Brother, please look again. I understand your thoughts on this and I agree that the top priority is the saints but because there is a definite line drawn between those in and outside the faith, we cannot make a blanket judgment that it is absolute that we cannot give from the contribution to those that are in need that are not of the faith. In addition, we cannot draw lines of fellowship or bind this on people/congregations for this reason.

If you and your congregation decides to give in a personal vs contribution way, that is your decision and is fine but as I stated before, we cannot bind such as a law when this pattern is given to the brethren (plural) and there is a line separating those in and out of the faith being helped. This is more than enough doubt to let us know that we should not be condemning of those that do not agree with your position about giving. Your position can be a personal and congregational decision but not a universal teaching in and of itself.

Now regarding orphanages and colleges, we need to be careful to not group all giving into the same bucket.

In the US, if a family takes care of children that need a home, they must be registered and thus become an institution. I do not suggest we give to any organization without considering and understanding the situation and people involved. For example, I know a sound brother that has four children and has taken in 8 orphans to care for.

He needs money to help care for them. Since children are of the kingdom as well as commanded to care for them and the widows, we have a responsibility to help if possible. If a congregation decides to give on a personal level because of whatever reason, then great but if a congregation, to fulfill the command to help orphans and widows, well we cannot judge them as sinning.

Maybe we can warn them to be careful because of whatever reason but we cannot make a blanket law to bind in light of the scriptures and the command. If the widows can be helped from the contribution because they are of the kingdom then why not the children who are also of the kingdom but are not saved.

If the law is to be held that we cannot give to nonbelievers, what about kids and orphans that are not baptized? As I previously stated, since they are of the kingdom, according to Jesus, we are to help them too.

All the examples of using the contribution is about being needy and Colleges are man made institutions that are not really made for the needy but for those that can afford the bill to be educated. Colleges are about profit. With that being said, I truly find no authority for giving to them at all. It is not the same as giving to help children. I know the colleges say that they do have needy for knowledge but that is just a sales pitch.

I can see the reasoning the colleges use to get money and why congregations give to them. The congregations think it is a good way to teach the lost that go to school. It is seriously unwise to give to such organizations, especially those colleges these days that have contributed in injuring the church during the last 15 or so years. To give to a university that brings in false teachers to lectureships etc is subject to judgment.

Congregations and their leaders are responsible to know what they spend the contribution on.

Make no mistake about me brother, I do not find many orphan homes that are worthy of contribution but they do exist and I know of some.

Ultimately, I am not trying to make you change the entirety of your position but only readjust your position to not draw lines of fellowship, not group all giving and congregations into the same pool of judgment. There is enough doubt from the scriptures to no allow us to take a hard line on many of these situations you mention.

If we truly apply them as laws, I could easily begin to make a list of unsound things non-institutional congregations spend their contribution on too..if we apply such things, where does it end? It has to end with the autonomy of the congregation in areas where there is doubt or effort to put forth and apply commands and pattern found in scripture.

The church should not be institutional or non-institutional but be sound in their judgment and realize that if we do not abide in the Word, we will face judgment for our decisions. God knows if we just blow the contribution or if we are being responsible and modeling ourself after the church example in the Word.

I pray this makes sense. Please let me know if I am not clear.

Your zeal for Truth is encouraging.

Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Acts 6:1
Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.