I regularly receive offers for credit cards. The offers tell me I am "pre-approved." Some letters encourage me to take a second mortgage on my home. Other advertisements encourage me to buy various products and services. "Easy credit" is available. "Free gift for applying." "Buy now, pay later." "Instant approval." "Take up to three years to pay." Whether you live in a credit society or not, let's take a look at the problems of credit in the United States. See Are you living beyond your means?

"Sell everything you have and give to the poor,'' said Jesus to a rich man (Luke 18:22). Jesus' demand is shocking. Is there something wrong with owning things and having money? Jesus was not always critical of the rich. He ate with Levi and other tax collectors in a great banquet. Levi was able to give a banquet after he had supposedly "left everything.'' The Gospel of Luke was written to a wealthy man, and throughout the book, it shows a special interest in money and possessions. See Luke: an open letter to a wealthy man

The apostle Paul says very little about worship practices of the early church. He rarely uses the ordinary words for worship. But he does take a Greek word for worship used throughout the Old Testament, and he uses it for offerings. He was referring to a collection for famine relief. This seemingly ordinary service to the saints was actually an act of worship. See Money and worship

When Paul met with the original apostles, they made one request of Paul: that he remember the many believers in Jerusalem who needed financial help. Paul was happy to remember these needs, for it gave Gentile believers an opportunity to have some involvement with Jewish believers. Since the gospel began among the Jews, it was appropriate for Gentile Christians to be thankful for the Jewish people. They could do this by sharing some of their material blessings. See The grace of giving: a study of 2 Corinthians 8

Is tithing required in the New Testament? The old covenant required simple percentages. Everyone knew how much was required. The new covenant has no set percentages. Instead, it requires more soul-searching, more training for the conscience, more selfless love for others, more faith, more voluntary sacrifice and less compulsion. It tests our values, what we treasure most, and where our hearts are.