Tithing & giving: The letter and the Spirit of the law? Thoughts?

[MorningGlory]

Very well said, Willa. 

[other one]

I agree.

[Guest Fish Catcher Jim]

God wants gifts from a " cheerful giver" if one has to tithe grudgingly or tithe and let the family go without food ...this cannot be pleasing to the Father.

This would also depend on how much faith a person has towards God and tithing. When we give out of Love and Trust in God and His word and know that we know He will bless us back then we tithe even if it looks like we wont eat for God can do more through your tithe then we could through spending the money on food.

When we give because we feel forced to or to make a show of it or because we feel we have to do this or God will get us then our tithes will not produce the fruits in return that we had wanted.

The story of the widow woman and her few mites is an example of the first in which had total trust and faith in God and you know God moved on her behalf quickly. Speaking of which how about the woman and her son who BELIEVED their man of God Elijah and prepared the last of thier food for the prophet or man of God....What happened ? She never knew lack again....

Tithing and giving can be placed right up there with some reaped 30 fold and some reaped 60 fold and some reaped 100 fold.

How much Faith and trust do you have in God and His written word........think of it like this.....those who reaped 30 fold had about 30 fold faith and 70 fold doubt and unbelief......People tend to believe that their own faith is strong but continue to speak words of doubt and unbelief and fear and so forth. This works against your faith.

It is said through out His written word out of the abundance of the heart the mouth does speak and issues of life flow through our mouths. I said this because His word also teaches us we need to keep seed and the tithe watered or moistend and in good ground. Most people tend to think the ground is only about where you planted the tithe or seed but your heart and words matter much.

In short.........ones tithe can bring blessings or nothing or very little depending on the heart and faith of the one who Gives it. God said He would rebuke the devourer for our sake but if the tithe is not given correctly or out of a true heart then yea buy your food instead but for me and my house................We can simply NOT afford to NOT tithe. Every single penny that comes into our home gets tithed on.

Blessings

jim

[Guest shiloh357]

Actually, the Bible doesn't tell us what ever happened to the widow who gave her mites.   It doesn't say how God moved on her behalf.     It also does not say that the widow of Zarrapeth never knew lack again simply because she fed the prophet.   In fact, all it says that every day there was just  little oil and the same little handful of flour for duration of time that Elijah was there.   So any claim that the widow was suddenly prosperous is not biblical.

 

There is no promise to the church about a financial blessing attached to financial giving.

[GoldenEagle]

 

 

If a person is dead unto self and alive unto God then it will show in their giving whether it be to a local church or some other need. If not they aren't followers of Chtist anyway and it is a moot point.

I think I hear your heart here brother. Question then. If a person who claims Jesus as their Savior/Lord doesn't give to the local church or someone in need are they unsaved?

God bless,

GE

Hi Jon,

I stopped arguing salvation brother as I don't believe it is black n white any longer. Jesus is Master and he decides who stands. Not my place. I simply look for fruit and do what I can to maximize the fruit of my brethren.

 

I understand brother. I would say that according to what we see in Scripture (the Bible) that tithing is not a salvation issue. I do agree though ultimately it is God who decides that. The evidence doesn't point to tithing leading to eternal death IMO. Tithing seems to be a personal conviction.

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

My answer will be not as long as yours

 

 

 

As I said God loves a cheerful giver but the Christian is free to give where ever they see the need at the time,I do realize that the church where you worship God need money too but there are so many other places and people who do need support too. I feel we are free to give wherever we think its best. So I think we do not need give the 10% since this was the O.T. law but when we give we should give happily! 

 

Lol please forgive my long-windedness.

I do agree with you that tithing is an OT law and part of the Old Covenant. I believe we should give cheerfully as the Holy Spirit guides and prompts us.

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

The only question I have is whether or not tithing applied exclusively to the temple, or if the practice continues within the Christian Church?  I don't see anything spelled out to the point where I can be 100 percent sure either way.  As such, the scriptures in Malachi about being cursed with a curse for not tithing may or may not apply today.

 

Will a man rob God?  Yet ye have robbed me.  But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee?  In tithes and offerings.  Ye are cursed with a curse:  for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.  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.  Malachi 3:8-10

 

Those who say we must tithe point to this passage.  If you believe it is an eternal truth, then we are stealing from God if we don't tithe.  If you believe it only applied to the temple that existed in Old Testament times, then we aren't required to give a specific amount, but just to be cheerful and generous givers, and we will be rewarded in heaven based on how generous we are.  I can't prove this one way or the other, but I suppose one could say we should tithe just to be on the safe side.  Why take chances? 

I think Tristen really put it well on below when he said that tithing was an explicit obligation under the law, there is no law against tithing. It's just one of those issues where we need to be careful of our motivation. I particularly like the last paragraph keeping tithing in the right perspective.

 

Hi firestormx,

 

Tithing is a tenet of the Law. The Law is a covenant between God and the nation of Israel. Christians relate to God under a New Covenant – of grace not law. That means there is no explicit list of rules and requirements for Christians to adhere to – since we have the Holy Spirit to guide into righteousness. Note that the fruit of the Spirit (i.e. outcomes of the Spirit’s influence) are not explicit laws (Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 5:9).

 

Tithing is a difficult issue because, even though it is an explicit obligation under Law (to which Christians are dead to - Romans 7:6, Galatians 2:19), there is no law against tithing. Nevertheless, if one tithes as to law (as though obligated), then they are “debtor to keep the whole law” (Galatians 5:3, see also Galatians 3:10, James 2:10).

 

Romans 10:3-4

³ For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

 

So it is perfectly fine for a Christian to choose to give a freewill offering to God of a tenth of their income (as did Abraham before the Law – Genesis 14:18-20). But if a Christian sees tithing as making them more committed, more mature, more deserving of God’s favour, more righteous, or in some sense more approved before God than those who don’t tithe, then that Christian is treating tithing as a Law – and in so doing, undermining the cross of Christ.

 

Galatians 2:21

²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

 

Galatians 5:1-3

5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. ² Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. ³ And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.

 

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

I might add that giving to avoid a curse is giving out of compulsion. Even worse, it is coming under the horrible bondage of the law. We should never give out of fear. We should only give to God eagerly out of joyful gratitude. He will direct where it should go.

I agree with your post Willa! Particularly with this last sentence! It sums it up well sister.  

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

Just my observation; I believe one should tithe to their church.  If you are without a church it gets a little harder.  I watch TBN and Daystar (mostly because of the garbage on secular t.v.) and there are so many trying to get your money that it's overwhelming.  Some of them actually preach giving and 'sowing seeds' in order to get things in life   Recently, it was Passover and Easter that were used to claim that God was pouring out blessings right now and only those who sowed a seed with whatever ministry was speaking would receive blessings. I don't believe these televangelists give all that money to the needy because they are pretty much ALL millionaires and I don't give them anything.  So I guess the question is..... how to decide who to give our hard earned money to. 

I'd be very wary of giving to any televangelist. I wonder what does the Bible say about this in red? 

God bless,

GE

[Guest Fish Catcher Jim]

Actually, the Bible doesn't tell us what ever happened to the widow who gave her mites.   It doesn't say how God moved on her behalf.     It also does not say that the widow of Zarrapeth never knew lack again simply because she fed the prophet.   In fact, all it says that every day there was just  little oil and the same little handful of flour for duration of time that Elijah was there.   So any claim that the widow was suddenly prosperous is not biblical.

 

There is no promise to the church about a financial blessing attached to financial giving.

Thank you once again Shiloh for sharing your "views" on things.

You have a wonderful day now

Blessings

Jim