May 29, 2005

WILL A MAN ROB GOD?

1 Corinthians 16:1-5

 

   This question was asked of Israel in Malachi 3:8. The Jews ignored God's commands regarding the tithe, as their fathers also did. God answered, “You have robbed Me!” They pled, “Wherein have we robbed Thee?” “In tithes and offerings,” He replied. Yet In much longsuffering God pled, “Return unto Me and I will return unto you.”

   Although under different dispensational guidelines, could a grace believer rob God today? How? The context suggests that one might fail in just the same matter as they. Who knows better than God how much He has prospered us? We are to give cheerfully out of His prosperity, according to Paul's epistles. Let's review our guidelines?

   We are to give liberally , for Paul called their gift a “liberality” (1 Cor. 16:3). It is individual for “every one of us is to lay by in store.” We should be deliberate and prompt to reflect upon God's goodness, and then both measure and set aside the proper amount. Another put it well, “Christian giving is to be the result of a settled principle , not an occasional impulse.”

   If Paul were able to visit Corinth and spend the winter among them, he asked that they would “ bring me on my journey wherever I go” (16:6). Paul was asking financial help to continue his journey to others. At that time in Ephesus he was enjoying an “open door” for ministry, yet there were adversaries. Yet the results were “effect-ual,” for “many who believed came, and confessed and showed their deeds. Many of them also which had used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men, and they counted the price...and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver ” (Acts 19:17-20). Giving to the Lord here involved destroying the works of Satan!

   Timothy was already on his way to visit Corinth , and if he arrived, they should respect and help him, and “ conduct him forth in peace,” (provide financially) for his travel back to Paul (1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10).

   Stephanus, Fortunatus and Achaicus apparently had brought the letter from Corinth to Paul and had also contributed to Paul's needs when the Corinthians had not, for “they supplied that which was lacking on your part”. We are to “acknowledge” and respect such!