So These Wicked Rich Men Laugh at Born Again Christian Giving Practices?

Ever since that earthquake struck in Bohol last week, it's been a major damage and one thing was certain, even some Christian assemblies in Bohol were destroyed by the quake perhaps as God's call for revival or chastising or to weed out false converts.  Recently, I was glad to hear that Pastor Armie F. Jesalva and Pastor Ruben L. Lumagbas Jr. of Bible Baptist Church-Cebu launched a charity mission campaign with other fellow Christians but at the same time, I remembered some ridicule at wicked rich men who laugh at the born again Christian practice of tithes, offerings, faith promises and most of all charitable giving.  So far, many of these wicked men are either atheists or Roman Catholics (who are pretty much comfortable in their parishes) or you could consider part of the wicked prosperity doctrine which was also ran by Vatican shill, Joel Osteen which I dub as Osteenism. Christians don't do their good works to stay saved or to gain God's favor or whatever, no they are doing good works because they're already in God's favor.  Ephesians 2:8-10 and Titus 2:11-14 is clear God's grace changes the person, Philippians 2:13 it says God is the one at work.  That is, every good work done by the Christian, is a result of salvation.  If anybody claims to be a Christian and is against good works, that person is never saved to start with.  Hebrews 9:14 declares, "How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"  That is of course, while I don't believe Christians need to do good works to be guaranteed they stay saved, however I don't buy the garbage that Christians will be fruitless.  Either your conversion is true or not.

I remember how some wicked rich are considered "charitable" but only because they are exploiting the poor in the use for show business.  Sure they do not mistreat these poor, maybe not openly but they are seen calling the presses to give a show for themselves.  But if there's no involvement, they shy away because they only want to show off, the typical works salvation doctrine.  Matthew 6:1-4 warns that nobody should be giving to charity to show off but rather, it must be from the heart.  If people see you do it, fine but do not brag about it.  Protestant theologian Pastor Vernon McGee wrote this meaningful statement, "May I say to you that giving is between you and God, and the very minute you get a third party involved, YOU DON'T GET ANY CREDIT IN HEAVEN."  Also he writes in his commentary, "There is a lot of so-called Christian giving today that isn't giving at all.  For example in College I graduated from played on human nature.  While I was in school, beautiful architectural plans were drawn up for a tower to be put on an old hall.  It was modestly announced that the tower would be named after the donor.  At least half a dozen people wanted their names on that tower.  Today it is called "So-and-so Tower" in honor of a certain man.  His name is carved ins tone which means that his trumpet is being blown all the time.  A lot of people give like that.  That kind of giving is worth nothing before God."  Dr. Matthew Henry's concise commentary he writes this meaningful statement which I have taken as an excerpt, "Our Lord warned against hypocrisy and outward show in religious duties.  What we do, must be done from an INWARD PRINCIPLE that we may be approved of God."  Obviously the wicked rich laugh at Christians who give from the heart because they only give for show business, they are begrudging givers.  

Others dare to laugh and mock at Christian giving as stupid and that the Christian churches are only profiteering.  But what about them?  I have seen so much of wicked men who have complained about the needs of their families but have not hesitated to indulge in their wickedness.  While the wife may be living with much difficulty with the legitimate children to the point she is forced to work like every single woman, the mistress might be getting a good pension, the illegitimate child might be a pampered brat and she might even have a brand new BMW or Mercedes Benz, or maybe their dog may have an air-conditioned doghouse while the real family starves. One might consider also that they are only hoarding money to the point they may even cheat their own business partners, have underpaid laborers that work to the bone and it doesn't matter to such people as long as they are lords of all they survey.  Such a lifestyle is evident of being unsaved.  Remember in Matthew 25:31-46 when the Lord Jesus condemns the wicked telling them that they saw Him in need and yet they did not help Him.  How did that happen?  In fact, one great proof of man's being unsaved is that they really don't care about others and they persecute the Christians.    Dr. Matthew Henry also commented on this that the good works here aren't for works salvation but rather, these good works are because men are saved saying from the concise commentary which I have taken as an excerpt, "Good works done for God's sake through Jesus Christ and here noticed as marking the character of believers made holy by the Spirit of Christ and as effects of grace bestowed on those who do them.  The wicked in this world were often called to come upon to Christ for life and rest but they turned down from His calls and justly are those bid to depart from Christ, that would not come to him.  Condemned sinners will in vain offer excuses."  That is, obviously the wicked as a result of being unsaved, would just do good works for show but in reality, Christ discredited them because they were actually persecutors of Christ and were not really saved to start with.