₦airaland Forum

Thankgod89:
When I say you're still forming your view of God based on Old Covenant acts rather than the full revelation of God in Christ, you seem to think I'm exaggerating. But the very fact that you describe God as both “good and wicked” shows how limited your understanding of Him truly is.

I'm beginning to see your stand in Christ who offered himself for the redemption of man's soul from the hold of SIN. One thing you are missing is that you don't know that there is no water-tight testament as touching both the old and new testament_they overlap. One gives birth to the other and as such, it remains a shear foolishness for someone to disregard one and give regards for the other (I mean honour the other). I wrote before that both Jesus and his disciples quoted from the Old Testament.
That being said, another theology about God which you don't have its understanding is that God is a mysterious being who cannot be predicted. Many a times, He Himself revealed who He is to us in a way we could easily fathom Him as far as our human capacity could have it. Although He is a righteous, holy God who is entirely composed of both light and Spirit, He equally surrounds Himself with darkness while His NATURE remains unchanged. In Genesis 1, we see the creation of both light and darkness. In Exodus, we see He created an unreachable gap between Pharaoh' host and Israel's with darkness on the enemy's side and light on Israel side. He alternatively altered both the day and night by bringing distress to the enemy's camp. The enemy got destroyed in the red sea without Israel lifting no weapon of war against them. In the wilderness, God sent fiery snakes to bit the Israelites to death just because they sinned against His holy nature. This is His opposite side! This is His dark side! He had no respect for them_He didn't say because He fought for them He wouldn't show them His opposite side. Uzzah touched the ark of God, he struck him dead on the spot with no one to question God. David, later found the cause of his death, for the fear of the incident, the ark was rooted to Obed-Edom's house. Within three months, he became rich. What killed one, made the other alive and equally blessed him. David dared not question God's action. In Isaiah 45:7, He says: "I FORM THE LIGHT, AND CREATE DARKNESS: I MAKE PEACE, AND CREATE EVIL: I THE LORD DO ALL THESE THINGS." In Psalm 18:9 and 11, we have: "... AND DARKNESS WAS UNDER HIS FEET.HE MADE DARKNESS HIS SECRET PLACE; HIS PAVILION ROUND ABOUT HIM WERE DARK WATERS AND THICK CLOUDS OF THE SKIES. Verse 12 says, " At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed..." These verses show how mysterious He is. The whole examples show the two sides of God.
I see you as a pro new testament Christian. In Luke 13:3, we see Jesus warning his hearers that except they repent, they shall die like the Galileans who died in Siloam when the tower fell on them. I write again, the living God is not a respecter of anyone. If you are merciful , you obtain mercy. If you are wicked, you reap your wickedness while on earth and when leave it. What you sow, you reap. You don't sow, WHILE FACTORS OF GROWTH ARE AVAILABLE , you don't reap. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." "OKE NI OWO AFUNNI NGBE, ISALE NI OWO OMO AGBAYI WA".


1 John 1:5 says,
“God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”
Where, then, do you get the idea that wickedness is part of His nature?

Any knowledge of God that is not rooted in Christ is incomplete—a shadow.
You quoted Psalm 18:24–26, but those verses reflect David’s limited understanding of God’s dealings, not the full light of His character revealed in Christ.

You show your true self here! God's words are not man's. DAVID DID NOT WRITE THE SCRIPTURE FROM HIS OWN WILL.(2 Timothy 3:16). In Matthew 22:43, we have:
"He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord,..." How then did he have limited understanding of God's dealings when Jesus said it was the Spirit that enabled him write? I am wondering?

Now compare that to Romans 5:8,
“But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
How do you reconcile this sacrificial love with the idea that God changes His behavior based on man’s attitude, as implied in Psalm 18:26?

The story on the tree answers your question! While God's love remains sacrificial and outgoing by giving us His Son through his Son's death fulfilling His righteousness, making all ready-made, man's attitude remains a factor which will dictate which action He needs to take. A ready-made blessing does not simply give room for laziness; man has to work for it. While one thief spoke against Jesus on the tree, the other submitted humbly asking for pardon. Automatic spiritual blessing awaits this particular thief for acknowledging his own wrong while the righteous was held back by nails on the tree. And the saviour told him:" Today you will meet me in paradise." Paradise is a waiting room for the righteous! The other was condemned just by his words. "NIPA ORO ENU RE NI A O FI DA O LEBI, NIPA ORO ENU RE NI A O FI DA O LARE".
NOTE: If one does not work for his salvation, he will perish.

You are, of course, entitled to your current understanding—but I’m sincerely telling you: if you try to know God apart from Christ, you are only seeing shadows, not substance. The fullness of God is revealed in Jesus alone.

Why are you trying to make people believe something that doesn’t reflect the reality of God’s grace?

You mentioned that your mother used to say, “Igbokosẹ ò kọ̀ jẹ,” meaning, “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” But let’s be honest—what work did you do for your mother before she breastfed you, clothed you, fed you, and sent you to school? Nothing. You were simply loved.

"For God so loved the world(ADAMAH, the race of man) that he gave his only begotten(unique) Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM(through heart one believes unto salvation) shall not perish but have everlasting life." (Emphasis added). "Simply loved" is seen in His outgoing love for the race of man regardless (Iran ENIA ki nse ti awon Angeli). No reservation! What work did Adam do for God for making provisions for him before he created him? Tell me! Nothing! "For not doing anything for my mother for breastfeeding, clothing, and sending me to school" is reserved in the eternal plan of the Creator who decreed procreation_God is multiplying Himself for you and I have His spirit! For survival purpose, the Eternal God ordered man TO DRESS AND KEEP THE GARDEN. Man, God hates laziness! Paul equally said anyone who wouldn't work should not eat. The same goes for giving(tithe inclusive)!

So why are you painting a false portrait of God—as if He only blesses when we pay Him with tithes? If you believe tithing is the reason you're blessed, give me one clear example. Then I’ll show you people who enjoy far greater blessings without ever paying a tithe

I AM ONE

We don’t give to get—we give because we’ve already been blessed. Don’t use tithing to fabricate attributes of God that don’t reflect His heart.

If you want to talk about testimonies, I’ll gladly share how faithful God has been to me—not because of my giving, but because of His love.
As Romans 8:32 says:
"He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him,freely give us all things?"

Perhaps God hasn't shown you that you are wrong for centering on your belief. "It is more blessed to give than to receive", says Jesus.

Seriously, do you even know this God you are describing?

Thankgod89:

"In one way, God says TEST ME by VALIDATING WHAT I SAY YOU SHOULD DO. In another sense, He says MOVE ME BY YOUR TITHE_PROVOKE, INSPIRE, INDUCE ME BY GIVING ME YOUR TITHE"

Come, Why are you trying to murder God's character in the name of tithing?

GOD'S WORD REMAINS TRUE. GOD WANTS THEM, THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO PROVE THE TRUTH OF HIS WORD.

Get this fact,
“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” —Acts 15:18
“Declaring the end from the beginning…” —Isaiah 46:10

God is not surprised or “moved” as humans are. He knows every decision and action before it happens. AND YOU DON'T CONSIDER THAT MAN IS A FREE AGENT WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN FREE WILL TO EITHER CHOOSE LIFE OR DEATH. YOU DON'T CONSIDER MAN IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE/ A SUBJECT OF CHANGE WHEN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SEEM UNFAVORABLE FOR HIM. MAN CAN CHANGE BUT HE REMAINS UNCHANGED IN NATURE. GOD'S ATTITUDE TO MAN CAN CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHAT HE CHOOSES..

He knew the Rechabites would remain obedient. THIS IS A TOTAL LIE _PROPENSITY AND TENDENCY TO DO OTHERWISE IS WITHIN THE SONS OF JONADAB FOR THEY WERE MAN_ADAMAH, DUST.

He knew Cain would offer an unacceptable sacrifice! He knows who will give or withhold tithes. Nothing catches Him off guard.

God allows us to experience the manifestation of His blessings through obedience—not because we change His mind—but because this is how He has designed His relational dealings with us.

AND THOSE BLESSINGS ARE NOT MEANT FOR THE DISOBEDIENT TO HIS ORDER! CONSIDER MANY TIMES YOU OFFENDED YOUR PARENTS AND YOU WERE DENIED TO HAVE ACCESS TO SOME THINGS IN THE FAMILY! DIDN'T GOD CHANGE HIS MIND WHEN AHAB HUMBLED HIMSELF BEFORE GOD? THE SAME THING GOES FOR GIVING

God is not mechanical—but He is not emotionally unstable either.
He is a living, personal, relational Being who interacts with us in ways we can understand,
yet remains sovereign, eternal, and unchanging in His nature.

We must keep this foundation clear: God is proactive. His responses in Scripture are not triggered by surprise or need—but are expressions of His eternal purpose playing out in time through His relationship with mankind.

Thankgod89:
Perhaps God hasn't shown you that you are wrong for centering on your belief. "It is more blessed to give than to receive", says Jesus.

"Who told you I'm not a giver? I said I’d gladly share how faithful God has been to me—not because of my giving, but because of His love. I give, not to get something in return or to earn His favor, but because He has already blessed me. My God is always proactive. I give as a response to His goodness, not as a way to provoke his blessings as you do claim. He is not a transactional God—He is a loving God. So stop misrepresenting Him."

Captain4Jehovah:
I like this! It is becoming clearer to me day by day as this discus deepens that you know who you serve_the living God! It's my joy! This is my sincere submission! But, God may not be a transactional as you said because He wouldn't lower or belittle Himself as a man does in a way to gain profit. I mean to say, in a selfish manner. Still, IT IS POSSIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE TO PROVOKE HIS BLESSINGS. A clear and SIMILAR EXAMPLE of this is the one found in Acts 10 about Cornelius. Another one was the one I gave about the Zarephath widow. Just mention a few. However, our relationship with God and the person we are to Him are two determinants which I see as a platform to draw these blessings to ourself. Our faith can stir us up to. Our reliance on who He is to us could be a drive for provoking God to bless us more. Mind you, these blessings may not necessarily mean our savings will become robust. Likewise, in my write-up, I clearly stated that tithers must not have the mind of receiving its dividend immediately. You tithe and leave the rest to God. From the inception, tithing has not been a means of provoking God to blessing nor moving Him in order to recompensate His Children. No one can BRIBE Him! If you are convinced to tithe, do it; if otherwise, leave it!
I must say this: the trend of beliefs in Christianity has been a major cause for different doctrines. And this has caused many to drift away from what Jesus taught his apostles. But mind you, Jesus has not changed. God has not changed. They have not left their thrones in spite of human arguments on what is right or what is wrong. So, what is mortals' stress?!

Thankgod89:
I truly appreciate how you're engaging this with sincerity and depth. I agree with you on several points—especially that God is not transactional in a selfish or human way, and that no one can bribe Him. Like you said, tithing or giving should never be done with a 'get something in return' mindset.

But honestly, how many preachers say that? Instead, many teach tithing from a place of fear, using the curse in Malachi 3 as leverage. People end up giving not from love or faith, but from fear and the expectation of immediate blessings. And when God is misrepresented like this, it grieves many of us who see Him through the lens of Christ—gracious, loving, and already fully given to us.

As for Cornelius and the widow at Zarephath, I see those more as examples of how God responds to faith and reverence—not as rewards for giving. Cornelius feared God and lived righteously before the angel even appeared. The widow simply obeyed God's word through Elijah. Their posture of heart drew God's response—not their offerings.

So yes, I believe faith, love, and obedience position us to walk in what God already intends—not to move Him as if He’s reluctant. He blesses because of who He is—not because we earned it. That’s what makes His grace so amazing. At the end of the day, I think we’re after the same thing: a relationship with a loving, holy, and generous God—not a formula. Thanks again for this meaningful exchange."

Thankgod89:
I truly appreciate how you're engaging this with sincerity and depth. I agree with you on several points—especially that God is not transactional in a selfish or human way, and that no one can bribe Him. Like you said, tithing or giving should never be done with a 'get something in return' mindset.

But honestly, how many preachers say that? Instead, many teach tithing from a place of fear, using the curse in Malachi 3 as leverage. People end up giving not from love or faith, but from fear and the expectation of immediate blessings. And when God is misrepresented like this, it grieves many of us who see Him through the lens of Christ—gracious, loving, and already fully given to us.

As for Cornelius and the widow at Zarephath, I see those more as examples of how God responds to faith and reverence—not as rewards for giving. Cornelius feared God and lived righteously before the angel even appeared. The widow simply obeyed God's word through Elijah. Their posture of heart drew God's response—not their offerings.

So yes, I believe faith, love, and obedience position us to walk in what God already intends—not to move Him as if He’s reluctant. He blesses because of who He is—not because we earned it. That’s what makes His grace so amazing. At the end of the day, I think we’re after the same thing: a relationship with a loving, holy, and generous God—not a formula. Thanks again for this meaningful exchange."

Captain4Jehovah:
But honestly, how many preachers say that? Instead, many teach tithing from a place of fear, using the curse in Malachi 3 as leverage. People end up giving not from love or faith, but from fear and the expectation of immediate blessings. And when God is misrepresented like this, it grieves many of us who see Him through the lens of Christ—gracious, loving, and already fully given to us"

You penned the major cause why most Christians kick against tithing especially the youth. They don't simply defy the order of tithing because of their spiritual discernment or theology inclination; they do so because they believe ministers of God make big earnings from it as in business enterprise as seen by their lavish and luxurious lifestyles without catering for the poor among the sheep of God. Many are languishing in poverty. Many are famishing which is against the intent of God regarding tithing(food must go round; no one must go hungry within the community of God's people).Those who turn this into a business enterprise like sale of indulgences Martin Luther fought against, I should say, forget they are not laboring for God but their belly_"their belly is their god." And also, they care not to believe they are also tithers as they indulge in Malachi 3:6-12. Where do their tithes go to? To the orphanage homes or impoverished community of the living God or to the building of the church itself? Where it goes calls for questioning! Where lack of transparency in the Church finances is, there will be questioning as to where and what the money is used for. "Floor members", I should say(all are equal before God) will start poking into the finances and once this is discovered by those in charge and ministers, problem starts.
I must say this too: these set of ministers have the mindset of "I am the owner of my church"; they therefore lord over and become overseer of tithes and even offering rather than feeding the sheep bought with priceless blood of Jesus with sound spiritual food.