wfn.org | Commentary: Offering is the Righteous Choice for Taiwan's People

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2778 23-29 May 2005

Written by Wang Wen-chi. Translated by David Alexander

The New Testament understanding of the meaning of offering is plain to see,
but people whose thought patterns are framed by Chinese culture have long
been more influenced by the folk religion concept of ¡§Add Perfumed Oil
Money.¡¨ Even Christians in Taiwan have a distorted sense of the biblical
teaching. The basis of ¡§offering¡¨ depends on a very important a-priori
understanding of to whom the offering is made. In other words, the
counterpart in our acts of offering determines the significance of our actions.

Seen from this angle, ¡§offering¡¨ becomes a matter of an ethical choice.
Let us not neglect the teaching of St. Paul: ¡§No longer present your
members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God
as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members
to God as instruments of righteousness.¡¨ The Bible takes seriously the
idea of whole person offering.

On reflection, secular society has many temptations to unrighteous values
and actions. Every day they entice us to leave the way of God. When even in
the slightest way we fail to discern the malice behind much of what comes
our way we can easily be drawn by the power it contains into dangerous
paths. Because of this, if we want make righteous choices, the first step
is to believe in God with all our hearts and strength, and to totally rely
on God alone. When we decide to give our all to and for the righteous
Kingdom of God we will experience lives that are more blessed by God.  This
is biblical encouragement for us as we walk the heavenly road, and is the
wisest choice that any of us can make.

For more information: Wang Wen-chi is pastor of the Tien-mu Alliance Church

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.

Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw