I’ve seen a lot of guilt laid upon church members in order to obtain their cash. I am one of those who do NOT believe that the modern church is owed an attendance payment. I believe tithes were for the temple set up, and not for the modern day church.
Yet I’ve seen pastors who say that the 10 commandments are not for Christians today, who mock what they call ‘the law of Moses’ who then turn right around and draw upon Malachi 3 to run the guilt trip to get the cash!
Mal 3:8 Will a man rob Elohim? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith Yahweh of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing of sufficiency.
Taken out of context and used against people!
That’s not all I’ve seen, but it fits with the topic.
Well, it doesn’t seem that unusual to me for a pastor or other church officer to bring up the need for “collections” or tithing. After all, it is the collections and donations which keep a church going and if there is a need it should be brought to the congregation. How else is a church to keep opening doors for worship. The alternative is for the church to no longer exist for the congregation. It’s up to the congregation. It’s their church.
You see Malachi 3 as a guilt trip? It’s a challenge, the one time in the whole Bible where God says to test Him.
I’ve taken Him up on it, and, so far, I haven’t been able to out-give Him.
You, my dear, are not only misled....but confused.
The New Testament didn’t totally negate the Old Testament; if so, it never would have been included in the Holy Bible.
It is in Malachi Chapter 3 that God, in the only such instance in the entire Bible, explicitly says “challenge Me on this one”.
You challenge Him all you want, sweetie. I’ll not cross Him one iota. If it’s that important to Him, it’s that important to me. Tithing is law, and it (or should I say, His word) hasn’t failed me yet.
What I especially like about the passage in Malachi is that God is not really "daring" the people to keep back their tithe and regret what He would do to them, but rather, to trust Him that you "can't out give God". He obviously doesn't NEED our money - he owns the cattle upon a thousand hill tops - but our money is often that which we hold most dear and letting go of it in faith that God WILL provide all our needs, is a major way that he grows our faith.
I had such a teaching lesson many years ago while in Bible college - one of many, BTW. I was working full time and also carrying a full load of classes (I paid my own way through) and was getting minimum wage ($1.50 per hour). I got paid on Thursdays and, seeing it was only Tuesday and I had $2.00 left, I was feeling the pinch of doubt. On Tuesday at chapel, the school took up a collection to help with expenses and I felt moved to give $1.00. That left me with only $1.00 and two days until payday. I ate lunch, which cost 80 cents (this was early 70's) and I had 20 cents left for bus fare to work but not back. I decided I was going to trust the Lord.
As I was walking out to the bus stop, I noticed students hovering around the mail slots - the mail had come early that day - and as I had a few extra minutes, I decided to check my mail. In the mail was a card from my Mom (no special occasion) in which she included a check for $20.00. Now, she did not know I needed that money, I didn't tell anyone and she had to have sent it almost a week before. But the Lord knew, and with that He taught me that I CAN trust Him. My faith was encouraged by this experience and I have shared it many times over the forty or so years since.
So, when God says "test me", I really do believe He wants us to learn he is trustworthy, that He does see our needs and when we give in faith with a cheerful heart, our faith grows and he is glorified. Sometimes, leaders of churches forget that the Holy Spirit is who moves hearts to give and that demanding and embarrassing their members into giving does NOT bring glory to God nor does it enrich the faith of the believers. It turns into resentment and that is NEVER how God wants it be.