₦airaland Forum

He was right there at calvary, he knew the exact time when Jesus died, he saw his fellow thief receive the promise of paradise, he saw the darkness and the crying. Maybe you've seen God's power, maybe you have God's men 'at your fingertips'. Have you gotten God's salvation? You'll presume that someone who was hanged and about to die should be sober, but he railed on Jesus. There are some today like this malefactor. They hate Jesus and anything about Him. For no just cause, they rail on Him and damn the consequences. Today, we can change. We can call Him Lord.
Do we truly know any other Christ? There is no risk in believing Jesus to be the Christ, even today.

July 23 Luke 23v39

39. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

These days, we come across different types of people. Different believers, different unbelievers, different saints, different sinners. There were two thieves crucified with Jesus, one on the right hand side and the other on the left hand side of Jesus. Two thieves, same conditions, same opportunities, different decisions, different destinies.
Here was Jesus Christ on the cross busy saving the world, and someone next to Him is asking rheotorically "If you're Christ, save yourself and us". So close to salvation so fresh and full, and he missed it. Are you missing it today? It seems almost so easy, 'unbelievable', you're so close to the gospel, you're privileged with resources and material, people and powers. It's like, you've seen it all!

And who made you a judge? Don't worry, i know the road to prometric test centres in my area.

In the body, we don't all sense the same way. You may naturally have a better smell/taste than the other. Doesn't mean the other don't have nose/tongue.
Similarly, in the soul, you may naturally have a sharp mind or be more emotional than the other who seems not so sharp, or stoic. You'll agree that the two possess ability to think, love, hate, pity etc but one is more pronounced.
Similarly, in the spirit, one may have a more naturally sensitive conscience than the other, or a more spiritual tendency. All these features can be 'tweaked' or developed. That any of these is more naturally observed in one isn't an indication that it is absent in the other, it just shows that it's not developed.
Majorly, none of these features is equal to salvation. No no no. That you naturally have spiritual tendency, or sensitive conscience, or you're full of ideals, introspective, analytic, or a mind/desire for freedom, knowledge, pleasure, patience, or a body that is naturally at home with fasting, or prayer, or church work IS NOT salvation. Only Jesus the Messiah can save. Not our works or natural enduements. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. Marvel not that I say to you. You MUST be born again. John 3v6,7. To be born again is easy and it's God's desire for every human being. Only believe.

Such religious activities thrive only in societies where poverty abound.

Sorwe i'm not following well, what religious activities?
BTW, anybody can weep or laugh, it has little to do with poverty, talk about living inside the box. Your colleagues just talked of people displaying emotions in concerts. Some of these take place in wealthy, developed nations. People cry on national TV, people feel wowed when called up to take an award, give a speech etc. These are all proofs of human makeup. Many believe we have just bodies/flesh, and that's all they live for. But God's Word(the human manual) teaches that we all have spirit, soul and body. Not just body, not just body and mind, or body and soul.1Thessalonians 5v23 et al.
You'll agree that the body can be built naturally and deliberately. i.e one can have a natural heavy build, one can develop a natural heavy build by exercise and co.
Same way, one can develop the mind through deliberate reading/research. Also the spirit can be developed.
Obviously the soul and the spirit aren't as tangible as the body. Well neither is heat or air, but we feel them. In same way, the conscience points to the spirit. The mind points to the soul.

wirinet:
I love the saying "ignorance is bliss" and i also say "ignorance is paradise". Sometimes i wish i could bring myself to such levels of emotional bliss, it is just that when you understand things too much you lose the luxury of emotional intoxication, which is what i think makes us human. So i really envy you people who can get away from every day existence and enter into another world.

Having said that, such feelings is not unique to Christians, most eastern religions are able to enter such a mental and emotional state by meditation and yoga. A lot of African Religions has techniques for attaining such emotional states. Even non religious activities, like being in the presence of imagining being in the presence of our cult hero, be it Maradona, Michael Jackson or Mandela can trigger such a state of ecstatic joy.

Anyone can bring himself to a level of emotional bliss. You don't have to be a believer to do that. It's simply proof that each person is not just body. We're spirit, soul and body. The import of this is the value of eternity. When the body dies, the soul still lives and where it spends eternity is paramount, because that's just the beginning of true bliss or gloom. Ask yourself, where will i spend eternity?

Lying is dishonesty and it's against the will of God. It's unfortunate to see any christian support lying. This should only be acceptable to some unbelievers, what sort of perverse generation is this. All that live godly will suffer persecution. If any man will not take up the cross, he is not worthy to be a disciple of Christ.

^But it sure holds fire. Jesus is Lord.

paris10:
Now I know that people are just as ignorant as themselves! Matt 23:23, ' "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former''., Stop quoting out of context!

How come the Mathew you quoted is totally different from the one I just quoted? Let me lecture you on what Jesus actually mean by the highlighted words above, A figure of speech is a use of word that diverges from its normal meaning, such as simile, metaphor or personification. Jesus's statement in Matt 23:23 was an Irony! It was totally a sarcastic gesture from Jesus towards the scribes and Pharisees.

A typical Nigeria example would be, '' You give that policeman egunje, why you no kuku give that custom man too make we 4 know say you complete the bribery thing. You should have done what you did for the police man without neglecting the former!, This is called sarcasm!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

God says Abraham was blessed in all things. He was a true giver, talk of a bountiful eye. He was ready to give to God, to the king abimelech, to the priest melchizedek, to Lot, to angels, to his family, to his community, and to the world. Little wonder he was the Friend of God.
When are you going to give? Give of your best to God, quite important. We've seen religionists who do give to the poor and to others, even unrighteous men who are magnanimous, but then they neglect to give the best to God. To give their life, their strength, motive, desire, will, emotion, money, intellect and skill to God.
True giving is that, He that gives to the poor gives to God. Be complete in your giving. And God promises, a bountiful EYE shall be blessed. So, expect the whopping super-abundance. I dare say, bumper is coming your way. Give it out of a pure heart.

July 22 Proverbs 22v9

9. He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

An average human is full of self, selfish. He thinks majorly about himself and for himself. It is an attribute of the godly to be selfless, thinking less about self. Notice 'thinking less' about self, not 'thinking nothing' about self. Learn to think less about self, and more about others. This is a sure path to blessing.
The person with a bountiful eye shall be blessed. You need to develop a giving eye, a giving vision. Give of yours to others. Help those who are needy around you. Give them bread, give them food, give them clothes, money, pour out, be open-handed. These are the marks for true blessing/blessedness.

For God's sake, why should they be shameful? What is happening to human beings?

Jesus is all round omnipotent saviour. He can save you from anything. Primarily, He can save from Sin, He can save from Sickness, He can save from Satan, He can save from God's wrath/judgement against sinners, He can save you from Self, He can save from Society, He can save you from subtle sinners.

You can't honestly say that the statement 'God is not found in church(es)' is equal to OR the same meaning as the statement 'God does not live in temple/church'. God is omnipresent. Implying that one wouldn't find God anywhere close to a church building is not the truth. He it is that walks in the MIDST OF the golden candlesticks, and the golden candlesticks refer to the church locations.

Hid Paul in a basket? Are you drunk? Oh, there you go lying to kill a life. Though hands join in hands, the wicked will not be unpunished.

this money is being used to finance lavish, flamboyant and exotic lifestyle that is unbecoming of a man who truly claims to serve God

Poor excuse. Common sense should tell you that people give more for sowings, endless projects donations, prophet offering and co than they give for tithe. The bulk of the millions given for jets and ships and mansions are above tenths. Some of this people vow, some borrow, some give their car, some sell properties, some steal money. You should argue/fight against this if need be, not falsely accusing tithes. That's the point, you're venting your frustrations on the innocent guy tithes.

Hebrews7:5, says: “And those descendants of Levites who are priests are commanded by the law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel,that is from their own countrymen even though their countrymen are also descendants of Abraham. ”From this verse, we can jump to verses11-13

No cause/reason to jump, you may break a leg.
Verse 8(He receives them, of whom it is witnessed that He lives). There goes Hebrews telling us that Christ receives our tithes. Forget all the mumbo.jumbo talk. Christ isn't qualified for what? That's ignorance of expanding proportions. Melchizedek collected tithes from a greater than Levi, and Christ is of the order of Melchizedek. Father Abraham has many sons, thank God i'm one of them indeed.

every third year is the year of tithing, not the weekly/monthly tithes being extorted from church members today.

Wrong assumption, it's already quoted that there're different tenths to give, not just the 3years tithe which btw was meant for neighbour levites and widows and co, this is btw if we're basing tithes on the 'law'. On the 2nd hand, there should be no fuss about tithing at the end of 3years or monthly or yearly. Simple arithmetic would show you that it'll result in same amount even if given DAILY.
To aid you, for e.g, one earns 1000n monthly. If he tithes 100n monthly, it'll cumulate to 3600n by the end of 3years. If he waits 3years to pay at once, it'll still be a tithe of 36000n which is 3600.

Deuteronomy 14:22-29it is very clear that tithe is not money and it is not the
exclusive preserve of the Levites (church).

Here is yet another form of tenth. This one is not 3years event(see v22 YEAR BY YEAR). And its to be eaten at the temple/tabernacle, not like the 3years WITHIN thy gate arrangement. This one is for your household and you v26, not for the Levites in the temple or for your poor neighbours.

It is worthy of note that Malachi does not even define what tithe is and how it should be paid.

Worthy of note to your ilk. God isn't a joker continuously carping about tithe and its definition. This is the last book of the OT for christsake. Even people like Jacob and Abraham knew what tithe was all about before the 'law'. Tithe isn't so weighty a matter as it is to tithephobics like you, to deserve continual attention, definitions and elaborations.

It was also meant to take care of the Levites because they had no land or property of their own

Not to misimply that the Levites were destitutes, the tithe was given them as a reward, not a 'save the needy' scheme. Numbers 18v20,21. 'I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth for an INHERITANCE, FOR their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation . It's not calculus to figure that this tenth was different from the tenth eaten at home by widows or neighbour levites, or 3years.

it is clear that it was the Levites that were directed to pay a tithe they collected from the Israelites to the priest who represents God and not the people of Israel.

Did you forget to add that the previous also spoke about the children of Israel offering tithes as an heave-offering to the Lord? Or you imagine this offering was to their neighbours and widows? In case you've previously refused to know, not all levites served in the tabernacle. The tithes in question were offered as AN OFFERING to the children of Levi for their service in the tabernacle. It's different from the one they were to eat together with their neighbour levites.

A thorough study of the book of Malachi would reveal that in those days the Levites were collecting the tithe from the people of Israel and not remitting a tithe of it to the house of God

Thorough study indeed, i laugh in malachi. Kindly provide a quote from the passage confirming the thoroughness of this study.

Leviticus27:30-34, Numbers 18:25-31 and Deuteronomy14:22-29. Upon reading these passages one would understand what tithes really mean

You've failed in this regard.

Now, back to Malachi 3:8-10, the first question one should ask is who was this message directed at? The answer lies in the book of Numbers

Who is the word of God directed at? Silly question. Even people who didn't have access to Bible in the dark ages knew that the Word of God was for all, much less people who have more than one Bible, different versions, soft copy hard copy etc. duh
Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. Come closer, Malachi's primary audience were Israel. Malachi 1v1(the Word of the Lord to ISRAEL by Malachi). Closer still, Malachi 3v9(ye have robbed me, even this WHOLE NATION).
All these have been shown to kunleO and his phobic group before. He that has an ear, let him hear.

Wrong and misleading topic. This is in no way a summary of anything. Even if all the scriptures containing the word 'tithe' were to be pasted here, they'll struggle to be more than the supposed summary. I'll comment briefly on the babbles written above.

Malachi 3 : 8 -10
The above quoted scripture is probably one of the most quoted in the bible.

Baseless, unfounded probabilities. Maybe most quoted in the op's personal family devotions.

I want to state categorically that I am a God-loving, bible-
believing Christian who has the fear of God in his heart. I am also not writing this article to undermine any church or pastor

If this is KunleOshob as he claims, the above is a lie.

I strongly believe in giving to the church for the sole purpose of propagating God’s work and the Christian ministry. I will continue to encourage all Christians to give their all to God

This isn't kunleOshobish at all, either he's lying as he's fond of, or he's really changed.

ttalks
Your points are well-noted and accepted, and will be remembered in mi paradix. But they are your points, not anonimi's as you may notice.
Now, off to that twin regurgitation.

There is NONE righteous, no not one. They which are the children of the flesh, these are NOT the children of God. All have sinned and need to repent and be converted for the kingdom of God is at hand. Atheists repent, backsliders repent, unbelievers repent, is.lamists repent. Only Jesus can save. No amount of morality, cleverness, ideal, inquiries and imaginations can save or satisfy. Only Jesus is Saviour.

Foul play strongly suspected hia.

A lie could NEVER truly save a life. But what shall it profit a man if He gained the whole world and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

^i find no fault with your post above. But truth remains that anonimi feels God is not to be found in church, and his ilk usually imply that it's better to give to beggars than to give in church, unlike what you've stated above.
But i'm still not fully agreed with you that Jesus' my brethren refers to just anybody. BTW, how many hallmageriis have you personally taken in so far?

precap2:
It seems to be characteristic of you to pick portions you like and half-quote it, especially when a full quote will give a different meaning.
I need to ask you just one question: Are you under the law?
If you don't give a direct answer I'll switch off.

Holla!

You may switch away if you so desire, but you've been served the truth, and your excuses have been proven shaky and unfounded. None of you has come back with reports on that kottankulangara festival, or on cross.dressing, or on origin of trousers. All you're good at so far is goal post shifting. Aaron wore skirt, Jesus Wore skirt, menses, feminine wear, gown, deuteronomy is contradictory, the law is graceless', etc. Need i inform you, we're living in the new testament age, AND I AM NOT LAWLESS OR UNDER THE LAW. So switch right on.

Jenwitemi. You've refused to understand simple facts, like the Bible is taken as one. The same Word, the word of God. It's not a book of 'i believe only the words in red, the other words are not true'. Without such basic knowledge, it'll be pointless to point out 12scriptures to you showing what you want to see, for you would not see.

Joagbaje:
Image123,
The law was for the Jews and never for the church. Even the Jews that had the law no longer require it now. The church is a new entity. We were newly created in christ.

Romans 3:20
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law[ is] the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 5:4
4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

2 Corinthians 3:14
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which[ vail] is done away in Christ.

pls read 2cor3:6- end it should clear you on this

Romans 2v13. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but THE DOERS OF THE LAW SHALL BE justified.
Romans 3v31. Do we then make void the law through faith? GOD FORBID: yea, we ESTABLISH the law .
There is Paul writing to gentile romans. Until you start to KNOW the difference between the ceremonial law and the righteous/moral law, you may not get this. Isaiah 8v20.

We got an 'emotional inburst' instead. In everything, we give thanks for THIS is God's will.

pilgrim.1. ohlala, good old days 'em.

Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.