue growing spiritually (9:8, 10, 11). (12) Give because you are hearing the gospel preached (9:13).
Point #2 In God’s Word, the Tithe is Always Only Food!
The false teaching is that biblical tithes include ALL sources of income.
Do not use Webster’s Dictionary! Use God’s Word to define “tithe.” Open a complete Bible concordance. You will discover that the definition used by tithe-advocates is wrong. In God’s Word “tithe” does not stand alone. Although money existed, the substance of God's "tithe" was never money. It was the “tithe of food.” This is very important. **True biblical tithes were always only food from the farms and herds of only Israelites who only lived inside God’s Holy Land, the national boundary of Israel.** The increase was from God's hand and not man's craft or ability.
There are 15 verses from 11 chapters and 8 books from Leviticus 27 to Luke 11 which describe the contents of the tithe. And the contents never (I repeat), never included money, silver, gold or anything other than food! Yet the incorrect definition of "tithe" is the greatest lie being preached about tithing today! (See Lev. 27:30, 32; Numb. 18:27, 28; Deut. 12:17; 14:22, 23; 26 12; 2 Chron. 31:5, 6; Neh. 10:37; 13:5; Mal. 3:10; Matt. 23:23; Luke 11: 42).
Point #3 Abraham’s Tithe to Melchizedek Reflected Pagan Tradition.
The false teaching is that Abraham freely gave tithes because it was God’s will.
However, for the following reasons, Genesis 14:20 cannot be used as an example for Christians to tithe. (1) The Bible does not say that Abraham "freely" gave this tithe. (2) Abraham’s tithe was NOT a holy tithe from God’s holy land produced by God’s holy people. (3) Abraham’s tithe was only from spoils of war common to many nations. (4) In Numbers 31, God only required 1% of spoils of war. (5) Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek was a one-time recorded event and Abraham moved often. (6) Abraham’s tithe was not from his own personal property. (7) Abraham kept nothing for himself; he gave everything back. (8) Abraham’s tithe is not quoted anywhere in the Bible to endorse tithing. (9) Genesis 14, verse 21, is the key text. Since most commentaries explain verse 21 as an example of pagan Arab tradition, it is contradictory to explain the 90% of verse 21 as pagan, while insisting that the 10% of verse 20 was God’s will. (10) If Abraham is an example for Christians to give 10% to God, then he should also be an example for Christians to give the other 90% to Satan, or to the king of Sodom! (11) Since neither Abraham nor Jacob had a Levitical priesthood to support, they had no place to bring tithes during their many moves.
Point #4 First-Tithes Were Received by Servants to the Priests.
The false teaching is that Old Testament priests received all of the first tithe.
The truth is that the "whole" tithe, the first tithe, did not go to the priests at all. Instead, according to Numbers 18:21-24 and Nehemiah 10:37, it went to the servants of the priests, the Levites. Next, according to Numbers 18:25-28 and Nehemiah 10:38, the Levites gave the best “tenth of this tithe” (1%) which they received to the priests who ministered the sin sacrifices and served inside the holy places. Priests personally did not tithe at all.
It is also important to know that, in exchange for receiving these tithes, both Levites and priests forfeited all rights to permanent land inheritance inside Israel (Numb. 18:20-26; Deut. 12:12; 14:27, 29; 18:1, 2; Josh. 13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7; Ezek. 44:28). The Levites, who received the first tithe, were prohibited from ministering blood sacrifices under penalty of death (Numb. 18:3). There is no continuation in the New Covenant of this ordinance.
Point #5 The Phrase, "It is Holy to the LORD," Does Not Make Tithing an Eternal Moral Principle.
The false teaching is that Leviticus 27:30-32 proves that the tithe is an "eternal moral principle" because "it is holy to the LORD."
However, tithe-teachers must ignore the stronger phrase, "it is MOST holy to the LORD," in the immediate preceding verses 28 and 29. This is because verses 28 and 29 are definitely not eternal moral principles in the church. In its context, the phrases "it is holy to the LORD" and "it is MOST holy to the LORD" cannot possibly be interpreted as "eternal moral principles." Why? Almost every other use of these phrases in Leviticus has long ago been discarded by Christians. Similar phrases are also used to describe all of the festivals, the sacrificial offerings, the clean/unclean food distinctions, the old covenant priests and the old covenant sanctuary.
Point #6 There are Four Different Tithes Found in the Bible.
The false teaching ignores all other tithes and focuses on part of the first religious tithe.
In reality, the first religious tithe, called the "Levitical tithe," had two parts. Again, the whole first tithe was given to the Levites who were only servants to the priests (Numb. 18:21-24; Neh. 10:37). The Levites, in turn, gave one tenth of the whole tithe to the priests (Numb. 18:25-28; Neh. 10:38). According to Deuteronomy 12 and 14, the second religious tithe, called the "feast tithe," was eaten by worshipers in the streets of Jerusalem during the three yearly festivals (Deut. 12:1-19; 14:22-26). And, according to Deuteronomy 14 and 26, a third tithe, called the "poor tithe," stayed in the homes every third year and was used to feed the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12,13). Also, according to First Samuel 8:14-17 the King collected the first and best ten per cent for political use. During Jesus’ time Rome collected the first ten per cent (10%) of most food and twenty per cent (20%) of fruit crops as its spoils of war. One wonders what "churches" are trying to hide when they only single out the one religious tithe which best suits their purposes and ignore the other two important religious tithes.
Another common error is to equate the tithe with the “first-fruit” or even the “best.” While the “tithe of the tithe” (1%) which was given to the priests was the “best” of what the Levites received, the tithe which the Levites received was only “one tenth” not necessarily the “best” (Lev. 27:32, 33). Also, while the first-fruit and firstborn of every clean animal was brought directly to the temple, the tithe was brought directly to the Levitical cities (Neh. 10:35-38). According to some historians, the first-fruit was an extremely small offering. Often an entire village’s first-fruit could be carried by one animal.
Point #7 Jesus, Peter, Paul and the Poor Did Not Tithe!
The false teaching is that everybody in the Old Testament was required to begin their giving to God at the ten per cent level.
In reality, the poor were not required to tithe at all! Neither did the tithe come from the results of man’s craft, hands and skill. Only farmers and herdsmen possessed what was defined as tithe increase. Jesus was a carpenter; Paul was a tentmaker and Peter was a fisherman. None of these occupations qualified as tithe-payers because they did not farm or herd animals for a living. It is, therefore, incorrect to teach that everybody paid a required minimum of a tithe and, therefore, that New Covenant Christians should be required to at least begin at the same minimum as Old Covenant Israelites. This common false assumption is very often repeated and completely ignores the very plain definition of tithe as food from farm increase or herd increase.
It is also wrong to teach that the poor in Israel were required to pay tithes. In fact, they actually received tithes! Much of the second festival tithe and all of a special third-year tithe went to the poor. In fact, many laws protected the poor from abuse and expensive sacrifices which they could not afford (see also Lev. 14:21; 25:6, 25-28, 35, 36; 27:8; Deu. 12:1-19; 14:23, 28, 29; 15:7, 8, 11; 24:12, 14, 15, 19, 20; 26:11-13; Mal. 3:5; Matt. 12:1, 2; Mark 2:23, 24; Luke 2:22-24; 6:1, 2; 2 Cor. 8:12-14; 1 Tim. 5:8; Jas. 1:27).
Point #8 Tithes Were Often Used as Political Taxes.
The false teaching is that tithes are never comparable to taxes or taxation.
However, in the Hebrew economy, the tithe was used in a totally different manner than it is preached today. Once again, those Levites who received the whole tithe were not even ministers or priests -- they were only servants to the priests. Numbers chapter 3 describes the Levites as carpenters, metal workers, leather-craftsmen and artists who maintained the small sanctuary. And, according to First Chronicles, chapters 23-27, during the time of King David and King Solomon the Levites were still skilled craftsmen who inspected and approved all work in the Temple: 24, 000 worked in the Temple as builders and supervisors; 6,000 were officials and judges; 4,000 were guards and 4,000 were musicians. As political representatives of the king, Levites used their tithe income to serve as officials, judges, tax collectors, treasurers, temple guards, musicians, bakers, singers and professional soldiers (1 Chron. 12:23, 26; 27:5). It is obvious why these examples of using biblical tithe-income are never used as examples in the church today.
It is important to know that Old Covenant tithes were never used for evangelism of non-Israelites. Tithing failed! See Hebrews 7:12-19. Tithes never stimulated Old Covenant Levites or priests to establish a single mission outreach or encourage a single Gentile to become an Israelite (Ex. 23:32; 34:12, 15; Deut. 7:2). Old Covenant tithing was motivated and mandated by Law, not love. In fact, during most of Israel’s history the prophets were God’s primary spokesmen – and not the tithe-receiving Levites and priests.
Point #9 Levitical Tithes Were Normally Taken to the Levitical Cities.
False teachers want us to think that all tithes were formerly taken to the Temple and should now be taken to the "church storehouse” building.
The “whole” tithe NEVER went to the Temple. In reality, the overwhelming majority of Levitical tithes never went to the Temple. Those who teach otherwise ignore the Levitical cities and the 24 courses of the Levites and priests. According to Numbers 35, Joshua 20, 21 and First Chronicles 6, Levites and priests lived on borrowed land in the Levitical cities where they farmed and raised (tithed) animals. And it is clear from Numbers 18:20-24, Second Chronicles 31:15-19 and Nehemiah 10:37 that the ordinary people were expected to bring their tithes to the Levitical cities. Why? That is where most of the Levites and priests lived with their families most of the time. See also Nehemiah 13:9.
Point #10 Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible.
The false teaching about tithes from Malachi 3 ignores five important Bible facts.
(1) Malachi is Old Covenant context and is never quoted in the New Covenant for the church (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28, 29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4). (2) In 1:6; 2:1 and 3:1-5, Malachi is very clearly addressed to dishonest priests who are cursed because they have stolen the best offerings from God. (3) The Levitical cities must be considered and Jerusalem was not a Levitical city (Josh 20, 21). It makes no sense to teach that 100% of the tithe was brought to the Temple when most Levites and priests did not live in Jerusalem. (4) In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food (Lev. 27:30-33). (5) The 24 courses of Levites and priests must also be considered. Beginning with King David and King Solomon, they were divided into 24 families. These divisions were also put into place in Malachi’s time by Ezra and Nehemiah. Since normally only one family served in the Temple for only one week at a time, there was absolutely no reason to send ALL of the tithe to the Temple when 98% of those it was designed to feed were still in the Levitical cities (1 Chron. 24-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5).
Therefore, when the context of the Levitical cities, the 24 families of priests, under-age children, wives, Numbers 18:20-28, Second Chronicles 31:15-19, Nehemiah 10-13, and all of Malachi are all evaluated, only about 2% of the total first tithe was normally required at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Both the blessing and the curse of Malachi 3:9-11 only lasted until the Old Covenant ended at Calvary. Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28, 29). “Cursed be he that confirms not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen” (Deut. 27:26 quoted in Gal. 3:10). And Jesus ended the curse. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree” (Gal. 3:13).
Today the very lowest income class pays the largest percentage to charity. Yet most remain in poverty. Neither the lottery, nor the tithe is a magic get-rich-quick answer to replace education, determination and hard work. If Malachi 3:10 really worked for New Covenant Christians, then millions of poor tithing Christians would have escaped poverty and would have become the wealthiest group of people in the world instead of remaining the poorest group. Therefore there is no evidence that the vast majority of poor “tithe-payers” are ever blessed financially merely because they tithe. The Old Covenant blessings are no longer in effect (Heb. 7:18, 19; 8:6-8, 13).
Point #11 Tithing is not Taught in the New Testament.
The false teaching is that Jesus taught tithing in Matthew 23:23 which, they say, is clearly in the New Testament.
The New Covenant did not begin at the birth of Jesus, but at his death (Gal. 3:19, 24, 25; 4:4). Tithing is not taught to the church after Calvary! When Jesus discussed tithing in Matthew 23:23, he was only commanding obedience to the Old Covenant Law which he endorsed and supported until Calvary. In Matthew 23:2, 3 Jesus told his followers to obey the scribes and Pharisees "because they sit in Moses’ seat." Yet He did not command Gentiles whom He healed to present themselves to the priests.
There is not a single New Testament Bible text which teaches tithing after Calvary – period! Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35 are not examples of tithing to support church leaders. According to 2:46 the Jewish Christians continued to worship in the Temple. And according to 2:44 and 4:33, 34 church leaders shared what they received equally with all church members (this is not done today). Finally Acts 21:20-25 proves that Jewish Christians were still zealously observing all of the Mosaic Law 30 years later –and that must include tithing—otherwise they would not have been allowed inside the Temple to worship. Therefore, any tithes collected by the early Jewish Christians were given to the Temple system and not to support the church.
Point #12 Old Covenant Priests Were Replaced by Believer-Priests.
The false teaching is that New Covenant elders and pastors are simply continuing where the Old Covenant priests left off and are due the tithe.
Compare Exodus 19:5, 6 with First Peter 2: 9, 10. Before the incident of the golden calves, God had intended for every Israelite to become a priest and tithing would have never been enacted. Priests did not tithe but received one tenth of the first tithe (Numb. 18:26-28; Neh. 10:37, 38).
The function and purpose of Old Covenant priests were replaced, not by elders and pastors, but by the priesthood of every believer. Like other ordinances of the Law, tithing was only a temporary shadow until Christ (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:13-17; Heb. 10:1). In the New Covenant every believer is a priest to God (1 Pet. 2:9, 10; Rev. 1:6; 5:10). And, as a priest, every believer offers sacrifices to God (Heb. 4:16; 10:19-22; 13:15, 16). Therefore, every ordinance which had previously applied to the old priesthood was blotted out at Calvary. Since He was not from the tribe of Levi, even Jesus was disqualified. Thus the original temporary purpose of tithing no longer exists (Heb. 7:12-19; Gal. 3:19, 24, 25; 2 Cor. 3:10).
Point #13 The New Covenant Church is Neither a Building nor a Storehouse.
The false teaching is that Christian buildings called "churches," "tabernacles" or "temples" replaced the OT Temple as God’s dwelling places.
God’s Word never describes New Covenant churches as "tabernacles," "temples" or "buildings" in which God dwells! God’s church, God’s dwelling place, is within the believers. Believers do not "go to church" -- believers “assemble to worship.” Also, since OT priests did not pay tithes, then tithing cannot logically continue. Therefore it is wrong to call a building "God’s storehouse" for tithes. (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19, 20; Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:21; 4:12-16; Rev. 3:12). For "storehouse" compare First Corinthians 16:2 with Second Corinthians 12:14 and Acts 20:17, 32-35. For several centuries after Calvary Christians did not even have their own buildings (to call storehouses) because Christianity was an outlaw religion.
Point #14 The Church Grows By Using Better New Covenant Principles.
The false teaching implies that principles of grace giving are not as good as Old Covenant principles of giving.
Under the New Covenant: (1) According to Galatians 5:16-23, there is no physical law which controls the fruits of the Holy Spirit. (2) Second Corinthians 3:10 says that the Old Covenant has "no glory" when compared to the "surpassing" glory and liberty of the Holy Spirit. (3) Hebrews 7 is the only post-Calvary mention of tithing and it is an explanation of why the Levitical priesthood must be replaced by Christ’s priesthood because it was weak and unprofitable. Study Hebrews 7 and follow the progression from verse 5 to verse 12 to verse 19. (4) The manner in which tithing is taught today reflects a failure of the church to believe and act on the far better principles of love, grace and faith. Mandatory giving principles cannot, has not and will not prosper the church more than principles guided by love for Christ and lost souls (2 Cor. 8:7, 8).
Point #15 The Apostle Paul Preferred That Church Leaders Be Self-Supporting.
The false teaching is that Paul taught and practiced tithing.
Yet, nothing could be farther from the truth. As a Jewish rabbi, Paul was among those who insisted on working to support himself (Acts 18:3; 1 Thess. 2:9, 10; 2 Thess. 3:8-14). While Paul does not condemn those who are able to receive full-time support, neither does he teach that full-time support is the mandatory will of God for advancing the gospel (1 Cor. 9:12). In fact, twice, in Acts 20:29-35 and also in Second Corinthians 12:14, Paul actually encouraged church elders to work to support needy believers inside the church.
For Paul, "living of the gospel" meant "living by gospel principles of faith, love and grace" (1 Cor. 9:14). While Paul realized that he had a "right" to some support, he concluded that his "liberty," or freedom to preach unhindered was more important in order to fulfill his calling from God (1 Cor. 9:15; 11:7-13; 12:13, 14;1 Thess. 2:5, 6). While working as a tent-maker, Paul accepted limited support but boasted that his pay, or salary, was that he could preach the gospel for free, without being a burden to others (1 Cor. 9:16-19).
Point #16 Tithing Did Not Become a Law in the Church Until A. D. 777.
The false teaching is that the historical church has always taught tithing.
Even in Acts 21:20-26, decades after Calvary, the early Jewish-Christians in Jerusalem were still zealously following the Old Covenant law and were still worshiping in and supporting the Jewish Temple. As obedient Jews, logic forces us to conclude that they must have still been sending any food tithes they had to the Temple system.
While disagreeing with their own theologians, most church historians write that tithing did not become an accepted doctrine in the church for over 700 years after Calvary. The earliest church fathers before A. D. 321 (when Constantine made Christianity a legal religion) opposed tithing as a Jewish-only doctrine. Clement of Rome (c95), Justin Martyr (c150), The Didache (c150-200), Irenaeus (c150-200) and Tertullian (150-220) opposed tithing. Even Cyprian’s (200-258) (rejected) introduction of tithing included distribution to the poor.
In fact, the early church leaders practiced asceticism. This meant that being poor was the best way to serve God. They patterned their worship after that of the Jewish synagogues which had rabbis who were self-supporting and usually refused to receive money for teaching God’s Word. See Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. II, 63, 128, 198-200; 428-434.
According to the very best historians and encyclopedias, it took over 500 years before the local church Council of Macon, in the year 585, tried unsuccessfully to enforce tithing on its members and it was not until the year 777 that Emperor Charlemagne legally allowed the church to collect tithes.
Conclusion:
In God’s Word, “tithe” does not stand alone. It is the “tithe of FOOD.” The biblical tithe was very narrowly defined and limited by God Himself. True biblical tithes were always: (1) only food, (2) only from the farms and herds, (3) of only Israelites, (4) who only lived inside God’s Holy Land, the national boundary of Israel, (5) only under Old Covenant terms and (6) the increase could only come from God's hand.
Therefore, (1) non-food items could not be tithed; (2) clean wild game animals and fish could not be tithed; (3) non-Israelites could not tithe; (4) food from outside God’s holy land of Israel did not enter the Temple; (5) legitimate tithing did not occur when there was no Levitical priesthood; and (5) tithes did not come from what man’s hands created, produced or caught by hunting and fishing.
I invite church leaders into an open discussion of this subject. The careful and prayerful study of God’s Word are essential for church growth. May God bless you.
(This article may be duplicated without permission.)
Russell Earl Kelly left the Baptist church and became an Adventist in 1972.He received a B. A. in Theology from Southern Missionary College cum laude in 1976.While an Adventist Russ served seven churches in Georgia,North Dakota, and South Carolina. Returning to the Baptist church, he still takes every opportunity to preach, teach and sing the gospel. After becoming legally blind in 1989, Russ completed his education with a Th. M.,Th.D., and finally a PH.D. from Covington Theological Seminary in Ft.Oglethorpe, in 2000.Russ has written two books, Exposing Seventh-day Adventism, Should the Church Teach Tithing? A Theologian’s Conclusions about Doctrine. Both can be purchased from most Internet book stores. Primary web site is
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com.
A STATEMENT OF FAITH
Historic and Biblical Christianity has often sought to articulate its beliefs in the form of Creeds and Statements of Faith. Over the centuries, many great creeds have sought to summarize the major points of Christian beliefs and consequently, historical statements such as the Apostle’s Creed, the Athanasian Creed, and the Nicene Creed have been formulated. More recent statements include the Augsburg Confession of Faith, the Belgic Confession of Faith, The Second Helvetic Confession, The Westminster Confession of Faith , London Baptist Confessions of Faith, and the Baptist Faith and Message. The following is the personal statement of faith of the creator of this webpage which expresses in a concise manner his beliefs and positions on points of belief.
As all creeds go, it does not pretend to be inerrant in and by itself, and the author encourages the reader to search the Scriptures as the ancient Berean Christians (Acts 17:11) did to verify the truthfulness of these statements. As much as possible, the author has sought to provide verse references immediately following the statements.
Over all, the author embraces the basic principle of “In Essentials, Unity; In Non-essentials, Liberty; and In Everything, Charity” and believes that points of difference are occasions for honest dialogue, not division.
As all creeds go, it does not pretend to be inerrant in and by itself, and the author encourages the reader to search the Scriptures as the ancient Berean Christians (Acts 17:11) did to verify the truthfulness of these statements. As much as possible, the author has sought to provide verse references immediately following the statements.
Over all, the author embraces the basic principle of “In Essentials, Unity; In Non-essentials, Liberty; and In Everything, Charity” and believes that points of difference are occasions for honest dialogue, not division.
WHAT I BELIEVE
I believe that the Holy Bible is the Word of God: that it was written and uniquely inspired, that it is inerrant, absolutely trustworthy and has supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice. By "The Holy Bible" refers to that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God. By "inspiration" means that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. (Psalm 19:7-11; 119:89,105,130,160; Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:31; 24:25-27,44-45; John 5:39,45-47; 12:48; 17:17; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Romans 3:4; 15:4; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19)
I believe in one Almighty and Sovereign God, the Creator, Preserver and Ruler of all things, holy and just, loving and compassionate, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, having in and of himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being. (Genesis 1:1,17:1; Exodus 20:2-3; 15:11; Deuteronomy 6:4, Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 115:3; 147:5; Isaiah 45:22; Jeremiah 10:10; Habbakuk 1:13; Matthew 5:48; 28:19; Mark 12:29-30; John 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:23; 1 Corinthians 12:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Peter 1:16; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:11).
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, second person of the Trinity, wholly God and wholly Man, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, sinless in life, making particular atonement for the sins of man through His substitutionary, vicarious, redemptive and sacrificial death on the cross. I believe that there is no salvation for any man apart from Him. I believe in His bodily resurrection, His high priestly intercession for His people and a literal, pre-millennial and visible return to the world as King and Judge according to His promise. (Isaiah 9:6; 52:13-15; 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-23; 12:1; 16:21; Mark 13:27; Luke 1:30-36; 9:22; 21:25-36; John 1:1-3; 1:14; 2:19-21; 14:6; 11:25-28; 17:5; 20:28; Acts 2:22-33; 4:11-12; Romans 1:4; 3:20-28; 4:25; 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6; Ephesians 2:13; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-17; 2:9-10; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 1:3; 2:14-16; 4:14-15; 9:15; 9:28; 10:10; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:18; 1 John 4:9-10; 5:12; 5:20)
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who came forth from God to convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, empower, and comfort those who believe in Jesus Christ. He indwells all believers, baptizes all believers at the moment they trust in Jesus Christ to be their only Savior and Lord. He controls and empowers all true believers to live the Christian life in response to their obedience, confession of sin, and submission to Him. Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; 3:16; 24:49; John 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16-17,26; 15:26-27; 16:8-11,13; Acts 1:5; 1:8; 2:4; 5:30-32; 11:16; Romans 8:14,16,26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:7,13; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:2)
I believe in the literal Fall of Man, and henceforth all men born of the seed of Adam are by nature and by choice totally depraved sinners, spiritually dead, separated from God, and are by nature rightful objects of God’s holy wrath. As a consequence of man’s fall and sinfulness, he is destined physical death and, if one dies apart from Christ, he is destined eternal spiritual death. (Genesis 3:1-24; Psalm 37:9; 51:5; Isaiah 59:2; 64:6-7; 66:15-16; 66:24; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 25:41; 25:46; Mark 9:44-48; Romans 3:10-18; 3:23; 5:12, 6:23, 8:6-8, Ephesians 2:1-5; 4:18-19; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 19:20; 20:10;20:14-15; 21:8)
I believe that, God, in His infinite mercy and grace, extends salvation to fallen, depraved and undeserving mankind. God sovereignly elects and calls people to Him according to the pleasure of His will and according to His grace and mercy, regenerating them through the Holy Spirit and enabling them to understand the gospel, repent of their sins and sinfulness and turn to Him faith, trusting in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior and Lord. I believe that a person is saved by God’s sovereign grace through faith in Christ, apart from works but made for good works. Saving faith is a gift from God, and a person who is truly born again and thus truly saved is kept by God, and is eternally and irrevocably secure in Christ forever. Repentance is more than just remorse for sin but a complete turning of the heart and mind, hating once-cherished sin, and forsaking sin and self for the Lord. A person in Christ is saved from the punishment of sin, adopted into the family of God; forgiven, justified, set apart for God’s use; made holy; sanctified, washed, made part of the royal priesthood of believers; sealed by the Holy Spirit and will be one day be glorified in Christ when He returns. Those who accept Him and believe in Him as Savior and Lord are guaranteed eternal life but those who reject Him stand condemned to eternal death. (2 Chronicles 6:26-27; Isaiah 30:15; 53:6; 55:1-7; Joel 2:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 1:15; 16:16; Luke 13:3; 5, John 1:12-13; 3:3-7; 3:14-18; 3:36; 5:24; 6:40; 6:44; 10:27-29; 20:30; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 16:14; 16:31; 20:21; 26:18; Romans 3:21-30; 4:4-5; 5:1-2; 5:12-19; 6:23; 8:1-2,; 8:28-39; 9:15-21; 10:8-13; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Galatians 2:16; 3:11-13; 3:22-29; Ephesians 1:4-13; 2:1-10; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:22; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:19; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 1:14; James 2:14-26; 1 John 3:1-3; 5:11-13)
I believe in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in two senses: It is universal, or composed of all the elect, born again believers of all ages, nations and races, including those now living and those who are in the presence of the Lord. It is also local in constitution and organization as a fellowship of believers meeting together for the purpose of fellowship and corporate worship. It is visible and invisible. The true church is composed of all called out elect believers who are of the Lord’s, born again by His grace, and called to be holy and made holy as the bride of Christ in His coming. I believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions of men and women in the home and in the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to hold the leadership positions (pastors, elders and deacons) in the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible of licensure and ordination for pastor by the church. I believe that the church is called to worship God in spirit and in truth, in a manner that is orderly without necessarily restricting the expressions of individual and corporate worship in line with Scriptural examples. I believe in the Great Commission to the church, which is to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that Christ has commanded until He returns. (Matthew 16:16-19; 25:11-13; 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; John 1:12-13; 3:3-7; Acts 2:41-42; 6:5-6; 14:23; 15:22-23; 20:17-28; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13; 6:1-3; 11:2; 12:4,8-11; 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-13; 5:23-25; 5:32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 1:9-12; Hebrews 10:25)
I believe in the two ordinances instituted by Christ for the church: baptism of believers and the communion.
Christian Baptism is the outward symbolism of the inward reality of regeneration and the confession of faith of the believer before the church and the world. Biblical baptism is properly done by immersion (Gr. Baptismo or baptizo, lit. immersion), symbolizing the identification the identification of the believer with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Baptism does not save, nor is it a requirement for salvation, but is a step of obedience to the Lord’s example and identification with the visible local church. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 2:41; 8:34-38; 9:15-18; 10:34-48; 16:31-34; 18:8; Romans 6:3-5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:19-21)
Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a memorial meal symbolically commemorating the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins and as a proclamation of His second coming. The elements do not become the body and blood of Christ but are rather symbols thereof, proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes again. (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 1:19-20; Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
I believe in the literal Devil, Or Satan, the adversary who was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. He is man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness - destined however to final defeat at the hands of God's own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 4:1-3; 13:25; 25:41; 27:39; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 22:3-4; John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2; 2Corinthians 11:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-11; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 2:4; 1 John 2:22; 3:8; 4:3; 2 John 7; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-10; 13:13-14; 19:11,16,20; 20:1-3,10)
I believe that the civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. I believe in the functional separation of church and state, without prejudice to the believer’s calling to be a salt and light to the world. (Exodus 18:21-22; 2 Samuel 23:3; Psalm 72:11; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 10:28; 22:21; 23:10; Acts 4:19-20; 23:5; Romans 13:7; Philippians 2:10-11; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-14,17)
SOLAGRATIA; 2006 All Rights Reserved.
I believe that the Holy Bible is the Word of God: that it was written and uniquely inspired, that it is inerrant, absolutely trustworthy and has supreme authority in all matters of faith and practice. By "The Holy Bible" refers to that collection of sixty-six books, from Genesis to Revelation, which, as originally written does not only contain and convey the Word of God, but IS the very Word of God. By "inspiration" means that the books of the Bible were written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally and verbally inspired and free from error, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired. (Psalm 19:7-11; 119:89,105,130,160; Proverbs 30:5-6; Isaiah 8:20; Luke 16:31; 24:25-27,44-45; John 5:39,45-47; 12:48; 17:17; Acts 1:16; 28:25; Romans 3:4; 15:4; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 22:19)
I believe in one Almighty and Sovereign God, the Creator, Preserver and Ruler of all things, holy and just, loving and compassionate, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, having in and of himself, all perfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience. God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being. (Genesis 1:1,17:1; Exodus 20:2-3; 15:11; Deuteronomy 6:4, Psalm 83:18; 90:2; 115:3; 147:5; Isaiah 45:22; Jeremiah 10:10; Habbakuk 1:13; Matthew 5:48; 28:19; Mark 12:29-30; John 4:24; 10:30; 15:26; 17:5; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 11:23; 1 Corinthians 12:10-11; 8:6; 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 4:6; Philippians 2:5-6; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Peter 1:16; 1 John 5:7; Revelation 4:11).
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, second person of the Trinity, wholly God and wholly Man, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, sinless in life, making particular atonement for the sins of man through His substitutionary, vicarious, redemptive and sacrificial death on the cross. I believe that there is no salvation for any man apart from Him. I believe in His bodily resurrection, His high priestly intercession for His people and a literal, pre-millennial and visible return to the world as King and Judge according to His promise. (Isaiah 9:6; 52:13-15; 53:1-12; Matthew 1:18-23; 12:1; 16:21; Mark 13:27; Luke 1:30-36; 9:22; 21:25-36; John 1:1-3; 1:14; 2:19-21; 14:6; 11:25-28; 17:5; 20:28; Acts 2:22-33; 4:11-12; Romans 1:4; 3:20-28; 4:25; 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6; Ephesians 2:13; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-17; 2:9-10; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 1:3; 2:14-16; 4:14-15; 9:15; 9:28; 10:10; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:18; 1 John 4:9-10; 5:12; 5:20)
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who came forth from God to convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, empower, and comfort those who believe in Jesus Christ. He indwells all believers, baptizes all believers at the moment they trust in Jesus Christ to be their only Savior and Lord. He controls and empowers all true believers to live the Christian life in response to their obedience, confession of sin, and submission to Him. Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:8; Luke 1:35; 3:16; 24:49; John 1:33; 3:5-6; 14:16-17,26; 15:26-27; 16:8-11,13; Acts 1:5; 1:8; 2:4; 5:30-32; 11:16; Romans 8:14,16,26-27; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:7,13; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:2)
I believe in the literal Fall of Man, and henceforth all men born of the seed of Adam are by nature and by choice totally depraved sinners, spiritually dead, separated from God, and are by nature rightful objects of God’s holy wrath. As a consequence of man’s fall and sinfulness, he is destined physical death and, if one dies apart from Christ, he is destined eternal spiritual death. (Genesis 3:1-24; Psalm 37:9; 51:5; Isaiah 59:2; 64:6-7; 66:15-16; 66:24; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 25:41; 25:46; Mark 9:44-48; Romans 3:10-18; 3:23; 5:12, 6:23, 8:6-8, Ephesians 2:1-5; 4:18-19; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 19:20; 20:10;20:14-15; 21:8)
I believe that, God, in His infinite mercy and grace, extends salvation to fallen, depraved and undeserving mankind. God sovereignly elects and calls people to Him according to the pleasure of His will and according to His grace and mercy, regenerating them through the Holy Spirit and enabling them to understand the gospel, repent of their sins and sinfulness and turn to Him faith, trusting in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior and Lord. I believe that a person is saved by God’s sovereign grace through faith in Christ, apart from works but made for good works. Saving faith is a gift from God, and a person who is truly born again and thus truly saved is kept by God, and is eternally and irrevocably secure in Christ forever. Repentance is more than just remorse for sin but a complete turning of the heart and mind, hating once-cherished sin, and forsaking sin and self for the Lord. A person in Christ is saved from the punishment of sin, adopted into the family of God; forgiven, justified, set apart for God’s use; made holy; sanctified, washed, made part of the royal priesthood of believers; sealed by the Holy Spirit and will be one day be glorified in Christ when He returns. Those who accept Him and believe in Him as Savior and Lord are guaranteed eternal life but those who reject Him stand condemned to eternal death. (2 Chronicles 6:26-27; Isaiah 30:15; 53:6; 55:1-7; Joel 2:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 1:15; 16:16; Luke 13:3; 5, John 1:12-13; 3:3-7; 3:14-18; 3:36; 5:24; 6:40; 6:44; 10:27-29; 20:30; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 16:14; 16:31; 20:21; 26:18; Romans 3:21-30; 4:4-5; 5:1-2; 5:12-19; 6:23; 8:1-2,; 8:28-39; 9:15-21; 10:8-13; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Galatians 2:16; 3:11-13; 3:22-29; Ephesians 1:4-13; 2:1-10; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:22; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:19; Titus 3:4-7; Hebrews 1:14; James 2:14-26; 1 John 3:1-3; 5:11-13)
I believe in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in two senses: It is universal, or composed of all the elect, born again believers of all ages, nations and races, including those now living and those who are in the presence of the Lord. It is also local in constitution and organization as a fellowship of believers meeting together for the purpose of fellowship and corporate worship. It is visible and invisible. The true church is composed of all called out elect believers who are of the Lord’s, born again by His grace, and called to be holy and made holy as the bride of Christ in His coming. I believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions of men and women in the home and in the church. The husband is to be the leader of the home and men are to hold the leadership positions (pastors, elders and deacons) in the church. Accordingly, only men are eligible of licensure and ordination for pastor by the church. I believe that the church is called to worship God in spirit and in truth, in a manner that is orderly without necessarily restricting the expressions of individual and corporate worship in line with Scriptural examples. I believe in the Great Commission to the church, which is to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that Christ has commanded until He returns. (Matthew 16:16-19; 25:11-13; 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; John 1:12-13; 3:3-7; Acts 2:41-42; 6:5-6; 14:23; 15:22-23; 20:17-28; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13; 6:1-3; 11:2; 12:4,8-11; 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-13; 5:23-25; 5:32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 1:9-12; Hebrews 10:25)
I believe in the two ordinances instituted by Christ for the church: baptism of believers and the communion.
Christian Baptism is the outward symbolism of the inward reality of regeneration and the confession of faith of the believer before the church and the world. Biblical baptism is properly done by immersion (Gr. Baptismo or baptizo, lit. immersion), symbolizing the identification the identification of the believer with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Baptism does not save, nor is it a requirement for salvation, but is a step of obedience to the Lord’s example and identification with the visible local church. (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 2:41; 8:34-38; 9:15-18; 10:34-48; 16:31-34; 18:8; Romans 6:3-5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:19-21)
Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a memorial meal symbolically commemorating the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ for our sins and as a proclamation of His second coming. The elements do not become the body and blood of Christ but are rather symbols thereof, proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes again. (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 1:19-20; Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
I believe in the literal Devil, Or Satan, the adversary who was once holy, and enjoyed heavenly honors; but through pride and ambition to be as the Almighty, fell and drew after him a host of angels; that he is now the malignant prince of the power of the air, and the unholy god of this world. He is man's great tempter, the enemy of God and His Christ, the accuser of the saints, the author of all false religions, the chief power back of the present apostasy; the lord of the antichrist, and the author of all the powers of darkness - destined however to final defeat at the hands of God's own Son, and to the judgment of an eternal justice in hell, a place prepared for him and his angels. (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-17; Matthew 4:1-3; 13:25; 25:41; 27:39; Mark 13:21-22; Luke 22:3-4; John 14:30; Ephesians 2:2; 2Corinthians 11:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-11; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 2:4; 1 John 2:22; 3:8; 4:3; 2 John 7; Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-10; 13:13-14; 19:11,16,20; 20:1-3,10)
I believe that the civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth. I believe in the functional separation of church and state, without prejudice to the believer’s calling to be a salt and light to the world. (Exodus 18:21-22; 2 Samuel 23:3; Psalm 72:11; Daniel 3:17-18; Matthew 10:28; 22:21; 23:10; Acts 4:19-20; 23:5; Romans 13:7; Philippians 2:10-11; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-14,17)
SOLAGRATIA; 2006 All Rights Reserved.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Recharging my BLOG…
I will be reusing my BLOG beginning today....
Soli Deo Gloria!
To those interested, here are my websites:
http://www.freewebs.com/solagratia_berean/
http://www.freewebs.com/seeker_of_the_right/
Friday, October 21, 2005
WEBSITE
I don't know what's going on with Blogger but my blog doesn't seem to open properly. I just wanted to put a link to my webpage here. Here:
http://www.freewebs.com/seeker_of_the_right/
http://www.freewebs.com/seeker_of_the_right/
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
THE TRILEMMA LORD, LIAR OR LUNATIC?
(From Josh McDowell's book: A Ready Defense)
http://www.greatcom.org/resources/areadydefense/default.htm
http://www.greatcom.org/resources/areadydefense/default.htm
Jesus' distinct claims of being God eliminate the popular ploy of skeptics Who regard Him as just a good moral man or a prophet who said a lot Of profound things. So often that conclusion is passed off as the only one acceptable to scholars or as the obvious result of the intellectual process. The trouble is, many people nod their heads in agreement and never see the fallacy of such reasoning.
C. S. Lewis, who was a professor at Cambridge University and once an agnostic, understood this issue clearly. He writes:
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic ‑on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg‑ or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.
Then Lewis adds:
You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
In the words of Kenneth Scott Latourette, historian of Christianity at Yale University: "It is not His teachings which make Jesus so remarkable, although these would be enough to give Him distinction. It is a combination of the teachings with the man Himself. The two cannot be separated."
Jesus claimed to be God. He didn't leave any other option open. His claim must be either true or false, so it is something that should be given serious consideration. Jesus' question to His disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15) has several alternatives.
First, suppose that His claim to be God was false. If it was false, then we have only two alternatives. He either knew it was false or He didn't know it was false. We will consider each one separately and examine the evidence.
>> Was He a Liar?
If, when Jesus made His claims, He knew that He was not God, then He was lying and deliberately deceiving His followers. But if He was a liar, then He was also a hypocrite because He told others to be honest, whatever the cost, while He himself taught and lived a colossal lie. More than that, He was a demon, because He told others to trust Him for their eternal destiny. If He couldn't back up His claims and knew it, then He was unspeakably evil. Last, He would also be a fool because it was His claims to being God that led to His crucifixion.
Many will say that Jesus was a good moral teacher. Let's be realistic. How could He be a great moral teacher and knowingly mislead people at the most important point of His teaching ‑His own identity?
You would have to conclude logically that He was a deliberate liar. This view of Jesus, however doesn't coincide with what we know either of Him or the results of His life and teachings. Wherever Jesus has been proclaimed, lives have been changed for the good, nations have changed for the better, thieves are made honest, alcoholics are cured, hateful individuals become channels of love, unjust persons become just.
William Lecky, one of Great Britain's most noted historians and a dedicated opponent of organized Christianity, writes:
It was reserved for Christianity to present to the world an ideal character which through all the changes of eighteen centuries has inspired the hearts of men with an impassioned love; has shown itself capable of acting on all ages, nations, temperaments and conditions; has been not only the highest pattern of virtue, but the strongest incentive to its practice.... The simple record of these three short years of active life has done more to regenerate and soften mankind than all the disquisitions of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.
Historian Philip Schaff says:
How, in the name of logic, common sense, and experience, could an imposter‑that is a deceitful, selfish, depraved man‑have invented, and consistently maintained from the beginning to end, the purest and noblest character known in history with the most perfect air of truth and reality? How could He have conceived and successfully carried out a plan of unparalleled beneficence, moral magnitude, and sublimity, and sacrificed His own life for it, in the face of the strongest prejudices of His people and age? 70/9495
If Jesus wanted to get people to follow Him and believe in Him as God, why did He go to the Jewish nation? Why go as a Nazarene carpenter to a country so small in size and population and so thoroughly adhering the undivided unity of God? Why didn't He go to Egypt or, even more, to Greece, where they believed in various gods and various manifestations of them?
Someone who lived as Jesus lived, taught as Jesus taught, and died as Jesus died could not have been a liar. What other alternatives are there?
>> Was He a Lunatic?
If it is inconceivable for Jesus to be a liar, then couldn't He actually have thought Himself to be God, but been mistaken? After all, it's possible to be both sincere and wrong. But we must remember that for someone to think himself God, especially in a fiercely monotheistic culture, and then to tell others that their eternal destiny depended on believing in him, is no light flight of fantasy but the thoughts of a lunatic in the fullest sense. Was Jesus Christ such a person?
Someone who believes he is God sounds like someone today believing himself Napoleon. He would be deluded and self‑deceived, and probably he would be locked up so he wouldn't hurt himself or anyone else. Yet in Jesus we don't observe the abnormalities and imbalance that usually go along with being deranged. His poise and composure would certainly be amazing if He were insane.
Noyes and Kolb, in a medical text, describe the schizophrenic as a person who is more autistic than realistic. The schizophrenic desires to escape from the world of reality. Let's face it; claiming to be God would certainly be a retreat from reality.
In light of the other things we know about Jesus, it's hard to imagine that He was mentally disturbed. Here is a man who spoke some of the most profound sayings ever recorded. His instructions have liberated many individuals from mental bondage.
Clark H. Pinnock asks:
Was He deluded about His greatness, a paranoid, an unintentional deceiver, a schizophrenic? Again, the skill and depth of His teachings support the case only for His total mental soundness. If only we were as sane as He!
A student at a California university told me that his psychology professor had said in class that "all he has to do is pick up the Bible and read portions of Christ's teaching to many of his patients. That's all the counseling they need."
Psychiatrist J. T. Fisher states:
If you were to take the sum total of all authoritative articles ever written by the most qualified of psychologists and psychiatrists on the subject of mental hygiene ‑if you were to combine them and refine them, and cleave out the excess verbiage ‑ if you were to take the whole of the meat and none of the parsley, and if you were to have these unadulterated bits of pure scientific knowledge concisely expressed by the most capable of living poets, you would have an awkward and incomplete summation of the Sermon on the Mount. And it would suffer immeasurably through comparison. For nearly two thousand years the Christian world has been holding in its hands the complete answer to its restless and fruitless yearnings. Here ... rests the blueprint for successful human life with optimism, mental health, and contentment.
C. S. Lewis writes:
The historical difficulty of giving for the life, sayings and influence of Jesus any explanation that is not harder than the Christian explanation is very great. The discrepancy between the depth and sanity ... of His moral teaching and the rampant megalomania which must lie behind His theological teaching unless He is indeed God has never been satisfactorily explained. Hence the non‑Christian hypotheses succeed one another with the restless fertility of bewilderment.
Philip Schaff reasons:
Is such an intellect ‑clear as the sky, bracing as the mountain air, sharp and penetrating as a sword, thoroughly healthy and vigorous, always ready and always self‑possessed ‑liable to a radical and most serious delusion concerning His own character and mission? Preposterous imagination!
>> Was He Lord?
I cannot personally conclude that Jesus was a liar or a lunatic. The only other alternative is that He was the Christ, the Son of God, as He claimed.
When I discuss this with most Jewish people, it's interesting how they respond. They usually tell me that Jesus was a moral, upright, religious leader, a good man, or some kind of prophet. I then share with them the claims Jesus made about Himself and then the material in this chapter on the trilemma (liar, lunatic, or Lord). When I ask if they believe Jesus was a liar, there is a sharp "No!"
Then I ask, "Do you believe He was a lunatic?"
The reply is, "Of course not."
"Do you believe He is God?"
Before I can get a breath in edgewise, there is a resounding, "Absolutely not."
Yet one has only so many choices.
The issue with these three alternatives is not which is possible, for it is obvious that all three are possible. Rather, the question is, "Which is more probable?" Who you decide Jesus Christ is must not be an idle intellectual exercise. You cannot put Him on the shelf as a great moral teacher. That is not a valid option. He is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord and God. You must make a choice. "But," as the apostle John wrote, "these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and" ‑more important‑ "that believing you might have life in His name" (John 20:31).
The evidence is clearly in favor of Jesus as Lord. Some people, however, reject this clear evidence because of moral implications involved. They don't want to face up to the responsibility or implications of calling Him Lord.
C. S. Lewis, who was a professor at Cambridge University and once an agnostic, understood this issue clearly. He writes:
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic ‑on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg‑ or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the son of God: or else a madman or something worse.
Then Lewis adds:
You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
In the words of Kenneth Scott Latourette, historian of Christianity at Yale University: "It is not His teachings which make Jesus so remarkable, although these would be enough to give Him distinction. It is a combination of the teachings with the man Himself. The two cannot be separated."
Jesus claimed to be God. He didn't leave any other option open. His claim must be either true or false, so it is something that should be given serious consideration. Jesus' question to His disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15) has several alternatives.
First, suppose that His claim to be God was false. If it was false, then we have only two alternatives. He either knew it was false or He didn't know it was false. We will consider each one separately and examine the evidence.
>> Was He a Liar?
If, when Jesus made His claims, He knew that He was not God, then He was lying and deliberately deceiving His followers. But if He was a liar, then He was also a hypocrite because He told others to be honest, whatever the cost, while He himself taught and lived a colossal lie. More than that, He was a demon, because He told others to trust Him for their eternal destiny. If He couldn't back up His claims and knew it, then He was unspeakably evil. Last, He would also be a fool because it was His claims to being God that led to His crucifixion.
Many will say that Jesus was a good moral teacher. Let's be realistic. How could He be a great moral teacher and knowingly mislead people at the most important point of His teaching ‑His own identity?
You would have to conclude logically that He was a deliberate liar. This view of Jesus, however doesn't coincide with what we know either of Him or the results of His life and teachings. Wherever Jesus has been proclaimed, lives have been changed for the good, nations have changed for the better, thieves are made honest, alcoholics are cured, hateful individuals become channels of love, unjust persons become just.
William Lecky, one of Great Britain's most noted historians and a dedicated opponent of organized Christianity, writes:
It was reserved for Christianity to present to the world an ideal character which through all the changes of eighteen centuries has inspired the hearts of men with an impassioned love; has shown itself capable of acting on all ages, nations, temperaments and conditions; has been not only the highest pattern of virtue, but the strongest incentive to its practice.... The simple record of these three short years of active life has done more to regenerate and soften mankind than all the disquisitions of philosophers and all the exhortations of moralists.
Historian Philip Schaff says:
How, in the name of logic, common sense, and experience, could an imposter‑that is a deceitful, selfish, depraved man‑have invented, and consistently maintained from the beginning to end, the purest and noblest character known in history with the most perfect air of truth and reality? How could He have conceived and successfully carried out a plan of unparalleled beneficence, moral magnitude, and sublimity, and sacrificed His own life for it, in the face of the strongest prejudices of His people and age? 70/9495
If Jesus wanted to get people to follow Him and believe in Him as God, why did He go to the Jewish nation? Why go as a Nazarene carpenter to a country so small in size and population and so thoroughly adhering the undivided unity of God? Why didn't He go to Egypt or, even more, to Greece, where they believed in various gods and various manifestations of them?
Someone who lived as Jesus lived, taught as Jesus taught, and died as Jesus died could not have been a liar. What other alternatives are there?
>> Was He a Lunatic?
If it is inconceivable for Jesus to be a liar, then couldn't He actually have thought Himself to be God, but been mistaken? After all, it's possible to be both sincere and wrong. But we must remember that for someone to think himself God, especially in a fiercely monotheistic culture, and then to tell others that their eternal destiny depended on believing in him, is no light flight of fantasy but the thoughts of a lunatic in the fullest sense. Was Jesus Christ such a person?
Someone who believes he is God sounds like someone today believing himself Napoleon. He would be deluded and self‑deceived, and probably he would be locked up so he wouldn't hurt himself or anyone else. Yet in Jesus we don't observe the abnormalities and imbalance that usually go along with being deranged. His poise and composure would certainly be amazing if He were insane.
Noyes and Kolb, in a medical text, describe the schizophrenic as a person who is more autistic than realistic. The schizophrenic desires to escape from the world of reality. Let's face it; claiming to be God would certainly be a retreat from reality.
In light of the other things we know about Jesus, it's hard to imagine that He was mentally disturbed. Here is a man who spoke some of the most profound sayings ever recorded. His instructions have liberated many individuals from mental bondage.
Clark H. Pinnock asks:
Was He deluded about His greatness, a paranoid, an unintentional deceiver, a schizophrenic? Again, the skill and depth of His teachings support the case only for His total mental soundness. If only we were as sane as He!
A student at a California university told me that his psychology professor had said in class that "all he has to do is pick up the Bible and read portions of Christ's teaching to many of his patients. That's all the counseling they need."
Psychiatrist J. T. Fisher states:
If you were to take the sum total of all authoritative articles ever written by the most qualified of psychologists and psychiatrists on the subject of mental hygiene ‑if you were to combine them and refine them, and cleave out the excess verbiage ‑ if you were to take the whole of the meat and none of the parsley, and if you were to have these unadulterated bits of pure scientific knowledge concisely expressed by the most capable of living poets, you would have an awkward and incomplete summation of the Sermon on the Mount. And it would suffer immeasurably through comparison. For nearly two thousand years the Christian world has been holding in its hands the complete answer to its restless and fruitless yearnings. Here ... rests the blueprint for successful human life with optimism, mental health, and contentment.
C. S. Lewis writes:
The historical difficulty of giving for the life, sayings and influence of Jesus any explanation that is not harder than the Christian explanation is very great. The discrepancy between the depth and sanity ... of His moral teaching and the rampant megalomania which must lie behind His theological teaching unless He is indeed God has never been satisfactorily explained. Hence the non‑Christian hypotheses succeed one another with the restless fertility of bewilderment.
Philip Schaff reasons:
Is such an intellect ‑clear as the sky, bracing as the mountain air, sharp and penetrating as a sword, thoroughly healthy and vigorous, always ready and always self‑possessed ‑liable to a radical and most serious delusion concerning His own character and mission? Preposterous imagination!
>> Was He Lord?
I cannot personally conclude that Jesus was a liar or a lunatic. The only other alternative is that He was the Christ, the Son of God, as He claimed.
When I discuss this with most Jewish people, it's interesting how they respond. They usually tell me that Jesus was a moral, upright, religious leader, a good man, or some kind of prophet. I then share with them the claims Jesus made about Himself and then the material in this chapter on the trilemma (liar, lunatic, or Lord). When I ask if they believe Jesus was a liar, there is a sharp "No!"
Then I ask, "Do you believe He was a lunatic?"
The reply is, "Of course not."
"Do you believe He is God?"
Before I can get a breath in edgewise, there is a resounding, "Absolutely not."
Yet one has only so many choices.
The issue with these three alternatives is not which is possible, for it is obvious that all three are possible. Rather, the question is, "Which is more probable?" Who you decide Jesus Christ is must not be an idle intellectual exercise. You cannot put Him on the shelf as a great moral teacher. That is not a valid option. He is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord and God. You must make a choice. "But," as the apostle John wrote, "these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and" ‑more important‑ "that believing you might have life in His name" (John 20:31).
The evidence is clearly in favor of Jesus as Lord. Some people, however, reject this clear evidence because of moral implications involved. They don't want to face up to the responsibility or implications of calling Him Lord.
FREE BIBLES & NEW TESTAMENTS
FREE BIBLES (International):
http://www.jesuswillcome.com/modules.php?name=free_bible
http://www.bible4free.com/index.asp
http://www.thegodofisrael.org/
http://www.survivalforum.com/modules.php?name=Bible_Request
http://www.lesea.com/index.cfm/fa/spreadTheWord
http://www.justbibles.org/freebible.htm
http://www.geocities.com/woodierow/freebible.html
http://www.powerofgospel.org/freegift.asp
http://www.wordoflifechurch.info/free-bibles/
http://website.lineone.net/~datchetchapel/FreeBible.htm
http://www.gofreebibles.com/
freebible_ministries@hotmail.com
FREE BIBLES (United States Only):
http://www.soulwinners.com/main.cfm?ID=13
http://usa-bibles.com/?id=6764
http://www.mission2america.org/
http://www.good-news-for-you.org/LBC/missions/freebibles.html
http://www.victorynetwork.org/FreeBibles.html
http://www.angelfire.com/me/NCM98/bible.html
http://freebible.basedonthebible.com/request.html
FREE NEW TESTAMENT (International):
http://www.answers2prayer.org/bible_request.html
http://www.jesusfreak.com/needabible.asp
FREE NEW TESTAMENT (United States only):
http://www.freenewtestament.com/order_php.html
http://www.biblesforamerica.org/products/RequestRcV.aspx
http://www.harvest.org/knowgod/index.php/25.html
http://freebibleministry.com/
http://www.jesuswillcome.com/modules.php?name=free_bible
http://www.bible4free.com/index.asp
http://www.thegodofisrael.org/
http://www.survivalforum.com/modules.php?name=Bible_Request
http://www.lesea.com/index.cfm/fa/spreadTheWord
http://www.justbibles.org/freebible.htm
http://www.geocities.com/woodierow/freebible.html
http://www.powerofgospel.org/freegift.asp
http://www.wordoflifechurch.info/free-bibles/
http://website.lineone.net/~datchetchapel/FreeBible.htm
http://www.gofreebibles.com/
freebible_ministries@hotmail.com
FREE BIBLES (United States Only):
http://www.soulwinners.com/main.cfm?ID=13
http://usa-bibles.com/?id=6764
http://www.mission2america.org/
http://www.good-news-for-you.org/LBC/missions/freebibles.html
http://www.victorynetwork.org/FreeBibles.html
http://www.angelfire.com/me/NCM98/bible.html
http://freebible.basedonthebible.com/request.html
FREE NEW TESTAMENT (International):
http://www.answers2prayer.org/bible_request.html
http://www.jesusfreak.com/needabible.asp
FREE NEW TESTAMENT (United States only):
http://www.freenewtestament.com/order_php.html
http://www.biblesforamerica.org/products/RequestRcV.aspx
http://www.harvest.org/knowgod/index.php/25.html
http://freebibleministry.com/
The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. (Isaiah 12:5)
PREAMBLE
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is news, good news: the best and most important news that any human being ever hears.
This Gospel declares the only way to know God in peace, love, and joy is through the reconciling death of Jesus Christ the risen Lord.
This Gospel is the central message of the Holy Scriptures, and is the true key to understanding them.
This Gospel identifies Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, as the Son of God and God the Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, whose incarnation, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension fulfilled the Father’s saving will. His death for sins and his resurrection from the dead were promised beforehand by the prophets and attested by eyewitnesses. In God’s own time and in God’s own way, Jesus Christ shall return as glorious Lord and Judge of all (1 Thess. 4:13-18; Mt. 25:31,32). He is now giving the Holy Spirit from the Father to all those who are truly his. The three Persons of the Trinity thus combine in the work of saving sinners.
This Gospel sets forth Jesus Christ as the living Savior, Master, Life, and Hope of all who put their trust in him. It tells us that the eternal destiny of all people depends on whether they are savingly related to Jesus Christ.
This Gospel is the only Gospel: there is no other; and to change its substance is to pervert and indeed destroy it.
This Gospel is so simple that small children can understand it, and it is so profound that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust its riches.
All Christians are called to unity in love and unity in truth. As Evangelicals who derive our very name from the Gospel, we celebrate this great good news of God’s saving work in Jesus Christ as the true bond of Christian unity, whether among organized churches and denominations or in the many trans-denominational cooperative enterprises of Christians together.
The Bible declares that all who truly trust in Christ and his Gospel are sons and daughters of God through grace, and hence are our brothers and sisters in Christ.
All who are justified experience reconciliation with the Father, full remission of sins, transition from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, the reality of being a new creature in Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. They enjoy access to the Father with all the peace and joy that this brings.
The Gospel requires of all believers worship, which means constant praise and giving of thanks to God, submission to all that he has revealed in his written word, prayerful dependence on him, and vigilance lest his truth be even inadvertently compromised or obscured.
To share the joy and hope of this Gospel is a supreme privilege. It is also an abiding obligation, for the "Great Commission" of Jesus Christ still stands: proclaim the Gospel everywhere, he said, teaching, baptizing, and making disciples.
By embracing the following declaration we affirm our commitment to this task, and with it our allegiance to Christ himself, to the Gospel itself, and to each other as fellow Evangelical believers.
THE GOSPEL
This Gospel of Jesus Christ which God sets forth in the infallible Scriptures combines Jesus’ own declaration of the present reality of the Kingdom of God with the apostles’ account of the person, place, and work of Christ, and how sinful humans benefit from it. The Patristic Rule of Faith, the historic Creeds, the Reformation confessions, and the doctrinal bases of later Evangelical bodies, all witness to the substance of this biblical message.
The heart of the Gospel is that our holy, loving Creator, confronted with human hostility and rebellion, has chosen in his own freedom and faithfulness to become our holy, loving Redeemer and Restorer. The Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14): it is through his one and only Son that God’s one and only plan of salvation is implemented. So Peter announced: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). And Christ himself taught: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Through the Gospel we learn that we human beings, who were made for fellowship with God, are by nature – that is, "in Adam" (1 Cor. 15:22) – dead in sin, unresponsive to and separated from our Maker. We are constantly twisting his truth, breaking his law, belittling his goals and standards, and offending his holiness by our unholiness, so that we truly are "without hope and without God in the world" (Rom. 1:18-32, 3:9-20; Eph. 2:1-3, 12). Yet God in grace took the initiative to reconcile us to himself through the sinless life and vicarious death of his beloved Son (Eph. 2:4-10; Rom. 3:21-24).
The Father sent the Son to free us from the dominion of sin and Satan, and to make us God’s children and friends. Jesus paid our penalty in our place on his cross, satisfying the retributive demands of divine justice by shedding his blood in sacrifice and so making possible justification for all who trust in him (Rom. 3:25-26). The Bible describes this mighty substitutionary transaction as the achieving of ransom, reconciliation, redemption, propitiation, and conquest of evil powers (Mt. 20:28; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Rom. 3:23-25; John 12:31; Col. 2:15). It secures for us a restored relationship with God that brings pardon and peace, acceptance and access, and adoption into God’s family (Col. 1:20, 2:13-14; Rom. 5:1-2; Gal. 4:4-7; 1 Pet. 3:18). The faith in God and in Christ to which the Gospel calls us is a trustful outgoing of our hearts to lay hold of these promised and proffered benefits.
This Gospel further proclaims the bodily resurrection, ascension, and enthronement of Jesus as evidence of the efficacy of his once-for-all sacrifice for us, of the reality of his present personal ministry to us, and of the certainty of his future return to glorify us (1 Cor.15; Heb. 1:1-4, 2:1-18, 4:14-16, 7:1-10:25). In the life of faith as the Gospel presents it, believers are united with their risen Lord, communing with him, and looking to him in repentance and hope for empowering through the Holy Spirit, so that henceforth they may not sin but serve him truly.
God’s justification of those who trust him, according to the Gospel, is a decisive transition, here and now, from a state of condemnation and wrath because of their sins to one of acceptance and favor by virtue of Jesus’ flawless obedience culminating in his voluntary sin-bearing death. God "justifies the wicked" (ungodly: Rom. 4:5) by imputing (reckoning, crediting, counting, accounting) righteousness to them and ceasing to count their sins against them (Rom. 4:1-8). Sinners receive through faith in Christ alone "the gift of righteousness" (Rom. 1:17, 5:17; Phil. 3:9) and thus become "the righteousness of God" in him who was "made sin" for them (2 Cor. 5:21).
As our sins were reckoned to Christ, so Christ’s righteousness is reckoned to us. This is justification by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. All we bring to the transaction is our need of it. Our faith in the God who bestows it, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is itself the fruit of God’s grace. Faith links us savingly to Jesus, but inasmuch as it involves an acknowledgment that we have no merit of our own, it is confessedly not a meritorious work.
The Gospel assures us that all who have entrusted their lives to Jesus Christ are born-again children of God (John 1:12), indwelt, empowered, and assured of their status and hope by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 7:6, 8:9-17). The moment we truly believe in Christ, the Father declares us righteous in him and begins conforming us to his likeness. Genuine faith acknowledges and depends upon Jesus as Lord and shows itself in growing obedience to the divine commands, though this contributes nothing to the ground of our justification (James 2:14-26; Heb. 6:1-12).
By his sanctifying grace Christ works within us through faith, renewing our fallen nature and leading us to real maturity – that measure of development which is meant by "the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). The Gospel calls us to live as obedient servants of Christ and as his emissaries in the world, doing justice, loving mercy, and helping all in need, thus seeking to bear witness to the Kingdom of Christ. At death Christ takes the believer to himself (Phil. 1:21) for unimaginable joy in the ceaseless worship of God (Rev. 22:1-5).
Salvation in its full sense is from the guilt of sin in the past, the power of sin in the present, and the presence of sin in the future. Thus, while in foretaste believers enjoy salvation now, they still await its fullness (Mark 14: 61-62; Heb. 9:28). Salvation is a trinitarian reality, initiated by the Father, implemented by the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit. It has a global dimension, for God’s plan is to save believers out of every tribe and tongue (Rev. 5:9) to be his Church, a new humanity, the people of God, the Body and Bride of Christ, and the community of the Holy Spirit. All the heirs of final salvation are called here and now to serve their Lord and each other in love, to share in the fellowship of Jesus’ sufferings, and to work together to make Christ known to the whole world.
We learn from the Gospel that as all have sinned, so all who do not receive Christ will be judged according to their just deserts as measured by God’s holy law, and face eternal retributive punishment.
UNITY IN THE GOSPEL
Christians are commanded to love each other despite differences of race, gender, privilege, and social, political, and economic background (John 13:34-35; Gal. 3:28-29), and to be of one mind wherever possible (John 17:20-21; Phil. 2:2; Rom. 14:1-15:13). We know that divisions among Christians hinder our witness in the world, and we desire greater mutual understanding and truth-speaking in love. We know too that as trustees of God’s revealed truth we cannot embrace any form of doctrinal indifferentism, or relativism, or pluralism by which God’s truth is sacrificed for a false peace.
Doctrinal disagreements call for debate. Dialogue for mutual understanding and, if possible, narrowing of the differences is valuable, doubly so when the avowed goal is unity in primary things, with liberty in secondary things, and charity in all things.
In the foregoing paragraphs an attempt has been made to state what is primary and essential in the Gospel as Evangelicals understand it. Useful dialogue, however, requires not only charity in our attitudes, but also clarity in our utterances. Our extended analysis of justification by faith alone through Christ alone reflects our belief that Gospel truth is of crucial importance and is not always well understood and correctly affirmed. For added clarity, out of love for God’s truth and Christ’s Church, we now cast the key points of what has been said into specific affirmations and denials regarding the Gospel and our unity in it and in Christ.
Affirmations & Denials:
1. We affirm that the Gospel entrusted to the Church is, in the first instance, God’s Gospel (Mark 1:14; Rom. 1:1). God is its author and he reveals it to us in and by his Word. Its authority and truth rest on him alone.
We deny that the truth or authority of the Gospel derives from any human insight or invention (Gal. 1:1-11). We also deny that the truth or authority of the Gospel rests on the authority of any particular church or human institution.
2. We affirm that the Gospel is the saving power of God in that the Gospel effects salvation to everyone who believes, without distinction (Rom. 1:16). This efficacy of the Gospel is by the power of God himself (1 Cor. 1:18).
We deny that the power of the Gospel rests in the eloquence of the preacher, the technique of the evangelist, or the persuasion of rational argument (1 Cor. 1:21; 2:1-5).
3. We affirm that the Gospel diagnoses the universal human condition as one of sinful rebellion against God, which if unchanged will lead each person to eternal loss under God’s condemnation.
We deny any rejection of the fallenness of human nature or any assertion of the natural goodness, or divinity, of the human race.
4. We affirm that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, the only mediator between God and humanity (John 14:6; 1 Tim. 2:5).
We deny that anyone is saved in any other way than by Jesus Christ and his Gospel. The Bible offers no hope that sincere worshippers of other religions will be saved without personal faith in Jesus Christ.
5. We affirm that the Church is commanded by God and is therefore under divine obligation to preach the Gospel to every living person (Luke 24:47; Mt. 28:18-19).
We deny that any particular class or group of persons, whatever their ethnic or cultural identity, may be ignored or passed over in the preaching of the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:19-22). God purposes a global Church made up from people of every tribe, language and nation (Rev. 7:9).
6. We affirm that faith in Jesus Christ as the divine Word (or Logos, John 1:1), the second Person of the Trinity, co-eternal and co-essential with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Heb. 1:3), is foundational to faith in the Gospel.
We deny that any view of Jesus Christ which reduces or rejects his full deity is Gospel faith or will avail to salvation.
7. We affirm that Jesus Christ is God incarnate (John 1:14). The virgin-born descendant of David (Rom. 1:3), he had a true human nature, was subject to the Law of God (Gal. 4:5), and was like us at all points, except without sin (Heb. 2:17, 7:26-28). We affirm that faith in the true humanity of Christ is essential to faith in the Gospel.
We deny that anyone who rejects the humanity of Christ, his incarnation, or his sinlessness, or who maintains that these truths are not essential to the Gospel, will be saved (1 John 4:2-3).
8. We affirm that the atonement of Christ by which, in his obedience, he offered a perfect sacrifice, propitiating the Father by paying for our sins and satisfying divine justice on our behalf according to God’s eternal plan, is an essential element of the Gospel.
We deny that any view of the atonement that rejects the substitutionary satisfaction of divine justice, accomplished vicariously for believers, is compatible with the teaching of the Gospel.
9. We affirm that Christ’s saving work included both his life and his death on our behalf (Gal. 3:13). We declare that faith in the perfect obedience of Christ by which he fulfilled all the demands of the Law of God in our behalf is essential to the Gospel.
We deny that our salvation was achieved merely or exclusively by the death of Christ without reference to his life of perfect righteousness.
10. We affirm that the bodily resurrection of Christ from the dead is essential to the biblical Gospel (1 Cor. 15:14).
We deny the validity of any so-called gospel that denies the historical reality of the bodily resurrection of Christ.
11. We affirm that the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone is essential to the Gospel (Rom. 3:28; 4:5; Gal. 2:16).
We deny that any person can believe the biblical Gospel and at the same time reject the apostolic teaching of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. We also deny that there is more than one true Gospel (Gal. 1:6-9).
12. We affirm that the doctrine of the imputation (reckoning or counting) both of our sins to Christ and of his righteousness to us, whereby our sins are fully forgiven and we are fully accepted, is essential to the biblical Gospel (2 Cor. 5:19-21).
We deny that we are justified by the righteousness of Christ infused into us or by any righteousness that is thought to inhere within us.
13. We affirm that the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified is properly his own, which he achieved apart from us, in and by his perfect obedience. This righteousness is counted, reckoned, or imputed to us by the forensic (that is, legal) declaration of God, as the sole ground of our justification.
We deny that any works we perform at any stage of our existence add to the merit of Christ or earn for us any merit that contributes in any way to the ground of our justification (Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8,9; Titus 3:5).
14. We affirm that while all believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and are in the process of being made holy and conformed to the image of Christ, those consequences of justification are not its ground. God declares us just, remits our sins, and adopts us as his children, by his grace alone, and through faith alone, because of Christ alone, while we are still sinners (Rom. 4:5).
We deny that believers must be inherently righteous by virtue of their cooperation with God’s life-transforming grace before God will declare them justified in Christ. We are justified while we are still sinners.
15. We affirm that saving faith results in sanctification, the transformation of life in growing conformity to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification means ongoing repentance, a life of turning from sin to serve Jesus Christ in grateful reliance on him as one’s Lord and Master (Gal. 5:22-25; Rom. 8:4, 13-14).
We reject any view of justification which divorces it from our sanctifying union with Christ and our increasing conformity to his image through prayer, repentance, cross-bearing, and life in the Spirit.
16. We affirm that saving faith includes mental assent to the content of the Gospel, acknowledgment of our own sin and need, and personal trust and reliance upon Christ and his work.
We deny that saving faith includes only mental acceptance of the Gospel, and that justification is secured by a mere outward profession of faith. We further deny that any element of saving faith is a meritorious work or earns salvation for us.
17. We affirm that although true doctrine is vital for spiritual health and well-being, we are not saved by doctrine. Doctrine is necessary to inform us how we may be saved by Christ, but it is Christ who saves.
We deny that the doctrines of the Gospel can be rejected without harm. Denial of the Gospel brings spiritual ruin and exposes us to God’s judgment.
18. We affirm that Jesus Christ commands his followers to proclaim the Gospel to all living persons, evangelizing everyone everywhere, and discipling believers within the fellowship of the Church. A full and faithful witness to Christ includes the witness of personal testimony, godly living, and acts of mercy and charity to our neighbor, without which the preaching of the Gospel appears barren.
We deny that the witness of personal testimony, godly living, and acts of mercy and charity to our neighbors constitute evangelism apart from the proclamation of the Gospel.
OUR COMMITMENT
As Evangelicals united in the Gospel, we promise to watch over and care for one another, to pray for and forgive one another, and to reach out in love and truth to God’s people everywhere, for we are one family, one in the Holy Spirit, and one in Christ.
Centuries ago it was truly said that in things necessary there must be unity, in things less than necessary there must be liberty, and in all things there must be charity. We see all these Gospel truths as necessary.
Now to God, the Author of the truth and grace of this Gospel, through Jesus Christ, its subject and our Lord, be praise and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Monday, August 29, 2005
A few thoughts on the American Civil War
POSTED COMMENT:
the dixies fought for slavery. Christ freed us from it. that's why I found it ironic that the source of that beautiful prayer was from the side of the confederacy….
ANSWER:
On the American South
Actually, on one level, yes, they did fight to “keep slavery.” But on another level, they were fighting for certain principles:
1. The right of a state to govern itself apart from the interference of the federal government. This stems from the concept federalism, wherein the entry of a state into the union is voluntary, thus implying the “voluntary” right to secede. The state also has certain autonomous rights and can exercise a degree of self-governance. That was one of the issues resolved by the war.
Actually, on one level, yes, they did fight to “keep slavery.” But on another level, they were fighting for certain principles:
1. The right of a state to govern itself apart from the interference of the federal government. This stems from the concept federalism, wherein the entry of a state into the union is voluntary, thus implying the “voluntary” right to secede. The state also has certain autonomous rights and can exercise a degree of self-governance. That was one of the issues resolved by the war.
2. The southern states also fought for their “way of life”. Many considered the culturally liberal (and industrial) North to be a threat to their culture, lifestyle and even religion. In everyday parlance, that's "the right to be left alone".
3. The rank-and-file soldiers of the Confederacy were ordinary draftees: farmers, small landowners etc. who believed that a loss for the South would enable the northerners to sequester their land, steal their property, rape their wives, etc. (To a certain extent, some of their fears were realized in the post-Civil War South)
On another level, the North, while propagandizing that they were fighting to “free the slaves”, did not officially make it a reason for the Civil War until the Emancipation Proclamation of Lincoln in 1863.
“During the early part of the war, Lincoln, to hold together his war coalition of Republicans and War Democrats, emphasized preservation of the Union as the sole Union objective of the war, but with the Emancipation Proclamation, announced in September 1862 and put into effect four months later, Lincoln adopted the abolition of slavery as a second mission. The Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves held in territory then under Confederate control to be "then, thenceforth, and forever free", but did not affect slaves in areas under Union control.” (WIKIPEDIA)
The war was long underway then. What they fought for, among others, was for the principle of the unity of the United States, since allowing secession would set a bad precedent, affect the national economy, etc.
The decision to “free the slaves” was thought to result in several advantages for the North (I am not questioning Lincoln’s motives, though), such as:
Encourage resistance in the South by disrupting the support of the black slaves against their masters, hopefully leading to a 5th column revolution.
1. Give a “holy cause” to the war.
2. Encourage support from England (which was antislavery) and France (which was Republican).
3. Please the abolitionist political and military supporters of the Union.
Take note also of the following: the Whites of the Northern armies generally refused to allow Black volunteers to enlist in their companies, and eventually, all-Black companies were formed by some Union states (http://www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/aaffsfl.htm#CIVIL). Discrimination against Blacks in the U.S. uniformed service continued until the Korean War (1950s) were Blacks were kept in menial, support functions, rather than in frontline combat duty.
More on the Civil War:
3. The rank-and-file soldiers of the Confederacy were ordinary draftees: farmers, small landowners etc. who believed that a loss for the South would enable the northerners to sequester their land, steal their property, rape their wives, etc. (To a certain extent, some of their fears were realized in the post-Civil War South)
On another level, the North, while propagandizing that they were fighting to “free the slaves”, did not officially make it a reason for the Civil War until the Emancipation Proclamation of Lincoln in 1863.
“During the early part of the war, Lincoln, to hold together his war coalition of Republicans and War Democrats, emphasized preservation of the Union as the sole Union objective of the war, but with the Emancipation Proclamation, announced in September 1862 and put into effect four months later, Lincoln adopted the abolition of slavery as a second mission. The Emancipation Proclamation declared all slaves held in territory then under Confederate control to be "then, thenceforth, and forever free", but did not affect slaves in areas under Union control.” (WIKIPEDIA)
The war was long underway then. What they fought for, among others, was for the principle of the unity of the United States, since allowing secession would set a bad precedent, affect the national economy, etc.
The decision to “free the slaves” was thought to result in several advantages for the North (I am not questioning Lincoln’s motives, though), such as:
Encourage resistance in the South by disrupting the support of the black slaves against their masters, hopefully leading to a 5th column revolution.
1. Give a “holy cause” to the war.
2. Encourage support from England (which was antislavery) and France (which was Republican).
3. Please the abolitionist political and military supporters of the Union.
Take note also of the following: the Whites of the Northern armies generally refused to allow Black volunteers to enlist in their companies, and eventually, all-Black companies were formed by some Union states (http://www.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/aaffsfl.htm#CIVIL). Discrimination against Blacks in the U.S. uniformed service continued until the Korean War (1950s) were Blacks were kept in menial, support functions, rather than in frontline combat duty.
More on the Civil War:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Americans_in_the_Civil_War
http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/warweb.html (LOTS HERE!)
I was surprised myself, because I once thought in black-and-white, good-versus-evil paradigms when reading about the American Civil War, until I tried to probe for the deeper reasons behind the conflict.
Furthermore, Gen. Lee of the army of Virginia was a deeply religious man, and it is said that there were many religious revivals among the Southern soldiers. They fought for what they believed in, and many in their ranks sincerely thought that the Bible allowed slavery.
“Christ freed us from it.”
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”. (Galatians 5:1, NIV)
Christ freed us from the slavery of sin in order for us to serve God as “slaves to righteousness” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%206:15-22;&version=31;) but this does not necessarily entail freedom from physical slavery. Note that during the New testament period, slavery was the norm, and yet the Bible never speaks of slaves being liberated from their physical masters. There was no physical emancipation here or a call to abolish slavery, only spiritual. Thus, the Biblical references to being “set free” pertains primarily to spiritual freedom: the freedom to obey Christ as one’s Lord after one has received Him as Savior. Can this be applied to physical freedom? Of course, but contextually and hermeneutically, this was not the original meaning.
“Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 PETER 2:18-21
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.” EPHESIANS 6:5-9
There is also a letter written by Paul to Philemon, a Christian slave-owner about his runaway slave who became a Christian, Onesimus. It’s in the New Testament:
(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PHILEMON%201;&version=31;)
Does that mean that the Bible approves of slavery?
No. But that’s a tricky question. Here is one good study on the issue:
http://www.rbc.org/ds/q1109/q1109.html
This is one kind of slavery that the Bible approves:
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=1614
This is one kind of slavery that the Bible approves:
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=1614
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
FORTY OBJECTIONS TO CHRISTIANITY:
http://www.carm.org/objections.htm
RELATIVISM ANSWERED:
http://www.carm.org/relativism.htm
ATHEISM ANSWERED:
http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm
http://www.carm.org/objections.htm
RELATIVISM ANSWERED:
http://www.carm.org/relativism.htm
ATHEISM ANSWERED:
http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
SOCIOLOGIST ANGST
There is a vast difference between a “student of sociology” and a “sociology student.”
The student of sociology is one who has committed himself or herself to the discipline of studying and understanding human behavior, particularly in the context of society. As such, a student of sociology recognizes the learning process to be continuous, and sees the manifold applications of the sociological imagination in understanding man. He or she is not quick to judge, but rather, is committed to analyzing and observing things within their respective contexts, striving to apply the scientific principles of sociological research with objectivity, verstehen and value-free examination. He or she seeks to bridge the realm of sociological theory and practical or applied sociology.
The sociology student is simply a student taking up subjects in Sociology, or is seeking a college degree in Sociology. He or she is a pitiable and mediocre creature – seeking only to pass, he or she barely understands sociology as at is. With little appreciation for both sociological theory and application, this person is at a loss of how to apply what he or she has learned in life and work.
The student of sociology is one who has committed himself or herself to the discipline of studying and understanding human behavior, particularly in the context of society. As such, a student of sociology recognizes the learning process to be continuous, and sees the manifold applications of the sociological imagination in understanding man. He or she is not quick to judge, but rather, is committed to analyzing and observing things within their respective contexts, striving to apply the scientific principles of sociological research with objectivity, verstehen and value-free examination. He or she seeks to bridge the realm of sociological theory and practical or applied sociology.
The sociology student is simply a student taking up subjects in Sociology, or is seeking a college degree in Sociology. He or she is a pitiable and mediocre creature – seeking only to pass, he or she barely understands sociology as at is. With little appreciation for both sociological theory and application, this person is at a loss of how to apply what he or she has learned in life and work.
_____
Sociology
Is the scientific study of human social behavior. As the study of humans in their collective aspect, sociology is concerned with all group activities–economic, social, political, and religious. Sociologists study such areas as bureaucracy, community, deviant behavior, family, public opinion, social change, social mobility, social stratification, and such specific problems as crime, divorce, child abuse, and substance addiction. Sociology tries to determine the laws governing human behavior in social contexts; it is sometimes distinguished as a general social science from the special social sciences, such as economics and political science, which confine themselves to a selected group of social facts or relations.
More here:
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/encyclopedia/entry?id=44226
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology (recommended!)
More resources:
http://socserv2.mcmaster.ca/w3virtsoclib
http://www.sociologyonline.co.uk/
Sociological dictionaries:
http://www.glossarist.com/glossaries/humanities-social-sciences/sociology.asp
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rmazur/dictionary/a.html
http://campus.murraystate.edu/academic/faculty/frank.elwell/prob3/glossary/socgloss.htm
http://oldweb.northampton.ac.uk/ass/soc/nws/html/diction2.html
http://www.trinity.edu/%7Emkearl/
Sociology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology
SOME SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS:
Conflict theory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_theory
Deconstructionist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deconstructionists
Feminism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism
Functionalism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functionalism_%28sociology%29
Gemeinschaft/Gesselschaft: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemeinschaft_and_Gesellschaft
Positivism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positivism#Social_Science
Post-Modernist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernists
Social Research: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_research
Social Theory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_theory
Sociological Imagination: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociological_imagination
Structural-functionalism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structural_functionalism
Symbolic Interactionist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_interactionism
Verstehen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verstehen
SOME SOCIOLOGICAL THINKERS:
Auguste Comte: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Comte
Karl Marx: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
Emile Durkheim: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89mile_Durkheim
Max Weber: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber
Herbert Spencer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Spencer
Vilfredo Pareto: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilfredo_Pareto
Ferdinand Toennies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Toennies
Jürgen Habermas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%BCrgen_Habermas
Talcott Parsons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talcott_Parsons
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