My Favorite Verses - Vol V (Feb 17 to Jun 17)

Luke 11:41 … Alms from Within
(03/05/2017)
“Give for alms those things that are within;
and everything will be clean for you.”
~ Jesus (Luke 11:41)
First and foremost it is important to realize that Paul (much as he did for most of
the other major theological concepts in the New Testament) had a very different
approach than Jesus to tithing … While Jesus encouraged all (especially his
disciples, the ones who were to do the preaching of his message) to serve selflessly
without payment (“You received without payment; give without payment” ~ Matthew
10:5-8), Paul made frequent justifications for doing just the opposite – saying “to
one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due” (Romans
4:4) and “if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”(2
Thessalonians 3:10) … In addition, Paul went even a step further when he noted
that preachers specifically were due payment for their preaching (see 1 Timothy
5:17, Galatians 6:6, and 1 Corinthians 9:14 – the latter being a verse which contradicts
The Way of Christ quite directly in stating that “the Lord commanded that those who
proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel”).
Of course, a bit more important is what Luke 11:41 means for the rest of us
who are not preachers; how we are supposed to tithe in accordance with this
teaching? Note that the answer to this apparent conundrum is not so difficult to
decipher, seeing as how it is LOVE that is for Jesus ever “within” – not only
LOVE, but both the heavenly
Father and His Kingdom as
well (see John 14:20 & Luke
17:20-21). As such, tithing
to others Jesus-style is really
quite straightforward;
requiring us to simply Joyfully
sacrifice for others --
especially those least
deserving of the same
(Matthew 5:40-44) &/or those
who are being scorned or
downtrodden (Matthew 25:35-
40). This is how we give of
God or Heaven, for Heaven
is made of God -- and God is
made of Love (Matthew 5:48).
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