Tithing Denies the Priesthood of All Believers

Alright, next time I plunder a region and kiill all the people and take the spoils, I'll look up a local priest and give him a tenth. All this is under grace, you know. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

Where is the faith in that statement? Seems you're worried that God will not provide for the ministry. If the ministry is of God, God will provide for it. If not then that ministry isn't God's will but, man's.

I don't worry about how I will get by in this world. I do get by though and very well I might ad. None of it is of myself. Everything I have is a blessing from God. The reason isn't that I deserve anything from God. All I do is trust that God will provide. Life still has it's up's and down's sometimes I'm better off than others but I still have everything I need and I'm always thankful for it. Trust in the Lord.
MB

 

You have some interesting angles on tithing, tl. Let me begin by saying I agree -- we're in the era of giving what God tells us to give.

Well, techincally Abraham gave a "tithe" -- and that is what it was called -- to Melchisedek out of the "spoils of war." But the priest angle still holds.

One truth that often gets missed is that Judaism was the government, secular, so far as welfare is concerned. Islam appears to have "copied" that heritage. And Christians don't deny that we ought to pay our taxes as being part of our responsibility to our "nation."

And tithing as a "guideline" seems to be much as under the law regarding the way churches "impose" it. Even in the OT, there were other freewill offerings making the tithe a "baseline" amount. it always erks me when preachers say we are not under the law but ought to give at least as much as OT saints -- which rationale in actuality is applying the OT law to us!

Absolutely!! And it negates the Spirit's speaking directly to our hearts as to how and how much to give where in support of the His work. I know many Christians to whom the Spirit has spoken about giving to soup kitchens in place of bigger buildings and bigger paid staff that our "self-indulgent" churches would like.

On the churches side of giving, then, they ought to be "competing" for that money by having fruitful, edifying, God-glorifying ministries that appeal to the Spirit that ultimately speaks to believers.

This is an interesting angle -- no doubt related to the "storehouse" in Mal 3 that fed the poor. That, too, would have been food -- not money that I can think of.

Good points! And it has always wrankled me that the church will "demand" tithes of people who are a subsistence-level incomes thereby taking food off their tables. Of course, in such situations, they usually turn around and give it back, but scripture says that the family comes first -- "He that will not take care of his own is worse than an infidel."

This is fairly compelling. Do you suppose that is what Zacheus was employed at who told Jesus he would give back the excess he had collected and more?

I believe that all NT giving is freewill, love offering in nature and that the believer is to be just that involved with the "body of Christ" that he willingly, from the heart, meets the needs of those he is called to "give cheerfully" to.

Good opening post and though this issue has been bandied about before, I think you raise some important considerations.

skypair

 

1. Cain and Abel were not said to tithe, but to have brought offerings to the LORD.

2. Abram did not give of his own property, but of the spoils of war.

 

I haven't paid a Tithe in probably 15 years. I do give 10%+ to my church. There is no NT support for tithing, and the pre-law giving of a tenth, by Abraham, in my eyes, is an example of what is good manners.


I loose a little respect for a preacher when I hear him preach storehouse tithing, it's not up to me to change him, I knew what they believed when I joined the church and it would be wrong of me to offend them with my liberty.

 

Nothing worse than a church being funded by bakesales and bingo.

People ought to give. And God honors it if it is done with the right heart.

 

Many pastors who demand tithing of the congregation or God's curse upon them will also teach the false doctrine that the firstfruits was the tithe.

Scripturally, the firstfruit was not the tithe. Nehemiah 12:44 shows there is a difference between the two.

Also,

KJV Leviticus 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

Here, it is the tenth to pass under the rod that is the tithe of the herd... not the first.

Tithing was not firstfruits.

 

Wow! We are so sure of ourselves.

 

Not that I am sure of myself, but rather that I am sure of God's Word.

 

Amen. I was going to a church with financial issues and I beleived in tithing at the time. It was pathetic -- we heard tithing sermons for an entire month! Instead of looking to the good work that was being done through ministries (like "Here's Life America" -- remember the bumper stickers saying "I Found It," new life in Christ?) It went huge in Columbus OH! God was working! We had an excellent bus ministry, etc. But the pastor almost seemed to trying to put us in "bondage" again!

I'm sorry if this is "too much information" for some but how much more glorious to draw the heart rather than the flesh!

skypair

 

I do get by though and very well I might ad.

Does this mean that you are well off financially? If so, did you work to get it?

I had to work for what I have in this life. The Lord had provided me a way, but He expected me to do my part also, for He said a man that will not provide for his family is worse than an infidel and hath already denied the faith. So, I give my life to the Lord, I think that is what he wants. He could care less about your money, or mine.

BBob,

 

Interesting..n/t

 

I recently had a discussion with someone that believes that the tithe is applicable to the NT church. At one point he asked: if there was a farmer (back in the OT times) he was required to tithe....and a carpenter ...was not required to tithe? I said Absolutely!

Unless,of course, he is farming or raising animals...........