The Final Chapter of Colossians
I'm so sorry. Many of you are reading Colossians with me via my postings and have emailed me saying that you appreciate these additions to the blogs. You certainly shouldn't feel required to read these additioons, but for some of you it is a good way to stay in the Word.
(If you're not reading along in Colossians but want an important reminder for Frontline, please scroll to the bottom of this blog!)
So, here is the final installment for Colossians:
Chapter 4
1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. 7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here. 10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) 11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. 13 I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea. 17 Tell Archippus: See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord. 18 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
REMINDER:
This is a quick reminder to all of you who attend Frontline: Our biggest initiate to date as a Frontline community will be announced this Sunday at our 5:30 and 7:30PM services. I'm asking that all regular Frontline attendees be there for this announcement. I truly believe that God is moving our ministry in an exciting and challenging direction in the coming months and I want all of you to be there for message this Sunday night! If you are unable to attend or if you subscribe to my blog from somewhere else around the world (as many of you do who are in the military but consider Frontline your church home) and would like to hear the message, just go to www.frontline.to next week and we'll post it just as we do each of the weekly messages. It will be titled "Making and Impact."
I'm asking all of you to pray for this message to be exactly what God wants to express to our church family and that we would all catch this incredible vision! See you there!
Carpe Deum! (Seize God!)
Todd Phillips
www.toddphillips.net
Friday, July 21, 2006
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The Truth About Tithing Part 3
Our subject is tithing. This will be the third and final post on this subject and I feel confident I can answer the questions I closed with on my last post: How much do I give? Where do I give? Are there any guidelines in the Bible for a specific amount now that we’re under the New Covenant? Are there any guidelines in the Bible for where to give my money? What’s wrong with me NOT giving?
We’ll start with how much and where do I give. Under the new covenant in Jesus we are no longer told how much to give or commanded to give it to a specific place. However, if we look at where money was given throughout the New Testament we find three places: the local congregation, missionaries (like Paul), and the poor. I’ve already explained in the past two blogs on this subject that we are now to give “what we’ve decided in our hearts to give.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) We are to do this rather than give 10% “under compulsion” as we were directed to do in the Old Testament. So, the amount we give should be decided in prayer with God. The place we give should now be decided in the same fashion! Our prayer life becomes paramount to our ability to rightly give to and for the purposes of God.
When deciding where to give however, our local congregation should be seen as a primary recipient of our giving for several reasons. The most important reason we should give to our local congregation is that God has called each one of us to a specific local community of believers to fulfill His vision through that community. Much of our time, talents, and moneys should be poured out for that vision. We are also called to give money to missionaries and to the needy. We should look carefully at how our local congregation is giving to missionaries and to the poor before giving to other Christian organizations simply because our local community may very well be giving and serving missionaries and the poor.
Finally, we may feel that God is directing us to give to a needy family member or a specific missionary that is not supported by our local community of faith. These acts of giving, if done as a result of prayerful appeal to God and direction from God, are acts of giving that are done in Christ’s name and adhere fully to the New Testament concept of giving.
So, for example, a Christ follower may pray diligently to God for direction about how much and where to give. The person may then feel led to give $500 in a given month to his or her local congregation, sponsor three children through World Vision ($105/mo), pay his or her cousins electricity bill ($120/mo) and support a friend who is going into full time international mission work ($400/mo). All of this money comes out of a $70,000 annual salary. The amount of money this person is giving monthly is just over 19% of the annual salary. Only 8.5% of the moneys given are given directly to the local congregation. The point is that the amounts or the percentages are irrelevant! This person has sought God in the process and has “given what he (or she) has decided in his (or her) heart to give.”
As for the question, “Is it okay NOT to give.” Paul would say that “it is not beneficial” for any believer to not give. Giving is at the very essence of the spiritual DNA of every believer whether giving time, prayer, talents, or possessions. We are blessed, matured, and shaped to be more like Christ in every act of giving. So, it IS okay NOT to give in the same way that it is okay for any Christian NOT to live an abundant life.
Carpe Deum! (Seize God!)
Todd Phillips
www.toddphillips.net
For those of you are reading Colossians with me:
Colossians 3:12-25
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
We’ll start with how much and where do I give. Under the new covenant in Jesus we are no longer told how much to give or commanded to give it to a specific place. However, if we look at where money was given throughout the New Testament we find three places: the local congregation, missionaries (like Paul), and the poor. I’ve already explained in the past two blogs on this subject that we are now to give “what we’ve decided in our hearts to give.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) We are to do this rather than give 10% “under compulsion” as we were directed to do in the Old Testament. So, the amount we give should be decided in prayer with God. The place we give should now be decided in the same fashion! Our prayer life becomes paramount to our ability to rightly give to and for the purposes of God.
When deciding where to give however, our local congregation should be seen as a primary recipient of our giving for several reasons. The most important reason we should give to our local congregation is that God has called each one of us to a specific local community of believers to fulfill His vision through that community. Much of our time, talents, and moneys should be poured out for that vision. We are also called to give money to missionaries and to the needy. We should look carefully at how our local congregation is giving to missionaries and to the poor before giving to other Christian organizations simply because our local community may very well be giving and serving missionaries and the poor.
Finally, we may feel that God is directing us to give to a needy family member or a specific missionary that is not supported by our local community of faith. These acts of giving, if done as a result of prayerful appeal to God and direction from God, are acts of giving that are done in Christ’s name and adhere fully to the New Testament concept of giving.
So, for example, a Christ follower may pray diligently to God for direction about how much and where to give. The person may then feel led to give $500 in a given month to his or her local congregation, sponsor three children through World Vision ($105/mo), pay his or her cousins electricity bill ($120/mo) and support a friend who is going into full time international mission work ($400/mo). All of this money comes out of a $70,000 annual salary. The amount of money this person is giving monthly is just over 19% of the annual salary. Only 8.5% of the moneys given are given directly to the local congregation. The point is that the amounts or the percentages are irrelevant! This person has sought God in the process and has “given what he (or she) has decided in his (or her) heart to give.”
As for the question, “Is it okay NOT to give.” Paul would say that “it is not beneficial” for any believer to not give. Giving is at the very essence of the spiritual DNA of every believer whether giving time, prayer, talents, or possessions. We are blessed, matured, and shaped to be more like Christ in every act of giving. So, it IS okay NOT to give in the same way that it is okay for any Christian NOT to live an abundant life.
Carpe Deum! (Seize God!)
Todd Phillips
www.toddphillips.net
For those of you are reading Colossians with me:
Colossians 3:12-25
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
The Truth About Tithing Part 2
In my last post we started a discussion about tithing – what is it and how does it relate to believers today? We saw that in the Old Testament in both the Mosaic and Levitical Law we were to give at least 10% of our “first fruits” to the Levitical priests, the Temple, and every third year we were to give tenth of our possessions to the needy in the community.
From the passages I referenced (and others), many preachers will make the claim that God therefore demands that each and every believer give a minimum of 10% of their (often pre-tax) income specifically to their local church which they say is today’s “Temple.” I won’t go into the plethora of Scripture that refutes this idea. We today are under a new covenant. We are not under law but under grace. The church building in NOT the New Testament Temple! We, believers, are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We, believers, have taken the place of the physical structure. We no longer have priests to mediate between us and God. Jesus is now our great High Priest, mediating on our behalf and we have direct access to him. You simply cannot find the directive to give 10% (or any amount for that matter) to the local church in the New Testament.
I’ve tried to understand how evangelical preachers can say we are free in Christ in everything BUT the tithe. Bottom line – we live under a new covenant in Christ. The entirety of the Old Testament Law was fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is now and forever the Lord of our lives, the Lord of the Sabbath, the Lord of the tithe – the Lord of all! This means that we are truly free in Christ in every way.
Paul makes this very clear in 1 Corinthians 6:12 when he says, “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me – but I will not be mastered by anything.” This kind of radical freedom from the Law makes many people uncomfortable but it doesn’t make it less true. We are free – free to NOT attend church, NOT study our Bible, and – yes – not tithe! But, listen closely…Paul says he’s free…BUT…he realizes that some things are not beneficial. Paul understands that freedom from the requirements of the law leave him to voluntarily submit to the authority of God in each area of his life.
If you are thinking right about now, “I’m not under compulsion to give any more! I free not to give.” You’re missing Paul’s entire point. You may indeed be free NOT to give, but you are also free TO give now. What is beneficial to each of us as believers is to give. Giving is what we do. Givers are who we are.
Paul gives us what I call the New Testament “law” for believers in relation to money. He writes the following passage to the church at Corinth: “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7) Here, with the word “should,” Paul shows us that we are now free to give “what we have decided in our hearts to give.” Compulsion is no longer the motivator, but our hearts now guide us!
Some of the questions that might be running around in your head right now:
How much do I give?
Where do I give?
Are there any guidelines in the Bible for a specific amount now that we’re under the New Covenant?
Are there any guidelines in the Bible for where to give my money?
What’s wrong with me NOT giving?
I’ll answer these and other questions as we move through this series together!
Until then…
Carpe Deum! (Seize God!)
Todd Phillips
www.toddphillips.net
For those of you who are still reading Colossians with me, here’s the next passage:
Colossians 3:1-11
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
From the passages I referenced (and others), many preachers will make the claim that God therefore demands that each and every believer give a minimum of 10% of their (often pre-tax) income specifically to their local church which they say is today’s “Temple.” I won’t go into the plethora of Scripture that refutes this idea. We today are under a new covenant. We are not under law but under grace. The church building in NOT the New Testament Temple! We, believers, are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We, believers, have taken the place of the physical structure. We no longer have priests to mediate between us and God. Jesus is now our great High Priest, mediating on our behalf and we have direct access to him. You simply cannot find the directive to give 10% (or any amount for that matter) to the local church in the New Testament.
I’ve tried to understand how evangelical preachers can say we are free in Christ in everything BUT the tithe. Bottom line – we live under a new covenant in Christ. The entirety of the Old Testament Law was fulfilled in Christ. Jesus is now and forever the Lord of our lives, the Lord of the Sabbath, the Lord of the tithe – the Lord of all! This means that we are truly free in Christ in every way.
Paul makes this very clear in 1 Corinthians 6:12 when he says, “Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me – but I will not be mastered by anything.” This kind of radical freedom from the Law makes many people uncomfortable but it doesn’t make it less true. We are free – free to NOT attend church, NOT study our Bible, and – yes – not tithe! But, listen closely…Paul says he’s free…BUT…he realizes that some things are not beneficial. Paul understands that freedom from the requirements of the law leave him to voluntarily submit to the authority of God in each area of his life.
If you are thinking right about now, “I’m not under compulsion to give any more! I free not to give.” You’re missing Paul’s entire point. You may indeed be free NOT to give, but you are also free TO give now. What is beneficial to each of us as believers is to give. Giving is what we do. Givers are who we are.
Paul gives us what I call the New Testament “law” for believers in relation to money. He writes the following passage to the church at Corinth: “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7) Here, with the word “should,” Paul shows us that we are now free to give “what we have decided in our hearts to give.” Compulsion is no longer the motivator, but our hearts now guide us!
Some of the questions that might be running around in your head right now:
How much do I give?
Where do I give?
Are there any guidelines in the Bible for a specific amount now that we’re under the New Covenant?
Are there any guidelines in the Bible for where to give my money?
What’s wrong with me NOT giving?
I’ll answer these and other questions as we move through this series together!
Until then…
Carpe Deum! (Seize God!)
Todd Phillips
www.toddphillips.net
For those of you who are still reading Colossians with me, here’s the next passage:
Colossians 3:1-11
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
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