Tithing in Malachi 3:6. Get it Right!!

debs · Jun 22, 2002

Regarding Tithing and the mis-use/abuse of Malachi

Genesis 28:20 Then JACOB MADE A VOW, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear
so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord [7] will be my God
and [8] this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I WILL GIVE YOU A TENTH"

Malachi 3:6
Robbing God
"I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty.
"But you ask, 'How are we to return?'
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Now, Christians are we descendants of Jacob? NO!
Lets all go back to giving from our hearts, being led by His Spirit, and meeting the needs that God places in front of us and around us.

To those who aren't giving some set amount to the church and are FEELING GUILTY ?...its alright, youre not gonna come under a curse because youre not descended from Jacob, and havent entered in to a vow with God.

He does not condem you nor will he with-hold anything from you!!!FREEDOM in jesus name :bow:

"It is finished"

ZiSunka · Jun 23, 2002

Now, Christians are we descendants of Jacob? NO!

Spiritually, we ARE descendents of Jacob, AND giving 10% or more IS what my heart tells me!

Why is it so important to you to not give?

debs · Jun 23, 2002

I do give.

Andrew · Jun 23, 2002

Either way, it's 10% or MORE.

If you think tithing is OC stuff, then so be it. But at least acknowledge that under a superior and far better NC, you should be giving more than 10% then! if you want to be honest with talk about being a cheerful generous giver led by the Holy spirit etc, for how can giving in the better NC be any less than giving in the OC?

aggie03 · Jun 24, 2002

There is no mention of 10% or any number in the New Testament, but rather we are commaded to give with a cheerful heart, and as much as we can do with a cheerful heart. I have some verses on this, but I'll have to look them up - then I guess I'll edit this post.

Droobie · Jun 24, 2002

Actually, the tenth is mentioned in the NT.

ZiSunka · Jun 24, 2002

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Matthew 23:23

We ought to keep tithing, even of our little things (like found money), and do justice, mercy and faith (the big things of our faith), too!

WayneH · Jun 24, 2002

Actually aggie..

tithe and tenth are technically the same - tithe means tenth - thats why we give a 10 of what we get.. Personally - I think what you give is between you and God - there are times people give more then 10% and then there could be times 10% can't be given... its what in the heart that counts.. is a person giving freely to God or grudgingly...

at least in thats what I think...

Mandy · Jun 24, 2002

There is no commandment to give a tenth in the NT at all and I think it's wrong to say a tenth must be given. Yet we are to give as we purpose in our hearts to give, if one has purposed to give a tenth, that's great, if another 20%, great, and yet another 5%, great. We are to give with a cheerful heart. God would honor the one who gives less, but gives faithfully and with a cheerful heart than one who gives a tenth grudgingly. Another thing is that "tithing" doesn't just have to be giving to your church, it can be given to the poor, other ministries, etc. The only wrong ways to give are grudgingly and little because of greed and giving simply to be seen of men and for what you may receive in return.

9-iron · Jun 24, 2002

Now, Christians are we descendants of Jacob? NO!

Yes we are actually, if you read in Romans we are grafted in!!!!!

TruelightUK · Jun 24, 2002

Once you start legalistically applying one Old Testament law to the New Covenant, it is hard not to go on and apply all the laws of Israel - if we are the New Israel, the spiritual heirs of Jacob, then there is a certain logic in this. Yet the spirit of the New Testament writers implies otherwise - are we bound by the Law? Is this what justifies or condemns us? Are we to be led and ruled by a set of religious statutes? Or are we led by the Spirit - whose fruits of love etc. are the fulfillment of the Law?

As I've said in other threads, I beleive it is good and right to prayerfully plan our giving (both to the Church and to other charitable causes), and that the OT principle of the tithe is a good starting point. But I do not beleive there is any New Testament justification for making this a law, which 'we' impose on fellow Christians and stand in judgement upon those who fail to fulfil it.

Besides, if we are truly following the Spirit, then I don't beleive many of us in the wealthy West would be satisfied with 10%, but would abound in giving over and above that amount in response to His compassionate promptings in our heart. And it is that delight in doing what is good and right which pleases God - not some grudging fulfillment of an externally imposed requirement - giving becasue I 'have to' rather than because I want to. After all. isn't that, in essence, the heart of Christ's Good News?!

LouisBooth · Jun 24, 2002

Paul makes it very clear in 1 cor that people that work in the ministry should be paid. The rest of the titeh goes to the buildings, etc..which the church usually votes on getting, thus they have made an obligation to pay it, anything else are events to further the gospel of Christ and thus put in the hands of your leadership who you should follow if they stay biblical. Not tithing is robbing from God.

debs · Jun 25, 2002

9-Iron: Didnt Paul say that other branches were broken off the vine out of unbelief then we were grafted in..And isnt the vine=Christ?

debs · Jun 25, 2002

LouisBooth: "Not tithing is robbing from God"
You are not being clear what you refer to as tithing.
You may mean a compulsery 10% or thereabouts of a persons income paid to the conregation you attend? if so you are clearly refering to Malachi then such a person according to your understanding is under a curse,
but then Christ has set us free from the curse of the Law by hanging on a tree.
And the Law of the Spirit of Life has set us free from the Law of sin and death.

Do what you want according to the faith that you have....as will I: but dont go around telling people if they arent giving a regular % of their income to the church they attend, that they are robbing God and that according to Malachi they are bringing a curse on themselves and God wont bless them. Thats manipulation and control in order to dominate.
I wouldnt dare to speak words of cursing to the members of the Body of Christ.

LouisBooth · Jun 25, 2002

tithing is the church giving until all its needs are met. This can usually be done by the WHOLE church giving 10%. So that's the one usually given out. *sigh* I think you don't realize what the law is. Its a guide to live by. We should follow parts of it. If you say we are free from the law, lets go disobey it on purpose? ARe you nuts? That's exactly what paul says NOT to do. Sin more that grace should abound more? NO. We are not to do that at all. If you are giving sacrifically then its okay, its obvious to me you have some doubt since you seem so defensive about the subject. You need to pray on it and not be a NT legalist. Don't let others pick up your slack. Remember the woman in the gospels giving all she had. Be like her.

LouisBooth · Jun 25, 2002

"Thats manipulation and control in order to dominate. "

No, its not. Its your refusal to submit to God.

ZiSunka · Jun 25, 2002

Originally posted by TruelightUK
Once you start legalistically applying one Old Testament law to the New Covenant, it is hard not to go on and apply all the laws of Israel - if we are the New Israel, the spiritual heirs of Jacob, then there is a certain logic in this. Yet the spirit of the New Testament writers implies otherwise - are we bound by the Law? ...But I do not beleive there is any New Testament justification for making this a law, which 'we' impose on fellow Christians and stand in judgement upon those who fail to fulfil it.

Besides, if we are truly following the Spirit, then I don't beleive many of us in the wealthy West would be satisfied with 10%, but would abound in giving over and above that amount in response to His compassionate promptings in our heart. And it is that delight in doing what is good and right which pleases God - not some grudging fulfillment of an externally imposed requirement - giving becasue I 'have to' rather than because I want to. After all. isn't that, in essence, the heart of Christ's Good News?!

Some people are so afraid of legalism that they won't do anything commanded by God, for fear that they will be perfoeming works of the law! Tithing is not a law but a commandment. Jesus blessed tithing in Matthew 23:23. He could have said, "Don't worry about tithing anymore, just love ne another." But he didn't. He said to the Pharasees, "Keep tithing, and love one another, too." (in effect)

The NT doesn't reiterate the OT. Jesus didn't talk about not marrying your sister, but that command is still in effect. He didn't talk about not sacrificing your children to Baal, but that is still in effect, too. He didn't rescind the tithe, and it is still in effect, not as a law, but as a show of love for Him.

If you are buying luxuries like eating out, cell phones and cable tv and refusing to give God even 10%, I can't imagine how you cope with the embarassment. It really says that everything else, including entertainment, is more important to you than Him.

Candidus · Jun 25, 2002

Some interesting reading for those that wish to delve into it

http://home.earthlink.net/~russkellyphd/_wsn/page2.html

eldermike · Jun 25, 2002

LouisBooth,

AMEN

Blessings to you

ZiSunka · Jun 25, 2002

Re: that link

We don't raise sheep anymore, so we have nothing to tithe from except the increase of our money. AND, since there was no money back then, their wealth WAS their livestock and crops and their income was the increase of those. Our income is in money, therefore, it is what we tithe from.

My fiance, who is a farmer, does set aside part of his crop each year, in the form of planting extra rows espeically for giving. The sweet corn, he tithes to the local food pantry. The other crops, he plants rows to sell for money to give, usually they are about 10% of the total acreage planted, but of course, it is up to God to give the increase.

It's interesting that the author of the link is pictured wearing scholarly robes. It would imply that he is a scholar. Might I inquire which seminary he graduated from?

Tithing in Malachi 3:6. Get it Right!!

Active Member

It means 'yellow dog'

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Veritas Vos Liberabit

Rebmem Raluger

It means 'yellow dog'

Washed in His Blood

Well-Known Member

Football Fan

Tilter at religious windmills

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

It means 'yellow dog'

Active Member

Pray

It means 'yellow dog'

Similar threads