The law on tithing, what's that?
Seems the more a Christian learns that the more they see they need to learn, it soon becomes apparent that the knowledge you gain while studying to show yourself approved unto God is infinite, as God's word says also in; 1Co:2:9: But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Seems we can never can express enough how much we appreciate the attention to detail that exists in Bible scripture, as it is a constant occurrence when someone writes a new sermon, or expresses a new revelation as they are moved by the Holy Spirit. I remember hearing a sermon preached by one of the most respected and spiritually mature pastors that I have ever had the privilege of hearing preach from pure inspiration.
In his message he stated that in the New Testament there is no demand for believers to give a tithe or tenth of their earnings, as such a law was only an Old Testament law for Jews to follow and that the New Testament encouraged believers to give in accordance to how much they loved to give unto the Lord. After mentioning this to other believers over time has sparked many heated discussions, and prompted many to dove into Bible scripture, including concordances, as well as Greek Hebrew definitions in order to bring this matter into deeper understandings.
In short order we put the word "tithe" into the concordance search of the entire New Testament, the results might shock a few of you, here are the seven times that the word "tithe" appears in the New Testament; M't:23:23: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Lu:11:42: But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Lu:18:12: I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. Heb:7:5: And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: Heb:7:6: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. Heb:7:8: And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. Heb:7:9: And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
In short order we can clearly see that the word "tithe" in the New Testament only appears in reference to Old Testament laws to the Jews. Wow - and in the same Churches that preach that in the New Testament times we live free from all Jewish laws, and at the same time we live now under the New Testament Covenant of grace, but that we must keep an Old Testament law of giving a first tenth of all that we have. And to add to the pressure they refer to this Old Testament scripture referring to breaking Jewish law in; Mal:3:8: Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Seems that grasping at Old Testament laws to Jews can be used to stimulate New Testament people to give according to Jewish laws really can pay off big! Just take a look around at all the lush buildings and rich attire being displayed in and about many of the mainstream Churches we see today. In actuality the New Testament asks you to give out of love from your hearts, and not out of grief or reluctant giving. If we are prompted by the Holy Spirit to give out of love and respond, we are then rewarded for responding to what the Holy Spirit was moving our (conscience) spirit to do. King Jesus said this;
M't:25:34: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: M't:25:35: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: M't:25:36: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. M't:25:37: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? M't:25:38: When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? M't:25:39: Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? M't:25:40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." thus the "least of these my brethren" could never be confused with the most of those your mainstream denominational leaders. Don't take us wrong we have many deeply loved mainstream mentors, who in our minds deserve every cent they get. However what is justifiable in our minds of what we think we like or dislike can many times be way different from what God thinks is right. Thus we see that giving to the "least of these your brethren" has precedence according to Bible scriptures. Could a Christian naturist ministry be considered as a "least of these ministry? no doubt! however we can clearly see that many mainstream denominations are the first to be stone throwers at these "least of these your brethren ministries"
Nearly every Christian naturist/nudist group or gathering could be termed a "least of these ministry" by any and most all mainstream denomination if they were to follow true Biblical teachings. To draw this message to a conclusion we can rest assured that when we decide to give from our hearts to this, or another Christian naturist/nudist group or organization, your giving's are imputed as to being much more righteous in God's eyes than that of those who give in the tradition of men and many mainstream one tenth tithing from Old Testament laws given to Jews. Today when you give know that when you give you are giving it unto the Lord as to how much do you love Him, and not according to Old Testament laws to Jews. We have seen time and again people give from the heart far more than Jews ever gave from the law. May God richly bless you in your giving's according to His riches in Heaven. Amen.
Jesus said if you keep the law you have to keep the whole law or you are keeping none of it.
I have never seen a church pay its minister once every 3 yrs and the minister manage that money which is part of the tithing law.
The real purpose as we all know is to raise money thru guilt than thru grace. It works, but it is not Godly. The source of the tithing teachings is with a big Church HQ in Utah.
Here is the key elements from the (NIV) translation; Matt 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. The emphasis was being directed by Jesus to those who would direct their offerings (tithes as was a Jewish law) to the least of these of the brethren, that it would be counted as giving it unto the Lord.
In the largest part of conventional Churches today the ideas of New Testament tithing has been taken from old Testament law by the early Catholic Church for nearly 1,500 years as a forceful way of attaining revenues for the Church leaders, and only a fraction ending up going to the poor in the out lying, out of sight, out of mind, uttermost (non mainstream) ministries and parts of the earth. Seems this failed to be addressed in the days known as the Church reform.
Jesus gave emphasis to - directly giving to the least of these ministries - and places, or needs of the poor and under funded, perhaps much in part because Jesus could look into the future, and see how the steward's of big religious organizations would disperse, or fail to properly disperse, in the manner closes to the will of God the Father in heaven.
Just as when Jesus told the rich man to go and sell all that he had and give it to the poor, was a strong indication of what leaders of big religious organizations should do even today. It for the most part failed to take place for the Jewish people, and it has been lacking in the early Catholic Church even on down to the majority of the Churches today. For if it were not true Christian Naturist congregations would see support from those who know such religious practice to be in accordance to God and His infallible word from Bible scriptures.
Fellow Christian nudist/naturists need to come to the aid of Christian naturist focused ministries, and not diverting your offerings (and tithes) to help the textile teaching congregations that persecute the very core of our mutual enlightened beliefs of Christians and good nudity, as well as nude fellowship. We need to stop feeding the excess to the stone throwers, and contribute or giving's to places and ministries that promote good Christian nudity, the least of these ministries, not the most of those big rich leaders of stone throwers, and at what we know to be contrary to Bible scripture. We need to support our Christian naturist cause for Him, not them and there conventional stewards who miss the mark.
Fellow Christian nudist/naturists need to come to the aid of Christian naturist focused ministries, and not diverting your offerings (and tithes) to help the textile teaching congregations that persecute the very core of our mutual enlightened beliefs of Christians and good nudity, as well as nude fellowship. We need to stop feeding the excess to the stone throwers, and contribute or giving's to places and ministries that promote good Christian nudity, the least of these ministries, not the most of those big rich leaders of stone throwers, and at what we know to be contrary to Bible scripture. We need to support our Christian naturist cause for Him, not them and there conventional stewards who miss the mark.
I might tend to agree with you, however, I also believe that we need to support the church body where we gather to worship, fellowship and support the local community through tithes and offerings, at least until we get to a point were such regular fellowship is feasable for the naturist Christian fellowships.
We have personally struggled in the decision to financially support the church body we are currently attending because we feel that a small part of it's teachings are counter to sound Christian doctrine. However, apart from that small area, the church is extremely active in local and international missions with a focus on spreading the exclusive Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, we also feel that God specifically called us to this particular church and that in so doing expects us to support them with our tithes and offering, until He tells us or shows us a path to move on.
I believe that the model of the OT church, consisting of many local congregations (synagogues) and home studies continues on into the NT church. The purpose of the congregations is to provide consistency in teaching and to better disseminate resources to the needy within the community, and such structure REQUIRES tithes and offerings to work effectively. At the same time, we are called INDIVIDUALLY to respond to the needs of those whom God brings into our path according to the riches He has besowed upon us and to the purpose of His own glory. I believe providing for these needs goes above and beyond the concept of tithing and challenges us to act with an open hand according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
So, for me, the only thing that has actually changed between the OT and the new is the amount, changing from merely a tithe (tenth) to "all" according to the riches God has provided.
What's usually missing in discussions concerning tithing is that of stewardship. It's not like God needs anything we could possibly give Him but everything belongs to Him in the first place and our job is to be good stewards not only with regard to money but other resources like time and talents. There are incredible blessings and return on investment when we invest in God's kingdom.
If you haven't done so yet I can definitely recommend the Crown Financial study for and in depth and practical small group study of these concepts.
Giving 10% of your income is not biblical tithing, now it maybe in the spirit of tithing or inspired by the tithing law, but if you want to keep it as a law, you have to keep the whole law not just the part you like.
This is an important point in that Jesus was critical of the religious leaders who created their own interpretation of God's law.
The fact is where biblical law is concerned you have to keep the whole thing, the complete law or you are keeping none of it.
This is an important principal, but is also true for keeping the Sabbath and many other blbilical laws.
The teaching you know as tithing is something that migrated over from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or the Mormons.
They teach that giving 10% of your gross income to the denomination is tithing. I am well versed and well prepared to dispute this heresy.
I am sorry Valient if you believe the Mormon teaching on tithing. Scripture is quite clear on the subject and that includes paying your minister every 3 years. Melchz only was required to tithe on the spoils, Jesus rebuke of requiring widows to tithe and on and on. Scripture is quite clear on the subject. Then there is the fruit that comes from guilt tripping to raise money. God doesn't need your money, he has cattle on a thousand hills. Then there is the subject of Jesus fullfililng the law or the 2 Commandments we have that superceed tithing.
I will not use the strong words Jesus did for people who perpetuate this as doctrine nor do I need to point out that if no other reason just taking part of the law and ignoring the rest makes it heresy. I guess what really gets my attention is how the sun can be shining in the nice weather and we spend our time in conversations like this.
To guilt trip and condemn persons for how they give. If you feel you are are rightious because you give 10%, I give 100%, but I do not feel 90% more rightious by doing so.
Let everyone be fully convinst in their own mind.
The Old Testament laws were for Jews alone, and not for the gentiles like most Christians today, the old covenant for the Jews was abolished on the cross, and a new different New Testament covenant established. The old covenant for Jews only could not work for the new covenant Christian gentiles, as the Old testament law stated only Jews could be included in Abrahams promise and covenant of salvation to descendants of Jacob (who's name was changed to Israel aka, children of Israel) thus for the gentiles to have salvation it required a new and distinctly different covenant apart from the OT Jewish law.
Heb:8:6: But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Heb:8:7: For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. Heb:8:8: For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Heb:8:9: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. Heb:8:10: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Jesus said in; M't:22:37: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. M't:22:38: This is the first and great commandment. M't:22:39: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. M't:22:40: On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. If we love our neighbors of the world like Christ loved us we would have no problem giving far in excess of what the Old Testament law instructed the Jews. We should generously want and act give to the least of these our brethren, and in so doing we are giving it unto the Lord.
If we were to still be keeping the OT law we would still be giving sacrifices for atonement for our sins, we know that we have no need to do sacrifices, as Jesus was the full and final sacrifice for all sins, past present and future. Today Jews can not claim this same final full sacrifice as they still refuse to believe Jesus Christ was, and is the the true Son of God Almighty. This means that Jews today still try to live up to the OT laws, and even fail to make animal sacrifices for the atonement of their sins, however these same non Jesus Christ believing Jews today are breaking ground for the construction of the third temple, and the resuming of animal sacrifices, even the red heifers are being bred and being made ready for those sacrifices. The Christian New Testament teachings hold no teachings for making a new temple of any such sin sacrifices, but that Jesus all ready washed our sins away forever, and thus we were bought for a price.
I have been very busy lately and have not had much time to visit this board. I see a lot has happened and it has grown considerably!
The church I grew up with taught not just tithing, as in ten percent, but we also had a "second" tithe for all the festivals that we had. It worked great, but it was hard on the home life. But somehow, we made it. We had to have faith. Then once every third year, we had...yes...a third tithe, and that was for the widows. That was hard!
However, our church has changed. We not only do not live the legalistic religious rules, but we embrace the freedom we have in Christ.
But we are not foolish either. We do not teach tithing, but we do encoursage giving. Jesus said that if you did everything we were told to do, another words, perfectly, we still fall way short of God's standards. What he is saying is, that we are not to live a futile life, but to do the best we can and understand that we can't do it without God.
Giving is a way of life from cradle to grave and even if we gave fifty percent, it is not enough.
What God wants more than anything is for us to come with a contrite and broken heart. We cannot fix it ourselves, and all the law keeping will not fix anything. You want to talk about an exersize in futility? Try living the life of the Old Testament. I know, I've done it most of my life. Now, I am understanding that Jesus is the way and truth and life.
Tithing is nice, and a good benchmark for giving as a "diciplined" way of life, but don't do it for legal reasons or for expecting blessings. Chances are, sacrifice is something that is expected of Christians, and we still far way short. Not that God is displeased with us. Far from it. God is VERY pleased with his people because he sees us through Jesus Christ, and he is VERY pleased with Jesus!
So how much should you give? All that you can, and all that you are willing to. And sometimes you can't give all that you are willing to because you just don't have it. God understands and God loves you so much that He was willing to give all that he had, his Son. And God does not regret it one bit. It was planned from teh foundation of the world, from the very beginning of the plan to create humanity, that you will be loved and included. So will money, ten percent or otherwise, make you closer to God or put "brownie" points on your grade? No. God loves you no matter what.
Now God does want us to have a giving life. Jesus gave all, and the best we can do is share in Christs giving. It is not I, but Christ who is in me.
Boyd:
That is a very thoughtful response, what gets me though is the brainwashing. The Natzi Propaganda Minister (I forget his name I am too lazy to look it up Albert Hess?) said that if you lie about something often enough and boldly enough, people will accept it as truth even if faced with evidence it is false. There is biblical tithing, but giving 10% of your income has never been biblical tithing, but yet this heresy borrowed from a large denomination hq in salt lake city is taught this way. Even Melz (long name) was told to tithe a tenth of his spoils of war. There is the law of tithing, but it is far more involved than giving a 10% of your income. So the FACT is that if you give 10% you are not biblically tithing. You have to keep the whole law or you are keeping none of it is a well established principal. Perverting scripture to serve your own purposes has never been accepted in the church and we call that Heresy. From the teachers of heresy, the advantage is to guilt trip people to give financially, from the people side of things, we think we can bargain with God for blessing. That we have cut a deal with God for protection or for salvation or what ever we perceive our need is. It is a fundemental technique of cults to change the name of biblical principals. Every cult that has come to my door will say Jesus is Lord, that Jesus is their Savior, but scripture teaches us that many who have cried Lord Lord haven't I done this and that your name and God replies get away, for I have never known you.
The fruit of this heresy is bad, because of not only the false guilt involved, but it detracts us from the many teachings about giving off the top of my head: the widows mite, God loves a cheerful giver and so on. We do see a request for funds for traveling evangelists, but
I think of the oxen unmuzzled, a workman is worthy of his hire or even give as we have been given or the parable of the talents.
If there is a tithe in the NT it is 100% and then we are simply stewards of what is Gods which is in fact when you think of it.
Jesus got a little bent out of shape as well when a widow was required to tithe and that was back in when it was possible to tithe.
I do beleive in the 100% tithe and think we should begin with our clothes until we have nothing left
Actions
Back to TopicsReply to TopicShare this topic
Get paid just by sending us users/traffic.
Signup takes seconds, start now!
Signup as an affiliate!