Animal sacrifices predated the Law. I suppose we should bring that back too.
Considering that your giving has nothing to do with salvation, there really is no parallel. The perfect sacrifice came.
Where was the tithe to end all tithes? Where is the living tithe that once accepted will never need to be given again?
The parallel is just not there.
I don’t go to a dedicated church building, so I don’t know. We’ve mostly been gathering in our homes.
That’s great. It sounds like you have a lot less overhead than most churches.
I’m not so legalistic about that I take out a calculator like a lot of IFB preachers would have you do.
Is it legalistic to put a measure against yourself and find out if you are as good as you think you are?
Or is it legalistic to expect someone else to give more than 10% when you are not willing to make sure you measure up to what you expect of others?
My pastor supports himself by driving a truck for a living and leaves it up to us if we feel like giving him donations.
That is very kind of him. I would be willing to guess that he would be encouraged by more commitment to the “ox that treads out the corn.” Especially since God didn’t say that about the ox especially. The NT is clear that the purpose of that statement in the OT was applicable to the NT churches and was given for people specifically.
1 Corinthians 9:14
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
More importantly, he encourages us to follow the actual biblical example of giving to those who are less fortunate.
He is welcome to refuse it as Paul did. But I have no doubt that God will bless a church and provide for the needs of His churches if the people are willing to do it the way God ordained for it to be done.
You don’t have to take my suggestion, but if you will study this out, you will be a blessing to your pastor if you at least let him know that you know (because you have studied it, not because I said it) that the care of his needs are the responsibility of the church. If you, or someone, would check in with him at least on a monthly basis and find out if his roof leaks or if his car works, or if he needs anything, you will be an incredible help to him by being there whether he needs your help or not.
I say monthly because life changes. Anything can happen. It is kinder to him to ask him than to make him ask or mention it. Get a group of interested people to sit down and think about it. It is better for the church to do it than one individual.
You may be doing this already. That would be great.
It is commendable that there are still pastors who are willing to take on the responsibility of the gospel and a church without expectation of reward or hire that he is worthy of.
It is not commendable at all, and it is unbiblical for a church to take advantage of their pastor’s generosity. Paul was quite clear that it is proper for churches to have the responsibility of salaries. It is not possible for a church to ignore 1Cor. 9 and still be able to consider themselves as doing what they should be as a church.
I’m not at your church. I don’t know everything about your churches situation. God’s Word on the subject is not negotiable. It is the same all over the world.
