I guess it’s high time I revealed my position because one would assume I am AGAINST giving to the church with the information I have provided here to date, but keep in mind, I have only laid out the scriptures and have done very little giving of my own interpretation. I didn’t want to get into espousing traditional beliefs because they don’t necessarily follow scripture. The bible isn’t as hard to understand as one would be made to believe. So, there is no need to always depend on the Clergy to break it down for you. So, for the record, in my lifetime I have been neutral on tithing, pro-tithing, and con-tithing. At the height of my belief, I gave nearly $10K one year because I had bought into the whole prosperity theology of sowing and reaping. Keeping in mind, I was not earning anywhere near six figures but I had purposed to go above what you would consider a tithe. I don’t present that with a bragging heart, but as a testimony to the fact that when I believe in something, I’m all in.
I started studying this subject a few years ago for a book project, but kept getting stalled because what I found never lined up with what I was being taught and the reality was that, at the time, I trusted my Pastor more than the spirit in me so I would always believe that I just didn’t have all the necessary books needed to fully study the subject. But the thought that I was on to something wouldn’t let me go. The other thing that gave me pause was that no matter what church I attended or visited, the ministers would be sure to drive home the ideology that tithing was the way to go. I didn’t have a problem with believing in tithing, but I found it odd that when it came time to give, most churches would have a brief lecture on the subject as if parishioners forgot that God required them to give since the last time they were at church. During the discourse, ministers rarely failed to mention that if you didn’t want to be subject to being “cursed with a curse” that you would find it in your heart to give ten percent of your income. So this week, I want to present the biblical backing behind whether you are cursed or not.
Malachi 3:7-12
7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept {them.} Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?' 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. 9 "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation {of you!} 10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. 11 "Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast {its grapes,}" says the LORD of hosts. 12 "All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land," says the LORD of hosts.
This set of scriptures sets forth that by withholding the tithe, you are robbing God and because of it you are cursed with a curse. As some ministers will say, you can not expect God to be concerned with the matters pertaining to your finances when you are robbing God of what is His, week in and week out.
One of the things I have always not appreciated is getting part of the story. I like to be informed and I like to get the whole truth, not just the truth in part. Having the truth in part can easily lead to being told a lie.
It is interesting to note that the book of Malachi deals with the sins of the Priests as well as the Israelites.
Chapter 1 of Malachi deals directly with the Priests offering blind and lame animals as a sacrifice. God was clearly not pleased and He was calling them on it; admonishing them to give Him the respect that He was due. A common form of deception among the Priests was to offer a pitiful sacrifice knowing good and well that they had an acceptable one available. So, in effect they were trying to lie to God about what they had available, forgetting that HE could see all.
Chapter 2 starts by saying, And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. – God let them know that he had already cursed their blessings because of their decision to offer inappropriate sacrifices. Midway through the chapter the audience broadens as God deals with behavior God’s deems intolerable. The character of the people is called into question and the Lord calls on them to re-accept a life of holiness. Apparently, one of the major issues at that time was that men were committing adultery as well as divorcing their wives, even when the wives remained faithful. God let them know he hated divorce. God also let them know that they were giving Him a bad name because their actions caused non-believers to think there was no justice when it came to unholy living because God had not openly punished them.
Chapter 3 leads in with a warning that while it doesn’t look like it, God will bring correction. So God’s people are encouraged to turn from their wicked practices on their own volition. He let’s them know that because of their relationship and the promises that he has made that he has already withstood destroying them. This now set’s the stage for the famous scriptures. God implores the people to give the tithes and offerings properly so that there will be meat in his house. This meat is not figurative, it is literal. God wanted the people to do right so that the Levitical Priesthood wouldn’t be tempted to give inadequate offerings. He wanted the blessing to flow all around. The tithe was also God’s way of providing for those who couldn’t otherwise provide for themselves, so it was the Israelites duty as his people to worship him in their giving. Because they had not done so, he reminded them that they were indeed under a curse. In order to be rid of the curse they had to obey his statutes (Mosaic Law) and give accordingly. If they did so, he would once again pour forth his blessing.
I know I summarized that but I wanted to get to the question of the day. Does NOT tithing cause me to be cursed with a curse? If this was the end of the story I would give you a big emphatic NO. Why, because the curse was predicated on their not fulfilling God’s statutes in the first place; his statutes clearly being Mosaic Law in this instance. Without the Law, how can you transgress it and thereby be subject to its penalty?
What about metaphorically speaking? Since the times have changed can we apply Malachi metaphorically such that God requires us to tithe so that He can be glorified in the earth? Is there a case for being cursed today?
My response to that is not as straight forward because of the power of our minds. What do I mean by that? You can become so convinced of a thing that it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy even if what you are believing is a lie. In other words, if you buy into the belief that you are cursed for not tithing, then you will seek evidence of that truth subconsciously. Anytime something doesn’t go as planned financially, you will attribute it to not tithing. On the flip side, when those same unexpected events happen to tithing Christians, what is the defense then?
The bottom line is this. The penalty of the curse was predicated on breaking The Law. God does not have us under The Law, we are under Grace. Nevertheless, even with our being under grace, there is an expectation to give.
In the book of 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of the type of giver that God approves of – a cheerful one.
What does it take to be a cheerful giver? A cheerful giver is one that gives to the things of God in a manner that reflects that person’s heart towards God. It’s as if you are in a relationship with God and your giving shows how much you care. The problem is most folks talk about loving God, but the proof ain’t in the pudding. People have their cable/satellite with their movie channels/sports channels, flat screens, tivo, cell phones, satellite radio, closets full of clothes and shoes and then when it’s time to give to the things of God out come the excuses.
Let’s look at an example of how God dealt with “church folk” who took care of their stuff and their lifestyle as opposed to his.
Haggai chapter 1, verses 3 - 11.
3Then the word of the LORD came by Haggaim the prophet, saying, 4"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?" 5Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!
6"You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes."
7Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways! 8Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified," says the LORD. 9"You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands."
The thing to point out here is that God was not dealing with the people about tithing (scripture already proves that God's people didn't tithe money). He was dealing with them about giving. It’s also important to see that he “blew” on their money. So even in our giving there is an expectation. So, are you under a curse? No. However, if you do very little in the way of giving to God, yet you question why you can’t catch a break. Maybe, just maybe, God is blowing on your funds and you should reevaluate how much God really means to you in lieu of everything else in your budget. If you prefer your life’s luxuries over giving to the Kingdom of God, then chances are God is dealing with you on your finances because you basically give to the church called “ME”.
So, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I believe in giving not tithing. I think tithing is taught simply because it is profitable for ministries to do so. However, I reject it because a person’s giving really depends on where a person is in the cycle of understanding. If you are un-churched but come into the knowledge of Christ and truly have a heart to worship God in your giving, it may take you a minute to get to the place of giving ten percent or more of your income. Depending on your situation, God may not be requiring that of you anyway, so to have that stipulation placed on you by a minister is just wrong and in my eyes deceitful. People know when they are cheating God. Self evaluation isn’t that hard to do. We know when we are pleasing to God and when we aren’t. If you need a litmus test for your giving try this. Think of something you pay for monthly that you love (barring your home since it’s usually the largest expense people have) and measure that payment against what you give to church or charities monthly. If you aren’t giving at that level, then I would say you need to make some adjustments. But again, you don’t have to answer to me, you may make so much money where a house note is a suitable offering -- but if that shoe fits you, you already know what time it is.
Questions? Comments? Criticisms?
Showing posts with label tithing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tithing. Show all posts
Monday
Money Mondays: Tithing 3
In case you missed my disclaimer in the comment section last week, these posts are not an opportunity to preach. However, it is a chance for those who wish to discuss their positions the chance to do so without beating the opposition into submission. With that said, let's jump right on in.
Tithing under Mosaic Law.
The statutes of Mosaic Law are laid out in the book of Leviticus, particularly the matter of tithing. Today we are going to dispel the myth that tithes were given as animals and/or as a product of the field because society at that time was based upon Agricultural standards. That is true in part, but what most people fail to acknowledge is that money was a vital part of the society of that day. If that is the case, why didn't those under Mosaic Law tithe money? I won't answer that, I just want you to think about it for now.
So, what does the book of Leviticus say with regard to tithing? The 27th and final chapter of Leviticus goes into this matter in detail. It is interesting that the chapter opens with dedicating oneself to the Lord. It was common in those times for someone to vow a person to the Lord but in order for it to be legit and recognized by the Lord, you had to fork over the dough. Here were the rules.
The only reason I show the above was to prove that money was used to present to the priests in certain cases. Another point of note, Leviticus 27:8 says that for persons who make a vow and cannot meet the valuation, the priests can then set a value proportionate to the resources of the person who made the vow.
The 27th Chapter goes on to deal with offering animals, houses and fields and having to accept the value given by the priests. The value is set primarily as a measure of its redeeming value if for some reason the person who offers it decides they want it back. In those instances, the value plus 1/5th is required.
Finally, the last 4 verses of Leviticus 27 deal with this whole matter of tithing. Tithing according to the Law of Moses deals with only land, flocks and herds. Verse 30 makes it clear, all tithes of the land, levied on the produce of the earth or the fruits of trees, belong to the Lord. Verse 32 says, all tithes of flock or herd, the tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff shall be a thing consecrated to the Lord. It goes on further to say you can't pick out the good and the bad and that if you decide you want to redeem your tithe you have to pay it's valuation plus 1/5th its value (Tithe plus 20 percent), but none of that really matters since we aren't under Mosaic Law. My point is that the Mosaic Law tithe was never about money EXCEPT in the case of redeeming your tithe or when dealing with the instruction given in the book of Deuteronomy (Moses instruction to the Israelites before he dies).
In the book of Deuteronomy, 14th Chapter Moses lays out instruction for the tithe. In Deuteronomy tithing takes a twist from conventional teaching. Moses instructs them to do this each year. It should be noted that this is not a different tithe from that outlined in Leviticus. It is the one and same tithe. Moses is just reemphasizing what must be adhered to, even after he is gone. Paraphrased Deut. 14:22-23 -- Every year take a tithe of all that your sowing yields on the land and in the presence of the Lord, in the place that he chooses to give his name a home, you are to EAT THE TITHE of your corn, your wine and your oil AND the first-born of your herd and flock; so shall you learn to fear the Lord your God always. Verses 24 - 27 goes on further to say that if it's just too far to travel with your tithe to the place that the Lord made his home (the Temple), then you must turn your tithe into money and with the money in hand you must go to the Temple and buy whatever you like to eat. There is also instruction that every third year the tithe was to be laid out to give to the Levite (tribe dedicated to serving the Lord on behalf of the Israelites), the stranger, the orphan and the widow who live in your towns so that they may come and eat and have all they want. In this manner, God is glorified because he provided for them as well.
So that there is no confusion, tithing was done yearly because it wasn't money based, it was driven off of the harvesting of crops. I imagine that at different times of year the tithe was given because otherwise certain crops wouldn't last, for example, you wouldn't hold an apple harvest until winter. I'm not sure how those with cattle would have adhered to the rule, although animals do go into heat at certain times of the year. Therefore, I would also imagine there being an increase in flocks and herds at various times of the year as well. In that regard, there was always a reason to celebrate the goodness of God, because he was constantly providing.
So lets review. What have we learned today.
1. There was a system of money in place during Mosaic Law.
2. Tithing was never about money, but provision for God's people. Anywhere you see tithing in the Old Testament, it is applied to agriculture, flocks or herds, because that is what God intended for the Children of Israel. (This point does not overlook that the times now are different and thus money is required so that churches stay operational. I'm just laying out the facts so that everyone is empowered with the proper knowledge.)
3. The tithe was used to bless those that gave it as well as those who couldn't give.
Questions, Comments, Criticisms?
Next week -- Are you cursed financially because you don't tithe?
About the host:
Rich Fitzgerald is the author of the short story "One to Remember" featured in Love and Redemption (Bloggers' Delight Vol. 1), a collection of short stories by authors who blog. To read excerpts or to order a copy of the title, visit i-Lit. The book is also available on Amazon.
Tithing under Mosaic Law.
The statutes of Mosaic Law are laid out in the book of Leviticus, particularly the matter of tithing. Today we are going to dispel the myth that tithes were given as animals and/or as a product of the field because society at that time was based upon Agricultural standards. That is true in part, but what most people fail to acknowledge is that money was a vital part of the society of that day. If that is the case, why didn't those under Mosaic Law tithe money? I won't answer that, I just want you to think about it for now.
So, what does the book of Leviticus say with regard to tithing? The 27th and final chapter of Leviticus goes into this matter in detail. It is interesting that the chapter opens with dedicating oneself to the Lord. It was common in those times for someone to vow a person to the Lord but in order for it to be legit and recognized by the Lord, you had to fork over the dough. Here were the rules.
50 Silver Shekels (that's money y'all) for a man 20 - 60 years old.
30 Silver Shekels for a woman 20 - 60 years old. (please no feminist stances)
20 Silver Shekels for a boy 5 - 20 years old
10 Silver Shekels for a girl 5 - 20 years old
15 Silver Shekels for a man 60 years and older
10 Silver Shekels for a woman 60 years and older
30 Silver Shekels for a woman 20 - 60 years old. (please no feminist stances)
20 Silver Shekels for a boy 5 - 20 years old
10 Silver Shekels for a girl 5 - 20 years old
15 Silver Shekels for a man 60 years and older
10 Silver Shekels for a woman 60 years and older
The only reason I show the above was to prove that money was used to present to the priests in certain cases. Another point of note, Leviticus 27:8 says that for persons who make a vow and cannot meet the valuation, the priests can then set a value proportionate to the resources of the person who made the vow.
The 27th Chapter goes on to deal with offering animals, houses and fields and having to accept the value given by the priests. The value is set primarily as a measure of its redeeming value if for some reason the person who offers it decides they want it back. In those instances, the value plus 1/5th is required.
Finally, the last 4 verses of Leviticus 27 deal with this whole matter of tithing. Tithing according to the Law of Moses deals with only land, flocks and herds. Verse 30 makes it clear, all tithes of the land, levied on the produce of the earth or the fruits of trees, belong to the Lord. Verse 32 says, all tithes of flock or herd, the tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff shall be a thing consecrated to the Lord. It goes on further to say you can't pick out the good and the bad and that if you decide you want to redeem your tithe you have to pay it's valuation plus 1/5th its value (Tithe plus 20 percent), but none of that really matters since we aren't under Mosaic Law. My point is that the Mosaic Law tithe was never about money EXCEPT in the case of redeeming your tithe or when dealing with the instruction given in the book of Deuteronomy (Moses instruction to the Israelites before he dies).
In the book of Deuteronomy, 14th Chapter Moses lays out instruction for the tithe. In Deuteronomy tithing takes a twist from conventional teaching. Moses instructs them to do this each year. It should be noted that this is not a different tithe from that outlined in Leviticus. It is the one and same tithe. Moses is just reemphasizing what must be adhered to, even after he is gone. Paraphrased Deut. 14:22-23 -- Every year take a tithe of all that your sowing yields on the land and in the presence of the Lord, in the place that he chooses to give his name a home, you are to EAT THE TITHE of your corn, your wine and your oil AND the first-born of your herd and flock; so shall you learn to fear the Lord your God always. Verses 24 - 27 goes on further to say that if it's just too far to travel with your tithe to the place that the Lord made his home (the Temple), then you must turn your tithe into money and with the money in hand you must go to the Temple and buy whatever you like to eat. There is also instruction that every third year the tithe was to be laid out to give to the Levite (tribe dedicated to serving the Lord on behalf of the Israelites), the stranger, the orphan and the widow who live in your towns so that they may come and eat and have all they want. In this manner, God is glorified because he provided for them as well.
So that there is no confusion, tithing was done yearly because it wasn't money based, it was driven off of the harvesting of crops. I imagine that at different times of year the tithe was given because otherwise certain crops wouldn't last, for example, you wouldn't hold an apple harvest until winter. I'm not sure how those with cattle would have adhered to the rule, although animals do go into heat at certain times of the year. Therefore, I would also imagine there being an increase in flocks and herds at various times of the year as well. In that regard, there was always a reason to celebrate the goodness of God, because he was constantly providing.
So lets review. What have we learned today.
1. There was a system of money in place during Mosaic Law.
2. Tithing was never about money, but provision for God's people. Anywhere you see tithing in the Old Testament, it is applied to agriculture, flocks or herds, because that is what God intended for the Children of Israel. (This point does not overlook that the times now are different and thus money is required so that churches stay operational. I'm just laying out the facts so that everyone is empowered with the proper knowledge.)
3. The tithe was used to bless those that gave it as well as those who couldn't give.
Questions, Comments, Criticisms?
Next week -- Are you cursed financially because you don't tithe?
About the host:
Rich Fitzgerald is the author of the short story "One to Remember" featured in Love and Redemption (Bloggers' Delight Vol. 1), a collection of short stories by authors who blog. To read excerpts or to order a copy of the title, visit i-Lit. The book is also available on Amazon.
Money Mondays: Tithing pt. 2
As you can see from last weeks post and responses, there are many different views on tithing. So what I intend to do is lay it out as neutral as possible and either solidify your position or give you just cause to change your position altogether. In order to do that we have to give you appropriate background.
Old Testament Tithing can be broken down into two categories – PML (Pre-Mosaic Law) and Mosaic Law.
PML – Sometimes folks say they don’t tithe because the practice was part of Mosaic Law and that it is no longer necessary to maintain Mosaic Law. Those people are correct in their assessment that it is not necessary to perform Mosaic Law practices, but they are wrong in assuming that the Old Testament only presents tithing within The Law. There are instances that occur prior to Mosaic Law where tithing is displayed in the bible.
The first instance of tithing occurs in Genesis 14 when Abram (in later references - Abraham) is met by Melchizedek after Abram returns from battle to retrieve his nephew Lot. Abram gives Melchizedek a tithe of all that he captured in response to God allowing him to be victorious in battle. Side note: The original battle was 5 kings against 4 kings in which the 4 kings prevailed. The army comprised of the 4 kings took all of Sodom and Gomorrah’s goods to include the people who didn’t flee and this included Abram’s nephew Lot. Abram hearing that his nephew was captive took 318 of his trained servants and came up victorious against these 4 kings. Needless to say, God was with him.
The second occurrence happens after Jacob, Abraham’s grandson has an encounter with God in a dream. After awaking he makes a vow that if God will be with him to protect and take care of him then he promises to give a tenth to God in response to their agreement (covenant).
After reading these two accounts one can not deny that tithing was in existence PRIOR to the enactment of Mosaic Law, but what I think is important to notice is that in each instance it was done in conjunction or in response to a covenant agreement. What do I mean by that? A covenant agreement is an agreement between two or more parties where the specifics (the do’s and don’ts) are laid out for each to follow. In the aforementioned cases, tithing was done as a show that God was responsible for protecting, providing, and imparting wealth. Therefore, as a show of gratitude, a tenth (tithe), was given to the priests in response to God holding up his end of the agreement.
It is important to note that Abraham represents the Father of the lineage of the people in which God intended to bless. In fact, it can be said that Abraham opened the door of blessing (redemption) to modern day Christians.
Next week we will tackle tithing under Mosaic Law.
Questions, Comments, Criticisms?
About the host:
Rich Fitzgerald is the author of the short story "One to Remember" featured in Love and Redemption (Bloggers' Delight Vol. 1), a collection of short stories by authors who blog. To read excerpts or to order a copy of the title, visit i-Lit. The book is also available on Amazon.
Old Testament Tithing can be broken down into two categories – PML (Pre-Mosaic Law) and Mosaic Law.
PML – Sometimes folks say they don’t tithe because the practice was part of Mosaic Law and that it is no longer necessary to maintain Mosaic Law. Those people are correct in their assessment that it is not necessary to perform Mosaic Law practices, but they are wrong in assuming that the Old Testament only presents tithing within The Law. There are instances that occur prior to Mosaic Law where tithing is displayed in the bible.
The first instance of tithing occurs in Genesis 14 when Abram (in later references - Abraham) is met by Melchizedek after Abram returns from battle to retrieve his nephew Lot. Abram gives Melchizedek a tithe of all that he captured in response to God allowing him to be victorious in battle. Side note: The original battle was 5 kings against 4 kings in which the 4 kings prevailed. The army comprised of the 4 kings took all of Sodom and Gomorrah’s goods to include the people who didn’t flee and this included Abram’s nephew Lot. Abram hearing that his nephew was captive took 318 of his trained servants and came up victorious against these 4 kings. Needless to say, God was with him.
The second occurrence happens after Jacob, Abraham’s grandson has an encounter with God in a dream. After awaking he makes a vow that if God will be with him to protect and take care of him then he promises to give a tenth to God in response to their agreement (covenant).
After reading these two accounts one can not deny that tithing was in existence PRIOR to the enactment of Mosaic Law, but what I think is important to notice is that in each instance it was done in conjunction or in response to a covenant agreement. What do I mean by that? A covenant agreement is an agreement between two or more parties where the specifics (the do’s and don’ts) are laid out for each to follow. In the aforementioned cases, tithing was done as a show that God was responsible for protecting, providing, and imparting wealth. Therefore, as a show of gratitude, a tenth (tithe), was given to the priests in response to God holding up his end of the agreement.
It is important to note that Abraham represents the Father of the lineage of the people in which God intended to bless. In fact, it can be said that Abraham opened the door of blessing (redemption) to modern day Christians.
Next week we will tackle tithing under Mosaic Law.
Questions, Comments, Criticisms?
About the host:
Rich Fitzgerald is the author of the short story "One to Remember" featured in Love and Redemption (Bloggers' Delight Vol. 1), a collection of short stories by authors who blog. To read excerpts or to order a copy of the title, visit i-Lit. The book is also available on Amazon.
Money Mondays: The Coveted Tenth
I have wanted to address the topic of tithing (giving 10 percent of ones income to the church) for well over a year, but I have always been hesitant because it is one of those hot button topics for Christians. However, I decided there is no sense in avoiding the issue, lets take it head on. I will say that I have been on both sides of the issue so for that matter, I have heard it all and I have studied the subject exhaustively, so nothing you say here will surprise me.
In order to get this rolling we are just going to open the floodgates and let you speak your piece, because I have some future posts coming on the subject, but first things first -- Simple question: Do you believe in tithing? Why or Why not.
I found this cartoon caption and it was interesting. I won't say whether it expresses my current view or not, its just blog content at this point.
About the host:
Rich Fitzgerald is the author of the short story "One to Remember" featured in Love and Redemption (Bloggers' Delight Vol. 1), a collection of short stories by authors who blog. To read excerpts or to order a copy of the title, visit i-Lit. The book is also available on Amazon.
In order to get this rolling we are just going to open the floodgates and let you speak your piece, because I have some future posts coming on the subject, but first things first -- Simple question: Do you believe in tithing? Why or Why not.
I found this cartoon caption and it was interesting. I won't say whether it expresses my current view or not, its just blog content at this point.
About the host:
Rich Fitzgerald is the author of the short story "One to Remember" featured in Love and Redemption (Bloggers' Delight Vol. 1), a collection of short stories by authors who blog. To read excerpts or to order a copy of the title, visit i-Lit. The book is also available on Amazon.
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