Mass Indoctrination Day 11: The Works For Which God Leaves the Fulfillment And the Decision to His Children
Greeting to you all and I thank God for the opportunity to share with you what I learned from the Mass Indoctrination Session with Brother Eli yesterday.
Everything we do is for God's sake. The holy spirit guides us to fulfill God's will in every true church of God. He accomplishes this by not forcing us to do things we don't want to do, but by allowing us to choose to do them. There are some things we should do voluntarily without been ordered. God rewards people who are willing to obey Him for their willingness.
God does not force us to do anything; for example, Numbers 30:2 tells us more about vows, which we might take voluntarily. It's something you choose to do on your own, not something God forced upon you. It's as if you're forcing a duty on yourself.
If you have a fear of God and have made a pledge, the Bible states you must not breach the vow. Paul, the apostle of Christ, shaved his head in Acts 18:18 because he had made a vow. God does not compel us to make vows, but when we do, He expects us to fulfill them, just as the Apostle did.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 talks about how much God is displeased with those who never fulfill a vow. You shall make a vow but you have to pay that which you have vowed. You can't make a vow if you are not ready to fulfill. God doesn't tell us to vow but you can bound yourself with a vow.
One way for which God leaves the decision for his children to do
God can either leave us or let us make our own decisions. 2 Corinthians 9:7 demonstrates one way in which God permits us to make our decision.
Everyone who has a desire to offer is commanded to do it willingly rather than grudgingly. This is one of the doctrines in which God grants us the ability to choose. We are the ones who decide what we would like to give God, and how much to give to give God willingly and not under duress.
The Macedonians gave according to their ability in 2 Corinthians 8:3, implying that they were the ones who opted to give according to what they had. Giving an offering should be done in accordance with your heart's desire. Contributions or giving in church should not be forced, but rather should be voluntary.
In Mark 12:1, it was the widow who approached the box to give an offering, the box wasn't brought to her like we see it done in many churches. Many teaches tithing and commands their member to do and often times give not out of a cheerful heart. The collection taken according 1 Corinthians 16:2 was to be done willingly and not grudgingly.
Paul when he was preaching in Thessalonica in Philipians 4:15-17, it was the brethren that sent to him what he neede but it wasn't that he had expected from them. The Apostle never forced them or expected them to give by force, it was something that was credited to their account.
Acts 4:36 Barnabas sold his land and he wasn't commanded to do but did it willingly and brought the money to the Apostles. We are also told of Ananias and Saphira in Acts. 5:1-5 who also sold their land but didn't not give all the amount and lied again the holy spirit.
Peter made them understand that they were the ones to decide what to give, God did not commanded them. In the church we will not be told what to do all the time, we are to decide what to do. God wants us to give Him thanks in everything we do and all things should be done voluntarily.
Many churches are now debating the subject of tithe. Some people believe we should pay, while others say we should not. I can't go over every detail here. Despite the fact that I pay my tithe, I do not think it should be forced on people. Giving should be done out of one's own freewill, which was the subject of today's teaching session. Thanks to Brother Eli for enlightening me on the subject of freewill giving.
Many denominations compel their members to give by using Scriptures that instill fear and pressure in them, although this rarely results in God's blessings. Having a clear understanding of giving and how it should be done will be extremely beneficial to us.
Thanks be to God for listening on our meeting.
MCGI Cares (Hive) community's main mission is to share the words of God, not the Hive upvotes. If we get upvotes, please treat it as just a bonus. Do not focus mainly on material things as the bible is teaching us not to look at things seen but rather focus our eyes on things not seen.
II CORINTHIANS 4:18
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.