Ask a Pastor Column

Q: If you tithe are you more apt to go to heaven?

A: Bible verses such as Habakkuk 2:4, John 3:36, Romans 4:5, Romans 6:23, Romans 11:6 and Galatians 2:21 (to name just a few) all make it very clear that eternal life in heaven is offered by God to all as a completely free gift. There is nothing we must do to qualify for this gift and indeed nothing we could do to earn it even if we wanted to (Isaiah 64:6). All we have to do is accept eternal life as a gift from God by trusting in Jesus. 

Giving money to God, church or charity earns you no merit with God whatsoever (Luke 18:9-14). In fact He finds any attempt to gain merit from good works positively repulsive (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:1-3). God loves a cheerful giver (II Corinthians 9:7) and He finds great joy in those who reflect His gracious character by giving freely just as they have freely received (Matthew 10:8; II Corinthians 9:6-8). 

To conclude: showing free, God-like generosity to God’s work, His church, or the needy does not make it more likely to go to heaven, it shows that you are becoming a child of heaven by living as God lives and giving as He gives.

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