Christians are not required to tithe

yes

I've noticed that the word "tithe" is redefined as giving. I personally don't have a problem with that, as long as there is the understanding that tithing was part and parcel of the Old Covenant, and that the person really means giving. We have a separate bank account for giving, but do label it tithing. But it isn't tithing, not in the Old Covenant sense. Absolutely the New Covenant is strong in giving...I've been noticing lately when studying Paul's letters how much of the giving was done church to church to the brethren who had need.

Beth

 

So you think it's misguided theology to give towards the work of God?

Jesus' rebuke to them was they sat in the seat they were not worthy to sit in.

Jesus' rebuke was also they demanded the circumcision of the foreskin when actually they needed a heart circumcision.

No "dodge" there, just plain theology without all the "attachments" to it.

Abusing the grace of God is done when one "dodges" the moral implications of the Law. This is done when one fails to see the differences between the moral obligations of the Law and the fulfillment of the ceremonial aspect of the Law by Christ.

Giving so others might here the Gospel is the highest moral implication we have under grace. Failing to see this ultimately sends many souls to a devil's ell that might have been saved if people would give and stop bickering over the term "tithe"!

 

So you think it's ok, under grace' to have other gods before God now that the Law has been "abrogated"?


I really don't think that is what you meant.

 

Jesus was rebuking them for forgetting judgement, of themselves, and mercy towards others, even though they tithed very expensive things as these spices.

 

Why not give tithes of all and many offerings and watch God give back more than you could store?:godisgood:

I see no "cop out" in that, but if.........

 

We give tithes, not pay them.:wavey:

 

Because I am one who has actually tested God, as the Malachi passage to which you refer, instructs. And does it hold up? No. The coefficient of correaltion fell completely out; the statistical test of hypothesis failed.

 

If you are referring to the context of Malachi, it was referring to the priests who were robbing God and the rest of the nation of the tithes and offerings by rerouting tithes away from the storehouse and offering sick and torn animals to God in sacrifices. Both the curses and the blessings mentioned applied only to Israel in the Old Testament. We cannot dogmatically claim that God will curse someone for not "tithing," (money to a church?) nor can we dogmatically claim that God will bless us if we "tithe." (money to a church?)

Even though I do not believe in a New Testament church tithe, I still give more than 10% of my income to the church consistently. I do not even believe that God will bless me for it or give any of it back. I give cheerfully because the New Testament commands cheerful giving.

I do not see anywhere in the New Testament that claims that God will bless or will give back what a believer gives. It is more that "God loves a cheerful giver" rather than "try God to see Him give back more money or more blessings."

In the Old Testament, God set up for the nation of Israel laws with promised blessings and curses attached to make a peculiar people. Israel was severely judged for disobeying laws and severely blessed for obeying them. God fulfilled His promises exactly so that other nations would notice Israel as a peculiar nation and their God as a real God of His word.

We cannot dogmatically take some of the promises that God claimed for Israel in the Old Testament and generalized them to all Christians today, no matter how general and spiritual they sound (Ex: II Chronicles 7:14. Notice the word "land" in there and read the verses around it). We cannot claim that if we do something God WILL do something back for us in return. We should just do things for God out of love and if God blesses us in some way, great.:godisgood:

 

Whatever we do we do out of faith and for the glory of God.
Everything else will go up in smoke.

If we give out of any other motive than love for God, one another and our fellow man it is wood hay and stubble.​

If we give a tithe because the "tithe" is preached as obligatory then it is of little value. ​

God will do more with $1.00 given in faith and love than a million given out of obligation because it is worth more than the million.​

If we give a tithe and crow about it then our reward is the "oohs" and "ahs" of the hearers.
If we give a tithe out of love and keep it a secret (as best we can) then the Father which sees in secret will reward us openly.​

There are 3 motives in the hearts of the children of God that the Spirit uses to bring forth gold, silver and precious gems:​

NKJV 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.​

Everything else is wood, hay and stubble.

HankD​

 

This was one of my gripes with TBN is they were using this Covenant to encourage people to give to them. I do think you should give by the heart and God will hear your prayers. I think its wrong to force someone to tithe.

 

I agree with you. However, the reason he commended them for tithing was because they were supposed to tithe.

 

No, actually God tested you, and YOU failed.

You seem to expect your "payday" in this temporal world. Totally misinformed and mailgned expectations occur when one gives here and doesn't remember we are rewarded there.

May I advise you against being bitter?

 

No, actually my ascertian is founded upon the principle that God never "abrogated" the moral aspects of the Law.

If the Law is "abrogated", then why do you use N.T. verses to incorporate what God "abrogated", according to you?

 

I have to disagree with your ideas.

My experience in giving contradicts your ideas.

As I have given to the work of God I have seen many blessings as the result, both spiritually and materially.

There was a time when we could not give much towards missions, God blessed. we stepped out on faith and felt prompted to give beyond what we were able to give, God blessed the more!

We now give more now than what our income was then, guess what? God's still blessing!

 

From what I know, no one forces anyone to tithe. If they do try to force people to tithe, they are a cult and people should leave.

 

If they were supposed to tithe and the dispensation of grace began with the birth of Christ, since by him came grace and truth, when did the tithe get abolished?

When did the tithe stop? At the onset of grace or after its culmination? And where do we find that the tithe was ended?

 

No; it is as I said.

Nope. However, that IS what the Malachi passage promises if we test God. Since the test fails, the possible conclusions are: 1)the passage is a lie, 2)it only 'works' with crops and livestock, or 3)it is not applicable to us (NT Christians).

So if the Israelites did what was instructed, their increase in produce and livestock would still be exactly what is was at the times they were not doing this?

You may, but it will be ignored.

 

The "dispensation of grace" began at the Crucifixion. During Jesus' earthly ministry He was made of a woman and made under the Law to redeem us from the Law (Gal 4:1-9).

The tithe was abolished at the Crucifixion when the veil of the Temple tore in half.

The tithe was abolished by Jesus' priesthood eliminating the necessity of the Levitical priesthood.