Another long post, but I believe the Lord will hold false teachers accountable for "in their own eyes" judging (by condemnation/discouragement) those who believe the Lord directs to tithe and to give offerings above it. Ignore truth as you will, but not with safety.
Apparently too many people are a bit blind to truth even after posting it over and over.
There were commanded offerings in the Law, such as the major "sin offering", but a free will offering out of one's generosity, though not commanded, was a work of the law too, in the same situation as a tithe, also being regulated by the Law.
So why cast out the tithe because it was a work of the Law, while free will offerings are not cast out since they were also "of the Law"?
That Remnant of Truth website that was cited earlier is far from good doctrine, especially considering other topics they cover.
Notice there is no mention in the New Testament of the tithe being annulled. It is however commended in Hebrews 7. Free will offerings are also commended in NT scriptures.
There is a huge difference between those two types of passing on blessing.
The tithe comes with written blessings. We Christians like to claim the blessings of the old covenants, not subject to the curses of it. Benefits of the tithe are irrevocable, and include from the Lord, not from men:
Malachi 3:10-12 (KJV)
[SUP]10 [/SUP] Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be
meat in mine house,
and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not
open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
[SUP]11 [/SUP] And I will
rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground;
and,
neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field
saith the LORD of hosts. [SUP]12 [/SUP] And
all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land
saith the LORD of hosts.
Is yours, O chastiser of the tithe? The odds are greatly in favor of opponents of it having very little blessing they can rightly ascribe to direct blessing from God. We can't cite our salary/hourly job, as, if being paid we earn what is due for our labor. The employer is not "blessing" a worker.
Free will giving doesn't have such great promises.
We have for that a single promise based on relative actions, blessing according to little giving or large giving. Reap little for a small one, reap much for a large one.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (KJV) [SUP]6 [/SUP] But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
[SUP]7 [/SUP] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
I see that cited as justification not to tithe, but to give whatever one "feels" to give. That is taking that verse way out of context. It leaves off the context of Paul giving ample notice for their share of the offering for those suffering saints. He made it clear not to embarrass him.
2 Corinthians 9:1-5 (KJV)
[SUP]1 [/SUP] For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
[SUP]2 [/SUP] For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
[SUP]3 [/SUP] Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
[SUP]4 [/SUP] Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
[SUP]5 [/SUP] Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
If you can read that, comprehend it, and insist on giving according to how you "feel" to give, knowing what is actually needed and expected on your part among your neighbors, then you ought not look at this issue again. God does get mad, so it's best not to curse yourself.
Also, such giving involves other people giving those blessings to the giver. To be otherwise protected from the Devourer wrecking havoc on us we are under NT commands to 1. Submit to God and 2. Resist the Devil, so he will flee from us. The issue of submitting to God in that case is a very large one. The issue of tithing is a very little issue by comparison.
All Christians ought to be commending that couple in the OP, blessing what they believe is good, because what they do is good and honorable. Evil people will of course be opposed to them. They are not the deceived ones, but are well enlightened, with no shame due toward them. What they are doing, and are being instructed of the Lord to do, will make them mightier givers owing neither God nor man anything all their lives, bearing much greater blessings for themselves and lots of people outside their household.
Honor them by sticking to the OP issue!
