Tithing Challenge

Posted by Izzaksdad: those who "preach the principle away" are most always the ones who are not practicing it. Those teachings in Scripture that really hit close to home for us, seem to always have a spiritual loophole somewhere.

Back up those statements with scripture. There are those that use soul liberty as a loophole. But don't say that just because someone has stated a case biblically that it is because they are not doing it. Tithing is NOT for the church age.

Please state your case for tithing and please use scripture from the new testament.

Sorry Chipsgirl! Didn't mean for this to get crazy for you.

 

One other thing...Chipsgirl...I'd definitely encourage you to continue your faithful giving(regardless of what %)beyond Mother's Day(until a trumpet blows or they cover you up with 6 feet of dirt)regardless of the "results" of the "challenge".And don't let the "discussion" here throw you....it's a good thing to dig into the scriptures in search of TRUTH....ANYTIME!

Greg Sr.

 

Is it boastful to put your name and the amount you're giving on a envelope at church, so that the preacher, treasurer, and then the IRS know how much you're giving?

Would it be better to give cash so no one knows of our works?

 

I am not concerned that anyone in my church see how much I give.....I am only concerned with honoring my walk with the Lord!

 

Amen Chipsgirl and PastorSBC!...and it shouldn't matter one bit what the IRS does or doesn't know regarding our giving.At my income level I don't think I'd qualify for any advantage from the IRS anyway...lol.I'm not "poormouthing"or complaining.I'm thankful for the job God has given me and the provisions I have are from His Hand.
Chips,I for one am NOT trying to imply that your pastor is purposely misleading you or anyone.It is obvious that he knows that God IS faithful and will take care of those who give out of a cheerful faithful heart.The point of the arguement seen in the posts here is that the 10% tithe concept is NOT for the NT church as we are not under the OT law in this dispensation.We are under a much more binding and blessed economy...and that is the TOTAL ownership/Lordship of God and our Lord Jesus Christ wherein we find TRUE LIBERTY.That may sound like a contradiction but it truly is a place of great freedom and safety!Selah!

Greg Sr.

 

chipsgirl you are a good example of a "cheerful giver".

HankD

 

The IRS finds out IF you have enough deductions during the year to claim charitable contributions on your tax return.

Is it boasting of good works then to claim it on an IRS form?

 

Rock...I'd say it is only "boasting" if you do it to get NOTICED for your "good works"...like the Pharisees did.(Jesus SOUNDLY rebuked them for that!)The whole things goes to motive I think.If you give anonymously you'll never have that problem.Personally,in the spirit of Matt.6:3-4,I don't even keep track of it("let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth")....but God knows.

Greg Sr.

 

I'm almost sure somebody may acuse me of unwise or unsound "stewardship" for not knowing exactly where every penny of my income goes in relation to my giving.It may be time to strategically DUCK!lol

Greg Sr.

 

Thanks for the explanation. It is good to remember that spoken communication doesn't always communicate as well on paper, because of the differences in the two.

I should also further explain kind of what I'm thinking in relation to your pastor's statement when "He told us to try it until Mother's Day and if at that point, we feel the Lord failed us then we can quit tithing." What about a situation like that of Job? Isn't it possible that a person could being going through their "Job trial" before and around Mother's Day? Despite our "past faithfulness" we are subject to trials and temptations, and it would be hard for anyone to predict just when that might occur. So I think there is a danger in putting out a blanket challenge for a group of people, some of whom are being highly blessed up til Mother's Day, and some who aren't.

 

Alcott, I would tend to consider the challenge dangerous. First, based on my comments about Job above. Isn't it possible that a person could be going through their "Job trial" during the period of this challenge? If so, couldn't the purpose of the challenge (tithing = blessing) tend to weaken their view of God's faithfulness rather than strengthen it? There seems to me to be a danger in putting out a blanket challenge for a group of people, some of whom may be highly blessed while taking the tithing challenge, and some who might not (unless we believe bad things can't happen to God's people). Second, I think this tends to reverse the standard - interpreting God's Word by our experiences rather than our experiences by God's Word.

I guess my bottom line is that the Bible already establishes that bad things can happen to good people, and that things can go wrong even for the most faithful of God's servants. Therefore, I see no need for the test or challenge.

 

It most definitely does not reverse the 'standard' many speakers and other Christians cite, that of Malachi 3, where God said "Test me in this and see...." He told the Israelites to "interpret God's Word by [their] experiences," and if this is applicable to us, then He's telling us to do that.

And the "challenge" was not my idea, but that of the original poster. I am just proposing putting some 'teeth' to it. By the 'standard' you indicate, it's a matter of assuming the results before the concept is initiated. I have tried tithing/blessing concept before myself, but I would agree to be open to the idea if somebody thinks I would find out otherwise than my previous conclusion that it does not 'work' the way so many Christians claim. Frankly, your excuse that anybody who tries this may be going through a "Job trial" seems to be an admission tht the tithing=blessing idea is wrong. If it were not wrong, you would not consider the challenge "dangerous."

 

Yes, you are correct in thinking I believe the idea is wrong. I believe tithing is an Old Testament concept for Israel, and also believe the 'tithing equals blessing' idea is wrong according to the way I hear preachers preach it in our day. Do you believe that as long as a person is tithing according to your interpretation of Malachi that they could not come under a trial such as Job did? It seems that Job's faithfulness is the very reason he came under the attack of Satan and lost all he had. He later had all restored and then some, but that does not make the severe trial he came under any less real. The mentality of Job's three friends was that he MUST have done something wrong, or had some secret sin, or something else, for this calamity to befall him. To me the whole challenge idea sets people up to view the "unblessed" as having some "secret sin" or something wrong that they're not telling, or else they'd be blessed for their tithing like everybody else. Can a faithful Christian, who is giving 10% faithfully to his/her church, have calamity befall them? Is it impossible?

 

Yes, it's possible. If you read my post on page 1 of theis thread you would see the Malachi test that I gave this idea a long time ago and determined that the concept does not work. That only allows 2 possibilities: 1)the scripture is wrong, or 2)the test described is not applicable to NT Christians. I opt for the latter, and therefore enduring a 'Job-like' trial is clearly outside any protection tithing is going to give anyone.

 

Watch out for the churches that want you to put your name on the envelope for tax purposes. They say that, then use it against the membership to see who is tithing or not.

I say it is none of their business!

 

And again I say....whether you feel compelled to "tithe" or the "need" to give....do it anonymously...as to the Lord...HE KNOWS...and He's the only one that NEEDS to know.As a royal priesthood of believers we answer only to God.JMO...but I believe the theology is correct.

Greg Sr.

 

Then you and I are in complete agreement. I did not connect you making the challenge as being the same one who posted that on page one (which I had read earlier), so I misunderstood you. I think now I understand what you are saying is that it could be educational in that people would have to learn to accept one of the two possibilities which you mention. So, if folks with an open mind take the challenge, the probable result is that they will learn that test is not applicable to NT Christians. I still believe there is a danger for those who do not have an open mind, who will explain away the obvious, or who, like Zophar, Bildad, and Eliphaz will accuse the "unblessed" of being sinful and faithless.

The Malachi challenge, IMO, was not even an absolute in the OT. It was a national challenge to Israel to start doing right and receive God's blessing. But this cannot be considered an absolute for individual Christians, whether OT or NT. Unless one holds the unscriptural position that faithful children of God cannot suffer, have trials and tribulations, etc., this "tithing always equals blessing" just doesn't make sense. If Israel had accepted God's challenge through Malachi, started obeying the law, and God removed the curse and started blessing the nation, does that mean that no individual faithful Israelite could have anything bad befall him? These things need to be seen in context.