Can Christians offer a money-back guarantee?

[unknown soldier]

We've all heard the sales pitch in which a business offers a money-back guarantee to all unsatisfied buyers. The business will tell consumers that they're so confident that purchasers will be pleased with the product, that the business can offer that kind of guarantee. The logic is that if a seller is sure that the seller's product is worth the purchase price, then the buyers will be pleased with that product and will not ask for their money back.

I agree with that logic. If people are confident that what they have to offer will please those who accept the offer, then there is no need to fear that anything exchanged for the offer will be demanded back. They can readily guarantee satisfaction accepting the risk of loss.

Why, then, do Christians not offer a money-back guarantee to any disgruntled person who tithed and donated money to a Christian group or church? It seems reasonable to me that if Christians truly believe that their religion is actually founded on a perfect God, then they would be completely confident that all comers would be pleased.

Maybe the clergy wants to cover itself just in case.

[1213]

...According to 1213 these rules and advisories only apply to the Old Testament. ...

Please show where have I said so?

[koko]

...According to 1213 these rules and advisories only apply to the Old Testament. ...

Please show where have I said so?

you mentioned inapplicability on post 42 - this is taught by many Christian churches but they are wrong as biblical laws are supposed to be eternal and applicable today as in the past

[1213]

...
you mentioned inapplicability on post 42 - this is taught by many Christian churches but they are wrong as biblical laws are supposed to be eternal and applicable today as in the past

The temple that Malachi is speaking of, doesn’t exist at the moment, how do you think people could obey Malachi, when there is no temple?

[koko]

...
you mentioned inapplicability on post 42 - this is taught by many Christian churches but they are wrong as biblical laws are supposed to be eternal and applicable today as in the past

The temple that Malachi is speaking of, doesn’t exist at the moment, how do you think people could obey Malachi, when there is no temple?

Moses does not exist anymore. Should we disregard the Commandments he wrote about in the OT?

[1213]

...Should we disregard the Commandments he wrote about in the OT?

For example, obeying the commandment ”don’t murder”, doesn’t depend on is Moses here or not. We can obey it without Moses. But we can’t give money to the temple that doesn’t exist.

[DavidLeon]

Moses does not exist anymore. Should we disregard the Commandments he wrote about in the OT?

Moses didn't exist long before the law was done away with. The Law shouldn't be disregarded but it is no longer in effect. No one is under the law. It served it's purpose until the coming of Christ. (Galatians 3:19-24; Romans 3:20; 10:4)

[koko]

...Should we disregard the Commandments he wrote about in the OT?

For example, obeying the commandment ”don’t murder”, doesn’t depend on is Moses here or not. We can obey it without Moses. But we can’t give money to the temple that doesn’t exist.

The Temple doesn't exist? What about this: 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17
Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

The church, the congregation is the modern day Holy Temple and those tithes/offerings are to be given:

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

~ Ephesians 2:19–22


In the OT a reward was promised for giving unto the temple but the extent of which was not fully disclosed. In the NT a one hundred fold reward was promised as I previously discussed on Mark 10:30.

[Tcg]

Moses didn't exist long before the law was done away with. The Law shouldn't be disregarded but it is no longer in effect. No one is under the law. It served it's purpose until the coming of Christ. (Galatians 3:19-24; Romans 3:20; 10:4)

Paul should have informed Jesus about this fact:

Matthew 5:18 - For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

That's the magic of the Bible. It's inconstancy allows one to use it to support apposing views based simply on personal preference. Prefer salvation by faith, read John. Rather work for it, turn to the synoptics.


Tcg

[tam]

Peace to you,

[Replying to unknown soldier in post #46]

The only stipulation here is that the person praying has faith. So Tam is wrong assuming that faith is part of the bargain. According to her own Christ, we can have everything we want in this life. I think Tam and other apologists keep contradicting their own Bible this way because they know we live in a world that cares not at all what we pray. In order to explain away these failed prayers, apologists must change their own Bible and their own Christ to make them consistent with the real world.

My faith is in God and His Son (Christ Jaheshua). I serve out of love for them. I have no "failed prayers", dear unknown soldier. And I have always received what I have asked... and what may not yet have happened, I am assured will happen. Ask and you WILL receive; seek and you WILL find; knock and the door WILL be opened.

Remember also that when Christ wanted and prayed for 'this cup to be taken away from Him', He prayed for this to happen only if POSSIBLE. If NOT possible, then His Father's will be done. If we are following His example, then would we not pray as He prayed?



**

In any case, my Lord recently reminded me of the following teaching, and I am curious how some of you square away the following with the 'prosperity gospel' (or something similar):

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matt 6:19


Not to mention the fact that Christ told others who wanted to be His disciples, that we would have trouble in this world, that we must pick up our cross and carry it. We are promised a cross in this life; not a bed of roses. And of course, He also warned those who would be His followers, that 'the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."







Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[unknown soldier]

I have no "failed prayers", dear unknown soldier. And I have always received what I have asked...

Sorry, but I don't believe that you received anything from God. You won't prove you got what you wanted because you can't prove it. God doesn't exist, so you can't get anything from him. That said, the Bible claims we can get what we want from God as some other members and I have proved on this thread. It's obviously a false promise.

...and what may not yet have happened, I am assured will happen.

You just told me you have received what you asked for, now you say you're still waiting. It's not good form to contradict yourself that way.

Remember also that when Christ wanted and prayed for 'this cup to be taken away from Him', He prayed for this to happen only if POSSIBLE. If NOT possible, then His Father's will be done. If we are following His example, then would we not pray as He prayed?

If you wish to hedge your bet, then yes, always include an escape clause in all your prayers. That way no matter what the outcome of your prayer, your prayer will be "answered"! Of course, if you really were confident that God existed and that prayer worked, then you wouldn't need to play games like that.

In any case, my Lord recently reminded me of the following teaching, and I am curious how some of you square away the following with the 'prosperity gospel' (or something similar):

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matt 6:19

I'm not sure exactly what that passage is saying, but it appears to contradict Matthew 21:22. Assuming God exists, I see no reason why a person cannot have treasure both here and in heaven, and there should be no requirement to choose between the two.

Not to mention the fact that Christ told others who wanted to be His disciples, that we would have trouble in this world, that we must pick up our cross and carry it. We are promised a cross in this life; not a bed of roses. And of course, He also warned those who would be His followers, that 'the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."

If you have trouble, then just pray that the trouble goes away! You said that you always have gotten what you prayed for.