Do Not Pay Tithes Give To Poor
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K
I think that Abraham knew where his substance came from and if God put in his heart to give it all away. He had the faith to believe that God would sustain him. He even believed that if he gave his son that, God would raise him from the dead. Because he believed the promise given to him that he would be the father of many nations. By the way God gave him everything he had and it belonged to him and could have kept it if he wanted to. But in faith, not only did he give the tithe but his son also. When you realise that all you have comes from God, why would you withhold from giving Him a portion. That shows lack of faith.
From my own experience, the power bill was due and the gas bill and the car payment and to top it off my son had school pictures due. I didn't have the money for all of it and told God, I can't give the tithe this week, but something in my spirit said give the tithe anyway, if I have to go without power then so be it. I can't explain, but the money was stretched and I paid for all the bills with some left over. It's not about a rule, its about faith.
From my own experience, the power bill was due and the gas bill and the car payment and to top it off my son had school pictures due. I didn't have the money for all of it and told God, I can't give the tithe this week, but something in my spirit said give the tithe anyway, if I have to go without power then so be it. I can't explain, but the money was stretched and I paid for all the bills with some left over. It's not about a rule, its about faith.
I find it amusing that they insist that I imitate Abram and tithe as he did, but when I point out that it was not his riches that he tithed according to the Bible and that the Bible only records him tithing once in his lifetime, they accuse me of being some kind of greedy miser.
Well, they need to be consistent and accuse Abram of being a greedy miser too since the Bible nowhere says he tithed his own riches.
They need to accuse Isaac of being a greedy miser, since there is no indication in the Word of God taht he tithed his money.
Why, even the children of Israel were greedy misers since what they tithed was crops and livestock and not their money. It is easily proven that they had money by going to Leviticus 27. There, we find they could buy back the land tithe if they so desired, but had to add 20% to the assessed value of the tithe.
Even the poor had money in the Bible. Every male twenty years old and above was required to give a half shekel silver to the Temple each year. But they were never required to tithe their silver.
Well, they need to be consistent and accuse Abram of being a greedy miser too since the Bible nowhere says he tithed his own riches.
They need to accuse Isaac of being a greedy miser, since there is no indication in the Word of God taht he tithed his money.
Why, even the children of Israel were greedy misers since what they tithed was crops and livestock and not their money. It is easily proven that they had money by going to Leviticus 27. There, we find they could buy back the land tithe if they so desired, but had to add 20% to the assessed value of the tithe.
Even the poor had money in the Bible. Every male twenty years old and above was required to give a half shekel silver to the Temple each year. But they were never required to tithe their silver.
I've heard the same old lame "God blessed me financially because I tithed" arguments from my sister.
God never promised financial blessings for tithing... never!
God's Word tells me Jesus abolished the ordinances. Tithing was an ordinance. To insist one can tithe is tantamount to calling God a liar since His Word reveals the tithe has been abolished.
God never promised financial blessings for tithing... never!
God's Word tells me Jesus abolished the ordinances. Tithing was an ordinance. To insist one can tithe is tantamount to calling God a liar since His Word reveals the tithe has been abolished.
I was deceived into giving 10% of my money to the Church several decades ago.
Guess what? No financial gain, eyes failed, declared blind by the state, had to go to a school to learn to read and write braille. What work I could find, couldn't pay me even minimum wages. In the mid-90's, I was working 40 hour weeks and bringing home 69.94 after taxes. You do the math.
Now, I am unable to work at all because of my blindness progressing.
Go ahead and judge me, Kerry.
Guess what? No financial gain, eyes failed, declared blind by the state, had to go to a school to learn to read and write braille. What work I could find, couldn't pay me even minimum wages. In the mid-90's, I was working 40 hour weeks and bringing home 69.94 after taxes. You do the math.
Now, I am unable to work at all because of my blindness progressing.
Go ahead and judge me, Kerry.
J
Actually, Abram was rich before that (Genesis 13:2). God blessed Abram *name at the time* before he even gave Melchizedek a tenth. Also, do you know how we know that Abraham believed that if he killed Isaac, God would raise him from the dead? Because it's clearly stated in the Bible. God didn't promise Abraham nothing about a tithe and he was already had abundance in livestock, silver, and gold but Isaac was his child of promise and he believe that God was faithful to his Word that God's promise would come through Isaac and him alone.
K
Really, Abram was rich before being blessed by God. Read it again, he left everything that he had and didn't even know where he was going. God told him to leave and he did. Any this has nothing to do with tithes. It is not a command, although through the law they were told to give this and that to support the priest and also to show their faith in God. That He would provide their means and not the work of their own hands. Do you think that your wits and education are providing for you or is it God? Read the psalms and how david and others praised God for what they had. Asaph almost stumbled at the wealth of he wicked, but then was quickly reminded of their fate and the fate of those who trusted in Him. It's about trust and not a rule, the whole thing is about trust. We trust Him for salvation, we trust Him for health, but we do not trust Him with money.
L
I am sorry you have had to hear these false teachers preaching their prosperity doctrine.
You are correct in saying that there is no specific guaranteed blessing that God has promised for tithing.
There is a curse promised for those who have excess and fail to give to the poor, help widows and orphans, and feed the hungry. That curse is in this life and the next.
There is no salvation for the one who stores up wealth for only this life.
I pray that your heart will soften towards these who speak against your testimony. They need instruction and love.
You are correct in saying that there is no specific guaranteed blessing that God has promised for tithing.
There is a curse promised for those who have excess and fail to give to the poor, help widows and orphans, and feed the hungry. That curse is in this life and the next.
There is no salvation for the one who stores up wealth for only this life.
I pray that your heart will soften towards these who speak against your testimony. They need instruction and love.
J
Reread what I wrote. Abraham was rich before he gave Melchizedek anything and this was stated the chapter before. (I gave you the verse for reference).
Also, I think you need to brush on Biblical tithing. There were various tithes and the one you may be referring too wasn't to take care of the priest. It was meant to take care of the Levites because they had no inheritance. Everyone makes the assumption that all Levites were priest when that wasn't the case. Most Levites handled the day to day work of the temple. Only the sons of Aaron were priest. So the way it worked was those who were required to tithe (the mandate was very specific in what was supposed to be the tithe) would tithe to the Levites and in turn, the Levites would give an heap offering (tenth of a tenth) to the priest. Funny thing, you know how pastors always talk about the tithes is God's and it's first but the Bible stated that the 10th animal to pass under the rod was God's..lol. Also, tithes didn't prove faith because it was a requirement.
Now I believe that it is not in my own power that i do anything but I was poor and struggling and tithing in faith. Guess what? I was still poor and struggling. Honestly, I saw more things change for me once I truly understood the Biblical concept of giving and it didn't involve tithing at all. And now, I give way more than a tenth of my income to the church and those in need.
Also, I think you need to brush on Biblical tithing. There were various tithes and the one you may be referring too wasn't to take care of the priest. It was meant to take care of the Levites because they had no inheritance. Everyone makes the assumption that all Levites were priest when that wasn't the case. Most Levites handled the day to day work of the temple. Only the sons of Aaron were priest. So the way it worked was those who were required to tithe (the mandate was very specific in what was supposed to be the tithe) would tithe to the Levites and in turn, the Levites would give an heap offering (tenth of a tenth) to the priest. Funny thing, you know how pastors always talk about the tithes is God's and it's first but the Bible stated that the 10th animal to pass under the rod was God's..lol. Also, tithes didn't prove faith because it was a requirement.
Now I believe that it is not in my own power that i do anything but I was poor and struggling and tithing in faith. Guess what? I was still poor and struggling. Honestly, I saw more things change for me once I truly understood the Biblical concept of giving and it didn't involve tithing at all. And now, I give way more than a tenth of my income to the church and those in need.
it seems to me that there is some confusion on the part of what a tithe is. in this response and in some others i've seen the word "want" is in the dialogue. all of us who are against tithing hold the definition of tithe to be a mandatory payment as was in the days of the old testament. it is the 'mandatory" that we disagree with as does scripture itself. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. you ask why we wouldn't want to as if we have said we don't want to. we have said nothing like that. we are saying, as it is written, that it is not mandatory. i try to give more than 10% of my increase but not because i think i have to. i give it because i want to.
K
Good, it is a want to thing. We are not commanded, but the Spirit leads us to do so. If we don't give cheerfully we might as buy a couple cheeseburgers with some fries and a chocolate shake. In other words, eat the fat. God loves a cheerful giver and in the NT it is called an office, the office of the giver.
M
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matthew 6:24
It seems some people in this topic would have us believe that you can serve money and God, and that Matthew 6:24 must be wrong.
Matthew 6:24
It seems some people in this topic would have us believe that you can serve money and God, and that Matthew 6:24 must be wrong.