You need to ask Robert Tilton. And send $1000.
Posted on 09/08/2014 3:44:25 PM PDT by Laissez-faire capitalist
When pressed for an answer to "Paying tithes was under the Law", some retort that Christians are required to pay tithes because Abraham's paying of tithes to Melchizedek preceded to Law.
In reply to that, do the scriptures say in Genesis chapter 14 that Abraham was compelled to pay tithes, or was it rather a free will tithe offering, unlike the compelled tithe that was enacted under the Law?
In Deuteronomy 14:26 (NIV), it says that those who attended a particular feast day that they could "...Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. KJV ("...or for wine or for strong drink..." NASB: ("...or wine or strong drink...").
Since Deuteronomy 14:26 was under the Law, and the Law curse for not paying tithes is listed again in Malachi chapter 3, is one cursed, too, for not agreeing to buy wine or strong drink, say Saturday before one pays tithes on Sunday? If one is not compelled to do Deut. 14:26, does one commit sin if they (with their free will) still want to buy strong drink or less strong wine?
If tithes preceded the Law, and no curse is listed if Abraham did not pay tithes to Melchizedek, then it would seem that the curse is limited strictly to the Law (Old Covenant) and not under the New Covenant.
There would seem to only be blessing for paying tithes, but no curse for not doing so today...
He requires that you give your heart to Him and then act accordingly. And joyously. For some, that may be 2%. For others, 50% or more.
The more you willingly and joyously give, the more you will get, too. That is His way, one I will admit to failing to have followed too many times. Sigh.
Yup. You get it.
What about Matthew 6?
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6;16-18 “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you”.
If you are at odds with how your church behaves with respect to charity and them ceding their role to the government, might I suggest you consider finding a church that shares your philosophy on the issue?
Churches are choke full of imperfect people. They will falter, even in the execution of the Church's work.
Adultery and murder are mentioned in the New Testament, in a way that demonstrates they’re still verboten. Giving / supporting the temple is also discussed, but not in as legalistic a way as in the Law.
In Old Testament tithes are spoken of in Malachi Chapter Three.
Malachi 3:7 “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me!
But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. 11 Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the Lord of hosts.
Back to Malachi 3:6 “For I, the Lord, do not change;
What pleased him in the Old Testament, pleases him in the New.
What was considered sin in the Old, is considered sin in the New.
Though we don't live by the law for salvation, the law still tells us what God finds pleasing and detestable.
The question was posed with respect to Christians. As such a NT scripture is controlling.
No, I do not buy your math. The Church did everything back at the time of that particular passage about “first fruits”. The church itself allowed the Government to be “First”.
So the Church put itself 2nd in line.
I suppose you feel there is no need OUTSIDE of your "home" church?
You need to ask Robert Tilton. And send $1000.
This is an open letter to anyone struggling with tithing.
For years I attended a church where there was an annual guilt trip about tithing. Actually it seemed monthly...
By happenstance I found a church where tithing was de-emphasized. In fact, during the passing of the collection plate, the pastor suggested to guest that they NOT give, as tithing was a privilege that members gladly took upon themselves.
Why? ‘Cause the membership was cheerfully giving. Not required to give, we had the privilege of giving.
If you feel stress on the subject of tithing...my prayer is you will work to change your current church culture, or find another church. Tithing should not be a stress point.
If he felt he was being robbed in the OT, why would his feelings change in the NT?
There is no mention of tithes in the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant the Pharisees would pay the tithe (even of their spice gardens) then the rest was theirs to do with as they pleased.
Under the New Covenant, it all belongs to God - we are responsible to God for everything that we spend.
Much more demanding than a “mere” tithe, I would say!
The charity of a liberal is only limited by the depth of someone else’s purse.
http://www.gci.org/law/tithing
This article does a good job of describing both the Old and New Testament requirements on tithing.
Malachi 3 shows how generous God can be about giving, which is more than just tithing, it’s about the heart we have in what we give....
I know people who tithe faithfully and those who give whatever, the first are truly blessed and I think it’s a cheerful heart that makes the difference. And it’s up to us to decide where we want to be, that’s my guess. Required is a strange way to look at it, that’s like school homework, I’ll do exactly the amount required to get by.
The aspect of giving cheerfully means finding that place where you bless others with your abundance to help them with their lack, it’s not about buildings or organizations, it’s about following the Holy Spirit. Your local church should be meeting those needs in the community, if not?? Well then you may have a decision to make, and if they are...well your money would be used well.
perception is wrong. It is God who lets us with 90%.
How did the Church allow for the entitlement state we have today? How did they cause or support the formation of the IRS?
Advocating tithing as a required duty of Christians is ridiculous. Giving is clearly taught in the New Testament as a voluntary privilege with no specific amount or percentage ever mentioned (in the context of church giving). There are blessings associated with giving in the New Testament. There are no punishments or curses taught for not giving, other than a missed opportunity or blessing.
This is a subject which many heretical TV preachers have twisted into the lie that God’s gifts can be bought with money and that giving makes God our debtor. Many unbelievers have been turned away from the gospel message by these false teachers because the unbelievers get the impression that Christianity is just a money-making scam.
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