Justin Martyr on giving

As it turns out, I've already read some of a book a friend recently lent me. It's an old book, by William Marrion Branham. Some will run a mile when they hear that name, but I'm not ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater, in particular when he cites Justin Martyr, a second century saint.

So here's an excerpt from page forty seven. The emphasis is mine.

"Let me make one more note about the Saturdarians who claim that we meet on the wrong day of the week when we meet on Sunday, the first day. Here is what Justin said in the second century.

"On Sunday a meeting is held of all who live in cities and villages, and a section is read of the memoirs of the apostles and the writings as long as time permits. When the reading is finished, the president in a discourse gives the admonition and exhortation to imitate those noble things. After this we all arise to offer common prayer. At the close of the prayer, as we have described, bread and wine are placed before us, and thanksgiving made and the congregation answers, "Amen".

Then the elements are distributed to each one and are partaken of and carried by the deacons to the house of the absent.

The wealthy and willing then give contributions according to their free will and this collection is deposited with the president who therewith supplies orphans, widows, prisoners, strangers in want."

Thus we see that those who claim the early church carried on the Judaic tradition of assembling on the last day of the week are grossly ignorant of what history actually sets forth..."

I think the bold text speaks for itself. This is not the first time I've seen historical evidence that giving was as people were able, and distributed to the needy.

Ref: https://www.biblebelievers.org.au/7ch004.htm#IN%20THE%20SPIRIT%20ON%20THE%20LORD'S%20DAY.

"MY CHURCH TEACHES TITHING"

I've just been 'YouTubing'. As you do 😋. Ran into some stuff about HillSong and the stupid, almost demonic video they've made with the women covered in white sheets and another in a red sheet taking power over them to cast their crowns down. It's really so occultic, and almost states that are relinquishing their God given crown for worldly pleasures.

Many Christians would get a shock at this. But it was the comments that got me! Some went onto the subject of HillSong finances and then to tithing. And out came statements such as "God will bless you only when you tithe"; and "My church teaches tithing". This got up my nose a bit, so I'm addressing it....

I can't believe that most Christians parrot what they're taught without actually reading the Bible! We must come to understand that God will hold us accountable for willful ignorance.

To understand these areas, we must read the pentateuch  - the first 5 books of the OT. Look at EVERY instance of TITHE and start to understand there were MANY kinds of tithe. And a tithe wasn't always money! Look at who the tithe went to. It was for the priesthood, for social security, for the poor.

The tithe was part of the OT Law. It's the only thing NOT reinforced in the NT. In the NT, Paul asked for a collection for the saints in Jerusalem so were going through hard times because they were outside the system that had the CEREMONIAL LAW and TITHES.

Paul furthermore talked over the issue of support for his ministry, saying he could ask to be compensated but it was better to not be so he was accountable only to God.

The CORPORATE CHURCH SYSTEM relies on money. If the money stops, it stops! There's buildings to pay for - free early church didn't have them, they met in homes. The first evidence of a 'purpose built church' was a well off believer extending his home to accommodate a bigger 'home church' in about AD120.

Our corporate churches have re-embodied the OT ways. Yezhua Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah) however says the old is gone. God tore the curtain from top to bottom, doing away with the separation between us and God.

God judged the system, tearing down the temple. He now lives in our HEARTS, not in a building made by men. "THE HOUSE OF GOD" some by preachers talk about is wrong. The NT says "who's house are we". Scary? That Good lives in you, not in the church? That God wants to speak to you through the study of His Word, and that you need to check EVERYTHING you hear from a pulpit? That you're responsible for understanding the word, not your church? That you are the one, the one that God has skin on and will use ; not the corporate church entity? That The Body is the sum of the parts - read Ephesians. That the sin of the Nicolatians is the Revelation Letters was the sin of 'hierarchical church', of people taking command over you and lording it over you!

Dear Christian. Study to show off approved. A workman that needed not be ashamed.