Dr. Stanley's 30 Life Principles

1. Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives.
More about Our Intimacy with God

2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
More about A Life of Obedience

5. God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable.
More about The Unreasonable Will of God

7. The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.
More about The Dark Moments in our Life

9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
More about The Thrill of Trusting God

10. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
More about God Will Show You His Will

11. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
More about His Promise to Provide

16. Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes.
More about When Plans Turn to Ashes

18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
More about Victim or Victor?

19. Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
More about Holding Too Tightly

22. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
More about Walking In The Holy Spirit

24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
More about The Key to the Christian Life

26. Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
More about Burden or Bridge

28. No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith.
More about Together In the Christian Life

Thanks for your reply, Giovanna. So, what does the church do with the tithes? And where in Scripture can I find the command to tithe to the Church the Body of Christ? Where, in the dispensation of grace, that is. I know about the kingdom commands and duties, both before the Cross and after the rapture, during the tribulation and during the Millenial reign of Christ. But I'm specifically asking about this age of the Church the Body of Christ.

I know Paul was taking a collection for the poor saints dwelling at Jerusalem. But that isn't a tithe. That is a collection, for a specific purpose. It wasn't an ongoing 10% of a person's earnings. It seems to me that if there had been a continuing command of tithing during this age, there would have BEEN no "poor saints dwelling at Jerusalem". They would have had their tithes and offerings to depend on.

Looks like some others are managing this discussion just fine without me. Nevertheless, I shall jump back in.

"Can you post anything either Dr. Stanley or I posted that wasn't supported by Scripture? Opinions are meaningless. That's why Dr. Stanley never gives a sermon without supporting Scripture and it's why I always provide Scripture to support what I post."

My FRiend, I thought I did just that. However, that is my opinion and evidently you don't accept opinions. But, wait, isn't that just your opinion? If not, please give me evidence from Scripture that we should accept Stanley's opinions about what Scripture is saying. We might end up going around and around here.

Like smvoice, I too cannot find any passage where the "tithe" continues while we await the final curtain. Especially, when non-jewish folks are involved. As smvoice noted, to take the giving for the starving Jerusalemites as "evidence" that the tithe is continuing (while all other Mosaic Law demands have stopped) is a stretch. I would add that it is disingenuous.

You may believe that Stanley is painting this giving matter as all about giving to anyone in need, but this is simply not the case. Stanley is one of the main recipients of this "tithing" teaching. This very moment I am looking at a stack of computerized "giving" receipts his "ministry" cranks out for little old ladies who hardly have a dime. Stanley receives $ 300,000 per year from "IN TOUCH" PLUS his salary (undisclosed) from FBC of Atlanta. Now, if he is the "needy" believers referred to, somebody pinch me. I want to be that needy!

And, now that you have clarified the Heb. 5 connection, I must point out that you have violated your own requirement here. You have expressed an opinion that you can get from Jesus is a priest according to the order of Melchizadek to "therefore tithing continues". This is not said by the writer, and my FRiend, you do not back this up. The passage is simply referring to the fact that M came out of nowhere and was never removed, unlike the Chief Priests of Israel, ruling for one year. They, as Paul wrote, had to make sacrifices for themselves before they could help others. Not so with Jesus. He stands forever, clean enough to be the once, for all sacrifice. A perfect High Priest.

The passage is entirely about not needing additional priests, because we have Jesus. Please read the text. Don't allow Stanley to spin this into a "tithing" message. We won't let you do it here. You specifically said, "NO OPINIONS". And, the text does not support any spurious claims of tithing.

"You accused Dr. Stanley of being cruel..."

No, let me be perfectly clear. Stanley IS CRUEL. I am not accusing him of being cruel. He said that, if a believer has physical need in their lives, that need intimates that they ought to examine what is going on. That is an undisguised accusation that sin is the cause of their need. Such a view is a blasphemous, cruel, monstrous, hateful, utterly self-aggrandizing, self-righteous, tip-off that the person speaking has very little understanding of the Scriptures. Stanley is a rich man who is saying in no uncertain terms that those believers over the centuries starved to death, dying penniless, murdered for their faith, were less than him. Read his words GVNIC, this is demonic. Stanley is in the same cultic mindset as Joyce Meyers, Osteen, Warren, et al. He is peddling a health/wealth "gospel".

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things ABOVE, NOT on things on THE EARTH." Col. 3:1,2.

Our commission during this age of grace is to be ambassadors for Christ. 2 Cor. 5:14-21. We are called to preach the gospel of the grace of God. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." 2 Tim. 4:2.

How much does it cost to preach the gospel of grace? How does tithing further the gospel of the grace of God? By reaching more people? It is up to each of us as believers to be ambassadors. One tells another, who believes, and tells another, etc. Which does not require a building or a budget to maintain, in order to spread the good news of the finished work of Christ.

We are also told by God to study His word. "Study to shew thyselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15. All of which can be done in a person's house, in a Denny's restaurant, or anywhere believers gather to study. Again, what would be the reason for tithing during this age of grace?

We are told that in whatever circumstances we are in, to be content, for we brought nothing into this world, and we are taking nothing out. Why is this not taught?

"My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Cor. 12:9. If I never receive anything else, Christ died for my sins. And His finished work saved me. Who am I to want more? Who am I to ask God for more? He gave His Son to die for me, so that I might live with Him for eternity. And He has blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

God does not want or need our 10%. He wants His reconciliation to man to be preached by all believers. He wants the news of the precious gift He freely gave to us to be spread.

Why would that be sufficient for Him?

"That in the AGES TO COME he might shew the exceeding riches of HIS GRACE in his KINDNESS toward us through Christ Jesus." Eph. 2:7. All we can do is believe and wonder at the exceeding love He has for us. To ask Him to give more to us if we tithe is, to me, making His gift of lesser value. "Thanks for your gift, but IF I do this for you, will you do this for me?" I cannot come to terms with this during this age of grace. IMHO.

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