Christians Follow The Law Of Freedom
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,” (James 2:12 NIV)
Christians, unlike Orthodox Jews and modern Muslims, do not generally have a list of rules of outward conduct to follow. Instead, we take extra care to do righteousness in our hearts. This means that we are free from artificial standards, but we must still consider ourselves slaves to God. Our freedom from external law means that we must be much harsher in judging our own motives, but more lenient in judging the motives of others.
For example, under Old Testament Law, Jews were told that they had to give ten percent of their wealth to the Lord. Christians, however, are not told exactly how much to give. Therefore we must be extra careful to give as much as we possibly can, not using the 10% mark as an excuse to stop giving! But neither can we judge another Christian who gives less than 10%, because we do not know their personal situation completely, nor can we see inside their heart.
Since we are under the law of freedom, we cannot use any rules to set maximums on the good we do, or impose minimums on others.
Posted on July 2, 2012, in blogging, Christianity, Faith, God, musings, religion, spirituality, thoughts. Bookmark the permalink. 10 Comments.
Reblogged this on Cleansed by God.
A question,
where in NT said that alms of 10% of wealth is waived?
The New Testament does not say that this is specifically waived, although it is implied in Acts 15:29. Many Christians still follow it by choice. However, the New Testament is very clear that rules like eating Kosher food and being circumcised are waived (Acts 10:9-16, 15:24). I think the same principles apply here.
You must not think that this law of liberty is excuse to do evil. Some will inevitably use it for that, and God will judge them for it. But it is supposed to be used to do MORE good, not LESS good.
Look at it this way: If you pay your full zakat every year, you probably feel that God is pleased with you.
But as a Christian, under the law of liberty, I can not be sure that God is pleased with me if I were to give 10%, or if I gave 20%. I always have to be in prayer and be open to the possibility that I am not giving enough. There is no list of rules to tell me that I am “good enough” because I always need to serve God better.
I don’t ask about my religion. We already have the system to understand it clearly and properly, it was not an issue of feeling good or bad. God’s command, we do it. As simple as that.
Why I ask you, because Jesus also once said ” I did not come to abolish the law of Moses ” in Matt 5:17. So I just want to know how Christian justify the verse I quote or neutralize it in the scope of tithe.
For me, if you or others Christian want or do not want to pay, it was not my problem at all. It just a question. Actually, I can not understand the relation of waiving tithe with NT verse that you quoted. Or it just an assumption?
All people are obligated to follow God’s never changing law of right and wrong, whether they are Old Testament Jews or New Testament Christians.
Jesus indicated in Matthew 22:34-40 that the perfect law is summed up in just two verses:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
And “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18).
Many of the rules in the Old Testament were given to us to teach us how to keep these two verses. The rules are meant to teach us lessons just like the rules that we give to young children.Once we grow up we do not have to always keep every rule that we learned as a kid, but instead we have to live by the principles.
Christians are not necessarily required to live by all the rules, but we are required to live by the principles that these rule teach.
For instance, the rule of tithing is given to teach the law of generosity.
What do you think is more important to God, that we tithe or that we are generous? You can tithe without being generous. You can pay full Zakat without being generous. A true believer in God must focus on the true law of God in their heart.
In order to understand this better, read the words of King David very carefully:
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.”
(Psalm 51:16-19)
“You can pay full Zakat without being generous.”
We know, and we acknowledge. Did you just know it, today?
The purpose of Zakat is charity training mechanism, to enhance the Muslim economy, and to fulfill God’s order. Don’t say that, you do not know it?
Even I still don’t understand how the new quoted verse applied to law of waived tithe. Let keep that as mystery.
Hi, I would like to add we are all saved by grace because of the adventure God gave Jesus concerning destiny and change. But we have to get the understanding of Matthew chapter 5 17-20 where Jesus say’s he came to fulfill the law not to abolish it or the prophets. My study, from Matthew chapter 5 17-20 lead me to understand Jesus fulfilled the laws through the transformation of his mortal body. This say’s to me a change must take place and that change is given through obedience to the laws of spirit which there in begin to transform us as we receive the word in spirit and truth. Matthew 5 18 says the letters of the law will not disappear all the law shall be accomplished. This is not just for Jesus but for everyone, it further says anyone who breaks the Commandments and teaches others to do so or does not teach them will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But it further says, whoever teaches and practices the Commands will called great in the Kingdom! Matthew5 20 says, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the religious leaders, and the teachers of the law you will not enter the Kingdom.
These scriptures lead me to research as far back as Duet. Chapter 5 1-32 into the Commandments which help all understand the discipline concerning the ego or appetite of the flesh. Moving on from there through Duet. Chapter 6 1-25 gives the understanding of how righteousness is attained and our accountability concerning training our families and planting seeds throughout the day as we meet others. But then I saw the picture on right-u-ness here it says Duet. Chapter 6, if we are careful to obey the law, this will be our righteousness.
The law of Moses must be observed for the right in man to come alive, the reason Jesus said I Came to fulfill the law not to abolish it or the Prophets is because, Moses=Law brings order, Elijah the prophet, spoken word prophecies the motion of change, and Jesus the fulfillment of the word and law in action unites and becomes one availing the purpose of fulfillment.
Also to answer the scope on tithe is easy when you recognized what Go is saying about the storehouse in Malachi… why would anyone go to church or before the =man of God without tithe when they know spiritual direction is coming through them? I tell my students you give to Universities and pay your taxes put you put the man or woman of God who teaches far more valuable information on the back burner? Well let’s see why you have challenges with your children disrespecting you? Have you and your children realized there are 10 commandments which coincides with 10 percent which says I will rebuke the devour? The devour is that part of man who makes wrong choices out of the lack of knowledge and discipline, which the law gives when under the guidance of a Pastor. The tithe of course if to compensate the Pastor as the Levitical laws were passed down.
I love Bible Study and research…. and your provoking individual to think
Pastor Kim Warner
If you like we can come together I host and bible study
every friday 6:00pm Pst 712-432-0900 passcode 352274
@ hifzan.
You might be right about tithing. It is probably wrong for a Christian to give less than 10% in most circumstances. However, I still don’t feel like I have the right to judge another Christian if they give less than 10%. That’s between them and God.
@ hifzan. I hope I didn’t make you mad with my other post about Mohammed. I am simply trying to talk about the truth as I understand it. I write articles that say that Mohammed was not a prophet, and you write articles saying that Jesus is not God. I know that you disagree with me and I respect that
Neither of us should pretend to agree with the other when we are clearly at disgreement.
I can understand that we not going to agree with many theology statement.
The statement is lame, and data you provided is too unreliable and not logic. That is the truth.