Expert: Ernie Laurence, Jr. - 1/4/2011

Question
Hello Ernie- Please clarify for me on tithing- is portion of salary to be given from net wages or from what is left after necessary living expenses? When we go to our Father in prayer and confess our sins to ask forgiveness,is it required to specify a sin or simply confess we have "sinned"? I know when we are aware of the sin we can specify , but as humans we sin unwittingly don't we?    Thanks

Answer
Hey Linda,

~~~~Hello Ernie- Please clarify for me on tithing- is portion of salary to be given from net wages or from what is left after necessary living expenses?~~~~

Tithing is an Old Testament law and not required of us who are under the New Testament now.  The OT was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:14; Eph. 2:15).  The giving that is asked of us is "as you have been prospered" (1 Cor. 16:1-2) and 2 Corinthians 9:7 says:

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

So technicalities like net or gross salary is an unnecessary consideration.  Give what is in your heart to give.  Give responsibly.  God will take care of the rest.

~~~~When we go to our Father in prayer and confess our sins to ask forgiveness,is it required to specify a sin or simply confess we have "sinned"? I know when we are aware of the sin we can specify , but as humans we sin unwittingly don't we?~~~~

There is nothing in scripture that says we must pray for the forgiveness of sins by specifically naming them.  You can.  I believe it is healthy for you to do so because it prevents you from sweeping them aside and growing callous to individual sins.  But I can find no place where God demands such.

Do we sin unwittingly?  God spoke of this in Lev. 22:14 and Josh 20:3-5.  He granted it lesser status as a crime legally and gave capacity for safety in certain safe cities.  1 John 1:7 speaks of those who are walking in the light and continually cleansed by the blood of Christ.  That is to say that if they are living righteously, the occasional "stumble" is washed away immediately and that implies to me that in prayer, we only need to pray for the forgiveness of sins in general.  The willful sin, or the persistent sin (maybe a person has a problem with pornography or alcohol or profanity they are trying to get rid of)...those should be prayed for specifically.  I also believe that the mature Christian cannot sin in ignorance.  If they have studied as God wants them to study and have grown as God wants them to grow, they will know instantly if they "stumble".  I also believe that as a Christian matures, he sins less and less and can reach a point where he no longer sins at all.  That is what God commands and Christ provided as an example: a sinless life.  When we fall short of this goal, thankfully Christ is there to cover us if we are walking in the light.

In Truth and Love,

Ernie