Talk:Tithe
- 60. "The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever." He says that those who have been turned from fear to faith and righteousness endure for ever. "The judgments of the Lord are true,"--sure, and incapable of being overturned; and giving rewards according to what is right, bringing the righteous to the unity of the faith. For this is shown in the words, "justified for the same." "Such desires are above gold and precious stone."
- 23. As through the body the Lord spake and healed, so also formerly by the prophets, and now by the apostles and teachers. For the Church is the minister of the Lord's power. Thence He then assumed humanity, that by it He might minister to the Father's will. And at all times, the God who loves humanity invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- in former tithes with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation."Excerpts of Theodotus" preserved in the writings of Clement of Alexandria.
The tithing.com website written by Jared Brian stated, "We hope our tithing resources help inform and encourage Christian believers about following biblical giving that is not bound by tithing, but is sacrificial and cheerful. Our desire is to break all from the bondage legalism and encourage everyone to embrace sacrificial giving led by the Spirit of God."
There are many problems with this line of thinking. First of all Biblical giving included tithing but tithing remained an individual choice in not only the amount and way in which giving was done but to whom you gave.
There were interpretations of the Old Testament taught by some people that might fall under the description of legalism which is an "excessive adherence to law or formula." This was a problem with the Pharisitical interpretation of what was "law". Law is the English word consistently used to describe the Torah.[1] The word we from which the word statute is translated is choq[2] or chuqqah[3] meaning an ordinance, enactment, or decree and may be translated in varying forms including custom, appointed, manners, rites...
In Deuteronomy 4:45 "These [are] the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt," and Deuteronomy 5:1 "And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them." The text is trying to teach you something about the way the universe works the same way Moses was trying to teach the people how the law works. Even the Ten Commandments are actually trying to tell you how the Law of Nature works.
People like Cain, Nimrod and the Pharisees who in their pride will not let the Spirit of God come into their hearts often think they have to codify the law and force compliance from the top down.
Larry Burkett from Crown Financial Ministries promoted tithing his book “Giving & Tithing”.
Argument # 6 – “Tithing was voluntary. There was no punishment mentioned for not tithing” – Larry Burkett
Larry Burkett asked “Is Tithing Legalism”? stating, “Although the tithe is mentioned in the law, no punishment was indicated for not tithing. There is a consequence (the loss of blessings), but there is no punishment from God for not tithing.”
Malachi 3:9 "Ye [are] cursed[4] with a curse[5]: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. 10 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. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts."
I don’t think there is any question about the curse for not tithing. We can find even further proof in the book of Deuteronomy when God is laying out the laws for Israel. In chapter 26 he outlines the rules for tithing and by chapter 28 beginning in verse 15, God outlines in the next 50 verses the curses and punishments that would come upon them for not obeying his commands that were just laid out.
A wolf in sheep's clothingThe problem with Larry Burkett and others with the same mentality towards tithing is that they know that tithing looks out-of-place when we attempt to fit it into a Church that is not supposed to be governed by the law. So they modify its appearance a little bit and make tithing more user-friendly than what it was in the Old Testament. The deception is that if we can mix in a little grace by disconnecting the absolute requirement and separate it from the curse, then the tithe will appear as if it fits right in there with the other principles we practice today. This reformulation of the tithe is nothing but the law dressed up grace’s clothing.
THE LAW + GRACE + LENIENCY = THE LAW
Five Reasons Why You are Cursed for Tithing
- Obeying the law has a curse upon it (Galatians 3:10)
- You are fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4-6)
- God doesn’t say anything about loving a dedicated giver (2 Corinthians 9:7)
- Tithing makes you a slave (Galatians 5:1)
- Tithing makes you weak (Romans 8:3)
Ok. you get it, Israel was punished and cursed for disobeying the law, but doesn’t the bible say that we are free from the curse of the law? Yes it does. Galatians 3:14 states, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us“. Of course this sounds like great news, and it is, but this actually comes with bad news for some out there.
If you read four verses earlier in Galatians 3:10 it states, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
For those of you who are continuing to practice the works of the law, including tithing, you are actually placing yourself back under the curse. Ouch! So, you practice tithing to protect yourself from the curse, but in actuality, you actually are bringing it upon yourself.
There are so many people out there wondering why tithing isn’t working for them. Well maybe the five reasons above are why.
Five Reasons Why You Are Blessed for NOT Tithing
- You are under grace (Romans 6:14)
- God said he would supply all our needs without mentioning the tithe (Philippians 4:19)
- Our gifts are sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18)
- God Loves a Cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
- The Spirit gives life (Romans 8:5-10)
- ↑ 08451 ^הרות^ towrah TavReishVavHey \@to-raw’\@ or ^הרת^ torah \@to-raw’\@ from 03384; n f; AV-law 219; 219
- 1) law, direction, instruction
- 1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)
- 1a1) body of prophetic teaching
- 1a2) instruction in Messianic age
- 1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction
- 1a4) body of legal directives
- 1b) law
- 1b1) law of the burnt offering
- 1b2) of special law, codes of law
- 1c) custom, manner
- 1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law
- 1a) instruction, direction (human or divine)
- ת Tav is a Seal of a Higher kingdom or realm through faith. The paradigm keter–malchut “The Crown of Sovereignty” from the Tree of Life spiritually linking worlds through an unseen doorway of faith. The Aleph & Tav are the first and last letters. [door sign cross seal] (Numeric value: 400)
- ר Reish Process of Clarification The "head" or "beginning". Life's revelation. [Head... Person head highest] (Numeric value: 200)
- ו Vav Connection, Connecting realms and worlds or the dividing veil between them. [nail... And, Add, secure, hook] (Numeric value: 6)
- ה Hey Expression--Thought, Speech, Action. Manifest seeds of thought and life. [Emphasize, jubilation, window, fence] (Numeric value: 5)
- 1) law, direction, instruction
- ↑ 02706 ^קח^ ChetKaf choq \@khoke\@ from 02710; n m; AV-statute 87, ordinance 9, decree 7, due 4, law 4, portion 3, bounds 2, custom 2, appointed 1, commandments 1, misc 7; 127
- 1) statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due
- 1a) prescribed task
- 1b) prescribed portion
- 1c) action prescribed (for oneself), resolve
- 1d) prescribed due
- 1e) prescribed limit, boundary
- 1f) enactment, decree, ordinance
- 1f1) specific decree
- 1f2) law in general
- 1g) enactments, statutes
- 1g1) conditions
- 1g2) enactments
- 1g3) decrees
- 1g4) civil enactments prescribed by God
- 1) statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due
- ↑ 02708 ^הקח^ chuqqah ChetKufHey \@khook-kaw’\@. Same as 02707 חָקָה to cut, carve or portray; from 02706ChetKuf (חֹק) choq; n f; AV-statute 77, ordinance 22, custom 2, appointed 1, manners 1, rites 1; 104
- ח Chet The Life Force - Dynamic nature of - cause and effect - give life and live.[fence, thread, hedge, chamber...cycle] (Numeric value: 8)
- ק Kuf or Kof Omnipresence - Redemption of Fallen Sparks The paradoxical union Reish and a Zayin holiness or separateness omnipresence of God [Cord and needle 𐤒 ... back of head neck... the last or least] (Numeric value: 100)
- ה Hey Expression--Thought, Speech, Action. Manifest seeds of thought and life. [Emphasize, jubilation, window, fence] (Numeric value: 5)
- See 02710 חָקַק chaqaq Chet + double Kuf to cut out, decree, inscribe, translated lawgiver.
- ↑ 0779 ^ררא^ ‘arar \@aw-rar’\@ a primitive root with a double Reish; v; AV-curse 62, bitterly 1; 63
- 1) to curse
- 1a) (Qal)
- 1a1) to curse
- 1a2) cursed be he (participle used as in curses)
- 1b) (Niphal) to be cursed, cursed
- 1c) (Piel) to curse, lay under a curse, put a curse on
- 1d) (Hophal) to be made a curse, be cursed
- 1a) (Qal)
- AlefReishReish ^ררא^
- Alef= Paradox of God and Man
- Reish= Process of Clarification of Life's revelation.
- The double Reish expresses the cause and effect or spirit and truth of either conforming to the character or name of God or rejecting God in the eternal paradox or relationship of God and Man.
- 1) to curse
- ↑ 03994 ^הראמ^ mᵉerah \@meh-ay-raw’\@ from 0779; n f; {See TWOT on 168 @@ "168a"} AV-curse 4, cursing 1; 5
- 1) curse
- MemAlefReishHey Mem meaning the consequence flow from an action.