Offerings a bible study

            I am doing a bible study of the various offerings made to God largely on a free will basis to God for varied reasons. I am also including the guidelines established for such in the bible. I will also hit some on the topic tithing and giving too.

The first example of offering is in Genesis chapter 4 where Cain and Abel brought offerings to the Lord. Abel’s was accepted by God but Cain’s God did not accept. As a result of all this happening, Cain got so mad as a result of the rejection of his offering that he eventually killed Abel!

(Genesis 4:3)  In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground,

(Genesis 4:4)  and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,

(Genesis 4:5)  but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

(Genesis 4:6)  The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?

(Genesis 4:7)  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

(Genesis 4:8)  Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

(Genesis 4:9)  Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"

Here in Genesis chapter 14 Abram give Melchizedek 1/10 of everything he took in a successful campaign- a freewill offering or tithe and the first example of it

(Genesis 14:17)  After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).

(Genesis 14:18)  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)

(Genesis 14:19)  And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;

(Genesis 14:20)  and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

In Genesis chapter 22 God would have Abraham offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering but then later substituted a ram for the purpose of Abrham’s offering to God, but promised to really bless Abraham in this act of obedience. Later God really would offer up His only Son Jesus

(Genesis 22:1)  After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."

(Genesis 22:2)  He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

(Genesis 22:3)  So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

(Genesis 22:4)  On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.

(Genesis 22:5)  Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you."

(Genesis 22:6)  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.

(Genesis 22:7)  And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

(Genesis 22:8)  Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.

(Genesis 22:9)  When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

(Genesis 22:10)  Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

(Genesis 22:11)  But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."

(Genesis 22:12)  He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

(Genesis 22:13)  And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

(Genesis 22:14)  So Abraham called the name of that place, "The LORD will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."

(Genesis 22:15)  And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven

(Genesis 22:16)  and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,

(Genesis 22:17)  I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,

(Genesis 22:18)  and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice."

In the first three chapters of Leviticus, offered without any comment in between them at all, the rules and ground works of these free will offerings to the Lord are made for the children of Israel in some detail

(Leviticus 1:1)  The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,

(Leviticus 1:2)  "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.

(Leviticus 1:3)  "If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.

(Leviticus 1:4)  He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

(Leviticus 1:5)  Then he shall kill the bull before the LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

(Leviticus 1:6)  Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces,

(Leviticus 1:7)  and the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.

(Leviticus 1:8)  And Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar;

(Leviticus 1:9)  but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

(Leviticus 1:10)  "If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall bring a male without blemish,

(Leviticus 1:11)  and he shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar.

(Leviticus 1:12)  And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar,

(Leviticus 1:13)  but the entrails and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

(Leviticus 1:14)  "If his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or pigeons.

(Leviticus 1:15)  And the priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head and burn it on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar.

(Leviticus 1:16)  He shall remove its crop with its contents and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes.

(Leviticus 1:17)  He shall tear it open by its wings, but shall not sever it completely. And the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

(Leviticus 2:1)  "When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it

(Leviticus 2:2)  and bring it to Aaron's sons the priests. And he shall take from it a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

(Leviticus 2:3)  But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD's food offerings.

(Leviticus 2:4)  "When you bring a grain offering baked in the oven as an offering, it shall be unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers smeared with oil.

(Leviticus 2:5)  And if your offering is a grain offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil.

(Leviticus 2:6)  You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.

(Leviticus 2:7)  And if your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.

(Leviticus 2:8)  And you shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD, and when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar.

(Leviticus 2:9)  And the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

(Leviticus 2:10)  But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD's food offerings.

(Leviticus 2:11)  "No grain offering that you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the LORD.

(Leviticus 2:12)  As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the LORD, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma.

(Leviticus 2:13)  You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.

(Leviticus 2:14)  "If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain.

(Leviticus 2:15)  And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering.

(Leviticus 2:16)  And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the LORD.

(Leviticus 3:1)  "If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.

(Leviticus 3:2)  And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar.

(Leviticus 3:3)  And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the LORD, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,

(Leviticus 3:4)  and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys.

(Leviticus 3:5)  Then Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire; it is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

(Leviticus3:6)  "If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD is an animal from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

(Leviticus 3:7)  If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD,

(Leviticus 3:8)  lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it in front of the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar.

(Leviticus 3:9)  Then from the sacrifice of the peace offering he shall offer as a food offering to the LORD its fat; he shall remove the whole fat tail, cut off close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails

(Leviticus 3:10)  and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys.

(Leviticus 3:11)  And the priest shall burn it on the altar as a food offering to the LORD.

(Leviticus 3:12)  "If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD

(Leviticus 3:13)  and lay his hand on its head and kill it in front of the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar.

(Leviticus 3:14)  Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for a food offering to the LORD, the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails

(Leviticus 3:15)  and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys.

(Leviticus 3:16)  And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the LORD's.

(Leviticus 3:17)  It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood."

Here  in Judges chapter 6 a freewill offering of Gideon is miraculously consumed by fire to prove it was the Lord talking to Him(His angel)

(Judges 6:16)  And the LORD said to him, "But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man."

(Judges 6:17)  And he said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.

(Judges 6:18)  Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you." And he said, "I will stay till you return."

(Judges 6:19)  So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.

(Judges 6:20)  And the angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them." And he did so.

(Judges 6:21)  Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.

(Judges 6:22)  Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face."

A similar story happened with Samson’s parents in Judges chapter 13

(Judges 13:15)  Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you."

(Judges 13:16)  And the angel of the LORD said to Manoah, "If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the LORD." (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.)

(Judges 13:17)  And Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?"

(Judges 13:18)  And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?"

(Judges 13:19)  So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the LORD, to the one who works wonders, and Manoah and his wife were watching.

(Judges 13:20)  And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the LORD went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.

This passage shows the miraculous consuming of Elijah’s offering by fire from Heaven by the Lord to prove Himself to Israel in the confrontation with Baal’s prophets in 1 Kings 18

(1 Kings 18:30)  Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down.

(1 Kings 18:31)  Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name,"

(1 Kings 18:32)  and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed.

(1 Kings 18:33)  And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood."

(1 Kings 18:34)  And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time.

(1 Kings 18:35)  And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

(1 Kings 18:36)  And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.

(1 Kings 18:37)  Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back."

(1 Kings 18:38)  Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

(1 Kings 18:39)  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God."

Here is the story of God’s miraculous multiplying of a first fruits offering made(tithe if you will) for us during the ministry of Elisha in 2 Kings chapter 4

(2 Kings 4:42)  A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat."

(2 Kings 4:43)  But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred men?" So he repeated, "Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and have some left.'"

(2 Kings 4:44)  So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

Now to shift a bit I am going to offer some scriptures which will encourage others to give freely and not hold back for God blesses things like that. The first is from Malachi in which while he rebukes people for robbing God he also promises to bless the giver very abundantly

(Malachi 3:8)  Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions.

(Malachi 3:9)  You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.

(Malachi 3:10)  Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

(Malachi 3:11)  I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts.

(Malachi 3:12)  Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.

Also this verse in Luke Jesus Himself gives a similar message of blessing for the giver

(Luke 6:38)  give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

In 2 Corinthians chapter 9 Paul stresses that all of these gifts MUST be willing and of a cheerful heart for God indeed does love a cheerful giver

(2 Corinthians 9:5)  So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.

(2 Corinthians 9:6)  The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

(2 Corinthians 9:7)  Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

(2 Corinthians 9:8)  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

(2 Corinthians 9:9)  As it is written, "He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

(2 Corinthians 9:10)  He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

(2 Corinthians 9:11)  You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

(2 Corinthians 9:12)  For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

(2 Corinthians 9:13)  By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,

(2 Corinthians 9:14)  while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

(2 Corinthians 9:15)  Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

We are to give these things without expecting anything in return according to Matthew 10, and this applies to more than just spiritual gifts, too

(Matthew 10:7)  And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

(Matthew 10:8)  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

It is because everything good comes from above and we ourselves are to be a first fruit to God as well according to James

(James 1:16)  Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

(James 1:17)  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

(James 1:18)  Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

This message of ourselves being like a first fruits offering/sacrifice to God is further stressed by Paul in Romans chapter 12’s first three verses

(Romans 12:1)  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

(Romans 12:2)  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

(Romans 12:3)  For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Who is to be blessed with these things? Scripture is very definite about these points as well

Here are some proverbs which speak of the blessings to give

(Proverbs 11:24)  One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

(Proverbs 11:25)  Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

(Proverbs 19:17)  Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.

Chapter 58 of Isaiah speaks very powerfully about how to fast and who to give to, as well, taking care of the poor and the Lord makes powerful promises to bless those who do so

(Isaiah 58:1)  "Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.

(Isaiah 58:2)  Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.

(Isaiah 58:3)  'Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?' Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers.

(Isaiah 58:4)  Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.

(Isaiah 58:5)  Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?

(Isaiah 58:6)  "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

(Isaiah 58:7)  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

(Isaiah 58:8)  Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

(Isaiah 58:9)  Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

(Isaiah 58:10)  if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

(Isaiah 58:11)  And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

(Isaiah 58:12)  And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.

(Isaiah 58:13)  "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;

(Isaiah 58:14)  then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Matthew chapter 25 also points out very strongly what we do or don’t do for the poor- the least brother- we have either done, or failed to do for Jesus and there are consequences for both choices

(Matthew 25:31)  "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

(Matthew 25:32)  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

(Matthew 25:33)  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

(Matthew 25:34)  Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

(Matthew 25:35)  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

(Matthew 25:36)  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'

(Matthew 25:37)  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

(Matthew 25:38)  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

(Matthew 25:39)  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'

(Matthew 25:40)  And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

(Matthew 25:41)  "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

(Matthew 25:42)  For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

(Matthew 25:43)  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

(Matthew 25:44)  Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'

(Matthew 25:45)  Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'

(Matthew 25:46)  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

And in this verse James also says that is what pure religion is- taking care of the poor and keep unstained form the world

(James 1:27)  Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

The ultimate offering was when God did send His Son in this world as Jesus Himself states in John 3 so that people would have eternal life

(John 3:16)  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

(John 3:17)  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Jesus did indeed come willingly and willingly He offered His life on the cross so that people might live eternally with God and not go to hell, for God did indeed love the world that much. This sacrifice enabled relationship to reform again between God and man, now that the sin had been atoned and paid for by the death on the cross. God wants this relationship that much to take the measures that He did to make it happen. There is nothing that can compare with this love relationship with God, either, nothing at all. I am now including a prayer to invite Jesus into your heart to make this love relationship happen between you and God, to which nothing can compare. Please pray this prayer with me now to make this happen.

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess Jesus as our Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself. Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.

Amen.

God bless you and yours