Ray,
First of all – I am NOT playing lawyer. Nor do I claim to be a Bible scholar. You are NOT reading what I wrote. Let me rephrase:
I BELIEVE in giving 10% - as the Bible instructs us.
Scripture says to give to the LORD. There are DIFFERENT ways of giving to the Lord – giving to the local church, supporting mission fields, helping the homeless person on the street, feeding the family next door who has lost its job, buying a meal for a “bum,” offering transportation to someone who doesn’t have a vehicle . . . . The ways of “tithing” go on and on and on.
My mother taught me that you give where you are fed, and since I am fed at my local church, I do pay my tithes. But it isn’t always necessarily in the offering plate as it is passed. Especially at this time of year, my “tithes” are being spread throughout my community helping those in need.&nbs p;
God richly blesses us, and if we, in turn, give outside of ourselves – whether it be in the local church or throughout the community in HIS name, he will continue blessing. But if we are just going to take, take, take and not be accountable to give back a portion, we are “robbing” God.
As the author of this website, you will not get your point across by attacking your writers. I apologize if my initial email came across to you as an attack. I merely have strong opinions when it comes to “interpreting” scripture. I bel ieve it is very dangerous and confuses minds who do not know any better.
I continue to hold fast to my belief that we shouldn’t question what is given us in black & white. I do believe that through certain times in our lives some scripture will have more meaning to us and perhaps we will see something in the verses that others cannot. But to go through and pick at what we have been given to live by is dangerous. We c< SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">an all “interpret” things differently, but to take it LITERALLY is quite “safe.” I do not think God will hold it against us if, by chance, we had a misconception.
I DO believe in the rapture – and I believe our souls will be caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus. That’s what God’s word says. I DO believe in Satan – the father of LIES. I believe in Heaven and Hell. And I believe in the promise of eternal life through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Again – I apologize if I seemed to attack you; I try not to attack people. Please forgive me. I was merely expressing MY firm convictions and beliefs.
God is ALWAYS with me as HIS child,
Carol