I think we often through around the term "biblical" too flippantly.
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
-Tim 3:16-17
We attempt to tag "biblical" to every aspect of our lives. But the bible is not Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. It's not a manual for how to work your life.
God gave it to us for teaching. Teaching about our history. Who made us. Our lineage. The past. He gave it to us for rebuking. To know how he wants us to live. Not step by step directions for getting a perfect life as the outcome but to hear Him speak to others. Know His standards. Understand our place as sinners saved and redeemed by grace. Forgiven and not left in our heap. God gave it to us to know how we are to be corrected and trained in HIS ways of righteousness so we can be prepared to do good- His will. We are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good without it {Titus 1:16}.
We are to line our lives up next to the teaching, rebuking, correction, and training from God, not necessarily an exact "What would Jesus do" scenario. The truth is, the life of Jesus would have look significantly different if lived in this generation. Not because the principles of the bible or character of God changed but the culture did. His people did. God is relevant yet never changing. Reliable and not out of touch!
You would have never seen Jesus offering to give a ride to a homeless individual who needed to get to a job interview. There were no cars...not really such a thing as an interview. Therefor, dissecting God's word, His work, Jesus' life and applying that is the way to live righteously not Biblically.
So, what Does it Look Like to Give Biblically in Today's Culture? Dissect giving in the bible. Let's talk this out. I don't have this figured out but definitely want to practice using the bible for what it's useful for: thoroughly equippi.ng me {us} for every good work. Here are some questions I'd love to dialog about int he comment section or over on the Facebook community page.
- What did giving look like when you were a kid?
- What did giving look like before the Internet and PayPal?
- How does giving look today with the resources we have available to us?
Resources that hundred thousands of people around the world do not have access to.
Don't forget. I don't blog for myself or even you alone. I blog for Compassion. Help be apart of THIS good work. Compassion has a goal of $20,000 by December 31st 2012. If ONLY YOU, my twitter & FB friends give ~$14, their goal met! Give more or less. Just think about what the Lord has blessed you with. You're more than abundantly blessed aren't you? How will you give give extravagantly as you are able according to those extravagant blessings from HIM?
Who's In!?
Tweet about what biblical giving looks like to you in today's culture; use #itsaboutgiving and join the community.
