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149» 2Cor 9:7 . . Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to
give, not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver.
Towards what end is the giving spoken of in the New Testament? To finance
ambitious building programs? Well; Christians back then met in homes. Did
their contributions go towards obtaining more homes to meet in? No.
Within the context of the New Testament, giving in the early church was
charitable. It met needs rather than expenses; and those needs were
typically congregational rather than universal; viz: their charity went
towards those amongst themselves and/or other congregations that were
hungry, sick, injured, homeless, alone, helpless, missionaries, full-time
church officers, orphans, widows, abandoned, and/or oppressed, etc.
** it's my guess that right about now the Christians in Ukraine could use
help from America's churches.
_
149» 2Cor 9:7 . . Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to
give, not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver.
Towards what end is the giving spoken of in the New Testament? To finance
ambitious building programs? Well; Christians back then met in homes. Did
their contributions go towards obtaining more homes to meet in? No.
Within the context of the New Testament, giving in the early church was
charitable. It met needs rather than expenses; and those needs were
typically congregational rather than universal; viz: their charity went
towards those amongst themselves and/or other congregations that were
hungry, sick, injured, homeless, alone, helpless, missionaries, full-time
church officers, orphans, widows, abandoned, and/or oppressed, etc.
** it's my guess that right about now the Christians in Ukraine could use
help from America's churches.
_