Template:Curses and Consequences

Curses and Consequences

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 term Torah. The word from which the word statute is translated is choq or chuqqah meaning an ordinance, enactment, or decree and may be translated in varying forms including custom, appointed, manners, rites...

The Pharisees may have been steeped in legalism but according to Jesus, they did not believe the testimony of Moses. They claimed Moses and God as their Father with their lips but they did not know his way.Moses like Jesus believed we should love our neighbor as ourselves. From the beginning it was not by legalism but by love that you were to fulfill the law. Peter, Paul, James, and John made it clear and warned us that if we were not keeping the Commandments that it is clear that your claim of faith is false.

All the laws, statutes, customs or rites of Moses were his written testimony of the nature of God the Father and the way His creation works. 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 which is legalism at its worse. This is why there are prohibitions in the policies of God and Jesus about making covenants, swearing oaths and even applying to the Father of the earth. An examination of the distinctions between terms like Natural Law, Law, legal, Common Law, and Consent can help us with our attempt to understand.

Larry Burkett from Crown Financial Ministries promoted tithing in his book “Giving & Tithing” 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.”

This idea of being blessed or cursed by your choices, actions and inactions is seen in many places in the testaments including Malachi 3:9 "Ye [are] cursed with a curse.

These two words translated cursed and curse actually have to do with built-in consequences established at the creation of a cause and effect universe according to the Law of Nature and Natures God.

Jared Brian did not "think there is any question about the curse for not tithing" mentioning Deuteronomy 26, Deuteronomy 27, and Deuteronomy 28. Unfortunately, people are often still falling prey to the spirit of legalism and applying to Moses the Pharisees' false interpretations, missing the metaphor and spirit of love. Those curses and blessings are consequences of following or not following the Spirit of God and His righteousness.

A false view of tithing certainly would be "out-of-place when we attempt to fit it into a Church" but the fulfillment of the law has always been love. Tithing has always been "user-friendly" because it has always been a matter of individual choice and policed by that Law of Nature and Natures God.

People and many in the Modern Church often use the term grace to neglect righteousness. We should still be seeking the righteousness of God and like the early Church we should be providing a daily ministration through Pure Religion unspotted by the world. We should not be dependent upon the Fathers of the earth nor the men who call themselves benefactors but who exercise authority one over the other.

Tithing was always about charitably participating in a governmental system of the care and welfare of others both locally and far off. The Levites were the firstborn of the nation who were to bear fruit for a nation through the freewill offerings of the people who tithed to them according to their service not some legalistic demand or statute.

The early Church would feed the flock of God by rightly dividing the bread from house to house. Christians did not apply for the free bread of Caesar. The early Christian ate of the righteous table of the Lord, not of the unrighteous mammon of the fathers of the earth.

Five Reasons

Jared Brian says there are Five Reasons Why You are Cursed for Tithing. He likes logic but lacks knowledge. If you are missing pieces of the true history of Abraham and the early Church you may misinterpret the text.

1. "Obeying the law has a curse upon it (Galatians 3:10)."

This is not true because obeying the law is fulfilling the law which is done by following The Way of love and charity, not the way of compacts and force which is going under the law of men who exercise authority. There was a point made by Paul about imposing Jewish customs on Gentiles. But Paul knew that "Religion" was about 'remembering the poor'. Caring for the welfare of the people had to be done by charity alone. This was at the core of the Christian conflict and the essence of Pure Religion.

See what (Galatians 3:10) is really saying.

2. "You are fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4-6)"

We fall from grace when we sell our liberty under God for the free bread, benefits and the wages of unrighteousness offered by Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, Herod, and Caesar.

See Galatians 5:4-6

3. "God doesn’t say anything about loving a dedicated giver (2 Corinthians 9:7)"

The Levites were always supposed to be tithed to according to their service which was a choice of the heart.

See 2 Corinthians 9 in context.

4. "Tithing makes you a slave (Galatians 5:1)"

There is no way that tithing makes you a slave. Sloth, covetous practices, Wantonness, the wages of unrighteousness, and the benefits of men who call themselves benefactors entangle you again in the yoke of bondage.

5. "Tithing makes you weak (Romans 8:3)"

The laws spoken of by Paul were the hand written ordinances nailed to the cross imposed by civil law. It is the laws that attempted to legislate morality. see Romans 8:3

According to Polybius and the prophets being accustomed to living at the expense of others makes you weak.

The truth is that Israel punished and cursed itself for disobeying the spirit of the law. That is still true for those who may only claim to be Christians but are not doers of the word.

It is true that "Christ has redeemed us" but are you a part of that "us"?

Brian also includes "Five Reasons Why You Are Blessed for NOT Tithing"

1. You are under grace (Romans 6:14)

But the question remains are you the "you" Paul is speaking about and to?

2. God said he would supply all our needs without mentioning the tithe (Philippians 4:19) 3. Our gifts are sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18) 4. God Loves a Cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7) 5. The Spirit gives life (Romans 8:5-10)

Peter, Paul, James, and John warned us of strong delusions and Christ even warned us that many would think they are his followers but actually be workers of iniquity. Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

• Have you returned to the bondage of Egypt?
• Have you become merchandise and entangled again in the yoke of bondage?
• Have you become surety for debt?
• Have you and are you cursing your children with debt?
• Have you eaten at the table of rulers with great appetite?
• Have you been snared by what should have been for your welfare?
• Have you become subject to the Fathers of the earth and the Nimrods of Babylon?