Newkirk Church of Christ

Scott’s Thoughts

December 7, 2025

 

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us  peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, ESV)

The prophet Isaiah spoke these words publicly some seven hundred years before the birth of the one he was speaking about. He spoke these words of hope and most likely did not know that he was speaking about a man that could and would change the entire world. If Isaiah was speaking without knowing the person that he was speaking about, how were the people of his day able to take hope and peace into their lives just because Isaiah said so? We might say that would be a big ask. Yet, in speaking of future events Isaiah gave comfort because they were words God had given him to say by the Holy Spirit. Isaiah knew not whom he was speaking about but he did know the source of those words. Isaiah spoke words of encouragement but they also came at a cost. That is where the rub comes in. He was speaking to a people who had become less than obedient. A people who wanted all the blessings that God is capable of giving, but they wanted the blessings without having to follow God’s directions for living. They were a people who claimed to be God’s people but they paid little to no attention to the instructions God had given them in the past. Isaiah spoke a great deal about the love that God has for mankind and what He (God) had done to provide hope for all who would believe and obey. Isaiah asked the people of his day to comply with the will of God, most of the people wanted the healing that the promise could bring but convinced themselves that compliance on their terms would be better than compliance on God’s terms.

Is it any different today? Many people believe but their belief has never moved them into action. Their attitude seems to be “If it is free then just give it to me.” Is there a cost or is it free? The cost for salvation is the life blood of Jesus Christ! No matter how hard we work, we can never earn salvation. We can become obedient to God and receive salvation as a free gift. Obedience is never payment. It is simply compliance.

The prophet Isaiah told the people of his day what God wanted from them. Today we still have the words God gave Isaiah to speak to the people of his day and those words still ring true today. God has provided a way to salvation for all mankind today and it is just as real as it was oh so many centuries ago. The way is Jesus and the key is obedience. It is possible to find how to become obedient from the pages of the Bible still today. All it takes is an open honest mind and some time to study the pages of the Bible.

“Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:7–8, ESV)

Thanks for listening and keep on shining

—Scott

2020 Mission Trip to Kramatorsk, Ukraine

Day 1 & 2 | 10/12/20 | 10/13/20 | 10/14/20 10/16/20 | 10/17/20 | 10/18/20 | 10/18/20 10/19/20 | 10/20/20| 10/21/20 | 10/23/20  | 10/25/20 | Summary Report

 

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Should Christians
Practice the Tithe?

 

The Old Testament laws concerning giving were very strict and precise. One of the best known of the laws concerning the offerings of the Israelites is that of the tithe. The transliterated Hebrew word for tithe is “ma`aser”, meaning a tenth part or one tenth. (Leviticus 27:30-32) At least three different tithe offerings are described by the Hebrew Law, one was given to support the Levitical priest who possessed no land on which to support themselves. (Numbers 18:20-28) The second included a tenth of all crops and first born of all livestock. (Deut. 14:22-23) The third tithe came every three years and was gathered to support the poor. So, a devote Jew, at times would have given one-third of their income as a tithe offering to the Lord. How many of us willingly put 30% of our income in the collection plate on Sunday?

Many folks continue to practice a partial tithe today, giving ten percent of their income to the collection. But are New Testament Christians required by God’s word to give a tithe offering each week? The tithe is only mentioned a few times in the New Testament, including Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees found in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42. As one reads and studies through the New Testament, they will not find instructions as to a specific amount or percentage one must give. What they will find are instructions on giving not from the law but from the heart.

Two passages stand out when considering our giving to the collection each week. The first is found in 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, in which a collection is to be made on the first day of every week (Sunday) and the amount given is to be determined by each individual giver. This establishes a periodic and consistent offering be made when Christians gather each and every Sunday. (Acts 20:7; Heb 10:24-25) Not only are we to give consistently but proportionately as we have been blessed. This would lead us to believe that the amount of our offering would not be static but vary according to increases (or decreases) in our income. How many of us increase our giving when receiving a bonus from work or a yearly tax refund? The second passage is 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 which teaches us that our blessings are directly affected by the amount of our giving. Simply put, give a lot, be blessed a lot. No, a Christian is not required to practice the tithe, but these principles teach us that our giving should exceed ten percent and beyond.

—Jay Launius -2025