Who should tithe and why?

Sincerely,
Cash Counter

Dear Cash Counter,

Jews should tithe; christians should cheerfully give as they have prospered.  ‘Tithe’ means ‘one-tenth’ and was a command in the Old Testament (Deu 14:22).  The Old Testament law was a law given exclusively to the nation of Israel (Deu 5:1-3) and not all of mankind.

In the New Testament, we have a law for the whole world (Mk 16:15).  In the New Testament, christians are told to give as they have prospered every Sunday (1 Cor 16:1-2).  We are told to be cheerful givers (2 Cor 9:7).  The specific rule of giving one-tenth of our income no longer applies; instead, we are told to examine our hearts and give thankfully.

I have a question about "honor your father and your mother".  Some parents seem to use this as a weapon when kids are not listening to their parents or misbehaving.  I seem to get different meanings of what this really means.  I do thank you for your time.  God bless!

Sincerely,
Ain’t Misbehavin’

Dear Ain’t Misbehavin’,

Children are told to honor their father and mother at all ages (Eph 6:2-3). The word ‘honor’ means ‘to esteem highly’.  Parents deserve respect and kind treatment from their offspring.  As parents reach old age, children show honor by caring for their parents’ needs (Matt 15:4-6).  Until independent adulthood, honoring your parents is shown through respectful obedience (Eph 6:1).  No Scripture should ever be wielded “as a weapon”, but regardless of how the verse is used, that is what it means.

Is it true that when Jesus comes back and we go with Him, we will no longer be married to our spouses?  I just found the love of my life.  I believe Jesus is coming soon; can you help with this question?

Sincerely,
In Love

Dear In Love,

We won’t be married in heaven, but we will be closer to our loved ones than we can even imagine.  Jesus says in Matt 22:30 that there will be no marriage in heaven.  However, in heaven, there will be no sorrow, no death, no sin, and no pain (Rev 21:3-4).  Heaven will be full of the most healthy and fulfilling relationships that mankind is capable of having.  Just make sure you and your spouse both put God first, so you can see each other there!

I would like to know at what time Jesus actually came forth from the tomb.  Our preacher tells us that it was sometime after sunrise on Sunday morning.  But I have always been taught that using the Jewish time-table, the day actually began at about 6:00 PM and that Jesus actually raised a little after 6:00 PM Saturday.  Does this make sense to you?  I will await your answer with great anticipation.

Sincerely,
Setting My Clock

Dear Setting My Clock,

The Jewish day began at dusk of the previous day (roughly 6 PM), but the Bible specifically says that Jesus came out of the tomb when the sun was coming up on Sunday morning.  Matt 28:1-2 says that Jesus’ tomb was opened “toward dawn”; the Greek word used there means ‘as it grew light’.  The angel rolled back the stone as it grew light on Sunday morning.  Although Jesus could have risen from the grave as early as 6 PM Saturday night (which counted as Sunday to the Jews), He didn’t come forth until daybreak.

I grew up in a "christian" home - one where we went to church on Sundays, and my mother often quoted the Bible and listened exclusively to religious music – while simultaneously hideously abusing me on both an emotional and physical level.  Now that I am an adult, married, and expecting my first child, my husband recently asked my mother to leave our home after a surprise visit and asked her not to come back – mainly because she continues the emotional abuse to this day.  After every episode of it, she will call me the next day as if nothing happened, offering no apology or even acknowledgment of her behavior, but carrying on a regular conversation.  While I have forgiven her, I no longer want her in my life, and though I pray for her happiness, health, and well-being, I cannot bear to live with the emotional abuse and the constant (4-5 times per week) phone calls at all hours.  I have politely told her many times that we need to address the issue of her behavior which sends her into another abusive episode followed by complete denial that anything happened.  I want to be Christ-like.  I forgive every time, but does that mean I have to look at another perhaps forty years of this?  What would Jesus do?  Am I wrong to cut her out of my life?  I do not want my son, due in July, to grow up around this influence, and this cycle of abusive outbursts followed by denial and disengagement has been happening for years.

Sincerely,
Breaking The Cycle

Dear Breaking The Cycle,

Showing forgiveness is not the same as trusting someone.  You have every right to set boundaries in your life if someone is corrupting you with their bad company (1 Cor 15:33).  If you have respectfully tried to show your mother the boundaries (and it sounds like you have), there comes a time when you must put your immediate family before your extended family.  You have a responsibility to your mother, but you have a greater responsibility to your husband and child (Matt 19:5).  It is unfortunate that you are in this situation, but Christ even said that sometimes christian morality will divide families (Matt 10:34-35).  We cannot tell you exactly what lines to draw (that is a matter of wisdom, not doctrine), but you are perfectly scriptural in setting some degree of moral boundary.