God poses an interesting question in the book of Malachi. In Malachi 3:8, He asks: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.”

I don’t know of any Christian who would walk into a bank with a gun to make a “withdrawal.” He would not do this, since he would not want to blatantly violate God’s Law in such a fashion, and he would also be afraid of doing so for fear of being caught, prosecuted and jailed for committing such a terrible crime. Nor would any Christian sneak at night into his neighbor’s garden to steal vegetables and fruit, knowing full well that stealing is against one of the Ten Commandments. In addition, he knows that being caught and punished for committing such an act would ruin his reputation in the community. Yet, why is it that some Christians neglect to tithe altogether, or why do they sit at their office desk at home or the kitchen table and write a check in support of the Church that does not represent a full tithe–even though they realize that the tithing commandment is one of the basic requirements for a Christian?

It is not rocket science! One only needs to look at the amount on the salary check from the employer and move the decimal point one figure to the left, and that represents ten percent. A grade school child could be taught this.

Since there do not seem to be immediate consequences for their shortchanging God, some Christians conclude that it is somehow all right to pay God less than what is commanded. Others think that when they faithfully tithe a full ten percent of their increase, that is all that is required of them. They overlook that even then, they are still called unprofitable servants because they simply fulfilled their duty to God to tithe. But we rob God when we don’t faithfully tithe or when we don’t give Him acceptable offerings. It appears that the people described in the book of Malachi were shortchanging God in their tithes and that they were only giving “nominal” offerings–or that they did not pay any tithes and failed to give any offerings at all.

Tithing from the entire amount of our increase is a requirement, and so are offerings which are over and above God’s tithe. When giving an offering, we demonstrate to God where our heart really is. Both Cain and Abel gave offerings, but God rejected the offering of wicked and evil Cain, while accepting the offering of righteous Abel. It is interesting to note that there is no specific instruction as to how much of an offering we need to give–other than the fact that we are to consider and evaluate how much God has blessed us physically and spiritually. When we give an offering, we take advantage of the opportunity to show God how truly we appreciate His involvement in our lives, by giving cheerfully and not grudgingly (Deuteronomy 16:17; 2 Corinthians 9:7).

We are fast approaching the Fall Festival Season, with the first of the annual Fall Holy Days, the Feast of Trumpets, beginning this Friday, at sunset. God commanded us to give offerings during this autumn season. Our offering on each annual Holy Day should not only be for the purpose of proving to God that we would never want to rob Him, but also to demonstrate to Him our deep appreciation for His blessings and for the privilege to be part of and support the most important Work on the face of the earth today–that of announcing, preaching and publishing the gospel or good news of the soon coming Kingdom of God to a sick and dying world. God knows and has decreed that His Work will be accomplished with or without our faithful tithes and generous offerings–but God has granted us the opportunity to participate in His great plan and purpose–and what a GREAT privilege it is!

One of the downsides of seeking a promotion in a union-based environment is that the most qualified candidate might not get the position. The position will often go to the senior candidate (senior as far as union seniority is concerned, not age), who meets the minimum requirements for the job. A junior candidate may have more experience, taken more courses and may be better qualified, but under the rules of union-filled positions, the senior person will be chosen.

When it comes to who is best qualified to judge mankind, we might suppose it would be God the Father. However, we read that the Father committed all judgment to Jesus Christ (John 5:22, 26-27), and for a good reason. There is a saying that you should never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes. Christ took on human flesh (Hebrews 2:9, 14 ; 1 Peter 4:5). As a human being, He was tempted in all things as we are, which is something the Father never experienced. Of course, God the Father saw the results of sin and human suffering. He does have feelings. Christ, on the other hand, walked on this earth and experienced trials, tests, temptations and human suffering even unto death.

He has been there and knows our weaknesses and strengths. He can relate to humanity in a way that God the Father, or Christ prior to His birth as a human being, could not. Therefore, Christ is in the best position to judge mankind.

It is true that Christ never experienced EVERY kind of trial, test or suffering that one can endure in this life. For example, He never had to deal with a loss of a limb; and He was not born blind; yet, He did heal the blind and crippled, so He knows how they felt; also, how they reacted when they were healed. He experienced enough to know what it is like to live as a human being. Christ never sinned; yet, He saw the horrible consequences of sin. He could have been executed in a swift fashion, but He willingly endured a long, slow, suffering path to taste death. He did it for everyone, so He could be a faithful and merciful high priest (Hebrews 2:17), and convey to the Father human weaknesses which He witnessed and human suffering which He endured.

It is also true that the saints will judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:2). Because of our human past, we will be able to accurately do this; yet, Christ, due to His unique position in the Godhead and having gone through His human experience as He did, is the most qualified.

In addition, we also read that the saints will judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). Paul chided the Corinthians for going to the worldly courts over matters that should have been dealt with internally. He asked them why they could not judge things that pertain to this life when they would judge angels. All of us sin and have sinned–we have broken every commandment, either in the letter or in the spirit. You might say, “Wait a minute! I never murdered anyone.” Did or do you hate someone? If so, then you are guilty of murder (1 John 3:15), because murder starts with hate and resentment (compare Matthew 5:21-22). Since we have sinned, but repented of our sins, we can be qualified to rule with Christ over man and to even determine the outcome of angels who have sinned. As members of the God Family, we can evaluate and consider peer pressure, coercion or threats, when we judge to see if there is perhaps any repentance in man, as well as in those angels that decided to follow Satan. Perhaps some rebelled because of “peer pressure,” Satanic “coercion” or wrongly-understood government–thinking they had to follow Lucifer, no matter what–but they did not really sin wholeheartedly. As we suggested in our previous Q&A, some may perhaps be able to reach a repentant state of mind and come under the good graces of God in the future. We may be able to have compassion on them and extend mercy to those who may want to change.

Our God is a merciful God. Consider, for example, what He said to Jonah at the end of the book, in Jonah 4:11: “And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” If God has compassion on animals, surely He wants to extend every opportunity to sinning angels who might be willing and able to repent.

Unlike what we experience in this world, God will see to it that only the most qualified candidates will be given the opportunity and responsibility to judge others, be it men or angels. God has committed all judgment to Jesus Christ, and Christ is willing to share this opportunity with us. We need to make sure, then, that we qualify in this life for this great potential, so that we can become kings and priests (Revelation 5:10) “to” and “of” God the Father and Jesus Christ, reigning with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:6)–and then, forever and ever (Revelation 22:5).

Recently I visited a longtime friend in the nearby regional hospital who had been transferred from surgery in the Vancouver area. He was recuperating, but was feeling kind of  low. He informed me that his hip replacement surgery did not go that well.  During the operation, they fractured his femur in several places, and he went through a lot of emotional trauma.

He felt especially down because when he went through a trial during his marriage, his wife would comfort him. He also said that when he faced  problems then, his children would come and touch his arm and tell him, it would be all right, dad. With no mate, friends or family in the area, he found it extremely trying, and he was emotionally distraught after the surgery.

He knew about the promise from Christ, in Hebrews 13:5: “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.'”

He also knew the admonition in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation [or serious trial] has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Yet in spite of these Scriptures, he felt a deep loneliness, even on the verge of despair.

After coming home and during the next few days, I began to think about my visit. What I had experienced was something I could really relate to, having spent eleven months away from home in a hospital when I was six years old. It brought back those memories of missing family and friends.  My parents, being poor, were only able to visit me three times during these eleven months, and my two brothers and one sister saw me only once. I felt very lonely and had feelings of despair.

When pondering this, it got me thinking how blessed are the brethren who can meet on the weekly Sabbath for services and live close to fellowship during the week. Some are scattered and some don’t even have a converted mate, yet they do the best they can by partaking of the weekly Internet service on the Sabbath. How much would they like to attend Church services in person! They look especially forward to the Festival of Tabernacles and other occasions when they can all be together to fellowship in person and to worship God together.

We may be lonely at times but never alone in the sense that we can have weekly contact with our brethren. If brethren are scattered, they at least worship together via the Internet. It is hoped that those who have opportunity to attend services in person take advantage of this great blessing on a regular and consistent basis; and that they who are fortunate enough to be able to congregate as a group never take for granted the opportunity to meet together for services.

As we move closer to the time of the Great Tribulation and as problems and trials will increase, let us never forget that precious and valuable promise from Christ–that He will NEVER leave or forsake us, whether it be in good times or in bad times, in adversity and in blessings. If we want Him to, He will be there, helping us through thick and thin, and His Church will never cease to exist either.  That means, no matter what, we never have to be alone. 

There is a vast difference between simply acknowledging someone and being willing to obey him. For instance, let us consider Nebuchadnezzar’s decree which he made after the three young Jewish captives were spared from death in the fiery furnace. We read in Daniel 3:29: “Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”

Notice, Nebuchadnezzar fully acknowledged that the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego was the most powerful God, but he fell short of the mark in the sense that he did not obey and serve that God. Even when he was warned in a dream and through Daniel’s subsequent explanation of that dream, he continued to walk in pride and was severely punished as a consequence. There is no indication that Nebuchadnezzar ever forsook his idols and became a true and obedient follower of the Creator God.

Let us also look at what King Darius wrote, as recorded in Daniel 6:25-27, after Daniel was saved from the lions in the lions den: “To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, And steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, And He works signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Here again, we find a full acknowledgement that the God of Daniel works signs and wonders and that He is able to deliver from danger, but we do not find in the Bible, nor in history, that King Darius began to obey and serve that God Whom he acknowledged. 

What does James tell us about acknowledgement of and belief in the existence of the true God? James 2:19 says: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” Satan and the demons acknowledge and believe in the true God, but they are not about to serve and obey Him. Knowing the righteous judgment of God for disobedience, they tremble. They know that belief in God and acknowledgement of His existence are not enough–but they are unwilling to obey Him.

Notice Peter’s words, as recorded in Acts 5:32: “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit [which] God has given to those who obey Him.” If God gives His Holy Sprit only to those who obey God, then He also withholds it from those who disobey Him. Obedience is a requirement for salvation.

Look at what God inspired Samuel to say about the importance of obedience, in 1 Samuel 15:22-23: “So Samuel said: ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.'”

As faithful servants of God, we must not just acknowledge God and believe in His existence, but we must willingly obey Him. Notice that by faith Abraham obeyed (Hebrews 11:8). That is why we read in Hebrews 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, AND that He is a REWARDER of those who diligently seek Him.”

In less than two weeks, baptized members of the Church of God will be partaking of the Passover service. It commemorates the Lord’s death and the tremendous sacrifice He made, not only for those called and chosen now, but for the whole of mankind.

Most of the world will be carrying on as usual on that day, oblivious to the supreme sacrifice made by our Savior some two thousand years ago. For those called now, it is a solemn and sober occasion–an annual commemoration of Christ’s death (compare 1 Corinthians 11:26). 

Before partaking of the Passover symbols, Church members should ask themselves questions like these: How has their relationship been with God and Christ the past year? How has their relationship been with fellow brethren and the rest of the world?

Paul admonishes us in 1 Corinthians 11:27, not to take the Passover in an unworthy manner. In one sense of the word, nobody is really worthy, but Church members are enjoined to partake of it worthily. Paul tells us in verse 28: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” This requires prior self-examination (compare also 2 Corinthians 13:5), to make sure that when the hour of the Passover comes, they will be worthy.

Even though all of us have trials and tests, hopefully none of us will have to go through that kind of suffering, abuse, torture and mocking that Christ had to endure. Although He did ask that this cup pass from Him if it were possible (compare Matthew 26:39), He totally submitted to the Will of the Father. He understood that it was the only way for mankind to eventually be called and forgiven, and to receive the Holy Spirit, so that they could ultimately become born-again members of the God Family. All of us need to deeply appreciate the great sacrifice that was made on our behalf, even while we were still in our sins, as well as for the entire world (compare John 3:16-17).

Converted and baptized Church members must carefully examine themselves, so that they can partake worthily of the Passover, knowing that in the not-too-distant future, they will be able to partake of this service in the full presence of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ–when the Kingdom of God is established here on this earth (compare Luke 22:14-18).

Do we realize how important our example is to others? Not just to talk the talk, but to walk the walk? Not just to walk in our own footsteps, but to walk as Christ walked, when He was here on earth as a human being? To follow the example He gave for us? And, do we realize how our negative example can have a detrimental effect on others, including someone in the Church, especially newer members?

I recently read a book on the history of the Church of God and the trials and severe persecution the members faced, sometimes even to their death. In the Middle Ages, one of the groups began to allow Sunday worshippers to fellowship and meet with those who continued to keep the Sabbath. Rather than turning these worshippers to the Sabbath, the opposite occurred. Sabbath-keepers began to water down their own doctrines and within a few years, they were scattered to the four winds. This only illustrates the importance of maintaining doctrinal purity and the danger of doctrinal compromise or “tolerance.” Rather, we are to conduct ourselves as followers of Christ–whether it be in our appearance, our verbal communication or our conduct inside and outside Church services and functions.

The barrel of good apples will not make a rotten one better. Quite the opposite occurs. In order to prevent good apples from becoming rotten, one has to remove the bad apple. Like a rotten apple, a rebellious, divisive and openly sinning member may have to be removed for his or her own good, as change and repentance may be the result (compare 1 Corinthians 5:1-5). But until that time, such a person must be prevented from corrupting the rest by his or her presence and wrong conduct.

If we discover that we have a computer virus, we will need to make every effort to have it eradicated as quickly as possible. We don’t just ignore it, hoping it will go away. We know that if we don’t deal with the problem, it will totally corrupt our whole computer, making it dysfunctional.

Telling a child, “Do as I say, not as I do!”, just doesn’t cut it with God, since we are to follow the example set by Christ in all that we do. We are to analyze first, before watching something, doing something or saying something, what Christ would do in this situation. And then, we are to decide to follow Christ’s example, instead of our own reasoning. This will have a profound positive effect on those we come in contact with, including our fellow brethren.

We are accountable for the things we say and do, and one day, we will have to give account to Christ. This fact alone should make us more cognizant of not just talking the talk, but walking the walk–the godly walk of following the example of Jesus Christ.

I am writing this editorial on “Christmas day,” as I was pondering if there is really joy in the world at this time? I hardly think so.

There has been a real economic downturn this past year, affecting most of us. The US government finally admitted what we already knew–that the USA has been in a recession for the last year. Wall Street is bankrupt, corruption and overspending are rampant, and the US government pumps hundreds of billions of dollars into financial institutions and the auto industry that were making bad and irresponsible decisions for their clients. Our financial experts have seemingly not learned the lesson of history that we cannot spend our way out of debt.   

Can you imagine what you would have to face if you were in a situation many banks and the auto industry are in? If you were to go to a bank to ask for a bailout for your stupidity, they would laugh themselves into a frenzy and that is just before throwing you out. We cannot break all the financial laws of economics and expect a good result in the end.

Billions have been lost in the value of stocks, and many have been totally wiped out financially by the recent fifty billion dollars scam on Wall Street. This was the deed of an unscrupulous trader affecting both the investments of individuals and corporations.

The price of oil is down over a hundred dollars a barrel from just over six months ago, because of lower demands and higher unemployment figures.

If there is even a road to recovery, especially for the USA, Great Britain and Canada, it would be very slow, with some analysts predicting it will not happen, if at all, until 2010 or much later.

These are just some few issues dealing with the economy. I have not even touched on the hundreds or thousands of additional problems which threaten and plague humanity.

What does all of this mean for Christians, living in this world? It means we have to be careful that we don’t get ourselves in over our heads financially. This is also true for the Church. The Church still has the responsibility of preaching and publishing the gospel–the good news of the soon-coming Kingdom of God–and to feed the flock (compare Matthew 24:14, Mark 13:10 and John 21:17). We do so, as the Church, by using the generous tithes and offerings of brethren and co-workers in a responsible manner, in walking through doors which God opens for us, spending what we have, but not, what we don’t have.

Individually, we must apply the same caution. Most importantly, we are to continue to grow in grace and knowledge (compare 2 Peter 3:18). We grow the most on our knees, while our heart is in the Work of God, realizing that nothing could be more crucial than to help hastening the coming of the Lord. We accomplish this through God’s Spirit, using the tools of prayer, Bible study, fasting and meditation.

Just what will 2009 bring? Joy, happiness and a sense of well being for mankind?  I hardly think so. 2009 will bring, in all likelihood, more of the same problems we faced in 2008, with increasing intensity, and with no viable human solution in sight. In all of this, we must not lose heart, knowing that our salvation is nearer than when we came to the faith. We are one year closer to the real solution of all of the world’s problems, as well as our own, and that is the return of Christ. We have to put our shoulders to the wheel and push forward, and not look back.

In the end we win, yet there is no promise that we won’t have trials and difficulties. But it’s all worth the effort. Like a woman who was in travail prior to giving birth, her pain is forgotten for the joy of bringing another human being into the world. We must look to the future when there will be great joy, true happiness and fulfillment in God’s Kingdom–when we will be Spirit beings–born-again sons and daughters in God’s very Family.

That is a goal worth waiting for and worth working towards. It is the only hope for all of our problems and trials.