Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
It is better not to make a vow at all than to make a vow to God and then fail to pay it, and every vow made to God must be paid and kept. A vow should be made only with the intention of keeping it, and never lightly, while simply choosing not to vow is not itself a sin. The seriousness of deciding whether to vow calls for ceasing faultfinding and instead praying for understanding of God's Word.
Pledges of money to support God's work, for beneficence, and for the proclamation of the gospel are vows to God, made before His angel and heard by the angel as well as by men. When the Holy Spirit stirs the heart to promise a certain amount, the consecrated portion no longer belongs to the one who vowed and cannot be taken back. God claims the tenth and leaves all free to give more, yet such a promise to God is more binding than a promise made to men, and what is tried in the court of conscience is more binding than written agreements among men.
What was vowed must be paid without delay and with the same willing mind felt when the pledge was made. Money should not be invested elsewhere while the pledge to God's work remains unpaid, for the pledge is a solemn obligation that must be met. Adversity such as failure of crops and straitened circumstances does not excuse murmuring and withdrawing the heart from the pledge, for God will work and open ways for everyone who waits in faith and trusts Him to redeem what was promised.
Habitual selfishness may relax when divine light shines with unusual clearness and produce a disposition to give, but Satan will then protest that the pledge was too much and would hinder acquiring property or gratifying family desires, yet the pledge must still be fulfilled. Vows and pledges for beneficence are binding debts, and to neglect them and leave them unpaid is to rob God, violate duty, and incur guilt and accountability to God that must be settled when account is rendered in the last day. That guilt should trouble the conscience and cause remorse just as deliberately or accidentally underpaying a neighbor or refusing to cancel an honest debt troubles the conscience even when no one else knows.
To grumble, murmur, withdraw pledges, make excuses, say before the angel that the pledge was an error or was extorted by undue pressure, in spirit repudiate vows, question the motives of God's servant, withhold tithes and offerings while having means at command, give afterward only with reluctance, or withhold part of the price while pretending to fulfill God's requirements is to let the mouth cause the flesh to sin. God has no pleasure in such fools and is angry at their voice, withholds His blessing so they are not made able to pay what they pledged, destroys the work of their hands, and gives no blessing to reluctant giving, bringing strict account and rejection as with Ananias and Sapphira, while Satan exults in such a course. Few feel this guilt, so there must be an awakening with new and deeper conviction, an aroused conscience, and earnest attention to the matter.
It is better not to make a vow at all than to make a vow to God and then fail to pay it, and every vow made to God must be paid and kept. A vow should be made only with the intention of keeping it, and never lightly, while simply choosing not to vow is not itself a sin. The seriousness of deciding whether to vow calls for ceasing faultfinding and instead praying for understanding of God's Word.
Pledges of money to support God's work, for beneficence, and for the proclamation of the gospel are vows to God, made before His angel and heard by the angel as well as by men. When the Holy Spirit stirs the heart to promise a certain amount, the consecrated portion no longer belongs to the one who vowed and cannot be taken back. God claims the tenth and leaves all free to give more, yet such a promise to God is more binding than a promise made to men, and what is tried in the court of conscience is more binding than written agreements among men.
What was vowed must be paid without delay and with the same willing mind felt when the pledge was made. Money should not be invested elsewhere while the pledge to God's work remains unpaid, for the pledge is a solemn obligation that must be met. Adversity such as failure of crops and straitened circumstances does not excuse murmuring and withdrawing the heart from the pledge, for God will work and open ways for everyone who waits in faith and trusts Him to redeem what was promised.
Habitual selfishness may relax when divine light shines with unusual clearness and produce a disposition to give, but Satan will then protest that the pledge was too much and would hinder acquiring property or gratifying family desires, yet the pledge must still be fulfilled. Vows and pledges for beneficence are binding debts, and to neglect them and leave them unpaid is to rob God, violate duty, and incur guilt and accountability to God that must be settled when account is rendered in the last day. That guilt should trouble the conscience and cause remorse just as deliberately or accidentally underpaying a neighbor or refusing to cancel an honest debt troubles the conscience even when no one else knows.
To grumble, murmur, withdraw pledges, make excuses, say before the angel that the pledge was an error or was extorted by undue pressure, in spirit repudiate vows, question the motives of God's servant, withhold tithes and offerings while having means at command, give afterward only with reluctance, or withhold part of the price while pretending to fulfill God's requirements is to let the mouth cause the flesh to sin. God has no pleasure in such fools and is angry at their voice, withholds His blessing so they are not made able to pay what they pledged, destroys the work of their hands, and gives no blessing to reluctant giving, bringing strict account and rejection as with Ananias and Sapphira, while Satan exults in such a course. Few feel this guilt, so there must be an awakening with new and deeper conviction, an aroused conscience, and earnest attention to the matter.